Shadow of a Doubt
Chapter 11
"Theta 2 and Theta 4 are inbound. Theta 1 is in Cursive pattern, stealth fields holding strong." The encrypted vox sounded off in the Commanders helmet. Kyreg nodded and acknowledged the transmission with a quick blip. "Theta 3, and Hydra Fleet are in atmospheric holding position, awaiting signals." A quiet click announced the Commanders use of helm based vox, secured amongst the Legionnaires power armour based vox. "Strike Force Atgeir is enroute. Squad dispositions?"
"Gungnir is Green." The reply came from Sergeant Rythor.
"Ladon is Green." The newly promoted Sergeant Fratis replied
"Taleon is Pale." Sergeant Lefias answered, his assault squad also being pulled from the defence of the Outpost in order to engage in this operation. The Outpost itself had been re-secured, its armouries pillaged and its genebanks taken on board the Kilo Zeta.
"Excellent. Xythos is Green. Theta 2 and 4, start planetary drift. Theta 1, atmospheric drift. Theta 3 and Hydra Fleet, acknowledged holding, Temperance Drift." The orders were given quickly and concisely, a mixture of XX Legion battle cant as well as regular vox commands. "Activation Cerulean." A separate vox command was sent down to the planet itself through a highly encrypted order, Commander Kyreg patiently waiting for compliance. Fifteen minutes later, the reply finally came back. "Dagian."
Lorhenge
"Yes Lord General, the orders will be deployed accordingly." Galya curtsied once again, and exited the room as Lord General Crass Blythe nodding before going back to the various officers around the table in the meeting room with a large map in the center. "The Astartes have not been heard back from so we must reinforce the city itself. Gentlemen, the time for civil rule has long been over. Ever since our former Governor has been recruited by our Blessed Lords, we are the true administrators of Tyven V and Lorhenge. I decree the Bloodsworn until further notice on full deployment around the city. Furthermore, one of my most trusted commanders, Brigadier Osqar Kinley will be heading up my own personal enforcement unit the Eagle Eyes. They will be deployed around important command centers both as guards and the enforcers of my will." The officers around the table all nodded, knowing the temperament of their Lord General. It seemed that under the rule of Chaos, the Lord General had gotten worse. Much much worse than previous.
"Make sure your units are ready. Ammunition stocks are to be stocked to full, the new ammunition stocks should be arriving at each supply unit momentarily. Gentlemen, any insurrection or terrorism of any kind will be put down without any mercy. Dismissed." The officers filed out of the meeting room, each heading outside to where staff cars awaited them to bring them to their respective command sectors. The Lord General grinned and looked at the map at each units dispositions.
"6th Shocktroops, assigned to HQ Protection duties. 1st Company, North Perimeter. 2nd Company, East perimeter. 3rd Company, West Perimeter. 4th Company, South Perimeter. 5th Company, assigned to Mobile Reserve along with 1st Armour. 15th and 16th Companies, assigned to Nobility protection. Eagle Eyes, one platoon will be assigned to each perimeter assignment. Grenadier Company will be assigned to HQ Protection duties as well while 9th and 10th Assault Companies will be assigned to Reserve Holding." The orders were quickly typed up and given to the command centers vox operators. Each of them quickly established deployment orders to their respective units while various staff officers ran around the command centre checking on supply and logistics. Within the hour, trucks filled with stacks of ammunition were driven into the various assigned commands with assigned cult soldiers eagerly loading crates upon crates of ammunition. Large amounts of spare magazines were given loaded with these new rounds, stubber crews as well as heavy bolter crews finding themselves stacking crates of ammunition alongside each other. Many of them sharpened bayonets and other melee weapons in anticipation of any attack on the city.
Galya made her way towards the former governors palace, around twelve traitor Astartes standing guard around the interior of the palace along with a full company of cultists and a platoon of Scoparius battle sisters. They had been left behind to ensure that the city remained under the command of the Consul, although none had heard the news of their defeat. Jammers placed in subtle positions around the governors palace had hidden that news from the traitors inside. "Lord, I am here to report on behalf of the Lord General. Full defences have been raised around the city as commanded." The leader of the Astartes, a massive brute cradling a chainaxe in his hand and grunted before dismissing her with a wave of his armoured fingers. Galya was known to be the Lord Generals assistant and was therefore expected to show up at the palace every so often. She would walk past the Scoparius sentries outside, the power armoured women all bearing signs of Slaaneshi blessings. Some had fangs, others had a certain gauntness to them while others had grown claws.
Sushenge
"There it is Warsmith." One of his veterans reported as Warsmith Gryshun as ordered, the Iron Warrior Commander stepping forward through the woodlands to reveal a large section of wraithbone sank half into the humid loam of the forest ground. Although it had been millennia since the fragment had fallen to the earth itself, the surface remained unsoiled. A loud gravelly chuckle emanated from the Iron Warriors throat. "Proceed to excavate it. Bring me its spoils." With a bow of assent, the Astartes began shoving the human auxilia troops forward, power tools and machines being brought out as silver armoured Astartes watched them work. Prephas stepped in beside the Warsmith. "I do believe Warsmith, that the fruit is much sweeter when it is not buzzed over by flies." The terminator Captain said with a ferocious grin on his face. Gryshun laughed as he watched sections of wraithbone being cut apart and moved quickly. "Yes, they did die like flies didn't they? So tell me Captain. Are you to betray me next?" Prephas thought about it for a moment. "No, I see no victorious outcome for either of our sides if we were to betray each other. Here in the woods, my Terminators will wreck a bloody price on the Ironwight. With that many deaths, this treasure will hardly be worth it if neither of us have a warband left to command."
The Iron Warrior nodded slightly. "Besides, it has always been our way. I command the ship, you command the troops. Our arrangement has been… profitable for us." The Captain said while undoing his helmet and taking a deep breath, his augmented olfactory system easily discerning the scent of freshly spilled Eldar blood causing him to grin spectacularly. "Then let our Alliance be strengthened in blood then." The two Chaos champions chuckled in delight. Soon as more pieces of wraithbone was hewed apart by lascutters and plasma torches, one of the Astartes supervising the work teams suddenly yelled for a stop and gestured for a few of his squad members to join him. They would enter the structure and after a few moments, a large chest was produced and sent up into the structure. A few minutes later, the squad exited the structure and marched to the Warsmith, kneeling down in front of him and presenting to him a chest filled with dozens of soulstones. Gryshun grinned in delight before looking over at Prephas. "A worthy treasure do you not think so?" Prephas nodded as he picked one up and looked at it, even a non-psyker such as him perceiving the sensations of holding an Eldar soul in his grasp. "Any psyker or Slaaneshi worshipping warband will pay handsomely for this." The Iron Warrior nodded in agreement. Another few squads entered the structure and began dragging out corpses. The corpses were of the Word Bearers who millennia ago had attacked the vessel and brought it down. While they were only skeletons now, the arms and armour they wore gave credibility to their previous tasks. Six full suits of terminator armour, all reparable, were dragged out individually by the squads. Damaged, yes but with the technical skills of the Iron Warriors, these could be made whole again and their loyalty forced onto new masters. Gryshun chuckled deeply while Prephas looked at the suits with an air of abandon.
"Not to your liking Blood Angel?" The Warsmith asked while reaching out to touch the rare suits of armour. "No, they are not. They may be suitable armour but Cataphractii they are not. No, I do not believe I will lay any claims to these at all. But their weapons…" He would step closer to the bodies and pried out the rare weapons they carried. "Yes indeed, Volkite Chargers. Plasma Blasters. Those I will stake a claim on indeed." The Warsmith thought about it for a moment before nodding. "It is agreed then. The Iron Warriors will claim the suits of relic armour while the Oathsworn will claim their Volkite Chargers and Plasma Blasters."
"That is agreeable terms Warsmith." With a wave of his armoured gauntlet, Gryshun gestured for his warriors to separate the two. Weapons were taken out of the grips of the corpses while hereteks began disassembling the armour for transporation. "My Lord, there are more discoveries." An Iron Warrior Sergeant reported while kneeling down to the Warsmith. "Show me."
Large crates were dragged out bit by bit, solid plasteel cases that had to be pried open by power swords that finally opened to reveal carefully packaged bombs that somehow did not detonate when the ship crashed. Atmospheric Incinerator Bombs. Gryshun examined them and chuckled with delight. "It seems that the Word Bearers were to detonate them on board and exterminate the entire craftworld. However, they never got the chance to as their ship had rammed it." The former Blood Angel had figured it out. Boarding actions were after all what the Terminators were suited to the most. "Even Lorgar's cur can figure out a proper boarding action it seems. In between their slavery to the Chaos gods." Gryshun answered before lightly touching them. "Good. We will take them with us. Now, how the Eldar got away, I must know. We must find the source, and see it is something we can use." Prephas nodded in agreement. Six atmospheric incinerators, enough to destroy this entire planet should it be used. Or any planet quite frankly. But not enough munitions to render a planet unrulable.
Lorhenge
Brigadier Osqar Kinley examined the deployment around the headquarters and nodded once, the Captain in charge of the company saluting him before turning away. "I don't know why they need more than us to secure this place. We're the 6th Shock Company after all.." One of the former PDF soldiers now with debased sigils on his face muttered as he looked at the dark blue uniformed Eagle Eye soldiers standing in position. "It's the Lord General. They say that he has gone mad and distrusts everyone." The soldier standing beside him muttered back while slowly caressing the metal furniture of his las rifle. The new soldiers were all armed with freshly stamped compact autocarbines with large bull muzzles and drum magazines. Their CO stood next to the command center with a large customized large calibre auto pistol strapped to his officers belt while supervising the Command Centers. "This is bullshit, we are the most glorious unit here. We helped forge this revoluti-." Before the soldier could finish, his skull disappeared in a mist of blood and grey brain matter, splattering onto the walls as the XO of the unit, a Colonel Martha Raeynor had drawn her bolt pistol and fired a round into the soldiers head. "Talk like that will not be tolerated, Lieutenant. Ensure your men are better controlled, or I will." The female officer hissed, her fangs quite obvious to the Shocktroops standing around. Before any of the shocktroopers could shoulder their rifles, a large detachment of carapace armoured brutes would appear behind the Colonel, their bull muzzled autoguns already trained at them. "Go ahead boys, just say the word and we can see what dedications to Slaanesh we can paint over the walls.." The XO hissed at them with delight, her tongue reaching out to lightly lick her fangs. Seeing the officer blessed by Slaanesh, they relented and carefully stepped back.
"Summon all squad and platoon leaders, Colonel. It is time for our briefing." The Brigadier ordered. Squad leaders and platoon commanders from both the Eagle Eyes and the 6th Shock Company were brought in, most of the shocktrooper officers had their eyes blurred and dulled by whatever narcotics they had been indulging in. Many also bore ritual scars on their cheeks and bodies in dedication to Slaanesh. The Colonel stood behind the formation while the Brigadier looked over them. "Excellent. All here. Lieutenant? Over here. You are command staff now." The eager Lieutenant who had led the 6th Shocktroopers in the execution of Imperial adepts stood up eagerly, his officers sword having been replaced with a fine duelists rapier taken from some noble family that he had executed.
The officers all leaned forward with note pads out while the Brigadier gave the Colonel a nod. A quiet cough accompanied the Lieutenant falling onto the ground with a small hole above his left eye. Standing further up on the balcony near the command center was Galya holding a compact needle pistol. At the same time, the 6th Shocktrooper command cadre were grabbed from behind, hands covering mouths expertly while knives were produced, the Eagle Eye officers stabbing them quickly once in each lung, deflating them to avoid any noises being further produced with precise stabs into the base of their skulls, the sharp blades stabbing into the lower medulla cortex, rendering them almost instantly dead. The command staff officers all looked on impassively before returning to their duties. Around the command centre, the scene was being repeated everywhere with suppressed auto pistols produced or knives and any of the Shocktroopers found being quickly and quietly killed. Each thud of the auto pistol was carefully aimed by the Eagle Eye troops while knives flashed and sank into the Slanaashi marked bodies of the cultists. Brigadier Kinley stepped beside a surface to orbit vox caster and transmitted a single encrypted message.
"Twilight."
Tyven V Stratosphere
Kyreg grinned as the encrypted message was received. "Theta 2 and 4, Red. Theta 1, Red. Theta 3 and Hydra Fleet, Planetary Drift." He gave the orders quickly, the two Stormeagles now moving with actual momentum as the engines would power up and flew towards the capital. Stealth shields were on full as they began making slow planetfall. First was the layer of scorched desert that held the actual planet itself inside, and after moving through the hole created by the space vessels previously, they began to move towards the capital. Theta 4 would drift off towards Sushenge, into the various forests that were in that region while Theta 2 drifted towards the north of the Capital. The cloaked Stormbird looped itself around slowly about fifty thousand feet above the capital before landing slowly just north, the landing itself covered by a large forest as well. IR markers had been inserted into the tree branches above them, the two squads of Legionnaires quickly climbing down onto the forest floor while the Stormbird took off again, re-engaging the cloak after dropping off its payload.
Theta 4 drifted down slowly to just outside of the actual tree line itself, as Gungnir disembarked and made their way quickly into the forest where a quick defensive halt was done. Sergeant Rythor lead Gungnir into the forest where the four Legionnaires quickly covered themselves with their cameoline cloaks and melted into the forest itself. RV points were quickly set up in case they needed to move quickly, and marked on the maps that the squad shared over their helmet combat data systems. Stalker Bolters and Sniper rifles were readied and aimed over towards the south. Once the position was established and marked on the overall operations map, Rythor led them to advance towards the southern Axis of the planet.
Kyreg looked around as the two squads set up positions quickly. Xythos was a veteran squad, and were flawlessly deployed, each veteran Legionnaire watching a specific arc while Ladon was a bit rough around the edges. First combat deployment as a squad so it was to be expected. A quiet click could be heard from Sergeant Fratis vox as he checked around, the newly minted Legionnaires readjusting themselves. Kyreg nodded with satisfaction. "We advance." Kryeg took the lead, Xythos squad advancing steadily out of the forest, the capital could be seen just a few kilometers ahead while Fratis deployed his squad as support, following behind them with drum magazines locked into their stalker bolters. As quickly as they had advanced, Fratis kept his squad back and further off to provide a flanking attack if they came under fire. However, the squads all had their active camouflage activated and moved gently.
As Xythos quickly entered through a precut section in the gate to the North of the town, Kyreg paused for a moment before sending a quick vox message. "Cobra." The command was received by six vox sets that were tuned to a specific frequency and given a specific encryption. Thirty seconds after the message was sent, all hell broke loose in the town. Blue uniformed Eagle Eye regiment soldiers began gunning down the Bloodsworn troops in drove, drum magazine loaded autorifles spraying point blank into unsuspecting soldiers. Those of the Bloodsworn that began firing back with their new ammunition found something out rather quickly. The ammunition was made with unbalanced rounds, the hard rounds flinging away without any semblances in accuracy at all while the Eagle Eye soldiers had their weapons firing proper accurate munitions. It was a slaughter as thousands of lives were taken in a span of twenty minutes. "Castle." A reply came back and Kyreg gave a nod to the rest of his squad. They moved quickly through the Northern Perimeter, the vehicle control gate already wide open as the Eagle Eye soldiers threw a quick salute to the Commander as the Legionnaires proceeded through. "Theta 1, Red. Theta 3, Blue. Hydra Fleet, Red." He gave the orders again, the grand battle plan coming together quickly. Far off in the distance, Theta 3 quickly dropped down onto the roof of the military HQ, revealing the Inquisitor and her acolytes quickly dismounting while it flew off back up towards orbit. The three Thunderhawks landed in the town itself and disgorged its occupants, the 1 and 2 Commandos of the Theta Grenadiers who began moving into pre-designated defensive positions along side of the remaining Eagle Eye soldiers.
"Targets, standing sentry in front of the Governors Palace." Kyreg moved towards a piece of cover behind a large hedge and went prone, the other members in his strike team doing the same. Two traitor Astartes and eight Scoparius battle sisters could be seen standing outside, their weapons up as they looked around for the source of gun fire, as well as the multi gunship landings all around the city. The 1st Armour unit of the PDF shed their disguises when hatches opened to reveal members of 27th Theta Armoured Squadron, the armoured fist of the Theta Grenadiers. The Leman Russ Vanguishers and the Destroyer tank-killer armoured vehicles moved into position around the perimeter, orders being given.
"Engage those targets." Kyreg gave the order to fire and his squad opened up. Power armour was cut through with Cainite rounds, melta mini-charges burning holes through the power armour while the hardened adamantium cores forced the mutagenic acid into the unprotected flesh underneath. The suppressed coughs of bolters fired in bursts and the more muffled thuds of the sniper rifles rendered the palace sentries in barely stable power armours collapsed onto the concrete floors. Kyreg pushed his squad to advance, knowing that the real challenge came ahead. Xythos would stack up against the opening while Kyreg moved a pinkie to see behind the openings. In his helmet feed, he could see multiple power armoured opponents hunkered down behind thick mason work as cover, and he would look over at Fratis. "Auger modes." With quick acknowledgements, magazines were exchanged out for Kraken penetrator rounds. They needed ammunition capable of punching through solid wall, and each Legionnaire quickly put their targeting optics onto Auger Mode. Soon they saw heartbeats through the walls, the heartbeats of the Astartes waiting for them. Each Legionnaire lined up their targets and Kyreg lined up his sight at the head of one of the traitor Astartes hiding from behind a pillar. Each weapon was switched to three round burst, and every member of the strike team fired as one. Kraken penetrator rounds whizzed through holes made in the walls and cut through helmets and breastplates, dropping the defending Astartes down. A second volley cleared the main entrances before Auger was switched off. "Finish off the survivors." Kyreg growled as the two squads burst through the door way moving to cover each opening. Kyreg pushed Xythos forward towards the second floor stairs while Fratis led his Ladon squad to the Astartes that might still be alive. "Always finish them." He stated while drawing a power dagger and stabbing it through a helmet of a traitor Astarte who was still trying to reach his bolter. The rookie legionnaires of his squad all nodded and followed his example. Soon, each traitor had a hole stabbed through their helmets into their brains, ending any who might have lived. Ladon sheathed their power daggers and moved through to the remainder sections of the ground floor.
"Keep your formations loose, cover each angle." Fratis ordered through the vox. The marksman Polaris had swapped out his long rifle for a stalker bolt pistol loaded with drum magazines. Kraken penetrator shells were loaded into each magazine, the shorter barrel of the pistols needing more pure penetration force than the Cainite rounds. The Cainite rounds were made for a stealthier armour piercing round but had less penetration power than the Kraken or the Banestrike rounds. The Cainite round was made to kill things in armour but they were not dedicated armour cutters, although they kept a longer range than the Kraken rounds and did not wear down the firing mechanisms as much as the Banestrike rounds.
The walls beside them suddenly were peppered with a series of bolter rounds, a bolter round hitting Oronis, one of the newly initiated right in the side, the explosive round blowing a bloody hole into his side as he went down, the armour having stopped most of it but fragments still entered his body. Oronis clutched his side and leaned against the wall, his right hand still holding onto the stalker bolter with a drum magazine loaded in and depressed the trigger, returning fire through the walls in a spray of Kraken rounds. He acted as the squads support gunner, the drum magazine compensating in rate of fire for the harder hitting heavy bolter rounds. As he sprayed back through the wall, the others dived for cover. Fratis quickly gave a cross fingered gesture and Harvenn nodded and fired a venom grenade from his under barrel launcher into the room, a soft crump signifying the detonation of the grenade sending toxic crystalline fragments whipping around the room. Fratis scrambled up and pulled Oronis back under the undamaged portions of the wall. The injured Legionnaires power armour quickly injected him with combat stims and pain killers, the Legionnaire growling a little bit as the combat stims rushed into his blood stream and gave a thumbs up to the Sergeant. Polaris had moved up towards the doorway and with his bolt pistol out, sprayed the two Angels Evermore Astartes inside the room, the kraken rounds slicing through their power armour and sending them to the ground collapsed, their movements already almost paralyzed from the venom sphere grenade launched into the room. "Room clear. Two neutralised." He reported. Fratis blipped an acknowledgement on his vox before reforming his squad. At the same time, he would report the contact to the Commander who acknowledged with a vox blip. The Sergeant lead his squad further down into the hallway, this time with half prey sight on, the Legionnaires scanning each section before spotting more heat sources from the room at the end of the hall. Oronis lined up his bolter and Fratis gave the order, a long burst of Kraken rounds shredding through the heavy wooden door and into the targets behind it. Some of the rounds ripped through Astartes power armour while others impacted harmlessly against solid steel cover. Fratis moved up quickly to beside the door and slagged the doors lock into molten metal and kicked the door open, Oronis and Polaris moving in and firing in long staggered bursts at the Astartes who were still behind cover.
The return fire would slug Polaris right in the chest, his breastplate however holding as small craters appeared but it threw his aim off while three of the enemies charged. With a loud roar, they leaped over the solid steel table they were using for cover with chainswords revving. Fratis stood forward and instantly cooked one of their helmets with a well-aimed melta blast from his combi-bolter while the other two crashed into the two Legionnaires and began struggling. Oronis roared with pain as his opponent ducked underneath the swing of his bolter, and slammed his elbow into his injured side. However, Alpha legionnaires were taught to fight dirty. Especially ones trained by Sergeant Yingr. Oronis dropped his bolter and fell backwards, his opponent rushing towards him only for the Legionnaire to grab his opponents arms, preventing the chainsword from coming down before spitting into the traitors helmet slits, the acid etching the crystal eye slots and ruining his vision while he spun to one side quickly, dropping the opponent down. As the traitor reached up to take his helmet off with a growl, Oronis drew his stalker bolt pistol and put a single kraken round through his forehead, the impact jerking the chaos marine backwards and dropping him onto his back unceremoniously.
Polaris sheathed his bolter pistol and drew both his power dagger and power sword with surprising speed and stepped back, dodging the first swing of the traitors revving chainsword before hooking the hilt of the revving weapon with his power dagger, slicing through the traitors fingers and through the motor of the chainsword, the weapon dying with a sputter. The chaos marine growled and dropped it before charging forward to rend the Legionnaire limb to limb. With a smirk underneath his helmet, he side stepped the charge easily and impaled the incoming Astarte with his power sword. The blade only speared through the primary heart and the traitor roared at him to try and grab him only for Polaris to slam his power dagger through the vox grill of his helmet and upwards, the powerfield frying the traitors brain. Withdrawing his blades from the now dead chaos marine, he looked up to see a thumb up from his Sergeant and sheathed his sword with a grin.
"Lower levels cleared Commander." The Sergeant reported through his vox. Kyreg gave a quick vox blip back while ripping the head off of his opponent. A traitor Marine had stepped forward in relic armour and challenged him to a duel with a growl and a wave of a power sword. Kyreg had looked at him before blasting him with his under slung melta gun, the traitors helmet reduced to slag as well as what was left of his brains. The other five had roared and charged forward only for Xythos squad to open up with precise bursts unlike the melee that had occurred downstairs with the more rookie squad. The Veterans knew that honour duels were pointless. Whoever won would be so tired and fatigued that the enemy survivors would simply shoot him. "Upper level cleared. The governors palace is in our hands."
The vox report was sent to the Inquisitor who nodded as she heard it come in through her vox bead and gestured for her retinue to hurry forward. In the command center, bodies lay everywhere, Bloodsworn troops either cut to hamburger at point blank range or stabbed to death. As she entered the main command center, she would see that an entire squad of blue uniformed soldiers were there with whom she recognized as the Lord General Crass Blythe. The General gave her a low bow as she looked at him slightly confused. "My lady. Commander Kyreg sends his regards." It was only that he spoke that the Inquisitor realised that the slaughter of the Command Center had been orchestrated by the Legionnaire Commander. More reasons to fear him perhaps, or to not trust him. She would nod tightly and quickly reached the communication device that was promised her and gave her first order to the Tyven Grenadier.
"Cordon off the city. Shut down any and all exits and entrances. Work with the Gamma 6-7 troops to accomplish this. Reconnaissance Troop, move positions to city square." She would click off the vox and looked over at the Lord General. "Why do you owe such loyalties to those of a traitor legion?" She asked them. The Lord General looked at him curiously. "Why do you worship a religion created by an Arch Traitor?" The Inquisitor pursed her lips for a moment. "Because for all of its true creation, it has done good. It has united humanity, placed faith and burned a fervor for the Emperor. It has-." She would stop as she recognized the irony of her words. Nodding slightly, she sighed softly. "I cannot deny that I would highly doubt the actions the past few weeks as those of traitors. But they are the sons of Alpharius. How could you look past that? I do not know if I can." Galya would step forward and looked at the Inquisitor, bowing slightly. "Inquisitor, I understand where you stand and why you stand in such a position. Decades ago, the Commander rescued me from a life of serving the interests of only one selfish man. I was apprenticed as a death cultist when the Commander came in for my Masters head. For the crime of having stolen a relic bolter pistol used at Ullanor. I heard his words, and I recognized them for the truth that they were. Truth does not choose sides Inquisitor. I serve the Commander as my Lord and Master, because in the past few decades I have seen him do more for the Emperor than any loyalty preaching selfish Lords of the Imperium." Laneth sighed and closed her eyes, even her acolytes nodding at this. Troiey would begrudgingly nod. "I hate to agree with the assassin my Lady, but she speaks truth. Truth is blind as we used to say in the Arbites. He has orchestrated an atrocious battle plan but each partition was made to knock the traitors down. Those of his skill sets, there are many as you know that dwell as pirates or mercenaries. Those with specialist skills. Yet he fights here for no coin and you told me yourself, he even told you that we have nothing to offer him."
The masquerade Lord General raised an eyebrow at the last comment. "What did he mean by that? He desired nothing of you?" Inquisitor Laneth shook her head in response. "No. He said that he desired nothing from me. Yet he still rescued my acolytes. I believe … I believe that the Commander truly sees service to the Golden Throne as required. Even demanded." Troiey frowned slightly. "I wonder why that is. He reminds me of.. Emperor help me for this but he reminds me of Adeptus Astartes First Company veterans." Galya looked over at them and bowed her head slightly, repeating one of the Commanders favourite phrases.
"Because the Emperor Expects."