[color=598527]"Doesn't answer mine either. And believe me Smiles, the last person here to trust any Eldar is me. I know damn well what they and their kin are capable of. I'm already watching for trouble, without and within."[/color]

	Stukov wasn't exactly a fan of getting tugged around by warp powers, but it was something he had gotten used to dealing with when it came to Smiles and her manners. Being pulled through teleportation was also far worse, so he knew where to pick his metaphorical battles. He was firmly on Smiles side in this case, no good was going to come from an Eldar, not without greater gains to them at the likely cost of Throne fearing innocent men and women. How many planets, sectors, fleets, and soldiers had died in the tangled machinations of the Eldar, he suspected not even they could tell him, their regard for humanity was that little. One parading around in Sororitas power armor was a mockery, regardless of the reason, practical or otherwise. Of course Celeste was known here, and they had a private booth to discuss matters in 'privacy', though his constant monitoring of their surroundings did not lessen. He also did not partake in the drinks, doubling down on his steadfast opposition to the decision to not get things sorted back at the safehouse or, even better, back in orbit. Still, he listened carefully to the explanation as to why the Eldar was even present, and it was quite the story.

	Another attempt on Ultramar, during the 13th Black Crusade, opposed by the Celestinian Crusade. Made up of the faithful and another damned faction within the Eldar, as well as additional forces that deemed stopping Chaos was more important than playing their games at machinations in the shadows. The timely return of one of the most well known and storied Primarchs was, well, shocking, and it was probably good he wasn't partaking in the drinks or he would have ended up coughing on it in shock. So many names of figures of such importance that it wasn't even remotely possible, and yet he knew it to be true. Apparently the Eldar had personally fought alongside Celeste, and this was where the trust came from. Stukov couldn't bring himself to that same trust, even in the face of this incredible story. He would say as much after Smiles asked her questions, having seated himself about as far from the Eldar as he could manage.

	[color=598527]"I will follow orders and nothing more in regards to the xeno. No matter how grand the good of the deed, does it really account for the countless worlds, systems, fleets, armies and more that have been unwittingly and unwillingly sacrificed to save handfuls of their own, and just of those we know about? I don't believe so, both her kind and others of her race, even if they don't answer to her group, have been bleeding the Imperium dry, both directly and indirectly, for as long as the Imperium has stood in the face of her endless enemies. My stance remains the same, Morgenstern, but I will follow your orders regardless of personal beliefs. Just know I will not let my guard down even if the rest of you make the mistake in doing so."[/color] The strange aura only put Stukov further on edge, he couldn't put his finger on why, but something was wrong and he could feel it. The fact an Eldar sat at the table wasn't helping, and the mixture of unnatural air and xeno presence was practically putting him into combat mode. Something was wrong, many things were wrong, and he couldn't put his finger on it, and it was driving his nerves hard.