[b]Gloriana-Class Battleship, designation Tempered Fury, en-route to Tatakai, E.T.A 3 hours[/b] 'What is it that you need to say Captain? We have but three hours before we arrive in-system, and our men and machinery have been drilled and prepared as thoroughly as possible within the confines of a voidship.' A voice rings out from the center of a cold, dark armory, the speaker standing stock-still bar the movement of his face, his pitted and cratered armor so unmoving that he could almost be mistaken for a statue in the low-light had he not spoken. "This is not related to operational preparedness, I came to inquire as to why we have decided to annex land from these people for a stronghold. It is much unlike you to order an annexation of land from a population that we are not likely to target, and frankly, it has given me much room for doubt." A second, much smaller individual crowds up the sole entrance to the chamber as he responds, his own cratered armor gleaming in the low light cast from the passageway. 'You of all should know by now that there is a method behind all of my madness Gormyr, you have had some sixty-odd years to witness it for yourself. Not as much as many of your brothers, but your experience has not been marred by the presence of former Hunt Masters, so you of all should know without a hint of doubt that I am not doing it for material gain nor for renown, or even because I think we need a bastion here. You know yourself that the visions have never been wrong, and have always guided us to where we were needed most, as the gods have seen fit to visit upon you visions of your own. The gods are not so fickle as to lead us astray after our services to mankind and its equals, lest you foolishly think we have somehow been worshipping the Ruinous Powers in some way, in spite of us all being blanks beyond their potential to tamper.' The statuesque figure spoke lowly, all but a whisper beside the ever present background noise of the mighty warship surrounding them. "I understand. I suppose I worry overmuch now that my ward has left us all so that she may live her own life. I would not ask you were it not for that, as the Chapter and its host are all that I have left in my life to care for as it stands." The second man, Gormyr, sighs quietly to himself and grips the bulkhead, turning to leave as he goes. 'You would perhaps be surprised to hear this from me of all people Gormyr, but I worry about your ward as well, as much as anyone else aboard this vessel. I do not doubt for a second however that she is far more capable than you give her credit for. I believe that she is happier in life without us around, but that does not mean she will have forgotten us after all we have done for her, you most of all. She lives today because of your intervention.' Gormyr stops momentarily, then continues on with his features slackened in grief, the hatch closing behind him as he steps out into the passageway, and away from the chamber of painful solitude behind him. [b]Tatakai, uninhabited island chain, present time[/b] A great and terrible rift in reality tears itself open over the largest mountain in the local chain, and out of it floats the massive bulk of the [i]Tempered Fury[/i] and the smaller forms of its escorts, all of them buzzing with activity as they scour the mountain beneath them of life with a burning fusillade of lance fire. A great many dropships deploy mere moments after the strike ends, setting upon the blasted landscape in a buzzing swarm, setting their hardened occupants down with incredible speed so that they may form a secured perimeter under the iron gaze of the naval arm, and allow the second wave of engineers to begin work on the stronghold as soon as their mighty machines have been landed and assembled. One of the very first dropships to deploy carries none other than Gormyr, his liege, and their personal command staff, who upon landing begin hastily throwing together a temporary headquarters in expectation of visitation, and to establish some form of control structure independent of the naval arm. [spoiler]Open I guess, if for whatever reason people are traipsing around near uninhabited land or saw/heard that rift/bombardment. [/spoiler]