The Princess Genevive Saga: An Imperial Knights Quest

[x] Stalemate


The weight of the prior fight ways you down. That, combined with the shock of General Helios asking for your advice causes you to open and close your mouth like a fish, before ultimately saying nothing. Old lessons flow through your brain, but nothing sticks out as correct. Your face burns red. This is the worse moment of your life.

To your shock, Helios doesn't mock you or show any sign of disappointment, he simply nods and moves on. "What about you, Major Damocles? Do you have any insight?"

Damocles looks frankly awful. The dark circles under his eyes have gotten even worse, and his hair is in disarray. "Well, sir. I believe that Major Ajax is an experienced and competent soldier. He has been in tough spots before and survived every one of them. If we can't get in contact with him through the vox, I say send one of Lukanos's scouts to give him a quick heads up. His troops combined with the PDF already there should be fine with whatever light force the Orks send." He grimaces. "I don't fancy getting slammed up the arse by an Ork Mekboss and his new toys when we turn tail to help our comrades in arms. Sometimes you just got to have faith in the competence of others to hold out on their own. If Ajax ends up failing." The man gives a cold shrug. "Then he dies, but at least we ended the Ork threat. His sacrifice won't be in vain. Besides, for all we know, the Orks could already be half-way to the citadel by now. Any help we send may very well be too little, too late."

A small part of you wants to object at the cruelty on display, but another, colder, part of you notes that this may be the only choice anyone can make. Helios seems to be musing on Damocles's statement. He rubs his chin. "Magos Valmanar? You have any thoughts here."

Valmanar's voice grinds out. "I concur with Major Damocles, General." Several clicks sound out. "I have little military knowledge, but the Mekboss will require as much force as we can muster. If you want, I have anecdotes in my personal data stores to prove the truth of my words."

"No need," Helios says. "I've fought Orks before, I know the truth of that statement." He puts his hands together with a sigh. "It pains me, but we have to leave Ajax on his own here." He turns on Lukanos. "Lieutenant, task your fastest scout to ride to Citadel Solannor. We will also continue to attempt to get in contact with Ajax through the vox. We keep moving forward. We have a general idea where the Orks are coming from thanks to the seismic data. We will move out after repairs are complete and we have salvaged what we can."

Everyone in the room snaps a quick salute and shouts in the affirmative. You barely manage your own. Your face is still burning red. Everyone starts to file out, when Helios speaks up again. "A moment of your time, Princess?" Vali stops short and starts to turn, but Helios shakes his head. "Alone, please. I mean her no harm, Sir, I just wish to speak."

You give Vali a flat nod, and after a moment of hesitation, the man leaves. You turn to Helios, your face cold. "What do you wish to say, General?"

Helios looks at you calmly. "Don't worry about the meeting here. That was only meant as a test."

You scowl with anger. "A test I failed, right?" Your heart feels like it is about to explode. Dishonor. You have been dishonored in front of everyone.

"Hardly," Helios says. "I didn't expect much. I only wanted to gauge your knowledge of warfare and your ability to be a part of my command deliberations. You didn't fail, I just now know what needs to be worked on." He reaches into his desk.

You blink confusedly. "You sound like a teacher, sir."

"Oh, I am," Helios states gruffly. "Your father was very specific. I'm to teach you about war. All of it. Every single thing I know." He finally pulls out a rather thick, leather-bound book. "Here it is!"

"My...father? He ordered you to teach me about warfare?" you ask. "I...don't understand." Why would father feel the need? You had tutors that taught you much of combat, in order to pass the Becoming, you had to know at least some truisms about how to fight.

"Right now, your wondering 'why the fuck do I have to learn about war? Daddy paid for so many tutors to yammer lies into my face about foes he hoped you'd never have to actually fight.'" Helios's face is grim. "Sorry to break it to you, Princess, but everything you've been taught by Imperium sanctioned tutors? It's bullshit. The grand majority of it will get you fucking killed. You didn't even know Orks were sentient, by the Emperor's Throne."

You fight back half-heartedly. "But...but why would they lie? It makes no sense, I'm to be Queen of Etumar, surely they'd tell me all I'd need to know?"

Helios snorts. "They lie because they think people will piss their pants and run screaming into the fucking void if they know the truth. Take it from me, Princess, I was a dumbass helot farmer who got lucky, rose to power, and learned all this shit the hard way." He rolls up his sleeve, revealing bionics. "I didn't die, I got smart. You have a powerful weapon under your control, which makes you lucky, you can't be as easily killed as me." He shrugs. "I just need to make sure you get smart before you get yourself blasted to bits by a Necron or some such monstrosity." He hands you the book. "Here. This is a book of tactics by the best damn Warmaster the Imperium ever had, read it, memorize it, and give me a report on what you've learned." He adds after a moment. "And try not to damage it, alright? It's a rare book, cost me an arm and a leg."

You look at the cover. Solar Macharius. You've heard of him, he is considered a Saint in some circles. You suppose Helios is one of the people who hold him in such high regard. "I...see. Thank you, sir." You bow somewhat awkwardly. You thought you had escaped tutors and homework once you turned eighteen and officially became a Knight...but it seems father had other plans.

"I'll see you shortly," Helios says. "We have Orks to slay."

You nod and move quickly out of the tent. Vali is waiting, pacing with nervousness on his face. "Princess! Are you alright?"

You smile. "I'm fine, he just wished to speak to me about tactics." You flush a little. "It seems father has hired me a new tutor and failed to inform me of such."

Vali nods crisply. "Well, at least we know where the man stands." He takes your annoyed look. "He is an experienced commander, Princess. He will teach you much." He starts to walk away.

You clutch the book to your chest. "They lied." You whisper. Vali stops. "Every one of them lied. Orks...Orks aren't beasts, Vali. No...no they are, but they are sentient beasts." A shudder passes down your spine. "Oh, Emperor...they think." You are rooted to the spot for several seconds.

"Well. Now we know," Vali says. "It hardly seems to matter really, they die just the same." He turns to you with a smile. "You are so hung up on the creature speaking and building, Princess, that you've forgotten the simplest fact."

"What's that?" You whisper out.

"You killed it," Vali says. "You battled the Ork-Fake in single combat, and you slew it with honor. The creature talked, yes, the Orks are smarter then you believed. But we still won, we still killed them." He looks you plain in the eye. "We have our honor, they don't."

Several seconds pass, feeling like painful minutes. You finally let out a breath. And then you laugh. All tension comes out of your body as you give the loudest, haughtiest laugh you have given in your entire life. "So it did! It died, and I still stand!" Your heart is beating, fear replaced with a sudden burst of pride. "I won my first single combat! I dueled a vile Xenos Knight...and I won!" You laugh again. "Come Sir Vali! There are more foes to be felled in this glorious combat!" You run off, somewhat unladylike, towards the berth.

Vali follows after you with a chuckle. "After you, your highness."

You turn to him with a genuine smile. "Oh, and Sir Vali? Thanks."

Vali smiles back. "Anytime, your highness."


The two of you arrive at the berth a short time later. Alex and O'Donagh greet you immediately. Seeing your sister helps alleviate more of the fear from your prior fight. She smiles at you and you smile back. O'Donagh ruins the moment by speaking up in his clipped voice. "If you don't mind, Princess, I'd like to speak of Righteousness's current state."

You give the Sacristan a restrained smile. "Very well, O'Donagh, what insight do you have here?"

"Well, as you know, your Power Lance was damaged in your duel with the Ork-Knight. While it is repairable and even usable in its current state, I would advise against exposing it to further stress. It is my suggestion that we test out the modular capablities of your Knight Baron Frame." He gestures at a large pile of weaponary. "I happen to have three potential weapons that will fit quite nicely for the final fights of this campaign. What do you wish to do, Princess?"


[] Replace with the Chainsword
[] Replace with the Gatling Cannon
[] Replace with the Power Fist
[] Keep the Power Lance

[X] Replace with the Chainsword


You think for a long minute before you answer. "The Chainsword will do, O'Donagh. I expect I will have to duel more of those vile Ork-Knights, and the blade will do well enough for that."

O'Donagh nods and rushes of to shout orders at his team. Alex turns to the pair of you, asking calmly, "So, how did the meeting with the General go?"

You sigh somewhat irritably. "I have a new teacher now, General Helios has been tasked by my father to teach me of war. I'm to read a tactics book by Warmaster Macharius and give him a report."

Alex nods crisply. "Very well." She doesn't seem very surprised, more bemused than anything. "I suppose father wanted to teach you once and for all about avoiding your lessons."

You flush. "I never did any such thing. I am a most dutiful daughter. As I recall, you were the one who would run to train with the lower retainers."

"At least I was learning something," Alex says with a smile.

You stick out your tongue at her. Vali's chuckle doesn't help anything. You interrupt what will clearly be a losing conversation. "As for proper business, the full force will be moving out soon. We are to hunt down the leader of the alien horde and end its ambitions."

Alex nods. "That makes sense."

Vali adds gruffly. "We are leaving the Citadel on its own, but the Ork leadership takes priority." He scowls deeply. "Not fond of leaving them, but they should hopefully hold on their own." You nod in agreement and note that Alex does as well. It is a grim fact, and denying the truth of it doesn't make it any better.

Dolce approaches shortly after. "Milady, Princess Alexandrite, Sir Vali." She smiles calmly. "We have an hour before O'Donagh completes his work. Shall we have a quick lunch."

You look at your maid in slight shock. "Dolce, we just got attacked by Orks. I'm pleased to see you live, but this is hardly the time for you to be working."

Dolce shrugs. "Of course it is. I was behind an entire line of Admechs hiding in your tent. Honestly, maid work helps me cope with it all." She gives you a bow. "Lunch then?"

The three of you nod and accompany her to the tent. Dolce's straight-laced devotion to her duties aside, she is correct. Combat has made all of you quite hungry.


After a quite wonderful lunch that Dolce somehow created from what rations she could find, the three of you await the go-ahead from within your mounts. Your heart beats strongly, and you can't help but feel like the new weapon on your machine changes the weight and feel of Righteousness. It sets in that you have only used the lance, the blade feels unfamiliar. You must get used to it for the final battles.

At last, Helios's voice rings through the vox. "Alright, Princess, time to move out. Be ready for anything." You let out a breath you didn't realize you were holding.

"Move out!" You yell. All three of you move as one. The vehicles and men of the Kratosian Armored 7th follow beneath your mighty feet. You pray to the Emperor that this is the final assault, that after this Solannor will be at peace. You have command over Alex and Vali. You choose how the Knights move out on the assault.


[] You take point, Alex and Vali behind
[] Alex takes point
[] Vali takes point