Mechanicus Civil War
The Orpheus travelled though the warp laden to bursting with cargo for 2 months heading towards the Adeptus Mechanicus research base, the rate of travel was significantly faster than normal due to the forces from the Abyss drawing the ship towards it. This force originally caused the ship to overshoot its target and the ship was forced to return to the warp with its engines straining against the pull before dropping back out into the real world.
The area the base was in was strange due to the nearness of the abyss. The stars were so close together than the traditional idea of a solar system had broken down with stars forming interconnected chains. The background level of radiation was so high that it interfered with communication and sensors. However, the ship managed to locate a artificial structure nearby, it was either a space station or a small planetoid covered in buildings. The journey towards the base took several more days.
Upon arrival the base was found to be on alert, with weaponry armed and shields raised. Due to the radiation, communication was difficult, but eventually they made contact with the commanding officer a Magos called Zinc. While the ship and the base were trying to talk the Orpheus was suddenly attacked by a pair of system patrol craft which appeared as if from nowhere. The Orpheus was surprised and took some minor damage from the blasts. The crew quickly sprung into action and started to fire back. The base also started to fire on the new attackers. One ship was quickly crippled by a broadside and the second disarmed by the bomber squadrons from the ship. The disarmed ship tried to flee but was destroyed. The crippled ship took further damage and the Orpheus moved to board. Scanners showed the power plant was overloading and the smaller ship would soon be destroyed. Seigfried piloted a shuttle, with Cain, Mia and a squad of troops onto the floundering ship. They picked up a small number of the crew but were forced to gun down a fleeing mass of unfortunates who tried to escape the doomed ship so they could get away before it was destroyed.
It was found that the captives included two Xenos. One called Arial was identified as an Eldar and claimed to be a mercenary, the other was a Kroot. The survivors were interrogated by Tristan and the Crew, they claimed to be working for a High Magos called Kennock who used to run the base but was overthrown by Zinc.
The Morpheus returned to the base and started to offload the supplies they had bought. Kaltos was invited to travel to the base to talk with Zinc. A decision was made to attack the base and murder servitors were included amongst the supplies bought onto the base. Kaltos boarded the base along with a bodyguard lead by Mia. While Kaltos and Zinc were talking, a tech-priest on the bodyguard squad attempted to infiltrate the base in order to investigate what had occurred; but was captured and interrogated. Meanwhile Zinc had explained his side of the story that Kennock had traded with Xenos as part of his research: heresy to Zinc's faction of the Adeptus Mechanicus, Zinc offered to pay the crew to deal with the renegade faction. However, the discussion was broken up by news of the spy's capture. Fighting broke out between the Adeptus Mechanicus forces and the bodyguards.
Fighting also started between the Orpheus and the base itself with the two blasting at each other with great broadsides. Boarding parties were also sent across to capture the base, the servitors smuggled on board were also activated. The forces already on the base took many casualties but eventually managed to breach the control centre of the main base and shut down a good section of the defences. The Morpheus stood up well to the attacks from the base and returned in kind although most of its shots were blocked by the bases shields, its fighter and bomber compliment however, managed to eventually suppress all defensive fire to allow the boarders to land. The Elite house guard lead by Cain and Tristan quickly took the docking bays although casualties were significant.
It eventually took 3 days before the base was fully secured with the Orpheus' troops loosing approximately 1000 soldiers before all the defenders were defeated. The final battle took place over an experimentally device designed to draw out or destroy ships in the warp using focused gravity waves. The defenders attempted to destroy this device rather than have it captured by Kaltos managed to disarm the explosives. Shortly after the base was conquered a warp capable vessel and 3 system ships arrived lead by High Magos Kennock. An agreement was quickly reached to hand the base over to him on exchange for a significant payment and details of some planets in this sector including an alien world referred to as Bunker World and a planet of imperial dissidents.
The ship then planned to head back to Dust to refit and resupply before attempting to locate Grimm's home world.