The Pirate's Tale


'Twas about 25 standard years ago that I came to this dirtball. Back then it was hardly even an outpost let alone a major trading station. It's funny how the tides of war can take a scummy little back water like this and turn it into a going concern. I should know, war and trade used to be my business, if you get my drift…..

Back then I had a different name and a different life - I had my own ship and my own crew. Took me damn near thirty years of dirty deals, crooked cards, and riskin' my neck to get that far. And I was good. You don't last long in the pirate game if you ain't good. My crew was solid, if a little colourful. We had drifters, adventurers, and the usual outcasts - petty criminals, deserters from Imperial service and assorted scum. But I hand picked 'em all from around the sectors' bolt holes and last chance bars. They were scum, but they were my kind of scum.

My pride and joy was my ship - the Sabre's Tooth. She was an old design, but every bit of her had been re-worked and customised. From hidden holds to firing ports and docking claws, everything you need for my sort of trade was included - she may have looked like an old scow, but there wasn't an Imperial cruiser in the system that could catch her.

We used to work the Dorealis system - plenty of regular Imperial supply traffic heading for the battle zones of the eastern rim, and no major naval bases within shouting distance. Plus, the Dorealis Major and Minor asteroid fields gave us plenty of hiding places if the fleet ever did come calling. We hit ships only as we needed to - a greedy pirate is very quickly a dead pirate, and you can only clear so much booty at any one site without arousing suspicion. We would drop out of an asteroid belt, or spring from the dark side of a nearby moon to surprise our target. Once we had blasted their shields down we sent out the docking claws and boarded the ship. Most imperial crews gave in without a fight - we had numbers and weapons, and we had a reputation. I never killed crews once we had finished lifting their cargo. We just disabled their comms' gear and made our exit. It wasn't out of kindness you understand - just good business. A wiped out crew meant a dead navigator - and the Guild of Navigators viewed that very dimly. Fleet assets were thinly stretched, but the guild had influence, and crews that took no prisoners soon found that the navy didn't either. No, we were way down the priority list of the local law, and our targets usually gave up without a fight once they knew it was us out there. No fight, no losses. Like I said, good business.

Things were going well - plenty of ships to take, and prices for supplies of commodities was sky rocketing thanks to ongoing wars around the sector. We had the occasional run in with better equipped ships, or even other pirates, but all in all life was pretty fine. Until I met Saul.

I was on a recruiting run through some of the underworld bars on a local hive world. A couple of the lads had done a runner on shore leave - a common enough event - and had to be replaced. I was sittin' at the bar with the bosun who always accompanied me ashore, when four of the biggest gangers I had ever seen came over. They was huge - arms as big as my waist and heads like buckets, tattoos all over 'em and knives hanging off them like leaves on a baobab tree. Turned out they were looking for work, but I wasn't interested. I'd seen their like before - nothing but cutthroats who would leave you in the lurch as soon as the plasma started flying.
Well, they didn't like being told to shove off and decided to make an issue of it. Now I've been around awhile, and so had the bosun, so we could look after ourselves, but when the bosun's cudgel broke on the first ones head without leaving a scratch I knew we were in trouble. We both had guns, but pulling a shooter in a bar like that was not a good idea if you wanted to keep your head on your shoulders.
I was looking for a way out of this nasty situation when suddenly the back two gangers went down. The remaining two turned to see what had happened, and one of them went down as if pole axed. A dark figure stepped over the three prone gangers and with one blow sent the last man standing over the bar and half way through the wall. He turned 'round and I laid my eyes on Saul for the first time. He was a giant - seven foot tall if he was an inch - but not all brawn and aggression like the gangers. He moved like a predator, light on his feet and quick. A dark hooded cloak around his shoulders concealed his face and body. He walked up to me, stepping over broken furniture and loose teeth.
"I am looking for work' he stated.
I looked up into the shadowy hood "I don't hire no man who won't show me 'is face" I was surprised by the steadiness in my voice.
He reached up and pulled back his hood to reveal a face that looked like chiselled rock. His eyes looked as if they had seen it all, and then seen it again backward.
"My apologies captain. My name is Saul. I am looking for work." His eyes regarded me like I was a first time rookie.
The bosun leaned in "You can 'andle yerself in a fight son. Can yer shoot"
Saul's dark eyes flicked to him "I can." I didn't doubt it.

It was about then that I made the worst decision of my misspent life. Maybe it was the rotgut that bar was serving, maybe it was the black void behind those cold eyes. Whatever the reason, I offered him a place on my crew.
"Make yourself known to the bosun here at first light tomorrow at dock 31. Don't be late! I won't stand for laziness"
A humourless smile crept across his hardened face "I will be there captain. On time" and with that he slipped from the bar into the darkness beyond.

And so Saul became a crewman on the Sabre's Tooth. And what an asset he was. Within days even the hardest lads had learned to respect him. The one or two who had decided to test his mettle had quickly found themselves pinned to the ceiling with his hand round their neck like a vice. He certainly had a way of getting people to appreciate his point of view. He completed tasks in half the time it took the most experienced crew, and he hardly ever slept. He was a one-man marvel, and no one had ever seen his like, not even the bosun. But he kept his distance, he never spoke about his past - not an unusual trait for my crew - and he made no friends.

On his first raid he led the boarding party, and I saw his armour for the first time. Most of the lads had flak armour "borrowed" from earlier raids. I myself had a set of carapace armour, a rare thing indeed, and worth it weight in platinum. Saul emerged from his berth to take up his position. He looked even bigger, his customary cloak barely able to cover the bulky armour beneath. I had seen such a thing only once before, during my younger days when my home world was attacked by raiders. The towns had fallen like dominoes, the militia unable to repel the merciless invaders. And then, when all seemed lost, streaking from the sky like the wrath of the Emperor himself they came. The Imperial Space Marines. Within hours it was over, the raiders were either dead or had fled the planet. I emerged coughing from the ruin I had been sheltering in, and there before me stood a figure, more god than man.
Now, a lifetime later I saw the same again. I exchanged a glance with the bosun. He too had seen many things in his time. The rest of the crew were mightily impressed, but knew not what they saw. The galaxy is a big place, and few have seen the Adeptus Astares in the flesh. Usually things have gone to hell in a handcart long before they arrive.

I would deal with this later. We had work to do.

The assault was over before it began. The sight of Saul charging through the airlock brandishing a sword and shooter like toys in his massive fists was too much for the defenders. They dropped their weapons and surrendered. True to my word, we emptied their holds and sent them on their way, their communications array wrecked. A good haul with not a shot fired - good business. I was in a fine mood, and when Saul was summoned to my cabin I was more concerned with how to dispose of the loot than his background. At least that's how I explain it to myself.

Saul entered still in his armour. I turned from the porthole and seated myself behind my desk. I motioned towards the black plates visible beneath his cloak.
"Pretty fancy armour you have there" I said.
Saul remained impassive, staring straight ahead.
"I don't ask questions of my crew" I continued "Might get answers I don't like. But I need to know boy - are you with us"
Saul's mouth jerked up slightly when I said boy. His eyes flicked to mine. "My sword is yours captain. I fight for no other."
I sat for a while, watching him. Eventually I sighed and stood up. "Alright lad, you did good today. Keep that up and you'll go far. Go and see if the bosun has any tasks before you turn in."
Saul nodded once, and departed, the swish of the door the only sound to mark his passing.

And so life went on. Business was good, and the lads worked better than ever before. Saul's presence motivated them to be sharper than they had before. They looked up to him as a symbol of what they would like to be. And he fought like no other man I have ever seen. He never killed crew if he could help it, preferring to disable them. It was almost too easy for him - the pathetic efforts of an Imperial sailor trying to fight Saul was almost embarrassing to watch.

Then came the day when we hit a rig just outside our usual area of operations. Things went to plan initially - we popped out from a dust field and fired into the target, dropping its shields straight away. We came alongside and deployed the docking claws. The lads readied themselves, and when the airlock opened launched the assault. That's when we discovered the ship had a surprise for us. Gunfire erupted at one of the airlocks, and three good men went down. Through the smoke hulking figures could be seen, their green skin covered in basic armour. The shout went up - Ork Pirates!
Saul had been waiting at the next claw - I ordered them to hold position, and full retreat for the fist airlock crew. There would be no booty if the orks had got there first, and I wasn't about to lose more men. Two more lads fell as they tried to get back to the ship. I could hear the cries of the wounded as we fell back. I knew we couldn't save them - being captain meant you had to make the hard decisions.
"Prepare to disconnect airlocks. Bosun - ready engines for emergency burn. Tell the navigator to plot a course out of here now!"
I turned once more to look through the airlock. I could see the two wounded men sheltering behind a bulkhead as the orks advanced. I clenched my jaw and prepared to punch the airlock release pad.

And then Saul was there.

With a roar he flew past me, a gun in each fist blasting away. The orks stopped dead in their tracks as shells slammed into them. Saul scooped up the wounded and slung one over each shoulder, still firing as he began to back towards me.
"Covering fire! Give him cover!" I shouted to those still standing.
I can still see him now, standing tall in that corridor, a man on each shoulder, dropping ork after ork with his guns. Las fire flew past him and ork shots blasted everything around him to splinters. It was the bravest thing I had ever seen.
Finally he reached us, handing the wounded men to the lads.
And then, he drew his sword, roared "For the Emperor!" and charged back in. I was too stunned to even swear as he ploughed into the ork crew. His sword rose and fell, each time raising a spray of green blood. The lads couldn't fire for fear of hitting Saul in the swirling melee. It was over with shocking swiftness. The last ork slid gurgling to the floor, Saul's sword through it's gut. He turned to face me, his armour covered in green gore.
"Area secure captain"
I finally regained the power of speech.
"Search crew up! I want this rig cleaned out in double quick time - if you even think you see a greenskin double back here quick smart!"
The lads ran forward to carry out the command. I approached Saul as he pulled his sword free from the dead ork.
"What the hell was that boy? - Are you mad!"
He turned to face me with those cold eyes. He hadn't even broken a sweat. Ten orks lay at his feet.
And to my utter surprise, he smiled.
"No captain, not anymore. Not for a long time." And with that he headed off down the corridor after the rest of the crew.

Well, after that the lads regarded him like he was invincible. Even the bosun had to admit he was impressed. I wasn't too sure about his methods, but the haul we got from the orks put most other hits we got to shame. Normally I would have been worried about a mutiny attempt from such a powerful figure, but I knew that wasn't in Saul's game plan. He did good work and followed orders - what captain could ask for more?

Out in the war zones things heated up. An ork waaaagh ploughed headlong into imperial space, the Eldar got involved, and even a chaos cult flared up out of nowhere. Supply ship frequency increased, and the pickings just kept getting richer. I almost had more money than I could spend without attracting too much notice. We should have stopped then, but we kept going for one more big haul. Like I said, a greedy pirate…..

I got word from one of my contacts that a very special supply ship was coming through. I had to pay triple the going rate for the info, but I could smell that this was a good target. Rumour had it she was a bullion ship - the pirates motherload - and due to the recent developments the Imperial Fleet couldn't supply an escort, hoping secrecy would be enough. The bigger the secret, the faster it gets out…
I planned the mission to the smallest detail - the ship type, speed, possible guards - nothing was left to chance. Or so I thought.

We hid the Sabre in an asteroid belt near the dusk sector. I wasn't to happy being so close to an area of space with a bad reputation, but I figured the surprise element made it worth it. They would never expect us here. The dusk sector had a nasty habit of eating up ships and spitting out their bones. No one who went in came back out, and no one knew why. Needless to say any sane captain gave it a wide berth. The perfect site for our ambush.

Right on time our scanners picked up the ship. I loved Imperial punctuality - it made my job so much easier. We fired our retros and rounded the asteroid, exposing ourselves to the Imperial ship. She began to swivel her turrets, but it was too late. A full blast from our guns dropped her shields and disabled her defences. My crew were working like a well oiled machine - oiled by the grease of money. I manoeuvred alongside as the bullion ship tried to alter course, and fired the docking claws. They grappled the external airlocks and started to burn through. I turned to the console and hailed the ships master.
"This is the Sabre's Tooth. Stand by to be boarded. Surrender now and have my word for safe passage for your crew. Resist and die"
I closed the link and made my way to the claw. The airlock hissed as it pressurised, and the door slid open. Thirty men charged through the docking claws and into the ship, Saul and I leading 15 each. We were met by the ships' master bearing a flag of truce. He stood at attention with his first officer in the corridor, a flashing red emergency light turning overhead. I advanced and holstered my shooter.
"Are you surrendering your ship, or do I have to persuade you?" I asked menacingly
The officer looked at me with thinly veiled disgust "You outnumber us five to one. I won't have my men die for this cargo. Do I have your word on safe passage captain? " He almost spat the last word.
"Aye, that you do. Have your men lay down their arms and lock them in the wardroom. Any tricks and you'll be the first out the airlock" I said, poking my finger into his chest. He paled in a gratifying manner.

Two of the lads rounded up the crew as we began to cut our way into the cargo bay. This was easier than I had hoped. We would be in and out in double quick time. Saul came up beside me just as the cutting crew pushed the smoking cargo door into the hold.
"Captain. A word if I may?"
"Yes what?" I barked impatiently, only wanting to get at all that lovely money.
"Does it seem strange to you that there were no arbites aboard? or that only a skeleton crew manned this ship?"
His words settled on my heart like a cold hand. The fog of greed lifted from my mind and my pirate senses kicked in.
"Aye, strange indeed. Too easy by half" I keyed my comm-link. "Bosun, anything on the scanners?"
Only a hiss of static came back.
"Jammed, we're being jammed!" I spun round and began shouting orders.
"Back to the ship! Mission abort!" I saw the startled imperial captain as I ran past. He wasn't part of this?
Suddenly my comm-link came to life "Captain!" Screamed the bosun "Two contacts closing on us from out of the dusk zone - ship types indicate Eldar Pirates"
Dark Eldar! - The most evil scum in the galaxy. No wonder the dusk zone claimed so many ships. It seemed we had strayed too close.
"Prepare to retract docking claws!" I panted into the comm-link as I ran for my ship. A searing flash and the thump of a concussion sent me sprawling along the steel deck.
Too late!

Bulkheads burst inwards in two places along the corridor as the Dark Eldar boarded the ship. We were cut off from the Sabre by their entrance. "Fall Back, form a defensive line" I keyed the comm-link "Bosun, we can't get to the airlocks - get the Sabre to safety we'll secure this ship and call you back" I sounded more confident than I felt. We had been ambushed squarely, and it would be a miracle if we survived.

Suddenly the bosun came back on line "Captain, airlock two is jammed, we can't release - I'll try to free it from this end but we are stuck for now" I cursed; now my ship was in danger too.
"Get onto it bosun, and don't let any of those buggers aboard, out"

I drew my sword and waited with the others. Smoke filled the corridor, illuminated by the red emergency light. The ragged breathing of the men was the only sound. I licked the sweat from my lips and waited.

And then all hell broke loose. With impossible speed the dark eldar attacked. Armoured figures covered in spikes and blades leapt into the corridor, screaming alien battle cries and firing their weapons. I stood dumbstruck. These were the same nightmares from my past, the raiders who had ravaged my homeworld all those years ago. The lad next to me was shredded by a burst of fire, his tattered body slammed against a bulkhead. My mind snapped back to the present and I fired into the nearest one. The lads opened up, and the battle was joined. I fired my pistol until it's barrel glowed red from the heat. Alien and crewman fought and died in that smoke filled tunnel. No quarter was asked, and none given. But they had numbers and we were slowly pushed back down the corridor into the wardroom. A burst of fire met the first man in, slicing his body in two. The devils had outflanked us, slaughtering the prisoners in the wardroom and my two guards. Things looked grim as the aliens advanced.
The fighting turned to close quarters as I parried a blow from one of the vile creatures. Less than five of us still stood, but I intended to give a good account of myself, and hopefully buy time for my ship. Stepping back to slash at the fiend in front of me I slipped on the blood slicked deck and went down. The devil was on me in a flash, it's sharpened armour tearing my flesh. I roared at the beast as I fought to free my sword arm, but the creatures' bodyweight held me fast. With deliberate slowness it drew its knife along my ribs, slicing through my skin. It seemed to be enjoying my torment. Pain flashed through me as I fought to stay alive. The eldar reversed its grip as it prepared to drive the blade into my heart. I cursed and shouted but I was still pinned.
Suddenly the fiend was lifted from me, and I beheld my saviour. Saul lifted the creature of the deck with one hand around its thin neck. With barely an effort he snapped the devil's neck and hurled the body into its comrades. His boarding party had linked up with us, and they drove the remaining eldar back from the wardroom door.

We crowded into the small room and closed the hatch. I took stock of the situation. Ten of us still lived, and only Saul seemed uninjured.
"We need to get to the airlock and manually disconnect it - the Sabre's hung up and if she's lost, so are we." I turned to Saul "Can we make it past them?" he looked at me carefully before answering "Yes, but some will not make it." I nodded "Better some than all" I turned to the lads
"Alright you bunch of filthy pirates, are you ready to die!" their answering shouts filled my heart with pride, aye, even now still.

I punched the door release and we charged. The dark eldar were caught by surprise and reeled under our assault. We made good headway, passing the first docking claw without loss. But then fresh eldar swarmed aboard from their second docking tunnel, filling the corridor again. We pressed on, but one by one the lads were cut down by the wicked blades the devils carried. Sweat stung my eyes and my arms felt like lead as I parried and thrust with my sword. Through it all Saul fought on like a machine, every swing of his blade sent another eldar to whatever hell awaits their kind.
"Keep going lads!" I cried, "This day knows our name!"

Finally we reached the airlock. Saul, two lads and myself where all that remained. The dark eldar still spilled from their docking claw. Saul held them off whilst we threw the over-ride bolts and sent the airlock venting into space. My comm-link buzzed "We're free Captain" shouted the bosun "I'll bring her around and get a fresh lock, stand by" From the airlock window I saw the Sabre roll away as the helm readjusted for the new airlock attempt. A bright flash diverted my attention to another area of the sky. Another ship warping in - not more of the devils! As the ship dropped out of warp, the rays of a nearby sun illuminated the unmistakable profile of an Imperial dropship. "By the gods!" I shouted "Space marines!" I had hardly finished the words before Saul hauled me aside and looked out at the ship. I can still remember the look on his face when the suns' rays caught the chapter badge on its armoured hull.

The winged sword of the Dark Angels.

"No!" he breathed, backing away from the porthole. The look of horror on his face scared me more than the devils advancing up the corridor. Before I could speak the warship fired into the nearest eldar ship. The blast sent it spinning away from us, breaking up as it went. The flashback through the far airlock sent dark eldar and debris flying down the corridor towards us. The survivors quickly regrouped and darted away down the second boarding tunnel. The two lads ran after the fleeing creatures, shooting several in the back as they fled. Saul was still frozen in place, staring at the marine ship. I had no time to ponder on his fear if I was to escape with my ship.
"You two idiots - get your arses back here!" I bellowed at the two lads. They fired a few parting shots before turning back. And in an instant they were gone. The second eldar ship exploded alongside us as the dropship fired into its hull. The flashback incinerated my lads and sent a wall of fire racing down the corridor towards us. Saul snapped out of his shock and pulled me back as the flame washed over us. The ships' shields held, and the fire retreated back down the tunnel where the dark eldar docking claw had once been. I stood up, pulling off my smouldering cape. Saul rose also, his cloak still burning in places. He tore it off, revealing his armour fully. The flames had burned off the black polish on his shoulder pad to reveal the Dark Angel symbol. My eyes widened.
"So" he stated "Now you know"
I looked at him "I know you probably don't want a reunion today boy, anymore than I want an introduction" I keyed my mike "Bosun, get your arse in here quick smart"

The Sabre began to manoeuvre back in to dock. I saw the drop ship moving around to intercept as I pressed my face to the cold glass of the porthole. The whole thing had a horrible inevitability to it. I watched the mighty turrets track the Sabre and lock on. I saw the beams of energy reach out for my ship and burn through the shields. I watched helplessly as the hull went critical, and my ship, my crew, and my lifetimes plunder boiled away into the void.

I stood stunned as the after image of the explosion danced on my retina. Then the shock wave hit us and I went down. The impact on the cold steel deck broke the spell.
"My ship, they killed my ship the dogs!"
Saul was already up and moving, he caught my arm and hauled me along with him.
"You will lose more than that this day if we don't get this ship moving "

We ran through the ship toward the bridge. The engines were still online, so there was still hope. We had almost made it when a docking claw punched through the hull in front of us. Saul kept me moving, past the entry point and thrust me toward the bridge.
"Go! get us moving or we are lost!"

I stumbled forward on exhausted legs. I turned in time to see the first green armoured marine burst through the airlock. Saul smashed the butt of his weapon into the warriors head. The marine went down, as did the one behind.
"Heretic!" the Dark Angel hissed "Surrender to the mercy of the Emperor!"
"Your mercy knows nothing of the Emperor fool" roared Saul, as he fired his shooter.
He pulled a grenade from his belt and hurled it down the airlock, leaping away as the blast tore the docking claw apart. Debris and marines scattered into space as the claw broke up.

I ran onto the bridge and jumped into the pilots seat, ramming the engine throttles forward. The light ship leapt away from the lumbering marine vessel, the acceleration forcing me back into the chair. Incredibly our shields still held despite the numerous docking claw wounds in the hull. I turned to see Saul enter the bridge. He slid into the co-pilots chair next to me.
"Our shields are too weak to survive a warp jump. Head for the dusk sector"
I turned to him "Are you mad boy!? - We'll be taken by those devils and their black kin!"
Suddenly I couldn't breath as his fist encircled my throat
"It is the only chance we have. That or nothing!" his eyes blazed with anger, something I'd not seen before in him.
I fell back as he released me, and turned toward the dusk sector. We were already close, and we slipped into its murky depths before the warship could get a lock.
But they could still follow.

What can I tell you about our flight into the dusk sector? - Many things, some too terrible to mention in the dark of night. We saw things the like of which you couldn't imagine. I know why none came back, yet we did. And the Dark Angels came after us, but we lost them all the same. The skills of a marine and the wiles of a pirate captain, aye, that was a combination no one could match.

We talked of many things as we flew. Things no man should know were told to me. Things that keep me awake at night, and drunk by day. I know why Saul runs, and why his kind still hunt him. And I know of the other, but of that I can say nothing.

Eventually we came here, or at least this is where we fell. The ship had given more than we could have asked, and we dropped out of her belly in the lifeboat as she burned up in the atmosphere. The boat came down in a swamp not far from here - its still there like as not. We pulled ourselves out and dusted ourselves off. All I had was the clothes I stood in. All Saul had where his. Just like the day I first laid eyes on him.

"You'll be safe here" he said "They may come one day, but it's not you they want"
I nodded, seeing the truth of it "You'll be going then?" I asked
In answer he smiled for the second time that I'd seen, removed his gauntlet, and extended his hand.
We shook hands then, out in the swamp under that dark sky.
"I hate to say it son, but I can't pay yer last months wages. " I smiled ruefully as I spoke "I'm going through a bit of a rough patch right now"
Saul regarded me seriously before speaking "As I see it captain, all you owe me is a new cloak"
"Right then" I said, "I'd best get onto that"
"Best you do" he replied releasing my hand
And with that he turned and walked away into the night.

So you see that cloak behind my bar do ye? - Well that's his. Least it will be when he comes to collect it. Haven't seen him since that day, but his old mates paid me a visit. They didn't want me, but they wanted him, wanted him somethin' fierce. Saul was dangerous, but he had honour. These boys, well they were fanatics - you could see it in their eyes. The madness, the blind faith. They said that they'd get him in the end. But they haven't done too well so far, and it's been awhile. But I can't say too much on that.

Anyways, I'll keep that cloak hanging there 'till he comes for it. And he will, aye he will. You just trust the word of an old pirate



Gordon Armstrong 1999