One hour later.
Grey arrived at the Nest World where Odo was stationed, materializing atop a spire. Without hesitation, he swiftly made his way towards the governor's estate, a plan of action already forming in his mind.
He would enter Odo's residence directly and eliminate him. As for the Astartes marked by the bull-headed sigil of the Minotaur Chapter… they would only be casualties if absolutely necessary. After all, they could possess virtues like those of the Lamenters Chapter, sworn to protect the governor only to fulfill their duty.
Nearing the estate, Grey conducted a meticulous scan. The estate held over a thousand individuals; the ten Astartes, fully armed and stationed at the entrances, stood immobile as statues, while Odo lay asleep on the third underground level. The bald man from the photos was nearby, reviewing documents. Various other defenses also populated the estate—guards in feedback armor, sentry gun emplacements linked to neural control systems, and walls laced with concealed weaponry.
After assessing, Grey chose to infiltrate, slipping past each patrol with deft precision. His bio-processor marked the Astartes' exact fields of vision; there were no blind spots. Out of options, Grey activated his "bullet time," flooding his nervous system with chemicals from his spinal implants. The bio-processor processed the surge of signals, making everything around him crawl at a snail's pace.
Moving swiftly, Grey dashed towards an open window, leaping in and rolling upon landing. Once inside, he headed downwards towards Odo. Meanwhile, at the entrance, one Astartes glanced at his battle-brother. Their unspoken exchange was clear: one had noticed a shadow dart by, too swift to identify but raising an instinctive alarm; the other, sensing his brother's concern, readied himself.
"Guard this entrance!" One Astartes ordered the nearest patrol before both charged inside.
Half a minute later, Grey sped through a corridor, with a translucent schematic of the building overlaying his vision, his bio-processor marking the lone entrance to the underground levels. Every nearby weapon system came online under his command. Passing a wall, sentry guns whirred to life but refrained from firing, "allowing" Grey's passage.
Upon reaching the underground entry, Grey paused as a scan revealed ten hulking forms—Astartes converging from all sides. Suddenly, bolts erupted from a wall to his right. Instantly, Grey's gravity shield activated, catching and disintegrating the rounds. More bolts followed, but the Astartes continued to encircle him.
A memory of his training flashed through Grey's mind. A Fors judge had once advised him: "If they're Astartes, they'll probe first, testing your defenses. The longer the engagement, the greater the danger." Wasting no time, Grey raised his right hand, releasing a spray of laser buckshot into adjacent rooms while his left yanked an Astartes from the ceiling.
The suspended Astartes noted the lack of chilling temperatures or psychic energy, indicating this pull wasn't psychic. He dismissed the thought and instead pulled a melta charge. Grey clenched his fist, crushing the Astartes' helmet, knocking him unconscious.
After sacrificing one brother, the other Astartes adjusted tactics. This time, they ceased their bombardment, with four swiftly advancing while three grenades arced towards Grey's position. His shoulder cannon spun, destroying two grenades mid-flight, but the third detonated near him—a message flashing in his HUD: *Electromagnetic Pulse.*
The powerful pulse surged, crippling nearby electronics, but Grey's armor and enhancements, designed to resist EMP attacks, withstood the blast. His HUD flickered briefly, then stabilized.
"Enough! I refuse to suffer injuries over this governor!" Grey called to the Astartes, but his answer was another hail of bolts and yet more EMP grenades.
As each electromagnetic pulse hit, the Astartes noted a shift: Grey's gravity field was finally faltering. Bolts rained upon him while four Astartes charged from the front. Two more smashed through the walls behind him, knives drawn, closing in.
Grey pivoted, his shoulder cannon firing a relentless torrent at the legs of the four in front, then whirled to meet the two attackers from behind. His gauntlet struck one's helmet, and a laser blast severed the other's arms.