The trio briefly discussed heading further into the Portica District to support in the defense of the primary PDF base, but Brother Varin asserted his Ultramarine command and the trio set off for one of their primary objectives, the Astropathic message and Lord Governor..
Trekking through the city, the marines made few contacts with the enemy. Those they did encounter scattered into shattered stores or fled down alleyways, now little more than garbage clogged streams under the heavy rainfall. The killteam made it to the border of the Magistria District where a large white washed wall separated the nobility from the common classes of Lordsholm. Brother Angus activated his Jump Pack and perched upon the high wall surveying the district. Clean cobble stoned roads crisscrossed between fenced multi storied town houses. Street lamps illuminated park benches, hedges and flower beds where the cities fortunate dwelt. Magistria was certainly separate to the rest of Lordsholm. In the distance another set of walls partitioned the Governor's palace and within its confines the Astropath's Tower of Echoes jutted into the dark sky like an alabaster needle.
With Varin and Rafen keeping pace on the ground and Angus scouting from atop the district wall, the marines circumvented it's length finding a heavily barricaded gate. With joint effort they hauled the debris aside and made their way into Magistria.
As the three marines stalked through the streets they saw little evidence of the rebellion. Isolated pockets of graffiti or vandalism marked some properties but nothing else stirred amongst the darkened homes.
Arriving at the palace gate they finally found signs of life. Guardsmen in heavy coats sheltered within the shadow of the palace walls. As the towering marines stalked out of the darkness the guards broke into panic but shifted to nervous compliance when the killteam identified themselves. With little coercion required the guards informed the marines that the Governor had sheltered all the nobility within the Palace and currently they are enjoying a party to distract themselves from the cities plight. This was not well received by the Astartes who swept past the guards and headed across the graveled driveway to the opulent buildings which formed the Governor's residence.
The house guards had been informed and failed miserably to hide from the Astartes by hiding behind large plants flanking the main doors. Nervously they revealed themselves and did their best to compose themselves when confronted by the super humans. Varin and Angus demanded to know the Governor's whereabouts while Rafen loomed at the edge of the entrances illumination. One of the Guardsmen found his mettle and invited the marines to follow him, throwing open the Palace doors and striding in. The trio followed the guard through the sprawling residence, staff and menials concealing themselves in doorways or making themselves scarce in a hurried manner. As the sound of orchestral music and varied conversation bled down a grand hall the marines knew they had found their 'host'.
The marines strode through the doors finding themselves in a massive conservatory filled with dozens of Lordsholm's rich . An ornate lattice work of rafters made up the ceiling flowing down to a semi circle of 5 meter tall glass panels, these looked out across the lawns and gardens of the palace grounds to the Tower of Echoes which sat atop the highest point of what made up a clifftop border of the property. As the party guests looked on the new arrivals with wide eyes and gaping mouths all conversation halted, the string quartet abruptly stopping their melody. Through the transfixed throng pushed a middle aged man. A bald head topped his solid form where years of fine living had given to a widened mid section, clad in a royal blue coat, barely fastened with gold Aquila clasps."What is the meaning of this?" barked Lord-Governor Perian Thorsholt through a grey flecked moustache and goatee. As Brother Angus began a tirade against the Governor, Varin tried to interrupt when dark alien forms dropped from the rafters into the crowd.
Varin crashed through the doorway, its frame not made to accommodate his power armour. As wood splintered he saw the genestealer launch from the carpeted floor to the wood panelled wall, springing off that to tear down an outclassed guardsmen. Thorsholt spared a glance at the guards demise and cursed profusely almost crashing into a transfixed member of the kitchen staff who had obliviously wandered into the passage. Varin kept moving, his shoulder pads scraping furrows into each wall. Drawing his boltgun up he stitched bolt rounds at his target clipping it. The Genestealer shifted its bulk swiftly, spinning around and rasping through its opened maw in challenge. As Varin made to fire again the beast charged, smashing Varin into the wooden wall. The Ultramarine spat his hate at the race which had scoured Macragge and smashed his boltgun across its inhuman face. Massive alien claws found purchase on black power armour while Varin sought to put some distance between his target. A las shot scored a mark in the wall near the genestealers head and it whipped its head about to screech at Thorsholt who held an ornate laspistol defiantly at it. This distraction allowed Varin to step back, pumping four bolts at close range straight into the creature. The carapace buckled and exploded as the round detonated, painting the hallway in alien ichor. As Thorsholt warily approached Varin through the alien remains Angus peered into the narrow corridor, gore still falling from his chainblade. "You alright Brother Varin?" he inquired in a cheery manner.
Varin answered positively and with Thorsholt in tow returned to the conservatory to survey the nobility's casualties and make for the Astropath's tower.
In this second session the players made use of squad mode when the genestealers revealed themselves in the Atrium. Cody benefited with Varin getting to take overwatch shots but Womble and Stu failed their command checks and as the Governor was fleeing they opted to stay in solo mode. Combat shifted nicely to one on one fights with a dangerous foe, really emphasising the difference between the masses breaking over a power armoured legio and a real individual challenge. Stu still opted to use his psychic powers in a restrained manner, not willing to 'push' them yet...
