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<...[998.2.1-M41]...>

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<Begin_Recording_> [04:21] It has been 18 months by Terran standards since our Astropaths lost all contact with the surrounding systems. In an attempt to regain communications with the outer rim worlds of our own system, we sent any ship we could spare that were deemed unnecessary in the defence of our world, but it was to no avail. All further contact with those ships were lost, subsequently we ran out of any expendable ships, and so we waited. As we entered the 17th month of torturous silence, the skies darkened, filled with seeds of woe and death. Our worst fears had been realised, the Tyranid threat had come to our world.

This is a fight we must not lose, we cannot afford to lose. If they take this world, the genetic data they would consume would not only tear humanity apart, it would lead Leviathan straight to Holy Terra. <End_Recording_>

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<...[998.2.2-M41]...>

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<Begin_Recording_> [18:12] They made planet-fall in the opening week of our 17th month of solitude. The skies choked thick with Mycetic spores*, Gauntii Avius* but worst of all Tyranicus Gigas Avius Horibilis*. All attempts to reach our Battleship in orbit met with failure at the hands of these winged nightmares, spewing their living ammunition at the Arvus shuttles that took flight, and even on occasion throwing themselves into the path of our ships, clogging engines with their bodies, forcing emergency landings. At the end of the first week of this nightmarish invasion, the Battleship "Bane of Kaldor" emergency teleported the contingent of Adeptus Astartes, that had been seconded to us as protection, to our facility. Captain Skiba of the Blood Angels Chapter stood before both My Lord Huginn and myself, a stern expression written across his face, he bore grave news of the "Bane of Kaldor". The Battleship performed its emergency teleport of the Astartes due to the necessity of leaving orbit, otherwise the hulking ships of the Hive fleet would have overwhelmed her and we would be left stranded on Calliope VI. No sooner than she had left geosynchronous orbit, the Hive fleet broke off engagement, and maintained its position over our world, all of this visible to us below. Somehow the Tyranid swarm knew there was a prize to be had with us here on the surface, and continued pouring its deadly cargo into our skies.

My Lord Huginn and Captain Skiba were quick to set about organising our defences, checking our perimeter laserwire fences and inner bastion walls. The facility has one natural defence in its favour, a kilometre high sheer curtain of mountainside, to which our facility was built into as well as under. We are by no means were undefendable, but our staff just are not equipped or trained in combat to maintain our entire defences, however impressive they may be. No more than four days had gone by since the arrival of the Astartes and the departure of the "Bane of Kaldor", where as if by the Emperors divine intervention, the skies cleared. Not one single Tyranid creature was to be seen, nor any ships of the Hive fleet could be seen in the skies. The servants, menial staff and maintenance crew all at once became elated by this, making the sign of the Aquilla on their chest and muttering thanks to the skies beyond. Myself and other biologists, along with our Lord Huginn and the Astartes knew the worst was still to come. <End_Recording_>

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*[See_Addendum_For_Additional_Information]

<...[998.4.3-M41]...>

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<Begin_Recording_> [32:48] It has been several weeks since the Tyranid fleet vanished, with no sight of its cargo in the surrounding area. Captain Skiba thought it prudent to recon outlying forest that surrounded the three sides of the facility where the laser-fences kept the perimeter. Calliope VI is a verdant jungle world that is high in toxic Xenos-lifeforms, this made it a natural choice for our research facility, as aside from the high concentration of Xenos found here, they also made for a natural defence against any who may stumble upon our world. So far we have encountered 378 distinct and unrelated Lifeforms, all with varying degrees of toxicity.

No soon than the Astartes had returned and the perimeter re-secured, than the Tyranid swarm began a relentless attack on the laser-wire fencing. Countless Gauntii Virago* began throwing themselves against the high powered beams that made the fence up, evaporating upon hitting the defence grid. The tide seemingly neverending, with no other beast in sight this made for a puzzling development. No part of the grid was untested by the tide of Gauntii Virago*. Captain Skiba ordered his men to ready status, but to withhold all fire until a threat had been met. After one Terran hour, the bodies showed no sign of letting up. Then the Gauntii Avus* returned, this time more numerous then the last sighting, this provided Skiba and his men sufficient threat to open fire. But no sooner than they had opened fire, than the swarm retreated into the forest seemingly ordered by a silent will. All we can do is bide our time and gather ourselves until they return. <End_Recording_>

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*[See_Addendum_For_Additional_Information]

<...[998.4.4-M41]...>

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<Begin_Recording_> [03:12] Shortly before sunset, a "haze" began to surround the out-laying perimeter. Soon after the Gauntii Virago* returned, but instead of hurling their bodies at the laser-fence, they unleashed salvo after salvo of their symbiotic fleshborer weapons towards the fences pylons [Biologists note: The Gauntii Virago witnessed during this second encounter, were larger and more resilient than their predecessors, Speculation: Result of consumption of Calliope VI Xenos Lifeforms]. Again Skiba ordered all men to stand ground and hold fire until any threat was found. After forty minutes of constant fire, the forest began heave under immense bulk of what was about to bear forth. At last we had our first sighting of a synaptic creature, Tyranicus Incubato Parens* these huge monstrosities bore forth more and more Gauntii Virago* from their birthing sac's to replenish those that fell from pure exhaustion from prolonged firing of their weapons. Also hulking out of the forest were seen Alveo Custodio*, huge guardian creatures bearing massive vile-looking weapon symbiotes, one they sighted their target they began to unleash them upon the pylons that the lesser creatures had fired at. To the rear of the group of newly sighted creatures were something new, none of our biologist number knew what to make of them, so we have mutually dubbed them Tumero Horribilis*. These creatures were deemed to be the cause of the haze surrounding the swarm of Xenos below, soon we found to our despair that this sickly tinged haze was Noxious and Fatal.

Signs show that the swarm is adapting and fast, if, as on previous encounters we are to expect the "normal" adaptations of this Hivefleet, tomorrow will bring more deaths and larger monstrosities to our door. My the Emperor watch over us, and bless out endeavours here, I fear we will need it. <End_Recording_>

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*[See_Addendum_For_Additional_Information]

<...[998.4.4-M41]...>

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<Begin_Recording_> [04:18] This log is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain, they have been attacking relentlessly for many hours now. Between our ongoing research and the swarm out there, this account I fear will become sketchy a best, and at worst will be disregarded as the ramblings of a madman. After the swarms last attack, My Lord Huginn ordered my return to the Biotech-labs, to dissect and learn as much as possible from this strain of the Tyranid swarm, with an aim to cultivate genome-phage to wipe out this endless Xenos threat. So far, tests remain inconclusive, for more conclusive results I advise a live specimen be caught for future testing. [...<Pause>...] A report has reached me that the following organisms have been sighted: Tyranicus Preafactor Avius* as well as Tyranicus Gladius Avius* both were seen in conjunction with Gauntii Avius*, these are in addition to organisms previously sighted. [...<Pause>...] A further amended report has just come in, seismic activity has been registered in the region. If my suspicions are founded, I must warn my Lord immediately to this new threat. Emperor guide me. <End_Recording_>

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*[See_Addendum_For_Additional_Information]

<...[998.4.4-M41]...>

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<Begin_Recording_> [04:59] I have just returned from my Lords side, It is with a saddened heart I report we have lost five more Astartes, three heavy gun emplacements and eight technicians. The cause of the tremors was as I feared Tyranicus Subterra Magnus-Os*, the hulking monstrosity broke through the rockcreate floor that lined the inner bastion, before rampaging through our lines. It was only brought down by Captain Skiba and his Terminator armoured Astartes, concentrating all fire-power on its dense thorax. Shortly after the creatures demise, a vast swarm of Minoris Omniphagea* burst from the tunnel it had formed entering out compound. Only a concentration of Promethium flame managed to hold back the tide of vicious ever hungry creatures. As the Astartes had been distracted with these threats, the main swarm advanced as one against the walls of the Bastion once more, this time threatening to overwhelm us entirely. If it was not for the timely return of the "Bane of Kaldor" and the Astartes she had on board, we would surely have perished under a tide of chitin and teeth. The "Bane" had entered low orbit and disgorged two fully laden Thunderhawks, both raking the lines of the swarm with fire before disembarking the troops within. I can only pray to the divine Emperor that this is not too little too late. <End_Recording_>

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*[See_Addendum_For_Additional_Information]

<...[998.4.4-M41]...>

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<Begin_Recording_> [06:15] As of 06:00 hours, My Lord Huginn and Captain Skiba have ordered a full evacuation, with the aim to set a series of Megaton warheads within the facility to stop the Tyranid threat gaining the Genetic data within. I will endeavour to update ASAP. <End_Recording_>

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<...[998.4.4-M41]...>

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<Begin_Recording_> [07:15] The evacuation is not going according to plan, within 30 minutes of the evacuation to the "Bane", the Hive fleet had returned. It disgorged a swarm of Tyranicus Gigas Avius Horibilis* much larger than the ones that had been first sighted during the initial invasion. They have been hounding all craft that attempts to make planet fall, and as a consequence, we have less than a handful of transports left. I fear we are not leaving this world. <End_Recording_>

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*[See_Addendum_For_Additional_Information]

<...[998.4.4-M41]...>

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<Begin_Recording_> [28:19] The ground swarm has returned, and as much as our numbers have been bolstered by the Astartes which returned with the "Bane", we have lost ground. The Swarm has entered its last offensive phase, unleashing Gigas* Organisms, including both Sica* & Uncus Heirodule Domito* but worst of all Tyranicus Gigas Horibilis*. The bastion walls now lay in ruins, and we have taken flight deep into the bowels of the complex under the mountain, in the hope of being able to find a defendable position. The Astartes have planted charges to fall strategic sections of the ceiling in an attempt to funnel the swarm into a killzone.

It is with a saddened heart that I report the loss off the "Bane of Kaldor" with all hands. She was overcome by the Hive-Fleet shortly before our withdrawal into the complex, and was last see disintegrating into the atmosphere. With the loss of the "Bane", we also lost our last hope of destroying the Genetic data held within the complex, as we hadn't managed to secure the megaton warheads from her before she was lost. My lord Huginn had ordered the execution of the Astra Telepathica stationed here, as the Tyranid were increasingly drawn to them, which can only lead me to surmise that our repository of genetic data is what the swarm is after. Emperor forgive us for failing in our duty. <End_Recording_>

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*[See_Addendum_For_Additional_Information]

<...[998.4.6-M41]...>

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<Begin_Recording_> [14:19] It has been two days since we descended into the depths of the complex. There have been intermittent skirmishes, picking off Astartes and crew one at a time. Our casualties have been high, loosing all bar three Astartes, Skiba being one of the surviving three. Out of the facilities staff, only myself and Lord Huginn remain, Although my lord has succumbed to a wound inflicted on him, which is fast becoming septic. It is only a matter of time before we are consumed, as our munitions are depleted and food is scarce.

The Astartes have returned by the sounds of it, praise be to the Emperor! I am glad to hear your return Captain Skiba . . . . . Captain Ski . . . . .

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[...<Familia_Magnus_Devorantum_>...]