Chapter 2

  Raphael was moving quickly, after the team had been debriefed on the simulation he had slipped away to calm himself down

  before he did something he would regret. His extensive psycho-programming and his own personality rarely let him get this

  angry but he certainly was now.

  Raphael wait for us!" shouted Varkas from a fair distance behind him, apparently they had followed him. Raphael cursed and

  turned into an empty training room then turned and waited. His team was quick, he didn't have to wait long. They filed in

  one after another, Raphael looked up and pulled off his helmet "Close the door if you please". His voice was a near whisper

  and all of the team picked up on it, they had never seen him like this before.

  Raphael breathed in and pointed to a purity seal on his right shoulder, the only difference in colour on the otherwise

  silver metal of his arm "Do you know what I recieved this for?" he asked, the team looked at it but didn't have any idea,

  nor did they speak.

  Raphael's eyes narrowed "I recieved this honour for fighting the greenskins on Caldaris, it was the battle that Watch

  Master Lexus encountered me and I was recruited into the Deathwatch". Raphael raised his voice before anyone could answer

  "It was the battle where all of my battle-brothers died in front of me!".

  All of their eyes widened, each time they had told the story of their induction to the Deathwatch Raphael had always been

  silent on the matter. He had a good reason to be, whenever he thought of his fallen battle-brothers it tended to make him

  dangerously aggressive.

  But he had been pushed and he was far from done "I was honoured for living when the brothers I entered my chapter with fell.

  Do you think I wanted honour? I wanted to serve but not for honour or glory because there is none to be found! I will not

  have my motives questioned by those I consider to be my family!".

  Cyiren's nostrils flared while Re-Shan was looking at the ground ashamed. Varkas and Damascus looked at him evenly. He had

  no idea what any of them were thinking but he could see it in their faces they were humbled, he suddenly felt ashamed for

  complaining like a child.

  Raphael breathed out "I lost everyone I truly cared about that day but I still continue. I do not fight for myself I fight

  to celebrate their memories, as well of everyone else who fell protecting the Imperium." His eyes hardened and in a voice

  as cold and hard as steel simply said "Do not mistake my intent again".

  The whole team nodded but before they could speak the same simulated voice spoke again "Kill Team Striker to the control

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  room, Kill Team Striker to the control room". Everyone looked between the door and at Raphael repeatedly until he nodded

  in dismissal, there was always another battle to be had.

  Each of them was moving quickly as they could to the control room, the fact they were being called to the control room

  was a bad sign by itself as everytime a Kill Team was called there it meant there was an important task at hand. It was

  barely two minutes before the team reached the door which slide open automatically.

  Inside were a great many holographic displays, tactical maps and some of the most experienced Space Marines he had ever

  met. In truth it was rather daunting until he spotted Watch Master Lexus staring intently at another display depicting a

  heavily forested world, as Striker approached he looked up and smiled "You took longer than expected, something I should

  know about?". The team looked around at each other but each one simply said "No sir" and fell silent.

  Lexus guessed correctly that something was wrong but said nothing more on the subject. He pointed at the hologram and

  continued "This is Valarim 6 marines, get aqquainted as it is the location of your next mission". Varkas looked back at

  him "What do we face sir?". Lexus was blunt as always "Orks Varkas".

  Raphael and Cyiren exchanged a look, both had extensive experience against the greenskins and in their experience they

  were not to be underestimated. Damascus was looking at the hologram intensely "The greatest concentrations of Orks are

  focused on this plain here", he extended his cybernetic arm and pointed to the centre of the largest continent. He then

  looked towards Lexus "I take this world is not undergoing exterminatus or we would not be here". Lexus shook his head "No

  this world is high in mineral deposits and other such materials, a world we could use well".

  Cyiren folded his arms "So thats why they are there" and Lexus looked at him "Not so simple Cyiren. A fairly large battle

  group of Imperial Guard were stationed there to claim the planet and subsequently slaughtered there. The remains of it are

  now being salvaged by the greenskins". Cyiren grimaced "Not a good sign, such large amounts of raw material will only

  make these scum more powerful, not to mention all of the scrap they would be left with". Lexus then continued "The good

  news however is the entire Ork fleet was destroyed in orbit after the initial Ork landing".

  Re-Shan cursed and tightened his hand into a fist then looked up at Lexus "Let us destroy the rest of them Watch Master"

  to which Lexus only grinned in amusement "Easy Re-Shan, despite their losses there are still many thousands of Orks and

  more will be bred from the fungal spores they emit upon death. You will be outnumbered easily". Re-Shan nodded and bowed

  his head.

  Raphael was deep in thought "What would you have us do Watch Master?" he asked, not letting himself become emotional like

  before. Lexus nodded "Simple, it will be three days until reenforcements arrive. They were too late to stop the slaughter

  but they will be here soon enough to avenge them and we will assist them in this goal, warp travel will be short at two

  days". The Striker team saluted "Yes sir" they said in unison.

  Lexus then looked up "Oh yes I almost forgot there is someone who will be joining you on this mission due to its level of

  difficulty, it takes a while to gain his respect but he will give nothing but his best. Keep Invictis alive for me will

  you?" he then smiled impishly. When Lexus smiled like that it was either not good news or he had a joke in mind.

  Raphael hoped for the former.