Personal Journal of Essiala Ariathia Sorjiik den Morgenstern ban Vor'cle, Navigatrix Primaris
Encryption Sigil: Vor'cle-HEXAMATIS-3920.numinous
Vessel: Gloriosa Lux Misericordiae Imperialis, rogue-trader of Dynasty Void-ghast
Location: Damaris System, Koronus Expanse, halo-Segmentus Obscurus
Date: 3.408.816.M41
Thought for the day: By the manner of our death are we judged.
< Prev Record: Preparations for War
> Next Record:
The first wave of Ork vessels have crashed upon the bulwark of our warhips and been broken. Gloriosa Lux and the mighty Aegis, accompanied by the system ships Temerity and Gothon struck two vast ork roks and their escorts from the void, sending them to burn to ash in Damaris’ atmosphere. The valiant Aegis stood firm under Lord Captain Locke’s command, weathering multiple strikes from the crude Orkish weapons and dealing savage damage to the Ork hulks. Temerity and Gothon flew and fought like raptorans, their machine spirits shining bright as true voidcraft as they engaged the foe.
Amid this contest of champions the lion’s share of valour was rightly claimed by Gloriosa Lux herself. The keen guidance of our helm and ferocious gunnery burned the heart from the Ork vessels, even as our valiant Lord Captain personally lead raid after scything raid deep into the heart of those lumbering behemoths.
Reports flowed in from local space as we surveyed the orbital space now strewn with the shattered wreckage of Orkish folly. The Ork had been routed all across the battlespace but victory was not absolute. A single rok had breached the defences commanded by Lord Blitz, battered and broken but still sturdy enough to weather landfall and disgorge its green horde onto Damaris’ soil. Disappointing but unfortunately expected, our defences were spread thin and the ork tide vast beyond counting.
Even as the fleet and the stalward Bulwak held back the oncoming tide, the war on Damaris began in earnest. Orbital fire cauterised the worst of the horde while the planetary garrison showed courage and discipline far greater than anyone could have expected from them.
The next assault came struck without warning. I and the other navigators aboard the void-craft around the planet had been observing the deep system to ascertain the location of the Ork redoubt. The intense radiative flux from the Caeruleum-Gigans primary angered the machine spirits of our augers, streaking their hololith displays with jagged storms of data ghosts and impeding even my best efforts. We were able to determine that at another wave of roks and escorts were descending into the gravity well but they were calculated to be at least 018 standard from engagement range. Then a tremour in the immaterium stirred my True Sight and collision alarms began to blare.
External augers showed ork warships directly ahead, still steaming with the volatile unrealities of the Immaterium. The suicidal xenos had made a suicide dive transit deep into the gravity well of the system. One of their vessels had not survived the manouevre but three more, battered and scarred but ready for war, turned their guns on our fleet. Once more our skills overcame brutish alien muscle. Noble Gloriosa was wounded by the beasts but survived to stand across their wreckage due to the exceptional skills of the system-ship Temerity, once more proving that at least some on this fringe world have true Imperial mettle.
The surprise attack rattled even the brave defenders of Damaris. If we could not locate and strike back at the ork redoubt then we would forever be on the defensive against the brutes. An effort was made to use the wake of the Ork transit to trace the location of their base in the outer system, with a mad plan of making our own surprise assault in kind. Him on Terra favours the bold but I fear that boldness is beyond even His blessings, for the brutality of the Ork assault had churned the Immaterium almost to the point of an aetheric storm and immediate Class.IIa resanctification measures were implemented to protect Gloriosa and impeach Him on Terra to protect us in times of strife.
It was amidst these preparations that contact was made with another party to our war. An aeldari vessel was descending toward Damaris, weapons idle and transmitting a message offering assistance against the Ork horde. Lord Captain Void-Ghast was rightly hesitant to treat with the perfidious xenos but felt that the direness of our situation was great enough to simply speak with the creatures. If matters of treachery occurred, we could simply strike them down. A single aeldari frigate was no match for our defensive fleet.
An arrangement was made to meet in the wilderness of Damaris, far from the threats of Orks and potential misunderstandings, and perhaps for another reason. Deep within the unsettlingly verdant forest of wild Damaris lay strange ruins, evidently xenos in origin and similar to aeldari structures in their wide curving lines and crystalline decoration. The aeldari arrived before I could complete my examination of the structures, but I have included a full pict record of the structures for the examination of sufficiently sanctioned xenographers.
The aeldari made a capable pretense of negotiation. Only one spoke, identifying itself as Bhaine Dhûn of the Craftworld Kaelor and stated that an ork victory on Damaris would set matters in motion that would threaten his home. To that end it offered us information, knowledge of a location where the ork warboss would be in 018 standard without the full protection of his fleet, and a promise that the ork would not be slain unless we saw its head taken from its shoulders. This is obvious aeldari perfidy. These xenos do not help us unless it is in their interests, but the information provided offers a chance we did not have before. A counter attack is possible and the war may be won.
Addendum: Additional Data
I have included a full holopict recording of the aeldari datavault and all of its contents. It appears to be an extremely advanced astrograph of the outer planet Skadi and location where the Ork command vessel will be located. Full containment protocols have been followed to prevent any contagion from xenos datagheists.
I have also included a full record of Lord Void-Ghast’s negotiations with the aeldari, including his “dance of thanks” and the aeldari weapon he has acquired.
