Suffer Not The Radiant

Chapter 56: Beginning

Soon enough, the protocol, or what was left of it, made their move. Scavenging all they could, supplies, equipment, weapons. They had to move to another location. This place was no longer what it used to be. The world no longer is.

Sova went ahead and fixed what was damaged of the VTOL aircraft, with the help of Kay/o. As Killjoy was still in not a state to help. Luckily, there was not much damage to the engines of the aircraft. And thus, it was fixed fairly quickly.

Silently, they gathered what they could, loading the aircraft with ammunition, food, and weapons—everything essential. Despite the necessity of the task, their expressions betrayed a lack of enthusiasm, each face reflecting a mix of weariness and determination..

Ranesk and Tyberos bore the weight of the heavy crates, filled predominantly with Bolter magazines and the remnants of the food supplies. Crates containing spare weapon parts were also loaded onto the aircraft. Among the few surviving civilians, less than a dozen in number, most were grievously injured. Ranesk proposed leaving them behind, anticipating more problems than benefits, but the majority, unsurprisingly, opposed the idea.

The civilians were guided by Brimstone quietly. When he had awoken, he was in disbelief. In pain, both mentally and physically. He was unsure if he could still call the Protocol a cohesive group. It was shattered beyond recognition. Standing for nothing for what it was supposed to be. Members were on different sides, missing. Possibly dead.

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Soon, everything was loaded onto the aircraft. The heavily injured civilians found a place in a rusting Black Hawk, its engines miraculously still operational. Sova would pilot the VTOL, with Kay/o taking control of the Black Hawk. The two aircraft would form a convoy, closely following each other. They had sufficient fuel to reach the mainland United States, where they hoped to find some form of resistance force, if any remained.

"Be careful. You'll be fine," Sova spoke softly to an injured woman, her eyes covered by bandages. Sova's disheveled hair and tired eyes betraying the effort to conceal his exhaustion. The others mirrored his weariness; energy for conversation was a luxury they couldn't afford. Each of them secretly wished this was nothing but an illusion, a dream. In the span of two days, their world had irrevocably shifted.

Ranesk observed as the last of the civilians were loaded. With a nod to Tyberos, the Astartes turned and ascended the VTOL, his weight causing the aircraft to sway slightly. It was a wonder that it could even bear his immense frame, and, as before, he had to crouch to fit inside.

The engines roared to life, the whirring of aging machinery echoing through the cold, lifeless air. Soon, the two aircraft ascended, marking the commencement of their long, ponderous journey to the United States. Hoping that there were still humans with fight left in them.

—

In the dimly lit aircraft, an oppressive silence enveloped them, broken only by the hum of engines. Each occupant seemed lost in their own thoughts, weariness etched across their faces. Killjoy, with eyes closed, bore the weight of exhaustion and sorrow, her head resting on Brimstone's shoulder. He, too, grieved the loss of Raze, a silent acknowledgment passing between them as they carried her mutilated remains.

Ranesk grappled with a decision about Raze's body; it was only a nuisance and would only occupy more space. Leaving her behind might streamline their journey, but the risk of further division within the Protocol held him back. Unspoken, these internal struggles lingered in the air.

As the hours crawled by, Ranesk and Tyberos, each in their silent contemplation, pondered the uncertain path that lay ahead. Plans for the future took shape in their minds, contingencies unfolding. Ranesk, particularly, envisioned alliances with resistance groups harboring intense resentment against the Radiants, and unite them under his and Tyberos' leadership.