Ark Imperial

The vessel known as the *Ark Imperial* is an oddity amongst the Gloriana-class Battleships, officially never being designated as a member of that class, though her weight and killing potential placed her firmly within its ranks. Instead of being designed for directed warfare, the *Ark imperial* specialised in carrying and maintaining enough fighter and bomber support to overwhelm entire battlefleets on her own, while still possessing the killing power of a standard battleship. During the First Solar War, the vessel was stuck by a torpedeo strike, causing a malfunction in the her warp drive and flinging her into the warp with almost a full contingent of the Star Guardians 19th Dividion.

## History

In the wake of the Ullanor Crusade and the IVth Legions return to the Sol System, Shaaa Hydrades began what would be the largest buildup of military power since the beginning of the Great Crusade, Battlefleet Solar increasing in size and power exponentionally, the Star Guardians themselves likewise swelling from a mere one hundred thousand to double that in a scant few decades, their geneseed issues still plaguing them, but the legion no longer taking the staggering casualties that so depleted their ranks during the Great Crusade. Soon, the groundwork for ten new Divisions were laid, the 11th-15th being designated as standard line divisions as had been the norm during the Great Crusade, but the 16th-20th Divisions soon became far more specialised. Of these five, the 19th was amongst the most divergeant, those who would eventually become known as the "Void Raptors".

The IVth had rarely placed much stock in attack craft in their void wars, prefering wars to be fought with predictable munitions or on the knife-edge of vicious boarding actions. Now however, no longer crusading and instead tasked with defence of the most vital system in mankinds history, Shaaa rescinded this belief, moulding the 19th into interceptors and interdictors, designed to react quickly with their large compliment of attack craft, ranging from Wrath and Fury Starfighters to the mighty Starhawk Bombers, as well as the more common Astartes aircraft, such as the Thunderhawk, Storm Eagle and Stormbird, and even a few of the rare Scapula-class Deep Space Fighter. In short, if the attack craft existed within the bounds of the Imperium, the 19th was equipped with and trained extensivly in their use, fast becoming some of the most proficient pilots within the legions, instructors called in from the Palatine Wings and Brothers Encarmine, both of whom were also reknowned for the skill of their pilots.

Initially, the Division and their reams of attack craft were officially based on Ceres itself, billeted in the Urvara Complex beneath the planets surface, or placed within Battle Barges and Nemesis-class Fleet carriers. However, it soon became clear that to reach peak efficiency, the Division required more than a static base and irregular secondment to different vessels, and so Shaaa gave the order to create a singular base for his sons, a mighty carrier that could bear all into combat at once. Just as Shaaa had once ordered the creation of the *Herald of Destruction* as the first of the purpose built Gloriana vessels, so to did he order the creation of the *Ark Imperial*, a new breed of warship that was to the Nemesis-class what the Gloriana was to the Apocalypse. Refined fury, unadulterated destructive capabilities, a super carrier.

Stretching to 19 kilometers from stern to prow, and equipped with a huge array of weapon batteries, plasma lances, and super heavy missile batteries; the *Ark Imperial* outclassed almost every other Imperial vessel of the time in terms of raw firepower, save the Gloriana's themselves, or the Emperor's own flagship, and yet this was not her main purpose. Within her hull were enough flight bays, refit hangers and even manufactorum facilities for constructing, supplying and supporting a full 10,000 strong Division of the IVth Legion, the vessel able to launch her entire compliment of craft within minutes thanks to her advanced deployment rails within each hanger, ensuring that no enemy would be able to catch her un-defended.

With the *Ark Imperial* now under their command, the 19th began to spend longer and longer periods fo time on the fringes of the Sol System, running intercept flights against pirates, or playing elaborate cat and mouse games designed to probe the defences of the Solar Guardian Array in the same way the Custodes conducted the Blood Games within the Imperial Palace itself. In time, this practice and long time away from others within the legion bred and isolationist streak into the warriors of the 19th, the Void Raptors being born in that moment, few within the Division refering to themselves under their numerical designation by the time of the Solar War.

When the traitors arrived in system to begin the First Solar War, the *Ark Imperial* was still prowling the edge of the system, part of Crikon Hanfer's defencive line of the SGA. For weeks, the *Ark Imperial* and the Void Raptors proved their skill time and time again, recieving a far lower proportial casualty rate than other deployed formations. When the order to withdraw further in system was finally given with the detonation of Kerberos and the Exterminatus of Pluto. Returning to *Ark imperial*, the Void Raptors sped towards the next line, but it was here that disaster struck.

A dormant torpedeo, its firing ship forgotten and likely dead, reactivated as the *Ark Imperial* passed, its magnetic head springing into life as the ship neared it, drawing itself closer and closer to the hull. By the time it was detected, it was too late, the torpedeo brushing against the mighty vessel and detonating in nuclear fire. Conduits blew and the warp engines began to overwhelm, the entire ship shuddering as it seemed to scream in agony, before being flung into the warp, no word coming from those on board, the vessel and the 19th officially listed as MIA since that time. Soon, none spared the 19th a thought, the loss of a single division inconsequential next to the loss of almost the entire legion, a Primarch and Terra itself.

## Technical Specifications

* Length: 19 Kilometers
* Role: Fleet supercarrier
* Date of Construction: Began M31.013 - Finished M31.022