Quick Decision

Explosions sparkled in the stratosphere of the planet. Weapons that had been left in orbit following the initial raid disrupted the locally integrated planetary defense sensor and communication systems.The Inquisitorial fleet’s sensors detected a small fleet decelerating from the orbit of a hot inner gas giant in response.

“Sensors indicate multiple small high velocity craft deploying in an attack formation,” reported the fleet bridge scanner servitor.”
“Numbers?” questioned Pilgrim.
“Four thousand and ninety six exactly.” Came the flat response.
“If they have shown their complete hand they do not have enough to significantly disrupt our maneuver,” quietly stated Hawk.

As if in answer at that moment collision alarms sounded aboard the leading elements of the fleet including Pilgrim's flagship the “Emperors Will”.

The helm servitor called for orders, “Collision evasion maneuvers commencing in 5 seconds unless priority over ride cancelled.”
“Hulk 80 by 500 kilometers, under power detected entering real space,” reported the fleet bridge scanner servitor.
“Intersection of orbits of 30 ships within 30 to 200 seconds as of now.”
“Time to our intersection,” demanded Hawk.
“One hundred and ninety two seconds as of now,” came the response.
“Cancel collision evasive maneuvers solely for the ‘Emperors Will’,” commanded Hawk, pressing his Inquisitorial rosette to the priority override validation console.

Last Orders

Hawk had ordered Hammerhand to make contact with the landing party, mainly Belisimar Inducted Chem Slaves, podded approximately half the planet away. After Sophia had departed with the phase bomb Hammerhand had ordered Caliban to follow her.
"Follow her," he had ordered, "kill her if you can. Don't take any chances, she will best you in a straight fight. Sneak up when she is otherwise engaged and then try to kill her."
Caliban had responded, " I will drink your soul, but hers first, and teleported out.
You will need to be a lot smarter than you are Caliban thought Hammerhand, but just stick to her and she might just make a mistake.

Then he had had to kill the Tau warrior to acquire his skimmer. This was most likely a mistake but how could he get half way across the planet in the timescale Hawk demanded. Sophia and Zakalwe had already eaten precious minutes from his schedule. But even in a skimmer how can he get across half of a civilised planet without falling foul of the local gendarmes when he did not speak much of the lingo or know anything of the customs. He could not use Zakalwe as a point of information, and anyway the fellow had been such an idiot to get in the way of Sophia's sword.

Time to go

Hammerhand examined the suited figure. For the greater good, he thought. So thats who they are. Its unusual having Tau and humans living in this way. Zakalwe did say they had been invited in. I wonder why but no time for that now. Its time to depart. He took a last look around the workshop that had seemed a paradise when he arrived. He mentally reviewed Hawks orders and the recent events in the workshop. He grabbed a bag and filled it with some of the smaller useful tools.

In Orbit

Gaps in the fabric of spacetime stretched. A dozen wierdboyz heads popped. Grots ran around clearing the mess. The warp-void belched the ork infested hulk into real space. The body of the Hulk groaned with the stresses. Within the orks chanted beating their choppas on vehicles, walls body armour or passing grots. They were excited. Small sections of the hulk popped spilling the contents of chambers adding to the debris already orbiting the hulk. Orks spasmed in the vacuum. Their tough physique allowing them to linger alive long enough for a few to climb back in before the gaps in the hull were sealed by gangs of grots.

Look dere, shouted Garzakk. "Fusion burning rokkitts, the humins are comin to greet us."
"Yess, launch the space battle cruisers while the rest of us get down on dat planet we see dere," ordered Hezakk.

Lets Get Ready

Grots ran squealin' through corridors strewn with the debris of a long flight. Laughing Orks tripped them as they passed. The Orks were in a good mood. A fight and loot and pickins had been promised. The grots tried to clear the accumulated debris, of many unfinished dinners and scraps between orks to prevent shards flying like shrapnel around the craft and damaging truks and weapons. Some grots shoveled the debris into chambers in the hulk. Filling them to the ceiling. The doors were then sealed with an insta-weld glue. From some chambers came the muffled thumps of unfortunate grots and the occasional sleeping Ork who had not been quick enough to get out before the doors were sealed.

Orks prepared themselves for reentry to real space by tying or gluing themselves to whatever seem to be a structural component of the Hulk. Others gripped handles, some hung onto others. The largest Orks Nobs and Bosses lay on custom built crash couches. The speed and vehicle freaks strapped their precious transports down and strapped themselves in. Grots hid from their slavers under vehicles.

"Going Down!" crackled over the tanboys system.
"Useless cursed unlucky grott," hissed Garzakk under his breath in the control tower.

New trick

"The phase shifter keeps our phase in step with the C'tan sword. What Zakalwe failed to remember is that a de-tuned phase sword is still a sharp bit of metal that can cut you."
Hammerhand shrugged poor Zakalwe had never been much of a fighter. Perhaps this was what he had hoped to learn from Hammerhand. He had never understood his system of levels or his motivation for helping.

"Hawk, sends his instructions,"reminded Sophia. She picked up her sword.
"Caliban, clear up the mess," Hammerhand gestured vaguely between Sophia and Zakalwe.
"Don't get too clever Hammerhand," warned Sophia.
"Pulse bomb is charged," replied Hammerhand, "Over there." He gestured.
"Give me Inquisitor Hawks orders."

Out of Phase

Appended to a white shimmering blur the C'tan phase sword sliced towards Hammerhand. He swayed back out of range. The slice rolled into a thrust. The phase sword became embedded. Sophia let a grunt of surprise escape. Bugger thought Hammerhand. Zakalwe gasped and groaned. Blood dripped onto the floor. Caliban hissed with pleasure. The C'tan fell from Sophia's grasp as the body pitched to the floor.
"I see you have found yourself a new trick, Hammerhand," stated Sophia.
Bugger thought Hammerhand, why did that idiot Zakalwe have to get in the way.
"Yes, its called a phase shifter. I learned it from my esteemed colleague and ally there." Hammerhand gestured at the corpse. "I see you have greeted him in a rather undeservedly casual manner."

Landin Plan

In the empty hangar Hezakk addressed his Bosses and their Mobs.
"We have rich pickins on the dirtball below. All we need to do is land and chop the scummy humin natives into bits and then enjoy the planet. We is goin' to build a huge base here and all the Orks lookin for the tru leader will flock here and join our waaaghh against the useless humins."
Fat useless grot on steroids thought Garzakk. Call yourself a boss, you wouldn't know Bossin if it bit you on your green arse

Energy Transference

Caliban suddenly teleported in with a flash, a high pitched crack and a stench of burned rotting flesh. Its containing box creaked and buzzed.
"No need for the fuss and noise," remarked Hammerhand. "You won't break your containment. In fact you will never get out unless and until I release you."
"Who or what is that," asked Zakalwe eagerly.
"This is Caliban, one of Hawks pets, and if it ever gets out of the box it will eat you alive, literally."
"Come we have work to finish."

Hammerhand and Zakalwe had spent the last 3 days working on a use for the energy stored by the micro particle converter in his survival suit. The well equipped workshop had made the process easy. Zakalwe's help had made it even easier. Hammerhand still did not trust the ease with which Zakalwe had transferred his loyalty to him. Hammerhand had therefore insisted on making the teleport beacon homer for Caliban himself. He wanted no mistakes when it came to Caliban. Dealing with Caliban was a bit like juggling anti matter bare handed.
Hammerhand still vividly remembered the day he and Hawk had summonsed Caliban and forced it into the containment box.

Attakk Plan

“See dat planet.”
“See the readouts here. Deres fighting goin on.”
“If we's to go back we needs a base and some fightin and winnin' and loots an slaves and some time to build our boys back up to strength,” Hezakk set the strategy.
“Now for some cunnin tactics.”
“We need all the boys, so lets put dis scummy hulk down on dat miserable planet, dere,” He waved a broad taloned finger at an equatorial continent.
“Den once were down we gets the bikes and truks out and smashes and loots de nearest town.”
“Get the grots onto it,” He ordered.
“Right away Boss,” Replied Garzakk. You useless fat git he thought.
He stomped out of Hezakk’s control room down the scummy corridor shouting orders at the grots and lesser orks he came across.
“We’re goin’ down.”
“Brace for battle landing.”
“Get weapons ready.”
“Get the weird boyz to get this hulk out of warp.”
“Grots to the engines and wait for more orders.”
Useless bastard he thought.

Under the Silent Surface

The red painted Hull had blackened in Hyperspace. The corroded reddened hulk slipped through hyperspace leaving only a faint trail through the vortex. It was hunting.
"No Dats dem over dere." grunted Garzakk, pointed a taloned green finger.
"You betta be right dis time," snapped Boss Hezakk, in reply.

Plan of Attack

"Select three equatorial industrial zones, spaced roughly equidistant around the planets equator," stated Hawk.
"Pulverise them with an orbital bombardment," added Pilgrim.
"Launch the assault troops in drop pods to arrive on the selected pulverised zone, just as the bombardment switches to the primary target," continued Tiberius.
"The second wave, which you will command Tiberius, will assault through an orbital and aerial envelopment," continued Hawk.
"The original assault group will build a defensible base from which the ongoing assault can be supported."
"The primary target should be the spaceport identified through the original scans," stated Pilgrim.
"No," countermanded Hawk. "It is located on the shore of the central ocean. We will disable it through a tsunami caused by a level 7 tunnelling nuclear strike on the ocean bed."
"After all if we can do that they could do the same to us after we captured it."

Dog Belly Dreams

Assault after Dark

Somehow the enemy had detected them. Visibility was minimal. The atmosphere was still clogged with particulate debris from the bombardment plus smoke from fires within ruined structures. In addition night had fallen. Alfus could barely make out Athelwist's rump 10 spans forward as he lay amidst the debris born of the orbital bombardment. Athelwist was watching the enemy positions. His signals indicated that 3 of the armoured suits were active in the remains of the buildings ahead. Other suits lay inert. Alfus itched to go and examine them but this was not the time. The Gann had put him in charge of the squad and the eight of them were relying on his tactical skills and adherence to orders to see them through.
The three active suits seem to be assembling some type of weapon which pointed in their direction. Alfus hoped the Gann would not wait much longer before signalling the attack. The Belismar boys were to flush out any enemy from the ruins of the defense complex. Given that this site had been of the focuses of the bombardment the fact that masonry still stood at the bottom of the 3000 span crater showed that the building had been built as a strong point. The above ground structure had been blasted off during the bombardment but the beneath ground layers exposed by the destruction above were designed to take over the defense.
Blur 100% the signal came to Alfus' squad. As the blur switched in everything slowed but at the same moment time slipped. One second Alfus and his mates were switching the mixture. The next they were amongst the enemy suits firing, stabbing and clubbing at the slowly dropping and twitching figures.

An unexpected helper

"I know that you are from off planet," the flamboyant man continued. "You qualify as an Unreal even if you do not know how to behave as one."

Hammerhand stepped close to Mr Zakalwe Iridescent. His right hand slipped up his left sleeve and closed around the grip of the extensible steel bar he kept strapped to his left forearm. Low technology, he thought, but capable of smashing skulls and so effective at close quarters.

"Just a little moment, I am on you side and that of your masters," pleaded Zakalwe. "You have technology we do not have and we have technology you do not have!"

A Night Attack

Caliban to Bubo IX

"Excuse me, Inquisitor Hawk, begging your pardon but Captain Pilgrim ordered me to report that your Daemonhost has left the ship."

"Excellent," Responded Hawk.

An Introduction

"Just one littlest quickie question," asked Mr Iridescent.
"No", stated Hammerhand, "there is no scope for negotiation. I need information now. I do not have time to answer every question you have. You have an opportunity to work with an "Unreal". Either take it or leave." Choose now or I will chose for you."
The flamboyantly dress little man was taken aback by this outburst. Then he brightened. Took a breath. drew himself up to his full height.
"Zakalwe," he said and stuck out his hand.
"Interesting."
"Who owns this place?"
"I do."

After Shocks

Emerging from the tunnel complex the surviving Chem Dogs staggered exhausted on to a blasted desolate desert terrain. It seemed as if they had been transported to another world. There were no signs of the lush vegetation and brightly coloured characterful creatures that had been there at dirt fall. The light was weak and grey. There was a heavy haze limiting visibility to a few hundred spans. Fine ash and dust swept across the scoured surface driven by gusting winds. Only due to their filtered chem inhaler systems could they breathe.

They had spent a day and a night carving a new tunnel to get out of the complex as everything within 500 spans below the surface had been pulverised by the bombardment. Alfus wondered where they were headed now. And who had thought to build a tunnel complex that could withstand an orbital bombardment. Alfus was now in charge of his squad. All that remained was five from the original ten. They still lugged their heavy bolter between them. Few squads had abandoned any of their weaponry as the Chem Inhalers prevented the troopers from losing heart regardless of their circumstances. Fingers flicked and the sergeants and squad leaders passed on the Gann's orders. They were led onwards to the position from which the defensive lasers had fired in short rushes from cover to cover.

Action Stations

Beneath the thatched roof the workshop was warm dry and impressively equipped. Tools were arranged in groups along the walls and in cupboards. There were power supplies of varying magnitude. Work surfaces, micro precision tools and micro manipulators along with both large and miniature furnaces. Every surface was clean and the floor swept.
Outside it looked like a shack and inside a paradise for Hammerhand.

"Mr Iridescent, you tell me that I can use this workshop for as long as I wish, and there is no charge, no payment, nothing owed."
"You must be completely correct about this as I have nothing to hand with which to settle any bills, nor do I wish to run up credit that will cause me and my benefactors any future embarrassment of any sort."
"Am I precisely clear about my position to you?"

"Your are, Sir and as I have already explained it is an honour too serve an Unreal Level such as yourself."
"I will pay the owners using my own resources which I assure you are ample for the purpose."
"In return I ask only one small thing."
It always comes finally down to a deal thought Hammerhand, even in a sense with Hawk. I would have been better slitting his gizzard as soon as Iridescent here stopped making sense.
"Please let me be your assistant while you complete your task here."
"First tell me your name," replied Hammerhand.

Basic Assumptions

Rain dripped from the canopy of branches overhead. Hammerhand had not been dry since his splashdown.
"What did you say your name was?" questioned Hammerhand.
"As matter of fact I did not say anything of the sort," replied the small personage.
"I have told you my level and will tell you my resource designation, but we do not know each other well enough to exchange names."
Hammerhand thought.
"Who are the armoured warriors I have have seen?" Hammerhand tried. "They do not seem to be your sort."
"Indeed not. They are not our sort. As you know, I am certain, they are our guest labourers."
"By the way is this a test?"
"It certainly is," retorted Hammerhand. Just who is being tested is another question he thought.
"If I needed something repaired, to whom should I take it, my good fellow?" tried Hammerhand.

Going Native

"You look to be an Unreal level", he stated. "Am I correct?" He asked. "In case you hadn't realised I have achieved a iridescent level".
Hammerhand regarded his captive, who was small overweight and dressed in some luxuriously foppish robes of discretely matching but bright colours. He was eye catching but there was nothing remotely iridescent about him. Hammerhand sighed. He had definitely felt unreal about the whole situation as soon as he had managed to get discretely ashore. He needed some tools.
"Do you have any tools?" He asked.
"Of course I have," replied the captive, "but why would an unreal want an iridescent tools?"

Surface Bound

The boys hugged the floor. They hugged each other. The ground shook, bucked and twitched under the orbital bombardment. Dust spurted from metastatic cracks in the plascrete ceiling of the bunker. The walls bulged inward with each cataclysmic blast. Several of the Chem Dogs had already received broken limbs, heads and backs from leaning on or simply being too close to the walls when the bombardment hit. Shock waves pulsed through their bodies. If the bombardment was prolonged many would die from internal cavitation injuries caused by the blast shock waves.



The air in the bunker was thick with fumes and particles. This and the shock waves did not trouble the Belismar Boys breathing kalm through their closed respiration systems. Few imperial units could survive such as bombardment as a fighting unit. Even for the Chem Dogs their time was limited. The bunker was deep and the Gann had lead them in closing the blast doors shortly before the bombardment began.

Cataclysm

Incandescent bubbles of light and energy flared around the falling fleet. Some was refracted by ether phase change screens produced by the ships. Others bursting close by the silent ships were reflexively penetrated by responding flares of light and debris from the ships as hulls burst open under the impact of the energy bursts. Still the fleet fell until close to the planet when ejected payloads hit preplotted trajectories. This time the fleet burned as fusion drives accelerated the ships from the tormenting energy bursts.

Payloads flared red on hitting the atmosphere. Some burst with massive electromagnetic impulses to paralyse electronic communications. Some burst into unbearable flares of light to destroy ground based optical sensors while the remainder fell hot but momentarily impassive on to their selected targets.

The Gann's Race

The Belismar Boys got moving as Sweetfruit fell in Blur induced slow motion face first.

Retribution

Debris jagged,burning, molten, toxic and crushing blazed down from on high. The kalm kept the Belismar boys disciplined in the bombardment despite squads being instantly obliterated as some of the larger chunks hit pay dirt. Athelwist nudged Alfus and signalled look at the Gann and Sweetfruit. The Gann was signalling, "Blur 75%, Kalm, 25% By squads move NW." Sweetfruit looked furious and was pointing to the South towards the still distant rumble of machinery. He drew his powersword. He is mine signalled Alfus to Athelwist, rapidly taking aim and firing a burst with his lasrifle.

Orbital Strike

"I want a tactical strike on the identified orbital defenses of the target", ordered Hawk.
"I can send a battlefield orbital bombardment group from cover at max gees to hit the target in the identified solar orbital within 30 minutes. They will hit the exposed orbital defenses with a targeted bombardment of lance strikes plus area and randomised bombardments to maximize results using an orbital bounce to minimize risk to the fleet detachment," stated Captain Pilgrim.
"Expected collateral", demanded Hawk.
"Our tactical analysts predict 50% probability of 75% damage to Belismar boys, who at the moment are irretrievable. After the bombardment they predict 100% recovery or the residue." Replied Pilgrim.
"Where is Sweetfruit?" asked Hawk.
"With the Belismar command Squad"
"Do it." Ordered Hawk.

Flash Bang

Flaming debris from the Thunderhawk fell with thuds and screams from the Belsimar Boys. Shots started sniping in from the horizon. The rattling grinding noise was coming closer. A second Thunderhawk fusion flame appeared over head. This time the blazing line from the horizon was steady and a second explosion flared overhead. A third fusion flame appeared above and the leeringly bright line joined it to the horizon and was almost immediately followed by yet another blazing flaring debris casting detonation.

Alfus and Athelwist cowered in a depression on the ground they had so recently captured. One of the first transport's engines had crashed on to the command platoon crushing the Captain.

"Lost three Thunderhawks!" snapped Inquisitor Hawk. "Stop the disengagement."

Splashdown

Hammerhand fell the last few kilos but hit the sea with little visible impact other than a few ripples on its wind disturbed surface. The energy transference system of his survival suit consumed the kinetic energy of his arrival, storing it for use to propel him in his survival suit to the shore. Hammerhand set sail for the distant port he and Hawk had identified as the planets major transportation hub including docks and a spaceport.

Some Light

"Where is that cursed transport", snarled Athelwist. The Belismar boys were getting restless. There was an ominous rumbling creaking noise just over the horizon. Masks on was signalled, kalm 100%. Complaints died down amongst the Chemdogs. "It should be here soon", signalled Alfus with his fingers. "They told us it would be a quick in and out, bit like you Athelwist."
At that moment a blaze of light appeared above. "Thunderhawk on fusion drive," Alfus nudged Athelwist and waved his gaze upwards.

A beam of light seared from the distant horizon seeking and joining with the fusion flare of the thunderhawk. The fusion light wobbled twice and a colossal flash lit the sky.

Here comes trouble thought Hammerhand as he saw the searing flash on the distant horizon.

A Quiet Moment

The world below seemed innocently peaceful. As he fell Hammerhand's mind drifted back to his apprenticeship on Mars with the Enginseers. The satellite images that Hawk had shown him of this world reminded Hammerhand strongly of Mars and the manufactoriums and design workshops, yet unlike Mars many parts of this planet seem pristine, untouched by habitation.

Freefall

Hammerhand enjoyed the rush of air past his face. He was now in the lower atmosphere floating down at a mere 250kph. It had been a roller coaster ride until now. Almost all of the energy of his drop onto the planet had been stored in the entry suit by the creation of a handful of antimatter molecules held in magnetic field. The micro particle converter had been one of his own creations. He had not bothered telling Hawk knowing his antipathy to anything that was not classical Imperial technology. He had jettisoned it at 8km. It had exploded spectacularly halfway across the planet. He hoped that and the Belismar boys would get the attention of anyone on the ground.

More Hand Signals

Standing amidst the shattered bodies of the enemy Alfus saw hand signals flickering around the platoon again. The Lieutenant had ordered kalm only, blur off, form perimeter, hold position, await thunderhawks. Alfus slipped off his mask as everything slowed down. Too much blur and you burned up. How much was too much was an imperial secret.
He nudged his mate, "What do you reckon they are, twists?" He pointed at the shattered armoured suits scattered around."
"Do you reckon we should do a Yarrick now we're finished with gun-babies?"
"Why not," Athelwist replied. "What about that over there, that smart expensive looking box?"

Look at That!

Shards of tracer flicked past Alfus and his squad. They were breathing kalm so it seemed as dangerous as a light show. The shards flickered and steadied on one of the pods. It glowed red and then exploded shredding a squad that had just disembarked. More pods were pitching down, their thudding impact drowned by the throaty crack of the enemy fire. Hand signals semaphored from squad to squad. The chem dogs passed orders by hand as their masks precluded verbal orders.
Alfus read the signal, mix kalm with blur 50:50 and advance on enemy. Forward we go he thought as blur coursed through his muscles. On this mix the squad advanced at the double. The enemy tracer fire seemed so slow that Alfus tried to catch some in his hand until he realised that was a bad idea. The Belismar boys rocket forwards covering the 2 kilos to the enemy guns in under a minute. More hand signals, this time torch them. Alfus open fire on the armoured figures that appeared to move incredibly slowly as they reacted to the sudden appearance of the troopers.
Soon their armour began to glow and split under the impact of hundreds of lasgun shots at close range.

Command and Control

"Recap the situation for me, Captain Pilgrim."
"The fleet is stationed and hidden within the system's twin jovian systems, stealth satellites for both communication with our ground forces and ground surveillance and intelligence are in orbit of the target. A feint reconnaissance in force has podded in using the Belismar Boys Mercenary Dogs Light Infantry and finally Interrogator Hammerhand has been stealth inserted using a powerless drop pod close to the site of maximum energy use on the target."
"So far, so good," remarked Inquisitor Hawk, "now we have the hard part, the wait for information."

Landfall

The drop-pods hit the steaming vegetation in a staccato series of muffled thumps. A brief interval of stunned natural silence was terminated by an explosion of racketing bird-reptiles launching themselves skyward towards the bright lapis lazui horizon from the dusky orange vegetation. Their coarse cries were lost in the sound of the drop-pods cracking followed by the battle cries of the imperial chem dog mercenaries launching themselves onto the forgotten world.
"Alfus look at that!"

The Belismar Boys

"Pull the trigger Hammerhand or let me do it," screamed Alfus, "Give the bastard what he deserves." His fellow Leftovers screamed and yelled along with him, raising an unholy racket as they battered the walls and fixtures of the squad room while they watched Hawk's conference on the monitor.

Alfus had barely survived Sweetfruit's slaughter of the conscripts and along with the remnant of his squad was on board the Imperial transports of Pilgrim's fleet.

Redeemed for Inquisitor Hawk

"Thank you, Hammerhand," continued Hawk in the same cool dry tone.
"You may pull the trigger if the Commissar does not give his full attention to my presentation."
Hawk had the complete attention of the meeting. "Interrogator Hammerhand has arranged for this discussion to be broadcast to the entire force embarked within Captain Pilgrim's fleet."

"We are at a significant moment in the history of the Imperium. Beset by enemies we must ramp up the technology we use, particularly as I have evidence that some parts of the Imperial Forces are turning to the heretical technology of our alien foes." He glanced at Sophia.

"This condemned force will therefore set course for Bubo IX. This world lost contact with the Imperium in the ancient past, but the latest scans suggest a highly technological civilisation. It was part of the Imperium before the great rebellion and so is not officially a Xeno World but it may well have become so as it has been so long separated from the Imperium. More importantly it may still have records of or access to ancient Imperial Technologies that we have lost!"

Secondly

Secondly the Captain and crew of any Imperial vessel required to transport the Inquisitor. Sweetfruit, Daedalus, Sophia, Hammerhand and the Tribune Torne do not qualify for survival except........ A scream of rage interrupted the Inquisitor.

"Nooo not me" raged Sweetfruit. Commissars are always exempt." He hissed at Hawk.

Hammerhand stepped behind Sweetfruit and held his laspistol to the Commissars temple. Sweetfruit went still. A laspistol was about the only weapon that could be used relatively safely within a spaceship as it would not be powerful enough to penetrate the hull.

"You will listen carefully while Inquisitor Hawk finishes," ordered Hammerhand crisply. This was so cool he thought, wait until the guardsmen hear I have pulled a pistol on Sweetfruit.

Dead Men part 3

As Hammerhand continued he paced around the conference and watched as the heads of the senior officers twisted to follow him, except Hawk who lounged at the head of the table. He had their attention without a doubt he thought.

"Wait a moment that does not apply to us, only to the grunts." Interrupted Sweetfruit.
" It applies to you without a doubt," snapped Daedalus of the Ordo Hereticus, "but we will make an exception for the Captain here," with a nod to Captain Pilgrim, " without him and his crew I and the others of the Inquisition would be breathing vacuum."

"Sir!" Shouted Hammerhand, snapping to attention and clicking his heels.
"With respect the Imperial Decree states in simple and clear language that the 'Emperor's Benediction' is to be applied without consideration of rank or unit."

"Interrogator Hammerhand is correct." Stated Hawk in a cool dry tone that penetrated around the table.
"There are only two exceptions. Firstly the Inquisitor who erased the incursion of Chaos , in order that Imperial Records will contain the documented means applied to exterminate the incursion."

Dead Men Part 2

The power in the blade made the air sparkle and sing as it swept from ear to ear. With a scream Sweetfruit laid into the conscripts, Blood, severed limbs, bowels and heads sheeted through the air as the power sword effortlessly slided through the soft flesh on the unsuspecting conscripts. The first conscripts were slaughtered as they stood too dumbfounded by the unexpected turn of events to move despite the evidence of their eyes. Alfus swayed ducked and pushed one of his motionless comrades into the path of the keening blade. He fell back and collapsed sliding under body parts and a film of blood to feign death.

A silence fell disturbed only by the hum of the power blade. Alfus heard Sweetfruit. "Sorry lads, muttered the Commissar, "Nothing personal, you all did your bit, but Imperial Decree requires it to be thus."

We are all dead men

"By Imperial Decree, of our God Emperor, all who are exposed to Chaos must be removed permanently from the Imperial Commonwealth of Man to protect the innocent and pure majority of citizens from the least taint of the traitor forces of Chaos."

Interrogator Hammerhand stated to the council. He had donned one of his many uniforms, this one cut in the design of an Heroic Cadian Karskin Captain.

Commissar Sweetfruit

"Death comes to us all", shouted the Commissar. "Death in the service of the God Emperor comes only to the privileged few." The conscripts cowered, except for Alfus from Belisimar.
"Death should be slavering for that one", he whispered to his friend Theodosius, "if there is any justice". Alfus had been press-ganged into a New Etrurian Free Company while drunk after a works night out. Sweetfruit had pulled his power sword out and was slashing it through the air around his head. The power in this blade made the air sparkle and sing as it swept from ear to ear. Sweetfruit's blade was a family heirloom and had been handed down through four generations of illustrious ancestors until it had arrived at their unworthy descendant, Tatum Sweetfruit, Commissar by privilege and inheritance.

Importance

To the left sat Commissar Sweetfruit, not a sweetie, but definitely fruity and more like a sweetbread, thought Hammerhand, definitely a taste only for gourmets of pain. Alongside him sat the apparently eternal Sophie the assassin. Two difficult customers.


To the right sat Inquisitor Daedalus, Tribune Torne, Enginseer Troy and Captain Pilgrim of the Brethren Class Battle Cruiser upon which they were embarked. Only Captain Pilgrim could be relied upon at this meeting, except perhaps for the Sweetie as Hammerhand thought of Commissar Sweetfruit, provided the sweetie had the promise of oceans of bloodshed. Hammerhand recalled the deference with which Troy had greeted Hawk after they had embarked and the easy way in which he had acquiesced with the requisitioning of his ship.

Case Conference

Inquisitor Hawk chaired the meeting just as he had taken command of the Imperial starship.

"Unhuman heretical technologies have been illegally introduced to the imperium. These technologies have been responsible for the destruction of Gladstone VI. My Acolyte Hammerhand will now explain the details. Following his briefing this meeting will formulate a plan to deal with the issues identified."

Hammerhand stood, glancing around the chamber.

From Orbit

Looking down at the ruins of Gladstone IV Hammerhand reflected on the eventful last 4 months fighting across the surface of the planet. When he had arrived, from Orbit, the planet was a radiant ball of blues, greens and browns covered with patches of high swirling white cloud formations. It had looked a paradise despite the evil lurking presence of chaos on the surface.

Now brown and black clouds spewed from massive eruptions and their plumes roiled across the grey surface. All was grey, lands and water. A massive Imperial evacuation was underway. Despite the destruction of the planet the Imperial and Inquisition's proclamations had declared a massive victory over Chaos. The Chaos space fleet had been defeated as it passed the solar shock wave and so all traitor forces were trapped on the doomed planet.

Only Hammerhand, Inquisitor Hawk and perhaps the Assassins Guild knew exactly why the planet was collapsing into a black hole. The astronomers were have a field day with new theories of quantum black hole creation and their propagation in time and space.

Hammerhand knew that his friend Halfhead the Ogryn accidentally dropped a molecular black hole. This had fallen out of Sophia's weapon that Hammerhand had been investigating under Hawk's orders. The black hole had destroyed most of Dogbelly in a sub nuclear explosion and then leaving a rapidly growing volcano had dropped through the crust of the planet to the core like a hot knife through butter. It was now growing exponentially. Eventually it would consume the planet and in a few years the entire Gladstone system.

Backs to the Wall the Grey Knights Fight On

Daedalus' Vow

Perish Hawk or perish I. Yet I cannot perish

Some Take Their Orders Elsewhere

Not all Inquisitors Respect One Another

Elsewhere

Mercenary Chem Dogs

The flash disturbed mopping up operations by Hawk's Mercenary Chem Dogs. Some went mad and tore off their drugs inhalers to become intoxicated on fresh air.

Storm Troopers

Stormtroopers search for clues to the unexplained blast in Dogbelly.

Flash Boom

"Release the blackhole" snapped Hawk.
"Release the blackhole?" questioned Hammerhand.
"Yes, release the blackhole. Tell Halfhead to allow the shredder to open fully. Wait until we have moved out of the blast radius and tell him."
"Won't that tell the assassins that they have lost a shredder." questionned Hammerhand?
They know already that one is missing and will be seeking it even now. Release the blackhole and they will assume that whoever had it perished while it was being investigated. We have finished our job on Gladstone and now need to move on. No rest for the wicked Hammerhand"

Inside the Shredder

"Hawk it's a molecular black hole! The shredder power unit is a molecular black hole, suspended behind a vacuum field. Energy comes from allowing the atmosphere to diffuse into the vacuum field."

Hammerhand stuttered to a halt. Something was wrong from the glare he was getting from Hawk. "Get out of my bathroom, now!" snapped Inquisitor Hawk. "Wait in the ante chamber until I am ready." As Hammerhand left Hawk hauled himself out of the bath. It has been a long day he thought and now its going to get longer.

"Now, Hammerhand, first tell me who's technology the assassins are using, can the Adeptus Mechanicus use molecular black holes in hand weapons?"
"No, we cannot, we use them only in large vehicles, typically starships. The technology in the neural shredder must have come from either the Eldar or the Tau."
"Captured or traded that is the question." mused Hawk. "By the way where is the shredder now?"

"I left it with Halfhead he is holding it together, without correctly coded tools the shredder will dissassemble itself and release most of the power of the molecular black hole. It is an ingenious trap. The shredder will aid its disassembly to the point where it explodes. Halfhead used his strength to hold the components just before that point."
"If you allowed me to set up a complete workshop now that the fighting is over I could disassemble it completely."

Neural Shredder

Sweat dripped from Halfhead's browridge on to Hammerhand's shoulder. In the dim light of the lantern in Hammerhand's quarters in the ruins of Dogbelly Hammerhand watched as Halfhead slowly turned the lock on the neural shredder. It took all of the Ogryn's enormous strength to turn the lock slowly opening the shredder. Hammerhand waited to stop the operation just before it fully opened. He expected it to be booby trapped. The anomalous internal power source of the shredder was slowly being drained into an inductance capacitor that Hammerhand had constructed. The capacitor was discharged into the ground a few hundred meters away close to the Ratskins quarters. Hammerhand reasoned that anyone looking for an explanation for any unexpected energy discharges or blasts would look no further than the Ratskins.

"Stop now, Head" called Hammerhand to the Ogryn bonehead as a millimetric gap opened between the components of the shredder. "Its pushing apart Boss", grunted Halfhead as he strained to keep the components together. Hammerhand had repeatedly instructed him that under no circumstances should he allow the parts of the shredder to completely separate.
"Easy now", muttered Hammerhand as he inserted a fiber optic probe to view the inside of the shredder. Inserting the optic into his eye he was stunned by what he saw.

Hide and Seek

While Hammerhand sought the secret of the neutral shredder the Ratskins and the Ratlings played in the ruins of Dogbelly.

Allies

Hammerhand knew that Hawk liked to have abhumans in the brigade. This was not actually surprising as Hawk also kept Caliban a demon held in a unique host machine that Hammerhand was responsible for servicing. As the fighting died down, the forces of chaos everywhere on Gladstone desperately retreated to their orbiting ships that were themselves under attack from the massed Imperial fleet. Back in Dogbelly Hammerhand met some of Hawks newest recruits.

Ratskins, vicious hand to hand fighters that were reputed to be unable to hit a barn door even standing beside it.

Back to the Void

Final Stage

The Ogryns smacked into the combat. Another three renegade chaos space marines went down. The conscripts led by Hawk pressed forward. Pressed from three sides and with more of their fellows going down under the smashing blows of the Ogryn's ripper gun the Chaos marines broke and ran sobbing and gibbering with fear. Too fast for the panting Ogryns and the blooded conscripts to catch. Hammerhand and Hawk had now pushed the enemy forces from the left wing and center of the battlefield. The Lemann Russ clattered up behind Hammerhand and Hawk's position, its battle cannon seeking targets on the right flank.

On the right two Rhinos packed with Possessed and Chosen Chaos space marines had taken a tortuous route to the front to avoid imperial fire. On the right Hawk had stationed a platoon of imperial guard in a hastily made strong point in ruins. They were screened in front by two heavy flamer armed sentinels and had a Hellhound on the far right.
The Sentinels moved forward to block off the approaching Rhinos targeting each with their heavy flamers in the hope that the searing heat and flame of these cruel weaopons could find a chink in the battle scarred armour of the Rhinos. Luck had deserted the Sentinels. The Rhinos halted scortched but unscathed. Chaos marines poured out. Horrid and loathsome to look at, mutated, tormented and cruel, they fired bursts of bolter fire and plasma that rapidly destroyed both sentinels. As they destroyed the sentinels their corrupt minds clamouring for rending and cutting, the lopping of limbs and heads, they strained to sense the imperial platoon ahead with their chaos warped perceptions. Slowly they dimly realised that they had taken the bait of an Imperial trap.

Out of assault range of any of the imperial troops they were exposed to the combined fire power of the full platoon and the Hellhound. The Possessed Chaos squad took the full force of the decimating combined Imperial fire power and succumbed leaving only the Chosen. Realising that they now faced the almost unscathed full Imperial forces they silently withdrew to face the wrath of their masters.

Training Accomplished

With a scream Hawk hewed into the chaos space marine traitors. Three fell to slashing blows from his power sword. The conscripts piled in behind and around the Inquisitor their bayonettes stabbing at the chaos squad held at bay by their sudden assault. Despite their initial losses the chaos space marines held. Hawk realised that he was in for a busy few minutes keeping the conscripts in the fight long enough for sheer numbers to overwhelm the renegades.

As the Ogryn disappeared into the ruined building Hammerhand leapt down from the Lemann Russ. He dashed into the gap the Ogryn had disappeared through. Too late he thought.
The interior of the ruin was sprayed with blood. Grey chaos blood. The bodies of the enemy slumped in death on the floor and pinned to the walls. He was just in time to see the only survivor of the squad rush out the door at the furthest point of the building.

Tapping Halfhead on the elbow, he said, "Good work and we have some more to do."
"It was fun Boss," growled Halfhead. "These fools tried to fight so we had fun wif them. Too bad yous did not come so quickly."

"Come on Halfhead, some more fun out here", smile Hammerhand pointing through a narrow gap in the wall to where the conscripts were struggling with another squad of chaos space marines.

"Good idea Boss", growled Halfhead. "Come on boys", he shouted as the rushed through the gap dislodging more of the crumbling wall.
"Why use a door when you have an Ogryn!", shouted Hammerhand as he ran through the gaping hole in the wall made by the Ogryns.

Close Support Ogryns

The Ogryn move forward at Hammerhands orders.

Training

While the orbital strikes pounded the renegade chaos marine positions Inquisitor Hawk stood in the front rank of the conscript platoon. Around him the conscripts shuffled and nervously scratched and eased the unfamiliar weight of their equipment. In the dawn light there were many grey faces and no smiles but most had a strength of confidence that the presence of an Inquisitor provided.



"A fine day for some proper training for these conscripts", thought Hawk easing his annointed blade in its scabbard.



In the quiet that followed the last strike Hawk raised his voice, "Warriors of the Emperor." He shouted. "For that is what you will be once tempered by todays battle."

"There is nothing and no one on this battle field to fear, " Hawk paused, "Except me." There were a few bleats of nervous laughter."

"Let the enemy hear you coming so that they know fear." "Forward"



Hawk raised his voice in a battle scream which was also ripped echoing around the rubble from the thoats of the conscripts. They surged forwards. "Keep in line." Shouted Hawk, "Keep in line."

Bolter and plasma gun fire burst from the Chaos positions pouring into the conscripts. The platoon shuddered as men fell out of line.

"Steady." Shouted Hawk. The platoon surged forward again. Hawk sighted their target a squad of Chaos space marines movin up an alley to launch a strike on the Lemann Russ on the left. Hawk glancing to the left saw the Ogryns storming the ruins containing the autocannon positions. The time is now he thought.

"Charge", he yelled and ran forward to launch himself into the enemy squad he had chosen. The conscripts sceamed and followed their inquisitor firing bursts from their lasrifles as they rushed the Chaos space marines.

Repelling Chaos

Once the Grey Knights had departed Dogbelly, and the reinforcements that Hawk had summoned were equipped and deployed in their start positions Hammerhand knew that before long Hawk would go on the offensive again. Inquisitor Hawk's organisational energy always stepped down a gear or two whenever the Grey Knights were around. Both Hawk and Hammerhand considered them too prissy, too fussy and too concerned with the style of the battle for Hawks taste. They were choosy about who they would fight alongside and which weapons could be deployed. Hawk being secretly allied to the Radical faction preferred to demonstrate his exquisite tactical skills and offensive armoury out of sight of anyone that might have links to the Puritan faction amongst the Inquisition. A showdown between factions was long overdue.

Hammerhand thought the Grey Knights were mainly boring as everything had to be done by the book. No personal tweaks here or there. Waiting for the offensive to start Hammerhand had time only for a few scans of the stolen neural shredder, deep within it the scans showed an anomalous power source the like of which Hammerhand had never seen. When he showed this to Hawk, his only comment was, "Excellent." Hawk clearly had some idea of what it was but he would not tell Hammerhand anything more.

"Get Caliban ready Hammerhand, priority number one," said Hawk. "The shredder can wait for the moment. Keep it safe."
Hammerhand smiled. Despite the real risks to life and sanity he truly enjoyed working on the electromechanically contained demonhost that Hawk like to call Caliban.

"Once Caliban is ready, what is my assignment for the battle, Inquisitor?", asked Hammerhand.
"You are assigned to the Ogryns. You will help Halfhead, the Bonehead organise his fighters on our left flank in support of the Leman Russ." "You are to suppress any enemy heavy weapons and hook to our center once the enemy's right flank folds."

At dawn Hammerhand crouched with the Ogryn beside the Leman Russ. Once the orbital bombardment of the Chaos positions stopped they moved forward beside the roar the the Russ's engine. Almost immediately the Russ came under autocannon fire from a tank hunter squad of Chaos hidden within a partially destroyed factory. The cadian crew panicked and returned fire with the hull mounted heay bolter rather than the battle cannon. Thumping Halfhead on the elbow to get his attention above the noise of the heavy weapons Hammerhand waved the Ogryns forward showing Halfhead that he wanted them to assault the entrenched autocannons. Hammerhand climbed the exposed side of the Russ and opened up on the enemy position with the turret pintle mounted heavy stubber to give the Ogryns covering fire as they rushed forward weaving and firing their ripper guns.

Dogbelly Evening

Developments

Later in his quarters Hammerhand examined the neural shredder. The only marks on it were from the ordinance blasts.
"No obvious way to disassemble it, ", thought Hammerhand.
"Still a few scans may give me some data before I attempt disassembly. Which I will do cautiously no matter how hard Inquisitor Hawk pressess. No doubt it will be booby trapped unless opened with a specific tool".

With that thought Hammerhand made his way to Sophia's quarters. Crossing the battle scarred streets of Dogbelly Hammerhand saw a few commissars who had arrived with some Chem Dogs. "Some more dogs in Dogbelly" thought Hammerhand. I need to keep a tight grip on my tools and anything else light enought to carry off as the Chem Dogs are notoriously light fingered."

At Sophia's quarters the light were on. Hammerhand could see movement behind the blinds.
Feeling worried Hammerhand knocked on the door and waited. No one barged into an assassins quarters except those with a death wish even if the assassin was known to be dead.

"Yes," Shouted a familiar voice from within." A chill ran down Hammerhands spine. The voice was Sophia's. He turned away and darted around the corner.

Best to speak to Hawk he thought.

At Hawks Headquarters in a private meeting Hammerhand explained that he had acquired a neural shredder as aconsequence of the battle. But despite Sophia disappearing into a melee of Chaos Renegades that had to be stopped with some ordinance she was now once again in her quarters.

"Interesting", remarked Hawk, "Examine the neural shredder as top priority. Keep an eye on Sophia". "I wonder how the guild does it within the Imperial Decrees on cloning?".
"Go now". "By the way the Grey Knights leave tomorrow."
"Ah, that explains the Chem Dogs arrival tonight, will we be deploying our less conventional weapons when the assault renews?", asked Hammerhand.
"Yes", snapped Hawk. "Keep it to yourself at the moment and keep a tight grip on your tools and that neural shredder with the Chem Dogs around."
"Dismissed".

Opportunity

Coordinating the fire support for Inquisitor Hawk's operations in the slums of Dogbelly on Gladstone VI Hammerhand spied Sophia engaged in hand to hand combat with a squad of Chaos renegade marines. For a time her flashing, slashing phase sword cut a precise column into the murderous mob of posessed renegades, bodies slumping and foul yellow chaos blood smearing even the air around the fight. Hammerhand's teeth were on edge as she kept pressing further into the foul mob. Jump back before they pull you down through weight of numbers he kept thinking but on she went unstoppable and unapproachable in her battle frenzy.

Hammerhand lost sight of her and pressed his mind back to his task. Select the next target for the LeeMan Russ battle cannon. I cannot help her. The targetting skills of the crew are not good enough to lob a few rounds of ordinance close to the vicious fight to help Sophia. More likely the ordinance rounds would scatter on to her. Opportunity thought Hammerhand, as he gave fresh orders to the crew of the tank. The turret rotated and rounds and rounds of ordinance flew at the newly designated targets destroying them with massive ordinance blasts.

After the engagement was over and with the withdrawal of the Chaos forces from Dogbelly, Hammerhand had a opportunity to search the location of Sophia's fight. There he found her neural shredder only slightly damaged by the ordinance blasts. Of the remainder of the combatants there were only shreds of clothing and scraps of roasted flesh. A good day for the dogs' bellies in dogbelly thought Hammerhand. Do I feel guilt he thought. No, not at all was the answer. Why is this he wondered.

I will need to be careful when I disassemble this neural shredder as the guild will most likey have booby trapped it to protect their secrets. I wonder if Sophia will turn up tonight as she usually does after a scrap?

Assassin

Initially the least interesting for Hammerhand of Inquistor Hawk's weapons, but one of his most useful, was the Callidus Temple Assassin Sophia. Her gear was a temple secret. Hammehand was never certain if she was one person or several. She excelled at throwing Hawks enemies in confusion in battle and slaying their leaders while relishing the thrill of hand to hand combat. It was with some trepidation therefore that he approached the task Hawk had given him. Examine her weapons and equipment and learn their secrets.

Evil for Evil

Hammerhand serviced the servitors that Inquisitor Hawk liked to use to purge the taint of chaos from mankind, and to destroy the deviant traitor space marines of chaos and their demonic masters wherever they errupted.

Demon hosts were used by the forces of Chaos thought Hammerhand yet Hawk who fought for mankind also deployed demonhosts as he fought evil with evil. Could evil ever be purged if evil fought evil. How minor his own infraction was compared with the potential fault of the radical Inquisitorial cult followed by Hawk. Hammerhand resolved to discover more about the men and ideas that were party to Hawk's plans. He work hard for Ignatius Hawk and his retinue nonetheless.

Hammerhand works for the Grey Knights

Hammerhand's new friends included the Venerable Grey Knight Dreadnought Grezult. Hammerhand spend many happy hours improving Grezult's standard weaponry including improving the accurracy of his psycannon and its power.

Service with The Hawk

Hammerhand found that the Hawk was a good master. While working Hammerhand hard on the machines of the inquisition and their allied impressed forces Hawk also allowed Hammerhand time to experience the places they fought and worked and to learn the skills of a soldier as well as those of an Enginseer. In time Hawk thought Hammerhand might be suitable for the Inquistion. In the meantime Hammerhand learned to ride with Cadian Lancers and fight with the Grey Knights.

Thus Hammerhand entered the most valuable phase of his life so far with his secret still hidden by Hawk and his dreams undiminished.

Wait for me!Fun with the Grey Knights.

Sentinel Days For Hammerhand

Away from Mars Ignatius Hawk allowed Hammerhand a free hand with the details of his assignments. As long as Hammerhand delivered Hawk did not question the how. Hammerhand's first assignment with Hawk was to the Cadians fighting their way through the reconquest of the remains of Asroth IV following a chaos incursion. Recognizing that the role of the sentinel pilot was up close and personal in street fighting Hammerhand over saw the conversion of all Cadian pattern sentinels to the Catachian pattern with heavy flamers and an added close combat weapon. Ace "toast" to his mates, centered in the photograph is credited with the single-handed immolation of an entire squad of renegade chaos space marines sheltering in strategic ruins thereby causing chaos to fall back again.

The Machine Daemon Host

Sit down."
Hammerhand sat. Ignatius Hawk stared down at him. "You delight in maliciously tinkering and innovating. Do you understand how dangerous you are at this time?"
"It was an accusation, a question and a statement Hammerhand pondered.
"Well?" snapped Hawk.
"I have done some but only at the direction of my Master Enginseer", Hammerhand stated.
"You will address me as Inquisitor, or as sir or as your honour if you prefer," spat Hawk.
"Yes Sir,Your Honour, Sir," retorted Hammerhand in distatste.
"Now, tell me about the Chimera and the innovations that your Master directed you to make and which he subsequently forgot so that when he discovered them on inspection of the vehicle he was alarmed."

So that’s what it is about thought Hammerhand. But why was my Master so alarmed that the Inquisition is involved. At worst I had thought if found I would be disciplined in the college and at best have the innovations might have been quietly adopted by the College of Enginseers.
"Do you want to live?" Demanded the Inquisitor. "You will whatever you say but unless you satisfy me you may live, if it can be called living, as a corpse host for a tamed daemon."
Hammerhand talked. After Hammerhand had finished. Inquisitor Ignatius Hawk was pensive.

Finally he stated, You have shown ingenuity far beyond your level of training. Where I wonder does that gift originate and will it be safe to leave here? It would be a waste to destroy it when your talent could serve the Inquisition."

After a pause.
"Can keep your mouth shut?", demanded Hawk, "If you can and agree to do so you will live as you understand the meaning of the words. If not I will have your corpse for a Daemon Host for that is what you deserve. You will serve the Machine Daemon Host!"

Innocence Proves Nothing

Ignatius Hawk favoured a psycannon, power sword and artificer armour when in battle. For a notoriously outspoken individual he was untypically secretive concerning his specific position within the power struggle between the Puritan and Radical factions that was presently consuming the Inquisition.

His usual comment was that, "An Inquisitor of the Ordo Malleus should focus on erasing the daemon taint in mankind rather than pointless debate. Debate creates confusion amongst the weakminded by implying choice where none exists and that gifts aid to Chaos."

Although lauded by both factions rumour had it that he was secretly of the ultra radical Daemon Traitor faction. The ultra radicals were said by some to have moved so far from the traditional radical position that they were close to the puritan fundamental position. Others dared to whisper that a few of the ultra radicals were so little short of a complete grasp of chaos powers that they themselves were virually daemons with mortal frames whose aim was to destroy the Inquisition itself.

All this Hammerhand had heard through the whispered gossip the apprentices used to help whittle away time as they laboured on precision tasks in the manufactory temples of the Enginseers. He doubted any of this could help him now.

Despite his predicament Hammerhand found that his thirst for engineering insights allowed him to note that the Hawks psycannon was not of standard manufacture. Where had that come from he wondered?

Coolly he was pleased to note that his mind was still functioning reasonably normally as he was also able to consider what he should do. Should he, he wondered, confess immediately to some minor offence in the hope that this would get him out of the Hawks clutches rapidly, or should he keep quiet until he knew what this was about. His conscience was clean apart from some minor apprentice larks with some of his mates. He doubted he could have done anything to have draw the Hawks attention. Worryingly the old adage of the Inquistion kept flitting between his thoughts. Innocence Proves Nothing!

Enter the Hawk

At dawn Inquisitor Ignatius Hawk summoned Hammerhand the apprentice from his slumbers. Hawk was well known for allowing deviants a ritual defence of their weak minded works. Hawk knew that in pride men often spilled their secrets that otherwise they would defiantly carry into the cold of their grave.

Hammerhand that dawn knew his time had come too soon.

In appearance the Hawk upheld his name through his dazzling glare. More powerful men than Hammerhand had faded to spluttering traitors before Hawk's eyes. Otherwise Hawk had medium stature was spare framed with only slight a tendency to belly fat. But with powerfully muscular limbs Hawk had easily lopped appendages from more than his fair share of chaos deviants, tau lickspittles and weak minded fools that in his view threatened the Imperium.

When Hammerhand entered the chamber Hawk stood before the sole small window, almost blocking the sole source of light and air in the room. The sun's incandescent dawn blaze spilled around Hawk's spare frame outlining him in a dazzling mantle. In the gloom of the rest of the room Hammerhand made out a small table in the middle with a single low stool beside it.

"Sit." Snapped Hawk, stepping toward Hammerhand. An explosion of light filled the room as Hawk stepped forward. Blinded by flooding brightness Hammerhand fumbled his way to the stool and obediently sat.

Hull down Hammerhand firepower

Hammerhand Arrives

A bit about Hammerhand.

Hammerhand dreams. He trained as an apprentice Enginseer in the Imperial Foundries on Mars. He dreams and dreams. Some of his dreams are still of becoming an Enginseer. Following exactly and faithfully and honorably the blueprints of the Imperium. But some dreams are more troublesome. One dark night some bound tightly to his soul and have caused him no end of trouble.

You realise that sometimes he dreams of improvements to the war machines of the Imperium, including - yes, including deviation from the sacred perfection of the master plans. Naturally for the greater good. And yes just as naturally also for him. And, yes unfortunately, on a good-bad day he told his Enginseer Master of his dreams.

Hammerhand now wants to tell of his questions, his creations, his apprentice pieces, his master works and perhaps reveal his sources of inspiration.

Once shortly after he started his apprenticeship on Mars Hammerhand asked himself,

"What is the point of the armoured fist units of the imperial guard?"

"Not much use in close combat, and in terms of firepower a single squad of infantry with BS 3 aren't going to stop a charging squad of chaos deviants before they chop the grunts to bits. OK so the Chimera has reasonable armour stats with D3 multilaser and heavy bolter shots. Only the heavy bolter has decent stats. But if the grunts had a lascannon and sharpshooter skills and I enginseered the Chimera to mount an autocannon in the turret and twin linked heavy bolters on the hull that would give them a bit of shootyness"

Alas Hammerhand's works on the Chimera gained him demerits for failing to follow the Forgeworlds way.