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Flying aboard the somewhat decrepit Aquila through the vacuum of space wasn't as unsettling as it should be. This thing went on many trips before so it was stable enough to hold me, three alpha Raveners, and six Sergeant-class Termagants. A lasgun with the freshest power pack I could obtain slung over my shoulder. We soared quickly and carefully through the route Tinker had taken multiple times already to The bodyguards I decided was good enough. There was muscle and numbers but not too many as to draw a lot of attention to us. I had told Tinker to land me at the Tyranid Warrior closest to the signal's source. They were nestled in some canyons crisscrossing throughout the plains, a good place for the Hybrids to hide as well I supposed.

Even if I had ordered it to stop I had a good idea as to where it was occurring at thanks to my Tyranid Warriors all sensing it too. And they were collectively able to pinpoint a small area where it was likely at. A plan began to form, which was essentially gonna be the same one from when I met the Patriarch on the Cruiser. Just gonna go a lot better than it did before.

"I have better control over my mind than before. So I can keep a secret long enough to gain a good hold with its cult. Then get it alone somehow and slay the creature and start maneuvering people off this desert world."

Any pure Genestealers would be useful in my plans for stirring up the Orks. The Hybrids would put a strain on my resources though so maybe separate them amongst other Cruisers. Just long enough until we could get some real food to feed everybody. Getting them off with Tinker's ship would also be hard. This thing was low on fuel so we'll need to steal more or better yet better or just more transports. Maybe there will be some lightly defended airbase.

"And perhaps I could just talk to the human's planet side and ask them nicely for me to just take everybody off it. Then leave with a forming Splinterfleet" Hey a guy could daydream when he wanted right?

"This is gonna go a lot better than before because his time I've got a plan, new abilities, and a serious will to see this through-"

A beeping sound tore me out of the planning session. It was coming from the cockpit and concern washed over me. My luck was shit but certainly, fate hadn't decided to let all those rides pass by then have mine get spotted!

"Oi boss!" Tinker shouted both from the cockpit and the synaptic like. "Wez got some panzy 'ummies follow us!"

"Is it a ship or fighters?! Can you tell what?" I hoped it was a large ship that spotted us. That could be easily avoided. However Tinker 'uuuhhh'ed at his instruments for a moment before I just dug through the link and figured out that were two small objects closing in fast. That could only be Imperial fighters dispatched to learn what we were doing out here.

"Gun the engines and make it past Calderis's atmosphere!" I planted myself on one of the cushionless seats, slinging the rifle over my head to better secure it. Then seizing the handlebars at the side. All the while ordering my entourage to anchor themselves down somehow. A Termagant let off its rifle and clutched tightly the crate of Spiritstones to their chest. Getting on the planet's surface as fast as possible was the only option here. Even if this craft had some sort of functioning communications equipment there was nothing I could say to explain who we were and where we came from. We were highly suspicious and getting to the ground before they caught up and decided to shoot us up in space.

A moment of hesitation as they tried calling and asking us to slow down and give ID would be our saving grace. At least I hoped it would be, my luck being what it was I shouldn't be surprised...

The Aquila jolted and I thanked my foresight in grabbing a seat. My body was jerked towards the back of the vessel and the lasgun over my head even shook. The orders I had issued to the 'nids barely helped the Raveners who lacked any hands to grab onto any bars like the Termagants. All three had laid down but slid back and every Termagant raddled from side to side at Tinker's flying. The crate holding the spirit stones raddled, and the sides of it were tall enough to keep most of them within. Yet one or two flee out to raddle around the vessel like rocks in a washing machine. I could feel the ship begin to heat up, which I believe signaled we were entering the atmosphere. We couldn't get low, land then ditches the ship. It was mainly a desert with canyons if the past few days of scouting by the Lictors were any indication. It was still a lot of open space meant I'll have to leave but leave Tinker aboard to take the pursuing fighters away.

"It would be a shame to lose him... I think he would've been a great asset in ruling up the Orks but it is what it is."

The entire ship raddled at the strain and I began to sweat at the heat which turned this place into an oven fast. It was more annoying than unbearable, which I attributed to my changed physiology. My eyes shut and I tried linking with Tinker to get an idea as to how close to the planet's surface we were getting. Sure enough, I was peering through his eyes without controlling them, and the glass of the craft stop having that heat effect one would see in movies about spacecraft reentering a planet. It meant we were officially within Calderis's atmosphere and I could see the sandy canyons we needed to get to. It wasn't the exact location of my Tyranid Warrior but I didn't want to land close to them with a tail anyway.

"Get us on the ground fast then bolt it away from the cave holding-" My order was interrupted when the rat-at-at-at of bullets began tearing through the top of the ship. A Termagant died when one of rounds rammed into its forehead. While two of my Raveners cried out in pain from some shots but weren't killed or seriously crippled. More shots would raddle through the top and I crouched down to decrease the chance of being hit.

"Okay forget landing just get us as close to the ground in that canyon as you can!" I shouted aloud and tried to multitask by viewing from Tinker's eyes and watching for more bullet holes being formed. So I would know when to get outta the way. Out pursuers would not let up the fire and in fact, it seemed to get more intense as Tinker started taking evasive maneuvers. I held on for dear life and we quickly moved from side to side and even spun in place. My Raveners have the worst time of it being thrown around the ship and slamming into metal and Termagants. At one point a tail whip to the face almost lost my grip. More of the stones had flown out of their container but at this point, I was beyond caring. After a few more hectic munites of this we evened out and I could sense Tinker curving the vessel out to be level with the sandy ground.

The sand itself should help cushion the fall but I wasn't going to give it my full confidence. I made one final check to secure my gun before having a Termagant slam the button to lower the ramp. As it did so I had the three bleeding Raveners encircle and linker their bodies around me. I had the one Gaunt with the crate still, collect what spirit stones they could before preparing to leap out on his own. There was no one to keep them safe within my bundle so I was counting on their own sturdiness and the cushioning sand to save them. The remaining four Termagants rushed, climbed, or crawled over to do the same around them. My eyes closed and through Tinker's, I saw us he lower...

And lower...

And lower...

More fire from the Imperial craft riddled an engine and I knew it was time to bail out. So about a hundred-ish feet from the ground, my makeshift shield let gravity take us all over the ram and towards the surface. The wind from the Aquila's engine screamed in my ears, rivaled only by the wind as we soared to the planet's surface. The fall only took a few seconds but it felt like an hour as I braced myself for impact.

All the air from my lungs erupted out as we slammed into the sandy-covered rock, it turned out I forgot that a canyon is mainly a rock formation carved by water at some point in the past. I could hear and feel the bones from my Tyranids snap and break into pointed shards that punctured their organs and flesh. The bundle rolled as the Ravener with the fortune to be facing upwards at the time of impact got off me as I gasped for air. While coughing I was barely able to register the Aquila soaring off with it's burning engine as the twin Imperial fighters had enough of an opportunity to disable more. I witness the ship spin out of control then past the mile-high canyon? Likely to crash as I felt a void open where Tinker once was. He was gone now and I needed to move.

I only had one Ravener able to move, the rest of them and Termagants were either dead or too injured. I unslung the lasgun and pressed it to each of the wounded ones eyes and finished them quickly. That done I gazed around and found some minor planet life scattered about but no real cover. I also noted some of the blue stones has cracked and stopped glowing. The crate was also screwed and I collected what I could see into my arms hauled myself towards the nearest cliff face. The remaining Ravener right behind me.

I could only cross my fingers and say a little prayer about the bodies we were leaving behind. For the sands here to just bury them for us and the fighter pilots to have never seen the bundle leap out. So no search party would discover the Tyranid bodies. Cause things could get real complicated if Imperial authorities believe the 'nids were coming back someway...


The rocky ground tapped hard against my feet and made quite the rhythm with the slithering of the Ravener. I thought of this to try and ignore just how screwed I was now. Far from the fleet, my escort decimated into on bullet-ridden Tyranid, and far from the nearest scouting party. It would be quite some time before I would meet any supporting forces. Even if I could telepathic tell how far away they were and have Lictors meet me halfway. Not to mention Tinker, he was gone as well as my only ride, it was a shame but an unavoidable loss. To make matters even worse, the fighter jets flew back through the Canyon. One after the other, over the spot I had landed at after bailing. I had made it to the orange walls and then laid belly down with the Ravener to avoid being spotted.

However, the grey and purple bunch of Tyranid bioforms on the ground stood out from the yellowish orange of the floor. They definitely saw something and this sub-sector currently being under assault by so many varying forces and the previous Tyranid invasion. I doubted those pilots nor the naval captain that launched them was going to blow this off as just smugglers dumping goods during an escape. A search party would be organized and the fact that an Aquila was carrying 'Nids be thoroughly investigated in the region. It was over a year since the event of Dawn of War 2, so the events are still fresh in the minds of the Imperial Military.

The issue for me was the fact I was so clearly leaving a trail behind. The sand here was like the dunes of a desert but it was enough to retain footprints and even if the Ravener was messing it up. Anyone with a functioning brain could tell those waves in the sand forming a line away from that bundle were not naturally occurring. The winds down here weren't strong enough to cover the line either and I wasn't about to assume it would pick up soon.

"Still I guess little less obvious tracks is better than plainly obvious ones." That in mind I boarded the Ravener's back and it sped off.

Even the standard Ravener was fast the Alpha variant even more so. We slithered on and just from the air blowing past I sighed knowing I was going to put some serious distance from the scene. It would tire out the wounded Ravener but at least I'll be fully rested to the remaining jog after that. It kept close to the wall but not the one that would provide shade, a panic-filled oversight. I had never been to a desert before but this was about what I expected to find on Caldaris. On Typhon and the Maiden World it was hot at times but humid, I could taste the water in the air and had shade absolutely everywhere to shield me from the worse effects of the sun. Yet here I found my pores sweating the moment I was exposed, and it was so dry too. I could feel the interior of my nose lose moisture with every intake of air. The wind rushing around the Ravener and over me seemed to steal the moisture my body was trying to coat myself with.

"I seriously need to find an Oasis or something to wash my body off." This sand was only going to stick over the built-up grime. Being in the hibernation pod and having it remake my body still left a layer of slime atop the skin and armor plating. Something to have the Lictors scout out a solution for later. I adjusted my arms to better hold the Spirt Stones, there was nine left. The rest were either destroyed or I didn't enter my field of vision while I was scrambling to collect them and book it. I would not be going back for more but at least a saved a few from Imperial hands.

Maybe they would be fine, but considering this is a sub-sector where the Eldar have tried to blow up two worlds. Well I doubted they'd break them but getting back to their kin wasn't in the near future. The nine glowing stones felt cool against my hands, like a polished stone, who would have guessed?

"Why did I snatch these up so quickly though?"

I mean my main plan for them was to just toss then in a pile far away from me. Then just call it a day and leave the Eldar to divine their location. But I supposed it was more likely they'd soak in the sun and get buried in a sandstorm. Found hundreds of years later by some roaming camel jockey. Or run over by a vehicle or blown up by a missile or bomb as a battle raged in the desert or canyon they were in.

I had so many of these shattered and enjoyed it...

"I was angry and had felt Absalom's life fade away while I could do nothing. After I just offered so much trust and was willing to leave in peace... Those assholes had to go and ruin it." What I did with their souls, knowingly sending them off to feed a Chaos God and have them suffer eternally. Cause they were soldiers that just happen to be selected as a part of the ambushing force and got stabbed by my troops.

"It was an excessively brutal thing... I guess that's why I'm taking these with me. If anything it could be leveraged or used to confuse the heck outta some Eldar here when I hand them off."

Maybe that will be funny to watch. No, I probably won't be able to read much of their expressions when that happens. For now, I focused my efforts on just holding onto the Ravener. There was a long ride to be had, and I wasn't about to get delusional in thinking it was smooth sailing from here.


I mostly just zoned out the ride, there was a roar in the distance behind us and I peered back to see dots of aircraft. Looking over the crash site and pile of Tyranids as I assumed they would. We had made a good distance so I didn't feel much panic, just extremely hot and crusty. The dry air seemed to function almost like an air fryer. I had never been to a Desert back on Earth and if it was a thing like this I wouldn't visit them ever.

Focusing on holding onto the Ravener without piercing its flesh was all that kept me from being too annoyed at it. It was steadily getting on my nerves though. I wasn't getting thirsty, just that degree of hold I may be mostly Tyranid now and had felt I was having a great tolerance than an unshielded person would. But I had a bald head and the heat was roasting it. So it came with more relief than I ever felt when a large patch of trees and greenery low to the ground was spotted by the Ravener. Sure there had bee some trees here and there, nothing too noteworthy. But five of them in a circle with plant life could only mean on thing, water.

Surging forwards with a speed I demanded the Ravener made it to the mini oasis in short order and for once I decided to thank lady luck. If only because I knew she wouldn't give me much more booms like this if I didn't. Once past the threshold of green I dropped off the Spirit stones and laid the Lasgun next to them. I didn't just jump into the pool, the crystal life-giving liquids was about the size of a large pod and plentiful. Yet I decided to take it slow and drink first, the first handful was heaven. Fresh clear water gulped down and it didn't take long for me to just dunk my head in kill two birds with one stone.

"Oh yeah that's so much better."

Pushing off the bank, I coated my body underneath the water and resurfaced after with minute with a gasp. I kept my skirt on both to wash it and to have it wet and cool for the journey to come. My rough hands rubbed over my body to try and do something akin to cleaning. No soap but it'll have to do for now. Sparing a glance towards the Ravener it was still breathing hard from the journey and it too was extremely hot.

"Oh, why the hell not?" The Ravener slid smoothly into the pond, I regretted the decision immediately. The wounds had stopped bleeding the few leaky one's it had started staining the pool purple.

I floated myself back towards the edge and laid my head against a shaded patch of sand. This reminded me of the pool parties my family would have with the neighbors. With that in mind nostalgia flooded my senses and I decided to take a quickly rest of myself and the Ravener.

"I suppose if I let it rest I can just ride it the rest of the way there." I couldn't tell if it was a nice atmosphere or the memories of better days, or just wanting to feel nice after a stressful afternoon. Perhaps a combination of these factors had me yawning and feeling a nap was in order.

So I just shut my eyes and let sleep overtake me...


When I was roused from my slumber it was through the synaptic link with the Ravener. Its senses were lighting up, signifying it detected a threat and I shot up straight up sending large ripples in the pond. Gazing into the distance to see sand being kicked up, likely by some vehicle and considering there was nothing out here. It must've been following the obvious trail the 'Nid ha left behind.

I was right about this turning into a rough ride, of course. The pessimistic attitude I had gained was being consistently fed my lady luck who enjoyed watching the damn thing grow. Just as it seemed like I had a good thing here. Something else had to come along and screw it all up...

"I have to throw them off my trail somehow..." The Ravener had served it's purpose well and I already planned on killing it through exhaustion. What was doing it early gonna mean? "Besides meaning I'll have to use my legs over a longer distance."

Hiding for what was to come was complicated as the oasis wasn't exactly teeming with thick foliage. It did have one thing that was already pretty murky from me just splashing in it. The water was deep enough to cover me if I had laid down. I could have the Ravener get in and upset the bed, sending more of the sand and loosening other darker items from the bottom where it once was a crystal clear pod. But that would require me to hold my breath for an indeterminate amount of time.

"I will have no way of knowing when they leave, especially after the Ravener dies." I didn't have much time to act so then came the incredibly desperate idea. Climbing a tree. The one's here didn't have many leaves, just a few long palms crowing them. But there were several covering the place in an impromptu ring, plus they were about twelve feet tall if my sense of scale wasn't wrong. And I would be facing away from the soldiers not towards them and the fight about to ensue.

Slinging the Lasgun over my head and cutting across the pond to the tree furthest to the back. I piled up mound of sand over the glowing Spirit Stones. In reminiscent of my first week in this universe I dug my nails into the tree's trunk. It was hard, probably a necessity being on such a hot planet, and hoisting myself up. Clawed nails also helped in the process along with my newfound strength. It wasn't long before I was at the top, not perching myself on it's head but just below to shield myself. My claws made it simple to hold on, these things would've made tree climbing so much better.

While the Ravener made the poorest attempt to hide between a tree and some low-ground ferns or whatever it was. It was a poor hide. I wanted to make it look as if these guys had tracked down some Tyranid and confronted it. My eyes shut and connected to it as the Chimera pulled up just ten yards from the Oasis and the hatch was popped.

I decided not to wait for anyone to be out of the thing. The Ravener roared and surged out, not fast though, the man looking out had more than enough to 'nope' the hatch shut. The turret with its long-barreled lasgun or cannon or whatever the rapid-fire thing was classified as opened up. I could feel the intense burning sensation from the Ravener as its too most scythe arms were blown off. The red beams swung up and emptied rounds into its head. This wasn't to say the Ravener couldn't have charged the vehicle and closed the distance. But a prolonged engagement wasn't what I was after here.

Its head was blown and melted away and I flinched to have also experienced a piece of it. It was just another 'Nid though, I could live without it. There was a lengthy moment where the torrent kept firing las bolts into the creature. I thought it was excessive at first but considering it's Tyranids and this Subsector was just invaded by a Hivefleet. I supposed the gunner just wanted to be safe than sorry.

Eventually, the shots died down and some sound of machinery echoed or my ears and then what I felt were footfalls on rock and sand. I had to judge everything with just my hearing and I wasn't about to lean over to look. A few more lasbolts followed a period of silence, less volume than the turret...

"A lasgun perhaps?"

"I think it was dead sarge!" A young voice flew into my ears, followed by a more gruff and older tone.

"Just checking, you never know with these damn Xenos. Nathan get on the Vox and tell command we found and killed one of the large ones. Situation sorted, and get us the Valkyrie here to pick us up! I don't wanna ride all the that way back."

I sighed heavily, relieved that not only would they just go but this would draw much suspicion away from me.

"What was that?"

My heart stopped, what could he mean by that sentence?

"Did anyone else hear that?"

No... No, no, no, no.

"Did me sighing just give away my fucking position?" It was an out loud one, from these enhanced lungs. So it was a fairly noisy thing but did it seriously carry over to one of them?! I tried to keep myself steady, a horde to the side of the tree hoping if I just kept quiet enough they'd dismiss it as the wind. I would have no such luck from my cruel mistress. As I could hear the boots moving along the rock and sand to my tree. The Guardsman in question likely keeping his ears out if he was committing to this...

"What are you doing Corporal?" The older, gruff voice of their Sargent called out.

"Just checking this out, could be something..."

"There's only one trail." Despite the fact that his Sargent calling after him, kept hearing the boots move in my general direction.

This man was going to find me, there was no doubt in my mind he wouldn't. Not with how everything, since I got here, has been going... Even if I ran it couldn't mean much, they had a Chimera and even applying the time they'd need to mount up. They'd catch me so... I was going to have to... I could leave no survivors to tell of me.

With plenty of trepidation on what was needed to be done. I kept my ears open for then the man was close to my tree then pushed myself over the top. There he was, standard pattern of Flak armor and Lasgun no different from the one still slung over my shoulder. He had it leveled, so it was good of me not to slide down then charge. I decided not to note many details about any of them... I didn't want their faces in my mind too much.

I signed involuntary and as the man looked up I punched...

Then ripped his head clean off two seconds later.