[h3]Bare Essentials[/h3]
[hr]

They landed well outside of the area of Chateau Thorn and infiltrated in on foot, using cover and concealment in the darkness. It was not foolproof and power armor was not the best method of stealth, but with the power settings turned down suitably low, they made considerably less noise than usual. They'd coated everything with inorganic weapons lubricant, to help muffle the sound of their movement. They trod lightly, though to look on the full bulky height of an Astartes was to think that there was no possibility of quiet movement. 

Through tree and brush, they pushed in, one group among others tasked with specific orders in this operation. While the others were getting ready to land directly on the target, they had a different sort of work ahead.

The Legions Astartes were lavishly equipped with specialist equipment for a number of different scenarios, including stealth operations. In this situation, a master armorer could convert Phobos or Umbra or Tigrus-pattern boltguns with enhanced targeters, longer barrels, suppressors and special munitions to make the weapon fire silently.

But they didn't have this luxury on Argyos. But the Astartes came naturally equipped with silent and deadly weaponry suitable to the elimination of a target in stealth. A power-armored fist was more than enough force to split a man's head open through a helmet. A Legion-issue combat knife was what a normal human would call a sword, with a micro-honed edge that did not dull and the strength of its user providing more than enough force to get past conventional forms of armor. 

Prodigal Son and the others used these as they silenced the first roving patrol on the perimeter. The Astartes were taller than their opponents, and were ponderous to look upon, but were hardened veterans of the Great Crusade that knew how to move tactically. The militia were well-equipped, though not of Solar Auxilia quality, but green. They didn't patrol well. They tried to hurry through it, rather than look with intent. There were a few useful items, notably grenades, in their kit. The men lacked the symbols of the dark gods that so many traitors had fallen into the worship of, but that did not absolve them. They had other patrols to silence, as well as an ambush to lay, in the off chance anyone came down the main road, with the intent to escape...