> Warhammer 40K: Chaos in Equestria > by Tempestus > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chaos in Equestria > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mission Report File: Equestrian Excursion Password: *********************** Access Granted Deep within the mighty Apocalypse class battleship, Magna est Nomen Eius, knelt two ancient Astarte before their highly decorated and larger master. All three wore the same colors, dark metallic red cuirass, helms, and gauntlets. Aged parchment-colored vambraces, pauldrons, powerpacks, and femurs. Midnight black greaves and face plates. The only startling differences were between the two kneeling, and their master who pauldrons shone a brilliant burnished gold. The decorated marine on the left spoke first, his ancient voice augmented by vocal cogitators through his hooded MKII helm, “Chapter Master, why should we concern ourselves with what transpires on a world unsanctioned by the Imperium or our Emperor?” His tone, even partially artificial, had the barest hints of disgust veiled within it. “I object!” Clearly spoken out of turn the Astarte on the right turned his gaze to briefly look upon his fellow, who shook his head in disapproval, before fixing his Lord with a pointed gaze through the solid black visor of his beaked MKIV, his voice equally deep though more youthful than his brother, “We have the element of surprise, these traitors seek to harvest this unassuming planet for its resources. We can and should intervene if not only to undermine their operations. Allow me to take my company to the surface Lord Rushal, we shall lay waste to our heretical kinsmen and in turn perhaps spread the light of the Emperor of Man in the process!” Both Astarte remained silent and unmoving while awaiting a reply from the gilded chapter master. Said man stood before them, his guardsman helmet under his left arm while his right bionic limb scratched at his modest graying beard. Twin red eyes shifted back and forth between his two captains before he closed them and dropped his right hand to the hilt of his power sword. “Graves, Tempestus.” His voice was strong and demanded their attention, “You two still argue after over a millennia of serving together?” Rushal shook his head and turned away from the two, his cloak billowing dramatically as he strode towards a large statue of a previous chapter master, though no one could recall his name. The captains stood abruptly and both took a step forward before halting just as quickly. “Captain Tempestus, you are to take the Third Company to the surface of this world, to the most densely populated region, and cleanse the traitorous filth from it. Captain Graves, you are to remain on standby with the Second Company and send a messenger to Captain Reginald of the First Company and Captain Harlot of the Sixth Company to make ready for war, should their talents be required.” The chapter master spoke without turning around and his words brooked no argument. He remained gazing upon the golden statue while the twin pairs of thunderous footfalls announced the wordless obedience of his captains. The aged chapter master sighed before taking a knee and entering prayer for guidance. What was supposed to be a clear night sky had turned into an untamable storm over Canterlot that even both goddesses seemed unable to vanquish. Royal guards rushed around to evacuate the denizens of the marble city built into the side of a mountain as the two sisters debated between themselves on the proper course of action. “This storm, it is unnatural sister.” Princess Luna proclaimed; a frown set into her muzzle. “Indeed dearest sister, if feels laden with magic, dark magic.” Princess Celestia observed as she drew out a map and laid it upon a nearby table. “Doth thou know where the source lays?” the lunar goddess inquired. “I fear Ponyville is the source.” The solar goddess looked on towards the horizon out of the nearest window in the throne room. “We should attend to this then, should we not?” Luna’s question however was drowned out by the screams of panic as bolts of lightning struck several points in the capitol city and rifts tore open the fabric of space and time. From such rifts, creatures purely daemonic in appearance and no doubt nature sprung forth with gusto. Long limbs, curved spines, spiked tails, and elongated grinning skulls with serpent like tongues surged through the city. Celestia wasted no time in springing into action, a gilded spear materializing at her side as matching armor encompassed her body. Luna doing much the same with bright blue armor and a sparkling great sword before they both teleported into the fray. In Ponyville similar happenings had already occurred. The population had frantically fled the town in its entirety, those who had been caught unaware however were much less fortunate and their entrails decorated the streets and homes. The invaders had encircled the Castle and sought to siege it, though through an unknown force the ponies inside remained safe. Roughly half the town had managed to get inside before Armageddon had begun outside, though no pony had yet to think of a way to escape the coming doom. “Princess Twilight, I am sorry that I must ask again. But, do we have a plan for this?” A dark pink mare asked while trying to settle the school aged fillies and colts. “Cheerily, I have something that might work, but I, we are hesitant to try anything right now as it is currently the only thing keeping these creatures out.” Twilight, a lavender alicorn replied, worry spread clearly over her face and dark circles sagged under her eyes. “What pray tell, would that be?” A disembodied voice calmly stated as Discord appeared from a nearby painting which he hopped out of rather quickly to stand with the ponies. “Discord!” Rainbow Dash, a cyan and rainbow colored Pegasus shouted as she charged the mismatched draqunes. “Calm yourself, this brand of chaos is not my doing.” The accused stated while raising a paw, seeming to halt all of the tomboyish mare's momentum before placing her on the ground, “No, it would seem one of our little pony friends has managed to attract the attention of my siblings and their pets.” “What do you mean exactly Discord?” Twilight narrowed her gaze at him. “I mean that Tzeench has set his sights on this little corner of existence, a complete breach in our agreement to be quite fair.” The spirit of chaos shined his claw on his chest before frowning, “Now, now. I know you are all safe here for the moment. Sun butt has more than likely seen to defending Canterlot, no doubt. I shall do what I can for the ponies less fortunate that don’t have a princess watching over them.” “And what would that be?” Fluttershy asked meekly from under a table. “Well, ensure our rescuers make it to the surface intact of course!” Discord grinned as he exclaimed, jumping into the air and vanishing into a puff of pink smoke. “Rescuers?” Applejack asked while she and Big Mac held Apple Bloom close. High above Ponyville, Discord rematerialized in a flash of harsh light. He had donned golden armor covered in his own faces and held a giant inflatable flame sword to the sky. “Traitors, heathens, thou hast gone back on thine word and invaded my realm. Thus, I must call upon those who should never tread here! Look upon them, the bulwark against terror, and while they normally defend Humanity, upon this day they now come to the aid of all Equestria!” Thunder clapped as several dozen drop pods rained from the sky, passing through the warp. The pods had dark metallic red plating, and spines of pure obsidian. Flames beckoned from the bottoms before petering out. Jets of fire sprang to life to correct their trajectory towards Canterlot. Discord smiled before pointing his balloon blade at the mountain city and shouting a war cry lost in the thunder of the warp storm. Celestia had found the red daemons easy to dispatch as long as she kept her distance, Luna of course had held her flank easily enough. Though now, through new portals red colored metal bipeds with black arms and shoulders surged forth now. Shouts of hate and malice were uttered as they raised their swords, spears, axes, some even had massive claws and reversed knees. The latter ones seemed to lack metal upon their heads, but instead had massive horns protruding out of their skulls and gargantuan mauls filled with pointed teeth. “Sister, we cannot hold here!” Luna shouted before raising a shield that nearly shattered upon a volley of projectile fire from the new enemies. Celestia teleported the two of them out and back several streets to where their guard had fallen back to just as the shield shattered and the armor-clad foes surged forth in bloodlust, “Agreed, Captain!” The aforementioned Captain’s head shot up from among his fellows, “My princess?” “Cannons, bring us cannons!” Celestia shouted as she blocked a blow from a sword with her spear and held off two others from the daemons with her magic. “Aye, cannons malady!” He shouted his return before teleporting out of the wall of ponies and invaders. Celestia shoved her spear off of the encroaching blade and jumped up into the air, a divine light encompassing her form as her eyes began to glow from within. Harsh sunlight seemed to spring forth from her horn before she vaporized all who sought to harm her ponies with a mighty beam from her horn. She then fell to the ground, to be caught mere inches from the now charred stone pathway. “I have you Tia!” Luna exclaimed, holding her sister while bleeding from several minor wounds. “How quaint.” A dark voice chortled, “Allow us a turn.” All of their armored assailants had been scorched, yet seemed to be unaffected otherwise as they charged forth. Luna laid her unconscious sister down and readied her blade, blocking the first strike and parrying the next. Several distant thumps seemed to shake the ground, drawing the attention of the other warriors, in turn more than likely saving the Princess of the Night’s life. Tempestus sprang from his drop pod as soon as the massive armor-plated walls lowered down into ramps, his squad diligently by his side and his storm bolter at the ready. Several pastel-colored horses with eyes much too large for their faces ran past them in terror and away from a wave of daemons, blood letters if the ancient captain was to care to identify his foe. “For the glory of the Emperor, purge this filth brothers!” He shouted; his words answered by a chorus of replies. “Suffer not the daemon to walk our realm!” his other three angels of death opened fire with their bolt guns, precise, practiced, disciplined aim exploding the skulls of the enemy and sending them back to the warp. Tempestus burst fired his twin barrels and cut down large swaths of the hoard, breaking away from his brothers and following the sounds of steel striking steel in search of a proper battle. All around him he could see signs of both a righteous battle and that of a quick slaughter. Local xenos lay disemboweled all along the streets, and gore painted the buildings. Yet as he strode forward, his boot falls were met by the eruption of ash, and several impromptu structures to act as cover. “Admirable, the locals managed to put up a fight.” Tempestus muttered to himself as he slowed down and began to walk quietly up the cobblestone pathway. Several loud shots followed by delayed explosions proclaimed that the locals had yet to finish their battle and would not go quietly. This caused the aged Astarte to pick up his pace and sprint towards the sound of battle once more. Luna rolled out of the way of what would have been a fatal thrust by her first opponent. Then ducked a swipe from her second, only to parry the third while once again sidestepping the first. At this rate the Lunar regent was merely buying time for her sister to regain consciousness. “And what?” She thought to herself, “Take them on together? No, this is the end of us. Perhaps even Equestria.” Thunderous footfalls caused many who were watching the fight to turn and shout in surprise and even excitement as a newcomer entered the battle, firing his weapon with open abandon and shredding through a few of their assailants. Luna chose this as an opportunity to strike, leveling her longsword and running it cleanly into the abdomen of her first foe. The wounded warrior shouted in surprise before back handing the alicorn into a nearby building. Stone and mortar shattered as Luna’s body was thrown through the wall of a nearby home, her final fleeting moments of consciousness that of the newcomer throwing aside his weapon and drawing a gleaming golden great sword. Word Bearers, the first legion to betray the Imperium and the Emperor of Mankind. Captain Tempestus had wasted no time in quickly and mercilessly cutting down as many as he could with his storm bolter before casting it aside. He had seen the armored xenos fighting to protect its own, he had seen how disadvantaged the battle was. Have these fallen Astarte truly no sense of honor? “What is this heresy kinsmen, you do not even offer these xenos a fair fight?” The captain twirled his blade, Götterbann, it‘s golden metal reflecting as if a pool of light in the darkness enveloping the city.  “Loyalist scum, did your Corpse Emperor show us honour when he had Gullimans little curres glass Colchis?” The traitor who has slapped the xeno asked, breaking its blade off from his abdomen. “You and your ilk are far beyond redeemable, so please, treat me as you have treated the peaceful residents of this world.” Tempestus raised his blade, holding the hilt in both hands, “Die for your dark gods, my Emperor guides my blade!”  “The seven traitors charged en-masse towards the captain, but the ancient Astarte did not move. The golden armored xeno stirred awake and watched in horror as the lone Astarte was beset on by his traitorous kin. Tempestus’ blade work was swift, calculated, and purposeful as he parried the first strike, bashed the helm in on the second marine, twirled and raised his sword to his shoulder to deliver a downward blow that would decapitate the third marine. He raised his blade level and perpendicular above his head to block an incoming strike before kicking out and stunning his assailant. He followed this strike with a devastating uppercut before blocking a strike from the side with Götterbann.  He grabbed the collar of the latest assailant and threw him into his fellows before leaping into the air and thrusting towards the second who had just stood back up. The power sword plunged deep into the traitor's carapace before Tempestus ripped it out through his shoulder and dropped to a knee to block yet another assault from the third while his ilk separated themselves from the pile. The aged Captain saw his opportunity and took it without hesitation, tossing a krack grenade into the tangled pile of traitors, somewhere above him and out of sight someone laughed as it went off and shredded the heretics.  The final traitor tossed his blade back and forth between his hands before flourishing it into an icepick stance and motioning for the loyalist to make his move. The calculating Captain also flourished his blade briefly before drawing his bolt pistol and firing three rounds into the Chaos Marine. Two struck his chest and pitted the armor, one his forehead, causing the skull to erupt into gore and the marine to fall where he once stood. “And there is more where that came from, traitors.” Tempestus growled before turning his attention to the golden armored xenos who were now pulling out a badly injured yet still breathing cobalt armored one. “Luna!” Celestia cried as she tried to actually get up, her Royal Guard keeping her still. “We will bring her to you, your majesty. Please, calm down.” A medical guard stated as she pushed Celestia back down. Celestia remained silent, tears in her eyes as she saw the guard lift her sister's broken form. Her gaze drifted from her sister back to the mighty warrior who had saved them, and was now reclaiming his original weapon. He seemed to catch her eye as he brought the strange black box that acted as a rapid fire double cannon, back into his arms. He however kept his distance from her and her ponies, as if respectfully staying away, yet observing them all the same. “He looks like them, right?” One of the Guard asked. “Slightly different colors, and he seems a lot cleaner too.” Another replied. Several footfalls announced three others arriving, all bearing the same color scheme as the savior. What was more reassuring were the Aquila’s emblazoned on different spots on their armors. They seemed to be speaking, yet no words were audibly exchanged. All of the newcomers wore similar armor as well to what Celestia deduced was their commander, if the draping and high decorated cloth and tassels on his set of war gear were anything to go by.  The leader of these warriors turned to her again before pointing to Luna and then the corpses of the enemy and finally patting his blade. He then touched the side of his helm and gave a curt nod before sending his soldiers away. As soon as they had left he made a slow approach, going so far as to kneel down to the same level as the ponies and removing his beaked helmet. Beneath the helmet was the face of a hairless ape, proud defined nose, small glowing red and intelligent eyes, a chiseled jaw accented by a well groomed grey beard, the top of his head held no hair, and his face was a patchwork of scars.  “I wish to extend my apologies for not arriving sooner, this war should have never come to your world. How may I address you and your people?” His voice was regal, certainly deep, and sorrowful. Celestia tried to sit up, only for the medic to hold her down once again, though this time much more gently, “I am Princess Celestia, we are ponies.” She turned to her sister, “How could this be your fault though?”  “They were once our brothers, but no longer.” The massive warrior seemed to find an ill taste in his mouth on the word brothers, “I am Captain Tempestus of the Blood Raptors Third Company. We are operating as forwards for this campaign. You are a Princess of this realm and thus an authority in the proverbial loop of what needs to be done. I know you are pained for your sister, from what I can see, she is breathing, more than I could say for many of my own who have fought these traitors before.” He paused as  he looked skyward a moment, Celestia followed his gaze and caught a glimpse of several others of his kind flying a columns of fire in the air and doing battle with more of these so called traitors, “I need to know where to send the other companies, where you need us Princess, we are here to wage war, for we are the Adeptus Astarte.”  Celestia was speechless, this Astarte spoke as if this was a regular Monday at the office, as if this was normal. She dreaded to think of a world where this could be considered normal. The solar regent slowly looked over her shoulder and called for an officer, “Lieutenant, I require a map of the region if you have one, if not then I require you to fetch one as soon as possible.” She barked her commands and the unicorn pony quickly ran off.  There was silence between the group of twenty ponies tending to their injured and the lone Astarte while they waited. The sounds of battle died off abruptly and soon what she realized must be his entire company of Astarte arrived in and around the street. Their armors painted in blood and rubble, most on the ground and many if not all carried a sword upon their hip. A small group of perhaps ten looked on from rooftops, massive devices with twin cylinders strapped to their backs and claws at the ends of their arms.  The lieutenant returned shortly after the arrival of Astartes with the map and unfurled it so that the two in command could see, “Ponyville seems to be the source, but I fear for my ponies elsewhere, in the other cities.” “Fear not, Princess. I shall relay the message to our flagship the Magna est Nomen Eius and have First Company deployed there immediately. Master Rushal shall no doubt agree, then deploy the others where needed.” Tempestus donned his helm once more and held his hand to the side of it, seeming to speak while making no sound once more. "Some kind of magic perhaps?” The lieutenant asked Celestia. “Perhaps, so long as we are able to drive off these invaders I care not how. There has been enough pain today to last another thousand years my little pony.” She replied in a motherly tone, her eyes falling once again on the heavily bandaged and splinted form of her little sister. “Good news, the Chapter Master agreed.” Tempestus spoke through his helm, his voice sounding much more menacing than without it, “I urge you to get inside though, our Company is being redeployed to the location on your map marked as Manehatten. I wish you luck Princess.” He stood without giving her a chance to reply as his entire unit in what had to be well experienced cohesion began sprinting in the direction of the aforementioned city.  “May Faust watch over you Captain Tempestus.” Celestia uttered the words without really realizing it before adding, “As your Emperor has watched over us this day.”  Several Techmarines made final preparations deep within the Magna est Nomen Eius. Incense was lit, candles melted wax as new campaign rites were inscribed on parchment to be adorned upon the mighty Dreadnoughts. As one, each Techmarine stood before one of the forty five entombed Astarte and began chanting. With obscene precision the servo arms on their harnesses placed the purity seals upon the armored forms to join the several hundred others from ages long past. Engines sparked to life, fire shot out of the smoke stacks upon the back of each ancient, smoke quickly taking its place as ancient machinery whirled and clicked.  Only one spoke, only one needed to speak as the Techmarines made way for the Dreadnoughts to stand and make their way out of their stalls, “EVEN IN DEATH, WE STILL SERVE.” Without another word the largest of the warriors, a leviathan Dreadnought marched out, followed closely by his progressively smaller brethren consisting of four Leviathans, and fifty five Contemtptors of varying classes. Their march seemed slow, though a running pace for a normal Marine, as they traversed the halls of the even more ancient Battleship. After what seemed like a full day to the Leviathans they arrived in the hangar where the rest of First Company awaited. Thirty Cataphractii Terminators and Ten MKI Terminators awaited them. The Chapter Master himself stood upon a raised dais and gazed upon the assembly, giving a curt nod to the eldest of the Leviathans in the room. “Brothers, the world that rests below us is that of a peaceful one. Our traitorous kin of the Word Bearers have decided to invade it and wreak havoc upon the primitives that call it home. Know that these primitives call themselves ponies, and while skilled in combat are immensely unprepared for an invasion the likes they have experienced upon this day. I challenge you with the extermination of our enemy, and the protection of the natives.” He paused, the undying attention of his finest company upon him, “IN THE EMPERORS NAME, LET NONE SURVIVE!” The one hundred Astarte in formation slammed the right fist across their chest if able, many of the Dreadnoughts remaining still as to not launch anyone across the hangar. First company, the teleport homer is set, courtesy of the natives, initiate counter strike immediately, Dreadnoughts are the tip of the spear!” Their Captain, Reginald shouted pointing at the first Leviathan, “Venerable David, show them how you feel about traitors.”  The named Leviathan roared in anger, his curses drowned out by his war horn as he was enveloped by the energies of the teleport homer and dropped into the courtyard of a Crystalline castle in a tree. He lurched forward at full gait, his brethren directly behind him, many Contemtptors bearing large artillery weapons jumping back and taking aim with nova cannons as assault cannons and heavy las-cannons began to set the sky and terrain afire. David immediately grabbed a fleeing traitor in his claw before rotating it one thousand four hundred forty degrees only to throw the traitor at high speed into the ground and stomp on him for good measure. “PURGE THESE HERETICS BROTHERS, SHOW THEM THE FURY OF THE EMPEROR!” David exclaimed, standing atop the corpse of his first kill and opening fire with his quad assault cannon.  Reginald ran up to the right of the Dreadnought and slammed his power spear through the helm of a traitor with a melta gun. A Dereadeo Contemtptors Fired all four of his main cannons wiping out an enemy stronghold in what was the town hall. Several other Assault class Contemtptors charged through the town and purposefully and dutifully tore apart any traitor they could find, tearing limbs from the bodies before trampling them. Each member of the First company seemed to charge headlong into battle against the lesser Daemons and traitor marines without concern or remorse. Eventually the terrain changed from a gore filled town, to gore filled ruins in a field in mere seconds as the First Company advanced through the enemy and towards a forest in which the warp seemed strongest. Instead of entering the forest, Reginald raised his spear and called out over the din of the slaughter.  “Level this block, I wish to stare them in the eyes when they realize their folly if they haven’t already!” He points the spear at the Everfree and the Dereadoes comply with an overwhelming amount of artillery fire. A massive swath was cut into what was once stood a massive and deep forest, a now barren wasteland devoid of life, stretching back to the ruins of a castle where it seemed a dark ritual was in the making. Several Bloodthirsters heralded by Bloodletters, Furies, and Flesh Hounds charged at the might of the First Company.  “Brother David, focus your forces on the Bloodthirsters, we can handle the rest.” Reginald calmly stated as he strode forward, his assault cannon spinning up, it’s eight barrels already smoking. “HRMPH, AS YOU WISH CAPTAIN.” David replied, his fellow Leviathans shifting to joining him in a melee against the greater daemons of Khorn. “Blood for the Blood God!” One of the seven cried before it clashed with the ancient Leviathan. David lost track of his squad as they met with the enemy in the brawl, the Leviathan implants causing him to enter a berserker rage as he batted away the claw of the Daemon and drove his own claw into its chest before activating his heavy flamer. The Greater Daemon screamed before slashing across one side of David’s armor causing the Leviathan to take a step back. This however granted him room enough to spin up his quad assault cannons and end the Daemon, reducing his opponent to nothing more than a pile of gore and firing long after he slain it.  At the entrance of the ancient castle, Reginald slashed on Fury out of the sky, reversed his grip on his power spear and stabbed downwards into a Flesh Hound, all the while firing relentlessly into traitor marine defensive positions. His Cataphractii armor’s personal shielding taking the brunt of the assault while he contemplated how to properly assault the fortress without completely destroying it as he had the town. All thoughts of this were obliterated at the approach of David, whom's helmet lenses were glowing a bright and hateful white.  The Leviathan backhanded the front most defensive position, sending a majority of a tower and a large section of the wall down the nearby ravine. His war horn sounded upon those in which he exposed like roaches beneath an abandoned fridge as his weapons platforms once more came to life and exterminated the enemy. “Brother David, I wish for you to take your unit and watch the surrounding area, minimal damage from here on.” Reginald stated, though was met with silent compliance as the ancient one stormed off, trapped in his enraged state.  Reginald motioned for the MKI Terminators to follow him alongside a handful of the Cataphractii, all weapons at the ready for what they would discover. Nothing opposed them as they traversed deeper yet into the chambers of the castle ruins. Upon entering the lowest point of the dungeon a lone figure stood before a portal, a deep frown set in his twisted face. “You can only deny us for so long Astarte.” The Daemon Prince snarled, “Soon enough I shall receive reinforcements from my Gods, and your merry little warband will rue the day you crossed our path.” Reginald had no verbal reply, but instead chose to allow his spear to speak for him as he surged forward. The Daemon Prince drew a sword and parried the Captain’s attack with ease.  “It was so simple to manipulate a group of these ponies into tearing open a rift to the warp!” The Daemon Prince exclaimed as he thrusted his blade towards the venerated Captain. Once more Reginald did not reply, but sidestepped with speed no man in such large armor should have, the blade and slammed his assault cannon into his opponent’s back. “A way to come and go from the immaterium directly to the material realm without notice of the Imperium and circumventing Cadia altogether.” The corrupted traitor laughed as he stumbled forward and fell. Reginald reversed his spear once more and held it high over his foes head. “To think, for a moment I thought I had won.” The damned spoke in resignation as the spear pierced the back of his skull and came out his face, imbedding itself into the ground as the portal closed.  Surrounding Reginald were the corpses of some thirty ponies in black hooded robes, all having had aneurysms presumably the moment the portal opened. The aged Captain merely shook his head and walked out of the camber, one of the MKI’s setting the room alight in flame as soon as Reginald had cleared the threshold. Celestia sat on her throne, Luna in a full body cast, upon hers. Twilight and Cadence were present and standing next to their fellow Princesses. There was a Royal Guard at every pillar in shined ceremonial armor. The doors to the throne room opened and the Chapter Master of the Blood Raptors, flanked by Captain Tempestus, Captain Graves, and watched over by Captain Reginald entered. Tempestus seemed to give a polite nod of his head toward Celestia as the group halted. “Princess Celestia, I am Nitronus Rushal, the Chapter Master of the Blood Raptors. It is a pleasure to meet you in person, Tempestus spoke highly of both you and your sister Princess Luna.” He placed his right fist over his heart and bowed his head. “We owe you a great debt Master Rushal, for if not for your charity our world would no doubt by this time last week fallen to the dark forces.” Celestia stated morosely.  Nitronus gazed upon Celestia a moment longer than normal, an intense golden halo seeming to project itself to him as the visage of the Emperor appeared ever so briefly behind her before vanishing. No one else seemed to have seen it, though the ancient Astarte still took it as a sign that this was His will. He nodded in affirmation before speaking once more. “Your people have suffered, as have ours. Upon our ships we carry refugees of worlds that can no longer support life, I ask for amnesty for these souls.” As Nitronus speaks he moves his hands as if to accent what he is speaking about. “Of course, we would be more than happy to accept your people here Master Rushal.” Celestia immediately stated. Twilight however spoke before anyone else could, “I do have one question, several hundred actually, but shall only ask you at least one.”  With folded hands the Master of the Blood Raptors nodded his assent. “How did you know we were in trouble?” She inquired, “As you now know, we do not have what you call vox’s, thus no way to send a distress call. I doubt you randomly go seeking out demonic storms as well.” “It is a curious question indeed. We received a distress call, on an imperial frequency, did our research, questioned it heavily as well. Ultimately it was Captain Tempestus who decided we must go, at least to purge the traitors if nothing else. We do not have an accurate point of origin for the call.” Rushal admitted, playfully slapping Tempestus on his pauldron in a fatherly manner.  “Ahem, I am so sorry I wasn’t here sooner.” An older yet lively voice seemed to echo from everywhere at once before Discord floated in on a cotton candy cloud while drinking a glass of chocolate milk. “Discord?” Celestia and Luna both state confused. “Where did you pop off too anyways?” Twilight asked, tapping her hoof to her chin as she recalled their conversation. “Well, these guys operate off of beacons and such, someone had to set one up, and call for them too!” He stated, popping away in a flash of light to be in the center of the four Astarte, who seemed un-phased though curious nonetheless of the oddity, “I live here too you, know. I wasn’t about to allow these Warp Spawn to destroy my home or worse, corrupt the spirit of harmony! Sheesh!” He once again teleported over everyone, this time laying down on a fancy couch, “I may be the spirit of chaos, but I don’t do the hard K word, no… Chaos is meant to be fun, a reprieve from a long day at the office. Not the end of civilization.”  Rushal was the first to speak, “I am beginning to like this planet more and more as the hours pass by.”  FIN [REDACTED FROM IMPERIAL RECORDS KEEPING] [CONFIDENTIAL BY ORDER OF THE SUN AND MOON]