A Solemn Choice  

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As a faithful imperium officer who has served many long years, I can say for certain I have neither seen the best of people nor the worst! For every time I think that I have, my mind gets reminded that I am but a simple man, with simple wants… for nether do I have the strength of a space marine or the cold calculation of the Mechanicus, who can so easily throw away human life as if they were less than cattle! 

I have waited through the decades on the front lines fighting both horrors and traitors like… I got to witness countless worlds burn, and whole fleets dismantled… As I was so graced with the memory of sailing through warp storms with our emperor…while feeling my mind burning from the abyss, I can still see the sight of Sanguinus death… I can still see the sight of the emperor's emotions as he beheld his favorite son's death! While the first found tore his chest open!

I was there to hear Sanguinus last speech… I was there to see the fever that inspired all that were there to die with him! But even so… I… who was one of the closest members to his excellency. Could do nothing but watch, as he was forced to sit on a golden throne… forced to watch my king… my emperor wither to bones! were even the aliens we hate so much couldn't help fix him or the throne! For even now those who believe we still only sacrifice a thousand souls to keep the light going. Those people…those people… would have their skin crawl if they only knew the true number! 

I wonder if I'll ever hear his voice again… feel his majesty's presence like the day of his youth… I wonder how much longer the imperium can hold on… with only so few sons left… so few angels… so few custodians! Without a new rock to hold onto… it's only a matter of time until the demons win or the imperium kills itself! 

Dammit! We need something new! Or someone who can help hold us together… someone like lord Sanguine… someone whose light can fill the void! BUT WHO! Who or what can fill such a deep chasm? Maybe only the emperor himself knows… 

→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→Except from a custodian secret…. 

[Are we really going to do this? Is there really no other way?] asked Molly with concern written on her face. 

[I'm shocked to be hearing that from you! Are you scared Molly!] replied Mary jokingly as she lifted up her goggles. 

[me scared… Of course not! It just… is there no other option but to risk going back in there?] replied Molly with worry 

{we don't have a choice…. I wish we didn't have to just as much as you Molly or more so… but we're running out of time and we don't know when those Tyranids will catch up to us! You know as much as I do we won't be able to outrun them if they are so much as a church bell away!} replied Layla as she pulled out the power cell from the core of the train. 

{Thankfully this thing is lighter than I thought it would be} continued Layla with joy. 

[ummm Layla…] interject Mary with a side smile 

{yes?} replied Layla confused 

[that is just one of five power cells!] replied Mary as she pointed to other locations on the schematic. 

With twitching eyes, Layla turned to look at Molly to the amusement of Mary and said: 

[Molly… would you be so kind as to get the dolly we're going to need it!] 

[Got it!] replied Molly as she simply mindedly ran off to grab one. 

{wait a damn mintue!} cried Layla to Mary 

[???] replied Mary with a confused stare

{Does the train actually need five to run? Or just one…} continued Layla with squinted eyes at Mary 

[oh! Just one! But…] before Mary could even finish her sentence, Layla's eyes glowed an evil blue hue! 

[wait! Wait Layla don't get mad! It is true we only need one, but it won't take us far! Will be lucky to just get out of the jungle!] replied Mary in a rush as Layla was shaking her by the collar 

{one is enough! We're going into an unknown situation where death sleeps! If were only able to get one great! If not let's just prioritize what we can! Mary, is there a way to charge the other four in any way?} asked Layla with baited breaths 

[sadly no…. They're much too old now! Our only choice is to replace them, especially the damaged ones…] replied Mary as she fixed her hair and said in a hushed tone in the quiver of her red lips: 

[since when was Layla this aggressive? Or this logical? She was always so clumsy before… always depending on me… like an older sister…but ever since that time…] 

shaking her head, Mary continued to think while remembering Layla's cute smile when they were little.

[No! Not these thoughts again! These dangerous thoughts! How can I doubt my best friend… but still… I can't… help it.] 

As Mary was having trouble keeping the shadow in her heart at bay, Layla continued to check on the other power cells while pretending like she couldn't hear Mary's hushed undertones. 

{this isn't good… I knew this would happen eventually… after all, Mary is too quick-witted! I don't know what she'll do once those doubts about me reach their apex… but what can I do… if this isn't handled right… I may very soon feel a bullet in my back!} thought Layla as worry drops dripped down her cheek 

[BAM! I brought it!] yelled Molly with pride as she broke the eerie quiet that was going on between Mary and Layla. 

A few moments later 

As eerie and rusted doors opened to pitch blackness, Layla flashed her light and said: 

{Remember, we only get one chance at this! We only need at least one full power cell! Ok?} 

The girls nodded in gesture and continued to the second level, as Layla held the nearly empty power cell to her back. But while in deep silence, the girls passed over the crunching of bones, battered skeletons, and destroyed armor and guns! Until they reached the stairs that led down deeper into the station! 

But while bodies hung from the railing, with dry blood and rotten critters lying low, the sound of metal being bashed against something in the dark, put the girls on alert! As they slowly made their way down in a tight formation, they could hear a rough sound… a sound that they couldn't quite place… but it eerie sounded like something that was hyperventilating! 

[what's making that noise?] asked Molly in the front with her shield raised. 

{I don't know, but if you ask me it sounds like someone breathing very hard…} replied Layla 

[But how? How can anyone still be alive down here? Wouldn't the creatures we saw yesterday kill them?] asked Mary 

{not if they had a good reason not to…} replied Layla 

[A reason? What kind of reason would that be?] replied Mary 

{ssh! I'm sure we're about to find out why!] said Layla quietly as she halted the girls from turning the corner at the botton of the stairs. 

With the sounds of heavy breathing dancing in tune with the banging of metal, Layla turned the corner with her hand blocking the light from her flashlight. As she could faintly make out a silhouette in the dark, that was ramming its head against the metal wall! 

As she studied it from the safety of the shadows, she could make out that the silhouette was huge and bulking in nature. But without the light, she couldn't tell what it actually was… But with time against them coupled with that thing in blocking the only way forward! Seeing no other choice, Layla slowly lifted her hand to allow just a little bit of the light from her flashlight to shine through. 

But the moment the light touched the creature, the monster quickly turned around and roared its battle cry as it trampled forward! 

{It's an Ogryn!} cried Layla as she began firing her bolter at it. 

As the Ogryn ate shot after shot, through the hot metal he wore as armor, with its single-minded thoughts, only being that to eat! The green diseased Ogryn with a huge horn protruding from its head, charge unfeeling with gray-out eyes, and green skin, like that of an orc, but with more sores and scars! With little tiny mouth praising the 'father'... their father… the aw father… Nurgle! 

As the Ogryn arrived with missing chunks of flesh, he swang down his rusty bloody iron stick that was once a sword, but as it came down upon Layla, she stood still un-wavering as Molly gladly blocked the creature's swing! As the sparks slid off the shield, Layla stabbed it through its heart as Mary blasted its head at point blank! 

As the body of the once faithful Ogryn fell, Layla quickly took out her fire, and burned the green corpse! 

{Don't open your helmets for any reason!} Layla quickly screamed as Molly was about to open her visor. 

[why not?] asked Molly, who quickly put her hand down

{This thing a plaguebearer! Now I know why those monsters from before didn't come down here!} replied Layla in a panic 

[A plaguebearer? What is that?] asked Mary as she didn't know what that was, before quickly asking: 

[Is that also the reason you burned the corpse so suddenly?] 

But before Layla could answer their questions, a small bang could be heard through the walls around them, at first it started out low, with only one bang, but then like a switch was it, the banging grew.. 

BANG! BANG! BANG! 

In between the Banging chorus, they could hear scraping sounds and heavy footsteps! As if the entire second level was shaking awake! With terrible screeches and roars! The goggling sounds and green-plagued mist rolled in like winter! 

As the girls began to sweat, the burning body that lay behind them, rose like a flaming tree! With a vile laugh, the plaguebearer exploded! Spreading its diseased blood all over the girls! At least that is what it had wanted to do! For as its blood was about to pour onto the girls, Layla screamed: 

{NO!}

And with her No, she conjured a pysker bubble of pure gold protecting them from the infectious disease that may have laid within the bearer! But as the blood burned on her bubble, steaming and brooding, her beautiful shield was just like the glistening sands of the desert, cracking and crumbling like a dry sandcastle! And with it, the girls readied their weapons as the very walls screamed in hunger! 

Knowing they didn't have much time, the girls raced down the corridors. As hands and claws tore themselves from the walls, the ceiling, and from down below in attempts to grab hold of the girls! And as they ran past locked doors that held back banging monsters, they arrived at the halfway point to the power room, but even so, they weren't too happy about it, for they couldn't even stop to rest! 

With monsters on their tail, the girls zipped through the groans and screams, till they felt rain… but it wasn't rain… it was vicious bile in the skin of rain! For something big was chasing them just above their heads, for the ceiling pleaded at the creature's weight! 

[what now princess!] yelled Molly over to Layla

{what do you mean? Just run! Were almost there! I can see the door!} replied Layla 

[You mean the big heavy door that is bearly open!] screamed Mary 

{yes!} replied Layla 

As the girl ran at the big metal door that was just barely held open by something blocking the opening, Layla yelled 

{slide under it!} 

But like a bad omen, the ceiling behind the girls collapsed! As something big landed right behind them! With a terrible scream, the creature reached for them, but without even turning the slightest bit around, the girls slid under the door! While at the same time, Molly slammed her mace against the box that held the door open! As the door fell completely closed, the creature slammed its heavy fat body against it with a roar! 

[what was that thing?] asked Mary as Molly was busy nursing her arm. For the box was heavier than she thought it would be. 

{I honestly don't know… and I don't care to find out! Let's just power this puppy up and quickly get out of here!} replied the exhausted Layla.