Gehenna

The huge blast doors rolled back with a screech of tortured metal. The guard winced, but Princeps Cullunch found the noise comforting. It proved that he was still alive and was about to board another titan under his command. Both had been in the balance over the past few days thanks to an early catstrophe during the Gehenna pacification which had seen the other two Titans in Cullinch's battle group, Carnivore and Castigator, destroyed by Ork Mega Gargants in a maelstrom of fire. He'd barely survived him self, his Reaver Titan Clavigera fighting on by sheer will power. As he and his crew limped back to the transport, Culluch was sure he'd be lucky to command a scout buggy after the Adjutant Assessors finished their investigation.

However he had lived, and the inquiry had absolved him of any guilt. He'd been sent to the front, and no sooner had he rejoined his unit than they had boarded the transport ship Invictorium and the orders had come through for an immediate warp jump. The Legio Metalica was going to war.

Cullunch snapped back from his reverie as the screeching of the blast doors stopped and the huge expanse of the fourth hold spread out before him. Most of the massive chamber was in darkness, power expenditure being kept to a minimum to allow the the warp engines to force the city sized transport ship through the immaterium of the warp space. Here and there a spot light illuminated the bulky forms of titans. Adaptus Mechanicus repair crews swarmed over the inert machines, sparks drifting to the floor as replacement armour was attatched, conduits were re-established and power lines secured. Many of the spare parts would probably been canibalised from Clavigera which, when he had last seen it, had been a shattered wreck unable to complete the last few hundred years to board the Invictorium under its own power. As the Reaver Titan had been loaded aboard by the massive hoists and cranes of the recovery platforms, Cullunch had almost wept. He had lost his Tiatn, his home and his family. Everything his life had revolved around from the time he had been first been inducted into training at the Acad emia of the Legio Metalica.

He gave his assignment to Captain Harro, the officer on watch. He and Harro were old friends, but now the grey haired veteran looked impassively past his sholder and spoke in a clipped tone.

"Bay Epsilon ninety eight."

Pondering the Deck officer's strange mood, Culunch commandeered a passing transcoot and set off for the storage bay where his new Titan awaited him. Epsilon segment was the repair section of the hold and Cullunch suspected that he had been given a trashed piece of junk. He'd been seconded to the reservists, fit only for mopping up what the bulk of the Legion couldn't be bothered to finish off.

As he entered Epsilon ninety eight, the bulk of a Titan blocked out the faint pin pricks of lights that shone from the end of the bay, nearly three quaters of a mile away. As he approached the dormant Titan the hairs on the back of his neck rose up - a premonition. At least they had given him another Reaver, he thought as he peered up towards the command center in the masive head. He took a pace in the direction of the mounting gantry and paused. There was something familiar about this machine, the way it settled more on its left hip tan the right, the slight angle of its right weapon hardpoint...

The fuul lights blazed on blinding the Princeps. As he shielded his eyes against the harsh light he saw his crew emerging from the shadows. The Moderati, already kitted out combat interface suits, Tech priest Uldante who had been responsible fro saving his hide so many times.

Astride the docking ramp, Clavigera stood like an ancient god of war. The many scars of past battles were proudly displayed like tokens of bravery and defience, and a new battle honor had been added to its banner - a full credit for the Gehenna victory. Princeps Cullunch whispered a prayer to the divine Emperor and tears of pride rolled down hsi cheeks. It was good to be back.

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