i posted this on the old forums but only a day or two before it closed, so here goes again:
Grayjaw Ironsson's "Hellsmyth" Stronghold red armour, blue under-suit, black boots, yellow belt
Grayjaw looked up as the human approached. The guards were standing to attention, and watching the human closely for any signs of hostile intentions, but Grayjaw knew there was no reason to worry. The human was one of the stronghold's very few external agents, used to keep a watchful eye on the machinations of the Imperium, particularly the treachorous, self-righteous Adeptus Mechanicus, and also the mysterious Eldar. The human had been saved by the very actions of Grayjaw himself, back when the Squats and the Imperial Guard were on somewhat friendlier terms. In the early days of the Genestealer-Tyranid threat, the two had often joined forces to liberate worlds that fell into the clutches of the bloodthirsty aliens. Grayjaw had been scouting ahead with a small squad of Berserkers, combing a fallen hive city for the Genestealer cult that had swept through the populace. Grayjaw was the first to stumble into a large gang of cultists as they carried the human (along with several others) to their "pantry". The human stopped a little way in front of the table Grayjaw sat at. Grayjaw looked him in the eyes and said "What of this...rumour we hear? Is it true the Imperium claims the extinction of our race?" The human took a breath before answering "Yes. The official line is that the Squats were wiped out by the Tyranid onslaught. They claim regret, but also that they sent all the help they could spare." Grayjaw stroked his beard, lost in thought for a moment, before answering "We suspected as much. What of the mining sites?" "They have already begun to claim them for the Imperium. Though encountering some Tyranid forces, they seem to view the payoff as worth the losses" The human replied. "Well then. You have fulfilled our use to us for now. You may leave, and if we require anything more of you, we shall make contact as per the arrangement. Leave now" At this, the human turned and swiftly left the room. At his departure, the guards relaxed a little. Grayjaw looked back across the table at his opponent "You see what it's come to now. This, this whole fiasco. It does not bode well for us. Age-old allies claiming both our extinction, and our homeworlds. I have trouble seeing what good can be made of the situation" The younger - maybe by as much as 50 years - Squat sitting opposite, with a shorter, still-brown beard, lifted his head up. The precision bionic goggles he had fused to his head unnerved Grayjaw a little, but he was well aware the chief engineer needed them to do such great work as was needed of him. However, the younger Squat was aware of Grayjaw's uneasiness over the goggles, so he lowered his gaze to look at the table again before answering "I'll grant that it's not an ideal situation. In some ways, our struggle may be lessened if the Imperium were not so intent on ignoring us now. But, this lie - whether intentional, or simply due to poor intelligence, can be of more immediate advantage to us than if the old relationship still existed. For now, we can lay claim to planets without their direct interference. Until they are are ready to admit their mistake, we should make the most of this situation." The young Squat punctuated the end of his reply by moving one of his pieces on the chess board "And that, Grayjaw, is check mate, I believe" Grimjaw stared down at the chess board "What? By Sanguinius' bones, you're right. I shall mobilise our forces directly, for tomorrow, we start turning the tide of our fortune"
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