The Imperial Frontier: The Battle of the Lower Nest

The muzzle flashes of kinetic firearms and the searing red beams of Lasguns intertwined, a dance of countless projectiles and light-bolts. These lethal weapons, born from the most primitive killing instincts deep within human genetics, blossomed in this abandoned factory in the depths of the Underhive—a melody and choreography of death.

Two gangs in the Underhive were venting their firepower at one another. These terrifying weapons, created to be turned against the Great Enemy of mankind, were now, as they were most of the time, being turned against fellow humans.

Long ago, shortly after the dawn of human civilization, when we were still apes, the moment the first ape used a stone and beast bone to craft the first weapon, human civilization became obsessed with using these creations to destroy one another.

There is nothing strange about that, is there? Whether on Earth or after venturing into the stars, the harsh environments and cruel beasts were, in the vast majority of cases, no match for fellow humans who were equally cunning and adept at using tools and schemes—especially in a place where only humans existed.

Vito leaned against a steel support pillar, which had already been struck by several large bullet holes. Kinetic rounds and laser beams bombarded the surroundings incessantly, yet Vito showed no signs of panic.

He stood calmly amidst the corpses. Several bodies already lay in this corridor; most were either smoking from Lasgun hits or reduced to bloody messes by kinetic fire.

In the main factory hall below, the irritable members of the Hammer Gang operated a Heavy Stubber with beast-like war cries, firing in a mindless, frenzied manner toward the other side of the hall, where members of the Devout Society hid behind discarded lathes and mechanical constructs.

Vito raised an eyebrow, watching as the heavy fire from the Heavy Stubber shattered a Walker Robot that had yet to be fitted with armor plating, causing the Devout Society members hiding behind it to scramble.

Though these poor wretches didn't make it more than a few steps before they were turned into sieves by the relentless barrage of gunfire and lasers.

Vito rubbed his chin, surveying the chaotic battlefield. He was certain that if the guys from the Adeptus Mechanicus were here, they would already be charging in with their Lasgun in hand, loudly cursing the heretical bastards for desecrating the Machine Spirit.

"Looks like I've ignited a subterranean war." He stroked his chin, scanning the battlefield for an opportunity.

And, the Emperor be praised, he found one soon enough.

The followers of the Devout Society were retreating between cover, but the Hammer Gang clearly possessed more heavy weaponry, bombarding the Devout Society members and leaving them in a miserable state.

One of them was pinned behind a piece of scrap machinery, seemingly wounded, clutching his blood-soaked arm.

Not far away, another Devout Society member intended to break through to rescue him, though he too was pinned down and unable to move.

Judging by the outcome, he was likely some leader of the Devout Society, though it was unclear if he had lost his mind to charge head-on into a factory controlled by the Hammer Gang.

Or perhaps these guys were simply too devout, driven to a fanatical rage because their shrine had been desecrated by some heretic.

Vito stood up and retrieved a strange, small instrument from his waist, looking like some common Imperial trinket.

A symbol of the Adeptus Mechanicus was branded onto the dark gray, streamlined casing. Vito shrugged helplessly. "Do you really have to let everyone know that you made these things, Magos Omega?"

Vito used the scanner to scan the arm of a nearby Devout Society corpse. A blue fluorescent beam swept across the surface of the Coiled Serpent tattoo. Vito pressed it against his own arm, and in the blink of an eye, an identical tattoo was imprinted.

Vito examined the mark, hummed a playful note, then tossed the small device onto the ground and drew his Bolter, aiming it at the object. "Sorry, old Omega."

The gunshot rang out, and mechanical fragments flew. Vito crouched down, examining the corpse and those around it. Beneath the Coiled Serpent mark on their arms was a tiny golden olive branch, slightly different from the Coiled Serpent mark he had seen before.

Perhaps it was to distinguish between gang branches? Well, at least the Space Marines liked using such methods to distinguish companies.

"The Emperor is above. You..." a weak voice said. Vito looked over; the corpse leaning against the iron door wasn't a corpse, but a weak, unconscious gang member?

Vito walked over to him and leaned down. The latter looked at Vito weakly, his eyes filled with confusion. "Are you one of our gang? One of Morven's men? I don't recognize you."

"I just joined, pal. Of course you don't recognize me, and I didn't expect... well, for it to be this exciting right after joining."

"The Emperor is above, this was an idiotic operation. Damn it, our gang is wiped out, only you and I are left," he said weakly. "Boss Morven is dead, you must go and warn..."

He watched as Vito stood up, a smile on his face. "Correcting a mistake, friend. Only one is left."

Vito raised his gun, aimed it at his head, and to the latter's surprise, Vito pulled the trigger.

The gunshot rang out. Now, only one survivor remained from Morven's branch.

Vito grabbed a Lasgun from the ground and slung it over his back. He loosened his arms, then suddenly turned and vaulted over the corridor railing.

Vito ran along a pipe, his Bolter roaring. Bolter shells spat out from the muzzle accompanied by flames, shattering a head almost instantly.

Vito leaped from the pipe on the right side of the main hall, diving straight into a Hammer Gang position. Everyone immediately turned to look at Vito, but clearly, their reflexes were not as fast as an Inquisitor's.

Vito began his dance of death almost immediately, the Bolter thundering as it blew apart heads and torsos.

Hammer Gang members began firing wildly at Vito, but his speed was incredible—unbelievably fast.

Vito moved with lightning speed, rushing in front of a gang member holding a shotgun and firing his Bolter directly into the man's chin, turning half his face into mush.

Vito snatched the falling shotgun, raised his hand, and fired another shot. A gang member nearby was sent flying. Vito then rolled to dodge a laser bolt, rose on one knee after a few rolls, and fired again; the unlucky fellow with the Lasgun tumbled out of his cover.

The pinned Devout Society member poked his head out, looking toward the chaos. He couldn't see what was happening inside, only hear a series of gunshots and screams.

He was astonished to see a man leap from behind cover, dancing across the barricades like an actor in a theater, firing casually as he moved.

He would vanish at times, only to suddenly reappear, as if he were a ghost on the battlefield.

Vito leaped, landed after a spin, pulled a steel pipe from the discarded machinery, and knocked down a Hammer Gang member in one blow.

On the other side of the cover, the gunner operating the Heavy Stubber cursed with the crudest vocabulary, turning the muzzle to pour fire in Vito's direction.

Vito rolled backward, dodging the first volley, then sprinted toward a sturdy piece of cover as heavy bullets exploded and flew behind him.

Vito ducked behind a truck that hadn't even been fitted with wheels, the Heavy Stubber bombarding the vehicle body and tearing it to pieces.

The young Devout Society member didn't hesitate; he grabbed his Lasgun and aimed. The light of the Lasgun cut through the air, instantly crossing the entire hall and burning a hole through the gunner's head.

The suppressing fire stopped, and at that very moment, Vito stood up, aimed a makeshift rocket launcher he'd found somewhere at the machine gunner, and pulled the trigger that could explode at any second.

The rocket whistled through the air, instantly vaporizing the entire firing position.

Vito tossed the rocket launcher aside, leaped out of the Hammer Gang's position, and ran backward. The young Devout Society member kept firing his Lasgun.

He took down several enemies.

Soon, amidst a flurry of enraged curses and roars, several burly Hammer Gang members pushed a heavy laser cannon—God knows which Chimera it had been stripped from—onto a podium.

One of the burly men immediately leaped into the gunner's seat, causing the dormant, terrifying Machine Spirit to roar to life and instantly slaughter an entire row of Devout Society members.

The cover they were behind was as flimsy as paper, and the young member shouted as he watched the dazzling red light of the cannon flash, "You'd better hurry, man!"

He continued to raise his lasgun to fire, attempting to snipe the laser cannon operator, but the gun shield deflected every beam, only succeeding in drawing the enemy's attention to himself.

The young man stared in shock at the laser beam aimed directly at him, but he was lucky, for Vito lunged forward and tackled him to the ground just as the laser cannon blast streaked over their heads, instantly shattering countless mechanical components.

"Move!" Vito shouted, hauling the young man up to run beneath the searing red light of the laser cannon; debris flew everywhere above their heads, and the laser beam became almost a continuous line, slicing through everything in its path.

Vito dragged the young man into the gang leader's hideout, where the wounded leader used his only remaining arm to grab the young member and yank him to his side, which was the only reason he avoided having his legs blown to pieces.

The three of them hid behind the cover as red light flashed around them periodically, the intense heat of the laser drawing ever closer; it seemed this cover would not hold for much longer.

"The Emperor preserve us! This was a stupid plan, Marshall, you were right, I should have..." the leader groaned as he spoke.

The young Marshall held his rifle close to the leader's side, "Don't say that, boss. In the name of The Emperor, you tried your best to talk that idiot Luft out of it, and that fool has already paid the price for his stupidity."

"Though it is all of us paying the price," the young man said, pulling his elbow back to avoid being scorched by the laser, while the leader looked at Vito, observing the young man and noticing the tattoo on his arm.

"One of Morven's men? Kid, is Morven still alive?" "No, I think he's dead. Luft called us to help, but... well, it looks like I'm the only one left from my gang."

"That idiot! Not only did he cause us heavy losses, but he also got the brothers of the faith from other gangs killed! By the gods! He deserves a miserable death!"

The leader cursed, but the gunner seemed to have shifted his aim, turning his attention elsewhere, and Vito poked his head out to take a look, "Curse him later, Brother Marshall, help the boss get out of here."

Marshall nodded firmly, slung his lasgun, and helped the leader up to retreat to one side, while Vito stood up, looked at the roaring heavy laser cannon, and unslung his own lasgun.

Vito mounted the lasgun on the shattered cover, his eyes aligning with the sight as he aimed at the laser cannon; his breathing was perfectly calm, his finger steady on the trigger.

One shot. He only had one chance.

Vito took a long breath, his finger tightening on the trigger, and then, between heartbeats, he pulled it.

The light bolt streaked across the battlefield, flying unerringly through the gap between the gun shield and the barrel, piercing the operator's head with a single shot.

Those nearby were stunned, and then another man was headshot by Vito, followed by a third and a fourth, until the remaining men fled the laser cannon in a panic, diving into the nearest cover they could find.

Vito shouldered his lasgun, looked at the Imperial Aquila on a piece of broken machinery, and smiled, "Thanks."