Tyranid activity in the Rifts continues

By early 07.022M42 the Imperial forces in the Rifts of Hecate had received orders to stop their expansion and fall back on the Hecate Gap. The Inquisition were at the heart of this decision and had instructed the now Crusade general Justinian Flavius Maximus to establish strong bases on the worlds of Ergura's Fall and Haven, two uninhabited worlds that were essential for the Imperium to have control over the movement of forces - friendly and hostile - moving between the Rifts region and the Hadron Expanse proper.

Before this could be enacted however, a large force of tyranids arrives at Ferrosiun, while simultaneously a previously unnoticed genestealer cult amongst the indigenous population of the world rose up against the Imperial garrison. Maximus immediately took charge of the situation, but with his forces preparing to leave for the Gap, Imperial Guard and Astartes forces were in short supply. The defence of Ferrosiun would need to be undertaken by the Adeptus Mechanicus.

Against the cult, the Mechanicum forces of Metallica, aided by a freedblade knight of the Styrix pattern, were successful. The rebellion was crushed by the superior firepower of the Machine God and the immediate danger was lifted, though there was a significant amount of damage sustained to the Imperial infrastructure. Against the tyranids however, a similar force of Adeptus Mechanicus and allied Knight detachment, suffered badly at the hands of the larger tyranid monstrous creatures. The Imperium were forced to yield their positions to the xenos, and fall back to their inner defences that protected the main imperial base. Meanwhile the Imperial fleet searched for the Hive fleet as the appearance of a tyranid space presence would seriously jeopardise the mission to fortify the Hecate Gap.