Fear Incarnate

An Encroaching Darkness

Innoak sat suspended in an incredibly uncomfortable position within his prison. His armors system's were showing heavy damage around his helm, and Innoak could feel the sparse drops of blood leaking from his injury there. transhuman physiology had sealed the wound, but it still throbbed and bled a little. Innoak did not know how long he had been knocked out, but he assumed based on his chronometer that it had to be around 3 days at best. Much could happen in 3 days. Innoak would have to set time aside for a planet wide scry. Innoak then became aware of the material that held him in place, a sterile protein gruel similar to corpse starch. The shipping crate dropped on him was loaded with the stuff, and it currently held Innoak in place with a vise like grip. He sighed, cleaning his armor of it would be a serious chore. Suddenly, he heard faint footsteps and muffled conversation. He attuned his hearing to focus upon the sound and pick out its vibration through his unorthodox jail. "Hi again Innoak, its me Entrapta. Catra let me walk around for a minute so I don't have much time, I just wanted to come and say that my research into your pistol has been going really well. I know you said not to use any Artificial Intelligence in my robots but I couldn't help it, I made sure to program Emily to be completely loyal though! I've also found out a lot more, especially about Lord Hordak. He reminds me of you sometimes, funny isn't it? Anyways, I have to go, Catra and I are figuring out a new plan to fight Adora. Sleep well Innoak!" Entrapta left the room and Innoak began to process her words, Adora lived and the rebellion still operated. Though it seemed Catra had played upon Entrapta's insecurities to sway her against her former friends. Entrapta had mentioned a 'Lord Hordak', the leader of the Horde apparently. Innoak sighed again and wished he were able to move. Any psychic attempt would simply give away that he was awake, and in turn the element of surprise would be lost. So Innoak simply settled in as best he could, and imagined the chiding and endless teasing from his brothers if they ever found out about this. 

Chaos Lord Vandrok sat at the throne of his capital ship, Undivided Ecstasy, as it and its fleet thundered through the warp. Loudhailers mounted around the vessel blasted loud music in devotion to the Dark Prince, Vandrok disliked the tune being played but decided against doing anything about it. He had already killed 3 musicians before, and the others had been too scared to play for a full day. Vandrok smiled at the memory, he chuckled to himself as he remembered how quickly the musicians played once Brother Violak had entered their room. Vandrok continued to muse on his various small conquests when a sharp crackle broke his thoughts, irritating him. "My lord, I have successfully severed one of these aliens from their hive mind. He will be willing to talk soon." The Doctor's smooth voice was rendered harsh by the old vox system in Vandrok throne. He would have to steal another soon, and Imperial battlefleets were getting increasingly harder to deal with. "Damned Primaris Marines." Vandrok muttered to himself before responding to The Doctor. "Very well, prepare the xeno." Vandrok lifted his massive Terminator-armored bulk off of his throne and began to stride towards a lift. On the way a slave offered him his storm bolter, Vandrok took the boxy weapon and shoved the slave back into a spiked console. He savored the screams of pain from the sobbing man. Vandrok clamped the bolter to his thigh's magnetic holster and continued on his way. 

The lift slammed down after a lengthy ride, Vandrok stepped off and into the Doctors domain. "Punctual like always my lord, if you would follow me." The Doctor was awaiting in front of the lift, Vandrok noticed that the Doctor was moving with a certain bounce in his step. "You are excited. Why?" The Doctor looked back over his shoulder, mood rising even more. "There is much to be excited about! These xenos operate on a hive mind, oh the corruption I can inflict upon the main body if I simply had more of these beings to experiment on." Vandrok cocked his head. "Tyrranids operate on a Hive mind as well. But they resist the touch of our Prince. Why will these xenos be different?" The Doctor laughed, irritating Vandrok more. "The xenos, their hive mind, are a single organism. One of these same xenos is lording over its own clones through a hive mind. If I could connect to that organism somehow, I could corrupt it, turn it to the blessing light of our god. Perhaps we could command the xenos ourselves, or simply have them die in mass sacrifice to appease the prince! The possibilities are immense!" Vandrok began to nod along to the Doctor's words. He had no desire to command a bunch of unworthy clones and xenos scum. Though sacrificing an entire race would most certainly appease Slaanesh. As Vandrok and the Doctor neared his lab, Vandrok stopped the Doctor. "If I can provide you with a suitable amount of these xenos. Would you be able to infect their master and kill them all at once?" The Doctor paused for a moment, he slowly nodded and entered the lab and bid the Vandrok to follow. The Doctor strode right up to one of his mortal servants, a new one Vandrok hadn't seen before. She still lacked the brand of their god, though Vandrok held no doubt that the doctor had plans for her. "Goldstar! Show Lord Vandrok to the xenos specimen while I find a tool I require." The slave, Goldstar, nodded and Vandrok strode up next to her while the Doctor ran off. "I remember you little one." Vandrok said as he leaned down to look at the shaking woman. "It seems luck is on your side, for now. Show me the xenos."

Bunk looked at the data slate handed to him by the commodore, on it was a full register of his current forces and their numbers and equipment. A full regiment of Tempestus Scions split between 4 cruisers. The Pyre of the Emperor, Lord Astelos, Invictrix Decimos, and Spirit of Glory. Their Captains were inexperienced and their service records were incredibly short. Though Bunk noted with some relief that Fleet Admiral Stavros and Tempestor Prime Augustus were aged but incredibly experienced for mortals. Bunk then remembered he still had to speak to the Tempestor, he decided to continue the overview of his forces first. His fleet was made of two Mars class battlecruisers and two Lunar class cruisers, they were fully crewed and equipped. As well as his own ship Bleeding Rapier and the 4 squads of Astartes aboard. He looked over the data of his brothers, A full Intercessor squad led by Sergeant Alanis and a Hellblaster squad led by Sergeant Vasz. Bunk scrolled down and noted that Kanx's Reiver squad was at only 7 men. Bunk sighed, it would have to do. Bunk scrolled back up to peer at the regiment's armoured vehicles, he felt a pang of joy at seeing the robust list of tauroxes and even a few leman russes. Each vehicle was fully crewed and their ammunition was plentiful, the same was true for the cruiser's starcraft and Valkryies. Bunk put the data slate back on the commodore's station and was about to leave to meet with the Tempestor when the commodore spoke. "That was quick my lord, would you like to see the full overview now?" her words were soft, and almost fearful. Bunk did not want to know why. "Full overview? Very well." The commodore stiffly nodded and announced to the crew to begin the report. Then it began,  every single crew member on the bridge began to read off from data slates that listed out every single morsel of data related to their station. Bunk sighed again, he found a suitably sturdy chair to hold him and sat. 

The work of an Astartes never ends it seems...