Here's a terribly blurry camera phone of a jump Librarian in progress. Consider it a shadowy forecast of things to come. Emphasis on shadowy.
Why am I going to attempt to use a jump Libby? Because no matter how many times I tell myself vanilla assault marines are useless and try to abandon them...
I just love them too much! D:
Automatically Appended Next Post:
Get Fluffy
Alright, I've got a half an hour to kill in the work cafeteria before my shift starts so why not give a little more detailed breakdown of the fluff I'm imagining.
After the assault on Idharae and the subsequent retaliation by Alaitoc, the Invaders are described as being a space bound chapter, greatly under strength, with only three remaining companies. However, as befits the resolve of a space marine, the Invaders continue to do the emperors work wherever and however they can. They are believed to be providing support to the Novamarines on the doomed planet Skyfall.
So that much at least is canon... I figure the following isn’t too difficult to imagine:
With their reduced numbers, the Invaders can rarely afford the luxury of dispatching an entire company to pursue a mission. Therefore, smaller task-forces are formed as needed and are capable of operating independently for long periods, allowing the Invaders to make best use of their limited resources.
One such task-force, under the command of Librarian Caiaphas Recks, mysteriously and abruptly abandoned duty on Skyfall, along with a contingent of Novamarines fighting along side them. They broke communication and seemed to vanish. Captain (formerly veteran sergeant) Magnus Laodicea was given orders to command a small force in search of the missing librarian and his followers.
They followed the trail of the renegade unit until they received a distress call from an Imperial training garrison on a large moon. The distress call described a battle force of space marines advancing on the Imperial base. The marines appeared to wear loyalist colors but did not respond to official hailings and seemed to be making ready for battle. Suspicions were confirmed as Laodicea’s task force made planet-fall. What they found, readying for an assault on the garrison, were there own brothers and members of the Novamarines moving in hypnotized synchronization. Laodicea could feel the presence of sorcery thick in the air, and as they approached the renegade force they could see Caiaphas standing proud in the back. His skin was gaunt, pale and beginning to show signs of blight. His eyes were black and hollow. The taint of chaos was apparent. With no further hesitation, Laodicea called his men to the charge. With a glare and a gesture from Caiaphas the Invader’s brethren turned mechanically to face them. Bolter fire erupted and chain-swords tore through sacred armour. Brother cut down brother in tragedy.
The end to the battle came early. The renegade marines fought slowly, their wits dulled. Laodicea ordered his sternguard to clear a path to Caiaphas. The task was accomplished swiftly. As Laodicea approached Caiaphas he watched the librarian’s empty eyes fix on him. He felt a fiery pain inside his bones as the dark powers converged on him, but the touch of the warp had made Caiaphas weak and he had spent too much strength exerting influence on his followers. There was no infirmity in Laodicea’s stride. The was only righteousness and holy rage. With a single blow the enemy was cut down.
At the instant of Caiaphas’ death the renegade marines were released from his power. They lay down their weapons and a third of those who remained were slaughtered almost immediately before Laodicea’s men could react. Silence fell over the field. Freed from sorcerous control, the would-be traitors were all too aware of their sins. Each took a knee, assuming execution would follow. Indeed, Laodicea was about to give the order, when the earth shook. Caiaphas had had darker plans than any had realized. In the distance, over the Imperial garrison, a tear in reality spread across the sky and abominations of the warp poured forth.
Laodicea did not waste time pondering what must be done. His own men and the garrison were gravely understrength. He turned to the bowed heads around him.
“By rights, every one of you should be killed, and yet you may be. Your brothers cry out for your help. Give your life to them now. It is no longer yours, and with it you may earn some small measure of forgiveness.”
Nothing more needed to be said. Every man stood to follow Laodicea and he led them against the forces of Chaos for a day and a knight. Desperate for absolution, each renegade Invader and Novamarine fought with the zeal of a chaplain. At the end, most of the them lay dead along with nearly all of Laodicea’s own force, but the garrison stood. Again, Laodicea knew they would willingly accept death if he ordered it, but he had witness the usefuleness of a penitent spirit. They would do more work for the emperor before they earned rest.
Laodicea ordered the survivors to paint their armour grey, for they were no longer members of any chapter. They were the living dead, and they would seek absolution until the time their bodies were deemed worthy sacrifices for grace in the emperor’s name. So began the Venian Crusade.
