Chapter 8

Striker was moving more quickly now, the Wrack ambush proved their suspitions that there was something important to this

Coven that they were willing to sacrifice so many foot soldiers to furfill their plans. But then it was hardly a surprise

either.

Striker was moving quickly, they all knew that the leader of this Coven would be in the control room and well guarded. If

they cut the head of the head of this incursion then it would greatly lessen the effect they had on this system.

They had reached the door to the control room but it had been sealed shut. Raphael looked at the panel in the left wall

and looked to Damascus "Brother, you are needed again" then stood aside. Damascus snorted "On it Sargeant" then knelt

and began to pull on wires. The rest of the team took positions to cover him, Varkas tilted his head "Brothers are there

any other ways into the control room?" The team took a moment to think before a resounding "No" was spoken by all.

Raphael saw Varka's point, it was a prime place for another ambush. "Any other ideas Brothers?" he asked while checking

his magazine, full to the brim with Hellfire rounds. He smiled to himself, against flesh there was little better.

Cyiren then spoke "I should go first and lay down fire". The rest of the team nodded in agreement, Raphael turned his

head "Take the nearest cover Cyiren I will follow, Damascus and Re-Shan take the left. Varkas adapt as you wish but stay

distant". Re-Shan looked at him "Why is he doing as he wishes but not us?" Raphael rolled his eyes "Because you need to

cover Damascus, Damascus will create a cross-fire with Cyiren while I cover him. Varkas will target any special weapons.

Are my choices clear?"

Re-Shan seemed taken aback "Yes Sargeant" while Cyiren was trying hard not to laugh.

"Get ready to breach" said Damascus standing back up. Raphael nodded then took his position as did the rest of the team,

"Three, two, one". The door slide smoothly open and for Raphael at least time seemed to slow.

The Wracks and Grosteques in the room had been waiting for them but the quick movement of the Space Marines and the lack

of ranged weapons used by the Wracks and Grotesques gave them a distinct edge. Gunfire sounded and bolt rounds hit home

but Raphael paid it no attention, four Wracks had entered his field of view as Raphael took a slow breath and fired twice.

The closest two Wracks hit the ground in mid stride with large holes bored into their chests. The remaining two leaped over

their dead brethern and swung at him, Raphael sidestepped the first blow and ducked under the second. Using the momentum

of the dodge he drove his fist into a Wracks chest and grinned as bones snapped, the Wrack falling with a crash. The

second swung at him again but Raphael caught its wrist and threw it into the wall while simutaniously unleashing his left

arms bone-blade and drove it up into the Wracks chest then tore it free.

Around him Cyiren was firing quick bursts into the Grotesques as they tried to get into range in order to cut them to

pieces, Raphael took a knee as more Wracks tried to flank them but bolts flew from the left tearing into their heads with

Raphael shooting into the rest. Varkas's work clearly, all of a sudden the firing stopped. "Clear" shouted Re-Shan

wiping blood from his chestplate, the rest of the team checked their zones before shouting the same.

Raphael looked around for the Haemonculus's corpse but couldnt see it. "Did anyone see a Haemonculus?" shouted Raphael

but a resounding "No Sargeant" was heard, not good at all. It wouldn't be this easy. Raphael looked outside the window

and realised where their prey had gone, it had left through the airlock. Varkas looked incredulously out the window "How

the hell can they breathe in the void?" "The Dark Eldar have excellent technology Varkas, this doesnt exceed their limits".

"Sargaent more bad news, the airlock has been welded shut!" shouted Cyiren. "Damn" thought Raphael then looked at the

window and then at Damascus's melta bombs. "Damascus, hand me a melta grenade. Everyone else get ready" holding out a hand

as Damascus placed it into his hand.

The team guessed his intentions and then held onto anything nailed down. Raphael primed the grenade and threw it into the

window. The grenade exploded with a piece of shrapnel bouncing off Raphael's armour, the soft hiss of the stations

atomosphere escaping into the vacuum was the only sound they could hear. The rest of the window lurched then tore free

and as one Striker angled themselves and lept towards their foe.