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<<Yes sir, Enginseer Dashkov. Worst case scenario is downed Marauder with full payload of ordinance consisting of twelve high explosive bombs in an internal bay and six heavy bombs on external mounts. Total ordinance weight of 4,800kg. Minimum safe distance of 225m. However, Imperial Guard Aerial Operations FM37-43, Section 14, Paragraph IX.a.ii for bomber operations when under heavy attack by fighters or anti-aircraft emplacements states that a pilot shall jettison his payload to increase maneuverability and therefore increase survivability of aircraft. In this case, minimum safe distance would be 20m.>>
There is a slight pause before Anatoly continues, <<Sir, If this is Imperial aircraft, I would like to volunteer to attempt recovery of cogitator cores and data matrices. Automatic flight recorder may yield useful information.>> And not that you give a Tinker's Damn, but the core is where the most critical portions of the Machine Spirit reside. <<If not Imperial, may I suggest reducing wreckage with concentrated fire before moving on to next objective?>>
Again a slight pause, <<Commissar, Bird Eye was shot down by heavy anti-aircraft fire as she returned from completed mission. I was shoulder deep in port stabilizer linkages and do not know, specifically, what manner of anti-aircraft fire took her down.>>
"That is unfortunate, Enginseer. I was under the impression that information is the highest currency in the Adeptus Mechanicus and this one should have been readily available on the vox net of any aircraft under attack." Only a slight furrowing of his brows convey the Commissars displeasure at this.
The Commissar then turns to Ensign Brazer.
"If it's one of ours then I would appreciate it if we could find a window of... lets say 10 minutes for the Enginseer to inspect the impacts which downed the craft and make an educated guess on whether they were fired from air or from ground. IF all available information is gained in a timely manner the rest of the time window can be used for... other work."
There is a short five or six second burst of binary chatter over the vox, then Anatoly speaks, <<To repeat what I just said: Yes, Commissar, information is important to Adeptus Mechanicus. Had crew of Bird Eye been initiates of Adeptus Mechanicus all, perhaps time would have been enough for that information to be shared over vox net. However, flesh voices communicate only so fast, and anti-aircraft weapons killed Bird Eye before positive identification could be made by pilots or sensor operators. That information is partially why yesterday I expressed tactical value in find location of remains of Bird Eye and attempt recovery of any data storage.>>
After a short pause, he continues, <<If you desire, I will transmit request for pertinent data that may have been automatically transmitted by Bird Eye's sensors before she died, if any such data exist.>>
MacGuyver can't help but snort at the exchange. Only a commissar would get into a subtle insult war with a tech priest.
Did I just hear that right? Did the commissar and the tech priest just snub eachother?
Great, so it's either my skin burning from a zealots badly aimed flamer, or my brain burning from volleyed insults as sharp as my own scalpel.
...
High command still subtly disapproves of their medics going insane and killing their team mates don't they?
"I do not remember asking for excuses, Enginseer. If the supply lines are cut off while we are out here then you will run out of ammo with us, freeze with us, starve with us and get hacked to pieces by orks with us. In no particular order. So if you have any way of acquiring further data concerning this mission you had better get to it. Yesterday. And I would be quite pleased if you did not have to remind you of your duties any further, otherwise I will have to think up discplinary measures and I hear the commanders secretaries are always having trouble with spilled recaf and lho stick ash in one cogitator or the other."
"Sir, would the secondary point defence armaments of Marauder Bombers or Destroyers hold anything of value for our crew? We could try risking salvaging some ammo while the Enginseer does his...thing. Otherwise, I'm all for blowing it all to hell to make sure the orks can't salvage anything."
I likein' that idea, sir. The heavier we c'n roll the happier I'll be. MacGuyver comments.
Getting involved in disputes between officers, commissars and tech priests couldn't be considered good for your health, Liam thus is very demonstratively quiet.
I wish I had some sort of silence generator, just to strengthen the effect of me being quiet...
Anatoly codes a request for any automatically transmitted data from Bird Eye during the last few minutes of her mission, as well as any similar data from other aircraft that encountered AA activity in this region. He codes it with Commissar Ansley's ident and sends the binary burst off.
<<I offer no excuse, Commissar. Statement of fact is not same as excuse. It is possible HQ will have data you request. I have transmitted request and will inform you when we receive reply from HQ.
In addition, I have appended to request any terminal end-of-mission data from aerial operations in this sector. Perhaps information from other downed aircraft will increase understanding of anti-aircraft threat in sector.>>
What a jumped up pollywog. He clearly has very little experience with servants of the Omnissiah. If only I could be so lucky as to spend hours ministering to the holy cogitators at HQ. And I have at least one weapon that will NOT run out of ammo, by the blessings of the Omnissiah, so there! Though it is probably a good thing he cannot hear my internal dialogue. Summary execution of Enginseers is rare, but has happened. Perhaps I shall adopt a more servile demeanor, as he is obviously as lacking in humor as all the other commissars I have encountered.
So this is what it feels like to be the only sane man in a group of dangerous, ARMED lunatics? Did my master chirurgeon book mention something about self lobotomising?
Bolus stops humming to interject. We are all servants of the most high Emperor. Whether as Master of Mankind or as the Omnissiah. Conflict between his children is displeasing to him. We must turn our wrath on the Xenos who dared attack our aircraft.
"Quite right, which is what I am trying to do, father. Notify me _if_ you get anything useful, Enginseer." and switches off the channel on his combead he used to talk directly to the Enginseer.
The Commissar makes a mental note to have the Enginseer assigned to personal tech support for the 134 year old head secretary between missions.
The one with the persecution issue who is convinced the cogitator is out to get her, changing her input the moment she turns around but at the same time thinks of herself as a tech wizard, knowing better than anyone else and while not engaged in rants about knowing better or how the cogitator is out to get her loves to 'gossip' about her latest medical issues - totally ignoring disinterest and/or disgust in the issues by the other party.
Brazer nods at the assessment of the squad.
"Hmm, yeah, now that you mention that regulation ... It kinda feel familiar.
Ok lets take a close look, eh?
Who can say no to a ton of autocannon ammo and promethium. And … tech-things."
MacVyger, you heard it.
Rock'n'Roll!
Alberto, stop playing cards and get up top, you're having pintle-duty.
Keep your eyes open.
Tolkov, you're already connected to the spirits I guess …
I take it you are able to control the main turret to great effect? Then do so.
Everyone else to the gunports, equipment at your side.
Once we've reached that bird, we're gonna do a thorough search&loot."
Margret continues its path up the hill. Above the hilltop the black smoke is billowing ominously. Longleg takes up a flanking position, easily keeping up with the progress of the much heavier APC.
As you reach the top, a narrow valley lies before you, encircled by hilltops like the one you just conquered.
A nearly one kilometer long scar runs from the top of the westernmost hilltop down the valley. At the very end of the scar, you can see the wreckage of a flyer. Thick smoke billows around the crash site, making it difficult to make out details.
MacGuyver holds the petal to the metal and drives a pretty much straight line toward the crash site. He swings around to face they wreck broadside about 25 meters from the crash and punches the button to release the ramp.
Anatoly interfaces with any sensors that Margret has to scan the surrounding area. Interesting that S1C-1837 prefers to be addressed as Margret. It is uncommon for a Chimera's machine spirit to develop that much individuality. How old must she be?!
Anatoly's voice, showing a rare bit of emotion, is a little strained as it comes over the Vox, <<Margret is being a little stubborn with her sensors. Perhaps S1S-96134, Longleg, can do a sweep while I convince her to cooperate?>>
"Never taking a step without checking my Auspex, 'seer."
The prompt reply of the sentinel echos over the vox.
"Still to far out to receive anything though.
This old model cannot discern a grox from more than 30m out..."
Anatoly, make sure you're runnin' somethin' that talks nice to root firmware vers'n 12427.767.53a checksum a2c2 "Yeeger" on yer duplex interfaces. The Old Girl has some kind o' spat with some mechanus bios versions.
As you close in on the crashed flyer, you can make out some more details.
It most certainly was once a proud Imperial flyer, considering the base layout and Aquila symbol that is easy to make out over the distance.
While you still struggle with the last quirks of Margret, following the (uninformed but not that far off) tips of your driver, your enhanced memory flashes with reminiscences.
The topology ...
The type of the crashed flyer ...
The direction of flight ...
The fact that the engines are no where to be seen ...
The three numbers that can be discerned on its side ...
This IS the wreckage of 'Birdeye'!
"Hoioi, they came down hard, Brazz!"
The voice from Alberto carries down to you only due to your com-beads, since the roaring engine ans well as
the wind would have made normal talking all but inveasable.
"I don't think anyone made it out of that one.
Can't even see its main engines anymore. Must have been blasted away by the impact or enemy fire."
Are we free to approach Commisar? Bolus asks.
"The Enginseer is, Father. Everyone else will probaly want to remember what a perimeter looks like, althought the final say on that is with Ensign Brazer."
Hearing the words 'Perimeter' being uttered by the Commissar, the Stormtrooper quickly looks for the nearest available bit of high ground - or whatever might suitably pass for it - as they approach the crash so that he can take position as soon as they arrive.
"Well, so far so good; no sign of any greenskins yet..." he mutters to himself.
The wreckage is more or less in the middle of a valley encircled by three hilltops to the north, south and west.
Your chimera is rumbling down a pretty steep hill (so any position at the approach will probably count as 'high ground' up to the last ~100m which are pretty flat).
The smoke seems to billow from three different location from inside the wreckage, filling the immediate area around the flyer with smoke. Inside a 20m radius around the central mass is a wide scattering of debris from the once pristine flyer. Some only as big as a clenched fist but others the size of fuel barrels. Inside this area, the whole ground seems to be turned inside out - it reminds you of the crop-fields of your homeworld after the giant harvesting machines have passed through...
Anatoly checks the communication protocols he is using against the ones identified by MacGuyver, and finds to his surprise, that the trooper is almost spot on, <<You are almost entirely correct ...>> His voice trails off as Margret's sensors finally start working properly. He checks the sensor data again. There can be no doubt. Once he is sure, he finds his emotions unsettled enough that it takes whole seconds for him to process the situation enough to begin moving again. His voice over the vox net is unsteady and full of actual restrained emotion, <<Ensign Brazer. By His name, there is no doubt. Lack of dorsal turret. Tail fragment bears last three digits of desgination '62E'. Engines are missing entirely, no engine wreckage at all. Even orientation of direction of crash. This is wreck of S1MV-43962E, Bird-Eye. Sir, this is Vigilant pattern reconnaissance Marauder upon which I was assigned when shot down. Missing engines were .. taken and .. attached .. to Ork abomination Trooper Gerring gave life to destroy.>> There is a long enough pause that it seems Anatoly might be done speaking before he finishes in a quiet voice, <<Permission to proceed with recovery attempt, sir?>>
Brazer needs a moment to get over that piece of information he obviously didn't expect.
"Huh, that's your bird?
Mech-God was really watching yer iron parts, if ye survived that crash.
'f course your free to proceed.
Guess yu've got ... stuff to do with yer old love."
As you get close to the wreckage area the auspex starts to pick up weak life sign scattered around the wreckage area in a rough half-circle.
In addition the auspex' machine spirits warns you of submerged metal objects that may indicate mines.
Or debris from the crash.
Or anything else metallic.
It seems odd that the wreckage is still burning after several days.
Anatoly told you that he was captured by the orks after the initial crash several days ago - and now the wreckage seems still burning like it just had freshly crashed.
It's odd. Promethium usually burns off rather quickly.
But this smoke trail has remained solid for at least a couple of hours by now.
You don't know about the internals of the flyer but shouldn't the fuel tank either set off in a giant explosion or bit at all rather than burning off several hours in a rather controlled fashion like a candle?
Something bugs MacGuyver about this situation, but he can't put his finger on what...
Gah... It was really bugging him...
Anatoly proceeds toward the wreck on foot, a feeling of unease settling over him at the sight of the twisted wreck. At 30m he pauses, fiddling with the Auspex in his hands. His voice is once again an inflectionless near-monotone as he reports to Ensign Brazer, <<Sir, short-range auspex detects faint life signs around wreck and subterranean metallic contacts.>>
<<Also, sir, it seems odd that wreck still burning. Bird-Eye killed several days ago. Combustibles should have burned off or exploded long before now. I suggest Bird-Eye may be bait for ambush.>>
He takes a couple of steps closer, working with the auspex once more to try and get a more refined reading on either life signs or whatever is buried. He also tries to get the auspex to tell him what is actually burning.
"So...it seems unlikely to be anyone friendly.
Think about it, if you had survived such a crash, you'd want to put some distance between it and yourself, since the smoke and fire would draw attention fast."
"And as the engineseer said, it shouldn't still be burning at any rate, so someone deliberately set a new one, most likely to draw attention."
"Could the metalic objects be a trap of some sort perhaps?"
Foul Xenos. We must cleanse them to take revenge for their heresy in turning a blessed machine of the God Emperor into a trap for his servants Bolus spits.
"Uh yeah....what the father said..."
Liam scratched the back of his head and sighed internally.
Great, something woke his zeal up, we're in for it now.
"With this being ork-held territory there is exactly one thing we can be certian of: it cannot be anyting good. Ensign, a defensive formation of your choosing would be called for. And I would feel a lot safer with the Sentinels eyes seeing over the ridges of those hills, preferably a patrol passing each of them"
With that said the Commissar pulls his pistol free and exits the chimera, looking for a suitable piece of cover to crouch behind, taking aim at the downed aircraft ready to shoot any greenskin that might emerge and lowering his profile from any attacker or explosive trap.
For cover any rock, bolder or form of vegetation will do. If nothing solid is to be found then vegetation blurring his outlines and exact position will have to do.
Sir, If'n they be AP mines I could prob'ly clear the way with ma blade without much danger to neeone. If'n ya don't look that, requestin the wird t'turn broadside.
Just as the Commissar emerges down the rear ramp of the Chimera, walking over to an uneven hollow, an unnatural loud and deep voice bellows from within the wreckage carrying over to the dismounting squad with ease - even over the rumbling sound of the chimera.
At a dozen places around the wreckage, purple-painted Orks jump up from behind various debris they used for cover.
With their wild warcry they rush at you, swinging various bladed weapons over their heads. Cursing you note that they are less than two dozen steps from you - even closer for Anatoly who has taken lead with his auspex.
For a short second you notice a big Ork emerging from the ripped-open side of the wreckage, hitting a big red button mounted in the middle of his solid armor... then the ground shakes violently from the force of several close by subterranean detonations than causes ever one to search for their footing. Thick black smoke and dust billows up, hiding the big Ork again as well as half of the onrushing Orks from sight.
The Commissar is thrown to the ground as his world turns into a loud bang for a few moments
The surprising mini-earthquake causes the balancing-servos of the Sentinel to whine loud in protest of this
treatment and for a moment it seems to topple over, before it's Operator finally wrestles the walker back
under his control.
Ensign Brazer doesn't even flinch, balancing out the quake with his legs like a sailor, barking orders over
the vox.
"Kommandos incoming. Expect flanking maneuvers and a far spread line of advance.
Group around 'Margret'. If one of them gets to her, we're frakked.
Cover your backs and watch out for grenades.
Those buggers love explosives."
The (weird probably insane) CC expert of Brazers squad, everyone is referring to as 'Headache', falls to his
face as he exits the Chimera in a haste. A flurry of his short, wickedly sharp knives scatter all around him.
Alberto opens up with the Chimeras main turret, causing the series of lasbeams to wander over the closest pack of
Kommandos. To your surprise and horror most of them simply dodge several hits that should have hit them - only
one of them being luckless and getting hit twice. While he misses a good chunk of his left side, he continues
his rush towards Anatoly!
Macguyver curses and throws the vehicle into reverse, but doesn't move quite yet as tree ramp is down. Everybody get outta the front o'me! He calls, especially talking to the cogboy. I'm gonna roast 'em!
Foul Xenos and their trickery! Now the savages will swarm us Emperor burn their filthy hides! Bolus shouts as he keeps his footing.
HAH! I didn't fall for that one twice!
For a moment, Liam feels quite smug at having made sure to be strapped in, then it occurs to him that now he has to release himself and waste precious seconds.
Emperor dammit all...
Staggering, Anatoly finds himself flat on the ground with an enraged ork, Is there any other kind?, bearing down on him. Pushing himself off the ground with his manipulator, he balances lightly on his feet, ready to either parry or dodge out of the way of any attack.
Having been one of the first out of the Chimera as he went to look for high ground upon which to perch as the rest of the crew went about securing the location, Aurius ever ready for trouble in the field, is not caught off-guard as the earth shakes and rumbles beneath his feet. Turning back quickly to the Chimera to make sure everyone behind him was fine, backs up a bit to cover the Commissar who's fallen and attempts to provide cover as the xenos start rushing in.
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