For 17 days Garan had lain unmoving at the edge of the forest, his attention focused on the Imperial encampment nestled in the depths of the valley below. With his camouflaged armour blending into the dense ferns covering the forest floor and his armour's systems idling, he was invisible to the naked eye and undetectable even by Auspex. The target was utterly unware, even the small rodents scampering from their den nearby had now accepted him as part of the terrain, just another obstacle in their constant battle to survive. For now the forest was silent but for a light rain shower pattering down, the forests inhabitants sheltering from any storm to come. Garan was unpeturbed by the droplets trickling over his armour, he lay with his helmet angled slightly preventing any rain from affecting his vision, bar the unlikely event of detection nothing could effect his concentration. He knew the same could be said for his brethren, they had crept into hidden positions throughout the valley in the last two nights, their skill such even he had not sighted them.

The camp below was a STC Firebase, seen all over the Imperium, a mainstay of Imperial defence. The Ultramarines stationed there had set up, as ever, strictly according to Codex doctrine. Watching the marines moving in their 10,000 year old defensive patterns, bright blue armour gleaming, Garan allowed himself a brief moment of laxity and within his helmet a grin crept across his face.

'The fools, proud, predictable fools. Make it easy why don't you...'

A rumble of engines echoed through the valley, snapping Garan back into focus. A cavalcade of blue vehicles rolled into the valley, a Razorback armed with an imposing Twin Linked Lascannon headed towards the Firebase, Ultramarine bikes roared around it their riders alert for danger. He waited until the Razorback was within 50ft of the Firebase and with a thought activated the targeting matrix of his Dominator Sniper Rifle. Part of the view from his visor changed linking directly with his Dominator rifle's scope, the rifle's view appearing in a green boxed image infront of his right eye. Garan zoomed the view to the point where he knew the Ultramarines would, as the Codex dictated, park the Razorback to allow secure exit. Patiently he waited.

Lexicanium Claudius Maxim was frustrated. They'd been on Belann for a month now but so far the Ultramarines had been unable to discover who was behind the apparently random attacks on Imperial installations. No survivors, no recordings on any auto sensors or cameras, not even any clear tracks! The accuracy and weapon damage indicated Space Marines of some form, but by the Primarch, this was like hunting ghosts! Claudius sighed and shook his head in annoyance, even the Imperial Tarot offered no advice, though it did prompt concerns, the first card always the Emperor Inverted, a sign of rebellion, the other cards seemingly random he could make no sense of them. The disturbing cards and their inability to locate or even discover their foe left him no choice, after he had met with his brothers at the Firebase he would contact the chapter and request assitance, besides if his suspicions were correct his 25 marines would not be enough. The Razorback slowed, and Claudius rocked in his seat as the great machine shuddered to a halt. He punched the exit switch and pulled himself through the door. The moment he stepped out a shiver tingled up his spine, he felt the warp call to him and Claudius realised he should have contacted the chapter earlier.

Slowly Garan breathed out, let his body relax and pulled the trigger. The rifle kicked into his shoulder pad, the shot omniously silent. He saw the Librarian crumple as the Dominator shell punched through the ceramite of his helmet and detonated showering his comrades with it's contents. Garan opened the secure vox channel.

+++Garan to all Shadowhawks. Enemy communications eliminated. You may begin your attack+++

Garan slowly crawled back into the woods, vanishing into the trees. He smiled as the valley below filled with the roar of Bolters.

By Bootae