Snippet #2142417

Volsk looked up, "Ah, excellent question!" He picked up the remote once more, clicking to a completely new slide. The slide revealed a repulsive creature, a cross between some foreign insect, and some kind of alien lizard. It's four arms ended in wickedly sharp hooks, and its entire body was covered in chitenous armor.
He turned to Varn, "This, my friend, is a tyranid, or at least, one type of tyranid, called a hormagaunt. Fascinating creatures, the tyranids. We have yet to study them in depth, but as far as we can reason, they have one singular goal. The acquisition of sustenance. They are able to take many forms, from swarms of hormagaunts, to the enormously destructive carnifex. They scour entire worlds clean of life, absorbing it into their ever churning, biological manufactories. I personally believe that they quite effectively personify the worst aspects of humanity in a volatile swarm. I know many of my colleagues, and the human population as a whole will call me a blasphemer, but if you were to see them in person as my teacher and I did in the Gaius Campaign, you would know that I speak the truth. Many men and women died those four years..."
Osbourne stared at the floor blankly as he slipped into a brief flashback, flashes of lasfire lit the night, as the screams of the dead and dying rang hollow in his ears. A swarm of the creatures had breached the eastern rampart, and had begun flooding in through the breach. He, Corvus, and his teacher stood side by side with a squad of guardsmen, beating back the ravenous tide as best they could. They had decided to join the men of the Gaius Campaign in order to attempt to capture one of the tyranid creatures alive. However, after his first encounter, he realized that there could be no quarter for these monstrous creatures. They needed to be eradicated from the universe as soon as possible.
Nomina, the young woman he had introduced earlier, stood and stepped lightly over to Osbourne's chair. She gently placed her arms around Volsk's shoulders in a tender embrace. He looked up at her and smiled slightly, snapping back to reality, "Thank you Nomina. I apologize everyone, I still get flashbacks from time to time, usually from past cases or from my time in the Guard. Do not worry, as it will not affect my combat prowess. In a firefight, my mind is able to focus on the task at hand, but when my mind is allowed to wander, I sometimes slip." He smiled at the group, squeezing Nomina's hand, letting her know that he was okay.
He stood and adressed the group, "I suppose I should introduce myself now. As you all no doubt know by now I am Inquisitor Volsk Osbourne, Ordo Solar. I am in charge of this mission, this is my ship, and it was my teacher's before me. It is one of the few items left in his memory. If you disrespect my ship I will personally administer punishment upon you. I generally consider myself a rather amicable fellow, but I will not tolerate any disrespect to my teacher's memory. Am I understood! Now to be clear, by disrespecting my ship, I mean damaging her intentionally, or defacing her public areas. What you do in your private quarters is your own business, within limits of course. Should any of you need anything, and I have the power to get it for you I will generally attempt to get it. However, should you tell me, say, a week from port, I will no doubt forget by the time we reach moorings. Simply remind me when we make planetfall and I will try to carry out your request." He smiled at them in closing, refilling his mug, and returning to his seat.