In Service to the Imperium; Episode 7 (IC-Closed)

by **Segmentia** » Fri Aug 28, 2015 4:30 pm

OOC

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New Sedna, Magellan Prime
Imperial Guard Command HQ
1st New Sedna Heavy Fusiliers
Brigadier General Hanna Gormann

The central spire of the Hive of Magellan Prime was a rather simple affair. If it weren't for the fact that it was slightly taller and slightly better looking then the rest of the spires in the hive one wouldn't even assume it was the home of the planet's government, and now the headquarters for all Imperial forces on New Sedna, and the Lividivus Crusade as a whole. It had always had a decent number of defenses on it, but now it practically brimmed with weaponry. Anti-aircraft weapons, artillery, pre-fab bunkers and other structures taking up the once open terraces and parks. Valkyries and other aircraft, military and civilian, flew into and out of the spire, shuttling troops, supplies, and ordnance. It had all the bustle of a war but was simply lacking the sounds. Though on a good day one might be able to hear a distant rumble of artillery far off.

Brigadier General Hanna Gormann walked down one of the many halls of the spire near the upper levels, one of the many command centers that had been established, her heeled boots clicking slightly, though the thudding of her escorts boots, and those of everyone else around her, drowned out the noise. Guardsman in crisp uniforms rushed back and forth, grim-faced Stormtroopers stood guard at the doors. There was even a gathering of Commissars half-way down the corridor, everyone giving them a respectful distance. She walked to one of the open doors, submitted to a quick security scan, and walked into the command post for General Arktheleon Lividivus. She gave the room her usual glance and smiled. As spartan as always. A few rows of tables with equipment stacked on them, bright officers sitting behind the terminals with head pieces pressed to their ears, some scribbling notes on paper and others reciting it for confirmation. Regimental banners were tastefully hung on a few walls, as well as a large Imperial Aquila. Guards were stationed around the room, both ones she could and could not see. Tall windows, some open, lead out to a terrace where a flight of Valkyries were being rearmed before going out to support the front again. And there at the center of the room huddled around a holo-table was the General himself, along with most of his senior commanders and advisers.

Gormann smiled as she all but sauntered up. “Ladies. Gentlemen.” She said, leaning on the table as well. She received a few nods and grunts in reply, and a disapproving look from good old Lord Commissar Hannibal Thrax Albor as he checked his pocket-watch made of skull-bone. She knew she wasn't late because there had been no meeting called. The Lord-Commissar simply disagreed with the way she dressed, though that was mostly where their disagreements ended. Lividivus looked tired, no doubt another night of little to no sleep. Gormann pitied the man who had taken her under his wing. Forced into undertaking a Crusade and having done a decent of it too, and now it was all in peril thanks to bloody Orks. They had to break the Waaaagh's back on New Sedna or it was over. Sure there were other planets to fall back to, hell there were three other planets also under attack from the Orks, though it was all minor compared to New Sedna, but New Sedna was a key-stone for the Crusade.

“I feel confident in confirming an Eldar presence on New Sedna after last nights reports from Curro, Emperor knows what they're doing here though. But we don't have the time or forces trying to figure out what they are up to, so orders to all units is to not provoke a fight with them. Defensive footing to any Eldar units spotted.” Lividivus said, giving Albor a glance. The men both nodded slightly. As far as Hanna was able to pry the two had history with the Eldar in some fashion. It wasn't her concern though.

“Curro only has about five thousand PDF and assorted militia defending it. If the Eldar were to attack it there isn't much we could do to defend it.” A middle aged man in the fatigues of the PDF said, the rank markings of a general on his collar. Hanna couldn't remember his name at the moment, but he was a new chap anyway, the last commander of the PDF having been taken out by Traitor Guardsmen in a failed assault against the Dratos Peninsula, north of Curro. Most PDF forces were up at the various fronts trying to maintain the line against the Orks. The Traitors were simply another problem on a long list of them, but seemed to be sitting on their asses for the time being. Hanna couldn't decide if she liked that or not.

“Then the citizens of Curro will have to fend for themselves. I have no intention of trying to root out the bloody Eldar in urban combat for the time being. We haven't the forces to even try it.” Lividivus said with finality. Everyone seemed to agree.

The meeting continued with minor updates and changes to the general defensive plan for another hour before the other officers and advisers dismissed themselves, leaving Lividivus and Gormann. They were quite for several minutes before Lividivus sighed, allowing himself a slight slouching of his shoulders.

“If Warboss Hammer Hand focuses his forces in one push we may very well find the vanguard of the Orks outside this city.” He said, folding his arms over his chest as he observed the holo-map. “We need to retake Logan's Reach.” He said.

Logan's Reach was a vast munitions and storage facility about 70 miles outside Magellan Prime, and had been taken from the inside by a few Traitor Regiments. Now the front-line was deprived of the stores of weapons, vehicles, and munitions. Not to mention the benefit of a ready made rally point and transportation hub. Hanna had been expecting this mission for weeks now, and it seemed it might finally be a go.

“I'm sending you in to retake it, along with a few other regiments I can spare, but those will be decided shortly. You'd best go and prepare your unit. Don't fail, Gormann.” Lividivus said, nodding at her in dismissal. His last words sounded more like a hope or wish than a threat, but she knew how vital Logan's Reach was, so a failed attempt to take it may well end up with her facing some sort of consequence. So she didn't plan on failing.

“I'll see to it, sir.” She said, righting up and snapping a crisp salute which Lividivus returned before he walked off to find someone. She tuned with a grin on her lips as she made her way to her regiments set of barracks and facilities.
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New Sedna, Kadash Station
12th New Sedna PDF Regiment, in combat, Captain Johann Halvo commanding

The various space ship hangers were all but rubble now, after three weeks of brutal fighting between PDF and Imperial Guard against the Greenskins. But rubble suited the 12th just fine. Each pile of ruined masonry became a pillbox, each shattered building a fortress. It would have made any normal commander balk at the idea of clearing the space port street by street, building by building. Of course the Orks weren't normal and the big green bastards were happy enough to charge into the rubble. Thankfully the 12th had lots of heavy weapons. Captain Havlo looked over the streets where the remains of his regiment were scattered. There was a literal carpet of green bodies down several of them. They had charged against the imposing structure of the hanger and the heavy bolters, mortars, and troopers had mowed them down from the sides. It had been a rather spectacular thing to watch. This was the farthest Imeperial held area in Kadash Station and he had orders to hold it to the last drop of Imperial blood, and they had meant every last drop. Civilians as young as ten had been conscripted into the Imperial forces here, and even now he could see dozens of civilians of various ages rushing forward over the sea of dead Orks, a few troopers escorting them. They were the ammo runners, moving to resupply the heavy bolters and other positions. It wasn't exactly a safe task. Some of those orks were still alive, in fact his men were bayoneting any that even twitched. He would have to get some Hellhounds or something up here to burn the corpses.

“Lieutenant, see if we can't get any more support up here. Some Hellhounds would be nice.” He said, lowering his binoculars and looking over at his communications officer. She wasn't a bad looker, but Halvo had to make sure they got out of here alive before he would even entertain any romantic ideas about her.

“I can get us a few infantry platoons and a pair of Leman Russ tanks if we can clear the mag-lev line.” She said without even looking up, part of her headset pressed to her ear.

“Shit, that's better then I would have hoped for.” Halvo said, looking back down at the shattered city. A single Leman Russ would turn those streets into an even more effective killing ground. And be able to deal with any armor the Orks felt like bringing up, but so far it had been massed infantry and a few truks. He supposed the Ork tanks had better places to be, which was fine by him.

“Alright, lets blow Chambers Bridge and pull back B company, but send half of their heavy bolters over to C. Then we can have A and B along with any functioning militia we have try to clear the mag-lev. How far do they have to clear?” He asked, swinging to look at the unused mag-lev train lines. His regiment had arrived by them a month ago, but the main station had been taken and no trains had arrived since. If they could retake the station...well, that was a plan for later.

“Up until the river crossing. They're pinned down on the other side and can't withdraw across.” The lieutenant spoke after some conversation. Halvo nodded and chewed and imaginary piece of gum he sorely wished he actually had.

“Maybe things are looking up now. Lets get it done.” He said, allowing himself a small smile, the first since he had been thrust into command three days ago.
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-☠- Commissariat decree to Imperial forces on New Sedna, by the grace of the Emperor-☠-

As of this morning (Local time 0700, 23rd Day of Harvest), Crusade Command, at the recommendation or Lord-Commissar Hannibal Thrax Albor, had initiated a directive of Righteous Defense. All ground currently occupied by Imperial forces is to be held at all cost. No retreat will be accepted unless authorized by Crusade Command directly. Consequences for retreating in the face of the enemy will result in swift and brutal consequences. Look to you comrades, and to the Emperor for resolve and hold the vile Ork scum at bay. Not one step back, soldiers of the Imperium!

-☠-

by **Zeinbrad** » Fri Aug 28, 2015 5:31 pm

New Sedna, Closing on Kadash Station
112th Kokodian Response Troops 1st and 2nd Company with elements of 4th..
Allen was beginning to like the smell of burning Ork flesh. At least 15 dead Kommandos, who were hiding in a patch of forest that was know burning. Hellhounds were a lovely vehicle even if they were a one-trick pony in regards to open combat. Luckily, were the 112th was heading was not an open field, but a urban center known as Kadash. The city had been under attack from Ork forces for awhile now, with the Imperial forces being bogged down with bodies and bodies of Orks. Allen was hoping to solve that problem.

They had been driving for two days now, and had run into at least three separate Kommando units along the way. But the Hellhounds always burned the xenos until they stopped being Ork and started being a bunch of ash on the ground. Two platoons from 2nd Company were ahead of them on foot, clearing out any Kommandos they found, but a few had managed to slip by them. Not that it made the Hellhound's gunners angry, but it was stalling the 112th.

'Sir" A voice over the Vox snapped Allen out of his thought, picking up the speaker he answered.

"Yes Blamey?"

"Kadash is in sight sir, looks like it's been through hell it does."

"Roger that, good work"

"It's what I do Colonel" Allen heard the click of the Vox and put down the speaker as he asked a Trooper to get them in contact with anyone in Kadash, hopefully the officer in charge. In the interim he went back his thoughts, wondering if the situation was still as he was told in the briefing of this mission. For all he knew, the Orks had taken over the city and he was walking into an ambush, which would be ironic considering the 112th loved to ambush their foes to point people thought they had some weird fetish.

What worried Allen more was the fact that no matter what was going on, the 112th would be caught in grueling urban combat with the Orks, who had numbers to spare. The 112th had plenty of flamers and grenade launchers, but they weren't meant to be caught in a meat grinder, but the 112th was one of the only units that was fresh and able to get out in short fashion.

Allen looked at the map he was given of Kadash, he never trusted holographic screens, preferring an physical copy of pretty much anything. As he studied the map again, he studied the river running near Kadash. Apparently a train station was being held by the Orks and the Imperial forces were trying to cross the river and take it back. Looking at the locations of the Ork forces, Allen tried to think of possible safe crossings, but he had to see it with his owns eyes to decide on one. For now, he waited for a response to his call.

by **Aelosia** » Fri Aug 28, 2015 7:23 pm

New Sedna, Magellan Prime
Hive Magellan Main Spire Square
100th Brumairean Fidesperata
Erinyes, The Fidematrem

The immense square was decorated with the statues of important Imperial heroes, most of them long dead but immortalized in history and marble across the vast expanse of the Plaza that led into the entrance of the Central Spire. The two thousand and fuve hundred daughters of Brumaire had reached the massive open space ahead of the center of New Sedna's goverment seat and current military headquarters of the Guard, after marching across one of the main boulevards of the zero level of the imperial metropolis, garbed in full gear and receiving the cheers and glee of the local residents as they passed through their gazes, making it feel like instead of a march towards their current objective, it was some sort of parade party. Even a White Shield had been carried away and waved back to the multitude, a fact that would earn her plug and lashes as soon as it was possible to do so.

"War is never a party", murmured Erinyes, Colonel of Brumaire and Leader of the Fidesperata, as she took a look at her assembled regiment who had force marched through the entire city in perfect formation for hours before reaching this point, and crushing in her armoured fist the crumpled parchment with the recently received message. Best part of a day just to cross a city, a fact she took in mind for further reference. For sure it was a good opening for what was coming for the fresher recruits, to allow them to break into their boots. Her armour clinked as she fixed the arrangement of the left shoulder pauldron and turned towards the rest of her officers. They were assembled already, after leaving their designated transports and approaching to adjoin with their Mother and Commander.

She waited until all the higher echelons stood a couple of steps away from her, their troops left behind to form in squares around the plaza with their vehicles parked close by, and then fixed the purity seals affixed to her chestplate before speaking. "It seems that we got our orders during the last part of our little parade", she said as only explanation, looking at the fittings on the inside of her left bracer.

"I recall you commanded radio silence after we announced our deployment in the outskirts of the city, Mother, How did you..." started Aletta Vasilisa, the youngest Captain in charge of the Reserve Infantry Company, before being interrumpted by the Colonel.

"I commanded you to maintain radio silence, I did not add I was going to follow the same procedure", cut the Fidematrem in a blunt phrase and an incensed stare.

Major Kleio just shrugged, causing her helmet to scrap against her pauldrons as she did so. "Saves us to walk all those stairs, I guess", she said after signalling with her armoured chin towards the massive spire to the other side of the Plaza.

"In a way, we could say so", retorted the Colonel, turning her head up until her gaze got lost in the immensity of the vertical structure. "Its more of a directive, from the planetary commissariat. It is a no retreat, no ground given to any enemy by no cost or circumstance under extreme punishment directive".

"I can't believe they did that!", exclaimed the Major, patting her thigh plate with enough force as to make it clang.

"I'm honestly amazed..." added another Captain as she patted her helmet.

"That's....Incredible!, that's...", chipped in a third, surprise and shock in equal measure displaying in her scarred visage.

"Wonderful, I know. Now the rest of the Guard has to play it like we like it to be played, or get into Commissariat's sights", said the Fidematrem with a smirk as the rest of her officers cheered and patted each other, clearly enthusiastic in front of those odds. Erinyes smiled wider inwards, happy to see moral remained an all times high. "No retreat, no surrender. It is not like we need to be reminded of that, but I am sure some of the lowliest troops around needed the encouragement".

After a brief pause, the Mistress of Ordnance Paxmenes, in charge of the artillery linked to the regiment, decided to spoke. "Those are not orders, however. they don't any direction to march towards. Looks like we have to climb those stairs after all", commented the Ventösi, native of an industrial planet, using her typical nose accent that true Brumaireans tended to hate.

"Oh, I did my homework, Ordnance", retorted the Colonel, refusing to address the Ventösi as Mistress, an old custom from the beginning of their service together years ago. "We are free to choose the scenario to fight as long as we follow the directive, and as things stand, we have two options. There's a besieged city to the South East of Magellan Prime. It's a Space Port, Kadash Station, and currently suffering Ork assault, and it is also vital because it marks the entrance to a peninsula. You all saw the map I am talking about, right?", issued the Colonel and managing to extract eager nods from all those present. "Also, if I have to explain that a Space Port is also vital for a war effort, someone will face a demotion", she added before a Lieutenant in the back had raised her hand in doubt.

"The other option is a place called Logan's Reach. Way closer, 70 miles to the East. It is a vast compound of the PDF, seemingly full of weapons and bang. not hold by Orks by Orks, they are not that close to the Capital yet", continued to explain the Colonel without allowing any interrumptions from her subalterns.

"Why should we go there then?", asked an eager Lieutenant, knowing that the Colonel's pause was begging for such a question.

"PDF renegades took the facility and withold it from loyalist use", was the brief answer that provoked long sighs from the assembly. "Typical isn't it? Planet half devoured by Orks and some idiots decide to go rogue", said Erinyes with a sour look followed by chuckles from her subordinates.

"You....Said we were going to choose the scenario we want to fight in? Are we holding a vote or something?", spoke Captain Vasilisa, clearly surprised by the turn of events, a question followed by muffled guffaws by the rest of officers.

"Oh no, no way. I meant I was deciding", said the Colonel with an additional chortle. "Nice try, Aletta, close one", she said in a farcical tone before growing serious after a second's pause. "Not entirely up to me this time, however".

"What do you mean?", stated the Major Kleios is surprise. She wasn't used for her Colonel to not do entirely what she was determined to do. That her decision depended on another's was quite unheard of.

"I mean that I pushed for that Logan's Reach assigment to be assigned to us right after we touched the ground and I found out about the PDF rebellion. I interceded to Lord General Ludividus to give me direct command, but the man redirected me and avoided me for as long as he could with his typical suave ways. At least he had the courtesy of telling me an hour ago that he has given the assigment to another officer. Can't blame him, he assigned it to a Brigadier General riding some sort of Baneblade".

"Surely a puffy, fluffy, feathery noble that will get her tin can exploded", snorted the Major on the bad news. Someone getting over the Colonel was bad news for everyone, even if said someone was higher in the chain of command.

"Puffy iffy noble for sure", said Erinyes on an acrid tone. "But seems capable. I read the resume of her actions during this campaign. The woman is one of the things that is keeping this planet together. Just riding the Baneblade is also an indicative of her worth, they don't assign those to pansies. That's why you still ride a chimera, Ptolema", issued the Colonel as a wisecrack that generated another set of whiffed guffaws, however shortly silenced by a single glance from the Second in Command of the Wives.

"Also she knows the ground, she has been fighting here for a bit, so there's that as well. She has...How was that those Astartes called it? The Lay of the Land", finished the Colonel with a sigh.

Another Captain interceded as soon as she was able. "That means Kadash Station for us then", she stated dumbfounded. "Why did you say it was a decision, Mother?", she asked her superior, vexed.

"Not so quick, Captain Palmira", spoke the Colonel. "I'm still decided to go in that Logan's Reach place. Orks are mindless beasts that must be cleansed, but Traitors? Renegades? That's another matter entirely. That's a personal affront for the planet, and a morale issue. That place need to be retaken and all those that betrayed the cause shown extreme prejudice. And I want us in that. Even if that means asking that Brigadier General if she's so kind to accept our cooperation on the matter".

"We don't like to be bossed around, Mother. You most of all of us", answered the Major with a worried expression behind her helmet.

"We could end bossed around in Kadash Station as well. Everywhere in this planet Lidividus can boss us around if he wants to. There can be other Generals to the Southeast, way worse than this Baneblade rider girl here, and sinice when we prefer to take orders from a man than from a woman, even if she's a feathery, pudgy noblewoman? And that's why the decision is not exactly mine to take. It depends on her. If she accepts our cooperation, I'll send us to Logan's Reach on her orders".

"What if she doesn't?", retorted a tall Captain with a badly scratched set of armour.

"Then it's Kadash for us, and woe to her if she fails", answered the Colonel with unnatural sharpness in her voice. "Well, what are you waiting for? I don't want to climb that needle to see Lidividus' blubbery jowl and his clique of wimps and wussies again, no need for that. I'll radio that Gormann lass and have her answer in fifteen minutes or less, I want the full regiment able and on the move by then, either to Logan's or Kadash", she ordered to her subordinates although all of them were aware that the Lord General had no said jowl, and decided to sprint quickly towards the Chimeras to carry out what was decided upon.

by **Legital** » Fri Aug 28, 2015 7:58 pm

New Sedna, Higaran Area of Operations
South of Vana Prime Industrial Complex, Imperial-Ork Front Line
Higaran 52nd Infantry
Post 319

Groggy, Corporal Wilhelm Garner peered over the trench parapet as the first sign of sunlight began to rise from the distant horizon, illuminating the sky in a brilliant yellow-red glow. Garner squinted his eyes against the bright light, as he was just waking up from his three hour sleep. He had taken watch during the middle of the night, so he had caught some sleep beforehand, but it would be a little bit before he was fully awake for another dreadful day.

The Higarans were solid defensive troops, and could fight a decent offensive when needed. However, given the Ork onslaught, most of the Guard had been forced to fight with one foot back, and so the Higarans did what they usually did in such times: they dug in and began fortifying their position. Over the months, a fairly comprehensive trench network had emerged at the hands of the Higarans, which was dotted with hastily built bunkers and cramped dugouts. Constructed along a very short ridge top, the trenches maintained the front line with a high-ground of just a few feet. It wasn't much, but it allowed the heavier weapons and riflemen a clear line of fire whenever the Orks made an attack against them, which was fairly often. The past few hours, oddly enough, had been quieter than usual. Garner did not believe that was a good omen.

Unable to break the Higaran defensive position, the Orks mimicked the Imperial Guardsmen by constructing their own crude fortifications, with trenches and scrap barricades and bunkers. It wasn't much, but the Orks only needed it to hide in during barrages and attacks and to wait around in as they readied for another assault.

Even now, Garner could see several small, hunched green figures standing at the top of the Ork defensive line. Those were gretchins, forced to keep watch on the Guard line. When the Orks originally employed the tactic, gretchins were killed almost as soon as they were sent up. After days, and then weeks, the guardsmen had stopped shooting them entirely. It was a waste of ammunition, and the Orks weren't going to run out of gretchins anytime soon. Some gretchin were fairly dangerous, as evident in their snipers. More than a few Higarans had been picked off for poking their heads over the trenches a little too high, especially during hours of seeming down time.

Something stirred in the open-top dugout beside him, and Garner glanced over to see guardsmen Hansel and Karter wake from their sleep by the same hand that had awoken him. Sergeant Becket, always alert and one step ahead of most, moved to wake up the remainder of the squad. Silas and Hitch were already awake from watch and nodded to Becket as he moved by.

"Much fun last night?" Luweck asked beside him, stepping up onto the firing step with Garner. The other guardsmen had a nasty scar splitting his right cheek in half, and some small staples still head it together. A shell fragment from a couple weeks back injured him just as easily as it could have killed him.

"I don't think you and I have the same definition of fun." Garner responded, deadpan. Luweck snorted and placed his rifle through the small firing-dip at the top of the trench, and he carefully peered out over the cratered field. "Anyways," Garner continued, "I didn't have last watch. I've been asleep the past few hours, but I didn't wake much. Things have been slow recently."

As if to counter his statement, a stubber chattered to life somewhere down the line, and the hiss-crack of lasguns accompanied it. Automatic stubbers and some bolt weapons sounded in response, no doubt from whatever raiding party was attempting to approach the Higaran trench. Garner could hear a few pained squeals from gretchins, and a frustrated roar from an Ork. As soon as the firing began, it stopped.

"The bastards never stop, do they?" Luweck asked, leaning into the trench wall. He and Garner were on the wall for the time being, while the rest sat down in the trench and ate. Shortly, they'd switch off with others from the squad, but for now they were the lucky ones.

The distinct sound of boots running on flakboard sounded somewhere off to their left, and Garner and Luweck turned to glance at a younger soldier, one of the fresh recruits who joined the regiment from a passing troop ship before the attack on New Sedna. Higarans, like some other rare regiments in the Imperium, had the ability to receive men from their homeworld to replace their losses in the field. That didn't always mean it happened, however. Replacements sometimes never showed up, having never been assigned or simply being sent someplace else. The life of a guardsmen was simply to endure everything that happened.

"New orders from the top. We're supposed to hold our position and never offer any retreat on pain of death." The youth said, panting from his run down the line.

Sharp, bitter laughter rose up from Paeter, who sat on the firing step a few feet away with rations in his hands. "That's awfully frakken nice of command to tell us that. Did they come up with that on their own, just now?" He laughed again. "How long have we been sitting here? How many months?" The question was rhetorical, and the expression on the youth's face showed he had heard the same response many times that morning. Whoever his sergeant was, was enjoying sending him down the line to relay the orders, which to the Higarans, were completely redundant.

"Understood lad, get a move on." Sergeant Becket replied, allowing the guardsmen to run off to the next post without further harassment.

Garner simply sighed. If they had hit such a point where orders were telling them, officially, to fight on the defensive, then things must have been much worse than it seemed.

Higaran Rear Lines
Regimental Command

Colonel Oskar Faust quietly looked over maps and papers which cluttered the small wooden table in the large, well-built bunker. A string of buzzing lightbulbs lined the low roof of the interior, and other officers mulled about, discussing various subjects as they awaited the Colonel to start the meeting.

Off to the side of the room stood a figure who was quite out of place. Instead of wearing the dark blue tunic, coal black pants, and spiked helmet of the Higarans, he instead wore a long black great coat and peaked cap, marked with an aquila. Cadet-Commissar Sylvian Rose, the acting surviving commissar of the Higaran regiment, quietly and somewhat nervously observed the senior men. He was, by all means, barely a man. He was apart of a cadet training squad under the command of Commissar Voal, who was, along with the nine other cadets, now dead.

Cadet-Commissar Rose was still injured from the brutal Ork assault that had killed all of the commissariat men, but it wasn't his injuries that made him an outsider, but rather his inexperience. The commissar training squad had arrived about one month ago. Commissar Voal had been with the regiment for some years before, but the cadets were fresh and new. And now, only a cadet remained, with only a month of combat experience and field learning from a senior commissar.

Putting his pity aside from the young lost cadet, Colonel Faust cleared his throat. Immediately, all conversations stopped. The officers, including Cadet-Commissar Rose, did their best to gather around the table and provide their full attention to the regimental commander.

"Good morning gentlemen, please make yourselves comfortable." He began as he usually did. The officers by now knew what he meant, and were more or less one step ahead of the colonel. Those who drank recaf or tea held steaming cups, sipping on them, while the rest maintained an easy posture. Faust wasn't a particularly rigid disciplinarian, but he enforced it where it was needed. Here, he allowed his officers to relax. They couldn't do so elsewhere.

"As many of you already know, we have received a decree by the ranking Commissariat leaders of the theater. For those of you who do not know, allow me to read you the decree." Faust cleared his throat once more and picked up a small rectangular sheet of paper from the table. He adjusted his glasses once before reading out loud the statement. When he finished, he looked up.

"This isn't very much different than what we have been practicing for the past several months. Nevertheless, I want you all vigilant in the days to come. Defeatism talk may be on the rise from this decree, as it isn't particularly reassuring of our situation. Snuff out such talk wherever you can, but be mindful of how you do so. I'm confident Cadet-Commissar Rose will be doing his utmost to maintain the moral and discipline of this unit, but given how...under strength we are now in commissariat personnel, I ask you all to assist him to your full ability wherever you can."

Rose offered a polite nod to the colonel as the officers of the regiment and command staff turned to glance at the youngest man there. It was no secret rose was fairly unpopular among the guardsmen. He lacked the charisma and experience that senior commissars had an abundance of. To the veterans of the regiment, which was easily the majority, he was just a kid in a uniform that was too big for him. To the officers, he was seen as a liability. If he couldn't perform like a commissar, then he was an issue. As such, Faust knew he had to tell everyone to play nice.

"Upon review of our global status, I have noticed we have a large surplus of regiments that are kept in reserve. I take this as a fact that command has plans to assemble a large force to press the attack to the Orks at some location, but any such thing has yet to be revealed to me. Regardless, I will be putting in a request shortly for reinforcements and for an opportunity to press our attack against the Orks in hopes of breaking their line here. The Vana Prime Industrial Complex, once retaken, will provide much needed munitions and arms to all of our troops. For now, the Orks soil the complex and instead use it to their needs."

"There have been a number of reports submitted over the night and past few days, so I have had all of these sent to your datapads. Please review them when you can, as there are too many for me to discuss this morning. The Orks haven't been very active last night, so I wish for you all to be at your posts as soon as possible. I fear there may be a large assault coming sometime soon." Colonel Faust paused for a moment, reviewing his thoughts, before nodding. "That is all for this morning. Any questions?"

No one spoke up, which wasn't uncommon. The past few days hadn't offered many important updates.

Colonel Faust snapped his heels together so that they clicked, and he raised his arm in salute. The officers returned the gesture, dropping their salute after the colonel did so.

"That is all for this morning, gentlemen. Please be on your way." With the colonel's permission to leave, the regimental officers filed out of the bunker, with some loitering outside momentarily to continue their discussions from earlier. Command staff personnel remained in the bunker, entering adjoining rooms to continue their duties while some remained in the larger room, examining the maps and documents.

Colonel Faust made his way to one of the adjoining rooms in the bunker, heading down some steps to the communications room.

Dispatch to Crusade Command

Notice To: General Arktheleon Lividivus or Appropriate Coordinators
Sender: Colonel Oskar Faust, Higaran 52nd Infantry

Authorization Level: Imperial Guard Regimental Commander
Urgency Level: Indigo - At earliest possible convenience
Encryption Key: ###-####-###-797

Requesting reinforcing regiments, primarily armor units and additional infantry for reason stated below:

Permission to organize and execute offensive-level assault to regain Vana Prime Industrial Complex and surrounding territory.

-Personal Communique: General, I must request that we allow ourselves to begin an offensive against the Xenos. I fear that if we maintain a strictly defensive strategy, we will find ourselves worn down through attrition. If the Orks are on the defensive, that gives us a possibility to keep them on the defensive. Given time, the Ork numbers will swell faster than we can kill them off.
[signed Colonel Oskar Faust]

by **Military Democracy of Birtonia** » Fri Aug 28, 2015 8:22 pm

Colonel Lucius Felix
Commander, Cadian 1022nd Airborne Regiment
New Sedna, Magellan Prime, Landing Zone

The regiment had only been planet side for a few short weeks, and given their capacity as an airborne regiment landed them in a QRF role, strangely enough however there were no orders to battle. This morning was no different than the previous weak, several stacks of paperwork were strewn about the desk inside of the Valkyrie that Lucius had taken up as his office during the time they were stationed in the rear. Even though he had woken hours ago and began whittling away at the stack they didn't cease, logistical, administrative, even penal papers it didn't stop. He needed to get his men into the fight, lest he die amongst the paper trail that was running an Imperial Guard regiment. Usually while he was fighting some lower ranking officer would be stuck in the back doing the dirty work for him.

Lucius furrowed his brow and put his head in his hands, listening to the scream of Valkyries taking off nearby. coupled with the distant rumble of artillery, probably earthshaker cannons off to the south. His moment of respite was interrupted by one his Captains, serving as a regimental officer. He burst through the curtain segregating the interior of the craft and the rest of the Imperium.

"Sir command needs those requisition forms.." informed the younger officer, rather meekly, the fear almost palpable in his voice.

Felix looked up and simply glared at the captain, who promptly left the Valkyrie. Reports of a stalemate with the Orks combined with other rumors among the officer corps of the taint of Chaos infiltrating the ranks. He finally stood and looked around the dark confines of his "office" several pieces of gear on a footlocker near his desk, as he left he grabbed his helmet and loosely strapped it upon his chin. Upon exiting the Valkyrie, his Regiment, minus the Valkyrie pilots stood in perfect formation, the company's in perfect squares with their platoons in line formation. All 1,000 infantrymen stood at the position of attention, their uniforms still freshly pressed and lasguns still clean from the factory.

As he trooped the line one of his lieutenants, promoted to regimental staff due to the absence of captains and majors, approached him. In his hand he held a letter addressed to all Imperial forces from the Commissariat. He was angered at the message as he hadn't even been ordered into battle yet! However, there was nothing he could do for now. The Colonel gazed up towards the spire that housed Imperial Guard Headquarters, noting a significant number of aircraft arriving and departing, and continued to walk the line of his men, ensuring they were ready for duty, but more importantly, free from the temptations of Chaos.

by **Auropa** » Sat Aug 29, 2015 5:17 am

101st Soltar Mechanicus Regiment/The Loot Stealers
Colonel Kreiger
Outskirts of Hive Magellan (Makeshift Imperial Guard vehicle depot)

“Gentleman! We’re burning daylight. I want our comrades in the armoured division back up and running. That is, unless you lads plan to assault the greenskins without support?” Moving across the field Krieger took one last look at the assortment of men, tools and tanks. ‘May the emperor have mercy on us’ he thought to himself as he took in the sight.

Ever since they lost the industrial complex it had been difficult to keep the tanks loaded, let alone working. Even the regiment’s prized Loot armoured support vehicle (as he was now told to call the baneblade) was in poor shape, its main gun being inoperable after a stormboy got lucky and rammed into the thing and a dozen holes along its side caused by a hail of heavy weapon fire. With the industrial complex making and attaching new parts would be easy but here, just outside the capital it was nigh on impossible. Leman Russ tanks were one thing to repair but a baneblade? No, they needed more than a few Sentinel lifters.

“Echelon. I needed those repairs done 20 minutes ago! Where are you?” he barked into his personal vox.

After a short pause of silence then the unmistakable sound of shuffling and a few curses a reply came through “Sir, the tanks are ready to move but we’re low on ammunition and replacement plating, we’re making due for now but barely. Couldn’t take another regiment in, sir. Sorry sir but it’s just not possible.”

“Forgiven for now lieutenant, just get the tanks out of here and prepare your team to move out else we’ll leave you behind.” Cutting the soldier off, Krieger marched his way over towards a group of men loading a chimera “Sergeant. How long until our forces can move out?”

“About 20 minutes m’lord, Jenkins here just needs to…”

“You have 10, now shut-up and move.” Turning on his heel he moved towards his own chimera to prepare. So far his men had been kept in reserve, focused around repairing and preparing for the orks, less of the latter though now that they had landed. Ever since the fall of the industrial complex however they had moved from one rundown garage to the next, desperately trying to make do with what little equipment they could scavenge in order to keep the tanks moving. That said, they were finally backed against the wall. Outside the capital working with civilian grade steel scavenged from ruins, they needed the complex if they were to have any hope of fuelling the engines of war. That said, if the engineer regiment couldn’t provide any more repairs they’d either be shot for insubordination or sent to the frontlines as regular guardsmen. Hence, the sudden mobilization, till now they had been paired with the 72nd Caldari armoured division but since they were moving out today Krieger decided to do the same.

Hopping up and into the chimera however came a young vox operator who, after a crisp salute, began to rely the news from the front “Sir, we’ve received a message about the industrial complex. Apparently colonel Faust and the Higaran 52nd infantry are trying to make a push to take the facility.”

“Infantry? Great, that’ll work wonders against the ork defences.” With a short frustrated sigh he looked the soldier with a half cooked grin. “Guess it’s up to us to win this war again eh? Go on, you’re dismissed. Fall in with your platoon, we leave in the hour.” Turning away from the soldier as he disembarked and left he faced his own transmitter and began writing up his own message for the commanders.

Notice To: General Arktheleon Lividivus or Appropriate Coordinators
From: Colonel Haugaard and the 101st mechanicus
Subject: Industrial centre attack, potential support.

-The 101st mechanicus regiment is currently unable to perform further support to armoured regiments from behind the front lines without new equipment. As such we are preparing to move out and request permission to support an offensive on the industrial complex where we can aid in securing, repairing and utilizing the facility ASAP.

-Authentication: #####-####-##-###

by **Bentus** » Sat Aug 29, 2015 6:27 am

Off the coast of Port Telbon, New Sedna
9th Anicean Vanguard Fleet
Colonel Vasiliy Saltanov

The intention behind the formation of Vanguard fleets within the hierarchy of the Imperial Guard, was to enable hefty maritime firepower to be delivered without the delays or tedium involved in assembling the larger, more powerful vessels in situ. The idea must have struck the man or woman who came up with it as a stroke of genius, undoubtedly propelling them to new heights within the bottomless abyss that was the hierarchy of the Astra Militarum. Why wouldn’t have it? For surely such clever brilliance could only revolutionise how the Imperial Guard utilised its valuable maritime resources, granting it a powerful new means to smite the countless foes of the God-Emperor of Mankind.

Rapid, immediate, and overwhelming force were the keywords that dominated the doctrine of Vanguard fleets – their deployment no doubt serving as a handy act of shock-and-awe as well. The oceans of New Sedna had never particularly been saturated with travel, the single large continent lending itself effectively to rail and road more than intricate maritime routes. Regardless, a number of ports had grown to facilitate trade between the mainland and the many islands that surrounded it, keeping their populations securely within the central fold enforced by the planetary capital. However, now the waters seemed to be a raging cauldron of activity as the 9th made their deployment to the surface.

A few Valkyries and Lightning escorts had been the first indications of something major occurring, the Imperial Navy craft scouting the area on the off-chance that a Xenos submersible or ship had somehow come this close to Imperial territory. Once total control of the drop-zone had been ascertained, word was given for the main force to descend from orbit. Speed had been prioritised over caution, and all six of the Devourer dropships had plummeted down from the heavens in a single formation – the hulls of the behemoth crafts raging infernos as they shunted aside the atmosphere that stood in their way. The landing craft, some of the largest within the Imperial Armoury, descended rapidly but slowed to a stop over the patch of ocean – their powerful engines kicking up unnatural swells and tides. The great maws of the transports each groaned open, revealing their contents and a hive of activity within their bowels.

That had been a few hours ago, and four of the mighty Imperial raft remained idling as the waves of New Sedna lapped against their hulls. The destroyers Devout and Dedicated had already scurried from the interiors of the void craft, as if eager to once again experience the cold freedom of open waters.

Immediately adopting patrols around the perimeter of the landing site, the two craft kept wary eyes on the horizon as they darted over the waves – each bristling with light weapons that scanned both above and below the tides. The Faithful Obedience was a full three-quarters exposed to the elements as its hull seemed to be being disgorged from the Devourer, with the Righteous Fury not far in its own deployment. Still, Colonel Vasiliy Saltanov held his pocket watch open in front of him, his eyes constantly shifting between the hustle aboard his flagship and the unstoppable ticking hands. His face was contorted into a grimace, unamused and unimpressed by what most would have declared as a mighty display of Imperial prowess, the experienced officer knowing it for what it really was: a lot of very expensive equipment sitting in a very vulnerable position.

While in theory the deployment of a Vanguard fleet should have been seamless and rapid, the realities of unloading such a substantial mass from a dropship often necessitated a more careful approach be undertaken. Unfortunately, Vasiliy had learned time and again that such details often flew over the heads of those drawing up the battle plans: men and women who seemed incredulous that his fleet couldn’t deploy in minutes – surely, they reasoned, it simply involved sailing out the front doors? Such bigotry and ignorance had cost entire fleets, the 9th themselves losing a cruiser back in the day after having been ordered – under no illusion of the consequences of refusal – to deploy right into the midst of a warzone. Somehow, they had indeed managed to exhume their craft in under an hour – perhaps driven to throw safety to the wind as shells and las fire seared the ocean around them. Still, too many good sailors had perished needlessly that day, and Vasiliy had since felt the greatest unease during this opening to stage of a campaign.

Nonetheless, he was gripped by an eagerness to escape from the tight confines of space travel, longing to grant his vessels the liberation of open waters once again. They’d been cooped up in transport vessels for far too long, Vasiliy realised, and his could tell that the fleet was itching to engage one of the hated foes of the Imperium, greeting the Xenos or the Heretic with solid steel.

Suddenly, a surprised shout reverberated through the innards of the drop-ship, swiftly followed by the sickening shriek of metal scraping painfully along metal. The deck of the Righteous Fury seemed to shudder under Vasiliy’s feet as he gripped onto a nearby railing to maintain his stance, his head ripping around to the source of the noise with an anger burning in his eyes. Running along the decks, the Colonel leaned over the edge of his prized flagship – the maiden that had carried him and his men so far - to see a gash having removed the upper layers of its protective camouflage paint-scheme on one side.

“Feth!” Vasiliy cursed loudly, glaring around to find someone’s head to let roll. “Tell those damned Spacers to be more careful!” The damage was superficial, and could realistically have been a lot worse, but still it was unnecessary. The colonel was a powerfully built man, albeit with a figure well-suited to the often close-confines of naval vessels, and a short-stubble betraying perhaps the stress that accompanied a deployment to a new world.

“Sorry, sir! Some of the guiding lines snapped, but it looks like she’s caught herself on the hull.”

Vasiliy growled in response, it was better than having the Fury slide unrestrained into the oceans, but not ideal. “Very well, but get new lines attached already – I don’t want to spend another minute on this Void-hulk if I can help it.” The colonel cursed once again under his breath, knowing that this would be another delay in getting his fleet to a less vulnerable position, but it was out of his control. Until they were out of the dropship’s maws, they would be connected by the umbilical of the Imperial Navy.

by **Carcharhinidae primari** » Sat Aug 29, 2015 2:21 pm

New Sedna, Brontian 15th designated area
South by Southeast of Vana Prime Industrial Complex, Imperial-Ork Front Line
Brontian 15th hybrid armored assault regiment
Command Malcador Drusus' hammer

Colonel Kaido was not in a good mood, Although his vox operator had just managed to slog through enough bureaucracy to get him a command link to someone at headquarters, the sounds from the terse communication were not good.
"Yes, I get that. We're in position now as ordered <...> yes, I get that we need every regiment. bu- <...> Of course my regiment is up for everything we're ordered to do, but we are an assault regiment, if- no, you can stop interrupting me, I don't care who gave you orders, I'm sure I read somewhere that a colonel outranks a comms captain so let me finish and then you can have your say- If i'd wanted my men to spent their time digging through this dirt stuff I'd have convinced them to become farmers on the first agri world we liberated. <...> SO WHAT! I have an armoured compliment and heavy assault group under my command, we're not equipped properly to HOLD an area, we're equipped to TAKE ground.. <...> ... <...?> Yes, fine, if you'd led with that information I could've already sent that. <...> oh frak off.'
He hit the rune to break connection with his fist hard enough to leave a red mark on his skin, and leaned back heavily into the compact chair by the communication table. With a sigh he took of the headset, rubbing his temples a moment before activating the holithic display to check the disposition of his regiment. They'd arrived last night, and spent the night digging in as best they could. This was not something they had much experience with, and for some the last time they'd dug trenches was during their basic training. thankfully the PDF forces they'd relieved had left behind some well-built strongpoints they'd promptly taken over, and several other structures had been converted to tank bunkers for some leman russes. The majority of the regimen however had had to make do, a few logs and some more sand bags making highly temporary cover for most of the other vehicles.

"never get promoted, it's not worth it." Keraun said to the vox operator, looking over the disposition of his troops again. It seemed good to him, but he was well aware his knowledge of defenses was basic, and mostly based around what he'd hate to see when assaulting a place. He could only hope the orks were less sophisticated then he was at picking holes in these defences.
As Kaido watched sun rise outside filtering into the dark interior of the tank through the optics the holilith lit up red, as a group of orks began an attack against the imperial lines. They seemed utterly reckless, which was a blessing in itself, closing without thought of the flamers and heavy bolters that'd been set up or dug in. after a brief exchange of fire the distinctive thunderclap of a demolisher shell seemed to end the attack.
"must've been a scouting unit, to check the strength of our lines." he remarked, almost to himself.
"Message from HQ colonel, just coming through." Hal said, the first he'd said so far. The man was quiet, often keeping to himself and his gear. He handed Kaido a slip of paper.
"Hmm? already? thanks." Kaido said, reading it before sighing deeply. "send it round to the men, not like we can do much else then hold ground to the last to begin with. lets just make the communique that comms officer told me to make and we'll see how many weeks we'll be stuck here."

Dispatch to Crusade Command

Notice To: Deployment Coordinator for sector 53W-10N
Sender: Colonel Kaido Jamesson, 15th Brontian Hybrid assault regiment

Authorization Level: Imperial Guard Regimental Commander
Urgency Level: Indigo - At earliest possible convenience

requesting of clarification of deployment parameters and/or change of operating theatre.

-detailed communique-
The Brontian 15th hybrid unit has deployed as ordered to the imperial front line, but this regiment is not equipped for trench defence or fortification. I hereby request a redefining of deployment parameters or redeployment to a zone where our expertise at assaulting held positions will be most usefull.
Signed,
Colonel Kaido Jamesson

by **Argentumurbem** » Sun Aug 30, 2015 6:34 am

New Sedna, New Callisto
Imperial Barracks
22nd Flendrian Light
Titus Kasmides, Colonel-Commissar

The noise was a constant companion within the base, a buzzing of vaguely familiar voices and machines as thousands tried to keep themselves busy. Hundreds of non-regimental personnel mingled with his men, a minority of green and purple overalls among the backwash of white and blue and grey. Walking among them, the Commissar acknowledged the salutes. To him the motions were second-nature, having only to allow his body independent thought to relief the soldiers as they stood in stiff erection. Even so, he was aware that the men of his regiment took a bit more pride in their salutes than they had when he had first joined them at the head of five hundred foreign warriors.

"Received any news from Squad Crosby?" Titus asked Operator Logan, not needing to turn round to know that the man was on his heels. One of the surviving Equestrians, Logan had found his way in to the Commissar's personal staff, one of vital links between Titus and the rest of the regiment.

"No sir, they had not reported in since they went dark."

Squad Crosby had been given the honour of being the first to cross over in to enemy territory, something they should have done hours ago. The second squad, Squad Norrie, was already preparing for their departure. The ten men, faces hidden behind rebreathers, stood to attention in front of their vehicles, equipment stowed away securely the morning before. If Kasmides hadn't known better, he would have believed that the men had stood to attention all through the night. The foolishness and incompetence of such an action aside, Commissar Titus took that as a good sign.

"Men of the 22nd," he began, locking eyes with the Sergeant, a Corobani by the name of Taylor. As part of the integration, the Equestrians had taken Ergyll surnames in order to better accept the culture around them. So Taylor had settled on Norrie. "You will be the second of a long line of strike forces being deployed to administer death upon the hated enemies of Him-On-The-Throne. I shall be expecting you to conduct yourselves with the same fervor as Our Father. He wants to give the universe to us, and it is our divine duty to see to it that His Will is done."

The men snapped out an affirmative at that, happy that their commander was nearly the line that would break off the chains which kept them within the base. The entire regiment knew that their leader was furious with being side-lined, stationed in reserve while less-deserving regiments tested themselves against the full might of the enemy. Now, however, there was talk of the Elder, some sort of enigmatic race that polluted the Emperor's worlds with their filthy xenos presence. These vagabonds of the cold emptiness of space were one of the magnitude of villains that the Emperor demanded that they slay. Then there was worse: traitors. Such degenerates deserved only death. And everyone in the 22nd knew that their commander wanted it to be them to be granted that honour.

"You have my authority to do what is required in order to visit His Will upon the Xeno. Dismissed."

----------

New Sedna, North of New Callisto
Forward Observation R-1
Squad Crosby - 22nd Flendrian Light
Ualan Crosby, First Sergeant

"Alright, Norrie and his grox-shaggers should be on their way now."

Graham accepted that with an almost inaudible affirmative, eyes fixed on scanning the plains before them. They were all Equestrians, one of the squads who managed to avoid being mixed in with the "grox-shaggers" from Ergyll. As a result, Commissar Titus often turned to them to carry out orders that the others could not be trusted with. The Equestrians had proved their worth to him.

"This is A-3, I have the target in sight. Awaiting confirmation."

The Ork party was barely a dozen in strength, a ragged band of misfits driven off from their parent tribe. It was the fourth group the squad had chosen for practice.

"A-1 confirms sighting."

"A-2 confirms."

"A-4 has partial confirmation."

There was a pause as the squad waited on their fifth team. The two, Jamyre and Frex, had been deposited behind the group, shadowing their movements. A dangerous job, but one the Equestrians had grown to accept as being the best for operational flexibility.

"A-5 confirms."

They must be right on them. The answer had been in hushed whispers, more a heavy breath than actual words.

"We can light this up then," Ualan muttered, "A-4 will start it."

The Orks - and the forest they occupied - was ripped apart by gunfire.

by **Morrdh** » Sun Aug 30, 2015 7:55 am

New Sedna, New Callisto
Departmento Munitorum Workshop Depot
319th Morridane Airfield Defence Battalion HQ
Major Artemis Stormwell

The Ops Room was filled with a near-ceaseless buzz, one side of the room was filled with a bank of vox-sets and their operators whilst a map table took up a large chunk of the remaining space. Lt.Colonel Stormwell sipped his hot beverage and stared at the markers on the map, longing to be out in the field rather than this grotty command post. The Recce Platoon's sections were all active in the north and west of New Callisto, keeping tabs on the Greenskins and making sure didn't spring any nasty surprises. Whilst the patrols sent in vox-reports about the Orks, the Morridanes also kept a very close eye on the global vox network in order to stay well informed of events occuring further afield. A minor report filed by another unit might be of utmost importance as far as the Morridanes were concerned, especially with their constant need to be a step ahead of the enemy. For example the Higarans had reported that Ork activity had gone quiet in their sector, that suggested that the Orks were up to something and hence why the entirety of the Recce Platoon and their Salamander Scouts was out in the field looking for the Greenskins.

With little else to do and keen to avoid the mountain of paperwork that was piling up on his desk, Stormwell headed outside for a stroll and a smoke. The main workshop was located close to the command building and Stormwell could see one of Morridane's Salamander Scouts undergoing an engine change, though he could also see mechanic Cavell getting an earbashing from one of the Cogboys. A Trojan support vehicle rumbled past with a train of cargo trailers in tow, recently unloaded by a Sentinel powerlifter that was now standing idle as Munitorum workers finished off loading up an Arvus Lighter which was no doubt bound for a supply run some place. Round the perimeter he could just make out the quad barrels of Hydra Flak Batteries, they've had attacks here by the Greenskins but thankfully very little actual damage had been done. Though he had to wonder how long the relative calm here would last.

There was another unit co-located with the Morridanes in New Castillo, the 22nd Flendrian Light which was a mechanized infantry unit. The two units couldn't be any more different. The Flendrians were a large assault unit geared for hard hitting rapid assaults, the Morridanes on the other hand were a force who's job was to defend the airstrip and its Avenger Strike Fighters. There was that no question that the two units could compliment one another, the problem was the Colonel-Commissar who led the Flendrians who had a reputation as a ruthless disciplinarian. Stormwell wasn't entirely sure how the Colonel-Commissar could take to the Morridanes' somewhat lax approach to discipline and prayed that he would never ever find out. Due to their role the Morridanes were allowed a greater degree of independent action, they needed it to ensure the airfield's security.

by **Legital** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 7:47 pm

New Sedna, Off the coast of Port Telbon
Ork Submersible
Da Bonefish
Kapt'n Red Teef

"Now dats wot me likes to see, ah boyz? I knew dem humies liked deez waters." Kapt'n Red Teef grunted, his massive bulk taking up a large portion of the middle of the control room as he peered through the periscope. Orks, and a few gretchin, sat in cramped stations watching various gauges and flickering screens, ensuring the sub was operating as it should. Others, who had a grasp of keeping the machine working rather than just watching it, sat at other stations or prowled around, maintaining a vast array of switches, levers, and cranks that had few, if any, specification to what they did.

Dirty pipes snaked across the ceiling and sides of the control room, where gretchin ran around with tools to snuff out whatever problems arose. When a pipe screeched and shot out hot steam, a few high-pitched curses and several hits with a good wrench were often enough to put the unruly pipe back into place. Until, before too long, it acted up again.

A good portion of Kapt'n Red Teef's crew was composed of mekboys who had a fair grasp of running the submarine, while other boyz attended to other duties. Gretchin, often under the whip or fist of a superior ork, found themselves doing the dirtiest and dangerous jobs on the sub. This, in part, was due to their size. Only a gretchin could shove himself into the small cramped compartments to attend to out of reach parts and machinery that the bigger, better orks couldn't reach.

"Puffa, 'ow far out ez we?" Red Teef grunted again, turning to look at a large ork stuffed into a small console station. Puffa'ish, in charge of most of the navigation, looked down to the dull screen before him. He stabbed a dirty finger at several buttons, before letting out a frustrated roar. He hit the screen, which suddenly lit up a little more.

"Dis fingy sayz we a'bot few hun'red meterz out." Puffa'ish replied, unable to turn around to look at the captain.

Red Teef grinned, allowing his surprisingly sharp and, as his name suggests, red teeth to show to all around him. "Let'z go deepa 'n a bit closa. Den we gon let out da dakka 'n giv'em a good stomp'n, aye?" The orks in the control room roared their approval and stomped their feet, sending the smaller gretchin fleeing out of the way before, inadvertently, they got hit a little too hard in the ruckus.

Adhering to the commands of the orks, the submersible dove several meters deeper as Kapt'n Red Teef stepped away from the periscope.

"Noice'n quiet, boyz. Don want dem humiez 'earen us com'in." Red Teef ordered. The sub slowed a little more, but still maintained a fair speed. "Dem humie boatz ain't gonna know wot 'et 'em." He chuckled, which was an intimidating rumble.

"Oi, kapt'n. We do'in the underwater shooty?" One of the orks asked, which got a grunted affirmative from Red Teef. "Underwater shooty for surez."

A few more minutes passed as the ork submersible prowled closer to the 9th Anicean Vanguard Fleet, where some ships were already on the open waves. Red Teef ordered the sub to raise slightly, though not too much. He brought the periscope back down and peered out, sighting in on one of the Imperial ships.

"We got'a clear shot?" Red Teef asked, and received another grunt as an affirmative. " 'en my mark. Ones, two, 'tree...shoot!"

The sub shuttered as two torpedoes launched from the front and sped towards one of the Imperial ships from a distance, on a suspected collision course.

New Sedna, Near New Callisto
Near Morridane Outriders / 22nd Flendrian Light Patrol Area

The dark forests, grassy plains, and rundown urban outskirts that surrounded New Callisto created an easy environment to get lost in. For those unfamiliar with most of the territory, one open field or copse of trees began to look the same over and over again. Some, who either lived there or were masters of difficult terrain, managed easily enough.

Some of these people were not people, but orks. While the main mobs and hosts of the orks preferred fighting on the frontlines, some preferred a different approach to combat. Sneaking behind Imperial lines in small groups, intent to cause havoc and panic wherever they can, the ork Kommandos were a different breed of ork entirely. Crude camouflage, sharp knives, and timed explosives made up a decent portion of the Kommandos arsenal.

One such Kommando group, a strong force of around twelve orks covered in soot, bushes, and rags to help imitate the terrain, crept near a group of Morridane Guardsmen who patrolled the region. The orks watched the guardsmen from a safe distance, but began to close in to a point where shooting wasn't very difficult. Waiting a little longer, just to savor the anticipation of springing onto their prey, the Kommandos exploded from their cover and roared, firing stubbers at the guardsmen while some made to close in with long, sharp knives that could easily gut a man in a single swing.

by **Segmentia** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 9:39 pm

New Sedna, Magellan Prime
1st New Sedna Heavy Fusiliers barracks
Brigadier General Hanna Gormann

The trip back to the regimental barracks had been quick. It was a purpose built place, though the designers and government had gone a bit above what was needed for a functioning barracks and other support buildings. For a Guardsman it was more a palace then anything. Tall, thick walls with watch-towers, an imposing pair of gates, one on the north wall and the other on the south. And inside the walls were the barracks' themselves, each four stories high, with two sub-levels. Built for the purpose of the Guard, the designers had made it rather stylish as well, etched murals adorned several of the walls on the buildings themselves. The roads were straight and even, with finely maintained greenery on either side. There was even a memorial garden behind the headquarters building. The finest for the first New Sedna regiment to serve the Imperium.

Hanna was quite fond of the regimental barracks, though it was more of a fortress then anything. Even as she walked into the headquarters building she was hit by the sounds and smells of a regiment at war. Hushed talking, busy footsteps, the smell of fresh recaf, some quickly heated rations. It was all very much out of place in the fine insides of the building. Marble floors that never seemed to lose their shine, walls made from the finest timber on the planet with a dark glaze over them, and the lighting wasn't to harsh on the eyes. There was a central courtyard of sorts that shone with natural light from some over head windows, which could be covered with thick slabs of armor in the event this place ever came under fire.

It was while crossing that courtyard that Hanna was approached by one of her personal staff officers. He wore the rank of lieutenant, but Hanna had known him for years, since the first month of the initial crusade landing on New Sedna years ago. "Miaal." She said, nodding to him in greeting. He bowed his head slightly and then fell in behind her as she continued walking.

"A message for you, arrived while you were at command." He said, handing her a slip of paper with the readout printed on it. She read it over twice, grinning slightly. "Well, isn't that polite of them to ask?" She mused, handing the paper back to Miaal. "So, I suppose you got me some information about this 100th Brumairean Fidesperata regiment?" She asked, ascending a staircase. Miaal simply followed.

"Of course, Crusade command was happy to share their information. They're a decent lot, for sure. And it never hurt to have a decent lot around you when marching into a captured munitions depot." He said dryly, though Gormann sensed some amusement in his words. "And the message itself was quite thorough as well." He added. It had been, yes. Hanna was already stating to like these Brumairean's. They reached her office in short order, Miaal sitting at one of the desks in the anteroom while Hanna continued into her office. She sat down behind her heavy solid mahogany desk and leaned back in her chair, before she sent her reply back.

Once the message itself had been sent, she sent a runner, along with a escort squad, to find and deliver to the 100th Brumairean Fidesperata regiment the coordinates, sealed in an envelope with instructions to burn the note once it was memorized. It might have been several degrees above the norm for operational security, but with the ruinous powers at play, and there no doubt being infiltrators scattered about, even in the capital, it never hurt to be overly cautious.

---

New Sedna, Kadash Station
12th New Sedna PDF Regiment, in combat, Captain Johann Halvo commanding

The battle up the tracks was going well, but slow. Halvo watched from his command post as squads of his PDF troopers moved forward, going from bits of cover to bits of cover as the Orks exchanged fire with them. Mortars and heavy bolters fired back, and the Orks were slowly being pushed back from their own heaps of rubble. It would be going so much faster if they just had a few vehicles. But that was the reward to the situation, a Leman Russ and Guardsmen. He really hoped it would be worth it.

"Sir, getting a message from an inbound Guard unit, 112th Kokodian Response Troops." Lieutenant Hauser said from her chair as she monitored the vox channels. Halvo looked back for a moment.

"See if they can't get up here. Tell them that the tracks up until this point should be cleared, at least of any explosives. Might be a few small groups of Orks somewhere, but I doubt it." He said, turning back to observing the push. His troopers were close enough to the bridge now that the Leman Russ was providing fire support from the other side. That made things easier, as several Orks split off, apparently wanting to charge the tank. That would be over quickly. He could hear Hauser behind him speaking into the radio with her slight accent.

"11th Kokodian, this is the 12th New Sedna PDF, if you can manage it move your arses' up the main rail-line. Should be clear of any explosives, and we suspect of Orks as well. Stop when you reach our positions, obviously. 12th out."

---

Crusade Command was always busy. Thousands of messages were received day and night. Lividivus couldn't be expected to read and respond to every single one, but that was what his support staff were for. They sorted the messages by their needs. Medical, logistical and resupply, reinforcement, and then those requesting orders or direction. These are the ones that went to Lividivus, and today he had a decent few. He would read them all, consult his plans and available units, and then respond.

by **Military Democracy of Birtonia** » Tue Sep 01, 2015 1:44 pm

Colonel Lucius Felix
Cadian 1022nd Airborne Regiment
New Sedna, Magellan Prime, Landing Zone

After his inspection Lucius broke the men off to their respective commanders to do with at their discretion. Some companies conducted close order drills whilst more progressive officers released their men to the surrounding area. He decided to return to his Valkyrie and take a jab at the mountain of paperwork that haunted him every time he closed his eyes. The sound of battle coasted along the winds, growing more and more frequent with each passing hour. His executive officer entered after a brief moment, he had ordered him to monitor the Vox channels some time ago.

"Sir, listen to this" said the Major, while tuning the Vox inside the cabin.

The pair listened to the PDF forces while they battled off the Orks at the space port, not all too far from headquarters. Fox's face contorted to a rather sadistic smile.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" He asked his second in command.

"Aye sir" replied the XO.

"Form the men up!" He ordered.

Within mere minutes, the very regiment he had just dismissed was formed up yet again. The faces of individual guardsman had shown they detested the act and thought of it as some sort of drill. Knowing his announcement would quickly change their minds and boost morale, he paused, hoping to create some dramatic tension.

"Men!" He stated, "There's is a PDF regiment in combat at Kadash station. Now there is another regiment en route to assist, the 112th Kokodians. Poor legs are trying to get there but I think us Cadians should get there first!"

A mighty roar of shouts were heard in approval from the regiment.

"Alpha your up first!" Yelled the Colonel, pointing at the first company in line. After his initial speech crews rushed to the Valkyries as well as the two drop sentinel platoons that were standing by in a nearby workshop. The cacophony of men shouting, boots stomping and engines turning over was a welcome one to Lucius' ears, as the past week had been far to quiet for his liking. As an officer, he was expected to lead the fight from the front, so he would be heading in with the first platoon of alpha company.

Knowing how brash this move was he drafted up a quick message to the General and Crusade command.

Notice To: General Arktheleon Lividivus / Crusade Command
From: Colonel Felix, Cadian 1022nd Airborne
Subject: Kadash Station; Immediate QRF

-The Cadian 1022nd Airborne w are best utilized to conduct precision strikes against the enemy and reinforce our forces where they are weakest. Therefore, I am making a command decision and deploying my men to help hold Kadash station. I understand the 112th is en route but we can arrive quicker, A company and a platoon of drop sentinels will ride in first and hold until the 112th arrives, the rest of my regiment will be in tactical reserve and I will call upon them if needed. Contact from here out will be via Vox.

-Authentication: #####-####-##-###

by **Aelosia** » Tue Sep 01, 2015 4:31 pm

New Sedna, Magellan Prime
Hive Magellan Main Spire Square
100th Brumairean Fidesperata
Erinyes, The Fidematrem

The Faith Wives' main command staff remained behind as the troops started to march in formation towards the Eastern exit of the city, taking the main boulevard as a route in a column with the armoured contingent opening up the march, followed by the infantry platoons led by their NCO's and finally escorted by the towed artillery pieces. Just a handful of Chimeras were left behind with the officers, who knew they could catch the troops quickly as soon as they got news regarding their destination. Although the decision to send the troops towards the front without the commanding officers of Platoon and higher present seemed reckless, the cadre was pretty confident in the capabilities of their regiment to march in a straight line through a city on foot, knowing their vehicles could catch them quickly without losing time. The Fidematrem was that kind of impatient commander. Logan's Reach, the target location, was 70 miles away from their position, which meant that taking into account even the impressive loaded march time of the wives compared to the Guard's standard, (10 miles in 3 hours loaded with full gear, and four such marches a day), it meant two days of footlogging it to reach its target. Waiting meant losing time. Vital time, something Colonel Erinyes was not going to allow to happen. If waiting for orders was needed, the officers could wait while the troopers marched. In truth, given an emergency, an infantry company could be deployed quickly into the battlefield by going Desant upon the meagre motorpool of the regiment, but that tactic was usually reserved for emergencies given the rupture of formations that it implied, and so far this wasn't such situation.

For some time, the officer's cadre waited for the promised further instructions, long enough as to get the Colonel impatient enough to bark around to the rest of the women present, but not impatient enough as to start throwing things around the handful of parked chimeras. As as expected, the chatter restarted during the idle time.

"So, what did she say?", said the Major in charge of 1st Company, knowing that only the Colonel had the clearance to check the sent response.

"Logan's Reach. Positive. She wants us in. That's why we are marching East", snipped back the Commander. "I thought my staff was smart enough as to find that out by themselves when I said we were marching East. Looks like I was wrong".

"We assumed so", retorted a Captain wearing an elaborate steel plated prosthetic replacement of an arm from the shoulder. "We also know the message was longer than that. She said more than just Logan's Reach", added the subordinate with a twisted grin.

"And I wonder how did you genius reach that conclusion? Message was encrypted. Epsilon level. None of you twats have the clearance to read it", answered the Colonel arching an eyebrow.

It was the turn of the Mistress of Ordnance to speak, in her typical nasal industrial worlder accent. "We had the clearance to read it. Mind you, not to understand it, the text was absolute absurd balderdash when it reached our terminals..."

"Balderwhat?", whispered the augmented Captain, Fabia Icharii from the 3rd Infantry Company.

"Means nonsense", interjected a Lieutenant before quickly growing red with shame at interrumpting the conversation between two superior officers that glared at her with deadly intentions as she spoke.

"What she said", finished the Mistress of Ordnance as her wrath beaming stare dissolved into nothingness. "Nonsense. But even if we can't make out the words, we know the length of the message. It was longer than just Logan's Reach. Positive".

A long pause followed, with the Colonel's fingers fidgeting upon the power switch of her power maul. The youngest Lieutenants tensed, expecting a bravado outburst from the Colonel that would leave a couple of the officers stunned in the Plaza. No aggression came, though, and a sarcastic smile finally appeared amid the Colonel's lips. "Aren't you the brainy, resourceful one, Ordnance? You were the one that told the others that. Those can barely read...". the Colonel issued the last comment as a threat, but just nervous fidgeting and general stares fixed at the point of their boots came from the rest of the ensemble.

A sigh came from the Fidematrem chest that took all tension away, and the entire group relaxed as a chuckle from the Colonel quickly followed. "Alright, you deserve it by finding out just by length alone. Pudgy noble got sassy, implying we might be not good enough for this thing, that we were going to be watched closely by some that creepy tough daughterfucker Commissar they have up there, and you know, classic high command passive aggressive stuff"

"And that's what got you in your toes, right? You hate sassy", spoke for the first time sister Vindicta, the Adepta Sororitas attached to the 100th, gleaming in her power armour.

"What do you mean I hate sassy? I prefer her sassy. Means she got some spirit after I went a bit over the top with the first message. Sassy means she's brazen, and I can deal with brazen people better than with pushover wimps. Better soldiers and all", retorted the Colonel dismissing the entire issue with a careless wave of her hand. "What grinds my cogs is that her instructions are taking too long to arrive. I want to smash this sideshow with the traitors as quickly as possible and move to the main threat. And the troops are already marching to an unknown set of coordinates just having a general direction. Such imprecision bothers me, that's all. Bureaucracy, you know?".

Finally, from the constant influx of troops and officers milling in and out of the central Spire a squad of carapace-wearing soldiers in woodland camo scheme approached directly the assembled echelons of the 100th, and after the strictest protocol and required scrutiny, it was quickly found they were the messengers the Colonel was waiting from the New Sedna fusiliers.

The Colonel herself took the message from the runner, broke its seal quietly and read its content. She read it three times, covering its content from prying eyes with her hands, and then crumpled it, threw it to the floor and after stepping on it once, with a smooth motion took her maul out, activated it and softly posed the top of its head upon the paper so the flickering field of silvery energy dancing on it could touch the message and disintegrated it. She stopped once her action left a mound of ashes dispersing and a blackened tile in the floor of the Plaza, saving the now powerless weapon on her hip holder once again, and shrugging happily.

She then directed her gaze upon the runner from New Sedna. "You are liaison, is my guess. If you aren't, you are now for the time being until your commanding officer can dismiss you from such a duty in person. Take me and my command squad to the Brigadier General at once", she said, gesturing for her Major and the Sororitas attaché to join her in a short conference. After a brief exchange of words, the Major walked towards the other officers while ordering them to move their rumps in the general directino of their waiting command, while the Sororitas and the Colonel dissappeared inside their Chimera with the rest of their escort. After a handful of seconds, the head and torso of the Fidematrem reappeared through the top hatch of the vehicle. "We are done. Lead on", she said to the Sednan right before the roar of the Chimera engine muffled any further words.

by **Segmentia** » Wed Sep 02, 2015 9:30 am

New Sedna, Magellan Prime
1st New Sedna Heavy Fusiliers, liaison to the 100th Brumairean Fidesperata

The runner turned liaison, a sergeant with the first company of the fusiliers adjusted the sword on his belt, looking up at the colonel in the Chimera. "She's at the mag-lev train station, gettin' the regiment loaded up." He said, before he and his small escort clambered up onto the Chimera. "Just follow the signs, ya daft lass." He said over the roar of the engine. He had better things to do then to play liaison with this lady, but he couldn't exactly say no for the moment either. One of the officers would have to do once they got to the mag-lev station, but for the moment he sat there and waited to preform whatever duties he would need to.

New Sedna, Magellan Prime, main mag-lev train hub
1st New Sedna Heavy Fusiliers barracks
Brigadier General Hanna Gormann

Hanna stood atop her Baneblade, one of the two Mars-Pattern ones in her regiment, and watched as her soldiers filed onto the train, vehicles being loaded, along with supplies. It was organized chaos as things were moved back and forth, loaded, some things having to be unloaded to allow for more space. She wanted to take everything they needed on one trip. She realized she could have told the 100th Brumairean Fidesperata about using the mag-lev, well to be honest she expected them to know about it and that it was still in use to a point just outside of the range of the guns at Logan's Reach, but if they wanted to get there some other way, that was fine by her. It would give her time to send out scouts and gather information as to how to tackle the assault of the munitions depot. It would also give Lividivus time to find any other regiments he could spare. He had already promised a PDF regiment that was mostly at full strength. Three regiments to tackle and entire depot with a more numerous enemy in defensive positions and with plenty of stuff to throw at them. It would be a fun few days.

She was about to get her tank moving to be loaded when she saw a staff car pull up, behind it a decent number of Chimeras. The passenger door opened and out stepped a person that made Gormann frown. Lord-Commissar Hannibal Thrax Albor. From the Chimeras dismounted what seemed to be a company or so of Commissar Cadets, along with their commissars. Hanna sighed as Albor walked over confidently, looking up at Hanna as she stood on her tank. Was he actually smiling?

"No worries, general, we aren't here for anyone." Albor said sounding quite pleased. "Logan's Reach is simply to vital a target to not throw everything we can at it, and it was about time these cadets got into the fight anyway." He explained. Gormann looked over at the company of cadets and saw they were already moving to load things onto the train, their Chimeras lined up and waiting for a spot.

"Well, that is surprising." She finally said, looking down at the Lord-Commissar. No, he generally did look pleased. Maybe he got bored of sitting up in the command spire while the war raged across the planet. She knew Lividivus did. He would be much happier being a colonel, she thought.

"I certainly won't turn away the help, if I even had the choice." She said, climbing down from the Baneblade. "We have another regiment helping us as well, the 100th Brumairean Fidesperata regiment, plus that PDF regiment Lividivus promised would be in positions. I imagine we can use whatever units that are around Logan's Reach as well. We'll take it, commissar."

by **The Krogan** » Wed Sep 02, 2015 5:47 pm

New Sedna, Just Outside of Magellan Prime
Tuchankan 31st Infantry Regiment HQ
Colonel Jack Gordon

Colonel Jack Gordon sat at his desk, one made of from the tree's of his home planet, within an office all his own inside the prefab command bunker that served as the Tuchankan 31st Regiments headquarters at the moment. The 31st had arrived on New Sedna four days ago, having been refitted and their ranks refilled just recently on Tuchanka after a couple of hard campaigns in other parts of Imperial space had seen them quickly becoming an ineffective fighting force. So after several months of endless training regimes the Tuchankan 31st had been assigned to the Lividivus Crusade, which had suffered serious setbacks from the Ork offensive and was in need of more warm bodies to throw into the meat grinder.

The use of the word hectic to describe the first few days of the regiments arrival would be a gross understatement at best, at worst, the offender would get Jack's right fist in his or her's face and the correct terminology to use; an utter cluster fuck. Getting over 5,000 men and women out of orbit to planet side, and then working out where to put them all had caused the Colonel more headaches and sleepless nights then he would have liked; as well as nearly causing him to engage in violent diplomacy with several officials throughout the whole process. Eventually though, due mostly to his tremendously talented staff of aides, the Tuchankan 31st got from their troop transport in orbit down to their allocated area just outside of the capital Magellan Prime with only a handful of instances where voices were raised and noses bloodied.

The next step had been the setting up of the Regiments base camp and HQ, and seeing as how the city was already overflowing with other regiments and it's civilian population, the 31st was given a designated area just outside the city to set up shop. The erecting of the various tents and prefab structure took about a day and a half before everything was completed and the edges of the camp were fortified against outside attack to a satisfactory degree. After that, things started to whined down a bit, as patrols and training schedules were organized for the troops while they awaited word from command to move out to the front.

Jack had spent the last day or two sifting through various reports, communications, and memos, all of which were starting to drive him a little stir crazy, especially the reports from the various fronts. After having just finished reading a recent Commissariat decree, Jack leaned back in his seat, interlaced his fingers behind his head, and gave himself a little break from all the reading. Enacting righteous defense huh... Guess the greenskins are really doing a number on us, that or the Commissars are just keeping everybody on their toes, as usual, he thought to himself, just as someone knocked at his door. Jack casually glanced over towards the heavy trooper that sat against the wall to his left, who had just stopped sharpening her combat knife and now had her hellgun pointed in the general direction of the door. Rolling his eye's Jack yelled,

"Come on in!"

As the metal door slid open, Jack could see that the knocker was Logge Uvenk, an old veteran who now served on the Colonels staff. Snapping off a quick salute, the aide made his way over to Jack's desk and handed him some reports. Taking one step back the man then said,

"Thought you might me interested in this sir, seeing as we're all just sitting around with our thumbs up our asses at the moment."

Colonel Gordon quickly read through them, the contents revolved around the build up for an offensive on a place called Logans Reach, a munitions depot that had been taken over my traitors, which was severely hampering the defense of the planet. Damned traitors, always pick the worst times to stab us in the back, he thought upon finishing; looking back up at Uvenk, Jack smiled and said,

"Aye, looks like just the thing this regiment needs, some good old fashioned traitor burning, wait a moment for me to draw up a little something for this.. Brigadier General Gormann offering our services, and make sure it gets to the right people, I don't want another fiasco like on Hatash II.. Also once yer done that round up the Battalion Commanders for a briefing, Emperor knows we need one" Jack said, as he began to draw up the message.

To: Brigadier General Gormann, 1st New Sedna Heavy Fusiliers; and whomever else this may concern
From: Colonel Gordon, 31st Tuchankan Infantry Regiment

This message is to notify you that the 31st Tuchankan Regiment wishes to partake in the retaking of Logans Reach from the hands of the traitor scum that now occupy it. As of right now, my Regiment is inactive and just outside of Magellan Prime, in a perfect position to join the forces assembling for this operation. I have included a dossier outlining the 31st's capabilities, numbers, vehicles, etc so that you can make an informed decision on whether or not you believe we would be effective in this task. If not, don't worry, we'll only be slightly heartbroken at the prospect of not getting to deal out the Emperors justice.

Ever yours, Colonel Gordon

by **Military Democracy of Birtonia** » Wed Sep 02, 2015 6:07 pm

Colonel Lucius Felix
Cadian 1022nd Airborne Regiment
New Sedna, Magellan Prime, Landing Zone

Lucius sent the message to higher, signing off the device and stood. Taking a deep breath and bowing his head for a moment, he closed his eyes. The cloak cordoning off the aircraft fluttered with the wind of engines sending their power out towards the paved ground, and the sound of boots against the hard ground. Muttering to himself, one could hear several prayers to the Emperor, asking for the the safety of him and his men, as well as the glory of combat against the enemies of the Imperium. While within the privacy of his office he ensured that the armor underneath his jacket was secure, taking his sword and admiring it. It was a well crafted piece of weaponry from the Munitorum, awarded to him after charging the Ork tanks all those years ago, it was long and curved, with a golden hilt, kept shining through years of use. He sheathed it and took his plasma pistol from the shelving, looking over it once and completing a functions check, before holstering it as well.

The moment he exited the craft he saw the rows of drop Sentinels lined up, with the crews completing their final checks, climbing aboard the machines of war. An officer left the line of soldiers awaiting to load up on the birds, and approached Colonel Fox, this man was the regimental Commissar, Victor Remio, Victor and Lucius had known each other for only a few years, when the regiment was created, but the two of them excelled together, inspiring the men of the 1022nd no matter what they faced.

"Colonel" said Victor.

"Commissar!" replied Lucius, with great enthusiasm, "will you be flying with us today?"

The last of the Valkyries was spooled up and ready to go. Shouts from Alpha company echoed across the landing pad, with subsequent orders from the platoon leaders, and finally the roar of a company of infantrymen ready to do battle most eagerly. The first two platoons and six Sentinels moved forwards, ready to load and be loaded respectively.

The Commissar shook his hand and returned the same devilish smile, "Why of course, who else would show the Orks the glory of the Emperor?" he asked, jokingly.

The two men laughed as they boarded the lead Valkyrie, where Lucius' command squad was already loaded, a voxcaster, several regular guardsmen equipped with plasma guns, a sniper, and a medic. The rest of the regimental officers were staying behind, to command the remainder of the regiment in case they were called to battle. As the engines roared to life, the bird shuddered and achieved lift, leaving behind the cheers of the Regiment. Flying over the great spires of the city, one could see many other units conducting movements, it appeared they moved to do battle with either the traitors or the Orks elswhere on the line. None of that would matter soon enough, as his first and finest company would be understrength until the Valkyries could arrive with the other platoons and Sentinels. Quickly, the landscape underneath resembled less of an urban cityscape and more of a battlefield, as craters marked where shells landed amidst crumbling buildings, marked with the scars of war.

Adash station came into view shortly after traversing the great spires of the city, it was clear even from the air where the Orks launched their attacks from, throngs of green dots charging towards blasts of fire and the tracings of lasguns firing. His heart was already pumping quickly, at the thought of doing battle against enemies, though idiotic they are still fierce and should never be underestimated. Both Heavy Bolters on either side of the Valkyrie began firing down onto the Orks scattered on the ground below, watching the bolts scream down from the heavens and impact into the mass of green beings. Soon enough, the flight had dropped sufficient altitude to see individual soldiers from the sky. The whistle of bullets from the xenos guns flew by the open doors of the Valkyries and only increased the closer they got to the ground.

"For the Emperor!" screamed the Colonel as he hopped out of the Valkyrie, being the first man of the 1022nd to hit the field of combat.

Several plasma blasts were fired towards charging green skinned beasts, followed by several massed volleys of lasguns as the first platoon departed their carriers. As more birds got closer more guardsmen took cover and got into the fight, alongside several members of the PDF regiment holding the ground. Screams were heard from both sides of the engagement, shouts of the Imperium clashed with the incessant WAAAGH! of the oncoming Orks. The PDF members rallied around the guardsmen that swelled their ranks now. Mere minutes later the second flight of Valkyries had arrived and put down the platoon of Drop Sentinels, equipped with heavy bolters and multi-melters.

"Trooper!" said Lucius over the roar of battle,"Bring your commanding officer here now!"

by **Carcharhinidae primari** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 7:03 am

New Sedna, Brontian 15th designated area
South by Southeast of Vana Prime Industrial Complex, Imperial-Ork Front Line
Brontian 15th hybrid armored assault regiment

The brontian regiment had now been here for nearly a day, and though the present fortifications had been adapted it was clear they were no experts. Under the direction of the captains and the colonel the men had mostly taken over the pdf layout, and after a few 'practice assaults' some modifcations had been made. most notable were the additions of tank bunkers set below and behind the fortified line, the low velocity of demolisher cannons allowing the vehicles to operate in a role not too dissimilar to mortars should the orks enter the killing zones, and several forward redoubts hastily made from sandbags and felled trees. These were added to provide maximum coverage with the flamers and shotguns the regiment favoured.

The new defences had not been been put to the test yet, since only a few small groups had thrown themselves against the imperial line. these had in all cases been swiftly eliminated, the small victories both raising and lowering morale. The veterans especially were somewhat uneasy, remembering earlier campaigns were orks would seemingly lessen their assaults only to build up the numbers to launch an all-out push to break though the defences they could see. only amongst the newer troopers did the victories raise morale, instilling a sense that if the orks would keep coming in no more then a squad or two at a time the directive to hold ground at all cost would be easily filled.
The officers were certainly on the veterans side here, and after every insignificant assault a series of vox messages passed between the various command vehicles discussing a proper response ranging from scouting parties to an armoured raid on the ork lines. None of those had yet been undertaken, the consensus each time being that waiting for the daily tacnet update before comitting to any strategy would be the best course.

Malcador Command tank Drusus' Hammer

Kaido glanced at the chronograph in the metal comms panel, noting that there were a few minutes before the daily tacnet update was sent to all the regiments with the proper codes, enough time for a cup of recaff.
Like many regiments in the imperial guard the brontians had more-or less switched over to recaff since being sent off-world, their (much stronger) native drink of yakka being extremely difficult to get outside of their home planet. This did not mean 'impossible', however, and in the few times they'd returned home or received reinforcements a few pallets with tins of dried and powdered extract had been sent with them.

As Kaido sat down again with his cup he removed a small tin from a clip underneath the desk and carefully tipped half a spoonful into his drink, stirring it in and turning the normally black recaff a dark grey. Like many of the veterans, he'd long ago learned to carefully ration the few tins every man in the regiment got from the shipments, and using recaff as a base allowed them to stretch the meagre supply further.
He took a sip from the strongly fragrant liquid as the tactical update started flooding in, replacing the imperial eagle on one of the pictscreens in front of him with a list of updates considered important enough to list openly, mostly glorious victories against the greenskins halfway across the planet he suspected were a lot less glorious and announcements to do with the other worlds in the crusade. Amongst the more detailed information was a orbital auspex scan of their sector however, with suspected ork lines and defences overlaid onto the bare results. The defences seemed to be stronger further west along the lines, at the zone marked for a regiment called the -he leaned closer- Higaran 52nd. He remembered reading about them in the briefing material for this deployment, they'd apparently been here for several months now and didn't seem to have lost any ground from their initial deployment, which he considered favourable. between them and the brontians was a small force of PDF, who'd been here even longer. perhaps. he had trouble identifying it because the pdf regularly seemed to rotate units in and out of positions along the line, sometimes without keeping track of who was where.
While he was considering their position more information kept streaming in, and from his command systems he could see the troopers in the regimental vox and auspex trailer sifting through it for information useful to them. When he looked up again a few moments later he nearly choked on his drink, there was a dispatch marked as coming from the lord general. As he opened the short message he set his drink down carefully. He'd never suspected the lord general would take such a close interest in every frontline.
As he mulled over the short message something occurred to him. bringing up the auspex readings from the orbital scans again he traced the ork lines the analysts had found. To his eyes it seemed like at least two, but possibly three layers of trenches, but it was indeterminate and not entirely certain. That gave him an idea, amongst their inventory were half a dozen auspex packages, deployable sensors that could be monitored over the vox. If they could hide those between the lines the resulting information could give them a much clearer image of what was facing them on the other side. While he was discussing this with the other officers, most of which were supportive of the idea, he remembered hearing from one of the enginseers that the broader the front these packages were deployed along, the better the information became. With that in mind he decided to keep three of the sensors for their own segment, and to contact the higarans about deploying the other three along their lines.

by **Aelosia** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 1:51 pm

100th Brumairean Fidesperata
Erinyes, The Fidematrem

After a long ride through the city to the Maglev Station, the Commanding Chimera of the 100th Fidesperata stopped at the train station, closely followed by another handful of Company Command Vehicles. The Colonel quickly dismounted and appraoched the closest NCO of the New Sedna Fusiliers.

"Can you direct me towards the location of the Brigadier General Gormann?", she asked, this time as nicely as she could. "I imagine she must be expecting me".

by **Legital** » Thu Sep 03, 2015 5:25 pm

New Sedna, Higaran Area of Operations
South of Vana Prime Industrial Complex, Imperial-Ork Front Line
Higaran 52nd Infantry
Regimental Command Bunker

Colonel Oskar Faust mulled over the recent dispatch from Crusade Command, in which the Lord General had personally reviewed and sent to the Higarans. The orders were much more favorable than Faust had anticipated. Not only were reinforcements being sent to their sector, but many more units were being sent down to the general area to support a future offensive into the Ork territory. It was exactly how Faust felt things should play out for the war. Part of him felt foolish for thinking that the Lord General could have had planned something else, but both officers thought along the same lines as to what needed be done, which went a long way to prove that the Lord General's orders were, with little doubt, the best way to proceed.

In the map room, which doubled as the meeting chamber, Faust examined the theater map, as well as various smaller maps which pertained to certain sectors and posts. Laid out before him, he had a general view of every Imperial and Ork position for miles around his position. Not all of it was perfect, as it was such a vast scale of land which was host to changing battle lines, but it was enough to allow him to view how he needed to advance his regiment.

The Orks were fairly dug in all in front of the Higaran lines, stretching along a vast amount of land all around, marking the static Ork position. A dangerous, muddy, and open ground inhabited the area between the human and xenos lines, which made any push across dangerous in varying degrees. Infantry was the most vulnerable, as there was almost no suitable cover in this no-man's-land. Artillery, bolters, and stubbers helped to make the already tough crossing even worse. Troops would be caught in razorwire, muddy lanes, water-logged craters, and body strewn trenches.

Strategically speaking, the logical option was to hold the line and fight a war of attrition. Any offensive across the wasteland and into the enemy line was always costly, and over time, those costs added up. Yet, with no doubt, the attack had to be made.

Faust examined small blue blocks on the map, representing Higaran units, while green blocks signified large ork forces. White blocks marked other Imperial forces, and Faust studied each position carefully. The Orks had the advantage in both numbers and defense against eventual Imperial attack. The Imperials were capable of bringing more variety and firepower to bear, but that wasn't easy. Orks just weren't easy to kill.

Over the course of the morning, Faust used his knowledge of how Orks generally fought and applied those against his own forces when he moved for the attack. Orks were vicious and enjoyed fighting, so regardless of how he maneuvered, there was always some difficulty in beating the Orks back and maintaining an offensive momentum.

The colonel sighed. It wasn't a simple task, but he managed to figure what he believed to be the best course of advance. A massive mortar barrage to soften the Ork lines, followed by an even more thorough pinpoint barrage at certain key locations which would be where most of the guardsmen would push through. As the guardsmen advanced, the heavy mortars would initiate a creeping barrage, which would allow the guardsmen to advance with the orks under heavier fire far up ahead. From there, it would be up to the infantry to burst through the Ork lines, eliminate stragglers, and set up forward positions. Past the Ork lines, there were no more trenches and bunkers. Just land, trees, and towns. It would be fast, open ground fighting from there.

Since the Higarans have held their position, there had been no large scale attacks from the Imperial side. Only the Orks had made such an attempt, and every time they failed. Faust hoped that in some part of the Ork mind, they wouldn't be expecting a massive offensive. So much relied on the opening stages of the battle, that it almost made Faust a little sick to think about. They had to push through, or else the offensive would fail within the first few hundred meters.

"Colonel?" A voice said aloud, and for a moment, Faust wasn't sure where it could have possibly come from. "Colonel Faust?" It said again, and Faust found himself removed from his world of strategy and maps and looked up to see First Lieutenant Hase, standing in the low doorway with another dispatch telegram. Music, coming from the voxographin the corner of the room, played quietly. Faust had tuned it out while he studied his maps, but now the distinctly Higaran tunes reached his ears once more, and he felt a slight sense of elation. The music was better background noise than the occasional artillery and gun bursts that drifted through the dirt and concrete and into the bunker.

"How may I help you, Lieutenant?" Faust asked, straightening his back out. His spine protested slightly and creaked, as for some time he had been leaning over the table.

"We have a dispatch from the Brontian 15th, regarding auspex detection and Ork positions." Hase explained, stepping towards the colonel to pass him the dispatch.

Faust read it and nodded, before placing it down on the table. He reached for a piece of paper and pen, so that he could write down a response to pass on to communications, so they in turn could send it to the Brontian 15th. It took him only a minute to do so, and then he passed it back to his adjutant.

"This should be a sufficient. With speed, please get this message sent out." Faust said, and Hase clicked his heels together neatly before disappearing from the room. The orders had already been sent out earlier to prepare the regiment for the assault, so for now, the planning was left to him while the organization was left to his officers.

by **Argentumurbem** » Fri Sep 04, 2015 1:01 pm

New Sedna, New Castillo
Imperial Barracks
22nd Flendrian Light
Titus Kasmides, Commissar-Colonel

He had been asleep when the call came in, an anxious-sounding vox-operator announcing that they had confirmed the presence of Ork forces within the city limits. The message had been relayed between a dozen officers and their units before ending up at his communications set, disproving the misconception that it was only bureaucrats and out-of-touch generals who could be incompetent. He will get five lashes for every man who got this information that did not need it.

"Who do we have on station?"

Fancy battle-chatter was never one of Titus' specialties. Blunt and plain meant that those hotheads beneath him could not cry ignorance as they went off-plan. It had happened enough time during his career as an observer to understand that it was an epidemic which plagued even the best of regiments. None of them had survived, of course.

The Commissar noticed just how far in to the Outrider's designated patrol area the contact had been made, letting himself reveal a feral smile of congratulation for having his men push in to their boundaries on their own patrols. It was now paying them back in interest, doubly so if the Outriders could eliminate them before the barbarians found a defensible position. If they have figured out simple strategy yet.

"First Company. Third. Fourth," Lance-Sergeant Rigo Strev listed, eyes scanning down one of his monitors.

Aifric. If there was ever a man who Titus considered suitable for his tutelage, it was the honoured captain of the 1st. The venerated Forlorn First took only volunteers, the first question put to their potential recruits being: "Will you follow every order?" And if the volunteer confirms, it is followed up with: "Cut out your tongue." And so the comm-channels of Titus' vanguard is composed of guttural growls and synthetic drones. All expect the veterans, the Equestrians fine enough fighters with all of their extremities where they were.

"Let the Forlorn take this one. Seventh and Eighth are to converge on them and await further instruction. Send out a message to those Morridane vagrants. Let them know that I fully expect them to have the Xeno presence cleared out before we arrive there. I am do not wish to have to issue charges of incompetence before they have actually killed any of the enemy."

"Very good Commissar-Colonel!" Kleist Evans already tuning in to begin the dispatch, his mind rewording his superior's message.

Rigo Strev began connecting to the captains who would form the assault group, while another of the Commissar's staff issued the revised Order of Duties to the other companies, demanding heightened vigilance and giving them the information so delayed before reaching regimental command.

Twisting away from the command consoles, Kasmides scaled the staircase which offered access to the HQ roof. Passing command staff and guardsmen seconded to the routine guard duty, the commander reciprocated a satisfyingly large number of smart salutes. Discipline is the reason that we survive to achieve victory. Upon reaching the roof, crowded with two full squads of communications and observation staff members, he found a tower to look out on to the city, already seeing the firefight in his mind's eye. It is glorious.

by **Zeinbrad** » Fri Sep 04, 2015 2:02 pm

New Sedna, Kadash Station.
112th Kokodian Response Troops, 1st and 2nd Company with elements of 4th.
The vanguard of the 112th began to enter the war torn streets of Kadash, bodies of PDF soldiers and Ork Boyz laying on the streets, some with missing limbs or slashes in their torsos. The two platoons that were guarding the flank-3rd Platoon ,1st Company lead by Lieutenant Irwin and 5th platoon 2nd Company lead by Lieutenant Abbott, regrouped with the rest of the 112th. They had suffered minimal causalities, only a few wounded but were running low on flamer fuel and needed resupply. Allen ordered them back into the transports and sent in two fresh platoons-4th, 1st Company lead by Lieutenant Scott and 5th Platoon, 1st Company lead by Lieutenant Abbey to scout ahead and take out any stragglers-Ork or Guard.

The 112th managed to get to the tracks leading to the 12th's command post with little trouble. Allen had to give them credit, the PDF did a decent job making sure no Ork's managed to get behind their lines. Still, a Hellhound had to blast a group of Ork Boyz trying to marauder their way through the Imperial lines. Allen would place booby traps, but he didn't feel like being part of any friendly fire incidents. Instead he took a sip from his thermos cup filled with a lukewarm brown liquid and then handed it Turnbull who took a sip himself.

The vox bleeped, Allen took the phone from the radioman.

"Yes?" He said in a hush tone, almost smoothing to the sound of tracks crushing pebbles and rubble under them.

"12th HQ is in sight, looks to be still under friendly hands." Blamey said from the other end, Allen smiled. At least he wouldn't be trying to retake a HQ from Ork hands, he never liked fighting an Ork inside of a base, they killed too many things and never said sorry.

"Good job"

"All in a days work"

Allen put the phone down and had the Radioman try to get back to the 12th while having 4th Platoon lead the transports to the base and the 5th act as a rear guard.

"Well boys, welcome to our home for a few hours, or days. Kadash station" Allen said with his usual sarcastic tone. The soldiers inside his Chimera cheered. The Radioman then reported he got the 12th, and Allen made his call.

"This is Colonel Allen of the 112th Kokodian to the 12th New Sedna PDF, if you are not died and your base taken over by Orks, we are in line of sight wit your HQ and pulling up now. Requesting any spare fuel and ammo as we had to burn some impolite Orks along the way, Allen out"

Allen Chimera stopped a the HQ and it's soldiers came out with radios and various other command equipment. Allen limped out and began to organize his troops while waiting for the 12th's commander to give him a sitrep. The 4th and 5th Platoons began to regroup around the HQ, hoping for fresh supplies and a little rest.

by **Military Democracy of Birtonia** » Sat Sep 05, 2015 8:57 am

Colonel Lucius Felix
Cadian 1022nd Airborne Regiment
New Sedna, Kadash Station, 12th PDF Lines

As the fighting ensued, the familiar sound of Valkyries rang in Lucius' ears from the rear, his Drop Sentinels finally arrived. He observed as the aircraft swooped down low over the battlefield and pausing only for a moment, and releasing its deadly cargo. As the Sentinels extended their legs, and turned the weaponry to bear against the oncoming Orks, a few greenskins somehow made it past the lines and leaped towards his command squad, screaming and brandishing Shootas. Turning and aiming his pistol, the man only got one shot off, burning the plasma into an Orkoid skull, before they closed the distance of the rubble. His sword brushed aside the clumsy attacker easily and returned to find its mark in his enemy's throat. Rising up from this recent skirmish, he could see his men taking cover in the craters and wreckage strewn about in front of the command post, along with the sweetly familiar sound of heavy bolters erupting from his Sentinels.

Lucius Felix then turned to find the lowly PDF trooper he ordered a moment ago, wondering why the commander hadn't reported to him yet, only to find the young man dead, bullet holes pocketing his body. He sighed, and turned back towards his view of the field, from in front of the command post, the fighting was quieting down a bit now that his forces were trickling into play.

"Well then, lets track down this local commander" said Lucius, his voice dripping with adrenaline from the small bouts he faced.

The squad moved themselves, along with their equipment inside the headquarters building, pushing a few lowly PDF troopers out of the way. The very moment they entered his men began to do their jobs, the voxcaster was set up in the center, utilizing a desk that has before been used to play card games when they weren't under attack. Lucius' sniper moved towards the extremities, to find the best vantage point of the Frontlines, while the Commissar immediately began a speech about how important holding this particular station was for the Imperium, but the Colonel simply moved through the sea of logistics and support staff obligated to turn their full attention on Commissar Remio. The rumbling of vehicles entered from outside, however this wasn't the high pitched whine of Valkyries coming in for a drop nor the repetitive noise of a Sentinel, no, this was the treads of armored vehicles, Chimeras were his first guess.

To the rear of the headquarters were the tracks coming from elsewhere in New Sedna, now however was an entire other regiment of Guardsman arriving on all manner of vehicles. What one could only conclude as the regimental commander appeared towards the front of the column, overseeing the organized chaos in front of him. Lucius decided to make himself known.

"Salutations brother!" He announced, walking towards the other officer.

Smoke filled the air and the crescendo of battle to his rear seemed to be dying down, every now and then it was pocketed by a burst of bolter Fire or even the last of the Valkyrie flights dropping the last of alpha company into the area.

"I'm Colonel Felix, Cadian ten twenty second airborne. You must be the one twelfth? We heard you on Vox and decided to come assist against the foul Orks." Said Lucius.

by **Segmentia** » Sat Sep 05, 2015 4:32 pm

New Sedna, Magellan Prime, main mag-lev train hub
1st New Sedna Heavy Fusiliers barracks
Brigadier General Hanna Gormann

The staff sergeant looked up from his loading list, in the middle of checking things off. Upon seeing the rank insignia of the woman interrupting him he snapped a salute. "Ma'am, General Gormann is over by her command vehicle with the Lord Commissar. Can't miss it." He said, waiting to be saluted back before pointing over the the hulk of the Baneblade. "Have you anything that needs to be loaded onto the train?" He asked hesitantly, ready to jot down anything the colonel may list.

Meanwhile the conversation with the Lord Commissar had been politely interrupted by Gormann's signals officer, who handed her a dispatch from the 31st Tuchankan Infantry Regiment. She read it quickly and gave her reply to the signals officer to be relayed.

To: Colonel Gordon, 31st Tuchankan Infantry Regiment
From: Brigadier General Hanna Gormann, 1st New Sedna Heavy Fusiliers

You and your regiment are more then welcome to join in the assault. You are to rendezvous with us on the main approach to Logan's Reach depot. The main approach should be marked on regional Imperial military tactical maps.

General Gormann.

12th New Sedna PDF Regiment
Kadash Station, HQ for the 12th

The PDF, while thankful for the timely arrival of friendly forces, didn't quite care for the way the Guardsmen barged in and took over. Their regiment had been reduced to half strength, along with thousands of other dead troopers for this city and station and seeing the Imperial Guard walk in and take charge was a hard thing to swallow. A grizzled sergeant with a permanent scowl on his face and an impressive display of ribbons on his chest did his best to sort things out though, first the voxcaster.

"There's already a communication room set up, third floor, east wing. You'll get shite reception down here ya' bleedin' moron. Your lot owes me 150 as well." He said, reaching down and collecting the playing cards. He polietely ignored the commissars speech, seeing as how they all knew the importance of this building, plus being under the directive of Righteous Defense didn't exactly give them any other option but to hold it or die, unless allowed to withdrawal, an order that had to come directly from Crusade Command. He went about seeing to his own troopers positions before going off to find the commander of this newly arrived force. He found him soon enough, welcoming some more Guardsmen. He walked up but didn't salute the man.

"Sir. If you're looking for the captain he's over there." He said, pointing to a well blasted but still standing tower by the train yard. "He's overseeing a push to retrieve some troopers." He said.

by **Aelosia** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 3:38 pm

New Sedna, Magellan Prime, main mag-lev train hub
1st New Sedna Heavy Fusiliers barracks
100th Brumairean Fidesperata Command Section
Erinyes, The Fidematrem

The Brumairean Colonel returned the salute from the Staff Sergeant, nodded quietly, clicked her heels as a manner of goodbye after he spoke something ridiculous about logistics, and left towards the direction the NCO had pointed at, completely alone after giving her subordinate companions an imperious hand gesture, leaving the rest of her squad nervously smiling at the Staff Sergeant.

Once the Colonel left on confident and long clicking strides, a couple of captains approached the Staff Sergeant, brief salutes on their helmets as they flanked the Sergeant on each side and touched his elbows while taking a peek at the list he had on his hands from over each of his shoulders. "Yeah sorry about that", added a third women coming down from another of the Brumairean Chimeras. "I am usually the one to handle logistics", said the officer with the Major star and chevron insignia on her armoured pauldrons, her features softer and more amiable than the steely resolve in the Colonel's visage. After a brief pausse that included a patting of one of her feet, the Major raised her index and thumb to her chin and looked at the Sergeant in the eyes.

"So let's see it, about that question of yours...Let's say I need to load two thousand women with full infantry gear on that train, would you help me to achieve that?", she said with a smirk, clearly trying to play good cop after the hasty silent departure of her superior, and clearly needing the Sergeant's cooperation.

The Colonel kept walking through the barracks, trying to ignore staring at anyone as well as any look or challenge thrown on her direction, although clearly the Officer Class reinforced carapace armour with colonel idents helped with that. Command vehicle, eh?, she told to herself. Finding the Command Vehicle in most regiments wasn't hard. You just needed to direct yourself towards the highest mound of raging animated steel and climb it. The biggest a vehicle was, the highest rank it contained and held. In the Ned Sednian case, sure it was one of the Baneblades. In full honestly, Erinyes wasn't good at the motorized armour part of her soldiering, and she could barely recognize the war engines her own regiment displayed, so even if there were different kinds of Baneblades, they all looked the same to her. They were big things that spit fire and incinerated or blew things up. You don't need to understand a dragon to fight alongside it, she added to herself as the silhouettes of the massive vehicles grew closer.

A couple of minutes later, the Colonel of the 100th reached the position where the Lord Commissar seemed to be having a conversation with the Brigadier General Gormann. She waited until a Signal Officer approached to deliver a message as to not interrupt anything confidential. Fidesperatas were bad at protocol and the Colonel was no exception, and she knew that the Commissars tended to be vigilant of what everyone said and did at all times. Erinyes knew Albor from fame, then again who amongst military officers in the sector didn't, and they had been deployed in the same theater, although they hadn't any kind of contact further than a handshake once, but she already felt presence of the man back then. He was like a venerable, gnarled oak, and as unmovable as that. He was known for being too harsh in his discipline measures, maybe even cruel, but Fidesperatas were usually above any disciplinarian measures given their almost flawless behavior between campaigns and their zeal during action. That was a reputation that Erinyes would die to keep upholding to her death.

On the other part, the Brigadier general seemed better than she had expected. She had expected a more flamboyant noblewoman with gold and jewelry upon her armour. This woman looked like a Brumairean Pirate, and that was a good thing. At least she didn't look frail or wimpy, like those thermidorian nobles back at Azar Agath. Not waiting for the brief window of opportunity to close, she took the last couple of stepa and saluted with her right fist clanking on her left shoulder protection pauldron. "Brigadier General Gormann? Lord Commissar Albor? Colonel Erinyes reporting here for briefing, instruction and planning. At your service", she added, trying her best to be amiable and avoid any confrontation.

In Service to the Imperium; Episode 7 (IC-Closed)

In Service to the Imperium; Episode 7 (IC-Closed)

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