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Main > Documentation > Fiction > The Medusa V Campaign > Medusa V Chapter 02

+++ FICTION - THE MEDUSA V CAMPAIGN +++
The Story of the Guardian Angels role in the War for Medusa V.
Last Updated; July 16. 2006 - Imperial Record: Unknown!.



CHAPTER TWO - PLANETFALL

The might of the Guardian Angels Task Force's Fleet was already making itself known in the outer regions of Medusa V's staging ground in Space, escorting civilian evacuation ships through the cold, uncaring vacuum of space; making recognisance runs and other patrol work alongside countless other loyal ships and engaging in battle where-ever needed. - But now three of the Task Force's mightiest ships where setting up base camp in geo-synchronous orbit over Medusa V's Telosia Sector.
The ships glided silently into position, hovering preciously in their designated zones while setting up orbital base-camp - deploying satellites for the Chapter's monitoring and communications network as well as launching close perimeter defences.
Shortly after the Battle Barges "Shadow Guard" and "Sword of the Heavens" had set up next to their lesser sister-ship, the Strike Cruiser "White Angel", an Inquisitorially marked Aquilla Lander moved towards the "Shadow Guard", requesting permission to dock with the mighty war ship.
Naturally, the request was accepted and soon after a welcoming party had been formed on the Battle Barge's already busy upper hangar deck where all sorts of preparations for war was being made.
Thunderhawk engines roared and countless other smaller craft where being loaded with different materials needed to sustain the Companies once on ground.
Over a full company's worth of Marines where currently lined up on the deck and a few hundred meters away three huge Landing Ships where being loaded up with Armoured support vehicles.
Commander D'Angelo was restless as he saw the Aquilla Lander in the distance, moving through the containment fields securing the over two kilometre long Hangar deck from the deathly vacuum outside.
Once inside the hangar, the Aquilla lander’s engines shut down and the gravitic lifters built into the decks main hull took over, fluently gliding the small ship across the deck to land softly a mere fifteen meters away from the Commander and his retinue.
The ramp on the Aquilla lander came down slowly, the ship venting hot gasses into the air as all the Marines on the deck stood to attention.
D'Angelo himself felt his lip involuntarily bend downwards into a sour expression and he leaned back, drawing in a deep breath in order to steady his resolve at seeing this meeting through as fat as possible.
He had no love for Inquisitors; his Chapter distrusted psychers with a passion and this Inquisitor Lord was sure to be a powerful one.
Still, it had been Supreme Commander Sicarius' wish that the Inquisitor Lord inspect the mighty "Shadow Guard" before taking it into use as a secure base of operations. - D'Angelo had no wish to disappoint him, but he hoped this Inquisitor "Gorgon" would make it fast.
Finally, the ramp on the Aquilla lander came clanging down on the decks metal surface, and five Storm troopers moved out of the Aquilla, seemingly securing the area before being followed down the ramp by an old man that seemed to be blindfolded. Commander D'Angelo looked into the ground momentarily, slightly shaking his head at the foolishness of the old man's bodyguard. - If he didn’t trust the Astartes he shouldn’t have come - it was an insult.
What difference would five men make if over two hundred Space marines wanted you dead anyway? - The men would have served better in the trenches of the dying world below.
The old, blinded man walked towards the proud Space marine Commander, interrupting his thoughts instantly as he stopped right in front of D'Angelo and despite being blindfolded seemed to know exactly where to "look".
"Commander Daniel D'Angelo of the Guardian Angels 4th Company and Commander in Chief of the Guardian Angels Task force to medusa v?" the old man asked with calm, measured words, almost seeming to whisper them as he looked commander D'Angelo straight in the face.
"Yes, that would be me!" D'Angelo said simply, giving an awkward smile and half nod to the old Inquisitor Lord.
"Ah..." said the old man. "i sense you are restless Commander. Is something amiss?"
D'Angelo measured the old man from head to toe, discreetly waving for the black clad Marines at his side to step closer.
The old Inquisitor lord's hair was silvery in hue, ragged and scarce; hanging limply over the old mans features, and his face was haggard and drawn.
He wore a simple grey and brown coat, and the piece of cloth that was tied around his eyes clearly hid a horrible scar. - In all likelihood, the old man was blind beneath the cloth, his eyes missing; taken by some horrible wound.
"Yes, something is amiss!" D'Angelo stated.
"I have an Astartes task Force to deliver into battle and every moment we waste here means lives lost for Medusa V. - I hope you will make this visit a fast one."
The old Inquisitor lord seemed slightly taken aback by the Commander's harsh tone; then suddenly his face was drawn in what seemed to be pain and confusion.
"What is this?" he asked, feeling himself loosing the ability to see properly in his minds eye as a slight pain intruded on his mind like a far away headache, leaving him feeling hollow and cold.
D'Angelo looked out to his sides where two of the Chapters "Brothers of Silence" stood menacingly and protectively in their dark robes, their faces hidden in the deep shadows of their hooded cloaks.
"You are experiencing at temporary loss of psychic power inquisitor. My chapter does not fully trust psychers and we have acquired means to keep such powers in check.
To my side are stationed two of our Brothers of Silence; they are trained anti-psychers and will remain with you for the entire duration of your visit with the Chapter. - Have no worries Lord inquisitor, for their powers are little more than the same effect given by a psychic dampening field and while you may experience some slight disorientation and sickness at first, you will grow accustomed to living more like us none-psychers do within a few hours."
"I see!" Inquisitor Gorgon nodded weakly. - "But is this really necessary?"
"Yes! Their presence is unavoidable as long as you remain with the Chapter. - They will also serve as your bodyguards while you are here." - D'Angelo looked up at the Storm Troopers stationed just behind the venerable Inquisitor Lord, then looked back to the old mans face.
"You are naturally welcome to bring your own men as well."
Gorgon simply nodded his understanding. - He would report this breach of protocol and undignified behaviour to Sicarius once he got back.
Still, the presence of the anti-psychers seemed like a good thing to in some ways. - After all, it lessened the probability of Daemonic infestation onboard as well as securing the ship from warp bound spies. He would need to think on this matter some more.
Gorgon seemed to look D'Angelo straight in the eyes, then he said. "I understand perfectly Commander, and there is no need for you or your men to stay here while I inspect your fine ship. - You are given leave to deploy your men as soon as you wish."
D'Angelo clearly relaxed. "Thank you!" he said, turning to another blond haired Astartes behind him, welcoming him forward with his hand.
"This is Fleet Commander Raynor Jules." he said. "No one knows this ship better than him and he will be happy to assist you in any way necessary for your inspection.
Now if you will excuse me I have an army to organize."
Inquisitor Lord Gorgon merely nodded his consent, his attention now fully shifted to the Fleet Commander, and D'Angelo walked away towards his men as he saw the old Inquisitor and the proud Fleet Commander walking away towards the inner decks of the ship.

D'Angelo hastily walked towards his men, and then with a mighty voice he gave an order that resonated throughout the huge hangar bay:
"Saddle up!"

+ + + + +

The titanic form of D'Angelo's Command Hawk dived towards the ground of Medusa V as the howling wind of the planet came screaming past the ships hull, rapidly cooling its red hot heat shields, left smouldering after their rapid atmospheric entry.
D'Angelo stood in the large cockpit, holding fast as the massive bulk of his ship moved at super-sonic speeds towards the ground.
He could see the cloud-cover come up towards them with enormous speed, then for a moment they where within it and D'Angelo imagined that he had seen gaseous swirls of daemonic entities in the clouds as the wind around the ship heightened into a crescendo of what seemed like the screams of millions of tortured souls. - Then they where trough it and the ground of Medusa V was clear to see below them, the white snowy area of the Arcticus sector far of to the west and the multi coloured landscape of Telosia directly beneath them.
The ground came rapidly closer and the ship started slowing it's decent slightly as Deimos Space Port became visible like a small speck in the distance, the mighty wind breaks on the Command Hawk making sonic thunder booms as the ship slowed down and everyone onboard where reminded of why this class of ship was called a ThunderHawk.

At Deimos Space Port, the Imperials being evacuated or that where otherwise stationed here where treated to a sight rarely seen by imperial citizens.
A Thunderhawk four times larger than normal came diving at the ground at a reckless speed just outside the Space Port's perimeters, before pulling up in a thunderous roar barely thirty meters above ground. - So low was the flight that a team of awestruck Imperial Guardsmen almost got blown of the top of a watch tower by the huge Command Hawk's back-drift, and the might of the Command hawk was rapidly followed by another eight Thunderhawks and a dusin other, smaller landers. Then as the Command Hawk slowed down and softly landed on the ground near Hangar 6, half a dusin Astartes Class Landing Craft bearing the Task Force's biggest armoured support came into view, heading straight for Deimos.
The skids of the Command Hawk touched down on the wet and muddy ground at Deimos Space Port and the vessels huge front hatch came down in a mighty splash of mud and water. Down the front hatch came Commander D'Angelo and his retinue.
D'Angelo's feet clanged on the metal of the Command Hawks hatch before he set his feet upon the wet ground, stopping to look about.
The Space Port was filled with soldiers and Space marines, all lost in different tasks of military preparations.
At a distance in the pouring rain, he could see a long line of Imperial citizens waiting to get onboard an evacuation flight. Their faces where turned towards his Companies as they deployed, Rhinos and Predators rolling out of the mighty Chapter's black Thunderhawks, while Six impressive Land Raiders where being lowered to the ground from a Landing Craft and another three Land Speeders came flying out of its front hatch.
In the distance, through the fog and rain, D'Angelo could see the feint outline of the Ferrus Mountains, and the far away Thunderhawks and Landers of Seventh Company that was to deploy at Hive Machavius to help secure the Titanic city against the Necron siege it was under. - He knew the Company was in good hands and his inspection of their position could wait until he had his own men in position.
Shifting his attention back to his nearby surroundings he could see his sergeants and officers already carrying out their predetermined deployment plans, and D'Angelo leaned back, removing his helmet to feel the wet rain splash coldly against his face. - Damn but it felt good to have a planet beneath his feet again.
Then he looked at the warm light flooding out from the Command Centre inside Hangar 6, feeling the rain still pouring down over his face.
"And so it begins," he said in a low tone of voice. - "With a teardrop on earth summoning the legions of heaven!"
In the intermingling rain, the other Marines did not hear his lament for a dying world, but a galaxy away an undying corpse shed a single tear.

Mission 01 BRIEF & Intro Story >




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