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In a certain city, by a certain coast lived a mystic named Halvard who spent his days studying the stars and making predictions. Having access to a powerful telescope helped his cause and he made a nice living off those who believed his words.

Unfortunately, this night, he saw a strange new sight, and to his eyes it appeared as a small blue star approaching Wintreath. Gasping in surprise, he rushed off to inform all he could. If a star was approaching, it could mean many things, including great disaster!

All who looked could see for themselves, there it was, a blue star approaching Wintreath.

OOC: Forgive the small opening, it's due to lack of familiarity with Wintreath. If this could be given a home in the Forum, that'd be nice. I figure, if I post this small amount, then that gives others a chance to react based on rumor, on factual evidence of something blue approaching, and allows IC time to pass, as clearly something this bright will have been spotted through various means before it actually falls.

Marchosias had no intentions of starting his day in such an uncomfortable manner. His slumber was ruined by a terrifying nightmare and he woke up finding himself drenched in sweat. He was a Fortunata, an individual believed to be born with the gift of prophecy. He secretly regarded it as a curse though, claiming that the ability to foresee impending doom was in no way a blessing. Now that he had done his daily rant, he proceeded to drag himself out of bed. Unbuttoning his lavender purple satin pajamas, he placed them gingerly on the headboard before heading to the washroom. Everything was according to his daily morning routine, with him washing his face, brushing his teeth and taking a warm shower. When the door swung open, he was properly dressed in his azure robe.

There had been rumours of a blue celestial object falling from the sky. Under normal circumstances, he would have dismissed them as unsubstantiated gossip but this time was different. Crystallis, the God of Arcane Knowledge, had personally visited him in his dream and cautioned him that if no preparations were made, there was a high possibility that an apocalypse would take place, resulting in the complete annihilation of his race.

*the changeling queen while not native to this realm notices a disturbance in the hive mind like as if it was picking up some strange interference kept interrupting updates from across the realms*

My queen I have some startling news, There is something in the sky!!! one of her guards storms into her room.

I thought i told you thats the inv..

*notices cameras present in the council room*

Investigation team i have sent to obviously investigate what ever is in the sky. she fumbles a bit before nervously chuckling.

*the guard then looks confused*

Aren't you supposed to be heading the operation? the queen raises a eyebrow and lays a bag of bits on the table.

*the guard than salutes before leaving the office bag in hand as both whistle inconspicuously*

* Wintermoot has not noticed this event yet, because he is busy in Frostbite Tavern experimenting with various drinks made of chilled coffee and milk and isn't listening to anyone else at the moment.

24 hours passed, and the Blue Star was visible, both day and night. It'd only be a few more days before it crashed, somewhere.

Those with Telescopes could see, a craft was inside the Blue Star. Psions, Seers, and others similarly able began hearing messages from the star, that came as images.

....
Image one:

A lone woman walked across a green plain, the grass rolling and waving in the wind. The woman's form is indistinct, and seems rather dark and blurry. It is clear though, no form of intelligence is in her mind, her, and her people, are all as the wild beasts. She went to a tower that stretched beyond the sky into the stars, and there met a terrifying monster that was even more indistinct than the woman.

She gave the monster a bundle on her back, and proceeded through a door into a maze. From the raucous laughter, and objects hurled at her, it was clear the strange woman and her people were both slave and sport to the terrifying monsters. At the end of the maze lay the woman's prize, a slow painful death to amuse the monsters more. A Blue Light flashed, and the woman's eyes changed, something new filling them, something that angered the monsters. Intelligence. The Blue Light flashed again, and the strange woman was gone, simply, gone.

The last scene in the image were words.
"Pray for the innocent who are tormented for sport by cruel uncaring masters."

*the day had past and the queen was certain as the invasive voices in the changeling hive mind began to become clearer as the frequencies intermixed yet remained their own*

How interesting this swarm is for it is unlike are own...

*she then takes a sip from a large mug of Karg as she looks into the blue overhead*

However they lack in certain areas in which we thrive...

*the changeling thinks for a moment*

However they have potential in the Horde...

*the changeling makes up her mind and after some concentration amplifies her voice in the hive mind through the legions she has guarding her in this realm*

WE HAVE HEARD YOUR SONG, A CRESCENDO OF RISING VOICES, BUT IT IS HOLLOW TRULY, WE HAVE A OFFER, INTEGRATE THE SONGS OF OUR PEOPLE JOINING US, OR SUFFER THE WRATH OF A LEGION THAT HAS CONSUMED AND EXPANDED ACROSS THE VERY MULTIVERSE, JOIN US AND LET ARE SWEET MUSIC DRIVE US BOTH OR SILENCE WILL BEFALL YOU!!!! the voices of the hive beyond number ring out in a twisting sound of a sweet sonnet and a shaking roar to the other hive mind intruding.

*the queen then settles back into her embassies royal room awaiting a response from foreign Swarm*

A curious thing happened. A spark shot from the star, zooming ahead, and entering the chambers of The Changling Queen.

It stopped before her, and pulsated gently.

"Strong you are, to sense the slumbering minds of the multitude yet to come. Yet slumbering they are, for they are all asleep, held in perfect stasis for over one million years by my power. They know me as Deep Blue. As they know me, so shall you. I chose them as mine for reasons I do not care to share at this time. As I have chosen them, so too then is the impetus upon me to insure their safety. I cannot carry them much longer.

You speak of a joining, your swarm to The Four People, a fine offer to be sure. But what proof do you offer, that you do not intend The Four People to merely be slaves? I did not free them from slavery to one, simply to give them over to Slavery under another.

The Four People have unique needs all their own, and the social structure to meet those needs. How can I know that the needs of your own people will not put upon them a terrible burden they cannot meet?

Perhaps most importantly, Terrible Monsters from beyond all Times, and all Spaces do pursue the Four People. It is a fine boast to claim having expanded across The Multi-verse, but how will your weapons fare against that which comes from beyond? If you join with The Four People, how will you protect them until they can protect themselves?" The spark named Deep Blue asked.

The spark felt, powerful, incredibly so. But, what was Deep Blue? Was it a separate entity? Was it the manifestation of the collective will of The Four People? If it was a separate entity, what kind of an entity was it? These were questions none knew the answer to, for Deep Blue would not speak of them, and no other had yet found out his secrets.

*the queen after receiving her signal smirks*

My queen you had summoned me for something...

*the queen shhhhhss him before returning to a moment of pure delight*

I see them...

*the guard looks confused*

What do you see your...

*he is cut off before she slams her guard against the wall*

DON"T INTERRUPT ME!!! she shouts as he is pinned against it.

*the guard shaking in his carapace remains quiet*

Now where was I, oh yes the horde that comes...although smaller in number to our legions unmatched they pose some potential use to us....their demands I can negotiate because i expect them to to see the results of our mutually beneficial partnership...

*the queen then with a simple wave of her hand opens a rift in space and time to a toxic barren wasteland seemingly stripped of all recourses as a woman extremely similar to high queen chrysalis walks through the portal to meet her*

My queen I have conquered yet another realm in your name, the excess recourses have been extracted from all uninhabited worlds, The local wildlife has been tamed and studied for traits favorable to the hive, and the majority of the realms people have proven their strength to be a independent race under the hives consortium while the rest had been resistant to operating under our banner, I would judge this operation as a successful integration of this realm to the horde. the woman debriefs to her superior kneeling at her queens will.

*the high queen claps*

I am impressed queen Hemlock, but i have another task for you and your hive. she says to the dark purple haired queen.

*she lets go of the guard and allows him to return to work*

Yes my queen. she says in a loyal voice.

I want you and your hive to intercept the wayward craft and examine if they are worth the effort to assimilate into the horde, I want no aggression from anyone of your hive...however arrive in mass around the craft and halt it with a minor flotilla of 50 interceptors and 20 destroyers, After that board the craft as access their situation, I also want you to meet with their leader and give her the usual terms and conditions rant...

Yes my queen.

But leave out the part about us having "Indentured servants of non-partnered conquered races" I suspect that will be a big turn off for who ever she is...

Yes my queen. Hemlock nearly gets up and leaves.

Oh and tell her the queen of the horde welcomes her presence...

Yes my queen. she begins to leave

And remember my dear have fun. she says as hemlock walks out the door.

*the queen then lets herself relax and lies down on her custom tailored sofa drinking from a ornate chalice containing a deep dark red liquid*

As the Queen spoke, the ship halted of its own accord, almost as if it could hear her. It resembled a giant blimp, seemingly made of Chitin.

Slowly, ponderously a crack formed, and a mouth opened as a docking bay of sorts.

The interior was claustrophobic, and structured according to insectoid logic, utilizing Honeycomb design patterns for superior usage of space. In each cell was a sleeping insectoid, sleeping spiders in others. One Cell was completely sealed, behind barriers, and protected by other Cells. The Cell of the sleeping Queen. That one could not be peered into.

For anyone taking a quick peek, there were four races, humanoid/insectoid Flies of varying sorts, Bee people of various kinds, Ant People, and Spider People. One that was clearly some sort of Tarantuloid took up an impressive 4 cells.

But the Queen's chamber was the big mystery, with no visible path to the Queen, and the others would not awaken, until she awakened. Deep Blue flowed throughout the ship, the only point of contact thus far.

Marchosias used to be labelled a heretic and persecuted for being a follower of Crystallis … but that was before his rise to national prominence after his prediction that a neighbouring empire would invade through Senzetor Province turned out to be uncannily accurate. After his involvement in the War of the Holy Chalice, he became a prominent religious figure who wielded a large amount of influence in the nation.

At the moment, this highly esteemed figure was in his throne room, frantically flipping through tomes taken from the Forbidden Library. Time was running out. It was not like before when he had the luxury of sauntering around his cathedral, admiring the stained glasses that featured some of the deities in the Pantheon or the comfort of sitting on his throne that was built on a five-stepped raised platform, reminiscing about the past. His instinct told him that there must be some records of a similar event taking place in the past but so far, he had no luck in his search.

"Pray for the innocent who are tormented for sport by cruel uncaring masters."
What did that mean? What was the significance and purpose of the message?

*The changeling fleet arrives surrounding the ship*

Teams A-E enter Airlock bravo to travel to the vessel!!! a voice booms over the loudspeakers.

*The changelings shedding their humanoid forms reveal themselves to be equine in build with a skeletal appearance as thick bony black chitin coats their entire bodies, They posses all the traits of the 3 big races of their home world a horn, wings, and strong build...but they looked corrupted and feral with holes going right through their limbs, odd insect like forms, a mouth full of sharp teeth, and eyes that glow the color of their hive*

Ok my subordinates go in there and deal the situation, I want all data onboard the ship categorized, All non-sentiant life contained and brought back for experimentation, and set up the short range rift gate so i can personally arrive. the queen orders her troops though the intercom as the room vents of all air and the pressure is equal to outside.

*The changelings make their space walk to their target seemingly using naturally clinging hooves to stick to the surfaces of debris and the hulls of the space craft to the entrance on the alien ship*

We are in...

*the team illuminates their horns in a sickly green aura some firing flares of magic that stick and brightens the halls as the team examines the craft throughly*

The teams would find everything as described before, the people still in stasis in their cells. There was no non-sentient life. Though later, if asked, the Bees, Spiders, and Ants would all agree the Flies came close to qualifying, much to the strenuous objections of the Flies.

The Ship itself was dying, trying its best to maintain life long enough to reach planetfall.

Deep Blue coalesced into a giant sphere infront of the Teams.

"Welcome, I am Deep Blue. I have already met your Queen, and speak for the slumbering people. I will not wake them until they have Home to wake up in.

Colberius and Halvard step out into the cold, a stark contrast to the warmth of the tavern.

"Now, do you have a way to get us to the site of the star's landing? Or shall we take my ride?"

The Inquisitor tips his head to indicate a jetbike hidden in the shadows next to the tavern.

OOC: Any terms in my posts that are unfamiliar to you (ie. Jetbike, Cogitator, C'tan Phase Weapon, etc.) can likely be found on the WH40k wiki. http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Warhammer_40k_Wiki

"I have no means of getting to The Blue Star." Halvard replied, pointing it out in the sky. He squinted.

"Perhaps a swift return to my telescope for a quick look is in order, unless you can get us to it directly, quickly." Halvard suggested.

The Inquisitor crossed the ground to his vehicle in four long strides, and climbed on.  Activating the anti-grav engines and priming the powerful thrusters, Colberius turned to Halvard.

"Hop on.  And hold on tightly."