Pushed towards a Putsch.

[Joeyray]

Thought I would give this a bash Gents, hope you like it, C&C welcome as per!

 

The Room was in near complete darkness, save for the pale green glow from the powered table in the centre.
Surrounding it was a number of chairs, many occupied by figures who's
attention was focussed on the image projected from the table-top. The
contemplative silence was only broken by the whirr and hum of servos
and joints as these granite giants shifted and settled as their
attention moved across the plot. Only the background hum of the vast
Leviathan under power was the score to such a scene.

A face tinged green by the light leaned forward showing a permanent
broken nose set above a well kept moustache. It twitched and bristled
as the figure worked his jaw in thought before speaking his mind in
the usual curmudgeonly tone. “ I say we obliterate this
inconsequential piece of scrap to the void, no one else has to find
out what will transpire here apart from us, them
and a few crew members than can either be ordered to forget things or
be silenced.” Captain Hindenburg of the Fifth sat back and awaited
a reply from the top of the table.

 

 

 

That figure was by the standards set by most who held the privileged position of Chapter
Master clad in modest M.K III decorated only with the Imperial Eagle
and a few stylized military crosses that gave a hint to their shared
linage with the fanatical Templar's. A gaunt face, out of proportion
to the majority of humanity, still seemed to retain a good measure of
individuality among the stereotype of bull necks, scar tissue and
unsightly gigantism that pervaded the transhuman phenotype , regarded
all who sat before him. Generalchaptermarshal Moltke
considered his response carefully.

 

 

 

“We must humour these overzealous watchdogs, yet I am mystified as to why they
require our services out here,” he gestured to the system plot in
front of him, “Most of the Ordos have their attention closer to
Badab. So why is this unimportant piece of scrap been deemed worth
the attention of our entire fleet?”

 

 

 

A shadow in the corner shifted and a looming figure approached the table. Along with the clump of ceramite
on the deck came the click of a staff. “My lord, the politics of
the inquisition is not to be taken lightly. We know little of their
methods and intentions and we have all heard the rumours from our
Brothers in other chapters across the Imperium. I would advise
blindly following their requests and pleas. This system and its
contents are not worth the single healthy gene-seed from any one of
even our most inexperienced Jäger Company!”

 

 

 

Moltke replayed the more important aspects of the past week or so in his mind. Examining what had led to
his decision to deploy the Chapter strength to this location at the
behest of a single Inquisition vessel. An astropathic communication
had been intercepted by his chief librarian calling for any
available Astartes forces to come to the aide of a grave matter for
the benefit of the Imperium as a whole. Moltke had without hesitation
ordered all haste to the system in question, breaking off the
persecution of secessionist forces. Upon arrival they where greeted
by a single light frigate. Sensing a trap he had ordered standard
fleet dispersal in relation to Voidgame sigma/1866 with annotation of
enemy strength unknown upon translation. After Hails where received
the small frigate led the fleet in system until they came across a
barely functioning Imperial transport that hung dead in the void. As
each ship began to form up with Leviathan the
request to destroy the transport with extreme prejudice was received
and Moltke had called his Chapter staff to meet and discuss what was
asked of them.

 

 

 

He considered chief librarian Bismarck’s council over Hindenburg's,
the Fifth was eager to re-engage secessionist forces as soon as
possible but Moltke sensed there was more to this than the
Inquisitor, who had declined their offer to join the council, had let
on. Bismarck had said as much that the message was clouded by
something that even he the guide of an Astartes fleet could not
divine. He turned to his right facing a towering behemoth clad in
polished granite Cataphractii plate who stood at the ready for
his Generalchaptermarsha's every
command.

“Frederick assemble a contingent of the “Giants” take them in using our Caestus
rams, Your mission is to find out what is on that ship, ignore the
Inquisition and answer back to me, refer to the boarding of the
Blighted Wound for any
other potential considerations you may need to make for this
scenario.”

“Kaiser mitt uns.” Came the Chapters rallying call as a repy. With the thump of his
feet coming together before turning and lumbering away calling up
squads on his vox and ordering the Rams to be prepared.

 

 

 

“Fleet directives still stand, we are in a potential hostile system. But
have the Blood and the Iron screen the
inquisitors vessel just to ensure our safety until I have my answers.
Dismissed”

 

 

 

He watched his officers nod and salute banging their fists against their
breastplates in unison. The room filled with noise and hushed murmurs
as these giants left until Moltke was alone.

-----

 

 

 

Sat at his desk hours later Moltke got his answer. In that time the small
inquisitorial vessel had attempted to leave the safety of the fleet
when First Captain Frederick led his “Giants” to the stricken
vessel. That was until it was reminded that on each side was a side
of the grim battle barge duo the Blood and
the Iron. The cragged
features of his First Captain appeared as a holo-image while he
relayed his discovery.

“You are in no doubt then brother?”
sighed Moltke

“No Marshal, my men have scoured the ship, we count 71 souls from the forgiven chapters, most are wounded but not
beyond the healing powers of their biology alone. Mantis Warriors for
the most part but a handful of Executioners too. They offered no
resistance when we found them in a muster hall and have placed
themselves at our judgement. They claim to have been taken prisoner
at the beginning of the conflict some even refusing to side with the
Tyrant in the first place.”

“Very well Captain, bring our brothers to us, they shall be treated with the honour they deserve.
Order the Prince to dispatch gunships for retrieval I shall deal with the inquisition.”
 

 

 

 

He keyed in a sequence of commands on his desk, opening up a fleet wide vox channel.

 

 

 

“This is Generalchaptermarshal Moltke broadcasting from the Leviathan.
We have narrowly avoided a grave stain on our honour Brothers. We
have been stabbed in the back by those who seek to cover up and
silence our mislead brethren, who have been awarded the Kaiser's
forgiveness. This shall not be. Astartes do not fire upon Astartes,
if and when that occurs then the bonds of brotherhood in between and
within every Chapter is strained until they snap leaving a culture of
distrust that corrupts the brotherhood forged in the heat of battle.
We are not the lapdogs of an Order of demagogues, rabble rouser’s
and persecutors of the innocent. We bring Imperial Truth to the
people, We bring the light of Terra to those who have lost it and We
will reunite every lost branch of humanity, together under the
TerranKaiserReich banner. First however we must deal with those who
seek to impose upon us the suspicion and distrust that still holds us
back from achieving our goal, the hated Inquisition.”