The Multiverse Project: Warhammer 40,000

"Look out!"

Laura threw herself on top of Lingxin as Miranda, the nine foot tall Avenging Knight Sororitas and Damien newest crush, flew over their head, the woman crashing badly into a computer terminal behind them, sending sparks and metal flying.

"Oi! Miranda, you alright love?!" Laura crawled over to the big woman, who was getting up slowly with a pained groan, her destroyed heavy bolters clattering to the ground as she drew a bolt pistol. "Bloody hell! Corpsman!"

"It's just a scratch, lady inquisitor, I'm fine," Miranda got into a crouch and joined her and Lingxin at the hastily made barricade of busted up desks, miscellaneous furniture, computers and lab equipment, the Imperials and Aeldari only defense against the heretic's overwhelming suppressing fire. "Are you injured?"

"Still in one piece," Laura blasted three PDFs trying to bum rush them, the hellgun's laser tearing the traitors to charcoal shreds, then turned to Lingxin. "What about you love?"

"Not dead yet," Lingxin slammed a new magazine home and yelled behind her, "what the fuck is taking so long?!"

"I'm going as fast as I can, the fucking thing is encrypted! Even with the battlegroup's Machine Spirits helping me, I'm gonna need more time!" Vivian, aka fem Cyborg, shouted back as she quickly tapped the data-pad built into her multipurpose right arm, face scrunched up in rictus concentration, red eye glaring. "How about you do your fucking job and I'll do mine?!"

Lingxin let out a slew of Chinese curses and gunned down another wave of psychotic inmates, twisted by Chaos voodoo and bodily mutilation, charging the battlegroup with bloody single-mindedness, uncaring of the las and shurikens cutting them down. The heretics did a good job of luring the battlegroup into a false sense of security when they had plowed through the underbelly of the fortress with ease. By the time they reached the deep sanctum, there was barely anyone around to oppose them. As prison goes, it was pretty posh, in a stale, hopeless kinda way. Reserved for high ranking prisoners of the better connected and opulent sorts, the cells here were made of near impenetrable crystal glass, arranged artfully around the wall of the vast domed enclosure so that the place looked more like a transparent resort than a prison. The interior was spartan but very livable, similar to Norwegian prisons. At the center of the sanctum was a square glass box, larger than the other cells but void of any furniture, the air inside tinted with a sickly greenish hue that stank like corpses and rotting blood. And lying motionless within the sickening fume was an eldar, pale as death and barely breathing. They were in the process of figuring out how to open the box when, you guessed it, horde upon horde of Chaos heretics, gangers, PDFs, prisoners and psychopaths poured into the sanctum, a flood of screaming, maddened humanity that crashed into the battlegroup in a spectacular surf of fire and blood. The suicidal tsunami was so powerful that it shattered the Immortal Spirit's line, scattering them into bite size pieces for easy consumption. Thankfully, the separated pockets were all giving them one hell of a fight, refusing to yield to the onslaught. But if Laura was being honest, things weren't looking good for them, especially on her front. Beside herself, only the forward elements of the Dragon Blood, the Avenging Knight Sororitas, Nikki's cadre of Predator eldar commandos and Biel-Tan Guardians led by captain Marwen had managed to secure the area around the prisoner, but their defensive perimeter was quickly shrinking. Bloody hell, how many fucking Chaos wankers were there?!

"Vivian, we could use an ETA right about now!" Laura dropped beneath the cover, teeth gritted against the salvo tearing into the woods and metals above her.

"You must hold the line, lady inquisitor!" Was Vivian's stern answer, "even after I manage to unlock the cell, I still need to decontaminate it, then I have to stabilize the air quality so that the prisoner doesn't go into shock after we exhumed the disease fume. These things can't be rush!"

"No pressure at all!" Laura rolled her eyes sassily and tapped her earbud, "Yuki! Where are you love?! Are you alive?!"

"Can't talk! Killing!" Yuki blurted and the last thing Laura heard before the transmission ended was her girlfriend's Banshee scream, if she listened hard enough she could hear it over the raging din of battle. Laura tried to keep her cool, but in that moment she felt nothing but the coldest, most gut wrenching worry for Yuki. Despite repeatedly telling herself that Yuki was fine, Laura's mind was screaming for her to rush to the exarch's side. She cursed herself for not giving into the impulse, surrendering instead to the heavy responsibility now anchoring her in place. It was her fault. She should never have told Yuki to scout ahead, and if anything happens…God, if something happens to Yuki…

"Lady inquisitor? Laura?! Hey!" A hard shove wrenched her back from the sinking dark thought. Blinking, Laura found herself staring at a scowling Lingxin. "Where's your fucking head at?!"

"Right where it's always been," Laura offered Lingxin a lopsided smile. "Sorry about drifting off a bit there, what's happening right now?"

"Things aren't getting better but they're not getting worse either," Lingxin send a burst of las over the barricade and ducked down before the return fire can decapitate her. "Personally, I don't like the idea of waiting for the tide to come and swallow us."

"Sounds like you got a plan brewing there, colonel," Laura quirked a brow at Lingxin.

"We sally forth and meet them head on," Lithia slipped in beside Laura, cape billowing, accompanied by Lily, Villtur, Athena, Marie and a gaggle of Avenging Knight Battle Sisters. "We need to elevate the pressure from Vivian so she can do her work. Hopefully a counter attack can destroy the heretic's momentum and give us some breathing room."

"Smashing idea," Laura tapped her earbud. "Lita, come in, what's the situation on your front?"

"Going well, but not as fast as I like," Lita was gritting her teeth on the other end. "Me, the Warlocks and the Farseers are trying to break this cabal of Chaos sorcerers, they're responsible for coordinating the attack and imbuing all the bad guys with bloodlust. We're breaking through, but they're very stubborn."

"And you have no idea when you'll be able to crack those sons of bitches open," Nikki took her place beside Laura.

"Sorry, no," Lita said. "But it'll be soon, I promise!"

"You up for a few laps around the sanctum Laura?" Nikki magnetized her eldar sniper rifle to her back with a toothy grin and drew two wicked looking sub machineguns, all sexy curves and sharp angles, giving both a little twirl around her fingers.

"Always love," Laura hefted up her trusty hellgun and gave it a quick check over. A little warm but everything was still intact, good for another few hours before she needed to start worrying about the barrel melting. She glanced at Lingxin, Marwen and Lithia, "we're gonna be heading out soon ladies, pick a small team of your best and brightest, and be snippy about it!"

"I got everything I need right here," Lithia crooned and the Avenging Knights giggled darkly while the guardsmen and eldars swiftly cobbled up their squads. In less than a minute, all was ready, grim undaunted eyes now honed on Laura.

"Awaiting your order, lady inquisitor," Lingxin tightened the strap of her winged helm, looking absolutely ready to kick some arse.

"Miranda! Give us some covering fire love!" Laura shouted over the bloodthirsty din cresting toward them, this one sounded very big.

"With pleasure! Alright people, give them hell! Open fire!" A storm of bolts and laser flew over their head, the air shimmered and distorted from the violent discharge. Howls of pain answered the barrage, followed by fleshy tears of sundered bodies and the sizzles of scorched meat. Poking her head above the pickets when the volley ended, Laura was extremely pleased to see a large red swathe of gory, twitching corpses glistening like a welcoming carpet before them.

"That's our que lovelies!" Laura was the first to vault over the barricade, blasting a bunch of gangers trying to regroup, and waved the other to follow. "Run and gun those wankers! Let's go! For the Emperor!"

Laura took off at a sprint, jumped over a pile of mangled corpses and charged an approaching group of frothing mad inmates, the hellgun's burning red laser cutting down the lightly armored heretics by the scores. Laura was about to collide into them when Lily, screaming almost as loud as the Banshees, leapt over her head and plowed into the wall of flesh, her crackling power claws sending torrents of misty blood and viscera into the sky, the Chaos grunts crumbling before her brutal onslaught.

"Holy hell, we should've done this sooner," Nikki appeared on Laura's right, both of them admiring Lily's butcher work as Lithia and Villtur joined her, the close quarter fighting was vicious and woefully one sided.

"Stay close to the Justice Avenger League! Let's go!" Blasting a group of PDFs trying to flank them, Laura led the hit and run team after the Avenging Knights, wading through the carnage left in their wake, las and shurikens rattling a ceaseless staccato. Soon, the battlegroup column started veering right, not slowing down as they took a clockwise route.

"Excellent work ladies and gents! Keep up the good…"

"Abomination! Three o'clock!"

Laura saw too late the dozen hulking, Bane looking motherfuckers, bodies mutilated by Chaos iconography and sharp bloody objects, wielding huge spiked clubs and great slabs of sharpened steel that passes for swords, plowing into the column's right flank. The mutated juggernauts stomped and cleaved through Sororitas, guardsmen and eldars alike with blind savagery. Laura herself would've bitten the dust if Nikki hadn't tackled her to the ground, the evil looking cudgel narrowly missing them, the wind careening overhead stealing her breathe away.

"You alright?" Nikki sprang swiftly into a crouch and held her hand out to Laura.

"Yeah, I'm – look out!" Laura wrenched Nikki aside, trained the barrel of her hellgun at a huge Chaos abomination and fired, full power, in its face. The blinding laser vaporized his entire skull but the corpse managed to take a few more steps before dropping dead, almost crushing Laura.

"Thanks," Nikki spun on her heels and held down the triggers of her submachine guns, sending a full auto barrage at a bunch of gangers trying to exploit the abomination's opening. "We got a bit of a problem here!"

"Keep the flanks clear. We'll deal with the Chaos monsters!" Lithia soared above their head and decapitated a mean looking giant with a beautiful swoop of her power scythe. "Taelin! Where are you?! I could really use some help right now!"

"Fire at will! Keep those bastards off our back! No mercy!" Laura took her place beside Nikki and fired from the hip at the heretics, Lingxin, Marwen, the guardsmen and the Guardians swiftly adding their firepower to the fray. The barrage appeared effective at first but the heretic's sheer numbers was forcing the battlegroup to slowly yield their ground. Then things nose dive into the proverbial septic tank when Khornate daemons, eight foot tall Bloodletters, battered aside their mortal allies and made a beeline for the firing line.

"Shite! Scatter! Scatter!" Laura and Lingxin jumped left while Nikki and Marwen went right as a Bloodletter brought his glowing, daemonic sword down like a hammer, sparks and tendrils of fire flying from the impact. And as luck would have it, the Khornate daemon turned to Laura and Lingxin, deeming them to be the tastier morsels, and pursue.

"Piss off you bloody wanker!" Laura got into a crouch and fired a rapid barrage at the Bloodletter, but to her charging the daemon was an absolute bullet sponge. The damage she inflicted upon it was horrific and would've killed lesser being, but the Bloodletter's regenerative power swiftly mends every burn and laceration. Bad news for Laura, because the Satan looking arsehole was already pouncing her, shimmering sword raised, looking to give her the split. But before the daemonic steel can come down, Lingxin took to the sky and Kamen Rider kick the fucker in the head, the thunderous blow sending the Chaos daemon careening into one of its brethren, the unlucky sod's head making a one eighty spin to the brittle cracks of splintered bones.

"Oh my God Lingxin, I could kiss you!" Laura sprang spritely back to her feet and hugged the Buxiunese colonel.

"I doubt exarch Yuki would like that," Lingxin snorted then quickly yanked Laura off and drew the dao from her back. "Look alive inquisitor, there's still a couple more daemons to deal with."

"Right you are, love," Laura spun around and, so Lingxin wouldn't feel left out, magnetized the hellgun to its power pack and unsheathed her spare claymore, giving it a few badass twirls as she faced the pissed off Bloodletter growling at them.

"I read that the surest way to destroy and banish daemon is through bodily dismemberment," Lingxin got into a graceful wushu stance, her form limbered and ready to spring, looking a lot more relaxed than Laura's HEMA guard. "I think we should give it a test."

"Let's Ashly William this wanker then…"

"BANZAI!"

Laura had barely finished her sentence when Kenshin charged the Bloodletter from the right, scarlet katana held high. The suddenness of his appearance stunned the Khornate daemon, who failed to raise its sword in defense as the folded steel swung down. The Bloodletter's thick corded arm flew from its elbow in a gushing fountain of crimson as Kenshin continued his furious attack, hacking at the indignant daemon who desperately tried, and failed, to stop the 40k samurai. Behind the colonel poured a column of Dawn Blade guardsmen, the Kuronese plowed into the heretic's reinforcement, bayonet thrusting and slashing, screaming 'Tennoheika Banzai' at the top of their lungs.

"Good show mate, bloody good show," Laura braced the claymore on her shoulder and approached Kenshin, the panting man drenched in red, a decapitated, and quite dead, daemon at his feet. "Thanks for the timely assist love."

"You're welcome, lady inquisitor," Kenshin flicked bloody droplets from his katana, sheathed it with a samurai flourish, and turned to Lingxin. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Lingxin said stiffly. "I wasn't in any danger to begin with."

"I see," Kenshin rolled his eyes and sighed.

"But…thank you," Lingxin offered, and bloody hell Kenshin lit up like the sun despite his best attempt to suppress a smile.

"Human lives are so short, why are you not more honest with your feelings?" Marwen and Nikki joined them, the Biel-Tan captain casting an incomprehensible look at the wide eyed Lingxin and Kenshin. "Is this some sort of mating ritual I am witnessing, a competition to see who capitulate first?"

"Shut up xeno, it's nothing like that!" Lingxin yelled at Marwen, her face red, while Kenshin looked the other way, pulling the kabuto down to hide his flushing cheeks.

"It's totally something like that," Nikki smirked and glanced around them, for the moment things were somewhat quiet now that Lithia and the Avenging Knights had successfully dispatched the abominations. "What's next?"

"We keep moving, duh," Laura said as Lithia swooped down beside her, the canoness was covered in blood, her cape ripped to tatter, which actually made her looked more badass. "You guys still kicking?"

"We are," Lithia nodded, clear weariness in her posture, deep bleeding rents adorned her armor. "But the Chaos hordes remains strong and numerous, killing them is taxing, to say the least."

"I know love, but we need to stick to it and…"

"I did it! I did it!"

A thunderclap of discharging Warp power rumbled across the sanctum, red lightning shot across the air and struck every corner of the domed interior, the bolts writhed like headless snakes for a few seconds before going still, frozen like a National Geographic photograph. Then, to Laura astonishment, the gagged lances of light disintegrated, turning to flakes of glittering ruby that drifted down like snow, the softest of touch reducing them to microscopic dusts that withered away to nothing.

"Did you guys see that?!" Lita's excitable voice blared again. "Holy crap! I can't believe I did it!"

"What did you do exactly?" Nikki asked.

"We killed all those Chaos sorcerer a-holes! Blast them all to smithereens!" Lita squealed in delight. "That should knock the wind out of their sail."

"The Warseer is correct, look," following Marwen pointing finger, Laura's lips curved up into a creepy ass grin as she sheathed her bloodless claymore and drew her hellgun, the barrel trained easily on the surrounding heretics. Numerous though they were, the earlier animalistic bloodlust was gone, replaced by a very human lucidity. The armed men and women now stood immobile, confused glances darting left and right. Some appeared uncomprehending of the situation while a lot more clutched their heads in vice grips, groaning like they'd just suffered the worst hangovers imaginable.

"Ta-ta lovelies," Laura fired the first shot, punching a hole through the chest of a PDF, heralding a savage barrage from the battlegroup, las and shuriken scything the heretics into unrecognizable gibs. The traitors, deprived of the blessing of the Chaos Gods, tried to flee, trampling each other in a mad stampede, but none escaped the vengeful fusillade. And just like that, they were on the winning side again, which goes to show how fluid a battle can be.

"Well, that went smashingly," Laura blew on the hellgun's white hot barrel.

"Damn right it did," Nikki ejected the magazines from her submachine guns and slammed a new pair home. "What's next?"

Laura held up her hand, saving her breathe because she knew someone was gonna start screaming in her earbuds. She wasn't disappointed when Miranda yelled across the intercom.

"The Death Guards are converging on the prisoner, we're taking heavy fire and sustaining multiple casualties, we need back up now!"

"Stand your ground Miranda, we're on our way," Lithia swiftly took off with her remaining Avenging Knights, above them Taelin and the flyers soared across the dome in a pristine wedge formation.

"You heard the canoness, let's go lads and lasses!"

"Laura!"

Laura spun around and gasped in relief when she saw Yuki running toward her, the Banshees, the Sororitas and the Grey Watch close at her heels, stomping through a sea of gore in great thumping steps, sending splashes of red flying.

"Yuki!" Laura spread her arms and Yuki leapt into it, both embracing and twirling like a twisted version of a Disney cartoon where two princesses reunited amidst doom and deaths instead of sunshine and flowers. The guardsmen and Guardians cheered raggedly at the scene while the Banshees and Sororitas just groaned. How rude!

"What the hell were you thinking?!" Yuki pushed the stunned Laura off, her face puffed up in anger. Okay, this wasn't how things were supposed to go. They should be making out right about now.

"I'm sorry?" Laura asked, uncomprehending.

"You could've have died you idiot!" Yuki went on, the two katanas in her hands shaking, "why did you have to rush into the thick of it like that?! Do you know how worried I was?! Seeing you about to be consumed by the horde?! I thought I wasn't gonna reach you in time!"

"I was worried too!" Now it was Laura's turn to get angry. "Why in the bloody fuck do you think I was running around all over the place for?! I was coming to help!"

"I can take care of myself!" Yuki shot back. "You shouldn't have run off like that!"

"Oh, okay then, next time I'll just don't give a fuck then!" Laura snapped.

"Why, thank you very much, I'm so fucking grateful!" Yuki sassed back.

"Good!"

"Fine!"

"Hey guys! Good to see you all here!" Lita waved energetically as she and her eldar troupe joined them, the Warseer's sunny disposition clouding over when she felt the negative aura pulsing from the scowling Laura and Yuki, her spritely steps slowing as she approached the two. "Umm…is very thing alright?"

"Everything is just dandy, isn't that right Yuki?" Laura spat then lifted her chin high in haughty displeasure.

"Yes Laura, all is right with the world," Yuki mimicked her unhappy posture, and how dare she look so good doing it!

"They're fighting again?" Lita glanced at Nikki with that infuriating motherly concern face of hers.

"They'll kiss and make up in about an hour," Nikki smirked, absolutely unconcerned by the nasty, snarling look Laura and Yuki was giving her.

"Oi, lassies! I don't want to intrude on your domestic squabbling, but we still have eleven Death Guards to deal with!" Aileen stepped in between Laura and Yuki, angry and agitated as only a Scotswoman can, colonel Bruce's attempt to placate her failing miserably, "so how about the two of you shut the fuck up so we can get a move on already?!"

"Alright, alright! Bloody hell woman, calm down!" Laura back away from the fuming Aileen and turned to the assembled battlegroup. "Righty-o then ladies and gents, you heard the major, double time back to the central prison cell. Follow me!"

To rousing cheers and hurrahs, Laura led the Immortal Spirit troops anticlockwise back to the VIP cell while Lita, Nikki and their eldar squads darted on ahead. Laura shot Yuki a dagger sharp glare when she slipped in beside her, feeling deep satisfaction when the exarch flinched, her steps wobbly as if someone had just clocked her in the head. Laura kept her gaze forward, not sparing Yuki a speck of notice, not even when it was clear the little chit was trying to get her attention. Laura scoffed. Now she wanted to place nice? Piss off, you bloody ingrate.

"Laura?" Yuki's voice was barely a whisper, and Laura didn't dignify herself with a response. "Laura please, talk to me."

"Contact! Dead ahead!" Astrid shouted and led the Sororitas and Banshees toward a quartet of Death Guards appearing from behind a row of towering computer mainframes, moving fast despite their decrepit state. Laura sprinted after them before Yuki can open her mouth, managing to land two solid shots on the lead Death Guard's chest. The Astartes gurgling groan sounded pissed as he raised his bolter at her.

"Get down!" Kenshin wrenched Laura behind a desk, narrowly dodging the roaring burst of bolts. "Are you hit?!"

"I'm fine," Laura shrugged Kenshin off and braced her hellgun on the tabletop, adding her laser to the hellish barrage pouring onto the Chaos Marines. One was already down after taking a melta charge to the face. "Bruce! Lingxin! Get the Zodd lasguns up here now! Lay it on them!"

Shouting down the line, the two colonels summoned the heavy gunners and waved them to the front. Hot blood red bolts, darker and bigger than those of the average lasgun, pounded the Death Guards, the impact sending them staggering back a couple of steps, the ceramite scorched and glowing like magma about to break surface. It took a couple of volleys before the lasbolts finally punched through the power armors, tearing into the putrid flesh beneath.

"Aim for the legs! Cut them down!" The guardsmen responded promptly to Laura and started kneecapping the Death Guards, combined this with the eldars and Sororitas unceasing onslaught the three remaining Astartes were quickly overwhelmed. But when things were just getting good a horde of Plaguebearers, Nurglings and diseased cultists rushed forward, coming to the rescue of their bosses.

"Form up! Fix bayonets and make ready!" Kenshin drew his katana and formed the Dawn Blade into a three ranks deep line behind him, eager, some would say unhinged, smile splitting his face in two. After getting reined in so many times by Tangmo, Kenshin was finally gonna let loose. He locked eyes with a worried Lingxin for a moment then nodded at Laura. "Good luck inquisitor. Totsugeki! Tennoheika Banzai!"

The Kuronese roared and charged the oncoming Chaos horde, blazing katana raised to the sky and bayonets lowered like yari spears of old, Kenshin and his men in that moment looked like samurais and ashigarus of the Sengoku Jidai. Blood and filth sprayed like waves crashing upon the cliff, the daemons and heretics cried in dismay as the Dawn Blade plunged into their midst and commenced the slaughter, the Kuronese bloodlust unleashed in its most terrible splendor.

"Lingxin, stay with the Kuronese and give them fire support. Wouldn't want anything bad to happen to Kenshin now, would we?" Laura shot the blushing Buxiunese a mischievous look, brow quirking.

"But…" Lingxin fidgeted like a schoolgirl. Behind her the bespectacled major Shen just shook his head exasperatedly.

"Don't worry love, me and Marwen will take care of the Death Guards. Now scoot," Laura nudged her head at the raging melee. All in all, the Kuronese looked to be having a grand time.

"As you command, inquisitor Laura," Lingxin nodded, thrust her dao high and charged after the Dawn Blade with the Dragon Blood. "Follow me! Wansui! Sha! Sha! Sha!"

"I still do not understand," Marwen deadpanned behind Laura as Lingxin led her regiment in support of Kenshin and his men, a sight that would've been inconceivable six months earlier. "When it comes to affection why is subterfuge needed when simple honesty can suffice?"

"Humans are complex creatures," Laura shrugged.

"Yes, your fight with exarch Yuki had made that statement abundantly clear," Marwen spared her a sideway glance, and Laura was sure the eldar was rolling her eyes beneath the dildo helmet.

"Nobody like a smart – oh shite!" Laura leapt out of cover and charged the last Death Guard, a diseased battle axe raised high above his head, a crouching Yuki at his feet.

"No!" Laura held the trigger down, sending a long uninterrupted beam of white hot laser at the Death Guard, the output turned up to maximum. The laser hit his upraised arm, melting the ceramite, vaporizing the rotting flesh beneath, and punching clean through the destroyed limb to hit the Astartes's helm, turning half his head into a sizzling mess of flesh, blood and marrow. The tosser refused to die though. Roaring, the Death Guard charged Laura, uncaring that the rest of his head was getting incinerated. Teeth gritted, Laura refused to let go of the trigger, not even when the barrel started to melt and black plumes spewed from the power pack. The Chaos Marine was five paces away, looking ready to make a leap, when a blur of silver flashed passed him and Yuki skidded to a stop in front of Laura, her eldar katanas smeared with ichor while the Death Guard tumbled to the ground, his legs severed cleanly at the knees.

"Your pack!" Yuki pointed at Laura's back, which was now starting to burn.

"Shite!" Laura fumbled with the straps on her torso and shoulders, nervous fingers slipping on the belts and buckles. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

"Stay still!" Yuki held her in place and slid a katana under the straps, cutting them with ease. In moments, the power pack and hellgun clattered to her feet. "Come on! We have to go!"

"Wait!" Laura lifted the hellgun and its accessories over her head, the metal scorching her fingertips, and threw the entire damn thing on top of the roaring Death Guard. "Now we can run!"

Grabbing Yuki's arm, Laura hurled both of them over a workstation. The pair had barely hit the ground when the hellgun and its pack blew up in a spectacular ball of fire, the inferno consuming the Death Guard. They waited a few heartbeats before poking their heads above the desk, Laura drawing her laspistol as she and Yuki stepped gingerly around the sizzling metallic workstation, prowling with wolfish wariness toward the unmoving Chaos Astartes. Both breathe a sigh of relief when it was clear the Death Guard was most definitely dead, stinking worse in death than life.

"Are you alright?" Yuki asked, nothing but worries in her voice. Laura thought about ignoring Yuki, because she was still rightly miffed, but those bloody eyes, so warm, so hurt, so vulnerable, shattered her mental resolves with ease.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Laura answered curtly, making sure her tone was clipped, and spun away.

"I'm sorry," those two little words stopped Laura dead. She stood there, amidst the blood and death, frozen to the spot, only turning around when Yuki came to stand beside her, "for what I said earlier."

"You didn't mean any of it," Laura felt her throat constricting, each word coming harder than the last, one syllable away from breaking into a sob. She always ended up a crying wreck every time she had a fight with Yuki.

"That doesn't make it right, I shouldn't have snapped at you like that," Yuki eyes were downcast, veiled by her swaying bang. "You fought through an army to reach me, and what did I do? I yelled at you, practically spitting at your good intention."

"It hurts you know," Laura sniffed and harshly wiped her watery eyes. "I…I didn't know what to do, hearing all the screams, your voice lost in that madness, all I could think of was reaching you before…"

"I'm sorry," Yuki leaned in a wrapped her arms around Laura, the embrace wasn't as fierce as last time but somehow it felt more meaningful, deeper in affection and more soothing on a tired soul. Laura gently returned the hug, and it was when the two of them were in each other's arms that they allowed a single choking gasp to pass their lips, one minuscule display of weakness. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, I can never stay mad at you anyway," Laura smiled softly and pat Yuki on the back. "And I'm sorry for shouting at you."

"Well, I kinda deserve that," Yuki admitted with a chuckle. "And I know you'll never leave me."

"Not even when death do us part," Laura squeezed Yuki mightily then let her go. It felt good to be smiling at each other again after a whooping ten minutes. "And see, I just saved your behind again."

"Honestly, I was never in any danger," Yuki smirked. "I got that Death Guard asshole right where I wanted, but you just love playing the knight in shining armor and ruined my intricately laid planned. Still, thanks, it totally made my damsel heart swoon."

"Oh, fuck you," Laura groaned less than seriously.

"Is that a promise?" Yuki winked lusciously.

"Only if you behave," Laura grinned amorously.

"Kiss already!"

Laura and Yuki turned around and found Astrid watching them with impolite eagerness, pearly white teeth flashing through grime and blood. Flanking the huskarl was a very unamused looking Miriya and Firnera, their annoyance carried a very poignant undercurrent of judgmental disapproval. Around them, the Sororitas and Banshees were fanning out across the carnage, making sure that everything stays dead.

"Don't encourage them," Firnera cleaned her katanas and sheathed them, her Banshee helm radiating an almost tangible displeasure.

"Come now, don't tell me the two of you haven't entertain some…naughty thoughts about your exotic colleagues," the grin peeking beneath Astrid's helm was wide as she threw her arms around Miriya and Firnera, drawing both into a friendly headlock, the Celestian and Banshee helmed heads crashing with a comical bonk.

"Such thought leads to impurity and heresy," Miriya shook herself loose, Firnera following suite, almost knocking the laughing Astrid on her ass. "You'll do well to remember that before spewing such foul words in my presence."

"And this coming from a Celestian who purred like a kitten while getting pampered by a Banshee Aspect Warrior," both Miriya and Firnera flinched at Astrid's word, the huskarl reveling in the blood spilled, "whilst naked to add, how heretical!"

"That's…that's different!" Miriya spluttered, the vestige of a hardass Celestian gone.

"I helped her, nothing more!" Firnera was equally flustered with her objection.

"I wonder what would have transpired if the canonesses had not been lurking so near," Astrid pressed on insidiously. "Would the scrubbing got a lot more…intimate?"

"Ahem!" Laura cut in before Miriya and Firnera could kick the shit out of Astrid. "I'm glad to see all of you taking such great interest in me and Yuki, but we still have a job to do. There's like, seven Death Guards left."

"Do you hear that, lady inquisitor?" Sister Cassandra, Miriya's right hand woman, glanced around the desolation as she and the rest of the Celestian joined them.

"…I don't hear anything," Laura tightened her grip on the laspistol, only now noticing the heavy silence that had shrouded the domed sanctum, punctuated at interval by odds pops and bangs of discharging gunfire and random metallic clatters, the cacophonic maelstrom of battle now nothing but an echoing memory.

"Exactly," Cassandra continued tightly. "It is as quiet as a graveyard."

"Maybe the battle is won?" Alnelle offered optimistically.

"Silence can mean anything, girl," Isabel, Miriya's left hand woman, shot the eldar medic a reprimanding look. "And from experience, it is never a good sign."

"Miranda, come in, what's happening?" Yuki tapped her eldar mempo. "What's the situation around the VIP cell? Report."

"Well, things were looking pretty bad until Lithia and Warseer Lita showed up with reinforcement," everybody breathe a sigh of relief when the She-Hulk Sororitas made her chirpy, but tired answer. "The Death Guards are dead, and the moment the Traitor Astartes are vanquished the remnant of the Chaos warband scattered. The day is won!"

Cheers went up around them, swiftly taken up by the battlegroup scattered around the room, the joyful cadence growing even louder when the Dawn Blade and the Dragon Blood joined them, looking worse for wear but still very much alive.

"That was some ballsy charge you did back their laddie!" Bruce guffawed loudly and put Kenshin in a boisterous bearhug, the Kuronese colonel squawking in pain, "enough to make a highlander proud!"

"Argh, let me go you oni!" Kenshin wheezed and Bruce let him go. After adjusting his tosei armor and kabuto, the Kuronese chuckled and bowed at the Sleaghadharian. "Thank you for the complement my friend…but I, umm, wouldn't be standing here if it wasn't for the Dragon Blood assistance."

Lingxin's brow quirked up in surprised when Kenshin turned to her and bowed deeply, his guardsmen doing the same with honest reverent. The hard pane of her face softening, Lingxin clasped palm over fist and bowed, her Buxiunese guardsmen mimicking her with synchronized gusto.

"Thank you, truly," Kenshin extended his hand, and after a moment Lingxin took it firmly.

"You're welcome," Lingxin said, breaking the handshake after a few happy shakes.

"How's that for honest feeling?" Laura stabbed her thumb at the blushing colonels and Marwen shrugged. "Alright, how about we join the others?"

Affirmative nodding answered Laura and the troupe moved out in good orders, forming into battle ready formation and jogging at a brisk pace back to the VIP cell. The day's carnage littered their path, still fresh and bleeding, dying men and women from both sides crawled feebly amidst the gore, some calling for help, other calling for their mothers, but most just moaned, forlorn and broken. Imperial and Aeldari soldiers prowled the battlefield, helping those of the battlegroup, while finishing off any survivors that belonged to the Chaos warband, every teary plea for mercy met with pitiless las, bullets, shurikens, swords and bayonets.

"Finally, I got a little worried for a moment there," Nikki, who was strolling around the killing field looking for things that weren't dead, strode up to them as the column reached the VIP cell. Looking around, Laura found it hard to believe that less than an hour ago this place almost became their tomb. Nikki skidded to a stop in front of Laura and Yuki, scoffing mockingly. "That didn't take long."

"What can I say, we bring the best and worst out of each other," Laura and Yuki hugged, making sure to be extra sweet for the sneering Sororitas and Banshees.

"Happy ending for all then," Nikki chuckled and nudged her head for them to follow. "Come on, Vivian just got the cell open, let's see if the prisoner is still alive."

The guards and eldars infantries broke away from the column, going about the business of consolidating men and supplies, while Miriya, Firnera, Astrid and their squads followed the trio back to the VIP cell. Once there, they found the defenders gathered around a frail figure sprawled on the dirty floor, a stern Lita kneeling over him, prodding his neck and checking for a pulse. The Warseer rose to her feet when Laura, Yuki and Nikki joined her, a relief smile on her pretty lips.

"He's alive!" Lita announced brightly to the gathered crowd. The eldars raised their weapons high in cheer and salutation, the guardsmen were more subdued in celebration but still poignant nonetheless, some even shaking hands with Guardians and Aspect Warriors, the Sororitas however just shrugged and mumbled unfriendlily under their breath. "Banged up all to hell though, but a few weeks in incentive care and he'll be back on his feet in no time."

"The sooner the better," Miriya spoke up. "I want to see the fruit of our sacrifice and whether it was worth all the blood we have spilled."

"Oh it will, Celestian, you can count on it," Firnera's tone was challengingly playful and Miriya groaned in response, sounding strangely companionable; war ladies and gentlemen, making friends out of the most bitter enemies since the dawn of time.

"Hey Lithia. Now that we got the VIP out, can we please blow this place straight to hell?" Laura asked the Avenging Knight canoness. "Because, you know, since this place is totally kaput and got taken over by Chaos and all, it's not exactly wise to keep using it as a penal facility, right?"

"Yes lady inquisitor, I believe you are right," Lithia took off her Batman helm and glance around the inner sanctum, the vaulted ceiling, the gothic gables, the glass cells, a beginning of a sneer creasing her lips. "The Asylum has failed, and when something no longer serves its purpose it must be cast aside. How are you planning to demolition the place?"

"Nuke the damn thing from orbit," Laura smiled, already excited for the firework to come.

Lithia nodded appreciatively, "it's the only way to be sure."

"Damn right it is," Laura was extremely pleased with Lithia unexpected reference to Ellen Ripley, "but first, we need to make sure the Chaos Lord and his cronies are dead…"

"Dude! It's a trap! The fucking Death Guards are in the sanctum!"

Yuki squawked when Damien's voice blared in her earbud. Laura, along with everyone else within the immediate vicinity was also wincing from the panicky announcement.

"Laura?! Yuki?! Nikki?! Lita?! Are you guys there?! Please respond!"

"We bloody fucking hear you! Fuck!" Laura shouted back.

"What's the situation down there, dude?! Is everything alright?!" Damien still didn't turn his volume down.

"Everything's alright love, we killed every last one of them!" Laura yelled, not wanting to be out done in the loud department. The others weren't too happy about it though.

"Oh, okay, whoa, uh…good job! And here I was getting work up over nothing," Damien brought his timbre down to the normal decibel, his tone sheepish and a little embarrassed. "Yeah, that's super good news. We just killed the Chaos Lord like…five minutes ago. How are things with the prisoner? Is he alive?"

"Yeah mate, we're bringing him up right now," Laura heaved a great sigh. "Guess we're done here then? I mean, beside a few pockets of resistance scattered around the prison, our primary objective is pretty much accomplished."

"Holy shit, you're right! Yo! We fucking won again! Fuck yeah!" Damien announced proudly and Laura can hear the roaring salutation reverberating from the other end. "See you guys up top?"

"We'll be there in fifteen minutes love, toodeloo!" Laura cut the transmission and threw her arm around Yuki, drawing the exarch lovingly close, "topside ladies and gents! Let's get the bloody fuck outta here! Bloody smashing jobs, first round of drink's on me!"

A rousing cheer answered Laura and the battlegroup swiftly got into a ragtag formation, presenting themselves handsomely despite how battered they looked, and marched toward the sanctum exit. The Avenging Knights, after a moment of hesitation, fall in between a column of Argent Shroud and Frost Bringer, heads held high.

"It is done then," Lithia came to stand beside Laura and Yuki, proud but melancholic.

"So it is," Laura agreed then flashed the canoness a toothy smirk. "Now the fun part begins."

"And what would that be, lady inquisitor?" Lithia asked, her brow rose in an inquisitive arch.

"Why, getting you settled in, of course!"

"Here we are ladies, Block C of the Immortal Spirit," Tangmo got up from his seat at the front of the hover bus, prompting Lithia and the Inner Circle, the Avenging Knight version of Celestian, to rise.

"I want to say ladies first, but since I'm the tour guide," Tangmo flashed the Avenging Knights a debonair smile and jumped out of the bus, his awesome commissar coat swooshing majestically. Dusting off his uniform, so that he was presentable and dashing, Tangmo glanced around and managed a breathless, "whoa."

Truth be told, Tangmo have never been to Block C, a place Laura had mockingly nicknamed 'Little Vatican', for the simple fact that half the sector was claimed by the Adepta Sororitas, effectively making it the nun's headquarter; a stupid name in hindsight, considering that this place was bigger than the real Vatican, and about a thousand time more over the top. Epic megalithic columns, carved into heavenly scenes of battle and damnation with magnificent lifelike details and plated in liberal amount of gold, reaching up to touch the vaulted ceiling, lined the main hall. Every doorway and windows were refashioned into masterful metallic friezes depicting more angelic episodes in the Sororitas's illustrious history. The ground floor itself was dotted with artfully placed statues, fountains, benches and lampposts, all of lavishing churchly design that would put abodes of kings, emperors and mega-billionaires to shame. And the piece de resistance, standing at the center of Little Vatican, was a grand, golden, seventy foot tall statue of Saint Celestine, wings spread majestically upward, the Ardent Blade raised to the sky in one hand, a flock of flying doves in the other. Holy shit, this place is absolutely lit.

"A little bit much, don't you think?" Lithia came to stand beside him, awed but not really feeling the décor. The canoness was clad in a stylish, but practical, black button up short sleeved shirt and trouser. And damn, those were some nice looking guns she's packing.

"Man, don't let the other canonesses hear that," Tangmo took out his data-pad and started taking pictures. "They don't half ass faith."

"Neither do we but the Fortress of Justice, although not lacking in grandeur, wasn't anywhere near as ostentatious," at the mention of her old base, Lithia deflated a bit.

"Hey, you doing okay?" Tangmo asked her. A week has passed since they've entered the Warp and it was clear the Avenging Knights were quite attached to their home planets, with many mopey faces abound.

"Never in my life had I ever entertain the thought of actually leaving Leenisium," Lithia admitted and offered Tangmo a weak smile. "The experience has been jarring, to say the least. Me and the Avenging Knights live to serve the Emperor and His eternal war, don't get me wrong, and will slay all His foes with zeal and fury. But to be uprooted under such circumstances, to have so little time to say goodbye…it is a pain not easily endure."

"We did try to convince Jerimiah to come," Tangmo said. "But the man was adamant on staying behind. You too were close?"

"We were," was all Lithia said on the subject matter, but it was clearer than a Bangkokian summer that she saw the old Arbites as a father. The man probably protected and raised her after her parents were killed, as with all tragic backstory.

"Gothicipolis is in good hands then, I'm sure Jeremiah would make a great lord governor after that fat asshole…I can't even remember that fucker's name," Tangmo said and Lithia snorted a laugh. "Would you look at that, you're smiling already! Give it a bit of time and you'll fit right in with the rest of us."

"Thank you for the encouraging words, lord commissar," Lithia nodded as her clique gathered around her. "So lord commissar, where must we go first?"

"Wait, hang on, let me check the map," Tangmo tapped the data-pad quickly.

"You don't know where we're supposed to go?" Lily, the grouchy dickhead of the group, scoffed at Tangmo. Some of her friends, Castrum especially, were quick to take up the derision.

"No I don't," Tangmo told them the truth as he zoomed in on Block C's layout.

"How is that even possible, this is your ship after all," Kalina quirked a brow as she snuggled up beside Lithia.

"Well, as some of you might have already notice, I'm not exactly popular amongst the good ladies of the Adepta Sororitas," Tangmo smirked and some of the Avenging Knights chuckled. "So no, I've been avoiding this place because I'm pretty goddamn sure that if the nuns see me here, they're gonna fucking crucify me then hang my corpse from Celestine's hand over there."

"You think so little of us, lord commissar," and on que, a procession of Adepta Sororitas approached them, canonesses at the head, flanked by Sisters of Battle wielding their trademark Godwyn bolters, but what make this scene different was the fact that none of them wore power armor. The canonesses were clad in a slimmer version of the papal robe, minus the hat, hued and embroidered to match the color scheme of their orders, while elskerinne Eldul wore a stylish dress of flowing blue silk topped off with a wolf cloak, cut in a way that accented her powerful form. Galatea didn't look too thrill to see him, "do you honestly believe that we would indulge in such wanton barbarism?"

"Is that a trick question?" Tangmo strategically slid behind Lithia, the Avenging Knight mistress groaning at the commissar shameless attempt at using her as a human shield.

"Seriously?" Lithia grumbled as the Sororitas welcoming committee came to stand before the new arrival.

"Seriously," Tangmo flinched visibly when he saw Miriya, Astrid and their squads amongst the group, all of them glaring dagger at him. The Celestian were clad in nun habits, while the huskarls wore a simple Nordic style cotton shirts and leggings. But instead of keeping his mouth shut, Tangmo succumbed to the temptation of being a smartass and said. "Holy shit, you guys actually wear something besides power armors?"

"Always quick with the tongue," Astrid's snickering had a predatory edge to it.

"Alas, not as much with wit," Miriya sneered poisonously.

"I mean, don't get me wrong, you guys look great," Tangmo cautiously took his place beside Lithia. "But honestly, I think everybody on the ship thought you people eat, sleep, drink, play and train with your power armor on, twenty four seven. But hey, we all know you take them off during a bath, because I have some very saucy testimony on that front."

"And just like that, I'm starting to see why you are not well liked," Samantha, the Captain America Sororitas, rolled her eyes, the Battle Sisters concurring with nods and grunts.

"Spare us your immaturity, lord commissar," Galatea growled and approached Lithia, hand held out to her fellow canoness. They clasped and shook cordially. "I officially welcome you to the Immortal Spirit sister, may our union be glorious and righteous. Domine, libra nos."

"Domine, libra nos," Lithia and the Avenging Knight intoned as one, the hall's acoustic amplifying their voice into an angelic echo. The two canonesses shared a warm smile before breaking off the handshake, "may we prove ourselves worthy to be amongst your ranks."

"From what we've seen, you lots have more than earned your place!" Eldul bellowed uproariously and, to Lithia's squeaking surprise, wrapped the Avenging Knight canoness up in a mighty hug. Lithia's face burned red from the sudden intimate contact, Kalina however didn't looked one bit happy that Eldul was touching her woman. Thankfully, the boisterous embrace was short lived and Eldul let Lithia go after a few seconds, making sure to flash the catty Kalina a wolfish wink.

"I'm sure you are eager to see your accommodation," canoness Amaryllis interceded smoothly. "If you would please follow us, we will show you to your quarters and get you acquainted with Block C's many services and amenities."

"That's sound very good, canoness Amaryllis, thank you," Lithia adjusted her shirt, bowed, and the Sororitas took off deeper into the golden, ornate hall. Striding along, the only dude amongst super-hot warrior women, Tangmo swept his data-pad around Little Vatican and started taking picture like a tourist.

"Why are you still here?" Galatea shot him a sideway glance. "We'll be escorting the Avenging Knights from here on end. Your help is no longer needed."

"Which mean I can do anything I want, and since I've never been here before, I'm gonna tag along with the tour," Tangmo snapped a shot of a column then smiled sweetly at the Martyred Lady canoness, childlike and innocent. "I've always wanted to see the Sororitas home!"

Knowing that she couldn't stop him even if she tried, Galatea simply mumbled some unpleasant sounding words before turning away from Tangmo, the commissar laughing evilly as he continued to look around the hall, taking in the sight and sound of the place. He can see groups of Battle Sisters in nun getup walking the length of the hall, singing hymns and prayers, a mistress Repentance parading naked, blood soaked Repentias, whipping them after the condemned sisters finished a verse of litany, and pilgrims gathering around the feet of Saint Celestine statue, heads held low in prostration, asking for blessing and protection. There were also eldars, clad in long flowing silken robes, a blend of Chinese and Japanese style, strolling around and enjoying the scenery like they were out for an afternoon walk. Wait, hold up, eldars?! Tangmo had to do a double take to make sure he wasn't seeing shit.

"Where are there Aeldari here?" Lithia spoke up, heralding a rumble of displeased murmurs from the Avenging Knights. "The xenos are treading upon sacred ground of the God Emperor. This is an affront to Him and all of His faithful. This is heresy."

"We do not disagree, mistress Lithia," Bellona told the Avenging Knight canoness, her hard gaze fixed on Tangmo. "But the directive and charter of the Immortal Spirit is clear, there will be no restriction of travel between each Block, nor can we impede those who wish to…visit sanctified places, no matter how much it grates our sensibility."

"Oh that's right, I remember now! The eldar's headquarter and their Infinity Circuit is right next door!" Tangmo announced, snapping his fingers when the recollection came to him. "Laura and Yuki actually complained to me about how much of a dick everybody was when the Sororitas and Aeldari first move in. A goddamn turf war almost happened and I was this fucking close to sending in the Kriegs to put a lid on things."

"Thankfully, the lady inquisitor and the Banshee exarch was able diffuse the situation before temperament flared out of control," Crestienne shot a narrowing look at the huffing Bellona and Morelia. "A term of coexistence was met for the greater good of the Immortal Spirit. I am ill pleased by it, true, but it is better than mutual annihilation. Besides, Saint Celestine herself said they were allies, and I'm not about to disobey her."

"Look! There are eldars and a bunch of other people up there!" Marie interrupted loudly, her finger pointing excitedly at the top of a pillar ringed by what appeared to be an anti-grav scaffolding. And on the flying platform were indeed a group of humans and eldars, all of whom appeared to be working on something. "The pointy ears are playing music! Hey! We can't hear you, play louder!"

"They're Bonesingers," Tangmo held his data-pad up and zoomed in on the scaffolding, Lithia and her friends gathering around him. He really likes how soft and big they were.

"They are performing maintenance on the Block's structural integrity, while also helping the artisans in manipulating the metal for the sake of beautification," Tangmo and the Avenging Knights turn with a start when Firnera and her squad glided soundlessly up behind them, the kimono they wore making not a whisper. "The ship responds to the song of creation, so we ply our trade where it is needed."

"Firnera," Miriya offered the Banshee a stiff nod in greeting.

"Miriya, Astrid," Firnera bowed, curt but amiable. After everything the three of them went through, it was clear a bond, no matter how little or tenuous, had develop, one of valor and respect.

"Yo, hold up," Tangmo waved around the hall, his outstretched hands coming to rest on Saint Celestine statue. "Are you telling me that everything here, all of these over the top gothic décors, were made with the help of eldar Bonesingers?"

"They were instrumental in the construction of our quarter, this I'll admit," Heloise shrugged easily, quite chill compared to her irate canoness buddies.

"So in return for their hard work, you people give them scorn?" Tangmo made a face that wasn't well received by the nuns and the cosplayers, the Vikings were smiling however, totally enjoying the show. "That's not cool dude."

"Ha! For all the grumbling they made, the daughters of Terra have been welcoming Aeldari wisdoms and services for quite some time now!" Eldul barked loudly, the Frost Bringers joining in with raucous laughter, the OG Sororitas on the other hand were snarling, teeth barred. "We of Frystasvard however, are more honest with this budding relationship."

"Shut your mouth!" Morelia snarled, making Eldul laughed all the harder.

"It is an unspoken truth that many Battle Sisters are coming to us Aeldari, asking to learn the mastery of our mental fortitude, or to simply use our gardens as a place for meditation. Some of the more daring are even willing to learn about our technology, the Paths and our history," Firnera nudged her head at a group of eldars now talking with a bunch of pilgrims at Celestine's feet. "The curiosity is reciprocated, as you can see from those Biel-Tan chroniclers over there. Admittedly, such exchange of knowledge had made the interaction between our two people more cordial in recent days."

"Well shit, I didn't know things were going this well between you ladies," Tangmo gave the exasperated canonesses glowing thumbs up. "Nice job dude!"

"That's all well and good, but I believe we have other matters to attend to?" Galatea cut in sharply and waved with strained politeness for Lithia and the Avenging Knights to follow. "If you would follow me canoness, we have other places to be."

"Of course," Lithia nodded and took off after Galatea, the Inner Circle filing in behind her.

"Alright, let's get this tour back on the road," Tangmo grinned brightly and was about to take a step forward when Miriya and Astrid blocked his way. Oh shit. "Umm…hi?"

"Hello lord commissar," Astrid's bright smile was scary as shit.

"We have unfinished business to discuss," judging by Miriya's tone, there won't be any verbal exchanges during this discussion.

"Okay, I'm just gonna turn around and head back to the bus now," Tangmo spun on his heel and came face to face with Firnera, the Banshees completing the trap that had been sprung. Hands on hips, Tangmo chuckled lowly and glanced at the women around him. "I'm gonna give y'all one chance to think this through."

"Oh, we have thought long and hard on this," Astrid tilted her head to the side, trying to be cute. "In the end we thought what the hell."

"You're not wearing any armor," Tangmo cracked his knuckles, "that means I'm gonna be Thai kicking all your asses."

"I pity your optimism," Miriya's eyes narrowed and Tangmo saw how her body went taut, holy shit she's gonna do this for real! Tangmo was about to flip his data-pad close when the screen suddenly flashed red, blaring the jarring sound effect Ultraman used when he's about to die.

"Wait, stop!" Tangmo held up his hand, the sudden iron in his voice stopping the Sororitas and Banshee from drawing closer. Tapping the screen quickly, he zeroed on the individual who had activated the emergency warning and brought her on screen. "Eurydice, what's happening?"

"We're being pursued, lord commissar," the ex-Night Lords Navigator told him.

"Who in the fuck is following us through the Warp?!" Tangmo blurted loudly, drawing back the canonesses who swiftly gathered around him.

"The ship appears to be Imperial in nature, lord commissar," Eurydice continued and another window popped up, revealing a stern looking Solveig, the captain of the Immortal Spirit didn't look happy in the least.

"Talk to me captain, who's on our tail?" Tangmo asked.

"It's a Mechanicus fleet sir," Solveig told him and Tangmo felt his heart nosediving into the pit of his stomach, remembering Ae-Shin's warning from a week back. "I tried hailing them, asking of their purpose, but they shut us out. Now, they're locking on to us."

"Ship wide red alert, captain, I want the civilian inside the bunker within the hour. Keep that fleet off our back in the meantime, scrambles their targeting devices," Tangmo told Solveig before turning to Eurydice. "When everybody's safe inside the bunker, dropped us back into real space, we're not fighting them inside the fucking Warp."

"As you command."

"Yes sir, lord commissar."

Eurydice and Solveig sounded their affirmative and cut the transmission the same moment the disaster sirens started wailing, echoing loudly across the entirety of the Immortal Spirit.

"Miriya, Astrid, Firnera, you and your squads are with me, we're getting all the stray civilians to the bunker, let's go!" Tangmo took off, and surprisingly the Sororitas and Banshee heeded his command, waving and yelling at the scattered pilgrims and eldars toward one of the blast door.

"What do we do now?" Miriya asked when they slipped inside the bunker.

"Pray, I guess?" Tangmo shrugged, because what else can they do?