Dawn of War: Destiny War
(The orks are ever challenging. An alliance of eldar & human is made, but will it last long enough until the enemy is defeated? Enjoy the reading.)
Chapter 3: Section 3 – 1
The time spent aboard the War Harbinger brings everyone close despite the few setbacks of mistrust. Even after Sergeant Major Turner had accused the others of betraying the imperium, all is forgiven. After what seems like a long journey through space, the five-month rest is over. The humans have made it to the ice world. Most of the soldiers and staff are still waking up from the cryo sleep; Lina performs a scan of the entire planet once they are in range. The monitors reveal the orks have created three areas of interest; each area is an ork operation for attacks across the ice world. Two of the first areas are a large red; they each expand two to five miles in every direction. The last area is covering at ten to twenty miles all around. The orks didn't waste any time setting up. Lucas gives the orders for everyone to make ready for a land on the planet. Max begins issuing orders for the weapons to be ready. Before they can be combat ready, an alert goes off. The ringing sirens screech down the halls and force everyone to be react quickly.
Lina broadcasts: "The ork vessel is leaving the planet."
Max and Lucas join her by the main monitor; they see the symbol of the ork ship take off in the north western area. The crude ship moves fast. Normally, orks stay on a planet to expect a fight.
Lucas says, "They are long gone. There is nothing we can do now. I wonder what made them hurry from this world?"
Max adds, "We still got orks on the ice world to kill. There is no time like now to eliminate them. We may find more interesting supplies down there too. Hopefully, the orks didn't smash up the landscape."
The human vessel slowly enters into the orbit. As they gear up for a drop, the sneaky eldar are far behind them. They fly further back and view the human activities as small shuttles rain down from the War Harbinger to the surface. Veldoran and Kayleth discuss their next plan of action.
Kayleth says, "This planet is cold and quiet. It may have been in the warp before. If we land, we must tread carefully. So many creatures of the warp may still be lingering unless they died off from starvation."
Veldoran scans the monitors and says, "The orks are still here on this planet, but the war boss left in his ship heading towards the north west of the galaxy. He may have left a number of war chiefs here to gather supplies. If we discover anything, we will use what we can to help us."
On the surface of the planet, they march with the cold winds blowing in their face. The terrain is harsh yet grass grows here greatly. The guardsmen are in high favor too; they find an ancient place of technology. All around their heads, they can't believe what they see. Lucas takes note to how old the buildings are. A message is sent to Lina; she has to be on the surface to examine the place. There is so many things here covered in snow and rust. In an hour, she touches down. She begins examining the place from the outside. As time goes on, she easily catalogs what she discovers. The outside has plenty of ancient guns that have been offline for centuries. The walls are still as strong as ever and have been abandoned long ago. The imperial guard take up positions around the place and await for any sign of danger; Lina enters the main building and finds more interesting sites to see. From the old monitors to the scraps of metal, the Blessed Techno Child finds more to study and collect. She gasps with each discovery. Lina drives herself to keep going over every piece of tech and metal. Within two hours of discovering the place, she becomes excited by what she has learned. She praises their fortune for finding such a place. She comes rushing to others and gathers them around her. It has been a while to see her smile.
Lina reports to Lucas and Max, "This is an old foundry dating back during the end of the heresy of Horus. It is hard to still believe that this place was discovered and left here ages ago by the tech priests of Mars. We can activate this place and fortify this area faster than setting up a base. The iron works here may be frozen, but it will work again if we act quickly to get some heat going. This is old technology, but it still can help us."
More tech priests arrive to the surface and begin the magnificent work. They too marvel at what they see; Lucas and Max set up the defenses of the foundry. Lina and her tech-priests begin to study and operate the machines in different areas. They use what they can to turn on the old heating system and clear away any snow. The main hub comes on; however, there is still more work to be done everywhere. Engineers work alongside the tech-priests to restore old reactors. The power generators are cleaned up from all the dust collected. Within hours, Lina praises the Machine God for the foundry coming back online. The tech priests praise the Omnissiah for letting them discover such a place. The imperial soldiers begin to gather intel and search the foundry; they find many pieces of tech to improve the ship and their weapons. There are no signs of orks in the area. Many smile upon having an advantage for future battles. They have plenty of time to shuttle back the pieces of technology to the ship. Max and Lucas take a look at some of the tech. Each piece they find, collect, and send back helps the guardsmen improve by more than the expectation. It didn't take long before the tech teams improve the weapons of the guardsmen. After enough time has gone by, the alarms go off around the foundry. A single word is heard from the distance lands. With no time to wait, the guardsmen rush to the front of the entrance with guns ready. As Max and Lucas ready their weapons, Lina calls to them.
She radios them, "It is the orks attacking us. Hold them off for as long as you can; this foundry has weapon systems that are in need of repairs. Once they are online, we will be able to stop the ork horde with ease."
With the objective to hold the line being passed along the companies, Lucas and Max join the others at the gate. The roar of the orks is getting closer as they look into the open field. The axe swinging orks rush the guardsmen, but they are ready. The men and women of the imperial guard fire into the mob of orks. The first wave of orks die; everyone stays alert. Each weapon is being reloaded or charging. A set of stray bullets hit several of the soldiers in the face. Everyone ducks down once to avoid the shooting; they hear the roar of the orks again. The soldiers pop up from cover and open fire against the approaching madness. Many more orks move up the field with shields covering them from lasrifle fire. Once the orks get closer in range, Lucas aims his flare gun up and fires it. The sky has a small green flare flying up. From behind the walls of the foundry, teams begin to set up bolter turrets and machine guns. The guardsmen duck down again only to hear the flesh of orks get ripped in half by machine gun fire. The orks try to cover against it, but every set of bullets knock them back. Once the turrets and machine guns did their work, Lucas calls for an all-out charge. The imperial guard comes from cover and advances vigorously to the next area. A few large boulders are scattered on the land as several troops move behind them for cover. A second trench is open for troop encampment; many soldiers pile into the opening while providing cover fire.
The battle seems to come to an end until a large cannon fire is heard. Max runs for cover; he is thrown back from the blast impact. He lands on his back and enters a daze. He looks around to see guardsmen die around him from cannon fire. With the orks now bringing in looter tanks, the guardsmen start falling back to the foundry. Lucas pulls up Max by his shirt; they run back to the safety of cover. Lina calls to them and informs everyone to be ready for a surprise. Neither Max nor Lucas didn't understand the meaning of her words, but they try their best to hold the orks back. Five more looter tanks come up and begin to bombard the wall. More guardsmen die from the blasts. Things look grim as more orks come up and run past the tanks. The guardsmen do what they can to hold against them; the ork tanks fire again and shatter the resolve of the imperial guard. Many duck down behind the cover they can use. Several more groups of soldiers die fighting as they take down mobs of orks. Others use the fallen metal chucks in the surrounding area. As the orks close in, there is a moment of fear until the unexpected happens. Max looks down at his amulet and sees it glow. Lucas takes notice and nearly raises his gun. A few other guardsmen notice this and become frighten.
Lucas shouts, "If your amulet is going to help us, it better do it now! Here they come! Ork horde incoming!"
Before a word comes from Max, the same shock wave of warp energy shoots out from the amulet. It throws the orks back and renders the looter tanks useless. Every guardsman looks around unsure as to what happen; Lucas is left dumbstruck by how this is happening again. The imperial guard gaze out into the open field. They see the tanks no longer functioning; the orks slowly get to their feet. Before they can resume their rampage, a blade runs through the body of several orks. Appearing before their eyes in sparking lights, the eldar attack and slaughter nearby orks. Lina gets the foundry guns to work and eliminates the looter tanks. The orks still rush up in waves that force the eldar to retreat. Lucas and others look around to see the same flickering lights near them. Eldar rangers and dire avengers appear right by the imperial guard in the thick of battle; they begin firing at the orks. Rather than waste time in attacking or assuming whose side they are on, the guardsmen all pick up weapons and add their fire power with the eldar barrage. The waves of orks seem endless as each mob is eliminated by the many. When the guns go dry, the howling banshees leap into action. At the front of her unit, Kayleth is seen leading the charge. In the eyes of many, she is beyond amazing. Max jumps up from cover and charges up from behind her stabbing an ork with his combat knife. He reaches for his laspistol and guns down more orks around Kayleth. Lucas and a few other guardsmen can't believe what they see. Though Kayleth moves against the orks with such amazing speed, Max is able to keep up with her. He passes her up and causes her to pause as he swings an ork axe into the head of a few orks. Max quickly follows up with a shot to the head of two orks near him; he takes a small axe from the ground and throws it at the face of an ork. No one didn't understand how Max became so fast. With the orks now changing their attention to him, Lucas feels the urge to follow him.
Lucas shouts to the soldiers, "Do not give in! Follow Noble One to victory! The orks die today!"
The uproar alerts a few eldar warriors to hear and see the humans rise up. The humans charge madly into the next wave of orks. Many imperial guardsmen have drawn a bolter pistol from their side and swords shine brightly as they swing them. The orks continue to rush forward at them, but many eldar warriors join the mon-keigh at their side on the battle field. Where one ork is shot in the face by a human, an eldar warrior swings a sword at the neck of the savage monster. The battle goes on for a time until the orks realize they can barely hold against the enemy. Veldoran and his warlocks come to support the front and use their warp powers to blast away the enemy with fire. Further up ahead, Kayleth and Max easily move around each ork. She keeps an eye on the amulet around his neck.
She says, "You know not what you wear around your neck, human."
Max stabs and shoots an ork. He says, "My name is Max Johnson to you, witch. You would do well to remember that name the next time you introduce yourself."
As the allies close in, Kayleth tries to reach for the amulet only for Veldoran to telepathically say, "Do not be hasty. This is not the way to win over a fool of war."
She throws her sword just ahead of Max. It plunges into the face of the last ork; the humans and eldar come running up to chase off the last of the enemy. Everyone cheers delightfully and witnesses a sight none have seen yet. The humans and eldar stand together as one unified alliance. Every imperial guard soldier looks to the eldar only to feel unsure for the moment. Before Veldoran can speak, Kayleth issues a retreat from the foundry. Lucas honors the request and tells the companies to fall back and regroup. Max sees Kayleth walking away until he reaches for her hand. At the moment of contact, she turns around and looks down at her hand. She can't believe that a damn mon-keigh holds her hand and stops her from leaving; Max calls to her only to receive a powerful hit to the jaw. The eldar warriors beside her stand ready to strike. Lucas turns around to see the commotion and calls to others to be ready. As Max staggers backwards, he regains his focus. Kayleth stands near him with her sword pressing against his face.
Kayleth says, "You had best remember to keep your hands off me, Max. I am Autarch Kayleth of craft world Alaitoc. I will not let some mon-keigh touch a warrior such as me."
She looks down to see a gun near her stomach and Max says, "You obviously helped us against the orks. For that, I thank you. You are a fine warrior for your people. So, what is the purpose for helping us? Why are you really here?"
Kayleth lets her weapon down slowly; Max follows in a similar manner. Instead of giving him an answer, she disappears from his sight as does the eldar. Lucas and the rest look around using thermals to see if the treacherous allies are still near. No eldar is present. The eldar left just as fast as they appeared. Max recalls the serious look in her eyes. He still is amazed by how close he was to her.
Max turns to Lucas, "It would seem our deceiving ally is following us and helping when they desire to do so. They are after something."
Lucas smirks and adds, "Oh, she is after that amulet you wear around your neck. You didn't see it, but I saw her hand slowly reaching for it until your gun caught her attention."
Lucas continues, "Ever since we encountered the eldar, you have proven to be of great interest in their eyes. And your amulet is showing signs of great power too. It has been used twice against the enemy and the amulet has delivered us from danger. Not to mention, it made you move almost as fast as she did. I don't know why you are able to do these things, but something tells me more trouble is coming to us. Without a proper way to judge the trinket, it will be best that you leave the amulet in a safe place."
Max protests, "I can't do that. If I leave it unattended, then the eldar will take it for certain. I will remain back at the foundry for the time being. I know by now the others are feeling less trusting of me by what just happen. If anything comes up, I'll let you or Lina know."
Lucas agrees with the suggestion; they all return to the foundry and go about managing the area. The dead are counted and guns are reloaded. The war brought them only a moment of confusion. As Max travels to see Lina, many guardsmen on both sides of command look at him. Many are glad he saved them. Others keep their distance; Max excuses himself from the others. Lucas lets the man be left alone. For now, they had to be ready for the next fight. The soldiers are still feeling unsure, hurt, and ready. Even the eldar keep to their ways for the time. Kayleth becomes wrathful at how easy a human would dare lay a hand on her; Veldoran watches her and lets out a small laugh. The eldar Autarch turns to the warlock for answers.
He says, "Calm your annoyance and fury, Kayleth. He only meant to question you though the method was the wrong choice."
Kayleth tightens her fist on her blade and replies, "That is the last time Max will ever do that again. Every time I get near him or the amulet, I see the words of Farseer Elenwe coming true. I grow annoyed of this waiting; the pitiful Max must be dealt with. How much longer must this endure until we recover the amulet?"
Before Veldoran can answer, the ship picks up an alert. It shows the humans marching out in force towards one of the ork encampments. The eldar ready their weapons and glide through the sky unseen. The first ork settlement will be hit. Without Max coming with them, the loyalist guardsmen would be the first ones to attempt to destroy the orks. Lucas pushes forward at the head of the company. The company finds a suitable area to setup camp. With so much trouble that was caused by the amulet on Max, the guardsmen need to be reminded of why it has been their strength that will allowed them to prevail. Once the camp is ready, the company under Lucas moves cautiously on the open plains. Though the area is green and less without machines, any place can be used for the orks to inhabit. The soldiers take a rest; there are no orks in the area. Lucas takes this moment to recall what happen. Everything still leaves him questioning his ally.
He thought, "What is Max? Who is he? Where did he come from? Is he a daemon of the warp? Emperor protect us, please. We are facing a threat like no other."
Chapter 3: Section 3 – 2
The first sign of trouble was protocol six issued by Commander Vance. Secondly, the following issue is the loss of commanding officers in the field of battle. Even after that, the more interesting abilities of Noble One Max Johnson sent ripples throughout the ranks. Could he be a psyker? Is he an agent of the damned? What is his goal? Why does he follow them? These are the questions that keep ringing away in the mind of Sergeant Major Lucas Johnson; he takes a stroll ahead of the group as they look around and remain alert. Before he can go any further, orks attack his company. The enemy is near the base; Lucas alerts the guardsmen to be ready upon arrival at the imperial base. As he and his company arrives back at the encampment, he witnesses the imperial guard holding back the first wave of orks. Lucas approaches one of his officers and inquiries any helpful info about the recent skirmish.
The officer says, "Sergeant Major, the orks seem to be using hit and run tactics against us, but nothing effective enough. The camp must be close by."
Lucas scoffs and replies, "The enemy is seeking to draw us out into the opening. It won't work with the defenses we have and adjustments to our new equipment. I need only a small team to accompany me to a few areas. We will hit the orks with a surprise of our own. For now, the bulk of the army will stay here. Everyone is to maintain the defense regardless. Understood?"
With his orders acknowledged, the guardsmen mount up a heavy defense for any ork mobs or ork trucks to come by. As the next wave comes closer, the guardsmen wait until they are closer. The orks rush in thinking this is the chance; Lucas orders the first line to fire. They slay a large number of orks with ease. Once the path is clear, Lucas and his company advance through the path and mark it with land mines behind their back. The journey though the icy territory is rough. There are strong, cold winds blowing air in their face. They come to the first ork camp; the large green beasts grunt and roar for their chance to slay some "humies". Lucas guides the men into position for the chance to ambush them. The orks get ready to charge, but Lucas signals his men to eliminate the mob. The orks suffer many causalities. Not one man dies under Lucas. The guardsmen rush down and start setting up for the next approaching wave. They drag the ork bodies out of sight and set land mines behind their back. As fast as they set up, the orks are coming much sooner than expected. The guardsmen rush into hiding as Lucas orders a second company to advance up the field from the hill top. The orks explode on the land mines and nearly go into a panic. Lucas and his men eliminate them before the second group arrives. The first two battles leave them eager to finish up; however, Lucas forbids anyone to advance recklessly. A report comes in from the base. Lucas takes the call.
A guardsman reports, "Sir, the orks are starting to come in from the north more. We are still holding the area with no trouble. They keep trying the same method of attack."
Lucas replies, "Keep on holding. Once we have given the orks a reason to run, then you will take the fight to them."
As Lucas and his companies march through the east territory, they eliminate small groups of orks along the way. They come to an open road. Before they advance, they feel the ground shake. The guardsmen and Lucas take cover in a nearby trench. A scout looks over the area just a little. Lucas asks him what he sees on the road.
The soldier says, "Sir, there are a large number of orks going towards our base. This group is larger than the last one we encountered. We need to fall back and help them."
Lucas smacks the soldier and says, "We didn't travel this far to run back like cowards. The main defense at the camp will hold. Plus, if we can cripple the orks here, we will have more infighting among them than ever. Straighten up that attitude right now soldier. We will win this battle."
Lucas didn't believe his own words himself. He knows that the orks will keep advancing in large numbers; there has to be an area that the orks are too weak at. Once the large numbers of orks go by, Lucas alerts the main camp to be ready for an attack coming to them soon. As his company crosses the road, he prays that the next area will lead him to a place to crush the ork morale. Though the orks seem more active on this planet than before, victory will come to them as far as Lucas knows. Once Lucas and his men arrive at the next point, they can't believe what their eyes look upon. Lucas takes the moment to count the large beasts. He sends a single soldier down the ways to track the area. The other guardsmen set up a watch until the count is complete. Lucas smirks at what he learns once he finishes his count; the soldier returns from his scout and reports what he has learned about the terrain. The others press Lucas for questions.
He turns to them smiling and says, "Who here is up for a large Squiggoth stampede? We have more than ten of them down there. I am sure they are trained, but without the handlers, they may just trash everything in sight. What do you say we give them some motivation?"
The guardsmen look pale at Lucas as though he has lost it. It is bad enough they face orks, but now a group of rampaging squiggoths makes it worse if the beast handlers ever die. The scout reports the situation to Lucas on the path he tracked.
"Sir, the area you told me to track is pretty easy. The orks are all in a huge mob on the open terrain that leads into their camp. They have been sending groups down the path towards our base. The chief is keeping only a few others in reserve near the gates that hold the squiggoths. What are we going to do?"
Lucas says, "You men stay here and give me covering fire when I need it. I see a way to make the most of this situation into a full on imperial win."
Lucas makes his way down the side of the hill. He goes to the large gate and notices the guard towers. With no other way to pass them, he signals his company to fire at the towers. The towers send an alert to the main company; Lucas uses this time to hurry with his plan. He slips inside the camp by a small opening and sees a few handlers for the squiggoths asleep. He stabs each ork in the throat and moves on. He can't believe how close he is to a large herd of squiggoths. They are massive in size and can swallow a human whole. It is time to annoy the large mammals; he fires his lasrifle at the first one. It stomps the ground at him. The rumble of the ground nearly causes him to fall over. He looks behind him to hear the other orks coming. Instead of trying to irritate one, he wildly shoots his gun at the beasts. Lucky for him, the animals are chained down. He falls back to the gate as he fires again at them; in fact, he throws a grenade at the herd. The explosion sends the squiggoths into a frenzy; one of the beasts breaks free. As he hopes, the free squiggoth knocks into the others and sends them into a rampage. Lucas rushes to the gate and slips out through the opening. He takes one more shot at a squiggoth and hits it in the eye. He ducks off to the side quick as the orks stop a few feet away from the gate.
One ork shouts, "Oy! You mud suckaz betta be up! Da squiggoths ar actin' too crazy. Get em unda control!"
Before another word is spoken, the beasts charge at the gate and knock it over. The orks are in shock as one of the squiggoths feast on what is left of an ork handler. The others try to run, but the large mammals come charging straight at them. The mobs of orks are trampled to death; Lucas arrives at his company. They congratulate him on his crazy plan. His crazy feat earned him more than an accommodation. Lucas calls to the main camp. They assure him that everything is fine, but the orks have lost the will to fight the guardsmen. A second report states that a small faction has broken off; a third informs every soldier of multiple ork fatalities elsewhere from scout investigation. The men around Lucas are happier than ever. They still think of him as crazy; however, Lucas issues an order for everyone at the camp to advance on any number of orks in the area and eliminate the groups. He includes the rampaging squiggoths in the area and urges caution against them. High above the battle field, the ship waits patiently. The eldar witness the imperial guard from the Faded Light vessel. They report to Kayleth about what is occurring groundside. Veldoran bows his head in disappointment yet agrees as he hears what reckless behavior the humans have used to win against the orks.
He says, "That method nearly got him killed. This Lucas man is a bold one yet a foolish mon-keigh."
Kayleth reminds her warlock, "This is the moment we should use to seize the amulet from Max. The other half of the guardsmen under his rule are not as effective as the ones who follow Lucas. We can have no better opportunity than this moment to take what we have lost."
Veldoran agrees as they turn the ship around and head for the foundry. With the humans under Sergeant Major Lucas Turner heading further away, Noble One Max Johnson and his regiment will be less trouble to deal with. It didn't take the eldar long to return the foundry, but they are aware of the gun towers in the area. The ship halts outside of the firing range and lands a small handful on the ground. Kayleth sprints ahead to the foundry and looks to see what the area is like. She stops just outside of the foundry to see many guardsmen moving around. A few areas are covered by patrols, but most of the heavy fighting will be done in the center. Before she advances, Veldoran persuades her to use a new method of approach to this matter.
He says, "Though I have no respect or like for the humans, you will be able to slip pass them undetected. I will set up a small camp to the north east to keep them occupied. In doing, it may draw the majority away from you. This is how we will avoid an unwanted battle."
She agrees to the plan. As Veldoran heads to the area to start his war camp, Kayleth waits until she sees a change in the patrols. A part of her wishes to just invade and slaughter every soldier in sight; the most concerning one is Max Johnson. The way he grasped her hand earlier left her pride as a warrior slightly disrespected. If she can have the amulet from him, the deed will be satisfied. The only other true gratification will be slaying him in front of her eyes. The guardsmen begin moving to the north east where Veldoran is at. Once enough men are gone, Kayleth hurries pass the defenses. She leaps over the wall and seeks a dark corner. A few more guards pass by. Once they leave, she continues to advance through the base. A few sentry guns cause her to wait and hold at various spots. Luckily, she has a way to get around those troublesome weapons. With a leap into the air, Kayleth jumps to the roof top of a building avoiding the line of sight from each sentry weapon; she leaps to another area safely avoiding the patrols and sentry guns scanning the street level. The next roof top leap halts her progress as she sees that the final area is strong with turrets and guards. With little options left, she engages her cloaking unit. As she disables the generators powering the sentry guns, each guard takes notice when the generators go off. A few go off to examine the power issue while others wait.
Kayleth puts out the last generator. A few more guards go to investigate the problem; there is only a small number left. Kayleth leaps back to scan the area. She counts only five guards waiting. She accelerates her movement and rushes the guards. She stabs and cuts down the guards quickly before she enters the base. Once inside, she sprints around the corners and eliminates more of the guards. Max hears the death cries of the soldiers; he comes rushing to the area and finds the first dead man at the corner. There is a second laying on his back with blood coming from his neck; a soldier leans against the wall. Max rushes to him, but the wounds are too fatal. The last word that escapes from his mouth is Eldar. Max readies himself for the encounter of the dangerous intruder. He rushes to the main room by the entrance. He sees the last guard fall dead after Kayleth removes the blade from his body. Max draws his sword, but he didn't count on an unexpected rush attack from Kayleth. She crushes her elbow into his chest. The impact sends him falling back; he crashes into the wall.
"Do you really think you have a chance against an Eldar Autarch of craft world Alaitoc? Do you honestly believe you can survive against me? You had best turn and run. I may let you live if you give up what I have come for," She questions Max.
Max gets on his feet while grasping his hurting chest, "Believe what you must eldar warrior, but you have taken the last life today. I will not give up nor surrender to you."
Kayleth smiles softly until she runs at him. To her and his surprise, Max somehow dodges her blade strike thanks to the amulet. He rushes at Kayleth and gives her a hard punch to the side. She falls back but quickly regains her focus. Max tries to strike at her only to see her block his sword slash. Max taunts her, but she stands back up and forces him back. She looks at him with sheer confidence and rage. She throws her blade at him, but he dodges it; the distraction proves useful as Kayleth rushes upon Max and pins him against the wall. For a brief wait, she locks eyes with him. She is full of rage yet eagerness; Max has wrath and patience. She grips the amulet and pulls away from him. Max moves for his gun. He feels no faster than he did before. He looks down and sees his amulet gone.
Kayleth says, "You have lost your advantage. I take my leave of you. See to your men than fighting me. I didn't kill them all, so consider yourself lucky as you humans say."
Max shouts, "Damn you!"
Max reaches his gun, but his wrathful attitude is stopped. Kayleth turns back and rams her fist into his stomach. As he falls, he grips the amulet in her hand. She tries to pull away. With a burst of warp energy shooting out, the warp has no effect on Max nor on Kayleth. Before any more can be done, she pulls away from him. Max has disgusted her once more by laying a hand on her again. She goes to her blade and retrieves it from the wall. She turns it to him. Her rage demands that she finishes him; instead, Kayleth stops her hand and calms her fury. She has what is needed for her eldar kin. Veldoran contacts her by telepathic wave.
Kayleth looks to Max, "You are the most fortunate human ever. I have what I need from you. I would pity you, but you will not see me ever again."
Once she disappears, Max takes a moment to try and collect his thoughts. The amulet she stole from him didn't send out the same force of warp power like before. What does this mean? As he falls unconscious, he keeps the recent events fresh in his mind. Kayleth arrives back outside. She leaps up top and hurries back to the outer perimeter; a small escort of howling banshees slay a few men. Kayleth brings them the good news and commands them to fall back with her. Once they reach the safe zone, Veldorn and his group fall back as well. The craft world of Alaitoc have much to celebrate about. The eldar retreat to the south-eastern landscape. After they are far away and hidden, the eldar teleport aboard their vessel. With the Faded Light and gathering around, the eldar warriors bow in admiration. Kayleth has the amulet from Max. Though it may have been called an amulet, the eldar have recovered the spirit stone of farseer Elenwe. All the recent death of the eldar warriors have made this long, hard journey worth it. She brings the spirit stone to the center of the eldar ship. Veldoran accompanies her with a few warlocks and banshee warriors. As everyone waits for the voice of Elenwe to enlighten them, Veldoran and Kayleth speak privately.
Veldoran says, "We have what we need. Though your method could have easily been done in silence."
Kayleth scoffs at Veldoran, "The human Max should be counting his blessings that I didn't slay him. Our work in this sector is done. Elenwe will voice the true meaning of the prophecy to save our people."
As the spirit stone of Elenwe becomes brighter, Veldoran assists the warlocks in the task. Kayleth still wishes that she dealt the killing blow to Max. Twice, he has laid a hand on her. Each touch upon her has annoyed Kayleth greatly. Despite the touch of a human on her, she feels more at ease than ever. The spirit stone of Elenwe shines greatly. With her voice breaking the silence of the room, the eldar wait to hear her words of prophecy. This is the moment the eldar have waited for. It is a chance to save the craft world. As the spirit stone of Elenwe shines bright, she finally speaks.
She says, "You know not what you do. For saving me, you would bring doom on the eldar of our craft world. I beg you, please return me to the human Max Johnson. The future remains unclear for the damned. An individual of your enemy will create the change. Your ally is found now. You must still choose the path to save our people from the Great Evil."
Before any more words come from her, the spirit stone of farseer Elenwe sleeps. The words of the farseer sent more than ripples throughout the eldar mind. Veldoran, Kayleth, and the present eldar can't believe what was said. The very words "Return me to the human Max Johnson" sent confusion, rage, and questions in their mind. Veldoran agrees to the wishes of the farseer; however, Kayleth leaves the room to try and calm her nerves. All her effort to bring the spirit stone back has left her wrathful and sad. Though her rage can easily be triggered, she quiets down as though her heart has been torn. No words can explain why Elenwe wishes to return to Max Johnson.
Kayleth thought, "Why? We lost you before, Elenwe. Now you seek to abandon us for a mere mon-keigh. Why do you leave us for him?"
Chapter 3: Section 3 – 3
The strike to the face breaks the skin. A red flow of liquid thinner than water slides down to the edge; there is a scar on the cheek. Pain rushes all over and the sensation of hurt is in various spots. The next hit occurs near the lower region. A groan is made. The area all around has voices shouting. Some yell damnable words and other tongues cry heresy. Only a handful protest for mercy. None are silent until the sound of gun fire goes off. The voices die down; the commotion is hushed. Only one voice will demand what is needed for reassurance. At the center of the problem, Noble One Max Johnson stands beaten and hurt. Though his body has gone through pain, he refuses to accept the accusations of heresy made against me. It seems that death is better than suffering at the hands of the living.
A soldiers says, "We lost a number of people to those damn eldar. You say that you encountered the leader. She slaughtered many of those under your command yet she spared you. Why should we believe the claim you make when you and a few are the only ones who didn't die? Why are we listening to you when others are buried?"
Max answers, "I do not understand why the eldar leader left me alive. All I know is that she wanted the amulet on my neck. Once she got it, she left. How does that make me a heretic?"
A man from the crowd cries, "You lie! You side with those that will do harm to us! You are the evil of the imperium! Sergeant Major Turner should have killed you!"
The group lets out an uproar as more demand that his life ends quickly. A soldier reports that Sergeant Major Lucas Turner is on his way back and will arrive soon. The time to end Max's life is close at hand. With his death, the imperial guard will be whole once more.
A loyal guardsman interrupts, "Our leader here is no traitor to us. He would have gladly died fighting the eldar. I believe in his words. Please, release him. He saved and helped those that can be healed."
The faithful cur is pulled away and held back. The soldier nods to the others as he lands three punches on Max. With a crushing knee cap to the body, Max falls back hurt. The soldier pulls out a bolter from his harness and waves it proudly in the air. The guards cry and shout for the execution to happen. Everything slows down as Max only hears his heartbeat sound. The man walks over proud that this will give the company the satisfaction needed. Once he is close, he clicks the bolter gun once to lock in the bullet. Max didn't want this to be his end. To die like some dog by a crazed guardsman is as shameless as the coward. This can't be the end.
Suddenly, a series of lighting quickens around them. Everyone halts their chatter and becomes nervous. One man shouts from the groups for the execution to begin. The man slowly squeezes his gun; a vicious hit connects to the face of the man. He pulls the trigger, but the gun fires to the side of Max. The bullet scratches his face by his right cheek. As the man falls down, the lighting flashing around the area reveals the hidden attacker. Dropping her cloak of stealth, Kayleth appears before Max. The disappointed look speaks of her displeasure; he is the last person she didn't want to see. Max responds with confusion mixed with rage. Seeing her again sent rage through his mind. As she raises her hand, Max looks at her with a lost for words. She drops the same amulet in front of him. As the guardsmen try to take her down, Kayleth uses her warp power to bring up a shield. Every lasrifle shot bounces off the shield; Kayleth realizes her actions bring more trouble to him. Before she leaves, she loosens the rope on Max's hands. With her deed done, she leaps away by roof top. No more actions can be taken against Max. Everyone runs and takes up their post to look for additional eldar.
The company of Lucas walks in proudly and finds the others in a frenzy of rage. The successful battles against the orks didn't prepare them to find more trouble the foundry. Many soldiers cry out for vengeance against the eldar and Max. Many report that Max is a heretic and warp user. Due to the spread of panic, every soldier falls back away from the inner portion of the foundry. Lucas wastes no time going to Max. Although as much as he wants to believe that Max is the enemy, the reports of the eldar within the base ease the accusations. Lina joins Lucas as the pair goes to find out what has happened. After the masses of fear and panic are calmed, Lucas and Lina question the surprising story of Max.
Lucas asks Max, "You were attacked by the eldar again? The leader, this Kayleth, slew a handful of guardsmen and stole your amulet? Only later, she returns the amulet back to you? Why?"
Max barely can form words, but he says, "I don't understand what happen. All I remember is trying to get it back from her. A third warp blast came from it, but this time, it was not enough to harm either of us. I don't know what this means or why she has been attacking us. My instinct tells me to only trust the eldar within length of an arm. Ever since our encounter with her and the darker eldar, things are not making much sense as of lately. For now, I will relinquish my commander over the other half of the guardsmen. I don't want to cause any more trouble than ever; I have committed too many faults."
Lina grips Max's hand and lifts him up. To his surprise, she shows more care for him than anyone in the room.
She says, "Now is not the time for me to attack those that I trust at my side. Unfortunately, the communications to your execution were cut off from the main line. If I had heard about it, the guns around the base would have come on."
Lucas adds, "She is right. I will not condemn you again until I have the evidence. Not to mention, you are performing three faults that I cannot permit you to do."
He continues, "First, you were given command of the rebel guardsmen to seek redemption in the eyes of Commander Vance the Bright. If you do not continue to hold the authority over them, I shall be force to kill you and the others. This will result with infighting among the guardsmen which the enemy will take advantage of. Second, you were told by Commander Vance to cooperate with me until our war with War Boss Bone Snappa ends. If you do not keep your word to honor his request, then this will result in failure of having any honor left as a man. There is nothing more shameless than not honoring your words and those that have honor. Third, you are unaware of why the eldar purse you. We are unaware of why they are here too. Not to mention, we have the darker eldar here with us probably and waiting to attack us. We both have a charge to eliminate all enemies of the imperium. You may not be of our company nor follow any combat doctrine of the imperial guard, but you do not lack for spirit. To not see this through to the end will mean that you have wasted my time and these lives around you for nothing. I may be not speaking the truth of the matter, but this is what I believe."
Max shakes off his stress. He didn't know much of anything else to do. He did agree with what Lucas told him and thanks Lina for supporting him regardless. As they all exit the room and head back to the center of the foundry, they are welcome by the guardsmen. Many want to hear the next words from Max to explain away the issues. Now is the time for words to be used correctly. Max takes the com device and speaks into it.
He says, "Attention everyone. The words and whispers of my unusual amulet are true. It allows me to move as fast as the eldar and use warp powers that I do not know how to control. Right now, you are all unsure about trusting me and allowing me to stay. You are right to trust your own thoughts; I am not to be trusted, but I will not use the amulet to fight any wars I fight in. I will rely on my wit, my will, my strength, and my own hands to win. If you don't want me to lead, then I will understand. What say you?"
The moment of silence is broken by the first voice, "I will still follow you!
Another voice shouts, "I do not care how many eldar, orks, or monsters we face so long as Max is here!"
Shortly, a wave of approval from others calms the unsure. Though Max and Lucas feel more at peace, there is still danger present with the orks rampaging in the land of ice. The battle is over for now; the confusion and mistrust are put to rest. The imperial ship War Harbinger maintains its position over head and reinforces the area. In the midst of the commotion, three figures keep the soldiers busy for the next battle. Lina coordinates with her enginseers and engineers to maintain the foundry and upkeep. Several guns and tech are sent back to the ship for further study and improvements for the army. Sergeant Major Lucas Turner keeps the soldiers ready and alert. Though he is worthy of being a commissar, he stays his hand and allows any guardsman a chance for redemption in the eyes of the emperor. Noble One Max Johnson may have less than faithful men, but he keeps an eye out for anyone who will dare raise a gun to him. The army is once again ready for battle as they journey to the next ork settlement.
As the eldar consider their next course, Kayleth practices her sword stabs and swings. The eldar howling banshee warriors take turns trying to catch her off guard. A few of her kin is hurt, but not wounded. Once the session ends, Kayleth relaxes her mind. Although she is at peace, the same name keeps coming up. The same name and the same phrase that keeps her mind focused on a single kill. As the Faded Light passes over the next area, the ship picks up the human vessel approaching. The eldar put more distance between them and the fools of war. They did not want to be discovered too soon; the eldar ship gets closer to the ork settlement ahead of the guardsmen. Before any more action can be taken, the ship receives anti-air fire from groundside. Kayleth orders the ship to be directed to the east and it lands on the ground. With a few areas damage, the eldar take the moment to repair and set up camp.
Veldoran comes to Kayleth as they leave the ship, "It would seem that the orks are no stranger to our hidden ship."
Kayleth adds, "Or the orks have a way of scanning for our vessel. There is no time to think on it; we will fight the orks and repair our ship. The humans will be here soon. It is time for you to go and give them our support."
Veldoran is a bit surprised at the respond, but before he can ask for the reason, Kayleth bids him to hurry as the orks will find their camp soon. Veldoran speeds quickly towards the humans. The questions come to his mind; he keeps them quiet for now and waits till the right time to ask them. Once he is within range, he calls to the commanding leaders for an audience. Lucas brings a squad of soldiers and Max steps forward with the others using thermal lens to scan for other visitors. With no other eldar in the area, Max and Lucas advance on Veldoran.
Max says, "So, instead of the warrior, she sends you. What do you want now?"
Veldoran replies, "The ork presence here is stronger than before. I come only as a peace keeper and ask that you join us in the attack on the ork settlement…"
Lucas fires a shot by his foot, "The last time we helped your kind, your leader stabbed a lot of men in the back. We just got finished burying our comrades before we came here. Why should we aid you now?"
Before Veldoran makes a reply, Max says, "We will help you out, but do not expect us to save any of you if things get worse. You may take your leave of us now and report back to Kayleth."
Veldoran nods and sprints back. Lucas looks to Max with confusion, "You are playing with fire, Max. Now you want to help them out. Please tell me this is a joke?"
Max answers, "It is alright. We can expect them to stab us in the back soon enough, but if the orks are stronger here in this settlement, then we will use them like they are using us."
Lucas is still unsure about the situation, but he agrees to keep a watchful eye. As the guardsmen finish setting up base, they make their advance towards the first few ork parties. The ork anti-air guns force the human ship to steer away from the danger. Veldoran informs Kayleth of the situation with the mon-keigh. The eldar make their advance towards the orks as well. The uneasy alliance of the imperial guard and eldar is ready to fracture at a given notice. For now, they will face orks than each other.
Chapter 3: Section 3 – 4
They rush to gain an early advance; the footsteps of the many men and women shake the ground in great numbers. The shield carrying ogryns make a wall in front of the guardsmen as the nobs charge in for close quarter combat. With the wall ready to hold, the guardsmen fall in behind and ready their weapons. In the center at the front, Max sends out the command to hold and wait. The ork nobs come shield crashing into the wall of ogryns as both sides smash against each other. Before the ogryn line pushes back, the howling banshee warriors leap over the shoulders and heads of the ogryn and fall upon the orks. The orks easily falter from the barrage of the uneasy alliance of human and eldar. As much as they want to fight both sides, the old saying of friends and enemies holds strong in their mind. Once the eldar make the orks confused, the ogryns push forward and begin their attack. Guardsmen pick their targets as the eldar disappear from sight.
A loud shriek from above causes pause to the imperial guard advance. The humans look up to see her fall among the orks and slash at them. Kayleth lets her graceful wrath slay numerous orks. With a leap and stab, she cuts down several more orks. An ork nob tries to crush her skull in, but it falls dead as Max fires from behind her back; they both meet in the center. Before they can share a moment, they turn about and take down more orks. The guardsmen and eldar advance with their both leaders. In the far back, Lucas sends commands to the War Harbinger to fire down upon the orks ahead of the allies. Every blast sent from the War Harbinger is far away to avoid the anti-air guns near the ork camp. The warlock Veldoran provides air support as the Faded Light sends turret shots down to keep the larger orks back. Kayleth hears another ork die from behind her back by Max. She rushes at him with her weapon ready. She slashes at another ork from behind his back.
She says, "You had better watch how you face your enemy or I will allow them to kill you."
Max fires at an ork behind her back again, "And you had better learn to watch your own back when you cannot see when your enemy approaches."
Kayleth throws her blade towards Max. It flies pass his head and strikes an ork, "You are not one to lecture me on the art of battle, Max."
He throws his combat knife at another ork. It hits the ork in the head as he follows up his attack, "You obviously need to have a lesson taught to you as well since you still let the enemies sneak up behind you, Kayleth."
For each attack and speech given, Kayleth and Max slay an ork from behind the other's back. The last ork is larger than the rest. The chieftain of orks tries to fight the two. Kayleth slashes at the ork's stomach. Max fires his gun at the hands of the beast. She leaps into the air and falls down on the ork, slicing away some of the face. Before the ork can counter, Max fires another shot at the shoulder. The beast is nearly crippled from the variety of hits. With one last leap from Kayleth, she aims at the ork. Max takes a final shot at the heart; he fires his gun as she lops off the head. The chieftain dies as the other orks fall back to the last ork stronghold. Though victory is theirs, Max and Kayleth still continue to bicker.
She says, "The ork was already dead. You didn't need to fire a shot."
He replies, "The ork died from getting its heart shot out. You only wanted to see the head roll. Can you not be more typical?"
Kayleth places her blade away and quickly answers, "Tell me, Max. Does your ego and skill need to be greater than a superior being whose life cycles are longer and experienced at war?"
Max retorts, "What does a stuck up eldar warrior wench look like to you? I believe you know her quite well."
She approaches Max with intent to kill as she readies to unsheathe her blade. Max grips his laspistol as he is ready to raise it. Both give each other a furious gaze until a voice com goes to Max and telepathic messages are heard from Veldoran.
Lucas says, "If you are done trying to give her interest, you need to report back to camp."
Veldoran says, "Your warriors need their leader unless you have other plans."
They stare at one another and say no further words. They walk back side by side until Max starts laughing. His laughter catches her interest.
Kayleth pauses and asks, "What is so funny, human?"
Max looks at her seductively from head to toe; she raises an eyebrow and steps back.
He replies, "Do you want me to take your hand and show off just how much you care about me?"
Kayleth quickly turns away to hide her blushing face and wrathful embracement. She disappears with her stealth on; Max walks back proudly with his head held up high. After he meets with his unit, they all gladly cheer for the win over the orks. A few ogryns claim ork heads as trophies and many more gather up parts from the weapons around the area. Lucas welcomes Max back to the group as they go over the final plans for the last ork chief. A few officers under Lucas beg and probe Max for questions as to why he didn't just end the eldar warrior leader.
One man says, "How much longer until you kill her?"
A second asks, "Do you think you can stop her?"
The third jokes, "Be careful that you are not being misled."
Max smirks at their statements, "You need not worry. The eldar warrior is not one step ahead of us. She has her plans for her kind, and we will be ready."
Back at the eldar base, Veldoran greets Kayleth. Though she is no longer in battle, her warlock senses something odd.
Veldoran says, "I take it your front line courting of battle with the human Max went as you would like it go to?"
Kayleth scoffs at his words and replies, "If you are thinking that a mere mon-keigh mammal can charm me out of my armor, you are to step more cautiously with words Veldoran."
He laughs and continues to go over the final strategy with her against the orks. It didn't take too long for either camp to think of how the final battle will go. The imperial guard obtains an ancient foundry that gives the troops more of an advantage against the orks; the battle tanks are highly more resistant to damage. Even the eldar gained something else from the journey here. They discover a small unit of rangers and warp spiders traveling without a group; the wandering group kept a handful of spirit stones safe for the infinity circuit. Though the spirit stone of Elenwe is back in the hands of Max, Kayleth is still pleased with her success. The humans and eldar advance on the final stronghold of the orks. The last chieftain is smacking around his orks and rallying his nobs to be ready. Once the orks are ready for battle, the chief takes the charge.
The chief ork says, "All deze humies and eldar ar coming ere! We'z gotta rampage and crush em all!"
The orks roar greatly and begin to march out. The very ground shakes as the orks all march head long into the enemy. Every guardsman stops their advance and setup as fast as possible; Lucas and Max take to the front line. As expected, the eldar warriors are not too far from them. Max looks over to see Kayleth. She glances out from her eye to see him. Instead of focusing on him, she turns her sight back to the orks. The orks close in; the final battle begins as air support for both sides hovers above head. The ogryn packs rushes forward swinging new battle axes to chop down the orks. As nobs fight the first wave, more orks pour pass the fighting. A second wave of howling banshees rush forward to battle the next line. Kayleth joins her warrior groups and slays the orks. Lucas tries to call in support, but Max forbids him to do so.
He says, "Air support is not need right now. And if these green skins are dumb, they will roll in their heavy teams soon."
Lucas didn't want to believe his comrade until the ground starts rumbling again. As everyone looks ahead, the orks bring out a massive Gorkanaut to the field. Many guardsmen shudder in fear of the size of it. Even the eldar warriors back up against such a size. As the Gorkanaut slaughters a large number of eldar warriors and ogryn packs, the orks rally beside the massive metal machine. At the top of the massive ork built Gorkanaut, the last war chief laughs and roars for his orks to crush the feeble alliance. Max smiles with determination as he steps forward. Everyone looks to him.
He turns to all and shouts, "Rise up! Rise up and follow me to victory! Follow me into paradise!"
Max sends a command to the War Harbinger to bombard the landscape with five shells. After five shells obliterate the landscape, the massive Gorkanaut is busted up and still slowly managing. Max shouts for the charge into the ork horde. Max and a handful of men lead the way. Lucas, the guardsmen, Veldoran, and even Kayleth can't believe how mad he is; the company under him forces a few orks to run towards them. Surprisingly, a few more eldar howling banshees join Max and his company. Lucas finally musters his strength and demands the ork horde destroyed. Kayleth leaps into the battle and slaughters her way towards Max. Veldoran and the warlock company burn and shock the orks back as they are cut down. The war chief tries to operate the ork Gorkanaut until it shuts down on him. The further the alliance pushes the orks back, the more they begin to run away. After shattering bones and spilling blood, the head of the war chief is raised up in the air by the hands of Lucas. The long, hard fought battle is finally over; the ork threat on this planet is over. Though a few orks are groups have left from the battle, they present no threat to the foundry or the eldar.
Chapter 3: Section 3 – 5
The count of the dead is high; a loss of life is personal for many. There is a time for grief and plenty to mourn for. Though the battle is over, the cost is nearly too high. Even the eldar take a moment to feel a form of sadness for the warriors that died yesterday. Max wishes that those who had died could live again to see this day; Lucas sends a prayer to their emperor and asks that they each have found peace. The imperial guard has less than thirty thousand men and women; the losses were great. There will be no time to mourn for too much longer. Each dog tag is collected and sent back to the ship for proper burial. Once everything is ready, the bodies are burned and the ashes scattered. The foundry is set up with more than enough defense turrets and traps to keep intruders out. A company of ten thousand men and women are left in charge of the place. The imperial guard readies the ship to return to planet Saneesh for supplies and reporting to Commander Vance. As Lucas assists a few guardsmen with the left over supply boxes, the sensor system alerts everyone. Max is closest to the entrance. He looks out into the open field and sees her again.
Kayleth stands firmly. She is not so easily frightened by what is now aimed at her. Max calls off the alert and ensures the guardsmen at the gate that he will handle it. The others use scanners to make sure no other eldar are around; he walks out into the open and begins checking his surroundings. Max sees no movement and hears no other sound save only for the blowing wind. After he approaches her, he shakes his head in disappointment. For a moment, he admires her beauty. The emerald eyes and bright complexion nearly give him a smile. Max looks at Kayleth.
He annoyingly says, "So, what is it now? You come here uninvited and seek to start another war? Haven't you lost enough from yesterday?"
Kayleth sighs and answers, "My kind has collected the dead. We will mourn our losses later. I only seek to bring you words for your people to use. Will you be willing to hear me out?"
Max looks at her suspiciously. He allows her to speak even though he keeps his hand on the gun.
She continues, "We have been following your vessel for some time. The only reason that we continue to do so is to retrieve our fallen farseer. Our kin is Elenwe of the craft world. She is the same spirit that is around your neck that you call an amulet. You only have her until she knows when her time with you is up. I see no other alternative for stopping you; I propose a mutual partnership until both our journeys are complete. And yes, our needs are align with each other."
Max scoffs at her, "You already tricked us before. You used us to stop the other darker eldar. In return, you killed some men who followed me willingly. Now, you are telling me that your plans are connected with ours? How is this possible?"
Kayleth replies, "The dark eldar succubus is leading the orks to commit atrocities against you. She taught a few ork psykers to use an old power to reanimate the dead. The ork war boss you purse is being used by her; this is how our interest aligns with each other. I seek only to eliminate her and stop whatever plans she hopes will come to pass. The last known location that the ork war ship went to is somewhere north west by the edge of the galaxy. I am certain we will find our enemy there. We may be few in numbers, but our silent warriors within the spirit stones will rise again to fight for us. I only seek cooperation for now until our journey ends."
Max approaches her and nearly closes the space in between. Kayleth stands alert and ready to strike.
He says, "I understand now. You want to end any horrid plan she has for your kind. In so doing, it will mean that you save a greater number. If you wish to help us, so be it. We have our own mission and will continue it until War Boss Bone Snappa is dead. If we can, we will help you too. Once this is over, I may agree to work with the guardsmen. For now, you have my support for the future battles ahead; however, you do not have my trust or care. And next time, you will remember to approach us on friendly terms than eliminate people that I do not wish to see die. These people are under my command; I don't need them to die to save your own kind from death."
Kayleth moves close to Max. The emerald eyes shine mysteriously. He looks at her with wonder. She grips his shirt. Max lets others know by radio com that no weapon is to be fired unless they see blood. Kayleth leaves only a small amount of space between each other. Her blade is almost in her hand.
She says, "Do what you will human. And the rest will be settled afterwards."
Rather than respond negatively, Max surprises her and himself. She keeps his focus on her eyes and touches her hand. Kayleth feels something unexplainable. There is peace; there is some form of happiness. The guardsmen from afar watch with wonder and wait to see what happens. Kayleth looks down to see his hand on hers; she nearly pulls out her blade until Max speaks to her differently.
Max says surprisingly, "You truly are a beautiful woman for an eldar warrior."
Kayleth silently widens her eyes and loosens his shirt; she quickly disappears. Max smirks as he looks around before returning to his company. He informs them of the possible plans the eldar leader informed him of. With nothing else to do, the allies say their farewell to the ones left behind at the foundry and promise to return with additional help. Kayleth arrives back at her company and informs Veldoran of their own plan for the next few months. With no other plans for now, the eldar wait on the ice world until they know of the next movement for the imperial guard.
Veldoran says, "What do you think of the human Max? Can he be trusted with your plans?"
Kayleth replies, "Max is foolish and deserving of death. He truly believes that his quest will end with the imperial guard winning over the war boss Bone Snappa. He is nothing but another dead man for the body count. Yet, he is courageous at times and even bolder than most men."
Veldoran smirks a little; however, he makes no replies to her statement. He takes his leave and continues to observe the others. Kayleth wants to ignore the compliment that Max gave her, but she finds it quite humorous that a human finds her beautiful. As the War Harbinger exits the planet, it preps to use the newly installed FTL drive for the first time. Though it is a low upgrade when compared to a warp drive, it shortens the time for the trip back to planet Saneesh to now only two months instead of five. Once the ship arrives one month away from the planet, they discover more to their surprise. The Avenging Spirit is now approaching them. Lucas and Max come to the command deck and inform Lina to send them a call.
Lina transmits: "This is the War Harbinger of the Imperium of Man. Avenging Spirit, please respond to us."
The side of the ship explodes as they receive static reports of what is going on.
A voice says, "…Orks…attacked…main…reactor…need…help…, send…assistance…"
Lina gasps and turns to Max and Lucas, "If the reactor has been ruptured from the orks, then we have little time. We must mount a rescue and get as many guardsmen off the ship. If I can slow the damage, then we can recover a lot from the ship before it explodes."
Max and Lucas send the alert to every level and the soldiers gear up for a rescue. The guardsmen move with quickens to the shuttles as they each pack into one. Over a dozen shuttle ships exit the War Harbinger and fly over to the Avenging Spirit for a rescue. The shuttles each have up to fifty men a piece inside. The ships fly into an opening on the Avenging Spirit. Shuttle fire clears away the orks as they land. The system alerts the soldiers of the danger they now face.
"Attention. Reactor core is unstable. You have fifty nine minutes to reach safe distance."
Lucas agrees to lead the shore parties to rescue survivors. Max stays behind and holds off ork waves. Each level of the ship is damaged badly as injured people are carried back to the shuttles. Frighten guardsmen come out, but Lucas needed an edge to speed up the process. To relief his worry, Max gets Lina to broadcast a message from the War Harbinger as it flies alongside the ship.
Lina broadcasts: "Attention surviving guardsmen, this is Lina the Blessed Techno Child of the War Harbinger. Please journey to the far side of the ship for extraction. You will be given safe passage off the ship. You have only less than thirty minutes to do so. We will get you all out of here."
The guardsmen under Lucas keep a clear path to the shuttles as wounded and frighten guardsmen rush to the side they are holding. A few orks try to attack, but none can withstand the upgrades they acquired from the ice world. With so many lives still left aboard the ship, there is little time to waste. Max, Lucas, and even Lina, who recently comes aboard, ensures that all will be saved before the ship explodes. She does what she can to vent the pressure away from the reactor core. The more the ship vents, the time extends. After a few adjustments done by Lina, the time for eruption of the Avenging Spirit is now pushed to two hours. Lucas and Max uses as much time as they can to retrieve several parts, tanks, pieces, and information from the ship. In the heat of battle, the three capable leaders continue to remind everyone why the imperial guard will not fail.