Editing The Markian Corps (section)

====Ranc's Incursion on Dread====
The 78th Grand Corps did not fight on Shazakh, as their commander had what were in his opinion more pressing matters to attend to. On the eve of the final assault Imperial patrols detected long and pointed vessels venturing near the plains world Dread. Most generals would pass this off to another, but Ranc was familiar with these ships; they were undoubtably transports of the Morkai, a race from the distant east he was somehow familiar with, and their presence in Segmentum Pacificus was both curious and unsettling. Immediately Ranc set out with the 78th, against Grand Marshal Broussard's wishes, and pursued the Morkai craft, finding they were already shooting troops to the ground, tiny black spots screaming through the atmosphere like burning meteors. The 78th did likewise, landing to engage the Morkai soldiers while the Imperial fleet engaged the spires. Battle was fierce, mores than even the battle on the bridge city. Morkai were nothing like the automata of Ulysses: their aim was true and deadly, their jagged jet-black armor deflected all but the most harrowing lasfire, their assaults were relentless, and their biomechanical horrors wreaked havoc on the Markian troops. The battle only ended when the Morkai suddenly began retreating to their spires, the Markians doing likewise in caution. This proved wise, as the planet's surface shook with an eery vigor, and green fissures opened all around the world, spewing skeletal machines. The 78th and their Morkai adversaries had just narrowly averted their destruction at the hands of the necrons, who stirred from their slumber briefly, only to return to their ancient rest once Dread was once again confirmed devoid of sentients.