slowing its descent the troop transport touched down gently upon the scorched earth as the Gortex 340th safely made planet fall, a surrounding sweep scan of the area made by the ships auspex arrays indicated no external threats or inhospitable atmospheric conditions. The entire area appeared to be charred and slightly molten with much of the dirt and rock super heated by the impact of the shells to form glass and a large lingering dust cloud which had obscured the landing of the transport. with a whoosh of hydraulic steam the ramp attached to the transport detached and rotated down onto the blackened dirt supported by two sets of powerful hydraulics systems revealing a cavernous interior beyond.

As the ramp hit the ground with a loud thud the first of the Chimera transports trundled off the transport followed closely behind by the tramp of row after row of Imperial guardsmen disembarking onto the planet surface, as they moved the platoons dispersed to form a perimeter around the landing site while the chimeras totaling seven remained to form a line. Each of the Chimeras were equipped with hull mounted heavy flamers to assist in clearing the foliage if necessary but their crews were instructed to only use them upon contact with the enemy or otherwise authorized to do so to assist in reducing visibility as per orders. each of the infantry squads within of the Chimeras had their own personal flamer with promethium canister backpack plus their own vox caster operator to maintain communications with the forward operations center.

Inside the transport itself Commissar Dalimond along with a command staff of five junior officers and a single senior officer to represent the company currently deployed were monitoring the troops disembarking from the vessel. With dedicated Auspex operators monitoring the surrounding area for signs of possible enemy activity the officers were coordinating the arrival of the Valkyrie sky talons dedicated to transporting the chimeras to designated spots green lighted for recon operations. Infantry platoons had already cleared an area suited for the Valkyrie transports to land in and the chimeras had positioned themselves nearby in preparation for their arrival, on the surface at least everything seemed to be according to plan.

Dalimond satisfied by the current state of affairs left the transport command center and moved to join the rest of the forces outside the vessel, putting on his re-breather he moved towards the ramp down to the planet surface as he walked he was escorted by a pair of tough burly looking guardsmen who represented the Gortex 340th's finest troops. Another individual a Techpriest Enginseer assigned to the Chimeras brought to the planet surface had also followed the commissar intent on overseeing the incoming sky talons pick up the waiting Chimeras. as he came to the transports entrance he saw a trio of sky talon squadrons arriving to pick up the assembled chimeras, as expected they were carrying dedicated light vehicle carrying mechanical mandibles on their hull to move the APCs.

One of the chimeras trundled into position into the middle of the designated pick up area and one of the sky talons broke off from its squadron to pick up the vehicle, in a single swoop the Valkyrie variant had picked up the chimera before soaring back up into the sky. The specialized vehicle holding mandibles had moved fluidly to grip the armored hull of the APC and then locked into place to prevent the vehicle slipping from its grasp, the passengers inside would have felt a sense of alarm at the sudden movement and the noise of the mandible hydraulics but were expecting it and were barely shaken. This procedure continued for the next six chimeras the sky talons breaking off formation to pick up the waiting transports, beside him the Enginseer was muttering prayers to the Omnissiah in Lingua technis watching with approval as the Valkyries functioned without a hitch.

Jacob watched as the Sky talons laden with their transport cargo then dispersed in different directions towards the designated drop off point where the recon mission for each Chimera would begin, Emperor willing they would return to base with valuable information regarding enemy movements without alerting whatever enemies of man to their position. In the meantime though the assembled guardsmen were ready to begin construction of the forward operations base.

-The Mechanicus Survey Team-
The Area where they had landed was a wast field. The grass here was relativly high but wouldn't be an issue for the Servitors. Close by was a smaller crater. A shard of the larger meteorite. The crystals would be gleaming softly in the sunlight. They would seem like normal gems, except for a faint glow. Of course, any real scanners would show a strong radiance of energies. The wind blows softly over the grass... and in the distance you can hear the flow of the ocean... would be a rather calm and beautiful place for a normal human. Most Mechanicus members though, wouldn't find it interesting in any real way.

-The Orks camp-
The orks are getting a bit restless, even with the bosses and his closest mens "morale work" They want bloodshed and combat. It is getting worse and worse each day with more and more rowdy orks trying either to kill the boss or burning down a house or two. The giant fortress is battle ready and patience is nothing that orks have ever had plenty of.

-The Chaos fortress-
The dark fortress is buzzing with Activity. The vechiles are getting ready, and the summoning circles are being drawn. The cultists pray enmasse, with slaves and servants being sacrificed in the dozens. The crystals might be hard to "crack" but to gain the glory of the dark gods are enough of a motivati0n to fight.

-The imperial forward camp-
The imperial forward camp is quickly getting set up. Cadians digging trenches and turrets getting set up. Readying for a forward assault. More and more ships are decending from orbit. The armies of the imperium readying for war...

(OOC: I will create another post when I have time, alot of things happenin with school and shit)

<Ead Ztompa> @Grall_Stonefist @DeranVendar

Since Megabash seemed to corcern about leading the contruction of his misterious project, Ead Ztompa decided to leave.
He lept down from the bridge, landing on top of the recently splattered spanner boy, thinking to remove the teeth in order to compensate somehow for the useless visit.

While extracting the last valuable object, though, the Dethskull raised his hand to watch one last time the pile of fascinating gems in front of him. He could feel some sort of power coming from them, something that triggered deep within the ork some unknown instinct he couldn't express. Or may be it was just a belch suspended in his belly, the ork thought.
Anyway, Ead Ztompa in the end had to change sight, because he knew that trying to pick up any stone would have resulted in the popping of his head by the supervising Goff.

Frustated, the stormnob created an exit from the mekshop by punching a big hole in a wall with his Buzz Killa.
In that moment, the greenskin was a tiking bomb ready to detonate at any time. The only reason why he was containing himself was that he wanted some noteworthy loot before getting in trouble with the warboss.

In the end, Ead Ztompa decided to go look for Galgradak, hoping that idle fanatic of pit fights had finally started preparing for a real battle. All the Deffskull needed to find the warboss in the middle of the ratty fortress was to follow the noise created by the revving up engine of his ride.

Galgradak was indeed revving his massive warbike, for he was also getting more restless, good nobs had gotten smashed by him becouse they where to stupid to understand preparation, but the good thing was that kommandos had found enermies. A big number of oomies had been seen, and some other place, some spiky gitz had been seen, it seemed that the fight had finally been found, and now the fortress was build, it was never finished, orks that liked big fortresses and gun emplacements where allways working and training new defence boyz.
The orks where ready to ride to war.
Galgradak saw the untrusty storm nob aproach, but before he had time to say anything Galgradak commanded.
"KROOZA, Get megabash, da war for dis ear rok is naw. wes be riding now." He said as he finally revved the megabike to a thunderus start.
he turned on his the voxcaster he allways carried and bellowed into it so all the orks new to that the time was now.
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH" he roared as he rode out infront of the fortress, many of the boyz that where itching to fight where allready on the way, Goffs on feet where many, but Outriders and speedfreeks and all kinds of orks where making ready to move like orks do, in a massive devastating mob.
The first fliers also started doing circling though some more impatient fighta bombers where allready flying ahead, though they dident know the enermies position.

<Ead Ztompa> @DeranVendar
Without wasting time, Krooza Nob grabbed the scruff of the neks of one of the orks running forward for the fight. Explosions, gun shots, revving up engines and shouts didn't prevent Ead Ztompa from making the boy tightly held in his hand understand his order. Obviously after a pair of slaps to the captive for getting his attention.
"LIZEN KLEARLY, KAUZE OI'Z DON'T 'AVE TOIM TO WAZTE! TELL MEGABASH TO GET EZ LADS READY, WE'RE GOIN TO FOIGHT!!!!"

After the detained subordinated seemed to have clearly understood the message he had to deliver, Ead Ztompa decided to make the message reach the addressee in the fastest way he knew.
After a devastating kick, the gretchins gearing up the warmachines for the upcoming battle could momentarily cherish while looking at a stormboy without rokkit pak flying through the base.

Satisfied by his logistical skills, Ead Ztompa triggered Beatzie to get back to the boot camp. Finally the time for a real chopping had arrived for his recruits. Without too many cerimonies, the stormnob landed violently on the field, after which he was immediately met by one of his stormboys.
"Ohi Skarlug! Get da lads readdy! Da Urrika Smashas are need'd for some chop'nd stomp duty!... Why da zog ya'r not aknowledggin yer Boss?!?"
Even in all dat excitement and chaos, Ead Ztompa was always keen on making his soldiers follow an unorky strict martial discipline.
"Boss, Oi would greet ya, but Oi'z gut an "axident" wif da Klub's Maskot...." To better explain his problem, the ork pointed the missing right arm.
"Aw zog it! Ya know Fifi just wunna play, ya weren't kareful ennouf! Ere, takke diz teef and get fixed up as soon as possible, don't wunna any excuse for skipping the next fight!"

As the wounded ork received the teeth previously removed from Megabash's spanner boy, Ead Ztompa left to quickly cuddle his pet, the Gobbla squig he earned in the arena. The Deffskull got quite attached to that beast, as he could somehow identify himself with the savage creature. While arriving to the cage, the ork noticed the mascot still devouring the arm which belonged to Skarlug. As he approached the animal, it growled because annoyed during his meal. That was definetely how Ead Ztompa would act, get a hold of something and not let it slip for any reason.
" 'ello Fifi, Oi see ya got a snak for ya, donch'ya? Papa Krooza goes away for a while to krump some grots. Ya ztay ere and be proppa orky!"
In all answer, the squig just made a sound similar to a mix between a cat's purring and a bear's growl, then it started again to greedily feast upon his prey.

After that short moment of relax, Ead Ztompa put himself together and launched a lousy shout with all the strenght of his lungs. Almost out of nowhere, the entirity of the squad gathered in front of their leader, included Skarlug, which got his right arm replaced by a rudimentary cibork mostly composed by rusted gears, a little smoking engine, with a choppa fastened on the extremety in place of the hand.

"LADS, GET READDY! DA FOIGHT EZ ERE, DA BOSS EZ LEADIN DA CHARGE, DA WAAAGH EZ OFFISHULLY ON! URRIKAN SMASHAS! GET READDY TO FLIGHT'ND FIGHT!"
With that order, the stormboys started almost in unison their rokkit paks, with smoke, flames and burning oil spit from their jets. Looking proudly for a brief moment to his band of hardly trained comrades, Ead Ztompa exclaimed with a broad grin "ERE WE GO, WAAAAGH!!!"

Mechanicus Survey Team - Crater Site

The crackling of the rad-cleanser was the only sound beside the wind, and the heavy footfalls of the Adepts in their bulky hazardous suits, as they approached the crystal festooned meteorite fragment. It was but a small chunk of the larger mass that rested in the massive crater adjacent to them. The one they were in now was dwarfed in comparison.

For such small, unassuming crystals, their energy signatures were alarming to say the least. The exact composition of the crystals was unknown, but they had clearly been energized in the warp at some point. They would need to extract samples in a very careful fashion, lest they triggered a reaction. Who knew what could happen if the crystals' delicate structure was compromised? Still, the energy readings were still well within excepted tolerances. Their suits would protect them from the latent radiation the crystals were emitting.

The first of the servitors was ordered forwards. It trundled up to the closest formation, unfolded it's armatures, and set about collecting a sample. It's las-cutter hummed as it powered up, then whined loudly as the powerful beam was focused into a fine cutting edge. The servitor wielded it's tool with the ease born of hardwired sub-routines and repetition. It separated a chunk of the glowing material the size of a grown man's head and retrieved it in an adamantium claw. It swiveled it's upper torso around, and extended the chuck to the waiting Adepts.

They hesitated collectively for a moment, before one of them approached and set down a stasis container. The servitor lowered the crystal into the container and retraced it's claw. Feeling the weight settle inside, the container sealed shut and the stasis field crackled into life. Safely containing the energies within for safe transport. The adepts released the breaths they had been subconsciously holding.

The process was repeated several more times across the site, as each work team hurried to collect their sample and move back towards the waiting transport. No one wanted to remain exposed any longer than necessary.

From a point of vantage at the craters edge, Archmagos Veneratus Gearhart Griess surveyed his team and was satisfied with their efforts. Every team had their sample in hand and were returning to the shuttle. In a few minutes they would be gone.

The sudden influx of data into his cortex drew his attention away from his team. It filtered through his data-stream and was brought forward to the forefront of his queue. Most disturbing.

It was a warning report from the Imperial Guard. The Orks had detected the Imperial's presence and were mobilizing their forces. Gearhart did not have much time.

[Command: Initiate departure protocols. All teams secure equipment and return to the transport] he transmitted to his servants. He turned away from the crater, scuttling his way through the chard vegetation. It brushed against his robes and it's density made locomotion difficult, but he pressed through it easily enough.

Already, his Skitarii were closing in around the loading ramp, and were positioning themselves in a half circle around it, ready to delay the Xenos to ensure the escape of their master if necessary. Unquestioning obedience and fearless resolve, something the fleshly guardsmen could only try and emulate.

The din of loud engines and pained grinding of abused machines could be heard in the distance. Normally, Gearhart would relish the chance to slaughter the defilers of the Holy Machine Spirits, but now was not the time.
He had more pressing concerns for now.

His experiments would not take long though. After that . . . well . . . he would have ample time to punish the green skins for their blasphemy.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Imperial Guard Base Camp - Western Highlands

Colonel Hector Bassk ambled forward as briskly as he could, shoving men and servitors out of his way as needed. He didn't bother to return salutes, as he'd need to save the effort for what was to come. He reached the observation post at last. Climbing the ladder along it's side three rungs at a time, he hauling himself up at the top and stood beside the sentries already their.

He took an offered pair of magnoculars from a nearby Lieutenant and pressed them to face. His augmetic eye adjusted faster then his natural one, bringing the distant dust storm into focus. It wasn't a storm, of course. No, it was just the precursor to the first wave of xenos.

He handed the Lieutenant back his magnoculars, and moved over to the vox set. Below him, men and vehicles were still being unloaded. Prefabricated structures were already rising up around the camp, as a sea of tents, mess halls, supply dumps and armories sprang up to fill in the spaces between. On the outer perimeter, the sections of the first defensive line were already in place. A deep moat had been dredged out by the Mechanicus earth movers, and had been connected to a nearby river to flood it with water. It was nearly fifty feet across and almost twice as deep. A first line of defense against possible attack.

He men had taken the liberty to fill it with mines to boot. Strapped them to rocks and tossed them in. The first of the Orks to try and swim through would set them off. Hopefully taking a bunch of their friends with them. The Gortex Engineers has set up several collapsible bridges to let men and machines cross over the moat. Just as easy to take down to deny access.

Behind the moat, two hundred yards through a minefield and tank traps. Then the first embankment of the outer trench. Overlapping fields of fire across the whole trench. Bunkers and pill boxes dotted the line. Grenade dumps and heavy weapons teams dug in a regular intervals. Behind that, pre-fab sections of wall were being setup. Sandbags were being piled up everywhere to backup the flakboard barricades. Earthworks and watch towers all around. Not too shabby. The Cog-Boys had out done themselves this time.

The Gortex men and machines were placed at strategic hard points to reinforce the main line as required. Commissar Dalimond stalked the base like a predator. Hector had seen his share of Commissars in his time, but that man was something else. He wouldn't want to be on the business end of his bolt pistol.

He picked up the vox handset.

"All Stations, this is Command Actual. Intel reports indicate the Orks are on the move. Gortex patrols, keep your eyes and ears open. We need reports every hour. Keep me informed on your progress. Primarily, I need to know what the Heretics are up to up north. Report targets of opportunity as they present themselves. Kasirkin squads are standing by to launch assaults at a moments notice or support you if you come under attack. Don't do anything foolish. Your no good to the Emperor if your dead!"

He unclicked the mic and set it down. He took a last look at the hazy horizon before making his way back to his command post. He needed to make his report. Wouldn't was to keep the General waiting.

Commissar Dalimond was inspecting the defenses of the base by the time of the announcement by Command actual, he already overseen the summary executions of five guardsmen for dereliction of duty including an additional eleven floggings for mishandling of Imperial equipment. He had also observed the arrival of the remainder of the chimeras from the first company that had arrived planet side including the remaining two companies which until only recently were still in orbit. Along with the Chimeras the single company of Leman Russ tanks including the bulk of the Gortex 340th mechanized infantry had also been successfully relocated to the planet surface.

Following Jacob whilst he carried out his checks was a single vox operator carrying a collection of portable vox communications equipment, he had been assigned to accompany the commissar as he moved around the base itself keeping him abreast of the current campaign situation. When the announcement from command actual came through the vox operator quickly received the message and held out a communicator for the commissar, Jacob had quickly picked up the communicator the operator had offered and listened as the report came through taking in every word. When it had finished Jacob dismissed the vox operator and left his inspection of the base defenses, he briskly started walking back towards the Gortex 340th regimental command to address the situation.

When the announcement of the news came to the knowledge of Gortex 340th the regimental commander having only just established his command and control center on the planet surface was already busy trying to get all the relevant tactical information in order. He and the rest of the senior staff present had just sent off notifications to the Chimera recon patrols requesting for hourly reports to be made and were only now receiving a response from all but one of their recipients. Some of the senior officers acting on this perliminary information had placed the Gortex 340th garrison of the base on alert to watch out for potential Ork activity near the base perimeter itself and were waiting for more detailed reports to arrive before taking further action.

As soon as Dalimond had walked in the first of the printed reports were only just coming through the vox feed, tearing a sheet of parchment from one of the printers the commissar scanned through the information before pausing at one particular entry from one of the recon patrols. One of the recon patrols operating nearby to the anticipated position where the missing Chimera and its squad were due to be reports that the area surrounding the location was engulfed in a raging forest fire. Ork activity has been observed in the area although it is presently unknown if this is part of a greater Ork offensive in nearby proximity, it recommends the deployment of a force to gauge the Ork threat before it potentially arrives at the base perimeter. the commissar took this all in before gesturing to a nearby vox operator not presently part of the received communications as he drew close Dalimond spoke to the man.

'relay these reports to command actual and notify them of the current situation, tell them the situation is presently under control and we are sending additional scouts to investigate the forest fire. We also will be diverting three Chimera patrols from their previous route to investigate positions of traitor forces up north, we will keep you posted on what we find.'

The creatures' cries for violence reached ready ears as the seven deadly Eldar still waited on the fields afar. Their figures like crystal statues - immobile and see-through, waiting for the right moment to intervene. A war can be won with a single whisper: a single shuriken aimed at the right heart, a lone blade slicing in the dark of an ordinary night.
"It is time," said a shadow through her crimson lips. One by her side moved his Longrifle from his shoulder into his hands and took his time to open fire. He picked an Ork - one important but not Waagh-defining, and willed the rifle live.

The whisper had been worded, the shuriken had flown, the lonesome blade was dancing.

(OOC: OK, I will start the combat now)

As the massive ork army roared across the plains, the Imperial defences opened fire. With a loud cacophany of explosions the first row of orks expoded in massive fireballs, more falling for long ranged fire from sharpshooters.
The orks, of course, began to fire in response, even though very few of their shots actually reached the imperial line. Multiple smaller explosions rocks the imperial command as the larger looted tanks shells rams down into the imperial line, but far fewer in number than what the imperials had managed to create. Soon, the whole air between the two fronts where a cloud of las "rays" and orkish bullets as the orkish horde closed in on the Imperial fortifications.

Klaxon alarms started blaring in Gortex command as the first of the crude orkish shells hit sending a spray of rockcrete dust from the newly made ceiling down onto the regimental command structure. Alert feedback from the auger arrays and panicked reports from the guardsmen patrolling the outer perimeter almost clogged up the command structures vox communicators before the chatter was relegated to one channel by the equipment operators. Strategists getting the relevant tactical information in order rushed to update the Tactical feed for the senior officers listening intently to the chatter the patrols were giving whilst monitoring the information given by the auger arrays

Dalimond placed his hand on his holstered sword as he observed the situation unfold on the tactical feed, whilst he gripped the ornate handle of his bolt pistol tightly, a grim scowl was forming on his face. He watched the multitude of Orks run screaming straight into the sight of the base's defensive turrets trying to damage the Imperial base's outer perimeter whilst taking casualties of their own, he examined unblinkingly the reaction of the imperial defensive line as they fired back. Their vehicles although both ramshackle and shoddy had already blasted holes in the guardsmen line but had yet already taken considerable return fire in kind. He reached for his communicator and gestured the vox operator nearby to call for command actual.

'This is Gortex 340th Regimental command to Command actual, enemy has been received on our perimeter, enacting defensive plan as per arrangement the enemy has already taken casualties. requesting support from the Cadian 543rd Kasrkin squads, purpose; to eliminate enemy armor, Nob leadership and also to assist line infantry assigned to perimeter in dispersing the remainder of the Orks. Will be mobilizing heavy support options to assist in the defense including chimera reserves, support platoons have already been alerted and are mobilizing accordingly. The Emperor be with us.'

The Commissar place the communicator back on the table, command actual has been notified and will take appropriate action, now the defense of the base lay with the capabilities of the Gortex 340th and whatever support it can muster from troops already serving at the perimeter. he watched as the senior officers in the command center bustled about organizing the base defense and overseeing the priorities of the defensive turrets currently firing, it took but a mere few seconds for Dalimond to decide he needed to inspire the men present on the outer perimeter. he picked up the communicator again this time calling the Gortex Enginseers currently managing the redeployment of the regiments vehicles.

'Gortex regimental command to vehicle depot, this is Commissar Jacob Dalimond, I wish to receive the Punisher tank equipped and ready at the regimental command bunker now.'