Update number 2 here we go. Submit reviews or BURN HERETICS!
Emperor's Retort: Navigator Throne Room
Inside the belly of the Emperors retort the Navigator sat back in her throne as she guided the ship through the warp. Biotic implant cords connected her to the ship weaved through her brown hair like braids or twin ponytails. The girl was pretty, with full lips, cheekbones if a little pale and nervous. She was dressed in a blue imperial dress befitting of her position and noble house, many would have considered her quite beautiful if not for the band crossed over her forehead, marking her as a navigator.
The room itself was pink almost to the point of being blinding, though light blue and green cushions and drapes scattered around did offer some respite from the assault of color. She had a number of them strapped to her Navigator throne, helping to mitigate the discomfort caused by the neural implants connecting her with the ship.
"Stacy Report." A voice came out of the vox caster in her room, causing the young women to jerk up "L-Lady Inquisitor?"
"No, it's the flying Dutchman. How close are we to transit?" Daria asked, voice heavy with sarcasm. "Sh-should just be a minute. J-Just got to talk to Tiffany."
Daria sighed on the other side, something that made Stacy flinch. "Just make sure the Emperors Retort gets through in one piece. Then make sure she's combat ready." Without waiting for a reply the vox clicked off, leaving Stacy alone again. Sitting back as much as she could, she closed her eyes and reached out to the machine spirit of the ship. Tiffany, can you hear me?
At first there was no response, but soon a voice creeped into her head. Staaaaaacy, iiisss thaaat yooou?
Yes Tiffany Stacy responded in her head, an image of the machine spirit forming inher head, though it was always to large for her ever to fully see. Lady Daria would like us to transition back into real space now if you would. And we need to bring the guns online
Uuuuuh I don't knooow. The voice drawled on, uncertainty in her voice. Its so pretty in here, all the coooloooors, the shaaaapeees.
Please Tiffany Stacy said to the ship, putting a slight whimper in her mind. If you transition into real space I'm sure we'll be able to get into a spaceport for repair. Maybe they'll even have some of that Genestealer Purple paint you like.
Hmmmm, oooookay. Around the ship the energies of the warp began to wrap around the ship, the energies of the warp mixing with the Gellar Field. With a sharp crack an opening in the Immaterium opened, the ships engines pushing the cruiser through the opening and into real space.
Daria wiped the edge of her mouth, removing what little of the bile was left on her face. She rose from her knee, power armor whining as she stood up from her throne. "Dammit this might sound bad to say, but I hate how quickly she pulls us from the warp sometimes. Status report Captain."
Jodie Stood at the helm of the bridge, eyes scanning the readout as lines flashed over the screen. "Data analysis confirms we have emerged behind the dark side of Lawndale Heights moon. Stealth and weapon system are engaged, no enemy vessels detected. Another perfect warp transition."
"Guess we'll be getting Stacy some more paint for the ship then, let's hope she doesn't choose the dining room." Jane said as she worked on her rifle. "Don't joke about that, remember what she tried to do to the training simulator?" Jennifer said with an E-Cig stuck between her lips.
Before the conversation could continue one of the adepts turned to the raised dais. "My lady, we have made contact with PDF forces, their commander is waiting to speak with you."
Daria nodded her head at this, head turning towards her table. "Patch him through the Hologliph table."
The adept nodded, turning to the board and typing away. The table turn on, an image of the Colonel from the waist up appearing in view.
"Well, if it isn't the glorious inquisition come to our rescue. To what do we owe the honor?" Before Daria could say anything Jane appeared next to her, hand waving towards the camera. "You Captain D, hows it going."
Colonel Demartino's eye bulged out a bit in surprise, but that did not stop the grin from stretching across his cheeks. "Well, Well Jane Lane. You survived after all, good to see your lack of protocol is still in lacking. And it's Colonel now. We'll catch up later over some grog if we both survive this." Giving a small cough his eye swiveled back to Daria, giving a small cough behind his hand. "My apologies miss. I've dealt with you inquisitorial types before. That Ruttheimer in particular always bothered me."
Daria nodded at this, her face turning to a small grimace. "I can understand your hesitance Colonel, especially in regards to that traitor. But I assure you for the moment we are here to help. And it's Inquisitor Daria Morgendorffer. I have heard you have an ork problem on your hand, what is the current situation."
"The situation is fairly screwed commander. The orks are in control of North Phanerios and have set up Ork rok Flotillas off the southern shore. Those damn submersibles are keeping us from sending our full strength to the north and the roks serve as a rallying point for them. We cant afford a battle of attrition on two fronts and the orks know it, clever brutes. We could blow these out of the water if we could engage the Zon and Hive city's Weapon Batteries, if not for the damn station."
"What station?" Daria asked as she took in the situation. A middle aged woman appeared next to Demartino, the cap on her head marking her as a commissar. She gave a small sneer towards Demartino before addressing Daria. "The station as the colonel refers to is Orbital Defense Station Millenium. It was supposed to help protect the continent and the starport as ships came through the system. However it was lost to ork commando units before the ork Armada engaged our Navy. Whats left of the ork Armada floats around it. It now serves as a firing platform for the brutes against our battle lines. The hive has had to activate and hold its void shields just to keep from being obliterated. This drains the power and shuts down the long range weaponry."
"Aren't Imperial generators supposed to be able to handle the output necessary in case of a siege?" Ted asked looking up from his fiddling with his arm servos.
"They would if our beloved governor had bothered to include the maintenance costs for them in the BUDGET!" Demartino growled out, barely able to contain his temper.
"I believe I have enough information necessary to proceed from here. Captain Mackenzie, your men will assemble and reinforce the Zon. You have clearance to take all heavy armor and air support needed for the time being. He will help you hold off the horde, we will deal with the power station. Hold the line Colonel, and have faith in the Emperor." She tapped the table cutting off the transmission. Mack nodded his head from his chair, snapping off a salute and leaving immediately to muster the men.
"Sister Burns, assemble your sisters and prepare for boarding actions. All crews report to battle stations, Captain Jodie…give Stacy the green light to engage the enemy. Jane you know what to do. All operations will commence in one days travel." With that the assembled men and women scrambled to their stations as the Emperor's Wit flew towards the station.
For travel through the warp the machine spirit or Tiffany was primarily in control, her constantly calm and slow demeanor perfect for travel through the warp. In battle however Stacy asserted control of the ship, her nervous demeanor falling away to something cold and mechanical. Through the sensors and equipment of the strike cruiser she asserted her will, plasma cores and weapon batteries powering up as the armaments of the Emperor's Wit stretched out of the hull.
At around 20 miles away she unleashed her fury on the Xenos.
Jodie watched as the first salvo of missiles and lances were fired from the ship, the arcs racing out toward the targets. The ork fleet began to move, but many of the ships were already doomed, though it would take several minutes for the fired shots to reach their marks.
"Power up the ships void shields and adjust our heading by 30 degrees to starboard. We need a clear line of sight to the Hangar bays." Jodie ordered out to her crew.
"Captain that will put our broadside open to enemy fire." Jodie nodded her head at this, sitting back in the captains throne. "Precisely, while they waste rounds attempting to pierce our shields they wont notice the true threat coming." A series of explosions rang out amongst the ork fleet as a series of ork kroozers erupted in a quick flash of flame. The remaining ships had already begun speeding towards the inquisitorial strike cruiser, a number of ork fighters detaching to engage the ship.
"Bridge to AA crews, ork flyers are incoming. Flakk crews focus on them while main firing crews focus on the ork kroozers. Leave them no ship to return to."
The second series of lance and missile fired out, stretching across towards the oncoming armada. Meanwhile unseen by either side a number of boarding pods, launched half an hour before the assault, were almost at the station.
"Colonel, sonar detectors are going off again, the orks are coming again." Scarlett said into the command tent. Demartino groaned and rose quickly from his bunk, throwing his coat on and grabbing his pistol and sword. "Dammit, it's the third attack today." Rushing outside the two moved down the hill and dropped into the command bunker, watching as even now the ork submersibles rose from the water. The imperial guard had watched this tactic for weeks, and the moment they reached shore opened fire, lascannon and basilisk shots rainging down.
In response to these tactics the orks had adhered to the old ork motto. If the first group of boyz you send aren't enough, send them in larger numbers. Even as submersibles blew up more arose from the frozen waters, orcs in droves leaping on the beach. Demartino grimaced, in comparison to yesterdays attack this group was three times larger. And they weren't all rushing forward, some of them were setting up on top of the ork subs, weird contraptions on their shoulders…
Demartino immediately grabbed the vox caster from an adjutant officer, clicking it on and shouting. "ALL TROOP UNITS ALERT, ORK LOOTAS HAVE SET UP ON THE SUBS, KEEP YOUR HEADS LOW AND-"
That was all he had time to say before the roar of the deffguns rang out over him, thousands of bullets spraying towards the trenches. Those guardsmen who were to slow to respond were immediately scythed down, though most of the squads were low enough to avoid the main amount of fire. Still it slowed the rate of imperial fire and the ork horde surged forward, even as some of them were shot from behind by the inaccurate fire of the deffguns. Demartino grimaced at this, not enough orks were being killed, by the time the trenches would be overrun. Where in the hell was the-
As if to answer his doubts a shriek of missles rain down from the heavens, slamming into the ork seacraft, several exploding outright while others found their tops strafed with heavy bolter fire, the vendettas moving over them like hawks. Ork lootas scrambled to readjust even as fire came down upon them and as many of them began to flee. No longer pinned down the PDF trench lines opened fire and the ork horde stumbled, caught between two lines of fire. This ended when drop ships landed behind the PDF lines, leaving behind 12 containers. From these came ten Leman Russes, each stamped with an Imperial I and dropping their payloads onto the faltering horde. Within minutes the orks were slaughtered.
While most of the Vendettas headed off towards the Zon imperial base one dropped down towards the command bunker, a number of stormtroopers jumping from it's bay doors. Demartino went out to greet the men who had just saved his ass, as well as his men.
The one in the lead was a huge man, his modified carapace barely able to contain his frame. While he wore the standard stormtrooper helmet the visor was up, allowing demartino to see into the dark skinned mans eyes. They radiated a fiercness and intelligence unusual in one barely below his thirties. He immediately snapped into a salute and stance, as did those behind him.
"Colonel Demartino, I am Captain Mackenzie "Mack" Smith of her Lady Morgendorrfers Inquisitorial unit. We have been assigned under your command until such time as she takes us back or until death. It appears we arrived just in time."
"Just in time." Demartino said, though one could see a bit of respect could be seen in his posture. "The orks have been pushing hard all day, and show little sign of relenting. How many men do you bring with you."
"Approximately 3000 men, all of them battle hardened and ready to fight. We've come equipped with antihorde loadout as well as 20 vendettas and a dozen Leman Russes, as you have seen. The majority of our troops even now are landing at the Zon, and will be heading down to assist us shortly."
"Excellent, now to get all introductions out of the way…" He gestured behind him, Barch and Scarlettcoming up to the group. "This is Commisar Barch, my second in command, and the shaking redhead over there is Corporal Scarletto, my chief medical officer."
Barch simply gave a curt nod to the captain while Scarlett snapped of a shaky salute, blushing a bit as Mack returned the movement, a small smile on his face. "Well I suppose that is all for introductions. My lady wanted a more complete description of the situation before she arrives here, perhaps we can discuss this elsewhere."
The Colonel nodded, the group heading off towards the bunker even as the sirens began to wail, the orks coming once again.
Before the orks had overrun it Millenium station had over 500 crew members living comfortably in it. Provisions were restocked yearly to the station and it's crews were shifted every three years. They had dealt with minor raiders and pirates easily enough, and though the station had heavier weapons to deal with greater threats, they had never had cause to use them.
Their fall came about when a drifting meteor had secretly spewed out dozens of small ork pods, the defenders unaware of them before they slammed in. Over the next two days the crew were slaughtered and the mighty guns turned on the fleet. Even now the heavier weapons meant for bombardment of strike cruisers and even space hulks rained down on the planet, crushing all beneath them.
There were around a 1000 orks on board the ship watching the single strike cruiser decimating the ork fleet. Nobs and meks were yelling and smashing the keyboards, attempting to bring the heavier guns up to aim at the lone cruiser. If they had been able to they might have been able to weaken the ship enough to allow the fleet to finish it off.
This soon became impossible though as ten assault pods slammed into the hull, 150 battle sisters and 1 inquisitor stepping on board, fury in their eyes. The boarders were about to get a taste of their own medicine.
Daria gripped the edges of her seat as the ship smashed through the hull of the ship. She was distinctly aware of the grinding of something fleshy beneath the hull before the blast door shot off, the Adeptas Sororistas racing out bolters firing, even as the orks began to recover. There were no screams of glory and no claims to kill the xenos. The sisters of Saint Mary moved silently, only their armor and weapons making any sound. Black rebreathers covered their faces and battle goggles covered their eyes, allowing them to see through the smoke and small fires
They were in one of the main hangars of the ship along with one other pod. The orks here were mostly comprised of grots and a few mek boyz, unprepared to deal with bolter fire and power armor. Thirty sisters of battle emerged from their pods, bolters barking death as the orks fell in droves. Those foolish enough to run towards them died first, while those who ran died next.
As the last of the orks were put down Daria emerged Jennifer and Ted walked beside her, the former holding a flamer in her hand while the latter had a number of things shuffling under his cloak. Daria herself was wearing a rebreather mask, though this one surrounded her whole head and was in the shape of a silver skull, only her hair pouring out the bottom.
Jennifer put a hand up to her ear, pressing a button to her personalized mask and activated the vox channel. "All sister squads, report."
"Bravo Team here, we have begun purging the outer AA guns and are securing them for use. Ork resistance is light."
"Alpha and Gamma squad here, we have met decent resistance but are securing the core reactor as instructed. Combat is being kept physical to avoid structural damage."
"Omega squad has cleared the Barracks. The orks are dying as we speak and are moving to the machine shop."
"Copy squadrons, continue operations. Burn the Xenos." Deactivating the channel Jennifer turned to her sisters, each standing for orders. "Squad hellion, head in and secure the armory, or what is left of it. The Inquisitor and squad Angelus will secure the bridge and we will teach these orks to fear us properly. For the glory of the emperor." As the two squads began to move Daria drew her pistols out, each one of them giving off a low red glow at the tips of the barrel.
"Come." Her voice crackled from the mask, distorting her voice and making it sound jagged and dark. "The orks will know by now that we are here and will begin mustering a defense. We must not allow that to happen."
Wooogh and that is all for now. See you at the next update.