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An idea was forming as yet another day left, it was not bled away pointlessly though. There were two more outposts westwards and positioned in places where multiple canyons intersected. Which was also where towns tended to be placed as well, judging from the map on the dataslate. Probably some deep geographic reason for that in addition to the strategic one of blocking as many ways to the capital as possible.

The sheer lack of any other Imperial Guard regiments in the area was sad. The Blood Ravens own this world and at this point in the lore, Kyras was fixing to turn this sub-sector into his sacrificial alter. I see no other explanation as to why the route to the Capital would be so poorly defended. Surely an undermanned Space Marine chapter wouldn't leave things like this and not ask for assistance from the Imperial Guard. I mean at this point Governor Derosa is really on their side.

So yeah that Kyras jerk was responsible for this one battered regiment shielding the capital city of their chief recruiting world.

"I guess I shouldn't be too hard on the complaining, it's this poor defense that's allowing me to infiltrate so easily."

Eventually, the Guardsmen reinforcements would have to head back to their respective outposts. With syringes filled with the embryonic taint and a Genestealer to help spread the infection further. Those places taken could cover my flanks and give me more intel and resources to get my brood inside the city. That infiltration and spread would take a lot longer than this one had but there was time as I'd be taking two more outposts and then leading an exodus from the mine.

It would mean taking more lives into the brood... Which was presumably better than just killing all of them, somehow. But needed as it was, I had let that thought slip right out of my head.

The city itself had... well a sandstone wall surrounding it in places and no large metal gates. Nor defensive towners anywhere but the entrances or breach points where Tyranids once broke through. I get that this is a Feudal world owned by a Space Marines chapter but come on. Even in the mission where you protected the Planetary capital from Orks, it was weird how badly secured the front entrance was.

"You had one tank and a bunch of scouts and even then the commander had to drop pod some ways away." Again it suited my purposes that this place had such crap defense and with some trepidation, I asked if there even was an airbase within the city. Thankfully they did to ferry people and supplies to and from the only city on Calderis. This was going to take a while, though it would be worth it to get off this world without inflicting mass suffering.

If everything goes well here.

If the Guardsmen successfully infiltrate the outposts to the north and south and infect the needed numbers.

If this plan played out as it did in my head then we'd be off-world with few actual deaths.

"There are way too many 'ifs' for my liking. One going wrong could complicate matters, perhaps in ways, I cannot see yet. I had the fleet as a contingency, but it wasn't the one I wanted to ever use."

I had an army here and plenty of Guardsmen though, whatever the Imperium might have here I was going to overcome. For the Hybrid's sake, they were making it outta here and I was finding them someplace safe...


Farseer Tuirin had been the first to arrive and await his scattered forces to converge in the same location. The hunt on Caldaris had begun a week ago yet no progress had been made. The planet's inhabited zone was vast and the canyons and caves painted a grave image of traversing entrance after entrance. All the while the forces of the Great enemy and Space Marines battled throughout the surface. Complicating the search further by necessitating slow and careful movement by his warriors. Which only darkened the picture of this tasking being impossible.

Until a large pulse was felt. The great Devourer's spawn had a notable psychic presence. One that he had tried to pinpoint down via careful meditation, such an act had allowed him to realize his prey was planetside. There was little success on the surface of the planet, and too much interference by the various Librarians this Space Marine chapter possessed. The annoyance lead Tuirin to believe the manual search was the best option until a large psychic pulse rang out into space.

It was quite large but brief and carefully focused away from Caldari's surface. Easy to miss unless one was already looking for it of course, as if the strains of fate were weaving their paths together. Further solidifying that his encounter with the creature was not mere chance, he was to slay it before the Devourer's plans could be realized.

It lead Tuirin to the abandoned mine with Lictors and a synapse creature carrying containers of water and even more hauling meat to a brood of Hybrids. The corrupted Mon'keighs were walking around rather casually, the few he could see were chatting and laughing with one another. The arrangement said nothing about this place being a stronghold for the creature nor that it was ever here.

"I cannot sense its presence but a lingering power, they were here but left some time ago." While disappointed that his quarry was gone as soon as he picked up the sent. Tuirin still saw the den of Hybrids as an opportunity to damage the Devourer's spawn by some means. Methodical scouting of the area revealed no other entrance to the mine, unfortunate but the Wraithguards could be enough after some probing of their defenses.

The true Tyranids continued to gather water and hunt for food. Odd but unimportant, the creature commanding this brood was as different than the rampaging hordes aiming to consume worlds. There wasn't anything akin to a patrol or sentries here either. They would be simple enough to slay all at once. They never noticed the forces of Iyanden spying on them from above nor them gathering on the cliffs. Planning their deaths from afar and overwhelming then pinning any forces inside the mine was a simple manner. Corrupted by the Great Devourer nor were they trained and disciplined like any of the Mon'keigh regiments.

"This seems almost seem too simple to deal with." Tuirin thought before turning to give the order to attack.


I stared at the okay-smelling mush in the spoon leveling at my blood-red eyes. The utensil itself was pinched carefully between three claws not as difficult to hold as first assumed. The yellow stuff jiggled slightly as if it was jello, which was concerning because I knew it wasn't that. The scent it carried was unfamiliar, much like the fruit I first ate the food before it was alien in origin. My mind had to fill in the blanks as to what the sent was and This time came up with nothing, the cool dry air of the coming dusk helped cool it and I knew it wouldn't be too hot in the mouth by now.

"If the heat would even matter with my enhanced body and its pain tolerance." I thought.

"Just take a bite, it'll get better after a while," Merrick said from his seated position on some sandbags behind me. He was the one who provided some of the ration bags. I regarded him for a second and knew he wasn't lying, but I did sense this general air of amusement from the surrounding squad. They all stared as the Great Carrier was about to try some off-looking mush they'd been sustaining on since joining the Guard. I wanted to do this and wouldn't end until I tried it or just put it away.

So with some minor trepidation, I put the spoon between my lips and pulled it out, the substance falling off the metal and onto my tongue. Instantly my face scrunched up in disdain for the stuff. My eye even twitched and after five seconds of trying to assign some meaning to the thing on my tongue I gagged and spat it out. Even before the yellow stuff splattered on the sand everyone was laughing like hyenas.

They hadn't tampered with it, the link we shared told me they were just amused by my attempt to keep it down. Like they all had on their first deployment and taste of army chow.

No, Imperial Guard rations really did just suck.

I decided to just try one for the sake of seeing if they'd be worth trying to steal en mass. Perhaps they'd have some flavor to them than the green goop I had been eating on the Cruiser. Might have been better for the Hybrids to have something with an actual taste for once. Surely all the MREs the Imperium made weren't as terrible as the lore suggested and it was mainly jokes because army-food-bad-memery. That was the thinking and it was totally wrong, the one I tried was sweat and sour grox. The fact someone tried to mix two contradictory flavors together with meat should have tipped me off.

The fact that after applying the steamy water the stuff looked like macaroni and cheese with chicken after it was thrown up almost clued me in. But it didn't smell off so I foolishly plugged a spoonful into my mouth. And it was rancid, the sweet and sour did not mix well and I wasn't about to try and taste test any other flavors.

"You tried just about the worse one Great Carrier," Merrick said in between the sudden exfill of air to laugh. "We usually pile that stuff up and burn it."

"Oh so now you tell me." I said that with only the smallest hint of snark. Really I should have asked before doubting the lore and jumping into it like that. I sighed and took up a stop next to Merrick, things were processing better than I hoped. I should tell the fleet to back off a little now, the contingency wasn't being ditched but a week or so of infiltration and the route to the city would be secure.

"Getting inside will be hard in its own right but I have soldiers and officers here. They can better shelter and protect them and I didn't need to bring them into the Capitol. Just implant some pilots and steal some atmospheric aircraft then fly it out of the city and to them. Everyone will be too confused and focused on the 'Nid fleet in orbit to note what's going on."

Although what to do with the Guardsmen that would only increase in size was a new complication I shouldn't put off.

"I know where their Colonel is, perhaps if I got someone of significant rank, they could be useful-"

My heart sank, something died... A synaptic creature- A Tyranid Warrior judging by the size of the void that opened up, it wasn't close though so whoever killed it wasn't attacking the outpost. But where exactly was this? My mind wandered outwards and as Lictors followed suit, I didn't need to look, there was only one other place where this could be happening.

And it didn't take long for a few Hybrids to join the death tool and a call responded to my own. It wasn't the Imperium but the slim, agile forms of the Eldar assaulting the mine. Hybrids lounging around the mouth of the place and the tunnel imminently into that fell with gushing wounds as many more fell back inside. The dying's final moments were relaying the figures from the cliffs and extremely yellow-painted hovercraft descended to block the entrance.

"No, No, No, No!" I pushed off the sandbags and screamed into the orange-tinted sky as if accusing the setting sun of masking some unseen bastard ruining the lives of my brood. Startling the Guardsmen around me, some unsling lasguns and peering around for whatever threat I detected. I paid them no mind, everyone else was under attack, and while I wasn't a world away and had creatures and Chimeras that could race back. A lot could happen over that time, they were under siege but I tried to take deep breaths to prevent myself from panicking.

"There are over a hundred of them with guns and explosives, they may be weak from malnutrition but there's only one way in. That's an advantage the Eldar are bound to know and understand."

They weren't going to be overrun in a matter of seconds but it was going to be a bloody holdout until I could get back. Once more it seemed like lady luck decided they wanted some entertainment today and threw this event together. Genestealers, Hybrids, Lictors, and Tyranid Warriors were all racing from up around me. Sensing my intent and reacting like the neurons in the brain pulsed down a signal to get psyched for the long haul. Guardsmen gathered their weapons and packed themselves into vehicles and on top of them. Or let themselves get picked up into the strong arms of the Tyranid Warriors.

I needed to get a better idea on what was going on over there, the vagueness of Eldar attacking them required some elaboration. If they were there because someone sensed or foresaw the Spirit Stones then perhaps there was a way to resolve this peacefully. Eldar weren't known to throw away troops after they got what they wanted. The distance was large but not as great as the fleet so settling cross-legged my mind flowed through our telepathic link and found the closest Hybrid I could find. It felt familiar for a moment until I realize it was Marathi. The four-armed woman I had met with a few days prior looking for containers to hold water.

"Marathi," I could feel her shudder as she realized how closely linked her mind was with mine. There was no time for misplaced ecstasy so I got straight to the point. "I need you to go find a crate of glowing blue stones and take them to the entrance, quickly!"

She crammed the pistol she was holding into a pants pocket and bolted past the many, many Hybrids. Carrying crates of what few grenades they had left after my escapade, ammunition, or just guns towards the entrance where gunfire was echoing back into the mine. I saw and heard everything through her eyes and it looked like those that didn't have the strength were even pressing on. Gathering what they could to assist. I issued an order that those that couldn't hold a gun well or felt extremely weak should pull back. No need to put themselves at risk while being weak to aid much.

Marathi found the crate and easily snatched it up with multiple limbs and raced back towards the mine entrance. Even if they backed off I was still going back there, they couldn't stay in the mine when its location was compromised. And I wasn't about to tell them to hoof it towards us on their own.

Even with my eyes closed and focused on the link with Marathi, I could sense the movement around me with the same synaptic link. Hybrids and Tyranids moved around me or gathered their kits, Chimera's started and Guardsmen pilled into the backs of atop them so they couldn't slow us down. The hybrids I brought here as well as the Tech Preist would stay as they weren't combatants, the Captain's rank was of use too. So some troopers and Lictors would have to stay for that, the force was large enough for my needs here.

Marathi reached the entrance and the firefight happening complicated matters a bit. I doubted they were going to stop shooting because we asked nicely, these were Genestealer Hybrids and weren't known for their diplomacy after all. Getting close and just tossing out what they wanted might be enough to get them to back off. The how part had me stumped until she looked to one of the large minecarts and shouted for someone to help push.

It took no time to ascertain what she was thinking and four moved to press their full weight into the large iron or steel ore carrier. The thing was just enough to cover them all if they packed together and bent their knees slightly. The metal wheels on metal tracks squeaked as it moved forwards and around the turn towards the Eldar assailants. A covering barrage of bullets flew around them and while there was still the flipped-over minecart and its spilled contents they didn't need to go far. Just enough to throw the stones out then pull back to let them collect them and leave.

Shots rammed against the metallic hull of their mobile shield and everyone remained steady and followed the plan without fear or doubt. Reaching the point almost halfway to the mine entrance and the four of them stuck their guns around to cover Marathi. She went around the side and thrust the container out, she held onto it but the Spirit Stone were caught by the momentum and flew out. Landing out like spilled water as they tumbled to the floor. Their glow was quite bright in the rather dim tunnel, it was done and I was sure this would confuse them but have them backing off soon enough. At least when the return fire died down and the Hybrids backed off.

That thought soon vanished when I finally noted the color scheme of the Eldar forces assailing them. Yellow-painted armor with blue-painted helmets, I knew the color scheme of the Alaitoc having fought them a lot during this Dawn of war 2's campaign, and looked up their lore. But it wasn't the fact these guys weren't the local forces that made me realize they wouldn't stop because they had the Spirit Stones.

No, these were the same colors belonging to the Eldar that ambushed Absalom and I during the hostage trade. Then had a force of their own go on a suicide run aboard my Cruiser to kill me once more. These Eldar had to be the same ones, it was too much of a coincidence to be one. They were here to kill me once more and tracked me or the Hybrids there and likely presumed I was still inside the place.

"I'm not though, I'm far away and need to blitz it through many winding canyons to reach them!"

Many were going to die before I could reach there. This whole situation was fucked now and I didn't know what to do beyond hoping my brood could hold out long enough...

"Fuck hope, there has to be something I can do here!"

Something to get them to back off.

I contemplated having the Hybrids seal themselves off but burying themselves would require a significant time to dig them back out. Plus they didn't have the ordinance, knowledge, or chance to do so. Not with so many Eldar shooting at them the whole time...

There had to be something I could do other than monitor how they're doing through the link...

"Do they have Psykers?" The Eldar had to have someone there able to hear psychic messages being sent, especially loud ones broadcasted over that general region. It was a gamble and once more I was willing to take anything if it meant the danger could be drawn away from them.

Every Tyranid Warrior surrounded me and lend their might to mine. Together I focused that energy as if it was a gigantic loudspeaker then shouted out my words towards that area.

"HEY CRAFTWORLD PRICKS! YEAH, IT'S ME, I'M OVER HERE! YOU WANNA KILL ME?! THEN GET YOUR ASSESS DOWN HERE AND FIGHT ME!!!"

I barely registered the fact that those words were also physically blaring out of my mouth. The anger behind the words and clear challenge was instantaneous and even the Hybrids collectively shuttered at the power behind the wave hitting them. I waited for a moment before effortlessly peering through Marathi and the four others with her's senses to see if my plan worked. For the next few minutes my heart dropped as the shooting continued, it looked as if my attempt at telegraphing myself didn't work. Yet just when I was about to disconnect the whizzing of shuriken fire suddenly died down and I ordered the Hybrids to ceasefire as well.

"Did someone hear me? Or are they bringing something else to dislodge the Hybrid's position?" I wondered as I had no way of telling why they had stopped their assault.

"No more running and hiding behind catspaws Scion of the Devourer." A voice replying to me caught me off guard, the power I could feel radiating back also frighten me. It was the same melodious tone Eldar spoke in and help a deeper tone signifying it was a man speaking.

"I guess so, you've forced my hand now. Just like you did in the Ork shipwreck, doing that again isn't liable to end well for you." The venom in my voice surprised even me though I pressed on regardless. "You know where I'm at now leave them alone and come for me, I'm who you're after right?"

There was a long pregnant pause, in that time I wondered if my expressing care for them might warrant their use as hostages. It would work and I'd need to learn to keep my mouth shut to keep this guy from realizing that.

"Indeed," His voice room returned, confident and determine. "You wish to challenge a force of Iyanden, our Craftworld has faced far larger hordes of the Devourer's armies. You shall not find our strength sapped completely nor our resolve lacking."

"Nor mine Eldar of Iyanden." I knew a bit about that Craftworld, which is to say they got rekted by Tyranids. Was this guy taking out some kind of a grudge against me?

I guess I wouldn't know unless I asked yet I could sense him drawing away. Our location was clearly defined and his forces would soon show up to try and kill me. Already Guardsmen were disembarking from Chimeras and 'Nids fanning out into defensive positions. Thankfully I had somewhere to hold up and a small army to back it up. But if any Librarians or Sorcerers didn't hear me before they sure as well did now...

"This is going to get a lot worse soon..."