Alpha Legion: Prison Break [A Warhammer Tale]

Phase Four: Ambush

Thrawl had not been gifted with the secrets his Legion used to create their warriors. However, it took little knowledge to know something had gone terribly wrong with his rebirth. Whether this had come about due to a flaw in the geneseed or a weakness in the host, he did not know. Though Thrawl was as nimble, clever, and powerful as any of his brothers, he was significantly shorter. Significant in that while a mortal could barely tell the difference, a fellow Astartes would notice immediately. In other legions, this sick variety would most likely not be seen as a serious flaw, but in a Legion dedicated to being indistinguishable from one another, it was potentially fatal. Though few of his comrades would ever vocalize it, it was a shame that he had carried from his inception.

Now this terrible curse was threatening to destroy him and his mission. For a moment, he thought about arming his krack grenade and engulfing the entire room in a fire that would wipe away the only witnesses to his failure. However, that would be far too easy and would mean loss to the mission. Failing his first command was something he could not live or die with. His mind tore through option after option even as everything unraveled in front of him. Everything appeared to move in slow motion as the Inquisitorial officer turned panicked eyes toward the Ultramarine Sergeant Namen. Draken tensed and prepared to strike even as the rest of the room's denizens continued their work, unaware. In moments, the room would erupt into a bloodbath as the Ultramarines reacted to the officer's report.

Violence was inevitable, and the only way to survive would be to start it on his terms. No matter how repugnant, only this unrefined option presented itself, and Thrawl gritted his teeth as he sent a short transmission burst to the tiny receiver mounted in Malen's armor. The foolish loyalists had searched their prisoner for weapons but had inadvertently given him a much more powerful one in exchange. He watched the prison terminal's feed with a mixture of disgust and admiration as Malen received the message and began struggling in his chains. Through a powerful force of will, he was able to wrench himself forward, detonating his explosive collar.

Thrawl had not known him well, but he still hated to lose such a warrior. Malen had followed orders directly until the end, even though his sacrifice had only been a contingency for the worst of scenarios. This preventable loss would also be a shadow on Thrawl's otherwise successful mission. Also, with so few of his comrades left, such a pointless waste of such a noble and dedicated warrior enraged him far more than he cared to admit. While seeking revenge was a selfish distraction unfit for a warrior of Thrawl's caliber, he took some solace in the fact that his new plan would surely lead to the deaths of everyone in this room.

The Inquisition had not taken any chances, and the collar had had more explosives than necessary to do its grisly task. Thrawl watched the prison terminal's screen flair as an explosion shook the deck. Alarms blared as several soldiers were flung from their feet to the floor. The Inquisitorial officer turned back to his console in confusion while shouting for status reports. The Ultramarines were apparently unmoved by the chaos, though Thrawl was certain that Namen was requesting reports of his own even as his hand went for his bolter.

Prewarned, Thrawl managed to maintain his footing with little effort, though the same could not be said for Draken. The Alpha Legionary stumbled forward, apparently wholly taken off guard by the sudden explosions. The closest Ultramarine stepped forward to aid him, and that was when he struck. As Draken fell into the other warrior, he drew his blade and punched it up into his helmet.

Thrawl had to admire the ruse even as the Ultramarine fell to the deck with an almost inaudible sigh as his brain was bisected. His comrades wasted nearly half a second staring in shock at such a terrible betrayal. With that time, Thrawl had already drawn his bolter and begun slaughtering the human technicians even as he sent a coded transmission to Tanis and Kryce.