DeathWatch. The Great Hall

Chapter 3

Five figures entered the great hall. Then another five, then another five until a mass of beings has been assembled. Flanking them were various members of the Kilos squad, Potso near the front and Hardrada at the rear. Watch lieutenant Remliz stood aside watching those who entered his station. These being whoever were not dressed in the standard Imperial fashion, nor did they have typical human features. Their skin was blue, and they were dressed in a variety of clothing. Some in yellow armour, a few others in white robes. All were in chains. Xenos prisoners of war. From beyond the Damocles gulf. Tau.

One person entered the hall, the only one that could be described as human. A single youthful male, wearing a blue tunic. Despite his looks, there was a battle scar on his left cheek, and on his breast a Rosetta with a white "][" of the Inquisition stood out, signaling all his authority. Or rather, the master whom he represented. The man spoke to Remliz.

"Watch lieutenant Remliz. It is an honour to work alongside your warriors . Inquisitor Red thanks you for your services."

The watch lieutenant nodded. " Thank you Acolyte .Xenos...." He scoffed. " Fit only for extermination. And yet here they stand. Pathetic. Remove them. Their existence offends me. And," the Raven Guard turned, " they stink."

The men turned, and the Inquisitor acolyte waved his hand to bring the Xenos to their prepared cages. However, turning had exposed the captain's insignia to the tau. A white raven .

Immediately a prisoner lunged out and started screaming , directly at the lieutenant . The sergeant grabbed her as quick as quicksilver. Kilos squad took a defensive stance , blades and bolters at the ready. Lieutenant Remliz turned calmly, staring at the female.

He did not understand a word of the foul language, but one term did stand out.

Dalyth...

Dalyth. The planet Dalyth. A key battle during the bloody Damocles Gulf Crusade, the first major war between the Imperium and the Tau. The Tau , while a relatively small threat, had successfully convinced several human worlds to defect to their Empire. The Raven Guard of Kirhavr along with several other space marine chapters had fought to exterminate the Xenos before they could threaten the fragile unity of humanity. If not for a Tyranid Fleet approach, another separate deadly Xenos threat, the Astartes would have succeeded.

The Raven Guard cocked his head. The man smiled. "Ah,this one still bitter about the Raven Guard victory at.."

The lieutenant moved silently towards the sergeant and still cursing Xenos . He nodded, and the Iron Snake released her, only to be grabbed by the collar and lifted effortlessly off the ground by the Raven. Spitefully he tossed the armored female back into the crowd, knocking down a dozen prisoners the process. The Raven grabbed another prisoner, a white-robed female. Now the other prisoners started shouting, although seemingly directed at the one in the raven's clutches rather then the raven himself.

"Tell the rest, should they speak out of turn again, this is their fate. "

The acolyte stood, stunned.

"Tell them!"

The man started speaking, but not in Imperial gothic. In any other place, this man would be deemed a heretic and killed for speaking such a foul tongue. No sane man would commit him or herself to such debased language. However, he was an Inquisitor in training, and thus had damned himself to be able to actually speak to the Xenos. Among the Inquisition, such blasphemous knowledge is an asset. Soon, the order had been carried out.

Remilz held the being and looked into its eyes through his beaked helmet. He unsheathed blood claw from its scabbard, its sharpness beyond question. All knew what was about to occur. It was the Deathwatch specialty: suffer not the alien to live.

"No !" All in the hall turned their heads. The man had spoken. The lieutenant turned his head back and gazed upon the trespassing Xenos. As if considering the words of the Inquisition, or if he was to disregard them. Everyone, human, transhuman, and non human stood still, waiting. Something had to happen.

The acolyte, however, spoke again. "Put her down. Inquisitor Red wanted no harm to come to them. " He then paused."At least, not that one".

Remilz immediately dropped the other female and moved towards another prisoner. Again, the man shook his head. Remliz picked another, this time a male wearing similar armour to the first female Xenos who has caused this nuisance. The man nodded. Not wasting any time the lieutenant plunged his sword through the humanoid, lifting it off the ground. A gruesome sight, the prisoner impaled upon the blade, blue blood dripping to the floor. For a moment again, nothing happened. Not sound, or muscle, or machine moved. Finally the lifeless Xenos body, pulled down by its own weight slid off the sword. Such was its sharpness.

Remliz took one more contemptuous look at the captive group, and left for his chambers. Soon, he disappeared from view. Sergeant Potso barked more orders and shuffled the clearly shocked prisoners off into another room. Hardrada and Primus followed. Only the AvoxMarine and the Blood Angel were standing in the great hall with the Alien corpse. "Impressive" the marine in blue spoke. "Indeed", his red-plated comrade replied. "That is one Emperor blessed blade, its sharpness was magnificent." "I prefer the bolt to the blade, but whatever. They die so easily. Wonder why my brothers consider them a threat. " The blue and red pair walked off , still speaking , as a servitor entered. It quickly scooped up the carcass into a bag, sprayed the floor and cleaned it up. Soon too it was gone, with no trace of it ever being there. The Great Hall was empty once more.