"You've lost an arm, Alessio! By the mercy of the Emperor, you're lucky not losing your life as well! -- I haven't lost my arm, brother! It's right over there! I'm still in this! I'm fine!"
- —Exchange between Chapter Master Pedro Kantor and Captain Alessio Cortez, demonstrating the latter's incredible resilience
Captain Alessio Cortez of the Crimson Fists' 4th Company
Alessio Cortez was the Master of the Charge and the Captain of the 4th Company of the Crimson Fists Space Marine Chapter. Captain Cortez was known for his pride, stubbornness and for being almost impossible to kill. It is said that only two bones in his entire body had not been broken one or more times. During the Battle of Rynn's World, he survived the disaster at the Crimson Fists' fortress-monastery Arx Tyrannus along with sixteen of his Battle-Brothers and his old friend and comerade, Chapter Master Pedro Kantor. Later, Cortes lost his right arm to the Ork Warboss Urzog Mag Kull; though he ignored the wound and slew the beast moments later by ramming a Krak Grenade down its throat as it howled in triumph. Impossibly resilient, Cortez afterwards simply reported for duty despite missing his right arm, and had to be forcibly ordered to stand down and wait for an Apothecary by his old friend Kantor.
Cortez went missing in action after a battle with Eldar Corsairs, and nothing is known of his whereabouts as of the final years of the 41st Millennium. His old friend Pedro Kantor, however, remains convinced that Cortez is still alive.
History
- 853.M41 - During the decisive moments of the Battle of Steel Cross, Captain Cortez single-handedly slays the Ork Warlord and his entire bodyguard. Cortez had managed to disarm the Ork leader with a twist of his torso after the Ork's sword had become embedded in Cortez's ribs.
- 867.M41 - Captain Cortez breaks through Eldar lines despite suffering 17 wounds including stab through one of his hearts and two heavy weapons hits.
- 892.M41 - Captain Cortez defends a breach in the defences of the Fortress Maladon for 21 hours of constant fighting.
- 903.M41 - Captain Cortez fights through the entire Kardian six week campaign without supplies after they had been lost to enemy fire during deployment (breaking the old Crimson Fist endurance record for a Space Marine).
Wargear
Alessio Cortez wears Artificer Power Armour and uses a very old master-crafted Powerfist and a master-crafted Bolt Pistol in combat.
Sources
- Codex: Space Marines (3rd Edition), pp. 38-39
- Rynn's World (Novel) by Steve Parker