Editing Love and Krieg Spinoffs (section)

==The Crisis==
===Krieg Commander 68 and Cloning===
Krieg Commander 68 stared at the piece of paper on his desk. It was the nightmare missive that every Krieg commander feared to receive. The Vitae Womb wasn't functioning right. He just vaguely listened to the Enginseer as he droned on about how the machine spirit was weak, how this was the Emperor's will, that the Krieg had gone so long using this borderline blasphemous technology was a blessing given by the Omnissiah, and just as easily taken away. All he saw in his mind was the front line of Krieg soldiers, slowly dwindling away, until the great and honored Death Korps of Krieg were just a memory...and soon that would fade, and then the only thing people world remember Krieg for was the betrayal to the Emperor. 

No. He would not allow that to happen. He looked again at the papers. Trying to see if there was something he could do, some problem that didn't involve banging on a console and praying. He noticed one line coming up again and again. 'Loss of Genetic Cohesion.' It seemed to be the main issue, which in turn caused all these other issues. He looked at his Enginseer and pointed at the phrase, wanting to know the meaning.

The Enginseer explained that after all the years of replication, and reuse, the genetic material of the Krieg models wasn't working anymore. Not totally. The Machine Spirits just weren't able to take hold of the spirit of the Krieg flesh and create new life from it. They had tried other methods, feeding newly made models and older models into the system to try and regain it. However, it just wasn't working. The great line of Krieg was fading, and there seemed to be no way to fix it.

68 walked into town to clear his head. It made him feel better to walk down a street and see a properly fortified city. Every day it improved a little, and the citizenry had been more than helpful. He was glad for that. He remembered serving on planets where they were viewed with mistrust, or even hostility by the 'common rabble' here, the citizens were actually welcoming, and helpful. Not to mention that a few of his 'daughters' found suitable individuals to...fraternize with.

Krieg Commander Model 68 entered a restaurant called the Basilisk. Named after the fully working, and well maintained cannon on the roof. He approved of that. Functionality and a pleasing aesthetic.

He walked in and sat down at a table. The woman in charge, a 'First Lieutenant' saluted him and showed him to a table and gave him an option of MREs. He felt the need to torture himself further, due to the bad news, so he asked for a Tallarn and a bottle of Amasec. She nodded and went into the back to bring him his food. 

As he ate and drank, mostly drank. He just sat and watched the people come and go. There was 68b #6345, her husband, and the foundling they had discovered. Quietly eating, and sharing notes with each other, smiling. 68b #6346 was dancing with her 'associate.' 68a #1713 was playing the piano, some Cadian song. There were others here too, his people and civilians, although as the bottle slowly emptied, he found himself almost unable to instantly tell the difference between the two.

The night went on, Krieg Commander found himself lost in his thoughts, and his bottle. He knew that soon his 'daughters' would vanish, followed by one set of sons, then another, and soon...Krieg itself.

That's when he heard it. The first soft stanza of the song he knew from the moment he first had emerged from the Vitae Womb. Regentropfen. There Shall Come Soft Rains...he stood up and looked around.

The place was nearly empty; people were heading towards the door. #1713 and the '1st Lieutenant' were sitting at a piano, playing the song together. He was glad he was still wearing the gas mask. It hid his tears. They played it so wonderfully. The woman especially, doing the complicated trills that spoke of how those quiet waters slowly washed away the beautiful buildings that once covered Krieg. He had only heard it played that well, and as a duet, once before. When he was at home and 'Mother' had played it the night before his battalion was to go off and face the Emperor's enemies. This girl played Regentropfen just like a true Krieger. It was so painful to think of home, and how his people would...slowly...disappear...

The idea came to him in a flash. The entire night played out before him. Walking a city filled with proper fortifications and weaponry. Sitting in a place filled with people who looked just like his soldiers...and now...someone who had never seen his homeworld was playing the song that spoke of its soul.

He had a solution. It was wild, near heretical, and he would have to do many things to get it right...but if he could do this. He would save Krieg. 

Krieg Commander 68 ran back to the camp...he needed some medical staff, and enginseer, and a WHOLE lot of paperwork.

===Commander 68's solution===
They were not happy about it. No, that's not accurate. NO ONE was happy about it. Not the Enginseers, not the Commissar (even though he kept looking at his 'personal aide' with concern each time the subject of the Krieg ending came up), not his superiors, and the Techpriest from the Adeptus Mechanicus Biologis nearly ordered him executed for heresy on the spot the moment the vox reached him.

However, no one could argue with the obvious evidence. It was try this, or sound the death knell of the Krieg. The Enginseer and the Tech Priest argued with the Commissar, with each other, his superiors made remarks, and around and around it went. Krieg Commander 68 rolled his eyes; he had seen Administratum meetings that had been less productive than this...but not many. The key argument was determining what exactly was the Emperor's will. Was it His Will that the Krieg slowly die off, or was it His Will that the Krieg had come to Terranis and discovered its people? 

68 sighed and stared at his collection of war trophies and other junk. He knew that when the splinter fleet of xenos arrived Terranis would fall. Not all at once, but there was too much biomass unprotected; the oceans themselves were a buffet for the Tyranids. The cities would hold for a while, he was proud of that fact that he, his brethren, and the people of Terranis had done such a fine job in preparation. However, it would be a losing battle. Too much open ground, too much biomass for the 'nids to consume and repurpose, too many fronts. An evacuation was possible, but it would have to be started soon...and even then it would be a tight race. This place was doomed, the Krieg were doomed...unless...

He would need to call in some favors, and give some out as well. May the Emperor forgive him. He was going to do this anyway.

Collecting the material was easy enough. Mandatory health inspections that included blood, hair, saliva, bone marrow and...other fluids were a snap to set up, and the Terranis citizenry rose to the occasion. Anyway, if anyone refused...well...then they chose their own fate. It took time though, precious time that Krieg Commander 68 knew that he didn't truly have.

Not if he wanted to complete his mad mission. No, that he would be able to complete.

It was just that...even if his timetable was early...he would not be able to say goodbye.

The Vitae Wombs were on Krieg. The Adeptus Mechanicus Biologis would not allow it to be anywhere else. He would need to take the materials with him. He would not leave it out of his sight for an instant. He would be the one who would supervise the...augmentation of the Vitae Wombs, and he would be the one to deal with the consequences.

But, unless the Warp showed him a kindness that wasn't even comprehensible, by the time he arrived at Krieg, sent a message to Terranis, and received one back, at least ten years would have passed.

He would have to leave them here. All of them. The people, his 'sons' and 'daughters,' the Commissar and his maid, all of them. Maybe a few of them would get off on their own, but if he did this then there would be no chance for evacuation, no effort made to divert Astartes to help, nothing. It was take this gamble...or stay here and try to hold back the Unstoppable.

Krieg soldiers are only allowed to cry when they hear Regentropfen, as part of their training. 68 did not cry now. However, he found he had difficulty breathing, even with his gas mask on.

Emperor forgive him, he would miss this place. But he was a decorated Krieg soldier, a Commander, a man who was supposed to make these hard decisions, and really there was no decision, just a fact.

However, it made his heart ache when he informed his 'children' that he would be leaving...and they would not be following.

And this cold fact kept him up at night, if this didn't work...then he would have ended the existence of the Krieg 68th Siege Regiment, for nothing.
===68's solution part II===
Krieg Commander 68 didn't ask for any news about Terranis. He forbade anyone to tell him anything about that...that...brief paradise. He spent all his time with the Tech Priests in the Vitae Womb chambers. They were a little awed by his dedication. Those long nights staring at countless Gs, As, Ts, and Cs on a screen, praying to the Emperor when he could, and just being an actual help, was impressive.

Also they appreciated the fact that he was the only one who was trying to FIX the problem, rather than just argue in circles about it. Apparently, the policy of the Adeptus Mechanicus Biologis had become 'If it works we'll claim credit, but we're going to keep arguing anyway so that if it doesn't we'll execute 68 and claim he was working alone...possibly tainted if need be.'

It was the longest two years of 68's life. This included the four years he spent in an extended siege in a hive that had lost all forms of plumbing and waste removal. Two years of work, prayer, and watching Krieg companies grow quietly desperate.

The only odd thing was that one day he noticed that his personal account had a large amount of credits added to it, and a private message. It didn't have a date on it. 'For your outstanding babysitting service! Thanks!'

Some dick was obviously playing a joke on him. 68 ignored it and went back to work.

It was raining on the day of judgement. Krieg Commander 68 stood outside the facility, in full protective gear, looking up at the grey sky and seeing the quiet, burning, water drip from the sky. An old song played through his head. He took a deep breath through his filters and walked inside the cloning facility...he was considering whether it would be better to be executed or to do it himself.

The enginseers and Tech Priests used complicated words and terms as they busied about. Talking part in gothic, part in those clicks and buzzes. Krieg Commander 68 had a better idea of what was going on using more simple terms.

Basically, the Machine Spirit of the Vitae Wombs, and possibly the Emperor himself, were looking upon the genetic soup of the people of Terranis. Gazing deep into its essence and even their soul. Holding it up to comparison against the glorious spirit of the Krieg. Measuring it, testing it, and seeing if the soul of Terranis could be used to strengthen the soul of Krieg. That Terranis was worthy enough to infuse Krieg with enough spirit to enable these old relics to create new life.

68 closed his eyes, not that anyone could tell with his mask on, and placed his hand on the egg-like bulge on the machine. He believed in Terranis. He knew that they were worthy. They had never faulted in their faith in the Emperor; they built up their cities as fortresses, equal to the ones here. He had stared into the eyes of his 'son-in-law' and saw a quiet determination, a strength that said that here was a man that would stand and hold...if not for the Emperor, if not for his home, if not for his life, not even for the girl he loved with his entire being...but that he would hold...because that was what a human did.

He wished he could tell the Machine Spirit of the battle they must have faced. How every man and woman on Terranis did face the Tyranid horde and not a one of them shirked in fear. How they made those bastard xenos pay for every inch, and for the years...yes years...they held their cities while around them the xeno horde shrieked for their souls. 

He begged the machine to accept Terranis. That it was worthy. That being on that planet hadn't made him and his soldier soft, or made the Terranis hard, but had made them both greater. This was the Emperor's will. Krieg had stood on its own for so long, and now its strength was faltering...but the Emperor had shown them Terranis, shown them the strength there, and Krieg Commander 68 had sacrificed everything, and would even sacrifice more, just to ensure that in some way...in some form...both Krieg and Terranis would still stand.

There was a rumble, and the machine let out that familiar acidic smell, and horrible whine it did whenever it was brought to function. Krieg Commander 68 took several steps back as Apothecaries stepped forward.

He unclipped his laspistol from his side. He would do it himself, do it quickly, and then no one would say that the 68th had in its ranks any cowards or heretics. He took a deep breath and put his fingers around the handle. His thumb inside the trigger guard. 

The Apothecaries were still working on the machine; the usual tide of rust colored water pooled on the floor and went down the drain. 

68 set his pistol on half charge, that way it would just be enough for him and not hurt or damage anything else. He quietly said his prayer to the Emperor. Begging forgiveness for his folly. He had only been trying to help...he only wanted to keep Krieg alive...keep Terranis alive. He was so sor-

The wail of the newborn child caused his eyes to snap open. He ripped off his gas mask and pushed through the crowd of Apothecaries. He had to see...he had to see...

He stared open mouthed.

Twins...the Vitae Womb had never produced twins before. A boy and a girl. The girl had grey eyes, and the boy had hazel eyes...like his son-in-law. He stepped forward and held out his arms. One of the Apothecaries wrapped the children in sheets and handed them to Krieg Commander 68.

He told himself that someone was playing Regentropfen...somewhere. That was why he was crying as he held his grandchildren. 

He gave them back to the Apothecary and the woman took the children away to begin their teachings and training. The Tech Priests and Enginseers were hailing the Emperor and the Omnissiah as they busied over the machine. Green lights turning on. Hailing the birth of the Krieg twins was a sign of the Emperor's Grace. 

Krieg Commander 68 received many accolades, trophies, letters of recommendation galore. There was talk of promotion but it didn't get far. The Commander passed away in his sleep two days after the birth of the twins.

All in all...he thought it was more than a fair bargain.

===The Epilogue===
Lord Commissar,
Not special as to report yet, sir. We've been engaging the Orks for a while. The Astartes have been taking the lead, leaving us to hold what they've cleared out. It's been going well, only 4 executions for cowardice, and we haven't lost any ground to the filthy xenos.

An interesting little side note. We have a battalion of Kriegers here, along with the rest of the rabble, and I noticed something new about them. I have no complaints, they've been exemplary troops, this is just something that struck my curiosity.

They've added some new Iconography. A colony symbol that I never saw before. It stood out because usually all you ever see is the emblem for Krieg. I asked one of them what it was. They said it was the symbol for Terranis, and he (she? I can never tell) made the sign of the Aquila. Apparently the Krieg have made up this colony to be a form of afterlife for loyal, dutiful, Kriegers. It is the Emperor's reward for those who have redeemed themselves in His name. 

I looked into this, out of curiosity, and saw that there was a colony named Terranis once, but it's...well...disappeared. Either it was lost to the Astronomicon or the Adminstratum lost track of it, or something. Either way, all I can find is the record of a planet that had a Krieg garrison and was under immanent attack by a Tyranid fleet. Contact was lost before the invasion began, and nearly everyone assumes that the place was lost when the xenos hit it. I mean, one planet against an entire splinter fleet. I asked the next Krieg soldier I saw about this, why they believed that a planet that was by all reasoning most likely a dead rock, was their place of salvation and reward. The Krieger soldier just saluted and said the first words I've ever heard a Krieger speak.

"Terranis holds."