"We're good to go!" Torch said into his vox link. Each of the transports swerved off onto their assigned flight paths to bring them into their destination areas from different directions.
"Right," Torch turned to his team, "Our landing spot is in the remains of what was once a forest, we land, we secure our position, and move out to the city where our rendezvous point is."
"Um … so how do we get down if it's a hostile infiltration," Sturm asked.
"Simple," Torch grinned, "We jump."
"Oh no," Zariel grumbled.
"Sounds like fun," Ryan piped in.
"It would to you," Zariel said.
Torch then turned to Ryan and said, "So what was this information?"
"What information?" Sturm and Zariel asked together.
"Mind your own business," Torch snapped.
"I don't know, apparently I'm not supposed to know until a certain time," Ryan said.
"Well frak that," Torch said.
"That's what I said," Ryan continued.
"And?" Torch inquired.
"Said the information came from what had been in Outlander," Ryan confessed.
"What, Outlander? Haven't heard about him since; we had to … deal with him," Torch said.
"What's Outlander gotta do with this?" Zariel asked.
"Who's this … Outlander character?" Sturm asked.
"What did I just tell both of you," Torch said
"Well it's a small ship, we got nothing to do but listen," Zariel said.
"Anyway," Ryan continued, "It said the information came from an informant, which was Outlander's … you know."
Torch considered Ryan's words, "Well Emperor's toenails, I'm not taking any frakking advice from your frakking informant."
"You're a little uneasy," Sturm said.
"Dam right I'm uneasy," Torch barked, "Ryan, I haven't acted on what I know, and don't pretend any of you don't know what that is, because there has been no harm as of yet, and we need you, though I'm loathe to actually admit it, but mark my words, if you ever choose it over us, you'll find my lightning claws impaling you faster than you could say 'Emperor forgive me'."
"Don't worry, sir," Ryan said, "The Cadian 29th is my top priority."
"Aaaww, how sappy," Zariel said.
"Shove it," Ryan said.
"… I'm still confused," Sturm said, Ryan and Zariel laughed nervously.
"So what's the deal?" Adams said.
"We touch down, we move out, we rendezvous with the rest, we get ourselves some dead chaos leaders," Reynolds said simply.
"How we gonna get down?" Knoff asked.
"I was afraid of that," Ephassus said.
"Exactly," Reynolds said.
"Wait, what? You didn't say anything yet commissar," Knoff said.
"We're jumping," Ephassus said.
"Frak," Adams said.
"How did you know?" Knoff said, "Did he already tell you, when did he tell you, why didn't he tell us?"
"Knoff," Reynolds said.
"Yes, commissar?" Knoff said.
"Shut up," Reynolds said curtly.
"Yes, sir," Knoff said, "But I'd still like to know how you knew and …"
Reynolds pulled something out of his storm coat, a syringe, and jabbed Knoff.
"What was that?" Knoff asked.
"Just a sedative," Reynolds said, "You'll be out until about the time we're going to jump."
"… but I had something important to say, and it was going ttoooo …" Knoff fell asleep.
"Thank you commissar," Adams said.
"Thank you Reynolds," Ephassus said.
Reynolds took a mock bow and sat down.
"… and then I snapped the kroot's head and that's when I learnt that kroot were loaded with candy, like a piñata, ah we ate good that day and they …" Knoff mumbled.
"Frak he even talks in his sleep," Reynolds said.
"Can't you do that silent thing on him again?" Adams asked.
"Alas no, I can't risk our detection by any watching chaos sorcerers," Ephassus said.
"We're entering atmosphere!" the pilot said, and turbulence started up as if to emphasise it.
"We're coming in to hot!" the pilot said.
"Dam," Grade said, "Get it under control!"
"Can't sir," the pilot said, "You'll have to make your jump early, with a chute or risk disintegrating with the ship."
"Jump? You never told us that!" Todd said.
"Scared," Hector sniggered.
"Yes I fething well am!" Todd shot back.
"Just close your eyes, jump and make sure you open your chute," Garius said.
"Oh, thanks," Todd said sarcastically.
"Everyone get your chutes," Grade said, "Now we've all done this before, no need to remind you of the incident with the dark eldar."
Cassie shivered, "Don't even mention it."
"Well anyway, this is a; slightly higher jump than then. Just make sure to land on our original landing spot, or failing that, signal your position and we'll get you as soon as possible," Grade said.
Hector looked over the edge of the lowering ramp, "Just a little higher? We're still in the upper atmosphere! We won't survive in those conditions without the ship's life support."
"Sure you will," Grade said, "Trust me and jump when I tell you and we'll all make it down fine."
"Sure," Todd muttered.
"We're trying to level our descent!" the pilot shouted over the straining hull, "We have about two minutes before the ship completely falls apart, you better be out by then or …"
"Two minutes, that should bring us to about 5 or 6 clicks above the ground, I hope that's enough," Grade murmured under his breath.