High up on the 10th floor of a communications hub, overlooking a critical strategic site, a Battle Sister turned to her fellow Sister, boltgun in hand and fury in her eyes. “Sister, look! We’ve lost the Spaceport. We’re losing!”

The second Battle Sister turned to the first Battle Sister, eyes filled with hope. “We’re losing because of our lack of faith. You must PRAY HARDER.”

They sang together, like angelic banshees, jumping out of the window, onto a passing Corvus Blackstar, and then into the fray with reinforced prayers. 

Down on the ground, the sisters ran past feathered winds flapping against the bolster encrusted air. Saint Potentia Saga had arrived, looking more angelic than Saint Belestine. A new Saint in the making.

“Stand your ground, Sisters! The Emperor protects!” Saga yelled.

Saint Belestine landed next to the Saint Potentia, shouting over her. “No! Charge your enemies! The Emperor attacks!”

The Saint Potentia and Living Saint began squabbling, shouting their own version of the Sororitas hymns of yore.

Inquisitor Stella took cover beside some promethium barrels and pulled out a cigarette. She looked at her hand and then looked back at the two angels yelling at each other. Stella shook her head and pulled out two more cigarettes, lighting them all with resignation. She was supposed to be off-duty today. It was going to be a long week.

An outstandingly loud warning alarm suddenly blasted her ears. Stella looked up in shock. The entire city block shook as a daunting shadow engulfed the Inquisitor and her battle sisters. The Sisters stopped yelling at each other. Some sort of gun platform, a huge machine of war, was getting deposited on top of the closest tower by Tau Dropships.

“What is that, Lord Inquisitor?” a passing, dispensable Battle Sister asked.

“That…” Inquisitor Stella said. “Looks like a Stormsurge. I think I know who we’re up against. Have you heard of the Experimental Weapons Workshop & Technology Facilities?”

“The… what?” The Sister said, exasperated. “I’ve heard of praying, is it like that?”

Before she could answer no, idiot – Stella was forced to dive for cover, as a barrage of artillery leveled the storefront she was standing next to. It was time to call in a favour.

“High Interregator Constance, please respond,” Stella calmly shouted into her vox as she discarded the three cigarettes she had inhaled in two puffs. “This is Inquisitor Stella. I am requesting Adeptus Astartes support. Please tell me you and the Void Lions are nearby.”

“Inquisitor Stella, good to hear your voice. I didn’t see you at breakfast this morning,” High Interregator Constance’s crackled voice responded through the vox-caster.

Stella retrieved another cigarette from her coat. “Unfortunately, I was busy chasing down a deranged Living Saint. I found her dismantling a Servitor in the Mess Hall and then getting into a fight with the Death Watch Watch Master. Do you want to look after her?”

“I have my hands full with the Void Lions,” Constance said. “We’re on our way, deep striking in t-minus ten minutes.”

Stella dusted off her red coat and ran to the tower adjacent to her – Nachmundatomi Tower. She needed a closer look at this Stormsurge, and perhaps, find a way to disable it before it activated. Despite pressing the button a dozen times, the elevator didn’t return her summons. However, the door to the 100-flights of emergency stairs did, swinging open as the ground shook once more. The Inquisitor hastily made her decision and hauled her arse skyward.

The lobby was full of armed personnel, their armour identifying them as Tau soldiers. They raised their guns at the Inquisitorial intruder.

“Welcome to the party, human,” the Tau warrior in charge said.

Stella flicked her cigarette away. “Hey, that’s my line!”

A Sister of Battle squad joined the inquisitor, filled with faith and itchy trigger-fingers.

Forty stories of indoor combat later, (combat that cannot be proportionally represented via the medium of Warhammer 40,000) Stella arrived on the roof of Nachmundatomi Tower, alone, tired, bloodied and missing her boots.

The view from the top of the tower was sheer destruction. The city block was burning, the sounds of gunfire popping from street-level and the glare of drop pod landing thrusters entering the fray. THen she looked up at the Stormsurge. It was a technical marvel of engineering. The Imperium could never. By the foot of the Titanic machine, stood several Tau, presumably there to activate the machine. Was this…?

“Fio’El Deto’naytar, I presume? I pray hard that you reconsider testing your weapon here, where my Sisters are stationed,” Stella asked nicely, lighting a cigarette.

Deto’naytor grinned. “HI-“

Oh, the Tau warlord spoke gothic? Stella nodded. “Hello-“

“-GRADE CUTTING SCIENCE,” Deto’naytar interrupted. “I am an exceptional scientist, Ms Inquisitor. And since I am testing this fully operational stormsurge-on-a-tower, you should be lucky we have purposefully avoided your Crotches.”

Stell looked down. “Our crotches???“

“One second,” Deto’naytar said, momentarily mumbling to a member of his retinue, intel identified as Co’rk Bo’ard.

“Ah sorry, I meant to say Churches,” Deto’naytar corrected.

Stella drew her power sword, illuminating her frustrated expression. “Churches or not, I’m afraid I am contractually obligated to stop you with extreme prejudice.”

“Very well Ms. Inquisitor, you will be wonderful test subjects for the OB-1: Highground Project today – I do not believe you are aware of the T’au metastrategy of the cuts of a thousand daggers – Rip’yka. Today you will learn – Swarmpurge, open fire!“

”I once heard a similar expression on Terra,” Stella replied. “Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker.”

Before Inquisitor Stella, or the Swarmpurge could make a move, someone collided with Stella, rescuing her without consent. Saint Belestine had swooped down, wings spread, grabbing her and hauling her away from the rooftop.

“Belestine, you idiot, what are you doing?! The enemy commander was right there!” Stella screamed, unable to fight against Belestine’s iron grip as they flew to an adjacent building.

“Praise the Emperor, you are being rescued!” Belstine beamed.

Stella slapped Belestine’s arm. “Take me back to the tower, I-”

“Did I stutter? I said, you are being rescued! Stop struggling!”