He Won't Even Call Me Your Highness!

Chromie was having a bit of a breakdown. She realized things had spiraled far beyond her expectations; this was nothing like she had imagined. Shouldn't they be assembling troops for a headlong charge? What was with him turning into a short-statured Knife-ears?

When in doubt, report it first. Chromie scrambled to pull out her communication crystal, desperate to dial the hotline to her own deity.

But Hogg wasn't about to give this rookie a chance. He landed a punch right at the base of her thigh, making the pretty Knife-ears yelp in pain:

"My lord, you..."

Slap. He snatched the communication crystal. Not bothered by the grime, Hogg sat directly on the rookie, pocketed the crystal, and pointed at the teary-eyed Chromie.

"You little mutt, don't think I don't know what you're up to. Trying to tip them off? Do you take me for a fool? If I lead my troops to raid Commorragh and you Knife-ears decide to turn on me, what then? Even if Cegorach wants to get into bed with me, he's still your god. Are you trying to make me wallow in the mire with xenos?"

This line of reasoning would sound perfectly logical coming from any other Primarch, but from Hogg, not a single word could be trusted. Everyone knew he was the most heretical figure in Imperium.

Assuming Hogg was just using her stalking as an excuse to beat her up, Chromie clutched her thigh and retorted:

"But the Goddess of Life Isha is also a Knife-ears god! If she can cooperate, why can't we be patriotic too!"

Hogg snapped his fingers, and a figure was summoned over—none other than the Goddess of Life Isha.

But her attire was rather peculiar. The gorgeous, traditional Knife-ears gown had been replaced by a set of tank