Blood and Honor

"Remain in formation." Master Acaeleus' voice hissed over the comm of the land raider. As the holy tank slowed the predator tank followed suit. "This is it, where we make our stand. Croxis, position the Damocles and begin jump protocol."
"Yes Master." Croxis issued his acknowledgment of the order and as he spoke the rhino moved beside the larger tanks, its communication array scanning for enemy chatter while alerting their battle barge outside of orbit to begin deployment.

The reek of petrol exhaust was heavy within the vehicle's interior but Croxis was fond of it. Soon it would be joined with the stench of blood and burnt flesh. The scent of war. Using the up-link to the Damocles' advanced scanning interfaces he examined the battlefield. The surface was rough and pitted. Large craters and gashes were visible everywhere; scars left from this unholy place's previous battles.

Croxis quickly tapped notes into the data pad in front of him. Many were simply readings of incoming weather patterns, temperature and oxygen content, and other observations of the landscape. He noted several areas of strategic cover, each note taken being simultaneously viewed by Masters Acaeleus and Beros.

"This spot here," Acaeleus commented while the data pad's map instantly marked the location, "this is the objective. Beros, you will deploy here. Are your Wardens ready?"
"We are finishing the rituals now Master. My brother's are ready for teleportation on your signal." Beros replied, his powerful voice losing no authority over the thin comm line. Twisting a few knobs and fine tuning dials Croxis restabilized the signal. He was perturbed by the star system's shifting atmosphere, which among other more deadly side effects, made communication difficult.

As he continued to listen to Master Acaeleus' tactical assertions the interior of the rhino lit with red light as the klaxon over the control panel began to sound.
"Master, its beginning! The Spores are making groundfall. Visibility into the 4th quadrant is down to fifety, no twenty-five percent!" Looking through the southern port of the transport Croxis could see a dense unnatural darkness forming.

"Battle formation!" Acaeleus shouted into the comm. "Brother Tarmo, you and brother Ronim take point and maintain tank-hunting pattern!" The Rhino shook as the large dreadnoughts passed by, their ancient weapon systems whirring to life. Two of the most revered warriors of the chapter, their combined age was somewhere around a millenia.
"As you command Master" Tarmo rumbled, his deep augmented voice rolling like thunder.

Croxis looked to the data screen as another alarm sounded.
"Master, we have enemy chatter. Soritas, Blood Angels, and what appears to be the Acolytes of Change." The mere mention of the Chaos Marines arriving was enough to make croxis' blood boil.

"This is it brothers. The enemy has come to take what is rightfully ours. In the Emperor's blood we were molded!" Acaeleus bellowed. Every marine in the company proudly sounded "In our enemies blood we will bathe!"
Acaeleus growled over the comm, "Brother Croxis, begin Bombardment protcol! Let them know the Warp Sentinels have arrived!"

To be continued...