# A short story about my chapter.



## Calamari (Feb 13, 2009)

_I wrote this story to explain some of the fluff of my chapter. I didn't want to write the usual Imperial Records kinda of stuff because to be honest, it's been done and has to be done well or it will be long and dull. So bear in mind that that the primary point here is to explain rather than tell a story. Having said that, I've got a taste for it now so I might follow it up. C&C is activley encouraged. Happy reading_ :grin:


Captain Antilochus woke from his half-sleep with a jolt as the Thunderhawk's engines suddenly jumped into life. The Thunderhawks that carried the 4th Company towards the target had accelarated to a huge speed before cutting engines and "gliding" through space towards the traitor held planet. The planet, Bayson, was gaurded by very powerful sensor stations for both real space and the warp. If the entire strike force had attempted to assault the planet the defenders would have seen the attack coming and the butcher's bill would have been much too high. So it was decided that the Thunderhawks would "run dark" to avoid detection for as long as possible in order to slip past the enemy defences. It seemed that stealth had now been abandoned.

The Captain started to rise from his sleep and immediatley reached for Aquilas. The sword that had been crafted for him from Obsidian found in the Anatolia, his birthplace on ancient Terra and the ancestral home of The Emperor himself. He pulled the blade close to him and watched the dim light catch off motes of golden minerals buried within the polished black material. He affectionatly called it a "sword and a half". Light enough to wield in one hand but long enough to hold with two. He glanced over his shoulder to check over his armour, the golden eagle heads on his power armour's back back stared at him sternly with hard ruby eyes. Antilochus then stood up and looked over the rest of his dark green plate. Satisfied that all was well he stretched out his limbs, they were stiff after a long wait inside the transport, while the armour provided excelent protection, it was most definatley not designed for comfort.

He look out across the hold. The rest of the marines onboard, roughly half of the Verdant Eagles 4th company, seemed to share his rude awakening. He watched them go through the drills drummed into them during their training on Io. It was a rare honour that the Verdant Eagles held, almost all of their recruits came from the Sol System.

A klaxon sounded and the hold was bathed in a harsh white glare. One of the Thunderhawk's crew approached the Captain, he was a veteran and a close friend of Antilochus'.

"Hello Signus" said the Captain, his every word uttered with force and precision.

"Darius" replied the crewman with a nod, his voice full of joy and levity that was a key characteristic of the Companies air arm. "Deployment is only two minutes away. The traitor's command and control centre has been identified, how did you sleep?"

"Badly, but then what did you expect?"

Signus laughed, his bulk moving up and down in large movements as he did so. He tapped his Captain on the shoulder and moved to a terminal near the foward exit ramp as another Astartes moved to a similar console at the rear ramp. The enemy C&C was the main objective for this raid, without it the powerful sensor arrays in orbit would be useless allowing the rest of the fleet to arrive safley.

Antilochus turned back to his men and gave the order to mount their bikes. The Captain had chosen to mount the Company on bikes for this assault because they would allow the Astartes to cover large areas of ground quickly and enable them to bring more supplies. He hadn't deployed the comapny as an armoured spearhead for two reasons, firstly, the Company's tanks would have taken up more room meaning more transports meaning a much higher chance of detection. Secondly, tanks require a constant supply of fuel which for the first part of this campaign, they wouldn't have. He would have to rely on the rest of the feet to bring the 4th's armoured contingent. The one thing that Antilochus did have at his disposal was the 4th company Land Speeder squadron, the Talons.

The Captain, scooped up his helmet that had been resting on his winged bike. He looked at Signus and tapped his wrist. Signus replied by holding up one finger. One minute until we begin, thought Darius, plenty of time.

"Brothers!" Antilochus turned to address his men, shouting now to be heard over the roar of the engines and sporadic AA fire coming from the ground. The Thunderhawk had begun to duck and dive to avoid the incoming fire. "Let us pray!" The assembled soldiers bowed their heads but held firm to the bikes to stop themselves falling over in the juddering transport.

"The Emperor, guides us" he began, as the other Astartes joined in on the well rehearsed prayer. "He illuminates the ignorant, casts down the arrogant, bellittles the weak and emboldens the strong but above all... the Emperor Protects."

A cheer ran through the bay. 30 seconds! signed Signus. Antilochus braced himself as the rear hatch opened and the Talons mounted their Land Speeders. They were to be dropped from high altitude and swoop down onto the C&C in a devastating airstrike. With the crews in position the magnetic clamps released and the Speeders began to float.

"Talons out?!" Shouted Darius.

"To the traitor's necks!" The Claws completed the battle cry, one gunner stood up and made the sign of the Aquila, the pilot quickly jinked the vehicle , almost causing his comrade to fall out much to the cheers of the rest of the squadron. The gunner sat down giving the pilot i playful bat on the head. The Astartes at the rear ramp thumbed a command rune then help up his hand fingers splayed, counting down from five. The rear ramp began to lower and the Talons edged sideways towards the opening ramp and the bright daylight beyond. Finaly the Marine threw his fist in the air, the all clear signal. The lead Land Speeder went sideways out of the exit and straight into a barrel roll, the pilot had his hands in the air to prove he had no control. The other craft left with similar displays and the rear ramp closed again. Antilochus smiled. He didn't mind the behavior of his pilots because he knew that they would always come through for him and the Company. The Talons were the best squadron in the Chapter and besides, you had to be a bit mad to fly one of those unholy machines.

Darius chuckled and looked back at Signus who seemed to mirror his sentiments. He glanced at his console and raised one finger. One minute to landfall. He stood facing his warriors;

"Weapons ok?!" Again screaming over the sound of the engines. Each of the twenty marines in front of him replied in turn raising their fist to their chest and tapping it twice to reinforce that all was well.

"Armour ok?!" Same response. The Captain turned to Signus. Ten seconds he signed before he could ask.

"Bikes on!" as he gave the order he mimed turning the activation rune. He heard the sound of the monstorous bike engines ticking over being added to the sounds of the straining Thunderhawk engines. He slid his helmet over his head and heard a small whisper as the atmosphere adjusted and the inter squad vox crackled as it joined the battle-net. He mounted his bike nad felt the suspension compensate for the half tonn of Astartes that now sat astride it. He nodded to Signus as he felt the craft touch down, Signus pressed the door release and the assault ramp fell down with a crash. He raised Aquilas above his head and began the call to battle

"Foes of Terra, look to the skies!"

"The Eagles are upon you!" Continued the rest of the 4th.


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