Muffled roars and the clang of metal came through the comms. After a brief bout of shouting and arguing among themselves, the other side responded.
"The Blood God bears witness to your promise, iron skull! If you dare trick us, we'll tear you into spare parts! Brothers, clear a path for this iron coffin!"
And so, the two menacing ships continued onward like guard dogs, flanking the Sin on either side.
Their very presence served as a calling card of intimidation, sending the smaller, wandering pieces of Warp wreckage they encountered afterward scrambling out of their way.
Several hours later, a second wave of interceptors appeared.
The fleet intercepting them this time had an entirely different style.
At its head was a streamlined cruiser painted with eerie violet and bright silver stripes, resembling an enormous biological organ. Three slender frigates covered in sharp protrusions and flashing colored lights escorted it on either side.
The ships' hulls were decorated with twisted symbols of indulgence and reliefs intertwining agony and pleasure—they were the Ecstatic Shriek, a Warband fanatically devoted to Slaanesh, composed of degenerates pursuing the ultimate sensory stimulation, including traitorous Emperor's Children, all manner of lunatics consumed by desire, and hordes of Cultists.
When their transmission cut in, it brought neither crude roaring nor thick, cloying whispers, but a scalp-prickling "symphony" mixing sweet singing, piercing shrieks, and psychedelic synthesized sounds. Then a languid voice rang out, its seductive pull like a hook.
"Oh~ What a... unique combination. What treasure have these slaughter-obsessed madmen found? A Dark Mechanicum transport? What a... dreary journey. My dear iron-skulled friend, why not make the journey... more exciting? Share your... secrets, or perhaps... your cargo? We crave... novel experiences. We could add the most unforgettable... movement to your voyage."
The voice over the comms sounded neither