The Aurora Dims

The Aurora Dims

Dramattis personae:

Warsmith Marinus – Commander of the Iron Warriors 8th Company
Sorcerer Ladrastus Kael – Chief Navigator and Librarian
Champion Petrinus – Commander, Petrinus Squad, Iron Warriors 8th Company
Magus Clarence de Voy – Cult Leader, Captain of the Warp Arrow
Battle Brother Horran – Petrinus Squad

Station Commander Vivar – Aurora Station Commander
Lt. Commander Valius – First Officer, Aurora Station
Lt. Tanes – Tactical Officer, Aurora Station
Sergeant Hayes – Auroran 2nd, 4th Company, Squad Commander
Lt. JG Villyas – Medical Officer, Aurora Station
Mr. Rokas – Owner of the Rokh's Nest Bar and Grill, Promenade level, Aurora station
Constable Jones – Aurora Station Internal Security


Part I – The Arrival

Seating in her chair Lady de Voy, once a young noblewoman of House de Voy supervised the bridge of the Battle-Ship Warp Arrow from her chair, high above the other consoles. A blinking light on her command chair display began flaring in yellow then red. Her face turned to observe the screen, her bionic implant flaring a mere moment as she smirked waving her hand covered in a Silver satin glove, turning toward the Helmsman,
“Mr. Lakis take us out of warp”, her voice was heard, authoritarian, demanding. The woman's next action was to turn toward the sensor control station, speaking yet again “Miss Rothin perform a preliminary sensor scan of the system, Tactical – I want a full tactical analysis on the information you will get from sensors report”, she concluded as she looked but a second at her tactical officer. Just as her orders were carried out she looked at the pict view screen and grinned. The ship decelerated and soon it was moving on sub-light engine power.
Like a lumbering giant the Warp Arrow advanced with sub-light engines at full power, slowly entering standard orbit with a large Gas-Giant. A bit agitated Captain de Voy looked toward her tactical officer and attached servitor speaking rather nervously “Are you done with that report ensign?”, she demanded, staring intently at the calm young man. His green eyes locked on her as he smoothed his gray uniform with golden trims and an eight pointed star on the arm badge and he responded “Tactical analysis completed, Captain. Sensors indicate there are two ships in the system, a freighter and a system patrol craft, escort. “. The young man did not feel intimidated by her, he had joined willingly after his whole family were wrongly killed by Imperial authorities. The Iron Warriors offered him everything, a way to fight back, Gods to turn to, protection.

The main bridge doors opened slowly and a hulking figure stepped in, clad in silver and Black Robes, gloves, heavy boots, towering at 8ft tall over every single crew-member. His shaved head covered by bionic implants turned toward her as he reached the Captain's chair. Clarence flinched in her chair, adjusting her uniform, red hair a little and she froze as the man's still biological eye stared her down. His voice calm, calculated could be heard as he inquired, “So captain what is our current situation?”. The voice was demanding enough through the sheer amount of annoying calmness it had that Clarence knelt down before the man and replied almost shivering in fear, “Warsmith... I … we have reached the Aurora system and preliminary analysis shows we have but light resistance. A single Escort-class vessel and the station's defenses themselves...I wanted to send you the report just as you arrived honouring us with your presence...”.
His hand reached down, grabbing her collar, lifting her up to his face level. Despite his bionic right eye and implants on the same side of his head the Warsmith appeared to have a pleasant figure for one devoted to the Gods, suffering little from his interaction with the warp. He spoke with a disgusted tone in his voice “While your prostrations amuse me woman, kissing my ass will not get you in my good graces. Have you begun deploying jamming buoys?”,he asked eventually dropping her to the bag like a potato bag.

She whimpered like a child as she hit the hard metallic floor, closing her eyes. From behind a voice could be heard, it was the Tactical Officer, speaking calm or as calm as he could in the Warsmith's presence. “Pardon Lord for my interference. As the battle-plan requested the initial ten buoys were deployed in position. I was about to inform the Captain but you came along.”. The Iron Warrior turned toward this young man, responding, “Well done, at least you don't kiss my ass boy”. Happy with his performance the officer returned to his console. In the mean time the Captain stood up slowly moving back into her chair, shooting the Tactical officer a murderous look.

The Warsmith smiled to himself mostly looking out at the myriad of stars through the view-screen then spoke clearly, not addressing anyone in particular “Announce Squads selected for the boarding operation to begin combat preparations. Bring us to Condition Red, shields up, all weapons online!”. Red Light began to flare all across the ship, cultist crew members rushing to their battle-stations. Rifles were issued, special weapons brought out of the armory and deep within the mid-section of the ship the members of six squads were being helped don their power Armors. Two elite squads of Tactical Dreadnought Armoured battle brothers were also armed and prepared. Satisfied with the overall mobilization the Iron Warriors commander simply walked off the bridge. Soon it would begin and he had to be ready.

Part II – The Arrow Released

Lt. Tanes was a young officer by all Imperial Navy standards. Coming from a noble family on Serpidian V he went through the Academy like a shooting star, besting his comrades and graduating with most distinguished merits. While Station duty was something he did not want he had to do with it as other better connected cadets received ship assignments. This morning he reported for Alpha Shift at 0800 hours, Imperial Standard Time and after reading all reports it only proved to be another quiet day. Entering the Tactical and Security Office he removed his great-coat, setting it on the back of his chair and sank into his expensive leather covered seat.

Keeping a close eye on the traffic screens he yawned and looked around for a mere moment. Boredom was going to kill him there not the enemy. Taking a framed pict-image from his desk he smiled as his shaved face reflected against the glass covering the photograph of his betrothed, Miss Alenia Syas. He loved the girl with all his heart and once he would go home on leave they were due to get married. Thoughts returned to his mind, memories of their picnics together, the balls, the receptions, the books they read and commented together, all the beautiful Eclesiarchy held services to the Emperor they faithfully attended. One of the clearest things that came to his mind however were her beautiful blue eyes, full of life, loving,clear.

A navy trooper entered quietly, waking Tanes from his day-dreaming. The young private spoke quietly “Sir, we have an incoming ship at full sub-light from Aurora V. We ran a scan on her transponder, it appears an Astartes ship, the Warp-Arrow”. Pulling himself together Lt. Tanes replied quietly, “What class of ship is it?”. The trooper gulped a mere second before putting an answer together , “Old class of Battle-Barge Sir, few of it's type remain. Appears to be M30 type of Astartes Battle-Barge.”. Shaking his head William Tanes asked yet again, “Have you attempted to hail it?”. With a sigh he moved toward the vox communicator, opened all channels and spoke clearly, “Astartes Battle-Barge this is Lt. Tanes, Imperial Navy Station Aurora Celestis, identify yourself!”.

Smirking at the sound of this voice, the voice of an Imperial Dog, Warsmith Marinus, dressed for war in his artificer armour, with the entire servo arm assembly powered up watched still through the view-screen flanked by another man. This one wore the same metallic silver armour covered by a robe with a long manttle falling from his shoulders, beneath his power pack. At a single look from Marinus he nodded in approval. “All forward turbo-laser batteries fire upon the escort class ship, aim for the plasma reactor in the mid-aft section!”. A simple “Aye Sir!”, could be heard from the tactical console.

Slowly turning toward their quarry the quad-barreled turrets came to life, starting to track the small Escort Corvette. Their targeting mechanisms now fully locked on their target fired a pulse of red laser. Impacting port and top shields on the Corvette they made sure the small ship would not be able to compensate shields for a second volley. Before the puzzled captain of the Imperial vessel had time to respond a second Turbo-laser pulse penetrated the hull of the ship, blowing it's reactor up and subsequently the Escort into a plasma explosion. Marinus grinned slightly, turning toward the Tactical officer of his Battle-Ship, “Divert power to forward shields, load Plasma Torpedoes in all fore tubes. Fire when in range of the station. Triangulate any weakened shield locations and follow with a turbo-laser volley. Have port turrets target their defense gun-platforms. Fire port tubes with Melta-Torpedoes after the salvo!”.

The Warsmith had barely finished his order and soon his eyes could follow the contrails of the Plasma Torpedoes toward the station. Blue incandescent flashes indicated hits just as the gun platforms began to unleash a hail of laser battery fire at the battle-ship. With a final nod he waited for further results. The Assault Fighters deployed would soon make short work of the freighter that desperately tried to escape.


Meanwhile in the governor's palace.....

The painting decorated halls of the Aurora system governor, barely lit by the moonlight coming from outside were soon filled with the sound of footsteps. Several Stormtroopers advanced down a passage led by their sergeant. Their leader a grizzled veteran stopped just behind a marble statue, raising his hand in a lightning motion, signaling his squad to stop. The Stormtroopers took cover behind pieces of rock and collapsed statues their night-vision goggles allowed them to pierce the low light of the corridor. The silence was pierced again by footsteps, heavy treaded boots. The Stormtrooper Sergeant narrowed his eyes as a hulking figure stepped into the corridor. The man opened his mind to speak but it was too late......his eyes opened wide, his last words being heard “Take cover!”.

Horran narrowed his eyes and as soon as he gripped the Heavy bolter firmly the ammunition count appeared on his helmet sight. The targeting system locked onto the first man he could partially see and pulled the trigger. A bright muzzle flare appeared at the barrel's exit and soon the heavy bolter shells pierced walls, statues and soon a scream indicated pierced flesh. In a spray of blood the Sergeant's left arm along with his shoulder were torn off and the man staggered into view as he fell. The next round pierced his mid-section blowing him in two pieces, blood and entrails flying all around him, landing on his squad members.

Several Imperial troopers opened fire but their measly hell-guns did little to the power armor clad giant who continued his volley of Heavy Bolter fire. Medic Kesan was the second to fall blown to hundreds of pieces by at least five rounds and covered by the rapid fire of the heavy weapon the others advanced. Just as the overheated heavy bolter ceased fire another Brother Marine from Petrinus squad advanced with a flame thrower. With an infernal shriek the corridor was engulfed in promethium flames, the screams and wails of the burning Stormtroopers piercing the infernal shriek of the special weapon.

Trooper Lars was the last. He ran, tears of rage flowing on his cheeks, glad in a way he had escaped the fate of his mates yet angry at his failure. Running toward the Governor's barricaded doors he began screaming at the top of his lungs “Chosen.... Chosen...... run for your lives..... Renegade Astartes!”. The two men at the door looked at him confused just as the Silver armor of an Astartes came into view. Their Lasguns crackled as they opened fire but soon he was upon them. Champion Petrinus shot one at point blank range with his bolt-pistol, cutting the others' arm literally off. Lars closed his eyes and as a last desperate gesture he shoved his bayonet at Petrinus but to little avail. A mere scratch on the armor was all he could accomplish. His life flared before his eyes just as he felt the blade of the power-sword pierce his carapace armor. Looking at the bare-headed marine all he saw were cold inhuman eyes looking at him. Soon he lay dead with the Imperial guardsmen besides him.


Part III – The Breach

Captain Neimus, Officer of the Fleet attached to the House of Aurora's governor simply went blank as he followed the space battle on the large video pict-screen. The Iron Warriors battleship was shown as a large triangle, moving toward the orbital station and in the upper right square he saw the sections of the star-base slowly turning from blue to red. Erratic reports came from escaping Imperial patrol ships and the station defenders but the truth was clear. The Iron Warriors had attained Space superiority. Other smaller triangles appeared at the system's edge and large circles appeared around them indicating Interdictor Gravity Wells.

His observations were true, seven Interdictor Strike Cruisers took station at the system's edges just after the rest of the Iron Warriors' fleet entered the system. They were cut off from reinforcements. He turned toward the system governor with a sigh he spoke, “My Lord our cause is lost. The heretics have cut off every single possible escape and entry route into the system... our faith in the Emperor is the only thing that can deliver us now”.

Governor Salinas looked down and turned toward the Mechanicus adept standing besides him “Adept, why are our system defense platforms not responding, these bastards are flooding in”. With a light buzz the half cyborg Tech-Adept responded quickly “It is obvious governor, I have lost contact with the Machine Spirit controlling our orbital defense platforms. It is quite possible it was corrupted by our traitor brothers from the Dark Mechanicus”. Salinas growled and turned toward the Commissar that handled propaganda for local troops barking an order “Shoot them both for cowardice in the line of duty!”.

The trench-clad Commissar looked at Salinas with disgust speaking on a clear, authoritarian tone “Governor Salinas, you have deliberately left our system without fleet protection knowing what treasures are kept here. While your gesture to defend the nearby Manticore Cordata system is commendable I believe you have failed in your duties. While I do not doubt they will be punished by the Emperor's faithful we must look upon our situation. There was gunfire outside your doors.... the Adept and Captain have done their duty to the best of their ability!”. A single gunshot could be heard in the room and governor Salinas soon lay on the stone floor with a river of blood dripping from his head. Turning toward the communication pict-screen the stern Commissar spoke clearly as he looked at Commander Vivar who was barely holding out on the Orbital station “You will fight to the last man Commander. Abandoning the station is not acceptable, do you understand?”. A single nod from the Station Commander was the reply the Commissar needed.

Outside the blast doors the whole Petrinus Squad had gathered and with an insidious grin their Champion ordered, “I want a Melta-Charge cluster on these doors, brother Horran, wire them up then retreat for cover when ready to detonate”. Without flinching Horran nodded and moved toward the secure doors with a crate in his hands. He saw the Champion's hand clasping his shoulder and he looked up at his squad commander. The shaved headed man spoke quietly only for him “You have gone far Horran, you've not let me down, don't start doing it now”.

The Marine's fingers carefully worked as he tied the Melta-Charges together, forming a parallel tied cluster. With the fuses in place he connected everything to the control unit which would detonate the charges one at a time. Tapping the keys on the unit he entered the detonation intervals to 0.2 seconds and the overall power required for the detonation. With a final key-press he moved away from the doorway, picking up his heavy bolter on the way, moving behind a wall. With his back toward the wall he pulled a small Data-Pad sized detonator. A push of the master-arm key caused a yellow light to power up, indicating the “Ready” status on the device. Typing in the detonation code he closed his eyes just as the counter decreased. 5......4.......3.......2......1!

Like the light of a thousand sons the Melta-Bombs detonated in concert at the programmed intervals and a wave of heat of thousands of degrees bathed the corridor leading to the bunker doors, turning the walls into a mere jelly-like paste, baking works of art, sustaining beams and deforming statues. For a few seconds this persisted and to the Chaos Marines hidden deep in cover fifty meters away it felt like forever. Horran thought he could feel the heat piercing his power armor but that did not happen. In the bunker the command staff somewhat kept safe was thrown to the floor by the blast and to their misfortune two troopers by the blast doors were turned into molten piles of organic matter.....

[To be Continued]