In the Grimdark Sector with a System

Author Notes:

Oh boy, this new GSS chapter is a bit of a doozy.

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Barring the fact Mama and Tsavorae were sandwiching Weiss and me and were looking at us meaningfully in the Rhino, the ride to the crashed Battlestar was mostly uneventful. The trip was a short one, owing to the speed of the Rhinos and Chimeras. When we got to the void ship, the Sensor-skulls deployed by the Thunderhawks weren't done with their initial scan. As such, instead of standing around and doing next to nothing, the Joint Task Force started setting up a Base of Operations, bringing in even more material to secure and fortify the crash site. Since the previously hidden Traitors revealed themselves to the Battlestar, it would be prudent to bolster our defense and deny our nemesis of the prize.

That train of thought then leads us to this point, moments after the Sensor-skulls deem that the Battlestar is not an environmental threat to a boarding party.

"How should we proceed with this, Mama?" I call out to my adopted mother, who is surveying the tech priests, who are cutting a hole for entry.

"You ever commit a boarding action before, Ein?" Mama asks, turning to look at me with a small smile.

I shake my head, answering. "Can't say I did, Mama. The closest thing we did to a boarding action was raiding the Traitors' hideout in an underground maze. There was little to no lighting back then and the air quality was bad enough that we had to wear our masks constantly. Our enemy back then knew the terrains and set up ambushes everywhere. Had we made the wrong decision to split up our unit, we would be picked off, one by one."

Mama pats me on the shoulder with her armored hand, making me look up at her.

"Then this will be much of the same for you. Your 3rd Platoon will accompany us for the initial breach to clear out the insertion point. Afterward, a unit of Tech-priests will come aboard to analyze our path deeper into the ship. The Sensor-skulls managed to slip in between some of the smaller cracks in the voidship's armor platings, but they couldn't give us a proper view of the internal areas. We know that the vessel has sealed bulkheads but for the most part, we will be heading in blind." She winks at me. "But don't worry, this time around, the Order and the Salamanders have your back."

Not gonna lie, I can't help but feel a surge of happiness at the reassurance. It's not every day that you can feel the love of your mother in the 40K universe. My feelings seem to be transmitted onto my face so Mama giggles before patting my head, now with my helmet off. Together, we watch as members of the JTF go about their tasks in our Base of Operations.

Cadian 8th Guardsmen and Guardswomen are either on patrol, standing guard, or are unloading war and building materials from the back of Valkyries and Tauroxes. To further transport the materials and to prop them up as bunkers, walls, and watchtowers, the 8th's Combat Engineer Battalion uses Centaur and Land Crawler armored utility vehicles. Ultimately, the 8th's engineers will construct multiple outposts and checkpoints around the crash site. Although the Tech-priests are entrusted with breaching the Battlestar, the Cadian engineers are enlisted to be the brawl, working in tandem with the brain power and sophisticated machinery the Tech-priests bring along.

Still, the bulk of firepower and defensive capability lies not in the experienced Cadian 8th. For all of our lasrifles and Lascannons, we are no match for the alpha strike the Sisters of Battle or the Salamander Space Marines are capable of dishing out. They bring with them not just bolters and power armor but also enough war vehicles that can kick the Cadian 8th bruised and battered in a stand-up fight. From the ubiquitous Rhino APCs to even the rarer Deimos Pattern Predator Destructors fielded by the Salamander Space Marines. Or the heavily armed and protected Thunderhawk gunships to the blazingly fast Land Speeders that can give the 8th's Leman Russes a run for their money... Yeah, suffice to say, the JTF's Base of Operations is armed to the teeth. Rue be the day for any Traitor that dares to meander to this crash site.

Overkill? More like underkill. When dealing with Traitors and Heretics, overwhelming firepower is a necessity. Honestly, due to the express nature of the situation, the JTF hasn't been able to deploy many of their heavier units. Words fly around that Colonel Mustahim is bemoaning the fact that he can't contribute a Baneblade for the JTF's cause just yet. Though apparently, the Salamanders are in the process of dropping a Land Raider planetside so... More dakka?

Jokes aside, the Battlestar of interest is somewhat buried in the ground. Its ventral hangars are nowhere to be seen while the fore-end of the voidship is trapped beneath a large mound of dirt and debris. The Battlestar has clearly seen combat, owing to the deformations, scorched marks, cracks, and holes along its hull. There are many of its visible kinetic turrets being destroyed by hostile fire, rather than being disabled by the crash on Cadia. By the look of it, half of the engines of the Battlestar are also gone, their parts are strewing across the mile-long trench it left behind. Funnily enough, it's easier for us to just fly up to a random hole on the dorsal hull of the Battlestar and board the vessel there. Yet, owing to logistical concerns, a decision was reached to start cutting an entry point into the voidship's upper portside pod/hangar. Even with the battle scars running all over the ship, one can barely make out the inscriptions on the flight pods.

Pegasus.

Now that name, heh, it sure brought back memories. Of all the Battlestars that could have ended up here, it has to be one of the unluckiest ones. I wonder, is it Commander Adama or stupid Cain who made the jump, only to end up in a different universe altogether? More than that, how did they even manage to wade through not just the Multiverse but also the Omniverse? I highly doubt the Shoggoths in between the verses would ignore a steel alligator punching a hole through the fabrics of reality. Unless, this whole thing is planned, of course, and I remain hopeful that I can turn this thing into a boon for the Imperium. Despite the parabolic technological curve of the Imperium of Man, there exists more than just a Blink Drive on the Battlestar that can hopefully be replicated for a greater cause. The Raptor dropship, for once, is one of the few voidcraft that is both small but FTL-capable. The Tech-priests will have a field day trying to figure out how to miniaturize such a craft with glee, for sure.

My mulling is cut short when Tsavorae comes close to Mama and me. With her helmet being held close to her hip, Tsavorae says. "Elyzabeth, Ein, the Tech-priests say they're just about done with the breach. Should we gather the boarding party?"

Mama and I share a look, with me conveying my readiness with a nod. Mama smiles, replying. "Round up the Guards, our Sisters, and the Space Marines. Whatever comes next, we face it together."

I chuckle. "Well said, Mama. May the Emperor bless us with a fruitful endeavor."

"Indeed, my girl. Indeed." Mama then turns to me. "Have you picked a suitable loadout for the task?"

I grin, hoisting up something behind me with my left hand. Bringing it to the front, I reveal it to be a black ballistic shield with a hidden surprise. Adorned on the front face of the shield is an Imperial Aquila inscription with its talons grasping the words:

Black Steel.

Giggling at the raised eyebrow of Mama and Tsavorae, I say. "I'll be bringing something that can bash some heads in."

"A notion that I find myself nodding in approval." Comes the comment of Chapter Master Tu'shan from behind us.

Following the Chapter Master's steps are his Chief Librarian and Honor Guards. Trailing behind them as well is Sergeant Johnson who is leading the rest of 3rd Platoon. With their arrival, the boarding party can be considered assembled and ready for deployment.

Mama nods at everyone, saying. "Well then, shall we?"

Battlestar Pegasus, excuse us for our intrusion.