|
The Struggle (Praxis)
The History of the Hunter-Slayers
Let it be known that, over the years, there have been those among
the ranks of my elite Black Ops that, even after the extensive
training and selection procedures, have disappointed me and had
to be dismissed—and I am an understanding man. The behaviour
of one particular group of men left me especially infuriated.
They were some of my best operatives and had taken to calling
themselves the hunter-slayers (the allusion to an early euphamism
for tyranids obvious). The bonding exercises I force my men to
undergo had succeeded in the case of the hunter-slayers, knitting
them together into a tight unit. Not only were they skilled in
my eyes, but also idolized by the other Black Ops recruits. Other
squads even attempted to emulate the example the Hunter-Slayers
set, adopting names like the “Grabber-Slashers,” the
“Screamer-Killers,” and the “Stalker-Rippers.”
Despite this particular squad’s confidence, charisma, and
skill, they still showed themselves to be unfit for the tasks
I gave them. Although they never once failed at a mission they
were assigned to, their constant success went to their heads.
They started to think themselves better than the rest of the squads
that made up my Black Ops and eventually came to even think themselves
above my orders. This periodic insubordination was tolerable because
of what the Hunter-Slayers were able to accomplish, but it grew
to be too much when it drove the members of the unit to seek mercenary
work for monetary or technological gains. The squad would sell
itself to the highest bidder, advertising its undisputed ability
to handle xenos threats—particularly those Tyranidic in
nature. By pursuing such employment when on leave from the Black
Ops, the Hunter-Slayers amassed a significant cache of xenos technology.
When news of this behaviour reached my ears, I immediately dishonourably
dismissed the squad from my standing force of operatives. Although
these were some of my very best operatives, I could not tolerate
them effectively presenting my rigorous selection and training
practices as nothing more than a school for mercenaries.
Reports I have received communicated that, since their dismissal,
the Hunter-Slayers had not given up their mercenary ways. However,
I did not realized how well known they had become. A transmission
that I recently intercepted clearly communicated to me the squad’s
renown.
I was recently assigned the responsibility of monitoring an Ordo
Xenos Inquisitor by the name of Malin. Malin had been placed under
surveillance by Inquisitor Hawthorn after Malin’s research
had nearly caused a biological cataclysm on the planet of Tenebra
III. Malin was barred from ever returning to the planet (until
recently thought sterilized of the xenos taint Malin had brought
upon it) and I was enlisted to assure that he followed Inquisitor
Hawthorn’s decree once Hawthorn was distracted by more pressing
matters.
While monitoring Malin, I intercepted the following encrypted
data log that was meant for Malin himself. I am fortunate that
I did catch the data log since it both explains whatever became
of the Hunter-Slayers and reveals the true state of affairs on
Tenebra III.
H-S DATALOG; DATECODED ________
REALTIME DATASTREAM ESTABLISHED, ORBITAL BACKUP TERMINAL 2
This is a confidential Ordo Xenos datalog. If found transmit to
Inq Malin immediately.
+++ENCRYPTION CYPHER GAMBIT INITIATED+++
PRIMER:
Due to the possible danger of our query, Sergeant Carvez has ordered
that we engage data-streaming protocols so that any useable information
is sure to find its way to our client. Our target is the planet
of Tenebra III, and our drop point will be just inside the polar
barricades, out of the range of the automated defences. Our sister
squad will drop on the opposite side of the pole and will rendezvous
with us at the polar ruins.
Our client has stated that he will pay a bounty on each genetic
sample from an abnormal Tyranid specimen [not from the standard-12
genus listing], but he is demanding that we recover any intact
stasis modules from a genetic vault in the sub-basement of the
ruins at the planet’s pole.
In addition to the primary objectives, he has warned us that there
may be an abnormally large, abnormally resilient Lictor within
the perimeter and that we should approach it with extreme caution.
He has assured us that, should we prove capable of downing the
beast, he will reward us with double the normal bounty for its
carcass. He has also cautioned us that the creature’s chameleonic
scales are highly effective and that it has exhibited regenerative
capabilities. Operative Kharas in our squad, and Operative Regent
in our sister squad, will be watching for the beast on modified
Tau Blacksun filters.
ENTRY:
We have just reached the surface without incident. We landed just
inside the range of the automated perimeter defences and were
treated to a grisly sight that reinforces the danger posed by
those defences. Between the polar barricades and where we stand
there are all manner of dead Tyranid organisms. The only genetic
trait common to all of them is that each has some form of flight
adaptation, from bat- and insect-like wings to what appears to
be biological jump packs. It would appear as though the creatures
made numerous attempts to breach the polar barricades by flying
over them but were unsuccessful because of the automated defences.
The presence of these corpses bolsters our client’s belief
that the virus bombing of the planet’s pole ten years ago
did not eliminate all Tyranid life forms on the planet’s
surface. Operative Martel is currently collecting genetic samples
of the creatures with the more unusual flying modifications. If
there are still-living Tyranid creatures on the planet it is unclear
why they have not reabsorbed the remains of these dead creatures.
I would guess that the ‘nids are either unable to reintegrate
genetic material without the help of hiveships or that these creatures
are somehow unfit for reabsorbtion.
ENTRY:
We have travelled nearly 4 kilometres towards the pole through
dense polar forest. The only organisms we have encountered have
been rippers and small gaunts. The majority of the organisms we
have encountered flee upon sighting our group. About fifteen minutes
ago, Operative Kharas detected something significantly larger
than a gaunt moving among the trees a little more than a hundred
metres out. With the arrival of this unidentified larger creature
came a change in the attitude of the rippers and the gaunts. They
became hostile and we had to repel several waves of them. We made
short work of them using our Helguns, without having to resort
to mods, but we noticed that the gaunts seemed more resilient
than normal for their size. Sergeant Carvez has guessed that the
increased resilience may be an adaptation to the cold climate.
ENTRY:
We have definitely picked up a spook. Operative Kharas has been
tracking it with his Blacksun ever since we were attacked, and
he reports that it has kept pace with us, staying just out of
weapons range. He has keyed our modified Tau information drone
to its visual distortion signature [it can track the spook’s
lateral movement by the way its chameleonic scales distort the
foliage it passes] so that the drone can monitor it while he watches
for others.
ENTRY:
We are making significant headway towards the polar ruins, despite
recent losses. Two operatives, Walker and Carnel, fell to another
‘Nid surprise attack. For an infestation swarm, these bugs
are showing significant strategic ability. They waited until we
had crested a ridge and came down on us from behind, over the
ridge. They were mostly termagaunts, but one of them was a slightly
bulkier mutant armed with an uncommon bioweapon (Operative Martel,
our ‘Nid genome brain, later informed me that the weapon
seemed to be a form of an old Tyranid bioweapon referred to as
a strangleweb, long thought obsolete/abandoned by the fleets).
The creature seemed to have some sort of bio-electric detection
field since it lacked ocular organs. In their place it had mandibles
(or maybe they were some form of sensing organs) mounted on either
side of its head. As the brood crested the ridge, their weapons
showered us with ‘borer grubs, but most of them bounced
off our carapace armour. Then the mutant organism stalked down
off the crest and fired into our ranks with its weapon. A cloud
of sticky filaments erupted from the many openings in the weapon’s
barrel and anchored themselves firmly to the armour of three of
the members of our squad. The creature gave a quick jerk and pulled
Walker, Carnel, and Ander off their feet just as they were readying
to fire on it. We realized that the weapon’s ammunition
was not filaments but, in fact, microscopic tendrils as they started
to snake around the bodies of the fallen men, restricting their
movement more and more.
I turned my attention from the rest of the brood, firing a volley
into the cranium and chest of the mutant organism. The creature
fell, but the tendrils continued to slither around the men, starting
to choke them as their necks and rebreathers became enmeshed.
I fired another volley into the corpse of the creature, this time
using my plasma mod, but the tendrils wouldn’t stop squeezing
the men. I pulled my vibroknife and started hacking at the tendrils
holding Ander while Operative Ragan turned his flamer on the corpse
of the mutant. I was able to sever the tendrils from the weapon,
stopping their advance across Ander’s armour, and began
cutting him out of the cocoon that had started to form around
him.
The promethium from Ragan’s flamer finally stopped the bioweapon,
and he too fell to hacking at the tendrils around Walker and Carnel
with his powerblades. He was able to free Carnel quickly but soon
realized that it was already too late; the fine tendrils had managed
to worm into the seam between Carnel’s blast visor and rebreather.
The tiny cords had effectively cemented the mask to the operative’s
face, and when it was finally torn off, we discovered that the
tendrils had also plugged his nasal cavity and throat. Walker
had not received the full brunt of the weapon’s blast, as
Carnel had, but by the time Ragan freed him, Walker had already
choked to death.Sergeant Carvez ordered us to treat any further
organisms armed with this same weapon configuration as primary
targets.
Operative Kharas also assured us that we are still being shadowed
by our spook and that he had reason to believe that there may
be as many as four more of them slipping in and out of sensor
range. He mentioned that he has never seen more than three lictors
in one area before since they tended to hunt individually and
not in packs. Sergeant Carvez stated his belief that it was the
same lictor moving in and out of our sensor range but cautioned
us to keep our weapons mods charged.
ENTRY:
Operative Martel wished that I make record of a phenomenon he
has been noticing since we entered the polar forest (and our sister
squad reports experiencing it as well). It was a trend that was
hardly noticeable at first, but with every kilometre we cover
on foot, it becomes more evident. The plant life of the polar
forest has started to change. At first we only spotted a few fungus-like
growths on trees, but they have become more common as we approach
the pole. There have also been instances when entire trees have
fallen prey to the apparent infection. In these instances the
trees appear to have become biological pumps that are leeching
nutrients from the planet’s soil and are storing the nutrients
in organic sacs growing from their boughs.
This development has convinced Martel that we are dealing with
much more than a standard Tyranid infestation. He has informed
me that Tyranids sometimes fashion crude spawning vats to support
their infestations, but he has never read of an infestation force
modifying the surrounding environment to this degree. He has assured
me that these are not the actions of a force supported by fleet
ships since the ships themselves have organs that take care of
absorbing nutrients. Martel believes that these resource-leeching
structures may by helping to contribute to the elevated mutation
rate he is witnessing in the Tyranid organisms we have encountered
(sometimes as high as 25%, which is double the standard rate of
12.5%). He tells me that he read a Magos Biologis report that
stated there was something abnormal about the soil composition
on Tenebra that caused plant life and the animals that feed on
it to grow and evolve at an accelerated rate. Martel believes
that the ‘Nids have succeeded in extracting this element
from the soil and concentrating it into a pure form; a feat that
the Magos Biologis has tried and failed at.
Operative Martel is at a loss to explain how the bugs would be
able to exploit the native ecology of the planet to such an extent
without the support of hiveships.
ENTRY:
Our topographical charts of the expanse bounded by the polar barricades
indicate that we are within ten kilometres of the ruins of the
polar research station. Our client will be pleased that we have
nearly run out of space in our stasis satchels due to the extreme
number of mutant Tyranid species we have encountered and secured
genetic samples of. We have dispatched small broods of gaunts
that would indicate a mutation rate of at least 25%, with some
of the smaller broods hinting at a rate as high as 50-75%. Such
findings are simply unprecedented.
We even encountered a single squad that Sergeant Carvez has dubbed
“the Crimson Stalkers” and is the nearest thing he
has ever encountered to a Tyranid imitation of the specialized
forces included in a Deathwatch Kill Team. He gave the brood this
label because it boasted all manner of gaunt mutants, from a rending
claw mutant and a strangleweb creature to one armed with a comparably
archaic bioweapon known as a spikerifle, which the creature used
to snipe operative Soran long before we had any inkling the brood
was hunting us. As the “Kill Team” erupted upon us
from the dense underbrush, we were surprised to see Genestealers
fighting alongside gaunt mutants in the same brood. Martel later
informed me that he counted four spinegaunts, one spikerifle creature,
one strangleweb creature, three Genestealers, and one other creature
that had chameleonic scales and the enlarged cranium of a Lictor
but was significantly smaller and seemed to also resemble a Genestealer.
We brought down two spinegaunts, and the strangleweb-weilding
gaunt with a volley from our weapons. Ragan was able to pull down
a Genestealer in close combat using his powerblades, but it wound
up costing him his life as the other Genestealers fell upon him.
He told us to run, and just before the ‘stealers could finish
him off, he blew his promethium tank, incinerating them all. The
“team” also managed to down our Tau information drone,
so Kharas has had to result to tracking our spook using his Blacksun
filter alone.
We have lost four of our number so far, a casualty rate practically
unheard of among Hunter-Slayer squads, but sergeant Carvez has
assured us that, once we have the stasis modules from the ruins,
he intends to make sure the ‘Nids that have infested these
forests pay dearly for the lives of our squadmates.
ENTRY:
We are hold up on a rocky hilltop that rises above the surrounding
polar forests. It is within a mere two kilometres of the pole,
and from this distance, the ‘ruins’ are visible to
the naked eye. We have set up a defensive position behind a number
of boulders while Sergeant Carvez decides on a course of action.
We lost Operative Karsh while trying to gain our current position,
and Operative Ander has lost the use of his right leg. As we left
the tree line and sprinted across the rocky, open space before
the boulders, the forests around us erupted with the sounds of
bioweapons fire. Projectile after projectile from spikerifles
ricocheted across the rocks, and one barbed shaft found its mark
in the back of Karsh’s skull. Ander stopped to help Karsh
up, not realizing the extent of his injury, and he paid for the
mistake as another deadly shaft burst through his thigh. He had
just enough time to throw himself behind a boulder before a fresh
salvo of spikes erupted from the woods. We are sorely missing
Ragan’s flamer right now as we attempt to clear the surrounding
woods by lobbing incendiary grenades into them using Ander’s
grenade launcher. The grenades seem to be having little effect.
ENTRY:
Operative Martel, suitably convinced that our spook has abandoned
us on this rocky island above the sea of trees and Tyranids, has
turned his long-range surveillance gear on the polar ‘ruins’
in response to Sergeant Carvez’s belief that something about
the remains of the of the imperial outpost “doesn’t
look right.” At our current distance from the pole, one
can distinguish the dark stain of the ruins from the surrounding
tree line with the naked eye, but nothing more can be seen.
Kharas’ long-sight has revealed that what we thought to
be ruins at the pole is in fact an intact structure. The spires
and low-set buildings do not match the blueprint that our client
provided us with, so I have launched a scouting drone to determine
the nature of the force that has built the structures on top of
the polar ruins. We should receive a signal from the drone at
any time now.
ENTRY:
We are still pinned behind the boulders. Our situation appears
to only be getting worse. The spikerifle round that pierced Ander’s
right leg seems to have been coated in some form of poison that
has started a rapid breakdown of the tissue surrounding the wound.
Operative Martel is attempting to devise some sort of anti-venom
using his knowledge of Tyranid bioweaponry. To make matters worse,
the number of ‘Nids in the surrounding woods has increased.
They have not yet assaulted us head on, but Kharas is detecting
more and more massed bio-signs in the woods as time passes. He
believes that the ‘Nids may be amassing for one decisive
push that would either pull us down or drive us off the cliff
at our back. Sergeant Carvez has already ordered us to ready our
descent gear in case we are forced over the cliff face, towards
the pole. What is most disturbing of all is the grim story told
by the images transmitted back from the scout drone I sent out:
the pole is—
++REAL-TIME VOICE RECORD ENGAGED++
OP THEDE: I have engaged the real-time voice record system.
This information needs to reach our client in case we don’t.
Tenebra is lost—MARTEL! Where are you going?! MARTEL! STOP!
Our only chance is to link up with the other squad at the pole.
OP MARTEL: FORGET IT! You saw those things; we need to
get out of here! We need to get back to the boundary.
OP THEDE: Do you have any idea how far we are form the
boundary? It would take—
SRG CARVEZ: [VOICE PATTERN UNRECOGNIZED]…yourselves
cannot…defeat….oursel—ARG[VOICE PATTERN UNRECOGNIZED]
OP MARTEL: EMPEROR SAVE US! CAN’T YOU SHUT HIM OFF?!
WHAT IS THAT THING DOING TO HIM?
SRG CARVEZ: [VOICE PATTERN UNRECOGNIZED] I…WILL…NOT—<<EXPLATIVE>>
[VOICE PATTERN UNRECOGNIZED]
OP MARTEL: By the Emperor! SHUT HIM OFF, THEDE!
OP THEDE: Keep it down! I don’t think we’re
being hunted. If you would keep yourself from being detected and
link up with me, we could get out of this.
OP MARTEL: Are you crazed? Did you see what was at the
pole? Open your eyes and look around at how bad the infestation
is—just look at what has happened to the trees! Look at
what has happened to the ground! The closer we try to get to the
other squad, the closer we get to the pole. Can’t you see
the mission should be our last concern right now? Our only chance
is getting back to the barr—
SRG CARVEZ: [VOICE PATTERN UNRECOGNIZED]
OP MARTEL: BY TERRA! DO YOU NOT HEAR THAT?! WHAT IS THAT
THING DOING TO HIM?!
OP THEDE: Get a hold of yourself and keep your voice down,
Martel! We haven’t been detected yet. Though Tenebra may
be lost, what we have witnessed of the Tyranids on this planet
is completely unprecedented. We must concentrate of surviving
so that we can deliver our findings to the Imperium. This is what
we were trained for.
OP MARTEL: Are you using your eyes, Thede? Have you ever
learned anything about the ‘Nids? Do you realize how <<EXPLATIVE>>
this situation is? I have studied the Tyranid morphology for more
than a decade, and I have never seen mutation on this level. Though
you may see that fact as some magnificent experiment that needs
to be catalogued, I see the reality of it as a colossal <<EXPLATIVE>>up
that we are trapped in the middle of. I am telling you that I
have never seen an infestation so bad that the trees and the very
ground crawl with Tyranid life. Have you noticed that there is
no snow anywhere on the pole? Have you noticed that the temperature
is about four-times higher than what its supposed to be? What’s
at the pole is just the tip of a big, <<EXPLATIVE>>,
‘Nid iceberg. What we were trained for? Bull<<EXPLATIVE>>,
Thede! Paxis didn’t train me for the kind of <<EXPLATIVE>>
that Malin bastard started here. Paxis didn’t train me to
clean up some mad scientist’s biological spill. He didn’t
train me to watch some Genestealer-Lictor freak suck out Carvez’s
brains. He didn’t train me to exterminate an entire swarm
on the surface of a hiveship—and don’t mistake that
for exaggeration because that is exactly what we’re doing
here, Thede. If Paxis taught me one thing, it was the ability
to recognize and remember different Tyranid constructs. As you
showed me the close-up pictures of that abomination on the pole,
I knew I had seen it before, but it wasn’t until now that
I remembered where I recognized it from.
The answer is that I saw it from the deck of Paxis’ cruiser
as the abomination fled an imperial fleet. We called it the control
tower because it was an organ on a massive ship commanding the
splinter fleet we were chasing. That abomination of a structure
belongs on a hiveship; what in the Eye is it doing on this planet?!
What the <<EXPLATIVE>> was Malin keeping in
those stasis modules in that genetic vault below the pole?! Did
that bastard keep pieces of hiveships as if they were pets meant
to amuse him? The mission is officially <<EXPLATIVE>>,
Thede, and I intend to get out of here alive. Now, you can choose
to come with me or you can choose to stay here and die for Malin’s
pet bugs. What is it going to be, Thede?
Thede?
OP THEDE: [VOICE PATTERN UNRECOGNIZED]
OP MARTEL: <<EXPLATIVE>>! TO HORUS WITH THIS!
++CONNECTION SEVERED++
DATALOG ENDS
|
