The noises in the darkness grew louder.
Echoes layered upon echoes, as if countless claws were scraping across alloy walls.
Those were definitely not rats.
Leon Drake stopped walking.
His expression turned grim.
Beyond the darkness ahead, the sounds of chitin scraping, guttural growls, and ravenous chewing merged into one relentless tide advancing toward them.
The numbers were wrong.
Very wrong.
“Helena.” Leon turned toward her.
“Is there anywhere nearby with a single entrance?
A dead end.
Somewhere easy to defend.” Helena immediately searched through her mental map of the Underhive.
Yesterday…
She would have led them straight to the nearest Arbites fortress.
Called for reinforcements.
Then arrested this man commanding an unknown military force.
Now…
Everything had changed.
The Arbites would simply point their guns at the only people capable of saving this planet.
“Outside District Four’s warehouse, there’s Maintenance Station Six.” She answered without hesitation.
“It used to service Arbites riot vehicles and light Knight walkers.” “It’s built partially underground.” “Solid rock surrounds it on all sides.” “The only entrance is a sloped cargo ramp.” After a brief pause, she added, “It has been abandoned for five years.” “There are hundreds of tons of decommissioned riot vehicles and alloy armor plates stored inside.” Hundreds of tons of scrap metal.
Only two words appeared in Leon’s mind.
Mining field.
“Lead the way.” “Move!” The squad immediately changed direction.
The two Marines retreated in alternating cover, their C-14 Gauss Rifles never leaving the darkness behind them.
The SCV rumbled through the center of the formation.
Its engine roared through the tunnels.
The Underhive passages were difficult to cross.
Collapsed pipelines blocked the road.
Pools of foul sewage filled the floor.
Purple fungal growth covered the walls.
Helena led the group.
She suddenly realized something.
Her body felt…
Excellent.
Only minutes ago she had been dying.
Now her legs were strong.
Her heartbeat steady.
She silently credited it to the Emperor’s blessing.
Leon knew better.
That was almost certainly the lingering effect of the Medic’s treatment.
Less than ten minutes later…
A massive blast door appeared ahead.
Its surface was covered with rust.
The Imperial Aquila in the center had corroded almost beyond recognition.
“This is the place.” Helena came to a stop.
“By the Throne…” “The control terminal was destroyed years ago.” “This door is at least…” She never finished.
Leon simply motioned for her to step back.
The SCV charged forward.
Inside the cockpit, the heavyset driver grinned.
“Commander.” “That’s a thick door.” “Then we’ll make our own entrance.” Two high-output plasma welders extended from the SCV’s mechanical arms.
Brilliant blue flames engulfed the blast door.
The metal quickly softened beneath the intense heat.
The mechanical claws punched through the glowing opening.
Hydraulic engines roared at full power.
Creeeeak!
The multi-ton blast door was ripped open by brute force.
The squad entered one after another.
The interior was enormous.
Emergency lights still flickered weakly overhead.
Military wreckage littered the floor.
Riot vehicles missing entire tread assemblies.
Heavy machine guns destroyed by catastrophic barrel failures.
Stacks of riot shields.
Rows of maintenance frames stripped of every valuable component.
To the Imperium…
It was junk.
To Leon…
It was a mountain of minerals.
“Ada.” “Can the Command Center deploy inside this facility?” [Affirmative.] [Command Center currently maintaining silent hover mode.] [Underground chamber meets deployment requirements.] [Recommendation: Quantum Warp Deployment.] “Bring it in.” [Command acknowledged.] At the deepest point of the maintenance station…
Beneath a vaulted ceiling dozens of meters high…
The air suddenly twisted.
Blue geometric arrays unfolded layer after layer.
The massive Terran Command Center materialized directly inside the station, bypassing every physical obstacle.
Its anti-gravity engines thundered.
The enormous fortress slowly descended.
Landing struts slammed into the ground.
Several abandoned generators were crushed beneath their weight.
BOOM!
The entire maintenance station shook violently.
Helena silently tightened her grip on her weapon.
She had stopped asking how these miracles worked.
Every question only reminded her how little she understood.
Leon pointed toward the mountains of scrap.
“Big Guy.” “Tear everything apart.” “I need resources.” “You got it, Commander!” The SCV lunged toward the nearest riot vehicle like a starving mechanical beast.
Its claws tore open the engine compartment.
The plasma torch ignited.
Treads.
Armor plating.
Suspension assemblies.
Everything was ripped apart and fed directly into the Command Center’s recycling systems.
[Minerals +15.] [Vespene Gas +5.] [Minerals +20.] [Minerals +30.] Ada’s reports echoed one after another.
Helena watched silently as an Arbites riot vehicle bearing the Imperial Aquila was dismantled piece by piece.
According to Mechanicus doctrine…
Even repairing an engine required sacred prayers.
Blessed oils.
Appeasing the Machine Spirit.
The yellow machine before her had no patience for rituals.
Its plasma torch simply sliced through everything.
The Aquila.
The armor.
All of it.
Brutal.
Efficient.
And undeniably effective.
The balance in Helena’s heart had long since tipped toward Leon.
She stepped forward.
“Commander.” “According to the Seventeenth Edition Arbites Mutant Suppression Manual…” “If a swarm exceeds five hundred organisms…” “There is always a higher-order synaptic organism directing them.” She pointed toward the station entrance.
“Ordinary mutants only charge.” “A command organism will flank us…” “Or use concentrated acid to melt through our supporting walls.” She looked toward the only entrance.
“With just one access point…” “They’ll most likely concentrate their acid attacks here and dissolve our defenses.” Leon quickly surveyed the terrain.
Originally…
He had planned to let the Marines simply hold the doorway.
But if acid really began pouring in…
Even powered armor would eventually fail.
They needed stronger defenses.
Far stronger.
He glanced at the resource display.
Minerals had already climbed past six hundred.
Vespene exceeded one hundred.
Enough.
“Build a Supply Depot.” He pointed toward an empty corner.
The SCV immediately abandoned its current salvage job and rushed over.
Its stabilizers locked into place.
Mechanical arms unfolded.
Construction modules snapped together.
Welding sparks illuminated the maintenance station.
Less than three minutes later…
A massive, industrial Supply Depot rose from the ground.
Hydraulic anchors drove deep into the surrounding bedrock.
Helena stared.
Three minutes.
A fully functional military structure.
Finished.
She suddenly felt that the Mechanicus’ endless rituals were nothing more than a joke that had lasted thousands of years.
Leon wasn’t finished.
“Barracks.” “Build it beside the Depot.” The SCV immediately continued construction.
An even larger Terran Barracks rapidly took shape.
Five minutes later…
Red and blue status lights illuminated.
Heavy machinery rumbled to life inside.
Ready to deploy new troops.
Leon walked toward the sloped cargo ramp.
The entrance measured roughly eight meters across.
“Ada.” “Here.” He drew two lines across the floor with his boot.
“Seal both sides.” “Construct two Bunkers.” The classic Terran strategy.
Bunkers holding the choke point.
The SCV slid into position and began deploying construction materials.
Half-buried steel fortifications rose rapidly from the ground.
Two square bunkers locked firmly against the walls on either side of the ramp.
Sloped composite armor faced outward.
Narrow firing slits lined the front.
The original eight-meter-wide passage was reduced to a narrow killing lane.
Large creatures couldn’t force their way through.
Small ones…
Would have to survive the gunfire first.
Leon checked the status panel.
[Minerals: 300] [Vespene Gas: 100] [Structures:] [Command Center] [Supply Depot] [Barracks] [Bunker x2] The defensive position was complete.
“Marine One.” “Marine Two.” “Occupy the left bunker.” The two Marines marched forward in heavy synchronized steps.
They ducked into the bunker.
Moments later…
Two C-14 Gauss Rifles extended through the firing ports.
Helena drew her Bolt Pistol.
“Commander.” “I request permission to join the defensive line.” Leon glanced at her.
She was still pale from her recent recovery.
But her eyes remained steady.
“You’ll take the right bunker.” “With the Medic.” “Don’t waste ammunition.” Helena immediately performed the Aquila Salute.
“Yes, Commander.” She quickly entered the bunker.
The Medic followed.
Once inside…
The Medic scanned Helena.
“Heart rate normal.” “Recommendation.” “Remain behind cover whenever possible.” Helena tightened her grip on the Bolt Pistol.
She looked toward the woman in white.
The Medic carried no heavy weapon.
Yet she had chosen to stand on the front line beside her.
“In the name of the God-Emperor…” “And Imperial Law…” Helena spoke quietly.
“As long as I still draw breath…” “Those monsters will never lay a claw on you.” The Medic calmly raised her alloy shield.
“Please prioritize your own safety.” “Repeated treatment increases resource consumption.” Helena blinked.
She couldn’t decide whether that counted as concern.
Leon positioned himself behind the narrow gap separating the two bunkers.
His sidearm was already loaded.
The SCV stood several meters behind the defensive line.
Its plasma torch glowed with blue light.
This was a true meat grinder.
The bunkers absorbed incoming attacks.
The Marines delivered overwhelming firepower.
The SCV repaired any damage.
The Medic kept everyone alive.
Helena provided supporting fire.
Leon coordinated the battlefield.
A foul wind carrying the stench of decay swept down the tunnel.
Purple-red fungal mats spread across the walls like living flesh.
The first Type-II Mutant emerged from the darkness.
Its four scythe-like limbs slammed against the floor.
Its sickly green carapace dripped with filthy wastewater.
Behind it…
Countless hybrid mutants packed tightly together.
The endless green swarm flooded the entire passageway.
Inside the left bunker…
Both Marines pulled their triggers simultaneously.
The 8mm Gauss rounds ripped through the air.
Blazing streams of fire illuminated the entire ramp.