[@Kratesis][@BCTheEntity][@jbeil][@Andreyich][@LemonZest1337][@Irredeemable]


Victorine had been worried for but a moment, worried that her squad may not respond – that [i]her[/i] squad may have ignored her calls or been too sluggish to act – but she needn't have worried, for the Sororitas and the Ecclesiarscal 'delegates' came together with the group of armoured warrior-women as swiftly as a well-oiled bolter mechanism; for but a moment the Celestian gave thought to Crusader Therebus, outside of their own section of the vessel by his own request, but rapidly put it from her mind.

[i]You must remain in the present,[/i] she heard the voice of her own mentor chiding her, [i]in the here and now, child.[/i].

“Sister Adalard,” she spoke by way of remembrance for herself and as a summons, gesturing for the largest of their group to approach her – the danger of attack not yet directly upon them, thus giving some time for organization - “you shall have the honour of taking point,” stated Victorine with a nod of her helmeted head, “sweep the corridors before us with eyes and weapon.”

Further hand signals followed, curt orders arranging the others – Sisters Vitruvia, Alexandra, Lisbeth and herself forming a two columns on either side of the heavy weapons specialist and corridor, while Confessor Horacio followed in the middle of the formation.

For a moment Victorine eyed the blade at the side of Lisbeth, her face unreadable behind the visor of her helmet, her movement still for but an instant as she thought of whether to reprimand the Battle-Sister for possession of such a blade. Evidently she decided their was little enough time as it was, and that words would be best saved for after the coming conflict.

“Squad,” came the command, slightly amplified and robotised by the helms vocaliser, “move out.”

They would go and get Therebus first, Victorine hoping that the destroyers Armsmen and Ratings would be able to put up a stiff enough resistance until then, thereby halting any advance on the genetorium; using the information being fed into her helmets ear-piece, directions mostly, she took her brethren safely and unmolested through the interior until eventually reaching the section where the Crusader had decided to remain.

The sounds of battle were as clear as day, the Celestian ordering the group to prepare their weapons and move forward to engage whatever they found...


[hr]


Whatever notion of 'fighting his way to them' that Thaddeus had entertained in his mind was quite swiftly driven from him, and in the most aggressive of ways, firepower from professional killers too cautious to get within reach of his weapon pouring into him. Bolts, slugs and las blasts impacted upon his shield, scarring the surface and forcing the holy warrior bodily back toward his own chamber.

There were all manner of adversaries arrayed against him – cannibalistic Kroot from savage Pech, frog-like Galg with their wide eyes and scaled flesh, mutants of the basest kind, and any number of representatives of Mankind...humans...human traitors, human scum, human fodder for the guns. This last group were the most numerous, making up the majority of the raiders, and wielding a variety of weapons, wearing an assortment of differing uniforms and armours, and generally making themselves targets for the wider Imperium.

“[b]Squad Victorine![/b]” Came a bass shout from the rear of their heretical group, “to the Crusader! Ave Imperator!”

So it began.