What Hides In Darkness (40K)

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 10:58 pm

Down on the planet, a sensor module at the end of a slim mast was extended up and out of the null field. It surveyed the ground and the sky for a minute before retracting. Data was crunched and transmitted to another station where it was compiled and analyzed.

The Elder Savant walked down the gantry past the black armoured Praetorians. "High Master," he said.

The figure in cyber linked armour turned away from the vivesected bodies splayed out in front of hiim. "Elder Savant."

"High Master we have made several discoveries. The latest batch of the Imperial warrior caste included several drone models."

The High Master dismissed the remark. "We are aware that they possess servitor drones from taking this facility. I am more concerned with the presence of the elite of their warrior-caste, these Angels of Death. That we did not recover a corpse for study is disturbing."

"They are indeed potent High Master. Their armour and augmentations are of interest, but this data is more important. Not only does the enemy beseige us-"

"With the dregs of their warrior caste armed with feeble weapons."

"That is not all. There is a large starship in orbit above."

"That changes things. Inact situation Karvush."

Charon · Post by **Charon** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 8:03 pm

SirNitram wrote:"A squad of Stormtroopers will be more than enough. Stealth is the goal, not firepower." Mal saluted firmly and with precision befitting his Astartes training. "I will proceed immediately following the briefing."

Vibius spoke up. "Inquisitor Halima stated that there was a psychic web. Stealth will be a near impossibility. While a Stormtrooper squad would be wise I believe some heavier firepower will be needed when the creatures respond. I wish to come along with you."

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 7:17 pm

Charon wrote:Vibius spoke up. "Inquisitor Halima stated that there was a psychic web. Stealth will be a near impossibility. While a Stormtrooper squad would be wise I believe some heavier firepower will be needed when the creatures respond. I wish to come along with you."

"I won't tell you not to. Just be ready to be mobile." Mal replied, and shrugged. "As for the web... there's undoutably someone watching us in there. However, there's little sign the drones are psykkers. For one thing, I got close to them and they didn't seem to recoil.."

GeneralTacticus · Post by **GeneralTacticus** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 1:15 am

â€œThe drones are most certainly not psykers in their own right.â€

Post by **B4UTRUST** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 1:31 am

Gravin nodded his approval of Halima's plan. He turned and examined the holographic display of the facility. He bent over, peering closer towards the tram lines that connected the facility to the rest of the world.
"Interesting. These tram lines, are they operational? If there's still power running to them, wouldn't there by communication lines ran down it for maintenance and emergancies? We might be able to use them if they're functional to get an outside signal.

"And if not, I suggest we tactically shut them down and block them, least this Xenos threat attempt to escape through them, or worse, advance into the populated areas. We've seen what they're capable of against armed and trained combat personel. I don't want to consider the damage of them running lose with civilians."

Charon · Post by **Charon** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 7:25 pm

Vibius looked over at the inquisitors. "Concerning the civilians, are we certain that hidden xeno elements have not infiltrated into the population? If not it would likely be best if the Inquisitors dealt with the subversive plots as they are trained to do and we of the Deathwatch dealt with the more obvious threat as we have been trained to do."

Vibius glanced back towards the other Deathwatch in the room.

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 10:37 pm

"We do not know," said Pryce. "There are no reports of xenos activity, but that doesn't mean they haven't managed to elude detection. Any search, at this juncture, will be unlikely to yield any results. We don't even know what we are looking for. The capture of samples, living or dead, of other xenos breeds and their tecnology could point us in the right direction. This site remains the priority for the time being."

White Haven · Post by **White Haven** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 8:49 am

"Has a limitted surface bombardment been considered, Lord Inquisitor?" the bass rumble of the previously-silent assault marine finally sounds through the chamber. He points a blunt, massive finger at the holo-globe for emphasis as he continues, "Nothing of value will survive our initial assaults on the complex's upper levels, and every breach in the facility is a possible insertion point. Defenders will be forced to garrison them all, or fall back within the facility."

A savage grin splits his face as he finishes, the pointing hand clenching into a fist, "And of course, we know they are currently defending the upper level, right under our guns."

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 4:19 pm

"One does not inflict a limited surface bombardment and leave anything but ruin with a capital ship," said Pryce. "If you merely want to soften them up, attack craft and Imperial Guard artillery are a better choice."

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 5:17 pm

"Bombing the enemy would only drive them deeper, like a hastily treated infection." Siaides rumbled, speaking up for the first time since the briefing started. "In any case, we're attempting a recon mission at this stage, not an assault. One shouldn't try to treat a pathogen without understanding it's nature."

White Haven · Post by **White Haven** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 9:09 am

The weathered face of the Zweihander tightens slightly, but he gives a curt nod of aquiescence and falls silent. Bombardment also complicates a defender's job immensely...but he is not in command.

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 6:32 pm

A disturbance rippled through the warp, registering on the scopes and surveyors pointing at the null field. A chill washed over psykers even a thousand kilometers away. Whatever disturbance was manifesting under the shield, its ripples were affecting the whole continent.

GeneralTacticus · Post by **GeneralTacticus** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 1:43 am

Halima jerked involuntarily as the psychic ripples swept over her. â€œThrone!â€

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 2:42 am

Siaides sighed to himself even as he readied for action. Sometimes baseline humans could be so... Inefficient.
If he had felt 'that', then there would be no point asking the question, since he would presumably have had a similar reaction; As it was, neither he nor, it seemed, anyone else in the room had felt 'that' and thus had no idea what the young Inquisitor was babbling about.

"What is wrong, Inquisitor?" He asked for clarity, scanning the area for immediate threats. Unlikely, but still, the logical first course of action.

Post by **B4UTRUST** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 2:53 am

Gravin frowned.
"No, I too felt it."

He walked over to the cogitator and peered over Hamila's shoulder at the data, trying to discern the cause of the psychic burst. A thought occured to him.
"Has a second psychic emmission been detected off planet? I'd hate to think the xenos did something crazy like call for more troops..."

GeneralTacticus · Post by **GeneralTacticus** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 2:56 am

â€œI just felt the echoes of a psychic event somewhere inside the null field.â€

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 1:32 pm

Rause subvocalised a request to the Techpriests anxiously hovering over his Power Armour in his quarters; Prepare it for action. He switched over to another channel and requisitioned his usual quantity of Bolter ammunition and grenades. Once that was done, he spoke up again, quietly asking Halima: "Do we know the source point?"

The Necrontyr Messenger · Mon Jul 17, 2006 1:47 pm

â€œVery well!â€

GeneralTacticus · Post by **GeneralTacticus** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 2:22 am

â€œAs yet, no,â€

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 2:32 am

"Then I will leave you to it." Rause concluded, standing and following Crassiros. Impatient though he may be, the other Astartes had a point.

Minutes later, he was suited up and ready for battle once again. All he needed was a target.

GeneralTacticus · Post by **GeneralTacticus** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 3:41 am

Another thirty seconds of futile tapping at the cogitator convinced Halima that further efforts in this area were useless. She had determined, at least, that the event had not been an astropathic transmission, but the precise nature and origin of the event was obscured by the null field. Stopping only to report this fact to Lord Inquisitor Pryce, she hurried off to join her staff, who were already organising a second Inquisitorial landing force â€“ in full force, this time.

White Haven · Post by **White Haven** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 8:06 am

Damon's training was almost exclusively focused on the disciplines of the telekine, but even he can't fail to sense the disruption at some level. He's crouching, hand reaching for a halberd that isn't there even before he realizes what he's doing. With a bass grumble, he straightens up, looking around the room and giving a curt nod at the sudden activity. Another nod is given at the words of his fellow Deathwatch, turning on a heel and heading for the launch bay.

Charon · Post by **Charon** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 8:38 am

Vibius was the last to leave once it became apparent that no more information could be gleaned from the occurance. He made his way to his quarters and quickly readied his gear. A few minutes later Vibius stalked into the launch bay in full armor, he seemed to be carrying as much in terms of weaponry as he had for their first incursion.

"Have we secured a Leman Russ for us?"

The Necrontyr Messenger · Tue Jul 18, 2006 12:01 pm

A veritable goliath, Crassiros strode into the forward launch bay with a different lightning claw on this time, this showing slightly less signs of wear and tear. His other weapon now was a storm bolter, armed with bolts more appropriate for the elimination of the drone soldiers they had fought. One barrel would spew normal bolts in case an enemy was encountered that required their more direct approach, the other, the hellfire rounds believed to be more capable of eliminating the drone soldiers.

"I don't think we'll have time for such firepower. However, it should be a trivial matter to procure one..." he increased the volume of his helmet speakers, "Deck officer! Instruct the communications section to vox the PDF on the ground and order them to prepare a Leman Russ tank at the edge of the Null Field area in case we have use of it."

He wondered about those PDF. What might they know about the situation on the surface, if they still lived. The Raven Guard's boots rang on the embarkation ramp of the Thunderhawk as he boarded it.

White Haven · Post by **White Haven** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 2:50 pm

Heavy weapons are all well and good, but there's simply not much room on as heavily-outfitted a figure as Brother Grayson for such armaments, however much his training as a Zweihander might cry out for them. All he can carry is more, more of everything. A second plasma pistol hangs in a holster opposite its twin. A power-knife purloined from the ship's armory rides with it, along with several krak grenades to supplement his normal melta charges. The armament might be excessive...okay, it is excesive, but better too much than too little. The only other piece of equipment he carries is a multibarreled flare gun slung beneath one of his holsters...with the lack of proper vox-comm through the null field, some way to signal to the PDF outside could be crucial.

LibriumArcana.Games

What Hides In Darkness (40K)

#176

#177

#178

#179

#180

#181

#182

#183

#184

#185

#186

#187

#188

#189

#190

#191

#192

#193

#194

#195

#196

#197

#198

#199

#200