Grand General Bracker looked at his chronometer once again. He'd been doing so every few minutes since he had arrived on the battleship's bridge. The crusade fleet was quickly approaching it's destination, and with it the crusade's first taste of war. They had been traveling through the accursed warp for well on two weeks. But the God-Emperor only knew how long it would have been in the real universe once they emerged...He hated traveling through the warp, everything about it was wrong. The dreams, the unreliability, the inherent danger. But there was nothing that could be done about it. It was a necessary evil.<br/><br/>Looking across the bridge he saw the naval ratings going about their assigned jobs, the machine slaves hard wired directly into their stations. His eyes came to rest on one of the creatures in particular as it went about it's mindless task, it's fingers working away at it's control counsel even as it's thoughtless eyes stared ever forward. "Hmgghhfff" he grunted turning away and forcing his thoughts onto other things. They would be leaving the war soon. It was time to begin the final preparations for the crusade's first combat action. Briefings would take place, weapons issued, squads prepared. Without looking at it he spoke to the servo skull hovering by his side "Relay following information, This is General Bracker to all crusade units. Begin briefing and war preparations immediately"<br/><br/><hr/>Lieutenant Devri and his command squad had just received their orders and objectives...It looked like there was going to be a tough fight for his platoon. He and his command squad were already geared up and ready to deploy. All that was left was to inform the squads under his command. This wasn't the 7th's first time in combat and it wasn't his first time in command of the platoon. He knew that his Guardsmen would do their duty. Even if a good number of them weren't going to make it back. As he and his squad entered the briefing room a naval armsman called out "ATTENTION!" and the scuttlebutt that had been going on in the room died down imminently as his platoon, and the various support elements assigned to it jumped to their feet "as you were" he said as he took the podium at the front of the briefing room. His eyes scanning to make sure no one was missing before beginning the briefing.<br/><br/><hr/>Brother Captain Batiatus received the general's message in his command ear piece and said "Off" and immediately turned and left the strike cruiser's training area where he had been sparring with several combat servitors as the half man half machine constructs powered down. Speaking into his communicator he opened a channel that would allow him to speak over the ship's speaker system "all marines this is Brother Captain Batiatus the time has come for war, proceed to your personal quarters, prepare for combat, and make your way to your squad's deployment station. He continued to walk towards his quarters as the words left his lips. As he entered his quarters he turned of the communicator and began to prepare himself for the coming battle. Whispering his prayers to the Emperor and donning his Terminator armor.<br/><br/>As soon as his armor was fully on he proceeded to his squad's drop pod. Already relaying objectives to his squad leaders who would in turn inform their squads. He would give his own squad their orders in person.<br/><br/><hr/><br/>Palatine Corley rose from where she had been knelt in prayer. She was already wearing her armor and was fully armed. Knowing that their departure from the warp could not be far off she had elected to prepare early. Using her own communicator she patched in to the comlinks, of all her battle sisters "Sisters, the time has come to purge the enemies of The Immortal Emperor. Come join me in the chapel in preparation for the coming battle." She then closed the channel and bowed her head before the image of the Emperor that was hanging above the chapel's alter, waiting calmly in silence.<br/><br/>