Darnath Lysander - The Crusade of Thunder Begins: With Vladimir Pugh's edict, momentum for the Crusade of Thunder began to grow. However, Lysander’s command as yet consisted only of some thirty warriors and the Battle Barge Storm of Wrath. It was the foundation of a mighty force, but little more. The 3rd’s losses would have to be replenished before the campaign could truly begin.Seven Sergeants had been lost on Taladorn and, for the most part, their replacements were chosen from those brothers who had survived that battle. Sergeant Garadon was surprised when Lysander consulted him about which of the 3rd Company's warriors were most suitable for promotion. As with almost every word that passed between the two at that time, the conversations were stilted and awkward, with both men making a poor show of hiding their mutual dislike. Nevertheless, Garadon experienced the first sparks of a grudging respect for his new captain, if only for the professionalism with which he took to his new duties. This grew further when Lysander confirmed that he was content for Garadon to remain in position as Squad Primus’ sergeant, and even offered a grudging apology for the previously-threatened demotion. Garadon took both of these things with much the same ill-grace as they were offered. In the end, several of the vacant sergeants’ positions were filled by survivors of Taladorn, two by sergeants from the 7th Company, and one by the respected Sergeant Odan, a 1st Company Veteran.With the appointments determined, the replenishment draft began. Many of the 3rd Company’s new warriors – some sixty battle-brothers in all -- came from the reserve companies. Captain Jonas’ 7th Company, which had itself recently returned from a campaign amongst the Ghoul Stars, contributed almost forty Tactical Marines, which at Lysander’s instruction were divided amongst the battle-worn squads. Thus, no unit would be manned entirely by the less experienced warriors of the reserve companies. The remaining inductees were Scouts that Lysander personally selected from the 10th Company. He took only the most promising recruits, those that the irascible Captain Monteith considered ready to make the transition to full battle-brother. These, like the inductees from the reserves, were spread throughout the company.All told, the flurry of drafting and reassignment brought the 3rd Company’s roster up to its official strength of one hundred and five battle-brothers, plus support personnel and transport crew. Chaplain Markov, preserved from injury on Taladorn by the Emperor’s grace – and by the force field within his Rosarius – relished his company’s restoration. He prowled the Storm of Wrath’s decks in search of infractions performed by battle-brothers used to the laxer ways of the Chapter’s other Chaplains, who Markov mistrusted for the weakness he imagined them to possess. Brother Conrath, preserved from a second death by his armoured sarcophagus, had been carefully restored to full function by the Chapter’s Techmarines. He was joined by another Dreadnought, Brother Makan, who had been awoken from slumber specifically to lend his might to the crusade. Upon learning that Makan had once been Lysander’s sergeant, Garadon wondered whether Pugh's command stemmed from the desire to allow the captain an old comrade, or because the Chapter Master believed that Makan’s influence would ameliorate Lysander's stubbornness.With the ranks of the 3rd Company filled, Lysander requested -- and received -- an honour guard of 1st Company Terminators. He also requisitioned some thirty Centurion warsuits, several Vindicator and Predator battle tanks, and the Land Raider Legend of Roma. Not content with that, he then convinced Captain Monteith to assign three of his Scout Squads to the strike force, and Captain Hagen to part with three of the 5th Company's precious Stormtalon gunships. Only when the last of these Attack Craft were secured aboard the Storm of Wrath did Lysander at last order the Battle Barge to break formation with Phalanx and head out into the tides of the Warp.The Crusade of Thunder had begun, but none of those who set out upon the voyage knew where it would end...