Enter: The Cohort

An initiate stood rigidly in the back of the hall, patiently awaiting Commander Ataroth to finish his evenings ablutions. An elderly attendant stood silently next to him with a vice grip on his arm, warding him off as not to disturb his master.

A thick pall of incense wafted lazily through the room, dense enough to muffle the choir of the Imperial Cult, chanting and murmuring in the balcony above.  Everything was bathed in the heat and light, given off by innumerous candles.

When he had finished meditating, an enormous figure emerged from the billowing smoke --the remnants of which were sucked up towards the ceiling, vacuumed up by the ships ventilation system. The commander stood tall and imposing, being dressed in a simple linen undergarments, and covered in red weals; marks of self-flagellation from his time in the ships chapel.

"Commander.  Long range scanners have picked up several warships dropping out of the warp. According to Imperial Fleet Registry, these vessels haven't been seen in Imperial Space for hundreds of years." The initiate rattled off after hastily dropping to a knee.

"Come." Beckoned the Commander. "Show me on the star chart in the bridge. Give me a full rundown on the situation."

Paratus

The primary briefing theater aboard the Wrath was an impressive sight with enough room for an entire company in standard armour, and four massive nests for the Old One's in their Dreadnaughts to be included in such briefings.  Today however the incense wreathed around the five massive armoured forms of Sergeant Stephland and his Squad, the Fist of the First.  Seated behind the massive terminator armour was Apothacary Elyas and Tech Sergeant Cristos.  All were attentive, with their helmets off, except Yse who as far as Octavian knew, was unable to remove his helmet, which was not uncommon for a Tech Marine.

Looking each in the eye he intoned the rites that initiated the ancient cognators in the briefing room's holo-projector, and after a moment, a shaky image resolved itself after a moment, of the Gladius Destroyer Summa Sapientia

"Brothers, we have been through a great trial.  And there are more to come... however the Sapientia has suffered at minimum a gellar field failure... but it is possible some of the fiends that have plagued us for years had somehow gotten aboard - or simply that other warp creatures have.  She translated with us, so there is hope, though there are no life signs - our Brother's who were aboard should have been in armour yet, and they may have put themselves into statis.  Even if they have not survived, recovery of their gene-seed is of paramount importance, if we are to survive as a Chapter." the Heir apparent began as he tapped a few commands into the cognator

The image on the holo shifted, zooming into the port docking hatch.

"All of the exterior portals are reading as closed and locked, and there are many rents in the hull, but after a short descussion earlier with the Magus, and the Admiral - we have determined that entry through one of the docking hatches would be the easiest, and prevent any further damage to sections of the ship that may still be under pressure.  You will take a Thunderhawk, hard dock with the hatch, and if possible, access the ships cognators to grant access.  If not, you will cut your way into the ship.  Once aboard your goals are straightforward."  He swept a hand towards the image, "Recover our brothers, and any other survivors at best.  At worst, recover their gene-seed, and determine the salvagability of the Sapientia.  However, the survival of your team is of the utmost importance.  We cannot afford to lose the lives of *any* of our brothers, and certainly none of your geneseed, at this venture.  We will maintain a Teleport lock on the entire team if at all possible - but it will fall to you my Brothers to make the hard choices, as always."

"Captain... I understand your reasons, but... honor dictates that if we can reach those brothers we *must*." Sergeant Stephland stated solemnly.

"I agree.  But today you must weigh the value of their lives against the Chapter as a whole... and as weak as we are, we cannot spend our lives for honor alone.  If we are to rebuild, we need every brother who can serve to stand with us. Until we have claimed a new recruiting world - that is the stricture we must live under." Octavian replied, sadly.

"I understand."

"I am sending the seven of you, because I can send no fewer."  He nodded, "Are there any other questions?"

Silence reigned, except for the occasional crackle from the holo-projector.

"Then may the Emperor watch over you.  Sergeant Stephland, the mission is yours."

"Yes Captain." Marius replied as he stood, and slid his arm into the heavy flamer's control column which magnetically locked to his armour with a snick, "Brothers, make any final preparations you require, our departure is in fifteen minutes."

Solemn nods were the only reply as each Marine stood up and locked his helmet into place, and hands checked wargear by feel and memory.  Finally Sergeant Stephland looked to his Captain, "We'll bring them back, sir."

"I have no doubt."  Octavian replied as Marius locked his helmet into place.  "May his eyes be on you."

"And you, sir." 

With that, the entire terminator squad turned as one, with impressive grace considering their side, and trooped out of the theater towards the forward docking bay.  Behind them, the Apothecary and the Tech Sergeant both nodded to thier Captain and then fell in.

There was little more that he could do, short of joining the mission himself - and there was far too much yet he had to see to before he could finally consider resting for the first time in a month.  Turning he headed in the opposite direction, on his way to the bridge to monitor the mission.

Recuperatio

Octavian frowned, eyeing the readouts on the Admiral's board. He would have been more comfortable with a fellow Marine in charge of the bridge and the fleet, what there was of it, but Admiral Sextus was a fine man, and had served the Chapter and the Third Company Marines that were on anti-pirate patrol when the warpstorm broke quite well.

Besides which, the Master of the Fleet had died in the early battles, amoung the ruins of Kelsa. And the Master of the Forge - Magnus Damondred had enough pressing matters assisting the Apothacary with Septimus.

So many wounds to heal, but that would come in time. First there was the triage of those that survived.

"Sergeant Jeckt, remind me what and who was aboard the Sapientia." Octavian replied after a moments consideration.

"Sir, the loading was haphazard, but my records show that the rememberance tablets from the eastern wall were loaded aboard the Sapientia, along with the fifth squad of the first company, Stelpan's Sternguard. Beyond that, she held three thousand chapter serfs and a few relics that were not deemed important enough to place aboard the Wrath." Jeckt reported as he double checked the Dataslate in his hand. He had become something of the Captain's adjunct, beyond looking after his scouts - he was the provisional head of the Tenth Company. What was left of it.

"Stelpan was no fool, he and his men should still have been in their armour, and may have elected to put themselves in cold sleep. That may drop their vital signs below that which the Wrath's cognators can read. Reguardless, if possible we need to recover their Geneseed, along with any salvage the Tech Marines deem worth the trouble to retrieve. Admiral we will launch a salvage crew, if the launch bay is operational with a Thunderhawk. Sergeant Antillus and the Terminators of the Fist will accompany whatever Tech Marines Damondred can spare, and Apothacary Fenix on a salvage and recovery mission." Octavian replied as his armoured fingers drummed against the helmet latched to his belt. "Any Thunderhawks we have beyond that which are safe to fly and we can spare the pilots for should begin a close patrol of the immediate area, while the remaining ships of the fleet see to any internal and external damage and take stock. We need to catch our breath, and there is little need to push ourselves to oblivion, now that we've escaped it. Once Septimus is seen too, Magnus will work with his Tech Marines to speeed any repair and refit we need, and are able to make without a fleet dock."

"I will pass the word Captain." Sergeant Jeckt stated as he added a few notes to his dataslate.

Initium Novum

c. 0413011.M42 - Callaxis Sector

Droplets of condensation fell in rivelets down the viewscreen.

Moments earlier the Wrath of the Legionnaire, and it's handful of escorts, emerged violently from The Warp. The thin veneer of frost that had enveloped the outer hull melted from the rays of a nearby dying sun.

Admiral Albanus Sextus slouched forward over the tactical display that straddled his lap. Displays glowed amber or red, belying the critical status of numerous sectors within the ship.

"Lord Octavian." Wheezed the shaken admiral. "Despite our damage... The Legionnaire has held together. We have successfully exited the warp."

A smattering of cheers broke from amongst the crew, though most remained somber, aware that at any moment the situation could deteriorate. Admiral Sextus's hands passed over the screen, calling up further displays.

"Four of our escorts are up; the fifth, the Summa Sapientia, is showing multiple hull punctures. I'm afraid that there's nothing left of her but a drifting hulk. At your orders m'lord - what shall you have us do?"