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Chapter 286: Cooperation with the Ynnari
🕑 Added 2025-09-10 14:32:02 +0000 UTCChapter 286: Cooperation with the Ynnari
"Lord Lucan, I am glad you agreed to this meeting."
Artanis and Kerrigan stood at Lucan's side. A contingent of Night Sentinels held their weapons at the ready, watching the three Eldar. Eldrad ignored the hostile gazes in the conference room. Humans were just as wary of the Eldar. Most people did not differentiate between Dark Eldar, Craftworld Eldar, or Exodites; they only knew that the Dynasty was currently at war with the Eldar.
"Eldrad, Yvraine," Lucan began, "I must also thank you for the assistance you provided at Cadia. Otherwise, our sacrifices would have been much greater."
"Chaos is our common enemy," Eldrad stated simply.
"Indeed it is. However, your condition looks... less than ideal since we parted ways at Cadia. What is the purpose of your visit?"
"I believe the situation at Cadia has already proven the possibility of cooperation between us. And now, besides Chaos, we have another common enemy: the Dark Eldar."
The Dark Eldar raids and the battered state of the Ynnari fleet immediately clicked in Lucan's mind.
"Are you saying you were also attacked by the Dark Eldar? Your ships were damaged by them? Do you know something?"
"That is correct," Eldrad confirmed. "My followers in Commorragh have already informed me of the current situation. Asdrubael Vect has issued a bounty for your life. They are planning a war against your Dynasty. He already knows that the xenos rampaging through Commorragh came from you. The Harlequins have struck a deal with Vect. He wants to eliminate us, and he wants to eliminate you."
Hearing Eldrad's words, Lucan finally understood why the Dark Eldar had suddenly targeted him. The Ynnari's numbers were still too few. Although they played a major role in the lore, compared to the Craftworlds and the Dark Eldar, they were still at an extreme disadvantage. It seemed the Ynnari had been backed into a corner by Vect and had come to him in this state seeking an alliance out of desperation.
"What kind of cooperation are you proposing?" Lucan asked.
"I hope that humanity can provide sanctuary for the Ynnari, allowing us to rest and operate within your territory."
"Sanctuary?" Lucan scoffed. "And what do I get out of it? I would have to endure even more raids from the Dark Eldar just to host you. And you know the Imperium's attitude towards your kind. I have no desire for the Inquisition to come knocking on my door."
"You are a High Lord now, and you are on good terms with Guilliman. Would the Inquisition truly dare to investigate you? Besides, in the Koronus Sector, you would immediately know if any Inquisitorial personnel not belonging to you entered your territory, would you not?
"Furthermore, in this galaxy, everything is done for the benefit of one's race and oneself. The Ynnari are willing to pay a price. We will tell you the locations of the Webway portal exits they are likely to use. We will even assist your forces in battle when needed."
"No, that's not enough," Lucan said, shaking his head. "While these perverts are annoying, they have yet to inflict any fatal damage on us. You saw my defenses on the way here. Do you really think they can conquer my system?"
"I have seen your power," Eldrad conceded. "But who is willing to endure endless harassment? The Dark Eldar have stood for countless millennia; they have their own strengths. You should not underestimate them. Of course, our payment is more than just that. We are searching for certain Eldar relics that are of profound significance to us. If you are willing to help us, we can open the Webway for you, allowing for rapid transit. When needed, we will guide your fleet to any place in the galaxy you need to go."
Eldrad felt that this bargaining chip was more than generous. First, his own calculations already determined that he needed a closer bond with Lucan, to achieve a kind of vassalage that would allow his people to avoid the annihilation he had foreseen. Second, he was being squeezed by the Dark Eldar and had no other choice. If he did not offer a high enough price, the Ynnari would sooner or later be completely wiped out by Vect's forces.
Of course, submission was one thing, but if he could use human power to help him gather the Crone Swords, the resurrection of the God of Death would break them free from this predicament.
Eldrad was confident that Lucan would be tempted by his offer. In his eyes, Webway travel was far too important to humanity. And the power to open and close the Webway would remain in his hands, creating a state of perpetual dependence.
"No," Lucan said. "That is still not enough."
"Not enough?!" Eldrad was stunned. "You should know the value of the Webway! This is more than enough to prove our sincerity!"
"I think we can do this another way," Lucan said, leaning forward. "Yvraine, you have been to Commorragh. Eldrad, you have as well. You must know of other entrances to the Dark City, yes? Instead of hiding and waiting for the Dark Eldar to hunt you, have you never thought of simply crushing Commorragh? Without Commorragh, without Vect's rule and restraints, you could bring many more Eldar under the protection of your Death God. I know that the number of Eldar who believe in your cause is growing. Many of them only refrain from joining you out of fear of Vect and his oppression."
The strengthening of the Ynnari was a good thing for Lucan. Allowing more Eldar souls to be protected was, in a roundabout way, weakening Slaanesh. And the Ynnari's goal was simple: resurrect their God of Death. But the last Crone Sword was in Slaanesh's palace; Lucan wasn't worried about them ever actually succeeding. Yvraine was a pure idealist. The only one he had to guard against was the cunning old fox, Eldrad. But in the end, the emissary of the Death God was Yvraine.
If the Ynnari faith could spread among the Eldar, especially the Dark Eldar, it would keep them from causing trouble for him and would send them off with Yvraine to attempt their impossible task.
"What do you mean by that?!" Eldrad asked, sensing that Lucan was planning something big.
"I am preparing an assault on Commorragh," Lucan stated plainly. "I do not intend to endure their harassment indefinitely. You will provide me with the large-scale Webway portals necessary to move my fleet to Commorragh and provide me with intelligence on the city's interior. In return, I will agree to your request for sanctuary."
Lucan's words stunned the three Eldar. Humans had attacked Commorragh before, but that had been at Vect's deliberate invitation.
After the initial shock, Eldrad quickly realized that this plan was beneficial to the Ynnari, regardless of whether it succeeded or failed. Although the Dark Eldar were their kin... these kin were currently trying to kill them. Why should he care about such kinship?
Even if Lucan's invasion failed, he would surely suffer Vect's retaliation, which would keep Vect too busy to hunt down the Ynnari. And if Lucan won, the resulting chaos in Commorragh would give the Ynnari the perfect opportunity to recruit more followers.
Eldrad looked at the astonished Yvraine, gave her a slight nod, and then turned back to Lucan.
"I agree to your proposal, Lord Lucan. We will provide several Webway nodes large enough for a fleet to pass through, and the Ynnari will provide intelligence support for your operation. I know the location of Vect's palace and the residences of several Archons. If you can eliminate them, Commorragh will descend into chaos on its own."
"Excellent. Rebecca, please arrange guest quarters for them. It seems the Mongorte Dynasty has some new friends from among the Eldar."
With Eldrad's confirmation, Lucan knew his plan could officially be put into action. He only knew of a single Webway entrance to Commorragh. The Protoss could open it, but the Dark Eldar could just as easily close it. The presence of the Ynnari gave him more options and would allow him to deploy more than enough troops at a much faster rate.
"Rebecca, please notify Chapter Master Gabriel and Lord Ferrus to meet me in the conference room."
In the conference room, all of the Dynasty's primary combat commanders were gathered.
"What? You're attacking Commorragh?! But we don't even know how to get in," Gabriel of the Blood Ravens said, shocked by Lucan's proposal. He had fought the Dark Eldar more than once. To him, they were a difficult enemy; their uncrackable weapons were often devastating, and they would always disgustingly retreat into the Webway.
"The Webway problem has been solved, Chapter Master Gabriel," Lucan assured him. "I need you to mobilize your entire Chapter. Ferrus will also be joining this battle with the Iron Hands. However, Gabriel, your mission is not destruction or slaughter. Play to your strengths! 'Liberate' as many good items from Commorragh as you can!"
"'Strengths?' What strengths, Lord Lucan?" Gabriel sputtered. "What do you mean? The Blood Ravens have absolutely no habit of 'taking' things!"
Lucan just looked at him as if he was spouting nonsense.
Seeing the expressions on the faces of Ferrus and the others, Gabriel realized he must have been the last to find out that Lucan could access the Webway.
A stable source of recruits, war materiel, and the fact that only Lucan could solve their gene-seed flaw had bound the Blood Ravens ever more tightly to the Dynasty. The fleet-based Chapter had even begun to set down roots. Lucan had started to let them in on some of his secrets. In another ten or twenty years, the majority of the Chapter's members would probably come from the Mongorte Dynasty.
