When the player responsible for relaying messages rushed into the command room, breathless, and reported the terrifying incident that had just occurred in the "Summoning Room" to Joker, this usually composed commander nearly jumped out of his chair.
"What the hell!" Joker's eyes widened, staring at the messenger in disbelief.
"Wasn't it just supposed to be a low-level daemon summon to charge the engines? How did you end up pulling out a Greater Daemon?! That's a Keeper of Secrets! Do you think Greater Daemons are just that easy to come by?!"
In the Warhammer setting, summoning a Greater Daemon typically requires thousands of sacrifices, complex rituals, and extensive preparation.
How could one just pop out simply because someone drew a circle and burned a few people?"We followed the procedure for summoning a low-level daemon exactly, and the sacrifices were just a few under-hive scum—less than two digits worth, we didn't even use a psyker," the messenger replied, looking innocent and shrugging.
"Ghostface speculates that it might be because the low-level daemon that ate an Eldar soul recently got a 'promotion' after returning.
The Greater Daemon must have been watching our sector, sensed our summoning signal, and decided to intercept it to come find us—""How hungry could it possibly be..." Joker felt a splitting headache and reached up to rub his throbbing temple.
Being targeted by a Slaaneshi Greater Daemon was definitely not a pleasant experience, even for a group of players.
"This must be stopped immediately," Joker ordered sternly.
"Abandon that room completely.
Get a heavy weapons team in there and use meltas and plasma to sanitize every inch of the walls and floor—purification in the physical sense.
And don't ever pick a location on this planet or that ship for summoning again; I suspect the Warp veil has already been torn too thin.
""Understood, but—" The player hesitated before continuing.
"Ghostface's idea is that since we've obtained the Greater Daemon's true name, Bonnie Blue, we could try to find a remote location and attempt to summon it using its true name.
"Excitement flickered in the player's eyes: "If it actually works, we won't have to fear the Dark Eldar anymore.
Using a Slaaneshi Greater Daemon to fight the Dark Eldar is the perfect hard counter! Just having that Greater Daemon standing there would probably scare those dark elves out of their wits.
"Joker was silent for a moment, his fingers tapping gently on the desk as he weighed the pros and cons.
Although the risk was enormous, it was a highly tempting tactical option.
"That can only happen on a desolate planet; it must never be near any Imperial civilians or our own bases," Joker finally conceded, though his tone remained heavy.
"But this needs to be done quickly.
I'm very uneasy about that ship where the summoning accident occurred—it's been tainted by Warp energy; something bad is bound to happen if we keep using it.
"He pulled up the star map and pointed to a peripheral area: "Tell Ghostface and the others to find a suitable wasteland planet as soon as possible, and then dispose of that ship there—whether we blow it up directly or otherwise, it can't be kept.
"After arranging everything, Joker leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh.
Looking at the icon of the soon-to-be-scrapped frigate on the map, he felt a pang of regret.
"Damn it," he couldn't help but curse.
"The war hasn't even officially started, and we've already lost a ship to our own idiocy...
Why have I suddenly become so unlucky?"Just as he finished cursing, the communicator on the command console rang.
The holographic projection request indicated it was coming from the Lamenters' battle barge.
Joker took a deep breath, adjusted his expression, and connected the call:
"Chapter Master Malakim Phoros? Is there something urgent?"
Malakim Phoros's face, always carrying a hint of melancholy, appeared in the hologram.
The Space Marine did not maintain his usual steel-like composure; his brows were tightly knit, and his eyes revealed a hidden, undeniable anxiety.
"Commander Joker," Phoros's voice was low.
"After finishing the patrol with you and returning to my battle barge, I've had a persistent, unsettling premonition that has left me unable to find peace.
"Joker frowned slightly, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the edge of the console.
He knew full well that Warhammer 40,000 was never a purely materialistic world.
For a battle-hardened Space Marine like Phoros, a son of the Blood Angels, and especially a Lamenter, to have a "bad premonition" was rarely just a psychological effect.
It was often a warning on a psychic level—in other words, something truly terrible was likely to happen.
Joker set aside his previous irritability and spoke earnestly: "If you want my advice, take it seriously.
This may be a revelation from the Emperor or the Great Angel—a warning of impending danger.
"Heh..."
Phoros smiled bitterly and shook his head.
"We haven't reached the point where we deserve such glory; I fear the Emperor's gaze rarely rests upon us.However, I appreciate your understanding."
Phoros paused and asked tentatively: "Has anything bad happened on your end recently?"
Joker: "..."
The corner of Joker's mouth twitched slightly.
Anything bad?
Oh, nothing worth mentioning.
Just a few minutes ago one of our frigates was rendered completely useless by an illegal Warp daemon summoning, which, as a delightful bonus, also managed to attract a Slaaneshi Greater Daemon.
"No," Joker lied without changing his expression; this was something his straight-laced allies must never know.
"Everything is normal.
Do you still have that ominous feeling?"
Phoros didn't doubt him, his expression only growing more somber: "Yes, and it's getting stronger.
The sense of oppression is like the low pressure before a storm—it makes it hard to breathe.
"Hearing this, Joker thought to himself: That shouldn't be related to the Slaaneshi Greater Daemon.
That thing has already been driven back, and even if it returned, as a newly manifested Greater Daemon, it wouldn't be enough to cause such a continuous and intense sense of crisis in a Chapter Master.
It seems that something truly massive is about to happen.
Joker looked at Phoros and asked seriously:
"Then, do you think we should leave as soon as possible, or continue to stay here?"
This was a very practical question.
If a premonition signals disaster, avoiding bad luck is an instinct.
However, Phoros replied almost without hesitation: "Stay here."
A flash of determination crossed his eyes—that stubborn, tragic-hero resolve unique to the Lamenters: "If a disaster breaks out here because of the Lamenters' arrival, or if the disaster is trailing us, then we must take responsibility for solving it.
We cannot leave this misfortune for the mortals here.
"Watching this Chapter Master, who was notoriously cursed but still maintained his bottom line, Joker couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.
He straightened his posture and nodded solemnly at the holographic projection: "In that case, the Helldiver Legion stands with you.
No matter what is coming, we will not take a single step back."