Foreword: This story is my attempt at writing something less character driven, instead focusing on a series of rapid viewpoint shifts while still hopefully establishing some hooks in each scene. I took some inspiration from Necropolis by Dan Abnett with what I wanted to accomplish with this one. It is also my first attempt at showing some non-human viewpoints. This has only seen me do a quick twice-over edit so far, so any help, comments, or criticisms will be very much appreciated.
This is another 40k story – Warhammer 40,000, Orks, Space Marines, etc, are all the property of Games Workshop, etc.

Pride Goeth

by Tim Sweeney

“This is my world Captain, not yours,”

The Governor leaned back in his chair, feet placed on the colossal beatiwood desk in a gesture of nonchalance rarely shown in the presence of a warrior-lord of the Adeptus Astartes.

The Captain simply snarled at him, not bothering to speak.

“The mistake you made was hubris,” the Governor withdrew a cigar from the Aquila-stamped case on the desk, voice echoing strangely from his augmetic jaw and throat, “You should have stayed in the void and commanded the fleet,”

He drew the pungent smoke deep into his lungs, the cigar mashed awkwardly between his flesh and iron lips.

“Instead, you decided to play politics on my planet,” the Governor laughed; it came out as a series of harsh buzzes and clicks, “Well, you can see where that got you.”

Bzzt-click.  Bzzt-click.  Bzzt-click.

Captain Kirov of the Hearteaters Chapter of Space Marines, resplendent in iron and ochre artificer armour, stared across the desk, desperate to lash out.

Unfortunately for him, his arms and legs had been removed hours ago, literally torn from their sockets.

Kirov sat there, little more than shredded armour and mangled torso, Astartes blood leaking slowly from wounds that would have killed a normal man thrice over.

Utterly helpless.

Bzzt-click.  Bzzt-click.  Bzzt-click.

The Governor continued to laugh. Read the rest of this entry →