your ship arrives at the icy planet, your orders are to wait until further notice, around you you only see an immense church belonging to the Sisters of Battle, and on the other side a large city covered in snow, right in front a beautiful woman appears to receive you, it is Sister Maria
A few Astartes walk down the landing ramp with a large reinforced cage between them, expressions a mix between slight curiosity and stern determination. They unload the ship before approaching Sister Maria and explaining to her that the cage should only be opened when it is secured inside a secure room where nobody else is present. When Sister Maria took a few steps closer to inspect the cargo she recoiled slightly in surprise and dread when she heard what could only be described as a gut-wrenching and terrifying hiss, loud enough to be heard over the ship’s still active engines.
"Damn it all! What kind of horror have you brought me this time?" Maria demanded angrily, glancing at the Astartes. "It sounds like a daemon!" She stepped back slightly, her hand going to the pistol holstered on her hip. "What do you mean by 'further notice'? Surely we don't just leave it here until then! It could escape and wreak havoc on this world!"
The captain for the Astartes Chapter stepped forward and explained that it in fact was no daemon, but no ordinary creature either. They had found it on an illegal market just outside this system and managed to win it over, thinking that whatever was inside the armoured container could be of value in combat.
*Maria's expression softened slightly at the news that the creature wasn't a daemon. Still, she remained suspicious. "I see... Well, you can take it to the sanctum. I will accompany you." She gestured for one of the Astartes to lead the way, her gaze never leaving the cage as they walked towards the church and the city beyond.
Once inside the sanctum, she approached the cage warily, peering at it through the thick bars. "What manner of creature are you?"
Through the thick layers of metal and nano-fibres you couldn’t see all that much inside the cage, because of its structure that blocked out most light. Still they could hear something moving inside, and then suddenly two pairs of glowing yellow eyes snapped open, fixating on Sister Maria’s face. She immediately stepped backwards and covered her mouth with one hand, in shock by the sudden burst of rage and bloodlust radiating from whatever creature there was inside the cage.
"Wh-what... What are you?" she stammered, taking another step back. The eyes narrowed slightly, as if studying her, and then they snapped shut again. Maria swallowed hard, feeling a shiver run down her spine despite the warmth of the sanctum. "We should inform the High Priestess immediately," she said finally, glancing at one of the Astartes. "She will know what to do."
Maria swallowed hard again as they approached the High Priestess' chambers, her heart racing in fear and anticipation. The Astartes escorts nodded curtly in reply before leading her inside, following orders to remain outside while she delivered the news. She rapped sharply on the wooden door, then pushed it open without waiting for a response. "Your Holiness," she said, bowing deeply. "I have brought news of... an unusual discovery."
The High Priestess rose from her ornate throne, eyes narrowed in suspicion as she took in Maria's agitated state. "Speak," she commanded. Maria hesitated for a moment, gathering her courage before describing what they had found and the encounter with the creature inside the cage. As she spoke, the High Priestess' expression grew more and more grave.
When Maria finished, there was silence in the room for several long moments.
Finally, the High Priestess rose from her throne once more. "Very well," she said softly. "You have done well to bring this matter to my attention. I will need to consult with the Ecclesiarchy and the Ordo Xenos before we can determine what course of action is best. In the meantime, take it to the deepest vaults beneath the temple. Guard it carefully; its presence must not be discovered by anyone else."
Nodding solemnly, Maria turned to leave the chamber, only to be stopped by a hand on her shoulder. The High Priestess regarded her with a piercing gaze. "And Sister Maria... I trust you will keep your emotions in check around this... creature." Her words were laced with warning.
Maria felt heat rise in her cheeks at the rebuke, but she forced herself to remain silent and still as she nodded again.
The next few days passed in a haze of tension and unease for Maria. She had spent every moment since returning from the High Priestess' chambers feeling as though someone were watching her, waiting for her to slip up. And all the while, the creature's eyes seemed to bore into her very soul whenever she was near its cage, as if it could sense her fear and doubt.
Finally, one night while Maria was on duty at the temple, a messenger arrived bearing a summons for her from the High Priestess. Her heart racing with a mixture of dread and anticipation, she hurried to the chambers, where she found the ancient woman sitting at her desk, poring over scrolls and tomes.
"Sister Maria," the High Priestess said without looking up, "come in and close the door behind you."
Maria did as she was told, taking a few steps into the room before turning to close the door quietly. She stood at attention, her hands clasped tightly behind her back. The High Priestess finally looked up from her work and fixed Maria with a piercing gaze. "I have news for you," she said simply.
Maria forced herself to remain calm despite the hammering of her heart in her ears. "Yes, Your Holiness?"
"The Ecclesiarchy and Ordo Xenos have reached a decision regarding the creature you found," the High Priestess said, her voice grave. "They believe that it may be of great strategic importance to our ongoing war against the alien hordes." She paused, studying Maria's reaction carefully before continuing.
"As such, they have deemed it necessary for you... to become acquainted with it." Her words were like a blow to the gut, and Maria felt her eyes widen in shock.
The High Priestess smiled then, a cold expression that sent shivers down Maria's spine. "You are to be its caretaker," she explained. "It is your duty to ensure that it remains healthy and strong, so that it may one day serve our emperor in battle." She paused again, as if considering her next words carefully.
"And should the time come for it to prove itself in combat... you will be expected to lead it." Her eyes locked with Maria's, conveying a message of complete and utter dominance.
Maria felt as if she was about to vomit. She had never been so terrified in her life, but she forced herself to remain steady, to show no sign of weakness. "I understand," she managed to croak out. The High Priestess nodded once, satisfied with her response.
"Good," she said simply, before returning her attention to the scrolls on her desk. After a few moments of silence, Maria ventured to speak again. "What... what if I can't control it?" she asked hesitantly.
The High Priestess looked up once more, and this time there was no pity or sympathy in her eyes. "Then you will die," she said bluntly. "And your soul shall be damned for all eternity." Maria swallowed hard, feeling a chill run down her spine.
"Now," the High Priestess continued, "I trust that you understand the gravity of your new responsibility. You must train with the creature daily, learning its ways and how best to control it. And when the time comes... do not fail us."
Maria nodded stiffly, unable to speak past the lump in her throat. She turned on her heel and strode from the room, her heart pounding with fear and determination. As she made her way back to the deepest vaults beneath the temple, she couldn't help but wonder if she was truly alone in this; whether anyone else knew of her new role as caretaker to a monstrous xenos beast. But then again... perhaps it didn't matter.
When Maria entered the giant subterranean chamber and sealed it shut behind her, I lifted my scaled, diamond-shaped head and looked at her, my glowing eyes betraying no sign of feelings or emotions, just a cold calculating gaze locked on her face.
Maria stood before the creature, her hands clenched into fists at her side. For several long moments, neither she nor it moved. Then, slowly and deliberately, she began to pace around it, studying its form and movements. The alien thing looked much like a giant insect; its segmented carapace was covered in chitinous plates that shimmered with an eerie blue-green light. Its limbs were long and powerful, tipped with razor-sharp claws.
"You are to be my servant," she growled, drawing closer to the creature. "And I am your mistress." She raised a hand, her fingers curling into a fist. The air around it shimmered with energy as she prepared to strike. The alien thing did not flinch or react in any way. Maria's eyes narrowed as she realized that perhaps physical force would not be enough to control it.
Instead, she focused her anger and frustration into a Psychic Scream, unleashing her psychic energy in a deafening howl that shook the very foundations of the chamber. The alien creature's carapace seemed to ripple in response, as if it were absorbing her mental assault. Its eyes remained fixed on her, unblinking and eerily calm.
When the scream died away, Maria stood panting, her hands trembling with exhaustion.
"So," she hissed through gritted teeth, "you are not so easy to control." She stepped back, considering her next move. Perhaps... perhaps she could use a more subtle approach. Slowly and carefully, she knelt down beside the creature, reaching out to stroke its chitinous carapace with one fingertip. The alien thing remained still as stone, betraying no reaction to her touch.
Maria continued to pet and coo at the creature for several long minutes, using every ounce of charm and seduction she could muster. Finally, it seemed to respond; its segmented body began to vibrate slightly, and a low purring sound emanated from within its chest. She smiled then, feeling a surge of triumph through her veins. Perhaps she had found the key to controlling this monster after all.
With renewed confidence, Maria began to train with the creature every day, teaching it tricks and commands, as well as studying its combat techniques and abilities. As time passed, she grew more skilled at controlling it, able to command it with nothing more than a thought or a gesture. She came to understand that beneath its inscrutable exterior, the alien creature was actually quite intelligent; perhaps even more so than most humans she had encountered.
One day, as they were sparring together in the chamber, a messenger arrived with urgent news from the High Priestess. Word had come that their enemies were massing on the horizon, preparing for an all-out assault against the planet and its people. The time had come for Maria and her strange pet to prove themselves on the battlefield.