Early 36th Millennium, Reign of Blood
Habalus Cluster within the Abalatian Reach
High Orbit over Cassius 6 in the Cassius System
Librarium of Bellerophon's Fist, Inquisitorial Strike Cruiser
Astropath Sirsay sat on a short stool in quiet contemplation in front of an ancient desk fabricated from wood that was even far more ancient. The right sleeve of her brown robes was pushed up, revealing a pale skinned hand and long pale fingers that silently tapped the desk. A desk that was clear of books and scrolls, cleared of all evidence that work had been performed upon it. Sirsay's cybernetic eyes glanced up, and then along the bulkhead behind the desk. A bulkhead laden with books on shelves, some older and some newer. Books of countless topics whose covers were fabricated from a multitude of materials- pressed paper, plasteel, gold, leather created from the skins of humans and various other creatures, and practically any other material that could be imagined for the task.
Sirsay's eyes zoomed in and then focused on the books, searched again through what she had already scanned and rescanned.
I was hoping there would be something here, she said to herself with disappointment. Anything related to the Ritus de Exilium. Her fruitless search had led to frustration. Matthias and I worked together, worked so hard, hoping to unravel some of its meanings, but…nothing. We figured out nothing. Her mind tossed memories about. Matthias said Ipabog had told him that some of the rites within the Ritus de Exilium were created from fragments of an ancient language, the so-called Language of Creation. Created from words so powerful that to speak them would shatter the mind of a man. But the Words of Power within the book had been separated into fragments to preserve one's sanity after implementing them. But that implementation required comprehension, and that eluded us. Her thoughts softened for a moment as she pictured the face of Matthias in her mind, but with a younger look and dark hair instead of white. But the young apprentice did it. How? She knew the answer but had difficulty grasping the full impact of that answer. He is the one that was given to Inquisitor Ipabog in a far corner of the Reach. The one he personally delivered to the Scholastica Psykana on Holy Terra. The one I've been waiting for to return. As those thoughts passed through her head, Sirsay became aware that another had entered the Librarium. She spun around on the stool top.
And came face to face with another woman.
A woman with a shaved head and lips painted bright red was standing over her. She was dressed in a blue blouse that was unbuttoned half-way down her chest, partially revealing the cleavage between her full breasts. Chele Masina, Sirsay instantly noted in her head even as her cybernetic eyes worked their way down to the woman's tight blue pants with a bolt pistol on her hip, then all the way down to her high-heeled black boots. She looks more like she's trying to catch a one-night stand than a heretic, Sirsay decided. That just makes it easier to distract the fools and keep them off-balance. Her mind focused. That isn't just Provost Masina of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica, it is Inquisitor Masina of the Ordo Hereticus. Choose your words carefully.
"I expected you to have already reported to me," Masina snapped, her eyes narrowed.
"My apologies," Sirsay responded. "The Astropath I debriefed, Moneka Joku, imparted a particular piece of information to me. I wished to search references you have made available to me regarding it first, so as to give you as complete an accounting as possible."
Masina's face remained in a bind but her narrowed eyes widened for an instant, an instant that was caught by Sirsay's cybernetic eyes. "Go on," the Inquisitor said.
"Apparently, four of the Frateris Templars who landed on Cassius 6 were unknowing psykers who the protocols of the Ecclesiarchy failed to identify when they enlisted," Sirsay answered. "Someone or something tipped them off to the enhancements the Mecahnicus added to the Communion Chamber. They thought the hoods would allow them to speak directly to the Emperor himself."
"And the untrained fools got lucky," Masina interjected. "Lucky that young Basil killed them instead of having a daemon enslave their souls." Her narrow eyes remained on Sirsay. "I told you to go on, but you deflected. What were you looking for here?"
Careful, Sirsay told herself. "Any reference to some book named the Ritus de Exilium," Sirsay answered.
Masina's eyes widened. "What book is that?"
She knows but doesn't want me to know she knows, Sirsay quickly deduced. "The Astropath said that Basil read from it to banish the daemon which was crawling through the rift the Templars opened."
"I will need to see this book," Masina snapped. "You did tell him that I expected him to return to me immediately for debriefing? Return as soon as he completed his work with Apothecary Fynn, finished analyzing the Templars and Choir Chambers for corruption."
"Inquisitor Matthias intervened," Sirsay answered. A fire lit in the Inquisitor's eyes as she stared at Sirsay. She didn't even know Matthias had entered the system, much less left. Sirsay took a dep breath. "As soon as they completed their task, they left. I do not know where for."
The rage in Masina was visible on her face for a moment, then vanished and she gave a small smile. "Now that you have answered those questions, you will answer the ones I originally came here to ask. Tell me more of this Moneka Joku."
"Like myself, most Astropaths do not speak of what we witness when we are paraded before the Emperor," Sirsay said. "So, it is unknown how many of us see things of importance or even how many of us remember anything at all of the experience. But some do speak," she added. "Moneka Joku is one such Astropath who speaks. She believes that the Emperor told her of things she must do for him."
"And what has the Emperor told her to do?" Masina asked, her interest piqued.
"Moneka says she doesn't know in advance," Sirsay answered. "She just knows when the time comes."
"Very useful rationalization," Masina said, her chase changing to a frown. "Whatever she does, whenever she does it, was directed by the Emperor. If it seems a poor choice, who are we to question the ways of the Emperor?"
Sirsay shrugged. "Now, she believes that Basil has been sent to deliver the Emperor's words and deliver his wrath, through the Inquisition. She has also convinced the inhabitants of Cassius 6 that, as one who stood in the Emperor's presence, she has seen His vision. And she has sold them her vision of Basil."
"How has young Basil accepted this?" Masina asked.
"He has accepted it in the manner that Matthias has told him to accept it," Sirsay answered. Confusion showed on Masina's face. Good, Sirsay thought. I'll happily take any chance to see her confused. She just bothers me. Sirsay waited a moment for the Inquisitor to regain her composure, then continued. "Matthias has taken this situation as an opportunity to marry Basil's exultation to the Inquisition and has set plans in motion to build an Inquisitorial fortress on Cassius 6 as a base of operations for him and Draegoth." Sirsay gave a short laugh, a rare honest exhibition of emotion for those who work within or for the Ordo Malleus. "Moneka has already called for them to build a monument dedicated to Basil. And they have responded to her." Sirsay paused a moment, then added, "They have decided to use the gold and precious metals that decorated the surrendered wargear of the Frateris Templars as the initial source of treasure for their monument. Even the Preachers and Confessors who were among the Templars that Basil allowed to surrender have followed her lead."
"Every one of them, Ministorum Priests and Templars alike, should have been executed," Masina interjected. "But Basil terminated the situation quickly without damaging the installation. He adapted to the situation at hand and made the correct call."
"Now, Matthias has sought to take advantage of the situation at hand," Sirsay added. "He believes that using Basil as the Inquisition's 'face' will allow others to move in the shadows to bring about the Emperor's goals."
"I believe that is a situation I can make use of," Masina said, her red lips spreading into a wide and cold smile.
A/N The covid-19 'lockdown' is loosening but I am considered a high risk case, so I do not know how much longer I will have a lot of freedom to write. But, until something changes, I still expect to post new parts every couple weeks or so.
