Army Briefing: The Infinity Watch

The

Infinity

Watch

by Scriveners Hannan and Swearingen

Jade Ryu System, .M41

The Jade Ryu system, located in the Naograssa subsector of Mardannon, has two inhabited worlds that have long been claimed by the Imperium of Man.  One is called Oyobi, and is the site of famous archeotech sites that have drawn both traders and Mechanicus to the system for various purposes throughout the long centuries.  On the other world, called Jade Primus, is a bustling civilized world full of trade and Imperial fervor.  It is upon this world that the Infinity Watch Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes have their fortress monastery, and preside over Jade Ryu and the surrounding space.

These space marines have stood guard over Mardannon for more than five thousand years, since the coming of the Old Crusade and the colonization of Jade Ryu.  Though they have a noble history since, the mystery of their founding and other practices have put strain on the relationships with other Imperial agencies, notably the Ordo Hereticus.  However, when scrutinized by the Inquisition, the Infinity Watch have held up to the strictest standards of both the Codex Astartes and the Adeptus Mechanicus.

It is assumed the Infinity Watch was created during the 2nd Founding, presumably from the Ultramarines gene-seed.  They have been tested by the Inquisition many times, but they have never been sanctioned or had a notable action taken against them by any agency of the Imperium - their record for at least the last five thousand years (since the Old Crusade) has been one of spotless loyalty.

Secret Lore of the Infinity Watch

Time has not been kind to the Infinity Watch.  Since their founding, they have had an illustrious string of battles, but it is unclear when exactly they arrived in Naograssa.  The Old Crusade's records do not show them, and Jade Primus itself was colonized during that period.  These Astartes, like many others, keep a tight hold on their secrets.

The archeotech sites of Oyobi are heavily guarded, but the space marines maintain facilities at the sites rather than the Mechanicus.  Indeed, some of the sites nearly rival the great fortress of the Infinity Watch on Primus in terms of impregnability - and firepower.  Whispers of tech-heresy abound in the Mechanicus whom are not allowed to visit.  Nothing exceedingly strange has emerged from the tech-sites, but the chapter does maintain a  large armory full of plasma core weapons and other technological marvels, such as teleporter arrays and the dreaded Terminator armor.

Certain Inquisitors have noted a predilection for the Infinity Watch to maneuver forces in favor of contact with Xenos Eldar.  It is not known why, but Eldar activity seems to draw the chapter's interests.  Indeed, if it weren't for close ties in the Inquisition itself, the chapter may well find itself under stronger scrutiny from the Ordo Hereticus.  As it is, two influential Inquisitors in the Ordo Xenos Mardannon - Mobius and Gulyayeva - have been found working with the chapter quite a lot recently.

The Butcher's Bill

During the invasion of the neighboring Tangrus system by Ork forces moving outward from the Forbidden Zone (Magnum Sierra), the Infinity Watch acquitted itself well, defending the fighting withdrawal to the last possible moment.  However, the orks have taken those worlds, and will soon threaten nearby systems.  The chapter had been preparing for a counter-offensive when the fighting broke out at Ordavis.

The fighting over this world in the Carpithica system was deemed to be too close to Mardannon Prime, and as such was considered high-priority for all militaries involved in that conflict.  Alongside brother marines from the Mardannon Crusade and forces of the Imperial Navy, the Infinity Watch fought valiantly, though nothing could save Ordavis from a horrible fate.  The Infinity Watch defended the hive city of Ordavis Prime almost to the last man - few survived the final battles.

As wave upon wave of orks raced across the countryside, two other invasion forces revealed themselves: Alpha Legion warriors had already been planetside, and attacked behind enemy lines.  A second traitor marine offensive came from the sky, when a small Chaos fleet managed to launch hundreds of drop pods and landers on the ork held lands. The result was carnage beyond imagining, as orks and marines both loyal and traitor fought to the death in the dark and desolate fields between hives and in the stinking bowers beneath them.

What few marines are left in the chapter are veterans, having experience against orks, eldar and chaos space marines.  The chapter is currently rebuilding it's strength from the populace of the Jade Ryu system.  The tests to become a member of the Infinity Watch are demanding - they stress problem solving and are quite mentally demanding.  It will take many years for the chapter to attain full strength, if it is ever whole again.  Until then, however - the Infinity Watch stand as the foremost defenders of the Mardannon Sector against aliens and daemons alike!