Warhammer 40k : Space Marine Kayvaan

Gustav shook his head. "Nothing concrete. The lead is thousands of years old. Since then, the Mechanicus has dispatched no fewer than eight explorator detachments to survey your region. Centuries of searches have produced no results. Personally, I find it improbable. Your sector lies so remote that even during the Dark Age of Technology, colonization here was sparse."

Kayvaan's thoughts turned dark. 'Damn it, Gustav, you're giving me a heart attack over nothing.' One day, he swore, he'd tie those mechanical limbs into knots just to see the man squirm. Outwardly, though, he softened his tone. "Then why tell me this? What's your point?"

"Ah, well," Gustav continued. "While no findings emerged from your sector, there has been a breakthrough elsewhere."

Kayvaan forced back the urge to snap, 'What does that have to do with me?' Instead, he smiled faintly. "I'm sorry, but could you get to the point? How does this concern me?"

"We require your assistance," Gustav said firmly. "The border world Fortis Aion is under siege. The 101st Cadian regiment stationed at the Fort Gallan is being overrun. They've sent an emergency signal. For the Mechanicus, Aion is critical. It serves as both our forward stronghold and the nearest Warp transit hub back to Imperial space. Months ago, a Mechanicus survey uncovered what appears to be an ancient buried city. Initial augur scans indicate the possibility of STC remnants within it."

Kayvaan's face remained composed. "You mentioned Aion as a connection to Imperial space. Elaborate."

Gustav inclined his head. "Warp travel relies on stable routes mapped over millennia. Aion represents the most reliable nexus linking this fringe sector back to the greater Imperium. If Aion falls, the Warp corridor will collapse. Alternative routes are uncharted and fraught with peril. Any attempts to open a new path would delay transit by six months or more. You passed through Aion's corridor to arrive here. Without it, your domain would be isolated—cut off from support, reinforcement, or retreat."

Kayvaan nodded, his mind racing. 'If Aion falls, we're stranded.' It was a grim reality—no reinforcements, no escape. "I understand the severity. But you're aware that my Knights Templar chapter is newly formed. We are far from combat-ready. My seneschal is still scouting locations for our fortress-monastery. The chaplain is occupied establishing command structures and training recruits. My Techmarine hasn't yet completed his forge. I've no full company of Astartes, let alone an army. How do you expect me to assist?"

Gustav's mechanical limbs shifted slightly. "We are aware of your limitations, my lord. Yet the threat to Aion cannot be ignored. Even a small strike force could shift the balance. The Cadians fight valiantly, but they cannot hold against such opposition alone. Your presence—your command—could turn the tide."

Before Kayvaan could respond, Elizabeth interjected. "If you're worried about firepower, you don't need to be. That's why we're here. My Sisters and I will bring all the might you require."

Kayvaan frowned thoughtfully. "With the Inquisition involved, mustering sufficient strength should be straightforward. How many troops are we talking about?"

"There's me, fourteen of my Sisters, yourself, and Gustav," Elizabeth listed briskly. "Altogether, that makes seventeen."

"Seventeen?!" Kayvaan leaned back, disbelief writ across his face. "You're bringing fifteen fighters? Are you here to mock me? A Cadian regiment can't retake the fortress, and you think seventeen people will succeed? How many enemies are we even facing?"

"Our estimates suggest between fifty and seventy," Elizabeth replied, unbothered. "Eldar Rangers. They've locked down the fortress using long-range suppression tactics. To be blunt, the Cadians can't show their faces without being cut down."

"A handful of snipers suppressing a fortress? And the Cadians can't retaliate? What happened to their artillery?"

Elizabeth's tone turned icy. "An unnatural explosion in the ammunition depot destroyed their shells before the battle began—clearly sabotage by the Rangers. But for a fortress to allow such infiltration speaks to failure on the part of the Imperial Guard. Cowardice and negligence. It's disgraceful. My lord, as the leader of the Templar Knights, you should learn not to rely on such weak-willed forces."

Kayvaan exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. "Fine, point taken. But then why involve me? If you and your Sisters are sufficient, what do you need me for?"

Elizabeth hesitated, a faint flush rising to her cheeks. "Ahem, well… while my Sisters and I excel in faith and firepower, we lack subtlety. The Eldar won't face us directly, and capturing them alive requires… finesse. That's where you come in."

'Ah, so that's it.' Kayvaan fully grasped her dilemma. The Sisters of Battle were devastating in war, their zealous ferocity unmatched. But subtlety? Covert operations? "Capture them alive"? Those concepts were anathema to their methods. For them, "covert infiltration" often meant annihilating everything in the area and declaring it secure. Capturing someone alive depended more on the target's resilience than their restraint.

"It's unusual," Kayvaan remarked, watching her carefully. "Does this mission align with your order's goals?"

"Normally, no," Elizabeth admitted. "The Ordo Hereticus and Ordo Malleus focus on heretics and the daemonically tainted. Xenos are not our concern. But this time is different. These Eldar Rangers pose a dangerous unknown near our borders. Their understanding of the Warp and its denizens could be invaluable to the Inquisition."

Kayvaan wasn't convinced. He leaned back, studying the two people sitting in his modest chamber. One radiated unease over the potential presence of an STC on Aion, while the other simmered with frustration over her "elf-child" prey that had vanished without a trace. Both seemed determined to mount a rescue operation as quickly as possible, yet neither seemed to spare much thought for the Astra Militarum forces still stranded there. But what was there to worry about? In an Imperium teetering on the brink, who among the Emperor's servants could truly claim control over their own survival?

For Kayvaan, the battle ahead wasn't just another mission—it was inevitable. The thought of retreat, even in the face of possible death, was inconceivable. "I get it," Kayvaan said at last, breaking the heavy silence. "Whether it's about maintaining trade corridors, preserving the Imperium's interests, or saving the Guardsmen still holding out in Fort Gallan, we need to move immediately." His tone hardened. 'And let's not forget—the merit evaluation tied to this operation. Success here is critical for my future standing. More importantly, it'll direct the Mechanicus' attention back to their ruins, which should buy my sister and me a little breathing room.'

Both Gustav and Elizabeth were on their feet at once, clearly eager to begin. Time was of the essence—delay was not an option.

Gustav cleared his throat, his voice hesitant but firm. "Who's leading this operation?" 

Elizabeth grinned, her confidence as unshakable as ceramite. "You, obviously," she said, pointing toward Kayvaan. "You're responsible for capturing those alien wretches alive. No need to drag the Inquisition fully into this. The merit's all yours, but once we've secured them, they'll be turned over to me for interrogation."

Kayvaan returned a mock bow, his tone sardonic. "Of course, Lady Inquisitor. I'll notify my captain, and we'll set out at once."