"This is accurate?" asked Attelus Kaltos as he looked up from the data slate, his hazel eyes wide with surprise.
"As much as it can be," said Interrogator Arlathan Karkin who reclined back in his seat, smiling.
They sat in Arlathan's office on the Audacious Edge, the room was large, a good fifteen by thirty metres. The walls made of shining adamantium and Arlathan's desk was inbuilt with an advanced cogitator. A very long Nalwood cabinet sat against the right side wall, keeping Arlathan's large collection of Amasec and other alcohols. Behind the Interrogator was a window taking up the entire width of the office, allowing a good view of Scintilla, the sector's capital world below. The smog covered hive world reminded Attelus unnervingly of Omnartus.
Shit, it'd been three years, three frigging years since the destruction of Omnartus. So much had happened since then and yet so little, Arlathan's promotion as Inquisitor Enandra's Interrogator, the death of the Space Marine chapter responsible, The Destruction Inculpators and Attelus' ascension to master assassin by Glaitis' old cult.
It'd taken Vex six months to decipher the data downloaded from Taryst's cogitator, and Attelus had travelled far and wide, investigating into the leads it gave. Adelana working with him as his apprentice. But all of it had been for nothing, no true clue of Etuarq's whereabouts.
Until now, perhaps.
"And it'd been seven months since it'd occurred?" Attelus asked, trying to keep the anger from his tone.
Arlathan shrugged, looking at Attelus with weary eyes. Much had changed, Arlathan now sported an impressively thick, neatly kept beard and his once pitch-black hair now speckled with bits of grey. His pale skin, marked with scars, two crossed on his right cheek and, one ran from his brow onto his left cheek. Scars said given to him by the traitor Inquisitor, Devan Torathe on the bridge of the Imperial Crusher, so long ago.
What had gone on there, Attelus still didn't know. Arlathan and Inquisitor Enandra seemed determined to never talk about it. Something which he didn't like, but had to respect.
At the thought of scars, Attelus absently touched the huge, ugly black scar just under his left eye. The scar he still refused to have covered by false flesh unless the job needed it, instead electing to hide it underneath a thick fringe of brown hair.
"You know more than anyone how slow information in the Imperium of Mankind can move," said Arlathan. "This occurred in the Gothic Sector, way to the galactic south-east, we're bloody lucky we received it this soon."
"Of course we were," Attelus sighed, placing a palm over his face.
"Let me have a look," said Karmen Kons as she got up from one of the couches and approached.
Attelus smiled and handed it to her. Karmen's attractive features didn't smile back. She wore a black bodyglove, her shoulder-length blond hair dead straight and parted in the middle. She was truly attractive, beautiful, perhaps. Her face was heart-shaped and high cheekboned. Without a word, she took the data slate and began scrolling through it.
"Taryst's records indicated a tenuous at best connection," said Attelus.
Arlathan raised an eyebrow, "to general Tathe? Yes, I know you're unwilling to pursue this thread. They are from your homeworld; they were your heroes as a child, Estella's too."
He furrowed his brow and looked pointedly at Karmen; she ignored him, continuing to read the data slate.
"You've been avoiding it," said Arlathan. "But now you can't afford to any longer. A world was put to the sword at general Tathe's behest, Attelus."
"The information is lacking," stated Karmen. "Doesn't even say the world's name, nor even where it is."
Arlathan sighed, "that was beyond our accessibility, that information is classified. Vermillion level."
"But it did happen?" said Attelus.
"Do not know, the information was taken from the Gothic sector's Inquisitorial data banks by one of our long-range operatives, but it still seems worth investigating," said Arlathan. "The Elbyran contingent is taking part in a campaign subduing worlds still held by the archenemy in the Orar subsector since Abaddon the Despoiler's 12th Black Crusade. With the sector highly weakened by Abaddon's forces, they've been importing Imperial Guard regiments from other sectors to help."
"Where are they now?" Attelus asked.
"The last we heard, the Munitorum had sent them to retake the mining world of Carkeath, in the Savath system," said Arlathan. "That was a month ago, but there were problems."
"And what are they?" asked Karmen, looking up from her dataslate.
"A day after they were scheduled to arrive, the system was cut off by a freak warpstorm," said Arlathan. "We know that the Orar astropaths received a message from the invasion force just before the system went dark..."
"And let me guess," Interrupted Attelus. "The contents of that message too was Vermillion level."
Arlathan nodded.
"Isn't that a little strange," said Karmen. "Only bits and pieces of that information being classified."
"All of it is classified," said Arlathan. "Our agent isn't high enough on the totem pole to be able to access just the Vermillion level encoded information."
"And fair enough too," agreed Attelus with a shrug. "But Karmen's right. It is strange. Why not all of it being Vermillion?"
Arlathan smiled. "Does this stink as much to you as it does me?" he said.
Attelus smiled and raised his eyebrows, which said, 'of course I frigging do.'
"How does it feel?" said Attelus.
"How does what feel?" asked Arlathan, his eyes narrowing.
"Since being made Interrogator you've become quite the uhh, exposition teller," he said.
"Exposition...teller?" said Arlathan, with a bemused furrowed brow.
"Never mind," said Attelus quickly, shaking his head. "What does the Inquisitor want us to do?"
Arlathan tapped his desk with the tip of his fingernail as a guilty expression crossed his face, "she wants you to travel to Sarkeath to investigate the Velrosian 1st and general Tathe. Find out the why and how the Exterminatus happened and if it's connected to Etuarq. Also, to find out the fate of the Elbyran contingent."
He took out another two data slates from under his desk.
"We've got a team lined up for you and, a ship readied to take you to the Gothic Sector," said Arlathan.
"Yeah, that's all well and good and all," said Attelus leaning back in his seat, folding his arms across his chest. "But that's going to be hard, because, y'know it's cut off due to a warp storm and, it's also so frigging far away."
"Yeah," sighed Arlathan. "But she also said that isn't her problem. That if you have to wait on Orar for the warp storm to clear, then you'll wait on Orar for the warp storm to clear."
"What!" both Karmen and Attelus exclaimed at once.
"That could take frigging centuries!" cried Karmen, the showing the most amount of emotion Attelus had heard from her in a long time.
"The Inquisitor also said that's what rejuvenant treatments are for," said Arlathan. "She also said during that time you could set up a better spy network for our organisation in the Gothic Sector."
Attelus frowned and looked at his data slate, scrolling through the list of agents, he really liked what he saw but...
"Yeah and how can we do that with a squad of ten people?" said Karmen sullenly, verbalising the question Attelus wanted to ask too. "Including us."
Arlathan shrugged. "She said you'll also be well funded. You can hire your own agents once there."
"Of course she did," Attelus said as he shook his head with a smile. "What else did mamzel Enandra say?"
"She also said that Attelus would say 'of course she did,' a few times and would be quite happy with at least one member of the squad," said Arlathan, then he looked at Karmen. "She also said that Karmen wouldn't be..."
Karmen's narrowing eyes made Arlathan quickly shut up.
Arlathan cleared his throat and straightened. "All the rest of the information you need is in your data slates. She also said that it's up to you to brief your squad members."
"Of course...," Attelus started to say, but smiled and stopped himself. "We're done?"
Arlathan nodded, "the mamzel wishes for you to be gone in as soon as two days. She'd also like you to give us a call over the vox when you're ready to leave. So we can see you off."
Attelus got off his seat with a sigh and, they turned and started toward the door.
"Attelus," said Arlathan causing Attelus to stop in his tracks. "About Adelana..."
"You've already said enough on her," Attelus snapped. "I don't want to hear anymore! Okay?"
Arlathan expression creased with sadness before he nodded and lowered his gaze to the cogitator in his desk.
The door slid closed behind Attelus as he stepped into the corridor. Karmen stood, her arms folded over her ample chest, her full lips pouting in annoyance. There was no sign of the horrid, self-inflicted scars on her face anymore, the false flesh that covered them was grafted perfectly by Inquisitor Enandra's best surgeons.
Attelus met her gaze for a few seconds before he turned right and continued down the corridor, studying the data slate, his feet silent as they walked over the steel grating.
Karmen fell in step with him, her footfalls clanging in contrast to Attelus' complete silence.
"What do you think?" she said.
Attelus sighed, stopped and lowered his data slate, turning to Karmen.
"That this assignment is a right royal pain in the arse," he sighed, before continuing again.
He'd only made a few metres more, before Karmen's voice said in his mind, +can your other benefactor help us in this?+
Attelus shrugged, I'll ask her, see what she has to say. It wouldn't be the first time Farseer Faleaseen had provided them with a literal shortcut in their endeavours. Only Adelana and Karmen knew of his connection to the Eldar, but it seemed that was changing.
Temporarily, perhaps.
Karmen nodded. "We have better get the others together," she said, reaching for her vox bead, but she stopped as Attelus raised his hand.
"No," he said, "Inquisitor Enandra seems to know everything about everyone. Let's see if we do. We'll try to find them."
"Sounds like a complete waste of time to me," said Karmen, folding her arms again.
Attelus grinned. "Come on Karmen, just humour me here, please."
She rolled her eyes, but was smiling as she groaned and said, "fine! Have it your way! I swear you're like a child sometimes. If we're delayed because of it, it's on you, alright?"
"Don't you worry, we won't," he said.
"Where to first?" she asked.
Attelus smiled. "The training area, of course."
Attelus had lied, of course. Along the way, he just had to stop at the kitchen to get himself a cup of caffeine.
They walked side by side, Attelus with one hand in the pocket of his black flak jacket, while sipping from his cup with the other.
Karmen couldn't help but smile. She remembered the little, stick-thin but deadly teenager she'd found in the ruins of Varander ten years ago. Now Attelus was an exceptionally handsome and accomplished young man. He was thin but svelte. His skin pale white and lips deep red. His sharp-featured, elfin face was quite feminine made even more so by his shoulder-length brown hair. Karmen always felt he'd look even better if he had his hair cut short, she'd suggested it once or twice, but was promptly ignored. Attelus was far older than he looked, being twenty-seven, but looking perhaps, eighteen, nineteen. How he managed to look so youthful after everything was quite beyond her. Karmen knew more of Attelus Kaltos than she'd cared to admit, she knew how hard a life he'd had and couldn't help marvel at how well he'd pulled through it all.
He'd had help, Karmen supposed, Inquisitor Enandra and the little bitch had given him much in the way of moral support over the last three years.
Attelus quickly noticed Karmen looking at him, his five senses were always as sharp as Karmen's sixth and smiled at her.
Karmen forced away her own smile and looked away; she hadn't forgiven him; she would never forgive him.
He frowned sadly and fixed his attention forwards; he'd seemed to have got the idea of their relationship a long time ago. There was to be no friendship, they were acquaintances, professionals, and that was that.
It was his own damned fault, as he would say, in all honesty.
They turned and walked through the doorway leading into the training facility.
All around dozens upon dozens of elite soldiers under Enandra's command were practising hand to hand drills, bayonet techniques and disarming and wrestling style fighting on blue soft mats.
Almost everyone was a large bastard, as muscular as Attelus was thin. Their every technique was brilliant and practised almost to perfection. She tried not to stare; many men were stripped to the waste, their sweat-slicked torsos corded with muscle. Some were women, but only a few.
In the corner of her eye, Karmen saw Attelus looking on with a small measure of an amused, half-smile, his brow furrowed arrogantly.
None of them could even come close to taking him and, he knew it. Attelus was one of the most dangerous individuals Karmen had ever met and, that was saying a lot. His arrogance was almost justified, almost. He must never forget that there was always someone, somewhere better.
Karmen looked over the Stormtroopers training but saw no sign of anyone on their list.
"Try the sparring cages," Attelus said, scratching the back of his head before slipping his hand back into its pocket and taking another sip of caffeine.
They moved through the thoroughfare, many a soldier noticed them and stopped to salute or make the sign of the Aquila.
Attelus and Karmen nodded or saluted back politely.
They eventually came to the five large sparring cages set at the end of the huge hall. In the first one figure was a complete blur of speed and skill, fighting off five close combat servitors with blunted blades at once, so much so Karmen couldn't even make out who it was.
"Hey, Darrance!" Attelus yelled quickly as they stopped to watch. "A frig head says what?"
It was Darrance, how the hell Attelus was capable of telling that was anyone's guess.
Darrance didn't deign to reply; he just continued his battle.
"Hmm, was worth a try," said Attelus with a smile and a shrug, looking sidelong at Karmen
Karmen was about to reply when abruptly, there was a loud buzz and, a servitor's flat toned voice said, "horizontal slash to sternum a fatal blow, end of session."
Darrance let out a frustrated growl as he spun away, flourishing his long, two-handed sword to whip off the imaginary blood and stalked toward them. Darrance was very pretty as well, but his features were grimmer, much more gaunt and haughty. His white hair was once long, but now he wore it close-cropped and short. He was also thin and long-limbed but was much taller than Attelus being just under two metres. Darrance was obviously highborn, Karmen had been a lord's daughter back on Velrosia, she had to have many dealings with the upper class as a child, so she knew his type well.
Spoilt and totally up himself but he wasn't without his merits, he was a swordsman of equal skill to Attelus but was also an extensively talented pilot and held much in the way wisdom and intellect, he was usually more correct than not in his statements and assumptions. He and Attelus were once mercenaries working under the same assassin sect, they still did but were permanently outsourced under Enandra's command.
But, Karmen was sure both of them were truly loyal to Enandra.
"I hope you are aware..." Darrance gasped but stopped himself and frowned; he was obviously going to call Attelus 'apprentice' but, that title didn't fit him any more. "Attelus, you made me frig up then."
Attelus grinned as if it was the greatest achievement of his entire existence; it proved infectious and, Karmen couldn't help smile along with him. After Omnartus' destruction, it'd taken a long time for Attelus to be able to smile again, a very long time. He had a nice smile and, she'd missed it greatly.
Darrance smirked, shook his head, turned away and barked, "training simulation! Level ten, start!"
Attelus took another sip of caffeine and, they walked on, idly gazing into the sparring cages. In the next were two more assassins from the cult, Delathasi and Kerlia were sparring. Delathasi was wielding dual short blades while Kerlia, she fought with a two-handed axe.
Both were a blur, but not quite as quick or skilled as Darrance. They were young, seventeen so inexperienced. Delathasi was apprenticed to Darrance and Kerlia was under Hayden Tresch. However, Hayden was nowhere to be seen. Kerlia was like Hayden more of a sniper, but she still seemed intent on practising with close combat weaponry.
Attelus and Karmen stopped, watching them. Karmen, a long time ago, before she had focused on her gift, was quite the swordswoman and she could see Delathasi was holding back.
"Hmm, pretty good," said Attelus, his words tinged with melancholy and Karmen knew why they both reminded him of Elandria.
It was in the third they found two of the people they were looking for, Adelana and Helma were locked in combat. They wielded blunted practise long swords, and Karmen couldn't help but be impressed by their skill. Both had only started to learn the blade three years ago, and both had learned under Attelus.
Attelus smiled like a proud father and drunk back the rest of his caffeine in one long gulp.
"Still got a long way to go, though," said Attelus absently. "To catch up with Delthasi and Kerlia."
"And those two will just keep on improving as well," said Karmen. "I don't think they'll ever catch up, Delathsi and Kerlia have been training since they were really young."
Attelus grimaced and shrugged, quickly seeing her point.
Karmen felt a very familiar presence, a very familiar feeling, this despite her trying to suppress her gift, and she turned to see two women in black singlets and combat pants walking toward their way. Karmen recognised them as trainees on the mats and quickly remembered their names, troopers Salantha and Olianthis. Both were drenched in sweat and looking at Attelus as they walked past. The emotion which radiated from them like a blindingly powerful lamp pack was attraction, but Karmen didn't need to be a telepath to tell that. It was a regular occurrence, and Karmen fought back her annoyance, women were just as bad as men at objectification, if not even worse. With her gift no longer so suppressed, she started to sense at least twenty of the men around in the room were attracted to her, looking at her. Their thoughts ranged from disgusting to moderately respectful; some were even somewhat nice.
Hissing through clenched teeth, she pushed away the thoughts whirling through her mind, then gave the two woman a withering glare which caused them to look away and continue quickly onward.
Karmen looked back into the cage, and she glanced sidelong at Attelus. He was so entrenched in watching he hadn't even noticed them checking him out, which was uncharacteristic. Karmen knew why; he was really looking at Adelana, who was also only in a sweat-slicked singlet and combat pants. Adelana was a pretty thing, beautiful in fact, her face diamond-shaped, with a long nose and full, lusciously red lips. Her skin was pale and covered in freckles; she tied back hair red with brilliant blonde streaks.
As Attelus has said, Adelana was truly beautiful, but in an understated way, like many of the bird species back on Velrosia. They were coloured with dark greens and blues unlike the birds of the Elbyran continent of Aluthisa where they were bright, overly ostentatious. Velrosian birds were no less pretty but in a different way. As Attelus was popular with the women, she was just as popular with the men and, there were many competing for her affection in the organisation.
Karmen frowned and folded her arms; they didn't have time for this.
+Helma! Adelana!+ she sent, with a bit more force than necessary, causing them to stop and flinch in pain. +Get out here; we've got a mission!+
Both Helma and Adelana glared at her, but quickly Helma opened the door, and they stepped out.
"A mission?" growled Helma, she was a short, plain-faced woman with ruddy brown skin and a large, ugly scar on her left cheek. Her blonde hair was close-cropped short, and her build more muscular than many men. She was a soldier, hard-edged and unsentimental, a leader. She'd been a captain in the 51st Fenksworld regiment, and so was a captain in Taryst's mercenary forces which was modelled on the Imperial guard. Over the past three years she'd proven a masterful military tactician, and a dependent, ruthlessly effective long-range fighter, but lacked a true talent for undercover work.
"Yes," said Karmen and looked to Adelana, she was the exact opposite to Helma. While she too was an excellent shot and only average close combatant. Adelana seemed to have a natural affinity for undercover and stealth work. Only after three years of training, she was already one of their best. Karmen had to admit her and Attelus made for an excellent team, both having skill sets that complimented and contrasted each other well.
"It's a pretty big one too," said Attelus.
"We finally have a lead on Etuarq?" asked Adelana sounding excited and looking at Attelus intently.
He shrugged and met her gaze. Adelana was one of the very few native Omnartisians left and, so was one of the most eager to bring the rogue Inquisitor to justice.
"Perhaps," he breathed, Karmen knew out of all of Adelana's features, Attelus appreciated her large sea-blue eyes the most. "But there's no guarantee."
Adelana pursed her lips and nodded in disappointment, but continued to look at Attelus.
"Anyone knows if anyone else on the list is here?" said she and Karmen read from the dataslate the list of squad members assigned to the mission.
"No," said Helma bluntly, and she furrowed her brow. "Why do you ask? Why not call them over the comms?"
Karmen smiled and waved a thumb at Attelus. "Mr weirdo here wishes to waste time tracking all of you down. I thought I'd humour him."
"I'm right here, you know," said Attelus, but still grinned.
"Says it's a test," said Karmen. "See how well we know the people who are to work with us."
"And I was right," said Attelus proudly. "I knew they would be here."
Karmen raised an eyebrow. "It hardly takes a genius to think that someone might be at the training room, Attelus."
Attelus raised his hands, the empty cup hanging from his index finger. "Alright! Alright! Is it annual take the piss out of Attelus day, is it?"
"Every day, is take the piss out of Attelus day," Adelana laughed.
"Story of my life," said Attelus with a good-humoured sigh.
"We may as well come with you," said Helma, "try to speed up this farce a bit."
Attelus pursed his lips and tore his attention away from Adelana to Helma, trying to see if the ex-guardswoman was joking or not and frowned as he quickly saw she wasn't.
He sighed, slipped his free hand into its pocket, turned on the balls of his feet and started back.
"Alright, alright," he said. "Can't waste any more time, we've better head on then."
"Where to first?" said Adelana as they started after him.
"I'm taking a wild guess," said Karmen. " And saying...the shooting range."
Attelus, with his back to them, muttered something indignantly.
"Yeah," said Karmen, smiling. "We're going to the shooting range."
Much to no one's surprise, the shooting range was, indeed, their next destination.
Attelus was the first through the door and, they approached the desk of the range's custodian, a grumpy middle-aged and going to seed ex-guardsman named Gorres. Gorres sat back casually in his worn leather chair, reading a data slate. Karmen knew how much of a sleaze the old bastard was and had no wish to know what he was looking at.
"Yo," said Attelus as they approached, and he held up his cup. "Mind if I give you this?"
Gorres sat up and glared Attelus up and down as though he'd just asked if he could lay with his daughter. (Calestia Gorres was a pretty little trainee just starting in the Stormtrooper corps)
"Please," said Attelus, grinning and shaking the cup.
"Ahh, give here!" growled Gorres and snatched it from Attelus with impressive speed. "You may be a big mighty Throne Agent now, but I've been workin' in this organisation before you were even in ya daddy's sack! I ain't ya bloody servitor, got it?"
"Fair enough," said Attelus, raising his hands in diplomatic supplication. "Never would've even considered you were, not for a second. Thank you by the way."
"Yeah," growled Gorres. "If ya gonna go into the range, don't forget to wear your damn ear protectors."
"Of course," said Attelus as he approached the wall the ear protectors hung off and, he began to take them down and started to hand them to the others.
They walked through the thick glass steel doors and into the range and even with the ear protectors on, the discharge of weapons fire was horrid. Causing Karmen to wince involuntarily.
The firing range was huge, easily as large as the practice area. Still, despite this, it wasn't large enough, as they passed by a long line of soldiers waiting to take their turn at the range—most of them gazing appreciatively at Adelana and Karmen while they walked.
They were halfway through when they found another assigned to their team, and Karmen wasn't surprised at all to find him here. Trooper Jelket, stood, las gun braced as he took shot after shot at the target. He wore his Stormtrooper carapace but went without a helmet. Jelket was an average looking man of average height and average build. His skin was tanned and his black hair curly, scruffy. He'd lost his right arm from an Astartes bolter round back on Omnartus; now it was replaced by an advanced augmetic. That seemed almost normal at first glance. But at a closer look, one could see the joints in the fingers.
Karmen liked Jelket, he was an intelligent, forward-thinking, observant character, but also strangely dumb in other circumstances. He was awkward but always pleasant, kind, but more than a little bit paranoid. A real conspiracy theorist, in fact, he was one of the first people who'd figured out about Taryst's secret before anyone else.
Most of his other theories were a bit beyond reality, even for Attelus' taste who too was paranoid beyond belief.
Jelket paused in his shots and turned to them as they approached, grinning widely.
"Hey! What are you guys doing here?" he said.
"You caught up to Hayden yet?" asked Attelus.
Jelket shook his head, he was one of the best shots in the organisation, but Hayden Tresch was the best and, the two had a friendly rivalry. Karmen had never felt any bitterness from Jelket for being second best (in fact he held that position with at least three others, depending, as it would change constantly, but Jelket was always at least fifth, there was fierce competition for second place)
"You guys here to support me?" asked Jelket, sounding legitimately hopeful. "Cheer me on?"
"No," stated Helma, folding her arms across her chest, her tone implied she thought such a thing would be the biggest waste of time in the galaxy.
Jelket pursed his lips and grimaced, looking highly disappointed.
"We're here because we need you for another mission," said Karmen, trying to abate the young ex-guardsman's frown.
"Oh? Really?" he said. "Something about that shit-head Etuarq?"
"Perhaps," said Attelus. "Can't guarantee anything yet."
"You know I suggested we look into Marius Hax, right?" said Jelket. "He must be involved being the lord..."
Attelus raised a hand, causing Jelket to cut his sentence short, "yes," he sighed. "You've said that on numerous occasions now, but there is no true evidence that he's involved, there was no mention at all of him in Taryst's records. Anyway, Omnartus was a hub world; its production of minerals was huge and served the sub-sector and even the entire Calixis sector well. It'd even supplied some excellent Imperial Guard regiments, many still in service now, I really doubt, even if he is a traitor he was involved at all."
"But that's what he wants you to think!" insisted Jelket.
Attelus sighed and rolled his eyes, then checked his wrist chron, "and how do you propose we find that out? Burst into his office, put a laspistol to his head and get him to spill his secrets? We maybe Inquisition now but we haven't the right without sufficient evidence and even if we did every Amalathian from here to Thracian Primaris would be on our arses faster than you can say, 'you idiot.'"
Attelus sighed. "Just please meet us at briefing quarters 56a at 1600, got that?"
"Yes sir!" said Jelket with a salute.
They pushed past Jelket, who continued with his practice.
"You and I are both aware that we have, as we speak, spies investigating into Marius Hax and his underlings on Scintilla," Karmen whispered in his ear.
"Of course," said Attelus with a small smile. "But I wouldn't admit that to him, would you?"
Karmen smiled, seeing his point.
"Besides," said Attelus, while stretching his long arms over his head and intertwining his fingers together. Karmen was sure that he didn't even know he was doing it, the instinct so entrenched in his psyche. "It's just a necessity; we're doing it with pretty much all the rulers across the sector, or at least trying to. You know, just in case."
They only had to walk a few metres more to find another member of their squad. Torris was waiting in the line; shotgun slung over his shoulder, his arms folded over his chest.
Torris was a large, muscular man with very dark brown skin. He was once one of Taryst's most capable employees and before that a member of the Adeptus Arbites on Malfi. With his background of law enforcement, he was incredible at reading people, so much so Karmen couldn't help suspect he might have some latent psychic ability. He had after the Omnartus incident, in respect to his murdered friend, Jeurat Garrakson taken up training for heavy weapons and due to his size and strength proved a natural.
He'd once been a charismatic, cheery caring person, but after Omnartus he turned grim and ruthless. Torris still blamed Attelus for the death of their friend and would never forgive him for it, which Karmen couldn't help feel was a true tragedy. If Adelana could forgive Attelus for his role in the death of her homeworld, why couldn't Torris forgive him for what Garrakson did? What also made it sadder was Karmen was sure it wasn't really Attelus' fault. They'd been good friends, and Attelus had needed that friendship over the last three years. Karmen had attempted to talk with Torris in private once or twice about it, but the ex-arbitrator wouldn't hear of it.
Despite this, Torris was pragmatic enough to put aside this for the mission. He still respected Attelus somewhat for his skill as a spy and an assassin, but that was that.
"Marcel," said Karmen as they approached.
Torris sniffed and looked them over. "We got a mission?" he asked.
Karmen nodded.
"Good, about frigging time," he growled and looked at Attelus from under a hooded brow. "And you're the leader, I assume?"
Attelus frowned and said, "I am."
Torris nodded but showed no emotion.
Adelana stepped past Karmen, her hands balled into fists.
"We're to meet at briefing room 56a at 1600," she growled through gritted teeth. "Alright?"
Karmen pursed her lips; it was generally well known that Adelana really disliked Torris. For obvious reasons.
Torris grimaced slightly, looking down at Adelana and folding his thick arms across his wide chest.
Karmen didn't have to be a telepath to tell it meant; what right do you have to order me around, little girl?
Karmen cleared her throat, causing Torris to look her way.
"We're looking for Verenth, Hayden, Vark and Halsin," she said, ignoring Attelus' glare and pouty look. "You know where any of them are?"
Torris shrugged. "Where Hayden is, is anyone's guess, could be with the Tech-Priests, could be in the armoury, could be at the frigging library. Verenth's probably in his quarters; he isn't here, so he's most likely there. Vark's probably in the Ecclesiarch. Halsin, well he's most definitely..."
"Here," a voice interrupted him, and Torris turned to reveal Halsin who approached them. A laspistol held confidentially in his left hand.
With his bulging thyroid eyes, beneath his thick-framed glasses, he always looked like he was in a constant state of surprise.
Halsin was once a tall, scrawny, awkward junior medicae under Taryst's employ but over the past three years, he'd grown. Volunteering as a front line medicae, he had served on many assignments since they were taken under Inquisitor Enandra's wing. This, as well as countless hours of training with the Stormtrooper Corps, had hardened him, giving him some confidence. He wasn't as good as any of the elite soldiers, but could still hold his own in a fight. Unless it was close combat, he was still gangly but only a little less now. But his supreme skill with a scalpel, bandaging and ability to keep calm under pressure more than made up for that.
"Halsin!" said Attelus. "Good to see you."
Halsin was one for few words; he simply grimly nodded in reply.
"Been practising at the range?" Attelus said. "What's your percentile now?"
Halsin grimaced in distaste and answered hesitantly, "seventy-nine."
Attelus shrugged. "Still better than me."
"Well, even a cross-eyed Grox could shoot better than you!" said Adelana, but with a playful grin causing both Torris and Helma to chuckle with amusement. Karmen couldn't help roll her eyes. She hated their flirty, playful banter.
Attelus furrowed his brow and pursed his lips before a wide smile crossed his face. "I do get seventy to seventy-three, I doubt a cross-eyed Grox could do quite that well. We all can't be good at everything unless you're a freak called Hayden Tresch."
"The only freak around here is you," said Helma making mostly everyone, even Karmen chuckle.
"I am presuming we have an assignment," said Halsin, as humourless as ever.
"You presume correctly," said Torris. "You seen Verenth, Tresch or Vark?"
"Verenth and Hayden I wouldn't have a clue," he said. "But I saw Verenth not long ago when I was leaving the medicae. As I understand it, he's getting a tattoo."
"What? Yet another tattoo?" exclaimed Adelana.
"Yes, another tattoo," said Halsin, sharing none of Adelana's astonishment.
"Well!" said Attelus. "Next stop, the medicae."
"Or you could, you know, call them," said Helma. "Because that's what Vox links are for."
Attelus shrugged and sighed, "alright, we'll go get Verenth, then call the other two."
"That's not what I meant," muttered Helma, although Helma had been a captain and older than Attelus, she'd never begrudged his more senior status. Still, she had little patience for his eccentricities.
"You guys wanna come with?" said Attelus, ignoring her.
Halsin and Torris exchanged a look.
Torris shrugged. "Yeah, I'll come, don't want Attelus having his own bloody harem, do we?"
"What? You jealous, Torris?" said Attelus with a wide grin.
"Correction," said Torris. "Don't want him thinking he's got his own harem."
"I think; therefore, I am," said Attelus.
Torris pursed his lips and shrugged, conceding defeat. "You make that up now, or get it from somewhere?"
Attelus shrugged back, not rising to the bait.
"I guess I will come too," said Halsin. "Will need to retrieve some equipment from there anyway."
"Alrighty," said Attelus. "Let's get going, then."
It didn't take long for them to find Verenth in the large medicae; they just had to follow the loud buzzing sound to its source. Verenth sat stripped to the waist as surgeon Solvik applied the ink to his bicep.
If Adelana could describe her fellow Omnatisian in one word it would be, 'snake.' She'd never actually seen a snake, not first hand, but she'd read about them and seen illustrations. Verenth was a tall, skinny and long-limbed young man, but that wasn't what was most snake-like about him. That was his eyes. Stark, pitiless and coloured a strange, light green. His plain, gaunt almost chinless face was hard, perpetually frowning. His head was shaven, allowing everyone to see the numerous tattoos covering his skull.
Adelana was never sure how to act around the passionate, intense ex-hammer, he too was one of the few remaining survivors of Omnartus, that made any and all interaction out of assignments very awkward. Not just that but he scared her, constantly it felt he was going to explode into a rage in any second, especially when around Attelus. Adelana had once thought it was because of the part Attelus had played in the destruction of their homeworld. But she'd learned from Attelus that it wasn't just that, but the assassin had also killed Verenth's brother, Verenth had even witnessed it. Unlike Torris, he had an excellent reason to hate Attelus, but despite this, the ex-hammer still worked under the ex-mercenary. Like Torris, he was pragmatic and saw the big picture enough to know there was more at stake.
"Hey Verenth," said Attelus with a small wave as they approached, causing the ex-hammer's attention to snap at him, his perpetually frowning face somehow frowned even more.
"What is it?" he growled, eyeing them from under his hooded brow.
"We've been assigned a mission," said Attelus, still sounding cheery despite Verenth's demeanour. Verenth never seemed to intimidate Attelus or Attelus never showed the intimidation he felt. Out of everyone in their group, besides, maybe, Tresch. Verenth had the highest chance of killing the superhuman. He was a gunslinger, his hands faster on the draw with his autopistol and Stubbrevolver than thought, inhumanly fast in fact. He was also one of the five top contestants for the second-best shot in the organisation. If he could somehow catch Attelus off guard...
Adelana glanced at Karmen who stood next to her, the psyker's expression was unreadable her arms folded across her ample chest. No, Adelana corrected herself, if anyone here could kill Attelus it was Karmen Kons. Adelana knew she didn't like her, hated her in fact and she knew why. This, despite Adelana never intending to ever have any kind of relationship with him, in spite of...
Adelana should've been utterly terrified by the psyker's enmity, knowing what Karmen Kons was capable of, but she wasn't. The Psyker was not petty; in fact, she was one of the most reliable people on the team; she'd saved Adelana's life on countless occasions over the past three years. In fact, if it weren't for her, Adelana would've died with Omnartus.
"If you haven't guessed yet," said Attelus knocking Adelana from her train of thought.
Verenth sighed, shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I guessed, boss. I was just hoping it wasn't, that somehow not saying it would make it untrue."
Attelus smiled, apparently ignoring Verenth's sarcasm when he said 'boss.'
"Fair enough," said Attelus, he never seemed to begrudge Verenth of his immense dislike toward him. He understood it and was genuinely regretful for the injustice he'd perpetrated. "And as much as I respect anyone who fights fate, the frigging bastard. I'm sorry to say it's won this day."
Verenth groaned. "Alright, just let Solvik finish my tattoo."
"Can he do it in..." Attelus checked his wrist chron. "Fifteen minutes? We've got briefing room 56a booked at 1600."
Verenth scowled and looked pointedly at the tattoo on his left bicep. Adelana was no expert, but it seemed far from finished. From what was done, it looked like the starting of a winged, green-robed, faceless figure holding a sword to its chest, tip downward.
"Hmm," said Attelus, stroking his thin chin. "Dark Angels, right?"
Verenth stiffened visibly.
"They saved my homeworld from invasion," said Attelus. "They've interested me ever since."
"Funny," growled Verenth. "Space Marines saved your world but destroyed mine."
Attelus frowned. "That's why I find it ironic that you would-"
"Last time I checked," said Verenth. "It wasn't the Dark Angels who did it; it was the Destruction Inculpators or The Desolation Inculpators, whatever, they're gone now, faced justice. Just because they did it doesn't mean all Space Marine chapters are the same."
"Besides," said Verenth. "I think it just looks frigging cool."
Attelus nodded. "Sorry to interrupt your tattoo, but if it's any consolation, this mission may or may not involve our enemy."
Verenth's snake-like eyes widened briefly. "You mean the enemy?"
Attelus shook his head, and he turned to walk away. "Perhaps an emphasis on perhaps," he said with another brief wave. "See you soon."
"I'll be there," said Verenth as Attelus lead them away. "I'll frigging be there."
Adelana could see Attelus was smiling slightly and Torris, glaring at him in disapproval. That was another reason why Torris didn't like him; he could be so very manipulative.
If anyone scared Adelana, truly scared her it was Attelus Xanthis Kaltos. She knew he'd been through hell, and couldn't help admire that he didn't come out of it worse off, but she knew he was constantly teetering on a precipice between sanity and insanity. That in any second, he could fall permanently into the metaphorical darkness, into his murderous, manipulative mentality. It was the only sheer force of will that prevented it. That was one the many reasons she didn't want more, to be more than just colleagues, she knew he dearly wanted that but...
"I'll get Hayden and Vark over the vox," said Helma interrupting Adelana's thought process and she reached for her microbead.
"Yes," said Attelus. "You do that."
After Halsin collected his equipment, they left the medicae.
It took them about five minutes to walk through the thin, gunmetal grey corridors and Adelana's mind wandered. She'd been through much in the past three years, fought alongside Space Marines on two separate occasions, the first time was with the Space Wolves, second the Death Watch when she and Attelus had allied with the Ordo Xenos Inquisitor, Lorris to stop a Genestealer cult on Sinophia. She'd even travelled all the way to Segmentum Ultima via Attelus' 'connections,' and back. She'd faced down mutants, heretics and even daemons. But most of all she'd killed, she'd killed a lot of people, more than she could've imagined. The first time it'd been traumatic, on the flagship the of traitor Inquisitor, Torathe. During the initial boarding action, she'd taken the top off a Stormtrooper's skull with one well-placed shot. She hadn't felt anything at the time due to the adrenaline, but after the fight, when recovering from her injuries, she'd wept.
Attelus had helped her through it, he was unusually open with his emotions and told her he'd felt the same the first time he'd killed too. A chaos cultist invader during the invasion on his homeworld when he was fifteen.
Despite never enjoying the killing, she felt right; she had a purpose and a truly worthy one at that. A far greater one than if she'd wound up working in the Magistratum as she'd initially intended. She just wished that it didn't need to start with the death of her homeworld.
She'd never get over that, not truly. Not even after they hunt down that bastard Etuarq and bring him to justice
Adelana eyed Attelus as he walked ahead of her, in his usual pose, hands in the pockets of his black flak jacket. She'd forgiven him for the part he unwittingly played in Omnartus' fate; it'd been frigging hard, though and taken her awhile. He'd saved her mostly due to selfish reasons, all just because she'd been nice to her.
It was pretty damn pathetic, pitiful, almost. In fact, it'd taken her longer to forgive him of that, than the role he'd played in Omnartus.
She'd learned a lot from the now master assassin over the past three years, and despite some initial hiccups he'd proven a pretty damn good teacher. Eventually.
Adelana had often wondered why the Inquisitor had promoted Arlathan to Interrogator over Attelus or Karmen Kons or the many other more senior candidates. But so far Inquisitor Enandra had led them exceedingly well, she'd made very few mistakes. She'd helped Adelana through the depression after the death of Omnartus, Enandra must know what she was doing.
She'd worked exclusively with Attelus for so long she'd never actually seen Arlathan (who worked exclusively with the Inquisitor), So she didn't exactly have the best knowledge of his abilities, but surely they paled in comparison to the superhuman Attelus or the extraordinary psychic abilities of Karmen Kons?
Adelana had never approached Karmen on the matter, but she had once asked Attelus. He'd just shrugged and said.
"Arlathan knows his shit; he used to be a selfish arsehole but has changed for the better. I respect him, and I really don't envy him the responsibility. Besides, I think it's also more uhh personal if you catch my drift."
Adelana did 'catch his drift' (a saying she'd never heard before, must be native to his homeworld) Arlathan was a very handsome man, even with the beard. It was well known that Arlathan and Sergeant Kollath, the leader of Enandra's personal bodyguard, were in constant competition for the attractive Inquisitor's affections. Still, Adelana had hoped it was more than that. Attelus seemed to believe it, so maybe it was, but it wouldn't be the first time he was wrong, and it definitely wouldn't be the last.
In silence, they turned the corner headed toward 56a, their footfalls clanging on the metal grating. Everyone's beside Attelus' and Adelana's.
Three men stood waiting at the entrance Jelket, Vark and Hayden Tresch.
Vark was dressed in his Stormtrooper carapace and took up most of the corridor's width with his bulk. Vark had been long ago designated as Karmen Kons' bodyguard, accompanying her on missions to watch over Karmen when she'd leave her body in her incorporeal form. An effective soldier of all-round ability, he'd once served in Taryst's elite Stormtrooper corp. A deeply religious man (a rarity amongst mercenaries, even before he became a former mercenary) Adelana, who'd never been terribly religious and recognised the more secular nature of the organisation found it disconcerting. He could proselytise often, and it got on her nerves. He and Karmen were both quite religious and that, Adelana guessed, was one of the reasons why they worked together. Vark's was plain of face, his skin a ruddy brown and his small beady eyes light blue. His closed cropped hair blond. Vark's most unique feature was his large cleft chin, it was hard for Adelana to keep her attention away from it when in conversation with him.
Tresch, unlike Vark, didn't need to wear Stormtrooper carapace to dominate the corridor. Broad-shouldered, long-limbed. The large, two-metre tall sniper wore a grey bodyglove and leaned against the wall, arms folded across his wide chest. He was perhaps one of the most talented individuals she'd ever met. As Attelus had once said, Hayden was, 'a jack of all trades and a master of quite a few too.' (Attelus was always fond of his rhymes) Tresch was an excellent sniper, an explosives expert, a hacker they were only a few among many skills under his name. A former Adeptus Arbite, he was a grim man, one of few words. Many of the women in the organisation described Tresch as a 'grey fox or 'tall dark and handsome' due to his once brown hair mostly overtaken by grey. Adelana didn't understand this sentiment; she'd never found him particularly attractive; she preferred her men younger.
She could help look briefly at Attelus, and well, more pretty.
Tresch was at least in his late forties. His square-jawed face lined and weathered. Attelus had once said both his eyes were augmetics, but they looked so normal she'd never have guessed it. She'd always thought it was a bit of a cheat; surely they'd aide him in his inhuman accuracy?
"Hayden, Vark, Jelket," said Karmen. "Good to see you are here already."
Vark shrugged. "Mamzel Helma said this may involve that bastard Etuarq so I got here as quick as I could. We may finally end him, God-Emperor willing."
"Emperor willing," echoed Karmen, making the sign of the Aquila. "We just have to wait for Verenth then we'll start the briefing."
"Let's head in, shall we?" said Torris.
In silence, they started to file through the door, Attelus in the lead, but he stopped and straightened briefly, seeing two more in the briefing room.
"You," said Attelus sternly and stepped aside, allowing Adelana a clear view.
It was Darrance and his apprentice, Delathasi.
"What are you doing here?" said Karmen perplexed. "We have this room booked."
Darrance grimaced and exchanged a look with Delathasi, "when I saw you walking through the training facility. I thought something was up, so I gave Arlathan a vox and guess what? There was, he said that it might involve that shit stain Etuarq, so there's no way in hell Delathasi and I are not taking part."
"You are aware that I'm going to be in charge, right?" said Attelus.
"I am," said Darrance. "But I'm willing to swallow my pride and follow your lead, this time."
Adelana could've sworn she heard Helma mutter something along the lines of, "I bet that's not the only thing you'll swallow."
Darrance obviously overheard her as he treated Helma a dark look.
"I'll be your new designated pilot," said Darrance smoothly. "Delathasi can help you on the ground. I am sure you don't want to be the only close quarters specialist, do you, Attelus?"
"Who was going to be our pilot?" said Vark. "Originally."
"Ulysses," said Darrance, "but Interrogator Arlathan superseded it."
"He must've owed you one hell of a favour," said Torris. "For him to do that, what did you do? Give him a blow job? Must've been good, I'm sure you've had a hell of a lot of practice."
Everyone, even Delathasi laughed, Darrance's face darkened, but it didn't last long before he just shrugged.
Adelana realised that Delathasi was looking appreciatively, almost gapingly at Attelus. This caused Adelana to smile and shake her head in amusement.
Delathasi would've been pretty if it wasn't for the very present acne on her tanned skin and boxer's nose. She was shy and kept to herself constantly, but when in battle she was a force to be reckoned with her dual monomolecular blades. Tall and lanky, she had plenty of power in her limbs.
The door behind them abruptly slid open, and Adelana turned to see Verenth step into the room. His piercing gaze silently travelled over them, before finally sitting himself down on the nearest desk.
"Well!" said Attelus rubbing his hands together excitedly. "Now everyone's present and accounted for, let's get this party started."