The monstrous bundle of limbs and machinery didn't have a mouth, but metal tools scrapped along the deck in a scream as the krak grenades tore into its inner workings.
Staggered, but for lack of a better term still alive, it staggered along and lashed out once more.
Vasyl carefully aims.
One good shot? Worth a shot.
The krak grenades are doing the trick. Lothar decided to test his more potent las weapon against the creature. "For the Emperor!"
Though his lasfire had seemingly wounded the horrific monstrosity, the krak grenades were clearly more effective. Drawing one of his own, Erkan throws one at the accursed beast.
The withering fire and another grenade were enough to cause the abomination of limbs to collapse in a heap of sparks.
Vasyl keeps tracking the thing with his Armageddon as it collapses.
"Back off from it, in case it's posing!"
Just in case.
"I say, I'm rather glad I got those grenades for everyone's kit." Lothar keeps his guard up and his lasgun trained on the aberration.
"I am... not well." you hear from Heironymous, slumped on the floor, various fluids of unknown origin leaking from him.
"I'll cover this thing some patch up Techpriest Bahrenfahrer, we're in the right spot but until we know more about here it would be wise not to use any of the gear present unless it is absolutely necessary. We do not know if the equipment has been corrupted." Lothar keeps his eyes on the downed thing.
Vasyl slowly replaces his Armageddon with his machete-like Bolo 'knife' and approaches the creature.
Need to make sure.
If unchallenged, he will begin hacking into it, trying to find a brain or cogitator near the centre to cut apart.
Erkan stares at the now dormant horror, his mind racing through his years of study regarding the daemonic and possessed.
After several moments lost in the image of destruction, Erkan shakes his head and pulls the medikit from his pack as he approaches the magos. "The Emperor be blessed that we are all standing after that monstrosity. And yes, Private Von Bismarck, those grenades were crucial to our survival. Your tactical mind proves quite sound yet again. Now, Magos Bahrenfahrer, let me see to your injuries."
Erkan looks at the strange mix of metal and flesh that is the Magos's body, doing his best to repair the catastrophic wound.
Praetus reaches into his utility vest and pulls the grenades he had forgotten there. "Here are a few more"
The shattered thing was easy to dismantle, now. Too easy. The joints holding it together virtually fell apart, sometimes with only wires holding them in place. There was no central mass, a brain or its mechanical equivalent, evident within the thing.
"Thank you for your assistance Brother Erkan. Help me up and I will see if I can put the Medicae to use..."
Vasyl kicks a severed arm, sending it across the floor.
"Now, I think it's dead. How are you doing, tech-priest?"
"Is this thing some kind of foul heretek construct? A minion of whatever force has attacked this ship or an example?"
The surgery system in this room was enough to sticth Hierynmous' grievous wounds closed, and a quick shot of sedative made his more organic components feel better as well.
Erkan looks back at the bloody mass grimly, "Though I know not of any specific daemon that would form limbs into such a horrid thing, it could be surmised that such a creature would be born of the warp. And where there is one case of taint, there is often more. Guard your souls and trust in the light of the Emperor, for he protects the faithful!"
"Lets quickly check for records before moving on." Lothar then turns to comm the other teams to warn them of the threat just encountered in the medical bay.
"Corporal Von Bismarck here, we have encountered a threat be advised which has been neutralized. A being comprised of seemingly human arms ambushed us. It is unknown if the entities nature was a morale threat."
Vasyl starts querying machine spirits for records.
"Confirmed," Kepania replied after a moment. "Some kind of creature made up of artificial limbs just attacked here too. We can hear more scuttling about, but haven't seen any more yet."
"Negative here," Volga replied slowly. "No contact."
The machinery was mostly dedicated to surgical records and showed that until a month ago the theatre was in full operation. The records suggested that a Guard platoon was onboard after seeing action. After that a week passed, and then the theatre came back into erratic function. No name of or other information on the patients was included, but it did include video files of the surgeries.
"I found picts of the surgeries. Going to play them."
5 creds says this is messy as hell.
"Steel yourselves. I have a feeling this will leave your organic parts feeling less than pleasant."
Erkan makes the sign of the Aquila and offers a simple prayer. "The Emperor, blessed be His name, calls on all, whether borne high and low across the stars, to serve in His holiest of forces. Let the Emperor's Light be a shining beacon, guiding our souls ever forward. Let His Wisdom calm our spirits in moments of peril. Let His Strength power our hearts and arms as we stand against the darkness. Let His Purity be an ever-vigilant guardian, protecting us from the horrors of the Abyss. In He we trust."
Finishing, he nods to Vasyl.
The assassin bows his head in prayer.
Vasyl presses the "on" rune.
The screen flickers for a moment before the screaming begins. An armsman, stripped to there small clothes, as each limbs is removed via the saw that was active from before and each limb tossed aside. Each limb is replaced with a bronze version, similar to those in the amalgamation you just destroyed.
Disturbingly, the people performing this operation are in the straits as the victim. What appears to be Sisters Hospitalier are performing the operation, but each limb is an artificial limb of bronze and steel.
As the videos progress, it becomes clear that each victim is later one of the people performing the operation.
Vasyl watches.
Pointlessly gruesome. No one profits from this mess. At least, no one human...
Once the recordings are done, he presses the appropriate rune.
"So we know what happened. Is there much more to add than 'daemons did it'? I think there is. Someone had to be first right? And there could be scores of those things. We need a plan, we just about beat one."
"Unless we can find equipment on ship to deal with them effectively we'll have to make do with what we brought while gathering more intelligence. Even if we can't eradicate what numbers these things have if they can be contained on the vessel it can be quarantined until sufficient troops can be set aside to purge them and pacify the vessel."
"This does not end until the last of them are dead, this corruption must have a source. We need to find it"
Erkan's faith is resolute, and though the images are horrific, they have little impact on the pious acolyte. "This filth must be purified. If we determine it is beyond our scope, there are other options that can be employed. Vasyl is right, this started with someone, or something, we need to at least identify that."
"Those without the Omnissiah's blessing installing unsanctioned augmentics! The heresy!"
"I don't see any of these individuals being forced to make these constructs present... perhaps they rendered them down for more building material at some point. Vasyl please use local materials if possible to make a copy of these recordings."
"The Inquisitor may wish to examine them if not they can be destroyed promptly." Lothar moves towards the door. "I think once that is done we should move onwards. It has been informative to some degree about our enemy."
Sure. So long as it is not on my equipment.
"Sure."
Vasyl looks like a dataslate or the like to store the recordings on.
It was not hard to transfer the horrifying vids onto a dataslate. Perhaps the images would serve some purpose other than to twist the minds of those who saw them.
"Let's move out and continue on with our previous course. I don't know the complement of a ship this size but I know the transports we were brought on in the Imperial Guard had a standing crew in the thousands. If the construction was only limited by material we are outnumbered by a large margin... but if that was the case why wouldn't they have attacked us yet? There's more to it, that much is true." Lothar heads to the door and checks the corridor.
"Maybe they're guarding something...or building something. No use in speculating though, we're here to have a hard look."
"I concur, let us continue on. There is no point tarrying here among these abominations. I would appreciate not taking point however."
The corridors of the medical decks seemed normal enough, for the most part. Every now and then there were scenes of a fight. The same scratches and blood stains from earlier.
Interestingly, not all of them were the same age. Some were older, dried and flaking. Some were more recent. Some, looked almost new.
Outside of another set of doors was another stain, so fresh that the sound of dripping blood could be heard. The corridor continued on, and more blood seemed to run that way. However, the door controls were also marked with blood. The door itself was marked 'Morgue.'
Hearing info coming in from the front, Vasyl keeps a wary eye from the rearguard, and ears open for trouble.
No hellspawned monstrosity is getting the better of me!
"Given how fresh combat is here there might be a survivor who can provide intelligence. Likelyhood of enemy contact is high, either I can go first or Praetus can scout ahead."
No sounds came from the morgue. Looking at the trail, it seemed to be leading away from the room rather than into it.
"Let's check if anything is left in the morgue, get an idea if we're dealing with more monstrosities - or a someone. Say a ringleader."
Got to check. Got to know.
Looking at the door's control panel, Erkan tries to determine from the blood stains if it was most recently used to close and seal the morgue's doors shut. "Vasyl, Magos, can either of you identify the status of the lock mechanism of this control panel and door? If someone fled from here, it is likely they sealed their opponent within. If a survivor is what we seek, we might be better served by following the blood trail. And they could likely use our aid."
"Erkan, I'm right on it. Aenarius, watch our back while I'm up front."
Let's not get shanked while I poke around this panel.
Vasyl proceeds to examine the panel.
"I would be proud to scout ahead, these heretics must be cleansed."
Lothar moves up near Vasyl as he examines the panel. "I'll hold position here. The frame of the bulkhead around the door should provide ample cover but if that's not a viable option move behind me. My shield should help me withstand most onslaughts."
The morgue is not a single chamber, perhaps not surprisingly - this ship can hold tens of thousands of patients and an equal number of staff, and is meant to be where the fighting for the Imperium is at its thickest. Many of the wounded who make it to the ship will join the Emperor, and the Morgue resembles a temple as much as a medicae suit.
A massive, two-story-tall statue dominates the far wall, grasping a long staff and sitting upon a mighty throne. To either side of the throne two exits lead to other rooms. The walls are lined with hundreds of drawers, reaching high into the vaulted ceiling, with anti-grav treys floating discarded for the loading and unloading of the bodies. Many of the drawers have a purity seal attached.
A dozen of the strange machines you encountered litter the room, along with a number of people missing limbs entirely. At the base of the statue, there are several piles of scrap metal and blood next to torn barricades. Bolter shells and the damage from is scattered around the chamber.
Hefting his Armageddon in both hands, Vasyl takes in the scene.
Messy.
"Looks like someone went down shooting. And they did some damage on their way out. I doubt there's ammo left, but maybe there's guns."
Vasyl's eyes look over the wreckage, seeking weapons. And ammo, in case any fell from bloodied fingers as they went limp.