Chapter 5.2 - Ironbound - IC

The burning wreck was certainly a mystery, but it couldn't be allowed to interfere with the mission, and that mission was to find and extract Ironbound.

You continue on in the wastes, towards Makraon and Ambrose. Time was running short; with a new front opened up, the hive mind would divert whatever forces it had towards the city on the black bay outside of Hessax-eager to consume fresh biomass to reinforce its ranks.

Within another hour and a half, you make it to Ambrose and Makradon at the abandoned Mining facility.

Ambrose spent the time rumminging around the rusting buildings intent on killing the cowardly orks hiding within. Makradon also spent some of his time looking, but ultimately resigned himself that there was nothing important to be had here.

He patches through the various vox frequincies in his spare time. There were perhaps hundreds of channels for the different guardsmen echelons to coordinate their forces.

The initial assault had hung on a wire's edge, but now that the heavy armor was landing the Major was consilidating his forces and pushing inward. The casualty list from the assault was still rising, now to 30,000-Acceptable losses for the guardsmen by high command's standards.

There were a few ministorum channels with hymnal chatter, but nothing majorly important, and even a few encoded frequencies.

"Glad to see you are as vigerous as ever, Brother Ambrose." Bleda brings the chimera to a stand outside the buildings, next to Ambrose and Makradon. As the driver he'll leave the vehicle last after his brothers have exited.

"Ambrose, well met." Lucius dropped down near the ancient warrior with whom he had spoken to before the attack. "I trust you killed dozens of enemy champions."

After he finishes speaking with Ambrose, the Novamarine made his way to Makradon and informed him of the Inferno tank and the booby traps. "We must proceed with caution. If you have an auspex, that could help prevent any calamity befalling us."

"This mission could not succeed without you, Venerable Brother Ambrose." Cassiel asks the storied Dreadnought and the Techmarnine, "Makradon, Ambrose, between the two of or with the inclusion of the Chimera, can we triangulate on Ironbound's position? We need to conclude this mission with all possible haste, and I don't think wandering these wastes is a good use of time." Cassiel allows the two to answer before opening it up to discussion with the full team for recommendations.

With the experts discussing the mysteries of the machine, Lucius took the rare moment of rest to approach his blooded brother.

“Was taking the port worthy of such ancient armor?” Lucius eyed the scratches and burns on the armor. Had he not been on Macragge, he would have been surprised an organic creature could put any visible damage on terminator armor. But he knew better.

“Will you be detailing any of it into your armor?”

At that moment the differences between the Novamarines and the Carcharadons seems few and far between. Hydrako’s people wore their stories in runes and bones on their armor, just as the Novamarines wore their stories as tattoos on their bodies. Even now, Lucius awaited the next story to add to his face.

Sent from Topic'it App

Albrecht really didn't think he could be of much assistance to a Techmarine but he as keen to get to Ironbound before the Cardinal. He approached Makradon "Brother, allow me to assist in reviewing the communications, I am no expert but two is better than one."

After speaking to Makradon was concluded Albrecht starts reviewing the comms, most of it was Imperial Guard which Albrecht would quickly skip over. The devotional prayers which were being cast on a wide frequency by the Cardinals forces he also skipped, focused as he was on acquiring Ironbound. Had he time he might has lingered upon them. He eventually came across something worthy of interest, an encrypted message that bore some similarity in cyphers Albrecht had taught during his work with the Inquisition.

"Makradon, what do you think of this." Albrecht replays the message "Its encoded as you can tell, but I can decipher some of it. Its a warrior cant, seems professional. They're preparing an ambush. On who or where I do not know."

"Eyes ready. Assume it is us unless we have proof otherwise. Jetpacks, patrol a perimeter at two clicks. Maintain box and visual contact."

Hydrako eyed the Nova Marine as he approached for another one of their "talks". Though he enjoyed them, he would never admit it out loud. He opened one of his trophy pouches and showed Lucius the contents. I have collected more trophies of strains unchallenged to add to my reliquary, as they proved unworthy of the Mantle. Glancing at his armour, he regarded Lucius' question for a moment. This armour is not of my Chapter, and I do not know who has donned it before me. However, honour requires that I record my deeds upon its surface. Carcharodon savagery must be passed down to all who wear this suit after I die. He looked Lucius in the eye then. Don't worry, you may one of your own one day. He grinned savagely. How was your battle for the cliffs? I noticed that you have not said much to Seraphan since we reconnected. Did we lose him again?

Lucius cast his eye toward Seraphan and then nodded to Hydrako. "Aye. He exhausted himself of foes and once again turned on our allies." The issue was much less Seraphan attacking the Guard and much more his loss of all control, needing to be physically restrained, and not being able to distinguish his own needs from that of the Kill Team.

"I imagine he has sought solitude since the cliff battle. It was a hard fight, but nothing we were unprepared for." Lucius then showed Hydrako his trophies collected.

"They're loosing multiple synapse creatures to each battle front. We caught them completely by surprise. They had stacked their ranks in anticipation of an attack on the hive and the counter attack has broken that for the time being."

When word comes in from Cassiel to patrol the perimeter, he slams a fist against Hydrako's plate and heads off.

While they charged forward, Ambrose kept his auspex at high power to spot any dangers.

While Ambrose focuses on the short range auspex to avoid danger, the rest of you power along in the requisitioned chimera.

The hours tick by in silence. You focus on your search as Ambrose regale's you with half remember tales of heroic deeds. The vox continued with chatter, mostly from the guardsmen as they retake the city.

The ministorum have had several problems though. Many of the dominion squads miss check in times, others were found, disabled and destroyed. Whatever could kill off dominion squads before they could retaliate? And in the immolator transports no less?

With what Albrect could decipher from the encrypted codes about ambushes....the implications are disturbing, though none of you spoke openly about what you were thinking.
If it was an inquisitorial cypher, could someone in the ordos be sabotaging the minstorum efforts?and by the same effort, are they needlessly ending the lives of faithful and devout battle sisters?
The more you think, the more you question your fellow inquisitor, who stayed in Hive Kevor to research things more. And then there was the matter of the single transmission she was able to get to you, how was that achieved?
How much did you really know about inquisitor Ezu Graihle?
She seemed trustworthy enough, but was she one who would murder innocent lives to achieve her goals?
After all, she had attached herself to this mission without any orders, with only an altruistic motive as an allabi.

Your dark thoughts are interrupted by a vox chime. Albrect spots a few buildings in the distance.
It was bigger than the promethium rig that Ambrose and Makradon had searched earlier, but only big enough for a couple of hundred or so guild adepts at best.

Lucius lands on the outskirts of eye contact with the squad, as per Cassiel's orders. Both of his main weapons were stowed on his body, and he used both hands to hold fast onto the top side of a ruined structure as he surveyed the land.

The vox chatter was interesting, especially news of the Minitorum forces' efforts. Lucius had never fought alongside the fanatical forces of the Emperor's religious cult before. He supposed he still hadn't, not officially, but he thought they would be more effective than this.

What is really at play here?

It was never an easy answer with the Inquisition. He was starting to understand this so much better thanks to his Long Watch.

Makradon had listened to the cant as it came in through to him, trying his best to decipher it, but failing to find the correct translation within his mind. Thank the Omnissiah for Albrecht being able to do so.

"Interesting. I shall store it in my memory banks for further study. At the current moment, I couldn't tell you what might happen. Let us remain cautious as we head to the next building. More than likely, the ambush is not for us. However, I find that ambushing us...results in massive casualties to the ambushing force."

Albrecht took to the skies and went the opposite flank to Lucius, his keen gaze scoured the ground for hostiles while he considered the losses the Cardinal was experiencing. Was this the inquisitors doing, clearing the way?

It would take considerable resources and powerful warriors to lay the Sisters low, if it were the inquisitions doing why did she need Draco. Did she know more about Ironbound than she was letting on and Draco would be needed to make contact.

Or it was Ironbound ambushing the Sisters. Albrecht disliked politics, he was on a holy mission for the Deathwatch and he would do everything in his power to succeed in the mission no matter who or what got in his way.

"We're moving in then." Bleda takes the vehicle up to the building. All the while Bleda is ready to take the vehicle into full speed and a zigzag pattern of movement to avoid enemy fire, should such erupt.

LET US SHOW THE FIRE OF VULKAN!

He screams, brandishing his underslung flamer around. Ambrose charges forth will all the speed his stubby little legs allows, scanning the horizon for foes, and the ground for traps.

Lucius moved forward at a pace that allowed him to be able to close with the target at the same pace as the rest of Draco. There was no need to act as scouts and attempt infiltration. Let the enemies come and let any potential allies recognize them for who they were.

He pulled down his auto-sense goggles and scanned the building, painting it for Imperial forces within to bombard on his signal if necessary. If they had to pull out and reduce the area to ash, then so be it.

With Draco's back banner fluttering high above his head, he moved in from the left flank.

Riding in the troop compartment, Hydrako scanned the area around the building for anything out of the ordinary. As they rode closer, he readied his chainaxe and stormbolter in case there was an ambush waiting for them.

You approach the cluster of buildings with all-due haste.

As you approach it becomes painfully obvious that the area is occupied and had been fortified. Iron welded tank traps block the only inroad you see. Shadows can be seen in the ruins moving about. Whoever they were, they were aware of you.

A lone man in a brown leather duster steps out in front to head you off at the blocked road. In his hands was a lasgun variant, and under his duster could be seen carapace armor.
He had dark hair and a thick, scraggly beard. His dark eyes scan the chimera and the hulking dreadnought warily.

Bleda stops the chimera in front of him and there was a slight pause before he speaks and motions from whence you came.
"Y'all lost? War's that way."

While his auspex scans the outer surface of the building for enemy positions & hidden heavy weapons, Ambrose profers a friendly (if extremely loud) greeting to the visible man.

GREETINGS, LOYAL CITIZEN OF THE IMPERIUM! COME FIGHT ALONGSIDE US TO RID THIS WORLD OF THE XENOS HORDE! WE SHALL CRUSH THEM UNDER IRON BOOTS WITH THE STRENGTH ONLY MANKIND CAN DISPLAY!

Lucius watched from his perched position not too far away. Having marked the building for potential orbital or artillery strike, he lifted the goggles off his head and placed them in the carrying case at the small of his back.

Draco's banner flew high above his head, and he made himself an obvious target to any enemies. But that was OK. He heard Ambrose's proclamation without needing it to go through the vox frequencies.

"Allowing Venerable Brother Ambrose to do the talking, eh? It is a bold strategy, Cassiel. I will give you that." He quipped over the vox.

Cassiel disembarked from the Chimera, mag-strapping his helmet to his hip as he moved to stand opposite the apparent leader. "Peace, Amrbrose, let me negotiate with them", he clicks over the vox before switching to true voice communications. "Lost? No. Not so much. There's fighting across this whole planet, we should know, we've won our share of the battles. Looks like you're holding out well enough here. We didn't think anyone survived outside of the hives."

He smiles, though there was a sense of unease behind it.

"There's plenty who got left behind here and there. The xenos go to where the most meat is I guess. Deathwatch eh? and even a kastellan dreadnought, Im impressed. What brings you out here?"

Ambrose defers to Cassiel for the negotiations; he transmits to his fellows (without screaming it out loud, but through the vox-net) the position of the various defensive positions, with the exact coordinates provided by his Astartes targeter.


++hidden enemies at positions x,y,z,v,p,l, missile launcher at position q++

Despite the cloud masking his intellect & fellowship, the hard-won intuition of an experienced devastator would always guide him.

Lucius slowly released his bolter from its hold on his hip. He looked to the locations Ambrose called out - the ones he could see. The missile launcher would die first if it came to it. He remembered ancient words recorded in the Novamarine Libris.

Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet.

Following Cassiel out of the troop compartment, Hydrako flanked him as they met with the mortal. This one knows what an Astartes dreadnought is. There are not many mortals who would recognise one on sight. Hydrako whispered over the squad vox. He scrutinized the speaker and his surroundings, looking for the ambushers Ambrose had detected. With weapons already in hand, he waited silently for the humans to start firing.

Albrecht kept to a flanking position as best he could opposite Lucius, they could cover each other’s six from their birds eye view. The Templar smiles sadly at Ambrose’s greeting, the venerable Dreadnought had lost much during his entombment. He was a mighty warrior but his mental state was sad to see.

Statuesque Albrecht stands on his perch, pray scrolls and purity seals fluttering in the breeze were the only indication he wasn’t a fixture of the building. As Ambrose reports targets Albrecht replies with an “acknowledged, brother”, he then proceeds to mark the targets on Lucius’s side, those that are masked from the nova marine by the angle of the building.

“Indeed, he reveals knowledge that he would likely not know. I do not recall us mentioning we're Deathwatch."

Also Bleda comes out from the Chimera and takes a position, ready to pull the bolter and engage the targets mentioned by the ancient. But as they do, he decides to read the man in front of the Astartes. Was this the Ironbound? Appearences could be deceptive.

See OOC for the casting.

Cassiel doesn't let the smile plastered to his face falter. "You appear sufficient in number that I would have expected them to take some interest in you. Certainly, we have. It would be fair to say that we are keenly interested in survivalists - what you did to make it to this point, for instance. There are many who sought to survive in the wastes and were instead incorporated into the biomass of the xenos horde. But despite the battle on the planet's surface, have manners deteriorated so much that you won't invite the Emperor's children into your citadel?"

He listens intently, his brain searching the meaning behind every word.

"Our numbers are nothing compared to the city you came from."
His voice was gruff and throaty; in a loud but not yelling tone. He wanted to make sure his men could hear him.
"At least not when they came. There's many drilling stations out here where a few have been able to gather, islands in a sea of enemies. All they wanna do is stay afloat. Im sure that's one of the reasons the good major decided to get off his ass and get moving?"

He shuffles his feet, not content to stand still. He seemed not to mind the distance between you.
"Sorry for my lack of manners. Wouldn't be the first guy-in-a-can who tried to kill me."

His term for a hallowed astartes was unusual, and near derogatory. You get the idea he's being coy for someone else's benefit.

He looks from Bleda, to Ambrose, to Cassiel, To Albrect- the ones who had left the chimera.

"How many of you are there?" he asks.

Upon your answer, he shrugs and steps to the side, motioning you to enter the community with his lasgun.
"Couldn't stop you if I tried." he says

Two men, dressed in whatever gear the could scavenge, move and begin moving the tank traps, so that you could bring the chimera in.

Makradon keep his recording devices on, capturing every bit of data that was being thrown at him all at once in the time it took most to blink their eyes. He ran the data against every data bank connected to him, searching for more and more on their newfound...friend? ally?...enemy? Whatever he was, Makradon needed to know as much as possible about him.

He keeps up with Ambrose, almost like a master with his dog on a leash. Not that he wanted to control Ambrose in any way, quite the opposite actually, but it is what it might have looked like.

With the tank traps out of the way, Ambrose starts walking towards the entrance, his auspex scanning everything he sees.

Hearing the exchange, Lucius made ready to move in. "Orders," he asked of Cassiel.

Bleda sends over the vox to the somewhat meagre findings from his souls searching of the man before them.

"I sense this man is relieved to see us and not suprised at all to find Astartes at his gates yet uneasy with our presence. I would think that his master knows something of our reasons to seek them out."

And then Bleda gets into the Chimera.

"I'll bring the vehicle inside this, site."

++Keep alert. Ambrose, these are allies. Let's make sure to treat them as such. At least until they give us cause to feel differently. Lucius, Khol, try to make friends.++

To the man inviting them in, Cassiel responds, "There aren't many who can say they survived an attack by a Space Marine, even those that betrayed the Emperor and now serve his enemies. If it isn't too personal a question, may I ask why a 'man in a can' wanted you dead?"

Lucius burned his jump pack, flying in a low arc to make himself as small a target as possible. He landed atop the structure as softly as he could. His back banner fluttered in the wind as he descended, and he regarded anyone on sentry duty with a polite nod.

"Well met," he says to anyone who happens to be topside.

Hydrako walked into the compound at Cassiel's side. He remained silent as they talked, watching the man for any deceit. Given what he said about a can man trying to kill him, Hydrako was interested to hear his reply. Were there other Astartes, not of the Blood Drinkers, on the planet? Or had the Deathwatch inserted another team?

He leads you at a slow pace through the crumbled structures and outer husks of dead buildings.
"They boarded the ship without permission," the bearded man say absentmindedly to Cassiel.
"A meltagun made him rethink his action.." he chuckles. "That was only the first time, and only the first time that day...."

Ambrose sense the contacts in the structures follow suit. For humans, they moves through the shattered buildings like ghost, more akin to shadows than humans, at least to the naked eye. To Ambrose, they were body heat signitures with trace amounts of explosives, most likely improvised frak/krak grenades.

He stops at the main crossroad of the place, it had a large building dominating the square with a wrought iron comms tower soaring high above it. Makradon recognized the high freq vox array instantly.
"This is it. Home" the bearded man says, as if that welcome was warm enough.
"...So, whats the plan now?" he asks.

As Bleda slowed the chimera to a halt, and Ambrose strode to a stop alongside it, the sensory shadows exposed themselves.
"My men," he tells you, "They're a capable bunch, a bit rough around the edges."
He motions towards an older man he steps closer than the rest, you recognize his outfit as the same as the Brentonian regiments you fought alongside already, albeit if he had been away from resupply for months.
"This is Corp. Caedite Grimm, technically he outranks everyone else,"
Grimm nods, unsure what to say to a hulking giant, "Sir." his face was wizened but he had the eyes of a trained professional. His grip was on a battered autogun, some primitive explosive launcher had been welded onto the frame.
Next up was a young female guardsmen, her regiment of origin was unknown, partially due to the face that her gear was from at least 4 different regiments of varying technological degrees.
"Kati, "Mag" Mastoller. Guardsment from Emperor-knows where."
She smiles nervously and manages a slight "M'lords"
Next up were 3 guardsmen, civillain refugees? pdf? It was hard to tell from the fatigues and flak armor, but whatever they were before, they were now soldiers. The oldest appeared to be 19 standard years or maybe even less, like the female guardsmen.
"Three brothers, Carus, Benton and Del Lexon." He grabs the collar of the youngest and smiles as he tugs on it with a playful smile. He was only 12 years at best.
"They're like sons to me." he informs you.
Del, the youngest, smiles up at Ambrose, not sure what he was looking at, but he found all the moving mechanical parts intriguing. On his hip was an autopistol.
"Don't let them fool you, they kick ass in a fight."
He looks around, seeming to miss a few faces, "Where's preist?"

Carus spoke, "He said he was on break."
The bearded man grunts. "Eh? Screw that asshole then. I'll ring his ears later."

A silence hangs in the air as the tension built. The boys and girls seemed uneasy, on edge. They all wanted to ask the same question but were afraid too.
Finally, the corporal asks, "What are they doing here chief?"

He eyes you from the corner of his eyes, "I'm not sure yet. I guess they are here hunting synapse creature? or maybe pillaging some forgotten outpost from the ordos?"

Cassiel sinks to the ground with a loud sigh, crossing his legs as he does so. He sets his helmet on the ground at his side and any attempt at artifice. "Rough or not, the fact is we're here because we need your help." Cassiel lets the need hang in the air before he continues. "Not for this planet, the Emperor knows it could use it. For something more. A whole sector. I don't know why and I don't know how, but we've been asked to find Ironbound and convince him to come with us." Cassiel motions to the 'ghosts', "And any friends that he feels need to be included."

Cassiel had taken the measure of the survivors and he knew that honesty would be surprising to them, but also appreciated.

Seeing the smiling child, Ambrose says:

GREETINGS, RATLING AUXILIARY. MAY THE EMPEROR GUIDE AND PROTECT YOU.

He then tries to do the sign of the aquila, his stubby right arm not allowing it, and his autocannon left not able to move that way. Giving up, he points to the eagle on his face-plate.

The bearded man stares at Cassiel, worried, as he rest semi-panic when Ambrose's booming voice speaks and he begins moving his weapons around.

When it was obvious the dreadnought was not going to attack, and didnt mean to frighten them, it was the grizzled old man, Caedite Grimm who spoke to Cassiel.
"Ironbound huh? What can that nutcase possibly do to save the entire sector?"
He spoke with incredulity, as if he couldn't believe the man could help anything at all.

"Despite the armor and weapons, we Astartes are just glorified grunts. Nobody tells us any more than they think we need to know to complete the mission, and usually a good deal less." Cassiel is glad that they seem to know Ironbound by that name - he was tired of dead ends and false leads. "If I had to speculate, perhaps some secret knowledge has been implanted within his mind and that is why he appears mad. It is not beyond possibility that he is carrying critical information - even if he isn't aware of it - and has been unable to deliver it. Can we speak with him?"

The corporal looked to the bearded guy, who just shrugged without an answer.
He shook his head and backed off.

"The name's Micah Curas," the bearded guy says, "Most call me Ironbound."

Ironbound didn’t look like much, although looks of course can be deceiving. Still Albrecht was disappointed, the man was not Astartes, a Dreadnought or some other god of war. He was a man. Cassiel’s luck had held; they had found Ironbound first.

Albrecht paces a little as he took the sight of Ironbound in, seeking some insight – he found none. He was ‘just’ a man. Albrecht wondered why the ecclesiarchy wanted him and gave no hesitation in giving voice to his thoughts. Albrecht disliked procrastination.

The templar removed his helm and stared intently at this Micah Curas trying to strip any truth from falsehood as he spoke “We are not the only ones who seek you. The church comes. Why would they seek you out?"

Lucius moved in. Apparently the people on the rooftop were either mutes or dumbed into silence by his presence. He lands with grace nearby, back banner fluttering high above his head and looking as regal as a barbarian-cousin of Guilliman's seed could.

The sun shined off of the Iron Skull that had replaced the Aquila on his chest plate, a physical manifestation of the natural radiant presence he naturally brought to every situation . He listened intently to Albrecht's question, paying special attention to the answer before asking his own question.

"Ironbound - Micah Curas - it is a pleasure to finally meet you." He extended his hand as was custom in the Imperium among mortals.

"Your comms have been able to reach out and coordinate among ground forces exceptionally well. What are your current vox capabilities?"

A man it was, and this was the man. Bleda keeps in the background to observe what's going on but already he felt a distant dislike to the Ironbound. Could this man have shed the blood of fellow Astartes? Had they been traitors then no harm done. But if they had not been?

Ironbound...Hydrako took half a step towards the man and loomed over him. Albrecht had voiced his exact same thoughts. The Templar has a point. Why would the Ecclesiarchy seek you out so fervently? Then another thought occurred. We have beaten them here, but they will not be long behind us. They will try to take you with force, I have no doubt. Your men should prepare to repel them. Still holding his chainaxe and stormbolter, the engine growled suddenly in anticipation of more blood.