Ghirlandaio Fortress

The border fortress separating the small Principality of Gallia from the Eastern Empire's grip had been one of the defensive fortresses that had fallen very early in the fight. Stuck in a valley between two tall mountains and acting as the only 'checkpoint' between Gallia proper and the rest of the Empire's military, it was a hive of activity for the forces of the Northern Front Army. It'd also become the Headquarters of the Invasion and the arriving reinforcements from the Severan Dominate's little detachment.

General Selvaria Bles stood within her chambers, atop one of the twin towers that once acted as command posts and spotting positions for the wall-mounted artillery pieces of the Citadel. The guns had been reinstalled on the wall facing Gallia, to be used in case the enemy ever managed to turn the tide of the Invasion back into their favor. Selvaria had been here for a long while, alongside the Drei Stern and His Grace. It had become their home away from home, in a sense.

Below, in the main courtyard of the defensive fortress, troops of both Military Forces of the Empire milled about. It had been two days and something since the battle against the Necron and rumor spread fast around the base about the abominations that nearly brought a Valkyria to her Death Knell. The surviving soldiers of that battle had been left feeling uneasy, some lacking the ability to sleep anymore due to the horror of watching their comrades torn apart at a molecular level by the sickly-green fire of the enemy's weapons.

Selvaria herself hadn't been the same since. She had gone to the physician available to them within the base thrice in two days with complaints of headaches and sometimes finding herself in fits of anger and confusion. Once, when she did manage to get any sort of good night's sleep, the sentinels on patrol in the evening had come to her to tell her they'd found her sleepwalking, mumbling something in a language foreign to the very planet.

The woman rubbed her temples, the headache coming back to her. A knock on the door got a sigh out of her as she said "Come in." and sat herself down at her desk. The door opened with a squeak(She really needed to get someone to oil those hinges, noise was annoying) to reveal Legate Vulpe, a man with dark-green eyes, a shaven head bearing a tattoo on the right side of one of their standard fox-like animals. He was clad in his standard armor, scarlet cape hanging off of his left shoulder pauldron and a Gladius-shaped power sword on his hip.

"General." The man nodded respectfully. Selvaria had worked with the Legate for the past few months, getting the Severan Dominate's troops up to shape. He had been elected by the Emperor himself from their Visitors, alongside his Regiment, to assist them and level the playing field against the Cadians. He spoke softly, carrying an air of royalty himself, which was to be expected. "I understand you feel the air grow heavy too?"

"If you mean the head-aches, yes... Something has been weighing heavily on all our survivors after the battle against the undying hordes of the Necron." She answered, leaning onto her desk, "And on every soldier, from what reports I've been receiving. Barious has seen most of the affected personnel... And I myself seem to be showing symptoms of whatever this is."

"Bouts of anger, disregard, annoyance..." Sighed the Legate, "I have seen it before, on worlds where I and my men fought, though never to this effect."

"Would some of the people who've had these little moments be those Cultists you mentioned you had to deal with?" The woman joked darkly, hoping dearly that it wasn't the case. The description of Genestealer cults, their acts and how they had to be purged by even the Severan forces left a grim image in her mind of a total destruction of all troops present within Gallia just to safeguard the world.

The man shook her head, "No. Gene-stealers showed a more reclusive, calm behavior, even while fighting us."

"Oh... This must be worse, then..." The woman sighed, feeling the headache growing harsher. She'd joked, of course, but the grim look on the Legate's face told her that her assumption was correct. Shaking her head and covering her face with her hands, she mumbled "Did you need something of me, Legate? Because I think I may just visit our physician once more... My head should not hurt like this."

"The Prince has requested your presence, as well as the presence of the rest of the Drei Stern... It seems he wants to move ahead with his next objective." The man stated, "I'd suggest you bring your executive officer with you as well. You may need the support." And he turned to leave. He stopped in the door, however, then turned and said "Also, general?"

"Yes?"

"We have a Psyker in our force. If you feel anything, hear any voices, anything like that, she is the one you should speak to. Now, ready yourself." He offered, then left. Selvaria sighed, dusted herself off and sent for Johann. A stride across camp had the woman running into the issues her troops, both the Necron Incident survivors and the reserves, were having. From nausea, to pain, to hate and anger being called out, it was almost like the entire base camp was losing its mind. And she along with it... The Severan seemed the least affected.

Them and Johann, at least. He seemed almost unaffected, but was worried for his friends, clearly. She gave him a reassuring look, despite her own mind feeling like it was slowly getting torn in twain the closer she was getting to His Grace's room. Upon entering through the twin doors of the second tower and reaching the top, the woman found herself staring at the table of the Drei Stern, a massive oak slab placed upon a single, thick central leg and a frame of marble. On it lay dozens of campaign maps, assorted plans for both the small and large parts of this theater and the disposition of troops both near the front line and behind it.

She found, as she'd expected, Gregor and Jaeger shooting snide remarks to one-another and His Grace, sat on his throne, listening to them bicker with a smile on his face. Surely, he'd picked one of the strangest groups of Generals:A Fhiraldian officer in disgrace, an elite General and a devout man who would follow the Emperor and, by extension, His Grace to the death, and her, the Valkyria whose loyalty lay only with the Prince.

He saw her, then straightened up and said "Ah. We are all here, then." as he motioned to the Legate, who was sitting in a corner nearby. The two bickering generals had quietened down as the Prince stood up. He spoke, "It seems that, despite the small setback within Barious, we have achieved our objectives there. We have recovered the weapons of the Ancient Valkyrur and, with the aid of General Bles, we have also wounded that wretched duet of Regiments."

"A thousand-odd of the kids are gone..." Jaeger sighed, "I'm a bit sorry for them."

"Why would you be, Jaeger? They've defeated you, have they not?" Gregor stated. Selvaria swore, that man's head was so far up his own behind some times. She'd read the reports and the kids had let them go... At the behest of an old friend of general Jaeger's. A traitor to the Imperial Crown, one Kolchak. She had become a thorn in their side as well, what with the fighting she had been doing in the North.

"They've fought by our side against the Necron and they bled like us." Selvaria stated matter-of-factly. If anything, she held the Colonel of those youngsters in high regard... Still, it shook her slightly to think she fought children that much younger than herself up to that point, but they'd proven themselves to be as capable and as merciless in both Vasel and Kloden.

"Defending our foe now, general Bles?" Gregor raised a brow, pushing his glasses onto the bridge of his nose.

"Merely making a case for their competence and willingness to fight, compared to some of the Gallian forces around..." The woman stated, her mind wandering to the bastard general that had gassed her and her troops during the early stages of Ghirlandaio's assault. She continued, "Them and that Militia squadron seem to be very close." referring to the Seventh Platoon. She'd also read the reports and met the people, all of whom were open and proud fighters, despite coming from nothing more than what would assume were peasant families... Except for their officer, Lieutenant Welkin Gunther.

"Our good Valkyria is not wrong in assessing the Cadians and their allies as a potential threat, general Gregor." Maximilian stated, gazing around the room, "However, this situation will easily be dealt with. They lose soldiers they cannot afford to lose, weapons they cannot replace, while our supply of troops and weaponry is unlimited. We will win this war in the end, by attrition if we have to... For now, however, we've more pressing matters. Legate."

"Yes, sire." The man stepped up.

"Are your forces ready?"

"As ready as I can make them." He nodded.

"Very well." He stated, turning to face the rest of the Drei Stern again, "Our plans are going ahead, as you may have heard. Currently, the enemy's best units seem to be engaged in Barious still, for some reason... Our father has also stated he wishes to see Gallia taken within next month. To that effect, we have begun devising plans and the preparations for the Coup de grâce, to end this little charade."

He looked to Gregor, then said "General Gregor, we will need you to amass your troops within Fouzen, in preparation for the assault and in case the enemy receives any more reinforcements. You will also be assigned to... 'Handle'... The Camps there. Bring their productivity to maximum. We will need the Ragnite once Gallia falls, for the push ino the Federation." calmly and with a cocky self-assurance you'd only find in a Prince, his blue eyes shimmering with energy. Gregor gave a salute and a wry, evil smirk. He had plans, clearly.

He then turned to Jaeger and said "General Jaeger, your forces will be arrayed to the south. When the Cadians return with their allies, they will have to go through the Kloden Wildwoods once more. Whittle them down and keep them pinned while we accomplish our goals." to which the man nodded, smirking. He didn't seem too pleased with the idea, however. Even as he stood there.

"Selvaria." The Prince started, taking the woman's attention to him. He stated "You will be staying with us here for the time. We've something we need to ascertain... The Legate will take over the Central Front in preparation for the final phase of the Operation. We will soon be receiving reinforcements from the Capital, in the form of our more elite fighting forces."

"Yes, Your Grace." She bowed.

"Your Grace. I request permission to take Captain Eisen with me as adjutant, as well as the Regiment he is attached to." Gregor stated, garnering a gasp out of Selvaria, who stared at him with wide eyes. The Prince raised a brow, arranging his collar, which now had a blue feather among the white fuzz. Gregor explained, "If general Bles is to stay behind with you, her forces needn't be bogged down here, waiting for her mission to finish."

Selvaria looked back to Johann. The man had been her steadfast wall, the rock against the tides of uncertainty during the second phase of the Operation to capture Ghirlandaio early in the war. To have him be separated, much more, with his entire Regiment, from her retinue, did not paint a pretty picture. What happened next, however, shook Selvaria more than that proposal. "Very well, general. You will have the 99th Infantry assigned under your orders." The Prince had accepted. Selvaria's heart skipped one beat, while she could swear she heard Johann's outright stop.

Her headache grew worse...

Barious, Death Korps FOB.

Alicia had finally gotten out of bed under the watchful eye of Fina, Mina and Gina, all three of whom intervened on her behalf against a Death Korps officer and an Adeptus Mechanicus 'Magos Biologis' who'd demanded to see her for whatever reason. She felt her shoulder, which was still sore from the Las-bolt she'd received, but had otherwise perfectly healed, leaving not even a scar behind.

The 41st Millennium's engineering and medical corps were goddamn terrifying, going by how the Magos looked alone. She'd seen the other members of the Techpriesthood around and had a nagging feeling that amount of metal stuff sticking out of them was their normal, if Valon himself had been anything to go by during the battle for Barious's little Valkyrian relic. She arranged her uniform, sliding into place her armor plates. She wanted to go talk to the Colonel of the Death Korps, so she guessed she'd have to find her.

Going by what she knew so far of the outline of the Krieg bunkers, she followed the narrow tunnels down to the command post, alongside a squadron of Death Korps who were heading out. Some of them cleared out of the way for her, allowing her to pass through faster, to reach her intended location. Entering the CP, where she saw Kriegers peering over maps alongside Cadian Vox officers and even Colin and the new kid, Ace, among them.

Colin noticed the Sergeant, then smiled warmly. He approached and said "Ah, Sergeant. I am glad to see you on your feet."

"Hey, Commissar..." The girl sighed, "Believe me, I'm glad I walked off with just a scratch."

The Commissar observed where the shot had pierced and burned cloth and then skin, simply stating "Not even, from the looks of it. Heading to see the Colonel?"

"The Krieg one, yeah... I got some questions for her." The girl answered. She eyed some of the Cadian kids, most of which seemed to, surprisingly, greet her with smiles as well. She hummed, then asked "Did... I do something? Lots of smiles around seeing me walking in." as she nodded to the kids. She felt her neck for that Aquila necklace she'd woke up with, thinking to herself that, perhaps, that was it.

"Consider it a courtesy for your actions." The Major quipped, "Anyways, the Colonels are currently in a meeting, alongside Captains Varrot and Al-Ahab and some COs and NCOs from all regiments. If you wish to join them, I'd like to think Lieutenant Gunther is expecting you." And he smirked as he saw her cheeks turn a shade of red worthy of acclaim, then said "Forgive me, I do have to return to coordinating with the Kriegers' own platoon-side COs for now. We should be mobilizing back to inner Gallia relatively soon."

She gritted her teeth, watching him walk off to the side and meeting with a Death Korps commissar. Seriously, why did the Imperium's people keep getting scarier? The person in that piece of kit wore a skull-shaped plate and Krieg Gas Mask like those of the Grenadiers and their uniform, greatcoat and all, had two rows of golden skulls adorning the plate armor. They also had some sort of mechanical fist connected to a power cell on their backpack.

Colin had proven himself to be a good officer, surprisingly, as opposed to what she'd expected out of a political commissar. He had only threatened a squadmate of hers once with execution and that was during the Vasel battle, when Rosie and Largo were going after Isara. She chuckled, remembering that one. She'd been on the sidelines with Welkin when the situation was nearing its boiling point. Funny thing was, no other incidents like that had happened since. Either Rosie learned to keep her yap shut or she hasn't had her chance to go after Is or any of their Darcsen comrades again.

Alicia sighed, opening the door to Colonel Maria's office and walking inside just as the rest of the staff began to walk out. Matt acknowledged her with a nod, before stepping out, while Welkin remained inside. He smiled, seeing her awake and walking, to which she blushed. The Colonel of the Krieg forces had also noticed them being the only ones still inside, then asked "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Actually, I'm just here so Ali... The Sergeant isn't alone. We're gonna have to return to the squad and I'd rather brief her on the oncoming events myself while we're heading out." Welkin explained. He then looked to the Sergeant, who seemed a hint confused at his words. In her hand, she had the dog tags of the young woman who had died right beside her during the charge against the enemy's positions.

"What about you, then, Sergeant?" Maria raised a brow, "I see you have the tags of one of my own..."

"She was actually why I was here..." Alicia sighed deeply, "How old was she?"

The Colonel seemed to stare impassively at Alicia for a good minute, her tinted vision ports locked onto the girl, before she sighed audibly into her respirator. She said "Colonel Telos warned me there'd be certain... Reactions..." rather calmly, standing up. She walked to Alicia, then said "Like the Cadians, we train our brethren in the Death Korps young... They also fight relatively young."

"Do I want to know?" Alicia asked, already a look of fear in her eyes.

"Presumably not, but I've seen a child of similar age to them in your squad." She remarked, crossing her arms. That struck Alicia as odd. So they were all sixteen or something? Because Is was one of the only kids younger than the rest of the team. She raised a brow at the Colonel, who sighed deeply and said "Nevermind... Colonel Telos will want our forces to mobilize. I understand that we will also be getting reinforcement from an Army unit belonging to people of a proto-Imperial Faith."

"Ah, yeah, general Kolchak and her men. We haven't had much time to know them, really." Welkin noted, "You still have objectives here that'd require a tank regiment like hers?"

"As per the orders of one 'General Damon'." The woman answered, causing the two to wince slightly, "We're to push out the last False Imperial division from Barious. Intelligence suggests there is a tribe nearby that can assist with this."

Welkin hummed.

Alicia grinned, "It's probably Freesia's tribe!"

"Oh, right, she did mention she's from a local nomad tribe... How would they be able to help, though?" Welkin looked to the Colonel.

She shrugged, "As per intelligence, they are an active resistance element against the False Imperial forces and their Severan allies. Does this 'Freesia' know a way to find them?"

"We can ask her." Welkin noted, "Do... You and Colonel Telos think you'll need me to detach her from the squad?"

"Alongside an assisting unit of your Scouts, if possible." She answered, "We will need the eyes, ears and mobility for it. Plus, the Tallarn Captain seemed interested in inquiring of this tribe to join their force as Auxiliaries." before slinging a backpack onto her back and stating, "We will be packing up and destroying this base when we move out, seeing as the enemy presence in this sector has been cleared."

"Got it." The two Gallians nodded.

"I shall leave you to brief your Sergeant, Lieutenant Gunther. I would suggest you speak with this Freesia about the assignment. Safe travels." She stated, hoisting her kit onto her personage and stepping outside the office. The two Gallians followed, both of them watching as the Death Korps troops dismantled their equipment and prepared it for the big move at the singular hand signal the Colonel had given.

"So... What's up?" Alicia looked to Welkin.

"Captain Varrot told us... We just got our next assignment." He sighed, "Command wants us to go meet a squadron of Federation Forces at the border near Kloden. Rally with them and train, that kind of stuff, to show willingness for cooperation in case Gallia decides to sign and ratify any kind of treaty with the Federation itself."

"Huh..." Alicia paused, "So, we're going to meet the squad and just train with them?"

"Yeah, it's an exercise of some sort. Command figured it okay to pull us from the Front Line... I could've refused, but I figure we all need a little rest after the last few days." He stated, staring forward, "What with the Necron and... Everything else." including the Valkyria, but he didn't feel the need to voice it. He could see clearly on Alicia's face that she agreed with him.

"Yeah..." Alicia sighed, "We could actually use this. Nobody shooting at us, no crazy regiments made up of what's really a war crime to us and just a nice, relaxing bout of exercises..." She smiled.

"Heh. I said the same." He nodded, "C'mon. Let's let the squad know. Maybe the Cadians and their friends could join us after they're done here... By the way, in all this time, I never got to ask... What's your take on them?"

"The kids?" Alicia raised a brow. Welkin nodded. She hummed, "They're okay... Once the novelty of an army of kids toting some of the most advanced, almost magical kit available in the world at this point in time wore off, they're just like any other army. Frankly, I'm feeling much better about our odds of winning this war with them around. And their Faith, if you've managed to listen to at least one sermon or speech, actually sounds cool. Pretty decent for Darcsen too, since it puts them on equal footing to the rest of us."

"Yeah. I think that's why so many Darcsen are attracted to the idea of cooperating with the Imperium troops." Welkin mused, "Still, yeah, it's good to have them around. Boosts morale a heck of a lot too."

"They, Rosie and Largo butt heads anymore?" She asked.

"Not really, though Largo tends to avoid them outside of combat and Rosie's... Rosie." He shrugged, "Butted heads with a few of our own, though. That passed fast, though."

"Heh." She smirked, "I'm glad to hear..." She paused, "Quick question... What's your take on your sister liking the Colonel?"

Welkin staggered, damn near tripping over himself, "What?!"

Alicia smirked, "Oh, come on, Welkin! I can't believe you didn't see that! She has a crush on Matt!"

"I'm fairly certain she'd have told me if she did." The man answered, sighing. Alicia grinned, shutting herself up to allow her officer and friend to process this. Meanwhile, outside, Rosie and Largo watched as the Tech-priests, both of the world of Lucius and that of Mars, working together to dismantle the important pieces of technology that the Imperium had brought in for future usage.

"They still creep the hell out of me..." Rosie stated bluntly, staring down one of the Skitarii Honor Guard belonging to the Martians. It stared right back with its unblinking, mechanical eyes, toting a rifle that looked like it could've been made in a local Gallian Factory with all the wood furniture on it. She had every right to be spooked of the bastards who were literally part metal.

"Yeah, but the kids seem to trust'em at least..." The Lancer shrugged, "Hell, they helped us against the Necrons."

"Ugh... Don't remind me of those things..." Rosie sighed, rubbing her eyes, "I still haven't caught a wink of sleep thanks to the nightmares I've been having."

"Ask a Cadian Medic to toss you a sleeping aid." Largo smirked, "It's what I did. Stuff's good and you sleep like a rock."

"They come in pill form, I hope." She quipped, sitting herself down beside the man as he laughed, on an orange rock. She looked around at what had remained of Barious, multiple ruins still strewn high and low across cliff faces and such. She then looked back, far away, to where a bigger cadre of Techpriests assembled some sort of machine for moving the heavy weapon they'd found, "That thing... That gun with the six barrels..."

"Yeah?" Largo looked over as well.

"... Telos... The kid said it fit on something called an 'Imperator Titan'..." She hummed, "Think we can ask one of the Tecchies to show us any kind of picture of these 'Titans'? I'm... Kinda curious as to what the hell even had the power to mount that thing."

"Perhaps I can be of assistance." Tech-Priest Valon said as he approached them, almost spooking Rosie. He 'smiled', or whatever passed for a smile amongst their kind, then said "Your desire to learn about the Imperium's God-Machines is an endearing change of pace, corporal Stark. You as well, sergeant Potter. I've yet to find anyone to share the marvel of this new weapon with."

"Right..." Rosie nodded, "So what's a titan, then?"

Valon reached beneath his robe, retrieving a strange device that was connected to a power source under the red silk. He flicked it on, revealing a myriad images, all playing at around the same time. Rosie only had to focus on one, Largo by her side, to see what they were. Striding forward, Machines of War taller than even Vinland buildings strode forward on two heavily armored legs, their cannons tearing the very ground asunder. A movie like this clearly couldn't do full honor to the armored behemoths known as the Imperator Titans, but it still gave Rosie a clear enough idea when images shifted to groundside views of the towering humanoid mechs.

Valon slid the holo-projector back under his robe, gauging the reactions of the two. First, in Rosie, he saw the fearful awe that he had seen in the eyes of so many who first laid eyes upon the titanic God-Machines. Largo meanwhile seemed to be processing it with an impassive expression. The last image that had played before Valon had turned off the system was that of an Imperator's Hellstorm Cannon, the very weapon they found here, effectively vaporize an entire army in one blast.

"... Holy shit..." Rosie murmured, "... How many of these things do you have?"

"Titans? Innumerable, currently... As a Priest of Mars, I can tell you this, we have a great many Legios bearing the battle standard of the Omnissiah into battle today. Many even fought in Cadia's Defense."

If Rosie had felt like an insignificant speck when she was told there are more human-controlled worlds out there, she suddenly felt even tinier at the sight of the God-Machines that could easily level entire cities into nothing but smoldering craters of glass and fire. She felt a pit in her stomach, combined with the awe and realization that these very Titans had been on her home-world, here IN GALLIA. And one of them had been downed and lost a weapon.

... Isara, meanwhile, worked on setting into place the old tracks of the tank. She'd had to switch them out for sand-capable tracks for the trip into Barious, but she'd gotten the word they were moving out. She looked to her right, to see Matt being handed a report by Ace. Behind him, the newly-refurbished Baneblade had been brought in from their original FOB, alongside the rest of their armored assets. She still had a gash from when the Batomys had shot her, but she remained the super-heavy they all knew.

He looked to her, then smiled. She blushed, smiling back and watched as he now walked toward her. She stood up, then said "Hey." to him.

"Hey to you as well, Isara. Everything well?" He raised a brow.

"Yeah, just switching out the sand tracks for normal ones. I figure Captain Varrot told you they're mobilizing the Third Regiment out of Barious and sending us on a politics mission, I think..." She explained rapidly.

"I heard, yes. Some joint Federation-Gallian exercise operation... In the midst of war, I do not know why they'd do that, but alas, I cannot expect that incompetent Damon to be anything worthy of being called sentient." He sighed, garnering a chuckle out of the girl. You'd think one would be angry at an allied officer insulting the Chief-of-Staff of the Gallian Army, but alas, so far, he'd only found disdain among the soldiers of the Regular Army, like that witch of a woman, Gassenarl.

He sighed, then said "Take care of yourselves out there. We do not know what the False Imperials know of this little exercise. For all we know, they may try to interrupt it. We will be joining you after we're done with the last enemy base, of course, but that may yet be some time." and saw her actually look with a hint of surprise at him. He smiled, adding "What? Can't a man be worried for his friends?"

"Oh, o-of course..." Isara stated, casting a sideways glance. Friends, huh?

... Why the hell had he said it like that?! God dammit, Matias Telos, you may be able to wield a blade, but you couldn't 'flirt' to save your own life, he thought to himself as he realized, then said "I-I meant... I think you-... You know, just... Stay safe, okay?"

"We will..." She smiled, "You too."

"Aye. We're each a vox-call away, so..." He rubbed the back of his neck, "Just call if you need help."

She nodded, smiling. The two heard the rumble of tank engines and turned to see them. Arriving, clad in actual desert combat kit and with semi-automatic rifles they managed to yank off the dead enemy units, just to repaint them with Cosmoline, the infantry of the Scarlet Army rode atop their Type-34s and other tanks with smiles on their faces, waving to the kids. The General sat atop her own tank, hand wrapped around her sword-cane's hilt as she stared outward.

She saluted Matt as they passed by, a smile on her face as she had one of the Imperial SMGs, painted in black and with wooden furniture, slung over her shoulder, its folding wire stock retracted into the frame. Some of the girls also wore Imperial armor they managed to nab off the enemy, but the bits and pieces were so random there was no clear standardization. Some also still had the top-fed drum-mag LMGs, plus other kit from before. Matt waved to Isara, wishing her and her squad a safe travel and walked to meet the General, Captain Al-Ahab, Colonel Maria and miss Freesia York.

They'd be a bit busy in the coming few days. Both sides...