Far Beyond Sub-Sector Tarsis Ultra, Segmentum Ultima - Doran'Ro Forces After hours of flight, trying to push Lorias out of his mind, Doran'Ro had transferred his remnant army into a Cruiser that was hidden to pick in emergency cases up whoever returns. The Lar'Shi'Vre Cruisers Crew welcomed Doran'Ro and the other survivors, landing ships in hangars where was space until no Orca fit no more. The crews, save for the pilots, were transferred on the cruiser though. Kor'Vre Hur'ul welcomed the Commander in person when he was told that his vessel arrived at the landing bay, though he was quite surprised that it was not his Shas'Vre Ja'Ra who was at his side, but an Eldar. Doran'Ro pushed Firinn into the arms of the Ship's guard. "Take her to the cells!" He barked angry and then turned to Hur'ul to greet him. "I have failed, but I at least wanted to come back to our Sept with something." He said, that was just when the Farseer collapsed, everyone around head and saw her crushing on the ground as the Guards were not sure if it was a foul trick they rather let go of her and pointed their guns at the unconcious psyker, rather than endanger themselves. "What have you done to her?!" He demands to know but the guards just shake their heads, he then walked up to her, rolled her on her back and checked for any signs, but it seemed she was unconcious.... Until she opened her eyes, glowing in pure white with lightning bolts between them. "FOOLS! THE GREAT DEVOURER WILL GET ALL OF YOU! ONLY THE ORKS CAN HELP, BUT YOUR GREATER GOOD STANDS NO CHAAAAAAANCE" she yelled in pain, but not even fighting the Hive Mind, rather trying to drill into it as Firinn knows that if there would be no death now, then the Tau would torture every bit of life out of the body, so in a last attempt Firinn gains as much knowledge as possible about the Hive Mind and tries to form a message to whoever is around. OOC: no worries for Lorias ; rather got on the idea to set the scene for the next RP
Northern Plains - Five Hundred Meters from the Northern Gate Koroa City - 07:00Hrs Despite the substantial resistance, the Skitarii host pressed forwards. Through the sporadic hail of lasbeams issuing from the curtain wall by entrenched cultist defenders, the tanks and Sagitarii met them with a fusillade of their own. Despite the cultist's bravado, they were woefully undisciplined. They did not handle the deadly weapons efficiently and many beams missed their marks, instead landing amongst the tightly packed Tech-Guard Losses aside, the enemy gunners soon found themselves pinned down by the superior firepower of the Skitarii. Their augmented accuracy and unwavering fearlessness made them indomitable. The fear and cowardice that would normally plague the Imperial ranks, was entirely absent. They knew not fear, for they did not possess the wetware to process such emotions. They had been ordered to advance and destroy, and that is what they did. With relentless efficiency. One by one, the remaining Chaos Astartes were either gunned down or driven back by the onslaught. Even their brazen fearlessness was giving way to shameless self preservation. Step by step, they put more expendable cultists between themselves and the advancing horde of machine cult fanatics. Their numbers dwindled, as they were singled out for termination over the irrelevant cultists that died in droves around them. Each synchronized step of the robed warriors saw another staggered line of cultists added to the growing mounds of corpses that littered the battlefield. The combat lines now so close that the enemy artillery threatened their own as much as the enemy forces. Each explosion taking increasing numbers of cultists with each Tech-Guard soldier. ~ As he advanced behind the front ranks, Secutor Ajax felt the coiling presence of another calculating mind. It prodded and stabbed at the firewalls and encrypted control matrices that protected the minds of the Skitarii and enabled he and the other Secutors to command the vast legions of Tech-Guard. It was dark and tainted by vile traces of scrap code. A Heretek was attempting to gain control of his warriors. Ajax would not suffer such sacrilege. He set about establishing a connection with the Forgemaster of distant Ora, but staggered as his master's presence flooded the Noosphere around him. He would have been awestruck, standing mouth agape at the sight, if he only still possessed a lower jaw with which to carry out such motions. The dazzling data realm was alive, as Forge Master Niezel Bohrmann's data avatar appeared in the Nooshere before him. It took the shape of a glorious Emperor-Class Imperator Titan. One of the God-Machines of the Titan Legios of legend. It trampled the seething packets of scrapcode that dared to pry their way into the hallowed data realm. [This one is mine] Bohrmann echoed venomously. His avatar leveling it's weapons and unleashing a deadly salvo of code scrubbers, vanquishing the offending masses of data daemons that clawed at the secured entry ports to the Noosphere. [You dare to enter the holy Noosphere, Heretek?] Bohrmann challenged, blocking the compromised data port with his shear willpower. [You whom dared to break our sacred covenant with the Machine God! Vile usurper! Show yourself and face judgement] [Incompetent slave to the False Omnissiah, Forge Master Niezel Bohrmann, Tech Adept Seniorus - Alpha Grade] chortled the bemused Heretek. [ Identification: This one is Arch Heretek Gerberal, of the Dark Forgeworld of Samech. Statement: Your gross error in judgement has rendered you vulnerable. You forces will inevitably succumb to my efforts. Your presence only delays the inevitable] He mocked. Gerberal's own data avatar slithered through the data port. It was comprised of complex interlocking chains of scrap code and resembled an ancient draconian wyrm. His avatar reared up and towered monstrously over the Forge Master's, it's baleful eyes seething with vile intellect. [Observation: You face me alone, further prove of your incompetence. Your efforts are doomed to failure. My Masters will be pleased to hear of your demise at my hand, and I shall also take great satisfaction in utilizing your forces to hasten the defeat of the Planetary Defense Force] [Correction] Borhmann replied, undaunted. [It is you who is incompetent, as it was you who allowed yourself to be drawn out, and into my trap] [Observation: Impossible. You are alone] Gerberal retorted, unphased [Negative. It is you who are alone, Heretek!] Bohrmann replied, as his trap unfolded. Around the Arch-Heretek's nightmarish avatar, additional forms appeared. Previously shrouded by the Forge Master, another twenty of his most trusted and able Magi joined the face off. They assumed avatars of other Titan patterns. Warlords, Reaver's and Warhound titans surrounded the Heretek's data form, their own cyber weapons primed. [Implausible: How are you able to manipulate the Noosphere in such ways. You defy your own edicts to defeat me] the Arch-Heretek accused, trying to determine how he had missed the presence of so many other logical minds. [Negative: Not implausible. Nor against our sacred edicts. Had you payed more attention as an Adept, Traitor, you may have learned such skill with Noosphereic manipulation as we have. Instead, you choose the easy path to enlightenment, and exposed yourself to knowledge both dark and terrible. Knowledge is power, but with power must come restraint. You are guilty of unspeakable Heresy and shall pay for it with your life] Bohrmann spat. [Destroy this traitor. Dues Ex Machina!] As one, they unleashed their volatile data packets and engaged carefully prepared data scrubber programs. The Heretek stood no chance against such a focused and logical an onslaught. His avatar was tore to pieces. His logical data reams, while impressive, were clumsily assembled and lacked true skill and finesse. They were easily undone by truly skilled and patient minds. Gerberal had foolishly invested too much of his corrupt mind into his creation, having rushed to face the Forge Master, without encoding proper fail safes to protect himself. The electromagnetic backlash ripped through the isolated data network of Koroa City. It traced back through the fiber-optic cables and into the writhing Arch-Heretek's own mind. His neuro- synapses were vaporized instantaneously, as what remained of his organic brain boiled inside of his adamantium skull. His body twisted and jerked in death spasms, mechadentrites flailing about like writhing serpents, before he collapsed onto his infiltrated cogitator. His optic lenses flickered and faded into darkness. His death as swift and painful as his original treachery had been so many centuries ago.With his expiration, the arch enemies control of the cities automated defenses ended. The auto-turrets and anti-aircraft guns deactivated, barrels lowering and locking in standby. Primary power fizzled out, returning the city to darkness. Emergency power flickered into existence a moment later, only permitting basic lighting and power to the most essential of systems. Only the Holy Synod was exempt, having it's own separate power grid, fed from a mighty plasma generator located in it's bowels. Their task complete, the Magi retreated back to their physical forms in the depths of Forge Complex Ultima. Forge Master Borhmann was last to retreat. [Secutor, the enemy advance is broken. Drive them back into the city. Spare no one. Purge the weakness of flesh from this city. Expunge the taint. Let nothing stand in your way] He ordered, before pulling his consciousness back to his body, returning to his passive observation once more. [As you will, Master] Ajax responded, turning his attention back to the retreating enemy forces. A paltry rear guard fought on, as the Astartes pulled back within the cities narrow and winding streets. They would be over run in good order, and the true blood bath would begin in the urban sprawl of the city itself. Ajax would drive his forces onward to their objectives. The PDF would be on their own. ------------------------------------ ((OOC: More to follow))
(OOC: guys I am very pleased with what you are doing here,and I must say I just hope you will provide good sport for some midnight clad shadows stalking you since the beginning. Ave Dominus Nox)
OOC: I guess we wait for Mechaius' more to come post? ^^ EDIT: Thurservor most likely will join us in the next ToD didn't want him include here as said I would like to bring this to an end and more players at this late of phase would be counter-productive
((OOC: Who dares summon me?)) ---------------------------------------- Western Approach - 1KM from the Western Gate 1st Lorias Battalion - Koroa City - 0705Hrs The command Chimera shook violently, as the rumble of nearby artillery strikes drew closer and the staccato of heavy weapons fire ranked along the leading ranks of the PDF. Inside, Lieutenant-Colonel Antius pressed the handset of his vox unit tightly to his ear, in an effort to determine whether or not he had heard his latest orders correctly. "Sir" He began. "Am I hearing you right? You are ordering me to fall back and abandon my men on the front?" His voice was shaky with disbelief. "You can't seriously expect me to . . " He was cut off by the enraged voice of Colonel Galven. "No, Giaus, you will listen to me!" Galven growled through the vox. "You will pull your men back to a safe distance from the city limits. That is an order" "What about my men! They have already engaged the enemy. We cannot just . . ." "You can, and you will, Giaus. They are already dead as far as I am concerned" Galven stated, without remorse. "Do not quit on me now. I am relying on you to do what must be done. Pull your men back, and await further orders" Gaius released the mic for a moment, sighing deeply, as he stared at the tactical screen a few inches away from his face. Nearly fifteen thousand men were engaged with the Chaos Space Marines and their cultist allies. Many were caught in a vicious melee, and were being slaughter in droves. Despite himself, Gaius could not deny Hector's assessment. His men were already dead. He re-keyed the mic. "Sir, I understand. I will pull back the rest of the Battalion and await your orders" Gaius replied, dejectedly. He had hoped to press in and drive the traitors back into the city, as the Mechanicus forces were doing. "Good to hear, Gaius" Galven replied, the smile on his lips clearly evident. "I'm glad that you are seeing things my way. You need to get your men moving, the next phase of my plan is going to be executed in less then two minutes. Get your ass moving"The vox crackling almost menacingly, as Hector ended his call. The line went silent. Gaius didn't bother trying to get Hector to repeat his last transmission. He's served with him long enough to know when he meant what he said. Gaius ordered the retreat. It was met with resistance, but the men carried out their orders begrudgingly, after the word execution was tossed around by the officers. The remaining 35,000 men fell back, along with their armoured support. The screams of their fellows audible over the rev of the tanks and transports. No one looked back. No sooner then the last few stragglers crested the nearby hills, then the next phase f the Colonel's plan revealed itself, just as the sun began to rise in the distance. The clouds above brightened unnaturally, to the point of being painful to watch. Then, with the heat of blazing supernova, the world faded into white. From the remaining orbital Star Fort, now at last in the highest point of it's geosynchronous orbit, above Koroa City, it unleashed it's terrible wrath. The crackling white beams pulsed from it's lance batteries, scorching the very atmosphere, as they plunged through the cloud cover and into the hapless city below. The lance strike burnt it's way across the entire length of the western curtain wall, atomizing the seemingly impenetrable edifice. The embattled forces clashing at the western gate were vaporized along with it. The men not even having the chance to scream, as the ozone was set alight, searing their lungs and throats shut. Not even the thick armour of the tanks or heavy ceramite plate of the Chaos Marines was able to provide any form of protection. Traitor and Loyalist alike died, unable to change their fates. The next salvos truck the northern wall and spaceport with equal effect. The Mechanicus forces that were marching through the northern gate, nearly unopposed, were caught unawares by the sudden strike. Nearly a third of the Forgemaster's Deca-Legion were atomized along with the gate. Even as they died, they made no sound. Observing in disbelief at this unexpected betrayal, Secutor Ajax vowed vengeance upon the perpetrator. At the spaceport, the massive hangers were reduced to molten slag, along with the deadly aircraft that remained within. The main control tower was scorched, it's armaglass windows melting like wax, the majority of the unfortunate occupants boiling alive inside their own armour. As the searing light faded, the early dawn illuminated the city, now a burnt husk, thanks to the ruinous assault from the heavens. Smoke billowed from the many fires now burning through the city, threatening to spread and consume it whole. The cataclysmic din of the assault gradually faded away, giving way to a faint buzz in the distance. From the west, the gleaming slivers of aircraft could be made out faintly, their hulls catching the first flickers of light from the newly risen sun. ~~ Leading the forward formation of Lighting Fighters, was Commodore Van Vorst himself. Though is had been many years since he had found himself seated in a cockpit, his reflexes came back to him gradually. More then a few of his aides had advised against it. He had respectfully told them to frakk off. Without a fleet to lead, and a nagging guilt for having not been on the bridge of his flagship with the Tau had attacked, this was as much for his own sake, as it was for the sake of the battle as a whole. However, what he had just witness sent a terrible shiver down his spine, and a violent tremble of rage coursing through his blood. Who had authorized that lance strike? Only HE had that authority. Not even the Lord Governor had the clearance to order an orbital strike on a planet. It was he strict purview of the Imperial Navy and other senior military branches of the Imperium. The only other persons that could have ordered it were Captain Fabian or Lord Inquisitor Keralix. It was unlikely the Inquisitor, as he was reported to be borderline incapacitated. As for Captain Fabian, he was loaded in the lead Thunderhawk, that was less than five hundred yards behind him. The Ultramarines Battlebarge was still at high anchor, too far away to launch such a strike. That meant the strike could only have come from the remaining orbital Star Fort. He did not know why the Commander of the Star Fort had carried out that strike without his explicit authorization, but he would find out. For now he had more pressing concerns. He blinked his eyes, keying his vox mic through his helmet's HUD. "Captain Fabian, we are on attack approach on Koroa city. The city is in disarray, as it has suffered an orbital strike. I do not know why, but I promise I will find out after this is over. More to the point, my fighters will run a defensive screen to protect your Thunderhawks. You must secure the Synod at all costs" Van Vorst offered, his voice failing to hide his brimming anger. "Lord Inquisitor Keralix is counting on you. Let us not disappoint the Ordo Herecticus" He shifted his throttle to the right, banking his fighter, the rest of his squadron following suit, lining up on an attack vector. "Captain Fabian, we await your order to attack" Vorst voxxed, awaiting the expected reply.
Private Offices - Fabricator Marshall's Palace Lorias City - 07:20Hrs Alexis took his seat at the head of his marble topped dining table. To his right, sat High Administrator Benedict Ryant, who was busy laying out a napkin over his lap. To his left, Executor Saul Haxx was pouring himself some citrus cordial. Around the table, other senior bureaucrats were seated, happy to be free from the bunkers beneath the palace. They were enjoying a much deserved breakfast. Though the war was far from over, it was now in the hands of the PDF and the Astartes. His presence in the Strategium was unnecessary. Colonel Galven had the situation well in hand and disliked the presence of so many paper pushers in his war room. So, they had retired to Alexis' private office. However, they had been interrupted several minutes ago by a Palace Guard Trooper. He had hastily informed them of the arrival of one Captain Bern, of the Inquisitorial Blackship Phobos. Alexis ordered the man shown in at once, and an additional place setting was lain out to the left of Executor Haxx. Several minutes later, a rather irate Captain Bern was shown in. His crisp uniform bedecked in a grand career's worth of decorations. He struck quite a figure. His frame tall and powerful, and his well groomed beard marked him as a man of noble descent and bearing. A pity Commodore Vorst was not here, he'd have loved to be in the company of a fellow Naval Officer of such caliber. The Captain took his seat without a word, poured himself a stiff drink, downed it in one gulp, then locked eyes on Alexis. "Governor Kalvanis!" He spat. "I demand you inform me of the whereabouts of Lord Inquisitor Keralix". His face was a mask of barely contain rage. His handsome features sulleyed by the onset of such a grave expression. Alexis wiped his face with his napkin before leveling his own glare at the irate officer. He let a moment of silence pass over the room, before answering the demand. "Captain Bern" Alexis began, taking care with his words, as this man served not just the Imperial Navy, but the Inquisition as well. "In answer to your query, the Lord Inquisitor is currently fighting in the Holy Synod of Koroa City. He and his agents have been battling the forces of Chaos for days, leading the city's defense. He uncovered the treachery of our worlds branch of the Ecclesiarchy. His Holiness, the Cardinal Gregorious Servantes is in league with the Forces of Chaos. He arrested and subjected his Lordship to torture and worse. He was rescued by his agents, but the Cardinal escaped" "At last we heard, the Inquisitor ordered an attack on the city and for the Astartes to assault the Holy Synod, in order to secure it. The Inquisitor is dealing with the Cardinal himself within the Basilica. Beyond that, we have not heard from him for several hours" Alexis finished, meeting the Captain's stern gaze, as the man judged the accuracy of his report. However, before the Captain had the chance to reply, a pair of shots rang out from outside of the Fabricator-Marshall's office. Heavy thuds echoed loudly, followed by the doors being kicked open. Two dozen armed PDF troopers rushed into the room, aiming their weapons at the assembled servants of the Adeptus Terra. The familiar heavy footfalls of a large man, with a slightly awkward gait, marched into the room. Colonel Hector Galven, in his crisp blue uniform with gold shoulder boards and dark grey carapace armour made his way into the center of his troops. In his right metallic hand, he held his still smoking bolt pistol. His augmentative right eye whirring quietly, as it searched for targets. His gaze circled the room, meeting the eyes of the bewildered men, before fixing on the Fabricator-Marshall and the newcomer whom he was unfamiliar with. "Lord Governor Alexis Kalvanis" He sneered, unwavering contempt dripping in his voice. "As commander of the Planetary Defense Force, I hereby find you guilty of gross incompetence in your ability to effectively maintain the security and stable governance of the planet of Lorias. To that end, I place you and your officials under arrest. Effective immediately, Marshal Law is hereby in effect" Surprisingly, it was High Administrator Benedict Ryant who was first to stand and raise objection. "Colonel Galven! You dare to arrest appointed servants of the Adeptus Terra! You have neither the authority, nor the right to make such an arrest. You are a traitor and a usurper!" He accused. "Guards! Guards!" Galven only smiled cruelly, before leveling his pistol at the senior-most adept of the Administratum and pulled the trigger. Benedict didn't even get to scream before the top portion of his head exploded in a cloud of red mist. His body slumped back into his chair, as the nearby bureaucrats were showered in bits of brain matter and skull. They cried out in disbelief before raising their arms in surrender or throwing themselves to the floor in fear. Only Saul Haxx, Captain Bern and Alexis remained standing. Galven eyed the three of them expectantly, daring them to make a move. "So the Administratum has given voice to their objections" Galven chuckled darkly. "Would anyone else care to object?"
