The Shadow-pattern Stormbird was shrouded in the force field generated by the Quantum Field Repulsor, flying soundlessly toward Merseyside's tallest, largest Hive Spire.
Beep, beep, beep...
The Communication Bead buzzed.
Nimrod raised his hand to the Communication Bead, and the voice of Ramsey, lord of the 10th Battalion, came through.
"My lord, Lord Corax has appeared at Hive Spire Twenty-Three. The Raven Guard have launched raids on Hive Spires Twenty-Four through Forty-Nine and Forge Complexes Fifteen through Thirty-Nine."
After a moment's thought, he understood that Corvas Corax was repaying the help he had provided earlier in the form of the infiltration warfare he excelled at most.
"I know."
Corax's raids on the enemy's secondary strongholds made his forces more abundant, allowing him to focus on more critical nodes.
He decided to adjust the deployment later and asked Ramsey about the progress of the battalion's special tactics.
"How has the practical application of the Striking Scorpions gone?"
"My lord, I have compiled combat reports from fifty-eight Striking Scorpion tactical squads and compared them against twelve Raven Guard observation reports. I can now conclude that my battalion possesses a level of infiltration warfare close to that of the Raven Guard," Ramsey answered confidently.
During the Second Rangdan War, he had received a Data Crystal from the Black Emperor, recording the way of the Aeldari Aspect Warrior Striking Scorpions.
For nearly the past hundred and forty years, Ramsey had been studying its mysteries based on the Black Emperor's teaching: "Swift attack, no trace—this is the creed of the Striking Scorpion."
Using the Hermits' Hide in Shadows as a foundation, he enabled the Striking Scorpions to conceal themselves within mist and shadow.
As for the Striking Scorpions' weapons, Ramsey used their scorpion-style Chainswords as a basis, abandoning the psychically driven Aspect helms—the mandibular detonator