Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2: The Nihlus War: Part Eleven
As the preparations for the third phase of the Nihlus War were underway, Sabrina, the Ultramarines Librarian attached to the Suzerain Invictarus, sensed an unknown Battle Barge emerging from the warp using her psychic powers. She immediately informed Ash about this development, prompting him to gather a group of his fellow Ultramarines, including Serena, Misty, Iris, Gary, Korrina, and Brock, to make their way to the bridge of the Aquila's Honor.
"Ash, this is Sabrina. you should come to the bridge right away," Sabrina spoke telepathically to Ash, "An unidentified Battle Barge is emerging from the warp."
Upon reaching the bridge, they ordered the Aquila's Honor's Vox Officer to patch the incoming Battle Barge through, eager to learn more about its origins and purpose.
On the holo-projection, they were met with a rather unexpected sight as the Hololith turned on: a large group of space marines who also doubled as popular girl groups in the Imperium, those idol groups being AKB48, SKE48, NMB48, HKT48, NGT48, MNL48, JKT48, SNH48, and BNK48. Their uncolored power armor, hooded appearances, and their masked faces concealed their true identities, adding a layer of mystery to their presence.
"Who are you, and to which Space Marine Chapter do you belong?" Ash Ketchum questioned the arrived idols, "Why in the Emperor's name have you arrived here?"
"All will be clear once we arrive, Commander," the idols, who seemed accustomed to their dual roles as pop stars and Astartes, responded cryptically and in unison, promising to reveal more once their Battle Barge came out from the warp.
As the conversation continued, the Ultramarines and their companions began speculating amongst themselves about the chapter to which these mysterious Astartes belonged. Their guesses ranged from Imperial Fists successors like the Crimson Fists, the Excorciators, and the Executioners, to other first founding chapters like the Salamanders, the Iron Hands, and even the White Scars. As they were talking, something happened to Brock. Seeing the idols on the holo-projection, Brock, known for his romantic inclinations, couldn't resist making advances toward some of them. He enthusiastically attempted to ask several of the idols out on a date. However, his flirtatious efforts took an unexpected and comedic turn when one of his Pokéballs activated, releasing his Croagunk.
"Ladies, I must say, you are the most beautiful stars in the galaxy!" the Suzerain Invictarus Standard bearer spoke with hearts in his eyes and lust in his heart, "Would any of you be interested in a date?"
*Croa-gunk!*
The startled Croagunk promptly used its Poison Jab attack on Brock, causing him to collapse to the floor and be incapacitated temporarily and causing him to fall victim to his own Pokémon's attack. Observing the situation, Gary stepped in, dragging the temporarily incapacitated Standard Bearer to the ship's Apothecarion by his cape.
"I'll take care of this, folks," Gary spoke in a concerned voice, "Continue on without me. I think Brock needs a moment to recover."
Meanwhile, the unknown space marines on the holo-projection couldn't help but giggle in response as they watched Brock being dragged away by his cape. After this happened, the battle barge, now recognizable as the Armiger, emerged from the warp, and its distinct features became visible on the Auspex systems of the Aquila's Honor. The Battle Barge's black hull with red and bone-white accents conveyed an ominous presence, heightened by the shadows that dispersed around the ship. However, the unmistakable symbol painted in white on the side of the ship sent a shock through the Ultramarines: a Winged Sword.
"By the Emperor..." Ash's eyes widened in shock. "It can't be..."
The unknown Chapter, known by various names— the 1st Legion, Angelis Tenebrae, Uncrowned Princes—was revealed to be the Dark Angels. The idol units, representing AKB48, SKE48, NMB48, HKT48, NGT48, MNL48, JKT48, SNH48, and BNK48, then transformed, with their once gray, unmarked power armor transitioning to black with bone-white chest plates and red accents. The Gothic numeral for one: I, was engraved on the gorget of each girl, symbolizing the Dark Angels as the first legion, with the Winged Sword adorning both their chest plates and their shoulder pads. White capes with red outlines and patterns cascaded from their backpacks. Their knight-like helmets, cradled under their arms, featured red wings on either side and plumes on top, which were reminiscent of the techno-medieval knights of The Order, an esteemed knightly organization from Caliban, their destroyed homeworld, and the order to which their Primarch, Lion El'Jonson, had belonged to before his discovery.
As the idols turned Dark Angels approached, some of them, including AKB48's Atsuko Maeda and Yuki Kashiwagi, NMB48's Miyuki Watanabe, and SKE48's Jurina Matsui, took off their hoods and masks and stepped forward to introduce themselves to the Ultramarines.
"We are the representatives of the Dark Angels," Atsuko, now a Dark Angels Company Master, spoke respectfully as she introduced herself, "I am Atsuko Maeda, ace of AKB48, proud daughter of Lion El'Jonson, and commander of the Armiger."
"You can call me Yuki Kashiwagi," Yuki, now a Dark Angels Lieutenant, nodded as she introduced herself, "I'm a member of AKB48 and I serve as Sister Maeda's equerry."
"My name's Miyuki Watanabe," Miyuki, now the Company Ancient for Atsuko's Dark Angels Company, spoke as she took her hood off, "I'm part of NMB48 and I serve as my Company's Ancient."
I'm Jurina Matsui," Jurina, now a Dark Angels Dreadwing Interemptor sergeant, spoke confidently as she took her hood off, "I'm the ace of SKE48 and I serve as the commander of my Company's Dreadwing formation."
They explained the reason for their arrival, revealing that they had detected a substantial Warband of Night Lords in the Cadian Sector, specifically in the Kantrel System. The Night Lords, the shattered eighth legion, and the sons of the Night Haunter, Konrad Curze, were masters of psychological warfare during the Great Crusade, using fear as their most powerful weapon. However, with them becoming traitors, the Night Lords became known as a legion of psychopaths and murderers, preying on the weak and alone. In reality, however, the secret reason that the Dark Angels had arrived here was that they had also detected a large Warband of Fallen Angels that were also in the Sector, and they were here to hunt them down.
"We have been ordered by Supreme Grand Master Azrael to deal with the threat of the Night Lords," Atsuko explained to Ash, "Elements of the other chapters within our collective, the Unforgiven, have been dispatched to cleanse this sector of their influence. The Thramas Crusade calls for revenge, and we, along with you, the Ultramarines, and the Blood Angels, shall make it so. Furthermore, these Night Lords were responsible for the death of Naberius, our previous Supreme Grand Master."
"We appreciate your assistance in this war, Dark Angels," Ash nodded, "We're here to cleanse the sector of chaos."
"Acknowledged, Son of Guilliman," Atsuko responded before she cut the Transmission, "Me and my sisters have to privately discuss something first, so we'll get back to you once we're done."
Back in the Strategium of the Armiger and hidden away from the Ultramarines' ears, Yuki Kashiwagi, Atsuko Maeda, Jurina Matsui, and Miyuki Watanabe, along with many of their fellow Dark Angels including fellow AKB48 members Mayu Watanabe, Tomomi Itano, Haruna Kojima, Yuko Oshima, Mariko Shinoda, Minami Takahashi, Sayaka Akimoto, Tomomi Kasai, Sae Miyazawa, Rie Kitahara, and Aki Takajo. All of them had gathered to discuss the history and the potential threat that was posed by the Angels of Hatred and their leader, the Fallen Angel Damocles, known as the Fallen Star.
"The Angels of Hatred... Damocles..." Yuki spoke in a low voice as she pulled up an image of Damocles on the Armiger's Hololith table, "This Warband of Fallen Angels has a dark history that dates back to when the Dark Angels were first created."
"I agree, Yuki," Atsuko nodded as she looked through Damocles's information on a Dataslate, "Damocles is, according to data that's on this Dataslate, an Uncrowned Prince and a former member of the Inner Circle Knights Cenobium, meaning that he was both one of the first members of our legion to be created and he was also among the elite of the Deathwing."
"Additionally, due to him being a member of the Inner Circle Knights Cenobium, his access to our Legion's closest secrets makes him a grave threat," Jurina spoke in a low but serious voice, "We cannot allow him to use that knowledge against us or let his knowledge fall into the wrong hands. If he does, it will be the end of all that we've fought for."
"His connections to Cypher make him all the more dangerous, sisters," Miyuki spoke next, "Every time we get closer to catching that elusive renegade, he always slips from our grasp just as we're about to catch him. Besides, Cypher is an enigma that we cannot discern the true identity and motives of."
"Furthermore, We must remember Caliban," Haruna, now a Dreadwing Interemptor, spoke, "It was our legion's homeworld, razed to the ground by The Lion's hand, the cost of a rebellion too great to bear. Rumors among the Unforgiven state that Damocles was one of the traitors who fought by Luther's side when he wounded The Lion."
"I agree," Minami, now a Ravenwing Black Knight, spoke, "We must end this threat before it can further stain the honor of the Dark Angels."
As they discussed the looming threat of Damocles and his Warband of Fallen Angels, a Grey Knights Strike Cruiser, the Ghost Sentinel, emerged from the warp. Commanded by Motoko Kusanagi, an Ordo Malleus inquisitor leading the infamous Section 9 of the Imperial Inquisition, the appearance of the Inquisition ship sent a collective wave of panic through the AKB48, SKE48, NMB48, HKT48, NGT48, MNL48, JKT48, SNH48, and BNK48 members as they feared that their Legion's secret sin, the existence of Fallen Angels, would be exposed.
"Dear Emperor, it's the Inquisition..." Sayaka, now the Company Champion of Atsuko's company, whispered in fear, "What if they uncover our chapter's, and by extension, our legion's secret?"
"We're supposed to hunt the Fallen, not be hunted ourselves!" Mariko, now a Ravenwing Black Knight, spoke nervously, "Besides, our allegiance could be called into question. We might be branded traitors to the Imperium and be purged!"
"This can't be happening!" Mayu, now a Firewing Enigmatii, shrieked in terror, "We can't let them discover our chapter's shame!"
"This is bad!" Yuko, also a Dreadwing Interemptor, spoke anxiously, "They're going to expose us for our sins!"
The panic intensified among the idols, fearing exposure to the Dark Angels' ancient and secret sin. However, the Ghost Sentinel hailed the Aquila's Honor instead, with Motoko requesting information on chaos cults that had been encountered by the forces of the Ultramarines.
"This is Inquisitor Kusunagi of the Imperial Inquisition, Ordo Malleus," Motoko Kusanagi radioed the Ultramarines Battleship via Vox, "I seek information on any chaos cults you may have encountered while making your way here. If you can, Ultramarines, please transmit any relevant data that you might have to my personal Cogitator."
Ash ordered an Ultramarines Thunderhawk to pick up Inquisitor Kusanagi from the Ghost Sentinel, facilitating her presence in the Strategium of the Aquila's Honor.
"Bring Inquisitor Kusanagi to us," Ash Ketchum commanded the Thunderhawk Pilot, "We shall share the information she seeks."
The idols, still tense, continued their conversation while awaiting the Inquisitor's arrival.
"We must be careful, Sisters," Rie, now a Tactical Sergeant, whispered to her fellow Dark Angels, "Our secrets are on the line."
"She's Right. We can't afford any missteps," Sae, now a Dreadwing Devastator Marine, spoke next, "Our secret must remain hidden."
And that right there wraps up chapter eleven of the story! Leave a review and a follow if you want to see more of this story. Thank you!