Alpha Legion: Prison Break [A Warhammer Tale]

Phase Three: Arrival

Their enemies were not the only ones in for a surprise, Thrawl thought darkly. The landing and disembarkation had been accomplished without difficulty. The human crew had primarily kept their distance, treating the marines with proper respect and their "captive" with proper fear. He had to admit Malen had outdone himself with his disguise, his pilfered Imperial Fist armor now unrecognizable under a heavy layer of paint, bayonet spikes, and gore. All of these resources had been readily available from the outpost, but Malen weaved them together in a way Thrawl had yet to master. While there were more arcane methods of disguise open to them, the old-fashioned ways were the safest when dealing with the Inquisition. The spiked Ogryn head was an especially nice touch.

Unfortunately, the two imposing figures now entering the hangar seemed far less impressed. "Greetings, brothers. I am Sergeant Namen, and it is my honor to welcome you to the Semper Defenditis." greeted the Ultramarine while making the sign of the Aquila.

Thrawl swiftly returned the gesture, careful not to add the sarcastic flourish used by his comrades. "Thank you, brother. I am Captain Delmore of the 5th Company. These are my men and cargo. We found him among the orc filth and believe this could be part of a larger scheme."

He had chosen the Fifth Company as his own due to several factors. They had recently taken a mauling, and their ranks were now filled with fresh recruits. This would help if anyone aboard knew any true warriors from that force. It also allowed him to steal the new warriors' names for his squad, so they would check out if the Inquisitors bothered to dig into their files. However, the fact that most of the Imperial Fists were currently locked in a massive conflict around Cadia meant that contacting them at all might prove difficult, which could only aid him in the long run.

The Ultramarine nodded gravely, giving Malen a careful once over as the counterfeit berserker bellowed and struggled against his chains. "You made the right decision, Captain, though I am sorry it cost you your outpost. I know how attached your legion is to your forts."

Thrawl nodded grimly while making a mental note of the Sergeant's arrogance. His intelligence had not specified an Astartes presence, but he was concerned that if he asked directly, the Ultramarine might sense something amiss. Still, there were other ways of obtaining this information, and the Sergeant did not seem suspicious...

"Yes, our comrades fought a noble rearguard action so we could deliver our prisoner. They fought well, and their names will forever be remembered in glory. However, they were ultimately mere men and could not hold back the tide. I could not spare any of my brothers to stay behind..." Thrawl trailed off, making sure to allow the slightest hint of uncertainty to slip from his noble demeanor.

"I understand, brother, but they served the Emperor's purpose well. You made the right decision. Do not fear leaving the prisoner in the charge of this vessel's crew. They will always have my kill team's protection." The Sergeant said comfortingly.

While "Delmore" took the time to express his gratitude, Thrawl was processing what he knew about the standard strength of marine kill teams. His warriors would be outnumbered, to say nothing of the brigade of Inquisitorial troops assigned to the ship that the Sergeant had failed to mention. Knowing the Inquisition, there would also be other nasty surprises hidden aboard the ship. Still, surprise was a powerful equalizer.

"Before we continue, there is one more precaution we need to take," Sergeant Namen continued as he gestured to his battle brother. The warrior, in turn, bent over and removed a mechanical collar from a silent servitor's grasp. As a large unit of the Inquisitorial guard quickly took their places around Malen, the Ultramarine affixed the collar around the struggling prisoner's throat. Thrawl recognized the device immediately as a restrictor collar used throughout the Imperium's dungeons and mines. Another diabolical creation of the Inquisition, if Malen managed to escape his bonds or deviate from a preset path, the collar would detonate in an explosion large enough to annihilate him completely.