CHAPTER 43
Ere came a time when in that place that neither gods nor mortal knew gathered the eldar gods, and spoke They in the way of the gods, and thus made Their plans.
And Cegorach spoke, saying, "the time has come. The world that is called Cadia lieth in ruins, and the minions of the Othersea gods move even now across the void to strike at all that dwelleth in the world. Slaanesh hath given Her favor to one called Malenesh, who brought ruin to Cadia, and Her favor groweth with every world that Malenesh leaves desolate. Khaine must be made to wake, lest Malenesh destroys all."
But loud were the protests of the other gods, for They said the time was not yet come.
And at this did Cegorach nod and sigh most mournfully, for all present knew that Khaine must needs fight by the side of Ynnead, one in the lands of the mortals and the other in the sea of the spirits, for only if it was thus fought could the things of the Othersea truly be vanquished.
"There are indeed truths in Your words," said Cegorach most gravely to those gathered around Him. "Truly, if events could be arranged accordingly, I would postpone, though it doth weigh heavily upon mine heart, the return of bloodied Khaine Our brother. There are beings who work in opposition to Our purpose, and the revelation of Khaine whole again will alert Our enemies and allow Them ample opportunity to thwart Our design. Yet events have conspired against Us, and We must needs take this risk. Perhaps the awakening of Ynnead may yet be made to come about sooner than We have intended."
Presently spoke Lileath with furrowed brow. "Asuryan, couldn't You or Kurnous fight Malenesh instead so that Khaine could remain hidden?"
And the gods found this to be good.
But Asuryan shook His head. "This I cannot do. One of Us will need to lead the armies of Our children, and Kurnous must not fight alone. Khaine is the mightiest of Us in battle, and His arm is necessary."
And thus went the gods to where Cegorach had placed the fragments of Their brother Khaine which the mortals called His avatars and laid them all upon a table of stone. Now moved then the gods away from that place until only Isha was there alone. And the mother of the eldar raised Her hand up and made the sign of healing, and all at once was Her face all aglow with a soft golden light. And the pieces of Khaine took on the glow upon Isha's face until they were as suns in the void. Came then the fragments of Khaine together and melded they one into another, until there lay upon the altar not a million of His avatars, but only one being. And now did Isha raise Her arm and went the glow upon Her fingers, and presently was a great breath drawn, and the heat of a raging inferno spewed out upon all that were present. And thus knew the gods that Their brother had returned.
Now did Khaine cry for the blood of foes long vanquished and for those that yet lived, and long did His fingers fumble at the surface of the table by His side for Suin Daellae, His mighty blade of yore. And now were the gods made apprehensive, for, as all knew, Khaine was ever brash and belligerent, and He was ever quarrelsome, and not even His fellow gods could evade His temper. And lo, even kindly Isha was made to draw away with fright.
And now was Khaine's eyes opened, and all beheld how His eyes were a deep fire brighter than any sun that burned everlasting. And with low grunts did the Bloodied One sit upon His table and place His feet upon the ground of that mysterious place, and with His eyes of fire beheld They who stood before Him, and so afeared were the gods that a great silence was upon Them as though it had been the decree of the Phoenix King Himself.
But now came forth fair Lileath, ever courageous a maiden, and most warmly did She welcome Khaine. Then all beheld how Khaine reached forth His right hand and with unaccustomed gentleness drew Her close.
Next came the Phoenix King, and looked He Khaine in the eye, and Khaine's fire seared Him not. And said Auryan, "We have, all of Us, done each other wrong. Now, however, a greater calamity face Us and Our children both, and We must meet this doom that We have brought upon the world together."
But Khaine did shake His head. "Nay," said He, "for the things that We have in times past done one to the other must not be forgotten." And then were the gods made apprehensive, for They knew not the words of Khaine. And lo, Khaine raised His heft hand, which ran red eternally with the blood of eldar of yore, and even noble Asuryan was wary then, for it was He who had the curse placed upon Khaine. But Khaine instead said, "when We were yet young I was made proud by My might, and I was caused to be blind to other wordly matters. Because of the foremost of these things You have, lord king, caused to stain My hand until the end of time. I have since had time spent in reflection of My bygone deeds; perhaps Slaanesh, being born of Isha, is not utterly bereft of Her nature of nourishment, after all."
And at this did Khaine turn to look Isha and Vaul full in the face, and They beheld how the fires of His eyes grew dim and how His countenance became filled with regret and sorrow. "You I have brought great tragedy to, and it is to Thou, Isha, and Thou, Vaul, that I ask now for forgiveness. Thy grief was not known to Me until the day that birthed Slaanesh. I can scarce pay Thee recompense, but were I to now do battle, I pledge to Thee that I will do 'gainst the things that will harm the eldar so that Thee and Thine shall never again know grief. And Thou, Vaul, the curse lain upon Thee is no more. Thy chains that bound Thee to Thy forge are from hence broken, so that Thou mayest, if it is Thy will, to do more than craft, and to craft more than the tools of war."
And now were the gods greatly astonished, for vengeance had long been the way of Khaine, and lowly guile was not His manner.
It was Isha who came first forward, for though Khaine had in the bygone past slighted Her most greatly, She was ever gentle of heart. Now produced She from nothingness the ancient sword Suin Daellae, and this She presented the hilt to Khaine. And then did Khaine put His fingers 'round the offered hilt, and thus was there at long last peace among the gods.
And now came Vaul and garbed Khaine in armor most ancient, and placed upon His head a great helm plumed of the hairs of Kurnous' own hounds. Now took Khaine up Suin Daellae, and lo, came the blade alight with yellow flame that sung the melodies of war, and the gods then beheld the mighty god of war that stood resplendent before Them.
And raised Khaine His great blade to the heavens, and sprang forth did fire from the sword into the darkness above; and lifted then did Khaine His face in a resounding bellow, and vast was His voice that rang throughout that secret place, so that all who heard knew that here was the doom of the eldar's foes returned.
The Regina Umbrae exited the webway outside of the system and made her way toward the star under the power of her own engines. The exit had been a necessity, since the inhabitants of the planet had a nasty tendency to shoot anyone who jumped within the orbit of the system's planets. The use of the webway, too, had been a matter of necessity too, though one that was far less irritating, since the Regina Umbrae carried on that journey eldar among her crew. The eldar in question were both from the craftworld Ulthwé, an autarch named Balelath and a farseer named Isenran, both friends of Illiawe. They both wore rough cloaks about their shoulders, their faces hidden beneath deep cowls. Along with them were the inquisitors Uriel and Arvor, both speaking quietly near the back wall of the bridge.
Their destination was a tidal locked planet of barren sand on one side and ice on the other. It was one of the few places within the Imperium from which one could communicate directly with the High Lords of Terra without the use of astropaths. The high lords, of course, did not communicate with random astropaths, and meeting them in person was quite out of the question, even for the members of the inquisition. It was perhaps fortunate, then, that Uriel had known ways in which one could be guaranteed to gain an audience with the high lords.
Leaving his crew to guide the ship in, Volorus went to join his fellow inquisitors.
"How long until we reach the planet?" Uriel asked.
"About three hours." He leaned back against a rail. "Remind me again why I need to be here. Three inquisitors isn't really necessary, you know, even for something such as this."
"The proposal of the eldar really need to be put forward to the high lords themselves, Volorus," Uriel replied. "Allies or not, they are still bringing craftworlds into Imperial space. There's still too much bad blood between us and the eldar that a direct order from the high lords might be necessary."
"I know that, Uriel," Volorus said irritably. "I am questioning the necessity of me being here. This sort of thing only needs one inquisitor to vouch for the eldar, and I've got better things to do – and so do you and Arvor."
"You were the first to start this whole cooperation between the humans and the eldar," Uriel pointed out.
"That is not exactly true."
"Perhaps not, but it is much easier to lay the blame upon one person – that's you. Lord Arvor is her in case the word of a high inquisitor is needed, and I am here simply because I want to be there when Illiawe's friends talk to the high lords."
"That is very selfish, Uriel," Volorus said disapprovingly.
"I know," Uriel grinned.
"My lord Volorus," the captain called. "Imperial hails incoming, requesting identity confirmation."
Volorus nodded and picked up a nearby vox unit. "Bown II, this is Inquisitor Volorus of the Ordo Malleus aboard inquisition vessel Regina Umbrae. With me are Inquisitor Uriel of the Ordo Hereticus and High Inquisitor Arvor of the Ordo Xenos. We request audience with the High Lords of Terra. Sending inquisitorial identification now."
There was a lengthy pause from the other side of the line and finally a woman's voice spoke. "You are clear, Regina Umbrae. Please keep your shields lowered. We are honored by your visit, my lords."
Under the watchful gaze of the system's fleet and defense systems, the Regina Umbrae neared and finally stopped above the face of bown II that was shrouded in darkness. There was nothing on the ground on that part of the planet, but the Regina Umbrae's sensors picked up a million different weapon batteries scattered all around the planet. They took a shuttle down to the planet, flying down through its atmosphere until the light of the star broke over the horizon. Then their shuttle dipped toward the ground.
Before them rose a great compound stretching for miles out in either direction, surrounded by a great wall a mile high. They stopped before an impressive looking gate with the iconology of the Imperium proudly emblazoned upon its very center. Flanking both sides of the gate atop the wall were statues of the Emperor staring down at all who passed through. There were guards before the gate, soldiers in full power armor and intimidating looking helmets concealing their faces. They each bore the double headed eagle of the Imperium upon their left pauldrons, clasping a crimson sash that ran diagonally down their bodies. The soldiers were accompanied by a dozen tanks, all with crimson crests painted on their sides.
"Ah," Uriel said expansively. "The Redstream Guards. Finally."
The guards took one look at the rosarius that Uriel offered them and spoke shortly into a vox unit. Quickly the heavy gate swung open upon softly clicking machinery. Uriel nodded in appreciation and put the seal away, leading them through the gate.
A heavily armed and armored convoy of half a dozen vehicles awaited them behind the gates, the vehicle in the middle waiting with its side hatch open. Hurriedly they entered the vehicle and seated themselves. With a great rumble of engines the convoy started off, moving down the broad boulevard and into the heart of the fortress. Behind the gates rose the palace of the Old Guard, the ancient regiment of soldiers that dated back to the early days of the Imperium, formed of the finest soldiers that the Imperium had. Terra itself and the High Lords there were defended by the Astartes of the Imperial Fist, but the Old Guard formed the backbone of the defenders of Terra, and it was the Redstream regiments of the Old Guard that defended the vestments and interests of the High Lords in the Imperium beyond the gaze of its seat of power. The Old Guard fortress was a monumental structure. The fortress' construction, it seemed, had been modelled after mountains, and its builders had participated rather enthusiastically in the task. It rose up like a single peak of cold metal and plascrete, ring upon ring of fortifications rising up to disappear into the sky with the sort of silent, colossal immensity that is commonly seen in stellar bodies. Each ring was enclosed by a wall to form a series of defenses that an attacking force had to fight past one at a time. Above their heads a faint purple shimmer indicated the existence of a void shield, and the purple shroud that nearly hid the uppermost ring indicated that each was also defended liberally by void shields.
Their convoy arrived after only a few minutes at the outermost gate, where a flash of Arvor's rosarius was sufficient to gain them entry with only the most minimal of fuss. The void shields were quickly lowered around the gate, and it ground ponderously open upon hissing hydraulics. Without hesitation the convoy moved again, past the thick, hundred feet tall slabs that the Old Guard called a gate. As soon as the vehicles were through the gates slid close behind them, the boom of its closing sounding like the firing of some vast cannon.
They found themselves still upon the boulevard, but now above them was no longer the light of the sun but the roof of a great tunnel that was illuminated by blazing white lights set at regular intervals along the roof. Buildings, plain, utilitarian, and each built like tiny fortresses in their own right, lined the boulevard, and between them ran neat streets that led into other parts of the outermost areas of the fortress. Squads of soldiers patrolled the streets, and convoys of tanks rolled along on one business or another.
Their convoy continued onward along the boulevard. The highway was wide enough that they were unobstructed despite the large numbers of vehicles utilizing it, and they stopped only at the gates that led past the fortress' walls. Each gate was more elaborately defended than the last, and with each one that they went past the sense of the oppressive weight of the fortress above them grew stronger and stronger. Volorus was acutely aware of the fact that the structure could easily out-mass entire fleets and whole mountain ranges, and he shifted nervously in his seat, trying not to think about it.
Finally their convoy slowed to turn off into one of the side streets. Uriel leaned over to peer out of the slit in the side of the transport. "Here we are," he announced. "Right in the heart of the fortress." He glanced at Balelath and Isenran. "Pull your cowls down lower over your faces. We don't need to announce to every soldier that you aren't human. When we come into the room where the meeting's going to take place, you will have to uncover your faces, but don't do so until then."
"Would eldar be allowed in to speak with your lords?" Balelath asked curiously.
"Probably not."
"I hope that you are very convincing, then."
"Of course we are," Volorus said, waving the leather wallet containing his inquisitorial seal suggestively.
Arvor's expression grew pained. "Have the inquisitorial training dropped tact when I was not looking? These are the Old Guard. Show them some respect, at least."
"Do you have an idea of how to get the eldar in, my lord?" Uriel asked curiously.
"Of course I do. Follow me, and watch closely."
"Anything you say, my lord."
Their convoy stopped before a cluster of buildings that had lintels that were lined with gold and bore an elaborate golden crest of the double headed Imperial eagle above each doorway. A pair of guards stood before each door, their plasma guns held loosely before them. The soldiers inside the vehicles of the convoy disembarked and formed up behind them at a respectful distance. Arvor took the lead, selecting one of the buildings and starting off toward it. The guards snapped to attention as they neared, clashing their fist to their breastplate in salute. Arvor returned the gesture and stepped through the door.
"We can go on alone now," he said to their escort trailing along behind them.
"Are you certain, my lord?" their leader asked, his voice somewhat distorted through his helmet.
"Your fortress is secure, isn't it?"
"Of course, my lord," came the immediate reply.
"Then there is no cause for concern, is there?"
"I suppose not, my lord." He saluted and turned to lead his troops away.
They went deeper into the building, which was a rather plain affair that contrasted heavily with its exterior. Within, its corridors were narrow, starkly lit, and heavily buttressed, lined with impressively reinforced doors in the manner of bunkers. The walls were bare and painted in plain white, and here and there were thin, nearly invisible shapes in the walls and floor and ceiling that were the only indication of the building's myriad defenses. Uriel led them confidently down the corridor then into an elevator, and they descended down into the depths of the Old Guard fortress.
"Time to lower your cowls, gentlemen," Uriel instructed the eldar.
"Isn't this a little premature?" Volorus asked.
"Not really. This elevator leads only one place, and we will be challenged as soon as we step out of this box. The guards are also going to be heavily armed, so you don't want to so much as lower your hood when we arrive." He turned to Volorus and Arvor. "That reminds me. Take out your seal and display it. You too, my lord Arvor. I would rather avoid being shot, if you don't mind."
Volorus flashed him a quick grin and fished his rosarius out from beneath his coat.
After some minutes the elevator slowed and came to a stop. The doors slid open. Just as Uriel had said, there was a squad of soldiers waiting just on the other side of the doors. The fact that they had been allowed this far into the building had appeared to waylay some of the guards' fears, but their posture was still wary, and occasional dark flickers in the air spoke of void shields between them and the elevator. The soldiers took one look at the inquisitorial seals of Volorus and his colleagues and saluted. Uriel nodded and stepped out with Volorus and Arvor following close behind him. Warily, the pair of eldar followed. Immediately the guards grew wary, hefting their rifles nervously.
"Put up your weapons," Uriel said shortly.
The guards hesitated, their expressions growing questioning.
"Put up your weapons," Uriel repeated, his normally indolent voice taking on a hint of steel.
"My lord, they are eldar," one of the guards replied hesitantly.
"I am aware of that," Uriel replied indifferently.
Arvor coughed delicately. "Perhaps you should let me handle this like we discussed," he muttered.
Uriel grunted and turned away.
With a look of exaggerated thoughtfulness Arvor turned to regard the guards each in turn. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but are we not, by virtue of our office, entitled to enter any facility of the Imperium and utilize any service within?"
"Without challenge, my lord," one of the guards answered promptly.
"And are the inquisitors not allowed their retinues and aides when utilizing these services?"
"By custom, my lord, at the invitation of the inquisitors."
"Very well, then." He turned to the eldar. "Will you, leaders of the craftworld Ulthwé, accept my invitation to join me in this task that requires your services?" The eldar nodded. With a beatific smile, Arvor turned back to the guards. "There you have it. I see here only members of the inquisition and their aides, all of whom are entitled to utilize the services provided by this facility."
The guards mulled things over for a while and then nodded, lowering their rifles and standing aside. Without a second word Arvor went past them. Volorus, however, noted that they still eyed the eldar warily with their weapons held closely.
There was a single door behind the guards, and as they neared, the void shield around the door shimmered and melted away. The room beyond was dark, and the silhouette of a raised dais was just visible before them in the light streaming through the door behind. Then, as though they had stepped past some unknown threshold, a ring of lights embedded into the walls lit up. The room was circular and unfurnished save for the dais. A flight of three steps led up to the platform, and at its top was flanked by a pair of fluted pedestals topped by the double-headed eagle of the Imperium backed by a wreath of gold glinting with a soft light from some unknown source. Connecting the pedestals were curved rails of burnished gold inlaid with gems and pieces of precious metal bearing the iconology of the Imperium and the crests of its most gallant heroes. Engraved upon the rails were the core pledges of the Imperium in High Gothic.
Arvor led the way up the few steps, straightening his collar and cuffs and smoothing down the front of his coat. When he reached the top of that short flight of stairs he glanced briefly at the inquisitors flanking him and stepped up to the console, tapping a number of times at one of the panels.
Before them a pinprick of light, flickering for a few moments before being replaced by twelve figures so real that it almost appeared they were in the room. They all wore elaborate uniforms, all different in design, each bearing prominently the insignia of various branches of the imperial government. Their images were lined in a half-circle facing the inquisitors, unmoving and silent, almost as though they held judgement over those who stood before them.
Arvor bowed with a grace that belied his age. "My lords of Terra," he greeted the figures. "I am High Inquisitor Arvor of the Ordo Xenos."
"Arvor?" Balden, the aged representative of the Inquisition echoed, absently drumming his fingers upon an unseen table. "That name sounds vaguely familiar."
"It is a common name," Inquisitor Arvor replied modestly.
"Perhaps not," Balden muttered. His gaze flickered to Volorus. "I think I know your companion, however. Volorus of the Ordo Malleus, I'll say, the man with the word of the daemon invasion."
"I only seek to serve the Imperium as best I could," Volorus replied, bowing deeply.
"And Uriel of the Ordo Hereticus, the man who will force cooperation with the eldar down all our throats at gunpoint and blame it on Volorus."
"I also live to serve," Uriel muttered, bowing floridly.
"Your actions have weakened the Ordo Xenos, you know."
Uriel coughed delicately. "I trust that my lord will see my evidence for the removal of the inquisitors before passing judgement?"
Balden made an indelicate sound. "We have been meaning to replace the fanatics in the Inquisition for a very long time. There was simply never the incentive to do so before."
"And there is now, my lord?"
"We will see, wouldn't we? Perhaps this culling of the zealots have saved us, or perhaps it will doom us. We believe the former, but only hindsight is perfect in something as far-ranging as this."
"I am so glad that the introductions have been made," the Lord Commander Militant said dryly. "I think what we really want to know is why these three have been allowed to speak to us."
"My dear Marlor," the Lord High Admiral said sweetly, "surely you know that the members of the inquisition, if they have sufficient cause, may speak to us without obstruction."
"I am still waiting to hear that cause, Valeria. We do not have a lot of time to waste here, you know."
"Perhaps if you would simply be quiet, the inquisitors will be able to inform us of it," Balden replied. He turned to Arvor. "Please, continue."
"Very well, my lord. As you yourself have stated, Volorus here has found himself on rather good terms with the eldar. He has it on good authority that they have decided to send their craftworlds into Imperial space."
"What?" Malor exclaimed.
Valeria nodded gravely, running her fingers through her gray hair. "I am in agreement with the Lord of the Guards on this issue. The craftworlds themselves are very formidable vessels, to say nothing of the fleets that defend them. It would take countless fleets to dislodge them, after the war if not before, to say nothing of the consequences if the eldar should attack our worlds. Why have the eldar made this decision?"
"That is the primary reason that we are using this method of communication rather than astrophaths, Lord Admiral." Arvor turned and beckoned to the eldar standing by the door to join them, tapping on the controls before him to include their images in the holo-transmission. "This is autarch Balelath and farseer Isenran, both of the craftworld Ulthwé."
"Are you out of your mind bringing eldar to the Old Guard stronghold with you, inquisitors?" Malor exclaimed.
"I figured that, if the eldar wanted to destroy the Redstream Guards, they would have done so by now," Arvor replied dryly.
"Our intentions here are not hostile," Balelath reassured Malor.
"So you say," the Lord Commander replied flatly.
"I remember the name now," Balden said suddenly. "High Inquisitor Arvor earned his title for his knowledge of xenos – as well as the best way to destroy them."
"Radicals, you mean," the cardinal of the Holy Synod scoffed.
"Call him and those like him what you want," Balden said blandly. "I call them prudent. His record when it comes to dealing with xenos is impeccable. I also know of the relationship that Volorus here has with the eldar race. If the both of them trust these eldar enough to work with them, then I'd say that the least that we could do is give them the benefit of doubt."
Malor grunted. "It is sound, but if anything happens to the Redstream fortress, I am holding you personally responsible."
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
"I am glad that we are able to come to so quick an agreement," Balelath noted. "Let us hope that this holds true. Now, on to the matter at hand. Our cause for coming here is simple. We have decided that our craftworlds will serve as void fortresses in your crusade against the forces of the Othersea. Your fleets will be able to operate around them if they wish, but the primary purpose of the craftworlds will be to defend those areas of the void that our farseers point out. Because of the alliance between our two races, we have deemed it best to inform you of this. Furthermore, your office within the Imperium commands no small measure of respect and loyalty. It would be best, therefore, if an order was issued by you to accept the aid and presence of our craftworlds and warhosts without hesitation or qualms. This would bring great benefit to both our races."
Valeria nodded slowly. "It would be a grave mistake not to do so, certainly." She pursed her lips. "Of course, the real trick is to get the troops to cooperate in full. A few decrees from us is not going to change the underlying discontent."
"That may be so, but discontent or no, the craftworlds will be moved. It is therefore best that your military commanders are made aware of this in advance. If our aid alone is insufficient, then know that we are also willing to open the craftworlds up as operation bases to your fleets and troops."
"Any assistance is nice," Malor noted.
"This is very unorthordox," the cardinal of the Holy Synod muttered.
"Oh, bother that," Valeria said irritably. "Even the stupidest commander could see the advantages in such an arrangement."
"I don't think that I like the implications in your words very much, my lady," the cardinal replied stiffly.
"Then you shouldn't raise such silly objections. Your arguments would bear more weight if we were not facing this threat, but too much is at stake here. If to survive means working so closely with the eldar, then we should do so."
"You speak heresy," the cardinal warned.
Arvor cleared his throat deferentially. "Perhaps my lords are looking at this in the wrong light," he suggested. "Is it truly heresy to focus upon the vile hordes of Chaos more than we do upon sometime foes?"
"Probably not," the cardinal grunted.
"And would it be heresy if a craftworld should sneak into our territory during all the excitement of fighting the traitors?"
The cardinal's eyes narrowed. "I see where this is going. That's pure sophistry, lord inquisitor."
"Of course it is," Balden said, "but it is good sophistry. There is no heresy if a fleet in need happened to come across one of the craftworlds, and the eldar upon it were to happen to lend the fleet aid – with much objections from the ship's crew, of course. It violates no Imperial dogma."
"And perhaps those same fleets could not be ready to sail again until some specific time," Valeria added. "And if these times were to coincide with need for them elsewhere, we could all give praise to the Emperor for their timely operability and the eldar for lending them shelter."
"I will not listen to all of you make a mockery of our holy creed," the cardinal said hotly. Then his eyes narrowed and his tone became begrudging. "Of course, while I cannot deviate from that official stance, I am sure that the Emperor would understand as long as we all stick to that story."
"Like glue," Valeria replied with a perfectly straight face.
"Well, that's settled, then," Balden said satisfactorily. "Incidentally, Uriel, when this is all over, expect a culling of the ranks of the Ordo Hereticus. I think that inquisitors should not execute people for failing to pay their taxes or failing to show sufficient respect to statues of the Emperor, do you?"
"Of course not, my lord. That is the job of the Adeptus Arbites and the Ecclesiarchy, respectively."
"Then your order will undergo a full investigation."
"I welcome such an initiative, my lord."
"A full investigation," Balden stressed. "The methods of every inquisitor of the Ordo Hereticus will be investigated, no matter how long it takes."
Uriel's expression grew pained. "Why do I get the feeling that I am being reprimanded for something?" he asked.
"Perhaps it is for trying to push the blame for cooperation with the eldar on to me," Volorus muttered. "The Emperor is very just, after all."
"The Ordo Malleus, too, will undergo a similar investigation," Balden said. "Justness dictates so, after all."
"My lord has very sharp ears," Volorus said sourly.
"You have no idea what kind of implants one could buy with the right connections and funds. You have only yourselves to blame, gentlemen. Your recent unsubtle adventure into the realm of politics has left the Ordo Xeno weaker than you. The balance of power between the orders are too delicate to allow that to persist, and so it has to be fixed - assuming that this war doesn't do that for us."
