Well, here we go. One last chapter of planning then the real action begins. Remember to review.
The warp tides were gracious to Vengeance's Cowl, making the standard week long travel in five days. The crew paid little heed to the kill team and for the most part, the kill team did the same in turn. Most of their time was in one of the several training holds, honing their skills in war. Astrid however, found herself drawn to the company of Goremann the Elder.
The machine was an ancient of war. Six hundred years ago, Goremann of the Crimson Fists chapter fell in battle and was entombed inside the coffin of a mighty dreadnought. He was affable, but his impatience was like a visible aura around the warrior. From time to time he would open and slam his metal fingers with impatience. He was a legendary Ork fighter, his fists dyed crimson more times then he could count with Ork blood.
Right now he was was telling her one of his past deeds, much like a father would sit his child on his knee and tell the tyke a story. Through the rumbling of his mechanical voice, he was telling her when he broke the back of an Ork Warboss with his power fists with the Ork's chanting his name as they watched. She smiled as he told it, but she was thinking the words of Mac Lir in the back of her head as he gave one last warning to them as they left the watch fortress. Summing their mission up for the most part, and reminding them of their place.
The Inquisition has received unsettling reports regarding the planet Atlantica in the Quarantine Zone. They speak of the rise of a powerful xenos inspired rebellion, unifying the world into a single focused rebellion against the Imperium of Man. In response, Warmaster Tetrarchus has issued the orders for Imperial Strike forces in the region to put down the rebellion swiftly and with extreme prejudice. Three Space Marine chapters have answered his call to for aid: the Salamanders, the Imperial Fists, and the Blood Angels. However, there is a rumored great amount of mistrust and friction between the chapters and this makes the conflict even worse then it was before.
I suspect there is more at stake on this planet then meets the eyes. My reading of the Emperor's Terot confirms my suspicions and suggests caution. We are Battle Brothers of the Long Vigil... we of the deathwatch have a great deal of experience in bringing warriors from other chapters togther for a common goal. This fact alone makes your kill team well suited for brining the friction between the three under control before violence between them erupts.
Astrid, I charge you with settling this feud. I respectfully request you do not use your "I can do what ever the hell I want and get away with it" in this situation. They have no command over our battle brothers and neither do we over them. Therefor, use your best judgment to resolve the situation. I trust you shall do your utmost to remain calm and remember the teachings of the Codex. In addition, the conquest of Atlantica is important to the Warmaster, so assist the chapters in retaking the world.
Remember, should you fail here and now, the Crusade, the Reach, and the Aduptus Astarte as a whole may very well suffer greatly as a consequence.
"Inquisitor, you seem to be lost in your thoughts or of my tale. What ails you? Is it of the mission ahead of us?" Goremann's mighty voice boomedback into reality. She looked up at the mammoth of battle and felt ashamed for drifting off while he was speaking. It was very impolite of her.
"I did not know being well over six hundred years old gave you the ability to read my mind." She pulled her cloak closer to her body as the temperature dropped several degrees as the Warp drive was slowing down.
"Minds? Pifft, you are an open book to me Inquisitor. I may not be one born with the blood of the warp in my veins but I picked up a few tricks in my time of service to read others. There are some whose face you can look at and not be able to tell their thought even with a thousand years to examine. Then there are others whose face tells everything." He boomed as he walked forward and lowered his chassis a fraction so the sarcophagus was looking right at her.
She struggled with her face for a moment, trying to regain some of her previous calm. "You are right, Goremann, I am concerned with the mission ahead of us. I do not know what to make of this. Three chapters of Space Marines, all of them from the first founding and closest relations to the Primarchs as we can get, can't seem to work together. Captain Brand was right, there is something more then just a xenos' inspired rebellion. The Tau would not waste their valuable troops and numbers on the quarantined worlds. The Xenocide would be a more immediate concern then trying to secure a starving world."
Goremann nodded his chassis. "Indeed Inquisitor, even my founding chapter of the Imperial Fists have been brought down into this trivial conflict. Brining a world back into the Imperium brings little glory, but glory none of the less. It surprises me that even the affable Salamanders are not able to strike a compromise between the Chapters. It would seem the Emperor is displeased with us."
"Do not say such things. The Emperor has not forsaken his people to the Archenemy or the Xeno." A new voice entered the chamber, bearing the blue and white pauldron of the Ultramarines. Pilate was without a helmet, his blond hair and blue eyes pierced to the Crimson Fist as he pulled himself over the catwalk and landed on his feet. "If he has abandoned us, then all is truly lost." He looked over to Astrid and gestured for her to follow him. "We will be exiting the warp shortly, as such you will need to be present on the bridge."
She nodded and broke off into jog to catch up with the nimble Ultramarine who seemed to be beating her pace at even a walking one. She made the what to the bridge, where the rest of the kill team awaited her. They were all helmet-less and were looking out of the view ports as their ship bled into the existence to real-space, exiting the warp in a shimmer of fractured light. The ship stretched and shrunk to impossible proportions before snapping back to its size as they left the hellish realm. Tendrils of warp fire coated parts the ship, as though an indicator of the nightmare realm it came from.
From the view ports, they could clearly see Atlantica. The world was an azure blot on the infinite black of space. Even before the auspexs showed it, they knew there were three Battle Barges beloning to the chapters. Scion of Terra belonged to the Imperial Fists, while Promethium's Flame was held to the Salamanders, and finally, Sanguineous Rex was to the angels of Baal.
The video transmission line opened from the Flame, revealing the image of a Salamander Captain. Like Ha'sen, his skin was extremely black and peircing red eyes. He smiled warmly and opened his hands to them. "I am Capitan Tibias of the Salamanders Chapter." His voice carries a radiating sense of martial pride and the air of authority. There is a brief pause before he continues. " I am organizing a meeting of the Space Marines in this region shortly. Join me on board my ship so that we may discuss how the Deathwatch can assist us with the retaking of this planet for the Imperium. Please refer from any other communication until we can meet for the tactical briefing."
The line shortly goes dead afterwards, causing the Kill Team to look around at one another, then to Ha'sen. The Salamander then spoke. "Tibias is the newly promoted commander of the Third Company, shortly before I began my tenure with the Long Vigil. He is a strict adherence to the Promethean Cult, just as we all should." The Salamander then closed his mouth , not speaking another word.
Astrid shook her head and looked to the communication serfs. "What about the other ships, are they responding to any of our requests for communication?"
"Negative, milady. They all seem not inclined to talk." She swore under her breath, it would appear that the atmosphere was taking a turn for the worst. The Ultramarine pilot looked out into the void and gestured with his hand as the ships came into view.
"Apparently it is also taxing their strategic capabilities. Look at the ships." Astrid did so and noticed that they were significantly spaced out from each other. "They are not in a combat formation, weather for deployment or void combat. The Codex Astarte require a closer spacing then this rabble."
Keeley spoke up. "And judging by the tone of the commander's voice, this is a courtesy they are extending, rather than responding to any formal alliance or order."
Ivan nodded, and then cracked his neck. "It looks like we are the only hope for this mess. Us against the unknown... just the way I like it." Cain laughed and the Marines left for the hanger. They donned their helmets as they did so, and Astrid was the last to leave the bridge. She felt the ice of concern hit her as she looked out on to the ships.
"Emperor, guide us this day to the way to Your will." She whispered to her self before making the sign of the Aquila.
"This is a mistake." Cain voiced his disapproval and he checked his combi-bolter. The Thunderhawk was full, with Goremann taking up the majority of the space. Ivan powered his sword on and off again as he applied sacred oils to the blade to prepare it for battle. Ha'sen was looking into the wall, honing his combat sense. Brand continued sharpening his claymore and took no heed to the Flesh Tearer. Keeley tossed her staff back and forth with her hands.
"We need some tactical debriefing for the mission. I would like to know what exactly we are going up against before we charge headlong into the battle." Alysa responded to the Flesh Tearer's objections as she checked the grenades she carried with her. The six cylinder grenade launcher was filled with two types of grenades: fragmentation and krak.
"Of that I have no doubt. I just dislike this politicking, we belong on the fronts. We are warriors, not quill pushers!" Cain shot back. Brand looked over to him as he sheathed his claymore. The apothecary stood and steeped forward, until his helmeted face was right in front of Cain's.
"Is that the reason, or is it you just don't want to see your cousins?" Cain shot Brand a look that made the Flesh Tearer want to kill the Storm Warden. Brand didn't know the full story, but he knew that there was some friction between the Flesh Tearers and the Blood Angels.
In the end of the Horus Heresy the Angel of Blood, Sanguineous himself, offered himself on the anvil of war and was broken by the Arch-traitor Horus Lupercan. Since then, the sons of Baal suffered from the rage in which they envisioned the last few hours of their Primarch's life. The Flesh Tearers were not only afraid of the mutation that turned them into mindless killers, rather they embraced it! Their Death Company was ever filling with warriors and in a few centuries, the Flesh Tearers would be extinct. Cain was aware of his fate, but he wanted to be sure his final days would be written in honor rather then fear.
Astrid shut the two up with a stern look as she felt the gunship slow down. They were inside the Flame and soon their door would be opening. She gestured for the squad to face forward, and they did so. The door whined open in the void lock and her gaze saw four Space Marines bearing the emerald green and tar black of the Salamanders. Tibias was at the head, his honor guard in tow, helmet-less and exactly as he was originally given in the pic-projector.
Astrid was the first to leave and before the Salamander Capitan, she knelt down to him. She was familiar with this procedure, but instead of giving a false scene of humbleness, this was ligament. "Capitan Tibias, I am Inquisitor Astrid of the Ordo Xenos. My Kill Team has heard of your plight to retake Atlantica for the Imperium of Man. They come as Battle Brothers, not as members of the Inquisition." Her ears picked up the Honor guard turning their heads to look at their commander, as if they couldn't believe this.
Tibias placed a gauntleted hand on the top of her head. "Inquisitor, it does the Imperium good to have such loyal servants of the Throne. I respectfully accept your aid in this struggle." She rose and and Ha'sen steeped forward and the two grasped puldrons. "Brother."
"Brother Captain. I did not expect you to join the Crusade. You are certainly a welcomed sight." Ha'sen said to the fellow Salamander. Tibias greeted the others equally, landing a hand on the chapter pauldron of the Marines and placed his hand on the hair of Keeley, giving the Astropath a small simple smile.
As they left for the command room, Ivan spoke up. "You speak of an attack, but I sense that there is some discord between the other chapters. I thought you would find a way to fix it, Salamander." There was no barb in the comment, and Tibias saw that.
"It is assigning the polar opposites to work with each other, cousin. The Imperial Fist Felross wants a cold and calculated purge of the resistance and Blood Angel Raphael wants to be in the thickest of combat at any time now. We will allow you a few moments to meet them as you see fit." The salamander took the large group to the war room. There they would meet the forces of the conquest of Atlantica.
To call it a war room would be an understatement. It was a massive chamber, much like the void lock they were in not too long ago. There, split into three groups, were the different chapters. The Imperial Fists had the smallest numbers, twenty battle Brothers in total. However, they were the best equipted and brought two of their venerable Dreadnoughts with them. The Blood Angels were the second and also second largest in size, composed of two five man assault squads, one full strength tactical squad and one five man devastator squad. The Salamanders were the largest in number and brought a huge amount of armor, including a sacred Land Raider.
Cain and Brand went to the Blood Angels, there they laid eyes on Raphael. He was a jaded old warrior, his blond hair turning white with the sands of time, and three metal rivets in his head to designate three hundred years of service to the Golden Throne. "Cousin." The warrior said to Cain and the two locked gauntlets and the Captain turned to Brand. "Storm Warden, legends of your chapter's prowess at arms has reached the halls of Baal. Lord Commander Dante said he was honored to fight at your brother's sides."
Bran bowed his head to him. "Please, to fight alongside such a warrior was all of our honor."
Raphael smiled, revealing steel teeth. "True enough. Your presence is most welcomed, and soon I hope we will be able to head to the frontlines of this rebellion. We attacked once under that... pup!" He gestured to Tibias, who was locked in a conversation with Astrid, Ha'sen, and Keeley. "We would have beaten the rebellion then and there, but by Sanguineous' blood, a counter attack forced us back. We were not unleashed like we should have been."
Cain laughed. "You understand what it means to be a Flesh Tearer then. We are the Chosen of Sanguineous, and we come to deliver our judgment upon the populace. We are not arbitrators!"
The Blood Angel leaned in close for Cain to hear. "I need you to convince your Kill Team to accompany me to battle. We will make planet fall together, and we will show not only the rebellion the fury of the Angels of Sanguineous, but our allies. They will see what our strength is, and that is that we attack before our enemy can strike back, to hold him by his throat... only to let go when he dies."
Cain grinned wildly, like an unleashed wolf. "Cousin, it would be my pleasure to do such a thing."
"It is good that you made it when you did. Tibias and Raphael are more of a hindrance then a damned help." Felross' tone was that of annoyance, something Ivan, Pilate, and especially Goremann found a surprise. "The Salamander panders the rebels and the Angel wants to get us killed with his recklessness."
Pilate nodded. "They should adhere to Codex and realize that this situation requires a planned and coordinated assault will be needed too bring this rebellion to heel."
"Yes, Ultramarine. We need to bring a coordinated attack. Let the weak be culled off by the fires of war, and the strong will arise once we take back the world." There was a sound of a hammer striking to gather the attention of the assemblage drew their attention. "Be sure to voice those concerns." Felross told the Marines as they all gathered to face Tibias.
"Battle Brothers of the First founding and beyond, it is time we made our strike against the enemies of the Emperor. The planet of Atlantica is ravaged, beset by rebels loyal to their alien masters, the whole world could turn on us and this could bring great damage to the Crusade. If civil war is to erupt here, it would draw away vital imperial forces from their battles against the Tau, Chaos or the foul Tyrinids."
Chaplain Dunn, the de facto leader of the Blood Angel tactical squad, slammed his black armored fist into the desk. "Which is where we should be. This battle draws us away from true threats. Threats which require action, not squabbling of bureaucrats. We need to strike now, before this problem draws us even further away from the true meaning of the Crusade!" Quietly to himself, Rafael murmuered some prayers for patience. Dunn would have been an asset in any situation, save this one. His desire to rend and kill suppressed even his other basic moods. They were all impatience, by the blood it was paining them, but Dunn's anger would soon get the better of him. Chaplain or no.
Felross glared at the Chaplain. "You speak of combat as if you were to thrive on it, Blood Angel. You misunderstand the situation at hand. If this would be the purging of a deamon world, burning a green skinned horde to ash, I may very well fight along side you as such. But this is a planet to be brought back into the Imperium. While the weak should be culled by the flames of war, excessive losses for the civilians may harbor descent for decades to come."
"Then they will not dare strike out against the Emperor's chosen. If you could only see through that Imperial Fist-" Dunn gestured to the kill team before a new voice entered the argument.
Tibias interrupted before more words would be said to damage the already fragile atmosphere. " Yet, the Emperor gives us hope. For now we are no longer alone. The warriors of the Long Vigil bring with them some of the greatest warriors the Imperium can give. Inquisitor Astrid, I understand that you realize this is an Astarte mission, but your knowledge is welcomed."
Astrid rose and punched in a few codes, which brought the planet of Atlantica into sharp focus. "There are three primary concerns. Helsmark, the Granite Spire, and the other hive cities. Helsmark is projecting this alien master vox message, the Granite Spire is the house of noble government, and the other hive cities may hold valuable information to learn of the exact nature of this rebellion. From an Inquisitor's view, I would go for the head of the rebellion and slice it off before it can damn any others."
Raphael stood and spoke when Astrid was finished. "Even the Inquisition realizes the need for action. We should strike now, before the rebellion can strike at us with a renewed force."
Ha'sen stood and faced the Blood Angel. "Yet your tactics will have the civilian corpses piled into mountains! I know the ways of war, but your methods of war would appall a dog of the World Eaters! We need to consider their safety, to be sure that they will not attack us because we slaughter the guilty and the innocent alike."
Dunn growled under his helm. "Your concern is touching, spawn of Vulkan. Tell me, if your kind didn't let your guard down during the Drop Site, would you have more chapters to sire?" The blow was a low one, even for one of the Blood Angels it was a detestable comment to bring up the failing of the Heresy. Ha'sen took a step back as if he had been struck and he was tempted to do the same to the Chaplain. To mention of an attack where the legion was reduced to seventy percent was a dreadful assault on the honor of the Salamanders.
Goremann boomed. "ENOUGH! Brother Ha'sen, your concerns for the populace is due noted and I acknowledge the recklessness of Raphael's tactics. But we need to have a clear and disciplined plan. Perhaps it would be best if the Kill Team assists in assaulting the Granite Spire, where we can find the truth."
Tibias spoke once again, "Yet such tactics reveal only the possible cause, we need to examine the real cause. The citizens of the planet will know."
Raphael spoked, rising from his chair for the final time. "You may send your time talking and bickering. I will be in the hangers awaiting to see whom the kill team will side with. I offer great reward and glory if they choose me." Words said, he left the command chamber.
Felross gestured for the rest of his assemblage to do the same, making his parting words as he did so. "Know that he is a folly. Join me and I will promise you glory in this undertaking." Tibias soon left afterwards, saying the exact same thing more or less. Soon the Kill Team was left to themselves.
Keeley spoke up. "Well, that was productive. " Brand let a sharp laugh escape his lips and they looked to each other.
"It would appear we have to choose. Felross' campaign tactic is sound and adheres to the Codex. However, this old war machine has had enough of waiting. I wish to be out in the field standing along with Space Marines once again." Goremann's voice spoke and the others began to nod.
Ha'sen was bitter, an experience exceedingly rare for him. "Dunn... I will not serve along side such a warrior who wears the honored black of the chaplaincy and can insult a loyal Primarch. He needs to be reminded that he can not idly throw around such insults."
Astrid nodded, and she felt a smile creep on her lips. "Agreed Ha'sen. I may have a way you can remind him of his arrogance."
Rafael's spirit rose when he saw the sable coated warriors enter the flight chamber. With a Dreadnought in tow, they would surely be undefeated in their undertaking. The kill team approached him and he slammed a fist into his chest plate as he bowed his head. "Sanguineous smiles on us this day. I would be honored to accompany such warriors as yourselves."
Ha'sen steeped forward and nodded to the Captain. He then looked to the Chaplain "I hope I did not hurt your chapter's fragile ego. Are all debts forgiven?" Dunn said in a somewhat mocking tone. Astrid then began to rub her eyes profoundly, and then Ha'sen lashed out. His fist buckled the skull helmet of the Chaplain, sending the Blood Angel sprawling. When Dunn fell to the ground, Ha'sen was soon after him. Three more blows from the Salamander's fist drove the reminder home.
Brand and Ivan pulled their brother off of him, though it was greatly over exaggerated. Some of the Blood Angels cracked a smile under their helmets, even Rafael bit his bottom lip to refrain from such an emotion. "All debts are forgiven, Blood Angel."
Dunn rose from the ground growling. "He assaulted me. I will see you pay for this."
Astrid stopped massaging her eyes and looked around. "Did something happen? Sorry, I must have had something in my eyes. Did you see any thing Brand?"
"No, nothing, my pic-corder must be broken."
"Same here. Now if I recall correct there was something about liberating a planet from the clutches of Traitors?" Ivan spoke up and the kill teams departed to their awaiting Thunderhawk while the Blood Angles did the same. Dunn stood there for a moment, growling all the while. The Salamander had attacked him and none of his brothers defended him.
They would soon regret such hesitance to action.