Taskforce Onyx History Act One

INQUISITORIAL ARCHIVES DATABASE

LOAD

...................................................................

!!! CREDENTIALS REQUIRED !!!

USERNAME:SI483-94-5273

PASSWORD:\*\*\*\*\*\* \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* \*\*\*\*

SECOND PASSWORD:\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* \*\*

LOAD

....................................................................................................................................

+++CLEARANCE: Cobalt+++

+++DATE: Error: [Warp Transit]+++

+++RED NN. 468673-5+++

+++BY: Lord Inquisitor Sangfroid, Baine Amihan+++

+++SUBJECT: Renegade Warband, Astartes, Threat Uncertain+++

<ACCESS GRANTED>

"*Extracts from: ‘10,000 Swords, and other little known Expeditions’, by Eepious Pigeonwright.*"
—A little dry, but it'll get the job done: Comment, Arachus.

# Act 1 (837-839.M30)

"*Here they would be selected, weighed and found wanting.*"
—Ascribed to Remembrancer Genevisuse Pye.
The Initial construction of the 99th Expedition took a somewhat twisted path. In 838.M30, bloodied Rogue Traders returned from the Ghoul Stars to report a hostile Xenos Empire, a conglomerate of vile species united into a powerful military alliance. As mandated, a xenocide campaign would be made to destroy them, and initial intelligence gatherings deemed 10,000 Astartes as a minimum to be required.

No single Legion answered the call fully, but offered their reserve or recovering forces. The Ultramarines at the time of the call could offer the greatest contribution, six chapters in full, and it was decided that they would be the central element from which the others would build around. Port Aulis was their chosen port and Armada Imperalis forces began to gather while a suitable wing of the void dock was allocated for the coming forces.

## The Gathering (838.M30-839.M30)

"*I interject this account now with a forewarning, the following chapter I have adulterated with data recovered from the extensive censorship of the Imperium. The author attempted to gloss over the first days of the Expedition, rather clumsily I might write, while also rewriting the actions of the 2nd Legion as that of the ultramarines. Rather hilariously as you will soon gather as a dispute over command and resources within the Ultramarines. Most out of character for them if taken as read.*"
—Comment, Arachus.

While the Ultramarines were unable to provide the full manpower for the Expedition fleet, their expected contribution was accepted to spearhead and lead the lesser contributions that were to come. Similarly they would be responsible for seeing the remaining work in organisation and gathering supplies. Despite leaving first, to arrive ahead of the rest of the parties, they would not arrive for a long time. Having recently rediscovered their Primarch and seen the realm of Ultramar forged they were waylaid by unexpected conflicts, delayed by sweeping reforms, and left overshadowed by the same lingering warp storms that had delayed the Emperor’s arrival to Macragge.

Instead it was the 2nd Legion to arrive first, a Praetor Xenaphi and his personal Chapter using the port as a layover between their homeworld and their campaigns. Praetor Xenaphi was tasked with overseeing the latest wave of troops from his Legion, but did the courtesy of arranging the initial organisation of the Expedition between other duties. When the same Praetor made their second wayover, now leading a fleet of several chapters back to their Campaign they found the Expedition to still be without its leading Legion, and mere days before the smaller contributions were due to arrive. The Praetor was compelled to see the last of the initial duties completed, putting his own troops to work and holding impromptu training drills with the rest. He was very well versed with the organisation of campaigns, especially the Imperial Army and naturally saw the duty done efficiently. Politically he was shrewd and secured the allegiance of a local Mechanicum expeditionary fleet of the Forge World of Akotaine. His cohorts worked tirelessly to circumvent the existing supply chains to build the Taskforce quickly and the work did not go unnoticed. The Overseer of the Expeditionary Fleet effort, a Custodian Aelia Curtis, dispatched to curtail the stall, was impressed with the work of the Praetor and since they still lacked the Ultramarine detachment he made Xenaphi the Master of the Expedition instead, overruling the former orders of his Legion and redeploying their new chapters to the Expedition.

Xenaphi continued this duty and as each Astartes detachment arrived he integrated them into the expedition and put them to work. As they trickled in individually the grievances and grudges that had to be tolerated could be exercised individually and the new generation of chapters under his command were the perfect ice breaker; Testing their mettle against each other to induct them to their sibling Legions.

Weeks later, with only a few days before their expected deployment, the Ultramarines arrived at last; It was not a harmonious transition. Their position of command had been usurped, and the fleet and other associated duties had been stripped from them. Somewhat trivially, yet the first of a series of political dramas, was a misunderstanding from existing communications before the redirection of the Expeditions Command; The Ultramarines had expected the Expedition Fleet’s Flagship, now the Anabasis, to transfer to their fleet. This was no longer the case, nor desired by Xenaphi. The Ultramarines had not brought their own equivalent flagship, unlike the Dark Angels, who’s fleet was otherwise excessively powerful. What more the Ultramarine detachment was itself reduced as demands had called away several of their chapters; Their contribution to the Expedition could not be said to be the core of the fleet, as the Dark Angels and 2nd Legion provided significant contributions that exceeded them. It was another humiliation after another and it sparked the barely soothed divisions between the Legions assembled. The Ultramarine Praetor Clearchus, now relegated to a subordinate role, naturally wished to requisition their own flagship from their fleet and wait for their force to restore so that they could match their counterpart's contributions. This would delay the deployment of the taskforce, already delayed by the previous events and continuous inclement weather. Xenaphi made the ultimatum that they would deploy the moment the warp calmed, and they did.

"*"In response to the ‘humiliations’ heaped upon them, the Ultramarine Praetor Clearchus stepped away from the Taskforce, leaving enough Ultramarines to bring the Taskforce up to the mandated 10,000, the rest of their force returned to Ultramar with their Praetor." As far as the records are concerned this is an internal dispute between two Praetors, quite absurd and greatly confusing to data hunting historiographers like myself. The Ultramarines are still listed as providing the greatest contingent of Astartes to the Taskforce, in truth their contribution was meagre; For now at least*"
—Comment, Arachus.

With the storms subsiding the Taskforce departed in good order and made their way to the original sightings of the Xenos Empire. Three years passed in real time, mere months for the Expedition. The journey was troubled by some currents of the warp, but nothing significant enough to damage the fleet.

## Significant Events

"*There were no engagements made in this brief window of their history but there are events of significance I have compiled below from various records.*"
—Comment, Arachus.

### The First Blood Game

While Aelia Curtis may have been dispatched to oversee the Expedition's formation in the Emperor's stead, another agent of the Custodes would remain with them unseen. Vikolaus, a Prefect Immunes of the Aquilan Shield, continued to observe the Expedition in their early days before their departure. He deemed it a necessity to intervene directly before inter-legion rivalry led to needless bloodshed. In the space of a week he humbled the entire Taskforce with a 'blood game' that was introduced to them through the capture of the Praetor Xenaphi. He was held for over 48 hours in captivity and entire squads of each detachment were covertly taken out and captured as well. Champions were met and humbled and Captains were outwitted in every trap they attempted. Once satisfied Vikolaus released his growing collection of prisoners and surrendered himself. The point was made and their new ally began to instead lend their advice to the Taskforce, as well as forewarning them of further blood games. Despite the brief time of their meeting the Custodian and the Praetor already formed the bonds of friendship. Throughout the Taskforce similar bonds formed in the squads forced to coordinate with each other.

### The Failure of the Council

The combined presence of the sixteen legions was proving to be a very tenuous relationship, following the advice of the Vikolaus regular blood games were held between and within the Legions, to vent frustrations and forge new bonds. Secondments and ‘hostage exchange’ became common practice but a number of ‘fragging’ events, as well as unfortunate accidents perceived as fragging events, almost escalated into a runaway ‘eye for eye’ blood feud. Xenaphi attempted to corral this by forming a council of the leaders from each legion; he had the idea that they could provide an equal voice on the greater decisions and grievances would be cleared, for one a growing resentment of the settling hierarchy of the Legions. However the Council ultimately failed in this iteration, as Lord Captains would have had the same say as Captains. Both the Lord Captains felt insulted, and in the case of the Emperor’s Children’s Captain they refused to speak out of turn and break their ‘place’. Xenaphi removed the Council and returned to an autocratic leadership. However he did reinstate another Council of only Captain representatives for each present Legion, on the equal floor, equal minds met and some progress was made. It would not blossom for some time.

### The Forging of 10,000 Blades

One of several bonding exercises that ultimately ended the feuds was the ‘Forging of 10,000 Blades; Easily the greatest of the exercises it was made mere days before they departed. The entire Taskforce was gathered on one of the Aulis System’s worlds around a temporary forge. With specially acquired ores from nearby systems, known for making brilliant black sword blades, the Astartes constructed 10,000 Blades. Each blade was a gift for another Astartes, that they would then use in a series of duels to test the blade’s strength. They were not powerswords, but nearly monomolecular in their edge; Built to varying degrees towards ceremonial duty and functionality, it was often that the forger built the blade to their own ideal and the receiver understood the fundamental thinking of the other marine; The easiest examples being the ornamental sabres made by the Emperor's Children, and the entrenching bayonets made by the would be Iron Warriors. Some marines were humbled, others were raised. While it was a random ballot for the most, the skilled techmarines and forgers were selectively paired with the commanders, honour guards and veterans of the Taskforce. Those forgers constructed powered blades in respect of their status. While it is colloquially known as the ‘Forging of 10,000 Blades’ the name is not accurate, more than 10,000 blades were constructed as Xenaphi insisted that Blades be made for their allies, the Lord Commanders of the Regiments, the Lord Admirals of their Navy, and the Barons of the Knight Houses; As well as any other significant individuals, in the present and possible future.

### Tragedy of the XI

"*I can confirm that they existed, but I cannot confirm to what extent. I only have the one quote; "They vanished, Emperor guide them, protect them, I cannot find them, his Elevenths' Sons, and all that accompanied them." This was cried by a Navigator, and held on in their own records untouched by the Inquisition. From which I initially proved the presence of both Lost Legions, as the House met their leaders and respective Navigators for a number of functions. This disaster curtailed a number of their arranged marriages and set their negotiations back. It was never resolved and these forces seem to never have returned. Remembrances record nothing, they even adulterated their auspex records to hide the anomaly. But I have one last detail, the Taskforce left beacons behind when they arrived to realspace, sensor probes to alert them should they arrive.*"
—Data excerpt, Arachus.

<ref number>, Logoff, Back, <RETURN>, or Help:

Logoff█