equipment check

[Roland Muleto]

Roland sat on the bench. He had left the firing range as soon as sergeant Agrippa finished his speech. Time, he said, was to be spent on the weapons and armours of the squad and he intended to check his.

Meticulously he began the routine checkup of his bolter, cleaning the gun, adjusting the pressure of the trigger, testing every mechanism of the holy weapon.

He liked it.

As an Omega Marine his duty was to serve the God-Emperor in defeating his enemies, war was his vocation, his pleasure. But in time of peace the mind of a warrior is easily found idle, lacking focus, open to the senseless reflexions which drive au pure spirit toward doubt and heresy.

Manual work and especially equipment maintenance brings a kind of concentration, of focus, which fit him. He found a simple pleasure in the repairs and often went as far as thinking he would have liked to work for the chapter's armoury if he had failed to become a marine. Shaking his head he dismissed the thought. These sorts of thoughts was typically what he tried to escape.

Putting his bolter aside he took the right arm of his armour, inspected it and began to refresh the prayer of accuracy.

[Manius Agrippa]

Tactical-Sergeant Agrippa walked into the Armory to find several of the Companies marines and many of the Artificers working on personnel and company weapons and equipment.

Getting the attention of a duty artificer he began to lay out his requests.

"I require a Mk. X "Hellsteeth" Pattern Chainsword, with a spare power pack and a combat sheath fit for purpose"

The chapter serf with drew with a stiff bow and moment's later returned with a long object wrapped in a fine red cloth which he carried as if it was a holy reliquary. He slowly and lovingly unwrapped it exposing the polished finish, gold decoration and 'basket weave' hilt as well as the smell of cleaning oils

"This weapon was hand crafted in the year of our majestic majesty 823 of the previous millennium, it has served sixteen masters in that time, including yourself when you were in 8th company. Since you entrusted it to the care of the armory it has been carried by Brother Simuran who was granted his eternal reward storming the dread ship 'Repulse' in 956 and Brother Notaris who achieved immortal glory trying to reach the mortally wounded Lord-Captain Fastius at the Battle of facility 12 on Armageddon"

Bowing he held the weapon out the Sergeant

"We now entrust it to your care"

Reverently Manius picked the weapon up in both hands and drew it into his body so it was lying across him

"I Sergeant Agrippa by taking this weapon into my care I honor the battle gear of the Dead"

The Artificer placed a spare power source and a reinforced leather combat sheath on the nearest servicing table before bowing and retreating back to what ever task he had been carrying out before hand.

Raising the weapon up in one hand and going through the 9 wards he reveled in the weapons balance before bringing it up into the salute.

"Remember me old friend" he said almost to himself before sheathing it and buckling the sheath, which was made from cured Ambull hide around his waist.

He would practice with the weapon after tactical training during the following day cycle - but this evening he would strip the weapon down and clean it recalling it to its duty lest it had forgotten in its slumber.

He noticed Brother Muleto working on his armor and approached him. Noticing his attention to detail and approving of it he stood right before him.

"Well meet Brother, it is good to see such care and reverence being shown to ones wargear"

[Julius Quintus]

Julius entered the armoury and made his way to the arming alcove assigned to his wargear. Several brothers were present, quietly cleaning their equipment at workbenchs. Sergeant Agrippa was standing at the weapons-take drawing a chainsword from storage.
Robed artificiers wearing the symbols of both the Omega Marines and the Cult Mechanicus moved about the hall assisting the brother marines where they required specialist tools or the benifit of experiance.
They might not be Astartes but these were no mere serfs. Each one was a skilled craftsman, well versed in the arcane mysteries of technology. they were a great asset to the chapter.

Julius began to remove his armour and place it on the waiting rack in the alcove. It would need to be completely serviced before the company deployed to ensure against malfunctions in the field. Julius did not possess the level of skill needed to carry out the service himself so he left his armour in the care of the omnissiahs servants.
He would never let them service his weapons however. Julius, like many warriors felt a strong emotional connection to his armaments. His chainsword had been presented too him be the chapter master personally when he was promoted to sergeant and his combat blade was an honour gift from Lieutenant Stern of the Catachan Jungle Fighters. The toughest non-Astartes Julius had ever met. Stern was probably the only man in the imperial guard who carried an Astartes combat knife into battle.

Julius, now dressed in a simple bodyglove, carried his weapons to a work bench. He carefully unlocked and removed the outer casing of his bolt gun and began to break down the gas exchange system.

[Roland Muleto]

Roland nodded to his Manius.

"Brother sergeant. My armor and bolter are my tools of war, as I am one for the God-Emperor of Terra, and a good craftsman is nothing without the good and well-maintained tools. A defective bolter is of no use to a space marine, as is a broken armor, and the one bearing them is a failure to the Golden Throne. Thus, I take great pride in my maintenance duty."

Having refreshed the prayer he equipped the eramite arm, connected it to the power pack and began bending and stretching his own arm, twisting his fingers. Satisfied he took his bolter to test the balance of weapon and armor.