Truvel XIPart 3
Breaking Silence
Part 1; Part 2
Thurion sat awake in the passenger's seat of the Argonaut despite his earlier promise to himself. Voren, the battle brother operating the speeder, would not drive in silence. Voren, like Thurion, was not a member of the 3rd company. He was attached from the 8th reserve company comprised entirely of Argonaut pilots and their gunners. He was a recent promotion from the 9th scout company and despite having been involved in many engagements over the last 12 years was not as battle hardened as Thurion would like. He still maintained an innocence and wonder about him.
When a human is gifted with the Emperor's might their enhanced senses leave little to be desired. A marine is overwhelmed initially with all of the new impulses they are presented with as they learn to harness their new power. Voren had yet to have his wonder dimmed by combat and still found much fascinating.
"What do you think is the cause of this?" Voren asked. Although their vox links were inoperable in the cloud being shoulder to shoulder in a speeder posed little restriction and Thurion could hear the question clearly over the roar of the wind and the hum of the tuned engine.
"Orks? Eldar?" Voren pressed. All of his exercises with the 9th had been served purging a system of a deep rooted heretical cult which thrived on practising guerrilla warfare. He longed to face off against xenos filth to prove himself among his brothers.
Although he was indistinguishable from his battle brothers by a casual observer, a strict hierarchy developed among a chapter. Those of the 1st company were held in high esteem over the battle companies which in turn stood above those of the reserves. Having only recently become part of the 8th Voren was new to the brotherhood and his honours were few. He hoped to change this today; his secondary heart finally slowing after his body had responded aggressively to the word 'ork'.
"The sergeant will advise us as required" Thurion said calmly despite his annoyance. "I feel you will not go wanting on this mission. I am not familiar with such artificial environmental disturbance on this scale save for terraforming operations prior to the Age of Darkness."
"Eldar then." Voren quickly followed; apparently content to make assumptions.
Thurion sat, half awake and made as best as he could to rest. While he could have forced sleep on himself he felt an obligation to indulge the young marine. His inquisitive nature would have proved an asset to the armorarium.
Perhaps I will put his name forward for further training as a techmarine on our return, Thurion thought to himself. At the least it will keep me away from his bother for 30 years, he quickly added.
"The Argonaut sounds much more calm than yesterday" Voren ventured, perhaps in an attempt to warm the techmarine to his presence.
Although the techmarines served in battle alongside their kin they were still viewed with some suspicion. To devote oneself to both the Cult Mechanicus and the Emperor invited such distrust. This was of course less pronounced in the Nigh Hawks chapter due to their close ties to the Mechanicum and each battle brother learning the basic rites to maintain their bike; yet apprehension of that which is different was genebred into every marine and unavoidable. Most marines made their peace with this in time yet Thurion began to wonder if Voren's questioning was more of a nervous tick than anything else.
A marine trained and honed his mind to be devoid of fear yet primal instinct could still put him on edge. This instinct was embraced and channelled before it could lead to fear. Voren appeared to be channelling it into his mouth thought Thurion, again finding himself bothered.
"Wake me should I be needed" Thurion said grimly, no longer worried about what Voren thought of him. A bit of apprehension from Voren was probably a good thing he decided before closing his eyes.
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