The Reaving of Powanam Voct

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One of the Second Legion's first conquests, Powanam Voct stood in grandiose ruin. Ancient beyond words, a depleted, battered skyline covered the mostly depopulated husk of a once unimaginable Hive World. Unlike the Imperium's fledgling Hives springing up on dozens of worlds, Powanam Voct had once been sustained by scientific wonders beyond description, and the Primarch wished to cut into the detritus of centuries to recover whatever might be of value within. When the Legion arrived in orbit the planet appeared dead and lifeless, but as the first Drop Pods descended and Thunderhawks entered atmosphere, ancient defense batteries opened fire with terrible energies. Hundreds of Legionnaires were cut from the skies with the first volleys, but Napotiel pressed on full of fire and the desire to prove himself before his gene-sire. Arelex directed the fleet to bombard the planet mercilessly, lest his Marines be torn to shreds by Dark Age technology. From his position in high orbit, the Primarch's sharp eyes picked out vulnerable power conduits and exposed cogitators to be surgically removed with pinpoint lance fire.

Eventually the guns fell silent and the Marines took the largest sectors of the ancient cities under their control. The men of Nord Merica were in their element within the iron expanses. None more so than Napotiel, former gang-lord of Terra, once the 13 year old master of an entire Hive Spire. With savage efficiency, they drove through the underhive, sparing barely a moment for the miserable mutants and barely functional security systems that stood in their path. Continuing his scans from orbit, Arelex directed Napotiel unerringly towards concentrations of enemies and equipment and within three days Legio Secundus was in full control of such portions of Powanam as were worth having. Much materiel of war was recovered from the city depths, most importantly an ancient armaments repository containing a handful of still-functional Proteus-Pattern Land Raiders. Long ago these titanic war machines were the mainstay tank of Dark age Mankind, and surely these vehicles would have stood against the Age of Strife, had they the chance.

Napotiel proudly presented these trophies to the Legion even as Imperial Army regiments landed to consolidate Imperial power and allow settlers to repopulate the hives, though the celebrations were marred somewhat by Arelex's pensive, thoughtful mood. Though Napotiel had achieved an efficient planetary subjugation and the Legion would soon make good its losses, seeing his soldiers burned from the sky would remain in Arelex's mind for a very long time. The Primarch vowed that such casualties must never take place again, and retired after the ceremony to hold council with the fleet's Martian detachment.