Editing Obstinate Marines (section)

=== Indomitable Spirit ===

The call had been sent. Information from the scouts far ahead had made its way back to the Chapter Officers on board The Pertinacious. After analyzing the data an objective was decided. From the great hulk of the fortress monastery an armada of craft detached, ships of every size and shape, bearing the foundries and servitors of war, and not least among them the mighty Juggernauts of the Imperium, the Partinax Astartes. Steadily the small fleet floated through space toward the malignant planet below.

Careful surveillance from the scouts revealed that this planet, whose name was unimportant, was succumbing to the insufferable taint of chaos. Truly they were deluded in their madness, for the twisted servants of corruption decided to build their stronghold in the path of the Obstinate Marines’ inexorable march. The objective was clear, crush the stronghold, raze it to the ground, leave nothing left. Troop transports deployed their cargo; 100 battle brothers, bedecked in their stalwart and ancient armour. Sunlight glinted off them in a metallic sheen. A larger ship landed, and from its hold trundled a mighty engine of war. A veritable relic, the Land Raider Indomitable, whose machine spirit saw hundreds of years of victory. With the factoriums and warhouses still deploying, the Obstinate Marines began their methodical march to battle.

Opposition was stronger than expected. More than simple heretics defended the walls of the blasphemous fortress; powerful chaos space marines of the Black Legion also manned the parapets. They rained cursed fire down on the Obstinate Marines from heavy bolters and missile launchers. Still, the Juggernauts strode forth, never flinching from their objective. Indomitable rolled forward, lancing fire from its mounted weapons, tearing great gouges in the stone. Just as the defenses seemed to fall a luckily aimed krak rocket slammed into the Land Raider’s tracks, disabling the vehicle. Stuck in position, it was hit by more anti-tank weaponry, rendering its weapons useless.

The Obstinate Marines threw themselves at the wall, never falling back, but their power hammers and gloves were no match for the chaos infused material. Lascannons had begun to take a toll on the stalwart marines. Brother-Sergeant Adamant surveyed the battlefield, and was inspired. He knew how to accomplish the objective. With little more than a whisper into his vox, he alerted his brothers. “To me.” Winking acknowledgment lights flashed on his HUD.

As one the Obstinate Marines turned to the smoldering wreckage of the Land Raider. They began to work at the underside of the vehicle; powerboots making short work of the weakened armour. Small arms fire plinked all around them, but still the Juggernauts toiled. Eventually the Land Raider was hollowed out, and filled with the marines. They lifted the mighty hulk with their inhuman strength, and started to crawl toward the wall, slowly at first, but gaining speed.

Seeing the Marine’s plan, the foul chaos champion bellowed to his fellows to target the makeshift battering ram. Las rounds and plasma punctured the wreckage, felling marines, but for each that fell the brother next to him shouldered his burden. The marines mustered greater and greater strength, eventually bringing the wreck to blazing speeds. With an earsplitting crack they collided with the wall, and sent a mighty rent along its height. Groaning masonry gave way, and the defense collapsed. Without a moments hesitation the marines abandoned their ram, and stormed into the gap. It took less than an hour to finish the remaining chaos filth.

Some time later the huge manufactories and engine of the chapter arrived to grind the chaos edifice down to nothing, and recycle and reuse its resources. Soon nothing would be left of the blight upon this land. Techmarines and servitors wandered the field, collecting fallen weapons, armour, and the bodies of Obstinate Marines.

Brother-Sergeant Adamant strode across the battlefield. By some wreckage he came across the shattered and broken body of the corrupt chaos champion. The wretched thing laughed as it saw the marine, and spat curses with its blood-chocked voice. “T-that fucking Land Raider…” Adamant did not give him time to finish his thought; a powerboot to the skull silenced the traitor forever.