A slightly smaller Mess

the entrance to the ship seems pitch black, nothing visible inside... and then, lights. Two of them, green and angled like eyes. Moments later, another, much brighter light, to the left and lower down from the others, blue and brilliant against the black.

the wolf starts sniffing him

He smells like guns and oil.
“...Why is it sniffing me?”

Laurence stands still. Staring down several hundred tonnes of steel.

Jax: "I think e' likes you."

Erik: he don't know ye yet. He's curious.

with a wirring, the mighty knight comes to life, as it approaches, every step making the very earth tremble. It is a brilliant silver in colour, a striking red and a gleaming white punctuating this, as do the white dogs heads and the snapped chains emblazoned on the armour. In one arm, the gigantic las impulsar thrums with energy, while in the other, the fingers of an absurdly large power fist flex, energy crackling around them

Laurence: "Noble... Freeblade..." He mulls each word as he says it. Considering his words, talking slowly. Beside him, sidonai bristles at the lack of respect this man show, both to her, and her master.

the knight approaches closer, his ion shield visibly flaring to life

Laurence: "Halt your advance, knight." His tone stern, right hand falling to the blade strapped horizontally across his back

the knight comes to a halt before him, its head angling down to get a good look at this man who blocks his path

Laurence: "I hope you have come to defend this world."

the vox blarers of the knight roar with the pilot's voice, the volue causing laurence to physically vibrate with the thunderous voice
+you do not know me by reputation, I take it+

“And if he doesn’t like me?”

Erik: you'll find oot *laughs*

Gideon: “I don’t think I want to”

the wolf stops sniffing him and looks at him

Jax: "Say hi to the emperor for me."

Stood before the knight, he is dwarfed by its sheer size, and yet, something in the way he carries himself, in the tone of voice, with which he would command a knight freeblade, in the willing service of thrice damned daemon stood beside him. Something in this man speaks of power, of a man not taken lightly. To all outward appearance however, he is in all senses average. Sat upon his throne, behind inches of plate, the knight no doubt remembers many men who he could easily have mistaken for this man, if it were not for the overwhelming sense of danger he eminates.

"I am fully aware of who you are. My question stands."

A crackle of energy from the power fist Freedom's Hand punctuates the air.
+If you did, you would not be asking that question.*chuckle* Besides, I do not believe my heralds stuttered.+

"I do not trust empty words and rumor."

+What other reason would I, the breaker of chains, have to be here?+

Laurence smiles behind his mask, and looks to sidonai, the daemon still baring teeth and claws at the knight, he looks back, and continues, in a lighter tone. "Then I assume you do not know me, by reputation?"

Gideon shuffles uncomfortably and backs away from the wolf

laurence notices the knight's multi laser pointing at the demon, although obviously as a precaution.
+I do not+

doggo makes sad face

"I am William Laurence. Inquisitor of the Ordo Hereticus. If that does not spark your memory, perhaps the Butcher of Pyros will."

Gideon does not care about the sad face, any of the astartes aboard can tell at a mere glance that the man is expecting a fight. His heart is racing, his hands are twitching ever so slightly, and he’s just squeezed the grip of his lasgun even tighter than before.

Jax rubs his thumb and forefinger together, and clicks his tongue quietly to beckon the wolf over.

it gently trots over to jax

+I have not heard of you, inquisitor. I have been...occupied, shall we say.+

Jax ruffles its ears with his flesh and blood hand, bar a glove. "just a big softie arent you?"

"Well, suffice to say, i am here to kill heretics, and save this world. Its defense is under my command."

happy gigantic cyberdog is happy

+It would seem I must 'report' to you then lord inquisitor+

Jax: "See? Wouldn't hurt a fly. A loyal fly at least."

"Excellent. Then take this order, Hide. It'll do me no good if you're wiped out with orbital lance fire. This is a guerrilla campaign now."

Erik: don't worry yerself noble, he won't hurt ye

+I beleive the polite way of putting this is, bull fucking shite. I know the iron warriors, this band included. I know what to do with meself, and it doesn't involve hiding.+

Laurence: "We don't have the forces to fight them head on. But we have the advantage in flexibility."

+I will be our shield, and sword. My ion shield shall hold strong to protect the defenders from enemy fire. And I shall lay low the mightiest of our enemy's war machines, cracking their formations and leaving their dispersed masses vulnerable+

Laurence: "And i shall exploit that weakness with what? A dozen squads of barely trained PDF soldiers and my own retinue? No, you will charge headlong and die, daemon engines will drag your knight to the ground and its steel will feed the forges. You are far too much of an asset to throw away with pointless valour."

“Mmhmm” The knight sounds as if his mind is elsewhere

+Again and again I shall sally forth, and again and again I shall shatter their assaults with a pinpoint strike. You have emplacements, they will do the rest, and the enemy shall retreat. This shall continue, until they lie broken before us, or aid comes to us+

Laurence: "I am not making an emplaced defense against the iron warriors.That is the stupidest idea i have ever heard."

+I have won them numerous times.+ he begins to walk past laurence +I do not intend to display cowardice on your behalf+

Erik@ we're coming up on the cannon boys!

Laurence: "Damn highborn. Well, have it your way. I won't waste effort on stopping you. Go. Fight them toe to toe as honour demands. I'll have a candle lit for you."

Serah: "Bring us over it."

They see a hive. It’s a hive. A big angry gothic as fuck blob on a desolate landscape. It’s belches black smoke from thousands of towers, further staining the once verdant planet.

Erik: How do ye two wanna do this?

Serah: "Surpress any small arms units you see, we will jump from the forward hatch."

Erik: alright, bomb launcher's locked and loaded, get yer arses out there!

Jax and Serah move to the hatch, weapons slung and hands free.

the hatches slide open.
Below they see it is very well guarded. thirty to forty soldiers, along with two leman russ tanks, half a dozen sentinels, and a few emplaced weapons

Jax: "Gonna try to drop right onto the gun! Get us closer!"

the corvus dives low, getting very close to the gun now. the guards have finally spotted the craft, and small arms fire begins to fly in their direction, the bigger guns still attempting to draw a bead on them

+Your stratagem will lead to this world's doom, inquisitor. *continues to walk away* I will be the shield your soldiers will desperately need.+

Jax jumps first, leaping out into space, augmetic arm and leg outstretched, with flesh and blood tucked in. He slams home, the mechanical taking the stress flesh would not, landing on his augmetic limbs with practiced ease. Next, Serah leaps, with far less care, she lands near him on the gun's cowling, where barrel meets mounting, on both feet, dropping to add a hand.

Laurence: "If you must. I suppose you will serve an adequate distraction. I may send assistance, if it becomes evident you require it."

stompy stompy knight walking

the guards have seen them, and quickly turn towards them, guns pointed.... but don't fire. before they can, they hear a noise, and jax and serah can hear it too. it sounds like... music. dramatic trumpets and drums, quiet, but slowly building. it's almost impossible to pinpoint the exact source, and several of the guards start looking for it, as the others finally open fire

Putting their backs to the wall, they use the gun to shield them from the worst of the fire, Serah returning the favour with short bursts of bolter fire from her godwyn Diaz, while jax draws his blade, and begins carving through the gun's armour plating to open a passage inside.

Laurence: "Sidonai... Do you see that"

Sidonai: "See... what?"

Laurence directs her gaze with a finger, pointing to a particularly bright comet flying through the sky