Wrath and Duty 8.5

<StaffenGM> The initial gunfire has died down; only the occasional crackle of a las-bolt can be heard as the Janissaries secure the exterior of the Castle. Noncombatants who were left trapped in the building's offices when the assault began are being rounded up by the guardsmen.
* Herbert looks for the Jannissary captains, among the mortals moving all about the facility.
<StaffenGM> Conveniently, Captain Marius is seeking out the Knight.
<StaffenGM> "My Lord," he says, kneeling. "We are processing the adepts and the officers at the moment. What would you have us do with them?"
* Priad follows after Herbert, while collecting the data of each battle-brothers vitals.
* Invictus follows behind Priad.
<Herbert> "Identify any senior officers among them, and bring them to me. The rest are to be lined up in the courtyard," the Knight says, voice booming through his helm's vox.
<StaffenGM> "Understood, my Lord." Marius nods. He stands, and hurries off to carry out his orders.
<Draco> +We have taken the building relatively easily. What's next on the agenda? Secure the building then the Central control unit.+
<Priad> +Are all but the senior officers being put to the sword, brother knight?+ He asks over a private channel.
<Herbert> +We must first determine if any of the vile conspirators are among the captured.+
<Draco> +Understood.+
<Herbert> +We must first determine if any of the vile conspirators are among the captured.+
<Draco> +Might be more efficient to kill them all and let the soldiers shift through the bodies later.+
<Herbert> +These vermin may be made to squeal, Tech-marine. We will interrogate any captured.+
<StaffenGM> Captain Raimos approaches next. "My Lords, the facility's core cogitation unit and its command throne have been located, down in the second sub-floor."
<StaffenGM> Not long after him comes Marius again, with the PDF officers in-tow.
<Herbert> "Lead Brother Draco to it, mortal. See to it that he has what he needs to perform his rites with the machines." Herbert nods.
<Draco> +Understood, Kill Team Leader. I shall do my duties.+
* Herbert looks over the prisoners.
<StaffenGM> Raimos nods, motioning to Draco.
<Herbert> "Have they been identified?" he growls - his eyes never leaving the line of prisoners.
* Draco follow Raimos.
<StaffenGM> "Yes, my Lord," Marius nods to his guardsmen. "Present the prisoners."
<StaffenGM> When the officers hesitate to step forward, they are shoved forwards with the butts of their guards' lasguns.
* Invictus watches over as the executions are about to begin.
* Herbert unsheathes his ceremonial sword, and mouths a silent prayer
<StaffenGM> "The commander of this facility -- they refer to him as the Chief Castellian -- is the one in the middle. I am told he occupies the rank of Brigadier. The other two are the Commandants of the Castle Brigade."
<Herbert> "Chief... Castellian," Herbert repeats, stepping towards the prisoner in the middle - a mocking tone about the utterance of the title in his voice.
<StaffenGM> The Chief Castellian stares at Herbert, veins bulging in his neck, nostrils flared; a fresh bruise is swelling in his cheek and his lips are split. He and his adjutants are dirtied with plaster dust.
<Herbert> "Tell me, mortal. Where is Lieutenant Genera Koby?"
<StaffenGM> The Chief Castellian swallows hard and grimaces, staring into the eyepieces of Herbert's helm.
<StaffenGM> "Probably on her way here, with the Capital Defense Corps and a hundred tanks towing behind her."
<StaffenGM> His chest heaves as his breathing quickens. His heartbeat is almost audible.
<Herbert> "Are the rest of them assembled?" Herbert turns to the Jannissary captain.
<StaffenGM> "The final few dozen should be piling in now," says Marius. "Would you like them single or double-file?"
<Herbert> "Double-file. Bring these three outside to face their men."
<StaffenGM> Marius nods, gesturing to his men. They march the captive officers out.
<StaffenGM> "Murderers!" shouts the Castellian as they pass outside. He his struck in the back for his outburst.
* Herbert steps outside, just behind the three officers, overlooking the assembled captives.
* Priad follows them out though at a distance, giving the teuton room to work.
* Invictus follows to the door way and watches from just outside of the door.
<StaffenGM> Outside, something like fifty building staffers have been huddled, double-file, against the southern wall.
<Herbert> +Priad. Have the Jannissaries volunteer enough combat knives for half the prisoners. Distribute them yourself.+
<StaffenGM> The Janissaries have set up a perimeter.
<Herbert> ++THOSE WHO TURN THEIR BACKS ON THE IMPERIUM, HAVE SINNED IN THE MOST UNHOLY WAY A MORTAL CAN SIN. YOU HAVE FALLEN AND DOOMED YOUR SOULS AT THE COMMAND OF THESE MEN! FOR THIS, THE EMPEROR'S WRATHFUL JUSTICE HAS ARRIVED!++ Herbert entones with the loudest setting his vox grill will allow.
<Priad> +Affirmative.+ He motions for an officer to spread the word to bring him the requested blades. Once they've brough him what he's requested the Apothecary hands the blades out, hilt first. He gives them to the weaker looking prisoners, the bigger ones will have to make do with their fists. Once done he stands to the side of the yard continuing to watch.
<Herbert> ++WHAT I AM IS DEATH! WHAT I AM IS YOUR ONLY OPPORTUNITY AT PENANCE! CLEANSE, NOW, THE SINS OF YOUR MASTERS AND OF YOURSELVES IN BLOOD! REPENT FOR YOUR VILE SINS!++ Herbert motions to the line of prisoners which is now armed, and points with his sword to the other half.
<StaffenGM> The prisoners stand, hesitantly, now formally divided.
<Herbert> +Brother Priad. Set an example with the first of the hesitant prisoners.+
<Draco> +Leader, Helbert. There's a problem.+
<Herbert> +Solve it.+
* Priad makes his way back to the two group of divided men. He picks out the seniormost of them and his arm shoots forward, armored knuckles meeting bones and cartilage in the man's head and turning it into a gory mess.
<Invictus> +What it is Brother Draco?+
<Herbert> With his off-hand, Herbert fires his bolt pistol to that man's opposite pair.
<Priad> "Do not make me do that again." He informs the soldiers, his voice booming from his helmet's vox-speakers.
<Herbert> ++ONE HALF WILL DIE, OR BOTH WILL.++
<StaffenGM> Genuinely frightened by the display of cruelty, the mortals turn on one-another in a flash of knives.
<Draco> +My attempts at reactivating Platforms DELTA-7-E, DELTA-8-C, and GAMMA-3-A has been ineffective. Problems with data-relay.+
<Herbert> +Attempt your last transmission again, Tech-priest. In something other than techna-lingua.+
* Herbert watches over the butchery
<Herbert> ++KNOW THIS, MORTALS! THAT IT IS NOT I WHO FORCES THESE ACTIONS UPON YOU, BUT THE MEN WHO STAND BEFORE YOU! THESE WHO WOULD LEAD YOU ASTRAY OF THE EMPEROR'S HOLY WILL!++
<Herbert> He kicks each of the three several meters forward towards the armed prisoners.
<StaffenGM> In seconds, the three officers are mulched in the struggle -- the crowd barely even registers them, yet they go down just as hard as the rest.
<Draco> +I will attempt to simplify my speech. These is a structure which relies information between the central control unit and the three units. It is damaged and needs repair. Even simpler, there's a tower that needs repair in order to do our duty."
<Herbert> +Then do your duty. Attend to the damaged tower.+
<Herbert> "Those who remain alive are to be stripped of their weapons and clothes, and shackled in a single file line," Herbert orders Marius.
<Herbert> +Priad, accompany me to Draco's location. His indoctrination appears to have severely damaged his ability to communicate clearly.+
<Priad> +Of course. Though I think our brother means to say that the repairs are beyond his means at this time.+ He turns to follow the knight to where Draco is currently.
<StaffenGM> By the time the fighting starts to die down, only a handful of ragged survivors remain -- a dozen, at most.
<Draco> +The problem appears to be coming from Comm-Station 37. Location: in the mountains near the Tau controlled territory.+
* Invictus stands watch as the fight dies.
<Draco> +I have control of all the other defense platforms though.+
<Herbert> +Speak in Gothic Tech-Marine. I am on my way that you may show me what you are refering to.+
<StaffenGM> Herbert and Priad arrive at the Planetary Command chamber on the second sub-floor to find Draco communing with the cogitation unit through mind-impulse.
<Herbert> "Show me," Herbert impatiently says as soon as he enters the chamber.
* Draco brings out the layout of the planetary defense grid on screen.
* Priad gives the room a quick examine before taking a stance near the door.
<StaffenGM> On the holoscreen appears the image of the globe.
<StaffenGM> Above it flicker into view a series of dots, above the planet.
<StaffenGM> There are over a hundred such dots surrounding the globe -- three of which are marked in solid red.
* Draco points to the three in red "Those platforms are currently offline."
<Draco> "It leaves a hole in our defensive net for ships to enter or leave without any problems."
<Draco> "Tau could escape."
<Herbert> +An unfortunate distraction that must be attended to.+
* Herbert removes his helm
<Priad> "Can the repairs be done here? Or must they be done at the platform's locations?"
<Draco> "Negative. My attempts were futile."
<Draco> "The Machine Spirit's reach has been severed."
* Invictus stands around as he watches the Janissaries do there work dealing with the remaining prisoners and then makes his way down to the rest of the groups location.
* Invictus enters the room were the rest of the group is.
<StaffenGM> Alarms suddenly blare in the Command chamber.
<StaffenGM> +My Lords,+ comes Captain Marius's voice over the comm, +The pioneer-patrols just returned with a bulletin: we are seeing a response from the PDF. Large amounts of armored and mechanized units are converging on the Castle.+
<Invictus> "Seems they are ready for a fight."
<Invictus> +How many?+
<Draco> "I have access to planetary and orbital weaponry from the other platforms, Leader Herbert."
<StaffenGM> +Not confirmed. At least fifty pieces of dedicated armor have been confirmed.+
<Priad> "Their response time is to be commended."
<Invictus> "Draco, how many weapons platforms do you have that can stop them in there tracks."
<Draco> "FIVE."
<Herbert> "Do not hesitate. Overwhelming force must be deployed."
<StaffenGM> Captain Marius chimes in again: +A command vehicle has emerged at the head of the column, Lord Herbert. The force's leader appears to be demanding to speak with you.+
<Invictus> "Or we could contact the Governor."
<Draco> "The Macro-lasers could solve this problem, but could potentially destroy us and the city in the process."
<Priad> "It would do us well if we made contacst with the Governor. If he can rally loyalist forces to hold this and the city for that matter we can focuse on hunting our priority targets.
<Invictus> +Can you identify the force leader?+
<Herbert> +I will appear.+
* Herbert storms out.
* Invictus looks to Draco, "Draco, the orbital lasers, should only have a destructive radius of a city block."
<Herbert> +Draco, ready the weapons.+
<Draco> +Understood.+
<Herbert> +Invictus. With me.+
* Invictus then turns and follows Herbery out.
<Draco> +Surprised at your knowledge on the weaponry, Librarian.+
* Draco prepares the orbital defense system at Herbert's command.
<Invictus> +A lot of time spent studying weapons of this magnitude is one of things I have had time for.+
* Priad observes the Tech-Marine at work.
<StaffenGM> When Herbert and Invictus emerge from the Castle and come atop the plaza wall, they are confronted with several armored columns in the streets beyond the gates. Chimeras line up in the front to form a shield for the forward armor.
<StaffenGM> A Leman Russ in blue-grey camouflage with chevrons painted on the turret stands at the fore of the central armor column.
<Herbert> "Bring the line of prisoners forward!" Herbert barks at the janissaries.
<StaffenGM> The Janissaries comply, pushing the surviving Castle staff out the front gates.
* Invictus looks out, he reaches out to see if he can sense any psykers amongst the PDF force but detects none for the moment.
<StaffenGM> "-- This is the final issue of compliance: present your leaders for negotiation!" booms a woman's voice, over a vox-caster.
<Herbert> "Invictus. Provide the necessary ambience."
* Invictus raises his hand into the air, for a good moment, but nothing happens.
<StaffenGM> Absolutely nothing has changed.
<Invictus> "Well that didn't work."
* Herbert steps on the ledge of the wall, standing in full display.
<Herbert> ++YOU STAND BEFORE HIS ANGELS OF DEATH! INSTRUMENTS OF THE EMPEROR'S WRATH FOR THE SINS OF THIS WORLD!++
<StaffenGM> "On the authority of Governor Herakleios, I command you to identify yourself!" calls the PDF commander.
* Herbert blasts away from the wall, landing just behind the line of prisoners below.
<Herbert> ++I AM KNIGHT-BROTHER HERBERT OF THE KNIGHTS TEUTONIC ASTARTES CHAPTER++ Herbert looks at the display of force in front of him.
<StaffenGM> There is a moment of hesitation -- and then a response. "Knight-Brother Herbert, you are currently accused of unlawful violation of sovereignty, kidnapping, and murder primaris. I demand to know why you have intruded on Planetary Government property!"
<Herbert> ++THE FOLLOWING CONSPIRATORS AGAINST THE THRONE ARE TO FACE THE EMPEROR'S HOLY WRATH: ODILUS CAGE! LANA KOBY! SERHIYEV GALDEN! ANCYO ZJUKURA! FOR THE CRIME OF APOSTASY, CONSPIRACY AGAINST LUCATIEL'S IMPERIAL COMMANDER, AND FOR CONSPIRING WITH THE VILE XENOS! ANY WHO STAND IN THE WAY OF THE EMPEROR'S JUSTICE SHALL BE MET WITH DEATH!++
<StaffenGM> There is silence again.
<StaffenGM> And after a longer pause, a response:
<StaffenGM> "Sir Herbert," calls the commander. "I am Lieutenant General Lana Koby of the Lucatiel Planetary Defense Force. I hear your accusations, and I say, a pox upon you and your slander. You have violated my planet's authority and murdered the populace that I, and you as well, are charged with protecting. I will issue you one singular and final warning: lay down your arms, surrender yourself
<StaffenGM> and your force into our custody, and subject yourself to justice. If you do not comply within the next minute, the full force of the hundred-seventy tanks, seventy artillery batteries and two-thousand armed soldiers behind me. WILL. FLATTEN. YOU."
<StaffenGM> She folds in, and closes the hatch on her tank.
<Herbert> +Draco.+
* Invictus braced himself for what is about to happen.
<Herbert> Herbert's jump-pack whirs as he prepares to take to the air back into the Castle.
* Draco activates one of the laser platforms.
* Herbert looks up to the skies, arms opened wide, as he offers a prayer to the Emperor.
<Herbert> One by one, the prisoners are decapitated by the Knight in response to the mortal's demands.
<Invictus> "Everyone back inside the castle now." he says to the Janissaries, he then makes his way back into the building
<StaffenGM> The guardsmen retreat into the building as instructed.
<Priad> "Emperor guide your aim Brother Draco."
<Herbert> With that final act, Herbert jumps back on the other side of the wall.
<StaffenGM> As the last Janissary enters; as the PDF troopers outside prepare to advance; as Herbert lands in safety behind the Castle's wall; as observation craft arrive in the distance; as the engines of the lead vehicles of the armor columns puff black prometheum smoke,
<StaffenGM> A bright light shines down from the firmament, brighter than anything the eyes of those present have ever witnessed.
<StaffenGM> In an instant, the ground warps around the beam, sucked upwards and into its epicenter. Vehicles are pulled up from the earth into the well of energy. The air crackles and hisses, visually warped and compressed by the heat of the event.
<StaffenGM> And then, as the moisture in that air remembers it has long-surpassed boiling, the pressure-wave hits and the ground explodes.
<StaffenGM> Those in the focus-point are rendered as vapor.
<StaffenGM> The vehicles outside the orbital laser's strike field are knocked aside like folded paper in a stiff breeze.
<StaffenGM> Human bodies and body parts are launched into the atmosphere. The pavement, shattered, ruptures in long, deep fissures that travel in all directions.
<StaffenGM> As the flash dissipates, what is left is a molten-hot crater as deep as it is wide. Buildings are gone.
<StaffenGM> And what is left is havoc.