Sister Harodiah sat within the cramped confines of the Immolator, her eyes closed beneath a semi-transparent veil of crimson edged with gold. It was difficult for her to concentrate on anything substantial with the presence of so many... lost. The surrounding shadows of the mechanical undead made her head throb almost uncontrollably, a twisting of her mind she had only felt once before in her life. Mother Magdalena bringing her down onto the battlefield was not an unwise decision, she decided, considering this was neither of their first encounters with these Necron creatures, but their introductions to these foul intruders were quite different.
During her days as a student to the great chirurgeon, Sister Amaliea of the Hospitaller Order of the White Wind, Sister Harodiah had been subject to the average training of a adept chirurgeon and the less extensive training of an Adepta Sororitas, but a special sort of "class" had been given to Harodiah. The Order had taken the girl as a Sister, knowing well she displayed the signs of a latent psyker of moderate potential, but Sister Amaliea was a curious scientist, a radical and well known for her brilliant, if not somewhat unpieous methods of learning. Harodiah was treated as a star pupil, considering her skills as a chirurgeon were exceptional and Amaliea took her personally under her wing... but what had seemed to be general interest in the young girls well being had turned out to another one of her tests. She was later introduced to Mother Superior Magdalena, who had taken her in as her personal chirurgeon.
Why the Canoness had chosen to shelter a psychic within the Order, she did not know, but Magdalena was like a mother to the girl.
Gathering herself up, she joined Mother Magdalena outside the Immolator and caught the end of her briefing with Sister Rhoda. She waited patiently as Sister Superior Rebecca arrived and congratulated her, but when a moment was left open, she announced her prescence by coughing lightly and crossing her arms over one another beneath the huge billow sleeves of her crimson and gold robe. Her face was only slightly visible beneath her veil and the features were undiscernable, but a dark blot beneath her right eye could be seen in the outline of the fleur du lys.
"Excuse me, revered Mother and equally revered Sisters, but it would be unwise to start celebrating so early," she came to stand directly at Magdalena's side, " It is not unknown for these creatures to rise from the battlefield they fell on not moments before. It would be wise to gather your troops back into a feasible mass and search out any of these Spyders... there maybe more of these monsters waiting beneath the ground where we stand at this very moment."
Magdalena turned to face Sister Harodiah, "There is no celebration here, Sister." Her voice held a tinge of sorrow underneath the strength that a Cannoness had to project. "The Necron have retreated, teleporting away with their wounded and dead. We have earned a brief respite, however they will doubtlessly be preparing for another attack." She looked out to the northwest from whence the Necron had come then turned in the opposite direction. The Imperial Guard had arrived, taking up defensive positions along the bank of the stream. "I think this was a recon element 'in force', sent to sweep away the Imperial Guard pickets on their flank. We've stalled them long enough for the Guard to reinforce their positions here. We must consult with the Inquisitor before taking further action…we are here at the behest of the Ordo Hereticus, after all." She added dryly.
She motioned toward Sister Katherine, who rose from where she knelt at the bodies of her fellow sisters. "Sister Rhoda, tell Sister Deborah to take "Chastity" squad off the front line. Have her liaison with the Guard while waiting for reinforcements. I'll get on the vox-caster with the Emperor's Eye and have the reserves brought in. While "Chastity" is off line, we'll bring "Devotion" squad up."
Rhoda nodded, "Sister Sharon says their all ready to move in."
"Tell them to bring the Repressor APCs up, we may have to move out on short notice." Magdalena looked over the Sisters of Battle as they consolidated their position. "Bring in "Altar" and "Temple" command squads, we may have to split our forces and I want to be ready." She pointed toward the damaged vehicles. "Get us a Tech-Priest down here to fix that Exorcist and "Humility's" Immolator. We need them online as soon as possible. "Piety" squad is without an APC now as well, so reassign them "Hope" squad's…they won't need it anymore."
