-... A direct attack on the world’s capital with chem bombardments. That would crack the moral of the defenders instantly.
-Have you seen the anti-air defence graphs? No way I’m sending my birds in against that. We would barely cause enough damage to justify...
-What about leaving them without food? those farm-cities are vulnerable...
-We don’t have the resources nor the time to subdue this world by hunger, we should just jump in and plunder what we can, surely the Imperium will exterminate everything to make sure it isn’t “tainted”.
-No, no, no, we should sack all those ruins, ancient artifacts surely await us there.
-Enough!
All the faces that seconds before were bickering around the holo-maps and the data-chips turned towards their leader.
As always, Mansur wondered if the lord, or captain, as his navy-trained mind prefered, would have been as handsome had he not been an astartes. And he always ended with the same answer. No. It was that combination of genetically architecture beauty, too symmetric to be human, that unmistakeable white hair, and those patrician features, which made him an almost hypnotising figure, which, when combined with his natural charisma had given him command of a fanatically loyal force. And considering that that force seldom could decide by itself what to do, it truly was a blessing to have him in command.
With a waving towards the warband’s sorceress the lord spoke - I believe Kondwani has detected the presence of other Illuminated legions in this system.
The witch nodded before mumbling in a half asleep voice-A red banner will soon float in Hive Cogger, and the sons of the Maelstrom have arrived as well. But there is also a laugh in the background of the aether, foreseeing the coming of The Thirsty’s own. And a strange star can be smelled, stealing and assimilating those she comes upon, strangely vampirical yet with a life of its own, shining with a whole rainbow of blessings and curses.
Flaying his servo arms and forcing those around him to duck for cover Madoc imploded-Red banners floating?!The sons of the Maelstrom?! The Thirsty?! Smelling stars?! This witch has finally gone insane, I say.
-You say many things Madoc, sadly most of them aren’t too smart.-replied Vaughan, always ready to poke the older marine
-Keep your mouth shut pup. I trampled my way across the stars way before you were born, I was at the Siege, you know, I saw your father’s blood on his feathers.-
A grin full of scorn appeared in Macaon Tichaona’s ravaged and half bionic face.
-And what a job you and your brothers and cousins did, failing at achieving anything, even with overwhelming numerical superiority. Surely we must listen to a man capable of such strategic feats. -laughter- As for that father of mine, at least he wasn’t the one who lowered the shields of his battle barge and allowed the False Emperor to destroy him, was he?- Parried the ex-blood angel.
-I said enough! The sorcerer has proved a useful tool across the years. And we would be way better if you two employed your time in something productive instead of discussing the size of your respective fathers’ genitals. As always, the Lord’s wrath put an end to the discussion.
And then a mortal voice asked-My lord, if I may…
-Yes Lieutenant Aksoy?
The Lieutenant looked at her datapad-I have some coincidences here. The Sons of the Maelstrom are, I’d bet my last credit, a reference to the Red Corsairs… Anything to add lord Solak?
The marine quickly hid his shock beyond a poker face that revealed absolutely nothing -Keep going mortal, I have nothing to say about my once-brothers.
-And this red banner thing, I don’t know what it is, but what we have caught on some orbital scans of Hive Clogger fits right in with other data regarding a band calling itself “The Flayed Legion”, which then, brings us to one of their cultist band’s aliases, “Brotherhood of the Red Banner”. As for The Thirsty, it's a somewhat looser connection, but as our dear sorcerer went on a binge of eldar soulstones lately… it could be a connection to the eldar name of the Dark Prince, which points us to…
The Lord cut her-The Third.
-Yes my lord.
-Hum, all humans I’ve known have said that family meetings are horrible things. Would you adhere to that Lieutenant Feray?
The aforementioned chuckled- I killed my family for a chance to get out of the slums, sir, I doubt any meeting with them would be too happy on my side.
-Forgot about that part of your biography. But even if we manage to negotiate joint action with the our other “Enlightened” cousins, we will need a place of our own to deploy. I doubt we can keep hiding our presence for too long, and this half-collapsed hulk is hardly a space superiority vessel...
-If I may, my lord, there is a minor city isolated in an island in Luna Epsilon, apparently lacking all but the lightest of defences. We are in a dire need of supplies after a warp jump this long. And the witch - said Katida while glancing at Kondwani- says that the Warp has already started to take a hold in that moon, so it could provide us with a safe-ish base in the system.
Katida quickly switched the system-wide holomap to a full view of Luna Epsilon, and then to the city named Arcadis Bay.
-As you can all see, while its position doesn’t favour a combat landing, it would be vulnerable enough should we deploy in the western half of the island, Montessa, and go from there.
Torosian started spinning the map-Possible… And its not like we do have any better target to hit for supplies. Solak, Bevan, I want eyes and a couple of birds down there, so start moving. Engin and Feray, get everyone prepared for deployment, we are leaving this hulk once we hear the LZ is clear. And no, Kostandin, I don’t care about your lab, pack it in any way you can. Kondwani, you know the drill, Madoc, I want this whole damn hull rigged with explosives. While we can’t use this as a base anymore, it will do us a last service. Aksoy, you are on babysitting duty, watch out and keep everyone from fething up. I will see you all in five hours, get working.

=====The Agrona=====
Taranis sat in his chambers on his Battle Barge, the Agrona, and looked out the window. He peered for hours into the outer darkness that had sheltered them for the last week while they had destroyed the resistance of a renegade colony. They had slaughtered 9 billion souls to purge their taint. They were not the enemy he was hoping to find, but he would gladly carve a bloody path through the galaxy to find the Eldar that damned him to silence. He removed his helmet reluctantly and slowly traced his hand over the marred flesh that was his throat. He stood and looked into his mirror, he looked over every scar on his face and recalled every battle. He looked at the tattoos covering his body and remembered the slaughter they provided. His gaze finally fixed on his own black eyes, they matched the robes he was wearing, both a reminder of what lay outside the window. There was a sudden wrap on the door, Taranis put his helmet back on before moving to the door and opening it. A serf was standing their and eyeing Taranis almost as if he were challenging him. The serf spoke with more resolve than most, “My Lord, there is an astropathic message for you.” The serf’s resolve seemed to diminish over the next few words, “It is from Lord Tyberos, my Lord.” Taranis looked the serf in the eyes and started to communicate with him via psychic connection. “I shall head to the astropath, have Exitar meet me there.” His voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere and it was soft, much softer than a normal marine. Such was an affliction of the Carcharodons. Taranis made his way to the ship’s astropath, curious to see why Tyberos had contacted them, perhaps to congratulate them for the slaughter? He walked through the door and was met with the enchained psyker already staring at him. He preferred to speak with him, he was accustomed to psychic communication. “Tyberos sent a message?” “Yes Lord Taranis, that is correct.” “What did he say?” “He has good news, the Eldar of Craftworld Iybraesil and their Farseer leader have been spotted in a small system.” Taranis’ blood boiled and his brow furrowed at the words. “It is the Crion System, he has given you his blessing to hunt and slaughter them.” The door leading to the room opened and in strode a hulking brute of a man, Exitar, the company’s Chaplain. “What is it Taranis?” Taranis turned and looked Exitar in the eyes, their minds becoming one, “Tyberos has sent us a message. the Eldar of Iybraesil and the Farseer witch have been spotted. I want you to rally the men, stir their anger so we may slaughter them.” “Yes, my Lord…” and with that, Exitar turned starting singing litanies of slaughter. Taranis headed to the bridge and set a course for the Crion system. They would wait in the dark until they found conflict ripe for slaughter.