Death Before Dishonour

By Richard Walter (Sniper)

"Fall back into defensive positions! I will not be taken to the grave by these evil cohorts!" Screamed Chapter Master Exitiosus of the Screaming Angels.

As one, the entire force of Screaming Angels fell back to the relative safety of the trenches and walls. Here, they sat held of the heretics and waited for the safety of the darkness. Long hours past before last light was upon them.

"How long do you think we've got left?" Brother Danases voice echoed from the darkness.

Exitiosus could not see his face or his body, yet he heard that his brother was scared.

"I have no idea, Brother. Hours, maybe even a few days." Exitiosus replied calmly.

A loud scream filled the air as a body was flung into view of Exitiosus. Instantly, Apothecary Gideon ran towards the marine and knelt down beside him. All it took was a few seconds to remove the precious progenoid glands.

"Dead?" The Exitiosus asked in a low, quiet voice.

"Yes my lord." Gideon said, quivering with fury.

"This is despicable. What news from the recon force?"

"Recon force report nothing of interest to us."

The Radio clicked in. It was Marneus Calgar of the Ultramarines.

* * *

"That's so typical." Began the Ultramarine Chapter Master from the safety of his battle-barge.

"What, Marneus?" Sergeant Exitiosus asked, fighting before the ranks of Chaos.

"You're treating that battle as though it were a game!"

"So?"

"War is war! It's not a foolish game of butchery and mayhem."

"You may be the leader of the Ultramarines, but I cannot concede to such a foolish idea."

"Foolish?" Marneus said with a hint of fury.

"You cannot condemn a war because of the way people fight in it! The Death Company always strive to butcher and maim, does that make them childish?"

"Yes."

"Emperors blood you are difficult!" Exitiosus said, with a cold air.

"Do not take the sacred name of God in vain you agnostic warrior!"

"The Emperor was a warrior of Earth, everyone knows that!"

"Do not patronise me! It was you who coerced me into asking the Imperial Chambers to approve this mission, I did not do it of my own free will!"

"I never said you did. Do you know what I saw when I touched down on this planet? Rank upon rank of chaos marines, each armed with far superior weapons to our own. I saw brave men die under my command! Blood filled the battlefield, merging with the blood of the Daemons and their vile slaves! War happens. If I did not have you to approve this mission then all of us would be dead in a matter of years! Blood would wash away the universe in a tide of fury! You accuse me of patronising you, when it was you yourself doing the patronising. Now go and leave me be, Brother!"

Marneus Calgar mused on this barrage for a few seconds. The Ultramarine had to leave a parting shot.

"War is War."

"One of these days, your fixation with war and the meaning of it will be your down fall!" Exitiosus muttered under his breath.

The Chapter Master sat silently in the darkness, his own fury showing more than any of his men, yet he knew that to let on that this was so, was to show weakness, and to be annihilated.

"Master, they are storming us!" Brother Urusilas charged towards his leader, shouting maniacally at him.

"Then we are dead. There will be no escape, no stay of execution, just a painful and frenzied death." Exitiosus snarled his rage increasing.

"Master, we must escape, come, we will go to the Thunderhawks, it is headed for Jorak, they will surely give us sanctuary there!"

"..."

"My lord..."

"..."

"Master, come, please!"

The sound of his brethren shouting, firing and fighting filled the Chapter Master with insatiable fury. Leaping out of the trench he threw up his arms and screamed the Screaming Angels chapter motto.

"DEATH BEFORE DISHONOUR!"

The Screaming Angels turned to face their master, before repeating the motto a thousand times louder. Exitiosus scanned through the crowds of marines before the inevitable battle. He tried to remember their faces as he recited the Emperors prayers. Standards were raised and the thumbs were up. Somehow, Exitiosus felt subdued by this.

It was at that precise moment, that the Evil forces of chaos, dressed in the titanium-jet-black-metal, skull encrusted armour that marked them out as members of the Taran Death Cult, charge for the Imperial Marines.

Drawing his double handed sword, Exitiosus swung a wide sweep at one of the Cultists. There was a crimson shower of blood and gore as the heretic's head rolled towards the Chapter Masters feet. Picking it up and holding it to the cultists, Exitiosus screamed a challenge.

"This is how my mighty Emperor will treat each of you unless you repent your sins!"

The sounds of distant firing and screaming carried eerily on the wind.

Ignoring the statement, the heretics charged towards the Screaming Angels. There was no escape now.