When the smoke dissipated, the terrifying form of the attacker could be seen clearly.
The creature was a nightmare given form. It stood on four powerful, chitinous legs, its body the color of Martian soil and volcanic rock. A whip-like tail, its sharp tip drenched with an unknown fluid, danced menacingly in the dusty air. But its most horrifying feature was its head—an elongated, eyeless skull with a massive, vertical maw lined with rows of needle-sharp teeth that clicked together with a sound like grinding bones.
For a moment, there was only the stunned silence of the miners; their pneumatic drills and excavators fell so quiet that you could hear their heartbeats. Then, a low, guttural chittering echoed from the new tunnel, answered by another, and another. The smoke began to clear, revealing not one, but dozens of the creatures pouring forth, a flowing tide of death.
A panicked scream tore through the air, breaking the silence.
"RUN! GET TO THE ELEVATORS!" a foreman bellowed, snatching a laser cutter from a nearby cart.
The cavern erupted into chaos. Miners dropped their tools and scrambled for the main shaft, their heavy boots kicking up red dust. The creatures moved with terrifying speed, scuttling along the walls and ceiling. One pounced on a terrified miner frozen on the spot, its scythe-like forelimbs shearing through his mining suit and the flesh beneath with ease. The man tried to scream but was cut short by a swift decapitating strike from the alien.
The foreman raised his laser cutter. A searing red beam lanced out, striking the creature. Its carapace blackened and cracked, and it let out an ear-piercing shriek before collapsing. The victory was short-lived, as two more took its place, ignoring the scorched corpse of their kin and surging toward the foreman. He tried to resist but was overwhelmed in an instant.
The panic was no longer contained to the mine. Alarms blared throughout the entire mining complex.
---
On the surface, the serene, relaxed atmosphere of the military garrison shattered. The voice of the Division Commander barked orders over the comm-net, sharp and urgent.
"All units, combat alert! Unknown biological hostiles emerging from Mine Complex Gamma! Seal the area! I want a cordon five blocks deep. No one gets in or out without my authorization! Heavy weapons teams, to forward positions now!"
The mobile infantry, which had been tasked with conducting routine patrols or maintaining their vehicles and weapons, now moved with excitement at finally seeing action after all those boring years of patrol. Squads of soldiers in green camouflaged armor plating rushed to set up barricades, the safety locks on their magnetic rifles disengaging with a series of synchronized clicks. Above, aerial patrols of gunships streaked past, escorting the dropships as their engines screamed, flying toward the landing zones to deploy more mobile infantry.
---
In the command center of one of the newly built battle ship in high orbit above Mars, Legion Commander Barium frowned as he watched the real-time footage sent back by the mobile infantry. This was his first mission since his creation; he had been granted the honorable duty of serving as the Commander of the First Legion.
"Status of the chapter, Emperor's Sons?" he asked, his voice filled with determination and conviction. He would not fail his first task; he would succeed even if the number of warriors present was no greater than 2000.
"The Emperor's Sons are ready, my lord. We will deploy on your command," Chapter Master Kaelen replied, his voice filled with excitement at the prospect of killing xenos.
"Granted. Tell your warriors the Emperor's work awaits them below."
---
High above Mars, a single, dagger-like ship detached from the larger battle group. It was the Fire of Heaven, a Strike Cruiser of the newly founded Emperor's Sons Chapter of the First Legion. From its belly, three drop pods were launched, screaming into the thin Martian atmosphere like meteors of vengeance. They were not aiming for the secured landing zones. Their trajectory was direct and precise—straight for the heart of the infestation at Mining Complex Gamma.
On the surface, the mobile infantry was holding the line, but barely. The creatures were swarming from every ventilation shaft and mining tunnel. Magnetic rifle rounds tore through them, acidic yellow blood spraying everywhere, but for every one that fell, two more seemed to take its place. They were starting to overrun the outer barricades.
Just as a hulking, larger breed of creature—a towering behemoth that shrugged off rifle bullets—began to ram the main barricade, the sky turned to fire.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Three pillars of fire, like divine judgement, slammed into the plaza before the mine entrance. The doors of the drop pods blew open simultaneously, and the aliens were met with a new sound: the deep, resonant hum of power armor.
From the smoke stepped giants, eight feet tall. Clad in dark purple power armor adorned with golden eagles, they were living monuments of war. Their helmeted gazes swept across the battlefield, taking in the chaos with cold, professional disdain.
One of the giants, his armor more ornate than the others and a power sword humming with energy in his hand, took a step forward. His voice, amplified through his helmet's vox-grille, boomed across the battlefield, silencing even the chittering horde for a moment.
"By the will of the Emperor," Chapter Master Kaelen declared, "this world is ours. Your presence is a violation. It will be purged."
He raised his sword, pointing the glowing blade at the charging behemoth.
"Emperor's Sons! Charge! For the Emperor! Leave none alive!"
The Gene Warriors, the Emperor's newest angels of death, met the tide of xenos horror, and the real battle for Mars began.