Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2: The Fanfiction - Part Four:
On this eve of battle, we honor you, Father. Your sons, brother in arms call upon your blessing, noble Sanguinius. We remember your sacrifice, and soon another one will follow in your wake. Who among our brothers will serve you? Angel of Wrath, Bless him with fury, Show us the one worthy of your memories. Angel of Death, Guide our swords in righteous hatred. Angel of Doom by your sacred blood, show us your chosen, For his armor is cloaked in black, His strength is unmatched, His wraith is limitless, His thirst for the blood of our Emperor's enemies is unquenchable, and His deeds forever remembered by his brothers even when death takes him to your side. Grant us your strength so our enemies may fall, and may his death honor Your memory and bring us victory! - The Moripatris, a common prayer recited by the Chaplains of the Blood Angels and the Successor Chapters of the Sanguinary Brotherhood before Battle
OST: Battlefleet Gothic: Armada Soundtrack - Battlefleet Gothic Theme
As the loyalist warships exited the warp over the planet of Belisar, an Imperial Hive World that had been isolated from the Imperium due to the Great Rift cutting off contact with the light of the Astronomicon, Magos Crawn, the Head Tech-priest of the Righteous Protector, reported a Vox communication incoming from Lord High Admiral Drang.
"Receiving communication from the Vox relay, Lord Admiral," Magos Crawn intoned mechanically, "It is Lord High Admiral Drang, my lord."
The news brought a mixture of shock and relief to the crew, especially to Commodore Kage, who had feared the worst for their commander and their Battlefleet Admiral.
"So the old man's still alive?" Commodore Kage was intrigued when he heard the news from Magos Crawn, "I told you he was too tough to kill."
Lord High Admiral Drang's holographic image then flickered into existence onto the Hololith mounted on the bridge of the Righteous Protector, his presence as Lord High Admiral of Segmentum Obscurus commanded respect from his peers and those underneath him, including Lord Admiral Spire.
"Lord Admiral Spire," Lord High Admiral Drang spoke with an authoritative voice, "I trust that you stand ready for orders?"
"I am ready, Lord High Admiral," Spire responded with readiness in his voice as he nodded with determination in anticipation to accept the task before him. Seeing this, Lord High Admiral Drang wasted no time, issuing Spire a crucial task to him that was to be done.
"Good," Lord High Admiral Drang responded firmly, "Strategically and symbolically, the Cadian sector is vital to our efforts. Lord Admiral Spire, your mission is to retake and reclaim the sector itself, Admiral. The Imperium's survival depends on it. The Emperor Protects."
Spire them acknowledged the gravity of his orders.
"Understood, Lord High Admiral," Lord Admiral Spire responded resolutely, "We will reclaim the sector. The Emperor Protects."
With the orders given to Lord Admiral Spire, Lord High Admiral Drang then signed off the Hololith, leaving Spire and his fellow Imperial commanders to prepare for the challenges ahead. After the Vox Relay transmission from Lord High Admiral Drang had been terminated, Ash Ketchum, commander of the Ultramarines Suzerain Invictarus Honor Guard, then sent a Vox Transmission to Lord Admiral Spire.
"Lord Admiral Spire, meet me in the Strategium of the Aquila's Honor," Ash Ketchum spoke in the transmission, "That's where we'll plan the first moves of this accursed war."
As an Ultramarines Thunderhawk transporting Lord Admiral Spire descended into the hangar bay of the Aquila's Honor, the Vox Crew of the Righteous Protector then received yet another Imperial transmission, this time from an Avenger-Class Grand Cruiser belonging to the Blood Angels Chapter known as the Angel's Ascendancy, commanded by Captain Julius Octavian of the Blood Angels Chapter's 7th Close Support Reserve Company, The Unconquerables.
"This is Captain Julius Octavian of the Blood Angels, reporting from the Angel's Ascendancy," Captain Octavian signaled from the bridge of the Grand Cruiser, "Lord Admiral Spire, we've arrived to lend our aid in this war."
Suddenly, two other Blood Angels ships, the Strike Cruiser known as the Sanguine Blade and the Gladius-Class Frigate that was known as the Numitor, appeared out of the warp and followed behind Captain Octavian's ship, and both of them were commanded, with one being commanded another Blood Angels Captain, that being Captain Alicia Alucard of the Blood Angels 5th Battle Company, known as the Daemonbanes, and the other being commanded by Sergeant Rafen of the Blood Angels, respectively.
"This is Captain Alicia Alucard of the Sanguine Blade, reporting in." Alicia's voice came through, "We stand ready to fight against the darkness."
"This is Sergeant Rafen of the Numitor. ready for duty," Rafen's voice came through next, "The Blood Angels are here to assist, over."
"Chapter Master Dante sends his regards, Lord Admiral. Captain Octavian spoke with conviction, "The Blood Angels and their successors will fight by your side, just as we have done during the Gothic War."
Captain Julius Octavian, representing the illustrious Sanguinary Brotherhood, a coalition of Blood Angels successor chapters, then informed Spire of their reinforcements, a gesture of gratitude from Commander Dante, Chapter Master of the Blood Angels, for Spire's assistance during the Gothic War. But the Blood Angels were not alone in coming in to fight, for another Astartes warship, the gold and azure battle barge Saharanor, emerged from the warp. It was commanded by Warchief Muteba Asala of the Celestial Lions Chapter, one of the many stalwart Space Marine chapters that were descended from the Stalwart Imperial Fists Chapter. Adding onto that, the battle barge of another Imperial Fists successor, the Blade of Perdition of the Executioners Chapter, joined the fray, its commander, Captain Belloch of the 2nd Company, extending a hand of solidarity.
"Lord Admiral Spire, we have arrived and we stand ready to purge the heretics," Muteba spoke in a determined voice, "The Black Templars have answered the call to arms, as they have sent a Crusade fleet to your location."
"Righteous Protector, this is Captain Belloch of the Executioners 2nd Company," Captain Belloch spoke from the Blade of Perdition, "Our axes stand ready to bring retribution to the enemies of the Imperium."
With reinforcements from the Blood Angels, the Celestial Lions, the Executioners, and now the Black Templars, it was a sign that Lord Admiral Spire and his allies were starting to assemble a formidable force of the Imperium's deadliest champions and its fiercest warriors, as back in the heavily-guarded Strategium of the Aquila's Honor, Lord Admiral Spire and Ash Ketchum were in the middle of holding a crucial discussion about their first target in the War—the heavily-defended Deimios Binary System, which was home to both a Mechanicus Forge World and a small shipyard, both of which were crucial to the fledgling Imperial War Effort within the Cadian sector.
"The Deimios Binary System is our first objective in this war," Lord Admiral Spire spoke as he went over the map of the system that was projected by the Hololith, "We must seize it to secure vital resources and shipyards. If those are in our possession, our ships may be able to make substantial repairs."
"Agreed, Lord Admiral," Ash nodded in agreement, understanding the strategic importance of their choice. However, Spire's voice took on a somber tone as he revealed his Warship's condition.
"My ship, the Righteous Protector, is too damaged to participate in the upcoming battle," Lord Admiral Spire spoke in a concerned voice, "I'll remain in the Belisar System for repairs while you fight against the defenders there. Stay safe out there, Commander Ketchum, the Emperor protects."
With the arrival of the Blood Angels and the Celestial Lions, it became clear that they would spearhead the first strike and the first battle of the Nihlus War, alongside the Ultramarines. As Spire departed aboard an Ultramarines Thunderhawk back to the Righteous Protector, Ash turned his attention to his duties as commander of the Aquila's Honor and leader of the Ultramarines' vaunted Honor Guard. He ordered the Astropath choir of the Aquila's Honor to send out another astropathic hymnal for Imperial reinforcements and then instructed the chief Vox Officer with a hand signal to transmit a coded Vox Transmission—a signal for the rest of the Suzerain Invictarus, along with the forces of any Ultramarines and their successor chapters to gather in the Belisar system to wage war onto those that sought to destroy the Imperium.
Another Vox Officer who was on the ship was tasked with sending a transmission to any ships belonging to the Ultramarines or their Successor Chapters in the vicinity, rallying them to join forces with the Ultramarines fleet. Ash also directed the Angel's Ascendancy, the Sanguine Blade, the Numitor, and the Saharanor to be informed about the attack plan he had been formulating. As the Vox Officer began to send out the transmissions on the Aquila's Honor's vox relays, Ash then took a moment to look at a Data-slate that displayed the schedule of various Idol Groups that were touring the area when the Great Rift had occurred, cutting them off from the rest of the galaxy. As he analyzed each group, he saw them as a potential way to boost morale among the crews of the warships.
"Send a Vox Transmission to them," Ash ordered another one of the Aquila's Honor's Vox Officers, "Tell them that all their touring schedules have been rerouted through to the Belisar System. Information on where to perform will be provided for them once they've arrived here."
Before he could delve further into his plans to contribute to the war effort, Erika, a Suzerain Invictarus Space Marine Lieutenant and the former Pokémon Gym Leader of Celadon City, interrupted him.
"Commander Ketchum," Lieutenant Erika spoke in a respectful voice, "we're receiving signals from the other Ultramarines ships. The sons and daughters of Maccrage are now responding to your rallying fanfare."
"Understood," Ash responded, "I will get them into formation once we've gotten the attack plan set up."
Ash, determined to maintain a focused approach, instructed her to put the signals through on a private Ultramarines-only channel. He wanted to hear the voices of his fellow Ultramarines as he made his way to the Aquila's Honor's Strategium to brief the commanders of the three chapters on the upcoming battle and the role each ship would play in reclaiming the Deimios Binary System. The war in the Cadian sector had begun, and unity among the Imperial forces was essential and paramount if the Imperium had any chance of victory.