Chapter Five
"Let us sing then and let us sing together,
Of golden palaces and forests of winter gossamer.
Where weapons crack amid powers of Lightning and Thunder,
The Emperor of Mankind and the Hands of the World's Potter,"
-Snape Snivellus Severus, Royal Minstrel, Great Crusade
…..
Luna, a few years before the Great Crusade
A very skeptical looking Morgana Potter stares at the massive guns slowly being added to the rails of Luna. A very pleased John is at her side observing the great work being done. They have finally pacified the gene cults of Luna and now the giant hive populaces of the moon would once more stand united with Earth as it was long ago.
Luna being more of a progressive colony is already a fortress in the making with enough guns bristling on its surface to deter even a stout invasion force of Dark Eldar. Now with John reuniting it with his budding Imperium, Mars is being revamped with even more and bigger guns being placed in strategic positioning all over the moon.
"Is this really necessary John?" asks a skeptical Morgana watching as a gun, the size of a frigate is being hauled through a rail to be brought over to the dark side of the moon. They are standing at the bridge of Bucephalus, the flagship of the Emperor of Mankind as they observe the work going down below. If anyone is looking, they might have said that the work is being done with the hands of giants as the great industry of Luna churns defenses more and more from mighty rail guns to heavy cannons that can rip a ship in half.
"I mean I understand that you are concerned about the future of the Great Crusade, but shouldn't we be diverting resources in that direction instead of this dusty ball?" asks Morgana crossing her arms in front of her, pushing her already well-endowed chest even more through the bodysuit of blue that she's wearing. Compared to the golden Emperor with his giant armor full of phoenix designs, the figure of his Companion is extremely small and not noteworthy.
"This dusty ball would be the center of ship building and the main defense of Terra once I am done with it. The plans for the great ring that will surround it is already in underway and construction would begin once Mars and the Adpetus Mechanicus are also brought in line," sniffs the Emperor though his stern countenance fades at the rather weary and hopeless look supported by his Companion. With a giant hand, he places it gently on the shoulder of Morgana.
"We will find our children Morgana. This I promise you, I know deep down in the future that we will find and be reunited with them once again," he says comfortingly.
"I know, I know that John. I'm just frustrated knowing that I am here and they are out there all alone. Who knows what things they must go through without us watching over them," she finally admits out loud.
"They are our sons, Morgana, have a little faith in the blood that flows through them,"
….
Luna, Present Millenium
Cassium yawns for the umpteenth time as he stamps on the data slate of eighty-sixth ship that passes through the clearing point of visiting starships to Holy Terra. Cassium is not originally from Terra itself, no. Rather he's from one of the Feudal planets and a former heir, till his second brother bamboozled him of the great honors of those who serve the Administratum of the Imperium of Man. Like a moron, he allows himself to be led on the nose like an idiot confident that in his ability to be able to read and write, not to mention his rather exceptional skills with a sabre would him the glory and fame that he so desires. He signs up for the Administratum and he has regretted it ever since.
Apparently it is NOT the Administratum that you have to sign up to in order to win fame and glory, no. Rather it's the Guard and the Militarum. Unfortunately changing applications is not a thing once you've filed it as it gets lost in the millions of applicants "volunteering" their service for the God-Emperor. Thus Cassium is designated as a regular clerk since his ability to read and write is nothing more than commonplace to many that is called to serve under his Imperial Majest. Thus he stays here at Luna, just another adept checking and rechecking the outpost for any sign of "invasion" or a foolhardy thief, or heretic who tries to escape or enter the planet. Some already tried it, sneaking into Holy Terra only to be fail the scrutiny of the checkpoints, their wrecks now adorning space floating around as a warning for any who would dare try it also.
Today seems like another day for Cassium as he labels on his datapad for the umpteenth time another name of a ship that pass through his checkpoint. He has no idea how things will change starting from today.
Without warning beeps on his system shows anomaly after anomaly numbering in the hundreds making him frown as he tries slapping the radar monitor wondering if it has finally broken after so long. When it doesn't change, he wracks his brain wondering I he has drunk some liquor the night before from the small canteen of the station and still suffering from its ill effects. When he confirms that he is indeed not intoxicated in any way and not seeing things, Cassium looks out of the window grabbing a pair of dusty binoculars and using them. Imagine his surprise and horror when he sees traitor warship after traitor warship appearing from an asteroid belt, hundreds of them, each bearing the sigil of Chaos with horrifying effigies and the phoenix's symbol on them. As Cassium presses the alarm that has been activated only seven times since the Emperor rose from the Unification Wars, the battle for Luna has begun.
….
Aboard The Photep, Personal Flagship of Magnus One-Eye
Magnus, Primarch of the Thousand Suns watches as the dusty ball of steel and concrete looms towards his view closer and closer. Different emotions warred inside him as he sees it. Last time he was here, it was with Horus with the mission to destroy their Father and everything they had built since the Great Crusade. Now here he is again, ready to punch through Luna and force a confrontation between him and his mother.
Word has already spread far and wide about the crowning of a New Empress of the Imperium. The reactions of the Chaos gods suffice it to say are less than pleased. The fall of Cadia and the ripping of the galaxy in two was supposed to be a victory for them. The Imperium of Man would be wrecked with despair and hopelessness that the Chaos gods would feast upon. Already their forces are rampaging from one planet to another at Imperium Nihilus with the Imperials reeling at all fronts. Yet this, this passing of the flame is something that the Chaos gods with all their cunning and planning to have anticipated. Magnus has seen once the corporeal for the of the Changer of Waves, eyes bugging out in surprise and horror at this new quirk on their plans. No one has expected that the Companion of the Emperor would be found again walking and now crowned. Alongside her the Primarch Gulliman has been revived not as half a monstrosity stuck in his armor, but one who is hale and alive with the strength of his prime. Despite their victory over Cadia, Chaos undivided seems to have been forced to take two steps back.
Magnus from personal experience knows that being despite weaker than the Emperor of Mankind, his father, his mother probably is the more dangerous of the two. When facing his father, it would be like facing a dangerous flaming sword that you can see a mile away shouting profanities before engaging you like a blunt instrument, intent on flattening you. Of course no one would mistake the fact that said sword is very much able to punch through whatever defenses you can throw. When dealing with his mother, it would be like facing a Banshee's blade. Sure she does have the raw power that would be capable of ripping you apart but she would not damage you head-on, no. Instead she would cut through the chinks of your armor saving her strength and dealing the same damage with the least amount of effort given. Of course sometimes she would also opt the Emperor's way of charge and die if she feels like it. His mother's character is an enigma, that he has always known.
Everything that he knows about his sorcery, he almost learns from her after all.
"Come on Magnus, control your balance better. The more you use it, the more fluctuation it would gain, I would not see you blow up yourself," Magnus promptly shuts down the fond memory. He would not be able to do what needs to be done if he focuses on the good times before the Fall.
Now he watches as the Imperials one by one as they face the giant fleet he charges to engage Luna. They are literally putting everything within their charge, from the ships gathering for his brother's Roubutte little planned Crusade to the great Luna and Solar fleet reserves. They are so zealous in their charge that they have haphazardly placed themselves between the great guns of Luna's rings and his own advancing fleet. For the record he can't blame them for trying to put all their plates on a single dish. Magnus is promptly doing the same.
Five hundred ships with their escorts. That is the number of the fleet that Magnus deploys to face the bulk of Terra's defenders. A hundred of those are Corrupted Emperor Class Battleships looted in the Warp. The Imperials have a terrifying propensity of having their biggest ships detonating their warp drives in do or die battles causing said ship to end up lost in the Immaterium. Well, it is their loss and Magnus' gain. The rest of his fleet are also encumbered by the latest of technologies with the cause of Ahriman. His trusted aide in his great efforts to find a cure for the Flesh Change that inflicts itself on their legion despite failing to find a cure finds a bit of technology here and there that benefitted his legion's fleet. Now they are being implemented from stronger shields and barriers to more powerful battle lances and guns that could tear a Luna Class in one barrage. Yet his crowning jewel is one Blackstone Fortress currently hovering at the right flank of Luna ready to duel with the Phalanx, the floating fortress of the Imperial Fists.
Yes, Magnus deploys a powerful card against the Imperium using the every single vessel that his Chapter has been working hard on for the past ten thousand years. Yet for all its might, for all the threat it poses, it is still just a card, and one that is disposable that is.
He smirks as the two fleets nears each other. His pilots and drivers intentionally does it to get the full attention of the Luna and Solar Defense fleets. If they would put a distance between them it would result to the powerful guns of the Luna defense platforms to rip his fleet apart. Yes, the card has been thrown into the table. Now it is time to see if the Imperials will take the bait or not. Then his ace in the hole will be shown and he will be able to finally draw his intended prey in.
Hundreds of torpedoes and missiles left the bays of the Phalanx heading towards the Blackstone fortress while the latter peppered it with long range lance fire. Explosions can be seen in the void and the Battle for Luna has begun.
…..
Luna Command Center
"What is the situation, why aren't those guns of the rings firing?" Luna Commander, Anthony Forost demands loudly and angrily as he marches into the command center making several adepts squeak at the presence of the high ranking Lord-Admiral. He has been in the midst of reviewing supplies for the upcoming Indomitus Crusade when the first alarms sounded of an invasion, something that Terra has not seen for a very very long time.
"Our apologies, Lord Admiral but the enemy fleet has drawn itself between our fleets and the main cannons," answers one of the commanding Generals looking at the green holographic map that is the center of the room pointing at the red indicators where the enemy fleets can be seen.
"Have we identified the identities of this supposed invasion fleet yet?" he growls angrily, mentally cursing as he realizes the intent of the enemy. With the fleet between them and the massive ring guns, they could not simply blast them back to the Throne. Of course he cannot simply order his fleets to stand by and disengage looking pretty. If that would happen, this traitor fleet would have a field day bombarding Luna's habitats and dockyards which would cause even more damage even as they force a knife fight to the stationary Imperial Fleet. He hates it but there is only one command he can give. He must know who he is dealing with at first though.
"Well?" he turns to one of the Generals who gulps nervously under his scrutiny.
"They bear the sigils of the Thousand Suns Legion my Lord Admiral. This fleet is under the command of traitor Space Marines," he stutters nervously.
Anthony curses beneath his breathe. Of all the traitor legions, he has to deal with the one who actually uses their brain. Fighting a rampaging army whose sole directive is to hack you to pieces is much easier compared to the ones who actually prepares and uses their heads. Unfortunately this is the hand he is dealt with and by the Emperor and the Empress, he will not be found wanting.
Grabbing a vox from a startled Adept who lets off a squawk, Anthony speaks to it. "To all Captains and Admirals of the Luna and Solar Fleets. Our enemy is forcing us to a close up fight. Well, we will show them, no, we will show the people of the Imperium that the Imperial Navy never falters in the line of its duty. By our hands and by our efforts do humanity rule the stars, and each of your ships is a vengeful sword that would be used to cut off these traitors' heads. Our enemy are the traitors of the Thousand Suns' legion. Yes, traitor Astartes. I know some of you are afraid because of that but have no fear for the Emperor stands with us and we will feel the fury of his righteousness. We will watch his glory burn away this darkness. Thus as members of the Imperial Navy we will show the Imperium's ferocity against this enemy! We will show courage and honor in the Emperor's name! We will show unwavering loyalty and bravery that he inspired! No fortress can stand against the Emperor's wroth! No fury can overcome his protection! The Emperor's light will cleanse every corruption and sunder even the strongest curse! His glory brings salvation to those who honor his ideals! Even the fallen will be given protection in the Emperor's service! Through death! Sacrifice! Duty! Honor! These are what the Emperor requires from us! WILL YOU DO YOUR DUTY?!"
"AVE IMPERATOR! FOR THE EMPEROR! FOR THE IMPERIUM! ALL SHIPS OPEN FIRE!" as if in unison, the entire void lits up as hundreds of lance batteries and torpedoes fire together. Void shields crack and fizzle out as powerful engines propel powerful battleships to be beside each other.
Like wrestlers, they grapple each other as lance batteries exchanged between ships even as port broadside cannons open. With shouts and orders from their captains and admirals, the powerful broadsides fire, throwing massive shells ripping through space. To those with shields still active, they immediately blast off as they fail to stop fully the broadsides, for those with no shields, they are ripped apart as pieces of ships, both Imperial and Chaos start drifting off into open space separated from their main bodies. Around them, Valkyries and Thunderhawks deliver heavy cluster bombs to Chaos warships supported by Fury Interceptors and Wrath Pattern Starfighters. Their boosters glow in the dark as they duel against Chaos fighters who are also coming out of their ships' hangar.
Boarding parties are delivered by suicide Valkyries ramming themselves to shieldless Chaos' ships unleashing cadres of Veteran Guardsmen wielding hotshot lasguns supported by Ogryn. In retaliation, Chaos Torpedoes slam into shieldless Imperial Vessels spewing Rubric Marines and daemons. Those ships who have fallen to boarding parties can be seen floating lifeless in the void. Yet it is obvious that within the boarding parties scuffle, Chaos forces are gaining the upper hand as Rubric Mariens easily deal with Imperial Navy marines especially if they had daemon support.
So heavy is the daemon boardings that even the Emperor Class battleship, Terra Dominus,under the Command of Fleet Admiral Ragus can be heard voxing through to Command his peril.
"This is Terra Dominus. My ship is infested by daemons! Chaos forces are at every deck. Permission to destroy this ship and take the enemy with us!"
"Permission granted Admiral. May you and your men dine with the Emperor today," replies Admiral Anthony.
"Copy Lord Admiral. It is better to die for the Emperor than to live for oneself!" the vox chirps out one last time before the Emperor Class Battleship's engines kicks in driving the almost dead battleship straight crushing an Escort or two in its dying breathe before driving itself nose first towards a Chaos Cruiser, its void shields not able to stem the attack causing secondary explosions as the two ships burst like a ripe balloon in a symphony of fire and debris.
Then out of nowhere a giant Warp Storm appears near Terra and out from it like a living giant crawls out Prospero, the eerie purple and red daemon world screaming in agony to be so near to the anathema as it emerges unto reality.
…
Imperial Palace, Terra
The powerful cannons of Terra are exploding in action. They are unlike normal anti-air defenses. Designed and created by the most greatest of artisans even before the Horus Heresy, they are more powerful, more accurate and more deadly. The daemonic spores coming from Prospero, drawn in by the desire to end the creature that they hated so much are falling like rain. Only one out of a hundred spores make it as the burning presence of the Emperor of Mankind turn them all mush even upon entering atmosphere. The rest of the falling Spores, the guns of the Imperial palace take care of at least in this part of the world.
Daemons are falling from Prospero like rain, the daemon world infested by thousands of mutations under the rule of Tzeentch are now disgorging its angry inhabitants to the homeworld of humanity like a great tidal wave. Only the power of the Emperor keeps the majority out as at least ninety percent are being turned to ash screaming back to the Warp, unable to be near the Anathema. Ironically, the defenses of Terra are holding firm despite the monstrosities landing on its surface. Primaris Marines in jet bikes and Thunderhawks hunt down chaos landing infestations with Custodes support. Available remaining warships orbits Terra, alongside satellite platforms glassing every bit of surface where daemons concentrate to prevent bigger creatures from appearing. For the more contested hot zones where civilians are trapped or more important structures can be found, Imperial Guards, or Solar Guards, recruited from the Great Houses of Terra meet them head on, facing the monstrosities with antiquated weapons, powerful and unique with some even dating back to the Golden Age of Technology passed down from generation to generation through the Ancient Houses. The Houses of Terra after all have the access and the riches to the best that technology has to offer in the entirety of the Imperium. Angry Arbites can be found everywhere beating down any daemon that the Solar Guard or the Primaris Marines missed. Their main work however means mostly herding terrified civilians out of fighting zones and dealing with troublemakers that takes advantage of the chaos.
This order of defense might not have been possible without the coordination of the Artificial Intelligences within the room of the Empress. Orders are routed to them with them processing the data before issuing orders in the split of seconds, multi-tasking as they micro manage task groups and strike points. Their computation goes into each other coordinating in a way that no human commander can even dream about. Every action is measured in the effectiveness of probability being weighed and pragmatism before being given. No action is wasted, no order is wrong. Terra remains secure with no daemonic strongpoint lasting more than a few minutes.
For some reason under secure channels of the Empress to the AI's hidden in the planet, rIMperial reinforcements do not reach the bealeaguered Julius Romanus, Lord Commander of the Segmentum Solar. There is a reason for this after all.
The clone legions need something for their debut to the wider Imperium.
….
Command Center of Julius Romanus, Holy Terra
"For the Imperium! Not one step backward men! We fight and we die in the name of the Emperor!" the zealous Lord Commander roars out in order to his personal household guard commanding a squad of Imperial Stormtroopers with hotshot lasguns and one heavy bolter glued to the ground. The rest are fifty or so adepts that survived when one rubric marine crashes into his primary office and starts massacring people with a chainaxe. He lost almost a hundred adepts before they manage to bring the monster down. Now here they are in an emplacement of modified tables, chairs and whatever cover they can find as they await the lesser Daemons some kind of Pink Horror rushing at their position.
Julius Romanus would admit that if not the propensity to be so near to the Emperor, then any one of these chaos daemons would be easily able to crush his paltry few guard with ease. Yes, he's aware of Chaos. Nearly all of the Great Houses at Terra are made aware of them and House Romanus stands at the pinnacle of all providing great generals and admirals throughout the millennia.
Now here he is, a part of a dynasty as Holy Terra once more is under attack. He is almost frothing in righteous anger and zeal as he sees the demon world above the atmosphere of Terra already messing with the planet as things start floating and stuff. He wants nothing more than to blast it down but first he has to deal with these daemons who would want to eat his brains out.
"Hold your fire men! Don't waste your energy packs at this range, wait for them to get close!" he barks out as he crouches along with his men holding a lasgun as far in the distance a horde of pink horrors can be seen running in all eights towards his line and that of his men roaring their displeasure. He has to give it to his retinue, despite the horde rushing towards them, none broke rank, none ran.
"STEADY! STEADY!" he shouts out loud as his brain estimates the distances. Experience and long service under the guard gives him the correct estimation that he needs as the enemy finally hits the mark.
"FIIIIIIRE!" he calls out and immediately a wall of read followed by the heavy explosions of the heavy bolter meets the rush of the horrors head on. Daemons fell and stumble at the sudden wave of Imperial Fire. Volley after volley are shot decimating the entire front line of Pink horrors with the veteran guardsman especially aiming at those who looks to be gathering warp-fire to their mouths. Romanus himself accounts for five sure kills and eighteen hits before like everyone else, he is forced to reload.
The enemy takes advantage of this.
With their mouths gathering warp fire, they countered, firing blindly but en masse to the Imperial Line. With such large numbers, it is only probable that they would take casualties. Men start falling dead or wounded even as they finish reloading and counter fire. More demons fell and it becomes a slugfest of close shooting weaponry as the rush starts gaining distance to the humans and the daemon counter fire becomes even more accurate. Men fall dead and dying, screaming out as the ornamental flak jackets fail to defend their owners.
"Retreat! Fall back in good order!" barks Julius Romanus out standing back and fighting an orderly retreat as men start falling left and right around him. On other sides of the lines, the demons already broke through, the panicked adepts falling finally to a rout as the pink horrors rip them to pieces.
"I am going to die here," Julius realizes even as he fills the face of a pink horror with red laser from his las rifle
Then he hears it, the whines of engines. This is not however the roaring whine of a Valkyrie whom he notices sounds a lot like it is about to explode but a high pitched whine of a new engine. It also comes from above. Looking up he saw white gunships he has never seen the like of before and within it, white armored troops looking clean and pristine either standing or sitting down.
Like an angry eagle it soars down through the Pink Horrors, a shield generator defending it from their counter fire even as it unleashes a barrage of green lasers knocking out hard elements of the horde. The gunships four in all circle around, continuing their fire creating slowly a buffer and a safe zone for the remaining Imperials.
His vox crackles immediately and Julius Romanus wastes no time grabbing it. "By the Emperor's name, state who is this?" he barks out commandingly even as he explodes a pink horror's head with his bolt pistol.
"Careful with your tone Lord Commander, I do not broke disrespect," a VERY FAMILIAR tone meets his making Romanus feel as if someone yanks his liver out and force feeds it to him.
"My Empress, I'm sorry I didn't know-," he begins only to be cut off by an explosion as one of the gunships dropped some kind of bomb.
"Around you we will create a perimeter, make sure to have your men with you Commander, the fleet will glass from orbit this horde,"
"Yes, my Empress," he bows out in a panic before calling out to his remaining men to rally to his position. Gunships continue their strafes with even one hovering near to the ground as its primary cannons knock pink horror after pink horror out. Another gunship in a strafe fires its modified lascannon attached to the side of the gunship blasting several pink horrors away to mist. The gunships circle closer and closer while becoming even slower before finally picking prime hovering positions above the ground.
Out from their bellies jumps out troopers that Romanus has never seen before. They do not wear flak jackets but instead some plastoid kind of armor with full helmets that cover all their faces. Their guns are not lasguns either but looks heavier and might he say it, a lot cooler. They fire red instead of blue also. Dozens of pink horrors are blasted into kingdom come creating a lull into the fighting and the Lord Commander whistles for his men to follow him as they board what it seems to be the Empress' gunship (there are two overlarge Custodes after all on it). The white armored troopers fight a fighting retreat as they return to the gunships with one even succumbing to withering Pink Horror fire. He is avenged though by his comrades as blue laser fire dispatches the two that offed him. He can feel the powerful whines of engines and Romanus sees the gunship slowly levitating finally away with its escorts to the air. A split second later, a pillar of blue light comes from above turning everything where they are just a moment ago into a fiery furnace, the symbol of Imperial bombardment.
He turns and looks to pay his respects to the Empress before choking on his own spit at her armor. The Empress of Mankind obvious does not choose the "holy relic" of an armor from the Tech Priests. She instead opts to wear a what would basically be a synth suit only it looks different, with more machinery on it. The upper chest can including her bust and going to her shoulders, upper back and arms are in some kind of hard flexible machinery colored dark blue. Her cleavage down to the entirety of her taut stomach and navel however is all synth suit, hugging every muscle and every curve. At her hips down is the same material as her upper torso with violet power batteries at the sides. Her helmet is orange transparent that covers only half the face with the lower nose showing to the world down to her chin. A modified helmet sits atop her head though the orange crystal like transparent glass eats the majority of the space. Her long black hair is in a bun to prevent it from going out of control. (I based the outfit on XCOM legends wallpaper, the lead girl). All in all it looks intimidating and alluring at the same time.
"Finished ogling me Commander?" her rather pleased but mocking tone breaks him out of his staring and he realizes that the Custodes have their guardian spears leveled at him.
"Oh Emperor, help me," he murmurs as he starts sweating bullets. Death by ogling, now who would have thought of that?
…
Space Above Holy Terra, Facing Prospero
Even as the Blackstone Fortress and the main Chaos fleet duels with the might of Luna and Solar Defense Fleets, there are several chaos ships assigned to guard the sky above the main city of Prospero even as spores from it continue to fell on Terra.
For Helaena, this presents a quandary. She has not expected this daring move of attack from Chaos, or at least from the forces loyal to Tzeentch. They are awfully making themselves extremely vulnerable by being this close to the Emperor. Those of them who die here after all would not be able to go to the warp burning out in the presence of John in his new divine form. When the massive fleet starts duking it out with the Luna and Solar defense fleets, she thinks at first it is just a foolhardy Chaos raid, a reminder that they can reach Terra anytime. However when she felt "his" presence, she knows that it is serious.
Magnus has always been one of her favorites. What a quick learner that child is. He has learned so much of control of his magic from her. Magic is raw power but under the guidance of a learned hand, it can be a sharpened blade that could be something more. He has taken all to it like a fish to water, and she indulges him. He is especially very clingy during the long years barely changing. What happened to him is a tragedy and in his state, Helaena knows that salvation for the Red King would be death. His souls are shattered and even if she does manage to bring him back to the light, parts of him the Chaos gods would never allow to be free.
Thus when he brings Prospero beside Terra messing up with the planet's gravitational fields, Helaena knows then and there that his target is not the defense fleets or even Terra itself. No. His target is her, the new Empress, his mother. She can feel the energy source of control coming from Prospero in one being only. If they can get rid of Magnus, then it would all be over. They have to be quick about it though, the more Terra is in trouble. She knows it will break her heart but she has no choice. Only she can best Magnus in sorcery before, now he's ten thousand years stronger. If she sends Gulliman alone, she would be putting what remains of him in a matchbox. Thus she does her duty and the first of the Clone Legions start arriving from hyperspace.
The original Venators of the Republic in Star Wars canon is a kilometer in length. Obviously it is not even enough to face off size wise against the Imperial ships in this universe. Thus the specifications are upgraded with it sizing up to somewhere near eight to ten kilometers. Each Venator are almost like cities with hab blocks living conditions, training fields and even its own mini-farms. They are designed for deep space and long term missions. They are also armed to the teeth with torpedoes, lasers and of course, the heavy turrets numbering eight in total at the sides. Everywhere is heavy plating with each Venator serving as a space tank. For although in this fleet of at least six Venators, they are nothing more than guards to the Aurora class and Daedalus class ships that they support (For more info, please check Stargate Atlantis ships). Despite smaller in weight class and size with only about seven hundred and fifty meters in length, they contain Golden Age ship killing technology like the drones for the Aurora Class which cap rip a ship apart and GUARDIAN Asgard beams for the Daedalus Class, able to bypass shields. There are at least two Daedalus Class Ships and Four Aurora Class in this new fleet that emerges. However the most notable use of each ship is that they can use warp drive jumps in short distances like Terminators can.
Inside each of the Venators are legions of clones and not counting the Primaris Marines that have been gathered for the Indomitus Crusade finally for their first taste in true battle. There are also present the Fifth and Sixth Company of Imperial Fists under the command of Captain Papruz Voreg with a Dreadnought under him. Of course present are also the Honor Guard and Second Company of the Ultramarines under Gulliman with the Primarch also present. There is no chance in hell after all that he would allow his mother in a battle such as this against a daemon possessed Primarch without him present.
"All ships present for Warp Drive ejection. Hold on to your seats ladies and gentlemen, we are about to go in," says Captain Keyes of the Resolute Terra Venator Cruiser which serves as the Flagship as the fleet drops out of their jump right on top of the Traitor Warships orbiting Prospero.
The Daedalus Class Ships and the Aurora Class ships are the first to jump out, their smaller sizes making them nearly impossible to be hit by macro-cannons and ship broadsides. Railguns and drones start damaging ships even as ZPM power sources start to appear as lance batteries of the Traitor Warships counter fire. It is immediately evident that despite their smaller sizes, the new "Imperial Fleet" is stronger as the Void Shields of the Traitor Warships wink out of existence causing secondary explosions as primary weapons make direct fire damage.
Out from behind the smaller ships appear the bigger and slower Venators, their turbo lasers also joining the fray against the shieldless enemy ships with the smaller ones now exploding into pieces as the more bigger ships unleash their entire weaponry on them.
"Targeting main engines and launching all Three O Two aircrafts," the radio from Captain Turner of the Macabre, Venator Class ship reports. Helaena's legions have not been fully faithful to the Star Wars franchise. Instead of using X-Wings and Y-Wings for fighter and bomber choices, they instead opt to use F-302's from the Stargate Atlantis franchise. The fighter aircraft are like the old F-35's able to use stealth, have the speed and dexterity of a fighter while could also serve as a bomber. Their missiles can also be configured and they are hard to hit and limited only by their pilot's potential.
From the Macabre, hundreds of F-302's leave the hangar as they make a bombing run at a Gloriana Class Battleship corrupted by Chaos. Flares and anti-air fire rips the void but the nimble fighters dodge and weaves before firing their missiles in streaks of smoke. The ship is nearly torn in half with the large amount of missile fire that hit its center even as the planes disengage to avoid Chaos aircraft.
At the side of the Resolute, the Indomitable duels with two corrupted Mars-Class battleships, the Venator taking a heavy beating even as its shields fail and secondary explosions start erupting on its primary hull.
"Gaining twenty percent damage to hull structure reporting,"
"Designating all power from non-critical systems to forward shields. Turbolasers are firing," Captain Tertius of the Indomitable reports.
Even as the three ships trade blows like enraged boxers, one of the Daedalus Class ships sneaks in from below one of the Chaos ships, it's Primary Weapon, the GUARDIAN Asgard Beam firing. It seems like a hot knife cuts through butter as the entire ship splits into two horizontally, going off in a violent explosion that rips through the Void shields of its companion ship.
Yet not all is in favor of the Imperial's hands. One of the Aurora class ships makes a fatal mistake of sneaking in through five Chaos Luna ships taking down three of them before its shields are overwhelmed and the small vessel explodes in a symphony of light and debris.
"Enemy Emperor Class Battleship bearing down on your position Resolute Terra," the sudden report from one of the other ships sound off into the radio.
"I see it, all power to forward shields. All Turbolasers, I want you firing!" barks Captain Keyes as Helaena watches the powerful guns blast the shields off the Emperor Class battleship even as its forward lance cannons attempt to fire back ineffectively against the Venator's shields.
"This is the Yorktown, I see your enemy without shields. Engaging drones," the radio crackles and from below the Venator appears one of the Aurora Class battleships unleashing its drones from its hangars, the squid-like thingies in the millions ripping through the Emperor Class Battleship like angry drills.
"This is the Daedalus, enemy Gloriana flagship spotted, it is the Photep, engaging. Firing all missiles," the captain reports and Helaena watches as all warheads of the Daedalus class ship are being intercepted one by one but two got through shutting down immediately the void shield of the Thousand Suns flagship.
"This is the Orion reporting. Detecting enemy flagship without void shields. We are engaging, unleashing drones," one of the Aurora Class reports even as the small ship appears at the back of the Photep catching it totally unawares until the massive supply of drones rip it apart piece by piece.
"Space sector secured for planetfall my Empress. What are your orders?" asks Captain Keyes watching the rest of the fleet mop up the Chaos remaining ships to provide a buffer zone for the large Venator transports carrying the legions and their Imperial allies.
Helaena just nods smothering the pain that is in her heart about what she's going to do.
"Start planetfall,"
…
Tizca, Prospero-4 Hours Later
Hundreds of Transports fell from the atmosphere landing on the chaotic ground of Prospero just outside Tizca. The planet is the very definition of a Demon World with the ground even turning into a color of multi-colored goo. The plants are almost like a weird amalgamation of animal and plant with even one tree having tentacles as branches. Even some of the stones have eyes and others have growth of limbs on them as if they are unsure of what form they really should take. It is the very definition of a world infected by Chaos.
The first clones out of the transports die in a dozen nefarious ways from the local flora and fauna. It is only when two transports full of clones got decimated the moment they try to set up a beach head does the Imperials get wise and issue a planetary bombardment, seven kilometers wide turning the area to glass and charring the planet to its crust. Only when they are sure that the ground won't open invisible mouths to eat whomever it is unlucky enough to be present do the Imperials start officially landing troops.
LAAT Low Altitude Assault Transports swarm the landing areas dropping clones by the thousands to the charred ground. Together with them are Valkyries bearing Household guard from the noble Houses of Tera who looks mightily confused at the new white colored armies almost identical to one another in design. From special beacons also fell drop pods discharging Primaris Marines much to the relief of the original Imperials having the Emperor's "improved" Angels of Death fighting beside them. After the infantry come the tanks and the walkers. Of course in time honored tradition of the Imperium, the Imperial Leman Russ Tanks are present alongside even one Baneblade and a plethora of chimeras. Knight walkers are also present along with two Warlord Class Titan and one Emperor class, the giant Imperial Walkers shaking the very ground with their very step. Then of course the clone legions have their own walkers, most of them are AT-TE's or the All-Terrain Tactical Enforcers with rolling Juggernaut six giant wheeled tanks with hundreds of missile pods. Finally the new "Imperial Armies" also has a titan of its own, the first of the Jaegers, a giant juggernaut of a fighter, the first T-90, ALPHA. Carried by four LAAT's it is dropped into the Imperial Lines almost making a mockery of the Imperial Titans as its more "humanoid" shape is composed of a giant rectangular head and two massive arms where giant bolters and missile launchers are strapped. Worst comes to worst, it can also charge and pummel whatever it is that dares stand on its way.
All in all it is a massive sight and one that Helaena would be pleased to say. Of course not the entirety of the entire Clone Legion is deployed in this campaign, she would be an idiot to do that. Only the Five Hundred and First and the Two Hundred and Twelfth Clone Legions would be present here alongside their Imperial Companions. They of course would be the bulk of the army seeing that they are made with the intention of being expendable soldiers.
As for Helaena and Roubutte, they are situated at a prefab command center quickly set up by the Clones with a sight overlooking the entirety of the battlefield. Helaena knows now that with her as Magnus' prime target, he would have little reason to turn right or left knowing where she is. Yes, based on Magnus' personality, he would come at her full tilt, or rather, he would send his armies face first towards her. With her are at least a hundred Custodes with the Captain-General refusing point blank to send one Custodes less. There are also two squads of Sisters of Silence, the nulls almost making Helaena grit her teeth, still as Empress and fighting against the Thousand Sons who have psykers by the thousands, having the murderous looking ladies would be a great boon.
Helaena would not lead at the front of course like a brash Gryffindor. While it would be terribly pleasing watching the Chaos lovers burn to cinders screaming. It would be tantamount to stupid in doing so. She is the Empress now and she is a symbol of hope for the Imperium. She can't be at the front doing heroics no matter how tempting it would be. Plus she knows John and Gulliman would box her ears in protest for trying to apply her "Gryffindorish" attitude in situations such as this.
Great power does not always mean leading from the front. One can attest Gulliman for that as her Ultra Smurf baby boy stands there at the edge looking magnanimously majestic as he waves at the soldiers cheering for him down below. Yes, there's a time for everything and fighting in this battle would not be for her. Instead she would command. Besides, the clones will have this battle while she would deal with Magnus alongside Roubutte.
This would be one battle that would go down to history when it would be Primarch versus Primarch or rather the Empress of Light against the Red King.
She frowns though as she notices an Imperial Fist Centurion lumbering on the battlefield. She doesn't recall assigning any of the Imperial Fists in this fight. She frowns as her eyes continue to follow the overlarge walking banana. Something feels extremely familiar with that Centurion.
….
Flashback: The founding of Angron during the Great Crusade, credits to Austin, the Guest Reviewer.
Angron glares at the strange woman that appears before him with weariness and suspicion yet somehow this woman who is smaller than him almost feels…familiar. She also feels warm, like a summer sun with a gentle wind blowing in the distance. Yet there is also a coldness in her, a frigid icy coldness that seems to want to draw everything in to a void.
Yet it is the warm feeling he focuses on to. A feeling from before he crash lands into the world of monsters in human skin that is Nuceria. It seemed like a life of a life, a memory or more like a dream. A mother who sings lullabies comforting his very soul and letting him know that he isn't alone.
She stares aat him with a look of affection and kindness through her green eyes. Never has he seen so much affection being turned his way. Not even the female gladiators that he beds looks at him in such a way as she does. The way she looks at him is one of unconditional love. That is at least until she takes notice of the the butcher's nails sticking out of his head like drills then it turns into one of horror and mortification followed by sorrow so deep that it almost drowns even him.
"…what has happened to you?" The woman whispers horrified as if the words could barely get out of her head.
She looks into his eyes and Angron feels something in his head enter. It is gentle and warm, and kind, so kind that it almost makes him weep. It is nothing more than a gentle probe but that action makes him immediately flinch in pain as the butcher's nails kicks in, that feral behavior that makes him more beast than man…it almost makes him to attack this woman yet he stops himself with all the self-control he can muster and stop the drilling mind-numbing pain inside his skull.
When he looks up again after his ordeal, he nearly backpedals away from what he sees. The expression the woman has on her face will be embedded in his mind forever…
Rage…pure utter rage mixed with anguish and grief as tears stream down her perfect face while her green eyes are alit of a power now awakened and furious of what it just witnessed. She isn't glaring at him for his momentary loss of control but instead at the armies of the Nucerian slave masters and their followers who want to end Angron and his rebellion.
What she does next shocks and surprises him…
She roars out loud as her arms outstretches to both sides unleashing pillars of green fire mixed with gold.
"MY BABY BOY!"
Then in a blink she is gone before Angron's eyes and his fellow gladiators…next they hear screaming coming from within the Nucerian high riders ranks as a bird-like figure rises singing beautifully amid the death throes of the slave masters.
Thus from that day forward Angron, and Nuceria witness a Mother's rage and wrath on upon those who would hurt her child. Nuceria also that day would bear witness as a victim of the fires of hell as the phoenix fiendyre burns all down.
Oh and the Emperor also gets kicked again by the balls when he refuses to remove the Butcher's Nails from Angron's head.
…
Flashback: The Two Mothers, Great Crusade, the Founding of Gulliman
"Noooooooooo!" Gulliman moans unhappily as he listens to his adoptive mother, Tarasha Euten tells his real mother, Morgana about how cute Gulliman is when he is a baby. Oh and that comes with extremely detailed paintings that his adoptive mother commissioned during his time in growing up.
"My, my Roubutte. I never expect you to be trying on diapers for a full grown man," comments his mother making the Lord of Ultramar wanting to crawl into a hole and die as his two mothers coos over the picture of a large baby trying and failing to put on diapers.
He knows his father isn't a god. The man makes it very clear to everyone he meets. However right now he prays fervently that his reunited father gets his sorry ass up away from those politicians getting to know him and getting his son away from these monstrosity of shame that he is suffering from.
"Sorry my son, but I am not stepping in on this one," the resigned and amused voice of his father answers within his mind making Gulliman hiss at him.
"TRAITOR!"
"I know, and I am sorry, please do indulge them for a while and try not to get to small for your…..diapers Roubutte,"
"Oh no, not you too father!" protests Roubutte with the man's fading laugh the only thing he hears as he returns his attention to his two mothers with the former asking the latter which picture frame she will bring with her to adorn in her own personal ship.
"Please be the one where I am proud and awesome! Please be the one where I am proud and awesome!" Gulliman finds himself mentally praying. Yet somehow the universe seems intent on making him miserable for with a Cheshire grin, his original mother picks out the one where he's trying to put on man diapers as a baby.
"I'll take this one then,"
"Nooooooooooooooo!"
….
Flashback: Great Crusade, Happy Holos
Horus would never understand why their mother insists that on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month of every year, they celebrate something called Holos. When he asked his father about it, the man simply harrumphed muttering something about an acting on dying in his side and their mother digging him out of the grave after being stuck on it in three days.
Either way, Holos is something of a get together time for the family and a chance for every Primarch to recuperate and rest from the rigors of the Great Crusade. They with their sons would gather and return here to Terra for celebration and of course, feasting as their sons would boast to each other about their exploits, trying to outdo each other in various contests. Somehow the sons of Russ on the other hand simply tries to outdrink everyone.
For the Primarchs, it is a chance for their family to have a little get together and of course, enjoy their mom's cooking. Horus would be lying if he doesn't admit that he is the first one to get back here at Terra for the simple reason that he gets the seat at the right side of his father where the best dishes can be accessed easier.
And of course as per Holos season, they all come with different kind of sweaters hand knitted by their mother for them. Horus himself is sporting a sweater of white with orange stripes enjoying how much snug it is compared to his armor. Around him as usual is pandemonium as his brothers are well….doing their thing as they feasted alongside their mother and father.
Leman Russ in a sweater with a smiling wolf is pelting Magnus in his pure red sweater with chicken bones from his mouth, annoying the Red skinned man enough that he levitates the entire jam and smashes it at the face of the Wolf Lord who roars in anger before trying to chase his brother around the table shouting profanities.
Ferrus Manus in green sweater and Vulkan in brown alongside Rogal bright yellow with bumblebees are talking something about volcanoes and black skin. He shudders at that. He never understood what their fascination about stuff that is hard, and blows up to their faces that those three tends to admire but he would stay the heck out of it.
Roubute in his blue sweater with a crown on it is eating like a damned princess while being showered by praise about being a "good boy" from their mother. Horus resists the urge to roll his eyes. The man is literally preening like a peacock at her words of positiveness.
Lion in dark greens of his sweater with a lione mane as usual is trying to get Sanguinis in his red sweater full of yellow wings to volunteer some of his feathers for the Lion to turn it to steel. Of course his beloved angel brother is resisting at least until the Lion starts to pluck it without consent resulting to a second tag around the table in addition to Magnus and Russ.
Jaghatai in his sweater with mini versions of him are trying to make the second stuffed boar walk with his hands much to Horus' confusion.
Konrad Curze and Corax in their pure black sweaters are staring at each other while at the same time a spoon here and a fork there are hurled at each other without anyone noticing. They would bounce off at each impact hitting another of their brothers by accident who would then blame another.
Alpharius Omegon are having an eating competition the twins suggesting food to each other while trying to outdo the other. They would be both choking again by the time the feast is over.
Lorgar in his purple sweater on the other hand is trying unsuccessfully to stop Angron in his black one with unicorns from shoving a bucket of aspirin down his gullet to lessen the pain of the Butcher's Nails. Last time, the overuse resulted to a heavily nose bleeding Angron.
Mortarion and Perturarbo of course as usual are having a fistfight after trying to outdo each other in insults. Their matching sweaters of indigo are splashed with gravy which then adds more indignation to the two as they both accuse each other and now adds kicking to their little brawl.
Fulgrim in his purple sweater is at the side giggling creepily as he paints with rather perfect accuracy the setup of their large family.
Horus just stares with a blinking questioning look at his mother and father who is trying to act like everything is normal as they partake their meal. Somehow this is not the strangest Holos yet that happens to their family despite the ruckus everywhere around them.
…
Author's Note:
So that's that for this chapter. Wew almost ten thousand words. I hope I did not miss anything at the Space battles. Im not exactly an expert at writing space fights. I hope I did it justice. Anyway next up is the invading of Tizca and more Primarchs. For those of you who follow the Text To Speech Device. I hope you guys would be cheering now for you will notice if you are real fans.
Anyway I don't wanna rant to much in this. Next fights would be brutal even for Helaena. If you guys could give me tips how do you think the battle would go I would appreciate it. The more ideas you guys throw around, the better a picture I can come up with rather than my own only. Anyway good night. Sorry for the late update. I am trying to live my life other than writing lmao. Hope you like the flashbacks.