40k: Midnight Blade

Chapter 87 85. Between the Stars (1, 3k)

In Van Cleef's eyes, the color of the world had turned into a gloomy forest blue, as if someone had wrapped a thin layer of silk in front of his eyes.

Everything became ominous and cold in such colors, but Van Cleef didn't notice anything wrong.

His thoughts were almost stagnant. Apart from some instincts that were deliberately retained, there was only a simple idea left, a goal that was buried in his flesh and bone marrow.

Tarasha Euton.

He said the name silently. They are strangers to each other and have never met, but they already have deep hatred and murderous intent.

The first company commander walked crisply and neatly. He entered the deck from the corridor, and then entered the transport ship preparing to land in Macragge's orbit. His face under the helmet was numb and indifferent, but no one noticed that something was wrong, not even Siani. .

"Are you nervous, company commander?" As always, he asked in the communication channel in his usual cheerful tone.

"Quiet, Siani." As always, his company commander replied in a serious tone.

"It's not the time for silence yet, Captain."

"Now is the time for silence, Siani."

"Okay, whatever you say." Siani from Terra smiled in the communication channel, and then kept quiet as he ordered.

The transport plane's deck began to tremble, which meant it was about to take off. And the docking crew from Macragge had actually boarded their ship and was doing the inventory.

The ninety tons of precious fine gold have been discussed many times by the First Company of the Eighth Legion. They all believed that the fine gold would be used for coating on the keels of ships, or for those commonly used by the Ultramarines. The victorious army creates more sacred terminator power armor

Gold is always precious, so every bit must be used wisely.

They quickly set up the formation as discussed during the 59th dinner. Khalil Lohars, their instructor, and the first company commander stood at the front, forming the sharp point of the arrow. .

Unlike the five hundred 1st Grand Company warriors wearing power armor, Khalil Lohars only wore a serious and simple black uniform. This clothes was made by the clothing machine on the Nightfall, and the fabric used It's actually not that good.

However, he always didn't care.

"Van Cleef." Khalil greeted calmly, looking straight ahead.

The transport plane is much larger than the Storm Eagle, and it can even be said to be surprisingly large. The soldiers behind him were silent, their power armor humming. It should have been quiet here, but the roar of the engine and the vibration of the deck made everything noisy.

However, his voice still reached Van Cleef's ears clearly and unmistakably.

Then - the instinct that had been deliberately reserved began to operate again.

"Lord Khalil."

"How are you these days?"

".Of course, why do you ask?"

"Just wanted to confirm your condition." Kalil turned his head and calmly stared into Van Cleef's eyepiece. "You seem unusually quiet lately, don't you?"

".I'm sorry, my lord."

"Why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything wrong. This is not war time, and everyone has the right to be alone."

"Yes, my lord."

"No, Van Cleef."

Khalil sighed softly and shook his head.

"I mean, alone." He turned his head and said. “Real solitude.”

A ripple rippled in his numb heart, but Van Cleef knew nothing about it.

He was still chanting Tarasha Yuton's name, but other than that, everything was sealed.

Only one side of him was caught by that deliberately reserved instinct, and then, this side of him answered the question quietly and with his usual respect for Khalil.

"Are you referring to the feeling of looking into your own heart?" the company commander asked. "I've only been lucky enough to experience it a few times during meditation."

"Looking into one's own heart is a dangerous thing, Van Cleef. It allows a person to see himself clearly, but it also allows something to take advantage of it. The fascinating thing about being alone is thinking, but sometimes thinking is not necessarily A good thing.”

".I don't understand what you mean, my lord."

"Of course Van Cleef doesn't understand."

Khalil lowered his head, observing the tremor of the flight deck under his feet, and said no more.

His calmness brought about a terrible silence, and also caused a ripple of uneasiness among the four hundred and ninety-nine soldiers of the Eighth Legion behind them.

After a long time, Siani spoke softly. He didn't use the comms channel or let the breathing grille change his voice.

At this moment, the transport ship just pushed aside the clouds and began to land vertically. The sight of Macragge flashed through the porthole window.

Forests - mountains - clear springs.

Then there are the cities.

A huge city, surrounded by mountains and rivers, with birds flying across the blue sky. The mountains on the far side are covered with thick snow, and the vast white area looks very interesting. Beyond these are mountains, forests and waterfalls.

And under their feet is a perfect tarmac that combines classicism and modernity. There were flags fluttering in the wind on the tops of the thirteen huge milky-white stone pillars, and the originally chaotic crowd gradually became clearer as the landing progressed.

The characteristic blue, white and gold colors of the Ultramarines began to emerge, as well as their logo, a huge emblem similar to the letter U.

"Instructor?" Siani called softly. "Company Commander, what's the problem?"

"He has no problem, Siani, but I have a problem. I am still stuck in my past identity and have not fully adapted, which is why this matter has developed to this point. I am an unqualified instructor, but things are still turning around now. "

Khalil shook his head calmly.

"Get ready," he said softly. "We're landing, we still have a chance."

"What chance, instructor?" Siani asked.

"Rescue," Khalil said.

Beside him, Van Cleef stood quietly, like a corpse.

——

"I still want to say that it is not appropriate for you to drag me here, my lord."

"Please, ma'am, can you please stop calling me sir for just one day?"

"grown ups."

"Ms. Euton."

"Yes, sir, I am here."

"."

Robert Guilliman sighed and shook his head. His deputy commander, Marius Gage, Chapter Master of the First Chapter of the Ultramarines Legion, saw this scene, and then immediately let himself look at it intently. ahead.

"Today is an important day, ma'am."

"Of course I know that today is an important day, my lord. It is difficult for me to find a day like today in my memory. You gathered your legions and even called back your first chapter master - —Lord Marius, I hope your paperwork for today has been completed.”

Gage coughed and said nothing.

Of course he hasn't finished it yet. Who can finish a mountain of government reports in one morning?

"So, if today is not important, then what day is, my lord?"

"Marius, could you please ask my chamberlain to stop mocking me about this matter?"

Marius Gage heard his primarch Robert Guilliman ask in a helpless tone.

"Lord Marius, please tell my master, Lord Robert Guilliman, that I am very dissatisfied with his behavior in dragging me here, but I am definitely not dissatisfied enough to dare to ridicule him."

"."

Gage decided to remain silent. He didn't want to get involved in this conversation.

The person who had been talking to Robert Guilliman before was a middle-aged woman. She was already tall compared to ordinary people, but she still looked small when standing in front of a group of Ultramarines and their original body.

She is very thin, her short hair has turned gray, and her former beauty can still be seen on her face that has been stained by time. However, this face looked a little unhappy at the moment.

"Miss--"

The original body of the Ultramarines, the giant Robert Guilliman with short golden hair and a green leafy laurel wreath on his head sighed helplessly again. "——This meeting is different from what you thought. It's a little special."

"So, can you explain it to me?" Thalasa Yuton, Robert Guilliman's housekeeper and his adoptive mother, raised her head and asked.

"I can't now!"

Robert Guilliman finally couldn't bear it anymore. The emotions and a little anxiety squeezed out by the three hours of persuasion made him wave his arms in annoyance - of course, part of the reason was because he was talking to Thalasa. ·Yuton speaks.

If he faced other people, he wouldn't do this.

"I originally planned to go with the ship to explore the other end of the extreme star field. I rushed back suddenly. Madam, their visit was really sudden, and the leader was someone I didn't expect at all."

"who?"

"Khalil Lohars."

"It sounds like a difficult name to pronounce. So, what kind of person is he?"

".I have no idea."

Robert Guilliman lowered his voice, and there was a hint of confusion on his handsome face that he was not even aware of. This emotion was seen through by his butler at a glance. "My brothers all have their own description of him, and they're all different."

"That's interesting." Guilliman's chamberlain frowned. "That means he's either a duplicitous villain or a..."

"What is it?"

"A person just like you."

Robert Guilliman was startled by Lady Euton's answer, and he couldn't help but smile.

He lowered his head and said in a friendly tone: "No, no, my lady, you are mistaken. He and I are not the same. Ah, here they are, the ship. Come with me, madam."

Is it really different?

Tarasha Youton, who is over fifty years old, raised her head and stared at her child, a star she raised with her own hands, while walking.

She smiled and shook her head.

They have all looked up to him since he was twelve years old. Today, every coin issued by Macragge bears his face and that of his adoptive father, and every decision made by Macragge must be approved by his nod.

Her child has become so luxuriant that it has become a towering tree, but it still doesn't realize what it looks like in people's eyes.

You look different to everyone, Robert. She thought silently. In my mind, only God can do this.

And the man on the transport ship that fell from the sky. The man named Khalil Lohars, who was he?