Armorum Fidei Chapter 29

Justini sagged as the combat servitor ground to a halt, it's arms truncated stumps that smoked where they had been bisected. The machine-man stood blankly, face mostly metal grille and optical lenses bored into grey meat. Man or woman once, it was impossible to tell for all identity had been eliminated, leaving only a mindless husk behind. Justini did not know what sins this criminal owned to warrant such a fate but she was certain it was merited. The God-Emperor's justice was as flawless as it was inevitable.

"Simulation terminated," the servitor droned in a rasping monotone.

"Return to your shrine for reconsecration," Justini ordered.

"Walk in His light," the servitor droned in rote reply then trundled off on broad caterpillar tracks.

Justini shrugged her polearm as she stepped back. Once more she was in blessed plate and it felt good to be encased in Ceramite again. Her armour had been blessed and anointed by the finest artisans in Currens Ecclesia and she felt its eager spirit responded with smooth precision. A Sororitas owed her plate the deepest reverence and she was glad to see every nick and scrape had been polished from the ornate plates.

She looked about and saw the others training. Praxi and Resita and Lexia were on a shooting range, firing at cardboard Heretics that travelled back and forth on runnels in the floor. Two Sisters picked off Heretics with precision shots but the Storm Bolter could only spray wild and hope to hit something, as the many dents in the wall behind attested. On the other side of the training-chapel Heleyna duelled another combat servitor, her mace and shield breaking limbs with gusto. She was toying with it, Justini noted, taking her time to rip it apart. She didn't mind, Heleyna had a lot on her mind, they all did.

Since their encounter with the quarrelling leaders the Celestians had been left alone. Tyreck was busy organising more missionary expeditions and Phantea had locked herself in her quarters, to pray she claimed, though Justini suspected it was actually to sulk. An impious thought she tried to suppress but one that kept surfacing. Left without guidance the Sisters had elected to train, and so they had come to the ranges to quench their frustrations in violence.

Heleyna finished off her servitor with a hefty blow to the middle that sent it sprawling on its back. She didn't bother to watch it recover as she spun on her heel and left it to wallow. The others took that as a signal and concluded their own firing rites, replacing their magazines with swift clicks. The Celestians shared a nod, then made their way to the small shrine at the rear of the room. A stone effigy of the God-Emperor in Mortis aspect was erected, his skeletal form shrouded in black robes that spilled over a throne made from the real femurs and tibias of worthy Sisters. The Celestians knelt to their lord and recited the prayer of steadfast zeal, "God-Emperor, grant us strength to smite your foes. Grant us your courage so we may stand against the devils of the night and bring your judgement unto them. Grant us your protection in the face of evil and should we fall may it be in your service so we may join you in eternity."

Devotions completed the Celestians stood up and Praxi cricked her neck saying, "I don't like this."

"What is it this time?" Resita groaned.

"Not knowing what's going on," Praxi explained, "I don't like it."

"Saint Trisye wrote before her martyrdom: 'Ours is not to know, but to obey'," Resita quoted.

"But we haven't received any orders," Praxi whined, "A day and a night without word from the Eparch or the Canoness... it's not right."

Lexia sighed, "There are many things to be concerned about, the dispute among our leaders, the war, the Psybrid invasion."

"It's that last part that worried me most," Justini said, "We never did explain how the Xenos got past the wards on Narthi."

"Treachery," Heleyna growled, "Foul Heretics sabotaging from within. We've seen it a thousand times."

"For Chaos invasions," Justini argued, "But the Psybrids? This whole planet lives in terror of the Xenos, who among the people would aid them?"

"There's always some cur willing to sell out his fellows," Lexia sniffed.

Justini's retort was lost by a loud cough from the door. They all looked and saw a Friar in a plain robe standing with his arms folded into his sleeves. The man made a short bow then declared, "Eparch Tyreck requires your presence in his personal quarters immediately."

"Not the Canoness?" Justini asked but the man didn't wait to reply and strode off without a word.

The Celestians looked at each other askew and Lexia said, "Just the Eparch, this is strange."

"I suspect he wants to twist our arms to support his position," Justini sighed, "We shouldn't be... Praxi what are you doing?"

Praxi was fitting her helm tight as she replied, "Have you forgotten how bad it smells in his quarters? Tyreck's let it become a swine-sty."

Everybody else blinked then quickly grabbed their helms and fitted them. Justini's sight became a swirling mass of targeting icons but she knew she would be grateful for it before the day was out. Equipped properly the Sisters headed out, marching from the training room with weapons held high. They strode with a confident manner, passing adepts and priests and fellow squads in a brisk manner. A few curious glances were cast their way, the revered Celestians cutting a majestic figure in their hallowed plate but Justini and the rest scorned any attention, eyes front and pace measured.

Soon they reached Tyreck's quarters and were ushered inside by a pair of Friars. Justini was immediately glad they'd donned their helms as the rank smell hit them, a mix of body odour, old booze, decaying food and soured milk. Even with a respirator Justini was breathing through her mouth, trying not to smell anything. The room was as dark as always, shabby and worn in all respects, only now it had a dozen occupants, Friars in solemn repose, seemingly unbothered by the stench. Tyreck was sat in his rich robes, hands folded under his chin as he watched them enter.

His head rose a fraction and he asked, "You come before me armoured?"

"You caught us mid-training," Lexia explained.

"Will you not show your faces?" he asked.

Nothing short of a command from the God-Emperor would compel Justini to remove her helm so she deflected, "There is no way to know when the next threat shall arise, He commands that we be ever vigilant."

Tyreck made a face as he gestured his companions to close the doors. Something about that made Justini uncomfortable but Tyreck was already speaking, "Sisters, I come to you as a humble supplicant, seeking your aid. Your Canoness is intractable and stubborn, she will not listen to me."

Praxi replied, "And you thought we would be more pliable?"

"Nothing so base, I merely thought you might see the true mission as He intends."

Justini heard the whining tone and it made the grip on her weapon tighten in disgust. The man thought to coerce the Celestians to his cause, to bypass Phantea and subvert her authority. Justini looked away in loathing and then it was that she noticed the friars were spreading out. Subtly, without making any noise, but they were moving to encircle the Sisters. To one who had spent a lifetime in combat it was obvious and Justini's instincts screamed they were in danger. It shouldn't be possible; the priests were holy men sworn to the Ecclesiarchy, but Justini knew in her bones they meant her ill. A glance to the side confirmed her Sisters too saw it, grips shifting on hilts as if preparing to fight for their lives.

Tyreck continued as if nothing was wrong, "Perhaps if you spoke to her then Phantea would agree that we must press on with our missionary work."

Resita growled, "It is not for us to sway the Canoness' mind. As the God-Emperor's appointed servant we obey her will in all things."

Tyreck sighed, "And nothing I can say will change your minds?"

"Nothing," Resita hissed.

"A shame," Tyreck sighed, "But then I expected nothing less... which is why I wasn't planning to give you a choice."

Justini sensed sudden movement to her right and spun to present her polearm, yet an attack did not come. Two friars grabbed the handles of a large upright cabinet and yanked the doors open, revealing a strange creature within. Justini had an impression of lizard scales and wet limbs, a sinuous tail and a snouted face, but her eyes were fixed to the gaping barrel pointed right at her. The gun discharged with a slurping pop, throwing some wriggling wet thing at her face. Justini however was already dodging, keen reflexes honed in battle sending her moving before the gun fired. She lurched aside and the projectile soared past without harm, yet in her wake Praxi cried out in alarm as she was hit instead.

Justini had no time to check what had happened for the friars rushed them. Men surged in from all directions, hands scrabbling on Ceramite as long knives were pulled from beneath robes. Justini however was a trained Sororitas and she met the charge with a sweep of her polearm, cleaving arms from bodies and opening chests. Traitorous priests collapsed with their guts spilling out but she saw those merely injured were untroubled, they pressed in despite terrible wounds, as if driven by a will not their own. She'd seen that before, the priests were subverted, taken by Psybrid domination to become deadly enemies.

She heard fighting to her rear but focused on the men before her, they charged in a rush of stabbing knives and yet she moved faster. Her polearms tore through bodies as the haft smashed and clubbed them aside. All thoughts of mercy were put aside as she laid low the corrupt, her righteous ire waxing strong. The Xenos had profaned Currens Ecclesia, tainting the holiest of souls and making a mockery of this sacred ground and she sought to purge it root and branch.

A flurry of swift strikes put paid to the men, armoured Ceramite impervious to their feeble blows. She cut them all down and then they were no more, left sundered corpses upon the floor. Eparch Tyreck was amongst them, the man killed by Justini's hand yet she felt no remorse. The fool had fallen to the alien's wiles, at worst she had freed him from his torment, at best she had punished a traitor.

She looked about and saw the others standing proud, Resita, Lexia and Heleyna unmarked by the fight. Heleyna was standing over the ruptured body of the vile alien, its spine shattered by her mace in a single blow. Mere moments had passed since the trap was sprung but the sisters had won through, almost all of them. Suddenly Praxi screamed in terror and Justini spun about to see her thrashing on the floor. Praxi was wrestling with some vile wyrm, both hands locked about its length. It was twisting and oozing between her fingers, trying to reach her helm. Justini saw the small head was pressed hard against Ceramite and where it touched the surface bubbled like acid was dissolving it.

"Praxi!" Justini yelled as she dropped her weapon and leapt to aid her.

"Get it off!" Praxi yelled as she thrashed, "Get it off!"

"Hold still!" Justini barked.

"It's eating through my helm!" Praxi cried.

Justini got one hand on its wet, body but it was slippery to grasp and she could barely hold it. She dug her fingers in and growled, "Together on three, one, two... now!"

The pair heaved hard and the Wyrm went flying, hitting the floor with a slurp. It contorted about in readiness to spring again but was ended by Lexia's boot, slamming down to squish it into mush. Silence fell at last and Praxi flopped back, her faceplate scarred as if by a flamer's kiss. Justini sagged in relief as she felt her heart hammering in her chest. Barely a minute had passed but it felt like an age and tiredness washed through her.

Lexia lifted her boot and examined the gory smear as she cursed, "By Vandire's putrid heart, what was that?!"

"Xenos," Resita hissed, "The alien filth has tainted this most holy templum."

Heleyna poked Tyreck's body with her mace as she growled, "We killed the Eparch."

Justini rocked back and said, "I don't think that was really Tyreck, I don't think he's been himself for a long time."

"How long?" Resita probed, "All the way back to the first attack?"

"Maybe..." Justini sighed.

"Sodding hell!" Praxi blurted as she rolled upright, "How can you lot be so Frakking calm?!"

"Be at peace," Resita chided, "Whining is unbecoming a Sororitas."

"Easy for you to say, you didn't almost get your face eaten off!"

"I don't think it was trying to eat you," Justini corrected, "I think it was trying to... turn you."

Praxi gulped, "You mean that thing was... was..."

"I think we've just uncovered how the Psybrids got past the wards on Narthi," she said grimly.

Silence fell as all looked upon the smear of gore and grasped the implications. Dark thoughts were writ large in very mind and Praxi gulped, "If we hadn't worn our armour... Throne, if we'd left our helms off, we'd be like them. Puppets to an alien will."

"It's worse than that," Justini explained, "They were cunning enough to pass detection, which means there could be more subverted souls out there."

"Surely, they can't have claimed all of Currens Ecclesia," Lexia gasped.

"How many raids have there been?" Justini asked bluntly, "If each attack snuck one or two of those creatures inside to spread the wyrms..."

"Oh frak," Praxi blasphemed, "The missionaries, you don't think Tyreck sent them out to spread more of these things to the Train-cities. He's been doing the Xenos' work for them since the start!"

"But that would mean Sororitas have fallen too!" Resita gasped.

"This is trouble of galactic proportions," Heleyna growled, "Anyone could have been subverted."

"We have to warn someone," Lexia exclaimed.

Justini snatched up her weapon and rose to her feet affirming, "Yes, we must. Beware, we have no way of knowing who has been corrupted, anyone we meet could be an enemy wearing the face of a friend. We have to move fast, before these bodies are discovered but be on guard. We could be surrounded by foes and never know it until the knives are drawn. May the God-Emperor save us, for there are no others we can trust anymore."