Post by childrenofrust on May 6, 2016 14:43:45 GMT -6
Rubbing the freshly healed scar over his left eye, Cadmius scanned the bridge of his ancient battle barge, Ferrous Pride. The area was a hive of activity and motion, but even with all the movement there was a hush in the air. A sense of palpable anticipation was growing and even the redoubtable Sergeant Jamus was showing the strain. At least he was showing it as much as he showed any emotion, a slight twitch of his cheek conveying more than a thousand words could from a lesser man. Cadmius felt a sense of deep gratitude to have the steady presence of Jamus, for they had lost many over the past years and he knew the coming trials would take many more battle brothers from him and the other brethren. It would be worth it in the end, however. When they knelt at the feet of their Father and felt the glow of victory under his gaze, it would all be worth it. He returned to studying the array of screens and scrolls arrayed before him, pondering the next move for his battered Chapter.
********Vox Link Initiated ********
*****Transmitting Pictorial Feed*****
**THROUGH LOSS WE SERVE**
"Brother Captain, our navigators have begun the transition. The Gellar Field is being deactivated;we enter unknown territories."
"Acknowledged, Brother Sergeant Jamus. Send the call to prepare all weapons, increase the
range of our scanners to maximum. Alert Techpriest Osirian that we request him
to beseech the holy machine spirits to guide our course without fail."
"Your command is executed Brother Captain."
"Brother Sergeant Jamus, cast my next message to all of our brothers and servants upon
Ferrous Pride. I desire to speak directly to all."
Brother Marines, brave allies of the Astra Militarum, loyal servants and compatriots; we have traveled far and long. We have strayed far from our course and know not into what new hell we shall find ourselves cast. Though we have been far from his presence for so many years, though we have battled countless foes from without and from within, though we have suffered heavy losses, we know that there is always the call to honor and duty. For every brother and ally that falls, we train and recruit two more to replace him. For every Predator that is taken by the enemy, we salvage and rebuild it again. We keep the teachings of honored Guilliman in our hearts, but also know that without adaptation only stagnation and ruin await us. We have served Our Emperor through our losses. We bear our wounds and stains with pride. Though the decay creeps in from every pernicious angle, we rise through, knowing that our return to Holy Terra will cleanse every bolter and every blade, every body and every soul. Have faith my brothers, for our Father has not forgotten us and we are not lost. Through the warp we have been thrown, but we shall rise and fight wherever we have ground to stand. We are our Father's sons, and through loss do we serve.
We are the Children of Rust and we will not die this day.
“Jamus, that will suffice. Give me a report on the standings of our forces. Did we lose any during
travel through the Warp?”
“Captain, our Father watched over us. Epistolary Michus has reported no outbreaks or intrusions from our travel. The hull has held strong and all other ships have successfully transitioned. “
“And what of the Brothers and our allies? Have the injuries and damage from the last battle taken a toll?”
“My captain, our losses were heavy. The loss of full Battle Brothers will be felt for many years, but the recruits are training quickly. And the vehicles have been inspected and blessed by Osirian, and he claims the machine spirits are all in battle worthy conditions. The...newly acquired weaponry and vehicles is still being fully inventoried and inspected, but I have a preliminary list for you of serviceable war gear.”
“Very well Jamus. You have done an excellent job in ensuring our Chapter's future. Without you, the coming days would be much darker indeed. Transmit me the lists and then see to the training of the newest Children. We travel for unknown areas, and our first goal shall be to establish a foothold in a secure location to build our forces and regain much of what we have lost. The scanners have already located an asteroid, marked as JN-405, which should have much needed fuel and other supplies at the outpost there. We must hope that the Inquisition has not transmitted the false reports of our chapter to this segment yet, or we will face much more hardship in the battles that will be upon us soon.”
“As you order, so it is. The list awaits your review. The neophytes shall earn their rations today! In loss we serve, Brother Captain.”
“In Loss We Serve, Sergeant. We serve.”
**File Transmission Begun**
+++The Emperor Protects+++
++Assessment and Standing of Forces of the Children of Rust++
Battle Barge Ferrous Pride – Fully Serviceable
Thunderhawk Gunship Mordus – Damaged
Thunderhawk Gunship Vicious Reckoning – Damaged
Landraider Hope's Folly – Damaged
Tactical Dreadnought Armor – 10 functional, 10 damaged
Brother Dreadnought Historiak – Damaged
Brother Dreadnought Macrough – Damaged
1st Company – 74% Casualties
3rd Company – 65% Casualties
7th Company – 85% Casualties
10th Company – 28% Casualties
Additional vehicles include
3 Predator class tanks - functional.
6 Rhino class transports – partially fucntional
2 Vindicator class tanks – partially functional
5 Landspeeders – partially functional
Brother Captain, if I may include a personal assessment. We have sustained heavy casualties. I suggest that we conduct a series of fast strikes and raid actions only until Osirian has restored more of the vehicle fleet. Our newest members, the Scouts, are highly skilled and motivated, and our tactical squads can fill many of the roles that we need as long as they have some transport capacity. It is my recommendation that you utilize the scouts, assault squads, and apply Terminators to necessary battles for now. I will of course update you as new forces are obtained or injured troops recover. -Sergeant Jamus
**End of file**
******Vox Link Ended*****