[h1][center]Ullanor Secundus[/center][/h1]
[h2][center]Prometheus & Usriel[/center][/h2]

Prometheus nodded to his Astartes Captains and Generals of the Imperial Army, this plan would work. It would be bloody and thousands would perish in the next days fighting but another Ork fortress would fall. Its outer walls were already burning rubble from furious and sustained artillery fire that even now roared behind the trench lines. Random streaks of las-fire and heavy bolter cut through the darkness in no-mans-land as adventurous Orks tried to close with the defenders. He catches Strategos Arlym before the briefing ends, “Strategos, send word to Ancient Deckard. See if Usriel and his Legion wish to assault this fortress with us. There are few left on this world and The Emperor will be razing Ullanor prime soon enough.”

The Commander bows “At once my lord”

Prometheus returns to the map scrutinizing the plan once again. Mastadon assault vehicles followed by Gorgon assault vehicles delivering 5,000 marines and 50,000 Imperial Storm Troopers supported by heavy armor is a strong vanguard to lead the full infantry assault. Finally The Primarch exits the command bunker and gazes out into the night watching the Ork hordes being cut down and listening to the hammering of artillery. Something was off, he couldn’t place it, he felt that the Orks were up to something but his analytical mind and gifts of insight couldn’t give him an answer.

[hr]
[h3]Usriel’s Command bunker:[/h3]
The dreadnaught that carried Ancient Deckard stepped to the entrance of the bunker and examined the guard standing at the door. He spoke in a booming mechanical monotone “I bring word from the Knights of Awe, I must see your Primarch.”

The guard looked at the dreadnaught, a moment of silence coming between the two before the guard stepped aside. After another moment, the doors to the command bunker slid open and a tech-priest wandered out, only stopping to acknowledge the dreadnaught with a light bow before skirting past Ancient Deckard. As the tech-priest moved away from the bunker, out came the form of Usriel. The Primarch looked at the dreadnaught before motioning to the guard, who bowed his head and walked away from the two.

“I heard that you have brought word from the Knights?” Usriel asked, his voice coming through his helmet. 
“I have my lord” Says Ancient Deckard, making a motion approximating a bow for his hulking machine.  “Prometheus asks if you would join in his assault on Fortress BM-9 tomorrow. If so he will send the details of the assault. I know he and his elite guard will be the vanguard.” 

Usriel thought for a moment before he spoke again, “Fortress BM-9 would prove to be an advantageous place for another outpost, eventually a proper fortress would be of good use.” The Primarch nodded to Ancient Deckard before confirming, “Very well, I will join the assault. Once I have the details of the assault, I will coordinate what forces to pull from Arx Ferrum now that it is not in the direct path of an Ork attack. However, he must be quick, I do not wish to give these xenos a chance to rally before we strike.” 

Ancient Deckard rotated one of his claws back and forth as though it were an unconscious motion while he thought. “Of course, The fortress will be razed by nightfall I expect. I will bring your reply to my legion” the dreadnaught says with another bow but staying in his place until dismissed. 

“Thank you,” Usriel stated before turning away from the dreadnaught to re-enter the bunker, to leave Ancient Deckard with his task. As the doors closed behind him, he looked to the guard that had been outside, standing in silence before the voice of the Primarch cut through the air. “Prepare Maren and the rest of the Honor Guard, we will be striking Fortress BM-9 soon, and send word to Chapter Two at the ready for any company requisition for the assault.”

The guard bowed his head before speaking, “At once, my lord,” before marching out of the command structure to leave Usriel’s presence. The Primarch moved towards a wall, seeing the data that the tech-priest had relayed to him, however, something did not feel correct about the projections and while the Cult Mechanicus’ priests were confident that the Orks would be subdued with enough time to allow a week for the planet to prepare for Ork reinforcements, but he did not feel the same. He had little evidence to dispute their claims other than a feeling of paranoia tugging at the back of his mind, a feeling that he disliked.  

[hr]
[h3]Prometheus Command Bunker:[/h3]
The Primarch dispatched orders for the strategic plan and the timeline of the assault to be sent to Usriel. Along with dozens of others to move imperial army artillery batteries or to begin preparations for the Terran 46th Super-Heavy Tank regiment and the Mastodon transports. Between each dispatch the thought of subtle wrongness nagged at him. Hundreds of scenarios played through his mind as minor details were dealt with, none however held that kernel of fact he could build from. 

“General Haen, What do you think of the assault strategy?” says the Primarch to the now astonished Army General

“I.. uh, My lord it is as perfect a plan as any I have seen.” he replies 

Prometheus nods “I know, you, the Generals and Strategos did well. After some changes it is a perfect assault and yet...” he trails off

The General studies the map confused “Well, you know I feel that the Amn 2nd Infantry should be with you in the vanguard, they are tough storm troopers tha-”

The Primarch smiles and cuts off the general “Thank you general, we discussed that, they are the lead element of the infantry assault following the armor. You know full well Strategos Arlym is right. Anyway General, could you handle these dispatches? The Phalanx and the little Raven’s assault corps need to be prepared.” 

With that Prometheus leaves the bunker into the night air, scented with cordite and prometheum fumes. Before finding his vanguard the Primarch spends some time walking the trenches, speaking to Astartes and the Imperial Army alike. His mere presence bolsters morale showing each trooper that the Primarch fights with them.

[hr]
Overhead, a thunderhawk could be heard, bearing the marks of the Steel Sentinels, which could just faintly be seen against the night sky of Ullanor Secundus. Quickly, it found it would land and almost just as quickly, word of Usriel’s arrival would be spread to Prometheus as a mortal soldier ran up to the Primarch to deliver the news, “My lord, Primarch Usriel has arrived with his honor guard. He is requesting to see you.”

“Very good Sergeant” he says and dismisses the officers he had been speaking with. He starts towards the landing site Commander Gaalus and the mortal Baroness Flavia falling in on his heels as an honor guard of sorts. 

“Brother Usriel!” Prometheus shouts over the engine of the Thunderhawk “I was almost afraid you would be late and miss the battle!” he says with a chuckle “I trust you have had a chance to review the strategy?”

“Indeed,” Usriel answered quickly, “I have sent for companies four and five of the Second Chapter!” The Primarch of the Steel Sentinels turned back to look at the Thunderhawk as it was powering down until the time of the assault. Usriel turned back to his brother before continuing to speak, “Company Four will be acting as rearguard while Company Five will secure whatever the xenos call walls on their fortress so that once it is fully secured, proper defenses will be able to be erected. That said, both companies are bringing Aegis barricades to allow for cover on our rear and to set as we advance.”

Prometheus processes the addition to the strategy for a brief moment, “Excellent that will do nicely. Ah, where are my manners, this is Commander Gaalus, he will be leading the Phalanx Terminators. This is Commander Flavia, she is the leader of the Astarte Auxilia storm troopers” he gestures to each of them, Gaalus bowing deeply showing respect to the Primarch. Flavia however bows but noticeably less than the Astartes captain. 

“I was unaware you kept mortals with your guard, Prometheus,” Usriel stated, looking at the human before commenting, “Especially one less dedicated than our Astartes.”  He looked back to the other Primarch, “Regardless, the Mechanicus priests believe that we should make enough time to prepare for Ork reinforcements but…” Usriel trailed off before looking back at his guard and motioning for them to leave, his gaze returning to his brother, but remaining silent.

Prometheus follows suit waving his guard away “Think nothing of little Flavia, she spends too much time in the presence of Primarchs and Astartes I fear it has made her arrogant on our behalf, but that is not what troubles you. The assault is flawless near as I can tell, is there some flaw we have overlooked?” he says with his demeanor becoming gravely serious.

“No, the assault is not what I am worried about. Rather, it is the projections the priests came to me with, they did not seem correct and even when I made them check again, it did not seem right. I do not know, Prometheus, something does not feel right to me,” Usriel stated in an equally dire tone, before he looked back at the Thunderhawk. The glowing green eyes of a tech-priest became apparent as he exited the ship, a small unit of skiitari behind him.

“Apologies for the interruption, my lords,” the robotic voice chimed, as he bowed to the both of them, “I felt the need to interject due to the worry our calculations have caused. We believe there is an eighty-six percent chance that our projections are correct.” The tech-priest took a moment to form new data, “Eighty-seven point three percent. The only unaccounted variable is that of a contingent from outside the system, but due to scale of the Imperial fleet, it was deemed that any logical organic would deem it suicide and change course.”

Prometheus nods “That sounds accurate. There were some reports from orbit of a few asteroids near the planet, are they in an orbit that would interfere with fleet activity?” he asks the Tech-priest.

“No, my lord” he replies, “The orbits of the asteroids are well outside the operational area of the fleet, however they will be between the fleet and planet briefly during the assault and may obstruct orbital fire for a few moments.” 

“Very well, apart from any surprises the green skins have inside that fortress of theirs I’m confident in this assault” says Prometheus with a smile “What about you brother?”

“I do not know, I feel as if the calculations are not right and there is something that has yet to be accounted for. After all, these things have proven to be… less than logical when it comes to conventional warfare,” Usriel commented, before a sigh could be heard through his helmet. “Perhaps, I am just being paranoid,” the Primarch said, looking to the tech-priest, “Foton, you are dismissed. Begin working with the other mortals so that the Cult Mechanicus’ interests on this world are met.” 

The tech-priest bowed once more before leaving the two primarchs to their conversation, the skitarii marching in unison behind him.

“I will prepare myself for the assault, Prometheus. Clear my thoughts, and make sure that the machine spirits in my weapons are appeased. I will see you on the battlefield,” Usriel stated, turning away from his brother and marching back onto the Thunderhawk.