Disclaimer: Warhammer 40,000 and all other associated copyrights owned by Games Workshop.
Hellsing and all other associated copyrights owned by Kouta Hirano.
Should any one of these parties wish it, I will remove this story at once.
*Transmitted: The Song of Hate
*Destination: Holy Terra
*Date: 2 217.M44
*Telepathic Duct: CLASSIFIED
*Author: Chris Stork
*Title: The Broader Picture
*Clearance: Vermilion
*Path: 5040001459247/4512689753.47836
*Thought For The Day: Be Strong in Your Ignorance
To: Inquisitor Prex
From Acolyte Unryi
Incident at Hope's End analyzed. Imperial Guard regiment opened fire at still unknown target in Serenity Gardens for an estimated three hours. Over two hundred lascannons three hundred man-portable anti-tank weapons and one thousand anti-personnel weapons. Additionally artillery backup fired for thirty minutes. All firing ceased in a period of .0257 seconds. Guard causalities one hundred percent.
There is nothing I know of that can withstand that kind of firepower. No servant of the Dark Powers can pretend that kind of durability. I have seen Chaos and whatever was here it is nothing ever seen before.
To: Inquisitor Norman
From Interrogator Anges
Chaos cult eliminated in Armageddon planetary sector. Connections to the Imperial Governor have been uncovered. Several high-ranking Administratum officials implicated. I fear this goes much farther, however.
Proceeding with caution.
To: Lord Genral Maximilian
From: Major Ostrander
War zone pacified. Estimate forty-percent of Eldar forces casualties inflicted. Own losses light at sixty percent. Armour is at seventy percent strength. Reinforcements have been dispatched. Proceeding to Cily intervention zone.
To: Lord Solar Tern, Commander of the Eastern Frontier
From: Inquisitor Joura
Do not fear Lord Solar. My retinue has already hunted down the last of the genestealers cults and more Astartes legion are on their way. Concentrate your mind on the task at hand. The Tyranids already fear you and do not engage the might of the Imperium. You have broken them and they will soon flee as all do who reject the Emperor's light.
To Lord Inquisitor Weauys
From Inquisitor Joura
We're all going to fucking die. Tern is panicking and it won't be long before the war crumbles. All the Marine legions are tied up fighting Chaos, Eldar, and anyone else to stupid to fight the 'nids. At least the Tau got eaten.
Which reminds me. Get the Senate to pass the extension on the Reunification Act. The Legions are the only thing keeping us alive out here. Bribe, threaten, cajole, beg, sleep with them I don't care!
Yes I'm trying to 'figure a pattern' out. They don't attack any targets consistently. Just yesterday five reports came in. The whole fleet passed up on three unguarded agro-worlds and slammed into a fortress world, besieged it for ten days and then simply left. If they wanted to link up with the main thrust at Terra there are easier ways of doing it.
No I cannot 'keep in touch better'. We're burning a hundred psykers a day just to have navigation and communication. You fix the Golden Throne and then I'll write more.
To: The People of the Imperium
From: High Ecclesiarich Neyas
My fellow citizen of His Divine Majesty. These are the times that faith is brutally tested. The times who all veneer of boasts and vainglory are swept aside. It is, in some way, the Imperium's darkest hour. It is also the greatest time to live.
In softer times the weak may pass as strong. Brittle faith equal to iron-clad faith. Only now can the true character of yourself shine through. On now can you prove to the Emperor and yourself your mettle.
We are assailed as never before. The weak decrepit xenos invade our worlds. Chaos besieges our very souls, slavering to gain evermore souls of the frail of spirit.
Some yammer about 'The End of Times'. Perhaps it is. If so it is the time of final reckoning. The time of judgment, when all souls stand before the Emperor and plead their lives. When such a thing comes to pass what will you say?
To Brother-Commander Iorni of the Imperial Fists
From Brother-Captain Mertav of the Black Templars
Hail Honoured-Brother! The war against the vile Tyranids goes well. Brother-Captain of the Crimson Fists has destroyed a splinter fleet at Yuvr and Brother-Captain Heinrich of the Soul Swords remains engaged in the Ryelt sub-sector.
Though many have fallen in battle we fight on, faith burning in our hearts. Glory we bring for the Imperium.
Ave Imperator.
To: Fabricator-General Yoi
From Magos Erva
The Golden Throne stands as the greatest accomplishment of the human race. It is far beyond my ability to comprehend, let along repair. Fixes, such as they are, prolong its collapse, it will not arrest it. I estimate two hundred years before it is non-functional.
Praying seems all that we can do now.
To: Grandmaster of the Inquisition Sourvie
From: Lord Inquisitor Maliq
Records removed as per your request. I've sent the data-slates forward on the Oidera insurrection and Aloreux heresies. If I may ask who finally killed that Death Guard warband? Uritv's been hunting them for years.
To Munitorium Staff
From Commissar Ceri
It has been precisely two hundred sixty-seven days since the last time we received re-supply. I know 'there is a war on'. I do not care what the excuse is. I do not care if antiques are all you have left. I next missive will not be an excuse or reason as to why you cannot. Just get it sent.
To Colonel Xeria
From Captain Angn
Sir when are we going to be relieved? We have been in constant combat for the last two years. Reinforcements are rare. Supplies are growing thin. Morale is horrible. I asked the commissar to not field execute any of the men. He said he didn't have the ammo for it anyway.
We are in dire straits here, sir. We need support.
To Shadow-Captain Feru
From Brother Sergent Niul
Warboss Gragsmack assassinated. Proceeding to Sedr-Rift Warzone.
To: Lord General Maximilian
From: Crypto-Magos Teolun
Subject: Recovered transmission
Lord I have reconstructed the last message of the Victory Eternal. Eighty-three point seven percent was unrecoverable. It does not appear that either her crew or machine spirit survive.
(Header unreadable, presumed sent to commanding officer)
-yranid forces unending-(static)-port batt- gone. Tri- ill burning(Presumption-Triumph of Will). Count of hundre—illions(Unclear if millions or billions, hope former)-ive ships.
Eighty-fourth batt—lost. Nec- line brok-4 by 24(Most likely 44 by 24, close to their last position. He appears to be speaking of the Necron's line). Losses-ide abo—fity-ent.(Unreadable for twent-one and three eights seconds). Moving all—ed. Can'-et-y.(Klaxons in background. Engine-related) -it! We'v- -eng- one- EMROR POR- THE EMP—TECTS!
End of message.
To: Inquisitor Headquarters on Terra
From: Lord Inquisitor Goerde
Ciconia continues to be a pain. Can you not find a replacement for him? He can't get along with anyone that isn't a Monodominant. Yes I know he gets results but he's version of reassuring people generally involves threats and shooting. He's already threatened to kill several Inquisitors over 'lack of faith'. Raiding parties are an every day occurrence, and some members are feeling the strain.
If you can't get rid of him and you at least send help?
To: Cadian Inquisitorial Headquarters
From: Inquisitor Ciconia
Heretical riots stopped in the capital. Interrogators sent to deal with outbreaks of chaos cults in system. Heretical preachers executed in five districts. Several government administrators found wanting. Will likely need a new governor soon. His mind seems to be cracking. Pity.
This treasonous ranting about the 'End of Times' will cease if I must kill ever last one of these lunatics. The Emperor is with us. The only end coming is the end of Chaos. Every day more reports of the Saint of War fighting the Enemy come in. Is not her return prophesied to herald the final battle? The honoured dead will rise and crush the traitors alongside the living.
This defeatist talk only aids the enemy. Any citizen of the Imperium expressing such thoughts will be beaten severely, by me if time permits. If any Inquisitor does so I will execute them on the spot. I do not care how many friends you have or your connections, this system will not fall to Chaos.
To: The Departmento Munitorium
From: Lord Castellan Hirta
Raids from the Black Legion continue. Other warbands have been sighted, the Iron Warriors and World Eaters in particular. Corruption and heresy has also escalated. Government positions are being infiltrated at an untenable rate. Mutants and psykers rates have increased by nearly double since the last report. Requesting additional Inquisitors to deal with this problem.
No large-scale military invasions have occurred, yet. Abaddon seems to be waiting for something. What it is I hope never happens.
To: Lord Militant of the Munitorium
From: Inquisitor Seald
Subject Tyranid Movements
Enclosed with this transmission are the details of the Principle Battle-Fleet Asmodeus. Savant Heriu estimates approximately two hundred billion hive ship enter the galaxy daily. It should be note however that this is a low-end estimate. Necron kills offset about ninety percent of their reinforcements. Over the past three hundred years the size of the fleet is in between two thousand trillion and six thousand trillion.
Necron numbers are mercifully lower, in the low billions. New units arrive on a daily basis. Included pictures and place-names for such. Three new assault class titans identified. Two more confirmed. Subject[Security Clearance Reading... Accepted] code-named 'Nightbringer' seen in sub-sector Alrais. Appearance undergone subtle changes since first recorded. Notably its scythe no long appears to be an extension of its arm but a separate weapon. Unknown why the sudden change.
We will continue to collect data on the conflict.
One hundred eighty-seven years until the Void Dragon awakes.
Author's Notes:
Thus concludes the first sequence of the story. The next arc will be a flashback arc taking place over forty-thousand years before the events of these chapters.
When the next chapter comes out the uncensored version will replace earlier chapters. The story will also be uploaded to Mediaminer and, possibly, DeviantArt.