To everyone asking if I have plans to "resupply" the armies: Yes, there is a method in my head to recoup losses they'll be suffering at some point. As of now however, they're stuck with what they have. As for "fraternization" between the Sister's and Guardsmen .... no comment yet. -sly smirk-

Benarikun: Honestly, reluctent to bring in a Titan. Even mini sized, one would most certainly deceimate the house in a fight. And the orks would NEVER be able to resist trying to loot it. A Naval warship however ... its something I'll consider. Perhaps a grounded one or disabled somehow that could serve as a base for its crew and perhaps the Guard. At the moment, I don't think I'll add it just yet. Perhaps in Act II.

Blueberry Blaster: Yeah, I do plan to include some moments of "lols" in between grimdarkness .... mostly with the Orks. And maybe the Tau. Commie Weebos ... But I always sort of intended funny/grimdark/funny/grimdark when I was imagining this. -cackles at his plans-

Anony: I agree with you on including the others. In particular I'd like to do more with the Tau and Mechanicus, but they're a pretty rough mindset to get into for me. But I may be able to cook up a "Tau moment" in this chapter.

Soren: Yeah, my spelling mistakes are common. Sorry about that. Someday I'll get fucking Word to work. As for they Inquisition ... your pretty right. Even the "good Inquisitors" are pretty dickish. Lets face it, no matter how much its "For the greater good", you have to be pretty dickish to be able to order an Exterminatus if need be. This Inquisitor ... without giving to much away, I will say this. He is a man utterly dedicated to they Imperium and humanity. He will do ANYTHING to make it safe. But to do so, he will do horrible, horrible things.

Icee: ... Possibly to the first, hell no to the second. I am not taking care of fingernail sized baby Imperials, Tau, Kroot, Orks, or ANYTHING of that nature.

Blip-Chan: Right up until they knock on your door in the middle of a ritual with a heavy bolter and your last words are "Fuck me".

Brian: All I'll say about Shawn is he's got a major role to play in the coming days, both now and in Act II.

Timewatch: Depends on what type of Inquisitor you get. Witch Hunters tend to just kick in the door and spray the place with bullets. My boy ... lets just say he's not typical, even for Inquisitors.

And a notice to all fellow writers: I am considering two new options for this story. One is splitting it into two. One a more lol focused story, perhaps focusing on a new character or the point of view of the minatures, the other the more serious one that I have going right now. A second thing I am considering is bringing in other characters, people who have also had these uninvited "guests" show up for them. If so, I'll need to talk to each of these writers, outline details of the plot, get what armies they have planned, etc. This will allow for guest writers, a meshing of various characters, and a spread of ideas.

Please note. If I do go this route, I only ask that there are no Necrons or Tyranids. Chaos ... still uncertain on that. If interested, please send a message to me via review, e-mail, message, or MSN, which is ark_

As always, reviews and ideas are very welcome.

(**)

One mug of hot chocolate later, Shawn was sitting at the table nursing the warm mug, looking down at the people arguing atop it. While the idiots always fought, Macha was the first time one of their little .... skirmishes had felt planned to him. They had got her alone, ambushed her, tried to kill her ... and nearly suceeded. Sheer luck had kept her alive.

Now nursing a rather large compression bandage over her side, four black robed psykers she called "Warlocks" bodyguarding her, she sat cross legged near the mug in his hand, looking at the others on the table while revealing nothing of the pain she was obviously in. Either Eldar were tougher then Shrike had ever told him ... or she had one HELL of a poker face.

Speaking of Shrike, he was leaning back against the salt and pepper cozy, arms folded across his barrel chest of his, two of his fellow Space Marines, albeit in slightly more ornate and better maintained armor that he had come to recognize as Veterans, standing on either side of him, their massive bolters held across their chests at parade rest. Neither one of them had moved since Shrike has picked his spot, becoming statues for all intent and purposes.

Magos Callonus, the guy who was in charge of those Adeptus Mechanicus guys, looked particularly annoyed to be here. I had found him and about a dozen of the other little bastards pulling apart an eight year old computer I had been planning to throw out for months now and just never got around to doing. ... Good thing to, because aparently electronics were cocaine to these guys. He was also the only one of the leaders I told to be here that came with no bodyguard.

Stubbs was pacing back and forth like a caged lion at the zoo, shooting looks at one of the tau drones that constantly buzzed around the kitchen now like he wanted to take pot shots at it with that wrist mounted bolter of his, the chubby comissar with him looking ready to take it a step further and shoot the drone, the Tau, Macha, and pretty much everything not human in the room as well. Thankfully, the dozen guardsmen with him didn't quite seem to share that desire. While they looked nervous as hell being around so much stuff they considered "xeno", they also didn't look to eager to start blasting.

The final member of this little meeting was Teresa, the Canoness trying a sip of the hot chocolate I had given her (again, I was thankful my mom NEVER threw out anything, including my little sister's doll stuff) and judging from the huge grin on her face, loving it, taking another quick drink. I had some coffee brewing for the others in my dad's old coffee maker, but I couldn't stand the bitter taste of the stuff. Hence the hot chocolate for me and the Canoness.

Taking another sip, I sighed softly, slowly sitting the mug down and looking at Macha. "And your sure these guys were ... umm ..."

"Death Cultist's." Macha provided, placing a hand gingerly at her side. "And yes, I am certain. There was no mistaking their skill or their origin." Her eyes instantly darted to Stubbs, who bristled angrily, reaching for his holstered laspistol.

"And I have told you already witch, I have no Death Cultists in my forces, nor would I want those fanatics!"

"Judging from their garments, weapon style, along with body and genotype, I would estimate with a 96.42% percent probability that they are members of the Redemptionist sect of the Calixis Sector, within the Segmentum Obscurus." Callonus provided, those mechanical tentacles of his waving behind him and twitching in the air, his tone a complete monotone. "Of the known forces present on Serenity, only the Lacusta 95th Windriders, Mortressa 9th Scythewind Regiment, Synford 54th Steel Wolf Battalion, 3rd and 8th company of the Emperor's Shield and 5th of the Storm Titan's Space Marines are the only units from that region."

Shrike shook his head, his voice a deep growl from beneath his helmet. "Well I can assure you these Death Cultist's didn't come from a Space Marine chapter. We would have no use for them." His head inclined to Teresa. "No offence Canoness."

Teresa smiled, though if it was to assure the Space Marine captain or because she REALLY like that hot chocolate, I couldn't tell. "None taken Captain. The Space Marines give praise to the Emperor just as we do."

Hearing the timer go off on the coffee machine, I got up to get it, taking the full pot from it and being careful to pour them into the miniature cups. "Cream? Sugar? Anyone?"

I swear to god, that comissar of Stubbs ... Kren I think it was, nearly jumped out of his coat at the mention of coffee, his cap nearly falling off as he snapped his head over to me. "Cream, two sugar if you would please."

Stubbs shot a look at the man, who at least had the good decency to blush, but he never took his eyes off me as I got the cream for him, pouring a bit into a cup as one of the Tau Crisis suits held up the sugar bowl for me. Taking one, I broke it down carefully into what I assumed would be they equivelent to two cubes of sugar for the guy, nodding at the suit. "Thanks."

I picked up the cups, carrying them back to the table and barely managed to sit them down before Kren had one in his paws, taking a long drink and sighing quite contently. Reaching up to rub his forehead, teeth grit at the unseemly display of his subordinate, Stubbs got one for himself, nursing it as his bodyguard looked on enviously and Shrike got one in what I was certain was just an attempt to be polite. Callonus didn't even bother doing that, just staring off into space, ignoring the cup.

Sitting down, I frown faintly, picking up my mug again. "And who are they? I haven't seen them running around."

Stubbs scowled, tanking a long drink of his coffee before speaking. "They were other units assigned with us to our mission on Serenity. All told, there were around a hundred guard regiments, maybe fifteen or so elements from different Space Marine chapters, five or so of the holy Sister's Orders, and I'd bet the Cadian Gate a couple Inquisitor's snooping around. Not to mention the naval element."

My eyes nearly popped out at the numbers he had given me, trying to picture them in my head. "That ... that would have been millions of men!?"

"Fifty Nine Million, Three Hundred and Fourty Two Thousand, Nine Hundred and Sixteen enlisted in the various branches of the force, not including civilian personel, hanger-ons, and servitor's." Callonus again provided, looking towards me.

I slowly fell back into the seat, staring off into space, trying to just ... PICTURE that sort of force. That was an entire nation, maybe even a continent worth of people! All armed, all for ONE campaign? It ... it was insane!

"But ... what happened to them all? I mean ... besides you guys, no one else is here."

"Xeno, along with Heretic resistance was stronger then anticipated. The arrival of the Ork forces was most unexpected. Estimated losses over the course of the campaign are 40%."

Fourty ... fourty precent? That ... that was at least twenty MILLION soldiers!? Callonus continued, either not noticing or dismissing my distress.

"Beyond these losses, the span of the warp anomaly that enveloped us leading to our journey here is unknown. Post analysis of they anomaly has been inconclusive."

"What ... what the hell were you all doing there? What could make you send THAT many soldiers off to die?"

Shrike frowned, shaking his head. "It is the duty of all citizens of they Imperium to fight and die in the glory of they Emperor."

Shaking my head, I looked down at the mug in my hands, noticing my hands were shaking. Scowling, I clenched them tighter to the mug to still them, shaking my head. "Seems to me you would serve him better by living."

I noticed all Imperial eyes on me, realizing how my words must sound to them. They must think me a coward now. I was no coward. I just ... that many lives ... and they didn't see anything wrong with it!? "... And ... you didn't answer my question ..."

"........" Most surprising of all, it was Kren, the Commissar who spoke. "We had recived reports of Traitor Legions acting on the planet for reasons unknown. It was an agri world with little to no strategic value, all worlds it provided to also fed by at least two other worlds in the sector. However, Segmentum Command decided to allow ANY worlds to be lost in that region was unnacceptable. A first task force was set and repelled. Along with Chaos forces, a major Ork force was also sighted. Unable to establish a beach head, it was decided a major offensive was needed. All avaliable forces within or near the region were called up and a second assault launched. A beachhead was established and an assault was begun."

"So ... you guys were basically fighting over a world nobody gave to much of a damn about?"

Shrike snorted. "To lose a single world to the forces of the Xeno or the Heretic is unacceptable. We will fight them at every turn as needed."

"... Yeah, we had a similar plan during the Cold War. It didn't work out to well for us."

Macha tapped her spear against the table to cut off Shrike's retort, taking a sip of her cup and making a face at the bitter taste, pushing it away and watching with amusement as Kren instantly snapped it up. Apparently Eldar didn't like coffee either. "Eldar forces were there for similar reasons. We sensed a ritual taking place on the world, a dangerous rite that threatened the webway, the craftworlds, they entire Eldar race. Biel-Tan was only one of the Craftworld's to send its warriors. Our Warp Spiders and Rangers have tried to find others, but so far we have had no luck."

Frowning, I brought my mug up to my lips again. "Okay, I know those Ranger guys are the ones with the huge rifles, but what the hell is a Warp Spider?"

I had just started to take a sip when I heard a loud .... POPPING nose, like someone just popped a bubble gum bubble right next to my ear. Now, weird noises coming out of nowhere I've gotten use to. I mean, you ever heard a Kroot mating call? Sounds like someone strangling a goat. Strange smells have also gotten normal for me. The entire guest bedroom is a strange smell now thanks to the Orks, not to mention the Sister's pyromania (though that thankfully got under control after the third day.).

No, it was the sensation of something .... WRIGGLING around in my MOUTH that got my attention. Eyes bugging out, I instantly spit it out onto the table, gagging as a little body went skidding across the wood to thunk into the pepper shaker and knock it over with a thud, spreading pepper everywhere and triggering a sneezing fit amongst the guardsmen standing to close, one sneezing so hard he ended up pulling the trigger and shooting one of Shrike's bodyguards.

RIGHT in the ass.

Jumping, curses coming out in a boom through his helmet, he turned and raised his bolter to put a hole through the guardsmen's head ... who promplty wet himself, but could he really be blaimed for that? Only Shrike slapping his bolter aside kept him from shooting the poor fellow.

Unfortunatly, it didn't stop him from shooting, the shot hitting the cup of coffee right in Krel's hand and blowing steaming hot coffee all over himself. I couldn't tell if he was angrier over getting burned or the fact that his coffee got spilled, but now HE was going for his pistol.

"ENOUGH!" Macha's yell echoed far louder then her little young's should have allowed, but I felt my ears ringing from it, everyone freezing. ... And it was quite a sight really. Me with my tounge out mid gag, Guardsmen mid bolting for cover, Shrike and the ass shot Space Marine mid argument ... and Krel looking ready to pop a blood vessel.

All eyes turned to the Farseer, who looked towards the little figure slowly getting up. "To answer your question, that is a Warp Spider."

Looking down at the Eldar I now knew to be a warp spider, I scowled, feeling myself gag again. "And why was it in my hot chocolate damnit!? I nearly choked on the little bastard!"

"It certainly was not intended Mon-keigh."

Narrowing my eyes, I waved my fist dangerously at the pint sized teleporter. "Watch your attitude or I'll throw you in the food processor!"

The Warp Spider looked ready to jump at me no matter how big I was when Macha said something to him in their own language, the tones vaguely musical in quality. The Warp Spider tensed, but backed down, glaring at me for a moment before replying back. When he finished, Macha looked up at me once more.

"They have so far been unable to accurately teleport since they have arrived here. It has made our scouting efforts difficult. He appolgizes for startling you."

The Warp Spider bristled at that, making it clear he certainly HADN'T appologized, but he kept his mouth firmly shut and frankly I didn't want to think about it. Looking at the mug in my hand, I made a face and shoved it away, watching as it was instantly rushed off by two of the Crisis suits and some drones to be cleaned. At least with the Tau here I never had to do dishes anymore. One bright spot if you think about it.

"So you said those ... Chaos guys were up to some ritual?"

Macha nodded. "Yes. Its purpose was beyond even our divinations. But during the cusp of the ceremony, something .... happened. We are unsure what. But the ritual was interrupted and went out of control. It is how we ended up here."

A thought accorded to me, one I had been trying to ignore since day one with those guys. "Do we ... have to worry about them trying again?"

Macha's head shook. "No. The Warp ... it is strange here, distant, as if it is being blocked out. We cannot interact with it as we normally could. While we can still enact some rituals or spells, performing a massive ritual such as what the Thousand Sons and other forces of Chaos attempted is beyond us without a large source of Warp Energy."

"So ... we're safe?"

"For now. As long as an eye can be kept on them."

It was at that moment a whole contingent of Orks ran in, yelling "BOSS, BOSS!" at the top of their lungs. Reaching up to rub my forehead, I sighed in annoyance, trying to block it out. What had they done this time? Lit the bed on fire? Blown out a wall? Smashed a hole in the door?

"What is it now?"

"Boss, its dem blue spikey boyz! Deyz gone!"

After what I had just been talking about with Macha and the others, THAT caught my attention. "What?!"

Getting up, I bolted from the kitchen down the hall, nearly tripping and falling flat on my face over a parked Baneblade with a bunch of guardsmen and Tech Priest's poking around it. Skidding around it, I threw open the door to the guest bedroom, completly ignoring the Orks as I threw open the closet door, looking inside.

They weren't just gone. They had just up and vanished off the face off the earth. No armor, no casings, nothing of the detrius that followed all the other armies. The floor was completly clear, pristine, like they had never even been there. Rounding on the Orks, I saw them actually shrink back under my glare. Apparently I looked angry enough right now to scare an Ork. And I WAS. "Where are they!?"

The Orks started talking all at once, yelling over eachother, trying to tell me a hundred different stories. Scowling growing, I kicked a few of them, sending them flying clear across the room. "ONE AT A TIME!"

Two orks were shoved forward by their "buddies", shriveling under my glare as they looked for ways to bolt. "Uh ... Boss, me and Stompa, we ... we waz gonna go loot dem Chaos Boyz ... since ya don't like dem none. But when wez went into da lil room, dey waz all gone! Dey just poofed, like dem sneaky lil elfies! We didn't let dem out, honest!"

Gone!? How did an entire army just ... dissaper!? Through a room full of freaking Orks no less!?!

"We cannot allow them to roam free."

Looking down, I was shocked to see Macha and the others had followed me in, the orks even more surprisingly letting them through. I think they were to afraid of what I would do right now to try and get into "a good scrap" with them.

"The touch of the Warp is weak here, but not non-existant. If they are allowed to roam free ..."

Gritting my teeth, I nodded my head. "Yeah. We can't let them just run loose."

Compsing myself, I stood to my full height, looking at all the orks and the various commanders in the room. "Check every damn nook and cranny of this place! Find those little bastards and find them now!"

"OY, BOSS! Can we waaaagh with deze boyz!?"

Gritting my teeth, I narrowed my eyes, nodding my head decisevly. I was done trying to play nice with these guys. I didn't know what they did, what they might do. I didn't care. If they could cause enough damage to bring this many damn armies out to fight them, I wasn't letting them run loose in my house.

"Waaagh to your hearts content boys! Just find them!"

A great cry of "!!!!" went up amongst the Orks as they swarmed out in a green tide, they Imperial's looking quite pleased as they ran off to inform their own forces. It may not be exactly what they wanted, but at least now they got to kill heretics. Only Macha seemed subdued, frowning deeply as I began to head to the door, reaching for my bat. "Shawn!"

Stopping, I turned my head to look at her, watching as she moved towards me. For a moment, I thought there was a flicker of ... fear in her eyes. "I ... I cannot see what will happen. Events are happening all around us and I can see no path we should follow ..."

Frowning, I imagined how she must have lived, able to see the future, see what outcomes were laid out for her, able to pick the best one. She had always known what was coming. Now ... now that certainty was gone ... and it scared her. Nodding my head, I rested my bat on my shoulder. "Then we just pick one and follow it to the end ... and beat down anything that gets in our way."