Make War(hammer), not War(craft)

Chapter 1: Fifty-Three minutes

"How much longer?"

"We'll be translating back into real space within the hour my Lord" the hunched savant muttered, its cowled head respectfully facing downwards towards the metal grill of the deck

"I said how much longer?"

"Apologises my Lord… according to the astropaths...", the savant paused to review a nearby console, "approximately fifty-three minutes from now"

The massive figure of Captain Malfurion turned and observed the ageing savant with a look of mild distaste, but only for a brief moment before returning his stare through the porthole. The savant shuffled away noticing he'd seemed to overstay his welcome but Malfurion didn't notice.

The Warp raged outside of the porthole. Similar to the iridescence effect created by a layer of promethium on top of water, every colour imaginable mixed with colours unimaginable formed into patterns that no human brain could comprehend. Malfurion thought that it was no wonder the mere sight of it drove some men insane. Lucky I'm not a man Malfurion mused.

"Savant!"

The savant hurried back over, his augmetic legs letting out a pitiful whine as he did so,

"Yes! My Lord?"

"Summon Chaplain Illidan"

"Of course my Lord, immediately"

The savant once again hurried off leaving Malfurion to return to his pondering for a few moments.

"The Emperor protects, my Lord"

Malfurion slowly turned to face the source of voice. Illidan, like all space marines, was huge, standing at about seven feet Illidan was average height, The chaplain was clothed in simple black robes tied at the waist with fantastically white sash and stood dutifully with his hand behind his back his head lowered.

"The Emperor protects" the Captain repeated.

"You summoned me Brother-Captain?"

"Yes, in forty-seven minutes we'll be translating out of the warp and I want the company ready to descend immediately onto the plant immediately. If you'd be so kind I'd like for you to bless our battle brothers as they prepare for the inevitable conflict."

"Of course my Lord, the emperor protects the dutiful"

"Indeed he does"

"This planet we are heading towards my Lord… it intrigues me"

"Indeed?"

"Yes, the tactical briefings have been most interesting. A planet made inaccessible by a raging warp blizzard for several centuries… and the name… Azeroth... I'm not quite sure what it is, but I feel there's something strange about this entire endeavour"

"Perhaps Brother-Chaplain, but the Chapter Master personally sent us on the mission to secure the planet as one of the Emperor's"

"Perhaps after all this time… they have remained faithful?"

"Perhaps… better for them if they have."

"Our orders are quite clear as I understand it My Lord"

"Crystal. If the planet is found to have turned heretical the-"

"Of course, I understand completely my Lord" Illidan interrupted. He did not need to be reminded; "The Emperor blesses those who carry out his divine will and the defenders of his holy creed"

Malfurion nodded and returned his stare through the porthole, "Then go Brother-Chaplain see that it is done"

Illidan made the mark of the aquilla across his chest and left to attend his duties.

An entire company of the Stormwind Space Marines chapter… quite a force to be reckoned with. Malfurion again began thinking about the mission, no one knew what to expect on this mysterious planet. Attempts to communicate via astropath and other methods had failed. They'd been informed its geography was similar to that of a dark-age Terra but aside from that precious little information had been granted to them.

Malfurion remembered that they also had precious little time left until they'd be arriving and with a final look out the porthole he turned and marched off the command deck.

…