Chapter 26: 24. Mission Accomplished
(A/N: Hey everyone, im not sure if you saw the notice that i posted last night about a new book ive been thinking about writing. I posted the first chapter last night to get some feed back, and you can find it on my profile. Its called the Champion of War. If you could, would you give it a read and tell me what you think about it? Id really appreciate it!, now! Onto the chapter!)
===Sebastian===
The sound of their armor-clad footsteps echoed down the vast, metallic corridor, a rhythmic reminder of the unstoppable force of the Adeptus Astartes. The walls of the Lucrehulk-class battleship seemed to tremble in the presence of the two towering figures. Raxor's held his heavy bolter in one hand, its massive size only adding to the weight of his imposing figure. Sebastian's power sword crackled with residual energy, its blade humming with the promise of more destruction to come.
Sebastian's helmeted gaze flickered left and right, scanning the dark, sterile environment. Every inch of the corridor was a potential threat, and though the initial droid resistance had been obliterated, the threat of more enemies lurking around every corner was ever present. His power shield hummed with a barely contained fury, eager to meet the next wave of droids with the same brutality they'd already shown.
Raxor, ever the strategist, moved with a quiet precision, his dark green armor blending almost seamlessly into the shadows as they advanced. He took in every detail, calculating the quickest and most efficient route to their goal. His heavy bolter, a weapon of mass destruction, was a silent, steady companion, waiting for the next wave of battle droids to appear.
"The control room should be near," Sebastian growled, his voice low and cold over the vox channel.
Raxor nodded slightly, the barest movement, as he adjusted the grip on his bolter. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the area ahead. "Keep your wits about you, brother."
The two moved with an unspoken rhythm, an efficiency that came only from years of battle together. They passed through the dimly lit hallway, their minds sharp, each step bringing them closer to the heart of the Lucrehulk.
Ahead, a turn in the corridor loomed. Raxor held up his hand, signaling for a brief halt. He listened. The silence of the ship was oppressive, but he could sense the hum of power running through the ship's veins, the systems that controlled it, and the faint movements of distant enemy forces.
Sebastian didn't need any further explanation. He had already anticipated the move. He leveled his power shield, ready for anything that might jump out at them.
As they reached the turn, Raxor's fist struck the bulkhead with a thundering crash, tearing open the door to a small side chamber. Inside, a handful of battle droids stood, their heads turning in shock as the two Space Marines charged in.
Raxor's heavy bolter roared first, the powerful rounds cutting down the droids with brutal efficiency. Sebastian followed, his power sword singing as it cleaved through the nearest droid in a flash of crackling energy. The droid's body fell apart in a burst of sparks, but Sebastian was already moving onto the next target, his blade carving through another mechanical soldier's torso.
With each blow, each strike, the hallway grew quieter, the sound of battle fading as the droids were reduced to nothing more than smoking husks.
Sebastian's voice was cold, steady. "This is just the beginning. We will lay waste to everything in our path!"
Raxor nodded once more, his weapon lowering as he scanned the next stretch of hallway.
They pushed forward relentlessly, their every step further sealing the fate of the Lucrehulk. Every door, every corridor was a potential battleground, but they were prepared for it. The control room would fall, just like every enemy they had faced before.
Soon the colossal doors of the control room loomed before them, their steel surface cold and unyielding, marked with the insignia of the Federation. The quiet of the corridor seemed to stretch, as though even the ship itself held its breath in anticipation. The Astartes, however, were unphased by the momentary stillness.
Sebastian's gaze was unwavering as he approached the entrance. His heavy boots thudded against the metal floor, each step a mark of his unrelenting determination. The power shield on his arm flickered ominously, a crackling barrier of energy that hummed with readiness.
Without a word, his massive gauntlet clenched around his weapons, and with a single, brutal motion, he kicked the massive door with all his might. The impact sent a resounding crash through the air, the door's reinforced steel shuddering under the weight of his blow. Metal groaned and bent as the heavy door was sent flying out of its position, crashing into the far wall of the control room with a deafening clang.
The moment the door opened, the vast interior of the control room came into view. The scent of burning circuitry and the faint hum of machinery filled the air, but there was no time for hesitation. The room was already brimming with enemies.
Droids, battle and security types alike, whirred to life at the sudden intrusion, their weapons snapping into position. But they were too slow. Far too slow.
Raxor was already in motion, his heavy bolter roaring as it unleashed a storm of explosive shells into the room. The first droid was blasted to pieces, its metal frame disintegrating in a violent explosion of sparks and charred remnants. The next was torn apart in the same manner, each round striking with pinpoint accuracy as Raxor moved with mechanical precision, his eyes never leaving the target.
Sebastian stormed in right behind him, his power sword held high, its crackling blade a symbol of the Emperor's righteous fury. A squad of battle droids advanced, their blasters firing, but they were no match for the power shield Sebastian held aloft. His shield absorbed the incoming fire with ease, the energy splashing harmlessly against its surface as he charged forward, cutting down the first droid in his path with a swift, clean slice.
Another droid attempted to raise its weapon, but Sebastian was faster. With a twist of his wrist, his power sword flashed, severing the droid's arm clean off before it could fire a shot. The droid's body crumpled to the ground, sparks flying from its ruptured joints. Sebastian's eyes remained cold, calculating, as he moved from one target to the next, his strikes unstoppable.
Behind him, Raxor's heavy bolter continued its relentless barrage, each shot a reminder of the overwhelming firepower at his disposal. The droids were falling apart, their mechanical forms reduced to twisted wreckage in mere moments.
The control room was becoming a charnel house, the air thick with the smell of burning metal and scorched circuitry. But Raxor and Sebastian moved with ruthless efficiency, their synchronized assault a testament to their training and unwavering devotion to the Emperor.
At the far side of the room, a lone battle droid commander attempted to take cover behind a console, barking orders. But Raxor's eyes locked onto it in an instant, his heavy bolter lifting to aim. He pulled the trigger, and the droid commander's cries were cut short as a barrage of explosive rounds tore through the console, shredding it—and the droid—into pieces.
Sebastian's power sword cleaved through another droid, his expression unwavering as the final remnants of resistance collapsed into a pile of smoking debris.
The control room, once a hive of mechanical activity, now lay in ruins. The hulking figures of the two Astartes stood at its center, towering over the wreckage and the smoldering remains of droids. Their power armor gleamed with the reflected glow of shattered consoles, and the faint hum of the ship's systems now felt like a distant, dying pulse.
In the command chair, Daultay Dofine, the Neimoidian commander of the Lucrehulk, sat frozen. His yellow eyes, wide with fear, locked onto the two towering figures before him. He had commanded the massive battleship with authority, had issued orders and coordinated fleets with a cool detachment, but now—now, confronted by the imposing presence of two of the Emperor's finest warriors—he could do nothing but tremble.
Sebastian was the first to step forward, his power shield humming with menace as he approached the Neimoidian. His helmeted gaze never wavered, his posture unyielding, a force of nature that could not be stopped.
Dofine, struggling to maintain his composure, swallowed hard. His hands trembled as he gripped the armrests of his command chair, his mind racing.
"Please," Dofine's voice came out as a strangled whisper. "I... I am just the commander. You need not destroy me."
Sebastian's lips twisted into a cold, predatory smile, though it was impossible to see behind his helmet. "You are in the wrong place, alien. This ship will be your grave, and your death will be swift." His voice was low, like the growl of a predator, and each word felt like a death sentence.
Beside him, Raxor moved with his usual calm precision, scanning the room as his heavy bolter hung loosely by his side. His gaze fell on Dofine, and there was something chilling in the way he surveyed the Neimoidian. It was not pity, nor even contempt—it was an acknowledgment that this creature, like all others before it, was simply another obstacle to be eliminated.
Dofine's heart pounded in his chest, his breath coming in shallow gasps. He had never felt this vulnerable, this powerless. The Astartes were an unstoppable force, and he knew deep down that no plea would save him. His species had long been used to power and manipulation, but against the wrath of the Emperor's chosen warriors, there was no room for politics or deals.
"W-wait," Dofine stammered, his voice cracking. "I can help you. I can give you the codes to disable the ship's defenses! I—I can make it stop! Just... just don't kill me!" He was desperate now, his usual composed demeanor crumbling under the overwhelming presence of the two Astartes.
Sebastian's power sword hummed menacingly as he took another step forward, his dark form looming over the terrified Neimoidian. "You think your life is worth something? You think your codes will save you?" His voice was as sharp as a blade, cold and unforgiving. "There is no negotiation. There is no mercy."
Dofine's eyes flickered to Raxor, hoping for any sign of leniency, but all he found in the warrior's eyes was the same unyielding resolve that had brought the Astartes to this point.
"Please," Dofine whimpered, his voice barely a whisper. "I am no warrior. I do not deserve this fate. Spare me."
Sebastian's gaze remained unwavering, unblinking, as he raised his power sword. The crackling energy blade cast a pale blue light over Dofine's face, illuminating the raw fear that now etched every feature of the Neimoidian's visage.
"You have no value here, alien," Sebastian said, his voice colder than the void itself. "Your fate was sealed the moment you decided to stand in the way of the Emperor's justice. You will die as you lived—insignificant, powerless, and forgotten."
Before Dofine could speak another word, Sebastian's power sword flashed forward in a single, decisive strike, the crackling energy blade cutting through the Neimoidian with ease. The alien's last breath was a strangled gasp as his body slumped lifelessly in the command chair, his eyes wide in shock and fear.
The control room was silent once more, save for the hum of the dying systems and the faint sizzling sound of the energy blade's lingering heat.
Raxor gave a single, approving nod, his expression as unreadable as ever. "It is done."
Sebastian turned, his power sword still crackling with the residue of its deadly strike. "The ship is ours now. We need only to finish what we came here for."
Raxor stepped forward, pulling the dead Xeno from the command chair before sitting in it himself. His hands moved with precision over the alien controls, his fingers tapping the various switches and buttons that seemed to mock him with their incomprehensible symbols. His mind was sharp, calculating, each movement deliberate as he searched for any clue, any function that might lead him to the ship's core systems.
Sebastian stood to the side, his helmeted gaze sweeping the room, ever vigilant, while his power sword crackled softly in the still air. He kept his eyes trained on the doors, anticipating any reinforcements that might come, but the room remained eerily quiet. The destruction they had wrought so far had left the Lucrehulk's interior in chaos, and the droids seemed to have scattered, unable to mount an effective resistance.
Raxor grunted as he found a section of the control panel that seemed to control the reactor. His sharp, calculating mind had already deduced what needed to be done. Even if the alien language was foreign and foul, he could see the patterns—some of the controls were clearly linked to energy distribution. Perhaps if he overloaded the power grid, the reactor would follow suit.
With a low growl of concentration, Raxor began manipulating the console, his hands swift as he pressed buttons and twisted levers. Sparks flew from the panel as alien circuits overloaded from the force of his touches, but the warrior paid it no mind. His focus was absolute. The hum of the ship's systems had grown more erratic, as if it, too, sensed the impending doom.
Sebastian, noticing the shift in the ship's hum, turned his attention to Raxor. "Are you certain of what you're doing, brother?" he asked, his voice calm but taut with anticipation.
Raxor did not pause in his work, his heavy bolter still slung across his back. "It will work," he said, his tone confident, even though the alien technology was an unfamiliar challenge. "The reactors will burn, and this ship will become nothing but scrap."
With a final decisive movement, Raxor pressed a final combination of buttons. The console sparked and crackled as the lights in the room flickered. Then, a deep thrum echoed through the ship, reverberating in the bones of both Astartes.
Sebastian's expression didn't change, but his hand tightened around the hilt of his power sword. "The countdown has begun?"
Raxor stood back up, his work done. The low hum of the reactor's power core had begun to shift, becoming more erratic. "The ship will implode within minutes. It is done."
The two Astartes exchanged a look, their mission now clear: escape the Lucrehulk before it was reduced to nothing but a burning husk in space.
With the reactor on the verge of catastrophic overload, there was no time to waste. Raxor's eyes narrowed as he turned toward the exit, his heavy bolter now ready to unleash more destruction should any droids or survivors try to impede their escape. Sebastian was already moving, his power shield raised and his power sword crackling with energy as they made their way toward the ship's exit.
As they moved, the alarms began blaring, the ship's automated systems recognizing the imminent failure. The once-sterile hum of the ship now became a cacophony of warning signals, red lights flashing throughout the corridor. Raxor and Sebastian's footsteps were steady as they pushed forward, the overwhelming weight of their purpose driving them.
"Time is running out," Raxor muttered, his gaze steely.
"Then we make our exit," Sebastian replied, his voice grim but determined.
The two warriors pushed through the corridors of the Lucrehulk, their path unimpeded by the occasional flicker of droids that had survived the initial onslaught. With swift efficiency, they cut through any resistance, never slowing in their determined march to the hangar bay.
As they neared the hangar, the ship groaned under the pressure of the reactor's instability. Explosions rang out in the distance, debris falling from the walls. They could hear the creaking of the ship's metal hull, a death rattle as the systems began to collapse under the strain of the imminent reactor overload.
"Come, brother," Sebastian urged. "Let us leave this graveyard behind."
The two Astartes pushed forward, the sounds of their boots pounding against the ship's metal floors echoing through the hallways. They reached the hangar bay doors just as the ship began to shake violently. Raxor swung the heavy bolter into his hands, the massive weapon ready for action.
As they reached the hangar bay, the doors shook violently, a result of the reactor's destabilizing energy. Raxor didn't flinch; his eyes were sharp, his mind calculating. The Scimitar was there, its hull battered and smoking from the earlier crash into the Lucrehulk. It had sustained enough damage that it wasn't likely to make it back to any safe distance.
"Get to the ship," Raxor growled, but even as the words left his mouth, his eyes flicked to the Scimitar's trembling form. The ship's engines sputtered, its exterior riddled with gaping holes. The craft was barely holding together.
Sebastian followed closely behind, his power sword crackling with barely contained energy as they approached. The hangar was eerily quiet, but there were still droids lurking in the shadows. Their presence was a reminder of the chaos that the Lucrehulk had become. The ship was falling apart around them, and every second counted.
The Astartes quickened their pace, but just as they reached the Scimitar's entrance, a burst of blaster fire lit up the hangar, and several battle droids rushed into view from the shadows, their weapons trained on the two warriors. The droids fired, the bolts ricocheting off the hull of the Scimitar as Raxor immediately swung into action.
His heavy bolter roared to life, the massive weapon spitting a torrent of explosive rounds into the oncoming droids. Each blast sent parts of the mechanical soldiers flying, their frames torn apart with brutal efficiency. But the droids kept coming, undeterred.
Sebastian was right behind Raxor, his power shield raised and absorbing incoming fire as he advanced. His power sword swung with lethal precision, each strike cutting down a droid.
The hangar was alive with the sound of fire, but it was clear: the two Astartes weren't going to be stopped. The last remnants of the droids were eliminated in moments, their smoldering remains adding to the wreckage already littering the space.
"We don't have time to fight them all," Sebastian muttered, glancing at the Scimitar. "The ship's not going to hold up much longer."
Raxor's gaze flicked over the Scimitar's damaged hull. The ship's engines sputtered erratically, but its entry ramp was still lowered. They could still try, but time was running out. With the reactor nearing critical overload, they had mere minutes to escape.
"Take the controls, I'll cover you," Raxor ordered.
Sebastian didn't hesitate. The two warriors made a quick dash toward the Scimitar's cockpit, Raxor's bolter spitting fire in all directions to ensure that no more droids would interfere. They boarded the ship, with Sebastian immediately securing the cockpit. His eyes locked onto the damaged controls, his fingers moving swiftly as he worked to power up the failing engines.
"Come on..." he muttered under his breath, his mind racing. The ship's power systems were fried from the earlier impacts, and it was clear the Scimitar wouldn't be able to fly far, let alone get back to the planet. The engines sputtered again, and the craft shook, its hull groaning under the strain.
He slammed a few switches and adjusted a few more, desperately trying to bring the engines back online.
Raxor stood at the rear of the ship, his bolter still firing. His sharp eyes scanned the hangar as more droids advanced. The bay doors had begun to seal themselves shut as the Lucrehulk's core reached the final stages of its meltdown. The timer was ticking down, and there was no time to waste.
Suddenly, the ship's alarms began to blare, a final warning that the reactor was about to detonate. The hangar doors were still closing, and though the Scimitar had powered up, it wasn't going to be fast enough to escape the blast radius.
"We need another way out," Raxor snapped, his voice low and filled with urgency.
Sebastian didn't answer immediately. Instead, he quickly assessed the situation. "We need to find another ship."
The pair exchanged a brief glance. They had no choice but to move quickly and find another means of escape. The Scimitar's condition had gone from bad to worse—there was no way they were going to escape on it.
"Let's move," Sebastian said, standing up and bolting for the exit hatch. The two Astartes pushed through the other sections of the Lucrehulk, making their way toward the rear hangers. The further they went, the louder the groans of the ship became. The tremors were growing more violent, and Raxor could hear the distinct sound of rupturing metal as the ship's core neared its boiling point.
The rear hangars were larger and less damaged, still offering an array of ship options. They stormed into the hangar to find several smaller transports. One, in particular, stood out—an unremarkable but functional shuttle that could be their ticket out.
"That one," Raxor barked, pointing to the shuttle. Without hesitation, the two warriors charged toward it, their heavy footfalls causing the shuttle to shake under their weight. The ship's engines hummed to life as they forced their way inside, quickly locking down the hatches.
Raxor took the pilot seat, his fingers flying over the controls. The ship's engines roared, but the shuttle was sluggish and heavy, not built for speed. As the hangar doors began to close with a final, violent groan, they could see the colossal explosions beginning in the distance—the reactor was moments away from collapsing.
"Hold on, brother!" Raxor shouted, his voice tight as the shuttle lurched into the air. The hangar doors were barely open wide enough for the shuttle to fit through, and as they rocketed toward the gap, debris from the collapsing Lucrehulk rained down on them.
The shuttle sped toward the breach, engines flaring in a desperate bid to escape the ship's destruction. The hull shook violently as they cleared the shattered hangar, but as they broke through into open space, Raxor spared a glance back.
The Lucrehulk, once a symbol of the enemy's power, was now a flaming wreck in the distance, its reactor finally exploding in a violent fireball.
"We did it," Raxor said, his voice calm but filled with satisfaction. "The Emperor's wrath has been delivered."
Sebastian, his face impassive, nodded. "For the Emperor, brother. For the Imperium."
As they sped away from the dying ship, the two Astartes could hear the distant echoes of the Lucrehulk's final death rattle, fading into the emptiness of space. But for Raxor and Sebastian, the battle was over.
===
If you enjoyed this chapter, maybe consider leaving me with a couple of your power stones? I promise I'll take good care of them:)