The Black Templars Fifth Crusade Fleet

The Fifth Fleet is a Black Templars crusade fleet under the command of Watch-Marshal Antilochus Leothric Ortiz. The crusade is made up of just over three hundred Astartes - though this number used to be much higher. Currently due to attrition while part of a multi-chapter task force in the Imperium Nihilus the fleet's astartes strength is almost a quarter Neophytes, for whom it will take time to attain the rank of Initiate. The fleet itself is comprised of several capital class ships and numerous escorts, enough to house a full chapter's worth of space marines, and for it to fight whole wars independent from the Imperial Navy - a fact Battlefleet Eridani are yet to be made aware of.

The Fifth Fleet have departed the sector after being resupplied by the Massyleon system, moving into the Tyranid infested space beyond the sector's borders. They have not been seen or heard from in months, however their agents remain, dutifully preparing the next batch of reinforcements and supplies for when they re-emerge...

Intercepted Communique from the Black Templar Arrival in the Eridani Sector

+++TO: High Marshal Helbrecht, Black Templars, The Eternal Crusader, Location Unknown+++

+++FROM: Watch Marshal Antilochus Leothric Ortiz, Black Templars, The Hate Eternal, Eridani Sector+++

+++SUBJECT: The Fifth Fleet lives, brother+++

+++ENCRYPTION: Delta Omicron Nineteen+++

High Marshal,

I know not when you will receive this message, for I do not at present know the Eternal Crusader’s position relative to my own, or the current state of affairs upon this side of the Great Rift.

The Fifth Fleet has successfully translated into realspace within the Imperium Sanctus, as of date +++EXPUNGED+++ according to the chronometers. Per your orders and in coordination with Crusade Group Deliverance I have moved the fleet through the Nachmund Gauntlet and made for the Segmentum Pacificus at high warp. Our translation was at the edge of the Eridani Sector - off course, but within our projected margins of error and with no ships lost to the void. Praise God.

I am aware that word of our actions in the Imperium Nihilus will not have reached you. The names of the honoured dead and full mission reports I am sending to Grimaldus, if you have time they will make interesting reading. All I shall add of relevance here is that though our strength remains above three hundred, seventy eight are mere Neophytes and will take time (some of them... considerably more than others) to attain full initiation into the Brotherhood. Likewise in terms of fleet strength the Samaritan’s Soul, the Hand of Mercy and the Temperance are lost to us, along with our full complement of cyclonic torpedoes, virus bombs and several escorts - the names of which are with the Reclusiarch. We have also gained the Imperious, having retaken it from the Archenemy in a counter offensive, details of which are also with Grimaldus. She required little reconsecration.

As for the Eridani Sector I am unimpressed. Though I am yet to make contact with Sector Command, the Inquisition, Ecclesiarchy or with the local Astartes, it is clear to me that there is work to be done. Having travelled unencumbered of the fleet upon the Disloyalty’s End, the better to understand this place I have come to, I have encountered the ever present filth of the Ork and the Eldar, as well as a particularly virulent cult of Genestealer worshippers. They are well seeded across at least two subsectors and I question just how far up the rot spreads. Once again I find myself unable to trust the holy institutions that supposedly police these heathens. I had hoped the Imperium Sanctus would be different.

My intentions are to station the Fifth Fleet over Massyleon and make contact with the leaders of this Sector, to learn what I can from them and then to prosecute the Emperor’s Will. I understand my mission brother, and will work towards it, but the establishing of a Crusade Keep here will take time and resources - as will the turning of Sector Command towards our designs. In the meantime we are still The Emperor’s Knights, we are still the Angels of Death, and this sector is unclean.

In the name of our Undying Lord I remain,

Watch-Marshal Antilochus Leothric Ortiz, Master of the Fifth Crusade Fleet

+++THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: May the Emperor show mercy to those that oppose Him, for I shall not.+++

+++MESSAGE ENDS+++