Difficult Decisions and Grim Tidings
- Location
- Anatolia
After having finished executing the invaders outside your quarters and the lengthy process of donning your power armor followed by arming yourself you make your way rapidly towards the bridge. Your armored feet beating a staccato rhythm into the metal of the floor, both of your hearts pounding in your chest as you push your superhuman biology to its limit to speed up your progression.
Completely unaware that you are putting countless foot shaped dents into the metal.
Countless battles flash by you as you run, Imperial soldiers managing to corner a single Eldar who simply takes their bayonet charge and proceeds to stab their blade through the soldiers even as it dies with a joyful smile on its face.
A strange reflection in the corpse of one of your younger brothers held up by ten Eldar spears through his power armored torso. The Astartes body in a standing position, the owners of said spears either on the floor seemingly hugging the corpses feet like a lover or with their arms wrapped around his torso. All of them with wounds that indicate he did not die alone, and of those with intact faces, all of them share the same joyous smile in death.
They do not seek diversion or temporary satisfaction. But instead a drink with a much more permanent and bitter aftertaste.
But these sights do not stop your dash. Automatic doors that react too slow to your movement (many of them) are simply bulled through, your speed and weight punching through the metal with minimal difficulty. An unfortunate xeno ends up in front of one these doors, and needless to say you did not know they could turn into crimson mist when hit like that. The rest of his squad doesn't have the time to react before you've already smashed your way through their number and continued on your path.
You come to a stop in one of the centers of the ship's corridor highways, countless hallway openings covering the circle that makes up the room. The room bears the remnants of a previous battle. Fifteen of your brothers lie dead, some of their bodies in multiple pieces almost as if they had been forced through a net until it cut through them. Others bare small punctures around the gorget of their armor or a singular hole through the visors of their armor. But they appeared to have reaped a tally among the enemy as payment for the spilled blood. for every one of your brothers you count there is at least three of the xenos dead around him.
"We may die here brothers, BUT WE WILL HAVE A HANDSOME PRICE FOR OUR LIVES! STRIKE FOR THE IMPERIUM! STRIKE FOR YOUR BROTHERS! STRIKE FOR THE LEGION MASTER!" """"""""""""""FOR TYRIAN!""""""""""""""
You switch the vox castor in your helmet on, connecting to the main frequency for the ship. You are immediately inundated by the sheer amount of chatter. "THEY'RE COMING AROUND THE SIDE! PERKINS, SWING THE TURRET THAT WAY! GIVE THEM A TASTE OF HEAVY PLASMA!" "This is Apothecary Tiberius! The Eldar have pinned my squad down in Medical Bay B and are attempting to capture our patients and poison our medical supplies! Any Imperial forces, if able, we require reinforcements or we will be unable to hold for more than an hour!" "This is Tactician Aventus, you will have your reinforcements Tiberius! A squad of veterans is heading your way!" "Understood, will maintain defense until they arrive." "I DON"T WANNA DIE PLEA"-SPLORTCH! "Heh, pitiful monkeigh."
You isolate Aventus's broadcast before connecting to it and speaking. "Aventus, this Legion Master Tyrian. How does the battle fare?" Your second-in-command is quick to reply back to you, even as you hear rapid typing over his vox. "It fares poorly Lord Commander. Multiple hull breaches have been detected, with hostile forces having been detected in those areas soon after." He reports before continuing. "Reports tell me that there have been concerted efforts to cripple our engines and our life support. While those sections have been able to fend off the xenos assaults so far something has to change or that will not continue."
You process this before asking a question. "What do you know of the enemy." His response just worsens matters. "While they match the data referring to Eldar in our database, there are differences. Many of them seem to dressed in apparel covered in jagged metal or cruel looking instruments. They appear to be heavily armed, with weaponry that fires an energy field in the shape of a net. If it catches something it will proceed to wrap around its target before slicing them into pieces. They also have rifles that seem to fire high speed shards of metal that monomolecularly sharp, while our armor can resist it pinpoint strikes are devastating and Imperial army armor is useless against it."
A breath. "There is some good news, the enemy appears to be divided into two feuding bands. One is incredibly undisciplined, though still incredibly dangerous. They seemed focused on causing as much pain as possible and in capturing wounded soldiers as prisoners. Most of them seem focused on our medical bays and a make shift infirmary that has been established." Your response is short. "And the other?"
"The other group is extremely experienced and trained, exhibiting near telepathic understanding of each other. Able to break off from their main group individually to pick off strategic targets such as officers or sergeants before seamlessly retaking their positions in their groups. They do not seem to need to vocalize commands, as those without helmets have been shown to automatically respond to body cues meaning apparent orders the same as their helmeted brethren. What sensors we have state it to not be psychic in nature."
"Is there anything else?" You ask. "Yes, but..." Aventus pauses. "They seem to exhibit extreme excitement should an opponent present capability to keep up with them. They singularly focus on this enemy to the point of obsession, often ensuring that they die with their opponent. Always with a smile on their face as they kill each other." Hmm, foreboding.
Together forever in oblivion
Shaking off the grim implications you continue your questions. " What is the status of our own troops?" Barely a second goes by before a reply. "Grim, my lord. Much of the Army detachment is scattered across the ship at their battle stations, doing what they can not fall into panic or be slaughtered. As for our brothers, most are still protecting their assigned stations with four squads accompanying me in the command center. A large concentration in the hangars, as well as a handful in the medical bays, Life Support, and the Engines."
A few clicks. "The Mechanicus have locked down the repair and engineering bays and kill any xenos that get near. They have also sent out techpriests to accompany several Army and Astartes squads that have travelled near engineering to aid in repairs and cutting through damaged sections of the ship." States Aventus, completing report as an rumble echoes in the background of the vox. "As for the ship, we have lost Void Shields and begun taking damage to the ship itself. But we have managed to destroy four of the enemy ships, unfortunately their main ship appears to have begun heading towards us with intent to attack us."
A tale of unnatural love begins again.
"In summary Lord Commander, our situation is semi-stable but deteriorating rapidly. What are your orders?"
You think for a moment before speaking. "I-
[X] Will head towards the Life Support to aid their defense."
[X] Head to break the assault on the Engines."
[X] Go to smash the oncoming assault coming here."
[X] Will stop their attack on the Medical Bays"
[X] Write In -
"I have two squads of Astartes awaiting orders my lord, do you have anything in mind?" "Have them-
[X] Reinforce the defense of Life Support."
[X] Assault the enemy at the Engines from behind."
[X] Head to the command center to defend against the oncoming attack."
[X] Aid the Medical Bays against the current assault."
[X] Write In -
Completely unaware that you are putting countless foot shaped dents into the metal.
Countless battles flash by you as you run, Imperial soldiers managing to corner a single Eldar who simply takes their bayonet charge and proceeds to stab their blade through the soldiers even as it dies with a joyful smile on its face.
A strange reflection in the corpse of one of your younger brothers held up by ten Eldar spears through his power armored torso. The Astartes body in a standing position, the owners of said spears either on the floor seemingly hugging the corpses feet like a lover or with their arms wrapped around his torso. All of them with wounds that indicate he did not die alone, and of those with intact faces, all of them share the same joyous smile in death.
They do not seek diversion or temporary satisfaction. But instead a drink with a much more permanent and bitter aftertaste.
But these sights do not stop your dash. Automatic doors that react too slow to your movement (many of them) are simply bulled through, your speed and weight punching through the metal with minimal difficulty. An unfortunate xeno ends up in front of one these doors, and needless to say you did not know they could turn into crimson mist when hit like that. The rest of his squad doesn't have the time to react before you've already smashed your way through their number and continued on your path.
You come to a stop in one of the centers of the ship's corridor highways, countless hallway openings covering the circle that makes up the room. The room bears the remnants of a previous battle. Fifteen of your brothers lie dead, some of their bodies in multiple pieces almost as if they had been forced through a net until it cut through them. Others bare small punctures around the gorget of their armor or a singular hole through the visors of their armor. But they appeared to have reaped a tally among the enemy as payment for the spilled blood. for every one of your brothers you count there is at least three of the xenos dead around him.
"We may die here brothers, BUT WE WILL HAVE A HANDSOME PRICE FOR OUR LIVES! STRIKE FOR THE IMPERIUM! STRIKE FOR YOUR BROTHERS! STRIKE FOR THE LEGION MASTER!" """"""""""""""FOR TYRIAN!""""""""""""""
You switch the vox castor in your helmet on, connecting to the main frequency for the ship. You are immediately inundated by the sheer amount of chatter. "THEY'RE COMING AROUND THE SIDE! PERKINS, SWING THE TURRET THAT WAY! GIVE THEM A TASTE OF HEAVY PLASMA!" "This is Apothecary Tiberius! The Eldar have pinned my squad down in Medical Bay B and are attempting to capture our patients and poison our medical supplies! Any Imperial forces, if able, we require reinforcements or we will be unable to hold for more than an hour!" "This is Tactician Aventus, you will have your reinforcements Tiberius! A squad of veterans is heading your way!" "Understood, will maintain defense until they arrive." "I DON"T WANNA DIE PLEA"-SPLORTCH! "Heh, pitiful monkeigh."
You isolate Aventus's broadcast before connecting to it and speaking. "Aventus, this Legion Master Tyrian. How does the battle fare?" Your second-in-command is quick to reply back to you, even as you hear rapid typing over his vox. "It fares poorly Lord Commander. Multiple hull breaches have been detected, with hostile forces having been detected in those areas soon after." He reports before continuing. "Reports tell me that there have been concerted efforts to cripple our engines and our life support. While those sections have been able to fend off the xenos assaults so far something has to change or that will not continue."
You process this before asking a question. "What do you know of the enemy." His response just worsens matters. "While they match the data referring to Eldar in our database, there are differences. Many of them seem to dressed in apparel covered in jagged metal or cruel looking instruments. They appear to be heavily armed, with weaponry that fires an energy field in the shape of a net. If it catches something it will proceed to wrap around its target before slicing them into pieces. They also have rifles that seem to fire high speed shards of metal that monomolecularly sharp, while our armor can resist it pinpoint strikes are devastating and Imperial army armor is useless against it."
A breath. "There is some good news, the enemy appears to be divided into two feuding bands. One is incredibly undisciplined, though still incredibly dangerous. They seemed focused on causing as much pain as possible and in capturing wounded soldiers as prisoners. Most of them seem focused on our medical bays and a make shift infirmary that has been established." Your response is short. "And the other?"
"The other group is extremely experienced and trained, exhibiting near telepathic understanding of each other. Able to break off from their main group individually to pick off strategic targets such as officers or sergeants before seamlessly retaking their positions in their groups. They do not seem to need to vocalize commands, as those without helmets have been shown to automatically respond to body cues meaning apparent orders the same as their helmeted brethren. What sensors we have state it to not be psychic in nature."
"Is there anything else?" You ask. "Yes, but..." Aventus pauses. "They seem to exhibit extreme excitement should an opponent present capability to keep up with them. They singularly focus on this enemy to the point of obsession, often ensuring that they die with their opponent. Always with a smile on their face as they kill each other." Hmm, foreboding.
Together forever in oblivion
Shaking off the grim implications you continue your questions. " What is the status of our own troops?" Barely a second goes by before a reply. "Grim, my lord. Much of the Army detachment is scattered across the ship at their battle stations, doing what they can not fall into panic or be slaughtered. As for our brothers, most are still protecting their assigned stations with four squads accompanying me in the command center. A large concentration in the hangars, as well as a handful in the medical bays, Life Support, and the Engines."
A few clicks. "The Mechanicus have locked down the repair and engineering bays and kill any xenos that get near. They have also sent out techpriests to accompany several Army and Astartes squads that have travelled near engineering to aid in repairs and cutting through damaged sections of the ship." States Aventus, completing report as an rumble echoes in the background of the vox. "As for the ship, we have lost Void Shields and begun taking damage to the ship itself. But we have managed to destroy four of the enemy ships, unfortunately their main ship appears to have begun heading towards us with intent to attack us."
A tale of unnatural love begins again.
"In summary Lord Commander, our situation is semi-stable but deteriorating rapidly. What are your orders?"
You think for a moment before speaking. "I-
[X] Will head towards the Life Support to aid their defense."
[X] Head to break the assault on the Engines."
[X] Go to smash the oncoming assault coming here."
[X] Will stop their attack on the Medical Bays"
[X] Write In -
"I have two squads of Astartes awaiting orders my lord, do you have anything in mind?" "Have them-
[X] Reinforce the defense of Life Support."
[X] Assault the enemy at the Engines from behind."
[X] Head to the command center to defend against the oncoming attack."
[X] Aid the Medical Bays against the current assault."
[X] Write In -
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