A slightly smaller Mess

"With basilisk fire. We have a limited supply of mars pattern shells, i intend to fire them all before the warriors can lay their traitorous hands on them."

"Is this honestly all this planet has to defend it? Really?"

"Defense in depth. That is indeed the plan." The dispassionate lenses of his mask stare into her eyes. "This is not Cadia, we cannot stop a concerted assault from landing a beachhead. We have neither the ships, the fighters, nor the anti aircraft emplacements. All we can do right now, is bleed them."

"....You have war machines. Where there's imperial war machines, there's the mechanicum, and they never go without some kind of their own armed forces. Where are they? Why haven't you got them to help?"

"Their part will be played later. Their bunker is in the other city, to the east. That is a more tenable position."

"Have you even talked to them?"

"I sent them a message one doesn't ignore. Even if you are a tech priest. In any case, all i ordered them to do was defend themselves." Deadpan, does not cover the depths of the tone laurence is using.

"What forces do they have?"

"We're not privy to it. But intelligence says at least one battle maniple."

"....This is the mechanicum. If you all burn and they can sit pretty, they won't care. Why the hell aren't you getting your arse down there to make them help out?"

"Because if you hadn't realized, I am needed here... the moment i am out of position, the assault will start, thats just how the universe works. And i can't use the warp to get around because of the near fucking warp storm, that is the immaterium right now." He talks to her in the manner one speaks to an insolent child.

"And what bloody difference does it make if you're not on the front line, compared to not having all of their troops on the line?"

"Would you like a list? because it starts with Sorcerers."

"...you're being an idiot"

"I'm not going to travel halfway across the planet, when the enemy is at the door. What if they know about this bunker? if they're watching us?"

"What the hell difference does it make, they're here to burn everything down anyway! They don't give a shit about you, they just want another planet to fortify, They don't even bloody know you're here!"

"IF. They come. If they know. I need to be here to get my people out."

"They. Don't. Bloody. Know. You. Exist."

Laurence takes a step forwards. "I am not this building. They could well know this is an inquisition outpost, and i'm not taking chances."

"How the hell would they know that?"

"I can see the sorcerers up there, i assume they can see me down here. I don't expect someone like you to grasp the subtleties, but trying to hide a psychic signature like mine, is rather hard. Alternatively, they might just have more intel than you give them credit for."

"Who's the expert on them again?"

"You knew i was here last time. or at least, you weren't surprised when i came to talk."

"That's me. Not them."

"So you're better than the entire, astartes command structure of the iron warriors...? You alone recognize the inquisition as a threat."

"No, I just think differently"

"I think i wont be taking any of that sort of risk, in any case."

"If you don't get them to help, they won't help. If they don't help, we all die."

"This city is lost already. I'm not committing some of the only professional soldiers we have to a lost cause."

"You didn't damn hear me. I said we ALL die. I'm not on about the damn city, I'm on about getting involved AT ALL"

"Thats why you, and tyren, and anyone else who'll get fucking killed, is staying. right here."

"You think staying here will fucking save us?"

"Moving before the trench line falls will. This position won't hold, Mechanicus or no."

"It'll hold longer"

"Not longer than the other city will. Because i can actually go into that city."

"You're missing my point...if the mechanicus can just be left to defend themselves, they'll sit on their arse and let us all die"

"I'll make them come out of their little bunker, when we retreat that far."

"And thats better than securing their help now? I'm not saying use them now, but you don't exactly want them to surprise you with a middle finger when you need em the most"

"They'll vox me back soon enough. My Rosette code was attached to the message."

Hera, slightly weary from the day spent sorting out yet another near disaster her men had made, wandered back to her and charles' shared quarters. Soldiers used to fighting every day, and having developed that unique blend of paranoia and intuition, should not be allowed to get bored. She sighed, and pressed her hand to the panel to open the door.

"Since when do the mechanicum respect the inquisition?"

as the door opens, she notices the room is....dark. Dimly lit, by an arrangement of candles on a dinner table, laid out all fancy like in the middle of the room. As she enters. she finds herself literally swept off her feet, as charles holds her gently in his arms.
"Well hello beautiful"

"Dire times tend to inspire cooperation." He gestures between the two of them.

She spends a few seconds wide eyed, just looking up at charles, until she looks down at her side, and the bolt pistol half out of its holster. Then she remembers to breathe out, sounding quite flustered, she replies "Surprises... Could you give me warning next time?"

"You think if they could just sit on their arses and let you die they wouldn't?"
--------------
Charles: sorry *smiles, before leaning in for a kiss*

Laurence: "I'm betting that they know they'll just die slower."

-----------

She returns it, enjoying the moment.

"Don't count on it"
----------
the kiss is long and passionate, but eventually he does break it off, slowly.
"There's no jobs for us to do tonight. No one to bother us. Tonight, is all about me helping you to relax, and be happy"

Laurence: "Then i'll fall back on the tried and true method of beating someone around the head with my authority. Metaphorically or otherwise."

She puts a finger on his lips. "Don't lie to me... there's always work..." She pulls the finger away. "But we could put it off. Just for one night."

"And you'd rather leave that...till the moment we need them"

Charles smiles. He walks over to the table and gently puts her down in one of the chairs. He then, softly, slides her greatcoat off, before placing his hands on her shoulders and beginning to massage them

"I'd rather leave it until i don't have to travel halfway across the planet, leaving the front."


As he does so, she unbuckles her sword belt, and throws it off to the side. "Why didn't you say you did massages before...?" she slips down into the chair.

she sighs
"It'll bite you in the arse"

Charles: never had the time to give you one. *seems he's very good at it*

"I'll take that chance."

"Who taught you...? learn this in inquisitor school?"

"Fine"

Charles: you know me. I like to read. Just so happened I found a book on this. *grins* Figured you'd appreciate my learning.

The squad Laurence called Lazarus exits the armoury, fully equipped in a shockingly short period of time. Their equipment appears exotic in the extreme, and they're weighed down with enough munitions to persecute a small planetary invasion solo. Their armour appears to be highly modified carapace plate, the helmet containing additional optics, and the plates themselves having applique packages applied. The surface of these plates have a hexagonal pattern, and a dark gray finish, which lyanna probably recognises as tau stealth composites. Each of them carries a tau pulse carbine, modified for the human physique, as well as various explosive ordinance, from frag grenades, to krak missile launchers.

They come to a halt in a line, at ease, waiting for Laurence to give the word. A symbol of a snake eating its tail, within a circle, printed in white is present on one shoulder, a number from one to five beneath it. a shield, split half white and black, teardrop of black within the white side, on the other shoulder.

Laurence: "I want you on the vox when shit hits the fan, despite our differences in opinion, you can still call where we'll have the most impact as reports come in."

Hera: "I very much do..." She closes her eyes and enjoys his work