Deathwatch IC

[Gargulec]

Sophia nodded. Her face stopped showing any emotions a while ago, she appeared concentrated and prepared. She approached the Thunderhwak's ramp and turned to face the marines.

'So it went that far already' she said in a low, decisive voice. 'Fine, then.'


She looked at each marine separately for a long while, her eyes as warm as they have always been.

'By the authority of the Inquisitorial Remit granted to me on the behalf of God Emperor of Mankind, of Father and our Saviour, I thereby take command of this kill-squad for the duration of this operation. Before you, Angels, I oath to bring salvation to the world below, to cleanse it and return to the Imperium pure. I swear to never surrender, never fear, never retreat. May my will be as strong as adamantine when I deliver the world from the enemies Within, Without and Beyond.'

She brushed aside a wayward strand of hair falling onto her eye, and finished the oath, her quiet voice echoing in the silent hangar.

'Allfather guide my hand.'

Spoiler

Assuming direct control and taking the Oath of the Emperor

[Malek Deneith]

- "By the Emperor and the Lion so shall it be" - Zaharile nodded.

[Xander Morhaime]

Verran calmly hooked up the feeder belt from his supply of regular bolter rounds as he heard the news. "Let the Emperor's hand guide our aim, brothers. We go to do his work," he said to the other marines with a brief nod of his head.

[Kamikaze14]

As Verran finished speaking, loud thump echoed through the hangar.  A voice came through on the public address system.  "Bio-plasma impact on the engines!  All personnel prepare to repel boarders."
The captain shouted into his micro-bead.  "Keep them out of the hangar at all costs!"  He turned to the kill-team.  "I'll open the hangar doors.  It's been an honor serving with you."  As he exits the hangar, the Thunderhawk's ramp closes behind you.  After a few moments, you hear metal groaning as the hangar door opens.  Almost immediately, the Thunderhawk's engines roar to life.  Panicked voices and screams come in over your vox systems.  Then, silence.  The Valiant was no more.

[Xander Morhaime]

"Bio-plasma." Verran quietly shook his head as the Thunderhawk powered away from the ship. "I admit freely that my knowledge of the Tyranid is not infallible. However, I can state with a fair dose of certainty that bio-plasma is not a feature of Genestealer infestation, regardless of scale. Such would not be used by the xenos, or by their local supporters. Such is far more typical of an open Tyranid attack."

After some consideration, the devastator went on. "To further the point, an open Tyranid attack requires a launching point. A ship. What I recall of the xenos indicates that such a ship would be far more likely the controlling heart of the attack than anything on the ground."

The marine's helmeted head turned towards the inquisitor. "The question, then, is this: is proceeding to the planet's surface still the best option?"

[Malek Deneith]

- "You suggest we try to take on a tyranid hiveship?" - Zahariel looked at Verran - "No offense brother, but I don't believe this possible. We're fluing but a single Thunderhawk, they'll shoot us down long before we reach them. On ground we might at least find a way to to send an information of this... infestation."

[Xander Morhaime]

"Given the choice between staving off a planetary invasion and launching a boarding action, I determine the boarding action to carry higher odds of success with our current resources. Though admittedly, the odds of either approach succeeding are extremely low. Lower than the chance of finding a Codex Astartes adherent among the sons of Russ."

The devastator summed up the overall bleak situation with a shrug.

"I will grant, however, that sending out a warning to local naval forces would benefit the Imperium far more - greater odds of success in the long run, certainly, but it would almost certainly be a suicide mission. Still... in the end, the choice now rests with our lady inquisitor," Verran said, looking to Sophia again. "Of course, if we do decide to warn the rest of the Imperium, we should try to have more information than "Tyranids here!", I believe... Perhaps we might delay out here enough to at least get some bearing at what is the scale of the danger here? A brief fly-around and observations from the pilot would be better than nothing."

[Gargulec]

Sophia was strangely silent from the moment the bio-plasm hit the ship. She listened to discussion closely.

'Indeed, fly-around is a good tactical choice, we need to have more intel before we decide on anything... and, Brothers, it would indeed appear that our first priority now is to warn the Imperial forces. The Great Devourer forces must be stopped. As for the boarding actions, Brothers, my experience with naval warfare is minimal, so I ask you for advice: is it it possible for boarding action to succeed? For indeed, against entire world being invaded by Tyranids, we stand no chance.'

[Xander Morhaime]

"Thunderhawks were not designed with boarding actions in mind. Actually getting aboard a hive ship would be close to a miracle," Verran replied after some consideration. "We would likely exhaust our ammunition before reaching any critical systems, and in close quarters we would be bogged down by enemy numbers."

"The odds of a successful boarding strike are minimal," the devastator summed up with a shrug.

[Kamikaze14]

The pilot calls from the cockpit, "Entering atmosphere now.  Sensors are picking up an Astartes transponder in the city's chapel.  I recommend-"  The voice is cut off by an explosion.  The Thunderhawk begins to tilt forward.

[Xander Morhaime]

"I recommend we prepare for an emergency landing," Verran finished the interrupted statement. "Brace and hold on to something. So much for properly scouting out the threat in orbit..."

[Kamikaze14]

Sophia spots four grav-chutes.

[ZZ]

Rezmiel notices where Sophia is looking and goes to grab grav-chutes. After he picks them up, he turns to the team, waiting for the response.