[PLAYING HELMET FOOTAGE – VOX 1]
Echo 1 - {"Radials Clear. Advancing."}
The clanking of armor is heard through the audio caster, Vox operator Tunae advancing through the snowy terrain, passing Echo 1.
Echo 2 - {"Contact left side. Eliminating."}
A short flurry of las-shots ring out, the helm cam turning to see a Daemon, referred to as a 'Beowulf' by locals, be torn apart. Each bolt tore chunks out of creatures' false flesh, its body crumpling to the ground before slowly dissipating.
Echo 1 - {"Gah, don't think I'll ever get used to that."}
Ordinal - {"There would be problems if you did, Private. Continue forward."}
The perspective moves forward, the sound of crunching snow nearly drowning out the distance roars and stub-gun fire.
A whistle rings out from Echo 2.
Echo 2 - {"Sounds like we're nearing the POI to me, Bets still on?"}
Echo 1 - {"Affirm, PDF patrol."}
Echo 3 - {"Anchove, only civvies are dumb enough to be out here like this."}
Echo 4 - {"You say that, and yet where are we? 50 crowns on PDF patrol."}
Needle - {"20 on Civs."}
Vox 1 - {"Upping mine: 60 on patrol."}
Ordinal - {"For the Emperors sake, keep your bets off the main channel! I don't need another ass-reaming from overwatch!"}
[{SQUAD VARIX, PERSONAL RECREATION TIME HAS BEEN DOCKED BY 1 HOUR FOR CURRENT CYCLE}]
Vox Caster - {"Too late, sir."}
Ordinal - {"Perfect."}
The vox quickly goes silent, though voices can still be heard off to the sides.
The sounds of combat steadily grow louder, as do several large footfalls sounding out from behind.
Ordinal - {"Daemon contact, behind!"}
The camera pivots 180 degrees, a hotshot lasgun quickly lifting into frame before firing at the pack of Beowulfs charging towards the squad.
The pack, around 6 strong, is quickly cut down, but more footfalls can be heard.
[{DAEMONIC INFLUENCE HAS SPIKED – VARIX, CONTINUE TO POI AND AWAIT EXTRACTION}]
Ordinal - {"Understood, Varix Squad, advance!"}
Tunae picks up speed as the squad begins rushing through the snow, occasional las-shots ringing out as Daemons break into view before being killed.
A break in the trees comes into view ahead of the squad, stubber fire just beyond.
Ordinal - {"Echo 1, echo 3, point. Echo 2, Caster, shadow. Needle, with me."}
The camera view shifts to Echo 3 as they move forward alongside another stormtrooper, approaching the break whiles others can be heard moving behind them.
The two stormtroopers look to each other for confirmation before moving into the clearing hotshots raised.
The second the feed reveals the clearing in full, it freezes.
The picture before him was certainly odd: A field of stone daemons, eternally locked in their death-throes. Flowers, Terran Roses according to the archives, bloomed across the battlefield, thorn covered vines wrapping around the beasts unmoving limbs like chains.
At the center of it all stood a woman, the focus of his attention. A brilliant white cloak billowed out behind her, partially obscuring the armored dress she wore. In her hands was an art piece of an axe, cleaving easily into a Beowulfs head.
Perhaps the most important part was her eyes: They glowed with an ethereal silver light, pouring out much like water from a damn, drowning any Daemon foolish enough to approach.
The inquisitor turned to his guest, one Cardinal Columbidae.
"So, am I correct in the belief that this may be of interest to you?" He asked.
The Cardinal gave him an unimpressed look, raising a brow before sipping at his amasec.
"You know damn well what my answer to that is, inquisitor." The Cardinal let out, setting down his drink. "So how about you stop treating me like an idiot and get to the point."
The inquisitor smiled at the older man.
"Cardinal, if I thought you were an idiot then I would be drowning you in praise; it is my respect for you that drives me to give you at least enough respect to not make assumptions."
The Cardinal sighed, deflating slightly in his chair, "Benthos, what do you want of me? While this woman is interesting in her unique ability to kill Daemons, you could have shown this to literally any other Ecclesiarch and gotten them to do practically anything as long as they got her. Yet you are more than aware I am no such fool." The look the Cardinal struck him with could be described as nothing less than scornful, fueled by years of political maneuvering and schemes.
The inquisitor's smile only widened.
"THAT my friend, is the exact reason I have come to you of all people. I do not need some blind zealot, who will be brushed off, or some overtly corrupt fool who only holds their position out of logistical convenience. I need someone within the Ecclesiarchy that the administratum will actually listen to."
A short silence held the two as the Cardinal swirled his drink, staring into the inquisitors' eyes.
Benthos was not merely stroking the man's ego with his little proclamation. Cardinal Columbidae was renowned throughout the sector as an intelligent man, one whose words were held with respect and reverence by all who heard them, though whether this was truly out of respect or the fear that those who ignored him would find themselves buried was less important.
"Hmmph." The Cardinal grunted, breaking the silence. "While I am sure that last bit of drivel was, as you said earlier, purely for the sake of swaying my emotions, I must admit that this woman, and the planet that bred her into existence, are of interest to me." He set his drink down, crossing his hands.
"So why exactly do you need an army?"
[RECIPIENT – LORD COMMANDER LACERTILLIA]
[SUBJECT – REDEPLOYMENT OF MILITARY FORCES FOR INQUISITORIAL USE]
Greetings, Lord Commander.
I shall not waste your time with platitudes and other such nonsense. I require soldiers, enough so to take control of a reasonably small world.
Subject population, 250 million souls, only 150 thousand of which are part of a sub-militarum grade PDF.
Further information may be found in the attached document.
May the Emperor guide you, sincerely Lord Inquisitor Benthos.
{ }
Pain was the first thing she woke to.
A dull thudding thing that pounded throughout her body, like a chorus of drums in her bones.
So, an average Tuesday, basically.
Summer slowly dragged herself into a sitting position, thankful for the reasonably soft beds in the Altesian medical ward she now found herself in, likely dragged there by the soldiers she encountered.
As her eyes cleared up from the blur of sleep, she took a closer look around the place: dark grey walls surrounded her, the relatively empty ward had a fairly dower look. Odd skull ornaments adorned much of the equipment, but knowing how eccentric doctors could be, she ignored them.
"Ah, I see the dead have risen once more."
Speak of the Grimm, and they shall appear.
Summer gave the doctor a glance before letting out a yawn and stretching. "Thanks for patching me up doc, any clue where the captain's office is?"
The doctor, who she only just now realized seemed to be wearing full combat kit, gave her an odd look quirking an eyebrow. "I'm not sure that is of much importance right now, ma'am. I need to go over the basic wake up procedures before any-"
Summer cut him off by getting out of the bed, looking down to see that she had been fitted with a hospital gown. She ignored the doctor as he tried to usher her back into bed, walking towards the nearest door.
"Thanks for the help doc, but I really need to call my boss, huntress business, ya know?"
The doctor seems to fight with himself for a second before pressing a finger to his ear. "This is Medicae Pike, subject Primaris-1 is attempting to leave the medical ward, assistance required."
Summer gave the man an annoyed look. "Listen doc, I can get checked up once I've called up Oz, ya don't need to call security on-"
The door suddenly slammed open; multiple men dressed in the same fatigues as the troops that had saved her having barged into the room and pointing guns straight at her head.
"...me."
[RECIPIANT – LORD INQUISITOR BENTHOS]
[SUBJECT – DENIAL OF REDEPLOYMENT]
Lord inquisitor, I am afraid that I must deny your request for militarum assets.
As of the moment, all of my forces are currently deployed in highly important operations ensuring the defense of the sector. Due to this, I cannot spare even a paltry force to take what your document informs me is a backwater world with no knowledge of the imperium sitting in the middle of a dead zone.
Simply put, any campaign deployed into that region would take far too long for our defenses to afford. I am sure that whatever it is that interests you on that world can be acquired with the forces of the inquisition, as I highly doubt that whatever you want requires the full reclamation of this 'Remnant'.
May the Emperor guide you.
Signed – Lord Commander Lacertillia Vertebrata
Post Sciptum – I will remind you, Inquisitor, that any communications regarding military matters are to be passed through my assisting scribes, and not sent directly to my personal data slate, as that is purely for emergency scenarios. This is the 28th time you have done this, please stop.
Also, my techpreist is very annoyed with the odd format the document used, I haven't a clue why, but expect immediate consequences from the mechanicus.
The cell door slammed close with a loud 'CLANG', causing Summer to wince. The soldiers had immediately marched her down to what seemed to be some sort of high security cell block, throwing her into a blank room and locking her in.
Wherever she was, it sure as hell wasn't Altesian: Atlas didn't cover almost every wall in skulls, murals, and murals of skulls. The troops as well weren't the usual Atlas schlock either, not a single one letting down their guard on the way to her cell.
The place was a damn maze too, meaning even if she managed to get away from them, she wouldn't be able to find her way out.
The one solace she got was that they sure as hell weren't working for Salem, given them gunning Tyrian down like it was nothing. Of course, bandits mercenaries or extremist groups weren't much better, but hey, with them it just meant she was getting ransomed.
Well, not that Oz would be PAYING that ransom of course. It was best that she just sit back, relax, and wait for the idiots that kidnapped her to realize why you don't piss off Oz.
[RECIPIENT – LORD COMMANDER LACERTILLIA]
[SUBJECT – REDEPLOYMENT, CONTENUED]
Once more, greetings.
I was dismayed to read your response to my request. I assure you that the reclamation of this world is of up-most importance. I am afraid that the taking of this world is a necessity for my work, and any force redeployed will be well worth the price.
Regardless, I will not deny your concerns. Kindly await a follow up missive from an accomplice of mine.
Thud, Thud, Thud
Summer shot up as someone banged on her door, a small smile lighting up her face as the door opened.
"You idiots finally figure out how much shit you're...in..."
The Huntresses words faded off as she got a good look at the figure in the doorway. It stood, at minimum, 9 feet tall, and was decked in plate armor inches thick. Strapped to its left wrist was a gun easily the size of her head, while gripped in its right hand was glaive taller than the thing itself.
The eyes of its helmet burned blue, and the silver metal that made its form almost seemed to glow.
Her first thought was that it was some kind of android, like those "knight" things James had told her about, but the idea was dashed as it began to speak.
"Come with me."
Its voice was deeper than what any human should be possible of achieving, rumbling through the air as if it were a physical object.
Summer had apparently taken too long thinking for the thing, as it clinched its left fist, causing the gun to rack a round with a loud 'clunk'.
"NOW."
She flinched as the creatures tone grew harsh, feeling as though the words alone had somehow burned her. Summer quickly followed the thing out of her cell, eyes widening as she saw 2 more standing just outside.
[RECIPIANT – LORD INQUISITOR BENTHOS]
[SUBJECT – APPROVAL OF REDEPLOYMENT]
I am unsure how you convinced the cardinal to support you in this ill-advised endeavor, but sadly that means I have no choice in the matter. Columbidae has assured me that forces from his own congregation, sisters of one 'Order of the Silver Shield' shall make up for whatever forces are redeployed to assist you.
I am able to provide you with 80 million soldiers of the guard, alongside accompanying artillery and armor support. Anything more will need to be gained through other means.
May the Emperor guide you.
Signed – Lord Commander Lacertillia Vertebrata
To call the room she found herself in 'gaudy' would be an understatement: Almost every surface was plated in gold (or at least painted to look as such) and ornaments and paintings covered almost every inch of wall she could see. If the android-things that had dragged her here hadn't told her that whoever took her was rich, then this room sure as hell did.
She heard the door slam behind her as the three giants left the room. The entire march here had been unbelievably uncomfortable, the shear hate and malice radiating off the things almost feeling physical. She had a hundred questions for these people from where they got their weird ass tech to why the hell they thought this would end well for them, but honestly, her main question was-
"... How the hell are any of the doors in this place still standing if everyone is that intent on abusing them."
"High quality materials, good design, and skilled fabricators, my dear."
Summer jumped (again, was she always this oblivious?) as a voice called across the room. She turned to see an old man wearing some weird getup she had only seen in those weird churches that treated the brothers like-
"Oh fuck, I've been kidnapped by a murder cult."