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1124

Karibi, growing increasingly nervous at the prospect of running into a firefight, was grateful for the oppertunity to occupy his mind with something else. Perhaps it would even be an excuse to stay as far away from the shooting as possible.

"I'm sure I'll be able to pull that off." He replied, nodding solemnly.

1125

"Will the stormtroopers be securing the perimeter of the cathedral? If not we should post someone as a rear guard. I think Haxta's grenade launcher could be a liability if we truly desire to take the heretic captive, but it would prevent him from running."

1125, Day Three

"I believe the stormtroopers will be assaulting the town's perimeter on the ground. If they get caught up with the bishop's followers, we probably couldn't expect them to be present for our assault on the cathedral."

1125

"We'll make the decision at the cathedral then."

1126, Day Three

Milo laughed ruefully. "What is it that they say in the guard? 'Plans last until the first shot is fired,' right?"

1126

"Then it's in the hands of the Emperor and the wits of his servants."

1126-1200 Day Three:

"Quite", Ferringo comments as he stands and pockets the map. At a gesture the Quartermaster joins the party and starts handing out grav chutes and fitting them to everyone. The troopers pile into their Valkyrie and seat themselves as the two mortar crews start dropping bombs down the tubes. The air is filled with the *WHOMP* sound of them firing and the muzzle blasts kick up a cloud of dust and sand.

The party is loaded into the remaining Valkyrie and they both lift off in a blizzard of dust. The ride to the target is short, half way there you see the troopers gunship race ahead and figures drop out of it, plummeting towards the the entrance to the town. The air above the town is a haze of dust, smoke and a yellowish fog.

Ferringo turns to you and shouts, "masks on! We drop in two minutes." He turns to Nurk, who is dangling his legs off into the slipstream, taps him on the shoulder and motions putting a mask on.

The Valkyrie makes two passes over the cathedral, laying down fire at unseen targets before coming to a rapid halt over top of the dome. A green lamp lights up at the head of the compartment and Ferringo jumps up. "Go!" He shouts and follows Nurk out of the crew door into the air.

Tyyr wrote:1123 Day 3

"And if you drop behind the altar you will be dropping right into my line of fire. If you don't mind standing in the middle of where I'll be slinging bolts by all means go for it. Moving slightly to one side of the dome or other will keep us out of each other's lines of fire with minimal effect on how much we can cover. You don't stand on either side of someone and shoot at them, not unless you're eager to kill each other and them."

Enrick shook his head. "Little woman, my position won't be for dropping myself but for dropping bullets and frags behind the alter."

Mikey wrote:1124, Day Three - "I'm no professional soldier like you two," Trask said to the bickering guardsman and Sister of Battle, "but wouldn't it make sense to advance along the side walls - you know, expose ourselves on as few sides as possible?"

"Not really. There isn't any real cover on the wall. Straight pews and open sides equals bad." Enrick said as he pointed to the rough map. Noting the open rows and low cover.

Tyyr wrote:1126

"Then it's in the hands of the Emperor and the wits of his servants."

Enrick laughed. "Well, here's to hoping that we're in his favor."

Cpl Kendall wrote:1126-1200 Day Three:

"Quite", Ferringo comments as he stands and pockets the map. At a gesture the Quartermaster joins the party and starts handing out grav chutes and fitting them to everyone. The troopers pile into their Valkyrie and seat themselves as the two mortar crews start dropping bombs down the tubes. The air is filled with the *WHOMP* sound of them firing and the muzzle blasts kick up a cloud of dust and sand.

The party is loaded into the remaining Valkyrie and they both lift off in a blizzard of dust. The ride to the target is short, half way there you see the troopers gunship race ahead and figures drop out of it, plummeting towards the the entrance to the town. The air above the town is a haze of dust, smoke and a yellowish fog.

Ferringo turns to you and shouts, "masks on! We drop in two minutes." He turns to Nurk, who is dangling his legs off into the slipstream, taps him on the shoulder and motions putting a mask on.

The Valkyrie makes two passes over the cathedral, laying down fire at unseen targets before coming to a rapid halt over top of the dome. A green lamp lights up at the head of the compartment and Ferringo jumps up. "Go!" He shouts and follows Nurk out of the crew door into the air.

1126 Day 3

Phebia took her grav chute from the quartermaster and began to strap it on taking great care to ensure everything was fitted properly as her sister superiors had shown her. Jogging back to the team's valkyrie she took a seat on the edge of the door with her legs hanging out and her gun in her arms. As the transport took off she aimed her bolter out the door and started to scan for targets. As the dust from lift off began to clear she started to sing in her world's native tongue.

"Lay me doon in the caul caul groon
Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun
Lay me doon in the caul caul groon
Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun

When they come a wull staun ma groon
Staun ma groon al nae be afraid

Thoughts awe hame tak awa ma fear
Sweat an bluid hide ma veil awe tears

Ains a year say a prayer faur me
Close yir een an remember me

Nair mair shall a see the sun
For a fell tae a Charus gun

Lay me doon in the caul caul groon
Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun
Lay me doon in the caul caul groon
Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun
Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun"

As the Valkyrie spins above the Cathedral Phebia tightened the straps on her mask and gave her vox bead a little shove deeper into her ear. When Ferringo called for them to drop she gave Nurk a run for his money on the first one out the door.

1126 Day 3

Lot glanced towards Pahr with a bemused expression, then started snapping her fingers to the rhythm as she checked her gear. She giggled to herself, knowing Pahr's dislike of folk music.

1126-1200, Day Three

Haxta accepted her chute and did her best to fit it on over her robes, but the billowing cloth was just too bulky and in the way to tighten the device's straps properly.

"Frak it all," she muttered, and stripped out of the red, gold trimmed garment, revealing the flak armor and bodysuit she wore beneath. With barely a pause to fold the vestment, she stuffed it in a spare storage space, and finally managed to fit the chute on.

As they came over the drop zone, Haxta double checked the straps, ensured her laspistol was holstered and her lasgun secured out of the way. Hefting the grenade launcher, she offered up a prayer to the machine god, and took her place in line to jump.

11:27 day three

Pahr fastened his grav chute and checked his weapons as Phebia sang. He tried to pray in his head to cover the noise, and noticed Lot's apparent enjoyment of the situation before he began his own nearly silent whispered litany, "shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up..."

1200 Day Three:

As Phebia, Ferringo and Nurk descend, a mortar round impacts the cathedral dome, spraying glass into the building and leaving a large smoking hole in the dome.

Enrick slipped into his chute and put on his mask. "Never did like these things. Hahahaha. Damned tunnel vision." Looking around to his comrades. "So everyone! Ready to jump out of a perfectly good aircraft and into a frak-ton of enemy fire!"

1126 - 1200, Day Three

Trask watched the quartermaster pre-set his chute's cutoff, then accepted it and strapped it on. As Phebia began to sing, he muttered, "Maybe a hymn would be more appropriate... at least a chorus of the Fede Imperialis?" He then shut his eyes and concentrated for a moment before looking around and stating, "There. Anyone trying to detect us will have a pretty hard time of it." He finally pushed his way to the door, taking on a reckless mood, and passed Haxta who was still fidgeting with the harness of her chute. "What's the matter, gadget-girl? You want to live forever?" He tipped back his helmet to reveal his sanctioning brand and continued, "In my line of work, there's a lot worse things to worry about than just dying."

With that he fastened his gas mask, re-seated his helmet, and made the sign of the aquila as he walked up to the troop door. "The Emperor protects!" he yelled as he flung himself out.