A/N. There were a few things that were brought up in a recent review that really hit the nail on the head, and so here is a little explanation. The major thing that I had in mind before starting was to make a really unique HP story that combines concepts and ideas from a variety of other genres and universes, to be honest I didn't think it was going to be possible in the first place but went for it anyway, and so far it looks to be going pretty well.
After reading a lot of the HP fiction I found that a lot of it was very cookie cutter, the trio goes out on an adventure, one of them (a lot of times Harry) find some power and from then on in fight some obstacles or what not all the while H/Hr get closer and all that. This was the last thing I wanted to have, none of the fiction I've read really break out of this mold, and if they do they don't it well and focus is lost. Thats why Exodus is introduced, its all about them and being thrown into a giant mess that they have to sort out, its a very different type of situation from what the HP universe is used to, its squad based action with the sort of bond that military groups feel out in combat. That is why there is going to be no trio in this story, sorry to break it to you guys.
To be frank with everyone reading this, if you're looking for the whole sappy, feely, touchy, cookie cutter fiction then stop reading right now as you're probably not going to enjoy this fic. Otherwise read on, there are going to be some interesting twists and turns to come, if you know about W40k you might have guessed about one of them, although I doubt it.
Haven Four
Haven Four was a city within a city, a massive fortification literally built into and around a mountain, with most of it situated inside the mountain or otherwise below ground. Around the whole gigantic area was a mile of cratered wasteland and a massive wall, brimming with artillery, heavy weapons emplacement, and all manner of magical charms and spells. Cables, bridges and tunnels connected the wall with the mountain, serving as both a shock absorber and a quick means of getting between the wall and Haven. The wall itself was like a dome, extending up and curving to meat with the tip of the mountain itself, forming a sort of cocoon. The space between the wall and Haven measured at around a quarter of a mile at base level, this was so that if attackers did manage to breach the wall's defenses they would still have to cover ground to reach Haven itself, the whole time being bombarded from all sides. Getting past all this would lead an attacker to the meter's thick shell of Haven itself, and the wide heavily built corridors where barricades could be set up. After these defensive corridors lay the defenseless innards of Haven, as a last act of defiance the power core could be detonated to annihilate the whole area.
Snipe marveled at the sight before him as Maya finished explaining to them the complex and intricate details of Haven's defenses. "That's pretty damn impenetrable eh Sarge?"
Sarge thought for a moment, taking a careful look at the fortification. "Its easily penetrable and easily destructible."
"What!" Maya yelled shocked. "No disrespect, but how can you possibly bypass all that?"
"Air drop on top, use those vents." Sarge pointed to the pillars of chemical exhaust rising from the tip of Haven. "Use something to plug the exhaust for a moment, jump in as far as needed, cut through to the inside and you're in. After that you make your way through the place with little to no resistance, as you yourself said that once past the defensive corridors there isn't much of a defense left. You make your way to the core and detonate it, if you can hack into the system you do it remotely, otherwise you plant a nice big charge and boom." Sarge stopped and thought for another minute. "Actually you would only need one person, use the air vents or something, if its anything like an average military complex then a person should be able to fit through."
Maya was shocked to say the least, but she wasn't entirely sure that what Sarge was saying was even possible. "Well you would need to get some sort of schematics for Haven wouldn't you? You can't just jump in and blow whatever you like up, it just won't work and so your whole plan is forfeit if you don't have that information." She challenged.
"Have you told anyone about us yet?"
"No, why?"
"Good. Snipe, JJ, start hacking." He ordered them.
Not waiting a second they began scanning for signals coming in or out of Haven, after a few moments they had each found a couple and began trying to sneak their own signals through. Five minutes later Snipe and JJ both grinned. "Its just like hacking into a wireless network, granted this was a little tougher but we got it." Schematics for Haven Four popped up on all of their HUDs.
"I don't believe you." Maya stated.
Snipe fiddled around with the network for a second. "The password to your room is Goldfish?"
She didn't say another word.
"Uh oh. They found me." Snipe announced. "And they are not happy, requiring authorization and all such things we don't have. Sarge if you need anything else tell me now or else they'll boot me real quick."
"Let me talk to them."
Snipe sent him a signal path to the main communications.
"This is Haven Four. Who are you?" Asked a voice over the line.
"This is the being who has hacked into your system and found a way to destroy Haven Four within about a twenty minute period of time." Sarge responded unemotionally.
There was silence for a second before a very angry voice came on the line. "This is Dimitri Fantura, First Speaker of Haven Four. What is the meaning of this? Who are you?"
"First Speaker, sounds pretty important, no wonder your daughter Maya announced her heritage so proudly."
"What! Where is my daughter, what have you done with her? By Exodus I swear if you hurt her I will tear you apart limb from bloody limb!" The man roared.
"No need to get angry." Sarge responded coolly.
"Why you insolent swine!"
"Hey Sarge they're tracing us, and we're on the edge of the clearing…so unless your plan is to get toasted I wouldn't make him so mad." JJ warned.
Sarge nodded. "I assure you Dimitri I am not an insolent swine. I may call you Dimitri may I not?"
"You bastard answer the fucking question or I will blow you to hell."
"First tear me limb from bloody limb and now you want to blow me to hell. Funny you are both inconsistent and I assumed we were both already there. My name is Sarge, and my brothers and I were simply showing your daughter how easy it would be to destroy Haven Four."
"Eighteen seconds before they lock onto us." JJ warned.
"By the great Talos and Exodus combined I swear you will not live a moment longer if you do not explain yourself." The voice was trembling with rage.
"I'll be seeing you soon Dimitri." Sarge cut the line mere seconds before they had their location. "That was fun, your father seems like a very religious man."
Maya sighed. "Our General Marlonius Graff is also very religious, he and his first company will see you all as gods." She strode forward from behind the wreckage that they were leaning against and clicked on her transmitter.
"This is Maya reporting in." She checked in.
Her father was the one that answered. "Maya, is that you?"
"Yes dad, check my vocal patterns."
There was a few seconds of pause where a check was run. "Where are you? Are you okay?"
"Yes father I am perfectly fine, although you may have failed a test."
"What test?"
"I don't know if it was a test, but insulting and threatening Sarge is not the best of mannerisms."
"Wait, you mean that foul swine is with you?"
"Yes, I heard the whole conversation, and may I suggest that you not call the leader of Exodus a swine?"
"What … did you say?" There was unbelievable shock in his voice.
"Exodus is here and intentionally or not you just insulted them. We're nearing Haven, be there momentarily." She cut the communication.
"I really apologize for his behavior, he is a good and honorable man." Maya apologized to Sarge.
"He seems very hospitable." Exodus followed Maya as she led the way to Haven Four.
…
The Haven Four communication room was deathly quiet. Dimitri Fantura flicked his comm. device to Marlonius' personal line. "Marlonius?" He said quietly, a bit of static flickering through before he responded.
"Yes, what is Dimitri?" Asked a strong dominant voice.
"I may have accidentally insulted Exodus, they are here. Do what you can, they will be at the south eastern gate in moments."
"A-Are you sure it is them?" Marlonius asked, his voice both shocked and joyous.
"Maya is with them, she said so herself, we can only assume that the prophet was right, that now is the time they come."
"At once." Marlonius did not bother to say another word. Checking his immaculate uniform he raced towards the first company barracks, shouting orders as he ran to assemble all the men he could. The great Exodus was here, there would have to be eight of them, just like the prophet Talos had told them, they had come and they had come at a most dire time. He stopped at the chapel and briskly walked along the red carpet; inside he knelt before nine statues, eight great shrouded figures and one smaller, a man with wrinkled features and a knowing smile. Around the statue's neck a stone tablet hung from a golden chain, intricate writing upon its surface blazed out into the room. Offering up a quick prayer he prepared to meet the godlike Exodus.
His honor guard of six men, three wizards and three muggle, all fierce combatants and utterly devoted to Them knelt before the statues offering up their own quick prayers before turning their attention to Marlonius as the Bishop came up to the group.
Marlonius stood still for a moment, looking them over as the Bishop came forward, an air of potent magical charms around him. "General Marlonius, any news on the recent disturbances?" He asked.
"The hour has come. They are here. Devine retribution shall be hours. Exodus shall now guide us forward directly." He stated slowly, proudly.
There were gasps between the men.
"Are you sure? Are they really here? Could it really be?" The bishop began to get excited, his voice quivering.
"Almost positive. The First Speaker's own daughter is with them now; she would not lie about such a thing." His eyes burned with fire, he only prayed that he had done enough in his life, he prayed that he would be worthy of perhaps even fighting alongside Exodus in the glorious battles that were sure to come.
…
In the fifteen minutes that it took Exodus and Maya to reach the walls of Haven Four
Marlonius, his honor guard, and various high ranking individuals awaited the arrival of Exodus at the main gateway of Haven Four itself. Dimitri Fantura anxiously shifted his weight as Marlonius stood at the back, his honor guard flanking him, while the other officials and personelle gathered around them.
Prior to leaving their concealed position Sarge had conjured up black cloaks for all of them, they were like undistinguishable shadows, red eye sockets their only distinguishable characteristic.
"We will have to go through a series of air locks." Maya explained as a door appeared before them.
"No need to. Focus on an area inside Haven Four, I do not want us to be hailed like gods yet, even if everyone knows we are coming." Said Sarge.
Thinking of a good secluded place for them to appear Maya focused on an area that would be more or less deserted.
With a loud pop Exodus and Maya appeared in a brightly lit corridor. "They will probably be awaiting you at the main entrance, it opens to a grand hallway that leads directly to the chapel, it's just around the corner if you wish to go there." Said Maya as she and Exodus took off their helmets.
Sarge nodded. "Lets meet your father shall we?" Sarge motioned for her to lead the way, although by now they had a full schematic of the entirety of Haven Four and knew exactly where they were.
…
"Do not worry yourself Dimitri, you could not have known it was them. What you did was respectable as a father, they will see that." Marlonius assured his old time friend as he looked out from the entrace of the grand hallway, guards had been posted around the area so that no one would intrude upon them, Exodus however had appeared with this perimeter.
"Its okay honey, everything will be alright." His wife held his hand comfortingly.
"The populace has not been alerted?" Bishop Orfoyal asked.
"No, and I suggest we do not until Exodus' wishes are known to us, it is best to not cause a scene." Replied the first minister of public affairs.
Footsteps echoed behind them, but because of the guards placed around the area everyone assumed it was just some stragglers making their way over.
Sarge walked up behind the proud General Marlonius. "General Marlonius?" He asked.
Without turning his head around the General replied. "Yes?"
"Do not kneel." Sarge told him.
This time his interest was piqued and Marlonius turned his around to look upon Sarge's face, it took him a half second to realize who it was before him and it took all of his self control not to kneel and so he just stood there, rigid.
"My name is Harry Potter, but I am known as Sarge and we are known as Exodus." He held out his hand.
The other people turned around gasping as Marlonius shook hands with Sarge. "General Marlonius Graff, Haven Four." His proud and sturdy voice held a hint of uncertainty in it.
"We have been told that a tablet was left for us by Talos Thramasurius, may we see it?" Sarge asked getting down to business.
With no other thought coming to his head Marlonius responded. "Yes my Lord, as you wish."
"Thank you, and do not call me lord, Sarge will do."
Rigidly General Marlonius led the way to the chapel, his mind unable to focus on one thought or question, and the other delegates simply followed quietly behind, not daring to make even the slightest of noises.
They passed through the long great hall, candlelight throwing beautiful paintings into stark contrast as they all made their way forwards towards the looming chapel ahead of them.
"This Haven Four is a magnificent fortification, even with it's drawbacks it truly is awe inspiring." Sarge commented.
"Thank you…Sarge." Thanked Dimitri Fantura. "And I am most sorry about earlier, please forgive me I…"
Sarge cut him off. "No need to be sorry, you did what any father would have done, although I suggest that you look into the weakness that Maya will later describe to you."
"Yes Sir." Dimitri nodded.
"What weakness? Is Haven Four not completely secured?" Marlonius asked.
"No it is not. The vents that rise from the top are ample openings for an assault, we have personally met up with a creature who I would suspect could get in and do anything it pleased with ease."
"I am afraid I do not understand."
Sarge quickly went over a brief attack plan that could easily be used against Haven Four, his the new schematics to outline it in more detail.
"Interesting, although highly dangerous such an attack could be possible, we just never thought that they could get by our turrets and magical wards in the first place…" Abruptly he stopped talking, looking at Sarge in confusion before changing the subject. "May I ask what your plans are at the moment? You see we are at a stalemate in this war, if you can call it that."
"Our only concern right now is finding out what that tablet holds, the current situation is much more complex then you can imagine." Said Sarge.
"Wait a minute!" One of the representatives of Haven Four declared boldly. "How do we know you are Exodus? How do we know you aren't one of Them?" This got a few other members of the group riled up.
Not breaking his stride Sarge continued on. "Because you would all be dead if we were."
"And you would be dead if you were." Marlonius assured Sarge who responded with a grin.
They continued on into the chapel that happened to be the most richly decorated area of Haven Four, the walls were made of white flowing marble, the carpet a crimson red with both candles and electrical light illuminating the beautiful statues and paintings. At the end of the main room were the nine statues, with the central one holding perhaps the most important object in Haven Four.
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