98 IE Grevian-Ignis Expedition

The 98 IE Grevian-Ignis expedition was the first reconnassaince expedition conducted in Ignis. The aim of the expedition was to scout out the terrain of Ignis to find out if it is suitable for colonization by the Grevian Empire.

The radar sensors aboard the Fortuna had been able to only scan the mountaintops of Ignis and because of this, a further action needed to take action in order to entirely scout what lies under the fiery mountains and hills of Ignis. Therefore Magnus sent his most trusted friend and general Antius to lead the first expedition on Ignis and to scout out at least some areas below the mountains of Ignis.

## Preparations

### The Ships

With many ships of the Imperial Navy busy dealing with pirates or are on other duties, the choice of picking went to the auxilliary navy, comprising of retired ships or ships that are not meant for actual combat. Antius chose three ships that would transport the expedition to Ignis, the retired cruiser from the Second Coalition *Solis*, the hospital-ship turned transport *Initio*, and the survey ship *Astra*.

The Solis had been one of the ships that participated during the gigantic space battle above Dresanaria during the Second Coalition. During the battle, it sustained two torpedo hits and was rendered immobile but was saved just in time by the arrival of the Thutmose Legion in the climax of the battle. After the war, it was stricken down and was about to be scrapped until Antius chose it for his expedition.

The Initio was a hospital ship commissioned during the Brother’s Civil War and served wounded White soldiers until it defected to the Greys after Bloody Year. Although the Initio served well during the civil war, the ship was repurposed into a transport ship in the eve of the Second Coalition. It ferried troops from Rhodon to Dresanaria until the war ended.

The Astra is the newest commissioned ship of them all. Commissioned in 96 IE, it was equipped with radars and sensors for the purpose of discovering new systems. By luck, it had just returned back from a survey mission when Antius chose the Astra to be his communication ship.

### The Expedition

The expedition comprised of 120 men, these range from signal corps, the marines, and the legions. The most numerous of these were from the 80-men C Company, 4th Imperial Marines. The marines volunteered to be the main brunt of the expedition as although they were inexperienced, they have superior training compared to the standard legionnaire.

With the expedition being small, the need for medical aid was ignored as wounded troops could easily be flown out of the planet to the *Initio* that serves as the expedition’s support ship. The mission of the expedition relies heavily on the 10-man team from the Signal Corps as they are the ones who map out the terrain while the others just guard them in case any creatures dares to attack them. If any real support needs to be called, there is only a 60-man security company that is stationed aboard the *Solis* that could be called down to aid the expedition if it encounters any meaningful resistance.

## The Expedition

### The Departure (Early May)

The three ships departed in early May, bringing Antius and his expedition with him. Although the journey would take a week until they reach Ignis, the men inside the ships enjoyed long festivities and if they were bored, into drinking parties. By the third day of the journey, many from the expedition except from the marines began to complain about the long journey, Antius just ignored them.

By the sixth day and nearly reaching Ignis, the crew aboard all three ships made large festivities in the dining halls with drinking games, feasts, and more. While the crew feasted, Antius was with his officers planning on the landing. When they finally reached Ignis, all festivities ceased and the expedition began readying themselves for the landing.

### The Landing and the Establishment of Camp (Late May)

With the preparations ready, the expedition began boarding their crafts and soon launched themselves out of the ships, heading to a planned landing site. The expedition landed at that landing site and began by establishing a perimeter while supplies come down from the ships. It was during all of this that a soldier that was guarding the farthest of the expedition began hearing creaks and screams. The soldier reported to Antius about the noises but Antius shrugged it off.

When all the supplies had been ferried down, the expedition tightened its perimeter while several men began to establish a well-fortified camp made out of stone and metal. While all of this was happening, Antius sent off the signal team alongside a squad of marines to begin scouting the terrain and mapping out the surrounding areas. Soon enough, the signal team spotted what appears to be a large fiery snake that is bathing in the lava ocean before things took a deep turn.

Moments after it had spotted the creature, the snake looked back and saw the signal team and it began snaking its way towards them, splashing lava around itself. While the team and the marines prepared for the worse, the snake dived down into the lava ocean. After it had dived, the team withdrew as fast as it could while the marines with their heavy equipment were much slower than them and lagged behind. Just a few hours later, the team arrived back in the now completed camp, telling Antius of what they saw, this time Antius believed it.

### The Expedition in Trouble (June)

The expedition rested for a week after the signal team saw the creature, trying to think if the expedition should be abandoned or they should continue on. Antius decided to continue on and ordered the entire expedition to leave its well-fortified camp and to scout out the surrounding areas.

While continuing their way across the molten terrain, they came across what appears to be an abandoned medieval castle made with molten black rock. Antius and his expedition journeyed their way there and went inside the castle without any intelligence. There they find skeletons and weapons lying on the ground, the sign of an old battle. The ruined castle made it clear that some large creature did this and that they left no survivors in the castle.

Suddenly one of the marines found a secret passage that leads underground, and so the expedition went down deep below the castle. As they continued on, they find more signs of battle and charred ruins of what appears to be a throne room. In the throne room, they find that the room is adorned with inscriptions written in an unknown language. While the signal corps is translating the inscriptions, Antius went out with the rest to search out for more ruins.

As Antius’ men continue with their leader, they find more remains and ruins of houses, sailing ships, and a wrecked wooden bridge. While they were searching for more, the signal corps team finally translated the inscriptions to “those who land on this wretched planet, know that this is what happened to our expediti-“. Suddenly the radios are jammed and sensing that the team is in danger, Antius ran as fast as his could with the expedition back into the castle.

Before long, they find that the castle is being attacked by the same creature that the signal corps team found, albeit massively larger. Although estimations are made, Antius said that it was even larger than that of the Imperial Palace in Rhodon, which by imperial standards, is colossal.

The expedition made its way inside the hidden passageway, but lost several men when the creature splashed lava from the lava ocean into some of the men. Going back up, they find that the signal team is near-destroyed with 8 of the men dead. In a hard situation, Antius orders every member of the expedition to run its way back into the camp while he and the marines will try to hold the castle to buy time for them to escape. Thus the expedition departed, running as fast as they could while Antius and the marines try to buy the expedition time and call for airstrikes on the creature.

Antius and his men held hard against the beast even as marines fall every minute. Before long, help had arrived in aircraft carrying munitions ranging from bombs and machine-gun fire. How many ammunition spent on the creature is unclear but the creature dived down deep under the lava ocean as soon as reinforcements start to arrive.

### Expedition in Evacuation (June)

By the end of the fight, nearly all of the marines lay dead except for Antius and a few lucky ones. In the moment the creature disappeared, Antius ordered that transport craft be redirected to the castle for immediate evac. There was no time to bury the dead, and Antius along with his remaining marines departed the castle back to the camp.

Immediately after arriving back in camp, he finds the exhausted expedition after running for several hours being chased by the smaller creature. Antius immediately orders the camp to be destroyed and that all supplies be ferried back into the ships and for the expedition to depart Ignis as he believes that only insane people would dare colonize this planet for its rich abundance of ores.

And so after all had been completed, the expedition departed. The journey back was quiet for Antius would be furious if he hears that the expedition is gonna throw a large party. After a week of quiet journey, the expedition arrived back in Rhodon to be greeted by cheering crowds. While back then the expedition was happy when they departed, they arrived back downhearted and disheveled from their expedition.

## Aftermath

### Antius’ meeting with the Emperor

After arriving back in Rhodon, Antius soon departed in a helicopter to travel to Frostpike Palace to discuss the results of the expedition to Magnus. It took him two hours for him to finally arrived in Frostpike and there he met with Magnus.

“So my friend, what is the result of the expedition.” Said Magnus happily.

”The results to say the least were appaling, m’lord.” Said Antius regretfully.

”How so? Didn’t i gave you the supplies that you needed for your long and arduous journey?” Replied Magnus with the dread in his eyes.

”M’lord, the supplies and men were suprisingly low compared to what i expected to arrive, for i fear that the creature that lingers there would destroy anything that trespasses in its planet.” Answered Antius with a firm statement.

”Then so be it, let it be known to that creature that i would stop at nothing to colonize that planet, even if millions of men are to be lost to that damned vile beast!” Furiously responded Magnus after hearing Antius’ statement.

After this conversation had ended, Magnus made it clear that Antius would not lead the second expedition. After the expedition had been completed, Antius was reinstated back as master-in-arms for the young Titus who would make an even bigger spotlight than he did in the next ten years.