Warhammer 40k: The Rose and the Angel (Not a romance)

Another which I liked, but is going no where - on a ship headed towards Terra, it falls prey to tyranids and a Sister of Battle and a Dark Angel Librarian must work together, despite their hatred.

Evading the corrosive shots fired overhead, burning holes into the metal hull; Kylea took cover behind a corner as the acidic hailstorm singed her stark white hair. An unfortunate soldier who had been fighting next to her failed to dodge in time. The deadly mark corroded through his flesh and bone until there were gaping holes in his neck and chest; he painfully bled out a slow and torturous death.

As she reloaded her weapons, Kylea prayed to the Emperor for the man’s sake, until something caught her attention.

“Sister. Hurry!” an Imperial Guardsman called to her.

Hearing the noise of the violent creatures drawing closer, Kylea sprinted as fast as she could, just as a barrage of maggots sprayed across the spot where she was just moments ago. The sergeant, who was trying to close the hatch after she pulled a graceful combat roll, had no time to scream as another corrosive shot scalded through him. It looked as if something had taken a bite out of his cranium as the acrid glob ate away at the blood and grey matter.

Quickly, Kylea tried to finish the dead soldier’s job; it was harder than she thought, but help came in the form of a space marine.

With the pathway now blocked, Kylea was about to thank the warrior when she studied his armour. It was dark green. The insignia, half covered by a torn hooded cloak, resembled a winged sword. In his large hand was a quarterstaff tipped with outstretched, golden wings. Beneath his tattered hood, dark eyes glared down at her. Around his waist, a bloodied skull with twisted horns and no jaw smirked menacingly.

Before either had a chance to speak something, pleasant or otherwise, there was a loud thud against the armoured door.

The remaining guardsmen started to retreat when Kylea asked, “Have you seen my fellow sisters?”

“My honoured lady” the guardsman bowed in awe, “They were fighting near the mess hall. Forgive us. We were unable to help them.”

Left with the Dark Angel, they heard the scurrying of the tyranids within the ventilation shaft above them. Kylea drew her bolt pistol and rapidly fired above, spraying an array of bullet holes.

“Enough, Sister!” the Dark Angel ordered, “They’ve already gone. So too must we.”

“We?” Sister Kylea glanced at him with a look of indignation. “There is no ‘we’, Astartes. I am going to find my sisters, alone.”

Her armoured heels echoed hauntingly as she started to walk. However, his cold tone stopped her dead. “If you wish to find your sisters, and survive, then stay with me.” After a short pause, where she turned and furrowed her brow, he added, “As soon as we get off this forsaken ship, you and I will never have to see each other again. But for now, is there a truce?”

The Sister of Battle knew exactly what he was, and accepting the truce of a Librarian, a Psyker felt almost like a betrayal to everything she believed in.

 

Author's Note

So, Black Library turned this down - but I updated it to a more vile form of what Tyranids would do if they had the chance.