[center][i][h3]'Saint's Chariot', Personal battleship of Emperor Gregori Amastov, Eve of War[/h3][/i][/center] Gregori took another deep breath as the lift opened up to the bridge. He stepped forward to the bridge crew all saluting him with the Aquilla. The Captain stood to his attention, eyes resolute the middle aged man waited for his emperor's orders. Gregori nodded to the man simply, who in turn dropped his salute and turned to the bridge crew and started barking orders. Gregori made his way to the command throne, but did not sit. Instead he stepped to the railing in front of it, before what looked like a vox mic. He cleared his throat and once more nodded to the captain. "[i]Open all vox channels! Tell the Choir to prepare to transmit to all worlds![/i]" Gregori took one last deep breath, and looked out the bridge window. His fleet, hundreds of ships strong from all over the galaxy. Xeno's and Imperium, it didn't matter. The Grand fleet of the Imperium had gathered here, for this final moment before their transition into the warp. They stood upon the precipice of war, true war, many for the first time. This, was his Crusade. This was his fleet. His Imperium. "[i][color=fff200]Men and Women of the Imperium Reborn. This day is the beginning of something new.[/color][/i]" He spoke into the vox receiver. His words transmitted to every ship in the fleet and the planets they were leaving behind. An Emperor addressed his people one last time before war was entered once again. "[i][color=fff200]We are the first, the Pioneer's, the vanguard. Today marks the beginning of the return of the Imperium. An end to all the madness risen since its fall. A new beginning, a rebirth, and it begins with us! Soldiers of the Imperium reborn soon we will be in the Warp, and sooner still at places unknown. We do not know who stands against us, their numbers, or their lords. But it does not matter. You are of the Imperium Reborn! Xeno or human, Guardsmen or Adeptus Astartes we are all of us here for one purpose. Today we are [b]not[/b] survivors. We are [b]not[/b] huddled for warmth in the unknown darkness. We are [b]conquerors[/b], we are the lucky few to see first hand the glorious light of the Imperium Reborn taking its rightful place among the stars! We will be [b]greater[/b] than any who have come before us! And you soldiers of the Imperium Reborn will make it so! You will shape this galaxy to better fit your ambitions and hopes! We will all of us be masters and Lords of the Stars! Any who stand in our way, denying the glory of this most momentous occasion, will fall! We will drive them before us as so many pitiful insects! Have no fear Warriors of the Imperium Reborn! Rejoice for it is you who shall own these stars! For it is upon your backs that all our fates are carried! Fight well! [b]Show no fear for ours is the cause of righteousness! Ours is the fury of dead Gods! Forward Soldiers! Onwards for the Imperium Reborn![/b][/color][/i]" His voice boomed as he spoke, the ending a rallying cry for all to hear. His face showed signs of effort as his hands gripped the rail hard enough that beneath his gloves his knuckles were white. The Bridge crew of the Chariot shouted, chanting, "[i]An Imperium Reborn![/i]", as the vox transmission was ended. Gregori smiled, and walked from the bridge. The Speech over the captain made final preparations, opening the official vox channel between the Captains. "[i]All Ships, Gellar fields active. Navigators yours is our guide. find the Light which you seek in the tides, guide this blinded flock to its destination. Our fate is yours.[/i]" A great rift opened before the fleet, and so the ships surged forth, their journey begun. [hr] [center][h3][i]Forge Moon Amatheus, Manufactorum Alpha I[/i][/h3][/center] The Glory of wolves. They quickly cleared the immediate area, the psychic fury of Fenris ripping through the enemies ranks and scattering the pitiful traitors. Xerxes would have smiled had he a mouth at the approach of the Wolf Lord. "[color=ed1c24][i]+So it woulds't seem Wolf Lord. Your arrival is exactly as needed. Our enemy amasses for a final assault on this breach before the cowards break. They rely on reinforcement even now to push this final wave. Even so, without support it would be too much for us. But, a Skitarii Artillery battery has just become free. They shall even these odds for us Wolf Lord. Prepare yourself. the fire's of the Omnissiah shall rain upon them in great white flame. It will be us that the survivors must be broken on however.+[/i][/color]" Even as he finished speaking the great war cry of a thousand, thousand heretics shattered the air. A great Wall of bodies obscured the charge... perhaps a blessing in disguise if any of these warriros knew fear. With great Fervor the enemy poured over this heap of comrades, screaming dark oaths and insane ramblings. Weapons raised and spitting death, they were without number, surely they could not fail? "[i]++SECTOR 867-HJ2 CLEAR FOR BARRAGE. LOAD SHELLS, WHITE PHOSPHORUS H-E. CLOSE SPLASH FORMATION. RAIN FIRE, OMNISSIAH PROTECTS++[/i]" The sound of screaming shells split the air before dull thuds far behind the enmy lines, followed by great booms. White smoke exploded into the air followed by a thousand, thousand agonized screams. As the cultists poured over the heap their faces no longer held rage, but fear. Soon the cultists who crawled over streamed white smoke and screamed as the Whit phosphorus burned them to the bone. Bodies poured over as they desperately tried to put themselves out... but this was not fire. The white, powder like substance was simply exacerbated by the friction, re-igniting inside of the unfortunate victims. Men screeched and cried and fought to escape the terrible phosphorus as the cloud descended upon them. Some could not be seen through the white smoke that obscured their forms. Thrashing and wailing before falling silent, this story played itself out time and time again before the Dominus and the Wolves. But still the Heretics surged forth, frothing at mouths in rage and fear. A great many had still made it over... but if this charge could be broken there would be no more. "[i][color=ed1c24]+Come Wolves. Let us show these fools the fury of the Imperium.+[/color][/i]" His phosphor blaster joined the white smoke of the artillery as he and the servitors opened fire. [hr] [center][i][h3]Capital world Arexia Prime, underhives, some time before the Eve of the Crusade[/h3][/i][/center] The Citzenry of the Lower hives seemed without hope. The vicious gangs, mysteriously rearmed and back at full strength dueled eachother in the open streets. Las weaponry aplenty their brutal wars spilled into civilian centers and manufactorums. The PDF not taken to the crusade fleet seemed ill equipped and had long since retreated. It was chaos. It seemed as if they had been forgotten once more. The Gangs numbers swelled with disenfranchised youth, abandoned by thier goverment they beleived. All was surely lost... It was the Guard who would relieve them, and the sisters. New fire hailed from above as the Imperial guard swept through the Lower hives at the behest of Lord Corbec. With Lasgun and flamer they burned out gang after gang, disciplined training prevailing over the ferocity of the unorganized and splintered gangs. To the surprise of the underhivers the Guard brought with it not jsut fury but aid. Way-stations were set up to provide medical aid and relief, recruitment centers for the guard and PDF, and ration distributors. A surge in new recruits was found mere weeks before the Crusade would begin, bright eyed young men signing up with the Guard, or the PDF for the less adventurous. Some Gangs wholeheartedly signed up, rearing for fights elswhere in the galaxy these violent individuals were welcomed and granted amnesty, needing little training to be ready to kill. The sisters, though few compared to the guard amongst the hives, provided faith. They preached with bolter and voice against the gangs. Happily the citizenry began to accept their ideals, praising them and Gregori with new-found fervour. More than a few young girls begged to join these warrior women in service and zeal, and accepted many were. When hese forces left for the crusade the under-hive riots had calmed, the gangs were thinned. Perhaps the Utopia Gregori promised was closer than could be imagined, thought the citizens once their saviors ahd departed once more. [hr] [center][i][h3]Orbit above forge Moon Amatheus, Present Day[/h3][/i][/center] "[i]Prepare for re-entry! All crew to stations! Prepare for re-entry into real space! All ships check in![/i]" Even in the shallow warp it had been a dangerous and tenuous journey as the Navigators had relied on the eddies and shallows, echoes guiding their way to their destination... but it had worked. Real-space rippled and surged, before the fleet burst through, [i]Saint's Chariot[/i] at the head. As the view ports could see the true void once more th Captain eyes widened. Ships. Imperial Ships... [i]chaos ships[/i]. The eight pointed star glowed on the many ships of the fleet that met the Imperium Reborns', clearly unprepared for the massive number if ships to suddenly emerge they struggled to turn to face this new threat. "[i]ALL SHIPS EVASIVE MANEUVERS![/i]", shouted the admiral as the Chariot nearly collided with one of the chaos frigates at high speed coming out the warp. The Battleship listed upwards to avoid smashing into its new enemy with its shields down and unprepared. "[i]GUNNERY TO STATIONS! ALL BATTERIES PREPARE TO FIRE![/i]" And so war was met. And the fleets engaged in the first battle of Expansion, the fight for control of the space over the Forge Moon. [hr] [center][i][h3]Orbit above forge Moon Amatheus, Hours later[/h3][/i][/center] The enemy fleet, lesser in number, unprepared, and lesser in strength was swiftly pushed back. The wounded ships panicked, many fleeing from the Imperium Reborns fleet immediately. Others had held their gorund, only to be eviscerated by the macro cannons and lance batteries of the Imperial fleet. Now Gregori stared out at the graveyard of chaos ships. It had seemed most of them were former merchant or pirate ships. He grimaced, hoping these were invaders rather than the moons owners. "[i][color=fff200]Captain! Summon my generals and get me a Vox line to that forge Moon! I need to find out what's going on right now.[/color][/i]" [@Dannyrulx][@Thecrash20][@ClocktowerEchos][@Marx][@Wraithblade6][@Hecticlord][@TemplarKnight07][@thewizardguy][@Evil Snowman][@NecroKnight]