The alternate realm that is commonly known as the warp is very mysterious realm. While physical order is the rule in real space all known laws of physics known to man disappear within the maelstrom of raw energy within the immaterium. One of the greatest achievements by human science was the discovery of warp engines and the creation of the Geller field which allow ships to travel through this roiling sea of energy, dramatically reducing the duration of travel. The discovery of such technology would have been useless if not for the mysterious but significant development of the navigator gene within the human race which allowed the great families of the Navis Nobilite to provide the much sought after navigators for each and every warp capable ship. Even such extraordinary developments would have not counted for much if not for the sacrifice of the emperor of humanity and the psychic beacon created by him, the ubiquitous astronomicon. Hundreds upon hundreds psykers, soul bound to the emperor add their life force to the astronomicon to maintain the beacon that allows the safe navigation of the warp and maintain the posterity of the imperium of man. The coming of the thirteenth black crusade had been accompanied by anomalies in the warp space of extraordinary proportions. Localised warp storms cut off entire systems at will, resolving inexplicably to allow the heretical hordes to pour forth. That the powers of the warp were aiding and abetting Abaddon was without question. That the magnitude of their interference was not more dramatic than witnessed at present was unexplainable. Perhaps it indicated an inner posturing for power within the pantheon of the chaos gods themselves, each one undermining the others champions. As war raged across the sectors guarding the cadian gate and the death toll rose in to the billions on both sides, fuelled by the emotions of war and the released souls of the dead and the dying, the warp space in the region began to react. Blasphemous actions by bands of chaos sorcerers may have acted as a catalyst to these changes which were gradually engulfing the whole region around the eye. Mordinian looked up from the strategic display, his concentration broken by the arrival of Epistolery Vardis. Vardis handed over a data slate containing the latest astropathic transmission from their brethren at the keep. The plan was indeed working but they would have to move soon. Mordinian had been a grandmaster in the Angels of Vengeance chapter for more than one hundred and fifty human years. In that time he had commanded not only whole companies but also the bulk of the chapter's fleet in major space actions. He was indeed the chapter's most experienced space commander. The current campaign that the unforgiven had undertaken in the background of Abaddon's assault was unlike any of their previous battles. They had had to ignore some leads about the fallen to strengthen the imperial defences, actions never before taken by the Inner circle. His trust in their overall commander, supreme grandmaster of the Dark Angels chapter was all the more secure, as he understood the strength of resolve required to make such decisions. Now such a decision awaited him, not as immense in magnitude, but with major repercussions to the entire unforgiven. His task ahead would be even more difficult than that entrusted to Brother-Captain Apollyon, of whose command he had only recently been appraised of. Such deep secrets of the unforgiven were being forced to be revealed to more of their brethren, and he could only wonder what long term sequelae awaited them at the end of the black crusade. Thanking the epistolary, he returned to the strategic display. The librarians who accompanied him in the command battle barge of the chapter had warned him of increasing warp storm activity. The navigators were finding it difficult to retain their current holding position, particularly maintaining the fleet's relative coherency. He had to be precise in his exit from the warp but at the same time timing was extra-ordinarily important for his main mission. Nothing in this campaign had been straight forward. Beginning from their action to recover an elder farseer, that in itself a most unusual mission, to their use of ancient elder warp routes and their rapid arrival in the Scelus sector, and finally their surreptitious deployment to Caliban, every action reeked of mystery. That his current mission was of utmost importance was without question. The accompanying battle fleet redemption had been called back midway on the authority of the inner circle. At first he had flared up in a controlled rage, angry at the halving of his force for a mission of such importance. They were after all tasked with the protection of the sacred region of space where their primarch had first grown up amongst men. That the inner circle would make such a drastic decision must reflect the grievous situation at the cadian gate was not lost on him. He had bidden his brothers in the battle fleet redemption farewell as they turned back midway and with a stout heart redrawn every plan for each and every conceivable engagement. The recent warnings of the librarians had been about other warp shadows. The gathering warp storms were clouding their sensors but there were other energy and displacement signals in the region. It could only be foes as they hardly expected friendly fleets in this remote region, but their purpose, direction and intention were all but conjecture. The time was nearly upon them. He activated the helmet mounted communicator with a mind impulse. "Master Palidor, you are ready I assume?" "Lion be praised we are ready! It does feel extremely unusual to be without our sacred armour, but we shall overcome!" Palidor continued "Strages wishes to thank you personally for entrusting the most sacred standard with him" "He can thank me buy returning victoriously. Supreme grandmaster Azrael would not have released it to our possession if he did not consider this a mission of absolute urgency. We defend our home land! Angels prepare for vengeance!" "Vengeance is our watchword!" rang out a chorus of stout voices. They were unusual times, particularly considering that he was deploying the warriors of their first company in power armour. The uncertainty of the warp storms had brought about a change of plans, making the timing of their exit ever more important. He was confident that Palidor accompanied by Strages and interrogator-chaplain Taboden would be more than capable of the enormous task set before them. Passing a glance at epistolary Vardis, their eyes locking in mutual agreement he gave the long awaited command. "Battle fleet Vengeance! All hands to battle stations! Prepare for warp exit in ten seconds! The emperor protects. For the Lion and for Caliban! Vengeance is our watchword!" Tactical displays on the dozens of warships encircling the keep suddenly lit up with warp breach warnings. Alarm klaxons automatically sounded across each and every corridor over the clamour of battle. Dalamere screamed at her bridge crew. A vast fleet was emerging in close proximity, in battle formation. As the icons flickered on the screen, she realised with dread that this was an entire battle fleet of a space marine chapter. The feeling of impending doom that she felt was further strengthened by the all channel broadcast that emanated from the newly emerged fleet. "Vengeance is our watchword!" On the bridge of the "Eviscerator" Bowdane the Stalker blinked in disbelief. He had expected to be teleported in to the heart of the imperial outpost, to emerge in battle frenzy, yet he was still standing on his own bridge. He looked at the techmagos at the teleport controls. The warped disciple of the machine god cowered in abject fear, screaming a protest before he forfeited his life. "It was a trap! The shields came up during the transport" he shouted, taking credit for the mechanical disruption to the power flow which prevented the champion of the Night Lords meeting the same fate as his terminator armoured companions. The first squad had successfully teleported in to the narrow window where the shield had failed, straight in to the waiting muzzles of plasma cannon armed servitor battery. Only the puddle of molten slag of human and armour remained of the fearsome warriors. The second squad was being teleported when the shields came up to full strength, scattering their physical structure to atoms and leaving their souls screaming in the warp to the waiting predators. Perhaps the gods of chaos were indeed with him, thought Bowdane, as he noticed Dalamere's cruisers and the accompanying raiders begin to break formation and turn about. In an instant, always expecting treachery from every quarter and without considering the tactical situation he barked out the command that he had been itching to give. High energy lances fired instantly, targeting the engines of the two intact cruisers and dealing a similar fate to half a dozen raiders. The cowards will have no choice but to stand a fight. It was then that he noticed the blaring klaxons and the urgent flashing of icons depicting the newly arrived fleet. Bowdane may be prone to blood lust and battle hunger, but millennia of experience was not lost on him. He realised that the situation was indeed changing with the hunter becoming the hunted. Ordering the mutant at the communications console to inform Gravad of the situation he activated the vox-caster and addressed the renegade crew of his warship, his booming voice thundering down every compartment of his grand cruiser.. |
CHAPTER XVIII: VENGEANCE IS OUR WATCHWORD Chronicled By ( Shadow Guard ) |
GATHERING OF ANGELS |
This section provides the narrative history of the events that took place during the Gathering of Angels campaign conducted by the Inner Circle, during Abaddon's Thirteenth Black Crusade. This is in no way the official GW version nor is it in anyway an attempt to infringe on their IP. There are many versions of imperial history buried within the sands of time and this is but just one of them. Read on if you dare! |
