A small group of LAAT gunships traveled down to the planet of Raxus Prime, in them Anakin Skywalker, Obi wan Kenobi, Mhmun and Emely, along with some clones, and the 2 other Space Marines. The approach to the junk covered planet was quiet, as Emely had a combination of Imperial Flack armor and Clone armor on.
"We shall watch, when battle comes, we shall join them, but until then, we shall wait and observe." Mhmun said.
The marine of the Blades of Flame chapter nodded.
"Ok lad, your goal is simple. You stay with Mhmun and his guy I'll help our friends here." Emely said, smiling, jabbing an elbow into Anakin, who winced at the sudden jab.
Emely put on the clone helmet, she looked around, slightly adjusting it. The marine looked at her and nodded.
"Cullen will direct his forces upon landing, and join up with your forces." Mhmun explained.
The gunship landed, and three Speeders were moved unloaded, as clones moved to set up beacons to signal landing areas for the republic gunships, and imperial landing craft.
"Emely, do you know how to ride one of these?" Anakin asked, joking as he climbed onto his speeder bike.
"I am the lead rider of the Lion's head squad, I know how to ride a bike." she pulled the handles back, expecting to just adjust them, only to launch backwards, narrowly avoiding a clone.
She pushed the handles forward, stopping and shooting forward. It took a few minutes, and a few narrow avoidances of crashes until Emely got a handle on how to drive the back to Anakin and Obi-wan.
"Lion's head?" Obi-wan asked.
"The Lions of Numidia, her chapter, her first company, they are an elite and a highly mobile formation known as the Lion's head, that uses bikes and Land speeders, and typically, she leads." Mhmun said.
"Interesting, what about your group, do you have an elite formation?" Kenobi asked.
"Of sorts. We have a group that has a special name, and are a special formation, but they are not elite." Mhmun said.
"What are they called?" Anakin asked.
"The Haunted." Mhmun said.
"What makes them unique?" Kenobi asked.
"They suffer from the delusions of our gene father. They believe they are those who sired the geneseed, and they witness their greatest sorrow, and in this sorrow, they are blind to reality, those who lack our blood, they see as the killer of our genefather. In their state, they are dangerous to everyone. They are kept on the strike cruiser, locked away, monitored by the death cults and the chaplains, Shadow of the Haunted is their home, and when they are deployed, it's to remove them from their suffering." Mhmun said.
"That sounds barbaric, is there no way to cure them?" Anakin asked.
"No, there has not been one marine who has been cured of the visions in the 5,000 years we have served the Emperor. Only death has brought them peace from their torment and rage. And battle against the enemy of man is the most honorable way to die." Mhmun said.
"Sir, machines are approaching, sounds like.....12 of them." a marine said.
A squadron of STAPs appeared. Mhmun took aim with a bolt pistol and fired, knocking a droid down, as they rest flew away.
"Chase them down." Kenobi said, as the droids split into three groups. Anakin and Kenobi chased 4 each, as Emely chased 1.
Mhmun walked up to the drowned machine, before he lifted it up. The droid was damaged, but Mhmun tore the head free of the body. Gripping the top of the head, he opened the central computer, before examining the mechanism.
"Basic, I have seen las guns with more effort put into them." The space marines said.
"That's cause the B1s are basic. The Sepies just use them in mass, quantity over quality." A clone explained.
Drop ships and landers arrived in the area, including several Battle-tanks of the imperial army, a single Baneblade, the Eye of Lazarus. Cullen greeted Mhmun, as Land Raider rode forward, flanked by 2 land speeders. The Republic AT-TE's and Saber fighter tanks moved a bit slower, and formed a column to begin moving to the next location.
Emely was able to shoot the droid down, and was rejoined by Obi-wan and Anakin.
"Good, we were able to stop the scouts from reporting in. Now, the forces should have landed by now, The armored column will need to move into position for the attack." Obi-wan said.
-meanwhile-
Stroud looked over the planet they had arrived at. He had a group of his lords of Iron examine the planet. They found ruins, and were investigating them, but progress was slow. Attacks from the droid men were occurring on a semi-regular basis.
A mechanicus scribe entered the observation chamber Stroud stood in, carrying a report. They lifted the data pad and Stroud took it, lifting it up and looking at the report.
An ancient tomb like structure was found, and now squad of terminators were being deployed, to investigate. Investigations inside the structure has reports of "strange auras" and increased paranoia. The librarius has also reported the area is tainted by the warp.
As Stroud read, he was interrupted by Lacedaemon entering.
"King of Iron, what news had come from the Flame bearer?" The warrior king asked.
"Mhmun has joined battle and had his chapter go and join the battle, he used the Infernus Gladius." Stroud said.
"Dangerous, anything else?" Lacedaemon questioned.
"The librarius, astropaths, black ships and psyker all over the fleet are making similar claims, the warp has changed, there are no Daemons." Stroud said, handing the report back.
"And the metal men? What has their ship revealed?" Lacedaemon asked, ignoring the scribe as they walked by.
"We have found, maps, systems, and plans, we are having the scribes translate them, as the mechanicus change the system to Binary. Along with creating a translation matrix for our forces." Stroud added.
The silence was rather unexpected, before Lacedaemon spoke.
"I am going to make a bid for leadership of the destiny of the fleet. I wish for your support." Lacedaemon said.
"This is neither time or place for this conversation." Stroud said, shaking his head.
"The imperium is at stake, we lack a home, and here we have a planet." Lacedaemon.
"We the supplies to build, the systems we relied upon, times will be hard, but I trust that there is a plan being made, one that will aid in our own survival." Stroud said.
"And if there isn't? What then?" Lacedaemon questioned, stepping forward.
"Then one will be made." Stroud answered, never turning Tom face the other chapter master.
