To Plunder The Stars Themselves, Episode III

[A.T.]

Odysseus pauses as flames begin to coalesce around his hand, while the stormtroopers opportunistic response to Draaks arrival had been amusing they could not be allowed to scatter further into the ship. The melee before him shifted creating glimpses of his targets, though still obscured by Vesalius as he danced around his fallen foe.

 

Odysseus will sustain his shield - though if Draak gets any more badly shot up I may use my squad mode to throw it over to him next round.

 

If he can fire off the avenger power (heavy flamer) towards the scions without catching Versalius he'll do that and i'll adjust the power, otherwise he'll delay until after a bolter assault / furious charge is called and use the free move to get up past Versalius to fire)

[Machine God]

Draak remembered his first Tactical Sergeant who installed in him the idea that 'The mission always came first!' Larraman's Organ notwithstanding Space Marines didn't waste time bleeding. He remembered his sergeants laugh.

 

(Free Action) Call Bolter Assault (3 Cohesion pts).

(Half Action) Charge 14m to back of first barricade.

(Half Action) Throw Frag Grenade to land at feet of back three Stormtroopers.

BS: 57 -10 (Long Range) = 47. Result: 25, Pass 2DoS.

2D10+2 Pen 0 Vs Carapace(6) +TGH 4.

Hit 1: 10 (RF)8 +6 +2 = 26 - 10 (AP6 +TGH) = 16.

Hit 2: 7 +6 +2 = 15 - 10 = 5.

Hit 3: 9 +7 +2 = 18 - 10 = 8.

Hit 4: 8 +5 +2 = 15 - 10 = 5.

4 Mag +1 (Explosive) = 5 Mag.

 

Draak powered behind the first barricade the pistons in his legs pounding, as he threw a Frag Grenade in a long arc. The munition in a feat of legerdemain bounced off an Inquisitorial Stormtroopers head at the back of the squad and exploded at his feet.

 

Edit: Forgot to close Spoiler.

Edited April 25, 2022 by Machine God

[Lysimachus]

 

Round 3 Summary:

 

[x] Odysseus:

Half: Sustain Force Dome.

Half: Delay.

 

[x] Draak:

Free Action: Call for Bolter Assault.

(x) Draak: Charge Move 14m SE to behind barricade. Frag Grenade at Stormtroopers A, Hit, 5 Mag Dam suffered, now at 10 remaining.

(x) Odysseus: Charge Move 18m E.

Delayed Action: Avenger at Ratings C, 9 Mag Dam suffered, now at 21 remaining.

(x) Brynjarr: Charge Move 15m E. Frag Grenade at Ratings C, Miss, Dud!

(x) Orphiel: Krak Grenade at Bullgryn 2, 25 Wounds suffered. Bullgryn 2 dies.

(x) Svelk: Bolt Pistol shot at Bullgryn 3, Miss.

(x) Vesalius: Charge Move 21m to behind crate. Frag Grenade at Ratings C, 5 Mag Dam, now at 16 remaining.

(x) Decimus: Charge Move 9m E. Frag Grenade at Ratings C, 4 Mag Dam suffered, now at 12 remaining.

 

Return to Draak's regular Actions:

FAB at Stormtroopers A, 8 Mag Dam suffered, now at 2 remaining.

[Trokair]

Bolter Assault

Max move eastwards along wall.

Too far to effectively throw a grenade I think, and single shot won’t do much to a hord.

[A.T.]

The temptation to deny Draak his victory was significant but petty given the circumstances. Odysseus lowered his arm for a moment aware that he had given too much of his time and thought to recent distractions, and none were likely to lead to reward. This ship needed power and the task was worthy even if his foes were not, turning his gaze to the larger group of ratings Odysseus raised his arm once more and filled the room before him with flame.

 

Activation roll: 1 - pass

Cannot fail to wound (minimum damage 13, Pen 4)

Magnitude damage roll 1 (+8) = 9 magnitude damage

[Mazer Rackham]

Bolter Assault:

 

With a slip of palm and ruffle of robe fabric, Orphiel deployed a krak grenade, hoping to end the unfortunate abhuman.

 

Krak Grenade at Bullgryn 2

BS 51 + 10 (Size) = 61

D100: 55 Hit, No DoS

Dam: 3D10 + 4 resolved at Pen 6

Location Body: 40 (2 x RF)  

[Machine God]

~ 010101110110100001101111001000000110000101101101001000000100100100100001 ~

 

Draak tried to ignore the feedback given off by his new prize, lest it affect his aim.

 

 

BS: 57 +10 (Short Range) +10 (Motion Predictor) +20 (FAB) = 97. Result: 82, Pass 1DoS.

1D10+14 X Pen 5 Vs Carapace(6) + TGH 4.

Hit 1: (7, 8) 8 +14 = 22 -5 (AP1 + TGH) = 17.

Hit 2: (10 (RF)8, 10 (RF)7 ) 18 +14 = 32 - 5 = 27.

2 Mag +1 (Explosive) + (D5 [10 = 5]) 5 = 8 Mag.

 

Draak only managed to land two shots with Grendel, the others impacted with the bulkhead and the floor as he sought not to hit the Machines.

 

~Soon. said Draak~

 

 

Edited December 17, 2022 by Machine God

[Beren]

Svelk yanked his weapons loose of the brute, landing back on the floor to feel the other brute's blow miss him by a hairs breadth, the impact reverberating through the floor and up the assault marine's legs. He saw Orphiel, his attack also blunted by the demi-human's shield, take a step black and slip a grenade from his hand, tumbling through a gap in the demi-human's guard. A second later, a roar of pain and a shower of blood, and the brute was collapsing to teh decking. In a single smooth moment Svelk drew his bolt pistol and span.

 

 

Bolter Assault Action

 

Bolt Pistol shot into Ogryn 3 with Kraken Penentrator Shell

 

BS: 43 + 10(Ogryn size) = 53

d100: 61 (1 DoF)

 

 

The brute, for all its hulking frame, is faster than Svelk had gauged. It snaps up it's shield, and the shot glances of the shield's rim. Svelk snarls at the waste of yet another of the precious bolt shells.

[Necronaut]

Bolter Assault:

 

The fallen bullgryn died painfully by Orphiel's hand, but Vesalius had already moved on in search of new prey. Skidding to a stop in the lee of a cargo container, Vesalius primed and hurled a frag grenade into the remaining ratling squad before hunkering down out of view.

 

Bolter Assault:

Movement: Charge (21m range) to be adjacent to orange containers

Half-Action: throw frag grenade

BS45

Throw frag grenade: 1d100 42

42: hit, 0 DoS.

 

Frag grenade damage: 2d10+2X, Pen 0, Blast (4)

6 hits: 1 + 1 (X) + 4 (Blast)

Frag Grenade Damage: 6#2d10 19 16 15 3 11 9

Hit 1: 19 + 2 - AV4 - TB3 = 14 damage

Hit 2: 16 + 2 - AV4 - TB3 = 11 damage

Hit 3: 15 + 2 - AV4 - TB3 = 10 damage

Hit 4: 3 + 2 - AV4 - TB3 = 0 damage

Hit 5: 11 + 2 - AV4 - TB3 = 6 damage

Hit 6: 9 + 2 - AV4 - TB3 = 4 damage

 

5 magnitude damage

[Lysimachus]

Map shows status at end of Bolter Assault and after Draak's regular Actions. Ratings C are on 12 Mag (probably about to Break), Stormtroopers A on 2 Mag, Ratings B on 15 Mag but are Broken and fleeing, Bullgryn 3 is still on 30/30 Wounds!

Round 3 Summary Cont:

[x] Brynjarr: Command Test at Ratings C, Ordered to surrender, Success!

[x] Orphiel: Feint, Fail! Standard Attack, Hit on Body

Bullgryn attempts to Parry WS45 +15(Defensive) = 60, Roll: 86, Fail!

Dam 21 - AV8(6+5-Pen3) - TB10 = 3 Wounds suffered, now at 27 remaining.

[x] Decimus: Charge Bullgryn 3, Hit on Left Arm, Parry used.

Dam 21 - AV4(6+5-7) -TB10 = 7 Wounds suffered, now at 20 remaining.

[x] Stormtroopers A: Standard shot at Draak, Miss!

[ ] Vesalius: Charge Ratings C, Hit, 2 Mag Dam suffered, now at 10 remaining.

[x] Ratings B: Continue to Flee, up to 18m N/E

[x ] Ratings C: Surrendered.

[ ] Svelk:

[ ] Bullgryn 3:

End of Round 3

[Black Cohort]

Rapidly switching weapons, Decimus lifted his axe and charged, a savage, sweeping blow uncoiling from him.  A wordless howl leaving his lips.

 

WS 48 +10 charge +20 3 to 1 combat + 10 hulking = 83

 

roll = 62 therefore 2 degrees of success, hits left arm

 

damage 1d10+18 = 3+18 =21 damage, pen 7

[Trokair]

From the tactical display Brynjarr could see the fight was almost over, the invaders mostly slain. The early elimination of the inquisitorial overseer no doubt contributed, and the bullgrynns breaking rank adding to the confusion. Hopefully not too much damage had been done to the infrastructure. It was time to end this.

 

Stepping forward into the enemy's sight, external speakers set to max he called out to the invaders.

 

“Surrender and live by Grandfather's grace, refuse and you die!”

 

Command Test

Fel: 43 + 5 (armour history) = 48

D100: 50 Fail - unless there are some bonuses I am unaware of.

[Mazer Rackham]

Orphiel concentrated on breaking or betraying the Bullgryn's defences:

 

Actions:

Half Action: Feint

WS 51 +10 (size) +10 (Ganging Up) + 5 (Blade Quality) = 76

D100: 80 FAIL No DoF (Opposed Roll)

 

Win/Lose:

Half-Action: Standard Attack (Sword)

WS 51 +10 (size) +10 (Ganging Up) + 5 (Blade Quality) = 76

D100: 66 PASS, Plus 1 DoS

Damage: 1D10 + 4 (Dam) + 10 SB at Pen 3

Hit 1 (Body): 21

 

As Orphiel struck, Decimus joined the melee with a fearful axe swing.

[Necronaut]

Vesalius rolled his eyes and sighed exasperatedly into his beaked helm at the breacher's offer of mercy to the remaining Inquisition forces; the mere concept was utterly foreign, if not outright offensive, to him and any other scions of his particular branch of the XIXth Legion. Long had his chapter dwelt in the darkness of the galaxy, stalking and harrying the enemies of Mankind, and never once had even the barest mention of mercy crossed their minds or been offered to them in their endless crusade. There was naught to be found in the outer reaches of the Emperor's Realm but cruelty and bloodshed, punctuated only by the shocking silence that followed in the aftermath of holy slaughter as the black fortress-ships sailed away on the Empyrean's tides in search of new prey.

 

He snarled over the vox, +these wretches have long had their chance to surrender! Now is the time for the culling!+

 

Drawing Lancet again in his offhand, he vaulted over the adjacent cargo crates, and descended upon the battered naval troops as a gore-splattered avatar of war, his chainsword's engine roaring as he fell upon them in frightening silence.

 

Full Action: Charge Attack

WS46 + 20 (charge) = 66

Charge Attack: 1d100 96

96: swing and a miss!

 

I'm not even mad at this point. However, given the drivel I typed out above, I would sort of like to get a successful melee hit in, lest my actions continue to veer wildly between (non-)hilarious slapstick and actually getting s#$& done. In the interest of wrapping this combat up quickly, I'm going to, against my better judgement and entirely for the sake of my own vanity (read: so my character doesn't look like a complete prat), spend yet another Fate Point to whittle down a horde of tactically/strategically insignificant mooks. This is not my finest moment…

 

Charge Attack: 1d100 31

31: hit, 3 DoS…

 

2 hits: 1 hit (charge) + 1 hit (per 2x DoS vs hordes)

 

Chainsword damage: 1d10+3R+SB, Pen 3, Tearing

Hit 1: Chainsword damage: 2#1d10 8 2

8, 2

8 (d10) + 3 + 10 (SB) - AV1 (AV4 - Pen3) - TB3 = 17 damage

Hit 2: Chainsword damage: 2#1d10 8 7

8, 7

8 (d10) + 3 + 10 (SB) - AV1 (AV4 - Pen3) - TB3 = 17 damage

 

2 magnitude damage dealt to Rating Horde C

 

As he hacked the naval ratings apart in noiseless fury, a single battle mantra repeated in his mind...

 

NO PITY! NO REMORSE!

Edited May 3, 2022 by Necronaut

[Lysimachus]

Round 3 Summary Cont:

 

[x] Svelk:

 

[x] Bullgryn 3: All Out Attack at Svelk:

WS45 +20(AOA) = 65, Roll: 53, Hit on (53=35) Body

Dam 1d10 + 18 Pen0

4+18 = 22 -AV11 -TB8 = 3 Wounds suffered assuming failed Dodge.

 

End of Round 3

 

The huge abhuman bellows in pain and frustration as the Astartes close in around it, their blades drawing blood with every strike. It thrusts forward with its club head, a massive, blunt blow aimed at Svelk's ribs in an attempt to gain it some space. But the beast cannot hope to survive much longer.

[Trokair]

The indecisions and uncertainty was plain to see on the ratings face, the commanding officer was dead, the elite enforces cut down to less than a man and the muscle, their ace and shock troops no match for the Iron Gods. A few begun to drop their weapons, to raise their hands in that universal sign of ‘I am unarmed’.   

 

Maybe they had been to slow to submit, or his bloodlust was up, Brynjarr could not be sure as he saw Vesalius rush in. the results would be predictable, and even the few seconds it took Brynjarr to rush over and intervene men died needlessly.

 

“Brother, clam your mind, it is over.” Laying a hand on Vesalius left shoulder Brynjarr tried to restrain the other from taking any further strikes at the retreating, stumbling humans.

 

“Save your fury for a foe worthy of the challenge.”

 

He beckoned the rallied crewmen over to disarm the few navel ratings left and then take them into custody.

 

“Brother, I took you for better than this, more than a reaver driven by bloodlust, was I wrong? Is the slaughter of pressganged ratings all you can put Grandfathers gifts to?”

 

“We might not serve the corrupt Imperium anymore, but we still serve humanity.”

Edited April 30, 2022 by Trokair

[Machine God]

+Kill-team Cutlass assist Vesalius. The Invaders are all to be slain. All of them, their weapons, kit and clothing is to be spaced. The Inquisition are not above placing tracking devices on their subjects. None but The Iron Gods must find the Pride of Kings+ growled Draak over the squad Vox.

[Necronaut]

Vesalius spun around at Brynjarr's touch, ready to carve into the interloper, but stayed his hand when he saw it was just the void-warrior. He circled dangerously around the breacher, his hands and blades slick with blood. His gauntleted fists twitched slightly; he was incensed that his work had been interrupted. Prisoners were not worth taking, only chapter-thralls and prospective aspirants for gene-seed implantation. These naval troops were neither, presenting only a potential liability, and there was but one thing to do with such individuals.

 

+If that is what you believe, Brynjarr, then you are a naïve fool. If you believe you are above the blood-lust which is hardwired into each of us through the Emperor's gene-craft, then you deceive yourself; if you believe you serve humanity as Talek Varn's lackey, then you are truly deluded.+

 

He whipped the blood from his chainsword to punctuate his thoughts, sending a fan of red down to the deck at his feet. Vesalius snarled and moved recklessly to within Brynjarr's circle of reach, until their helms were almost touching.

 

+What is it then, that you think you save them from a greater cruelty by staying my hand?! They violated the sanctity of this ship! Their sentence is death!+

 

He drew back a few paces, sucking in breath through his teeth, before turning back to the breacher. +We still serve humanity? Hah! We have fallen so far beyond the pale of the Emperor's "grace," you idealistic fool. We are RENEGADES in case you hadn't noticed! It is the Imperial Navy and the Inquisition we are fleeing!+

 

Vesalius shook his head in disbelief and stalked off in search of further survivors of the assault to purge. +I will give no further countenance to this mode of thinking!+

Edited May 1, 2022 by Necronaut

[A.T.]

Odysseus marched on, allowing the kineshield to lapse in favour of speed. The battle had never been in doubt and that so meagre a force had penetrated so far into the ship did not bode well for any real threat they might encounter aboard the Pride of Kings.

 

Another blast of flame incinerated the last of the stormtroopers as he set the fleeing ratings in his sights, the squabbles in his wake not unexpected.

 

Half move east, half move fettered avenger to catch the last stormtrooper - automatic hit, minimum damage d13 pen 4, minimum magnitude 9

[Lysimachus]

+++STRUCTURED TIME ENDS+++

 

+++NARRATIVE TIME BEGINS+++

 

 

Most of your foes have been vanquished, but even as several of your team work together to bring down the last of the abhuman brutes, your most vital task is still yet to be accomplished. Someone must re-engage the Dagger Thrust's mighty reactor with the sub-warp plasma drives. Then the helmsman on the Bridge far above you will have some small chance at effecting an escape.

 

The vast cores of the reactor stretch away before you, connected to one another by huge adamantium and ceramite pipes, each one easily big enough for an Astartes to walk through without ducking. More pipes disappear through the rear bulkhead, heading aft into the monstrous plasma drives themselves. Smaller conduits and insulated wires in their thousands run back and forth across the walls and also connect to a wide bank of cogitator consoles that butt up against the base of the power plants. Dozens upon dozens of lumens flicker and flash on the displays; some green, some amber, a worrying number in red.

 

Holger steps forward from cover, still listening to his micro-bead.

 

"We have less than five minutes before they are in range, my lords. We need to get this vessel moving, now!"

 

Among the fallen loyalists scattered around the chamber are the bodies of some of the Engineerium's Tech-priests. Others of these Adepts might still live, but if so they fled when the intruders first attacked and there is no time now to roust them from their hiding places.

 

It is up to you.

 

***

 

Someone will need to instruct the cogitators to return reactor power to the Dagger's plasma drives. This will require a Very Hard(-30) Tech-Use Test, along with whatever narrative you wish to include. Mister Holger will be able to provide a +10 Assist. Also, though the Dagger crewmen are simple Ratings, they may be able to provide assistance with less complex tasks. For each full 10 Mag that have survived the battle, you may add another +10 Assist.

 

Obviously, this is a bit of a task for some (or even just one!) rather than others. But others could narratively finish off the last Bullgryn, or even discuss the advantages and disadvantages of allowing enemies to surrender? ;)

 

Also, for Vesalius' (well, and everyone else's!) benefit, injuries suffered by the team during the fight were:

Brynjarr: Shotguns to Right Leg; 5 Wounds.

Decimus: None.

Draak: Hellguns to Body and Left Arm; 8 Wounds.

Odysseus: None.

Orphiel: Hellguns to Left Arm; 2 Wounds.

Svelk: Bullgryn club to Body; 3 Wounds.

Vesalius: None.

[Machine God]

Hearing a whoosh of superheated steam and a scream from the surviving Inquisitorial Stormtrooper, Draak was satisfied. At least Odysseus was helping out to eradicate the rest of the invaders. Draak unloaded Grendel and mag-locked him to the top of his backpack.

 

Draak set off at the charge, the unstoppable force headed southwards. The second hand of time was about to strike.

 

"Mister Holger take these Dagger crewmen to help with starting up the cogitators, I shall be with you momentarily to the awaken the holy machines!" said Draak as he thundered southwards. A veritable blur of vengeance.

 

Draak reached his left arm backwards, Eisen extended a power cable which linked with the cable attached to his Thunder Hammer. Draak blurred past Orhiel, Decimus and Svelk. Draak struck the last Bullgryn with his Thunder Hammer.

 

TOCK!

 

BS:57 +10 (Charge) = 67. Result: 32, Pass 2DoS. 32 = 23 Left Arm.

2D10+5, Pen 9 Vs Carapace(6) + Slab Shield AV5 + 10 (TGH).

Hit: 8 + 5 + 5 + 14 = 32 - 12 ( Carapace + Slab Shield: 11 - 9 = 2 + 10) = 20 Wounds.

 

"An ancient weapon of power shall have a powerful name. You shall be called Grond after the warhammer and not the ram!" stated Draak, as he dragged the dead Bullgryn to the cogitator array.

 

Draak dumped the dead body beside the machines, he then detached his power link from Grond and attached Grond's power link to the cogitator array. "Mister Holger please instruct your assistants" Draak said as he drew a flask of weapon oil from his belt.

 

Draak splashed the oil over the body of the dead Bullgryn, and bowed his head to the array. Draak then laid his bionic hand on the ignition rune of the cogitator array and spoke:

 

Int:44 +10 (Tech Use+10) + 10 Combi-Tool) + 10 (Holger's assist) + 20 (29 Mag of surviving Dagger crewmen) - 30 = 64. Result: 17 Pass, 4DoS.

 

"The soul of the Machine God surrounds thee. The power of the Machine God invests thee. The hate of the Machine God drives thee. The Machine God endows thee with life. Live!" stated Draak, after speaking and pressing the ignition rune, the cogitators began to awaken. "Thus the Litany of Ignition has been spoken. Hail the Omnissiah!" shouted Draak, who made the sign of the cog with both hands.

 

Slowly the awaking machine began to return power to the plasma drives.

Edited May 1, 2022 by Machine God

[Beren]

 

Dodge: AG44

d100: 62 (2D0F)

 

Called Shot:

WS50 -20 (called shot to head) +10 (size) +10 (Ganging up) = 50

d100: 69 (1DoF)

 

 

Svelk feels the brute's club slam into his chest, knocking him back so that his axe-swing falls short of his mark. Snarling, he leaps forwards, levers axe-pick and knife into the brute's shield, wrestling with the thing to force its shield aside and open the best up to the other astartes' blows.

 

It's over in a second. A sound like a ship-rupture, and the beast fell away with the shield shattered, as well as the arm bearing it. The dead brute doesn't even hit the ground before Draak is dragging the corpse away.

 

Reeling, Svelk brings his weapons before his helm, inspecting them for damage. There's still a bit of shield impaled on the axe-rake. He knocks it off, turns and gives a curt salute to Decimus and Orphiel. The battle was over, a poor showing on his part, but perhaps their skills were beginning to blend together after all.

 

Svelk catches a glimpse of Brynjarr glaring after Vesalius, while the Apothercary stalks towards his prey. Maybe not then. Something to be said for the state of stark survival perhaps. Even the most clashing idealogies forced to make-bunk mates in its shadow, and scant space left for illusions to thrive,

[Mazer Rackham]

The eerily silent deck trembled back into thrumming lie, the breath of spirit coaxed into returning to a corpse, a candle ember husbanded into flame.

 

Orphiel caught the end of the interaction between Brynjarr and Vesalius, paying an odd kind of indifference in his physical deportment by reaching down to clasp the Bullgryn's tunic to wipe the blood off his sword blade.  The Breacher harboured some need of purpose, as proven by his previous behaviour.  Vesalius' resentment was interesting.  It belied his otherwise certain disposition.  The difference in attitudes was filed away, useful perhaps at another time.

 

It would depend on how much time they had, and the thought coincided with an ache from his wounds.  He flexed his arm, testing the vexed flesh.  He would not need Vesalius' ministrations.  A day would see the wounds banished through his advanced physiology alone, as long as the Dagger could burn hard into the black

 

If not? The Inquisition would add to the searing wheals in blinkered, amateurish excruciation.

 

Speaking of which...

 

+We should convey these men to the brig,+ Orphiel made a sweeping gesture at the lingering prisoners.  +For security.+

 

He left the statement unqualified, holstering his pistol in the immediate silence.

 

Waiting for any reply, he inverted the sword, resting his hand on the pommel of Zachariah's Steel as the point kissed the deck.  He gently span it in time with the throb of the plasma conduits filling the hungry guts of the engines, sending sliver slivers spilling across the deck where the vivid light reflected onto the light and shadow of the steadily spinning blade.

[Machine God]

Draak satisfied that animus had been transferred to the Machines, passed control over to Holger and some tech-priests that had emerged from hiding. Draak unhooked Grond and mag-locked him to his backpack and took charge of Grendel once more. Draak then walked back to the squad.

 

+We should convey these men to the brig. For security.+ Draak heard Orphiel say over the squad vox.

 

Grendel spoke for a length of time.

 

+What prisoners? You heard my orders, get these corpses into the airlock and space them+ said Draak.

[Lysimachus]

As you 'discuss' the fate of the enemy survivors, Holger engages his micro-bead, connecting your squad channel with the Bridge.

 

"Power is restored to drives, Captain! Get us out of here!"

 

Achard's reply comes with surprising slowness, his voice despondent, monotone.

 

"Too late, Mister Holger," he sighs. "The Cobras have moved into range and the Spear is less than ten thousand kilometres behind them. It has just launched fighter squadrons and assault boats. They will be on us in minu…"

 

He breaks off, suddenly silenced.

 

"What is that…? Emperor's Blood…" he whispers in disbelief.

 

"Impossible… but why…?"

 

There are several more long moments of absolute silence from the Bridge, then Achard can be heard shouting furiously, his tone one of renewed hope.

 

"Helm, full ahead! Go, go! Navigator, I want to translate the moment we cross the Mandeville! Plot us a course away from Lang's first star, ensure we are not followed and then bring us back towards it. Astartes…"

 

He pauses, taking a deep, unsteady breath.

 

"You need to get back up here as fast as you can."

 

***