Dead Cruiser

Star Wars - Invasion [multiverse spaceship RP]

Massive humanoid robots arrived after them, and the mood of the meeting immediately changed for the delegations from the Imperium of Man. None spoke the words aloud, but the same thought went through each of their minds: men of iron. Aximand seemed as though he was about to do something rash, and so Horus stayed him, putting his huge hand upon his son's armored forearm. This was not the time nor place for a fight, even if they did face down the ruination of mankind.

The briefing commence, and Horus studied O'Neill. He had the bearing of an experienced soldier, and Horus could see in his eyes that he had faced down the very threat he spoke of. Meanwhile, Sindermann idly tapped at the small, primitive cogitator they had been given, as he was the only person with fingers small enough to manipulate the keyboard. Horus would have to send the technology to be assessed and dissected by his tech-adepts the next chance he got.

Abaddon gave something of a growling chuckle as O'Neill finished his briefing. "General, I think you'll find that ballistic weapons are a specialty of ours." He snapped his fingers in front of Axmiand, who reluctantly cleared his weapon and set it down on the table to be inspected by the other parties. "The Tigrus-pattern boltgun, in its humble glory. Multiple fire selectors, infra-red targeting linkup, and fires a point six-aught gyrojet-assisted mass-reactive shell." The bolter was a staggering weapon, so large that an unaided human could barely lift it, much less bring it about to fire. "We have twenty thousand ready to issue, and six-hundred in the hands of capable Astartes soldiers."

Horus stepped forward, his First Captain retreating to allow the Warmaster to speak. "We can provide armaments, should you need them. However, I feel that the surest course of action would be to begin orbital bombardment of the areas confirmed to have replicator activity."

---

"I have heard enough of this." Picard spoke, his voice hard with restrained anger, and rose from his seat. "Trillions of lives are at stake on this world alone, and you wish to make this into, what, one of your war games?" He accused Horus. The entire time the Warmaster had been speaking, Troi had been whispering to Picard and Riker, telling them of the darkness that lurked in the demigod's heart.

He turned then to O'Neill, seeing him as a more reasonable figure, "General, you said that the replicators are capable of manifesting humanoid-level intelligence. Would it be possible to communicate with them, reason with them? Surely they would be able to see the logic in brokering a peace, if we are already willing to sacrifice countless innocents to ensure their destruction. There must be some need of theirs that we could accommodate."

Star Wars - Invasion [multiverse spaceship RP]

The only consideration I really have is with said characters literally jumping ship to join the Green Lanterns. Starfleet has historically taken a dim view of their officers abandoning their posts to join paramilitary organizations.

Horus has other ways of dealing with those not completely loyal to him.

Star Wars - Invasion [multiverse spaceship RP]

I will try and get a post up before then. Hoping to feel up to it tomorrow ideally.

ʜᴀᴡᴛʜᴏʀɴᴇ ᴀᴄᴀᴅᴇᴍʏ [A Murder Mystery, Supernatural Dark Academia RP]

Multiple characters sounds interesting. Lets me flex a little bit with my ideas. I wonder if a character that's a psychic rather than a wizard would be permitted?

ʜᴀᴡᴛʜᴏʀɴᴇ ᴀᴄᴀᴅᴇᴍʏ [A Murder Mystery, Supernatural Dark Academia RP]

This looks cool. I'd like to hear some more of the ins and outs of supernatural beings and their communities.

Star Wars - Invasion [multiverse spaceship RP]

Obi-Wan doing a vibe check on Horus is going to be hilarious. He's got the prophetic ruination of an entire galactic empire and 10,000 years of brutal warfare hanging over him. I wonder how all that clocks to the medichlorians.

Star Wars - Invasion [multiverse spaceship RP]

OK I snuck a quick post in there.

Star Wars - Invasion [multiverse spaceship RP]

Smiling and bowing to the junior officer receiving them, Sindermann returned to within the stormbird, and soon emerged from it again, flanked by titans. Pounding down the landing ramp after him were the tank-like ceramic-armored figures of Astartes Legionnaires, each one seven feet tall or close to it. Four marched out, one after another, bolters slung and helms carried ceremoniously under their arms. The last of the four to emerge, Malgohurst, limped rather than marched proudly, and leaned on the golden standard of the Warmaster like a walking staff.

The four Astartes made ranks in front of the landing ramp, and awaited the Warmaster. Then, he emerged. Like a moving mountain of metal and black ceramic plate, Horus Lupercal emerged in his panoply of war, the Serpent's Scales. He carried no weapons, not even his famed Talon of Horus, but was arrayed in heavy terminator plate armor all the same. He stomped out, proportionately larger to his Astartes warriors as they were to baseline humans, with Abadddon trailing behind him, seeming so much like his Primarch's miniature double.

They marched silently through the corridors, following the lead of the attending officer. Loken caught sight of a few more officers scattered in the landing bay and halls, and noticed their similarity to one another. Far too close to be familial or ethno-genetic. "Look. Clones." He said, low enough that only the men next to him could hear. Horus grunted in acknowledgement. Advanced genetic manipulation was a technology that Horus was more than familiar with.

They eventually reached their destination, Horus shuffling sideways to fit his armored bulk through the door, and stood at their end of the conference hall, not bothering to test their weight against the clearly insufficient seating.

"I hope I did not keep you waiting overly long. I am Warmaster Horus Lupercal." He gestured with an armored hand to his company, "These are my Mournival, my most trusted military advisors."

---

Picard smiled and greeted O'Neill, returning his handshake warmly, "General, a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Captain Jean-Luc Picard, of the Federation starship Enterprise." Even if it was not their own Earth these people were from, it was still a relief to have fellow Earthlings as part of the delegation. "These are my associates: my first officer, Commander William Riker, and ship's counselor Deanna Troi."

Will stepped forward to shake hands. "I'm glad you appreciate the uniforms." He gave them an infectious grin. "They're a proud part of our heritage. Starfleet officers have worn these colors for nearly three-hundred years."

"I think you would cut a striking figure in one, General." Troi added, teasingly.

Star Wars - Invasion [multiverse spaceship RP]

OK so just figure the Enterprise crew landed and are waiting wherever they got shuffled to.

Horus and company are showing up hours after everybody else because they were so far away.

Star Wars - Invasion [multiverse spaceship RP]

"They're both very anxious, perhaps even suspicious, but neither is deceiving you." The ship's empathic Counselor, Deanna Troi, said to Picard. "They genuinely wish to cooperate."

Picard rose from his chair and tugged down his blouse, saying, "That's a perfectly good place to start. Number One, Mister Data, Counselor, you're with me."

Data rose from his seat and said, "Captain, with your permission, I would like to stay behind on the Enterprise to conduct a series of experiments. I am concerned about the possibility that the physical laws of this universe may not correlate exactly to our own, and therefore may interfere with our more advanced technology, such as the transporter and warp engine."

Picard nodded. "Permission granted. Mister Worf, prepare a shuttle."

---

From the launch bay closest to the command section of the Vengeful Spirit, three quarters of a kilometer below it, the stormbird transport ship Rapture departed the vessel, turning subtly, flying in a wide arc toward the Exodus. It was a vessel painted pitch-black, with gold accoutrements as well as bearing Horus' personal heraldry, his burning red Eye. Two more craft like it, Ragnarok and Kali Yuga stayed docked aboard the flagship.

Horus looked out through the portcullis of the cockpit out into open space, and the planet below them as it slowly grew closer and occluded more of their view. He wanted to get a good look at the world that might be the final resting place for his sons, if he did not act prudently. He directed the navigator to show him a magnified occulus feed of the Exodus and its escort. The cruisers were fine vessels, and he admired the simplicity of their design; they clearly were of ease for this civilization to mass produce, as Coruscant's orbit was thick with them. Despite the elegance of their design, a ship of this size the Vengeful Spirit would blow to smithereens with a single direct hit. For that matter, he left a standing order aboard the Vengeful Spirit to do just that to any ship that attempted to leave Coruscant's atmosphere.

It would be hours yet before they arrived. Their distant posture did have its drawbacks. He turned away from the cockpit and rejoined his Sons within the ship's hold. Horus' Mournival were no more than ten paces from him at all times. Abbadon, his choleric First Captain, stood close at his flank, combi-bolter held at attention. At his other flank was his equerry, Malgohust, arrayed in his life-support modified armor, leaning heavily on Horus' golden standard. Close at hand were phlegmatic Loken, polishing his silver-green helmet, melancholic "Little" Horus sharpening his knife, and sanguine Torgaddon pestering him. Also loaded into the hold were two squads of veteran Legionnaires, five members of the Justaerin terminator squad (to match Abaddon, arrayed in his black terminator armor) and a slumbering dreadnought. Horus had no intention to show most of this to his hosts, but kept them on hand in case a demonstration was necessary. And if for any particular reason things happened to turn sour, they were backup.

After their long flight, Rapture arrived to dock in the landing bay of the Exodus. At first it did not seem that the craft would fit in the bay, but its wings folded upward, narrowing its profile, and it slid in. The bay was secure, and therefore narrow, and the nose of the craft nearly touched the other end by the time the stern passed through the force field. A landing ramp on the side lowered, and a single human man descended. His clothing was simple, off-white, and inoffensively shapeless, with a draping hooded cloak. Underneath was an old man, with short, white hair, and lively, captivating eyes.

He stepped down to greet whatever officer remained to receive them, "My name is Kyril Sindermann, I am Iterator Primus. I speak, and listen, for the Primarch. He is within, and ready to be received. But I must ask on his behalf, that he be permitted an armed guard in his presence, and this bay, as well as all halls on his path to be cleared of nonessential personnel. He is an Imperial regent, and of great importance to our species, as well as a friend to me."