Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

"Fetch me some of that warm tanna lieutenant!" The company commander snapped as a sharp officer ran into the tent opposite us.
Commander Flint was by no means a small man. And i was dwarfed not only by his size but the fear he commanded from his troops. These men were not brash whoteshields or lowly conscripts these were The Emperors finest death dealers, and victory hounds. The mordian 8th was by no means an ordinary unit or the Astra militarum. They were my personal army in service to the exploration, colonization and proliferation of Mankinds dominion over the stars.

"There better be a good reason you had us meet on this backwater moon , space pirate." Flint provoked.
But if i was to reign in these battle hardened warriors it was to be through guile and not gaudy force.
"Remind me lord commander Flint why one of cadia's finest sons has agreed to meet with me in the first place then?" I jested
He grimaced as his subordinates smirked around him. Commander Flint was a tough old son of a bitch who had weathered countless raids by the hordes of chaos in defense of cadia. His only flaw was his blatant disregard for authority that and his rude unapologetic demeanor, well that and his coarse- , the point is this man is very very unpleasent to be around hence his forced retirement from cadia's honorable regiments.

"Right then, i would also much appreciate you give that same respect whicch i have extended to you Lord commander Flint."

"Yes, Lord Captain." He muttered.

"Muster the men outside my tent at 1330 sharp Commander. I wish to have a word with them."

"As you wish, my lord" was his sarcastic snide as i exited the tent.

My vox-caster queued on as the familiar voice of my uncle chimed in to hear my report as to our situation.

"Tavernius, punctual as ever!" I lied

"Cut the crap, Vail, whats our numbers at?"

I winced as i realized my report to my lord father was late. Again.

"10 Leman russ tanks, 125 Guardsman, 11 veterans, 15 stormtroopers 3 basilisks 2 chimeras 2 valkyries and about 5 abhumans."
His exasperated sigh came through the vox

" Vail, your my nephew and i respect you, you know that, that is nowhere near the numbers we need to hold this sector."

I did have my contacts in the mechanicum making hasty preparations for a very special delivery but nothing i could let the rest of my family know about.

"Look Tavernius i understand but i dont have time to discuss this right now ill vox you back, ok? I have to go!"

With dread i entered my tent doing my best to subjugate the discomfort in my veins at the sight of my Xenos ally.

Humanlike as they may be, the Eldar are far from it. Thier cold calculating stares and precise fluid movements making them seem much lighter than they are.

"Autarch Razorwind, are you ready?" I almost regurgitated.

He nodded approval and stood up waiting for me to walk him out of the tent.

The alliances i have made until this point in my life have been nothing short of Heretical.
But as a Rogue Trader of the house Dchevalier, it is my duty to defend the interests of my house and of the imperium above all else. And with the authority of a rogue trader comes the responsibility of not allowing stagnant superstitions to get in the way of sense. With deamons on the offensive, Orks reports in my sector, and with the looming remains of a world engulfed in fire from a tyranid invasion i cleansed, i had no time to be self righteous, or stupid.

I sipped my Warm tanna, as i walked the Autarch to the makeshift podium that had been set up for my use. The tanna reminding me of my frigid campaigns with the Valhallans against the green menace.

I set it down with ease as i assumed the silver tongued guise i wore for speeches.

The dead silence of the Guardsmen was deafening. Their faces were somewhere between horror and repugnance.

"Men of the Mordian 8th." I began

"This is Autarch Razorwind of the Eldar warband Iyeriel 'thwe, he has been allianced with me by the dire situation in which this sector has been placed;
The administratum..." I paused for dramatic effect.

"Has deemed this sector of little strategic immportance. The 33 inhabited worlds teeming with loyal servants of the emperor abandoned.
And worst of all the forces of evil come to desecrate his holy temples.
This is where i come in: i am Vail Dchevalier, of the Dchevalier Rogue Trader dynasty. The collective people of this system turned to us in this time of desperation."

I pointed at the formation. "Men of the Mordian 8th!!"
I thundered as 5 shuttles from the mechanicum dropped behind the formation 5 massive war engines.

The men roared in applause at the sight of the 3 baneblades and 2 other super heavy tanks i had acquired
The sight of these behemoths burning pride and honor in thier hearts. Commander Flints brow raised in surprise.

"You Men are the last bastion of Imperial might that stands between the emperor's worlds and the advancing hordes of darkness."

I thanked the emperor for the perfect timing of those drones in the mechanicum. Had they not made my delivery on time i dont think i could have fired up these men i know what lies ahead. I havent told Flint that ive commissioned another three full regiments to come to our aid. We cannot fully stop the advance of chaos alone. When i saw the 6th shuttle land.

"Whooooo!!" "Yeah!!!" "Haooooo!!"

Before us stood a warhound titan with a complement of Techpriests tending to it.

"W-what is this!?!?" I asked the adept eho held the delivery slate for me to confirm the delivery.

"A last minute addition by the Lord Adventum Dchevalier."

I whistled at the majesty of the titan. "We might have a chance."

The adept took the slatr and commented

"The omnissiah will prevail. Hail the machine god"

I nodded. Creeps of the adepticus mechanicum.

"you have volunteered to aid in the defense of this sector, and by all means this campaign will not be easy, nor will many pf us survive. But know that this campaign will go down in history. As the day when we held our worlds from the damnable forces of chaos! We will not fail! We will not fall, we will beat them back into the dark holes they crawled out from! Next to me stands who you know to be known as the enemy, the Xenos, no the Eldar may not be human, but they are not daemons! They stand against the same forces we do, more things hang in the balance than petty hate! If we fall here the daemons take a foothold in the Segmentum Obscurum and uncontested in this sector the daemons just need to move south on holy Terra. It will be years before the Adminstratum turns thier lazy asses to recognize the threat. So we will not fail, The God Emperor is on our side and in His name we will stand!"

I raised my fist in the air and the men followed suit.
The rally lasted for the majoroty of an hour as i met with the men and reassured them. I headed back to my tent to address the elephant in the room. The woman.
Women are not allowed in the Imperial Guard.
But then again niether are Ratlings.
So when the Champion of Malgera's PDF turned out to be a woman. I had to stall. I had to put her somewhere.

So i put her in charge of our Ratlings.

Which majorly angered her father. The planetary governer of Malgera. But i dont care who i anger i have a sector do defend whoch weighs on me far more than any toes i might have stepped on. She seemed to be adapting well.

"Lord Captain Vail, i will not sleep in the same tent as the ratmen, i need somewhere else to lay." She whined.

"Build your own damn tent then." I rebuked

She stormed out of my tent red as blood.

The autarch watched her go. And smirked.

"What are you laughing at?" I asked him

"I think that one wanted to suggest she sleep with you."

I rolled my eyes "she can get in line, i have gak to do."

Razorwind laughed

"now that, is dedication!"