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[DTdante2787]

The tall, ivory clad warrior knelt in the chapel, deep in thought. Being in the office of Chapter Apothecary was a great honor, and Dante was one of the youngest marines to earn the title in recent memory. The marine, barely 60 years old, had already risen at a meteoric rate in the chapter. He had seen much action fighting Orks and even the forces of Chaos. A free spirit, He was known for taking insane risks, much to the chagrin of His squad leaders. Captain Gerhart actually had to save His life once when Dante got it into His head to go toe to toe with a Chaos dreadnought armed only with an empty pistol and a chainsword.

Much loved by the younger brethren of the chapter for his exploits, Dante was a force to be reckoned with. Although smart of tongue, the command squad of the Crimson Fists knew He could be counted on, and would lay down His life for a brother without thought of danger. His compassionate nature was very obvious to anyone who met Him. One of His greatest exploits was actually defending an Imperial Guard field hospital on Graia from an Ork assault alongside his brother in arms Greyest. Between His power axe and Greyest's Heavy Bolter, many lives were saved in the name of the Emperor.

Although he was known as a smartass, recent events had sobered the normally flippant marine. During a Chaos incursion, He had lost half his squad into the Warp. The loss of his battle brethren weighed on him heavily, and he blamed himself even though he was assured it was not his fault. It would seem however that this actually improved his performance, as the sobering reality of doom made Dante more cautious. His undoubted devotion to the chapter did not go unnoticed, and he actually gained many recommendations for promotion. Brother Captain Gerhart and the rest of the high command deemed that Dante would best serve the chapter as Apothecary, as the position had recently opened up.

Thoughts of His (assumed) fallen brothers constantly haunted Dante, and He only found peace by visiting the chapel. He sensed movement before hearing the heavy footsteps behind Him. Techmarine Brother Apulo, His squad leader, spoke. "Dante, we are in need of your skills. Several of our brethren were injured in a recent sortie." "Very well, Apulo. I will attend to them shortly. Hopefully none are too serious?" Apulo chuckled to set the much younger marine at ease. "None too bad, but they would still appreciate you patching them up." Dante pushed his long silver hair from his face, and picked up his helmet. His blue eyes regained their trademark humor. "Time to see who got themselves shot this time."

[Grimaldus]

YES another one has felt the touch of inspiration and courage.
i hope you keep writing brother. you know you my support, i hope that you will keep writing this story

Serve the Emperor, Honor the 3rd.

[Gerhart]

Awesome job!

[DTdante2787]

As they neared the infirmary, Dante could hear a torrent of curses all the way down the hall. "I thought you said no one was seriously hurt, Apulo." The techpriest shrugged. "I wouldn't consider it serious, but some brothers aren't as hardy as I am. As we are hear, I will take my leave brother. There is some equipment that needs mending. Honor the Third!" Dante salutes, and enters the room to find one marine holding his foot, while the other is calmly sitting there, a giant fragment of metal sticking out of his neck. New blood dripped onto the already stained floor. The marine holding his foot is the one cursing. "Why am I not surprised...what did you do this time Hacksaur?" The calm marine chuckles, despite the pain and the blood trickling from around the wound. "You'll love this one Dante..Hack managed to shoot himself in the foot." "SHUT UP SEVEN!!!" The younger warrior howled.

"Dammit, you just earned your fist. Haven't you learned to check the chamber before cleaning your gun?" Dante scolded him as he inspected the wound. "This isn't too serious...now Seven, we should get you into the operating room first." The big marine waves His hand. "Take care of the kid first...I'd rather die than hear him whine any more." Shaking his head, Dante helps Hacksaurs into the room, and quickly mends his damaged foot. The lesser injury taken care of, He immediately attends to Seven, skillfully but carefully removing the sharp metal from the wound, mending the severed arteries as he works. When completed, He checks the wound. "Much better sir...thank you. Mind if I keep that chunk as a souvenir?" Dante smirks. "Only if you keep it away from Hack." The two share a hearty laugh.

A Marine enters the room. "Brother Dante, I was ordered to deliver a message to you." "Yes Kululu, what is is?" "Brother Captain Gerhart requests your presence as soon as your duties are completed." Dante wipes the blood from his hands and tools. "Did He say what it was about?" The messenger shakes his head. "No sir..He simply said it was important." "This day just keeps getting better and better...I'll be there as soon as I am done cleaning my tools. Make sure neither Brothers Seven or Hacksaur are sent into active duty until they are recovered or unless it is completely necessary." Brother Kululu nods. "Very good sir. Anything else?" The Apothecary shakes His head, wondering what mission He is about to embark on.

[JxExFxF]

Haha ya you better keep it away from hack since he may lose an eye or a toe I am enjoying the story it's funny

[Grimaldus]

keep up the work dante, i hope you retain the funny things in the story

[DTdante2787]

Brother-Captain Gerhart was studying several monitors as Dante entered the room. The room felt small, being filled with most of the Third company's command squad. Apulo was there, tinkering with a Bolter on the large table most were seated at. The chapter librarian, Grimaldus, sat at the corner, holding His head with one hand. Being a potent psyker, he was prone to massive headaches. The great power came with a tradeoff, and being the chapter Apothecary, Dante was well aware of this. Without a word, He placed a vial of pills next to Grimaldus to help with the pain. Veteran Sergeant Phoenix was also present, silently waiting for the meeting to start.

With Dante's arrival, Gerhart smiled. Without further ado, He immediately launched into the meeting. "Good, everyone is here. As you all know, Brother Jarhead was recently injured during a boarding action, and is still in recovery. Our company has done well picking up the slack, but we may have to reorganize. However, that is not the primary purpose of this meeting. I have received troubling reports of Warp activity on one of our moons. The Loki sector has thankfully been devoid of a Chaos incursion up to now, but this is troubling. Grimaldus, I would like you to take a squad of our best and brightest to investigate." Phoenix spoke "This is where the reorganization comes into play sir?" The captain nodded. "Exactly. Since we are sending an Elite squad to investigate, the existing squads will be reorganized until their return. As this is a dangerous mission, I am temporarily attaching Dante to your Kill team. That is unless Apulo has any objections." The tech priest shook His head. "I can oversee His duties for the moment. Just don't get yourself killed, Dante."

Grimaldus chuckled. "He'll be fine, and a welcome addition to our team. Am I to understand I have unlimited choice in who is on this team, Captain?" Gerhart nodded. "I will take Brothers Gunshy and Jeff from my existing squad, and Brothers Greyest and Hudson as well. That is, if Dante and Hudson don't shoot each other." A hearty laugh was shared by all despite the tense situation. The apothecary chuckled. "Water under the bridge, brother.'' Gerhart stood. "Then it's settled. The kill team will investigate the incursion, while the majority of the squad will prepare for the worst. We're barely recovering our numbers thanks to those damn orks, and our only hope of averting another catastrophe is to nip it in the bud. The fate of the chapter is in your hands brothers." Grimaldus and Dante nodded, the gravity of the situation not lost to them.

As they left the room, a sense of foreboding nagged at Dante. He could not help but wonder if this was connected to the loss of His squadmates. Grimaldus spoke. "Clear your mind Dante...now is not the time for doubt." The young marine snorted. "I keep forgetting you damn psykers can read minds." "Yes we can. Doubt is one step closer to heresy brother. Examine your thoughts, lest you be corrupted." Knowing He could trust the Librarian, Dante replied. "I'm not doubtful, Grim. If anything, I'm hoping to be reunited with my lost brethren. It is not lost on me that they may have been corrupted. If so, we will purge their souls from existence. I hope it doesn't come to that though." "As do I" replied Grimaldus. Being a psyker, Grimaldus was himself vulnerable to the taint of Chaos. His faith in the Emperor kept Him strong however. This strength would be needed in the coming mission. "Get some rest, Dante. We ship out in 48 hours."

[DTdante2787]

As with any moon, the landscape was desolate. Dante surveyed the area for hostiles as they exited the Thunderhawk. "Why the hell would the traitors bother setting up their base here?" Brother Hudson brusquely replied. "Isn't it obvious? Because no one would bother coming here unless they had to. Aside for you maybe. You LOOOOVE anything that's depressing." Grimaldus spoke up before Dante and Hudson could start arguing. "I sense residual energy from a recently closed portal. Let's move. Brother Jeff, stay with the ship." The marines could hear him grumbling as they trekked over one of the many hills. Jet packs would have been preferable, but for the sake of stealth, they were confined to the ground.

Scouting ahead, Hudson gestured from atop a hill for them to crouch. Kneeling in the gray powder that covered the surface of the moon, He handed his bolter to Grimaldus. "Look through the scope...we have an interesting problem up ahead." The Librarian peered through the lense, and gasped. It wasn't the encampment ahead of them that was shocking. It wasn't even the fact that it was crawling with Orks. It was the blasphemous iconography that decorated the encampment and even the Orks themselves. "Orks worshiping the Chaos gods? This is serious." Taking back His bolter, Hudson grumbled. "The fact they just had to pick Khorne does not make our job any easier."

"I say we kill 'em all." Greyest grinned fiercely beneath His helmet, the thought of killing the hated greenskins a cheery thought to His violent mind. Grimaldus shook His head. "Not yet...we will call in reinforcements eventually, but we must further investigate their numbers before charging in rashly. If they are serving Chaos, we can bet that the traitors are nearby." Dante nodded in agreement. "No rushing to your death brother..I don't wish to harvest your geneseed just yet." Even with His helmet on, the squad knew the Apothecary was smirking.

Despite their size, the Space Marines were surprisingly silent as they skirted the Ork encampment, noting the accumulated weaponry and warmachines, of both human and ork origin. "Damn...they are preparing for a full on invasion." Greyest muttered, voicing the shared thoughts of the entire kill team. Grimaldus was troubled. "They are just puppets. Where are the ones pulling the strings?" The unmistakable sound of Bolter fire interrupted His train of thought. "Who's firing?!" The Librarian barked. Brother Jeff replied through the comm link. "All clear here sir..it's downright peaceful by the shi..." Grimaldus cut him off. Hudson climbed to a high peak, and scanned the area with the scope custom mounted onto his Bolter. "Sir, a small group of Space Marines are under fire ahead...roughly 10 clicks ahead of us. Traitors and Orks have them pinned down. And sir...they're Crimson Fists."

Dante spoke before Grimaldus could reply. "Let's support our brethren!" "What if it's a trap?" Gunshy pondered. "Then we'll deal with it." Greyest replied simply. "To me my brothers...CHARGE!" Grimaldus bellowed, raising his sword. The kill team narrowed the distance, and opened up upon the forces of chaos with righteous fury. Blood and shattered armor filled the air as the explosive bolter rounds contacted their targets. "Brothers, we have come to your aid!" Dante roared over the gunfire. The Crimson Fists were clearly the missing battle brothers who had been lost to the warp. They turned to face their rescuers. Dante gasped. Heretical markings covered the formerly regal sets of armor.

"SHIT! It's a trap!" Hudson cursed. "I hate it when I'm right." Gunshy murmured wryly. The loyalists were now themselves surrounded. Using a psychic blast of energy, Grimaldus punched a whole through the traitors, his brethren following the Librarian to glory..and revenge. Rage burned within their hearts, and they charged headlong into the ranks of their former brothers, mercilessly cleaving flesh and bone. None would dishonor the Emperor or the chapter and live to tell of it. Dante became death incarnate, blood staining His ivory armor. He was not a giver of life today...He was an instrument of judgement. The apothecary had noted not all of his brethren were in the ranks of the traitors. He could only conclude they had been murdered. The fury this caused intimidated even his allies.

When the smoke cleared, none of the Chaos forces remained. Their bloodlust had carried the Kill Team to the heart of the Chaos/Ork encampment. Dante leaned on His axe, surveying the carnage that now surrounded them. He felt a mix of satisfaction and sadness. The lost squad had been found, but at what cost. Their geneseed was useless, having been tainted by Chaos. Lost in thought, He failed to sense movement behind Him. "DANTE! BEHIND YOU!" Yelled Greyest. The unmistakable report of a Stalker Bolter pierced the deadly silence. Dante's would be assailant exploded in a burst of crimson. A lone Space Marine slowly rose from behind a rock formation. His Crimson Fists armor was battered, but the emblems of allegiance to the Imperium were still clearly visible. He made His way toward the other marines.

"Brother Dante...how many times have I told you to watch your back? I know I must have been gone for awhile...and seeing you nearly get killed like that is really disappointing." "Legion! I thought you were dead!" Dante spoke, his voice cracking with emotion. "You should know by now that I'm not that easy to kill. Unfortunately, the rest of our brethren were not as lucky. I myself would not be here if Brother Guinness had not held off the traitors, allowing me to fall back to a better position." Legion bowed his head, in an unspoken moment of silence. Grimaldus approached, placing His hand on Legion's helmet. "You still serve the Emperor, Brother Legion?" "Yes sir, I do. And would die for Him if it be His will." The devotion in His voice was undeniable. Removing his hand, the Librarian patted Legion on the shoulder. "Your words ring true, as do your thoughts. We are glad to have you back."

The marines began their trek back to the Thunderhawk. Brother Jeff was clearly disappointed that He had missed out on the action, however, He was glad to see one of their lost brethren in their ranks. As they boarded the ship, Dante took a last look over the landscape of the moon. He had avenged His squad, and had even recovered one of his lost brothers. In time, He would mourn His fallen brothers. Perhaps the guilt He felt for letting down His brethren would eventually subside. For the moment, all He could think of was much deserved rest.

+end transmition+


In memory of a dear friend, taken from this earth far too soon...R.I.P.

[Grimaldus]

just...awesome, i like your writing brother, keep up the good work

Serve the Emperor, Honor the 3rd.

[Gerhart]

Great job keep it up! Someone tell Legion hes in this story.

[DTdante2787]

Thanks guys...I will start throwing ideas around for a sequel.

I did do a few final adjustments to the final few paragraphs, so please re-read them as needed. I know it's not as lighthearted as the story began, but I think it has more meaning with the ending I gave it.

[Armoured Priest]

Dude this was great!

[Hudson]

very good

[JxExFxF]

i really enjoyed that story. I was the most importantt since if you pissed me off i could just fly off the planet without ya Keep the good work up u are great in your detail of writing.