One half of a very scarred and battered coin, the Battle Sisters are a race of super-soldier females who exist in secrecy and hide amongst the populations of other factions. Battle Sisters are able to take the shape of many different species, and are able to breed with almost anyone too, but all kin born of a Sister will be a Sister, with no exceptions.

 

Battle Sisters are remarkably hardy, far stronger than they look and able to survive in circumstances that would kill almost anyone else; even a frail-looking Sister is able to overpower and subdue several men who weigh four times her mass. Their reaction times and thinking skills are rarely matched and they operate at the upper echelons in all ways a life-form can be classified. Beyond that, Battle Sisters are practically immune to biological, chemical and radioactive threats and are able to “clean” genetic defects and imperfections when they cross-breed, ensuring that the new Battle Sister born does not suffer with any conditions that her father may have had.

 

Although they remain loyal to their own kind, Battle Sisters do not work against or seek the demise of those they hide within; they primarily wish to integrate quietly and stay hidden. Having Battle Sisters within a population has shown tremendous benefits, even a small Battle Sister presence shows a large reduction in crime, increase in productivity and happiness, and lots of other powerful benefits, but there is one monolithic caveat that twists the interaction on its head completely, one that outright stops most factions from publicly affiliating with the Sisters at any cost.

 

Accepting Sisters into a population attracts the Azuri.

 

The Battle Sisters and the Azuri have been at each-other's throats for as long as any other faction has existed. The two hate one-another with a fierce passion, literally engaging in combat on sight. The problem is, despite the Battle Sisters being powerhouses in their own right, they are nothing compared to the Azuri. The absolute destruction that occurs when a sect of Battle Sisters is found by the Azuri is nothing short of catastrophic. Some Azuri hunting parties attempt to reduce collateral damage, some do not, but their approach is unstoppable and inevitable, and as a result, harbouring Battle Sisters is the equivalent of painting a giant target on your forehead and inviting the devil to take a shot at it. There simply isn't a way it works out well for you.

 

Due to this, the Battle Sisters attempt to keep their super-human strength and abilities as low-key as possible, only having a couple of children with their spouse to reduce suspicion of all-female offspring. They stay away from those with long term hereditary genetic issues, only because the sudden cure within their children could raise questions. They practise absolute discipline with their physical abilities to only use as much strength as is required and will feign weakness or defeat to keep their true self concealed longer.

 

Battle Sister children are coached to underperform in school and keep their talents hidden, with their kin picking up the slack later when they manage to meet. This area continues to be the biggest weakness of the Sisters, as their younger tend to feel suffocated and frustrated, wanting to unleash their full potential but kept on a tight leash by their mothers; little do they understand that being discovered at best means exile and at worst, means the wrath of the Azuri. But make no mistake, the elder Sisters do not enjoy stifling their kin; it's a poison to them, but one that is absolutely required. They want more than anything for their children to bloom and grow, to suffer under the weight of your parents and extended family is hell and often times, they are aware of the optics and how resentment can grow in the teenage years, whether or not a sect survives is often a coin flip on how their younger sisters act, whether or not they understand the weight of their actions.

 

The Sisters aren't totally defenceless against the Azuri. They have a unique type of blade known as “Zenith Blades” which are hard-forged in their hidden sanctuaries. Once past their teenage years and out of school, Battle Sisters train extensively with these blades to utilise them properly. Zenith blades are brittle and will break if improperly wielded, but a clean strike is able to cleave through Azuri flesh and bone, a feat that even orbital snipers and hull-mounted rail cannons fail to achieve. This sharpness is perfectly applicable to other targets too and is usually more effective, able to slice through practically anything, as even elite grade power armour is weak compared to the skin of an Azuri. These blades are an honour to wield and are exceptionally powerful in the right hands, able to deflect attacks and cut down anything, but are only drawn when absolutely needed as they immediately reveal the presence of the Sisters.

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And so, the Sisters are trapped, they have to integrate with the other faction to find loyal, understanding men (who are easily one of the Sisters most valuable resources) but are doomed to be forever secretive and would be expelled should they be found, as their presence, no matter all the good it brings, is a disaster waiting to happen. Despite the legends of the Zenith Blades and their super-human capabilities, the greatest weapon of the Battle Sisters, their only true weapon, is their anonymity.