Something did not feel right to Elyas, the corridors were to clear. Surely the Tyranid Hive Mind would have mustered to remove the presence of the Deathwatch. Yet it had not, for seven standard Terrain minutes Elyas and his brothers had not encounter a single Tyranid bio-form. No Gaunts, no Genestealers, no Rippers and no Hive Guard. His mind whirled, trying to figure out what was happening or better yet what was to come.

“I don’t like this.” Kestyr spoke breaking Elyas from his thought. Looking up Elyas saw Kestyr had stopped at an intersection between three corridors. “This is unlike the Tyranids to not attack us, mindless beasts through themselves at any source of bio-matter until they over whelm and consume it.”

“That Brother is where you are wrong.” Elyas gestured to the right hand tunnel, motioning for Kestyr to once again to point. “The Tyranid is not mindless, far from it; they share a single mind that directs them. The fact we have not been swarmed can mean one of two things, either the Tyranid infestation is not as bad as the sensorium scans show.”

“Or the Tyranid Hive Mind has predicted our plan of attack and has moved to defend what we seek to destroy.” Khordel interrupted finishing off Elyas’s explanation of the Tyranids.

“You give the Xenos too much credit brothers.” Quintus snorted throwing a sideways glance at Elyas and Khordel.

Elyas blinked once behind his helmet activating the vox-link between him and the three other Kill-Teams deployed with the Space Hulk. “Brothers, be advised there is a strong chance the Xenos are acting under the orders of the accursed synaptic intelligence the larger strains produce.”

Elyas smiled behind his helmet as the static of his vox-link crackled, before giving way to the three voices of his fellow Kill-Team leaders.

“This is Echo squad lead, Brother Apothecary Akhom, Brother-Captain. The Xenos will not ambush us this day.”

“The blood protects Brother-Captain. Sergeant Thaddeus here I acknowledge.”

“Lima squad reporting, No Xenos threat encountered, we shall keep a vigilant watch Brother.”

Slowly Elyas and his Brothers made their way down the corridors, stopping at each junction point briefly to check in with their fellow Kill-teams, it did not take them long however to reach a dead end.

“It appears we have found the nest brothers.” Yngvar chuckled pointing at the obstruction before them.

A pulsating wall, created from organic matter blocked their path. Larger glowing sacks emitting a putrid yellow glow, pulsating, the organic matter held its form almost like it was alive. Elyas snorted once looking the blockage up and down once before he turned to face his brothers.

“Brothers, beyond this wall lies the Xenos nest, there we will find their abhorrent birthing chambers and command link to their Hive Mind. Once we breach their nest let your Faith in the Emperor be your shield, the Xenos horde will do everything in its power to halt us. Do not Falter, Show them no mercy we shall Purge them from the hulk. We must not fail, if we do then this rock will lead leviathan to Terra’s door step.” Elyas paused gripping the hilt of a sheathed sword on his right thigh. “To all considerations no life is too important and no other sector of the Imperium vital to sacrifice to keep these Xenos from Holy Terra.” Letting go of the sword hilt Elyas pointed at the pulsating matter. “Xavier. Remove this thing from our way.”

“With pleasure, Brother-Captain.” Xavier gripped his Atomiser Cannon tightly spreading his legs and taking aim at the organic matter.

With his Cannon fully charge Xavier fired, vaporising the obstruction in an instant to reveal a dark corridor beyond, inhuman noises rippled from the corridor, noises that out unnerve normal men but not a Space marine. With their path now clear the six marines continued on towards their objective.

Since leaving the library Twilight had been frantic, her normal calm and calculating mind replaced with that of a startled filly, whose parents had just caught them doing something they should not and they were desperately trying to think of an excuse.

She knew she had to gather her friends but whom to start with first?

Twilight thought how best to go about gathering her friends, Applejack and Fluttershy lived on the outskirts of town so collecting them last seemed the best option, but Rainbow Dash was near impossible to wake up without AJ so that left Rainbow to be collected last. With a gasp Twilight realised Rarity would be the easiest to collect first, her hooves hitting the pavement Twilight jogged towards Carousel Boutique.

Reaching Carousel Boutique Twilight tiled her head back and looked up; gazing at the second story window trying to guess weather Rarity would still be up or not. After several minutes of staring at the window Twilight was unable to guess weather Rarity was in fact awake, so she reached out and knocked on the door to the Boutique.

She knocked once, then twice and waited. Twilight stood on the doorstep fidgeting in place as she waited, the wait is nerve racking for her, and she hoped Rarity was not asleep as dealing with a whiney Rarity for having her beauty sleep cut short was not something Twilight wanted to deal with.

She heard grumbling from behind the door, but not the grumbling of someone who had been woken up but instead the grumbling of someone who had been disturbed. Twilight sighed in relief for the fact she had no woken Rarity up, this feeling quickly vanished when Twilight realised she had probably just interrupted Rarity while she was working.

That was worse...

Much much worse.

Looking around nervously Twilight gulped heavily as she waited, slowly she heard the various latches and locks upon the door being opened. With no warning the door to the boutique swung upon violently. Standing in the doorway was a slender Ivory whit unicorn stood, her hoof tapping angrily against the step as she used her left hand to move her styled purple main out of her line of sight, she looked down the bridge of her snout at Twilight her eyes narrowed.

“Twilight. Darling as much as I enjoy your sometime unexpected visits.” She paused taking a moment to compose herself. “IT IS ONE IN THE MORNING!”

Twilight gulped stepping back, her bottom lip quivering. Taking a deep breath Twilight regained herself and met Rarity’s eyes with her own, her look filled with determination. “I know Rarity. I know, and I am sorry but Princess Luna arrived at the Library a few minutes ago.” Twilight paused watching as Rarity’s gaze shifted from one of anger to confusion and interest. “She didn’t explain what was wrong, all she said she needed ours and our friends help.”

Rarity blinked once and sighed. “That is all well and good Twilight, but surely this could have waited until the morning.”

“Princess Luna told me questions were not something she could afford to waste time on. It must be something of grave importance Rarity.”

Sighing Rarity nodded. “Very well, if one of the Princesses needs us then I very well cannot say no now can I darling?” Stepping out from the boutique Rarity turned pulling the door closed, she turned to face Twilight again a small smile across her lips. “I’ll go get Pinkie while you get Applejack and Fluttershy, meet at Rainbows?”

Twilight returned Rarity’s smile nodding. “Sure, and Rarity?” Rarity blinked her left eye brow rising in confusion. “I’m sorry again.”

“Oh Twilight, it is fine.” Rarity chuckled before turning and jogging off towards Sugar Cube Corner.

Twilight smiled as she began running towards the edge of Ponyville to gather both Applejack and Fluttershy.

“RALLY BROTHERS! SHOW NO FEAR!” Khordel roared slamming his left fist into the chest of a Tyranid Hormagaunt, breaking its ribcage sending shards of Xenos bone and spatters of its blood across the wall.

It had not been long before the Deathwatch Kill-Team had come under heavy assault, they had reached a large open central chamber with several access corridors, open air vents and over hanging walkways. The prefect kill box, they had walked into a trap. Khordel had been right to guess the Hive Mind had moved to mount a defence in its favour rather than waste the bio-matter on needless assaults against himself and his brothers.

With a roar of determination Khordel pulled his Crozius free from a larger Tyranid Bio-form, a warrior to be exact, with his Crozius free from its skull Khordel hurled himself forward like a battering ram, ignoring the torrent of fire from the Termagaunts position off the walkways above he slammed into a rushing wave of Hormagaunts. Breaking bones and severing limbs Khordel roared in triumph. Each swing of his Crozius, each shot from his bolt pistol fell another Xenos, we was truly in his element.

“Brother-Captain there are too many! I have more contacts coming in from above.” Quintus rounded on the spot sparring fire from his heavy bolter in each and every Xenos swarm he could, the mass react rounds detonating deep within each Xenos they struck. “Switching to hellfire rounds!”

“NEGATIVE BROTHER!” Elyas slammed his right elbow into a Hormagaunt foolish enough to lung towards him. “Xavier, seal that vent! Quintus suppressing fire on the upper walkways! Yngvar, Kestyr clear the fifth corridor!”

“Acknowledged!” The four battle-Brothers responded in unison.

Breaking into a sprint Elyas charged towards a swarm of Xenos emerging from a side passage, his bolter held tightly in his left hand he gripped the hilt of his sword and wrenched it from its scabbard. The ice blue of the blade arced with purple lightening signifying it as a power sword. Elyas whipped the blade around decapitating the Hormagaunt at the head of the swarm, he stabbed, thrust and sliced at the swarm his blade making contact with each and every Xenos within reach.

“Stand true Brothers! This horde is nothing compared to our Might!” Elyas roared as he slammed his right boot into the skull of a Hormagaunt lying upon the floor.

“Accept any challenge Brothers! No matter the odds!” Khordel bellowed sprinting backward firing his Bolt pistol joining Elyas, Khordel slammed his fist into Elyas’s right Pauldron. Elyas turned and nodded to Khordel as they now both fought back to back. Bolt rounds streaming from their respective weapons, complimented by stabs and swings from their respective close quarter weapons, their combat styles complimenting each other. Khordel sued himself like a battering ram, thrusting smashing and hurling Xenos left and right his wide swings pitching Tyranids left and right, while Elyas was more precise each strike leading to a swift kill.

Yngvar sprinted towards the fifth chamber, Kestyr following close behind their bolters churning out round after round cutting deep into the swarm massing within the fifth corridor, ecstatic laughter erupted over the vox-link form Yngvar as he threw himself into the Tyranid Hormagaunt swarm his laughter swiftly becoming that of a savage beast as he tore into the swarm with bolt rounds and shot from his gauntleted fists. It was almost as if Yngvar had regressed to the true feral nature of those native to his home world of Fenris, Yngvar threw his head back and howled, a howl of a true Son of the Wolf.

Kestyr however was unlike his Brother and did not fall into a feral savagery, he instead methodically advanced upon the Tyranid swarm the metal storm rounds from his bolter churning the Hormagaunts to little more than inhuman bloody pulp.

“Yngvar show some restraint.” Kestyr snorted as he continued his steady stream of bolter fire upon the Tyranid swarm.

“HAHA! You think I am not brother?” Yngvar chuckled slamming his boots down on the heads of two Hormagaunts. “I could be doing nothing but shouting Wolf over and over again. Would you prefer that?”

“By Vulkan’s mighty spear don’t!” Xavier retorted butting into the convocation, his legs spread wide with his Atomiser Cannon pointed upwards towards the vent from with the rippers were emerging, with a Thunderous sound Xavier fired. The radiation blast slammed into the vent causing a ripple effect up the shaft vaporising the Xenos within before impacting a metallic brace buckling the vent. “That’s one sealed.”

“Now what of the rest!?” Quintus snapped strafing his heavy bolters line of fire across the upper walkways. The hellfire rounds impacted the carapace across several Termagaunts, the impregnated crystal tips detonating upon impact bathing each and every struck Tyranid in a mutagenic acid tailored to the genetic markers of the Tyranid. Boiling away on both the outside and in the acidic compound dropped the struck Termagaunts, long alien tongues flicking in and out between needle like teeth, limbs failing wildly as the acid ate away their nerves system. Even for a race were pain had no meaning the Termagaunts would die horrifically slowly, their own bodies being devoured in a cruel irony.

“I only have three charges left!” Xavier responded as he whirled around on the spot tracing his Atomiser Cannon of a fresh target.

“Xavier! Venom cannon descending from upper walkways in the access elevator!” Elyas shouted as he slammed his left shin into the jaw of another Hormagaunt shattering its Xenos skull. “Take it out!”

“With pleasure.” Xavier chuckled.

Taking aim Xavier traced elevator lift as it descending watching as the warrior class bio-form within became visible, the Venom cannon hung from its lower set of arms pulsing as it charged for a shot.

“LET FREE THE RETRIBUTION OF THE EMPEROR!”

Xavier fired again the blast from his Atomiser streaked across the chamber; the shout was not wasted as it violently slammed into elevator. Within milliseconds the elevator compartment and its occupant were vaporised, their compound atomise scattered to the winds within the Hulk.

“Make that two charge Quintus!”

Quintus chuckled and nodded. “Well then switch to that heavy flamer across your back! It would be of great use in this situation brother!”

“Yngvar Kestyr have you cleared that passage?!” Elyas interrupted as he only narrowly block a killing blow from a charging Hormagaunt.

“Passage Secure Brother-Captain!” Kestyr shot back, standing within the entrance way spraying fire out into the chamber while Yngvar had charge down the passage to further deal with the Tyranids within.

“Elyas we cannot break!” Khordel interjected as he pitched another Tyranid into the wall. “The second we do the Xenos swarms will be all over us!”

“Go Brothers I shall cover your tactical withdrawal!” Quintus answered rising to his feet continuing the unload bolt round after bolt round into each and every Tyranid swarm he could.

“NO! I shall not abandon you Brother!” Elyas countered his voice filled with a nagging regret over a past failure.

“No Brother Captain it is the only way!” Quintus sighed and glance at Xavier. “Once your through use you last two charges to seal the passage Brother!”

Xavier nodded once and sprinted into the chamber Kestyr and Yngvar had secured, Khordel followed soon after, but Elyas did not follow so eagerly. He paused beside Quintus and in an act of kinship he returned his blade to its scabbard and tightly gripped his Brother left Pauldron.

“It has been a True Honour Brother. May the Emperor and your Primarch guide you.” Elyas spoke the words in a soft regretful tone, before unclipping a pulsing object from his belt and securing it to Quintus’s. “Use it when you can no longer hold your ground, deny this Xenos filth any bio-mass.”

“Fear not death, we who embody it in His name!” With a nod Quintus roared his chapters battle-cry and continued to fire covering Elyas as he sprinted into the Passage just as Xavier let loose his last two charges, sealing the passage, both securing their safety but dooming Brother Quintus.

Author's Note

WOLF WOLF WOLF WOLF! sorry but I had to make that joke, there was no way to avoid it.

Another chapter down and I have dropped more hints to one of our still elusive Deathwatch brothers chapters, seriously if people have not guessed Khordel's chapter by now I shall be super sad face.

BUT now this is the part were I ask you my loyal readers for what you want to see! Now as I have done poor brother Quintus will not be joining his five fellows but another Brother will, and you get to vote! Since the choice of chapter and what not will not change the stories flow (I have planned for each choice I am not silly.)

Your choices are:
1: Brother-Apothecary Akhom

2: Brother-Sergeant Thaddeus

3: THE WILD CARD! (I shall not tell you this it will be a surprise)

4: Fan favorite (With this one the most popular fan submitted chapter and marine type eg assault marine. will be used!)

As always I hope you enjoyed this chapter feel free to knit pick and whatnot I do enjoy it.