+++ PLANETARY STATUS VERIFICATION +++
+++ SIGNAL PRIORITY: ALPHA +++
+++ TRANSMISSION DATE: 1 425 013 . M3 (FOUNDING) +++
+++ TRANSMISSION RECEIVED: 5 317 013 . M39 (TERRAN) +++
+++ MESSAGE SOURCE: XXXXXXXXXXX(censored) +++
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:The Emperor's mercy knows no limits.
BEGIN:
My Lords, it is my pleasure to be able to report that the xenos incursion previously reported has been driven into retreat. The situation was not promising until the last 17 days (terran) when almost overnight the advance appeared to stall and has since been in continuous recession.
Astropathic communion has been suppressed until recent days, suspected due to the presence of a number of Tyranis Zoanthropus genus in the vicinity of Astrophathic Chorus base. In addition, reports indicated the presence of Tyranis Tyrant and Carnifexis genus as well as numerous smaller specimens of the Hormagaunt, Termagant and Genestealer strains.
Explanation for the sudden change was difficult to ascertain although the following report may shed some light upon its cause. As we have reclaimed sections of Hive Okess, cleansing them of the xeno's taint, we have been able to collect reports from various hive lurkers and pockets of isolated PDF that were holding out. Of course, these individuals have also been cleansed of potential taint, welcoming the Emperors mercy.
It is my belief that the intervention of a previously unknown Astrates taskforce may have played a significant role in the repulsion of the Tyranid infestation. I was unaware of the presence of any Astartes forces within the sub-sector, and your previous reports had suggested that reinforcements were not available. I include excerpts and transcriptions of testimony obtained (some willingly) from witnesses.
We were outnumbered, there was nothing we could do to stem the tide, we just hoped we could hold out long enough to make a difference. We'd been repulsing wave after wave of the smaller types, being forced into progressively smaller sub-sections of the hive block. That was when Trooper Grath started to lose it. Mumbling about them coming, raving, decrying our chances. I guess he had something of the taint in him, must have been missed in the screening. It was a warning although we didn't realise it. Eventually we had to end it for his and our benefit, but it was too late, I guess he'd acted like a beacon, they were coming.
This time it wasn't just the little ones, there were huge creatures, constructs of flesh and shell, like living tanks. Nothing we had could even touch them, let alone have a chance of doing any significant damage. I rallied the men as best I could, but we knew that was the end.
-- Sgt. R. Sancar, 4th
The following are a collection of statements from various troopers, compiled and sorted to an approximation of chronological order:
It was as if they appeared from nowhere, one second we are facing a horde of approaching xeno filth, next second there are marines crashing to the ground all around us and you couldn't hear anything over the whine of the turbines in their jump pack.
They didn't appear like the Astartes you see in the picts and vids, something subtly wrong about them. It was their armour I think, it just didn't look like the stuff you normally see, I mean, look at this pict I captured, it just looks strange.
 |
Pict capture
(original source has been confiscated and consigned as per standard containment protocol) |
There were at least two squads at the start, and some kind of commander, he was definitely directing things. The all of a sudden, from up on high, thundering cannons from a giant form, much bigger than a standard sentinel. I have no idea where they came from, they were like ghosts.
