Beards and Booty
“STORMVAULT, PORTSIDE, CAP'N!!” the lookout cried.
Sky-Baron Matni Stonegavel heaved himself out of his throne, went to the front of his Ironclad, the Keg Runner, and pulled out his spyglass.
“LOOK ALIVE, BEARDLINGS! BOLTYR, BRING US AROUND. SKY WARDENS, GO AHEAD TO SCOUT OUT THE AREA. AND MR. IRONBEARD.... PREPARE MY GUNHAULER!” Matni barked, issuing orders to all of the crew.
The crew moved like clockwork. By the time the Arkanauts were ready to disembark, the Sky Wardens shot up the smoke signal, giving the all clear. And with the green light, the Sky-Baron and his expedition party descended to the Stormvault doors. Now to quickly get the vault doors open, and begin “reclaiming” the lost artefacts stored inside.
Several hours later, they discovered that the doors didn't push in, didn't pull out, were fireproof, explosion-proof, bulletproof, and grumble-proof. Eventually, Matni's ingenious Duardin engineering mind came up with the great idea of using the Keg Runner to lift the door!
After nearly burning out the aether-engines, they got the door up, and they wedged a log under the door; you know, for safety.
It was a lot of work, but they were finally there, in the God-King's bounty! Riches beyond any the previous vaults had held so far! The first thing's first, though, inventory! There's no point in having something, if you don't know what you have!
Inventory was just about to finish up, when a horrible screeching started echoing throughout the Stormvault...
“DAEMONETTES INCOMING!!” bellowed one of the lookouts, followed up by the sound of someone choking on blood. Almost immediately after the warning, Slaanesh's forces started flooding in and assaulting every Duardin in sight.
Matni called out “Formation Sigma! Back against the wall!!” and the Kharadron followed suit. His crew was fast and efficient, but even with their advanced technology, they were no match for the daemonette's raw unnatural savagery. It felt as though for every one they shot down, two more took its place. The entire expedition party was dwindling down faster than Matni could keep count.
All hope was seemingly lost, when suddenly a horde of inappropriately dressed aelven women came out of nowhere, yelling up a storm! Unbelievably, their brutality met the daemonette's savagery, blow for blow; and maybe even more so! The Arkanauts were on the ropes, but their bravery never faltered. They continued to fire round after round, picking off any daemonette that looked like they were in any sort of leadership position... if daemonettes did that sort of thing...
Eventually, there was one... a real fancy looking daemonette. One that seemed to be the leader. Matni knew that he had to take this wench down, and restore the honor of his fallen brothers. He saw his few remaining allies taking aim, and out of reactive instinct he yelled...
“THAT ONE'S MINE!!” Matni’s heavily accented voice boomed and echoed throughout the halls, as a shot rang out.