The halls of the Justified Fear echoed as Jayms walked through them. A ship crewman walked in front of him and stopped to look him in the face, or more accurately attempt to look him in the face. The crewman, when confronted by the enormousness that was an Adeptus Astartes Space Marine, had to crane his neck to see his face. As Jayms and the crewman stared each other down he heard a loud shout from farther down the hall. He turned to see sub-Commissar Kyl Yart running down the halls after him. Jayms sighed and turned to face him.
"Captain Jayms! I have been trying to reach you! Ship-commissar Smithon has requested your presence on the bridge. We are about to enter orbit around Quaer, but there is a problem that has come up."
Jayms smiled and nodded to Kyl and began walking towards the bridge. As he did he passed through the Space Marine barracks. There were only few Marines there, all the rest were roaming the ship or praying in the chapel. What few were there looked up at him and nodded their heads in respect. As Jayms left he could hear the sound of rustling and movement as his loyal Marines prepared for battle.
As he reached the doors to the bridge he halted for a second, not knowing why, and then shook his head and went through the door to the bridge. As he made his way up the winding stairway he paused to look at the various banners and pictures marking the illustrious life of the Justified Fear. He gazed upon portraits of its battles during the Horus Heresy, of its titanic fight against an Eldar Craftworld, and of its victory over the Chaos Warship Torn Limb. At the last he paused for a little longer, gazing at the smooth lines and built superstructure of the Justified Fear in sharp contrast to the lumpy, organic look of the Torn Limb.
He hurried up the stairs and found the bridge a chaotic jumble. Crewman were running left and right, to and from their stations. And right in the middle of the fracas was the raised command platform. At the foot of the stairs stood ship-commissar Smithon, with a grimer look on his face than normal. As Jayms walked up to him he flicked his head towards the platform and Jayms began to walk up.
At the top of the platform, flanked on either side by Kasrkin guards, stood Admiral Yaris Jovavich. During the Black Crusade Admiral Jovavich had led the fleet that had pushed Chaos back into the Eye of Terror. His strategies and battle prowess were the things of legends and it was even rumored that the High Lords of Terra had granted him an audience to discuss that battle.
At the moment he was looking out the massive bridge view port, gazing at the stars and the nearby planet of Quaer. He also seemed to be deep in thought, his one human hand stroking the stubble growth on his chin, whilst his mechanical hand flexed open and closed with a faint crackling of electricity. When asked to describe the admiral many would say that he seemed to brood over the Justified Fear. Seeing him now, Jayms felt inclined to agree with them.
As the admiral turned to look at Jayms his Astartes hearing picked up the whirs as the admirals eye focused and refocused, as the lens were slipped into and out of place. As a look of recognition came over Yaris's countenance the look on his face grew grim. He gestured to the planet they were near.
"Do you know what planet we orbit Captain Jayms?"
"I believe it is Quaer admiral."
"Do you know why we orbit it?"
"Because the governor and the inhabitants have tried to rebel against the Imperium."
"What do you propose we do about that?"
At this Jayms' face grew tight and the corners of his mouth turned upward in a vicious smile.
"Teach them the error of their ways."
The admiral nodded and then turned back towards the view port.
"And what would you propose we do if I told you that we have detected the taint of Chaos on the planet?"
At this Jayms was taken aback. There had been no indication that the taint of Chaos had been the reason why the planet had rebelled. His smile turned into a snarl of disgust and anger as the full extent of what the admiral had just said was brought into light.
"We make them regret it sir."
The admiral smiled. He turned back towards Jayms and stepped closer to him.
"I like the sound of that Captain. I am prepared to drop you and your marines as well as the 729th Valhallan Regiment and the entirety of Legio Titanicus. I want that world brought to heel as soon as possible."
The admiral stopped and turned back around to point at a distant, but not so distant, bright flare against the backdrop of space.
"We are too near the Eye of Terror for my tastes and I cannot and will not let this planet fall to Chaos. You have your orders Captain. Carry them out. For the Emperor!"
At this Jayms nodded and turned back towards the marine barracks. His troops had a lot to prepare for in preparation for the drop. As he passed by the sensor station he noticed that there was four other ships in their battle group, all of which seemed to be preparing their troops for drop. Jayms got a sudden sense of unease but he quickly shrugged it off and kept going.
When he got to the barracks he noticed that all of his troops were in armor and beginning to load weapons. He walked up to his second-in-command, Sergeant Cort, and ordered that everyone assemble in the briefing theater in ten minutes. After that he turned away and went to the theater himself
As Jayms walked into the briefing theater he noticed that all of his company leaders had already shown up as well as the commissars from the Valhallans. He also noticed the arrival of the seven Princeps of the Legio Titanicus. He smiled briefly and then hit a button located on the holo-tank next to him. A holographic representation of Quaer appeared, marked out in sections and territories.
"As you can see here we are currently in orbit around Quaer. The planet is of average size and has no toxic atmosphere but I might add that the temperature is a constant seven Celsius, so it will be cold down there.
Our first strike, and hopefully only one, will be at the governmental complex in their capital, Iceflow. The city has been heavily fortified by multiple…former…Imperial Guard units so that it could be impregnable. The city is basically a large half-cut bowl, burned into the mountainside. Connecting the sides of the mountain are massive walls. On the top of these walls are gun emplacements as well as artillery.
Our strike will begin with the Titans pounding away at the walls and then the Dark Crusaders will storm the citadel and destroy the traitorous guards and hopefully end this conflict."
As Jayms looked at the Princeps one of them raised his hand.
"What weapons are we authorized to use for this engagement?"
Jayms stood and considered that for a second. Each of the seven Titans that were currently there had enough weapons to obliterate an army on their own. But the fact that he had seven of them had not entered his mind. Now that he thought about it they might be a bit much but the more he thought about it the more he remembered a saying from his former battle-master, "there is no such thing as overkill."
"You are authorized to use all weapons in appropriate circumstances."
The Princeps all nodded their heads and the other assembled leaders kept the stony looks on their faces. He could tell that they were all itching for battle and he knew that any force assembled against them would be destroyed. He looked out a nearby view port and gave an order that, unbeknownst to him, would echo throughout the history of the Imperium of Man.
"We deploy in seven hours. Get ready."
Meanwhile, on the surface the planet, a massive adamantium door, opened on a cliff face and a man stepped out. But the title "man" barely fit him. He was more machine than human. His legs and arms and much of his torso were mechanical and with each step his "body" made a hissing sound. He looked up into the night sky, his eyes focusing in on the Justified Fear and the drop craft that it was vomiting forth.
As he sat there watching a figure dressed in a long black cloak walked out and stood beside him.
"They really want me dead don't they Cancius?"
The man looked up at him in shock, having not heard him come up beside him. The shock quickly wore off and Cancius sighed.
"I think that they do my lord. They have hunted us down here. I am guessing that our operations on Terra did not go as unnoticed as we would have liked them."
The figure laughed at this, throwing his head back.
"I think that they did. But nevertheless our enemies are here on our doorstep. Is the Apocalyptum armor ready?"
"Yes sir. The Chosen have already been outfitted in it and everything is going on schedule."
"And the Terminator Apocalyptum armor?"
"Second Company has the standard whilst First Company is getting Assault variants as well."
"Good. Any sightings of the Grey Knights?"
"No sir. The Ordo Malleus has not left Titan. Our operatives on Titan have informed us that the only reason that they would scramble is a direct assault on Terra itself."
"Excellent. Everything is in place and the Dark Crusaders shall not disappoint. Make sure that our Titan is ready to go as well.
"Already done my lord. The Casitor Vinus is armed and supplied. They won't see it coming."
As he spoke they both turned to see vivid streaks of fire light up the sky nearby as the drop pods of the Dark Crusaders entered the atmosphere. Both of them looked up at the approaching storm with a sense of destiny.
Author's Note: Please review and let me know what you think. I am really trying to work hard on this story and any responses would be most welcome.
