921.M30.
Keylek surface.
Balsar Kurthuri, recently promoted to Chief Librarian of the 19th Legion, raised his bolt pistol at the Keylekid.
CRACK, CRACK, CRACK...
Bolts shot at the lizard-like xenos.
SWOOSH, SWOOSH, SWOOSH...
The Keylekid dodged, leaping among the crimson rocks. Its movents were swift. Most shots missed.
The first "bribed" bolt struck the xenos as it crashed into an indigo stream.
The adamantium-tipped round tore through its viscous skin, detonating in the reddened flesh.
Large chunks of flesh dissolved in the explosion, revealing white bone.
The Keylekid roared in fury, turning and leaping towards the rocks in the stream.
CRACK! CRACK!
He fired two more shots. The "Briber's" continuous bolts killed the Keylekid, its movents slowed, its defenses weakened.
"I cannot understand their combat principles at all." He looked around. The Honor Guard used the Black Emperor's hunting guns, firing Nucerian anesthetic-laced needles. He said admiringly to Legion Master Arkhas Fal.
The Keylekid were even stranger than the ones he had "bribed." They offered no resistance, retreating like a tide towards the crimson rocks.
They were not afraid of bolt gun barrages. Even the smallest of these reptilian xenos required three or four hits to kill.
The Keylekid he had killed with "Bribe" was only average in size.
They had explosive strength and high combat skill. They should have given the Legion's warriors a hard fight.
"They only fight in those square arenas, kiloters in length and width. Their culture forbids war in other areas." Arkhas raised his hunting gun and fired a needle.
THWIP!
The needle struck a Keylekid's body. The syringe spun. The anesthetic entered the lizard-like form.
After two leaps, the Keylekid crashed onto the crimson rock with a thud.
"This anesthetic is really effective. More useful than bolt guns or chainaxes in this situation." Arkhas said as he advanced, looking at the retreating tide of Keylekid with a sneer.
"They want us to follow their customs, to accept their punishnt in those open arenas."
"Using their principles, we can hunt the entire Keylekid race at little cost." The "Briber's" eyes deepened, thinking of the Black Emperor's command.
"Exactly." The "Wind-Blessed" Arkhas, surrounded by invisible currents, slowly rose into the air.
He strode, flying swiftly over the Keylekid's heads.
The Keylekid, waving their weapons, ran and howled, but none threw them at him.
He flew over their heads, soon seeing the square arena, 2.5 kiloters on each side.
He descended, firing a needle from one open edge into the arena he nad Hunting Ground.
SWOOSH!
The needle flew into a Keylekid's viscous body.
He rose, easily evading a thrown axe, thinking silently.
"This is easier than target practice on a training range."
"Even powerful races, bound by foolish principles, are like livestock waiting to be butchered."
He circled, attacking from the air. His Honor Guard waded through the water, pursuing and hunting the Keylekid.
At the sa mont, the 19th Legion opened two other hunting grounds.
To avoid exposing their connection to the Black Emperor, Arkhas only issued hunting guns to his Honor Guard and the guards of Nerat Kirine and Alastor Rushal.
The hunt lasted an entire standard year. Only when Horus Lupercal's fleet arrived in orbit did the last transport ship, laden with paralyzed Keylekid, lift off, heading for the Nicor.
Arkhas waited on the landing pad for the pearly white Aquila Lander to descend.
He saw Lord Horus approaching, flanked by two of the Mournival.
1st Company Captain Ezekyle Abaddon's black topknot rose high, swaying like a branch.
Hastur Sejanus nodded and grinned.
The Primarch raised a fist to him. His handso, noble face was wreathed in a smile.
"Arkhas," Horus called him by his given na, warmly. "Your Legion has achieved a great xenos extermination. It is comndable."
His tone was warr than usual. He was pleased with Arkhas's volunteered request.
With the 19th Legion doing the killing, the Luna Wolves could bring lost human colonies into compliance in a more civilized maner.
Horus's sea-green eyes were bright, flecked with mottled amber.
In the past, he would have had to consider Arkhas's and the 19th Legion's thoughts.
He had intended for his own Legion to do the bloody, brutal cleansing of the Keylekid.
He hadn't expected Arkhas to volunteer for the task. The Luna Wolves were freed from that morass. In a single standard year, they had brought two systems and five lost human colonies into compliance.
This further closed the gap in achievents between him and Nareth. In the past year, Nareth had reported three worlds brought into compliance by the Shadows of Order.
A smile on his face, he walked to Arkhas.
He put his arm around Arkhas's shoulder, feeling the 19th Legion Master flinch at the intimate contact.
He gently turned them to face the rembrancers.
CLICK. Lights flashed.
The rembrancers recorded the mont excitedly.
He released Arkhas's shoulder and said with a smile.
"I have more good news. There's word of your father."
"My father has gone to the southern edge of the galaxy."
"If you leave now, you will et your father on Terra."
Arkhas's eyes lit up.
Besides the 2nd Legion, forbidden to be spoken of, of the nineteen remaining Astartes Legions, only his lacked a Primarch.
With the Black Emperor's protection, he had not felt the sense of loss and urgency the War Hounds once did.
But hearing of his gene-father's return, he couldn't help but imagine how his father would lead them to new glory.
Arkhas Fal, filled with hope, returned to the Nicor.
He knelt at the altar, intoned the Black Emperor's true na, offered the Keylekid, then clasped his hands, fingers pointing downwards.
"My Lord, the Emperor has found my gene-father."
"I will return to Terra to et him."
Three seconds later, he saw the black mist churn. The commanding voice of the Black Emperor enthroned high sounded.
"I understand."
....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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