The Multiverse Project: Warhammer 40,000

"Wait, are you sure? Isha?" Henry couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"That's what everyone's saying," Yuki's hologram shrugged. "I mean, I'm not well verse on eldar's lore, so I guess it's a big deal? I mean, everybody's smiling and crying. It's actually kinda scary."

"Didn't you read the codex or 1d4chan before getting this gig?" Henry went on incredulously.

"I skimmed it, alright?! Jeez!" Yuki shot back testily. "And are you gonna tell me or not? Because Laura and Erik doesn't know anything either."

"I'm a Hereticus inquisitor, I don't need to know any of that!" Laura's hologram popped up behind Yuki. The Japanese Banshee pouted and the British inquisitor blew a raspberry in respond.

"Okay, long story short," Henry rolled his eyes, "Isha is one of the few Aeldari god that survived the birth of Slaanesh. The Chaos god of rape was about to make Isha his personal fuck toy but Nurgle snatched her away before that could happen. And for the last ten thousand years she'd been imprisoned in Nurgle's Garden, where she spends her time concocting antidote for every kind of space AIDS Nurgle unleashed upon the universe, secretly helping mortal from afar."

"So it's a Hades, Persephone kinda deal?" Yuki asked.

"Yeah…but this is 40k, so it's probably a lot worse than that," Henry went on. "Like, no romantic bullshit about Isha falling in love with Nurgle and voluntarily staying with him. I mean, he probably treat her like shit, both literally and figuratively."

"Sounds like Isha's crying for help," Laura put forward her hypothesis.

"Are you sure this amulet isn't some Slaanesh knock off made to lure eldars to their death?" Henry asked.

"All of us would've felt something, we eldar are super sensitive to anything Slaanesh related," Yuki said. "But just to be sure, we're gonna have Lita take a look at it when our three armies link up. A large contingent of heretics is massing about nine hundred kilometers northeast of our position. So we're heading to an industrial complex owned by a Silatar Industries to fortify our defensive perimeter."

"I bet this Silatar Industries is owned by that Iron Man Sororitas Damien met last night," Laura added with a snort.

"Oh yeah, no doubt about that," Henry agreed. "She's totally one of Lithia's friends."

"Are you still going on about that?" Seated beside Henry on the comfy, Romanov-ish sofa, inquisitor Amberley shot him an 'are you serious?' look. They were inside the office of information's antechamber, one of the many wings of the Western Administrative Complex. Like all 40k architectures, it was a palace in all but name, decked out in gold, skulls, more gold, and an ass load of flamboyant art nouveau. At least the place was bright and cozy.

"Uh, yeah?" Henry made a duh face. "They're totally part of the Avenging Knight, how can you not see that?"

"Because it's illogical," Amberley said with no small amount of smugness. "Madam Lithia is the head of a great consortium, possessing unimaginable wealth and wielding near absolute power and influence, she does not have the capacity to masquerade as a Sororitas."

"That's what she wants you to think!" Henry declared loudly, causing the many serfs, attendants and visitors around the antechamber to look at him. "It's the perfect cover up to throw us off!"

"Well, Madam Lithia is just across the hall," Amberley retorted brightly. "I'm sure she'll be happy to hear the accusation again."

"Please do, because I want to know what her angle is," Yuki said and Amberley groaned exasperatedly.

"You got it," Henry nodded. "I'll call you guys later, stay safe, alright?"

"Yes sir, lord general!" Yuki made a playful salute. "Me and Laura will make sure that…oh come on, are you serious? Again?!"

"What's going on?" Henry noticed then the argument rising off screen.

"Cain and Raine are at it again," Laura sighed and walked away. "Oi! Cut it out!"

"See you later Henry, bye," Yuki waved then cut the transmission.

"Welp, at least they're only arguing," Henry slipped the data-pad back into his awesome general coat and turned to Amberley. "Raine seriously doesn't like Cain, does she?"

"She represents the hardline, conservative faction of the commissariat," Amberley told him. "They despise Cain and his more humanize approach to handling the Astra Militarum. His fame and renown across the Imperium only serve to make them more envious of his success, since later generation of commissar are following Cain's example."

"I highly doubt jealously is the main motive here," Henry wasn't that convinced by Amberley's biased assessment.

"Raine was never subtle in that regards," Amberley shrugged. "So where is commander Ladaee this morning?"

"Back with the King Ghidorah crew," Henry told her. "I put her in command of our frontline artilleries, her knowledge and aptitude will be most valuable to the boys and girls there. Beside, she'll be safe if things go south here."

"I see," Amberley nodded understandingly. "I tried to convince Cain to remain with us, but he was adamant on returning to the Valhallan after hearing of how Raine was abusing them."

"He's a solider true and true," Henry said, although he thinks there's an ulterior motive for Cain's sudden act of chivalry. "At least we'll be free of Jurgen's odor now."

"Your nose becomes numb after a while, trust me," Amberley snickered the same moment the great gilded door of the main office eased open, admitting an aging, but strapping man decked out in a great overcoat of black and gold, cybernetic tubes jutted out from the back of his neck and converged in a messy mass around his left augmented eyes. He was flanked by two Servitors sculpted to look like a Roman statue, and people across the antechamber gave him a wide berth, bowing low as he approached Henry and Amberley.

"Sorry to keep you waiting lady inquisitor, lord general," Henry and Amberley quickly stood up and returned the man's bow. "I am adjunct Guramos, at your service."

"A pleasure, adjunct Guramos," Amberley began politely. "So when are we meeting the minister of information?"

"Unfortunately, domestic affair has rendered his excellency indisposed for the rest of the day," Guramos intoned with an air disappointment. "He sends his deepest regret that he isn't able to entertain the two of you this morning."

"The minister does understand that our request for an audience is directly link to the security of Leenisium?" Henry said and Guramos flinched from the heavy, commanding tone.

"Again, his excellency sent his regrets," Guramos waved quickly at one of the Servitor, who slowly extended its jittery limbs and placed a data crystal on the adjunct's impatient hands. He then held the crystal USB toward Henry and Amberley. "But the minister had compiled all of your requested information into this data crystal. It contains everything from shipping routes to every manufactorum's supplies manifest."

"How generous of his excellency," Amberley took the crystal, flipped open her data-pad and connected the USB port to the socket. "Give the minister my deepest thank."

"I'll be sure to let him know," Guramos bowed. "But the minister asked that the crystal be returned to him within a week, for there are sensitive information inside. Given the Immortal Spirit renown in the working of machines, he believes the allotted time should be enough for you to…"

"Done," Amberley removed the crystal and returned it to the flabbergasted Guramos. Henry couldn't help but laughed at the man's reaction.

"That was…quick," Guramos stammered, staring at the crystal in disbelief. "It appears that your reputation must not to be taken lightly. I have heard that the representative of the Mechanicus is requesting a meeting with the Immortal Spirit high command, they seem very eager to discuss the content of the STCs your battlegroup have acquire."

"I've told my men to shoot any of those cog sons of bitches if they come snooping," Henry's vehemence stunned Guramos. "I'm not letting them near our techs, we've been doing fine without those creepy cyborg assholes screwing around with our stuff."

"I see," Guramos nodded profusely, beads of sweat beginning to form on his brow. "Well then, I believe our business here is concluded. I wish you luck on the task ahead lord general, lady inquisitor."

"Thank you Guramos, you have my word that the Immortal Spirit battlegroup will do everything in our power to protect the people of Leenisium," Henry extended his hand and Guramos shook it, easing the adjunct earlier stiffness. "Good day."

"And to you, lord general," Guramos bowed, let go of his hand and strode back inside his office with the two Servitors, the crowd dipping their head at his passing.

"That was quick," Henry adjusted his awesome general coat and glanced at Amberley, "we got everything?"

"As far as I can tell, yes," Amberley tapped the screen swiftly and headed for the exit, Henry matching steps beside her. "I'll send this to analytics. They'll be able to pinpoint any anomalies in the records."

"Cool," Henry and Amberley stepped into a carpeted corridor flanked by towering statues of naked men and women in heroic poses, spears and swords honed on invisible vanquished foes. And standing before them, just leaving another office, was none other than Madam Lithia, clad in a more ergonomic, but no less fancy, gothic dress. Beside her was a strikingly dashing woman with a stylish short black hair, her outfit was of the gentlemanly sort, black all over and quite scandalously tight.

"Ah! Good morning general Henry, inquisitor Amberley," Lithia curtesy daintily and the woman beside her bowed. "I didn't see you two at the manor this morning."

"We were here," Henry titled his head at the closing door behind him. "Gotta beat the bureaucratic traffic, you know what I mean?"

"I certainly do!" Lithia giggled pleasantly. "How did you find the Xyla Manor accommodation? Is it to your liking?"

"Oh yeah, it was five stars, right Amberley?" Henry looked at Amberley.

"Indeed Henry, it was blissfully luxurious," Amberley agreed. "If I wasn't on a mission, I would have loved to indulge. But alas, duty calls."

"Thank you for the compliment," Lithia smiled warmly, a shining contrast to her gloomy motif.

"You made quite a hasty exit from the party last night," Henry adopted his hard ass bad cop persona, narrowing his gaze on Madam Lithia, who was oblivious to the interrogation. "Not feeling too good? Bad clams?"

"Oh yes, I felt myself swooning as the festivity wears on," Lithia answered easily. "I went back to my room to lie down, and before I knew it I was sound at sleep. You must forgive me for being such a poor host."

"Are sure you weren't at the dock with your friends?" Henry cut to the chase, beside him Amberley made a displeased face. "Chopping up Chaos Space Marines all night with a power scythe? My friends told me you were pretty impressive."

"Still going on about that, lord general?" Lithia's little giggle was extremely condescending.

"Oh, he's the one you've been telling me about!" The other woman barked a laugh and placed her hand on Lithia's shoulder companionably. "What did you give him last night? The Rhujo brandy? Or were you feeling a bit naughty and finally uncorked those Ysimin bottles? How long have they been in your basement, four, five hundred years?"

"All I served were champagne and wine," Lithia told her.

"And who might you be?" Henry inquired the woman, who he suspected was the female Tony Stark Damien met last night. "I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that your name begins with a T."

"Very impressive lord general," her snappy, witty tone pretty much confirmed his suspicion. "I am Taelin, CEO and proud owner of the Silatar Industries, a pleasure to meet you general Henry."

"Charmed," Henry folded his arms across his chest. "The Silatar Industries wouldn't happen to be a weapon manufacturer, would it?"

"Well, that's not exactly a secret," Taelin snorted. "We pretty much supply the PDF and Arbites with all their weapons. And despite what the Madam here tells you, we're the best in the business."

"So you say," Lithia and Taelin traded playful looks.

"Does the Silatar Industries manufacture power armor also?" Henry spoke up, "more specifically, Sororitas armor?"

"No we don't," Taelin responded a little too quickly. "Have you seen those things? It's clunky and heavy, no elegance and grace at all. And if the Silatar Industries were to make armor for the Sisters of Battle, it would be more streamline and swift, more geared toward the tactical application of arms, if you will."

"Just like the one you wore at the mini-manufactorum?" Henry grinned villainously when Taelin's equanimity faltered for the briefest nano-second, blindsided by the question. "My Space Marine buddy thought you look pretty cute."

"Well, whatever you drank at Lithia's little shindig must have been too much for your delicate constitution," Taelin laughed away his accusation, a bit too forcefully. "Your mind is still addled by the alcohol, it seems."

"…Right," Henry made a perfect Dr. Evil impersonation.

"May I ask why you are here, Madam Lithia?" Amberley cut in and Taelin relaxed visibly.

"Me and Taelin were discussing the current state of trade across Leenisium with the minister of commerce," Madam Lithia went on smoothly. "We must do what we can to preserve the fragile economy of Gothicipolis in this trying time, and to plan for the future once this Chaos invasion is destroyed." She then turned to Henry. "What about you lord general? What business do you have at the Administrative Complex?"

"We have uncovered a conspiracy that is interwoven with the Chaos incursion," Henry told her.

"Oh my!" Lithia gasped girlishly. "What kind of conspiracy?"

"I think you already know," Henry's brow quirked infuriatingly.

"No, I do not," Lithia was starting to get a little annoyed by Henry's continual assertion that she was the leader of the Avenging Knight, which she totally was.

"Alright, fine, if that's how you wanna play it, go right ahead," Henry held up his hands in mock surrender. The gesture was flushing Lithia's cheeks red. "I mean, it's your planet that's burning, not mine."

"Lord general, I must demand that you cease with this ridiculous notion you have of me and my colleagues. It is most demeaning to my honor and grossly ungentlemanly of an officer of the Astra Militarum," Lithia raised her voice indignantly, turning quite a few heads toward the argument, trying to shame Henry into submission. "Furthermore, if you continue to behave so rudely toward me, I will have you and the lady inquisitor evicted from the manor. I will not tolerate such aggravation!"

"Ha! That is the most one percent threat I've ever heard in my life!" Henry barked a laugh.

"You must forgive my companion, Madam Lithia, the stress of running a battlegroup can take a serious toll on the mind," Amberley shut him up with a glare. "If we have offended you, we humbly beg for your forgiveness."

"It is not you who should be apologizing," Lithia held her chin high and stared crossly at Henry.

"I'm sorry Madam Lithia, for my rude and hasty words," Henry bowed with a little dramatic flourish, enough to show that he meant the apology but not without a hint of playfulness. "Please forgive me for repaying your hospitality with nothing but distrust and accusation. From now on, I promise to treat you with the utmost respect and refrained myself from making more obtuse comments. Again, I deeply apologize for my offensive behavior."

"Hmph! I suppose that is adequate," Lithia huffed the same moment two other women strode down the corridor toward them, judging by the crisp dark trench coat they wore, both of them must be the Madam's bodyguard. Well shit, from their posture, their gaits and their grim looks, Henry's gonna go out on a limb and say that these two were the Wolverine and Punisher Sororitas Laura and Tangmo met last night.

"Is everything alright, Madam Lithia?" The one with the short black hair asked.

"It's okay Castrum," Castrum? Seriously?! Damn, she's totally the Punisher, thanks Lithia! "Just a little heated argument, that's all."

"Aren't you supposed to be digging latrine pit somewhere?" The other woman, this one sporting a long dark hair that went down to her waist, snarled. Yep, this was fem Logan alright, not Laura Kinney, Logan.

"Now, now my dear, no need to be rude," Lithia told the Wolverine woman. "The general has apologized for his behavior. Besides, our business here is done." Mending her polite façade, Lithia smiled at Henry and Amberley. "Would you be joining us lady inquisitor, lord general? Carpooling saves a lot of energy, after all."

"Thank you for the kind offer, Madam Lithia," Amberley bowed gracefully. "But we wouldn't want to trouble you."

"Oh my dear inquisitor, you must take my invitation," Lithia insisted good naturedly. "Consider it an olive branch for our misunderstanding, and I might be able to coax more flowery apology from general Henry also!"

"Well, I never turn down a free ride!" Henry laughed. "You go on ahead, Madam Lithia, we'll be right behind you. I just need a few words with my partner."

"See you at the courtyard," Lithia bowed then took off down the corridor with her entourage. Henry and Amberley waited until they were a good twenty paces away before following at a strolling pace.

"I can't believe you're right," Amberley spoke up after a moment, her voice lowered to a whisper.

"Wait, what?!" Those were not the words Henry expected, and it didn't take long for his surprise to morph into a gloating smile.

"Don't look so damn smug," Amberley hissed. "I hate being wrong."

"What changed your mind?" Henry asked.

"When you made Taelin twitch," Amberley said. "Her reaction afterward was forced and her composure was in tatter. This is further compounded by Lithia's outburst, it's a diversionary tactic used to draw attention to herself while giving Taelin time to recover. I knew she was a consummate actor and was definitely hiding something, but I didn't expect it to be that absurd fantasy you and your friends prattled about."

"Well, once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be true," Henry quoted Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

"I don't doubt the wisdom, I just didn't want to believe it," Amberley huffed. "Do you have a plan?"

"The Avenging Knight's base of operation is under the Xyla Manor, we need to find the secret entrance," Henry went on.

"Lithia could already be weaving an elaborate trap for us," Amberley pointed out.

Henry shrugged then adjusted his awesome general cap, "I guess we'll find out."

"Yep, everything is as ready as it can be," Tangmo made his inspection along the northeastern perimeter, the swelling pride at seeing the Immortal Spirit battlegroup armed and ready did not dispel the gnawing trepidation as the sun sank below the western horizon. Despite the wall of sandbags, reinforced with heavy armaments, choking every roadway, and the squat office buildings and factories of the Silatar Industries fortified with spotlights, rockets, guns and snipers, backup by the air force and field artilleries, Tangmo never liked fighting at night. So much shit can go wrong.

"I agree," Krillen nodded beside him, "nothing to do now but wait for them to come."

"A couple of Leman Russes would be nice," Al-Rahman added his comment to the conversation, he and the male colonels made up Tangmo's retinue.

"If we don't have tanks, they don't have tanks," Tangmo told him. "It's gonna be a nice old fashion firefight."

"My favorite sort of fight," Xiphos's grin peak through his Corinthian helm.

"Mine too!" Kenshin added and tapped the hilt of his katana enthusiastically.

"They come to us, not us to them," Tangmo quirked his brow at the Spartan and samurai. "You dig?"

"Of course, lord commissar," Xiphos nodded politely while Kenshin mumbled grumpily under his breath, arms folded across his chest like a petulant child.

"Kenshin…" Tangmo gave the Kuronese colonel a less than serious sideway glance.

"Fine, I'm not banzai charging the heretics," Kenshin pouted childishly.

"You can always set up an ambush," Alistair suggested. "Draw them into a cul-de-sac or a dead end alley then close in, that should give them a nice close quarter surprise."

"That sounds like a great idea!" Kenshin brightened up immediately.

"Can you please not enable him on this? Damn," Tangmo rolled his eyes and the colonels laughed, the playful camaraderie came to an abrupt end when the shrilly sound of feminine disagreement rolled toward them, growing louder like a cresting wave. Emerging on to a four-way junction in front of them was a gaggle of armed and very angry looking women, humans and eldars, pointing and arguing with the person next to them.

"Should we take cover, lads?" Bruce grinned and the men snickered.

"Nah, I think the situation calls for a full-frontal assault," Tangmo smoothened his awesome commissar coat then strode toward the maelstrom of feminine fury, tilting his head for the others to follow. "Let's go."

With the male colonels following at a relatively safe distant, Tangmo headed straight for the eye of the storm. It wasn't until he was ten paces away that they noticed him, the sudden shift of attention actually made Tangmo missed a step. Closer now, Tangmo saw that Laura, Yuki, Nikki and Lita were trying to keep the peace between each factions, calling for calm and using their own bodies as barriers to prevent things from getting physical. The four sighed in relief while the women quickly composed themselves until a tense silence replaced the catty din from before.

"Damn, and here I thought things were about to get sexy," Tangmo's dickish swagger never failed to draw immediate ire from the female of both species, behind him the male colonels made sure to take several extra steps back. "Good evening ladies…and commissar Cain?"

"Evening commissar Tangmo," Cain, standing amongst the women, saluted Tangmo easily.

"So umm… does Amberley know about this little harem you got going on here?" Tangmo cracked a smile and a few brave souls behind him, which was most definitely Bruce, Min Jae and Akecheta, dared to laugh.

"What do you want, commissar Tangmo?" Galatea demanded snappishly.

"Just making sure that y'all don't tear each other apart before the heretics gets here," Tangmo went on, and while some of the women glared at him, most were self-conscious enough to look away sheepishly. "So what seems to be the problem?"

"A disagreement on tactic," Leilatha told him.

"You see," Lita politely pushed her way to the front. "The Imperial Guards want to maintain position and fight a defensive battle against the Chaos army. But the eldars and Sororitas want to sally forth and attack them."

"Wait, nuns and elves actually agreed on something?" Tangmo was justifiably surprised.

"In context only," Miriya cut in quickly. "Our goals couldn't be more different."

"The Chaos warband is obviously here because of Isha's amulet," Firnera spoke up. "Once their forces are shattered, we can interrogate the leaders and find out more about their mission."

"On that note, did we ever found out what happened to the pilot?" Tangmo asked.

"We believe he has been captured," Marwen, the Biel-Tan Guardian captain, said. "By the populace of this planet or the Ruinous forces, we do not know. But we need to find him as soon as possible, and that can only be accomplished once the Chaos incursion is dealt with."

"Which is better done sooner than later," Miriya rejoined the conversation. "We cannot simply react to their action, we need to take the initiative and strike them first."

"Like I told Kenshin earlier, we're staying put," Tangmo said and the guardswomen exhaled their breath in relief. The Sororitas and eldars, however, mumbled nastily under their breath. "Look, I know we all want this to end as quickly as possible, but let's not forget that we're dealing with fucking Chaos here. We're not fighting only human, but all sorts of nasty daemonic and Lovecraftian shit and acting rashly will only get us kill. So can we please tread lightly?"

The Sororitas and eldars stared at him silently, faces blank of emotion, but the piercing gleam in their eyes were poisonous. After about a minute, canoness Crestienne broke the silence and said, "you make a valid point lord commissar. I agree with you, and shall proceed as you have suggested."

"For Isha's sake, we must not throw our lives away in vain," Marwen said. "We do this your way, for now."

"Thank you," Tangmo waiied them and turned to the warrior women. "Is everybody cool with this?"

"We are," Miriya conceded with a huff, while Firnera nodded curtly.

"Don't pout Miriya," Tangmo was back to being his cheeky self. "The heretics are coming. They'll be plenty of them for you to kill, so cheer up!"

Tangmo didn't know whether Miriya's scoff was angry or genial, but judging from the subdue laughter rippling from the Sororitas and eldars, the moods seems to be shifting toward the better.

"Hey Raine, you and Evangeline got the Mordian deployed next to the Valhallan, right?" Tangmo turned to the lady commissar.

"That is correct," Raine said.

"Me and the boys were just making our round in that section, and there's something off with the troop placement," Tangmo said. "Can I have a word with you for a minute?"

"What? That is not possible," Raine stared at him in disbelief. Behind her Cain was smiling venomously.

"It's nothing jarring but still quite noticeable," Tangmo pressed on. "Shall we?"

"Fine," Raine reined in her emotion and primly joined Tangmo.

"Y'all dismissed to your station," Tangmo told the gathered crowd and headed down the westerly road with Raine, but not before trading conspiratorial nod with Leilatha.

"What sort of mistake did you found, commissar Tangmo?" Raine asked once they were sheltered beside a warehouse currently occupied by the quartermasters doing inventory on ammos and guns.

"I didn't find any mistake," Tangmo seated himself down on an ammo crate, guardsmen that had been lurking nearby swiftly made themselves scarce. "Your deployment was perfect. Seriously, it was top notch."

"Then why are we having this conversation?" Raine folded her arms across her armored chest, eyes narrowed peevishly.

"What is your major malfunction with Cain?" Tangmo didn't beat around the bushes. "And don't try to bullshit me about this."

"Very well," Raine eased her stance. "Commissar Ciaphas Cain is a charlatan that needs to be exposed before his ineptitude doom the entire battlegroup."

"Damn, that went to eleven real quick," Tangmo said. "You got any proof of this? Because the Valhallans are going around telling everyone that you're jealous of him."

"I am well aware of what Cain's concubines are saying," damn Raine, can you maybe chill? "It doesn't change the fact that they are worshiping the biggest coward in the Imperium."

"You can't seriously think that," Tangmo did his best to fake a disbelieving face, because Raine was absolutely right about Cain's chicken shit behavior throughout his illustrious career. Although to be fair, he always pull through in the end, but yeah, the dude has the tendency to save his own ass before anything else. "How did you even come to that conclusion?"

"The commissariat has long been studying Cain's tactics and method of operation," Raine went on with an easy lecturing tone. "Not the glowing reports the stars struck Valhallans, easily impressionable local governors and his lover wrote, no, we have people working in the shadow for the purpose of check and balance. I have personally studied these reports and found that in every engagement, Cain always requests a posting that would see him furthest away from harm, it was only by chance that the enemies came upon him, and for whatever reason the God Emperor deemed it fitting to grant him triumph."

"You sure those reports aren't bias?" Tangmo asked.

"The most compelling argument against Cain came from a Valhallan," Raine said. "Colonel Mostrue of the 12th Valhallan Field Artillery, he's now with the battlegroup and I've interviewed him regarding Cain's behavior. Everything he said pretty much confirmed my suspicion."

"What's the point of this?" Tangmo knew that Raine was right, but he doesn't like where this conversation was heading. "I mean, he gets the job done, and to me that's good enough."

"One day his luck will run out," Raine said lowly. "And we shall reap the fruit of his cowardice."

"But he's right here on the frontline with us," Tangmo said. "That isn't very cowardly, if you ask me."

"He's only here because I've been…refreshing the Valhallan on Militarum procedure and disciplinary guidelines," and when she says procedure and guideline, she meant put them through boot camp hell. "It is his need to maintain the façade of a caring commissar that spurred him here, not any noble sense of duty."

"I just shot down the Sororitas's request to go absolute gung ho on the Chaos warband," Tangmo pressed on. "You gonna accuse me of being a coward too?"

"Let's not kid ourselves Tangmo, you're not a coward," there was an edge of dry humor to Raine's tigerish grin. "The Sisters of Battle and guardswomen can complain about your immaturity all they want, but we've fought together, and by the Emperor I've never seen anyone as courageous, or insane, under fire as you."

"Holy shit Raine, umm, thank you. Coming from you, that mean a lot," Tangmo's warm, genuine smile actually managed to soften Raine's hard countenance.

"I meant every word," Raine nodded sharply.

"Thanks," Tangmo said. "So why are you telling me about Cain?"

"I want you to help me expose him," Raine said.

"Yeah, sorry, that's a big no for me," Tangmo said apologetically.

"Can I know the reason?" Raine said neutrally, but her katana sharp gaze cut deep.

"Because it's not going to do anybody any good dude," Tangmo explained, and holy shit, maintaining eye contact with the lady commissar was freaking hard. "Look, let's say that you're successful with your little witch hunt, then what? Cain is disgraced and you'll probably die a slow painful death courtesy of Amberley, Sulla and Kasteen, but what about the rest of us? Cain is popular with everyone in the Immortal Spirit, if he's revealed to be a phony then that will be a major psychological blow to the battlegroup. And, to make matters worse, he's the freaking hero of the Imperium. If news of that got out, the morale of the Imperial Guards and citizen across the Imperium will be shattered, and given how many enemies are waiting to fuck us up, we'll be righteously fuck. In summation, this is a very bad idea."

"So we are to tolerate a false idol?" Raine asked.

"That's pretty much the mantra of the human race, we make the best out of a bad, in this case mildly inconvenient, situation," Tangmo shrugged.

"…You make a valid point," Raine shifted her feet uneasily, almost like a scolded girl. "I admit that I…didn't think the consequences through."

"You're welcome," Tangmo smirked.

"Given this revelation, I believe I can postpone my investigation," Raine continued reluctantly.

"Indefinitely," Tangmo added for good measure.

"Fine," Raine sighed then, uninvited, sat herself down beside Tangmo, pushing him almost to the edge of the crate. He totally didn't mind though. "In all honesty, this isn't how I thought this conversation would go."

"I'm full of surprises," Tangmo said. "I know you mean well, but sometime even good intention ends up bad."

"I do what must be done," Raine sighed.

"I understand," Tangmo nodded. "And can you maybe leave the Valhallan alone now? They're good soldiers, they don't need that kind of aggravation."

"If it would ease your soft sensibility, I shall be kinder to them from now on," Raine said.

"See, you can be nice too," Tangmo gave Raine a friendly punch on the shoulder.

"You're not so bad yourself," Raine managed a snort of a chuckle.

"I know, I'm amazing," Tangmo was starting to laugh when Leilatha's voice blared in his earbud, urgent and piercing.

"Tangmo, they're here."

"Where?" Tangmo sprang to his feet and gazed at the deceptively calm night around him. Seeing the seriousness on his face, Raine rose and tapped her earbud, joining the conversation.

"Everywhere," Leilatha told him. "They are advancing on every position."

"I'm on my way," Tangmo cut the transmission and, with Raine at his side, sprinted down the street until they reached the four-way junction again. "I got the northeastern front, you?"

"The central north," Raine started down the right lane while Tangmo took the left, "better make sure Cain hasn't mucked up my defenses."

"Stay safe dude!" Tangmo waved at Raine and hurried down the road. "Don't get kill before Cain does!"

"I won't give him the satisfaction!"

"Charon batteries do you read me?" Lita tapped her earbuds as she watched the churning mass of Chaos soldiers forming up into a continuous, unbroken line that stretched into infinity from east to west, howling and roaring at the entrenched guardsmen and eldars. Separating the desecrated residential block of tall, rectangular apartment buildings from the Silatar industrial complex was seven hundred yards of open, empty truck lanes. Lita swallowed down the rising distaste in her throat, knowing what kind of carnage was about to be unleash.

"Go ahead, lady Warseer," Vakon answered her.

"Have all midrange artilleries loaded and ready please," Lita said. "On my command, I want you to fire on the coordinates I sent you. These will be accurate single shots, not a barrage, I want to minimize collateral damage as much as possible."

"Love, that's a bit too nice and counterproductive given the arseload of Chaos psychopaths we're dealing with," Laura spoke up beside her, hellgun braced and ready. "I say we bomb them straight to hell right now."

"Those are people's homes," Lita pointed at the claustrophobic cluster of apartment buildings arrayed behind the gathered heretics. "We're here to help them, not make them homeless."

"Who cares? They've already been evacuated," Lita glared at Yuki's careless dismissiveness. "Besides, Lithia and Taelin said they were gonna rebuild everything that got destroyed. So it's not like we're destroying their houses, but more like giving them new ones."

"That actually makes a twisted kind of sense," the helmed Miriya admitted from her left, nods and murmurs of agreement rippled down their position.

"Okay, fine! You heartless maniacs," Lita tapped her earbud again. "Vakon, new plan, I want the Charon and Destoroyah batteries to take aim at the apartment complex behind the Chaos forces. Once we repel the first wave, open fire with a sustain bombardment for ten minutes. That should hopefully stall or completely break the siege."

"Woah, dude, Lita just went hardcore!" Damien's distorted Space Marine voice was very infuriating.

"My little girl is all grown up, I'm so proud of her," but Tangmo's little fake sniffles was downright aggravating.

"Will you idiots shut up?! It's a sound strategic decision!" Lita shot back crossly, "besides, I was coerced by individuals who shall not be named!"

"I knew you were forced to do it Lita," Erik, who was up in a sniper nest somewhere above them, added kindly.

"Oh piss off you bloody kiss arse," Laura jeered at Erik the same moment commissar Raine skidded to a stop beside colonel Evangeline, breathing hard but composed, bolt pistol held at ready.

"Just in time," Evangeline flashed a grin.

"The traffic near the mortar emplacements was horrid," Raine said, her amiability turning to surprise when she spotted Cain standing not ten paces from her. "Are you lost, lord commissar?"

"On the contrary lady commissar, this is precisely where I want to be," Cain said with more than a little bite, around him the Valhallan were muttering darkly at Raine.

"There's a first time for everything it seems," Raine's pleasantries was barbed. "Quite a contrast to the ball from last night, wouldn't you agree Ciaphas?"

"I would say that the people are a lot less hostile, Severina," Cain looked politely, but poignantly, at Raine.

"Save your bickering for after the battle, humans," Firnera cut in and braced her eldar P90 submachine gun. "The cultists are surging forward, make ready!"

"Lita, you shouldn't be here," Dalthorn rushed to her side, even with the helmet on, she could tell how worried he was. "Please, I beg you to retire to the rear."

"I'm not going anywhere Dalthorn," Lita tapped the side of her head, summoning her luchador war helm, then stroke the Aeldari captain's armored cheek. "Don't worry, I can take care of myself, and you're here to help me too!"

"I agree with him, lady Warseer," Marwen of Biel-Tan spoke up. "You carry a relic that is precious beyond measure to our people. Your main focus now should be keeping yourself and the amulet safe."

"I understand you concern," Lita went on calmly despite the storm of war closing in on them. "But trust me when I say that the amulet is safest with me right now."

"But it should be somewhere safe and well-guarded," Marwen retorted desperately.

"Yeah, because putting it somewhere 'safe' is just an invitation for something to go wrong," Yuki rolled her eyes at the Biel-Tan captain.

"We'll protect Lita, don't worry," Laura winked reassuringly at the totally unconvinced eldars.

"Enemies incoming, prepare to fire!" Min Jae cut in hurriedly.

With a firm parting nod that broker no argument, Lita turned her attention to the wall of churning heretics, who were charging to the roar of blaring horns and savage beating drums, the mad, bestial reverberation shattering the night. The battlegroup's defenses were a simple one, with the entire industrial complex now reinforced by chest high slabs of concrete wall studded with sandbags, manned by Imperial Guards, eldars, Sororitas and Astartes. Pillboxes, each with three or four heavy gun platforms, dotted the wall at every thirty feet. And behind them were rows upon rows of Chimeras, Immolators and Exorcists, all barrels primed and ready.

"Enemy at six hundred yards and closing!" Xiphos was striding up and down the line to Lita's right, shouting orders to the Fire Guards.

"Do we have any visual confirmation on Chaos Astartes?" Lita peered into the tidal wave of humanity, seeing only bloodthirsty, and very dirty looking, mad men and women waving their weapons drunkenly in the air, along with a few desecrated, lumbering Chimeras and Tauros.

"That's a negative," Evangeline pulled the binocular away from her face and trained her laspistol forward. "They are not presence in this section of the defense."

"Erik, can you confirm this?" Lita tapped her lucha helm.

"She's right, I don't see any of them," Erik said.

"Guys?" Lita asked Damien and Tangmo.

"That's a no on my front," said the Thai commissar.

"The drones aren't picking up anything either," the Canadian Astartes added.

"More power to us," Lita, Laura and Yuki jumped with an undignified squeal when Nikki popped up beside the Warseer.

"Don't do that!" Lita placed a hand over heart, breathing heavily.

"You should be more worry about bullets," Nikki chuckled.

"What are you even doing here?!" Lita went on exasperatedly. "I thought you were with Damien?"

"He doesn't need me, he has everything under control," Nikki tapped the side of her Predator helm, "right, my dude?"

"Oh yeah," Damien gave his affirmative, "the Kriegs and the Dark Reaper are keeping the Astartes company, don't worry."

"See? He's fine," Nikki threw her arm companionably around Lita shoulders. "Besides, it's been so long since we raised hell together, I'm not gonna miss this chance!"

"Damn right we're not!" Yuki joined in the hug, squeezing mightily. "I can't even remember the last time we hang out. This is gonna be epic!"

"Righty-o lovies! Time to show the galaxy what the four of us can do!" Laura completed the hug and all four started jumping and laughing, uncaring of the incredulous eyes honed on them or the gigantic army stampeding closer toward the defenses.

"Watch the hand, Laura," Nikki smirked and got her butt groped by the British inquisitor for the trouble.

"Oh! You gain some weight love?" Laura giggled as they broke off the embrace, smiles plastered upon their faces.

"Four hundred yards and closing!" Xiphos yelled and the clicks of priming weapons echoed down the line.

"You guys ready?" Lita twirled her Singing Spear in an epic, martial art loops.

"Ready!" Yuki and Nikki nodded enthusiastically.

"Are they at two hundred yards yet?" Laura took her place at the concrete wall.

"Three hundred, lady inquisitor, and they're about to make the final sprint," Xiphos told her and all around them the officers of the Sororitas, the guardsmen and the eldars shouted one last command and encouragement. Powerful war cries boomed in response, the octave so loud that it eclipsed the heretic's shrieking for a few seconds.

"A little closer now…" Nikki was grinning down the scope of her eldar sniper rifle, finger easing on the trigger, chest rising and falling slowly.

"Two hundred yards!" Xiphos bellowed.

"Open fire! Mael Dannan!" Lita raised her Singing Spear high and swung it downward, roaring at the top of her lungs, launching a powerful lance of bright white lightning at the oncoming heretics. The pure psychic energy bolt crashed into the enemy's line with a thunderclap, the explosion blinding and hellish, turning night into day. But the carnage wasn't over, for the lightning broke into a hundred smaller bolts that tore deep into the mass of heretics, ranks and files reduced to smoldering mounds of sooty corpses. Lita's awesome display of sorcery herald a storm of lightning, fireballs and ice bolts as eldar warlocks and Storm Singers, the Frost Bringer cadre of psykers, added their own conflagration to the battlefield.

"For the Emperor!" Laura roared and the guns let loose their barrages. Las, bolts and shurikens cut down the attackers in droves, but the bloodthirsty tide pressed onward despite the lost of momentum.

"Exorcist batteries, open fire!" At Miriya's command, the Sororitas organ missile launchers let fly their ordnances, the payloads cleaved through the air, the wailing strangely melodic, landing among the heretics in blooming fire that consumed men and women with merciless impunity. The killing was sickeningly one sided, and Lita slowly eased up on the lightning bolts until she simply stood and watched as the attack crumble, a tide that never reached the shore. Not ten minutes after it started the heretics were fleeing back across the killing field, having barely put up a fight, the Imperials and eldars booing them as they gunned down the retreating survivors.

"Vakon, do you read me?" Lita eyed the apartment complex where more heretics were gathering for a second push.

"Bring the hammer down?" Vakon asked enthusiastically.

"Bring the hammer down," Lita said and muffled boomed rumbled behind them, followed by the high-pitched scream of falling shells that ended in a resounding explosion on the other side of no man's land. The northerly dawn stayed with them for a good ten minutes.

"I'm having a very bad case of déjà vu right now," sister Cassandra spoke up as she reloaded her heavy bolter, her tone guarded, "and not the good kind."

"We're staying put this time, right?" Sister Isabel glanced questioningly at Miriya.

"Yes, we are maintaining position," Miriya slammed a magazine home and glanced at Laura, "unless you have something else in mind."

"Nope, I'm perfectly fine staying here," Laura nodded quickly.

"Thank the Emperor we're not chasing after them this time," Verity blew a sigh of relief, shivering slightly from the unwanted memory.

"Why? What happened last time?" The wide eye Alnelle asked innocently, still spooked by the battle.

"That is none of your…"

"We followed a retreating enemy and barreled straight into their trap," Verity cut in before Miriya can snap at Alnelle. "What follows…wasn't pleasant in the slightest."

"Maybe they are defeated now?" Alnelle said hopefully.

"If only that was the case," Verity's smile was somber. "But alas, the heretics will continue to assault our position until us or them perish." Seeing how disheartened the eldar medic was becoming, Verity reached out and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll live through this. I won't let anything happened to you."

"Thank you," Alnelle was doing a pretty bad job of holding back her tears.

"Well, you better keep her very close Verity," Nikki peered into the scope of her sniper rifle, "because a third wave is forming up. And I think there are daemons with them this time."

"Just bomb them again, what's the big deal?" Yuki had barely finished her sentence when a violent rumble shook the ground, the powerful and sudden reverberation knocking them all off their feet. And above the shout and scream, a hellish explosion shattered the din of battle, evil black plumes rising behind them in great, towering columns.

"Oh bloody hell, what the fuck just happened?!" Laura stumbled back to her feet.

"Skaven! Skaven in the rear! They're coming out of the ground! Emperor's mercy – AHHHH!" The panicky transmission was overtaken by ratty screeching before the line was cut.

"Well shit, and here I thought this was gonna be easy," Nikki commented dryly.

"You were supposed to make sure every pipe and tunnels were caved in!" Firnera pointed an accusing finger at Miriya.

"We did!" Miriya shot back heatedly. "Every passageway under the industrial complex was destroyed!"

"Apparently not!" Firnera waved angrily at the cacophony rising in the rear.

"I was the one who planted those charges myself!" Miriya roared at Firnera, the Celestian and Banshee looked about ready to kill each other.

"She did plant the explosives. I was there with her and I saw everything came down!" Tangmo of all people deescalated the situation.

"Then what the hell happened?!" Nikki demanded.

"The schematic we got from the Xyla Consortium was shit!" Tangmo growled. "Lithia fucked us!"