Matt was sat down near by the outskirts of the town, awaiting for everyone to be ready before they began their assault. He looked over his own kit again and for a final time. He hummed a tune of Cadian cadences. The sound of footsteps sent him into alert mode. He lifted his gaze, only to be met by the sight of a fair young blonde wearing what looked like local attire. Behind her were about a dozen other girls, both Darcsen and non-Darcsen. Some were giggling, others blushing...

He hummed, confused by the sudden arrival of the girls. He looked to the one that came up to him, who was blushing, before asking "Something I can do for you, ladies?"

"Uh... Hi..." She nodded "A-Are you one of those Cadian boys we've been hearin' about?"

Furrowing his brow, he nodded "Yes, I'm actually the Colonel commanding the regiment... Why?"

"Oh, well, uh..." She smiled awkwardly, trying to avoid eye contact and rubbing the back of her neck "Was wonderin'. Hehe... I heard from a friend over in Vasel that you guys and gals helped our Militia liberate the city." And the clear country/forest bumpkin accent was seeping through. And, well, she did mention y'all are pretty cute. Guess I wanted to see it for myself... Uh..." And she turned to her friends, mouthing a 'HELP ME' while they giggled on.

"... Thanks...?" The Colonel hummed, confused. He watched another girl bring forward a tray of food, handing it to her friend, before backing off. The girl extended the tray of food, what looked like some sort of pie made from grain-based dough and venison meet, probably from one of the hunts they had recently and he stared at it with a combination of surprise and gratitude... "Uhm... Thanks?"

"Please, take it. It's a sorta thank you for y'all foreigners, for fighting for us..." She held that awkward smile, still avoiding eye contact. The Colonel took it slowly, before setting it down to his left. The Colonel had to wonder what he was missing as the girls watched on... He pressed his lips together, then said "Alright, I think I'll, uh... Just go help my soldiers prep... Thanks again."

"Sure thing!" She nodded. "Be seein' ya~!" And she gave him a wink, before she stepped off. The Colonel walked with the tray toward the Baneblade, looking back at the group of girls as they talked and giggled. The blondie turned toward him again, before ducking into cover. He set the tray onto the side of the tank, then looked to Colin, who was scratching his chin over the witnessed encounter, while Amy was giggling like a loony.

"... Any idea what just happened?" He asked his Commissar.

"I do believe that was teenage gratitude with a side of..." Colin started, before noticing Isara behind the Squad 7 tank, pouting after seeing the exchange. "... Uhm, nevermind." He finished, hiding a smirk behind his greatcoat's collar. He murmured, stepping off toward the giggling Amy "You really need to notice things yourself, Matias." and dragging the girl away by the collar. "Come, Kasrkin. Let's let the Colonel enjoy his breakfast."

"Wait, Colin, what did you... Colin... Oh, come on, Commissar! Don't leave me hanging like that!" Matt begged, watching as the officer stepped off. "Amy! C'mon, give me a hint here!" He asked his comrade. The Kasrkin major shook her head, bursting into a full-on cackle. He sighed , then shook his head. He whispered to himself "What's got into those two?" before he took out his fork from the mess kit on his hip and dipped it into the pie.

He tasted it, then shrugged "Huh. Good." before putting the tray aside into a special compartment.

He heard a snort, then turned his head to see Rosie. "Ah, Corporal Stark..." He murmured. "To what do I owe the... Should I call it pleasure?"

"Oh, nothin' much, Colonel. Was just passing through." She smirked, before stepping off. Weird woman... He paused as he heard running footsteps. He turned to the source of the noise, to see Elaine running toward him. The girl, breathing raggedly, stopped just in front of him, leaning forward and holding onto her side, panting and coughing. She looked up, a smile on her face.

"Colonel... Requesting a platoon of our best to reinforce mine. We've got newcomers..." She looked him in the eye, her face red.

... He knew when Elaine requested something like that, she meant business. He nodded, then said "Go pick 20 people and move out. Take a tank if you have to, but be careful." and he paused as he heard gunfire echo afar, down the road they were supposed to go. Elaine's forward scouts must've been engaging imp-CRACK. A loud thunder bellowed as more guns joined the symphony afar... Heavy guns...

"... By the Emperor. Move!" He ordered

Moments later, with a Chimera in tow, the woman and her platoon moved forward, Lasguns at the ready. The road ahead opened into a clearing, where muzzle flashes and the belch of flames lit the sky. Elaine stared forth from atop the Chimera, eyes wide as she watched them fight. Clad in black-colored armors decorated with golden fleur-de-lis and wielding weapon decorated with Purity Seals. Bright white hair waved in the breeze and the smell of cordite and Promethium filled the air. Their leader held in one hand a book, while with the other, she fired her Bolter.

Behind them all, a man in a robe wielded a longer Chainsword type. Slung under the grips of the weapon was also a Flamer and on his back was a shotgun. His webbing was laced with Imperial iconography and he had an Aquila necklace. He was kneeling, voicing a prayer in High Gothic as his escort chorused the words. Their voices angelic, their weapons, humanity's finest and their goal, the spreading of the Imperial Truth...

The Sisters of Battle and the young Missionary that they escorted held back a wave of False Imperial soldiers, presumably from one of their garrisons nearby. One of the Sisters, who wore a white cover on top of her head that hid heir golden locks, turned to greet the arriving Guardsmen. She smiled, then cried "Sisters, Holy Preacher! Our reinforcement is here!"

Cadian troopers disembarked from the armored vehicle, joining the defenders with lasguns wailing against the enemy invaders. Elaine looked to the elder woman of the Sisters, presumably their Canoness or the leader of the squad, in a less flashy outfit than she'd expected out of a woman who escorted their Missionaries. The Lieutenant bowed, then said "Your Holinesses... We are honored."

"Arise, my girl. 'Tis no time to show humility." The elder woman voiced, smiling "It is a pleasure to see the Cadians still fight. I take it you will explain where we are and who these pretenders and heretics are?"

"Of course. We'll take you to the Colonel to do that." Elaine answered, straightening up. She turned her Lasgun to the False Imperials in the forest, before adding "But before that, let us waste these False Imperials." with renewed Zeal.

"Indeed." The Sister smiled. "Sisters, we've our allies! Stem the tide of these HERETICS!"

"Ave Imperator!" They bellowed in unison. Their bolters roared even more ferociously and their duet of Flamers burned with righteous fury. The screams of those damned to be hit by these weapons were drowned by the roars of gunfire. The Sisters maintained their defensive formation as the Imperial Missionary finished his prayers. Any who were smart enough had long left before the guns really started firing... Others were but cinder and ash now.

The leading Sister holstered her bolter on her back, before raising her hand with a balled fist. And just as she did, her fellows ceased their fire. She looked over the result of their slaughter and, content with how it turned out, looked to Elaine and said "You may lead us to your Colonel, my girl." with a warm smile. She looked to their Missionary, who had stood up and given a nod of thanks to the women.

... Back with the Cadians, the Colonel looked toward the road, hand wrapped around the grip of his pistol. Every other Cadian was on-edge, rifle in hand or manning something that had ammo and was ready to kill. Matt fiddled with his own golden Aquila necklace. The bird with its wings open and talons out. The Gallians had been asked to hold back just in case... He was afraid of the enemy having gotten heavy weapons, but Elaine seemed ecstatic... He still was worried...

... But his fear was replaced with fervent, Imperial joy as he saw the Cadians and whom they were escorting. The soldiers of the Imperium went bug-eyed, before many of them fell to their knees at the sight of the Adepta Sororitas. The Sisters of Battle, those who protected the believers in the Imperial Truth. They were those that had fired. Those who were fighting. And with them, a Missionary of the Emperor's holy word...

... The tide churned ever forward...

Within the Atlantic Federation's Northern Island Outposts

Watching as snow began to fall on the Edinburgh Kingdom's northern isles from within the Royal Navy's forward operations base, a young woman with pure white hair and scarlet eyes leaned against a wall. Clad in almost entirely a white uniform resembling an old Officer's outfit, including the gold-lined shirt with two rows of buttons and the tall peaked cap of a long-lost Army's officer corps. In her right hand was a cane with a Ragnite snowflake at the top and on her hips, a revolver in a black leather holster and a cutlass in a sheath, both attached to a set of black leather belts...

She held onto the long, fur-covered coat on her back with her left hand as the wind blew. The dark clouds in the sky shifted as the gusts intensified... The faraway drum of naval artillery, many kilometers away, echoed like the thunder of a storm in the woman's ears. She wondered what ships had the Edinburgh's navy encountered this time? Was it the Grozny? The Grand Admiral Konstantin? Or some other ship, now renamed to some perversion of its former self? Perhaps a fleet?

She squelched the saddening thoughts. Her homeland was gone. Her Emperor was gone. The man she'd fought to defend had died on his throne, a sword in hand in 1920. Only his children, she and her Regiment remained as a reminder of what the Great Empire had once been. Sighing, the tired General gazed outward into the troubled seas, hand gripping her famed cane loosely as she leaned onto it.

"Comrade General!" A voice called out. A young woman that was running toward her. "Comrade General! I have news from Gallia!" That same young woman called again... The General's gaze swept over toward the young officer. Clad in a white fur coat, a white shirt and a white peaked cap, with dark-blue eyes and short blue hair, the young Darcsen Lieutenant brought a hand up in salute after stopping. The General saluted back.

"At ease, Lieutenant." She spoke in a thick, hardy Eastern accent. "What have you got for me?"

The Lieutenant straightened up, her face red from the strain. She must've run across the base to find her, the General figured. The Lieutenant took one big gulp of air, before she started reporting "Gallian infantry has reported contact with unknown elements almost a month ago. Since, those unknown elements, called Cadians in their reports, have begun engaging alongside the Gallians in staving off the Imperial invasion... It appears as though their vehicles, although they look as old as those we built during the Great War, respond as well as modern weapons. Even better."

"A foreign army?" The General raised a brow. "Huh... How are they fighting?"

"As far as early reports from the liberation of Vasel are saying, comrade General... Fiercely." The woman spoke, before swallowing empty. "I heard that they call the East Imperial troops False Imperials... Much like we do. And they slaughter them with little remorse."

The General rubbed her chin. This was... Odd... Unbelievable even... "Did they manage to liberate Vasel?"

"Within a day, working with Militiamen, ma'am." The Lieutenant noted, smiling. By God...

The General had to take a pause, before she spoke softly "What is their emblem...? If the Fates align..."

The Lieutenant's beaming smile brightened even further... "It is a two-headed eagle, comrade General... Its wings spread, talons poised and one eye closed." she responded, making the General stop dead in her tracks.

"... Get the Regiment together from wherever any still alive may be drowning their sorrows. It's been 15 years since the Scarlet Army has had to retreat from our Motherland... For 15 years we've waited for a time like this." The General ordered, a glimmer of hope flashing in her eyes, her face otherwise stern, not telling emotion. "This is as best a time as any... Send the messages far and wide to all in the Federation... We march to meet these Cadians and our brothers in Gallia within 20 days. And to assist them. As the Amura flows, let us be not found wanting, but instead willing."

The Lieutenant, although a young woman, beamed at the news. She saluted again, then called out "Understood, comrade General Kolchak! The stars shine upon us once more! God is smiling!"

"And our Emperor watches with him from the High Heavens." She returned a small, imperceptible smile to the girl... "Dismissed, Lieutenant Viktoria... Call the young Tsarina and her brother too. Tell her our hope may have been found."

"Ma'am." The Lieutenant nodded, before stepping off. General Aleksandra Kolchak, the Great White Bear of the once unbeatable Imperial Army watched the horizon as the sun broke through the clouds, a beam washing her with light. She raised her hand, blocking the sun, then murmured "So you do smile upon us, Nikolai..." to herself. She gazed east, toward mainland Europa, hand clasping her cane as its Ragnite gem shined a faint light...

"Let the sun shine once more over us as we go to battle, oh Great God on our faraway world of Heaven. One more time, for You and the Tsar." She spoke, then removed a pendant from her pocket. She put her balled fist, it in between her fingers, on her forehead, whispering a short prayer, before finalizing "... And as we march from the Taiga, let none find us wanting... Amen."

... It was time...

Time for the Bear to show her claws again, with blessing from above...

Time to work for the Liberation she had promised their people, from the damnable False Emperor and his traitor children...

From the purists, to those who betrayed him during the Coup and the Yggdist traitors failing to see the truth of his words, not of other gods...

Za Rodinu...