Destino: Crusade suffer setbacks

While Inquisitor Vorushko stayed in the Perseus Deeps consolidating her position, Crusade forces under the nominal command of Arch Magos Cybixx continued to try to establish a presence in the Destino system. Apart from a small eldar presence and the outer Imperial Fists fortress of Gregoria, Vandrax had essentially been secured for the Crusade, but Destino and Paradorn would be needed as well for the Crusade - and Vorushko - to complete their final plan to close off the Foramen Minoris. Standing in their way were Inquisitor Lord Hathek's "loyalist" forces, who were under instructions to prevent any other force, including the Crusade, from establishing a presence in the system.

In early 02.018M42 Cybixx learned of a personal threat to his own position, as a minor inquisitor loyal to Hathek had appeared in the Destino system, investigating Cybixx's latest actions and his past. Realising the Inquisitor may find out more than he ought to know, Cybixx sent a significant task force to Destino 3, a Loyalist base, in order to apprehend this dangerous member of the Inquisition.

The Mechanicum forces landed without incident and managed to find the Inquisitor in a relatively exposed position, far from Loyalist support and accompanied by only a small force of Novgorod Guard. The Adeptus Mechanicus forces attacked at once, knowing they would have to complete their capture of the Inquisitor and leave the world before the far larger loyalist forces surged out of their bases and overwhelmed them.

Despite devastating the accompanying Novgorod regiment, the loyalists managed to shield their Inquisitor from Cybixx's fire, and held on long enough to call for aid. Realising that the panicked comms signals indicated the imminent arrival of overwhelming force, the Mechanicum were forced to withdraw without their prize. If the Inquisitor had found out about Cybixx's past, there was now nothing he could do to prevent this information from reaching Lord Hathek.

Later in 02.018M42 the Crusade's main event occurred on Destino 1, as the Crusade force, led once again by the Mechanicum with the support of the Grey Knights, attempted to annihilate the Imperial Guard forces sent by Hathek to secure Destino 1 and create another loyalist base. A large set piece battle developed, which favoured the loyalists far more than the elite forces of the crusade, and the overwhelming firepower of the guard was brought to bear on the plains of the hot innermost world of the Destino system.

By 1602.018M42 the Crusade assault was called off, and the loyalists allowed them to withdraw, once again the loyalist fleet refusing to engage in a space action with the Crusade. With Destino 1 secured and the construction of a base underway, Hathek's grip on the Destino system tightened.