If the Swarm Overmind had just arrived in this world, it might not have been able to detect this Thunderhawk gunship.
But the current Overmind already has Mutalisk patrols in the air. Any object entering the atmosphere is detected by the Swarm.
A green-painted Thunderhawk? It is the Salamanders after all.
Each Chapter has its own heraldry. The rare green base color, coupled with the light yellow lizard-like emblem, clearly identifies it as the Salamanders Chapter at a glance.
Just one Thunderhawk? How bold. Even though Salamanders are among the taller Space Marines, a Thunderhawk can only transport a dozen or so warriors. They really aren't afraid of death.
Against a dozen Space Marines, as long as the Overmind doesn't encounter some exceptionally formidable individuals, dealing with them should be relatively easy.
Coincidentally, the Salamanders don't have too many of those "hardcore" characters, unlike the Ultramarines Chapter, which has a bunch of them.
"Overmind."
The Cerebrate Zasz comes to report.
"A vehicle has breached the atmosphere from outer space. Shall we eliminate it?"
Do you need to report such a trivial matter to me? Judge the threat level yourself and handle it. Can't you even handle such a small task?
"Yes, Overmind. I understand."
The Overmind genuinely doesn't want to antagonize the Imperium, but it also knows the state the Imperium is in now.
Say the Imperium is bad? There are genuinely some good people, sometimes incredibly moving. Say the Imperium is good? The Emperor Himself probably wants to kick this dilapidated house a couple of times.
But right now, the Swarm Overmind is a Xenos, a pure Xenos. So there's nothing more to discuss.
Probably even the friendliest Space Marine would fire a bolter round at a Zerg on sight. So rather than waiting for the enemy to shoot first, it's better to eliminate them first.
Anything that threatens its survival must die.
Before the Thunderhawk even lands, Mutalisks are already flying around it.
Don't think Mutalisks are small creatures. As the primary air force of the Zerg Swarm, Mutalisks are quite sizable.
[Name: Mutalisk]
[Body Length: 10-20 meters (variable)]
[Role: General-purpose air support]
[Armament: Glave Wurms]
[Description: If the Swarm Mind had a favorite creation among all its evolutions, it would be the Mutalisk. Its position within the Zerg frontline air force has never been challenged. The basic form of the evolved Mutalisk has changed little from its predecessor.
Firstly, its agility within an atmosphere is unparalleled; even in the void of space, it can maneuver deftly. The Glave Wurms it launches are powerful and unpredictable, striking fear into enemies. Finally, damaged tissues of the Mutalisk regenerate faster than most other Zerg organisms, granting it both resilience and aggression.]
Mutalisks are large, significantly larger than Hydralisks or Roaches. Their flight around the Thunderhawk is enough to put the Salamanders warriors on high alert.
But the Mutalisks do not attack, merely maintaining a certain distance while tracking the Thunderhawk.
The Salamanders pilot looks at the Creep covering the ground below. The purplish-black Creep is covered with pulsating, vein-like structures.
The entire landscape is completely covered by Creep.
"This planet... has serious issues."
The Thunderhawk finds a concealed location to land—a narrow canyon area where Mutalisks would have difficulty flying in.
The Salamanders warriors disembark orderly, leaving only one pilot to protect the Thunderhawk from damage. If necessary, the pilot can take off and leave first.
Ahead of the Salamanders lies pitch darkness, but their enhanced vision allows them to see in the dark. The canyon itself is devoid of life, but its walls are dotted with numerous caves.
"Would the relic truly be here?"
"The relic could be anywhere."
The Salamanders Sergeant takes the lead. As a First Founding Chapter, they still retain their original organizational structure.
The others follow behind, maintaining vigilance. From the dark caves, pairs of orange-yellow bestial eyes occasionally glow. They can see the four-legged beasts roaring, seemingly warning them to stay away from their territory.
The Salamanders Space Marines do not open fire. They do not wish to provoke trouble unnecessarily.
On Zasz's side, he is also not attacking. It's not out of fear, but because he is gathering more Mutalisks to attack the Imperial warship in outer space.
To be honest, this isn't easy. The smallest Imperial warships are over a kilometer in size. Mutalisk attacks inflict minimal damage on such vessels. However, the Zerg Swarm possesses more efficient aerial combat units.
Some flying creatures, much smaller than Mutalisks but still larger than Hydralisks, appear in the sky.
[Name: Scourge]
[Body Length: 3-4 meters]
[Role: Kamikaze-style high-speed aerial bomb]
[Armament: Plasma Burst]
**[Description: The Scourge is a terrifying, single-use anti-air suicide missile, effective both within atmospheres and in the void of space. Once an attack is initiated, its body undergoes a rapid series of chemical transformations on its way to the target.
Catalytic agents within its relatively small body convert it into a living plasma bomb, capable of destroying a Terran starfighter with a single hit. A mere handful of Scourge can easily cripple a Gorgon-class battlecruiser.]
These little creatures look somewhat like baby Mutalisks, but they are actually the main anti-air force of the Zerg Swarm. There's nothing a swarm of Scourge can't blow up. If there is, it just requires more Scourge.
Scourge are far more numerous than Mutalisks. One Larva can hatch two Scourge, allowing them to be produced rapidly, similar to Zerglings and Banelings.
Mutalisks approach the Imperial warship. This ancient, obsidian-like vessel has heavy armor. When a Mutalisk tentatively launches a Glave Wurm attack, an invisible shield appears around the ship's exterior.
"Insufficient."
Zasz murmurs, "The current number of Scourge units is not enough."
Against a shielded warship, a dozen or so Scourge won't suffice.
More and more Scourge are produced. They float in the void near the planet, awaiting the Cerebrate's command.
On the Imperial side, they also notice something amiss.
"Captain Jack, there are some life forms approaching our position."
A 'person' whose body is mostly cybernetic reports to the captain. Numerous tubes connect him to the ship.
This is an Astropath.
"They launched an attack against us, but it seemed more like a probe."
"What is the ship's damage status?"
"No damage. They appear to be merely a primitive species. Perhaps our arrival has made them feel threatened."
"Then pay them no mind."
Captain Jack is only concerned about the ship and the Salamanders warriors who landed on the planet. The local primitive life is not worthy of his attention.
This line of thinking is common sense. After all, the ship they are on is one of the masterpieces crafted by the Imperium's billions of artisans. This vessel has faced Chaos renegades in the star-studded void and annihilated Tau aliens. How could it possibly fear these local creatures?
"But the Machine Spirit... the Machine Spirit is somewhat unstable. It fears these creatures. It attempted to activate the point-defense turrets."
"!!!"
Captain Jack is startled.
"Are you joking?"
"No."
As soon as the words are spoken, the ship's point-defense turrets suddenly open fire, unleashing a neat curtain of fire into space, shredding several approaching Mutalisks into pulp.
"Just like that, Captain."
Captain Jack falls silent, only frowning deeply. He looks out the viewport at the planet. That partially dark, sinister world appears even more dangerous and threatening in his eyes.