[RP] Verus Imperator Adventum

[The emperors chosen]

Day 3, the forest

"sir, im getting a vox message!,It appeares that the beacon is failing" Lysander said,"its telling us to return to the camp,and withdraw from the planet'

"What?!"James said incrediously

"thats nonsense, weve just discovered anenemy encampmentif you csa,send a message back saying the we will continue on with the search,and will withdraw when I see fit.

"at once my lord"said Lysander,ans went off to try and send the message.

[Kadaeux]

*In Character*

*Day 3*

 

Inquisitor Ryas listened as he monitored the vox traffic across the globe the forest burned lightly around the Starhawk bomber as its ramp descended a small camp of chaos corrupted mutants, cultists and even something better known simply as spawn. The weapons of the Starhawk had made short order of this small insignificant camp and Ryas and his combat team had shortened the list further.

 

They moved through the burning trees with catlike grace before Ryas uttered the command word and the Arco Flagellants ceased hunting. Everything was dead and very very messily.

 

But now this new message came through and Ryas was curious. Stanislaus certainly knew they would ignore the message and hunt him more fervently for the audacity of it.

 

Ryas even laughed gaining an odd look from the Stormtroopers guarding the ramp. He walked up the ramp with a smile and entered the Vox chamber. "This is Inquisitor Ryas to all Inquisition forces." He double checked it was on the hunts secure channel. "This forest is full of Chaos Encampments and followers. I suggest we burn it down." He shut off the vox and linked to the ships systems. "Lascannons. Fire on the forest and get it blazing."

 

"You want to start a fire Inquisitor?" The Starhawks gunnery officer queried.

 

"Negative. I want a blazing inferno."

 

 

 

OOC: Sorry bout the "away" status. Family/Christmas etc :P

[Grand Master Tyrak]

*Out of character*

Right, I think I've waited long enough.

 

*In character*

Day 3, 0130, Maeroc Landing Site.

 

Inquisitor Hayes tapped the microbead under his cap

"Inquisitor Ryas, this is Inquisitor Hayes. I'll request precision strikes from the Firebird to aid you. Be advised, though, the foul powers will no doubt protect the cult sites, don't expect them to be anything more than easily locatable following the fire. The strikes may take some time, I'm having trouble raising the Firebird . . ."

 

* * *

Firebird Rising

 

"Stanislaus, I've heard your garbage before and my answer remains the same - you will not be interfering in my plans."

Tyrak looked at Elbe.

"Jam it."

The Techpriest issued from under his cowl a screech of feedback and binary code, distorting the holo-projected image, which flickered and blinked out of existence.

"That's him dealt with."

Elbe didn't answer, but instead continued their walk into the launch bay.

 

The squat form of Tyrak's Thunderhawk Gunship nestled in the hangar bay. Striding up the launch ramp, he saw Serk finalising the deactivation of some of the technical servitors to be packed in the Thunderhawk's hold.

"That's enough, Serk, it's time to go."

"Yes sir."

Serk moved to his seat in the upper hold and buckled himself in, whilst Elbe moved up to the flight deck.

Tyrak scanned the row of passengers.

"Elbe, seal the ship!"

A hiss of air accompanied the Thunderhawk being void-sealed prior to launch.

One by one Tyrak psychically scanned each and every person's mind. He would not allow Domino on board at any cost. Fortunately, this was where the Callidus' defences would work against her. Each member of Tyrak's crew had been trained to accept his mental intrusion into their minds for telepathic communication - a Callidus would have impenetrable mind-blocks to prohibit this, and no Polymorphine could counter-act those effects. Polymorphine was also restricted in that it could not mimic inanimate objects, so all his bases were covered. Scanning his Navigator, Barrell, hurt his mind due to the effects of Barrell's third eye.

 

Satisfied that Domino was not masquerading as a member of his crew, nor were there any unidentified life forms on board, Tyrak scrambled past the many boxes and deactivated servitors in the lower hold, went up to the flight deck and began to link his armour to the pilot's chair interfaces. In the co-pilot's seat, Elbe had already intermeshed his bionics with the Thunderhawk's systems. Thaddeus was present in the navigator's seat, and Serk had finished strapping himself in at the gunner's station.

Tyrak heard the whine of the engines starting up, Elbe already muttering prayers to the Thunderhawk's machine spirit. He began his checks.

"Weapons?"

"Check," responded Serk.

"Navigation systems?"

"Check," intoned Thaddeus.

"Good. Ready?" Tyrak inquired of Elbe.

"++Ready++"

"Right. Engines, check, retro, check, booster, check . . . and very gently . . ease forward."

There was an almighty crash of the deactivated servitors being sent flying into the back of the hold as the Thunderhawk shot out of the landing bay. Elbe put his head in his mechandendrites.

"Oops. Emperor guide my hand."

 

In the far distance at the system jump point, Tyrak saw the ships of Admiral Cyrus' Third Reserve Fleet translate back into realspace, Geller Fields shimmering with energy as they dissipated. Instead of moving in-system, however, they immediately formed a stationary battle line across the jump point, allowing the Thunderhawk to approach under the protection of their guns. As the great bulk of the Domine Canis loomed before his eyes, Tyrak enquired,

"How far behind is the hulk?"

"Currently thirteen standard hours from intercepting the Firebird. I imagine it won't attempt to attack the fleet."

"It won't get the chance."

"Sensors report that Hayes' shuttle has left the atmosphere and is inbound on the Firebird."

"Good. Inform me as soon as the shuttle reaches the Firebird, we still need to tie up the loose ends."

 

*Out of character*

Right, there we go. Events are moving on, but probably not as some of you would have expected Tyrak to act. :)

Ripath, since Tyrak has already heard Stanislaus' message he's dismissed it out of hand, but Inquisitor Hayes hasn't, he's waiting at the landing site.

[Kadaeux]

Ryas aknowledged the message from Tyrak with a smile before ordering his own Cobra destroyer into geosynchronous orbit. Forest fires were already beginning to spread at a horrifying rate as the gatling lascannons scythed through the forests. It was worse when the Cobras own weapons fire lit up. Plasma shots from orbit capable of annihilating a Warlord titan in a single shot screamed down igniting entire tracts of forest with each blast. But it was a big forest. The Firebird just might be needed to burn down the forest in an economical amount of time.

 

The crew of the Thunderhawk watched out its windows at the sweeping arc of flame. Even now Ryas was picking up vast amounts of Vox traffic from within the forest. "Ryas to Inquisitorial contingent. I have picked up at least eighty chaos groups within the forest communicating with one another. So far, if the camp I just destroyed is any indicator, we're looking at 400-600 enemies.

[Captain Hajime]

Day Three

 

After a Fruitless search Donald, Abby and James return with their stormtroopers to the Landing area only to be quite Suprised by all the activatity.

 

"I think something is amiss here" says Donald.

 

Abby looks arounds and remarks "I have a bad feeeling about this."

[Eisenwolf]

*IC*

 

-----Day 3-----

 

-----The Jungle-----

 

Corvinus and his men had destroyed the Jamming beacon, just before the sky lit up with Orbital Fire, cursing the man who had ordered such a foolhardy and self serving plan they had retreated back the way they had come towards the Landing Site. They were angry now, angrier than they had been previously as the lancing fire swept through the Jungle they were in, surely someone at the Landing Site had told the Orbiting Vessels that they were still in the Jungle? Hurrying past the bodies of the foes they had killed on their way through they ran as fast as they could to get clear before a lucky shot took them all out.

 

-----Inquisitorial Landing Zone-----

 

Cadmus had acknowledged the Inquisitors reply with stony silence, before the air was split with the sound of Orbital fire raining down upon the jungle. He span his sarcophagus and calculated trajectories from his position relative to the rough location that his Brothers had set off, and quickly determined that they were in the line of fire. Turning back to the Inquisitor his voice was filled with ice cold rage, "Inquisitor My Brothers are still in the Jungle, tell me why this Bombardment has begun?"

[Kadaeux]

"Inquisitor My Brothers are still in the Jungle, tell me why this Bombardment has begun?"

 

*IC*

 

"Simple. The foul Chaos have fortified themselves using the forest to conceal themselves. No Forest no concealment. I am also operating within the bombardment zone and feel such a risk is a necessity to expose the dangers we face. Give me the co-ordinates and i'll pick up your brothers myself. Alternatively send their locator beacon frequency to my vessel in orbit so that gunnery can avoid them. I am setting the forest alight. Thus the vessel is targetting the ripest areas for a conflagration to begin. Purity through flame." Ryas answered the call not bothering to inform the Inquisitor that Tyrak had also authorised bombardment of the forests. He made the call he would take responsibility for his own suggestions.

 

"Try and find the location of the Inquisitor and his party so that we can arrange a pick up if the fool at the camp cannot." He ordered the servitors.

[Inquisitor =D=]

{Day 3 0134 TST- Maeroc Landing Site}

 

Fire reigned from the heavens, the power of the gods themselves unleashed on the planet. God-like to those not accustomed to taking large chunks out of a planet with the flick of a switch. Even after years of seeing destruction of this scale it was still an impressive site. Every shot falling from the sky atomizing the very clouds before the shock of impact sent them scattering. This close to the impact sites the concussion was grand. Inquisitor Blake Decklan for once found himself confused at this new event and in that moment forgot his native tongue.

 

"Hayes.... Are those our guns?" He asked, and Hayes nodded his agreement.

 

"Don't we still have ground troops in that?" Another nod from Hayes.

 

"Someone's getting impatient eh?" Another nod.

 

(OOC- Well... guess its time to sit tight and roast some marshmallows over the heretic's corpse huh?)

[Eisenwolf]

*IC*

 

-----Day 3-----

 

-----Inquisitorial Landing Site-----

 

The Dreadnought did not move for long moments his Baroque mask impassive as he stared down at the screen, "That will not be Necessary Inquisitor, your ineptitude and callous disregard for the sons of the Emperor are quite apparent. I will deal with you after I have recovered my Brothers from the jungle." Cadmus moved his powerfist forwards and crushed the video relay unit before stomping back to the side of the first Inquisitor he had met. "I must leave to retrieve my Brothers, to you I entrust the safety of this camp. By his will may you defend it, and with his might smite the enemies that may descend upon it." Cadmus straightened up to look at the sky for a moment before stomping aboard the Thunderhawk. "Brothers we leave now! Brother-Captain Corvinus is in danger every moment we tarry, let us descend into the maelstrom and pluck them from the foolhardy choices of the Inquisition who would damn them." The crew moved rapidly sealing all ports and starting up the engines as they did so, it did not take long for the engines of the mighty vessel to roar into life, they could only pray that they arrived in time as they moved towards the last known location that the transmissions had come from.

[ripath]

IC

day two aboard the magni

"If you choose to stay so be it, may the graves you dig be deep enough to fit all of your men in." replied Stanislaus before hitting the projectors off switch. He leaned on the console. "I'll just rest a moment." he said as he closed his eyes and experienced the nightmares that he was too numb to feel.

 

“Sir, the catachans have found objective alpha and are withdrawing from the planet. “ La faire said from the doorway.

“And Folkvar?”

“He is in the landing bay currently, He said that due to the gravity of the situation that formal honor gaurds would not be necessary.”

“Prepare the fifteen. The real fight begins.”

 

Atmospheric entry day two

A lone escape pod flew towards its destination on the planet a lone passenger its cargo.

[Captain Malachi]

*IC*

Day 3, inquisitorial camp.

 

"Yes ancient one." Turning to face the Tech-magos moving towards him, he didn't bother asking if the valkyrie was ready. "Alasor, take the Valourous Heart and pick up Jachai and the inquisitor he went with." A curt nod was his only reply.

 

-------

Day 3, in the jungle.

 

The roar of the valkyries engines was Jachais ony warning. "Get in" he heard Liam shouting from the landing ramp. Grabbing Inquisitor James and all his men, Jachai entered the Valkyrie and settled in for the trip for back to the landing site.

 

*OOC*

Sorry Emperors Chosen, but I'm assuming you didn't want to get toasted, looks like we're all going home for a bit.

[Grand Master Tyrak]

*Out of character*

 

Ryas aknowledged the message from Tyrak

 

Hayes. Tyrak is currently uncontactable and no-one knows why . . .

 

*In character*

 

Day 3, Firebird Rising, 0400

 

The Aquila touched down in the deserted hangar bay, landing lights piercing the gloom. Khalar and Chiiss swiftly dropped the passenger compartment and exited the craft.

"Where is everyone?"

 

* * *

 

Domine Canis

 

The Thunderhawk settled gently down onto the deck of the starboard hangar bay, row upon row of Furies, Starhawks, Shark Assault Boats, Thunderhawks, Marauders and even a few Lightning squadrons stretching out before it.

In front of all these a row of officers stood in a line to the left of the Thunderhawk, gold trim sparkling on dark blue uniforms, and to the right a military band stood ready.

Between the lines, directly in front of the Thunderhawk, stood Admiral Cyrus.

 

A fairly tall man, as all void-born were, Cyrus wore the dark blue Navy dress uniform, trimmed and braided with gold, and with gold epaulettes sitting heavy on his shoulders. The top of his white undershirt was visible at his neck, and his dark blue Navy cap was equally trimmed and braided with gold. As Tyrak marched down the Thunderhawk's ramp, he and his officers snapped to the salute, the band pouring out martial music. Tyrak returned the salute.

"How are you, Cyrus?"

"Well, sir."

"Is everything in readiness?"

Cyrus smiled.

"No time for pleasantries, eh? Yes, everything is ready and there is little more you can do other than give the word."

Tyrak chuckled.

"Hmph. All right then."

The two men moved along the row of officers, Cyrus introducing Tyrak as they went.

"My flag-officer, Captain Heinrich. Captain Felch, Valedictor. Commodore Alfus, Valiant."

Tyrak stopped in front of the white-haired commodore, who growled,

"How are you, son?"

"Never better," Tyrak responded, "I don't suppose you ever found out about my parents?"

"Part of gun-crew 17, killed at Pulist. That's all we know."

"Oh well, thank you anyway."

"Huh. Is that all I get? You're over a hundred years overdue back from the Progenium."

"Heh. An unavoidable delay."

Alfus grinned.

"I bet. Good to see you again . . . sir."

 

Tyrak finished his inspection and moved off, Cyrus by his side when Elbe interrupted him.

"++Hayes' shuttle has reached the Firebird.++"

Elbe handed Tyrak a detonator.

Turning to the viewport, through which he could see the Firebird Rising, Tyrak muttered under his breath,

"Machine Spirit, hear this and know rest. Thou has done thy duty and fulfilled thy purpose. Now find peace in the care of the Omnissiah."

He pressed the trigger.

 

Out in the darkness of the void, the Firebird blew, an explosion tearing this ship in two, killing Chiiss and Khalar instantly. Secondary explosions rocked the two halves of the ship, turning it into little more than scattered debris. Gas contrails marked where the saviour pods had auto-launched and been scattered, most to impact harmlessly on the planet's surface.

 

"It is done," remarked Cyrus.

"Hayes knew the location of the rendezvous, from there he could have followed us. It was necessary for him to die. He is a sacrifice necessary to ensure the continuation of the Imperium, just as we are. He had to die. Now the Traitor will be revealed, and hopefully we can deal with him before following our own plans."

"++Our turn will come in time.++"

 

* * *

Maeroc Landing site

 

The explosion lit up the sky, immediately catching Hayes' eye.

"Throne," he whispered.

[Kadaeux]

*IC*

 

Ryas listened to the update. "The Firebird destroyed?" he cursed at the answer and punched the wall his power armoured fist leaving a fist sized dent in the wall.

 

"Put me through to Varstok." For ten minutes Ryas awaited for the connection his astropath struggling to maintain concentration when he could feel his masters psychic blankness so closely.

 

"Varstok this is Inquisitor Ryas. Contact Admiral Dress. Inform him to bring his fleet here immediately. We will be returning to you immediately. Inform the Admiral that I will be commandeering the Battleship Aggamemnon as my flagship." The message was snapped out across the tenuos link but immediately Captian Varstok put his astropathic choir to contacting the Admiral. It took a mere half-hour for a response to come. Ryas had the Admiral well placed a mere four systems away. The Inquisitors feelings that a large fleet presence would be required wasn't far off.

 

 

***

 

Cobra Destroyer Silent Night.

 

Ryas stepped down the Starhawks ramp into the limited landing bay on the Cobra Destroyers decks as Captain Varstok emerged to meet him. "Captain we don't have the time for pleasantries. De-orbit now and put us at high anchor."

 

"But the bombardment?" Varstok objected.

 

"Forget it. Once you've acheived high anchor I want you to load both torpedo tubes with Cyclonic torpedoes. This is rapidly devolving into something far worse and if we risk losing this world I will not permit it to fall into the hands of traitors." The Captains mouth was agape. He hoped he would never have to issue the order to load the torpedoes that had been loaded onto the Silent Night by Ryas before they even set out on this mission. Six great torpedoes handled by specialists from the Adeptus Mechanicus had been loaded aboard taking a full quarter of the Cobra's capacity.

 

Ryas moved towards the bridge flanked by Naval troopers and the Varstok the Inquisitors presence making them all uncomfortable. They merely attributed it to his Inquisitorial status.

 

They watched out of the bridge arpetures as the cannons stopped firing the blossoms of flame on the surface begginning to rage with vehement light visible from space. In a mere four hours since the bombardment began one of the fires had reached nearly a thousand kilometres across the efficient fire from the Cobra working beyond all reason. Ryas considered that perhaps his decision to fire the forest had been hasty. Perhaps the inferno had taken on a chaos tainted quality.

 

With a thought he put it from his mind and turned to the Strategium. Icons moved across it in an almost artistic fashion. Of the most note was that tagged as the Ork Space Hulk. Ryas considered that perhaps it wasn't an Ork hulk. Perhaps it was something else.

 

No, he cast the thought away and turned his highly tuned intellect to the purge of Stanislaus. Why in such a short time had an Inquisitorial Conclave fallen apart so quickly? How did it happen. Anyone could give excuses. Radicals, Puritans and even Almathians. None of it fit into the puzzle box that was Ryas' mind. It didn't fit.

 

Who was everyone siding with? What were their goals? To Ryas the only important thing was the objective Stanislaus. But in the larger picture Stanislaus had become a mere symptom. A precursor to whatever had begun to afflict the minds of his colleagues. Were they under Psyker influence or control? Ryas merely getting close to them would cure them of that temporarily. Was there some other objective these Inquisitors desired that caused them to use Stanislaus as an excuse for their presence?

 

Ryas decided that Stanislaus could wait that these were more pressing issues to deal with.

 

"Inquisitor the torpedoes are loaded." Varstok interjected into Ryas' thoughts.

 

"The Emperor Protects." Ryas replied ignoring the parroting of those in earshot. "If I tell you to fire those torpedoes Varstok you will not hesitate. You WILL fire, reload and fire until all the torpedoes are expended. You will ignore ANY orders to the contrary. If you disobey you will be declared a traitor and killed understood." The way Ryas phrased the 'question' made it quite clear it wasn't a question but an instruction. The way Ryas held onto his sidearm made it clear that anything else would usher in a sudden and summary replacement.

 

 

 

*OOC*

 

Ryas will not fire the Torpedoes unless its deemed absolutely necessary by him. Nobody else knows that the Silent Night is carrying them except the command crew of the Silent Night and the torpedoes tech specialists.

 

BTW this sort of move is characteristic of Ryas.

 

The now incoming fleet (7 hours out) consists of an Emperor class battleship, 2 Mars Class Battlecruisers, 4 Gothic class cruisers and 24 assorted escorts.

[Captain Malachi]

*OOC*

Kadaeux, whatever you do, don't bomb the planet while we're down there ;)

[Grand Master Tyrak]

*Out of character*

Well, since another fleet is inbound, I guess it's time for me to come clean on Tyrak's agenda.

 

BTW Kadaeux, the objective of the Conclave is the traitor Inquisitor Basavriuk, Stanislaus is an unknown quantity and a third party.

 

*In character*

 

Day 3, Domine Canis, 0600

 

"Sir, the fleet is ready for departure".

"Very good, Admiral. Give me fleet-wide vox."

Tyrak muttered to Cyrus,

"Are you sure the confessors have done their work? This is the critical juncture."

"Yes sir, the message has been preached for months now. The officers are with you, as are the armsmen. No others have the strength to even attempt resistance, nor will they know the truth."

"Vox on-line," chimed the comms officer

 

Tyrak cleared his throat.

"Men and women of the Imperial Navy. You have all been told of the great sacrifices required to maintain the Imperium of Man. Today you have a chance to partake in that sacrifice, and recieve your reward at the right hand of the Emperor himself. I will not hold back the truth from you. The Imperium will fall if it stands by its ideals, cast down by the myriad enemies that seek to tear down its gates and destroy all that we hold dear. Yet if the Imperium loses its ideals, it will fall in a different manner, and all that we hold dear will be destroyed not by alien foes, but by ourselves. The Imperium must stand, but it must stand on the same ideals that carried us across the stars in the Great Crusade, when our Emperor walked among us and smote the foes of Man.

So it falls to us, here and now, to sacrifice ourselves upon the altar of the continued Imperium. We must leave the Imperium in order to save it. The Imperium itself cannot employ heretical methods without losing itself, but if we sacrifice ourselves by employing such methods, then we can save the Imperium without corrupting it. Men will call us heretics, the Inquisition will hunt us, and our brothers and sisters will despise us and strike our names from the records. And they will be right to do so, for we will have abandoned all that the Imperium stands for. But by that act, we will preserve the Imperium. Not for ourselves, but for others and the future of Mankind!

We will hunt down the daemonic and destroy it wherever it can be found. But to that we need allies. I am proud to welcome Master Shaper Trueborn, and his Kroot army, into our ranks, to stand with us against a greater threat. Now it is up to us to stand against the daemonic, and perhaps at the end, the Emperor will show us clemency."

 

Tyrak shut off the vox. Silence reigned on the bridge, as every officer watched the sensors of signs of weapons powering up on the other ships. There were none. As Cyrus had said, there would be no resistance.

"Had I been born anywhere else I could not have achieved this," Tyrak muttered under his breath.

Turning, he found Trueborn standing next to Elbe. The Shaper towered head and shoulders over te Techpriest. The Master Shaper spoke in a guttural Low Gothic,

"That concludes contract, yes?"

"Yes. Your emissary reached Pech?"

"Yes. New strengths to add to our armies."

"You will gain plenty more with me. But no Chaos, understand?"

"My kindreds understand."

 

Turning to Captain Heinrich, Tyrak ordered,

"Full speed to the rendezvous point, Captain. Form in line astern.

"Aye sir."

The comms officer let out an exclamation.

"Sir, message from the convoy leader. The supply transports and the escorts have reached the rendezvous base, but better still, they managed to ambush an anchored Explorator fleet returning to base! Apparently most was destroyed by the Techpriests, but we managed to secure a Retribution class battleship, and a Gothic Cruiser squadron, all with Nova Cannons!"

Tyrak's habitual neutral expression broke into a wide grin.

"Excellent. I'll take the Retribution as my flagship, from now on she is the Firebird Resplendent!"

Tyrak turned to Cyrus, but his grin rapidly faded into a frown. Something was wrong. He could sense a psychic signature on the planet that should not be there. Hayes. Hayes was alive.

Hayes, who knew the rendezvous point, and would broadcast it immediately he knew the truth. And with Admiral Dress inbound there was no time to go back and finish the job!

 

Brain rapidly working, Tyrak came to an awful realisation. Hayes had suffered his loss at Tyrak's hands. The Explorator fleet, the Fallen Citadel of the Mechanicum. The rendezvous was known, the Space Marines would come to avenge the Mechanicum's loss. The 'pirate base' was his rendezvous base! He had to get to there first.

"Throne," he muttered, "I am the Traitor."

 

Battlefleet Tyrak slipped into the warp, the debris of the Firebird Rising the only evidence of their passing.

 

* * *

 

+++ Incoming Transmission +++

 

+++ Destinations: Imperial Navy Headquarters, Cypra Mundi, Hydraphur, Bakka, Kar Duniash, Mars; Exorcists Chapter Master, location not disclosed. +++

 

By the order of the Immortal Emperor of Mankind.

Inquisitor Tyrak is hereby convicted of the crimes of tech-heresy, sedition, and conspiring with Xenos, and is hereby declared Excommunicate Traitoris. His authority and rewards are revoked. The punishment is death.

 

May the Emperor have mercy on his soul, for we shall not.

 

+++ End Transmission +++

 

*Out of character*

Well, there you have it ladies and gentlemen, the Tarot gave its warning, Tyrak misinterpeted it, and all it took was for Tzeentch to provide the Daemon for Hayes to kill.

 

Hayes will stick around though, so I'm not out of it yet.

[The emperors chosen]

*OOC*

Sorry Emperors Chosen, but I'm assuming you didn't want to get toasted, looks like we're all going home for a bit.

ooc

its ok

IC,day 3, camp

"what happened,I was conducting an investigation,when suddenly theres fire everywhere,it was only through Jachais actions that I am safe,now explain what happened,and why i just got a message saying that your master was just proclaimed a traitor, i thing you ahave some explaining to do Hayes"

[Grand Master Tyrak]

*In character*

 

"Sir, I may no longer be under Inquisitor Tyrak's command, but I must remind you it is no small thing to call another Inquisitor traitor. I expect you to either support your accusations or withdraw them - immediately."

 

*Out of character*

How the hell do you know Tyrak's gone traitor? All that has happened is the fleet has turned up, left again with Tyrak on board, and the Firebird Rising has exploded with no apparent cause. Seriously, do a bit of digging first. None of us are omniscient. You'd at least have to have a look at the wreckage of the Firebird Rising to find out it was caused by remote trigger. Confusion is king in the Conclave when it comes to what happened to Tyrak.

 

Still, you can all have fun arguing over who's the next head of the Conclave. :wub:

[Eisenwolf]

*IC*

 

-----Day 3-----

 

-----The Jungle-----

 

Captain Corvinus and his men had reached the point where his Brother had lost his leg to the plasma explosion, they were wary of continuing further forwards as the fires were spreading rapidly around them. They paused for this moment to offer a prayer for salvation, as they activated their locator beacon, hoping against hope that they would be found. As they shouldered weapons again and prepared to push onwards to the Camp the faint roar of engines could be heard, they glanced up to the sky as the roar approached them finally blotting out the sky as the Eternal Castigator descended onto their position. The Astartes ran towards the vessel as the rear ramp lowered the mighty vessel holding position steadily, a testament to those who manned it. As the squad mounted up Cadmus watched over them his twin autocannon playing over the jungle, Captain Corvinus was the last to haul himself aboard as the vessel began to pull away and the rear ramp closed behind them. "Welcome back Brothers, there have been a few... Developments whilst you sought out the Jamming Beacon, I will Explain on the return Journey." Corvinus grimaced as he sank back into the seating and removed his helmet, "It is good to see you Honoured Brother, tell me, what is it that has transpired?" The Eternal Castigator soared back to the Camp, as Cadmus explained the current happenings.

[The emperors chosen]

IC,day three, camp

"My ship the ranger just reported in that the Firebird Rising had exploded, and that a large fleet had just left,alos, my ship sesors detected a high frequency beam aimed at Tyraks ship right before it exploded, seeing as how a feet of Imperial ships recently left system,ad the only way that they could do that id with tyraks orders(beig the head inquisitor and all..) i feel that Tyrak is strongly involved."

 

OC

lets see what hayes thinks of that...

[Inquisitor Fox]

(OOC)

 

I don't check the internet for a couple days and everything goes bottom up.. gotta love the internet! There's a bit of time jumping, for which I apologize. I have to get things done to "catch up." I'll work on it for the next couple of days.

 

(IC)

 

Jungle going after initial survivors from initial landing, sometime middle/late day 2

 

The trek through the jungle had led them to a cave system. The survivors were camped in limestone cliffs, with jungle plants all around. How deep the cave system that William had led them to, Nicole could not say, not without going inside. "Excellent work, William. Now we just have to force our way inside."

 

Nicole looked over at Sergeant Figaro. "Prepare for an assault. After we secure the caves we'll set up camp here. Sister Helena, you may do your healing once we have eliminated any hostiles and moved inside. William, go find our missing assassins, they've been gone too long."

 

Nicole looked over at Gabriel and smiled. "Now the fun begins." She took out her combi bolter-stake crossbow, and nodded over at Sergeant Figaro. The fire of grenade launchers and the explosions of frag grenades was the prelude to hellgun fire. Turning and working her way inside the report of her bolter added to the chaos as they stormed inside. "Leave a few alive, men! I want minds to interrogate."

 

(OOC)

 

I will continue over the next few days. Shunch is AWOL but the orcs and the flaming jungle will delay that mission anyway. Nicole and party will take shelter in the caves from the fire, so they'll survive the flames.

[Grand Master Tyrak]

*In character*

 

"What possible reason could Lord Tyrak have for destroying his own ship? More to the point, any officer from the rank of Ensign upwards can give a fire order, and there are many lance turrets on the fleet. Besides, he may brought the fleet here merely to conduct a confidential briefing in person, and sent the fleet on its way. More to the point, there is a fully functioning Ork hulk in orbit. Have you not considered their involvement? Finally, assuming Lord Tyrak did destroy his own ship, it is not a crime and he is perfectly entitled to do."

 

*Out of character*

Right, here we go. You still need to examine the wreckage to determine that the ship was destroyed from within. That should place the seed of suspicion and trigger Hayes' next reaction. That's really all you can do given that you're not privy to the Battlefleet encrypted communications codes.

 

EDIT

"Leave a few alive, men! I want minds to interrogate."

 

Damn, that's a good point. I never did get to interrogate my prisoner. Oh well, he met a sticky end at short notice. :P

 

Radicals, Puritans and even Almathians

 

Hey, what makes the Amalathians non-Puritan all of a sudden?

[Kadaeux]

OOC: How many ships and what class are in this fleet Tyrak has just Grand Theft Auto'd?

 

Also, substitute Stanislaus for Basavriuk. Posting late at night makes Kadaeux a wrong-namer.

 

IC:

 

Ryas watched the departure of the fleet with condemnation on his lips and mind. "Inquisitor, we have detected unusual warp signatures in the direction that Tyrak is headed." Varstok paused. "It is as if a ship is bouncing off of the barrier between the warp and realspace according to the navigators."

 

Ryas considered it carefully. "Tau? One of their xenos allies?" He muttered before letting it pass from his mind. If Tyrak had gone rogue he would be brought to justice soon enough. "Captain make for the remains of the Firebird Rising."

 

*5 Hours Later*

 

Ryas examined the wreckage with a trained eye as Tech Priests, Engineers and other qualified personell examined the wreckage. "Ok what are your findings?" He asked the assembled personel. Those not actually of the Adeptus Mechanicus offered nothing as expected. But there was a gem, the Tech Preist Jakath Meridian.

 

"We are lucky to have found any wreckage at all." The cogboy began, "The destruction had to have been caused by a remote device for no loyalist or traitor would have willingly done what was intended to happen." A glare by Ryas urged the cogboy to continued. "It was a powerful blast. Preliminary testing suggests a strategically placed Plasma Warhead near the reactors. Fortunately for us when it detonated the blast doors between the reactor core and the bomb was in place."

 

"Fortunately? Imperial Navy personell are dead and this is FORTUNATE!" Ryas roared.

 

"Yes." The simple statement stunned everyone present. "The blast was intended to cause a warp field collapse. According to my preliminary studies if they had been successful we would be studying no wreckage and thus would be unaware that mere nanoseconds before the explosion the bridge signal recorders recorded a single tight-beam signal from the fleet. Most importantly it was encrypted. With Tyraks encryption codes."

 

"How would you know that? Inquisitorial Encryption cannot be broken without higher inquisitorial decryption software." Ryas responded.

 

"Correct, but the header always mentions who did the encryption." The cogboy looked smug.

 

Ryas immediately commandeered the ships communications array.

 

+++Transmitting+++

 

+++ Destinations: Imperial Navy Headquarters, Cypra Mundi, Hydraphur, Bakka, Kar Duniash, Mars; Exorcists Chapter Master, location not disclosed. +++

 

By the order of the Immortal Emperor of Mankind.

Inquisitor Tyrak is hereby convicted of the crimes of tech-heresy, sedition, and conspiring with Xenos, and is hereby declared Excommunicate Traitoris. His authority and rewards are revoked. The punishment is death.

 

May the Emperor have mercy on his soul, for we shall not.

 

+++ End Transmission +++

 

To the file Ryas appended the results of his investigation into the Firebird Rising including a decrypted magenta level message using Tyraks codes. It contained a single word. "Detonate"

[Kadaeux]

Radicals, Puritans and even Almathians

 

Hey, what makes the Amalathians non-Puritan all of a sudden?

 

OOC: Amalathians are more a "balanced" group than "Mono-dominant" and "Radicals" where I put Puritan I meant mono-dominants.

 

Also I was in best position to examine the wreckage and have done so, even if it did take five hours :P

[Grand Master Tyrak]

Interrogator Serk interrupted Tyrak's musings.

"Sir, Admiral Cyrus reports he has left dock and is proceeding with full speed to the sector jump-point."

"Good. Did he provide a fleet manifest?"

"Yes sir, he did. He reports that he was able to get hold of a detachment five ships of obsolete classes from the First Reserve Fleet, and apologises for the hour's delay that caused for their crews to familiarise themselves with the ships. They are a Repulsive Class Grand Cruiser, a Hades Class Heavy Cruiser, and a squadron of a Carnage Class Cruiser and two Murder Class Cruisers."

Serk handed Tyrak a dataslate. Tyrak glanced at it, reading under his breath.

"Right. Emperor-Class Battleship Domine Canis, leading. Vengeance Class Grand Cruiser Annihilator, Exorcist Class Grand Cruiser Death Knell, Repulsive Class Grand Cruiser Avenger, Hades Class Heavy Cruiser Valedictor, Mars Class Battlecruiser Martian Fury. Squadron One, Lunar Class Cruisers Valiant, commanding, Crusader and Morning Star. Squadron Two, Lunar Class Cruisers Lance, commanding, Imperator Rex and Sea Fortress.

Mixed Cruiser Squadron 'A', Carnage Class Cruiser Aggressor, commanding, Murder Class Cruisers Aggravator and Antagonist. Dictator Class Cruisers Lion and Dragon, unsquadroned.

Squadron White, Dauntless Class Cruisers Lord Hautur, commanding, Servitude and Mortis. Squadron Blue, Endeavour Class Cruisers Warrior, commanding, Wraith and Warlord, with attached Endurance Class Light Cruiser Judgement.

Squadron 'E', Sword Class Frigates Emperor, commanding, Executor, Enforcer and Eleanor. Squadron 'F', Sword Class Frigates Fury, commanding, Ferocious, Fateful and Farsight. Squadron 'I', Sword Class Frigates Indefatigable, commanding, Indomitable, Illuminator and Insidious. Squadron 'R', Cobra Class Destroyers Redoubtable, commanding, Ravager, Retributor and Razor."

Tyrak handed the dataslate back and returned to his thoughts

 

Copied from an earlier post. Most of the escorts were part of a convoy en-route to the rendezvous point and so aren't mentioned in this list. If you're interested, it's the Third Reserve Fleet out of Hydraphur, and its taken from the Battlefleet Obscuras BFG list, explaining how it got the obsolete Cruiser classes in there.

 

"Fortunately? Several thousand Imperial Navy personell are dead and this is FORTUNATE!" Ryas roared.

 

That cog-boy of yours will be stuck on smug mode once he points out that the manifest details only 30 crew and 250 servitors. (I should probably have mentioned the exact numbers before) The Firebird Rising is (was) a Q-Ship, that's freighter size. Smaller than an escort, which have crews in the hundreds. More to the point, only 2 crew and 235 servitors were present at the time, the rest having been evacuated or on the planet with Hayes.

 

This is much better. Now someone just has to provide Hayes with that information . . .

[Kadaeux]

"Fortunately? Several thousand Imperial Navy personell are dead and this is FORTUNATE!" Ryas roared.

 

That cog-boy of yours will be stuck on smug mode once he points out that the manifest details only 30 crew and 250 servitors. (I should probably have mentioned the exact numbers before) The Firebird Rising is (was) a Q-Ship, that's freighter size. Smaller than an escort, which have crews in the hundreds. More to the point, only 2 crew and 235 servitors were present at the time, the rest having been evacuated or on the planet with Hayes.

 

This is much better. Now someone just has to provide Hayes with that information . . .

 

Hmm, i'll have to edit my post. I figured it was at least a Cruiser class vessel having not seen a post with its description in it.