Return of The Men Of Iron

The Return of The Men of Iron was an Imperial purgation campaign carried out by the Polar Flares Space Marine Chapter. In 359.M37, an Adeptus Mechanicus exploratory force when missing after failing to return from their expedition to the space hulk, Archaeo-Rex, seeking out archaetech and potential Standard Template Constructs. The Polar Flares went to investigate the reasons why the Mechanicus expedition had not returned. What they found was both strange and terrifying in equal measure.

The Archaeo-Rex
"What is this? Living machines...your stupi -Ahaaa haa haaa..."

- Adeptus Mechanicus Exploratory Force Member Transmission before being killed

After arriving upon the massive space hulk by assault boats, the Polar Flares began their search for the missing Mechanicus explorators. They eventually found them, but most of them were already dead. However, they found one sole survivor amongst them, though he was barely sane enough to talk. He told his Space Marine saviours that there were deadly sentient machines aboard the space hulk, and that they called themselves the 'Men of Iron'. Leary after receiving such disturbing news, the Polars Flares sent word to send in their Veteran Marines of the elite 1st Death Company.

"Yes Sir. Wait, is that the Men of Iron? Impossible, their long dead!"

- 1st Death Company Transmission

Not much is known what occurred after the 1st Death Company boarded the derelict space hulk. That the 1st Death Company somehow managed to come back at all, was a miracle in itself, yet they had also managed to acquire an ancient subservient AI as well as huge amounts of archaeotech. The lead Archmagos of course, coveted this long lost technology, and graciously the Polar Flares gave them 90% of it. Upon receiving this advanced technology, the Archmagos and his Mechanicus contingent departed for Mars. Since that time, the Polar Flares' willingness to assist the Adeptus Mechanicus did not go unrewarded, and so, the Priests of Mars have continued to assist the Polar Flares whenever they've requested it.