Fallen Paladin, Traitor Champion

[Necris]

Nero frowned as Draconis stepped forward until Orin stepped forward touching his armoured arm, turning he bowed to listen to the whispered words of his psyker.

"The Fist could be of use to you, this meeting is not simply by chance."

He straightened looking at Draconis

"Hounds."

The assault marines tensed ready to pounce their chain weapons roaring to life, Draconis paused reaching for his sword despite knowing he'd not be quick enough.

"Stand down, return to the thunderhawks."

He looked at Draconis as the assault marines withdrew Brak snarled turning his back on the fists the prospect of blood shed had gotten his blood up and now he paced in denied frustration.

"You and one other."

He unslung his weapons passing them to Sol as he turned from the Imperial Fist Orin fell in beside him as they strode towards the mine entrance.

"You can keep your weapons."

He stepped over the threshold and instantly the environment changed inside the mine was warm the air dry and acidic Orin recoiled from the sensation but straightened as his master strode into the darkness, a moment passed before Orin lit a lume lamp striding into the darkness behind Nero who paced on without need of a lamp.

Outside Tass turned on the rest of Nero's party speaking in clipped battle cant.

"Semi circle defence, weapons free and ready."

He looked to Draconis.

"Well? you don't want to keep the Captain waiting."

[Draco Silverhand]

"Olan, with me, the rest, disburse amongst the followers of Nero, assist in defense against any enemy that approaches." He stepped into the mine's cavernous entrance. Striding alongside Nero, he saw up ahead the mine shaft elevator rails, but no car was attached.

"Do you have a long enough steel rope?" He asked after they stood by the shaft a moment.

[Necris]

"Brak recall you hounds and attend me."

He spoke through the squads internal vox link leaving Draconis looking at him, slowly he removed his helm revealing his pale skin and hard features he wore a permanent mask of contained anger the famous fury of his legion held at bay, hooking the helm to his belt he moved to the edge of the shaft and spat watching as the glob of phlegm tumbled away, he seemed to be counting until the faint sound of a splash echoed back.

"Fifteen hundred feet, there about."

Brak appeared at behind them he cast the Imperial Fists a venomous glare as he strode past them.

"I need some jump packs."

Brak stood looking at him despite the helm it was clear he was not happy with the order but after a moment he nodded and looked towards the mine entrance.

"Kross, Malin, Skarr get in here now."

His voice was a growl like an animal fury, three marines ran into the mine weapons ready they slowed as they reached the group looking around, Brak was on them in an instant.

"Put up your weapons you dammed fools, and take you jump packs off."

The obeyed instantly dropping their packs to the ground, Nero took up one and tossed it to Draconis then to Olan before pulling the last one on himself.

Checking the flight systems he walked to Orin he picked the psyker up and walked to the edge.

"Controlled decent we still need to get out."

He stepped from  the lip and fell into darkness falling and counting quietly to himself he fired the jump pack at the last minute slowing his decent enough that he didn't kill himself when he landed, he dropped to one knee from the power of the landing Orin falling from his grip rolled across the ground as his Master righted himself and moved out of the way so Draconis and Olan could land behind him.

[Draco Silverhand]

"Smells like erdberries and fungus down here." Draconis spoke into the darkness. "Erdberries, fungus and bad amasec." He sniffed a new scent, shining his pauldron-mounted spotlight ahead of them, "Tunnel ahead is collapsed. Can your oracle illuminate our situation, Nero?"



Tigurio sat on his throne in the command dome of his ship. He had sat there, since dropping into the warp, and felt the days turning into weeks now. His third eye flared brilliantly, his mind seemingly lost in thought. It had been some hours since he even breathed when he snapped from his reverie.

"Navigator." He barely mouthed the word, barely breathed, but his third eye blazed brighter as he spoke, and so, was heard by the Navigator, the ship's twisted astropathic choir, and all gifted by Tzeentch onboard since their fall.

Yes, my god? The psionic reply came in a sibilant hiss through Tigurio's mind. What is it that you would have of me? Tigurio smiled as it registered. His followers believed in him now. His indoctrinations, his rituals and sacrifices and mastery of these daemonic items was paying off.

It is almost time. Three days forth and second star to the left. Bring us out of the Warp as close to the planet as you can, surprise is of no use to us this time. He could almost feel the Navigator's response, before he heard it.

As you wish, so it shall be, Lord. Tigurio sat in silence, not breathing, not blinking, not stirring. His gaze unnerved those on the bridge, and all who were required to be there worked hurriedly, as if to get out of his presence before his powers consumed them. Even as Tigurio sat there, he radiated with a power not many space marines could boast to have witnessed, and even fewer had felt. Pure. Un-adulterated. Undiminished. Heavenly. Hellish. POWER.

Feels good, doesn't it? Vksan'thdkna - the Slaaneshi daemon Tigurio had come to call Syladril - spoke in his mind. Like you're already there... She hissed.

Remember our bargain, though. Young Tigurio. If you are successful, this will benefit us all. Nachtsterben chuckled in the ether. But, if you fail, Nurgle will have many gifts for you... gifts you will never be able to return...

DRINK ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DRINK ME!!!!!!!!!!!! Wailed the gobleted daemon of Khorne. Tigurio had learned since recovering the possessed artefact that though it had many names, the common Gothic name to use was Blackpraise, the Bloody Hangover. A name which discouraged any thought of consumption. Tigurio Falzone, I swear upon my honor, I will have a head to boil when this ship translates from the warp, or I will boil YOURS! The skull goblet continued to rant for some time in the back of Tigurio's mind.

SILENCE! All of you! Tigurio finally let his mind speak again. I am not opening my mind to the warp to hear your incessant prattle and inane promises. I know what is at stake, now stow it while I focus on my next objective, or I will find replacements for each of you!

DRINK ME! DRINK MEEE!!!

Except you, Blackpraise. I think I will keep you around simply to amuse myself. Tigurio had made sure to glut the daemon before the most recent warp jump, and it had resulted in a surprising similarity to drunkenness in this daemon's demeanor. Perhaps this could be utilized in the future, but for now it was bordering annoyance.

[Necris]

Orin smiled as he stepped forward.

"Well you are Astartes, I am not."

He pulled off his white robes folding them and placing them on a rock, under the robes he wore a simple dark brown body glove a long blade hanging down his leg a small stub pistol beside it, a collection of pouches and devices hung from a bandolier over his shoulder he removed these as well placing them on top of the robes before pulling a leather bound book from a pocket in the body glove. He held the book with reverence as he turned it over in his hands before placing it down on the pile whispering quietly as he left it.

"Watch over me."

The book was black the leather well worn and scuffed, an embossed aquilla of gilded gold had once been on the leather cover but it had long since been rubbed off, as had the books title now lost to the books age, the pages had been replaced several times as the ages had claimed the parchment, he left one last lingering look at the book before he started to climb the tumbled rocks.

"There is a gap at the top of the tunnel, it's thin but I think I can crawl down it."

"Do it."

Nero's voice was stern yet no unkind, as Orin climbed into the gap he spoke again.

"Don't take any unnecessary risks Orin."

"Please, just because I serve Astartes doesn't mean I share their courage."

He disappeared.

Crawling the gap grew tighter as he weaved his way through the gap the dust and grime was in his face blocking his nose and causing his eyes to stream as he crawled along the small space, as a youth he'd been fond of cave diving and the potholing and this threw his memories back to that time before war had come and Nero had found him, he stopped his wytch-sight guiding him through the darkness.

He tumbled out from the other side feeling like he'd been crawling for days he rolled to a painful stop clearing his face he looked around his sight casting the space in a strange purple light, he laid his eyes on the empty altar and sighed before pushing himself to his feet.

++

Nero took a seat on a rock out crop and looked at the two Imperial Fists.

"So tell me about yourself Draconis."

[Kallidor]

The Sentinel translated back into Real Space with no fanfare. There was no flash of unearthly light, no gaping tear leading strait into hell, the prow of the tiny vessel emerged as if from behind a veil, a shy actor nosing his way onto the stage. This far out system the distant star was a tiny dot of light, no celestial bodies were visible at such extreme range, only the ancient technologies of the Sentinel were able to detect such things and Lomak payed silent thanks to the Machine Spirit for the keenness of its vision.

Since the Akthalos system presented unknown dangers the Sentinel was on a silent running order. Stealth mode was engaged and the crew used MIU connectors so that the Sentinel could commune with them and share its information. The Sentinel used a manifold similar to that employed on a Titan and the connection gave the crew a slight shared consciousness, it was not enough to exchange words but Lomak could sense that the Tech Priestess, Teq Farran, wanted his attention. She held up a pulse disc which began to flash various colours of light. It had required extensive bionic modification for Lomak to be able to understand what the flashing signals meant and even then it took a great deal of learning for Lomak to finally become fluent in the unusual silent language of the nullship. Each flash and pulse of light were akin to words, each colour provided intonation and qualification.

Farran was telling him that the Sentinel had detected ships in orbit around the planet Akthalos. She connected him to the systems slaved to her use and Lomak could see what the Sentinel saw, several large vessels, Imperial in origin. Lomak made his decision and ordered the Sentinel to approach the small fleet. They would his in the exhaust wash of one of the ships and then make contact, if anything went awry they could escape and deliver a crippling blow at the same time.

[Draco Silverhand]

"I am Draconis Argentus Falzone, Sergeant of the Imperial Fists." Draconis said with a slight air of pomp.

"No..." Nero said calmly, "I did not ask for name rank and serial number. I asked you to tell me about yourself." Draconis frowned for a second.

"Ah." He said, his expression changing from deep thought to a more conversational face. "My homeworld, pre-marine youth and so forth. I presume you mean." Nero nodded. "I suppose I did not expect such a question." He said, pensive as he chewed his thoughts for a second. "I come from a hive world, part swamp, part industrial complex. One portion of the world is actually more akin to a death world, but I did not get to venture there until the trials. My youth was spent in the hive gangs of Hive Prospero on our world. I belonged to Falzone House' own elite youth corps. Not so much a gang of miscreants as a youth army, trained to fight with discipline and uniformity." Draconis paused.

"I don't suppose you remember much of your pre-marine years? Or would you rather divulge more recent events that have made you the marine you are today?" Draconis tilted his head ever so slightly, as to incline the question just so.

[Necris]

Nero smiled it contained some warmth as he travelled back to better days in his long past.

"I was born on Cthonia, the world was an industrial waste land the atmosphere harsh and unforgiving like you I was a member of a gang, though ours were more violent and vicious than when Horus came he brought the strength needed to change the world, the gang I was in quickly gave ourselves to his cause."

He remembered the days of old and the times long past.

"He was a great man, many would shun his name as a curse but they did not know him, he led us from victory to victory his chosen warriors, his Luna Wolves his mastery of battle was second only to the Emperor's his skills at arms only matched by Sanguinius, Russ or Dorn, but there was something that made him greater than them all. He had a charm about him a way of talking that none of the others possessed. It was at Ullanor that it all changed, when the Emperor made him Warmaster. the weight of duty and responsibility weighed heavy on him and his failures stung all the worse. The Interex is where it truly changed where the feel of the Legion shifted the war against the Interex hurt Horus deeply he had wished to form an alliance but they thought the Imperium had been corrupted by Chaos now I see that they may have been right."

He sighed as the confession sunk in.

"After the war matters on Davin drew the warmasters attention the governor Temba has turned rebel enthralled to chaos, so we would learn, it was Davin where the warmaster almost died, where the true turning and fall of Horus started and the splitting of the Legion."

He stopped talking as the memories came to him the dark days leading to the heresy, he locked eyes with Draconis.

"So pup you know of my past, would you hear of the why I am who I am today?"

Draconis nodded.

"Please continue."

He nodded as he shifted his weight on the stones looking at the tumbled rocks.

"It at Isstvan III, I was deployed in the opening wave of the battle alongside my Captain one of Horus' Mournival we cleansed and claimed the world in his name, in the name of Horus all the while he plotted to remove us from his plan, the saddest part of it is that most of us would have followed him into the very heart of hell and damnation had he but asked. We survived the hate and betrayal thrown against us, survived the Virus Bombs the ground assault and the final days of the bombardment before Horus was done with us, all of us have a similar story, all of us are united in the destiny that fate dealt us, all save Paval and his Legionaries his story is totally different but any others under my command share my tale, we are all from Isstvan survivors of the Warmaster's first betrayal."

He laughed the sound strange on his lips.

"You ask my why I am here, to redeem myself of course, to hunt down all those who have fallen from the righteous path and send them to the Emperor." 

[Draco Silverhand]

Tigurio stood on the hull of his strike cruiser. Next to him, in the void of space, sat a hulking bombard cannon. His ship's dorsal spine was lined with several massive guns like this one, capable of leveling cities with their ammunition, and accurate enough to center each shot within a half of a kilometer of their target from high orbit. He stood and did not float away from his ship due in part to the artificial gravity generated by the craft, but also in part due to his magnetic terminator armor boots. He watched as a nearby planet grew in size. He'd teleported to the top of his strike cruiser to get a good look. This world was pristine, untouched by war. Or so he'd been led to believe.

As the world came into view, and his autosenses zoomed in, he could see a hive spire burning. The entire spire on fire. As if, hit with a massive incendiary, or worse. This would complicate things. Tigurio had counted on being able to infiltrate scouts or cultists into a peaceful society. An entire hive city on fire would mean civil war, or invasion. Either way, it would mean a heightened state of alert. Crucial to his plan was subterfuge and now, the plan had been reduced to ash.

In his airtight terminator suit, Tigurio let out a sigh, and voxed the techmarines in the enginarium.

"Brothers, is the teleportation device active yet?" He hated risking a teleportation into unsecured territory, but the only way to ensure this be a quick and decisive action, was to teleport his terminator squad into the heart of his search area, and lead them to find the last relic.

"Affirmative, Marshall Falzone, however, the astropathic choir has detected chatter indicating Chaos magics at work on the surface. It might suit my lord better to drop pods and thunderhawks instead."

"When I want an artificer's opinion, I will tell him. Stick to facts. What manner of magics.

"Targeting confusion and vox scrambling. Teleporting could cause most marines to become lost in the transmission to the surface. Drop pods might scatter, but most if not all will land in tact."

"Very well. You make your point clear enough. Pass down the order for Thunderhawks Delta and Gamma to mount up, and for my honor guard to ride in two drop pods."

Within an hour the strike cruiser was close to orbital drop range when torpedoes began to sail from the surface into space.

"Lord Marshal. We are under attack. Shall we delay the launch to evade the torpedo salvo?" A serf voxed on a secure channel.

"Negative. Launch thunderhawks Alpha, Omega and Theta to intercept. Continue with launch procedures and target the torpedo's launch bay on the surface. Take out the silo, and we'll see how hostile they are."

[Koval]

"That won't be their only silo."

The sound came not from Tigurio's combead but from right next to him, and Tigurio turned in surprise to see me standing there, undaunted by the lack of atmosphere or gravity. Pointing to the combead in my own ear, I prompted Tigurio to open a secure address to me.

"How are you doing that?" Tigurio queried, his tone somewhere between shocked, curious and appalled.

"Bending sound around a vacuum isn't all that difficult," I grinned. "And it's not exactly like I need to breathe."

Apparently, though, Tigurio wasn't in the mood. Humans have such a tendency to turn serious when faced with the prospect of bloodshed, which isn't a bad thing in itself until they start draining all the fun out of it.

"What do you want, Agares?" the Templar grumbled, almost petulantly, clenching his giant armoured fist as he turned to face me properly. I was too busy admiring the bombardment cannon to really pay his movements much attention.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm in the employ of the Master of Skulls. You've been inconsiderate enough to go off and fight without bringing me along. I'm bored, Tigurio, and--"

"I don't have the time to indulge your petty cravings," Tigurio sighed, hoping to dismiss me, but I wasn't especially undaunted by his bluntness and started pacing in front of him.

"You know, I did make you an offer," I reminded him. "I told you that I was a middle-man between a General of the Endless Legion and yourself. I told you that if you impressed the General, the Legion would lend you its support. And since you've not taken me along on your skirmishes, you've not given the General an awful lot of opportunity to be impressed."

Tigurio paused; I think I'd made him think twice about excluding me from this endeavour, but being presently unable to see or smell him past the armour (not to mention detect his heart rate, but with Space Marines that's a bit hit and miss anyway) reduced me to guess work.

"Let's make a more short-term deal for the time being," I proposed, stopping in front of him. "You give me an opportunity to fight. In return, keeping in mind that I have the ear of one of Khorne's Generals, I will put in a favourable word and secure you a means to, shall we say, raise your game slightly."

"What sort of means?"

"Oh, come on, Tigurio, don't be dense."

"Mind your tongue, Agares, or I might have you launched into the atmosphere as high-velocity ordnance. If nothing else, seeing how far you get would entertain me."

"So the Templar does have a sense of humour after all."

"I have battled your kind before, Bloodletter, and was less than impressed by their combat prowess. Convince me that you will be any different."

"Gladly, but first you'll have to get me to the surface, won't you?" I smirked. "You walked right into that one."

"Regardless, you are coming with me so that I can keep an eye on you as much as you can... observe how a warrior fights," Tigurio announced plainly, somewhat agitated. "Meet me in the ship's keel. We will take a drop pod together."

"Undignified, but acceptable if it gets us both down in one piece," I conceded. "Try not to get in my way and I'll try not to get in yours."

[Draco Silverhand]

Tigurio grunted as he activated a rune on his arm, and teleported directly into the drop pod bay. He waited a moment before Agares appeared in a puff of brimstone and a flash of red.

"I suppose you were right to mention the extra defensive silos, but, if you forgot, I left the Imperium due to its weaknesses. I seek to purge that weakness. My crew, therefore, would not need additional orders to understand that point. They will annihilate the first silo complex, and then seek out the next, and the next, as they launch, or are discovered by auspex scans. I need not give the order to seek and destroy, because once one silo is taken care of, the bombard cannons will seek a new target on their own, and my gunners are disciplined. Not waggle-tongued sycophants of insanity, but hardened veterans of countless campaigns. With the exception of the Servitors, of course. They know better than to simply unleash hell upon the entire world before ensuring all defense lasers, silos and batteries are silenced. Then, and only then, will they begin to rack up their city-kill marks."

Tigurio sheathed a power sword onto his belt, activated his power fist for a moment, deactivated it and ran a gamut of other last-second checks before nodding to the techpriest at the pod's side. The hatches on the drop pod sealed shut, and Tigurio knelt, his right knee cradling into a divot in the floor, his power fist locking into a grip on the floor, and his left foot magnetically sealing. His right hand remained free, and he reached towards the holo-dome projector in the center of the drop pod, extending his index finger, he pressed the activation rune, and a hollow clunk sounded as the ship's claw arm that had been holding the pod above the empty void between ship and planet. For a second the pod seemed to float, gently drifting downward. But, as it gained velocity, Agares found himself fighting to secure himself while floating through the air. He managed to harness himself into a nearby 5-point harness, and grabbed tight to the hand-bars by either side of his alcove. Tigurio simply knelt, enjoying the rush of inverse gravity as it grew and grew.

Then, the booster kicked in. The pod fired its thrusters and began its true descent into the planet's atmosphere, the outside becoming white-hot, the inside remained somewhat cool, but Agares felt a sweat break out. Which, because of his dead nature, was itself a bit unusual.

The pod shot its retrothrusters at just the last moment, slowing the descent and Tigurio hunched a bit with the excess of inertial force, while Agares grimaced slightly, remembering what made such an assault undignified. His spine compacting as he tried to keep himself upright. Finally, after what seemed forever, the pod smashed into rock, and the hatches blew. The deathwind missile launcher mounted above Tigurio whirred as it geared up to fire, while Tigurio stood, turned from the pod, and stepped outside into the warzone surrounding him.

"DEATH TO THE FALSE EMPEROR!" He heard a shout, but it was not from the marines who accompanied him, but from a Tzeentch cultist who was leveling a grenade launcher at Tigurio. The Marshal held up his gauntleted hand and fired a volley of storm bolter shots into the man's chest. The cultist fell backwards, shredded, but just as he did so, Tigurio turned from the Tzeentch cult squad now cowering, and strode towards an Imperial Guard line.

"Marines, bind the traitors and the loyalists in combat, while I conduct my search!" He intoned in battle cant over the vox. "Do not discriminate. They are all weak!" With that, he set to work, charging into a squad of freightened imperial guardsmen.

[Necris]

His head snapped to the fallen rubble as a skinny hand thrust through it standing he moved to the rocks tossing them aside to help Orin out, the psyker crawled from the rubble cake in filth, dust and blood he staggered a little as Nero helped him to his feet.

"I have what I need, though Silas will be needed to divine it's meaning."

Nero nodded and looked to Draconis.

"Silas is my navigator, I swear upon the throne to send you the co-ordinates he gives me."

Draconis looked unconvinced his face set in a stubborn frown.

"I will accompany you and transmit the co-ordinates myself."

Nero chuckled as he passed Orin his belongings.

"You are so like him you know."

"Who?"

"Dorn, I met him once spoke with him, you don't look like him but you have all the mannerisms of him you carry yourself as if you were his shadow."

"I'm ready, we must hurry if Silas is to make use of what I have."

Nero nodded moving to the shaft once again taking Orin he fired the jump pack leaping up the shaft, he leap took his a few hundred feet before he locked onto the wall his powerful fist making a hold for him as he twisted and leapt again to the opposite side further up the shaft, he repeated the process noting the warning signals that the packs power supply was draining, he made the last leap hand clamping onto the edge of the shaft, two pair of white gauntlets clamped round his wrist and pulled him back onto solid ground, Brak standing with his chain axe ready looked at Nero and Orin as they confirmed their footing.

"Did we get what we need?"

"We did, take Orin back to the ship, let no-one stand in your way."

Brak nodded looking at Orin who nodded back.

"Hounds stay with the captain, come on."

He turned sharply and jogged off Orin following struggling to keep up.

"Help the other two."

Nero stepped past them as they moved to help Draconis from the shaft, then as they pulled Olan up behind him.

"I have sent Orin on to return to my ship, your squad are permitted to accompany us back to it but only until we gain the co-ordinates then we go our separate ways Draconis Falzone."

He lifted his helm back onto his head locking it in place speaking as he did.

"Back to the hawks."

He strode from the mine taking his weapons from Tass and fixing them to his armour as he strode towards the waiting thunderhawks. The two hounds left with Draconis and Olan laughed as they collected up the rest of the gear left behind.

"You're lucky ones, that's for sure. The captain's must be in a good mood today."

++

An hour later and Nero stood in the observation bubble Draconis and a few of his command staff lingering behind him as he stared out into the stars, Sol and Tass talked quietly off to one side as Paval set up the astromap projector. Orin was preparing himself sitting at one end of the projection unit while Silas stood at the other manipulator wand waiting in his hand, Orin had a swaddled bundle before him as he prepared a mix of tonics. Draconis watched from an alcove his mood dark, Nero suspected as much the ship while being a war vessel was from a time of old where secular beliefs were outlawed where the Emperor walked as a man, the walls were bare and undecorated in contrast the crew of the ship those not marines looked like priests and zealots, they wore white robes and each of them were decorated with devotionals to the Imperial Creed, to the worship of the Emperor as a god at odds with the feel of the ship, added to that Nero guessed the presence of Traitor legions did not sit easy with the Imperial Fist to be greeted to the ship by a squad of Luna Wolves and Death Guard could not have helped.

"I am ready."

Nero tuned and nodded.

"Everyone remain silent."

Orin closed his eyes draining the tonic he started a quiet chant drawing back the cloth revealing an eight pointed star of chaos Sol hissed at the sight but quickly silenced his distaste as Orin's mind linked with Silas' who moved the wand across the map moving through systems and constellations the wand brought up worlds and systems moving through the worlds of the imperium is a rapid sequence.

"I can't get a clear enough signal."

Nero barked an order knowing the meaning of Silas's words.

"Helms on ocular lenses closed."

He pulled his helm onto his head watching as the others did so noting as each of the eye slits in his brothers helms went black, he looked at Draconis watching as his lenses went black as well finally he shut his own lenses down and spoke.

"Continue."

He was hit by a wave of sensation raw warp power flooded through the bubble for a few seconds before Silas spoke again.

"I have it."

His lenses returning to life he watched as Silas pulled his hood back over his head and pulled his helm from his head. Silas stood wand directed at a world circled in red he fixed his robes and turned from the group as they looked upon the the world.

"We have our co-ordinates, Silas transmit them to Draconis' ships."

"By your command."

"There is something amiss in the void."

Nero turned to Orin who was ashen.

"Explain yourself Orin."

"A Darkness in the void moved up behind us, a void ship."

Nero turned speaking into his vox unit as much as to those in the room.

"Battle stations roll out the gun batteries and cycle the void shields to full power on our Stern, Brak prepare boarding crews, Sol, Paval counter measure teams, Tass to the bridge. Draconis, Orin with me."

He stalked from the observation bubble heading for the bridge Tass in his wake move to gunnery command as he strode up to the command plinth, the command deck lacked and seating instead the crew and officers stood at plinths and terminals dotted around the sparse command deck.

"Perform a sensor sweep, we're looking for a void ship so the stealth capabilities will be great look for heat trails and vapour trains."

The crew came alive as the sweeps took place an officer turned to him speaking.

"Nothing."

"Open a vox link open transmission."

"You have it commander."

"This is the cruiser Redemption Sought, we know you are there reveal yourselves or I'll have my psykers pinpoint your location."

He left the threat open as he shut the vox link.

"Bring us round present our broadsides." 

[Draco Silverhand]

"Brother," Draconis spoke after no reply was forthcoming from the void ship, "Break contact with the void ship, make him give chase. Bring your ship around to the other side of this moon, where my own frigate can provide support fire. I will signal them to hold fire on this vessel, as they know not of your presence yet." Draconis still wore his helmet, though now the blazing reddish orange tint of glass shone through with the backlighting of the helmet's HUD casting an eerie glow. Nero looked over his shoulder at Draconis, pausing to think for a split second, before turning back to the command deck.

"Bring the ship about the moon! Full speed until we're in range to contact Draconis' strike cruiser, and open a channel before they open fire on us!"

"Aye sir!" one of the helmsmen affirmed as the ship broke orbit behind the moon. "Establishing vox link in five.... four... three... two... Channel's open sir!"

"Garroth!" Draconis called out.

"Aye sir?" Garroth's voice returned.

"Hold fire. Redemption Sought is rounding the moon in seconds, and will be in your sights. We will be followed by a void ship. Possibly cloaked. Be prepared to provide fire support if we are fired upon."

"Aye sir!" Garroth's clipped High Gothic accent gave away his Vostroyan upbringing. Vostroyans were a proud people, and Draconis knew Garroth would fight valiantly, if it came to a battle.

"There. The tactical advantage is now increased. If the void ship is half the size of yours, it might still outgun you, now it must divide its attentions. And her commander, Inquisitor or otherwise, must now reveal himself." Draconis said, confident in the codex which had taught him such a tactic.

[Kallidor]

Lights flashed across the bridge and Lomak connected himself to a terminal, a coded transmission was coming through.

   ++It is well that you did not tarry Inquisitor Lomak++ Lomak frowned, Ornice had not been able to discern who had sent the instructions to travel to this world but obviously they knew him and more importantly they had detected his presence in the system. Nothing should have been able to detect a stealthed nullship. ++Your specific presence is required due to the nature of the threat and once you have revealed yourself it will become apparent++

Lomak signalled the Astropath Ornice, asking her if the source of the transmission could be traced. She shook her head immediately, using her own pulse disk to tell him that it had not been a psychic communication. The Priestess Farran was already responding to Lomak's next question before he could ask it; the message had been broadcast in-system and that was only discernable due to the use of a short range carrier wave but the strength of the machine spirit called upon to voice the transmission meant it could have been anywhere within a distance of nearly two trillion leagues.

Before Lomak could ask for any more information the ship they were concealed behind hailed them, the Sentinel transferring the message to its own pulse disk.

++This is the cruiser Redemption Sought, we know you are there reveal yourselves or I'll have my psykers pinpoint your location++ The preciseness to which a voice could be presented by pulse disk was such that Lomak had the distinct impression that they had been hailed by one of the Emperor's Angels of Death. As the implications sank in Lomak shook his head when the Navigator, Dieter Noss, asked for permission to command the Sentinel to take evasive manoeuvres. Lomak did not want to present them to the weapons of the Redemption Sought, instead letting the ship's exhaust wash push them away. The Sentinel drifted like a feather below the belly of the ship, sixty degrees down bubble forcing Lomak to look at the emerging broadside almost upside down.

Farran informed Lomak of transmissions between the Redemption Sought and one of the other Imperial vessels and the Redemption Sought began to move away at full speed. It was a tactic designed to force Lomak to approach head on but one which underestimated the Sentinel. Not all nullships were identical but the Sentinel was fairly typical of the few Lomak had had the privelege to see and as far as he knew that could have been all of them. The crew compliment was four and the ship itself was a mere one hundred and fifty metres long, little bigger than the attack craft some of those Imperial vessels were no doubt carrying but infinitely more advanced. The Sentinel's reactor was of a type unknown to Lomak and in all the years he had commanded the ship it had never once needed refueling, Farran refused to comment by edict of the Fabricator-General himself. The design was utterly bizarre, a feature Lomak was told allowed the Sentinel to remain undectable to Machine Spirits and psychic sight. Someone however knew how to detect the ship, or at least a feature which gave its position away. The person who had access to such knowledge was a powerful and dangerous individual indeed and they were hidden in this system beyond even the Sentinel's sight and that in itself was even more worrying. Lomak made his decision. The Sentinel powered up its engines and easily outpaced the Redemption Sought which was lumbering away in comparison.

++I will speak to you now Captain++ Onboard the Redemption Sought Nero's frown at the sudden vox turned to angry disbelief as a jagged black vessel appeared from nowhere, floating like an obsidian wasp directly outside his bridge, weapons armed and aimed right at him and his crew. ++This is Inquisitor Lomak, Captain of the Sentinel, identify yourself and explain your presence in this system at once++ Lomak was a mild mannered man, despite his position and to take such a tone with one of the Astartes in such a situation as this was verging on the suicidal but he hoped that centuries of ingrained respect for authority would force the Captain of the Redemption Sought to comply with his order and not do anything rash.

[Necris]

Nero looked upon the ship his trained eyes saw the weaknesses of the ships design but also it's strengths his frown turning in a smile as his eyes slid to Orin.

"Lomak?"

"You know my gifts, he may be of use to the cause."

Nero thought for a long while before speaking again.

"Stand down weapons they are too close for us to get firing solutions, open a vox link with the Sentinel, and inform Brak of the situation."

With a nod from one of his officers Nero addressed the null ship.

"I am Captain Nero, I stand beside Sergeant Draconis Falzone of the Imperial Fists, We seek the traitor Tigurio  Falzone, now Inquisitor what is your purpose here?"

A rune illuminated on his command plinth and he depressed it sending the command to Brak and his assault teams. The knowledge that Brak would be committing to order and assault on the null ship made him smile, a teleport assault would be the only sensible way but Brak would no doubt have another plan of assault, his eyes shifted as a half dozen white shapes appeared on the hull he almost laughed as he saw the assault specialists prepared to make their assault.

"Risky as always Brak."

Draconis looked to him as he gestured to the marines forming up on the hull.

"We wait for his answer before taking action."

Draconis stood and watched