Chapter 22 – Breakneck Escape
The ship shook as another explosion ripped through its broken core. Warning lights flared red along the walls, sparks showering from broken pipes. The air stank of burning oil, blood, and scorched metal.
Gaius stood at the head of his squad. Eleven of his brothers looked to him. No fear in their eyes, only trust.
He lifted his hand, voice sharp and clear over the vox.
"Formation spear. Primaris with me. The rest behind. We run for the breach. Do not falter. Do not scatter."
The two towering Primaris stepped forward, taking their place at his side. Behind them, nine battle-brothers formed into a tight wall, bolters ready.
The reason was simple: the Primaris and Gaius would eat the air resistance and carve the path, letting those behind save stamina and keep weapons steady. A human would not have thought of such a thing in the middle of chaos. But these were Astartes. Their every step was measured, every action meant to win.
Gaius raised his power sword, its blue field hissing to life. "Charge."
And they ran.
The sound was like thunder. Twelve giants, each armored in ceramite and moving faster than most cars, tore down the steel corridor.
Seventy kilometers per hour.
The deck shuddered beneath them, dents forming where boots hit. Sparks burst from metal panels that could not withstand their weight. Their formation held, perfect and tight, like the head of a spear tearing through the belly of the ship.
With the speed of gaius and the limited distance of how far they can go, they were being pulled by him at his speed, the chat group could only watch, wide-eyed.
Tony's voice cracked through first.
"Wait, wait, wait, how the hell are they moving that fast? That's… that's as fast as a car on the highway! And in that armor, he looks like a tank!"
Naruto was half in awe, half shouting.
"You can't stop that! You'd just get crushed!"
Saeko's eyes were shock, and even her tone carried awe.
"Their Formation doesn't break even at this speed. It's like a living spear."
Mindy's voice was quiet, almost a whisper.
"…I can feel the ground shaking just watching this."
Servitors and broken slaves lurked ahead, blocking the way. The twisted things barely had time to lift their crude blades before they were torn apart.
Gaius didn't slow. He raised his bolter with one hand, sword in the other, and fired bursts with perfect aim. Each round struck a skull, a chest, a machine-heart. Enemies exploded in fire and blood, their bodies thrown aside as if by an invisible plow.
The two Primaris joined him, their heavier bolters roaring. Metal and flesh shattered in the storm of fire.
Behind them, the nine Marines cleaned up what remained, finishing stragglers with quick bursts before any could lunge at the spear.
It was not a sprint through chaos. It was a sprint of order, of timing. Each Marine knew when to fire, when to reload, when to breathe. Even at seventy kilometers an hour, their kill-zone was perfect.
To the chat, it looked unreal.
Tony ran a hand through his hair, eyes wide.
"This isn't even war. This is, hell, I don't even know what this is. They're shooting like it's target practice while running full tilt!"
Naruto slammed his hand at his chest.
"They're killing everything down! Nothing stands a chance!"
Saeko nodded slowly in awe.
"Controlled violence. Nothing wasted."
Mindy hugged her arms around herself in shocked.
"…."
The final bulkhead loomed ahead, sealing the corridor that led to their escape point. Beyond it, Gaius could sense enemies waiting, weapons raised.
He didn't slow.
At the last second, he shifted his weight forward, bracing his massive frame. His shoulder slammed into the blast door with the force of a battering ram.
The steel screamed as it ripped from its hinges. It flew across the hall like a giant's shield tossed aside, slamming into the waiting line of slaves. One unlucky wretch was flattened beneath it, crushed into paste.
The squad didn't stop. They charged through the gap like a storm.
Tony blinked, lost for words. "…I don't even… he just turned a blast door into a frisbee."
Naruto was yelling.
"That was insane! He didn't even break stride! Just, boom! Door gone!"
Mindy looked pale.
"…this guy's terrifying."
They reached the place where the boarding torpedoes had smashed into the ship. The twisted hull still glowed faintly from the entry burns. This was the hole they had carved to enter, and now, their only way out.
Gaius lifted his hand.
"Form a perimeter. Hold until Thunderhawk arrives."
He opened vox.
"Pick us up now. One minute, twenty-nine seconds until the core detonates."
The Techmarine's voice answered, calm even under pressure.
"Confirmed, my Captain. Thunderhawk inbound. Arrival in forty seconds."
The squad locked their bolters and took position, the ring of steel forming instantly.
The enemy came like a flood.
Dozens of mortal slaves, screaming as they charged, crude blades raised. Behind them came hulking berserkers with wires drilled into their flesh, their arms replaced with jagged claws. And behind them, the real threat, Iron Warriors. Their gray armor shone with scratches and scars, their heavy weapons already roaring.
Bolter fire tore through the slaves, ripping them apart in sprays of red. Still, more came, climbing over the dead, driven forward like cattle.
The Iron Warriors didn't care. Their autocannons chewed through their own slaves just to hit the Astartes. The corridor filled with blood and shrapnel.
Tony's jaw dropped.
"They don't even care they're hitting their own guys?!"
Naruto clenched his fists.
"They're just… throwing lives away."
Saeko's face was hard.
"That is might be their way of fighting. Cold. Ruthless."
Mindy whispered.
"…I hate this."
Gaius' voice cut over vox.
"Fifty-eight seconds before detonation."
The squad dug in. Bolters answered fire with fire, slamming traitors back into cover. Explosions shook the hall as shells ripped through walls and corpses alike. The air turned to smoke, sparks, and steel rain.
And still, the Ultramarines did not break.
Then came the roar.
The Thunderhawk gunship broke through the smoke, void shields glowing. Its four heavy bolters lit the corridor with streams of fire, each burst chewing apart walls and traitors alike.
The Iron Warriors stumbled back into cover, even their stubbornness shaken under that storm.
The gunship swooped lower, close enough for its engines to blow corpses across the hall.
Tony's face lit up.
"Now that's space support! Where do I sign up for one of those?!"
Naruto grinned wide and with stars in his eyes.
"It's like a flying ninja beast spitting fire!"
Saeko gave a small nod.
"Perfect timing and good Precision."
Mindy exhaled hard.
"…thank God."
The Thunderhawk slammed down, its ramp lowering like the mouth of salvation.
"Fall back!" Gaius ordered.
The Marines moved as one, firing as they stepped back, their formation unbroken. They didn't turn their backs, didn't show a single gap. Bolters thundered until they were safely inside.
At the ramp, Gaius turned. He raised his sword in salute, the blade catching the Thunderhawk's lights, before the ramp sealed shut.
Inside, the air was heavy with gunpowder and sweat.
The Chapter serfs sat at their stations, piloting and manning the guns. When Gaius looked at them, they all rose, except the pilot, and struck the Roman salute. Right fist over heart, head bowed.
It was not empty show. It was devotion. Loyalty.
Gaius gave a single nod, accepting it. That was all they needed.
The Thunderhawk lifted, engines howling. Outside, the strike cruiser fired covering bursts to clear their path.
Gaius stood tall, eyes fixed on the enemy ship behind.
"Five. Four. Three. Two. One."
The enemy fortress erupted.
First a small burst, then the whole core went critical. Fire swallowed steel, tearing the massive ship apart. Shards of armor and fireballs scattered across the void, rolling like a collapsing star.
The pilot wove through the storm of debris with surprising skill. The Thunderhawk dodged chunks of steel bigger than tanks, spinning through the burning wreck with perfect timing.
Gaius tilted his head, as if judging whether to take the controls himself. Then, finally, he said one thing.
"Good job."
The serf's hands trembled slightly on the controls. He wanted to kneel, to show more respect, but he could not while flying. Instead, he bowed his head, pride burning in his chest.
The Thunderhawk sped clear, leaving only fire and broken metal behind.
End Chapter 22
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