After a frustrating and costly tour of the Cellebos Warbone, Kill Team Rapier (at the time comprised Alyxander, Rarai’an, Auranis and Validus) had a chance meeting with Inquisitor Jemini Malethann. He was concerned with the myriad xenos incursions within the Matteus Subsector, and was headhunting experienced Deathwatch Astartes to investigate these threats.
 

Kill Team Rapier welcomed the opportunity to adapt their xeno-hunting skills in an arena free of the political infighting of the Jericho Reach. With the permission of their Watch-Commander, they relocated to the Segmentum Obscurus to assist Malethann's operations. Once there, they were formally introduced to the Inquisitor’s cohort and their newest Astartes members: Gorlin and Lucena.

 

 

Kill-Team Rapier's first major assignment in the Matteus Subsector was on Dakota Minor, to investigate the growing Ork presence within the rocky forests native to the planet. The Orks had persisted forty years after their invasion of Dakota Minor, and it was speculated a new Warboss had risen up to lead the directionless Orks lurking in the forests. Meanwhile, the equally disorganised Dakota Minor Defence Corps was itching to charge head-first into the Ork-infested jungle; their confidence sky-high from their victory over the Orks decades ago.

 

Fearing a needless slaughter and a second Ork incursion on Dakota Minor, Malethann dispatched Kill Team Rapier to soften the Ork threat before the local PDF got involved. Their mission: reconnoiter the forests, determine the Ork strength, and if the opportunity presents itself, eliminate their leader.

 

The following transcript and pict-feed highlights are a record of their mission.

 

Events were logged as deemed pertinent. Time zero begins at 1515h 971.924M41.                               

Composition: Alyxander (Leader), Auranis, Rarai’an, Validus, Gorlin

 

+CARRY THE EMPEROR'S WILL AS YOUR TORCH; WITH IT, DESTROY THE SHADOWS+   

                

+0 days, 00:00

+MANUAL ENTRY+
                               

Deployment by Blackstar into the jungle.               

Gorlin and Validus scouted ahead; no resistance, no signs we were detected.                      

Kill Team Rapier proceeded to marker Primus.                

 

+0 days, 01:27

++VISUAL FEED STILL 001 - KILL TEAM RAPIER INTERNAL NOOSPHERE++      

 

Kill Team Rapier enter the rocky forests of Dakota Minor, in search for the Ork warband.

        

+0 days, 03:55

+MANUAL ENTRY+ 

                              

Kill Team Rapier arrives at marker Primus (co-ord 016.32 x 047.69).                  

Ork tracks identified. No sign of standing forces, ally or foe. Proceeding to marker Secondus.

 

+0 days, 06:00                   

++AUDIO FEED 001 - KILL TEAM RAPIER INTERNAL VOX-LINK++                

                               

VALIDUS: Bearing two-two-one.

ALYXANDER: A small rabble.

RARAI'AN: They may lead to the greater horde.

ALYXANDER: We follow them. Auranis, acknowledge?

AURANIS: Acknowledged. Gorlin, we are moving on.

                         

+0 days, 18:50

++AUDIO FEED 002 - KILL TEAM RAPIER INTERNAL VOX-LINK++                

                               

ALYXANDER: A large horde, bearing zero-seven-three.

VALIDUS: Some large Orks, but not-

GORLIN: Orks approaching our position.

ALYXANDER: On what bearing?

GORLIN: Behind us!

RARAI'AN: Specifics, Gorlin!

ALYXANDER: Validus, hold here and watch that horde. Auranis, I am returning to you.

AURANIS: Acknowledged. Gorlin, provide bearing on the Orks!

GORLIN: ... Fifty metres ... at zero-seven-zero, approaching on foot!

ALYXANDER: They will have our scent. How many?

GORLIN: Fifteen... More!

ALYXANDER: Hold fire. Wait for my signal.

GORLIN: Die! <Ork roaring>

ALYXANDER: Curse it! Rapier, engage at will!

<15 seconds of non-vocal combat audio>

VALIDUS: Sergeant, the horde is turning to us.

GORLIN: We can take them!

ALYXANDER: No, we cannot! Rapier, tactical withdrawal bearing three-three-zero.

RARAI'AN: Auranis, watch your right!

AURANIS: <unintelligible; cry of pain?>
GORLIN: Xenos filth!

ALYXANDER: Rapier, move!

 

+0 days, 18:51

++VISUAL FEED STILL 002 - KILL TEAM RAPIER INTERNAL NOOSPHERE++                

 

Members of Kill Team Rapier are ambushed by an Orb mob while on reconnaissance.

 

+1 days, 08:56

+MANUAL ENTRY+ 
                              

Kill Team Rapier sighted a large horde of Orks. Estimated 200 strong, with 10 to 20 scrap-form vehicles.                 

Were forced to engage a small band of Orks approaching our position.                         

Half were slain, but we were forced to withdraw before the much larger horde approached our position.               

 

+1 days, 13:50

++AUDIO FEED 002 - KILL TEAM RAPIER INTERNAL VOX-LINK++

 

AURANIS: I count twenty to twenty-five Ork scrap units.  Five hundred metres, bearing two-nine-zero.

VALIDUS: Logged. How is your injury?

AURANIS: It will heal.

VALIDUS: I have a reserve bolter.

AURANIS: I can still carry the cannon. But thank you, brother.

 

+1 days, 19:33

++VISUAL FEED STILL 003 - KILL TEAM RAPIER INTERNAL NOOSPHERE++                

 

A column of Ork armour is spotted by Kill Team Rapier, as they maneouvre deeper into the forest.

 

+1 days, 21:26

+MANUAL ENTRY+ 

 

Multiple Ork units were sighted and numbers recorded.

Initial estimates of two thousand fighting bodies and forty armour assets.

Scrap units were limited to small to medium sized vehicles. Many of them scrap-walkers and defiled Chimeras.

                                       

+2 days, 00:32

++AUDIO FEED 003 - KILL TEAM RAPIER INTERNAL VOX-LINK++                

                               

ALYXANDER: Validus, another horde approaches.

VALIDUS: ... No sighting of a leader.

ALYXANDER: There must be a larger concentration, still within the forest.

GORLIN: Filthy and wretched-

RARAI'AN: Gorlin, be silent!

AURANIS: It has been forty-eight hours, brother. We have sufficient reconnaissance data. Neutralising the Ork Warboss was a secondary objective.

ALYXANDER: I am not leaving the fate of this world in that Corps Commander's hands. He is a fool, and they are drunk on their victory over the Orks so long ago.

VALIDUS: A Salamanders' victory.

ALYXANDER: Indeed. I will not settle for partial success. We will not have a second incursion on Dakota Minor.

GORLIN: We are His Angels!

RARAI'AN: And death is our gift.

ALYXANDER: Validus?

VALIDUS: Agreed.

ALYXANDER: Auranis?

AURANIS: ... Very well. Let us hunt this Ork.

 

+2 days, 11:59

+MANUAL ENTRY+ 

 

Rapier continued to reconnitore the forest, in search of the Ork leader.

Small mobs were engaged and dispatched.

Will continue to search the forest for another 60 hours before moving to Marker Terminus for exfiltration.

 

+2 days, 21:47

++AUDIO FEED 004 - KILL TEAM RAPIER INTERNAL VOX-LINK++                

                               

ALYXANDER: Validus. Eyes on an Ork at bearing three-four-eight.

VALIDUS: Sighted. Inloading to the feed.

AURANIS: That is not the Ork leader.

GORLIN: How do you know?

AURANIS: Do you see the spanner sigil?

GORLIN: What of it?

AURANIS: That is indicative of one of their mechanic -

GORLIN: How would you know this?

AURANIS: The Deathwatch Librarius. Somewhere you will start to frequent once this is over.

GORLIN: I do not devolve myself to study -

AURANIS: This is not debatable. We study our enemies, so we can destroy them!

ALYXANDER: Enough, both of you. I agree, Auranis. It is not the Leader. We are less than a kilometre from their camp now. Move out.

                

+3 days, 01:10

++VISUAL FEED STILL 004 - KILL TEAM RAPIER INTERNAL NOOSPHERE++                

 

The suspected Ork Warboss is sighted, as Kill Team Rapier positions themselves for a killing strike.

 

+3 days, 01:10

++AUDIO FEED 005 - KILL TEAM RAPIER INTERNAL VOX-LINK++                

                               

RARAI'AN: I see the leader.

VALIDUS: Bearing?

RARAI'AN: Three-zero-nine.

ALYXANDER: Sighted... Inloading... Auranis?

AURANIS: ... A high-ranking leader, certainly.

ALYXANDER: You seem unconvinced, brother.

AURANIS: It is hard to judge without understanding the full scale of the Ork infestation.

RARAI'AN: If there are no other contenders?

ALYXANDER: I will make the call. The Ork is marked for termination.

VALIDUS: Loading Kraken.

AURANIS: Wait. Let me line up a shot in tandem. It may have a refractor field. 

RARAI'AN: Be ready, brothers. They will run amock once it is dead.

VALIDUS: Neutralising... <bolter discharge>

AURANIS: <frag cannon discharge>    

ALYXANDER: ... Confirmed kill.

GORLIN: Ha! That was easy.

AURANIS: Indeed, easy...

RARAI'AN: What of the horde?                         

VALIDUS: ... Squabbling amongst themselves. Infighting.

GORLIN: Orks approaching, one-seven-nine!

RARAI'AN: A lot of them!

ALYXANDER: Rapier, engage the beasts! <heavy weapons fire>

RARAI'AN: Artillery incoming!

ALYXANDER: Take heading two-zero-zero. Move, Rapier! <12 seconds of over-threshold noise>

GORLIN: <laughter>

AURANIS: What is it, Gorlin?

GORLIN: <laughter> That was not called in on us!

ALYXANDER: <unintelligible; laugher?> The Emperor smiles on us.

AURANIS: We should move to exfiltration.

ALYXANDER: Agreed, brother.

                  

+3 days, 01:30                   

+MANUAL ENTRY+
                               

Suspected Ork warlord terminated by Validus and Auranis.                          

Squabbling and infighting immediately occured upon the Ork horde.            

Kill Team Rapier was set upon by an Ork mob, but was dealt with by their own artillery assets.
Returning to Blackstar at Marker Terminus.

           

+3 days, 09:11                

+MANUAL ENTRY+

 

Extraction by Blackstar at Marker Terminus.

 

+APPENDIX I+

 

Cartograph of sighted Ork encampments and estimates of force strength, as well as Kill-Team Rapier's path thro

 

++++INLOAD ENDS++++

 

 

                                           

Rapier, well done. I applaud your initiative.

Leave the rest of them to the DMDC. Let them have their battle.

Return to the Scepter. I have another assignment for you.

 

Inquisitor Malethann, Ordo Xenos

 

++++INLOAD ENDS++++