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."