Ancients

No one could have possibly expected it.

Tempestus Scions were very good. They were trained from birth to serve the Imperium, given the absolute best gear and training available to normal humans who were not Sororitas. The same colleges that produced them produced the Commissars, the backbone of more Imperial Guard regiments that would even be counted. Trained, honed, experienced,… All of these made the Scions the absolute best that normal human soldiers could be.

That said? They were not omniscient.

They had all known this was going to be bad. Even the most bloodthirsty of the soldiers who had been gathered had very quietly hoped and prayed to the Emperor that there wouldn't be any fighting. Scions had few illusions after decades of conflict in the Emperor's name. All of them had seen Sororitas fight and had a very healthy regard for the Sisters' of Battle skill and gear. Add to that a fortification that dwarfed anything that humans had built in recent millennium and only a complete madman would want to attack it. It was a planetary defense center that was a mountain! It looked like a mountain from the outside. The only access points were well defended with heavy weapons. They could blast their way in. Of course they could. They knew where the main door was and had approached it. But the two volcano cannon that had emerged from hidden turrets and aimed at their position were a pointed hint that such was not a good idea.

Most knew that this place had been built by the Emperor and while none had wanted to desecrate it (or tempt the Sisters' wrath!) they had their orders. They had to take the Hospitalar Georgia into protective custody. They would obey their orders or die trying. Actually? Probably die trying.

"They are not talking, Sir." Sergeant Jersey was a veteran of hundreds of fights and normally, he wouldn't have shied away from anything. His armor was dented but whole. His hellpistol and chainsword, likewise. Scions didn't do parades generally. They were about results, not show. They could and had, but it wasn't what they were best at. They were all about doing the mission, no matter the cost. But this?

"No." Captain Kara Nills was an anomaly amongst the ranks of the Scions. Contrary to many's belief, it wasn't prejudice that led the ranks of the Tempestus to be mostly made up of males. It was simple numbers. There were more male humans in the Imperium than females. It varied from world to world, but on average, there were more males. There were all female college of the Schola Progenia, however and Kara Nills had been an orphan raised in one such. Most women went into healing or holy orders, but she had always wanted to fight and she had always been good at it. She had risen through the ranks on her own merit to command first a platoon and then a company of Scions. It was to her credit that the hard bitten men and woman who served under her didn't give her a second glance. She had what it took. "And no sign of whatever killed the Inquisitor?"

She didn't beg that. She didn't do begging. The sergeant just shook his head and she sighed.

"We are screwed, Sergeant." The captain said very quietly, but she knew. Every one of her men knew they would not survive this. Even if, by some miracle (ha!), they managed to breach the fortress and beat the sisters, the fact that an Inquisitor Lord had died on her watch would make her remaining life short and unpleasant. Her men, likewise in all probability. That left her one bad choice. "Get them ready to breach."

"Yes, sir." The sergeant saluted and turned back to his men as the captain spun to glare that the silent red rhino that had been sitting dormant the whole time. What were the Mechanicus doing? They hadn't even come out of…

The captain's eyes bulged under her visor as a green shield erupted around the rhino. That wasn't Imperium tech. She opened her mouth to shout a warning as she hit the dirt. Too late.

The Captain's world turned bright as something low and fast arced over her head. Something black? That also hadn't been Imperium tech! She heard calls from her overwatch, but she could only stare at the white arc of xenotech that appeared out of nowhere! At the bulbous alien forms that were emerging from nowhere to to fire at her men who fell without even the knowledge to know what had killed them. But she knew.

"ELDAR!" She screamed and raised her pistol as her sergeant fell to lie in a smoking heap. Eldar Dark Reapers and Guardians. At least three squads all in black! She fired her hellpistol and had the satisfaction of seeing one of the hated xenos fall to lie still but then the monsters had seen her and she had nowhere to go. A dozen razor sharp shuriken tore through her carapace armor as if it wasn't even there and she collapsed in a heap. The Mechanicus rhino exploded as at least four of the Dark Reapers fired oddly shaped weapons at it. Both of her Valkyries were falling out of the sky, hit by similar weapons that no normal human made tech could repel. All of the Taurus were burning. The slaughter was over in less than two minutes. Then the black clad xenos gathered up their fallen and were gone, leaving the Captain and her men to bleed out and die in the dirt. The Webway portal too shimmered and vanished in a haze of purple xenos energy, leaving nothing but death behind. Scion Captain Kara Nill's last thought was a plaintive question.

Why hadn't the Sororitas fired on the xenos?

They…

Hated...


An odd escape ship

Georgia was numb. So cold, so scared. Even the sergeant's calm, reassuring presence wasn't enough to curb whatever she was feeling now. The only thing keeping her awake was a calm voice sounding from nearby.

"Yes, I know, Senior Sister Hannah." Inquisitor Illusmar said sternly over the com at the raging voice over his com. "Yes, I know they were xenos. That was the plan. This way, you didn't do it. The High Lords of Terra will blame the xenos for the loss of their prize, not you."

"Do you really think I care about that?" Hannah all but screamed at him. "Yes, I know you have the control codes. Using them to keep us from firing was despicable!"

"If you had fired on the Eldar, they would have attacked you. They would have wiped all of you out, militant and non-militant alike. They don't discriminate humans that way." Illusmar said reasonably "They have far more force on standby. You know how the Eldar fight, Senior Sister. Overwhelming force, overwhelming speed. That defense center is the lynchpin for the defense of this world, Senior Sister. This world is the lynchpin for the sector! Until the Sisters of Serenity send a representative to replace Reverend Mother Malina, you are leaderless. I will not see you vulnerable. A squad of Ultramarines will be arriving shortly. They will not enter your facility, but they will assist you in defending it from any threat until your sisters can send reinforcements." That poured ice water into the furious sister's tone.

"How can you order Ultramarines to assist us?" The Senior Sister asked, clearly still angry, but also confused. Sororitas considered Adeptas Astartes to be barely human at all. Mostly a good thing, but barely human. They didn't bow to anyone's authority, especially not the Inquisition's. The tales, legends and stories of Space Marine intransigence were myriad.

"I did not, and that is all I can say." Illusmar replied and then sighed deeply. When he spoke again, it was reasonable. "I know you are angry, and you have cause. Feel free to blame me, but hold! Hold the line, Senior Sister. That defense center cannot fall. This world is the Emperor's and it will not fall as long as you have the strength to hold it."

"They will intercept you." Hannah said, calming slowly. "I assume..." She paused and when she spoke again it was careful. "...a special guest is with you in that xenos thing." Hate colored her final words.

"I can neither confirm nor deny that." Illusmar's face was stern and the Senior Sister heaved a sigh that was clearly audible over the vox. "As for intercepting? That too was planned for and that is all I can say about that. I am under orders, Senior Sister and that is all I can say."

At that, Georgia stiffened. Who the hell could order an Inquisitor to do anything? Did she really want to know? An armored hand gave hers a squeeze and she relaxed a little.

"You never played us false, unlike many other Inquisitors I have dealt with." Hannah said soberly.

"I was on my best behavior. I didn't want Kay mad at me again." Illusmar grinned as a sputtering noise came from the vox. More than one person smiled at that. So very true. "We will be out of vox range momentarily, Senior Sister. For what is worth? Your Sororitas faith is keeping this planet from sliding further into darkness. Hold it, Sister. Hold tight to it. The odd things will pass and the Emperor protects."

"The Emperor protects. Tell Georgia-" Hannah's reply was cut off by static.

Illusmar nodded soberly as he cut his vox. He turned to look at Georgia who shrank under his regard. He shook his head. "Don't be afraid of me, Georgia. I am here to help."

"When did you get back?" Georgia all but begged that.

She had missed him and his team. They were not nice people, but they did the Emperor's work in dark places. She had wanted to go with them, but she had been persuaded to stay in the convent. In the hell that the convent had become.

"Last night. We expected something, but never this!" Illusmar turned to another form who nodded to him and slowly eased to close with Georgia. "Georgia? You may not remember, but this is Sergeant Olafsson. He helped your mother."

Georgia looked at the man in Imperial Guard armor and her eyes narrowed. He wore the wings of an Elysian Drop trooper and carried a medkit. She smiled and nodded but then she glared at him. She did remember him. He had been the Elysian medic who had tried to help her mom after Kay had been poisoned. And then he had done more.

"You drugged me." Georgia's tone wasn't angry. More tired and defeated. "I so wanted to throttle that man!"

"No one blamed you, Hospitalar." The medic said with a shrug. "Hell, I wanted to to shoot him. But you were hurting yourself with your rage."

"Yes, I was." Georgia admitted and relaxed. "I still haven't forgiven you for that, but I am too tired to see my own readouts. Too long without sleep." She turned to Illusmar as the medic strapped himself in beside her and started to work. "Why are they doing this? I am not my mom!" She pleaded.

"There are a lot of reasons, Georgia." The Inquisitor replied. "Some are classified. Some are just plain frightening. But there are people who are trying to help. We have many reasons, but the end result is the same. We will get you to safety, Georgia."

"You know what is happening?" Georgia's eyes were closing. Had the sergeant drugged her? The medic? It didn't matter. She was so tired.

"Yes." Illusmar replied.

"Can we stop it?" Georgia begged.

"No." Illusmar sighed as Georgia wilted. "But we can try to make it better and we must. Killing you is not an option no matter what some may think."

"Would it solve the problem?" Georgia asked, on the edge of sleep.

"No. It would make it worse and not just what your mother, uncle and Grandfather would do." Illusmar's calm reply chased Georgia into slumber.

No one relaxed as Georgia slumped in her seat, finally asleep. No one missed that the Blood Raven's bolt pistol was in hand and aimed at the medic as he worked on Georgia. No one commented either. To his credit, the Elysian ignored it to focus on his patient. Finally, he sat back and Georgia slept on, her face losing its patina of fear.

"She will sleep for a time, sir." The medic shook his head and crossed his arms, eyeing the bolt pistol aimed at him. "I don't know how long. This is beyond my skill."

"Mine too." The Inquisitor admitted and everyone looked at him. He shrugged. "Self delusion is a weakness. Sergeant?" He asked the Blood Raven who slowly lowered his pistol. He did not holster it. "What word?"

"The 'Litany of Fury' is maintaining a far orbit as they have since they arrived here. Anything else would draw attention. They are monitoring a massive spike in vox traffic on planet." The sergeant replied. "They know we are here and generally where we are. The xenotech shields may hide us from sensor, but not from sight. Sooner or later, someone will get a visual. At which point, our lives will get exciting." He muttered under his breath. "Never thought I would be glad for Eldar trickery."

"Me neither." Illusmar agreed sourly. "Lieutenant? Any sign of our ride?"

"No." Lisa said from the cockpit, worried. "Are you sure they are not setting us up for a trap?"

"It is not a trap." A reassuring voice sounded from nowhere, but no one was reassured. Not in an Eldar vehicle with the soul of a dead Eldar as a guide! Liriel was trying to be calm and reasonable, not something Eldar generally did well. Then again, she was different in many, many ways. "They are worried. This close to a heavily defended Imperial world, if they are detected, they won't have long to flee before being surrounded and overwhelmed."

"Can you blame us?" Lornan demanded for everyone. The spy was not happy with this situation, but then again, no one was.

"Not in the slightest." Liriel replied. "If the situation were not nearly so drastic, I wouldn't want to go anywhere near one of their ships again, even with Yvraine's assurances they are Ynarri now… They scare me." She wasn't faking the shiver of fear in her voice.

"You have cause." Illusmar replied. "Can you coordinate with them? We need to get out of here. As soon as we exit the atmosphere, the close in sensor grid will detect us."

"They bother me." Liriel calmed a bit. "But I am relaying your words to them. They say they are confusing the sensors but they don't have long to get in and out. They are sending coordinates..." She gulped. "...and launching fighters and bombers."

"Emperor." Illusmar did not quite scream that. "If they attack anyone, this whole system will go nuts and we won't last long flying a xenos ship." He snarled. "Get them to call their small craft back!"

"They say that is the only way to get you aboard." Liriel said weakly and then she snarled. "Those lying scum! They promised they could dock you!"

"Boss!" Lisa's terrified voice sounded from up front as the tank they were in lurched. "Something big and dark just grabbed us! I have lost control!" A gulp sounded from up front. "I see… Three, no five. They are towing us and the fighters are escorting. No one is firing anything."

"They say they are bringing you in. No! Don't! They will not react well!" Liriel pleaded, half to the occupants of the tank, half to someone else.

"Sergeant!" Illusmar snapped. "Backup plan D."

"Roger that." The Blood Raven replied, his calm sweeping the small compartment. "Sent and acknowledged. The Litany of Fury will start to move momentarily."

"Ancestors, no! Georgia!" Liriel was all but moaning. "Those stupid... Why didn't they say something?"

"They probably didn't think about it." Illusmar replied, his bolt pistols in hand as the others checked their own weapons. "This is what they do, no?"

"It is what they do, yes." Liriel said sadly. "I... I trusted them. Inquisitor, I believed Yvraine when she said you would be safe. I am sorry. Don't let them hurt Georgia? Please?" The naked fear in her tone was unbelievable for any other Eldar. Not for her.

"I cannot guarantee that." The Inquisitor said and then stiffened as a hologram appeared in the middle of the troop compartment. The Eldar who stood there was furious! And not just any Eldar.

"I can!" Yvraine snarled as the tank shuddered again. "The idiots may not listen to Liriel. They will listen to me!" A rage as deep as space itself sang in the ageless being's tone. "Or they will die."

"The bombers just released us! I think they are Razorwings. Not sure. Never seen one up close before." Lisa said weakly. "Um, they are still out there, but they are just sitting there. Five Raptors, two Razorwings. Um, Boss?" She pleaded.

"Is this a trap?" The Inquisitor demanded.

"Not mine." Yvraine's holo snapped right back. Was she-? Oh shit! The image changed and she was holding an Eldar in ornate armor off the ground by one leg with one hand. When she spoke again, it was very quiet and very dangerous. "What did I tell you, captain?" She inquired.

"We did as ordered, avatar!" The extremely distressed Eldar in her grip pleaded as he was held upside down. "We are picking them up! No more!"

"Every Eldar on Ulthwé saw what will happen if anything more happens to that young human. I have shared the knowledge of what I saw with all of us." Yvraine seemed calmer now, but it was a facade. She was anything but calm. "Think carefully, Captain. The lives of every Ynarri on this ship, indeed, perhaps every Eldar everywhere, ride on what you say next." Her other hand grabbed the xenos' other leg and started to bend it like an ancient human wishbone. His armor creaked and horrific looking blades snapped off like twigs.

"I... I didn't-" The captain screamed in agony and another holo joined them, this one an Eldar male in oddly garish looking armor. Red, yellow, purple, blue? Weird. But the mask made all of that fade. The colors were stark. White and black with nothing to deny its edges. A twilight Harlequin. One of the most dangerous of a very dangerous sect of a very unpredictable people.

"I think you have made your point, avatar." The newcomer said mildly in High Gothic. "I believe this was an error of communication, not a trap." Yvraine glared at him and he shrugged. "Kill him or no, that is your right. But I can absolutely guarantee that the human girl will be safe aboard this ship. My troupe will make her safe here." Calm, clear, and about as soft as the blade of the naked sword he held.

"Harlequin." Illusmar said slowly. "We should take your word? You who lie as often as you dance?" Not an insult. Fact.

"Do you have a choice, Inquisitor Ricardo Illusmar?" The Harlequin asked, his tone still mild. "That tank's holo shields will not hold even your pathetic Imperium technology away forever. When they detect it, they will destroy it without thought or care. You know this."

Everyone looked at Illusmar who was clearly struggling with himself. Then he sighed and relaxed just a little.

"I have backup plans for the inevitable treachery." The Inquisitor warned.

"As do we." The Harlequin and the avatar both said in unison. Yvraine growled something vile in an unknown language and dropped the captain who vanished from the holo.

"That said..." The avatar of Ynnead shook her head. "We will offer true Eldar hospitality and care to the Granddaughter of the human Emperor." That was both promise and warning. "All of us."

"Then..." Illusmar sighed deeply. "You are correct, Harlequin. We have few options now. We accept your hospitality, avatar. Sergeant, tell your battle brothers to hold for the moment. They cannot pick us up without everyone seeing them do it and that would not end well." The Blood Raven nodded.

The tank shuddered again and both holos of Eldar nodded to him before vanishing.

"Boss..." Lisa begged from up front. "I… Um… You told me, but um..."

"I know." Illusmar didn't need to see it to know that they were being swept towards a small Corsair class Escort. A dreaded raider ship of the Dark Eldar, one of the most feared vessels in Imperium space. "We don't have a choice. Be ready for anything."

Everyone said the exact same thing, even the Space Marine!

"Ya think?"