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!"