[Dan296]

Katrina, after hearing Breya’s report, paced inside her Abbess cell. She had read about this rising power in the east, the Tau. They had overrun many Imperial worlds in the eastern fringe, though their advanced weaponry was not as deadly as their heretical socialist doctrine. Entire worlds had thrown away their oaths of loyalty to the Emperor and pledged loyalty to the fledgling empire. “For the greater good,” sneered Katrina. “The Tau will infect this planet and turn it unless we can stop them.” She exited her cell and walked toward the command center.
“Katrina to all squad leaders. Prepare your charges, make ready for battle.” She turned to a serf attending one of the communications arrays. “You there, has anything progressed with the long range voxes?”
“No milady,” he replied, “and the astropath still is incoherent.”
“Perfect…”

Inside the Chapel-Barracks, the sisters donned their armour, cleaned their weapons, and said the prescribed prayers over their wargear. The walls of the barracks were covered in devotional texts and lenities of faith. Purity seals dotted the ornate power armour that the sisters wore. They made their way through the complex and to the gates.
Katrina stood at the gates, waiting. She held her double bladed power axe at her shoulder, and with her free hand felt the symbol of the Ecclisiarchy wrapped around her waist by dozens of black adamantium beads. Each sister had one, and a bead represented 1, 10, or in the veteran sisters, 100 acts of faith towards the emperor. She began addressing the crowd of Sororitas. “Sisters, xenos have touched this, the Emperors world.” Cries of disbelief and calls for the aliens deaths rang out. “Good! Let your righteous anger flow through you, guiding your arm as you pluck out the unfaithful from the Emperors sight. We move on Granslund, to secure it before the foul Tau move in. For the Emperor!”
The gatehouse rang with cries of, “For the Emperor!” from the assembled throng. The squads marched to the Order’s armory, where inside the vehicle park awaited.
6 rhino APCs and 3 immolators revved to life, and the Sororitas complex emptied of its sacred warriors.

They had been making their way to the capital city of Granslund for two days. Much could have happened since Breya’s squad had thrown out the alien envoy more then a week ago. “Honoured Cannoness, this is Serf Karye at the Chapel-Barracks. The long range vox is fully functional, as you can see.”
“Good work technician.” Said Katrina.
“Not all is well, however. Astropath Gorten has gone to the Emperors side.”
“What? How could this be!”
“In the last minutes of his life, the witch was crying, ‘They are everywere, clawing my mind! The warp itself has been silenced by their mere shadow!’ He foamed at the mouth and eventually his mind shut down. What do you think this could mean?”
“I don’t know. I must confer with the inquisition once I have the chance. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Katrina out.”
Katrina was deeply troubled by this recent turn of events. The Tau had advanced technology, to be sure, but nothing on this scale. There was no way they could block, or kill, psykers when they themselves were blunts, with no presence in the warp at all.
“My Lady, we approach Granslund.”