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Da Isle Of Doom Prologue | |
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Prologue |
“General? What’s happening?” Governor Venris Highbalt shouted out across the room as he entered. Leaning over the shoulder of a technician, General Weiss looked up at the governor as he ran towards him. “I’m sorry for disturbing you your Excellency,” the general said as he stood up straight, “but we’ve received an emergency signal from the Isle of Selus.” “Selus?” the governor exclaimed, “But that’s our research facility!” “Yes your excellency.” General Weiss replied, well aware that it was in fact a secret research facility and that a great many of those present did not have the clearance to know that it was anything more than a remote airbase to provide emergency support to anyone in the area. Obviously security would have to conduct a purge after today, “We received the signal about ten minutes ago and I thought you should be informed.” “Of course.” Highbalt said, “You did the right thing general. But what exactly is happening out there?” “I don’t know. Whoever attempted to contact us was cut off just after they identified the facility as the source of the signal.” “An equipment failure?” Highbalt asked. “No sir. We’re still getting a clear signal, but its just background noise. Listen.” And the general flipped a switch on the console before him that transferred the signal to a speaker. Immediately the room was filled with the sounds of agonised screams and gunfire. “It seems they’re under attack your Excellency, but we haven’t determined who by just yet.” General Weiss said. “The inquisition?” the governor suggested, “If they know what we’re doing out there they’d send a Black Ship.” General Weiss frowned, the governor may as well just shout out to everyone in the room that his administration was holding psykers on the island and experimenting on them. Though he doubted that the Ordos Hereticus knew about the island they soon would at this rate. Security would not so much have to purge as to totally eliminate all of the control centre’s staff now. “I re-tasked one of our system defence vessels.” General Weiss said, “They’re in geo-stationary orbit above the island now. They report no sign of any aircraft that shouldn’t be there and there’s nothing above the island in space either. Whoever or whatever is attacking the facility, they didn’t fly or teleport in.” “Then who general?” Highbalt demanded. “Sir, I’ve got a pict feed from one of the cameras.” Another technician called out. By using the open link between this room and the facility on the Isle of Selus the technician had been able to break into that facility’s security feed and he placed the image on the room’s large central display. The image was of a room in chaos, furniture was upturned and equipment had been smashed. Lying in the middle of the picture was a man in the uniform of the planetary defence force, a large wound on his chest. “That looks like a lasgun wound.” The general said, “One of ours possibly.” “A break out?” Highbalt exclaimed, “General, the inmates on that island must not be allowed to leave.” “Don’t worry, your excellency,” the general said, “I’ve got a company of my best men heading out there now. They’ll deal with any escapees, they’ve done this sort of thing before.” “The ones that dealt with those tech priests?” Highbalt asked. “Indeed.” The general replied. And the ones that will have to deal with the men in this room thanks to your loose tongue governor, he thought to himself. “General look!” the technician beside him called out and he pointed to the display. There a shadow had appeared. The shadow was moving but it was definitely not human, whatever it was seemed to float in the air and had a cluster of appendages that hung down beneath its rotund body. “That’s no breakout governor.” General Weiss said, “It’s a break in.” then he reached for a microphone and snatched it from the console, “Flight leader. Flight leader respond!” “This is flight leader.” Came the reply, “Destination in sight. ETA three minutes to land.” “Flight leader abort!” General Weiss snapped, “I say again, abort! Return to base immediately.” “Copy that general. Aborting our run.” General Weiss
turned back to the governor. Governor
Highbalt just nodded and General Weiss activated the microphone
again. “Confirmed general, this is Guardian Two. What are your orders?” “Target the Isle of Selus captain. Specifically its shore and airbase facilities. Fire for effect.” “General?” the defence ship captain replied and governor Highbalt snatched the microphone from the general. “Captain, this is your governor speaking. The general’s order is correct. Target the Isle of Selus and begin bombardment. Nothing is to escape.” |
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