Chapter 13 – Fire in the Sand Sky
The desert sun scorched the ground with a brutal heat. Dust billowed in the wind as a group of Cadian Patrol Unit 7-B heavy vehicles, one Chimera APC, one Tauros Rapid Response, and two Sentinel Walkers made their way down an old track buried in the sand.
Sergeant Varn, the patrol commander, sat in the cockpit of the Chimera, examining a hololithic map projected from the tactical console.
"No signs of active structures… but there is a rising heat wave 5 klicks to the south. Could be a human convoy."
At almost the same moment, the voice of the Vox-caster blared sharply.
> "The birds—they're back! Take up defensive positions!"
Varn turned his head. The voice was not from their military channel. Civilian frequency?
"Decrypt and triangulate the signal source!" he ordered.
The Sentinel in the lead sent a visual. A convoy of old vehicles, including a battered school bus, was surrounded by hundreds of black birds with matted feathers and aggressive movements—the effects of a T-virus mutation that had formed a predator colony.
"Visual contact. Civilians under attack. Authorize intervention?"
> "Authorize." A quick reply came from Kenthelion's command center.
Without hesitation, Varn raised his hand, signaling.
"Space Marine, Flamer mode!"
From behind the Chimera, two large figures in Astartes armor emerged. One carried a Heavy Flamer in his right hand, the other a Storm Bolter and a plasma pistol. Without another word, they advanced.
"Cleansing fire upon the unclean," one of them muttered before shooting a large flame into the sky.
Birds screamed, consumed in the flames that shot from the Flamer. The survivors retreated in a panicked flap.
A school bus opened up — Claire Redfield was pulling a small girl under the seat, and Carlos Oliveira was firing a rifle into the air. On the other side, Alice stood, her eyes flashing. With a single flick of her hand, she drew heat energy from spilled gasoline and detonated it — amplifying the Space Marines' flames.
"What the hell is that…?" Carlos muttered, as the large figure in the giant armor lit the flamer a second time.
The Chimera stopped. Sergeant Varn stepped out, carrying his helmet. "We are not enemies. You are in Kenthelion's secure territory. We will take you to a safer place."
Claire eyed him suspiciously. "Who are you?"
Varn simply replied, "Humanity's guardian. And you need help.
Alice looked up at the sky, then at the Space Marine standing still, fire still billowing from his weapon.
"…Who are you?" his voice was low, full of a mixture of suspicion and awe.
Varn didn't answer right away. He just looked at the flock of scorched birds in the distance, then at the partially burned bus.
"Cleaners," he said simply. "We hunt plagues. You…are safe because you haven't become part of it."
Claire stepped forward warily. "You are not from this military…"
Varn turned his head slightly. "Our military is not listed on your maps."