Today was another quiet, unremarkable day on Mugenlin World.
The Thirty-Eighth Engineering Battalion gathered an assortment of tools and began another day's work.
They had other names, too: the Astra Militarum's Hardik Fifth Regiment, the Krieg Thirty-Eighth Siege Company, and the Order of the Battle Rose.
The soldiers carrying engineering tools of every size and kind still wore their tattered Astra Militarum uniforms, while the sergeant at the front carried their Astra Militarum Battle Standard.
As Astra Militarum Forces abandoned during the Deep Space Expedition, they were regarded by the Thunderhawk Empire as an unconventional source of manpower.
After some chose to join the Dawn Army, nearly everyone who remained was utterly loyal to the Imperium on Terra.
Their units had been broken up and mixed together, and most of them had been assigned to labor crews developing new land.
Their current procession was a perfect example: two Sisters of Battle led the way, all manner of Astra Militarum soldiers mingled in the middle, and a silent Krieg soldier brought up the rear.
That Krieg soldier had refused to speak or interact with anyone since his capture. Apparently, he was the sole survivor of his regiment, and he had only been captured because a shell blast had knocked him unconscious.
But when they reached yesterday's worksite, they froze.
Huge numbers of automated construction machines streamed back and forth, transporting raw materials, while crowds of workers welded atop enormous scaffolds.
At the sight, Olivia strode over in anger.
The auditor responsible for their engineering battalion happened to be there too, discussing something with the workers.
"Moore, why have those damned abominable intelligences taken over our work?!"
"You're toying with us!"
Moore turned to look at the Sister of Battle, who was much taller and bigger than he was.
"Then I'm sorry."