Warzone Caesaria: Planetfall
Night had fallen on the plains of Caesaria IV. In the valleys beneath the hive cities, a mob of orks rolled onward, their ramshackle trukk belching smoke and flames into the air. The orks in and around the trukk muttered and grunted among themselves, not wishing to start a brawl and draw the wrath of the Nob leading the group... at least until they reached wherever they were supposed to go. Then brawling could begin in earnest.
They had made it around the next bend when the trukk spontaneously exploded, shredded limbs and weapons flying about and striking those unlucky enough to be caught in the blast zone. The Nob bellowed orders, the rest of the orks spreading out to search for the git that dared destroy their trukk. Their search was fruitless at first, the ire of the Greenskins rising the longer they could not find their foe, but they were soon peppered by dozens of bolter shots raining from above.
The orks’ assailants were clad in red armor, twisted from centuries of residing in the Warp. Ten of them had taken position on the hill while ten more charged forward, chainswords roaring as they fell upon the orks. The Greenskins bellowed a warcry of their own before charging in, but the swiftness of the attackers was too much for the aliens.
The Nob would have been able to rally his followers; with one swing of his power klaw, he rendered one of the armor clad warriors to a bloody splatter across the ground. But before he could press on for a proper scrap, a blue bolt of energy shot from the darkness and reduced the Nob’s head and torso to fine mist. Their leader dead, the surviving orks broke and ran, their assailants cutting down any stragglers.
“Disgusting primitives,” Lorgar growled as he emerged from the darkness, crushing Greenskin corpses with every step. “It would be like them to be in the wrong place and slow our advance... Come, we have wasted enough time as it is.” the Chaos Marines collected themselves before falling in formation around the Daemon Primarch, a small group scouting ahead while the main body followed.
Much of Caesaria IV had been ravaged by centuries of neglect, aided by the wanton destruction of man and xenos. Where once had been small cities and sprawling farmland was now barren wastes and industrial refuse, a monument to the selfish nearsightedness of Man. The wrecks of war machines both xenos and manmade littered the fields, looming in the shadows as the soldiers of Chaos moved forward.
Lorgar paused briefly, reaching out with his powers to ensure that he was on the right track. There was a pause before he detected the subtle pulse of his prize. “This way, my brothers.” he said, pushing aside the ruined hulk of a Leman Russ tank. They continued on in silence, pausing only when the sounds of battle appeared to be drifting closer.
It would perhaps be enjoyable to engage such weaklings, but Lorgar had more pressing matter to deal with.
He stopped again, reaching out with his powers once more. “We have arrived.” the Chaos Marines fanned out around an empty spot in the field while Lorgar set the head of his mace on the ground. “Let the secrets of the universe be unveiled, so that the truth may devour those too ignorant to accept the truth.” There was a pause before the ground shifted, the stone sliding back to reveal a passageway leading into the dark. The walls and stairs were marked with dozens upon dozens of blasphemous marks, some familiar while others had been lost for centuries before Mankind had ventured among the stars.
Only those that dared to venture beyond what they presumed to be true understood the magnitude of what they approached.
Lorgar waved his hand, dozens of faint lights running down the hallway. Some of the Chaos Marines hesitated, those that had not accompanied the Primarch in his explorations, but they were not cowardly enough for the hesitation to last long. Lorgar continued on, using the occasional flicker of warpflame to clear away any rubble and cobwebs that would have proved an annoyance. The sounds of warfare above had died away to almost nothing, Lorgar and the Chaos Marines accompanied only by the sound of their boots against ancient stones.
Soon, the hallway opened into a massive alcove, large enough that a multitude of the enlightened could gather and still have room to move about freely. Leading down was a staircase of eleven steps, once more marked with a myriad of icons. The center of the room was decorated with a massive etching of the eight pointed star of Chaos, an old blood splatter marking the center.
Beneath the splatter was a much smaller mark, but Lorgar’s attention to that mark would wait until the ritual was complete.
“Thus, the Ninth Gate is prepared.” he said. “Step forward, brothers, so that we might ensure the passage of power and knowledge.” Two Marines moved to guard the door while ten others fanned out, taking up spots along the edge of the Mark of Chaos while Lorgar approached the center.
“There is not Truth, but that which is found in Chaos,” Lorgar said, stepping slowly towards the center of the circle. “There is neither beginning nor end, neither life nor death, without the mark of Chaos upon it. Yet Mankind is blind, the False Heirs deny, and the Old Ones delude, all so that they may not accept the Truth.” by now, Lorgar had reached the center of the circle. He held out his right hand as a thin black knife materialized, the blade shimmering in the low light of the alcove.
“The blood of the Seeker, given that Truth may be revealed.” Lorgar sliced his open hand, droplets of blood spilling down onto the mark below. There was a brief flash of pain, but the Daemon Primarch was more than capable of pushing it out of mind.
“The blood of the Doomed, that the ignorant will become enlightened.” Out of the shadows stepped another Chaos Marine. He stood apart from the others, his armor streaked with black and white patterns above the red and silver. The Marine stepped forward until he was situated before Lorgar, the Daemon Primarch turning the black blade in his hand before plunging it into the newcomers stomach. The Marine made no sound as Lorgar opened him from torso to neck, the knife passing through power armor as if it were flesh. The dying Marine toppled back, his blood flowing into the grooves on the ground while Lorgar stepped back to the edge of the circle.
At first, nothing happened. But slowly, the pooling blood began to blacken, smoke rising to collect in a cloud over the now disintegrating corpse. A sound like tearing metal filled the room, a rift opening to consume the sacrifice and anything beneath it. A small whirlwind tugged at the assembled Chaos Marines, with only Lorgar strong enough to weather the storm without having to brace.
The rift consumed the body before winking out entirely, plunging the room into darkness once more. There was a pause before the small mark at the center of the circle began to glow, Lorgar smiling as the light grew in intensity. “The Ninth Seal has been broken.” Lorgar said. “It will be some time before the tenth is prepared. Come, we must depart before the False God and her lapdogs arrive.”
...
Corax had transferred over to the Minotaurs’ flagship on the last supply stop before Subsector Caesaria. The Astartes had treated him... indifferently, he supposed; the Minotaurs had rumors about them that they had been in the employ of the High Lords, and perhaps would not be too keen to follow the Primarch who helped put their masters under a new thumb. The Empress had said little on the matter, though a few pointed words had seemed to placate the Minotaurs for a little longer.
Corax had taken most of the journey to rest and meditate in the room the Minotaurs had provided for him. His weapons had been reforged, his armor repaired, and commands returned to him, but it was not enough. There would be elements of the Raven Guard on Caesaria IV, and sooner or later Corax would have to stand before them.
Fifteen thousand years of shame, and even the Empress had only begun to brush it away.
Corax paused as he felt the Battle Barge emerging from the Warp. Silently he rose, donning his armor piece by piece until he was fully dressed once more. The Korvidine Pinions had been damaged from fifteen thousand years of use and neglect, but they would still function for a little longer, at least until the Empress found more time to repair them.
He would be without his pistols, but that would be addressed once the campaign against the orks was dealt with.
Corax stepped out into the hall, surprising the Chapter Serfs that had been sent to fetch him. “My lord Corax,” the leader said quickly. “We have just exited the Warp and are preparing for the landing.”
“Good. Tell the captain that once our forces are deployed, he and the rest of the fleet are to assist the Empress in clearing any Greenskins from orbit.” the serfs nodded and departed, Corax heading down to the hangar on his own. The numerous Chapter Serfs, servitors, and other crew did not notice as Corax slipped through the hall, the Primarch sidestepping many a hurrying human as he made his way through the Battle Barge.
It was for the better. The last thing they needed was to be distracted by him.
After several minutes of navigating the Battle Barge’s halls, Corax arrived in the main hangar. Techmarines and servitors were drifting between the assembled Thunderhawks, Stormravens, Stormtalons, and Stormhawk gunships, loading and checking weapons in preparation for the assault below. Land Raiders and Rhinos were prepared for loading, those squads of Minotaurs not assigned to Drop Pods making last minute adjustments to their vehicles.
One thousand Space Marines at his disposal, and Corax was only the distraction for the main assault. The Empress would be proud.
Corax made his way towards the nearest Thunderhawk, spotting Lord Moloc and a retinue of Terminators approaching. “I trust that the Empress’ plans will not fully limit our deployment strategy.”
“Only to the extent that you will be operating under my watch, not your own,” Corax replied, turning only slightly to face Moloc. “We must draw the orks away from the main Hive Cities long enough for the Empress to land her forces and prepare a counter attack. To that extent, I have drawn up a series of hit-and-run operations that will be relayed to designated captains once we enter the atmosphere.”
“That might drag out the engagement, though,” Moloc countered. “We could easily fall upon the Greenskins and slaughter them all with little difficulty.”
“That is not the Empress’ command. This is her fight, not yours or even mine.” Corax turned away before continuing. “She has her reasons to choose this method of attack; it is not my place to question her further. Once we have sown enough discord among the xenos, and once the Empress is in position, then you may deploy your forces in full. You have your orders; see to it that they are carried out.” Moloc hesitated but soon departed with his retinue. Ahead, Corax could see that a squadron of Vanguard Veterans had assembled before one Thunderhawk, drawing to attention as Corax approached.
“Sergeant Thales, at your service Lord Corax.” the sergeant of the group said, giving a short salute. He seemed more sincere than Moloc and his followers, but Corax was not one to comment aloud on such matters.
“I cannot say that I have much need for bodyguards,” Corax began. “But any assistance in the task at hand will be greatly appreciated. Come, we have wasted enough time as it is.” The Minotaurs entered the Thunderhawk before Corax, engines building in a slow whine as the assault ramp closed behind the Primarch.
“Lord Corax, we are receiving a transmission from the first fleet,” the pilot of the Thunderhawk voxed in.
“I will listen.” there was a pause and a brief bit of static before the Empress’ bell-like voice filled the hold.
“Sons of the Imperium,” she said. “We have managed to force the Ork fleets into retreat and will begin landing reinforcements on Caesaria IV. With luck and determination, we should clear this system of the Greenskin threat with no trouble at all.
“I speak to you now not as Astartes, or Guardsmen, or Custodes; I speak to you as the representatives of Mankind, the first spark in the darkness that shall grow to become an all-encompassing light. Strike out against the foe, smash aside any semblance of power they still cling to, and let them know that Mankind is the true heir of the Galaxy, not them. United, we possess a will that shall never be extinguished, but it requires more than just speeches and declarations to be made manifest. Now, let us allow our actions to speak for us, to be a true sign for a new age of the Imperium.
“You have my confidence and my faith in your success. I look forward to fighting alongside you once again.” the communication cut off, leaving the Thunderhawk in silence save for the hum of the gunship’s engines. Some of the Minotaurs grumbled among themselves, but Corax merely blocked them off from his focus for now.
Perhaps the Empress was not what they had hoped for their leader. They would need patience if they were to see her true power.
“We are clear of the fleet, Lord Corax.” the pilot called out. “Ork air defenses may be heavier once we reach the atmosphere, but we should reach the central hive in a few minutes.”
“Good.” Corax nodded. There was a pause before he looked to the Minotaur veterans. “I am rather unfamiliar with your Chapter’s training; what do you know of ambush and hit-and-run tactics?”
“They are not methods that Lord Moloc is particularly fond of, my lord.” Sergeant Thales started. “We were instructed, sure enough, but such fighting was always spoken of as a coward’s way of fighting.”
“Lord Moloc is not in command now; I am.” Corax swept his gaze across the veterans. “Fighting with your mind is not cowardly; there are times when brute force will only make a combat situation worse for all present. The Greenskins, for example, will only flock to the front if we are to engage them head on; even with a thousand Marines at our backs, we would be hard pressed against them.” One Marine appeared to object to this, but Corax shifted his vision. “The Empress was almost killed by Greenskins during the Great Crusade; do not think for an instant that the barbarians are nothing more than stupid xenos.”
“Whatever the case may be, we are ready and willing to follow your commands, Lord Corax.” Corax merely gave a short nod. Perhaps there was hope for these Astartes after all.
They remained silent as they continued their descent towards Caesaria, the Minotaurs doing their best to avoid direct eye contact with Corax. Several times the Thunderhawk shook from turbulence, rattling its cargo about as they waited for the signal of their approach.
It was, perhaps, not as quiet as their fatal descent on Isstvan V, but Corax could not help but draw some comparison.
“Lord Corax,” Corax was drawn from his musing by the pilot calling from ahead. “We are approaching the central spire. It appears that several Greenskin heavy walkers have advanced on the southern tip of the hive city.” there was a pause as the Thunderhawk shook again. “And it appear that enemy aircraft have moved to engage us. Shall I signal the other Thunderhawks to close?”
“No,” Corax rose and moved towards the landing ramp. “Turn towards the east, and have all Astartes disembark and continue via jump; the orks will be less likely to spot us and we will be in a better position to ambush the forces. Leave the xenos fighters to the interceptors, and signal the Empress and alert her that the enemy is advancing more rapidly than we thought.”
“Yes, Lord Corax.” there was a pause before the landing ramp lowered, giving Corax a view outside. Ork craft dueled with Stormhawk Interceptors, Corax watching as one Astartes fighter shredded three of the enemy in one pass. Ahead, he could see the dim outline of the hive city, looming over the Thunderhawks like a great monolith.
“Stay close to me,” he called back to the veterans behind him. “Once we reach the city, we must link up with whatever other Imperial forces we can find, and then we can work to slow the orks before the Empress lands.”
“Are you certain the other forces out there will be enough to assist us once we land?” Sergeant Thales asked.
“If they were not, the Greenskins would have razed this city long before we arrived.” With that, Corax threw himself into space, his jump pack firing to slow his descent ever so slightly. The Minotaurs followed, their adjustments much choppier than Corax would have expected from Veteran Space Marines. Behind them, other Thunderhawks had pulled up to allow their Vanguard Veterans and Assault Marines to disembark, dozens of Astartes descending towards the hive city below.
The orks took note; dozens of fighters came screaming down from above, their crude machine guns blazing as they tried to strike the Space Marines from the air. The Minotaurs might have been choppy in controlling their descent, but they could certainly dodge well enough, most of the ork shooting cutting through the air with no result. Some were not so lucky, and Corax could only watch as the shattered remains of two of the Veterans following him tumbled the rest of the way to the ground.
Abrasive as they were, the Minotaurs were still under Corax’s command. Losing even a few left a bitter taste in the Primarch’s mouth.
Ahead, a large hab block rose to greet Corax. Pulling his legs up, Corax fired his jump pack once more before landing, the metal of the roof creaking slightly as he hit. The others soon joined him, spreading out as they took up new vantage points to better spot friend and foe. In the sky, the Stormhawks and other flyers had driven off the bulk of the Ork defenses, though some still lingered to give the Space Marines hell.
“What do you see?” he asked, stepping towards the nearest ledge and peering down.
“Smog, mainly,” one Minotaur said. “... there appears to be some bunkers to the west, away from the Greenskins. Perhaps part of a defensive line?”
“Perhaps...” Corax straightened up. “Mark the location and have any squads nearby go to investigate. We will continue on the line from here. Control your descent; silence and shadow must remain our allies for as long as possible.” Corax spotted a smaller building close to where he guess the front line to be, quickly descending with the Minotaurs in tow. Now, he could see the defensive line more clearly; several rows of trenches and barricades, broken only by bunkers and a few tanks traps, though to his surprise it appeared all by empty. Worse, a warband of orks perhaps two hundred strong was advancing towards the gap, their warcries audible even from so high up.
“Those Greenskins will be within the line in a few moments,” another Minotaur said. “Permission to engage, Lord Corax?”
“Hold,” he said, raising a hand. “It appears that some still hold to the shadows.” there was no time for the Minotaurs to question Corax, for three blue beams of light shot from the shadows, two striking the closest trukk in its engine. The engine exploded, the trukk flipping forward and pitching its surviving cargo into the dirt. The orks bellowed with rage and charged, waving their axes and pistols in the air as another trio of lascannon shots wrecked a second trukk.
Just before they reached the first line of obstacles, the entire mob was wracked by a series of small explosions. Cluster mines, Corax thought as dozens of Greenskins were cut down. This ambush was well prepared. The orks had no chance to rally before hundreds of lasbolts filled the air, joined by salvos of bolter rounds and a few shotgun blasts.
Now, the trap revealed itself in full: three platoons of Guardsmen filled the trenches, supported by lascannon and heavy bolter teams. Among them were several black armored Space Marine Scouts, their heavier weapons providing a little more bite to the Imperial defense. Near the rear was a lone Astartes, his hands raised as the very air appeared to bend around him and the small collection of psykers that had joined him. No doubt his powers had shrouded the Guardsmen and scouts until the last instant, tempting the orks into a firing lane they could not easily escape from.
Corax’s jaw tightened as he spotted the white raven against the Space Marines’ black armor. He had found his sons quicker than he had anticipated.
“Now shall we engage?” Thales asked.
“The orks are caught.” Corax pulled himself up to his full height, the claws on his wrists wreathed in blue light. “Remind these xenos of Man’s place in the universe.” The Minotaurs needed no further urging, their jump packs firing as they dropped down on the unsuspecting xenos. Fire from the gunline lifted as Thales and his squad crashed into the xenos, blades flashing forth as they carved a bloody swath in the horde.
Corax angled himself and rushed downward. The nob beneath him had no warning before Corax landed, the force of the impact crushing the Greenskin like a bug. With a lunge he fell in among the orks, none of them able to escape from the Primarch. With his first strike three of the Greenskins found themselves eviscerated, Corax barely pausing as he moved on to his next target. An oncoming choppa was caught mid swing, Corax punching forward and gouging the offending ork’s eyes out before he used his momentum to crush another underfoot.
While the Minotaurs finished with that group of orks, Corax advanced towards the next. Briefly he disappeared, his opponents blinking in surprise as the Primarch vanished, and once more stood dumbly as Corax’s blades cut through them like air. Attacks were not as polished or quick as some of his brothers would have expected from a Primarch, with ork blood splattering across Corax’s arms and face as he tore through enemy after enemy, but this was war; Guilliman’s niceties and Fulgrim’s vanity had little place where death was the constant.
Fulgrim fell and Guilliman is all but dead, Corax mused. Perhaps I was more right than I thought...
Corax finished stomping the last nob he could reach into the dirt when he spotted a second group of Astartes attacking from the ork’s rear. They too were Vanguard Veterans, dropping down from above to better surprise the Greenskins, though they wore the black and white of the Raven Guard instead of the bronze of the Minotaur. The initial part of the ambush, then? Corax had no further time to wonder as he caught a glimpse of motion out of the corner of his eye, dodging to the right just as the apparent Warboss of the orks lunged at him, power klaw snapping shut mere centimeters away from Corax’s chest.
The beast was large, almost meeting Corax’s eyes. Like its fallen brethren it was clad in rusted armor splattered with yellow paint, though this one’s appeared to be “cleaner”. One hand was encased in a smoke-belching power klaw, while the other held a double-barreled machine gun as big as a grown man.
Not the biggest ork Corax had encountered in the last fifteen thousand years, but no less dangerous.
Corax shifted his stance, bringing his hands close to his body in preparation to receive the Warboss’ strike. The xenos instead stepped back and leveled his gun, the weapon roaring as hot lead shot out in every feasible forward direction. Using one arm to shield himself from the assault, Corax rushed forward and swung, lightning claws slicing through the gun and leaving it in several pieces. Doing so had over-exposed Corax, and he could not pull away before the ork’s power klaw smacked into his side. Enough brawling and combat during his life had taught him to roll with the punch, twisting his body around so he landed on his feet again and could still face the ork.
The beast bellowed, Corax giving no reply before darting forward again. The Warboss struck, but Corax caught the power klaw with his right hand before bringing his left into the ork’s stomach, blood splattering across his hand as his enemy bellowed. Corax withdrew for another strike, but the Warboss slammed his forehead against Corax’s and knocked the Primarch away.
A normal human would have died. Even a Space Marine would have been stunned. Corax’s vision became unfocused for only a few seconds.
The ork readied himself for another round, but to his surprise Corax had vanished. The Primarch slowly circled, invisible to all but the keenest eye, a quality the ork obviously did not possessed. The beast swung about, snapping his power klaw several times and bellowing in rage that his opponent would not come and face him.
Only when the ork had his back turned did Corax strike.
Corax ducked forward before punching out with both fists, the claws on his wrist easily stabbing through xenos hide. The force was enough to lift the ork off his feet, though even Corax could feel his muscles straining against the beast’s mass. As the ork struggled, Corax pulled his arms closer, the lightning claws shredding muscle, internal organs, and bone as they passed through the creature’s back. Finally, Corax pulled his claws out, allowing the ork to drop to the ground before a roundhouse tore the beast’s head and upper spine from its body. What few orks remained would be fleeing in terror at the sight of their leader dying, and Corax took a moment to calm himself as he stood over the slain Warboss.
The sound of a blade stabbing through flesh caught his attention. Corax spun around to see an ork nob, its axe raised to strike the Primarch from behind. A glowing blade had been shoved through the beast’s throat, the ork gurgling as it tried to breath before the wielder split its head in half. The new arrival was a young looking Raven Guard Astartes, his storm shield and armor flicked with blood from the battle. The man took a moment to look over Corax, his blade hand trembling ever so slightly.
“Are you...” the Astartes asked. “Are you Lord Corax?” Corax’s jaw tightened. Presented with the opportunity to reunite with the Raven Guard, his sons, and he was balking.
I may not hold faith in many things, but I have come to see that reconciliation is still strong in the universe.
“Yes...” Corax said finally. “I am he.” there was a pause, the brothers of the Raven Guard drawing up behind their leader. Corax waited, watching them for signs of disgust and betrayal, but blinked in surprise when they all bent their knees and lowered their heads.
“Shadow Captain Cornix, at your service my lord,” the leader said. “It is truly an honor to stand in your presence. Perhaps now Deliverance may be made whole again.” Corax doubted that Deliverance could be truly cleansed of his wrongdoings... but then, perhaps this would be one step closer to making that a reality.
“Rise... please.” he said, the Raven Guard doing so after a short pause“What forces do you have here?”
“Some veterans, most of the 3rd and 4th Companies, and elements of the 10th company.” Cornix explained. “Librarian Hawke has been coordinating most of our defenses; his precognition and cloaking abilities have been vital in stalling the ork advance, especially with the assistance of the Guard’s heavy weaponry.”
“Not enough, unfortunately; it appears that a large frontal assault is preparing in the south. I reckon the Greenskins will be upon us in a matter of days, if that.”
“The south?” Cornix asked. “I assumed that the orks would try an attack, but from what our scouts have told us the leading Warboss is in the north.”
Well, that only complicates matters... The Empress will not be happy.
“Sergeant Thales,” Corax turned towards the Minotaur Veteran. “Alert your Lord Moloc; have him deploy our forces directly south to engage the massing Greenskins.”
“We should have those foul xenos on the run soon enough, Lord Corax.” Thales replied.
“I doubt; their main force is most likely in the north, preparing to strike. I will take Captain Cornix’s troops and move to reinforce whatever forces we have there.” Thales hesitated for a moment, but soon nodded and turned back to his troops. That settled, Corax turned back to the Raven Guard. “Are you ready and willing to serve under my command?
“What son would not heed his father’s command?” the Shadow Captain replied. “We are forever at your service, Lord Corax.”
“... I suppose that is fair. Come, we must hurry before the orks advance once more.”
...
Twilight found herself wringing her hands again. The drop ship they were on was less spacious than the lander aboard the Sanguinium Martyres, so she, Naomi and her Sisters, and Mattias’ team had to be strapped into their seats as they descended. That also meant Twilight could not pace and relieve some of her tension, so wringing her hands would have to suffice.
“Is something the matter, Lady Tara?” she heard Sister Veronica say from further down in the hold.
“I... I’ve never been in a battle zone before.” Not entirely true, but then she doubted that her brawl with the Changelings during her brother’s wedding was what these people would consider a “battle”.
“It gets easier, believe me,” Alexis said from his seat near the front. “You’ve already gotten used to entering and exiting orbit. All you need to do is cut down a few dozen xenos that want to take your head off and you should be fine.” Twilight chewed her lip, but was saved from answering by Mattias.
“I doubt that you’re helping much, Alexis,” the Inquisitor said. “Besides, this is not a combat drop; we are here to assist a few of the northern divisions with their logistics in preparation for the Empress’ counter attack, nothing more.”
“Of course, my lord.” Mattias had been reminding them of their mission, and that had helped Twilight’s nervousness for a little while. Logistics were easy; she had already drawn up a few possible permutations based on what she had gleaned from requisition orders and unit rosters Mattias had provided. That had lessened as she spent more time around the soldiers and Naomi’s Sisters; their combat drills and exercises had become more frequent and intense, some walking away with severe cuts and bruises.
That was only training for a logistics position. She could barely imagine what it would have been like in a full combat situation.
“Sheltered within the corpse of the wolf,” Angelique sang. “They eye will seek and the mare is shattered, but broken things can be drawn back together.”
“Please, Angelique,” Sister Bianca said, stroking the young psyker’s head. “There is no need to make others more nervous right now.” Angelique nodded, gently rocking side to side in her seat. There was a pause before the drop ship shook slightly, Twilight listening to the sound of the engines powering down.
“We have arrived.” Mattias undid the restraints on his seat and stood to face the others. “Tara, I’d advise you to stay close to me; it’s easy to get turned around in a military outpost like this.”
“Okay, though I don’t think you have to worry too much about me.” Twilight replied, giving Mattias a small smile.
“I am an Inquisitor; it is my job to worry.” Mattias replied before turning to Sister Naomi. “I trust you will be keeping an eye on Tara?”
“Within reason,” Naomi replied before slipping her helmet back on. “We are Lady Tara’s bodyguards, but if she feels secure I will be sure to keep my Sisters busy.”
“I actually planned on that.” Twilight turned towards Naomi. “I spent some time watching your sparring sessions, and asking a few technicians about your armor and any other enhancements you might have. With greater strength and structure provided by your armor, along with training and a few minor gene enhancements, each one of you should, in theory, be able to lift just under twice the normal limit for a human for a longer period of time, give or take. Now, the 433rd Mobile Infantry is receiving a large shipment of heavy equipment: armor and some weapons, primarily. Given the enhancements you have compared to a standard human, I calculated that your squad should be able to move most of the supplies that do not require heavy-duty lifting equipment about 12.5% faster than a comparable ten-man group.” everyone in the hold save Angelique stared at Twilight in surprise.
“And... when did you have the time to calculate all this?” Sister Ruth asked.
“I needed something to do while we were flying down here,” Twilight replied. “I may not be good at a lot of things, but I am good with numbers. It’s something of a hobby of mine.”
“Well, you are putting it to good use, that’s for sure.” Mattias nodded. “Come; I’m sure the Guardsmen will be eager for whatever help we can provide.” the group formed up, Mattias and Twilight at the front followed by the Valhallans, then Bianca and Angelique, and finally Naomi’s Battle Sisters. There was a hiss followed by a rush of air as the ramp lowered, Twilight blinking a few times as she got her first glimpse of Caesaria IV.
The air was nowhere near as polluted as Terra, but it still smelled of exhaust and smoke. The area had a more industrialized look, with wide roads lined with a variety of pipes, sliding doors, and smokestacks. The road led down a small hill, stretching on into the vast spires of the hive city. The immediate area was filled with humans, hundreds of them moving about the vehicles and crates that littered the road. Waiting at the base of the ramp was one squadron of soldiers, dressed and armed in what appeared to be lighter versions of the equipment carried by Alexis and Nikolai, without the heavy coats and fur hats.
“Inquisitor Velas?” a fresh-faced man Twilight guessed was the squad leader called.
“I am he,” Mattias replied before turning slightly towards Tara. “Lady Tara, the Empress’ Chosen Student. I’m sure you have heard of the arrangements that have been made?”
“Of course, my lord.” the man nodded quickly. “Colonel Morillo is at the front speaking with Lord General Kastner, but he should return soon to assist you however you see fit. In the meantime, I’ve been asked to conduct you to Major Steiner for further debriefing.”
“Very well, lead on.” the sergeant nodded before turning to his men, the soldiers forming up before marching into the camp with Twilight, Mattias, and the others following close behind. The camp was noisy and their escorts far ahead, but that did not mean Twilight would stay silent.
“So, how long have you all been here?” Twilight asked.
“Almost a year, give or take. The orks have been persistent, but with Kastner, the Astartes, and a little faith in the Empress we’ve managed to keep our numbers and morale up.”
“The Empress revealed herself only a few months ago,” Twilight started. “How did you-?”
“The Colonel spent a small fortune to get some vid clips of the Empress shipped here from Terra; said it’d be a good morale booster.” the sergeant chuckled. “Certainly helped me and my men. Major Steiner didn’t care for it, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen those two get along since I was drafted.”
“Oh...” Twilight paused for a moment. “That’s not going to be a problem, is it?”
“Once the Colonel gets back, no; Steiner’s many things, an idiot is not one of them.” there was a pause as the soldiers pulled to a stop. Ahead was a large tent, several men armed with heavier looking weapons standing outside. “The major should be in there. It is truly a blessing to have you among our ranks, my friends.”
“Oh, the pleasure is ours.” Twilight replied. Another pause before she spoke again. “Sergeant, would you know where the majority of your supplies are?”
“They should be near the northern part of the camp; we’ve been moving them up so convoys can bring them to the front quicker.” the man raised an eyebrow. “Why do you ask?”
“Well, we are here to help with logistics, after all.” Twilight turned to face the Sisters. “Sister Naomi, do you want to get started with the new shipments?”
“Are you sure that’s wise, Lady Tara?” Naomi asked. “We must be prepared in case you are placed in danger.”
“It’s alright; I’ve got Mattias and the others with me. We shouldn’t be too long either, so there’s no need to be too worried.” there was a pause, the Sisters looking to one another for a moment. Finally, Naomi gave a small sigh.
“I trust your judgment, Lady Tara.” She said, giving a nod. “Girls, with me. We will assist the Guard with whatever tasks they may need before deployment.”
“Yes ma’am.” the Sisters chorused as they fell in step behind Naomi. As they moved out of earshot, Mattias leaned towards Twilight.
“Not to doubt your certainty, Tara,” he said. “But I would agree with Sister Naomi. If nothing else, it just means that our groups is more split up than it would be otherwise. Coordination might be an issue should a crisis arise.”
“Everyone else is wearing a drab uniform and light armor,” Twilight countered. “They’ll be easy to spot if we need to find them again.”
“If you are so confident...” Mattias gave a small sigh. “Never mind. I suppose we’ve kept the major waiting long enough.” the group moved forward, Mattias leading the way as they stepped into the tent. Twilight was puzzled when Mattias suddenly came to a halt, but after moving out behind him.
There was a whole squad of men within the tent. They were armed similarly to Alexis and Nikolai, though their armor design was closer to that of the regular troopers and they all wore similar helmets to the one Twilight had been given on Romana Prime. Some raised their weapons slightly, a low hum filling the tent, but that was not what raised Twilight’s concern.
Rather, it was the familiar red-clad man that stood in the center of the group, his arms clasped behind his back.
“Inquisitor Mattias,” Lord Markos said, giving the group a thin smile. “How pleasant of you to join us today.”