The Storm Eagle screamed as it tore through the thin layer of the upper atmosphere. It dipped then rolled as the enemy anti-air missiles slipped by missing their auto-locked target. The gunship tipped its nose straight down falling toward the planet at terminal velocity. There was a sudden explosion rocking the entire craft as the cockpit blew apart.
Captain Arwent unbuckled his maglock falling from the wall like a rock. The Huscarl hit the doorway hard dazing him for a moment. Black spots opened before his eyes and his ears rung like the tolling of iron bells. The atmosphere was growing thicker and wailed as it rushed through the wide rent just ahead. Arwent carefully righted himself knowing one wrong move and he would be jettisoned into the closing void. Nothing was left of the pilot or servitors. All that remained of the cockpit was a control stick and flashing warning runes.
Maglocking his boots to the cracked flooring the Captain slowly crept forward careful to always maintain contact with at least one boot sole. He reached out with one gauntlet grasping at the stick. He could now see the rocky ground below as the falling ship plunged downwards in a lost spiral towards its imminent destruction. Electronically driven flame erupted from one of the destroyed consoles. His gauntlet locked tight around the thick head of the stick and he pushed it forward with all the force he could muster. Hidden servos strained inside his terminator armor in response.
The Storm Eagle righted itself just prior to impact, the bottom shredded apart as the rocky stone surface penetrated the ceramite outer layer. Captain Arwent was thrown from the wreck at fantastic speed crashing against a huge boulder. The gunship broke apart and then exploded unleashing rolling gouts of burning black Promethium.
Slowly one by one each of the remaining survivors crawled from the burning wreck pulling themselves from the raging conflagration. "Joy Division report in for duty." spoke Arwent over the hashed vox link while rising to a knee.
"Andromeda." said the first Huscarl.
"Artur." spoke the second.
"Arjüwentìüs." replied the third.
There was a moment of silence as static crackled over the vox then came one last reply "Brother Xiphon." spoke the mechanized voice of the Techmarine.
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