Gustav shook his head. "Nothing crete. The lead is thousands of years old. Sihen, the Meicus has dispatched no fewer tha explorator detats to survey yiouries of searches have produo results. Personally, I find it improbable. Your sector lies so remote that even during the Dark Age of Teology, ization here arse."

  Kayvaan’s thoughts turned dark. ‘Damn it, Gustav, yiving me a heart attack over nothing.’ One day, he swore, he’d tie those meical limbs into knots just to see the man squirm. Outwardly, though, he softened his tohen why tell me this? What’s your point?"

  "Ah, well," Gustav tinued. "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 me?"

  "We require your assistance," Gustav said firmly. "The border world Fortis Aion is under siege. The 101st Cadian regiment statio the Faln is being overrun. They’ve sent an emergency signal. For the Meicus, Aion is critical. It serves as both our forward stronghold and the transit hub baperial space. Months ago, a Meicus survey uncovered pears to be an a buried city. Initial augur ss indicate the possibility of STC remnants within it."

  Kayvaan’s face remained posed. "You mentioned Aion as a e to Imperial space. Eborate."

  Gustav ined his head. " 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 corridor will colpse. Alternative routes are uncharted and fraught with peril. Any attempts to open a new path would dey transit by six months or more. You passed through Aion’s corridor to arrive here. Without it, your domain would be isoted—cut off from support, reinfort, or retreat."

  Kayvaan nodded, his mind rag. ‘If Aion falls, we’re stranded.’ It was a grim reality—no reinforts, no escape. "I uand the severity. But you’re aware that my Knights Tempr chapter is newly formed. We are far from bat-ready. My seneschal is still scouting locations for our fortress-monastery. The chapin is occupied establishing and structures and training recruits. My Techmarine hasn’t yet pleted his fe. I’ve no full pany of Astartes, let alone an army. How do you expect me to assist?"

  Gustav’s meical limbs shifted slightly. “We are aware of your limitations, my lord. Yet the threat to Aion ot be ignored. Even a small strike force could shift the bahe Cadians fight valiantly, but they ot hold against such opposition alone. Your presence—your and—could turide.”

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

  Kayvaan frowhoughtfully. “With the Inquisition involved, mustering suffit 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 ’t retake the fortress, and you thieen people will succeed? How many enemies are we even fag?”

  “Our estimates suggest between fifty ay,” Elizabeth replied, unbothered. “Eldar Rangers. They’ve locked down the fortress using le suppression tactics. To be blunt, the Cadians ’t show their faces without being cut down.”

  “A handful of snipers suppressing a fortress? And the Cadians ’t retaliate? What happeo their artillery?”

  Elizabeth’s tourned icy. “An unnatural explosion in the ammunitio destroyed their shells before the battle began—clearly sabotage by the Rangers. But for a fortress to allow sufiltration speaks to failure on the part of the Imperial Guard. Cowardid neglige’s disgraceful. My lord, as the leader of the Tempr 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 suffit, 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 ck subtlety. The Eldar won’t face us directly, and capturing them alive requires… fihat’s where you e 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 cepts were ao their methods. For them, “covert infiltration” ofte annihiting everything in the area and deg it secure. Capturing someone alive depended more oarget’s resiliehan their restraint.

  “It’s unusual,” Kayvaan remarked, watg her carefully. “Does this mission align with your oals?”

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

  Kayvaan wasn’t vinced. He leaned back, studying the two people sitting in his modest chamber. One radiated unease over the potential presence of an ST Aion, while the other simmered with frustration over her “elf-child” prey that had vanished without a trace. Both seemed determio mount a rescue operation as quickly as possible, yet her seemed to spare much thought for the Astra Militarum forces still strahere. But what was there to worry about? In an Imperium teetering on the brink, who among the Emperor’s servants could truly cim trol over their own survival?

  For Kayvaan, the battle ahead wasn’t just another mission—it was iable. The thought of retreat, even in the face of possible death, was inceivable. “I get it,” Kayvaan said at st, breaking the heavy silence. “Whether it’s about maintaining trade corridors, preserving the Imperium’s is, or saving the Guardsmen still holding out in Faln, we o move immediately.” His tone hardened. ‘A’s not fet—the merit evaluatioo this operation. Success here is critical for my future standing. More importantly, it’ll direct the Meicus’ 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—dey was not an option.

  Gustav cleared his throat, his voice hesitant but firm. “Who’s leading this operation?”

  Elizabeth grinned, her fidence as unshakable as ceramite. “You, obviously,” she said, pointing toward Kayvaan. “You’re responsible for capturing those alieches alive. 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.”

  Kayvaaurned a mock bow, his tone sardonic. “Of course, Lady Inquisitor. I’ll notify my captain, and we’ll set out at once.”