Reinforcements!

”How are you feeling, Chaplain?”

Chaplain Deschain slowly gained consciousness as he heard a soft female, yet metallic, voice. Something felt funny, but he couldn’t grasp what it was. He tried to raise his right arm, but it felt heavy and numb.

“Where am I? And…” Deschain suddenly remembered the Necron blade through his chest and the pain that had erupted from it. But, he was apparently alive. He felt… something… in his chest. A stirring sensation. Not pain. That was good. That meant it was healing. But something else was wrong, something felt… funny… He centered his thoughts and read a litany of calmness to himself, reassuring him that he could focus on whatever had happened to him.

“What… what is feeling strange? I can’t seem to place it…”

Somebody in the room moved towards him. His eyesight was still a bit blurred, but his vision improved by the second and he already knew who was also in the room, apart from, presumably, a medical droid.

“Chaplain Deschain!” The voice was sharp and a tone of anger. “You have failed abysmally! The Necron force you encountered not only demolished your force… they also took the wreckage with them! I counted on you, Deschain! The Emperor counted on you! And look at you now… your chest in stitches… thank the Emperor that you Astartes mend quickly… and your ears… or…. rather… where your ears used to be! Why did the Necrons take your ears, Chaplain? Why!?”

Chaplain Deschain slowly realized that the strange feeling erupted from his head and then he tried to understand what Inquisitor Bellatrix just had said: “Where are your ears?” Bellatrix continued before Deschain could respond:

“Chaplain Deschain… Things have changed… Strike Force Halliwell had to regroup to Esenie X. Apparently the Tyranids have launched an offensive and Halliwell’s expertise on them was needed there. But we have reinforcements landing on Borhelia now, as we speak. When you are patched up and your bio-implanted ears function properly, you will meet up with … Captain Dorarius of…”

“The White Spear!” Deschain interrupted Bellatrix, which would have rendered him a severe reprimand, but Bellatrix let him off the hook… this time. “Good! It’s a fine force. The Ultramarines are excellent warriors... But… Do you really think I need babysitting. Our encounter with the Nec…”

“You failed, Deschain!” Inquisitor Bellatrix interrupted him with a snarly voice. “You were almost wiped out! And you and your Astartes are the Deathwatch for Emperor’s sake! ! Of course you need back-up, reinforcements… or…. a babysitter, as you put it! End of discussion! This is not a time or place for needless pride. You failed and you will get reinforcements! Period! And The White Spear will be of good use. Reports say that the ruinous powers are progressing steadily and Dorarius will meet them with a “Well, hello there” gift!

Inquisitor Bellatrix then turned on her heels and left the room. Befuddled Chaplain Argus Deschain forced his right arm to touch the side of his right head. There was a metallic… “thing” there and when he touched his left side of his head, there was another “thing”. Why had the Necron Destroyer taken his ears? And left him alive? Chaplain Argus Deschain sighed and fell back into sleep. His last thought was of giving that Necron-thing an adequate riposte the next time they met…

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By Tony Melander (2025)