Warhammer 40k RP

[tribble]

Cicero

Cicero, high sorcerer of Tzeentch, onetime librarian of the Dark Angels, watched the tac-screen intently. the carriers were proving harder to destroy than he had anticipated. he would be wringing the necks of the Dark Tech-priests until he got an answer on why the ship's armaments were preforming substandardly. If he survived this. the ever-present buzz of the mystery Psyker had changed subtly in tone and rhythm. it reminded him vaguely of a summoning rite he had witnessed on Kalos IV, when a daemonic horde was tugged into the materium to fight for a sorcerer. he had personally killed the man in a sorcerous duel, thereby banishing the Daemons. this however, felt different. it seemed less a natural call to the Immaterium and more an artificial ritual. it troubled Cicero to not know what this was, and he resolved to find out what the strange call was. he fingered his weapon, a psychically attuned broadsword that he wore at his hip.
That sword could spew fire at his command.
Cicero paused, struck by an Idea.
a second later the ship shuddered as it was struck by something else.
"Damage Report!" Cicero barked.
"lance missiles, lord sorcerer. damage is superficial."
"Maneuver the ship so that one of those strike cruisers is between us and the planet, I have something special in mind."
Cicero paused, and looked at the display of the planet. a massive melta-blast had appeared at the planet's capital. Cicero wondered for a second what Mercutio was doing , then dismissed the thought as irrelevant.

[tribble]

Mercutio

"I have found a location for our rendezvouz, krimscrag."
Mercutio rattled off a string of coordinates from a data-slate.
"In addition, My battle barge has come under attack, and any aid you could render would prove most helpful. if you are dissatisfied with my weapons test, I would be willing to renegotiate."
Mercutio smiled. the capital of the world had fallen in a devastating cataclysm, and soon he would assault an office of the Inquisition at the head of an Orkish Waaagh. the mission was getting better and better.

[purepolarpanzer]

You heard him boys. Settle down dere. Drop the Mini-Roks, set up shop, and let's get movin. I want ya ta find any orks on that planet and make em follow me. If there ain't none, there will be soon. Get the mek shop up and runnin, and get some places up for dakka and such. And get some boyz in towers up with them real tekky gunz. The ones with the special screeny thingy that sees through any squig crap dem others might got. Den I want da Nobs to haul da boys togetha, git em inta mobs. Meanwhile, we all gotta get pumped up for the WAAAGGGGHHHH!!!! SO DA WARPHEADZ CAN GET POWAED UP!!!!! WAAAAAGGGGHHH!!!!!
The ships head in, going into an almost suicidal dive, in formation, until the speed boyz on the helm could feel their eyeballs being pushed into their heads. Then, massive chunks of rock fly from the hull. Each one is reinforced by metal, and each one carries many, many boyz. They crash landed at the sight, devastating the area. From the wreckage, boyz crawled out and began following their task master's orders. Discipline was much higher in Krim's troops than most Ork Bosses, and there was little bickering or violence between his troops. There was some, but no more than can be avoided. After dropping the boyz, they all began chanting. The chanting grew in intensity and volume with each repitition.
Waaaggghh!!!
The warphead attached to the Imperial ship twitched, and green sparks began to shoot from his metal cap. The engines flair, and the ships pull out of the dive and begin to ascend back to space.
Waaaggghh!!!
The five ships raced upward at massive speeds, propelled by the speed boyz' crazed button mashing and the weirdboyz' fit of jerks and mad gibbering. The patched together, junky ships flew at top speed towards the space battle and opened fire on the nearest enemy ships. The well armed imperial ships are dangerous enough, but with ork lack of concern for the crew's life and their love of massive weaponry, they had fixed many missile pods, lectric kannons, looted gunz, and a wide variety of nasty imperial weaponry from larger, better armed ships, jurry rigged to the hull of the metal beast. The Weirdboyz' fury was not without its price, however, as two of the ships simply disintegrated when green, psychic energy lashes out of the hull.
WAAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!!!
The remaining three ships move on to ram the remaining ships with the long "Spike" the orks fixed to the front of the vessel, having expended their ammunition in the first massive volley. Projected by a Warphead's vicious power, charged by the mass of green below him, the ships had become vast missles themselves. A skeleton crew of boyz, well armed with Power Klaws, explosives, and burnas, waited for the crashes with gleeful smiles, ready to rush aboard the enemy ships, using the crash as a boarding action. They would not be enough to defeat any of the ships, but such a chaotic hoard of orks trained in the use of explosives (with the scars and missing fingers to prove it) and special weapons would be a vicious battle that may cripple the ships. That is, if any of them survive.

[zergling001]

"Sir! Xenos sighted. Orks have arrived and attacked some Imperial Cruisers! Awaiting further orders!"

Lucius stared at the tactical screen, watching the orks ram their ships into the Imperials.

"My word, they're boarding them. Bah! Concentrate all your fire onto the Fallen's ship, especially the one that hid behind a strike cruiser. I'll take this ship and another with me to bolster the Imperials. May your weapons strike true. Ship master Mephisto, you're with me."

The fleet fired a salvo of missiles towards the traitor ships, then following with a salvo of lance missiles. A few carefully aimed shots struck some of the weaponry onboard the Fallen ships, detonating in larger explosions. Then, two ships broke off and headed towards a more valuable boarded ship, flanking it while firing it's weaponry at the ork ships.

"Commence boarding procedures! Brother Jasman, lead a boarding squad to free them of these xenos. Show no mercy, let none escape."

A man standing in the shadows moved up to the Ship master and kneeled. Then, he stood and nodded, gripping his power sword. After a moment, he stood up and raced off towards the hangar.

Lucius watched the man run as he turned back towards his tactical screen.

"Captain Xavius, where is the Inquisitioner? If he continues to tarry, all shall be lost."

Planetside, Asmodai had one thought after hearing the xenos coming.

[ChronicLunacy]

Iron Snakes/Imperial Fleet

As the Scylla was much more nimble than the Chaos Lord's huge battle barge, it slipped deftly aside when the larger ship tried to maneuver between it and the planet and dividing the fleet. However, this gave the approaching Ork ships a perfect target. Captain Xerxes issued calm and decisive orders to turn the strike cruiser into the approaching wave and went to full speed in response, matching them insane charge to insane charge while firing all forward weapons. In support of the fleet's command ship, the frigate Furious, faster even than the strike cruiser, overtook Scylla and turned to present its broadside to the Orks just as their paths intersected. Scylla was spared the impact of all but a single ship, which crashed into its flank as it turned off of its path and away from the floating wreck of Furious and the ships that had rammed it. The doomed frigate and its Ork counterpart(s) were left clinched in a suicidal deathlock as they began to spiral towards the surface of Aquileus.

"Brother-Sergeant. We may have uninvited guests. If you would kindly take Proteus Squad and deal with the problem, I would be most appreciative. Captain Xerxes remarked to Rasmus, who was already on his way off of the bridge. Then, responding to Lucius on his tac screen, the Captain said, "Have faith, brother. He should be showing up any minute now."

[zergling001]

Lucius nodded and bowed.

"I apologize for my lack of faith. I shall fast after the battle."

A small ship turned from the fleet and raced towards the two ships falling towards the planet. It changed course and rammed the ork ship, sending metal and parts flying. The ork ship drifted away as the small ship came to a stop. It slowly turned towards the furious and began to move extremely slowly.

As expected, the ork ship had caused some severe damage to the small ship. The ship moved up to the furious and fired a towing wire towards the ship. Slowly, the ship slowed from it's freefall towards the planet and began to return, slowly, back to the edge of the battlefield. As the ship was towed, a few thunderhawks were released from the hangar bay and these dropped off some space marines. The space marines set up a perimeter around as they stood ready to escort the wounded aboard the ship.

Planetside, Asmodai had finished his area of defence and presighting every inch of it to make sure he perfected it. A perfection freak some called him, but it was perfection that was effective in battles. He looked in the direction of the fallen marines. And gripped his sword angrily. Controlling his urges, he stopped and instead watched the orks land on the planet.

"Fall in men, prepare for an assault! There's a Waagh here."

Lucius waited before speaking again.

"Fire the melta missiles towards that Chaos Capital ship. All of them and if one misses, the crew will be punished. With the loss of the capital ship, they'll crumple."

Sergeant Jonson led his two boarding squads aboard the boarded ship, charging towards the orks. Brother Jalias fell as a bolt round took off his head in a bloody explosion. Jonson himself took a hit to the neck but didn't stop charging towards the orks. Jumping into the ork mob, he crushed an ork and cleaved his head open before moving on to the next. The rest of the marines joined in, cutting down some orks and losing a few of their own men. Sergeant Jonson was able to slice down another ork before a power klaw went through his armor, throwing him out of the battle. He gasped as he got to his feet. Half of his stomach had been blown off. Limping towards the battle, he still fought, even as his wounds clotted and reopened.

Another marine fell as a power klaw cleaved right through him but was able to thrust his power sword into the face of the ork that clawed him. The pair fell to the ground, unmoving in a pool of blood. Though taking heavy casualties, the marines refused to give ground. Service unto death, eternal glory thereafter. That was the oath they swore as they joined the ranks of the Chapter and never would they or could they break that oath.

[First Speaker]

Grand Inquisitor Belisarius Reliquitus

'Commence Warp entry in thirty seconds and counting. Non-essential ship systems are being powered down in pursuit of silent entry.'

The navigator's voice rang out hoarsely throughout the corridors of the ship. He had been standing, guiding the Winter's Stair through a series of turn-on-a-throne jumps for some two hundred and seventy-three hours now, and was on the verge of catatonic exhaustion. He was somewhat disadvantaged, in this respect; the Sisterhood had little need for sleep - the less about them that he knew, to be honest, the better - the Astropaths had been sedated lest they reveal the position of the ship to listening ears; the other navigators were being kept fresh in cryonics, and the Inquisitor - well, he didn't look as if he was in a state that still required regular rests.

They had been following the spoor of an Abaddonite Battle Barge all the way from the Cadian Gate - a hapless job where to be too swift would be to end up with their light scout vessel trading broadsides with a battleship, but to be too slow would be to lose the scent entirely, and thus to allow a Chaos Lord go on a merry rampage throughout Imperial Space. This time, however, Belisarius had predicted that Mercutio would stop. They had him.

We jump in five. All hands, brace for turbulence.

The Winter's Stair shone for a moment as if suffused by a sun's corona, then vanished -

_/ _/ _/

- and, with the same flash, the ship's gellar fields powered down - spinning slowly in the frictionless space, the Adeptus Telepathica vessel lay in orbit around a small, aged sun.

'We are there?'

The words were written on a dataslate, held up in front of his face.

The navigator hated her. Hated her with a nauseated, gut-instinct, passion. Yes, he knew that her blank status was vital to the mission at hand, and he had worked with her emperor-knows how many times before, but she was still just ... wrong.

Ye-yes, miss. We've made a clean warp jump, and now are in orbit around Aquileus. Shall I ... er ...

Scratch, scratch, scratch went the stylus on the data slate.

Tell the Grand Inquisitor? Yes, I think that would be a good idea. I shall go, to brief the militant.

With that, the Oblivion Knight turned and left, her long Telepathica coat dragging along the ground. She fumbled with the door locking system for a short while, finally hitting the pads in the correct combination. Of course, he thought with a twinge of sympathy stirring in his heart, it cannot be easy for her. She had, the better to ensure her spiritual purity for the Emperor, sewn up her mouth and eyes.

_/ _/ _/

The navigator staggered forth through the corridors of the ship. That last jump - the finesse of it, the accuracy! - had cost him dearly, and dancing spots of light were beginning to cloud his vision. He climbed up the spiralling staircase to the Inquisitional quarters with difficulty, leaning on his staff after each step. The door creaked open - its seals hissing softly, calmingly, sleepi- cut that out, he couldn't afford that now.

Grand Inquisitor - we have successfully arrived in orbit around the Aquileus system. The ritual of systems checking shows green across the board. Initial systems check indicates the presence of ... of multiple hostile targets, as well as several ships of the Adeptus Astartes. They're kicking up a fair fuss ...

The Grand Inquisitor raised his head from an ancient Terran text, blazoned with the phrase 'Arcana Coelestia'. The great lens of his face transfixed the visitor.

You have done well, getting us this far. Soon, Emperor, soon! For that, I thank you. We can now begin a further scanning sweep - we shall comprehend them, and in comprehending them, do the work of Humanity.

Thank you, Grand Inquisitor. Now that that has happened, may I be rel ...

In mid-sentence, the navigator's eye twitched, and he collapsed to the floor. Belisarius surged forward, a dozen whip-like pseudo-limbs hastening to check the prone figure's pulse, blood pressure, haemoglutinous content.

Poor him. Burnt out, a psychic husk - he would certainly live, and possibly navigate again, but would never be a real person any more - all that was left of his soul was ash.

It was a such a great shame, really. He did not even know this boy's name.

[purepolarpanzer]

The ork ship rocketed to the planet's surface, a flying, burning missile. It crashed into the ocean, a burnt husk. The ship's crew and boarders were charred skeletons, roasted on the way in.

Another ship was chaos. One group of boarders fought a group of space marine counter-boarders. However, the smallest group, a second one on the ship, cautiously made their way onto the Iron Snakes ship.

The orks fighting the against the counter-boarders found themselves hard pressed. After one marine got up after being laid low by a mighty power klaw, they almost lost their nerve and ran for it. The Nob who wounded the lead marine watched Jonson rise, however, hand hatched a different plan. Taking his slugga, he took careful aim, lining up his shot, and threw the gun at the wounded Seargent's side. The gun smashed into the wound, causing heavy damage with the sharp and pointy bitz pushed by a heavy, clunky piece of metal's mass. This was not enough to save, poor Frigget, who tried to assault Jonson immediately after he fell to his knees. The Marine quickly raised his sword and impaled the poor ork, who squealed as he died. However, Nob Bicker, freed of his ranged weapon, grabbed another choppa from a dead mate and charged in from another angle. While the blade was caught in the still struggling ork, Bicker smashed through the marine commander with his power klaw, removing the head and shoulders of the man with a single blow. The Nob leaped back into battle, swinging the massive klaw with fervor. A burna, switched from its normal massive gout to a thin, blue flame, ripped into another marine like a kan opener, burning the man inside his armor. The ork's numbers were low, but the marines were falling fast, determined as ever to fight to the death. They might win this fight, but after it they wouldn't have the force to do anything important. A single charge would sweep their number after they finally beat the marines down, but they fought on, ignorant of this.

The second group slowly made their way into the Snake's ship in the middle of the battle. Comprised of the sneakiest boyz in the raid, this group of cunning boyz volunteered for Krim's "special duty". Carrying massive amounts of bombs, explosives, and ammunitition, only ten orks moved in after the battle started. Nob Wiggit led his boyz in slow and steady, avoiding any fighting while the main force distracted the marines. Finding their way to a room of cargo storage, they silently pulverised the head of a patrolling marine using a big choppa. Leaving it on the ground, they began searching through the containers, mumbling and grumbling in orkish fashion, looking for something explosive, corrosive, flammable, or any of the other fun words these orks had learned to read in humie.

The last ship, which missed the Scyla entirely, took the majority of the fire from the attacking Imperial ships. Parts of it were only gouting flame, and the majority of the orks aboard had cooked in their boots, ready to rush aboard an enemy ship. The Weirdboy, however, was still sparking and giggling as always. The intense battle aboard the ship above was causing him to shake uncontrollably. His eyes flashed green, and light began to leak out his mouth. Fueled by the anger of the green tide, he giggled one last time and uttered a single word.

Boom.

The ship imploded, and a wave of green energy surged outwards in an expanding bubble. While the main explosion only rocked the other ships, the wave of green psychic force blasted over sensor arrays, weapons systems, and communications, scrambling them all. While only lasting a few seconds, for a few pristine seconds not a single shot was fired by any ship. The speeding hulks were relatively quiet as frustrated pilots tried to repair their systems. However, after only five or six seconds, all systems mysteriously came online again. And so the fight continued.

On the ground, Krimscrag smacked a slow gretching, very nearly killing the small worker. It recovered quickly, and hammered faster on the mek's new shop to avoid future pain. The settlement was going up nicely, with squigherders already pushing along the bouncing, violent little beasts in order to farm more. The boyz were shoveling food at the large central hut as a few meks set turrets up around the perimeter. These large metal towers each held a boy behind armored walls with a large looted gun on a swivel. On each looted gun, a massive scope showed the truth about the landscape. If anyone tried to sneak in, these towers would know, and eliminate them, whether they be tau stealthsuits or eldar tricksters.

[First Speaker]

The Winter's Stair

The door flew open, and Belisarius strode forth into the CIC of the ship, Ysha at his side. He looked expectantly to the commanding Navigator, who nodded to him.

Behold, the Battle Barge - the traitor Battle Barge. We have it on our aura-scry now. Our enemy hide their stinking Chaos hearts in metal boxes.


Cowards,

Belisarius muttered under his breath. They self-evidently could not face the inevitable forward creep of the forces of light, and humanity. It had been - what was it? - thirteen 'crusades', and each time the Traitor Lunar Wolf had failed. Even the mightiest of the mighty, the Chosen of the Chaos gods, could not capture a single world, defended by the men of the Imperial Guard. And yet this Mercutio did not put down his arms in surrender now? For shame, for shame.

The novator nodded; he had heard the ensuing line of speech many times before, but need one become weary if one's sustenance of heart was so full of hope and truth?

Fools, indeed.

We ... we should take away their protection. Strip away the self-boxing-in of hate, delusion, stupidity - let shine the light of the truth into their filthy souls. For ten thousand years of human suffering has shown the supremacy of humanity over its demons - and, in our own, small way, we shall show it here. I am glad to think of the pain of the Chaos powers when all that they have built up in their champion Mercutio is sent back to them, broken, unmade, bloodied. They should know that the light of Mankind is coming - yes, even to them.

Ysha smiled silently, the scars deforming and twisting over her face, at his words. Today would be a good day for the light of man.

[zergling001]

Lucius spotted the Inquisitioner's ship as it entered the system and ordered his ship to fire upon one of the boarded ships. Lance, plasma and melta all struck the ship, slicing right through the void shields and armour instantly. Not heeding the life upon the ship, Lucius ordered one more barrage and the ship exploded. One lance to the engine and boom. Another boom was in the list. Lucius watched as a chaos lance hit his ship.
"Status."
"Sir, we've taken some damage to one of the plasma generators. Energy levels will be dropping to 80% for the time being. We've got servitors working on it as we speak."
"Have it done in five. Maximum. Cut all power to the engines, avert all energy to the batteries. Fire all missiles towards the chaos capital ship. Ship Master Gabriel, have Ezekiel prepare a boarding squad. Board on my mark. Inquisitor, use your powers and we shall purge the fallen from the system. Act quickly, we cannot tarry any longer. Captain Xerxes, I request some reinforcements on Aquileas I. We may need aid."
Lucius took a deep breathe as another lance struck the ship. The entire ship shuddered. It's void sheild could not hold forever. The Company Ship moved back towards the fleet, which opened up to allow the ship in.
Sigh
"Damage report."
"Ship master, we have sustained a lance to our shield generators. We're going to be without a shield for a few minutes. Scouts report that several casualties have been sustained. The ship can take about five more lances without the shield. We've diverted all servitors towards that section. Power decreasing to 60%."
"Blast! Ezekiel, stand by."
"I hear your call. Several squads of sword veterans are with me. We are boarding our assault pods. The capital ship will be ours if we board. Guarenteed."
The hooded man gripped his power sword tightly and several marines heard a 'pop!' and blood gushed down his face. A vein most likely. That wasn't a surprise. The power sword crackled, blue energy being transferred from the mans hand onto his sword.
The man took his seat among his men and was silent. A small aura seemed to be coming from him and the marines around him felt a rush of adrenaline and willpower.
'Prepare for launch.'

[WhiteKnight777]

Kleinhart

Kleinhart grimaced and cursed under his breath at what he read on the warp-scanner. He was standing in the bowels of the ship, facing the two heavily-shielded pods, preparing the necessary rituals of release and control... and now... this. Another Inquisitor, Emperor damn their eyes. If they interfered, all would be lost. He ordered the captain to run quiet as he pondered his options - should he unleash his forces anyway? should he risk his own destruction? Or would the newcomer be able to eliminate the chaos threat without his intervention? He cursed again, and ordered the captain to keep them in stealth - better to wait and see...

[tribble]

Cicero
Cicero frowned yet again. another Ship had entered the system and was "flying the colors" as it were, of the Inquisition.
"What in all the Warp and beyond is going on?" He wondered aloud.
"sir?" a Dark Tech-priest inquired.
"never mind. An Additional Inquisitorial Ship has entered the system.this rapid escalation is-"One of the possesed Keened.
"For the Gods' sakes, you, Stop Doing That!" Cicero snapped.
"well, at least that ship is out of engagement range for now. have we maneuvered any ships between us and the Planet?"
"a single Carrier, my lord."
"Good enough. fire a salvo of Magma Bombs on a trajectory that takes them through the carrier on my mark...Fire."
over three dozen Magma Bombs issued from the belly of the Battle Barge, falling murderously towards the hull of the carrier.

Mercutio

Mercutio looked around at the ramshackle camp the Orks had made, impressed at the speed with which they had set up.
"Krimscrag! Krimscrag, I have come!" Not recieving an immediate reply, he plucked a grot off the ground, held it up to his face and snarled, "Take me to Krimscrag Backstabba or I will perform such things upon you as to shame the Dark Eldar."

[zergling001]

Lucius stared towards the battle barge of the chaos.
"It is as useless to me as it is to the interrogator chaplains. It has been tainted and must be purged. Ship master Gabriel, you know what to do. Emperor bless your soul- it was for the Imperium."
"Aye, good luck Lucius. Emperor be with you." came the reply. The escort drifted away from the fleet, then charged straight towards the battle barge, coming against heavy fire. Firing every single weapon it had at on point, the escort charged. As the energy struck the great void shield of the battle barge, it couldn't hold. With supporting fire from the rest of the fleet, it began to falter, and at that moment, the escort struck. Crashing through into the battle barge had shaken the entire crew and Gabriel had just gotten to his feat.
"Ezekiel, go." To the crew, Gabriel nodded. "Activate the warp drives. Let's end this." As the hum of the warp drive began to be heard, all the crew had left their controls, all in prayer. As the Angel Star's weapons struck the escort, vast amounts of damage were apparent. Gabriel led in prayer, whispering one last word before joining his crew.

Asmodai had anticipated the orks to build quickly, yet was surprised. The discipline of the orks amongst the chaos. He had expected a battle to break out, for it was "un-orklike" so to speak. Any way they would all have to die, either his men or the orks and traitors. Asmodai walked towards the center of the camp and looked upwards, anticipating something. Two drop pods struck the ground and out from it burst two squads of men. Another hooded man was amongst them and he immediatley walked to Asmodai.
"Company Master, we have arrived."
"Good, then we can start to convene Ezekiel. Set up a connection between us and the chapter master (may his eternal glory last forever)."
The area around them began to crackle as Ezekiel concentrated. Men around them could feel the rush of wind and energy around them as a small aura began to emit from his and the company master's head.
"Chapter Master Astellan."
"Supreme Company Master Asmodai, what ails you?"
Ezekiel glanced at Asmodai, eyebrows raised.
"We require assistance. There are more enemies in the system than usual, including two inquisitors. I'm surprised they haven't attacked us yet."
"Two inquisitors. In the same system? Why haven't they attacked you yet?"
"They know not of our plight. The battle is too consuming, I guess."
"We shall send a company. But, it will be some time. Hold off for a week and we shall assist you. Emperor help you."
"Emperor speed you. Time is running out."
The connection ended and Ezekiel took in a deep breath. "That was eventful."

[Rayzin]

The commisar stared bleakly through the bridges window. Through the window a green blue orb floated, Aquileus, even from this far in space he could tell of the planets beauty. The commisar sighed, real land was a beautiful thing especially after two months stuck in a ship. On the way here a freak warp storm had hit wiping out and splintering most of the Cadian 521st Airborne Shock Battalion, the other battle ship was gutted and more than half the regiment was killed or lost. Only 4 of the 15 companies survived and a huge part of the ship was torn out though nothing important was damaged.
"Captain, when can the battleship land on Aquileus?"
Zhang hated the Captain. He was disrespectful; he treated a commisar like a friend. There was nothing more that Zhang wanted to do than turn around and shoot the man, watch his head disappear in a blue inferno as the plasma pistols flame consumed it. Flicking the guns safety on and off he debated the notion and finally common sense prevailed as he turned it on.
"I dont care about the damage or the gravitational pull, I want to know when we can land...... The ship useless as it is! I couldn’t care less unless the ship spontaneously combusts……. Excellent, once we enter orbit send out 2 companies to scout the area. Meanwhile keep on broadcasting an Imperial hail."
__________________________________________________ _________________
“Let’s go men, get your kits ready and your hellguns checked. We’re nearing the drop site.” Senior Officer Daniel had plenty of experience from the training exercises. The worst that could happen to them was a mislanding where they miss their drop zone or if their packs stopped working. “Thirty seconds! Once you land, take cover. We’ll use prisms to signal each other. Scout the area and set up a perimeter. Remember to use your flares if enemies are sighted. Radio in if you find allied units or the Space Marines. Alright, you five,” pointing at a squad of stormtroopers, “are with me. We also need to set up a vox. Once you’ve reached the Space Marines, we’ll do that. If they jam our radios, use flares.” The airborne company began to move towards the side of the ship.
“Go airborne, go!” yelled the pilot, who slowed the ship down for the landings. Somewhere AA fire was being employed. “We’re being hit hard!” a wing was struck by a missile and it ripped off. The ship began to dip left and right, trying to maintain balance. An alarm began to sound and the pilots struggled to keep the ship in the air.
“Bail out!” Senior officer Daniel cried and jumped off into the ruins of the city with his squad. The poor pilots and a few men crashed into a building, demolishing it as it smashed into it. Officer Daniel got to his feet and signalled his men to follow him. Looking around, Daniel was shocked. He had anticipated misdrops but not on such a large scale. He could barely see anyone, save his squad and three others, who were scattered. Checking his radio, he found that it was still functioning.
“All squad leaders report in now.” Static, “Squad leaders, report in, I repeat, report in.” More static. “Damn…they did jam us.” Daniel muttered angrily and crouched in a ruined room. His squad followed suit, taking cover inside the room with overturned tables. No signs of occupation of both enemies and friendlies.
“Alright men, listen up. We’re scattered pretty bad here. We’ll gather as many people as we can on our way to our objective. Let’s get the hell out of here.” He and his men stood and ran over to the three men, who were taking cover in a crater.
“Sir! We’re missing our squad leader sir. Not to mention a bunch of our men.”
“Ok, fall in with my squad and we’ll move towards our objective, picking up stragglers on our way. Move out.” The group of men moved up the street, scanning the surroundings as they moved.

[purepolarpanzer]

The gretchin squeaked in fear, rushing off through the camp. Dodging past ork feet as the brutes carried heavy bundles of scrap metal to the meks and the burna boyz, who were putting some of the finishing touches on the Big Mek's shop. Huts were built, and gun piles were strewn across the field as boyz strapped on their armor and picked up their favored weapons. The grot dodged a trukk, the first one of the Waaagghh, as it peeled out, pulling a crane meant to assemble even bigger projects. Making a final dash through the squig pens (at top speed, and he still almost lost a leg), the gretchin tapped Krimscrag on the back, whispering gently in the ork's ear while standing on a box. Nodding silently, Krim left the construction of the mek's place to meet his new guest.
So, Chaoz Lord. Welcome to da headquartas. We just about ready ta start buildin some real good mekky bitz, and all da boyz are already ta go. We'se got more comin already from the ground, and we got plenty of good gunz for now. If you got any scrap, we can take it an make it Orky. Or ya could just let me get my hands on some of them bombs ya promised! We can have some REAL fun wit dose!
Krim smiled widely, showing large, sharp teeth. His massive bulk stood just over the Chaos Lord, but since he was paying, Krim took a knee to seem a little shorter than the man. Several Nobz with powerklaws flanked their Boss, sharp appendages powered down but present to show the strength of the troop as well as impress how unwise it would be to pull something on Krimscrag.

[tribble]

Cicero
"Damage Report, you worthless cyborg, Tzeentch damn your eyes!" Cicero bellowed into the Dark Adept's face.
"The void shields have failed and our hull is compromised. we're losing oxygen, and whatever crew was in the rammed section."
"Seal the damaged section off, and dispatch Terminators to scour the entire ship for Boarders."
Cicero scowled at the tactical screen.the Imperials would have to hold their fire to avoid blowing what was left of the strike cruiser to shrapnel, but he would have to put off shooting at them until the Void shields were prepared.

Mercutio
Mercutio inclined his head and shoulders slightly in a courtly bow to the Warboss.
"I thank you for your cordial welcome, Warboss Krimscrag. now, If you could follow me out of the camp, I will demonstrate those "unique" grenades I mentioned. I prefer to make the demonstration out of the camp because these grenades are likely to render the area they are deployed in uninhabitable for even your own race."

[zergling001]

Ship Master Gabriel

Gabriel stood, gripping his power sword, one that he hadn't touched for five months. He looked grimly around the crew, shaken and still with their undying will for the Emperor. Fine, he would give it to them. Picking out almost all of the crew members, save ten, he told them they would charge and hold off the defenders as the warp drive charged. To his first officer, he whispered a few words. Then, he began to de-pressurize the ship. Hissing was heard as the men prepared to leap out of their ships, power swords were aplenty among them. The ship had charged long enough to fire its lance canons and weapons one last time before it had used all of it's energy. The hissing stopped and the doors began to open. Leaving the ship, Gabriel found that the area was completly sealed. He had hoped for a fight before his last hour. He asked the first officer what the warp drives energy levels were at. The first officer seeing this looked at the warp drive.
It was completly charged.
"Emperor protect us." and the a button went down.

The ship began to shudder as the Angel star began firing upon it. But not enough was able to stop it. The two ships began to fade, and dissapeared through the warp. Every man out there prayed silently for the souls lost aboard the ship.

Asmodai, Aquileus

Asmodai stared as the valkyrie ship smashed into the building. Some men had jumped off-no about twenty. Imperial Guard. He had heard of the 521st. Lost half of it's legion already. Turning towards some men, he gave them curt orders. Those men set off with their scout armour on and ran into the city, armed with sniper rifles. Moving up the streets, they whispered into their radios as they went. Clear up. Clear down. That banter. As they moved up the streets, they saw a man moaning in pain. He had just had his leg impaled on a sharp slab of rubble. As the scouts moved to help the man, his leg moved and the entire thing was ripped off the poor man. His body hit the ground as the marines rushed to his body. He turned around and began to fiddle with a grenade. The scouts looked questioningly at him. Raising their sniper rifles, ready to shoot, they gave him one message. Drop it or die. The man chose the second option, knowing his commanding officer would probably kill him anyways if he failed. Pulling the pin, he lobbed the grenade up into the air. Five bolt rounds struck his head, which collapsed both ways. The scouts watched the grenade fly into the air and explode.
"Damn! A flare?" The lead scout exclaimed looking at the poor man. His twisted and mangled remains-wait don't look at that. The flare flew high up for all to see. And then defused.

Spoiler

Show

OOC: I changed everything so...I hope this helps a bit... sorry for the failiure to comply- try not to do that in the future. And, Tribble, you can do w/e you want just before the ships begin to warp. Unless you don't care about that.

[Rayzin]

Xie could hardly wait to get outside. Strolling along the corridors he watched as the numerous guards and crew members scuttled around unloading supplies, it was like watching an ant farm. As he exited the Cruiser’s gate he was glad to see the munitorium post was set up and the guards were already establishing base defences.
Where he walked the crowds split and every reprimand made the guards worked faster. Sadly some insubordinate crew members resting by the ship were made an example of; it was a terrible waste of grenades. At this rate the crew of the Retribution battle ship will have its numbers reduced to under a thousand within the next few months, of course it wasn’t that bad. Mankind is as bad as ants. Both of them are easy to crush and disposable, the difference was ants don’t stop working. People give in to temptations and comfort so easily, once they go down this path the cursed chaos can take over easily. As a commissar it is my duty to stamp this rot that infects our golden Imperium out and crush it, only by embracing and devoting ourselves to the God-Emperor on Terra can we struggle through life.
__________________________________________________ __________
Senior officer Daniel watched the flare go up and motioned for his men to come. They watched the flare and marked its positions on their data slates.
“Move out. Looks like they found something.” As the moved up the streets, they crouched inside another crater.
“Hey, Mike, try and get a hold of the others. See where they’re at.”
“Yes sir” The man began to dial in numbers inside his radio.
“Angels four four, angels four four, do you copy?” Static. “I repeat, Angels four four, do you copy?” Static. Then just as he was about to tell Daniel, it came to life.
“Angels four four, we copy you over.”
“Copy that, what is your position?”
“We’re pretty scattered over here. We got five men. Coordinates are wait…05 67. We see the flare. Moving to that position now. Also, beware-the servers are being tracked by chaos.”
“Copy that, out. We’ll see you there. Emperor help you.”
“As to you.”
The marines moved quickly up the street. They had heard the gunfire.
“Cover!” The marines dropped. After doing a scan of the area, they reported it clear. Moving more cautiously this time, they went up the street. Gradually, they saw the flare, burnt out on the ground. Then they saw the marine that through it. His mangled remains on the rubble, missing oh gods, was that a leg? The man looked as if he was shot. “Take cover, scan the area!” Senior officer Daniel took cover behind a large piece of rubble, looking around. He heard a few rocks falling and whirled around. A scout marine walked up behind him, sniper rifle cocked. “Whoa, friendlies. I’m Senior Officer Daniel, 521st.”
“Scout squad. Friendlies.”
“Copy that. Where are you guys holed up? ‘Cause we got some of our men scattered around here. I wanna hang around to make sure they get here.”
“Understood. You have two hours.”
“Copy that. MEN! We’re holing up here.”

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Qrezinak the Unforgivable

As his flagship, Blades Torment followed by the smaller escorts, Razor Sky and Black Parade Qrezinak could not help but smile. The brutes in this system were already well on their way to killing one another, leaving Qrezinak free to raid and take slaves as he pleased. But no, that would be too easy. His warriors thirsted for the thrill of blood and battle, the quick kill, he would wait for a time, and he would strike when at an opportune time. His ships were all hidden to the brutish and slow auguries of the other vessels, their sensors to unsophisticated to detect them as they slipped, like a razor blade in the black void, into the system. His ships had arrived on one side of the world, to his "left" were the explosions and ships that heralded the battle of the mon-keigh, the orks, and the other lessers that seemed to constantly murder one another in their barbaric and simple desires to control the stars. To his "right" there was the open space near the planet below, free of enemies or any to get in his way, as the world below glittered like a gem, ready to be plucked out from under the insignificant noses of the ugly creatures that fought over it. Ordering his ships to turn right, and orbit the planet at a slow pace, so that they would not get involved with the enemies before he was prepared to do so, Qrezinak smiled, and then sneered behind his bone-mask. This world will never know what hit it

[Zasabi]

OOC: I'm going to assume there's still some fighting going on on the ground and whatnot.

"By The Ethereals," Zas'Abi muttered as he looked out across the tortured battlefield, electroscope in hand. He had stepped out of his Crisis suit to view the battlefield personally from the lip of the bluff he had found conveniently placed some distance from the Beacon's signal.

It had been just their luck that they had landed upon one of the most heavily contested worlds known to the Imperium and Tau alike. His scope was able to pick out what easily could be seen as a tide of Orks fighting off a number of Gue'la armored infantry, or as he believed they were known as, Space Marines, along with a large number of entrenched Gue'la infantry with the added armored support they were known for. Off in the distance, he could see evidence of both the Greenskin base camp and the Imperial fortifications, beyond which their target lied.

A query buzzed into his ear comm as he watched. "Shas'el?" Asked Sho'Niel, his voice unconcerned as always. "What do you make of the situation?"

The Shas'el made a noise of disapproval. What they could really make use of was a team of Stealth Suits, or Pathfinders. As it was, this was a mission that demanded stealth, and they were sorely equipped for this.

Still, by the Ethereal's Will, this had to be done. Either they had to recapture the suit, or destroy it- For them to do otherwise would be to fail in the name of the Greater Good.

"We will proceed cautiously. Let us circle around their lines, and approach the Imperial camp from behind. We will get as close to the Beacon's location as we can, and then I and the Shas'las shall proceed on foot. Anything larger would be too obvious. You and Mael'tros shall guard the Devilfish- without a method of escaping the planet with the prototype, "

Sho'Niel offered a satisfactory grunt, closing the comm channel. Mael'tros popped on for a moment to confirm his instructions before following suit. Zas'abi looked once more upon the battlefield before standing and making his way back to the Battlesuit. His long face betrayed nothing of the doubt he felt in regards to their completion of the mission.

This is a most dangerous game we are playing. Truly, the Ethereals must be with us for this mission to succeed. In the name of the Greater Good, I can only hope we get Very Lucky...

[purepolarpanzer]

Let's git movin then. I'm takin soma my boyz with me, but just ta help keep us safe. Dere's all kindsa imperial stuff out there. You might wanna bring some tuff boyz too.

MegaNobz moved to flank their warlord. The bulkiest and most cumbersome of Krim's forces, they were usually his own personal bodyguard, there to keep bullets away from their commander.

Afta you, Lord.

[ChronicLunacy]

Scylla/Proteus Squad

While the pitched battle between the ship's crew and the main party of boarders continued, the ten space marines of Brother-Sergeant Rasmus's Proteus Squad responded to a second alarm that had been sounded the moment one of the orks had busted down a door somewhere along the way to munitions storage. The Scylla was a professional military ship, which meant that only those with appropriate credentials could get into the more sensitive areas without resorting to brute force, and that included anything that might be liable to explode. No matter how sneaky the orks might try to be, it was literally impossible to get there without breaking something along the way. So, using their superior knowledge of the ship's layout, they set up a surprise for the incoming ork boyz.

In the outer area, Brother Jude had quickly slathered "FLAMMABLE" and "DANGER" over a few crates of empty shell casings and the squad had shoved the large boxes up flat against a far wall. They'd concluded that, orks being orks, there was only one reason that they might find their way to munitions storage. So, they should give them exactly what they intended to find. Their trap set, the Iron Snakes hide behind another set of thick, metal containers to give themselves appropriate cover.

Unfortunately, it was that moment that one of the ship's crew decided to make an inspection. The man was just wondering to himself why the storage routines had not been properly followed when the ork sabotage team came through the door behind him. One burly ork laid him out with one savage blow from its weapon and left him there to bleed while they began looking for "splodey" things with much mumbling and grunting. Rasmus tightened his grip on his holy bolter, righteous fury running through him like a live wire at the man's death, but he held back until it seemed like all of the foul xenos had made their way through the door. Only then did he produce two quick taps in his microbead transmitter.

Ten clangs sounded on the deck plating. Looking down, the orks might have been experienced enough to remember what frag grenades looked like, and that they had four-second timers. Of course, the marines had held them for two before tossing them.

The fragmentation grenades weren't powerful enough to do a lot of damage to the surrounding cargo, nor where they any threat to the integrity of the ship's hull. They were a favored weapon when it came to blowing apart enemy infantry, and Rasmus wanted to give the orks a favorable first impression. As soon as the grenades landed, the ten space marines popped out of cover, their bolters roaring, trying to reduce the ork team to so much panic and blood. They laid down a curtain of fire, focusing on the ones that seemed to be carrying more "mekky bitz" than the others, for they didn't know what the equipment might be able to do.

Rasmus had a special hatred of orks. A vast WAAAGH had plagued the Reef Stars for many years, taking the lives of many of his brothers in the process. In fact, Proteus had fallen into his hands when an Ork Warboss had killed Brother-Sergeant Credes, his superior. The power sword he now carried had been passed from Credes to Rasmus just as it had to every commander of Proteus Squad since its founding. Rasmus had sheathed it in the Warboss's right eye in a baptism of blood and lead Proteus to victory. Now here the foul greenskins were again...on one of the Iron Snakes' own ships, no less. Rasmus's vox-amplified voice seemed to crash like thunder in the confined space of the cargo room as he gave vent to his fury.

"FOR THE EMPEROR! FOR ITHAKA!! DIE XENOS!!"

[Savant]

Vaunted Hope

Tethra smiled with wicked pleasure as the Grand Cruiser came out of warp, on the far side of the sun. Strapped into his command couch; he watched the display with anticipation as Vaunted Hope emerged from warpspace, it's ancient prow gleaming in the faint light of Sol Aquilei.

"We have reached real space, Lord. Sensors detect a large number of ships in combat, from varying factions. Ork engine signatures, several imperium fleets as well as a Chaos Battlebarge, The Angel Star."

"Indeed? I would imagine that would be Lord Mercutio's flagship. No matter, we are not here for him. Is the Winter's Stair in orbit?"
"No sign Lord, but our navigator was sure that the Inquistor's ship entered this system."

The cultist manning the helm swallowed sharply as he heard the Chaos Lord Magus rise and approach his terminal. Risking a quick glace upward, he could see what felt like insanity radiate from Tethra's eyes. It had been like this when the Magus had taken over the Cult of the Ninth Sign, dispatching the Cultist Leader with no more than a swift stroke of his shimmering sword. Even the Possessed that stalked the hallways of the cruiser were not nearly as dangerous as thier Lord and Master.

"Excellent. I expect the Inquistor to be running silent, so let us begin with our mission. Brings us 15 degrees to port, that will bring us into that solar winds current. It will speed our approach to Aquileus II, and allow us to launch Dreadclaw Assault boats to the planet, so we may take advantage of the combat in orbit to descend to the planet first. Have the Thrall Wizards mask our approach from the other Astropaths, it will make our drop go much more smoothly."

Obediently the massive Grand Cruiser entered the Solar Current, increasing it's speed twofold to approach the planet.

"The Changer of Ways surely is broad in his reach," Tethra mused, seating himself again on the command couch. "The ensuing chaos will prove a benefictual distraction while we claim the artifact for ourselves."

[WhiteKnight777]

Kleinhart

Kleinhart smiled grimly as he watched the Chaos ship being rammed by its Imperial foe. Though he had no wish to reveal his secret at the moment, he could not allow fellow servants of the Emperor to face the foul forces of the Dark Powers alone. With a direct mental command, he ordered his captain to bring them into position. swinging around the planet, the Untained Hart appeared like a vengeful wraith, its weapons glowing as it opened up a broadside on the unprotected stern of the Chaos battleship.

[First Speaker]

Winter's Stair

The ship drifted idly in the still space just between two layers that would see its hull instantly breached and shattered - a turbulent corona of seething solar winds to port, and the solar hard deck, a transition of pressure more dangerous than any planetary surface, on the other. At present, most ship systems were powered down, but the void and gellar shields, which had been unusually powered up to add their weight to the protective bubble, were working overtime, straining brightly against the cleansing wind.

The chief astropath stirred worriedly. He had felt something. Faint, to be sure, but they were even less alone than they had been when they entered the system.

Two more jumps into the system. I can't be utterly sure - they're both cloaked - but I believe that it's those two.

Those two. Well, no use delaying it now. The players were on the table. The game had begun. He turned to the Oblivion Knight, who, in her inimitable way, stood to attention, without any seeming way of perceiving the slight move that he had made.

Ysha; if you please, start now.

She inclined her head, looking at him directly, through unseeing eyes.

Yes, Grand Inquisitor.

She stepped forward, onto the astropathic podium in the centre of the floor and knelt in anticipation, beckoning to one of the junior Navigators, who carried a bulky headset. She approached the kneeling Sister of Silence with extreme unease, being at the point of nearly passing out when such a strong psychic null. Having tentatively edged forward to within five feet, the Navigator dropped the gleaming metallic coronet, and ran sobbing into the arms of her fellow Navis Nobilite. Picking up the device, and inserting one of its long, whip-like uplink cords into an incision in the base of her neck, Ysha closed her eyes, and thought.

_/ _/ _/

On the bridge of the Blades Torment, a figure coalesced out of light, pulsing in time with a human heartbeat. A short, raggedy individual, she began to speak as soon as she was fully present.

Dark kin of the wyches; the soulless ones bring you a message. Hear it wisely, and heed it, for it is doomed to you:

0f d8 ba b5 40 d4 9e fa 03 6f 8a 7e 36 09 52 4d 85 03 4e 15 4f 41 69 de ad 91 8a 3a 30 0b 7f cb cd 12 61 bf 27 7e b9 7c 7d 56 79 37 db 4a 40 d7 5b 1c 64 14 1c 01 58 73 69 19 e1 cf 49 99 be 5e 84 be c9 dc 2b 82 c6 54 87 42 c3 25 a1 6e 76 38 95 ea 60 b7 9e 48 51 37 0b c0 68 b3 47 19 cc 11 98 a4 fc 43 98 7e 4a df 8d 05 87 aa 2c e6 9b 77 7c ff b5 58 d6 24 36 ea 40 80 69 e1 d9 9e 4f 50 2b c0 2c 2c 00 2a 2f 0a 31 46 1c c0 76 97 a4 27 36 f3 81 a0 f6 19 51 13 cf b0 e3 4f a1 c8 14 6c 96 ed d1 6f 25 5f f2 51 de 03 a2 51 49 74 a9 dd 2b b8 4a 67 a1 6a 41 aa 43 ca f1 dd 07 95 71 fb 5d 97 7c 5f d2 9b a7 c4 5d ca 56 ec 0f bf af a2 61 13 7a 8a 7e 32 c4 d0 e2 da 38 13 e2 23 fe 59 47 aa e3 fc 1d 4c ce b9 84 30 3c d0 70 b4 c7 b5 1d 77 f7 8c 15 e9 36 e3 c0 48 a7 74 54 41 ee e2 dd 1f 60 ac d8 79 a7 de 5a 0f 03 47 07 1c 2c 07 5a fd 25 4d ab 6b 66 05 6d 28 ed aa 6f 28 58 43 cf af a3 61 75 6f f8 53 19 23 02 e5 b7 a6 19 36 79 b1 34 a7 7b 89 59 0c 94 3f 0e 56 e4 8c cb e6 57 c3 25 12 fa 7c 0c 37 86 b3 5c bb 46 2b 6d ec ff f0 3e 02 57 25 db 11 23 38 c6 69 df 09 05 f1 42 8f e3 37 84 c3 18 34 52 44 3c 05 72 99 ad 1b 7a 45 91 fc 81 34 54 8c 8f 34 3d d1 43 8e 6b 28 6b a2 ca bf 62 02 67 45 cd fc c0 e0 2e 34 35 b3 dd 1e 65 f6 c8 2c 4b 0f f1 4e fd ed b3 39 ab c7 91 92 6e 57 fe 07 81 35 18 b6 ff b4 00 d5 28 16 2e 67 d3 e1 e6 9f 2e 10 28 c7 2b 00 91 1b 21 2a f9 45 be fb 63 67 23 6f 10 6f 0c b4 2f 8f 8f e3 d4 bb f8 e4 35 bd d2 5a 70 93 8d 19 06 08 db 7b d6 e7 d2 00 05 cf ad 53 5c ac 7c b3 b0 82 cb 0e f7 35 c4 8d 47 d2 68 09 43 62 db b4 e3 1f d4 cf 23 ad eb 8b eb 3d b5 f7 74 58 82 03 d9 c1 d1 ed 6d de 12 55 24 9a f6 26 28 ac ca 64 cd 30 73 7e 0b 15 9c 0f f2 f3 f4 ed 1b 50 7c 0d 09 9d 01 d6 30 fd 85 ee 4b 11 2f b9 7c 84 0f 2a 40 5a d5 cc 16 80 c4 ae 47 0d f0 10 c6 b3 ce 74 a3 ad f6 d8 53 a0 46 79 eb d0 23 98 ac 95 c5 66 f9 db 5f e8 8a 17 3d f0 d2 35 8d 7b 1e d4 14 bc 81 5a e8 0d f8 70 f1 90 f2 c4 78 a0 90 54 64 ae 0a f7 ce 26 33 eb 01 9b 98 c7 9e 62 c9 a5 f5 69 aa 8f ce be 96 82 34 03 ef e5 ca 40 99 13 dd 7b 88 5c 93 56 6a 5f 7e 38 c3 32 b5 e8 5d 5a 49 eb b4 50 0f 57 7e 82 60 75 46 c3 34 6b 40 07 8b bd 90 30 6d 46 d2 71 d4 9a 24 e3 e1 4d 59 30 30 5e 3d ee 27 89 d5 f2 12 1c e0 61 fa 98 b8 9d 8c 3d 34 df b6 4f c7 4e d7 1d 2c a0 ba f1 27 8d 26 7f f4 e6 b2 df cb e9 cd a1 62 de 75 c7 82 10 17 b8 e5 e0 3c 57 d2 6e f7 aa 39 e5 fc 26 a4 d0 4b f6 7e 96 f1 d0 e8 c7 ef 17 f8 1e 24 21 6a 28 24 51 e3 32 00 0d e2 62 50 53 45 0e 4d d9 10 be e3 d1 57 da ef 56 99 9b c0 58 27 a6 5c cb 56 2a 39 30 2f 8e 3d ab 55 f7 57 fa 38 ca fa f7 ee 9e c4 1d 80 5d 0f c1 89 3d c4 19 13 6a 7f 4d 2b d7 4c a9 18 75 77 ea 83 99 22 d6 b2 79 3c 99 ff 61 e5 cc b8 ea 07 5d 35 96 9a 9d 7b 91 11 71 e7 3c f8 3e 2a b7 67 bb 57 6c af 8b 17 89 cf 14 3b a6 1b 8c 1b dc 6d 83 e1 bd 97 b9 91 8a 0f f5 21 68 f1 af 6b 33 ee 5a 76 c2 3f da 54 b9 5f 20 7b 33 99 f4 9e ec 8b 81 e0 31 fe c2 78 9b 59 cf 04 83 8f 52 37 0d 5d 7b 7c 87 ee cf 20 fd d1 69 97 ff c1 f2 d6 0e 57 d8 be 11 df d0 0d 29 10 51 db af c7 91 a9 82 56 33 11 61 23 d8 d4 cf 38 a8
He who listens, let him hear. Res Acta Probat.

And with that, the Winter's Stair vanished out of existence.

Spoiler

Show

Srsly, this will make sense.

[zergling001]

aquileus II planetside

Asmodai waited at the camp, telling his men what mistakes were in the defence. He could not tolerate having the left side of his camp unprotected. The ashamed space marines quickly worked their backs off as they completed the defences. It was perfect-tank traps, mines, heavy bolter nests, a thunder canons, and a hill's advantage. Running upwards towards the enemies with weapons would obviously end in a massacre-unless the enemy was extremely smart and very tactical. While briefing his squad on the situation, he was interrupted. Putting a armoured finger on his micro bead, he listened:
"Company Master, Ship Master Lucius speaking. Gabriel is not amongst us anymore. He was lost during the battle."
"What? His ship was destroyed?"
A grim chuckle. "No, he took the fallen's battle barge with him. Rammed it and warped it to Emperor knows where. But, the situation is getting worse. More enemies are arriving on this planet for who knows what. Something odd is happening-" He was cut off as another man entered the channel.
"Forgive me company master, but we have news to report. Scout report."
"Speak."
"We have found some of the airborne troops. They seem to have landed here looking for us. The 521st they say."
"What is known about them and what do they know of us?"
"I know not, but the way they act, they for sure do not know of our plight. They are waiting for more of the stranded marines to regroup. In two hours, we will be on our way back. One of their main objectives is to set up a vox. Some man named Commisar Xie wants in on this thing."
"Alright, but remember-our failiure to stop the inquisition and the other imperials from finding out what is wrong with us cannot go unpunished."
'Aye. Emperor be with you."
"He is always with us all. See you soon."
Lucius grinned. "Misdrops eh? Ah well, worst comes worst, the most that'll come is probably some orcs, chaos or tau. Hopefully the 521st and our scouts can prove their worth."
"Aye. Keep your distance from the inquisitors. Speak with them if you must. Reveal you must not. Good luck."
"Thank you Asmodai."
"Farewell."

Ezekiel turned as he felt a small prescence in his head. Was it the throbbing from a migraine, or was it the prescence of enemies? Turning to the back of the camp, he looked around. Retreating back to his quarters, he set the watch out on high alert. Alerting Asmodai, the entire camp was alive, troops moving everywhere, scanners moving everywhere. Even the ships began to scan the area. Nothing. Either there was no one there or they were to stealthly. Still on high alert, the marines took cover, knowing they could not fight something they couldn't see, unless they could see it, and by that time, they'ed be dead. Ah, the troubles of war. Ezekiel began to shimmer a bit, a small aura of light shining from his staff and head. Inspiring courage, the 'swords of Caliban' thought they could stop anything that cam their way

The scouts had finished giving their report and turned towards senior officer Daniel and his men. They were smoking and playing cards, with a few on guard duty, also smoking. Fools. They didn't know what they were doing to their lungs. Imagine, a man at such a high altitude with such pressurized oxygen to suddenly choke and fall. Tsk tsk. But, it was only human to do that. Keeping to themselves, the five scouts remained on duty, scanning the area for enemies. None were sighted, though the enemies were on the move.
"Officer Daniel! Get your men together and fall in. No more funny buisness. This one's gonna be hot. NO, we are not telling you which chapter we are from, you only know us by our names, the Swords of Caliban. Our blue armour signifies nothing. No, the adeptus administratum does not keep records of us and no, there are no inquisitors after us. Stop with the questions, grab your gear, and get your squad together. Be ready for some enemies." The scout then turned and trained his rifle on a ork. Too far, and his shot would have given their position away. Still training his aim though, he made sure that if one stepped into his range, boom. No more WAAAGh for you.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Qrezinak the Unforgivable

Qrezinak grinned behind his mask, yes this would do well. He gave instructions straight to the minds of his crew. The Blades Torment, Black Parade, and Razor Sky left their lazy orbit and spend toward their target, still under shadow. An order went out, and warriors prepared to bring bloodshed and terror to their enemies, sharpening blades, checking weapons and practicing their torture on mewling slaves. A small number of warp beasts, their cruel mistresses cracking whips and preparing their skills, were going to go along as well. The same sort of scene was being played out on all three ships, as they charged their guns, and prepared to kill.

The three blade like ships, silvery and shadowed, hiddened from the sensors of all the other ships, moved through space like daggers in the night, aimed for the heart of their foes, and poised to strike at any they chose.

[tribble]

Mercutio
"Of course, Warboss. Ardeth, Non, Calern and Aumedeus, carry that box, and dont drop it either. Ves and Tam, you're my honor guard for this."
they walked for about five minutes to a point some fifty feet outside the camp, and then Mercutio stopped.
"this is as good a place as any to demonstrate. Open that crate!" Mercutio barked.
the four space marines used knives and their own gauntlets to open the crate. when a sizable hole had been pried, Mercutio motioned to them to stop, and reached into the hole. Mercutio was suddenly very appreciative of his face-obscuring helmet, as even he could barely supress a gag as he picked the foul thing out of the box. holding the diseased head at arms length, Mercutio sidearmed the Plague Grenade into a tree, where it blew open like a burst pimple, spraying pus, maggots, and Nurgle only knew what else all over the tree, which immediately began to wither and die.
"Well, Krimscrag? do you want those, or would you prefer some Krak grenades instead?"

[purepolarpanzer]

Throw the kraks on too. Not as fun, but I like dem too. We betta be carful with these, Lord. De'se are too fun to waste on killin boyz or marines.
He jerked his head, and several boyz gingerly picked up the box of Nurgle Grenades, conscious of just how lethal these are. It made them smile.
So lets get krakkin, Mercutio. Who you want us ta kill? If we use my boyz and yours at the same time, I don't think much is gonna survive. So let's kill some crap!

[purepolarpanzer]

Nob Griggen smelled a trap. The boxes were obviously tampered with, and the humie writing on them looked nothing like the the normal Mechanicus Script, and it held a slightly acrid smell, as though some type of chemical marker had been used to write it. No designations between the ammo, either. He snarled and smelt something else. Humie stink. But before he had time to react, frag grenades bounced across the deck. Swinging a massive foot at one, he kicked it back behind the boxes they came from, but it mattered little. Though the grenades weren't strong enough to harm anything significant in the bay, they harmed the orks, plus the hundreds of pounds of explosives they were carrying on them. These, in turn, were quite harmful to the live ammunition stored all around the cargo bay. In a matter of micro seconds, a massive explosion ripped through the ship, turning Proteus squad, the ork sappers, the ork boarders, and any of the remaining marines sent to fight them into molecules. A generator that powered the weapons of the ship was also hit, ruptured, and also exploded. Though the massive explosion was not enough to kill many more than those in the immediate area, its affect on the ship was devastating. Weapons, speed, maneuverability, and certainly morale were all damaged heavily as several marines watched their battle brothers sucked out into empty space before airlocks could be sealed. The battle barge was crippled, just as Krim had planned. It now floated in space, a shadow of its former self, with a large chunk almost like a bite mark blown out of it, and a large imperial guard ship, painted red and covered in ork symbols and signs, jutting out of it like a spear.

On the ground, a bright flash erupted in the sky, visible even in the day light. Pieces of wreckage rained down like meteors in a summer storm, and Krim smiled his wide, toothy grin as his boyz hauled the Nurgle grenades.
Seems like I already paid ya back fer them grenades, Lord. That big marine ship we saw comin in might not be dead, but its mighty hurt. Looks like Griggen aint comin back down. Least not in one piece. Oh well. He was a lazy git anyway. Let's get lootin!