A slightly smaller Mess

Charles sighs and gets back to the fighting

*The necrons continue to hold the line, gauss fire rippling across the iron warrior, downing astartes, one after the other.*

the necrons too are however taking quite the pounding from the iron warriors as they advance

*the particle whip once more reaches full charge, and arcs into the iron warriors with a sound like a battle cannon shot*

*they march on undeterred of losses*

*By now, at least half of their force is dead.*

less than that thanks to the sorcerer. they've continued advancing, gaining ground bit by bit, doing casualties with their return fire at an acceptable rate

*bit by bit, the necrons fall. Some rise again, but after a grinding exchange of fire, only the monolith remains. Still issuing a punishing barrage of fire*

the obliterators focus fire on the giant war machine

*The struts holding the giant crystal fold down, and the door to its portal slides shut. In a swirl of eldritch energies, it is gone once more. As, are all the fallen necron corpses*

the warriors continue to advance on all fronts. even our lot are hard pressed. at that moment, on the fleet's orders, another wave of breaching craft, rams and claws and the like, is launched at the station, bypassing the arms and attacking the walls of the station itself, disgorging even more iron warriors aboard. meanwhile the fleet continues to pound fire into the trader's fleet, their powerful weapons finally able to exact a worrying toll on the imperials.

*At that very moment the barrage is launched, the fabric of reality is torn. The blackness of the void shearing to the turbulent forces of the warp. A great vessel surges forwards from that cacophonous realm. Lit by the roiling colours of the warp, the Hammer of Flame emerges. Her hull fire blackened and pitted, but once more she sails through the black fully operational. The emblem of the drake emblazoned on her prow with bronze. A combined vox and pict message is sent, open band, to every receiving vessel*

*Inside the stations tight service tunnels, many of the warriors meet their demise to a snarling beast with claws and teeth of shining adamantium. In short order its brown fur becomes matted with dark blood. Injuries inflicted upon it reveal a horrifying truth, beneath its fur and skin, lies a shining layer of adamantium. Through the halls the beast hunts, its eyes burning red at the scent of so much blood*

*Every vessel the traitors destroy cost them a terrible price, with the Traders fleet trading exceptionally well. Upon seeing the reinforcing battle barge, Robert now commits his flagship, and performs a short range warp jump practically teleporting his warship into the heart of the battle*

the fleet of the trader is still vastly outnumbered, with the ships in the warriors fleet at least matching his own. on the whole, it's a loosing battle, as his own ship now becomes the target of worrying amounts of highly powerful macro cannon and lance blasts from all sides.

the flagship meanwhile, orders the rest of death squadron to it, turning its attention towards the newcomers.

aboard the hammer of flame, captain wellsley is preparing his men for the coming battle, arming himself as he does so.

the iron warriors boarders are once again worryingly high in number, and laurence cannot be everywhere. they begin to force onwards, some splitting off to flank those defending the corridors.

*The Ironclad returns fire in kind, and any ship unfortunate enough to cross his bow is obliterated by the twin mass drivers*

*Any who answer the vox call, are greeted by an green figure in cataphractii plate.* +Do i address the warmaster of this fleet?+

*Alongside wellsley, the astartes of the 8th company make their preparations. Numbering only fourty warriors, squad sizes have dropped to only four men. five of tactial marines, two of assault marines, one devastator, and two of terminators. There are no scout marines present.*

*into one of the corridors, a metal creature of destruction and horror is unleashed. Carried upon a hundred bladed legs, it tears through the boarders with animalistic furvor.*

Mac: "We're being surrounded!" *he has moved to the rear, in the more confined space, the solid slugs from a shotgun are more than capable of doing harm to a space marine*

the iron warriors commander sighs "Wonderful. another loyalist comes to bore us with his bravado."

*it is still far from enough to stall them at best, with the sheer firepower and numbers being brought to bare*

Charles: we need to pull back before we get cut off!

+No. I come to give you a chance. Pull back and i will spare you.+

*The necrons are retreating in force, pulling back to the inner shell of the station. Concentrating their fire on a single entrance. One ten metre long corridor the warriors must march through, wide as a leman russ, and about as tall*

Mac: "WE ALREADY ARE!"

Logen: "inquisitor, we will forge a path."

Rob: I'm almost tempted to call in the rest of the fleet
Laura: It would take approximately 30 minutes for the bulk of the fleet to arrive. Projected losses would increase to 60% of the Vanguard force.
Rob: As opposed to?
Laura: 50%
Rob: Bring them in.
Laura: Signal sent. They'll be here soon.

+Your kindness is telling salamander. we outnumber and outgun you. you cannot win.+

Charles: Everyone, fighting retreat, now!

*More and more of the Rogue Traders ships make the jump to warp space to avoid being destroyed, and soon enough his forces are reduced to a few capital ships and several escorts*

Rob:...Shit.
Laura: They're doing as you ordered.
Rob: I know, I had hoped for a more orderly withdrawal

the flagship's main 'gun' fires at the salamanders ship. it moves at lightspeed, and scores a direct hit on the hammer of flame. there is no visible damage. however, all of a sudden the ship's weapons begin acting against the commands of the gunners and ship's computors, firing directly at the trader's fleet. after a few minutes, the effect wears off, but not before the ship fires several volleys right at its own allies.

*The Traders warships start falling back, and trying to disengage. The incoming fire from the Salamanders warship doesn't help matters as it obliterates a small destroyer*

the ark mechanicus chooses now to add its fire to the battle. it helps, but it probably isn't enough

*Judging by the ambient radio chatter, the captains of Roberts fleet are not happy with the Arks timing*

+I make a point of giving the option. We meet in battle then.+ *the transmission ends.*

*The hammer surges forwards, its guns returning to its own control. macro cannons unnumbered cover its broadsides, firing in rippling volleys, reloading faster than any manually loaded weapon could*

+Captain Wellsley, we will bring the ship closer to the station, at which you will board it. we will take the fight to them+

*The salamanders pour fire into the doorway, cutting down a few iron warriors with a barrage of bolt shells*

Logen: "on my mark." *he hurls a frag grenade through the door, then after its detonation, rushes through. followed closely by mallus, then the devastators.*

*the deathwatch marines go with logen n co, fighting their way through too.*

death squadron turns its entire focus to the hammer, the main gun recharging.

wellsley+roger that my lord. We'll give 'em hell!+

*The hammer sails around the station, putting it between her and the iron warrior's fleet, giving wellsley the chance to board.*

*Logen fights like a man possessed. singular of mind, he brings down warriors one after the other. Mallus provides calm and measured fire, as the devastators behind him fire without bedding their weapons, snapping off single bolts*

*the 'manders in the hangar bay take up a cheer for their imperial guard comrades. An astartes armoured in black, with a skull's visage, yells above the noise.* "SPARE NONE IN THE EMPERORS NAME!"

wellsley sighs before ordering his men to advance

the scions and charles n co are close behind

*The hammer swings around the station, weapon batteries roaring, flying straight into the middle of the iron warrior's fleet, aiming for the flagship, at ramming speed.*

*hera, mac and jack are directly behind the astartes, with the other legionaries following behind.*

the weapon fires again, this time the green beam that ensnared the trader's ships. the hammer is forced off course by the movement of the beam dragging it

charles is right beside hera

*The hammer drops down, diving beneath the oncoming beam*

*The salamanders forge on towards the necron stronghold*

*doing so forces it to break off its ramming course*

charles is close behind the salamanders. a group of chosen iron warriors bar their way, a volley of bolter fire directed right at our crew. one of them charges forward, a large spiked power maul in hand, charging directly at the salamanders

*One of the devestators levels his heavy bolter at the charging iron warrior, subjecting him to a hail of shells. Logen ignites his jump pack, barreling into the chosen, chain sword roaring.*

*It quickly pitches back up, once more on a course for collision*

the warrior raises a boarding shield, the heavy bolter shells glancing off of its thick armour as he charges directly at the devastator

in a flash of psychic the flagship is gone, replaced by one of the light cruisers.

*the light cruiser doesn't stand a chance, the prow of the hammer smashes through, barely loosing speed and obliterating the smaller ship*

*the marine braces his shoulder for impact, dropping his heavy bolter and reaching for his blade*

the warrior strikes first, his power maul smashing into the marine's breastplate

*The marine is thrown backwards, his breastplate caved in. The sergeant brings his multimelta to bear.* "HERETIC BASTARD!" *In a blast of superheated air, the warrior's midsection is completely obliterated*

*The penal legionaries move up, weapons firing upon the chosen, while logen carves into them with abandon.*

charles rushes to the downed salamander's side as the scions too push forwards

Sallie: *He's still breathing, but its laboured, heavy*

Devastator sergeant: *He kneels by him, pulling his brothers arm up over his shoulders* "Come on brother!"

Charles: MEDIC!

Devastator sgt: "No time now inquisitor. He needs to be safe first. We move on."

*On hearing this jax drops back, shouldering his rifle* "How bad?"

*The hammer banks hard, barrelling towards another cruiser while the crew scans for the flagship*

Charles: power maul directly to the chest.

at which point the main gun of the flagship fires again, this time a blue beam, again moving at lightspeed

Mac: "We need his armour off, he'll have severe internal bleeding..."

Devastator sgt: *Carrying his brother, keeping the multimelta pointed downrange.* "We have to push through, the enemy are at our backs.*

*Unable to evade the beam, the hammer takes it, continuing to surge towards the unfortunate target cruiser*

Charles: throne damn it....

a small warp rift opens up aboard the hammer, spewing out invading lesser daemons, not in large numbers, but enough to distract

*Where aboard the ship? the thing is twenty four kilometres long.*

*The last of the chosen fall, being engulfed in flames from mute's heavy flamer.*

Hakken: "Thats enough to make a man jealous!"

*With the Hammer providing an impressive distraction, Robert rallies his battleships and launches an attack against the flagship. The battleships surge toward the traitor flagship, Lance batteries and macrocannons blaxing*

*smack bang in the center*

Charles: we need to move... damnit

the rest of death squadron are surrounding the flagship, protecting her from all sides. the trader's ships have an uphill struggle to get to her

*The center of the hammer is mostly uninhabited, save for a few maintainance servitors which turn their tools upon the invaders upon spotting them. Besides that, the daemons find only a maze of corridors and empty rooms, with gun turrets bolted to the ceiling at every corridor intersection*

*The devastator sergeant half lifts half drags his brother onwards, only a few hundred metres more until they're at the necron lines.*

*The hammer plows through the cruiser, then adjusts course towards the flagship. Straight through one of her supporting battleships*

*Robert's Ironclad paves the way forward, obliterating anything unfortunate enough to come under fire from his mass drivers*