Journal Entry
Conquest of Adraxinus VII, Day 9:
Today has been incredibly . . . long. The squad's sense of fear is beginning to become more and more obvious as the day's wear on. The Dark Eldar presence is beginning to take its toll on us. Every twig snap could be an enemy, stalking us through the jungle. The rustle of leaves could signify the presence of cloaked troops. Every single sound puts us all on edge, and there has been many shots fired wildly into the jungle, aimed at "something I thought I saw." Discipline levels are fraying at the edges. It almost seems like they're waiting for us to fall apart, just so they can pick us up in pieces. Sometimes, I just wish . . .
Anyway, there is some god news. We received three important supply drops today. The first drop consisted of crates full of new provisions, weapon maintenance kits, rations, ammunition, et cetera. We immediately distributed the wealth evenly amongst the troops, and the camp around the object was soon filled with the sounds of weapon repairs and maintenance. We were grateful, since the jungle was beginning to get to some of the squads equipment. The jungle will always reclaim what is left to it. If left unattended, it can pull apart even the best protections rather quickly.
Our second drop consisted of something we rejoiced at seeing: trap materials. Chords, ropes, plasma charges, a few bolter rounds, extra knives, land mines, flash, smoke, and fragmentation grenades, trip wires, remote detonators, and other bits of odds and ends, all accompanied by a note: "Courtesy of the Waiting Death." We smiled at that, for we knew that our regiment had come through for us, giving us the tools to make this area an absolute hell hole for the Dark Eldar. Taurus immediately grabbed a portion of the materials, and headed out into the jungle, accompanied by a few of our best trappers. According to eye-witness reports, Taurus had a field day with the supplies and tools that he took with him into that jungle. He was reported to have masterfully crafted every single conceivable trap known to a Catachan Devil, and then some that none of us knew of: spike traps with explosive tips, dart traps with poison coated darts, and some incendiary traps of which no description was made available. I have faith in his craftsmanship, though it scares me to think of what should happen if any of us were to stumble into one of those traps. I pray to the Holy Emperor that I never have to find out.
The third supply drop is what left us with a measure of apprehension. The Valkyrie touched down, and the guardsmen unloaded the supplies for an Aegis Defense Line. Now, if these were any normal fortifications, we would have dismissed them as just a precaution for those who would rather us be safe than sorry. The Aegis Defense Line, however, is reserved for heavy frontline combat. The fact that they had given it to us meant that the Dark Eldar were coming, and coming quickly, too. We immediately set about its construction, and we have been able to construct half of the defense line already, and now we have set up watchers on the parts that have all been completed. A few Dark Eldar aircraft have flown over head, but we do not know the purpose of their flight. It fills me with apprehension, though, and I keep my melta close at hand, so that should anything happen, I could reach my Sentinel easily, without fear of being unarmed. I have, on a positive note, completed the modifications to my Sentinel. I have taken it out on a few patrols, and the installed technology works almost flawlessly. The sound dampening technology helps to quiet my movements as I continue to delve deeper and deeper into the jungle. The enhanced sensors and cartography tech I installed helps me to remember any old routes I find and take, so if an escape should be needed, I will have many options to lead the squad to safety. I have found a few breathtaking vistas on the mountainside during my patrols. Truly, the planet upon which we do battle in the Emperors name is quite beautiful from the top of a cliff. It is only when you re-descend into the perilous jungle that you must again face the fear that grips those who are unfamiliar with the ways of the jungle warriors. I thank the Emperor that I am used to the jungle.
The battle in space has begun to intensify, as more and more of the Dark Eldar space craft continue to pour from the webway. As if in answer, more and more of our ships have poured in from the Warp. Three more battlefleets have arrived to aid us in our struggle, each carrying reinforcements to aid us in our struggle, one from Mars, another from Terra, and one more from the neighboring Gorumanda system. There is another fleet that approaches, though I know not whom they are as of yet. I do know that there have been casualties. I have been tasked with locating many of the escape pods and drop pods that were sent down from some of our own dying starships. Of the three I have been tasked to find today, only one contained survivors. The rest had been captured by the Dark Eldar, taken to Emperor knows where, to be sold as slaves for the pleasure of some filthy xenos master. I shudder to think of their fates. I can only hope that the majority of them died in the crash. If the screams of the first squad are anything to go by, what happens to them will probably be incredibly horrific, and not worth repeating on this recording. I can only pray . . . Until tomorrow, log end.