HARBINGER 40K

8/12/2019 HARBINGER 40K

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/harbinger-40k 1/5

A R B I N G E RP A R T O N E

The silent leviathan drifted inexorably through the cold harshness of the void; its massive, scabrous hull pitted and scarred from millennia of meteoritic bombardment. The aeons spent lost in this sea of darkness had been cruel. At one time it had been a proud interstellar battleship, perhaps even the flagship of somelong-forgotten admiral. But its original form was for the most part obscured beneath layer upon layer of galactic detritus. ow it was nothing but an eroded, lifeless carcass; its husk a tomb for a hundred thousand piteous souls.

***

Captain Dimitar leant forward to gaze upon t e in!redi"le #ig t "efore im$ and e felt im#elf ri#ing upfrom i# ! air to wal% t e few metre# to t e main &iew port' He eard ga#p# of awe from i# offi!er# a# epre##ed i# and# to t e gla## and mo&ed i# ead #lowl( from left to rig t in an effort to ta%e in t eimpo##i"le &a#tne## of t e ul%' It wa# enormou#'

T e( were )uiet for a few moment# a# t e( attempted to !ompre end t e enormit( of t eir di#!o&er(' Itwa# ieutenant C urian w o "ro%e t e awe#tru!% #ilen!e'

+It,#- it,# uge$. wa# all e !ould manage' I&an%o C urian wa# not %nown for i# a!uit('

Captain Dimitar turned and a #mile #lowl( !rept a!ro## i# !ragg( fa!e' +Indeed it i#$ lieutenant$. e #aid$i# &oi!e roug from de!ade# of "ar%ed order#' He grinned at C urian$ re&ealing a mout full of metal

teet $ and i# e(e# # one a# e !ontinued'

+And now it,# our#'.

***

Bor#%i !ut t roug t e la#t #e!tion and t e "ul% ead fell wit an almig t( !lang a# a tonne of metal #tru!%t e floor' He grunted i# #ati#fa!tion and got up$ pla!ing t e la#/!utter "a!% in it# ol#ter at i# ip$ andpulling out i# "olter to aim it down t e long$ dar% !orridor t at #tret! ed into t e dar%ne##' 0weat tri!%leddown i# fore ead and dripped from t e end of i# no#e$ de#pite t e low temperature in#ide i# en&iro/#uit' Bor#%i$ li%e t e t ree !rew mem"er# wit im$ wa# afraid'

He loo%ed to i# #ide and #aw Temmo&1 t e "ul%( form of t e gre( metal #uit iding i# !omrade2# wir(frame' Temmo&,# armoured elm !o&ered i# entire ead$ and onl( i# e(e# were &i#i"le t roug t e narrow#lit of i# &i#or' T e( were wide and darting from # adow to # adow' He !ould #ee i# own fear refle!ted in

t em'

A and landed on i# # oulder and e turned to #ee t at it wa# ieutenant C urian' Bor#%i loo%ed at im$



and t e man ge#tured wit i# and t at e # ould ad&an!e' Bor#%i frowned "ut nodded i# ead inaffirmation1 a #trange ge#ture in t e !um"er#ome #uit' He a!ti&ated i# lumen "eam# and #ignalled forTemmo& to get up'

T e four men #tepped a!ro## t e t re# old and into t e dread ul%'

***

Igo Dimitar wal%ed down t e # ort flig t of #tep# t at led from t e !ramped !onfine# of t e "ridge$ to t ee&en more !onfined #pa!e of t e na&igator,# ! am"er' A# e entered t e diml(/lit !ompartment$ Dimitar!alled out'

+3lado#' I would #pea% wit (ou'.

4or a moment t ere wa# #ilen!e' But t en a metalli! !li!% a# of a "olt #liding "a!% in it# ou#ing$ followed

"( t e i## of relea#ed pre##ure' A dar% #ar!op agu# #et into t e oppo#ite wall opened #lowl($ to re&eal t e# ri&elled remain# of an in!redi"l( an!ient man' It# #%in wa# wrin%led and pallid' A ma#%$ !onne!ted "( a#erie# of !a"le# and tu"e#$ !o&ered it# fa!e entirel(' T en it #po%e'

+A# I would #pea% wit (ou$ !aptain$. t e na&igator ra#ped t inl(' +T e &e##el we are do!%ed wit #mell# of deat ' A ! ill run# t roug it# ull and I !an feel t e e! oe# of ten t ou#and (ear# #pent lo#t in t eemp(rean'. T e !orp#e/li%e figure #eemed to regard Dimitar wit an un!ompromi#ing #tare from "e indt at !old ma#% "efore !ontinuing'

+I warned (ou not to follow t e tran#lation ripple' 5e # ould retra!t t e do!%ing um"ili!al and lea&eimmediatel('. 3lado#$ de#pite i# appearan!e$ #ounded de#perate'

+5e are going now ere$. wa# Dimitar,# #imple$ ter#e re#pon#e' He leant "a!% again#t a metal pillar andfolded i# arm# a!ro## i# ! e#t'

+But !aptain$ if 6+ e wa# !ut # ort "( Dimitar,# interruption'

+Calm (our#elf$ 3lado#' 5e a&e di#!o&ered an an!ient &e##el t at !ould !ontain untold trea#ure#$ not tomention t e # ip it#elf "eing a magnifi!ent prize' T i# i# 7u#t t e #ort of find t at will ta%e m( !areer to

eig t# pre&iou#l( onl( imagined'. He !lo#ed i# e(e# and #miled inwardl( at t e gloriou# &i#ion# pla(inga!ro## i# mind,# e(e'

+Gi&en time$ I mig t e&en ma%e it t e flag# ip of m( new fleet'.

+T i# i# foll($ m( !aptain' 8ou are "linded "( &i#ion# of (our own glor($ w en all I #ee are &i#ion# of terri"leportent' 8et (ou are not gifted wit t e #ig t' I #a( again9 we mu#t lea&e'

:Now'.

***

Dimitar wa# not app(' He ad "een una"le to get an( information from i# na&igator ot er t an "a""lingomen#' A# e #an% "a!% down into t e !old #(nt ide em"ra!e of i# !ommand t rone$ e mentall(re#ol&ed to pro!ure a repla!ement for im t e ne;t time t e( were in Imperial #pa!e' Rig t now$ t oug $



e ad more pre##ing matter# to attend to1 namel( getting t e warp dri&e# on t at ul% dea!ti&ated "eforeit made an ar"itrar( 7ump "a!% into t e emp(rean$ a# t e#e t ing# were wont to do'

+Captain$ we,re getting t e pi!t/feed t roug from ieutenant C urian,# team$. #tated one of t e offi!er#on t e #mall "ridge'

+Put it up on t e monitor$. Dimitar grum"led' T e #!reen a"o&e t eir ead# fli!%ered into life wit a #tati!#nowfield of "inar(' 4inall( it !leared$ alt oug not entirel($ to re&eal t e &iew from C urian,# elmet/mounted pi!ter' T e image wa# di#torted$ and %ept twi#ting in and out of fo!u#$ alt oug (ou !ould ma%eout t e # ape# of two armoured men ad&an!ing !autiou#l( down a long !orridor'

+0ort out t e image$ 3arga< I !an,t #ee ga%$. e demanded of t e !omm# offi!er'

3arga fiddled wit t e !ontrol# at er #tation$ "ut t i# ad little effe!t on t e )ualit( of t e pi!ture' 0 eturned to fa!e er !aptain'

+5e,re getting a lot of interferen!e from t e ul%$ #ir' I am una"le to filter out all of t e ele!tro#tati! noi#e$.

# e #aid'

Dimitar,# lip# !urled in a #ilent #narl and e #tood up from i# ! air$ 7u#t a# t e image on t e #!reendi#torted orri"l( "efore &ani# ing into a me## of "ro%en !ode'

+4ir#t mate$. e growled' +Get anot er team down t ere wit a !a"le lin%' I want to #ee and ear e;a!tl(w at,# going on in#ide t at ul%'.

***

+T e door,# lo!%ed$ ieutenant$. Bor#%i w i#pered t roug i# &o; lin%$ alt oug i# &oi!e #ounded loud toi# ear# a# it re&er"erated in#ide i# elmet' T e(,d "een tip/toeing ner&ou#l( t roug a maze of

pa##agewa(# and ad rea! ed a wide "la#t door$ !on#tru!ted in t e =>$>>> (ear old indu#trial got i! #t(leof Old Terra' E;!ept for t e ard/no#ed offi!er$ t e men were fearful of w at mig t lur% in#ide t i# dead&e##el'

C urian #po%e !urtl($ i# &oi!e loud in Bor#%i,# ear#' +Open it.'

T e te! ni!ian grima!ed at t e loudne## of i# &oi!e and e !ould #ee t e ot er !rew mem"er# flin! ' Heremem"ered t e grim faerie tale# of i# ! ild ood$ w en i# mot er #po%e of warp/#pawned doom # ip#

drifting in t e &oid$ and t e fool# w o would tr( to unlo!% t eir #e!ret#$ in t e &ain #ear! for fame andfortune' He re!alled t at t e ad&enturing eroe# in&aria"l( !ame to a #ti!%( end$ and t e moral to t e#e#torie# wa# alwa(# t e #ame9 5are t e t ing# (ou #ee%1 le#t ot er$ un#pea%a"le t ing# #ee% (ou'

He # oo% i# ead from t e "rief re&erie and #et a"out t e ta#% of unlo!%ing t e "la#t door'

***

+Pi!t/feed from t e #e!ond team !oming up now$ #ir$. 3arga announ!ed'

T e #tati! on t e main #!reen "lin%ed #e&eral time# "efore it #wit! ed to t e fli!%ering &iew to "e ad froma ull/mounted pi!ter in#ide t e diml(/lit um"ili!al !onne!ting t e two &e##el#' 4our figure# wearing ea&(



mining en&iro/#uit# were #tood in t e narrow pa##age1 two men !ould "e #een ! e!%ing t e #ignal "oo#terunit# t at would follow t em into t e ul%$ w il#t anot er wa# ma%ing i# "olter read(' T e leader$ elmet&i#or down$ wal%ed o&er to loo% up into t e pi!ter #!reen'

A female &oi!e #po%e o&er t e &o;/lin%' +Captain$ t i# i# ?ar%o&' 0ignal "oo#ter# are prepped and we,reread( for (our order#'.

+Pro!eed$ ?ar%o&' I want a full e;plorator( #weep of t i# #e!tor' @eep t e report# regular'.

+A(e$ !aptain$. replied ?ar%o&$ and # e turned to u# er t e #e!ond team toward# t e outer airlo!% doort at wa# t e onl( "arrier "etween t em and t e un%nown innard# of t e ul%' A# t e( approa! ed$ t edoor #lowl( #piralled open in t e fa# ion of a pi!t len# aperture$ wit ten !ur&ed$ teet /li%e #e!tion#re!eding wit t e #)ueal of metal grinding on metal into t e !ir!ular rim of t e portal' On!e t e( #teppeda!ro## t e t re# old$ t e teet #lid "a!% into pla!e$ gi&ing t e di#tin!t impre##ion of t e ul% #wallowingfour more !rew mem"er#'

***

De#pite t e great anti)uit( of t e !ontrol panel$ Bor#%i made fairl( # ort wor% of re/wiring and t u#l( re/routing power to t e o&erride# to unlo!% t e door' A long groan !ame from wit in t e wall and Bor#%iwin!ed$ in#tin!ti&el( getting up to aim i# "ig "olter at t e "la#t door$ ta%ing a few #tep# "a!% a# e did #o'T e ot er !rew mem"er# followed #uit$ and onl( C urian #tood i# ground$ alt oug e tig tened i# gripon i# pla#ma pi#tol' T ere wa# a w irring #ound t at #ignified interior energ( !ell# powering up$ and #team"egan &enting from grill# #et into t e floor eit er #ide of t e entran!e' A# t e #team "egan to a"ate$ ugeinternal "olt# #lid "a!% in t eir ou#ing# and numerou# !og# #et into t e metal "egan to turn'

5it an almig t( groan$ t e "la#t door "egan a #low de#!ent into t e floor' 5ind owled t roug t e gapand w i#tled pa#t t e men$ a# t e atmo#p ere "e ind t e portal e;panded into t e &a!uum in#ide t e!orridor' T en$ w en it wa# onl( alf wa( down t ere wa# an almig t( #!ree! of grinding metal and t edoor # uddered to a alt$ #till two metre# a"o&e t e de!% plating'

C urian turned to Bor#%i$ "ut e didn,t need to #a( an(t ing' T e te! #lung i# weapon a!ro## i# "a!%and went "a!% to t e open !ontrol panel to #ee w at !ould "e done' Be ind im C urian #po%e into i#&o; lin%'

+Captain Dimitar$ t i# i# C urian' Do (ou read Captain Dimitar$ do (ou read me Captain . "ut all e gotwa# an earful of #tati!'

***

No #ooner ad t e portal !lo#ed "e ind ?ar%o&$ t an t e image# di#pla(ed on t e "ridge monitor "eganto 7udder and twi#t again'

Dimitar #lammed i# fi#t into t e arm of i# !ommand ! air' +?ar%o&< Get t o#e "oo#ter# up now$. egrowled'

T ere wa# a moment of #ilen!e$ "ro%en onl( "( t e #ound of #tati!$ "efore ?ar%o& re#ponded'

+Ad7u#ting modulator now$ !aptain' One moment-. er gar"led &oi!e trailed off$ "efore t e #!reen



fli!%ered to "e!ome mu! !learer$ alt oug #till #lig tl( di#torted'

+I# t at "etter$ !aptain .

+A(e' Ad&an!e to C urian,# la#t %nown lo!ation' I want a report from im wit in t e our' Time i# of t ee##en!e1 we need to lo!ate and dea!ti&ate t e warp dri&e' I need not remind (ou of t e !on#e)uen!e# of a

random warp 7ump1 (ou %now w at t e#e an!ient ul%# are li%e'. Dimitar #at "a!% into i# ! air$ e(e# fi;edto t e #!reen$ and waited'

***

In t e na&igation !ell$ 3lado# meditated' Hi# e(e# were !lo#ed "ut twit! ing #pa#modi!all( from #ide to#ide under t e t in$ almo#t tran#lu!ent #%in of i# e(elid#' Blue$ t ro""ing &ein# were &i#i"le at i# temple#and i# fa!e gli#tened wit per#piration'

3lado# wa# dreaming t e dream# of t e Gifted$ alt oug e ad long !on#idered t em more of a !ur#et an "le##ing' 3i#ion# fla# ed a!ro## i# mind,# e(e1 dreadful re&elation# of t e mo#t portentou# %ind t at!lawed wit i!( finger# at i# "rain$ #ending # ard# of pain t roug i# !ere"rum and tingling down t ener&e !lu#ter# of i# "ent and twi#ted #pine' Hi# "reat ing wa# ea&( and i# "od( ad now "egun to# udder1 imper!epti"l( at fir#t "ut rapidl( in!rea#ing to a &iolent #eizure' 4rot "u""led at t e edge# of i#mout a# e t ra# ed a"out in#ide t e #ar!op agu#$ t reatening to "rea% i# fragile "one# again#t t e#ide#'

T en e wa# #till' A #olitar($ "lood( tear emerged from t e !orner of i# left e(e to tri!%le down i# ! ee%'

3lado# #lowl( opened i# r eum( e(e#1 e(e# t at were now # ot wit "lood' He put i# and to i# ! ee%

and pulled it awa($ gazing !ontemplati&el( at t e !rim#on #mear on i# finger tip#'

+And #o it "egin#.'

Documents

HARBINGER 40K