The Multiverse Project: Warhammer 40,000

Tangmo looked at the clock on his armguard, the number ticking closer to zero. The day had started out bright and clear, with picturesque clouds dotting the splendid cerulean canvas, the radiant sun set the snowcapped peaks of the western mountain ablaze like molten gold, while not ten kilometers away loomed the silver gleam of the Hive City of Ralurea, manmade marvel and natural wonder standing shoulder to shoulder in harmony. Unlike the other Hive Cities Tangmo had visited, the second largest settlement on the planet Kyzon, the capital of the Entimion system, had benefitted greatly from an abundance of green energy scattered around the sprawling metropolis, hydro vents, solar cells, and promethium powered turbines all combined to make Ralurea an architectural triumph unlike anything in the eastern arm of Segmentum Solar. Now the clean metallic façades of spires, towers and walls lay shattered, reduced to jagged ruin as roiling inferno and pounding shells consumed it. The sky was no longer blue. Palls of black smoke hung mournfully above the dying city, so thick that not even the sun can penetrate, the thunders and shrieks of guns singing its final requiem.

"Eh yo, how long until we're done here?" Henry strode up to Tangmo, looking mightily impatient.

"Five seconds…three…two…one…and that's it, we're done," Tangmo tapped his earbud and waved at the forest of Charon mobile artilleries and Anguirus howitzers situated six kilometers behind them. "Hildebrandt, Wilhelmina, cease fire! I think everybody's dead ten times over, stop shelling yo!"

"As you command, Herr commissar," Wilhelmina responded and with a suddenness that left Tangmo staggering every Immortal Spirit gun stopped firing, the silence inhumanly jarring after seven hours of continuous bombardment.

"Holy goddamn, that's downright creepy," Henry said as he and Tangmo walked down the hill they were standing on, the rolling plateau gave them an unobstructed view of Ralurea's fiery demise. "I mean shit, one minute the fucking world was being torn apart, the next nothing. Damn."

"The Death Korps sure knows how to do psychological warfare," Tangmo and Henry reached the foot of the hill and strode toward the King Ghidorah Stormhammer Baneblade, the American general's flag tank, where the main characters were currently gathered. Around them humans and eldars bustled with vigorous animation, going about setting up the battlegroup's staging area and readying their gears for the march to come.

"I hope the Tau and the traitors are watching, because we ain't fucking around," Tangmo laughed lowly and held his fist out to the grinning Henry, who bumped it heartily. The Thai and the American dark delight was barely fazed when they joined the main characters and found a miffed Lita and Celestine glaring at them. "What's up Lita! How's it hanging?"

"Did you have to do that?!" Lita demanded through gritted teeth, and Tangmo saw that the more moderate leaning humans and eldars clearly agreed with her.

"Do what?" Henry asked blankly, honestly surprised by the question. "What did we do?"

"What did – that!" Lita waved her arms fiercely at the smoldering ruin that was Ralurea. "You just bombed a defenseless city to kingdom come!"

"The planetary governor of Kyzon and the high council of the Entimion system had defected to the Tau instead of resisting the invasion, which resulted in the complete destruction of every armed force loyal to the Imperium of Man," Tangmo explained, his nonchalance earned him a promethium grade glare from Lita. "Compare to what we've done on Izennir, this is pretty goddamn PG."

"You just wasted seven hours and several thousand tons of ordnance on a harmless Hive City!" Lita went on heatedly, "a harmless Hive City that had surrendered!"

"…And?" Tangmo always liked to piss Lita off, seeing her puffed up face turned red never lost its novelty, even at the detriment of his own physical and mental health.

"We have accomplished nothing but give the Tau more time to organize an effective plan for a counter attack," Celestine swooped in and Lita smiled smugly now that a powerful ally was backing her. "Pray tell lord commissar, lord general, what was achieved by this display of excessive cruelty? I am not asking you to be merciful, all traitors of mankind deserve death, but why not make this quick?"

"Because this is not about wastefulness or quickness, it's about sending a message," Tangmo spoke up when Henry pussy out and started mumbling apology to Celestine. "The Tau and the traitors have just been given a trailer of what is about to happen to them, which is a thorough and very painful purging."

"But seven hours, lord commissar? Even after the last plea for mercy ended an hour into the bombardment, the shells kept coming down," Celestine pressed on. "I had expected you to be better and wiser when it comes to managing the battlegroup's military resources."

"We're keeping in with the Death Korps tradition of overkill, like what they did at Vraks," Tangmo went on, getting a tad annoyed by Lita and Celestine persistence to follow the Geneva Convention. "Don't give me that face, for all we know there could be a tunnel complex under the city for those fuckers to lay low, wait for our forces to commit fully, then popped up and wacked us in the rear. There were, like, millions of people inside the Hive, right?"

"Eleven millions, to be precise," colonel Evangeline of the Mordian Iron Guards stepped forward, coming to stand with Lita and Celestine. She might be one of the fiercest, bravest and smartest guardswomen in the battlegroup, but Evangeline had always been a compassionate soul. "Most, if not all of them, were civilians."

"Traitor civilians," Tangmo countered.

"A firing squad would have sufficed," Evangeline folded her arms across her chest, hard eyes narrowed on Tangmo.

"Okay, fine, I'll let you guys know in advance the next time I plan on being excessive," Tangmo groaned, out of the corner of his eyes he caught Lita grinning victoriously, "happy?!"

"I'll be happier if you behave with less passion and more logic in the future, lord commissar," Celestine made her reprimand, stern and matronly, and Tangmo didn't missed how pleased some of the main characters looked. Too bad he knows their names and where they lived.

"Okay mum, I'm sorry, I won't do it again," Tangmo made a mocking apologetic wai, and before Celestine can make further comment he shifted his attention to the other main characters and fixed his gaze on those of the more bloodthirsty persuasion, all of them eager to get on with the killing. "Now with that out of the way, what's our plan of attack?"

"It won't be easy," Henry rejoined the conversation after letting Tangmo deal with Celestine alone. "Their leader this time is none other than the famous commander Shadowsun, not some second-rate nobodies. Trust me people this will be a hard fight."

"I say, did we not just give the Tau a thorough thrashing back on the ocean planet?" Colonel Alistair spoke up with no small amount of smugness. "Although prudence will always be a virtue, I don't imagine the results will be much different this time around."

"A horse let loose upon a field will be faster and more agile than those confined within the walls of the palace," colonel Lingxin of the Dragon Blood uttered sagely, earning a nod of understanding from Alistair. "The full prowess of the Tau was limited within the corridors of the Space Hulk. This planet is mild, with many plains and grassland, where the complete ensemble of their armament will be brought to bear against us. We will win, this I know, but I rather that the cost be greater for the Tau than for us."

"There is wisdom in what you say, young colonel," Subutai said, his head tilted upward, catching the soft breeze blowing over them. "The Tau will not be confined, but neither will we."

"Indeed," Zolwyken, the captain of the Aeldari Winged Hussar, grinned with clear satisfaction. "The geography of the planet will be extremely conducive to a faster, more robust form of warfare. Finally, the true power of the White Phoenix Lancer shall be unleashed."

"We of the White Scars await with bated breath," there was a hint of a challenge in Subutai tone as he locked eyes with Zolwyken, their rivalry appeared for the moment friendly.

"You will not be disappointed," a sharp grin ghosted across Zolwyken's face and Subutai grunted in acknowledgement. He then glanced at the Eight, "your orders of battle?"

"The Tau are already on the move, their numbers greatly bolstered by the traitor forces," Henry tapped the data-pad on his arm and summoned a large holographic map of the engagement area. "Our western flank is covered, thanks to the mountain range, but it's open ground to the north, east and south. We estimate that they will reach us at around midnight. I propose that we stop their attack dead, counterattack, enveloped them, and crush them in one fell swoop."

"And the armor units will be the one spearheading the counter offensive?" Subutai asked hopefully.

"Absolutely my guy!" Henry grinned and the White Scars hollered boisterously, Subutai even smacking Zolwyken friendlily on the shoulder, the Winged Hussar was not amused. "The infantries will act as the anvil, while the tanks and motorcycles and APCs will be the hammer. It will be fucking spectacular!"

"Finally! The mechanized columns have been denied satisfaction back at the Space Hulk, now we shall show them what our tanks are made of!" commander Mavia, the former rayiys of Tallarn, cried aloud, raising a great cheer amongst the main characters. When the hollering settled down she fixed her hawk-like eyes on Sulla, the blonde Valhallan wilted sheepishly. "And perhaps you will follow the plan this time?"

"If we must," Sulla huffed and turned to Cain with a pleading puppy eyes, the Hero of Imperium humored her with a placating smile which made her beamed visibly. Not far away Amberley rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I kinda hate to rain on everyone's parade here, but wouldn't the Tau be able to figure out our plan by just looking at how we deploy our troops?" The bubbling jubilation simmered down to cold trepidation at Damien's words. "And are we forgetting that commander Shadowsun herself is leading this army? Is waiting for her to come to us a good idea?"

"What's the situation up top anyway?" Yuki glanced up at the black shrouded sky, ashes were already raining down, sooty and searing, "is the space battle still ongoing? Is Solveig and Ae-Shin winning?"

"The Tau armada and the traitor fleets outnumber the battlegroup," Henry tapped his data-pad, an easy smile coming over his face. "But they were unsuccessful in overwhelming us and are being steadily pushed back. That being said, we must be a bit conservative when calling in air support, since they'll be busy keeping the Air Caste off our collective heads. Unfortunately that means the blue mofo will have access to the sky, which bring us back to Damien very legitimate concern, the Tau will be able to spot our movements and plan accordingly, so how do we go about rectifying this shortcoming?"

"We can start with those things," Tangmo stabbed his thumb back at where the transport ships were landing en mass along with the Valkyries, the grassy field east of the destroyed Hive City was now blasted to barren rocks thanks to the thrusters and disembarking military assets. Given the humongous payloads that needed to be deliver planetside during every engagement, the Immortal Spirit heavy transports retained most of the original Imperium design, with the major change, besides making the thing look sleeker and cooler, being that the main compartment carrying the troops and tanks, the entire hull basically, can be detached from the ship itself. This means the main forces can be dropped quickly into combat while the transports themselves flew back into orbit to pick up more cargos, with the compartments left behind getting picked up by every third ship that entered the planet, creating a fast rotating system of deployment. "Just leave the cargo parts on the planet."

"Wouldn't that clog up our deployment?" Lady commissar Raine asked.

"We need to trick the Tau into thinking that we're fucking up our landing," Tangmo said then turned to Henry, Mavia, Sulla and Zolwyken, "what's the percentage of our overall deployment?"

"Thirty five percent, lord commissar," Mavia tapped her data-pad quickly.

"I want seven out of ten cargo compartments left behind throughout the deployment, array them across our defensive perimeter, make it look haphazard and disorganize, maybe tilt some of them over and set them on fire, we need to convince the Tau that things are not going well for us," Tangmo laid out his plan, earning nods from Mavia and Henry and Zolwyken, but Sulla doesn't seem to appreciate the subterfuge. "I also want the majority of our tanks and APCs hiding inside the cargo holds, further tricking the Tau into thinking that we've failed to deploy our armored columns."

"A surprisingly solid plan, lord commissar," canoness Galatea of all people spoke up, trading very amiable nods with her colleagues, "I am impressed."

"All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are faraway; when faraway, we must make them believe we are near," Tangmo crossed his arms over his chest, smug as all fuck. "Sun Tzu said that, and he knows a bit about warfare because he perfected it, and wrote a book about it so that anyone who reads it will never be defeated in combat!"

"Yeah, until Carl Von Clausewitz comes along," Laura shrugged and Yuki nodded vigorously in agreement. "I mean, no offense to Sun Tzu, the man is great, the Art of War is pretty much a must read and have a very broad application beyond the battlefield, but Clausewitz's On War…bloody hell, that thing just took it to the next level."

"Sun Tzu make war into an art, Clausewitz turned it into a science," Tangmo and the Eight nodded while the main characters groaned audibly, once again excluded from the nerdy conversation. "Anyone with a fucking functional brain should read both books, they are like steroid for the mind."

"I like the Art of War more," Erik and Lita traded nods.

"To the surprise of no one," Damien's snort of a laugh was not well received by the Swedish and Mexican elf. "Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting, right my dudes?"

"That's like Sun Tzu most misquote phrase of all time," Yuki of all people spoke up. "Sun Tzu was a master of warfare, the man never advocate for peace, despite what a buncha pussy retards like to imply. Breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting is basically that, destroying the enemy by indirectly attacking them, you know, burn down villages and towns, destroy trade routes and supply lines, redirecting rivers into their path, all the cool stuff. Basically, scorch earth everything between you and the enemy so those assholes will wise up and surrender without us having to directly engage them."

"As much as I truly enjoy this intellectual discussion regarding warfare," Amberley cut in politely, "I believe we have more pressing matters to attend to?"

"Right, sorry, we always get carried away," Henry tipped his awesome general cap apologetically then pointed at the hovering holographic map. "As Tangmo has so eloquently said, we need to trick the Tau aerial reconnaissance into believing that we've botched our deployment, an Operation Fortitude, if you will," the main characters murmured their assent as Henry turned to Marwen. "Hey Marwen, can the Bonesingers sing wreckages into existence and make convincing looking debris?"

"It is within their ability," Marwen grinned. "What kind of wreckage are we looking at? Completely destroy or simply disabled?"

"A middle ground would be nice, with plenty of broken war machines in the open, but nothing too obvious, I don't want Shadowsun catching wind of what we're doing," Henry turned to the Imperial Guard colonels. "Hildebrandt, Al-Rahman, Akecheta, putting on a magic show for the Tau is not the only thing we'll be doing. I want the Death Korps, the Desert Warriors and the Wind Walkers to camouflage and conceal our assets on the ground, hide them in plain sight, the Tau must be drawn into a kill zone of our choosing."

"What kind of armament do you wished hidden, Herr general?" Hildebrandt asked.

"Tanks, heavy gun emplacements and paths that will assist in their rapid deployment," Henry said. "Hey Tangmo, what do you think about the artilleries?"

"The howitzers need to be at the front and pointed horizontal at the oncoming Tau so they can provide a direct fire support for the infantries," Tangmo narrowed his eyes on the hologram. "The bigger artilleries like the Charons though…I think they should be deployed near the ruins, the smoke should be enough to hide them."

"That's a good idea," Damien folded his arms across his ceramite breastplate and glanced at Al-Rahman and Akecheta, the two colonels were strategizing animatedly. "I need you guys to help me with the counterattack, got any ideas?"

"Several in fact," Al-Rahman said. "It will be swift and deadly like the sandstorm of Tallarn, encompassing in its wrath."

"How do you want the counterattack to proceed?" Akecheta added. "Quietly like a knife in the dark, or a bombastic display of arms to destroy and demoralize the Tau?"

"We always go big dude," Damien and the Eight laughed lowly. "But that depends on how long until the enemies get here."

"Thanks to the battlegroup going full Vraks on Ralurea, the Kyzon PDFs are hauling ass here as fast as they can," Nikki tapped her data-pad and shared a little grin with Tangmo. "As Henry mentioned earlier, their army will arrive at around midnight. And given how we just set their friends and families on fire, they'll probably attack immediately."

"Welp, we better get started then!" Tangmo clapped loudly and rubbed his hands together, more than eager to get things started. "Let's go people, we're wasting daylight, we need to prepare a surprise for the Tau and their traitors buddies. Roll out!"

Yuki slowly opened her eyes. All was calm on the eastern front, well, as calm as a warzone can be when bullets and lasers and missiles weren't flying all over the place, the serene ambience of soldiery activities was a pleasing hum that greatly complemented the deep darkness before dawn. Sororitas, guardsmen and Aeldari went upon patrolling the perimeters, checking weapons, repairing weapons, and rousing their comrades from sleep. If it wasn't for the Tau and traitor forces looming brightly about twenty kilometers away, this would've been a nice morning by any standard. Feeling pretty refreshed, Yuki yawned, sat up from the simple cot she'd been sleeping on and stretched her arms upward, the joints popped satisfyingly, the armors she wore to bed rattled in concert. She looked to the side and smiled at Laura's curled up form, deep in sleep, and didn't have the heart to wake her. Making as little noise as possible, Yuki adjusted her position and leaned back against the large trench they occupied, situated at the very front, and blinked the last sleep from her eyes. This section was manned mostly by Sororitas and Aeldari, with a few Imperial Guards heavy weapon teams sprinkled here and there, comprised mostly of Vostroyan, Cadian, Mordian and Cobalt Stars.

"Morning," Yuki said to no one in particular. "What's the time?"

"It's around two thirty in the morning, standard Terra time, lady exarch," the ever friendly Verity responded, she and Alnelle was already up and about. "Did you sleep well?"

"Surprisingly yes," Yuki nodded as she scooted closer to the wide electrical stove placed in the middle of the trench, Verity and Alnelle joined her and proceed to fill the tall pot above it with water and copious amount of instant coffee. The steaming aroma was boiling nice and hot when the humans and Aeldari started stirring, they reminded Yuki of zombies rising from the graves, but instead of brains it was coffee they were after.

"I smell coffee," Laura sat up, making a pretty good imitation of the Undertaker, and took her place beside Yuki, "yep, definitely coffee."

"No cream, no sugar, no caramel, no ginger, just straight up black," Yuki ladled two cups and handed one to Laura. "Good morning by the way."

"Thanks," Laura cupped the drink in her hand and sipped gingerly, moaning as the liquid warmed her body to wakefulness. "Oh bloody hell that hit the spot. Why didn't you wake me up?"

"You were sleeping so peacefully," Yuki smiled and drank her coffee slowly, bitter but with an earthy scent, the best thing to kick starts your day. "I didn't have the heart to wake you."

"I always appreciate a few more minutes of beauty sleep," Laura tuck a stand of brown lock behind her ear and fluttered her lashes at Yuki, and by God she was pretty. "Thank you love, you are always so considerate."

"Anything for you, dearest."

"Can I please enjoy my coffee without having to suffocate on the excessive sugar?"

Low laughter went up around the stove, now ringed by Sororitas and Aeldari as they helped themselves to the morning brew. Making sure that their lips were especially pouty, Yuki and Laura smiled at Cassandra, the Celestian rolled her eyes as she sat down with Miriya and Isabel.

"Everybody like a little bit of sweet Cassandra," Yuki clanged cup with Laura.

"And we are happy to share," Laura winked.

"Right now, I'm more than satisfied with hot and bitter," Cassandra snorted, took a great swig of the cup, and sighed contently. "Yes, this is what we all need right now."

"Indeed," captain general Marwen joined them, trading nods with the other eldars and raising her cup to the Sororitas, all whom returned the gesture respectfully. "We couldn't have picked a better time to wake up."

"The Tau are stirring?" Firnera asked and every eye went to Marwen.

"Not yet," Marwen said and grumbles answered her, especially from the hardline Sororitas and the more eager Aeldari like the Black Guardians and the Dark Reaper Aspect Warriors. "If our intels are to be believed, they wouldn't be ready for quite some times."

"How come?" Kessien, leader of the Argent Shroud Celestians, finished her coffee and made a quick refill. "What is causing the delay? Their army is just a stone throw away. They should be ready to attack by now."

"Apparently there is a disagreement between the Tau and their human allies," Marwen said easily. "We've been infiltrating their communication channels and have discerned that one faction, comprised mostly of human, are demanding that an attack against the battlegroup be launch immediately, while the other, made up prominently of Tau, wanted to advance more cautiously."

"Is commander Shadowsun with them?" Yuki asked.

"She is," Marwen nodded. "And she is amongst those calling for calm, but the humans are not very receptive to her suggestion, they are very angry with the destruction of the Hive City."

"Hopefully hotter head will prevail!" Astrid smiled brightly and raised her cup high in the air, spilling some of the coffee on Jenatea, the Valorous Heart Celestian cursed loudly as hot liquid slithered into her armor, "sorry! But yes, me and many are eager for another fight, so let them come, we're ready!"

"Not that it will do us any good," Lily, the Wolverine Sororitas of the Avenging Knight, grumbled darkly as she rubbed oil on her power claws until it shone like polished mirror, her comment earning a few nods. "We'll be running away instead of fighting, like a bunch of cowards."

"That's the plan love," Laura sipped her coffee slowly, eyes fixed on Lily.

"Doesn't mean I have to like it," Lily retracted her claws and folded her arms grumpily over her chest. "We should be holding the line, standing fast and tall as the enemies break upon our ranks."

"Your zeal is commendable Lily," Miriya spoke up and placed her empty cup down. "Like you, I also wish to grind the Tau and traitors to blood and dust, to be the unyielding cliff against the tide of darkness. But zeal must be tempered with calm and wit. As much as I hate to admit it, commissar Tangmo's plan has merit, and the chance of success is comparatively high, if executed properly."

"I still don't understand why it has to be us who must bear the blunt of the assault and then be the ones to run away," Zola muttered darkly. "We should be the lions lying in wait for the enemies, not the gazelles leaping away at the first sign of danger. Why are the guardsmen given the honor of delivering the killing blow while we, the daughters of the God Emperor, are reduced to playing the prey?"

"Because the battlegroup trusts all of you to be the vital lynchpin in our plan."

The hubbub that was rising died with gasps and chokes when none other than Saint Celestine, accompanied by the canonesses and lady inquisitor Greyfax, joined them around the stove, causing everyone, even the Aeldari, to spring to their feet, all bowing in respect. Zola's head was bent the lowest, her face drawn tight in embarrassment for having spoken so brazenly. Thankfully, Celestine was matronly as she gave Zola a stern look over, while Naledi, her biological mother, glared murder at her.

"My lady Saint, please forgive me for speaking so hastily," Zola blurted, red now marring her cheeks.

"You have committed no wrong, ingonyama Zola, you owe me no apology," Celestine said kindly. "It is only human to be displeased, to question is to foster a healthy mind, I only ask that you perform your duty."

"I stand ready to do your bidding, my lady," Zola stood up straight and met Celestine's eyes with conviction, the Saint nodding with a grin, yet Naledi's countenance remained aggrieved.

"Don't be mad at her Naledi, your daughter was just speaking what's on everybody's mind," Yuki bent over, ladled a cupful, and handed the steaming beverage to Celestine, "coffee? It's nice and hot."

"Thank you, lady exarch," Celestine smiled and took the cup from Yuki. Despite being clad in a splendid raiment of war that would make those of the weaker constitution quake at the mere sight, Celestine was very dainty as she took a sip. "Ah…the quality of the battlegroup's ration will never fail to amaze me."

"Nothing but the best for the lady Saint," Yuki smirked. "Anyway, what brings you here? Shouldn't you be back at the command tent instead of hanging out with us lowly grunts?"

"No one who fights and dies in the service of the God Emperor is ever lowly, lady exarch, not even Aeldari," Celestine said sternly, her statement drawing uncomfortable looks from Greyfax and the hardline canonesses. After her little outing with Isha, Celestine had become a lot more open minded and accepting of eldars. "I am also not someone who would remain behind while an engagement rages. If there is a fight, you can be sure to find me there."

"You're really amazing, you know that?" Yuki winked at Celestine and the Saint chuckled lightly. Hey, she'd always had a schoolgirl crush on Celestine. "But you might want to be careful, those Tau are very good shots and I don't want you getting blasted out of the sky."

"No need to worry lady exarch, they will never be able to catch me in their crosshairs," Celestine put down her empty cup and glanced over the trench rim, hard eyes fixed on the Tau and traitors beyond. "No movements?"

"None at all, for now," Yuki loosened the twin eldar katanas from their sheaths and joined Celestine. "But the wait won't be long."

"It will not. Latest satellite readings indicate that final preparations are being made as we speak," Celestine said. "Further low altitude reconnaissance performs by the drones shows the traitors forming the spearhead of the assault, with the Tau acting as support."

"Hotter heads prevailed after all," Marwen spoke up and a subdue cheers rippled down the trench, respectfully low in decibel now that Celestine was here. "Do you have any update on the battle being waged in the void? I'm not seeing any flashes in the sky, and I don't know whether that's a good thing or not."

"In this case, fortune favored us," Celestine nodded. "The majority of the Tau fleet had retreated to the planet's moon, while the traitor's navy assets has been completely dismantled by the Immortal Spirit fleet, we now reign the sky."

"But we'll still be running from the enemies," Celestian Hitomi of the Celestial Serenity mopped, lips puffed childishly, the display made Celestine shook her head in endearment. "Should've been us performing the counterattack, not the guardsmen."

"That is why I am here, sisters and allies all," Celestine said, "to make sure our task is performed adequately, yet temperately."

"That hour drew nigh," all eyes turned to the deep baritone that had spoken and Yuki couldn't stop herself from stiffening when Elraleath, the Dark Reaper exarch and Hildebrandt's buddy in all things skull and grimdark, strode passed them and ascended the fire step, Reaper Launcher held at the ready, his fellow death dealers falling in silently around him. "The enemies come at last, ready yourself."

About a year ago the Sororitas would've made a major ruckus at having been ordered around by an Aeldari, with many fingers pointing and screams of heretics abound. But now, the Sisters of Battle and guardsmen within earshot burst into motion, all inconsequential thought cast aside as bolters and lasguns and shuriken catapults were trained forward.

"Welp, time to kick some arse then," Laura and Yuki leapt on the fire step, the British inquisitor poked her head above the sandbags and whistled loudly. "Not gonna lie love, this actually looks kinda scary."

"Damn, you're right, those assholes almost look like a threat," Yuki snickered as lines of fiery lights, both the neon kind and the more traditional blazing torch variants, drew nearer, the illuminated ranks and files stretched from horizon to horizon, spectral crimson haze hovered hauntingly above the roaring mass of soldiers and machines. "This will be one hell of a fight."

"Laura, Yuki, you there?" Tangmo's voiced blared across the intercom the same moment Celestine, Greyfax and Marwen joined them.

"Go ahead Tangmo," Yuki tapped her earbud.

"I'm sure y'all can see the wall of tanks making a beeline for the trenches," Tangmo said calmly, "you are free to disengage immediately. All of us back here are ready."

"Nah love, we'll stay behind for a bit," Laura cut in and the Sororitas and Aeldari roared in support. "We gotta make this look convincing mate, if we retire too early they might think something's up."

"Alright dude, stay safe, but don't forget to run away when those sum bitches really push the attack, we want to destroy them, not repel them," Tangmo was obviously grinning on the other end. "This must be killing the Sororitas, right? They still mad for having to fake a retreat?"

"Mate, I'm kinda standing right next to them," Laura made an apologetic face when every Sisters of Battle within sight turned to glare singularly at her, the fact that Saint Celestine wasn't offended did not improved the situation. "Can you maybe please, for the love of the God Emperor, not aggravate them?! I don't want an accidental bolt in the back!"

"They won't shoot you, they like you! Anyway, play nice now ladies, I gotta go check on a few things, see y'all in a bit!" Tangmo terminated the transmission and the Sororitas let their annoyance lingered for a moment on the sheepish Laura before turning once more to the battlefield, the individual details of the approaching tanks now easily discernable.

"Hey, think of it this way, take all your frustrations and focus it on the killing," Yuki piped up brightly and threw her arm around Laura's shoulder, giving her a tight squeeze. "Don't worry babe, I'll protect you from the scary nuns."

"We plan on doing just that, lady exarch," Miriya responded with more than necessary sass then braced her bolter firmly, the visor of her helm flashing red. "Here they come, ready yourself sisters, in the name of the God Emperor let none survive! Domine libra nos!"

"Domine libra nos!"

Not a heartbeat after the Sisters of Battle unleashed their battle cry the trenches and pillboxes erupted in fire and fury, rockets and missiles soared radiantly across the ebon landscape, las, bolts, shurikens, melta and plasma banished the darkness in violent multicolor flashes, the rattling bangs of heavy bolters completing the symphony of destruction. And wait…were they actually winning?

"Okay…did we just beat back the first wave?" Yuki deadpanned as she watched the surviving tanks, comprised mostly of Leman Russes and Devilfishes, made a screeching one eighty U-turn, bulling through their destroyed compatriots, the guardsmen and Guardians having a field day gunning down the survivors.

"That looks to be the case love," Laura shrugged, the fight had been so brief that the barrel of her hellgun was only moderately hot, the metal not even glowing, "is this, like, a trick or something? Are we getting flanked? Is Shadowsun sneak attacking us with her elite troops?"

"That's a negative lady inquisitor, the air force and the drones are not picking up any movements besides the tanks and infantries in front for us," Marwen tapped her data-pad swiftly and put it away when mechanical horns blared across no man's land. "For now, I believe we only need to worry about the frontal assault."

"This should be pretty goddamn straight forward then," Yuki braced her eldar P90 on the sandbag and trained her gaze down the iron sight. "Here they come again, ladies and gents! Let's see if they put up a better fight this time!"

Nope, they did not. Yuki was morbidly confused when the second wave was, like its predecessor, easily repelled by the battlegroup half-assed performance. Sure, the tanks and infantries, an odd mixture of humans and Tau, fought with courage and distinction, fearless as they charged the trenches, dying in droves as Imperial and Aeldari guns cut them down to sizzling chunks of gibs. The survivors had barely turned around when the third wave made their assault, horns and trumpets blaring loudly.

"Yuki, Laura, what in the fuck is going on over there?" Tangmo demanded the same moment the barrage resumed, great flaming balls bloomed prettily across no man's land as Leman Russes and Taurus and Devilfishes went up in flames. "Are you guys still in the trenches? What the hell is going on?!"

"The Tau fucking sucked, that's what's going on!" Yuki blurted and cut down a line of human infantries trying to bayonet charge them from three hundred yards away, the ruby mist bursting from their wounds mingled nicely with the silver shurikens. "Hey man, we want to run, we really do, hell, we even half-ass the fight, but those guys sucked so bad that our barest minimum effort managed to send them running for the hills."

"God fucking damn it, Shadowsun was supposed to be good at this," Tangmo groaned. "Look, I understand you guys are having fun, but you need to fall back now if we wanna trick them into committing their entire troops against us."

"If anything, this is the perfect time to fake the retreat," Laura shrugged after blowing up a boxy jeep careening headlong for the defenses. "The Tau are sending in their Battlesuits, they wouldn't suspect a thing if we run away from their apex troops."

"Good idea," Yuki nodded and turned to Marwen and Celestine, both of whom were merrily gunning down the advancing foes. "Marwen! Celestine! I think we should retreat now, the traitors and Tau are finally getting serious!"

"Well, I suppose we must adhere to the overall strategy," Celestine turned away from the battlefield and skipped down the fire step, unheeding of the las, pulse bullets and bolts peppering the spot where she had stood just a moment ago, some whizzing so close that it stirred her hair. Wiping soot off her armor, Celestine turned to Marwen, the captain general was ducked low beneath the parapet. "What do you say Marwen? Shall we now flee from our unconquerable foes?"

"If we must," Marwen groaned and tapped the side of her Aeldari helm. "All units, fall back, I repeat, fall back, we can no longer hold the line. Retreat to the ruin of the Hive City, we shall make our stand there. Move!"

As they had planned in advance, the battlegroup's transmission was broadcast across all communication channels, both of the Immortal Spirit and of the Tau, which would hopefully add to the authenticity of the supposed retreat. The cheers erupting boisterously from across no man's land told Yuki that the dumb fuckers took the bait.

"Heavy gunners, provide covering fire please," Celestine tapped her earbud as guardsmen swiftly evacuated the pillboxes and trenches, running full tilt back to the rear, only a few unlucky souls were shot in the back. When the traitors and Tau looked to press the advantage, Battle Sisters wielding heavy weapons unleashed a counter salvo of bolts and plasma and melta and promethium fire across the battlefield, the deterrent proved to be effective in the extreme. "That should keep them busy for a while. Now it's our turn sisters, retreat!"

For a moment, Yuki got a little worried that the more bloodthirsty Sisters of Battle and Aeldari will disobeyed Marwen and Celestine's order, choosing instead to fight to the bitter end. Fortunately the nuns and elves adamantine discipline prevailed and the trenches were evacuated in an orderly fashion, no missteps or confusions to be seen, and within a few minutes the defenses were all but empty, only the rearguard comprising of Celestians and Aspect Warriors remained.

"Lady Celestine, captain general, when shall we depart?" Samantha, the Captain America Sororitas of the Avenging Knights, slipped in beside the Saint and started trading shots with the nearing Tau. Yuki was sure every bolt found a mark.

"I believe now would be good," Celestine switched her bolter to full auto and emptied the magazine on a squad of what appeared to be sappers, the bolts turned them inside out in a fountain of steaming viscera. "Deploy smoke sisters!"

Pops resounded along the fire steps and smokes, red, blue, green, yellow, grey, black and brown, rolled across no man's land, completely shrouding it within seconds.

"Retreat! Fall back to the ruins, move it!" Marwen leapt down the fire steps as the Sisters of Battles and Aeldari got into a loose column and jogged quickly down the large corridor behind the trenches. The captain general herself, along with Celestine, Greyfax, Laura and Yuki, brought up the rear.

"Do you believe the enemy brought our rouse?" Yuki quirked a brow at Greyfax, the grim lady inquisitor was actually talking to her.

"Judging by how they're screaming their heads off, I say those dumbasses took the bait," Yuki told Greyfax with a winning smile, the lady inquisitor was not very receptive.

"Given Ciaphas's glowing account of the Tau's military, I expected more finesse from the xeno," Greyfax sneered, not really one for small talk.

"There's plenty of time for Cain to be right about the Tau, love," Laura said.

"Let's hope he is correct after we won this battle," Marwen was growling when a bright explosion went off behind them, fiery shrapnel flying pass their heads, "Isha's mercy, what was that?!"

"I got it, I got it!" Yuki burst out laughing when she saw Marie, the Harley Quinn Sororitas, punching the air triumphantly, a bolt pistol in each hand, being fireman carried by mistress Lithia, the spunky blonde was facing the way they had come. "Hey boss, slow down a bit will ya?! I'm having a blast!"

"Stop wiggling around so much!" Lithia's reprimand was cut short by concussive bangs of gunfire. "Damn it Marie!"

"Why are you complaining so much, I'm helping!" Marie whined in that exaggerated Brooklyn accent of her and Yuki spun around to find that the clown Sororitas was really trying to help. Although the main bulk of the enemies were still trying to get through the smoke, the Tau had sent their drones ahead, ten of the flying saucers were now chasing them and closing in fast, "oh! Targets! Lots of flashy targets! Guess this is my lucky day!"

"Don't fucking miss and kill us!" Yuki warned her.

"Relax! I'm the best shot in the entire battlegroup!" That statement was a blatant lie, as Marie singlehandedly demonstrated by pretty much just blasting her two bolt pistols in the vague general direction behind Yuki and her friends. When the guns clicked empty, she managed to hit only four of the drones, but since they were clustered close together the subsequent explosion and shrapnel struck the other machines and killed them. "See?! I got them all! I'm the greatest!"

"Holy shit woman, that shit was pure luck!" Yuki bellowed when they finally got out of the trenches and sprinted across an empty field dotted liberally with empty Myrmidon Humvees, deactivated Falcons lying flat on the ground, and other miscellaneous incomplete defenses. Drones poured after them, only to be cut down by a fusillade of bolts and shurikens, Elraleath, his Dark Reapers fire team and Miriya's squad had formed a pristine firing line across the faux disarray. Their accuracy was a thousand times better than Marie and within moments the pursuing drones were destroy. "You see that?! Now that's what I call good shooting!"

"Hmph! It's not my fault!" Marie huffed petulantly and bonked Lithia's Batman helm. "She tossed me all over the place!"

"What matters is that she tried her best and had good intention at heart," Celestine said diplomatically, prompting Marie to blow a raspberry at Yuki, while also flipping her off. Being the mature Japanese gentlewoman that she was, Yuki responded with two middle fingers instead of one. The Living Saint snickered lightly and glanced backward, more than satisfied with the retreat. "We are in the clear, but I honestly thought the vanguard would be through the smoke by now."

"The smoke are comprised of disruptor nanites, lady Saint," Marwen told her as their group joined with Elraleath and Miriya and together sprinted for the hastily dug, and very wide, shallow depression studded randomly with large shipping containers, the cargo compartments of the transport ships. All in all, it was an adequately piss poor display of martial incompetence. "Not only do they obscure visions and attack respiratory systems, the nanites also jammed the radars and ocular readings, rendering the enemy unable to see beyond the haze. That is why they are not immediately following us, they are wary of what awaits them on the other side."

"It looks like they might be coming through now," Laura was right of course, because Leman Russes and Devilfishes were emerging from the lessening pall, turrets sweeping left and right, searching for targets amongst the empty defenses. The infantries stumbled after them soon afterward. "Huh, that was actually faster than I expected."

"Babe, we just murdered an entire Hive City full of civilians, so it's not really surprising they'll be out for blood," Yuki shrugged and narrowed her eyes at the barren ground ahead. "When the hell are we reaching the shield…!"

The transition was seamless, which made the experience that much more jarring for Yuki as she passed through the invisible barrier erected by Lita, the Farseers and the Warlocks. Blinking quickly, and almost tripping over her heels, Yuki took in the sight before her and smiled villainously, toothy and wide.

"That was a nice little jog," Yuki walked up to Tangmo, the Thai commissar gave a relieved sigh, clasped her hand powerfully, and drew the Japanese exarch into a heartfelt bro hug. He repeated the greeting with Laura. "Damn, you were actually worried?"

"Kinda, yeah, considering you just went radio silence for a while, and I can see all the crazy explosions from over here," Tangmo shrugged good-naturedly. "But I'm glad you two are okay." Tangmo then held up his hand placatingly at the other main characters, lingering on the smirking Celestine. "I'm glad y'all are safe too, don't feel left out."

"Thanks dude, we really appreciate it," Yuki patted Tangmo's pauldron friendlily, glanced over his shoulder, and whistled appreciatively. "Holy shit…everything's ready then?"

"Fuck yeah," Tangmo's lips peeled back into one of his psycho grin as he turned around to gander at the troops arrayed behind him. Hidden beneath the protective illusion weaved by the Aeldari, the main bulk of the Immortal Spirit battlegroup stood at the ready, every inch of the supposedly empty flatland was filled to the brim with rows upon rows of regimental squares, standing firm and ready, banners and flags fluttered proudly in the wind. Behind them, every barrel horizontal and set upon elevated fortified grounds, were hundreds of howitzers and heavy prism cannons, the artilleries trained menacingly on the unsuspecting enemies rushing across the abandoned trenches. And to top things off, Henry, the White Scars, the White Phoenix Lancers, and the tanks were waiting inside the containers, engines revving and ready to go once the infantries were engaged. "We're more than fucking ready."

"A most impressive display, lord commissar," Celestine joined them with Greyfax and Marwen, while the troops from the trenches took positions behind the howitzers and prism cannons. "May we remain here and watch the preceding?"

"Knock yourself out, lady Saint," Tangmo tipped his awesome commissar cap and strode away to join the 89th Cadian. Not six hundred yards away the Leman Russes, Devilfishes and Battlesuits, accompanied by screaming PDFs and Fire Warriors, were quickly closing in on the concealed battlegroup. "But seriously though, you can pretty much go anywhere you want, nobody's gonna stop you!"

"He's not wrong," Greyfax commented then narrowed her eyes on the nearing enemies, her Condemner bolter raised at them. "When will the counter attack commence? They're so close I can see their snarling faces."

"We are waiting for the enemies to commit the majority of their forces," Marwen tapped the screen of her data-pad vigorously, Celestine and Greyfax leaned over the captain general's shoulders to see the digital display. After a moment, Marwen gave an affirmative grunt. "Eighty five percent of their troops are on the battlefield, the main bulk is trudging over no man's land as we speak."

"Get ready for the fireworks then ladies, this is gonna be loud," Yuki chuckled darkly and swept her gaze over the waiting guardsmen, all of them crouched low to the ground with lasguns cradled close to their chests, and quirked a brow. "Most of them are Praetorians. They're leading the charge?"

"They are," being the halfblooded Englishwoman that she was, Laura clasped her hands behind her back and puffed up her chest, proud and haughty as only those of Albion can. "They asked for the honor and I support them completely. I even help them plan the counterattack, which is why this looks like the last moment of Waterloo."

"Waterloo?" Yuki took in the battlefield again and her eyes widened in recognition. "Holy shit, this is Waterloo."

"What is this Waterloo?" Greyfax asked suddenly, she, Celestine and Marwen now turning to Laura.

"One of the most decisive battle of ancient Terra," Laura explained, pitching her timbre so that she sounded like a posh Oxfordian professor. "This particular episode was from the last hours of the battle of Waterloo. Like what the Tau are doing right now, Emperor Napoleon of France committed the Old Guards, his elite troops, to crush the army of the Seventh Coalition, led by Arthur Wellesley the 1st Duke of Wellington, but unbeknownst to him fifteen hundred soldiers of the British Foot Guard led by sir Peregrine Maitland lay in waiting. And when the Old Guards got close enough, the British Foot Guard emerged and gunned them all down."

"Let us hope that our execution goes as swimmingly," Celestine tensed when, after blasting their horns obnoxiously, the enemy's tanks put the pedal to the metal and rushed the last two hundred yards, "because the hour is upon us."

Yuki was about to make a similar remark when the howitzers and prism cannons opened fire, the night prematurely terminated by the blinding discharges, the cacophonic acoustic crashed into her like a punch. She would've toppled over if Laura didn't hold her upright.

"Thanks babe!" Yuki yelled over the din as hellish explosions pounded the enemy's vanguard, the Leman Russes, Devilfishes and Battlesuits were torn to flaming pieces by the combined salvo of shells and lasers, some of the war machines were launched into the air by the impacts, a nice little meteor shower to light up the nocturnal vista. "Holy hell that was loud, but very pretty to look at, it's like the summer festival back home!"

"Add a bit of cotton candy, and this will be perfect!" Laura laughed boisterously when the enemy infantries who were sprinting alongside the tanks got devoured by tidal waves of fire and scything metals. "But you're right, this is very pretty, and you're the only sweet I'll ever need."

"You're quite scrumptious yourself," Yuki leaned into Laura, the British inquisitor wrapped her arms around the Japanese exarch, both of them snuggled tight as they watched the destruction unleashed, nothing put you in a romantic mood quite like the screams of dying soldiers and wanton application of explosives.

"Lord commissar, you are absolutely correct," Marwen deadpanned as Garuda missiles soared over their heads, followed by deep thunders of the Charon heavy artilleries, and within heartbeats red infernos rolled across the enemy's rear elements. The captain general had her finger pressed to the side of her helmet and was looking squarely at Yuki and Laura. "Their romance is very…distracting, to put it politely."

"Told ya," Tangmo piped up and Yuki made a mental note to introduce her pointed boot to his crotch in the near future. Yuki was about to part some choice words for the Thai commissar when Lita and the Aeldari pulled back the veil of their illusion, the world losing its corporeality for a moment as an invisible aura rippled outward, like how one would disturb a still pond. She gotta give credit to the traitors and Tau though, because more and more of them were rushing for the front, charging through fire and ruin, heedless of their own health, the determination displayed was very impressive to behold.

"Their bravery does them credit," Celestine observed, poignantly ignoring the sharp look Greyfax shot her way. The Saint was about to say more when regimental bulges resounded across the Praetorian ranks, the red clad guardsmen gave a hearty roar and, the martial movement perfectly synchronized, rose up from their crouches, no mistake to be seen in the impeccable display. "By the Emperor, that was beautifully done."

The first three ranks leveled their lasguns, the officers in charge of each companies raised their sabers high as if this was a line infantry battle straight out of the Napoleonic era, and started a single shot overlapping volley that went on for about five minutes, the radiant discharge coming in timed flashes, uniformed in sequence, a stark contrast to the wild barrage the other regiments were pouring across the battlefield. Brave though they might be, the traitors and Tau were cut down en mass, none of them able to withstand the unceasing barrage.

"Hey Laura, who's that standing with Alistair and Emily?" Yuki pointed at the old man currently talking with the two young officers, grey though his mustache may be it was clear that he was strapping and firm on the physical front. She had seen the man before, he was always in the thick of the fight, but the most remarkable feature of this gentleman was that his left arm and left eye had been replaced with metallic cybernetics, which made him quite a dashing figure with many admirers. "I swear, I saw that dude everywhere, especially in places where shits really hit the fan, but I can't remember his name."

"That's captain Adrian love," Laura said, a gleam of respect shone clear in her eyes as she looked at the man. "He's one of the most decorated soldiers in the Praetorian regiment, pretty much been fighting close to eighty years. He was Alistair and Emily tutor I believe, during their earlier deployment, and had chosen to join them when they were assigned to the battlegroup instead of retiring. The man's hungry for adventure. Don't worry, he took his rejuvenation and aging treatment, but the bloke prefers the grizzle veteran look."

"Damn, now that's really impressive," Yuki nodded and noticed how the enemy's vanguard was starting to falter. Given how their attempt to break through were continually thwarted by the battlegroup, even the most determined of the lots were now having second thoughts about charging the Immortal Spirit's line.

"Sons and daughters of Praetorian stop your dreaming, can't you see their weapons gleaming?!" Captain Adrian bellowed, his posh yet powerful baritone rang loud and clear over the battlefield, unhindered by the din of war raging around him. "Raise high the colors ladies and gentlemen, this shall ever be your story. Keep these burning words close to your heart: Praetorian never yield! Forward! Forward! Swifts as winter torrent roaring! To glory and victory!"

Bugles blared rousing notes across the red clad regiments, the men and women of the Praetorian Guard cried heartily to the heaven and with iron discipline, as expected from a regiment inspired by British Line Infantry, marched toward the faltering traitors and Tau. They did not run, or charge, or sprint, but in timed steps, a quick walk by all account, the Praetorian Guard assailed the foe, their regimental squares unchanged as they grinded the quailing enemies to bloody pulps beneath their boots. As the other regiments followed temperately, the Praetorian Guards burst into song.

"Brave Praetorians, march to glory, victory is hov'ring o're ye, bright-eyed freedom stand before ye, hear ye not her call?!"

Laura whooped loudly as the iconic Welsh battle song resounded across the killing field, the spearhead of the battlegroup that was the Praetorian Guards plunging into the thick of the enemy with fearless, unstoppable determination. Few of their ranks were struck down, but the red guardsmen made sure the enemy reaped the price tenfold. It didn't take long for the Tau and their allies to realize how badly they've miscalculated the situation, the smarter of the lots were now fleeing.

"At your sloth she seems to wonder, rend the sluggish bond asunder, let the war cry's deaf'ning thunder, every foe appall!"

Engines rumbled in great cacophony to their left and right and Yuki saw the tanks emerging from the cargo containers, the King Ghidorah speeding at the head of the northern flank while the Nynaeve lead the southern, the two columns of King Russes, Chimeras, Falcons and Fire Prisms made a pretty twin crescent that swiftly enveloped the enemy.

"Echoes loudly waking, hills and valleys shaking, till the sound spreads wide around, the Tau's courage breaking!"

Great rolling explosion lights up the eastern horizon in a terrible fiery dawn, far to the rear of the battle. Although the tanks were in the process of completing the pincer maneuver, the White Scars and the White Phoenix Lancers, the super-fast shock troops, were already raising hell behind enemy's line, cutting off their retreat and killing the poor bastards who haven't yet entered the fight. Seeing the trap closing, and finding themselves right between the hammer and the anvil, the traitors and the Tau's battle orders broke down completely.

"Our foes on every side assailing, forward press with hearts unfailing, till invaders learn with quailing, Imperium never yield!"

"They have a very impressive tenor, I must say," Laura burst out laughing when ibhubesi Naledi of the Golden Pride, accompanied by her fellow canonesses and the Sororitas and Aeldari from the trenches, joined her and Yuki. "But alas, no rousing bass section, what a shame."

"Looks like the counterattack is going swimmingly," elskerinne Eldul of the Frost Bringer huffed audibly, stabbed the butt of her power spear into the ground, and glanced narrowly at Yuki and Laura. "I hope we will not be running away next time."

"Aww, but you look so good doing it," Laura teased and Eldul winked suggestively, not far away her daughter Astrid facepalmed with a groan. "But yeah, I'll make sure the Sororitas and Aeldari get first blood next time."

"That will be very agreeable, lady inquisitor," canoness Heloise of the Ebon Chalice turned to the right flank of the battlefield, where the King Ghidorah and the tanks were currently engaged, a soft smile gracing her face. "Ah, I see our Castigator battle tanks are at last being blooded."

"Are they performing well?" Canoness Morelia of the Valorous Heart asked with genuine worry. If Yuki was being honest the Sisters of Battle new Castigator tanks, which looked kinda like a bigger version of the Bundeswehr's Leopard 2, should have no problem kicking asses. Sure, they might not be as experienced as the other tankers, Yuki however don't foresee any massive casualty event happening to them. But being the nice person that she was, Yuki flipped open her data-pad and brought up the engagement map.

"Let me take a quick look," Yuki swiftly tapped the screen, very much enjoying how the Sororitas and female eldars were closing in around her and Laura, the proximity was quite pleasing. "Ah, here we go! You can relax Morelia, the Castigators are doing quite well and are already raking up an impressive kill count, Mavia is shouting at them to be faster and more alert, but that kinda skill can be easily refined. All in all, there's nothing to worry about."

"That is good to hear," Morelia sighed in relief and Bellona gave her a friendly tap on the pauldron. The Valorous Heart canoness nodded at Yuki, "thank you lady exarch."

"Don't mention it," Yuki smiled and almost laughed aloud when Morelia turned away with a blush.

"So what are we to do now, lady exarch, lady inquisitor?" Galatea spoke up, her power zweihander stabbed to the ground before her, the canoness's gauntlets flexing with agitated animation. "Considering how well the counterattack appears to be going."

"Now, now Galatea, no need to be bitter," Laura chided her teasingly, the Martyred Lady canoness's face darkened when some of her colleagues started snickering. "But in all seriousness though, our part in this battle is pretty much done." Laura glanced at Yuki's data-pad and grinned. "Yep, the traitor and the Tau are now completely surrounded, they're gonna be annihilated in about…forty minute, an hour maybe? Our job now is to basically be on standby, in case something goes wrong, which it won't."

"As long as the fight continues, anything can happen, war is a fluid thing and our prospect can change within the blink of an eye," Firnera spoke up, earning nods from nuns and elves alike. "I would advise that we do not relax just yet."

"Blimey Firnera, I know, I'm just saying…" urgent red blared across Yuki's data-pad, stopping Laura mid-sentence, her mouth hanging agape as she stared at the flashing screen. "Are you fucking serious?"

"Looks like it," Yuki shot Laura a crossed look. "You need to go and jinxed it, didn't' you?!"

"Oh, so this is my fault?!" Laura snapped and smacked her hands on her hips, a pose she makes when peeved.

"No, it's Shadowsun's fault, it has to be," Yuki swiftly tapped the screen and brought up the communication channel. "Yo Henry, what the fuck is happening?! My screen just went all red dude!"

"That fucking bitch Shadowsun just happened!" Henry bellowed. His loud enunciation punctured by furious rattles of heavy bolters and thunderous bangs of shells. If Yuki squinted hard enough she can see the Stormhammer's barrels flashing from across the battlefield. "She wasn't part of the attack and had just now entered the fray! Holy fucking shit she just punched a hole through the Tallarn and Buxiunese tanks, someone plug that fucking thing, Jesus Christ!"

"Henry, what in the fuck is going on?!" Tangmo now joined the conversation. "I'm seeing a disturbing amount of blue lasers to the north yo!"

"Now don't freak out Tangmo, but Shadowsun just tore into our flank, committing the Tau's reserves and her own elite troops to the battle," Nikki, ever the calm one under fire, stated. "Give me a sec…yeah, from what I can see I think she's trying to break what remained of the Tau out of the encirclement. Is that right Erik?"

"Looks about right," Erik tsk into his earbud, "goddamn, those Crisis Battlesuits can really fight."

"Should I divert some of the warlocks and Farseers to your location?" Lita now asked. "They're pretty tied up at the front but I think I can spare a few, including myself."

"No! Everybody stick to the plan, any changes made now can fuck us over worse!" Henry responded sharply. "Subutai! Zolwyken! I need the White Scars and the White Phoenix Lancers here now! Where's my Mongols and Winged Hussars at?!"

"You were right to be cautious of this commander Shadowsun, lady exarch, lady inquisitor, forgive me for being skeptical of your warnings," Celestine's eyes glow a brilliant white and her wings unfurled majestically, an angle of war about to take flight. She turned to Lithia, who had also let loose her bat wings. "Mistress Lithia, you and yours will accompany me to the breach."

"Your will be done, my lady Saint," Lithia held her power scythe at the ready, the blade crackling menacingly.

"Wait, wait! Nobody fucking move a muscle, the explosions are going away!" Laura leapt in front of Celestine, stopping the Saint from taking off with Lithia and her aerial squad. "Now stay still while I check in with Henry. Mate! What's happening?!"

"Well, most of the Tau managed to escape, damn they can haul ass quick," Yuki breathe a sigh of relief when Henry was no longer screaming, "the moment she got her people out, Shadowsun and the Tau pretty much retire from the battlefield. Damn that woman was fast! I mean, she got in and out before the White Scars and the Phoenix Lancers even get here."

"Shall we pursue, lord general?" Subutai asked.

"Bro, we kinda need you to plug the damn hole she made," Tangmo spoke up hurriedly. "The Tau pretty much bailed on their human allies, and those assholes just noticed the big ass gap in our encirclement. I ain't letting them traitor sons of bitches escape!"

"So be it then," Subutai didn't sound too happy but complied nonetheless, a lot better than Zolwyken who just grunted in acknowledgement.

"Should we join them?" Marwen glanced at the battlefield, beside the little hiccup with Shadowsun the fight was going well.

"Nah, they're fine," Yuki said. "No point in clogging up the traffic, I say we sit this one out and simply enjoy the show."

"Very well," Galatea agreed, to the surprise of her canoness buddies. "But I would rather spend this free time learning more about commander Shadowsun. We have underestimated her, and I want to rectify that mistake. Will you help us, lady exarch, lady inquisitor?"

"We would love to!"