Last Bastion

Chapter 1: Hope Yet Remains

-Imperium of Man, Holy Terra, Imperial Palace - Within the Golden Throne-

Circa M36

Alicia Dominica along with her sisters, Arabella, Katherine, Lucia, Mina, and Silvana, approached the gargantuan doors that made up Eternity Gate, the last magnificent sight before where her God, the very master of Mankind itself, the God-Emperor, sat on his Golden Throne.

Before her, Longinus guided her along with her sisters. At each side, banners of long-lost regiments, heroes, saints, and warriors stood as the ultimate proof of honor and devotion anyone could achieve: to be recognized and blessed by the Emperor himself. At each side of the gates stood one Warhound Titan, forever guarding the entrance and bathing in the glory of the one true God that was all, the Emperor!

Even as they approached, she could feel the power, the immense pressure, and the radiant divinity of the Emperor showering upon her, threatening to overpower her soul, but she was shielded by faith, devotion, love, and undying loyalty. She would not fall and falter now, and nor would her sisters. Each step up the stairs was like fighting a battle, each labored breath bought with pain and exertion, but she advanced, unwavering, unmoved, unshakable. Her faith was her pillar and her love for the Emperor was absolute.

A test, she thought to herself. I am being tested by the Emperor to see that I am worthy of being in his blessed presence. By my Lord who speaks in your name and voice, I shall not fail! But the moment she finished thinking such words, she could've sworn she had to put more effort into each movement she made, into each gulp of precious oxygen she took.

But she didn't stop, her mind no longer caring about what was surrounding her. Her only focus was now to see her God in the flesh even if it killed her. Yes, for even just a glimpse, the merest moment of gazing upon his perfect form was more than any of his followers had any right to receive in a thousand lifetimes.

Tears threatened to escape her eyes, but she resisted. The joy in her heart threatened to burst her chest open at any moment, but she kept going.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they arrived. The Golden Throne itself… and sitting upon it was the Master of Mankind. A galaxy aflame shone in her eyes, blinding her, a thousand-thousand golden hues rang in her ears, deafening her, and the iridescent might of her God humbled her to no end. Even the monumental, complex machine pumping fumes of plasma and the distant but present screams of dying psykers fueling the pyre of the Astronomicon were nothing; insignificant when compared to the visage of the Emperor of Mankind sitting in all his glory before her.

Alicia fell to her knees, as did her sisters, before the skeletal remains of the Emperor… and began to pray. Tears now flowed freely from their eyes as the knowledge that they could die happily and in permanent bliss for being granted such an honor.

Then, suddenly, a voice rang in her mind.

"Your devotion… your faith… it makes me puke."

Alicia blinked, confused, and whispered a single word. "W-What?"

"If I still could vomit, I would. What have you done? What has my Imperium become? Why is humanity destroying itself and following that man with the most evil-sounding name I've ever heard. Seriously, Google Vandire… like, seriously?"

"M-My Emperor, most magnificent God-Emp-"

"I AM NOT A GOD!"

The voice resonating in her head was so strong and carried such might that she knew the voice could only belong to the Emperor… but why was he saying he was no God!?

"Because I'm not a God, you numbskulls. This is what happens when you read from the stupidest, most nonsensical book ever written and take it as literal truth. A book that, by the way, was written by my traitor son Lorgar. Yeah, that same Lorgar. As in Primarch Lorgar."

"The First Heretic?" Alicia heard Mina whisper in abject horror. Not that she could blame her.

"The book that says that I'm a God was written by the man that you would define as being the biggest fucking heretic ever. And YOU preach from it and embrace it. Congratulations. With every prayer you utter, with every act of devotion that you commit, and with every thought that connects me in your mind as a God, you are making my son a very happy demon-Primarch and make the four tumors laugh at my ever-increasing pile of misery. So, thank you for that, you cunts."

Alicia could feel the disdain and humiliation in the voice of her Go- w-was He-Upon-The-Throne her God anymore? By his own admission, he was no God and worst still, the truth that the Lectio Divinitatus, the blessed book of the Adeptus Ministorum, the pillar of her faith… was the fabrication of a traitor? A worshipper of the Ruinous Powers?

For the first time in her life ever since she was raised in that horrible orphanage, Alicia felt dread and sorrow… and she was left without direction, without devotion, without… without a light to guide her. Even as she stood in front of the Master of Mankind, who shone with radiant beauty unlike anything she had ever seen, she was lost in the depths of her mind. Directionless. Hollow. Empty.

Suddenly, her eyes burned not with the mocking heat of hot tears, but with the burning proclamation of something entering her mind. A moment of darkness followed for a short eternity and then… golden light showered her vision.

She saw the Galaxy in all its glory. She could see Holy Terra like a great golden beacon. She could see the grave wound that was the Eye of Terror. She could even see the encroaching tendrils of something slowly approaching the galaxy from several directions, some of which were already nearly touching the very edges of Ultima Segmentum.

Her vision was shot at Holy Terra itself until she arrived at a chamber where her Lord paced about, mumbling maniacally to himself. And she despaired for a moment. She didn't see her Lord as she always had. No. What stood in front of her was a monster, an amalgamation of the most hideous and repugnant things she had ever seen and never seen before in her life. She had nothing to compare her Lord Vandire to anything but the Emperor himself… and found that where the Emperor was light, perfection, and the might of humanity, Vandire was darkness, a living abomination, and the stupidity, evils, and ignorance of humanity made manifest.

Impossibly, she saw herself in that chamber… only for her sword to fall and behead the insane Lord Vandire.

Then, before she had time to process anything, she was pulled back to see the galaxy once more and then flung at impossible speeds across space approaching the region of the Ghoul Stars, one of the most inhospitable, horrible, and terrible parts of the galaxy. Her vision blurred as she entered the nightmarish region and there were only specks of lights to be seen here and there.

But despite everything, somewhere in the misty fog of darkness, she could see a light, but it was not like the light of the Emperor, and yet it was similar. She couldn't see where it was only that it was somewhere inside the Ghoul Stars.

Finally, as the vision faded and ended, a single name resonated in her mind, making sure she would never forget.

"Now you see?" The Emperor asked. "You have failed me by giving yourselves into religion. You have failed humanity by forgetting to revise who the fuck wrote that horrid book. However, the only reason you stand before me is that, despite your idiotic faith, your loyalty and conviction is something many, many more should have. That makes me smile. Now, leave and fulfill your duties. Never speak of what happened here; keep it as our secret. Fulfill the missions I have entrusted you with… and good luck, proud daughters of Humanity."

And with that said, the hold ended and Alicia could finally breathe once more. All out once understanding, purpose, and joy flowed into her heart and that of her sisters. As one, they all stood up and she admired the Emperor sitting on his throne. The sacrifice he made, the pain he went through, and all that was necessary for him to cling to life in a state of undeath.

"Thank you, my Emperor," the six women said in unison, their hearts and souls touched beyond the description of words.

Alicia gazed upon the Emperor one last time and found him to still be grand, but the blinding religious devotion inside her was gone. Extinguished. Eradicated. It was now replaced by pure loyalty and nothing more.

Turning away from the Emperor, Alicia didn't wait for Longinus to escort her out. She walked away on her own, her sister following closely by. Had the Emperor given them the same vision? The same mission to fulfill? Or were they charged to do another thing? She didn't know. She wasn't going to ask. They had their missions and they would see it to completion.

Before leaving the Golden Throne altogether, she caught her reflection upon the shimmering walls and found it was white, pure, and flowing, just like her sisters now displayed, too. As they made their way out whilst being flanked and escorted by Longinus, Alicia felt a growing sense of anger and pure, unrelenting hatred rise within her. As the calming, overpowering aura of the Emperor touching her very soul began to wane, her feelings rose.

And the first thing she needed to do was to end the life of the man that had done so much damage to humanity.

With each step, she approached to fulfill the first part of her mission. Each step taking her away from the Imperial Palace and closer to the chambers of Goge Vandire. She didn't know how long it took her or when she arrived at her destination, but all she knew was that when she arrived at his door chambers, she used her thigh-high boot covered right leg to kick the doors open, finding an inhuman strength in her strike that she couldn't explain nor care about.

Finding the madden Lord walking aimlessly before her, a man she once saw as the most virtuous of beings and the closest link to the Emperor, Alicia couldn't stop the air inside her lungs from escaping out of her mouth in the form of words that cut with vindication and loyalty.

"You have committed the ultimate heresy. Not only have you turned your back on the Emperor and stepped from His light, you have profaned His name and almost destroyed everything He has striven to build. You have perverted and twisted the path He has laid for Mankind to tread. As your own decrees have stated, there can be no mercy for such a crime, no pity for such a criminal. I renounce your lordship; you walk in the darkness and cannot be allowed to live. Your sentence has been long overdue and now it is time for you to die."

As expected from the mad tyrant, upon their eyes meeting, Alicia didn't see fear, reason, or logic in his eyes… only madness, darkness, and evil incarnate.

"I DON'T HAVE TIME TO DIE… I'M TOO BUSY!" Replied Goge Vandire.

With revulsion, Alicia unsheathed her sword, powered it up; the metal instantly sparkling with blue, powerful energy… and swung down, cutting the flesh of the False Lord of the Imperium; depriving his head off his shoulders.

As the head rolled on the ground and his body slumped down, Alicia felt… nothing. There was no victory in her action, just an empty feeling of duty fulfilled after allowing the monster that was Vandire to rule for so many years and ruin countless lives. Ruination that she helped create.

But with her stroke, the Reign of Blood had ended. The Age of Apostasy… had finally ended.

The following days, weeks… months? Alicia didn't know anymore, she had lost her sense of time after beheading the vile snake that had rendered the Imperium of Him Upon the Throne. But now she was standing at the very edge of the Solar System, her ship ready to embark on a journey that would take her to the edge of the galaxy and into the Ghoul Stars, all in the name of fulfilling her mission to find a singular man.

Those that stood closest to her followed in her shadow. Her sisters, now seen as blessed and touched by the God-Emperor himself, had partaken in their own missions. "God-Emperor… what blasphemy," she muttered as she took her rightful seat as the commander of her ship but not her captain. "Report?"

"Warp Engine online… Gellar-Field Holding. We shall arrive at the Armaggeddon System in three months travel, hopefully," the captain of the ship, the Grand Cruiser Invigilata Noctis, replied.

"How many years will it take us to reach the Ghoul Stars?" Alicia asked.

"Three years if we are not needed, requested, and no Warp Storms are in our way, Canonness," the captain replied.

Oh, how she hated it. Now that she understood the will of the Emperor, she hated every second she had to live under the lie of the Ecclesiarchy. She had to play the part in maintaining the lie that was the Imperial Cult for the sake of the Imperium. "Then let us waste no more time… my vision tells me that's where I must go."

"Sister, what about your Order? Surely you cannot leave them?" One of her trusted bodyguards asked, her concern palpable.

"Whether it is me they see or merely another sister bearing my likelihood matters not. They will fight and they will do what they most. It is I who must travel and find my destiny, sister," Alicia replied just as the ripple effect of the wound in space-time was open and a scar into the Immaterium itself was forced into the world.

"Oh Eternal God-Emperor, preserve us, from the dangers of the void," the entire crew chanted in unison.

The entire crew minus Alicia, who only moved her lips without uttering a sound.

XXX - Three Years Later- XXX

Everything had been running under regular parameters, for the most part. Sure, they got spat out on a wrong system every now and again, they had to help fend off a few traitor and xeno threats, had to fight against a small raiding fleet of Dark Eldar, and even had to tangle with the Orks on multiple occasions. Not to mention enduring the headache-inducing trauma that was listening to the Emperor's forsaken Ultramar constant chanting after stopping in the realm of the five hundred worlds.

But they had done it. Alicia and her crew had managed to reach the Ghoul Stars… and immediately found herself in shit up to her damn neck.

Well, not entirely true. At first, everything was fine. Traversing through the Ghoul Stars was… not pleasant. Even in the deep darkness of the void, that forsaken region of the galaxy just felt wrong on every level. She could feel eyes on her at all times, paranoia was rampant on her entire crew, and she could swear that she'd heard incomprehensible whispers just outside her hearing range every now and again.

It didn't help that the Astronomicon could only be seen as a flickering light by the navigator and the Astropaths had to tone down their connection to the Warp due to the unsettling effects of the region.

And then, shit hit the fan at relativistic speeds.

"Canoness, we can't hold these foul abominations!" A panicked voice shouted through the vox chatter. "They're going to break our position and enter the bridge at any moment-GGAAAHHHHH!"

A scream, static, and then silence.

Alicia powered her sword and readied her plasma pistol, ready to fight to the death alongside what remained of her crew right there on the command bridge. "My Emperor, forgive me, for I have not fulfilled my duty nor my mission," she muttered, ashamed, but never afraid. "Let the monsters come! Let's show these xeno abominations what the sons and daughters of the Emperor can do!"

"FOR THE EMPEROR!" Came the chorus as bolters, lasguns, and chainswords were readied for the fight.

The reinforced doors of the bridge began to bang as if something powerful was behind them. It banged again and again until a dark, oozing goo began to slip through the middle crack of it. As the liquid increased in size, it wriggled and soon started to reshape itself.

"Purge the unclean!" Cried out a sister holding a flamer before firing upon the goo, burning it and making it scream in pain. The banging against the door intensified and the moaning began.

Alicia felt the tremor of it in her bones and knew that there was very little she could do except fight and hopefully survive to see her mission fulfilled.

Then, without warning, it stopped. There was a roar and the monstrous thing seemed to charge the other way around. The sound of weapons she had never heard before resonated through her ship for several minutes that felt like hours until silence was heard.

A few more minutes passed and the echoing footsteps of something heavy approaching the door were heard.

"My Canonness," the Magos said abruptly. "I have detected an intruder in the ship's systems and runtimes. I cannot purge it. It is taking over command of the ship," the Magos said with panic in his voice. An achievement given his monotone, mechanical wheezing.

"What about the xenos? How many more are on board the ship? What of the rest of the crew?" Alicia asked, still facing the door and feeling that something even worse was about to happen.

"Xeno presence is being reduced at a substantial pace. Casualties estimated… 32.6% of total crew. Alert, unknown xeno presence detected alongside… human presence. Unclear. Insufficient data. Necron energy signature detected," the Magos warned. "I cannot contact the generator room… we cannot scuttle our ship. By the Omnissiah, this is beyond my understanding."

"Dammit," Alicia cursed under her breath and prepared for the worst as the metallic steps approached and then came to a halt. Then, a loud banging but almost polite knock was heard, leaving everyone puzzled.

"Is this thing working?"

A new voice was heard. Powerful, staunch, righteous. But also jokey and laid-back.

"Ah, it is working! Damn, Imperial tech is so darn rudimentary and stunted I can't tell if it's working most of the time. Hey, you guys inside. We're about to open the doors so don't shoot, okay? We're not here to harm you and we just saved your asses from fucking Umbras so, yeah, you're welcome," the man, for it was a man's voice, chuckled for a moment. "Okay, let's see here… aha! Alicia Dominica? Am I reading that right? According to the logs of the ship, you're the highest authority on this ship. Could you step forth, please? The gates will open in about thirty seconds. I'd like to meet you in person firsthand. Oh, and, don't worry, I'm human."

Alicia didn't know what to think of it but she knew she had no choice. Advancing forth to grant the request of the man, she came to halt in front of the doors with her plasma pistol and power sword at the ready, just in case.

The doors began to open up, making everyone from her sisters, to guardsmen, to regular serfs raise their weapons, ready to fire. "Hold your fire… and lower your weapons, but do not look away. If they are our saviors… then we owe them honor, not fire," behind her, the guns were lowered but not powered down. A few seconds later the doors had opened completely and a tall figure stepped forth.

At first, Alicia thought it was a Space Marine, but then realized her mistake. He was taller than most humans, but not quite as tall as an Astartes. He was also nowhere near as bulky and his armor was… well, she couldn't describe it. She had never seen armor like that before. Sleek, clean, compact, functional, protective, modular. It was adorned with colors of green, white, blue, red, purple, and gold forming intricate patterns that seemed to form an odd mix of human languages she couldn't quite recognize, except for the symbol sitting on the forehead of his helmet: a triangle with wings and a green orb in the center.

The symbols of the Imperium, what many Eldar favored, and the eldrich symbol of the necrons, all mixed into one, though she wasn't sure if that was the case.

As the tall man approached and finally came to halt only a few steps in front of her, her eyes widened as the helmet simply… deconstructed itself to reveal the gorgeous face of a strong man. Fine jawline, near-perfect nose, crisp bone cheeks, charming smile, luscious lips, golden eyes, and fabulous black hair that many of her sisters would gladly kill to know how he managed to groom it like that!

Alicia fell to her knees and tears formed in her eyes upon seeing him. It was the same face she had seen in her vision, there was no doubt in her mind.

"Epirus," she said his name, smiling.

The tall man, Epirus, blinked in confusion and then smiled. "Oh, pops, have you woken up from your nap yet?" He said at no one in particular and offered Alicia a hand. "He sent you, didn't he? My father? Big E? Golden Skeletor? Douchebag supreme?"

Alicia could only chuckle… and nodded.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

-Ultima Segmentum, The Ghoul Stars - Circa M41-

The planetary governor of Carlos McConnell slumped on his chair as grief and hopelessness began to take root in his heart. He had just received the astropathic message coming from the local sector's HQ and things were looking grim indeed.

"What did they say?" Asked a voice across his desk.

Looking up, he found his closest advisors, his wife, two of his sons, and several noble representatives as well as the general in charge of the PDF regiments across the planet all standing in waiting across the desk. Most of them were Felinids, the natives of the world, but some were either human or hybrids. His wife, a Felinid, walked around his desk to caress his cheek.

Sighing, he knew there was no point in hiding the truth.

"We're on our own…," he breathed out. "Even if they had the ships and men required to aid us, it would take over a year to organize everything and then another six months to reach us… if they don't come to any miss jump or get lost in the Warp or encounter something else in this Emperor-forsaken region of space!" He yelled at the end, his tone gradually increasing in anger, frustration, and volume. "FUCK the Ghoul Stars! Even if we live in the lovable border of these damnable systems, fuuuuuck the Ghoul Stars! Every fucking day something horrible happens!"

His wife reached to him, leaning to kiss his lips. It was a bit awkward since their lips were different, but he had a lot of practice kissing her and their lips melded together sweetly. "I know, my love. But we must do our best against the Devourer."

The Devourer. The Tyrannids. He knew that everyone present knew that they were doomed. He had thought he had been lucky enough when the surrounding habited systems reported the signature of an astropathic signal being received from the Galmun system desperately warning others of the coming danger.

It was a small miracle that the astropaths managed to decipher the full meaning of the message when all they saw were gnawing fangs, sharp claws, and the weight of a hunger that knew no bounds. There was only one option as to what was coming their way.

And immediately everything went to shit before the local sub-sector command could do anything about it. A few planets declared independence from the Imperium, thinking that by doing so they would be spared. Two planets quickly fell due to gene-stealer uprisings. And another three went silent in the following weeks as a slowly growing and encroaching shadow spread across the Warp. The infamous Shadow in the Warp was coming, blocking them wholesale. Despite being able to call out for help to Segmentum Command, they were on their own.

"They basically told us to go screw ourselves," one of his sons remarked angrily. "So much for the Emperor Protects, eh?"

"Sush, boy!" A noble reprimanded.

"Or what? The Emperor is going to throw something even worse at us? I don't fear death nor do I fear the xenos… but there is no chance of victory against the Tyrannids without aid… aid that ain't showing up. What can we do?"

"We fight with everything we have. We fight and kill as many of them as possible, render their gains as null… we may die, but we can die with the Emperor's light in our hearts. For the Emperor, that's the least we can do. The only thing we can do," the general said, resolution but also defeat could be heard in his voice.

Everyone knew he was right. They had weeks, possibly months at most before the Devourer arrived at their system. Even if they had the ships to flee with, they could only evacuate a fraction of the populace and that was without the threat of civil unrest devolving into a civil war for the chance to get into one of those proverbial ships that they didn't have.

They would die on their planet, alone, unaided, and most like in vain.

"At least things can't get any worse," the second son muttered.

A sudden cry of alarms was heard inside the room and the Tech-Priest present turned to the governor. "I am detecting an incoming signal directed here, my Lord. It has bypassed all security protocols. It is directed, meaning there must be ships in orbit or close by."

"What the fu- It doesn't matter," the governor replied. "Pass it through!"

"Hello? Can you hear me?" A voice came over the vox channel.

"Yes, we can hear you," the governor replied. "Who are you and what do you want?" His tone was less than friendly, but given the circumstances, it was surprising he still had so much restraint in him.

"I'm a Rogue Trader, governor. I've come to warn you about an incoming Tyrannid splinter fleet heading to your system."

A Rogue Trader all the way out in the Ghoul Stars? It wasn't unheard of but it was highly surprising. "Thank you for your warning, but we already know of the incoming threat. Rogue Trader, are you here to gain credits? If so, I'm afraid you've arrived too late. The shipping lanes will cease in the coming weeks and we have little of value to give. You may wish to run away while you still can and save yourselves from the Devourer."

"Oh?" The voice called out, amused. "You're not trying to buy yourself out this? I can easily dispatch a shuttle or two and take your family aboard my ship along with anyone else willing to pay the price."

The governor considered it for a moment, but looking into the eyes of his wife and sons, he knew they would stay and fight even if he fled. Felinids were fierce, proud, fearless, and stuck together, unlike most humans who would happily betray each other or leave their subjects behind in order to save themselves.

Smiling, he answered. "And live knowing we ran while leaving our people to die? I'm sorry, but that is something I cannot do. You are willing to come and offer that same deal to other nobles. Of course, the Mechanicus forces stationed here do not fall under my jurisdiction, so they can do whatever they wish for… however, know that Carlos McConnell stands alone in the incoming end."

"Carlos McConnell? That name sounds familiar… that name. Wait, wasn't the one that that… Oh… OH! Now I remember!" The voice exclaimed, excitedly. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but is this the homeworld of the Abhuman Felinids?"

"Yes, indeed it is. What is it to you?" His wife answered, somewhat insulted by the tone of the Rogue Trader.

"Honey, prepare the sprayers, we have kitties incoming!" The voice sounded echoing and distant for a moment before it returned. "Alright, this is what is going to happen. My flotilla has enough space for several billions of people so we can begin evacuation orders. Forget about defending your world. Forget about making a stand. Forget about everything. Get everyone that can or wants to leave immediately and start organizing the planetary evacuation. Leave behind anyone that doesn't want to leave. Even with weeks of time, we can't underestimate those bugs."

Silence reigned in the governor's office for several seconds until he spoke up. "Why are you doing this? Why… why are you helping us?"

"Because unlike the bureaucratic assholes back on Terra and the self-righteous cunts in the Inquisition, I actually give a crap about more than my own life or my status. Plus, I have the means to actually help. Now, get to it, kitty cats, we don't have time to waste. The first shuttle trips will begin in five days from now, so get to it."

The transmission cut off and silence returned for a moment.

"Do we… do we trust this so-called Rogue Trader?" His wife asked, unsure.

"I'll demand an audience first… if he is indeed a Rogue Trader and free from corruption, then we will take his aid. If not, well, the Devourer will have a lot less to eat when it arrives," leaning against his chair, he looked at the ceiling. "Besides… what other option do we have? Eternal God-Emperor, give me strength."

X-Six Days later, outer edges of the Nellis System, Home system of the Felinids-X

A good lesson any Drukhari quickly learned to take to heart was that every target of opportunity was to be taken, used, abused, and profited with. It was a simple matter of survival. Why wouldn't you take on an easier prey that is wounded rather than put yourself in the eye of uncertainty when the cutting blade could pierce swifter and gain just as many wonderful prizes?

"My Lady, all ships are accounted for and ready to begin the culling of these cattle vermin," a wych announced softly, her voice laden with mischief and the thirst for pain.

Lelith Hesperax, Succubi of the Cult of Strife, grinned at the news delivered by the underling. "Excellent. Approach the planet as quickly as we can, announce our presence and let the prey know that we have come to rescue them from the Devourer," her grin extended for all to see.

Internally, Lelith couldn't help but sigh. She rarely partook on raids, but whenever she did was just to get away from Commorragh and from Vect, at least for a time. Oh, sure, she knew his patronage was needed, but she despised the man with a burning passion that outshone the Twin Suns of Commorragh. But now in front of her was a prize worthy of a feast of decadence.

And she had full intention of claiming it for herself and her cult.

I hope there is at least one worthwhile Mon-Keigh fighter amongst them. I yearn for a fight and for my blade to dance once more, she thought as she gripped the hilt of her dagger.

"My Lady, our sensors are picking up several signals stationed on the orbit of the prey's planet. It would seem that they are not as undefended as we thought," the wych announced.

"Hhhmmm, what sort of vessels do the sensors pick?" Lelith asked, intrigued.

"Data is inconclusive. Signatures indicate they belong to the Mon-Keigh slave Imperium, but the patterns and styles of the ships are strange. Some are like the garnish, bulky, clumsy things the Mon-Keigh prefer, but others are… unknown," the wych replied as she read what the sensors told her.

"I have picked up stray communications and focused sensor readings, my Lady. It would seem that the Mon-Keigh are trying to evacuate the planet," another one said, her voice ringing with eagerness and mockery.

"Perfect!" A third wych exclaimed. "The Mon-Keigh are making our work easier by packing the meat in containers for us! How kind of their them to know their place~"

"...A Rogue Trader Caravan," Lelith said after a moment of thought. It was rare to stumble upon them, but she had danced with Rogue Traders before. "It would seem that fortune favors us all this day, sisters! Slaves a plenty and a haul of goods and rare, delicious slaves for us to claim and enjoy. Move in at maximum speed! We must catch them now that they are distracted!" She exclaimed.

Haughty, self-important, pretentious, prideful, scornful, and narcissistic. The perfect ingredients that made for the tastiest of wine delve in pain, torture, and agony. Breaking a slave like that was only a step down from breaking an Astartes; the succulent essence of their souls as they learned just how powerless they truly were in front of the Drukhari, in front of her, was one of the most fulfilling things any of her kind could experience.

And she was going to take such a price for herself.

Unlike the stunted technology of the Imperium, her vessels were fast and capable of approaching silently, unnoticed, and attack when they were least expected. As the hours fly by, reports came in that their message had begun to do what she had predicted: chaos and fear amongst the so-called Felinids. She had fought with a few of them, captured in past raids on distant worlds, and they were a cut above her usual warm-up Mon-Keigh slaves, and now that their planet was looking down the throat of the Devourer, there was no way she'd let the chance to capture as many as possible slip.

However, she noted, something was indeed strange about the caravan belonging to the Rogue Trader. As they approached and their sensors were able to find better, more accurate readings of the vessels, she grew confused. Hmmm, those vessels look to be far more advanced than what the Mon-Keigh operate… it almost looks as if the exterior of the ones resembling their more traditional architecture is there as skin rather than part of their structure, she smirked. No matter. Mon-Keigh are Mon-Keigh and they will find their ends either at my feet, my blades, or through the arenas. It matters not… and I… and I shall live.

Focusing on the screen before her, she noted that her flotilla was ready to strike the unsuspecting-

Alarms wailed, surprising everyone. "My Lady, we're detecting several fighter craft deploying from the Rogue Trader caravan!" One of her wyches announced, excitement clear in her voice.

"Deploy Razor Wings! The hunt begins~," Lelith ordered, her previous thoughts set aside and discarded. Now she was curious as to how did the Mon-Keigh know they were so close to them and never detected a movement from their side. She smiled. "It seems we are dealing with someone who actually knows a modicum degree of tactics and strategy. It shall be a glorious duel!"

The screams demanding pain and bloodshed cried out through her bridge as their fighters spewed forth to intercept the incoming assault.

As expected, the crude craft of the Mon-Keigh proved to be inferior to the inherent superiority of the Razor Wings. Lelith watched as the more numerous craft of the humans quickly and ruthlessly dwindled down until nothing was left. And all it cost them were the lives of seven unworthy pilots.

But that didn't matter. A victory was a victory and now they could move in for the kill. "Prey is more succulent when it fights back~," she muttered to herself, licking her lips. "Where is the flagship of that pathetic Rogue Trader?"

"It is the one baring the sleek, blue design, my Lady."

"Good. I shall board that vessel myself and kill its commander. With some luck, I may find some bemusing entertainment," not a moment after she said those words, she stood up from her throne and swiftly made her way to her personal boarding ship, ready to bring the fight where she excelled at, in close quarters combat.

Time flew by quickly until she was flying through space, easily and effortlessly evading the rudimentary point-defense weaponry of the caravan. Not a single one of their ships had yet fired their weapons, though it was to be expected as their primitive weapons took a long while to prime and heat up.

Deftly like a ballerina performing for an audience, Lelith and the overwhelming majority of her forces landed all across the flagship's hull while the rest of her fleet entered into weapons range and began to fire upon the rest of the prey fleet with the intent of disabling them wholesale.

A dead slave was worthless after all.

As it was expected, they entered right on the ship's hangar. She jumped out of her ship followed by a few dozen of her wyches. She was surprised when she found that they were already surrounded by at least three times their number by Mon-Keigh.

Almost if they knew where they would disembark.

Lelith's smile grew wider as she took a moment to examine the humans in front of her. They were wearing full body armor, thick but not bulky, functional, with their joints not easily exposed, and sealed. In a way, it was more of a second skin rather than armor, but she knew better. Their weapons, too, were not the flashlights that guardsmen used, but rather something far more complex.

"FOR COMMORRAGH!"

Lelith heard the chant and saw as her sisters charged, delighted to meet their enemy head-on. She would punish them for that lack of control later, though she could hardly contain her excitement as she discovered more and more interesting things about her newest prey. All the better to make the hunt tastier and vivid in her eyes.

The Mon-Keigh, surprisingly, didn't shout 'For the Emperor!' or other such nonsense. They charged forth, yes, but not bereft of tactics or grace.

Splinter weapons and razor whips unleashed their potent attacks upon the humans only for them to bounce right off against their armor. Even the corrosive whips and electro gauntlets proved to be ineffective. Meanwhile, the humans didn't fire until they were at point-blank range. Every wych dodged the attack, a stream of blueish energy, and continued to charge, but that wasn't the end of it. Once melee was engaged after the short run, the humans surprised her again with their agility and dexterity. Still a far cry of what they could do, but certainly much, much more than she ever expected from a mere mortal.

One on one was suicide, but with their advantage in numbers, two and even three of them were enough to evenly match any of her wyches blow for blow.

Most infuriating of all, however, was what they were doing against her. She was fast, precise, nimble, and carnage incarnate as she moved in a flash, but her foes always remained just outside her considerable reach. She tried to bait them with false openings, but they never took it. In sheer skill, they were not worth her time, but using their stalling tactic, she found herself growing increasingly infuriated as she was denied her rightful duel and the blood that came with it.

"GAAAAHHHHHH!" A wych cried out before falling to the ground, trashing in pain before going limp. She was then quickly dragged away and subdued by the Mon-Keigh instead of killed outright.

As the fight went on, Lelith found the situation more and more frustrating and confusing. The humans were not killing them even after wych after wych fell to their weapons. Most strangely of all was that, whenever one of her sisters or she herself managed to wound a human, instead of fighting on, it was dragged by its comrades and substituted by another. For every wych that fell, one or two humans went down with her.

Soon enough she wasn't fighting against three but rather four humans. Then five. Then six. Then ten at the same time. With each new enemy and front, she had to get more and more serious, something that the unworthy ants before her deserved. Each failed strike was a sully to her honor as a duelist; slave meat that was worth less than the dirt beneath her feet was starting to corner her unless she unleashed her true potential.

All too late, however, she discovered that she was the last of her boarding party left standing, her sisters restrained, unconscious, and subdued.

With all the pain that only shame and dishonor could pierce through her heart, she did something she had never done before.

"This is Lelith Hesperax, I require reinforcem-"

"Curse the Mon-Keigh! My Lady, more fighters have launched from their vessels and their ships are firing disabling weaponry! Our Razor Wings are getting overwhelmed and- oh… NO! NOOOO! My Lady, more enemies have appeared from behind our flotilla! We're surrounded, we canno-"

"My Lady Lelith! This is Vilama, we're being overwhelmed, we require your assistance!"

"By Vect, what is that!? Sisters, we-"

"N-No! I cannot die! I will not die! I will not go to She Who Thirsts!"

"AARRRGGHHH-!"

Furious and bewildered in equal measure, Lelith turned back to see the ships of her flotilla in the distance of the void, their hulls shining a baleful gleam. Behind them however, she could see a trio of dots adorned in the colors of the Rogue Trader caravan. She saw all of them fire some sort of ball of energy that traveled quickly through space until they reached the heart of her flotilla at the same time. They detonated at the same time and she could see the lights and engines of her vessels die instantly.

The voices of her sisters and fellow wyches were cut off suddenly and static pierced her left ear, forcing her to take out and angrily crush the communicator.

"WHO!?" She screamed, raging at the humans keeping themselves a safe distance away from her but surrounding her completely. As the realization that she was truly alone dawned upon her, Lelith watched as a larger human approached from the back. Not quite as large as a Space Marine and also not as bulky, but imposing in his own right. For a mere Mon-Keigh, that is.

"Ahhhhh~," she moaned, smiling. Raising her daggers to him, she feigned a courtly bow. "You must be the Rogue Trader."

"That I am!" The man claimed before he coughed and cleared his throat. "I know how much you hate speaking gothic, so why don't we speak in your tongue, wych?" The large human asked with a tone of humor in his voice.

Lelith was taken aback with genuine surprise for the first time in as long as she could remember. "What is this? A human capable of talking and understanding the sophisticated tongue of the Aeldari? You will make for an amusing slave and decoration, meat. Mayhaps you may even be spared from my blade for a few years!" She mocked, her eyes set upon him but always aware of her surroundings, already formulating a plan to turn the tables on the insolent Mon-Keigh surrounding her.

The man chuckled. "Congratulations, you just won a star! You're the hundredth Dark Eldar who has claimed that much about me up to now!" He said in an amused tone, clapping his hands lightly though not in mockery. "Like, seriously, you go prancing and spewing how humanity has stunted sensors, how our senses suck, and how predictable our tactics and strategies are. But you somehow fail to realize your own shortcomings. Especially the Drukhari!" He chuckled again. "You claim to be masters of the ambush, hit and run attacks, and traps, and yet, where are you now? Alone, surrounded, your fleet stranded, and about to get your ass handed to you by yours truly," he finished with a traditional courtly Eldar bow that he imitated to perfection.

Anger filled her veins at the insulting words of the human and she raised a blade, pointing to him with masterful balance and precise aim. "I don't know who you are, Rogue Trader, but know that you have condemned your ships, your allies, and the billions of slave meat on that planet to a horrific, slow, and protracted death at the hands of my sisters in the Cult of Strife. You will serve me as entertainment for as long as I desire before I throw you to the arenas! The Cult of Strife shall drink in your pain, your agony, and your misery! Know this, Mon-Keigh, that by your words you have unleashed unspeakable horrors and torments upon all those around you!"

At that, the human gasped and dramatically extended a hand to her. "Ooooooohhhh, I'm so scareeeeeeed~ Look, honey, unless you're that pompous King Cunt of Vect or Il Duce of bastards that is Rakarth, you ain't getting a spook out of me," he said.

Despite the helmet he was wearing, Lelith could feel the smug smile on his face. How a mere human, a lowly Mon-Keigh, dared to insult her so? Honor be damned, she'd go all out on him for such insolence! Just as she was about to launch herself against her better judgment, her anger vanished when she saw his helmet and more of his armor fold itself, leaving him standing in a green trenchcoat. She stared into his (admittedly handsome) face and found the golden hue of his eyes intriguing and somewhat alluring.

"Tell you what, Wych… you are a wych, right? Or are you a succubus? Eh, doesn't matter. Look, I have a deal for you," he said as he tossed his weapon to the side alongside his trenchcoat, revealing a plain shirt, pants, and long, sturdy knee-high boots.

Meanwhile, she stood wearing her regular armor, leaving her barefooted despite wearing thigh-high boots, armor along her arms, and a skin-tight bikini set to cover her breasts and nethers. On her hands, she held her trusted daggers and nothing else.

"We'll fight one-on-one. If you can beat me, I'll let you go. But if I beat you, well, just look at your friends here and you'll get the idea~," he sang. The security forces seemed to understand his commands and quickly formed a large circle on the hangar's bay. Throwing away all of his other weapons except two swords, he took a stand, ready to fight her.

Lelith smirked darkly, her dark eyes shining with wicked intent. "I do not know if you are brave, insolent, insane, or all at the same time. You dare to challenge me, Lelith Hesperax, on a single one-on-one duel? For your insolence, you shall suffer. But once I kill you, your fellow Mon-Keigh shall perish next. I shall carve a bloody path, free my sisters, punish their incompetence, and make all of you suffer beyond imagining!"

It was the thing of a blink of an eye. Perhaps even faster than that. But the fact remained that the two opposing forces were standing and then they were suddenly at each other's throats.

The two moved with lethal efficiency, moving, sweeping, hacking, slicing, and attacking with the intent of ending the other. To the onlookers, even amongst the few wyches still semi-conscious, the battle was happening far too quickly for their eyes to follow properly. All they were able to see were quick flurries, after-images of attacks, and the flashes of metal meeting metal so quickly that they didn't produce any sort of noise.

For her part, Lelith was both amazed and frustrated that a damn Mon-Keigh, a filthy, lowly human, of all things, could keep up with her despite being serious. She had planned to end their fight in a single stroke, but at every swing and every strike she found either empty air or his blade blocking her; just as many times as she, Lelith Hesperax, was forced, FORCED to dodge out of necessity and not to show off her skills.

The fight continued to go on for what felt like ages with either of them managing to so much as grazing the other in any significant way. In any other circumstance, Lelith would be utterly delighted to find an opponent worth her skill and that could give her such a magnificent duel. They could be dancing instead of fighting, but no matter what she did, how many traps she did or tricks she played, no matter how she spun or kicked, or fainted an attack, the human always countered, always read her like an open book.

Worst of all, her figure was doing nothing to entice him or distract him and as she looked into his golden eyes, a realization dawned upon her.

He had the edge of the battle and would most likely claim victory over her. NO! I can't lose! I have bested countless foes, the best Drukhari duelists in Commorragh, even Astartes are nothing against me! Lelith thought, but even as she fought more desperately, the human overcame her strike for strike. She couldn't understand how was it that the swords of the human were able to stop her daggers capable of cutting through Space Marine armor like butter, but she finally reached her boiling point.

"ENOUGH!" She shouted before using her hair to strike at her foe with the flailed end of her ponytail.

She saw the Mon-Keigh smile, a flash of his swords went up, knocking away her strike while his other sword blocked her daggers… and finally she was hit by the tip of his sword. She instantly jumped back a few feet away from him and time froze for a moment.

Then, almost in slow motion, her top knot fell to the ground alongside her hairpin leaving her with shoulder-length hair. "M-My hair…," she muttered, not believing what she was seeing.

Unfortunately for Lelith, that split moment of distraction was all her foe needed to deftly strike her daggers away from her hands. Looking up, the proud gladiator saw a fist flying towards her face. Pain coursed through her body for a second… and then darkness.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Looks like I win~!" Epirus announced as he caught the now unconscious Eldar in his arms. Then, he fell to a knee and breathed heavily, straining to keep his balance. "Dang… she really put a strain on me. Ugggh, I'm going to wake up so sore tomorrow," he groaned as his muscles, joints, and lungs began to take their toll on him. "My everything is screaming bloody murder," he groaned again before standing up. He turned to the nearest guards and handed the Drukhari that had named herself as Lelith Hesperax over to them, quickly securing her. "She's their leader, so keep her contained and within sight at all times. Put the rest on the brig and don't fucking trust them. I hope I don't need to explain why trying to do anything with them is a super bad idea," he sighed. "I don't want to deal with another case of super herpes. So, ignore the skimpy harlots and keep it in your pants, understood?"

"Yes, Sir!" Every guard shouted in unison before they finished knocking out the few wyches that still remained conscious to see the downfall of their leader at the hands of a mere human.

With that done, Epirus returned to the bridge and retook his seat, which his wife was keeping warm for him. A beautiful woman with long, raven-black hair reaching midway down her back rose to her feet and walked up to him. He leaned down slightly in order to share a quick, passionate kiss. "Thanks, Alicia. What's the state of their ships?"

"Down and dead. We can blow them up or wait until they die on their own without life-support," Alicia replied and took a step back, her skin-tight blue and white armor hugged her body perfectly while her legs were adorned with thigh-high boots that shone lightly.

"Hmmm. Let's send boarding drones and subdue them before too many of them die. If I know something about Drukhari is that they'll accept almost anything if it means not dying and going to Slaanesh's putrid belly," he chuckled. "As for the rest, the stasis cells shall serve nicely. Packed tightly like sardines~" he chuckled again. "Casualties?"

"Just drones, not a single life was lost, though several were injured and most of them are begging for death in the infirmary. Damn their weaponry, even with our tech it'll take them days to recover from the effects," Alicia replied, disgusted.

"I know, honey. I know. But the trap worked and now we can focus on evacuating the Caitians-"

"Felinids," Alicia corrected.

"I know what I said~," he said in a knowing tone. "At any case, we need to evacuate them fast."

"What about the other Imperial worlds in the path of the Tyrannids?" Alicia asked, concerned.

"I dispatched two evacuation and relocation fleets to Majoris Difara and Vhuljin… I'm sorry, but those are the only ones we could reach in time without drawing unwanted attention. Most of their population was evacuated, thankfully."

Alicia sighed but nodded. "At least we are doing something."

The silence created in the bridge as they all faced the grim reality lasted for several minutes until everyone returned to their normal activities.

The evacuation took several weeks, but by the time the Tyrannid fleet was detected entering the system, only a scant few million stubborn idiots (as Epirus called them) chose to remain on their planet to die an honorable death instead of living a life of cowardice. Still, they had to move post-haste if they were to outrun the scouting vessels of the Tyrannid fleet.

Thankfully, the Drukhari ships proved to be excellent fire ships and distracted them for long enough for their fleet to get away unscathed. After every ship had made it to the outer edges of the system, the relay drones and probes left behind activated, giving a split-screen view of the system's star and of Carlos McConnell, the homeworld of the Felinids.

"Our home," the daughter of the governor muttered as she stood next to her family on Epirus' flagship bridge upon his invitation. The voice of the teenager cracked at the visage of seeing their world's usually greenish and silvery atmosphere turned into purple and grey was heartbreaking. Though seeing the capillary towers sticking from various places along the planet's surface was even worse.

"I thought you deserved to see the death of your world… and more," Epirus said seriously as he turned to the governor and his wife. "Tell me, if you could kill those monstrosities wholesale and to the last, would you sacrifice your world?"

"My world is already being devoured," the governor replied, sadly. "It hardly matters now. Of course, I would do it, just so that others don't have to suffer through that pain."

Epirus smirked. "Then sacrificing a whole star is mere child's play, wouldn't you say?" As he said that, he pulled out a small box, pressed a button… and a laser point flashed on the ground.

The governor blinked in confusion. "What are you-"

"Mmmrreeeowww!" His wife, suddenly and abruptly, leaped at the laser pointer. It only took a moment for his three sons and daughter to imitate their mother for some confounding reason. He could only watch in utter bewilderment as their savior, Lord Rogue Trader Epirus, guided his family forward until they reached a small pedestal with a big red button on it.

His wife was the swiftest and pounced on the laser point now resting atop the button. With a click from the button, something began to happen on the screen depicting their system's star.

With the laser pointer turned off, his wife and children returned to normal before casting their gaze to the screen only to find rippling energies coursing through, along, and against the star… then, impossibly, it began to grow… and grow… and grow.

"What did you do!?" Shouted the governor's wife, horrified.

Epirus shrugged. "Me? You pressed the button. Now you just ensured that those Tyrannids will die here and now and not be a bother anymore."

"Hssss! Hssss!" The distraught Felinid hissed, but was quickly shut up the moment Epirus pulled out a sprayer from a pouch and used it on her. "Aaaaarrcck! N-Not water! Mmmwwwaaaoooo! It's too soon for my bath!"

The governor, however, could only stare in disbelief as the star suddenly exploded and turned Nova. He also noticed that the fleet began to do… something. He had seen several Gellar Field activation sequences, but nothing of the sort was happening. Not there was a rupture in the Warp or any of the standard procedures for a jump.

What exactly was going?

He wanted to ask, but before he could say it, he felt a thuum in the entire ship and then… they were gone, leaving behind them an entire star system to die and the destroyers of their home alongside it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

-Unknown Location, Ghoul Stars-

Epirus entered the vast chambers of an orbital station with Alicia by his side. As they walked over to the center of the room the two gave curious glances, what they found made them smile. Eldar and humans, necrons and quarians, lizardmen and twixqi, and a few other species all working together as equals performing their duties.

As they approached the woman standing at the center of the room reviewing a few data screens, she turned to them and smiled.

Much like Alicia, she was wearing a similar armor piece, but far more stylized, elegant over functional, and bearing colors of blue, white, green, and a pinch of red here and there. She moved with elegance, each step barely creating a sound despite wearing thigh-high boots that brought out her slender, long legs; each tight-fitting piece of nanomachine carbon composite flowing with her motion to perfection.

Her long hair reached almost her waist in the shape of a ponytail, swaying ever so slightly in tandem with her hips. Her frame

"Alicia!" The woman, and Eldar, greeted in a happy, familiar tone before embracing the woman. The two shared a quick hug and kissed each other on the cheek. An act that would've sent Alicia to the pyres if she still lived in the Imperium and ensured the eldar woman be exiled from a Craftworld at the very least.

"Iserena, it's so good to see you again!" Alicia replied, ending the hug. Then, Epirus approached and leaned slightly to kiss Iserena's lips, the couple sharing a long, passionate kiss. "Alright, you two, save it for the bedroom."

"Apologies," Iserena muttered, licking her lips as the kiss ended. "I've missed my husband dearly for the few months he was absent, as well as missed you, Alicia," she gave her friend and fellow wife a nod before turning to Epirus. "How was your trip? I hope you didn't find anything too troubling?"

"Bugs, kitties, and a few thousand Dark Eldar held in captivity," Epirus replied, grinning, as he sat down on the command chair and placed his wives on each lap. The two blushed slightly at his open shows of affection but everyone around them either ignored them or giggled at the cute, romantic display of affection.

"Do you have any idea who you captured?" Iserena asked, curious.

"Hmmm, I think they called themselves 'The Cult of Strife'. Their leader, one called Lelith Hesperax, really put me through the gutter. For a moment there I really thought she was going to beat me but you know how Dark Eldar are, so impulsive and-"

"You captured Lelith Hesperax!?" Iserena yelled, surprised. Turning to Alicia, she pointed a finger at her. "And you didn't tell me!?"

"Surpriiiiiseeeee~," Alicia sang.

"Ohhhhhhohohoooooo!" Iserena laughed with malicious intent as a devious grin spread across her features. "I'd love to see Vect's face! He's a huge fan of Lelith!" Breathing in and regaining her composure, she continued. "What do you plan to do with the Drukhari?"

"I'm not sure, honestly. I kinda just want to kill them since, you know," Epirus allowed his lack of explanation to do the talking for him for a few seconds. "But I think I'll give them to Trazyn. You know how much he loves to turn Drukhari into dolls for his collection," he leaned back and his expression became slightly more serious. "I don't think we'll find a lot of Drukhari willing to change in this batch, though."

"Then, my love, allow me a chance to convince as many as possible to see a better path," Iserena pleaded. "They may be Drukhari and deserve every last ounce of misery coming their way, but they are still Eldar… it is a duty to my species, love," both Alicia and Epirus nodded in understanding. "Thank you, Epirus, Alicia," she sighed. "I'll need to start with Lelith herself as soon as possible. If I can convince her to join us, then many of her wyches will no doubt follow."

"Hmmm, yes…," Epirus murmured while images of the wyches clad in their skimpy outfits crossed his mind. That is, until Alicia pulled his ear. "Sorry! Sorry!"

"Men," Alicia sighed disappointedly.

"But that's not all, Epirus," Iserena spoke up. "If I can convince Lelith to abandon the Drukhari ways and join us, we'll gain a powerful warrior and maybe some information regarding the higher echelons of Dark Eldar society."

Epirus nodded. "You don't need to convince me any further, love. If you want to try to save her just because she's an Eldar, you can try. I don't need any other incentive. Now… where are we going to put the kitties? Are the orbital habitats over Linaros V done?"

Chapter 1 End.