A slightly smaller Mess

back on the planet's surface, the majority of the heldrakes abandon their harrying of the crashed ship, heading towards the city instead, while a small flock remain high above, simply observing the wreckage for now...

meanwhile Laurence is informed of not only the incoming heldrakes, but other strike craft such as fire raptors and hell talons, with heavy fighter escort, descending directly towards not only the lines but the artillery positions

Laurence takes this news as he decends the steps and opens up the antechamber which has become their conference room. "I have a clergyman now, don't question it and do try not to say anything blasphemous." He points over his shoulder at Father Edwards. "This, ladies and gentlemen is Father Edwards." He then points in turn as he names people for Edwards benefit. "This is my second, Katerina, Brother Tyren, who's cannon I warned you of, and this, is Lyanna, our resident expert on the tactics and operations of the enemy... Questions?"

Hera: "You should have raised the issue earlier. Initiative, soldier."

Mac shrugs "Least I can do."

Edwards: pleasure to meet ye all *grins* I'm curious as ta how this 'expert' became such if I'm honest

Wilhelm: I'm no death rider, ma'am.

Anne: I wouldn't be alive right now without you, you know that.

Laurence: "She commanded a force against at some point, the details are need to know I'm afraid."

Hera: "Well you should damn well learn to be. If a whiteshield can find himself a bunk without coddling, I expect a veteran to do so as well."

Mac: "And vice versa I expect."

Edwards: If ye say so *he grins, flashing his teeth as he does so, with a look maniacal enough to make even tyren feel uneasy*

Wilhelm: I apologise ma'am. It is simply not how we do things in the korps. Initiative is reserved for officers and the death riders.

Anne: maybe.

Laurence: "Hmn, well anyway, I rather think they're about to make another move. We've got plenty of ships coming down."

Hera: "You are not in the korps. You serve at the inquisition's pleasure."

Mac: "no maybe about it. Seems clear as can be to me."

Lyanna:..its starting.

he doesn't respond to that.

Anne gives a bit of a nervous smile, but its clear she doesn't quite agree

Laurence: "Lets see if they play nice."

They arrive at the scion quarters, and she marches through with surety, until she finds an empty bunk.

Mac shrugs "so, you staying or you got places to be?"

an instant after he says that, he gets reports of artillery impacts from earthshakers and the like, along the entire line

he continues to silently follow

Anne: I'd..like to stay. If you'll have me. *she smiles a little more confidently* You guys are closest thing I have to friends.

Shouts of glee and celebration erupt from the men as the helldrakes disengage thinking that somehow they drove the beasts off. The celebration is short lived however as officers begin to bark orders, and soon the men are entrenching their position. Tarantula defensive turrets are erected around the ship and heavy weapons teams are quick to build up their own little nests while their comrades work.
Their armour forms up differently now(cos I retconned it), the Macharius Vanquishers and basilisks are dug into shallow trenches to hide the majority of their hulls. While the Leman Russ tanks are kept near the transport as a reserve force.

The two companies are quite different in how they act however, one focusses almost solely on the defence, erecting fortifications and camofaluging their armour. While the other company, consisting mostly of chimera split off and begin to scout their surroundings, constantly remaining inside vox range as they drive.

OOC: I’ve replaced the Valdors and Minotaur with Macharius and Basilisks.

the heldrakes are very clearly monitering them, and a pair of them swoop down towards one of the scouting groups

the entrenched guns of the line make a ragged response, returning fire counter battery.

Laurence leads the group back up the stairs, and tyren makes to follow.

hera stops at a small empty barrack room, with six unoccupied beds. "Here."

Mac: "Uh... yeah, sure. Just, be careful an that."

The scout company quickly spots an armoured truck roaring towards their position, a great plume of powder snow thrown up in its wake.

the bombardment continues as the attack craft close in, the entire line now erupting in a cacophony of fire and explosions

"The entire room ma'am?"

Anne nods

Along the line, anti air batteries begin to fire. The air quickly filling with lines of tracer fire, and the staccato sound of high calibre, fully automatic weapons fire. The SDF is mobilised en mass, well equipped and maintained aircraft, limited by the inexperience of their crews.

The mass of aircraft is split into individual wings, consisting of one or two Thunderbolt heavy fighters, with a number of lightning fighters as wingmates.

Hera: "Until further notice."

Mac: "Don't suppose the inquisitor would be best impressed if i got you killed."

Lyanna: they're trying to pin us down.

The fighter escorts of the attack craft; xyphons, hellblades and hades autocannon equipped heldrakes, move to engage the thunderbolts and lightnings (very very frightnings)

the kreiger pauses as he looks around the room. its clear he's not used to this much space to himself. "thankyou ma'am"

Anne: guess not. He does seem to be a tad attached to me.

Laurence shouts over his shoulder as tyren steps into the doorway to follow. "I had noticed!"

Each wing of fighters splits off for a different target, the lightnings drawing escorts away from the thunderbolts as they make their attack runs upon the landing craft. The chatter of autocannon, and the ionizing trails of lascannon fill the air, as below, bayonets are fixed, and men cower under the bombardment.

Hera simply nods, and leaves him to it, before going to find Chard.

Mac: "Yeah, seems the sentimental type."

Lyanna doesn't respond but its obvious Laurence is continuing to piss her off.

This attempt to draw away the escorts has limited success, as the xiphons seem to be specifically singling out the thunderbolts, while the hell blades focus on the lightnings

Chard's in his own quarters, reading something

Anne: you don't know the half of it.

The door slides shut behind them, leaving lyanna once more in the singular company of laurence's acolytes. They continue conversations amongst themselves, not including her. In the corner, the pariah reads a book. She continues to wear the long black dress which is her usual, with the compromise to practicality, being a flak vest worn over the dress.

In accordance with standard doctrine, the air over the anti air emplacements is avoided by the imperial aircraft, allowing the steady stream of flack to continue to affect minor losses. The majority of pilots are of minimal skill, being quickly outmanuvered, and lightnings are dropping quickly, the hardy airframes of the thunderbolts are absorbing punishment, keeping them aloft, and a few lighting pilots are distinguishing themselves.

A brief rap on his door announces Hera's presence.

Mac: "I mean, he took a grenade for us so. We saw that... Anyhow, are we gonna stand in the damn door all day, or find somewhere to sit?"

Lyanna glares silently at the now shut door for a moment longer. her fists clenched tight.

while this happens, the attack craft engage the ground forces. Bullets, bombs, missiles and fire rake the front lines, while the artillery continues to pound.

chard stands up and walks over, opening the door. He's not wearing his armour, which is a rarety. He salutes the inquisitor upon seeing her. "Ma'am"

Anne: oh-right *she chuckles awkwardly, finally removing her helmet fully (she just had the visor open) and entering the room properly*

For the moment, all is silent. A moment which drags on far longer than it should, shattered only by the sound of the pariah turning the page of her book.

A good number of these craft never manage to pull from their dives, fuselages torn by flack or by the aircraft duelling above.

Hera returns the salute politely. "I've billeted that kreiger in block J, i hope you do not mind."

Mac wanders over to, and sits down on some stacked boxes, another such seat perpendicular to it, he gestures to.

The chimera swerve and turn to engage, firing at any helldrake that enters their field of fire. Bright flashes erupt from their guns as autocannon and multilaser alike suddenly burst into life.

Back at the dropship, ad hoc anti air batteries are built up. The men using their vast stocks of Hunter Killer missiles to supply these positions. Once the appropriate blessings have been bestowed these weapons hum to life and look skyward, their advanced radar detectiom systems quickly locking on to the helldrakes far above.

Lyanna's only movement in the next few minutes is her head sagging with dismay

several of the hell talons fall, but the fire raptors and helldrakes prove too tough to be yet felled, as gouts of baleflame fill entire trenchlines, turning the defenders to singed corpses, and the avenger gatling cannons, missiles and autocannons rake bunkers, artillery and pillboxes

Chard: *smiles* Appreciated. Glad to see someone showing the poor lad some sympathy.

anne sits down, putting her helmet on the floor next to her.

The heldrakes following the chimeras swoop down, heedless of the inaccurate autocannon fire as they dive, claws ready to tear into the vehicle.

The heldrakes over the dropship simply take evasive manoeuvres, maintianing a high enough altitude that the AA weapons have minimal effect

The ever growing party leaves the house via the garage door, for tyren's benefit. Coming out to see battle be joined.

The fortifications hold against all but the heaviest blows, thick rocrete and plasteel bunkers weathering the blows.

Hera: "Send someone by on occasion to ensure he eats and such. He seems unable to do anything without orders."

Mac: "Why're you wandering about in all that clobber?" he himself is wearing his rather ratty uniform, complete with penal legion markings.

Stubber fire begins to come from the truck as it draws nearer, a white and gold flag fluttering from its cabin.

only there is no battle, on the ground at least. Only air raids and artillery. No ground forces have engaged, nor are they preparing to.

Chard: you never served alongside kreigers ma'am?

Anne: *shrugs* Rarely take it off to be honest.

The chimeras turn inside the dives, forcing the helldrakes to veer off unless they want to hit the ground.

The AA emplacements hold off on firing, opting to maintain a visual on the drakes.

Tyren: "I long for when the cowards will give battle."

Hera: "No, they don't put that kind of regiment alongside mechanised, or penal regiments."

Mac: "I get you, i used to live in mine."

*haven't really got a reply to that. Lyanna's clearly depressed about something but doesn't feel comfortable with anyone in the room to talk to em about it, and the bombardment and attack continues.*

Chard: *chuckles* they put kreigers wherever the hell they can, the administratum loves those boys.

Anne: easy to get attatched to your gear

the heldrakes halt their dive with worrying ease, one of them unleashing a gout of baleflame onto the APC

The fire single and melts the lasgun mounts, but the crew and occupants remain unharmed. The second chimera lets loose a burst of autocannon fire into the helldrakes as they come to a halt, hoping to deal damage to their supposedly weaker underbelly

*Tyren has a vox, they could talk?*

Hera: "Yes, well I do not."

Mac: "Not so much that, it kept the bullets out."

A rocket is fired from the back deck of the truck as it rushes forwards.

*she's not gonna bother him while he's in a combat zone*

Chard: They don't do anything without orders. 's how they're bred, how they're raised. It's why the administratum loves em. If he's stickin around, we're gonna have to... help him adjust. And it's gonna be slow.

Anne: good point

the heldrakes ascend, suddenly, climbing high and shooting off ahead of the chimeras

After some time of watching, Laurence comes to the conclusion that no landing is going to occur, and turns to Edwards. "I believe we are in for another period of boredom."

Hera: "Have someone write him a schedule, leave it simple, so he is forced to interpret some things for himself. We'll see how he applies himself."

mac: "But you don't need it in here do ya?"

The rocket follows, locked on to a particular drake

Edwards: ah that's a shame, I was all geared up for some good ol' fashioned stabbin!

Chard: will do ma'am. Might do for some of your lot to check on him time to time. Expose him to someone who's more used to initiative and free thinking.

Anne: like I said, kinda attatched to it.

The drake simply slightly manoeuvres to one side and slams on the brakes, causing the missile to fly past it, at which point it is immolated by the beast's baleflamer

The Chimera suddenly not feeling so confident accelerate back to the dropship

Laurence: "Quite... We'll not be able to turn an advantage until they make an attack of it. But then, each moment of delay here allows the other cities to entrench further."

Tyren turns about to walk back downstairs

Hera: "I'll... perhaps...." She pauses, thinking. "Lieutenant Macmillan. Yes, perhaps indeed."

Mac: "Aye fair enough... We had a tank once, couldn't get Crick out of it, even to sleep."

The truck continues on, the flag, as it turns out, being an aquilla banner, tied to a pole, being flown from the back of the truck. It drives up towards the chimera's, someone calling through a loud hailer. "BALTEUM MILITIA, HOLD FIRE!"

The Chimera come to a halt and immediately disgorge their men, two full squads of cadian guardsmen armed with meltaguns sprint out and approach the truck with their weapons raised.

The loud hailer is yelled into a little louder. "DON'T BLOODY SHOOT!"

“GET OUT SLOWLY WITH YOUR HANDS RAISED!”
It’s clear these men are a little shook up, those without gasmasks look young while their sergeants are clearly still recovering from the trauma of an emergency warp jump.

A scuffle can be heard down the loud hailer, and a more authoritative voice takes over. "Bugger that, and you'd best be back in your tin an all, those traitor bastards are gonna come round again."

Edwards: aye, guess not.

Chard: aye, that'd work.

Anne: crick?

there is a shreiking sound high above the chimera

A murmer follows the sound before the men take off toward their transports, with only one rather pissed off looking sergeant running to the truck. In a short few seconds he’s clambered aboard and has nestled himself behind the stubber.
“Who the fuck are you?”
He shouts, clearly not in the mood for any dandying about

the shreik is revealed to be the heldrakes, which are now diving headlong towards them from on high.

Laurence settles in to watch from afar, and monitor vox traffic, in the comfort of the front room. Releasing the others to attend themselves, sleep, eat and such.

Hera: "Yes... in any case, thankyou."

Mac: "A guy from a tank reg... He... he was a good man."

The truck spins its wheels for a second, before reversing, just as fast as it had gone forwards. "FIRE THAT STUBBER IF YOU'RE GONNA GRAB IT!"

He wastes no time in swinging the stubber round and firing at the helldrakes, unloading hundreds of large caliber rounds in mere seconds.

The chimera too respond quicky, the pair quickly accelerating and turning away to force the helldrakes to give up on their dive

it becomes evident almost instantly that the stubber is entirely ineffective, unable to so much as scratch the drakes. meanwhile, the chimera's efforts are for naught. only one drake is headed for the chimera, and its high enough that it simply has to adjust its angle. The other is headed for the truck...

Chard: for what ma'am?

Anne: oh...I'm..sorry

OOC matt check yer discord ya fuk

The chimera turns again, this time when the drake is much closer and unable go adjust.

The sergeant keeps up the fire, determined to keep the helldrake at bay while the drivers get their shit together

Mac: "Ah don't be. Life of a soldier."

Hera: "...being cooperative?"

A man pops the back hatch of the truck's cab, and leans out. Swaddled in thick cold weather gear, and with a pair of goggles sat above a thick beard, he leans out just enough to clear the backblast of a missile tube.

the chimera turns too late, and the drake swoops past with incredible speed, its daemonic claws tearing a gash into the APC's hull and ripping the turret off entirely as it passes

the stubber has no effect on the second drake as it closes, and its hades autocannon opens fire, raking truck

Chard: *chuckles* don't need thanks for doing my job ma'am. How's the inquisitor training going by the way?

Screams erupt from the chimera as the claws shred several of its occupants and bisect the gunner. Still it drives onward, the surviving crew desperate to escape.

The sergeant is liquidised by the shells, his body almost evaporating entirely into a pink mist.