Shadow of a Doubt

Chapter 17

He awoke to find himself in a plain room, not a single light in it. Grimacing slightly, he got up to find that his weapons were taken from him. So be it then, he had other means in his arsenal. Closing his eyes, he tried to focus his psyker powers to probe what was outside these walls but he could find no method of doing so. Getting up, he walked around and examined each wall carefully, with no signs of a door being found. The only thing there was a toilet and a sink, with his bed in the middle. He again looked around for cameras and could not detect any but as he would search, he could detect faint life senses outside of the walls. At least his powers were not completely gone. There was one last method he could find to escape. Whoever had captured them must have learned of his secrets.

Sitting down on the floor beside the bed, he bit the tip of his fingers and smiled a little bit, before using the bloodied fingertip to draw a small pattern on the floor. After a moment, the pattern glowed. Smiling, he closed his eyes and concentrated on the darkness within and in moments, he felt more powerful than he ever had before. Standing up, he looked at the walls around him and quickly summoned his powers. The room would frost over for a moment before the four walls would melt down on the ground to expose a complex network of hallways that had been covered by the walls. He flung some more of his blood onto the ground; the droplets of blood began moving of their own accord as he focused on them. Yes, that way was the way out. He followed the path of blood that had been formed, every so often letting his fingertip bleed some more onto the ground. Of course in moments, he could see his wardens. Black uniformed troops aiming weapons at him. With a grin to his face that belied the calm countenance that had previously been seen, he made a gesture with a single word and the troops were knocked back by an invisible force.

Yes, do it. Use it. That is why you have taken this path for so long. Revel in it my child. The voice hissed in his head as he smiled even as his eyes shed tears of blood. With another wave, the soldiers on the ground were lifted up and smashed into the end of the hallway by an unseen force with some speed and brutality that their bodies crumpled with every bone in their body broken. After half an hour, he found himself standing in front of a door that he would rip open to reveal the cool air of the outside and stepped out to find himself still in Lorhenge, in a small alley way. Chuckling to himself, he would walk out not noticing that his shadow bore a much more malicious form than previous. It was time for him to complete his mission. See you can trust me to provide for you my child.

He awoke again and this time looked around him only to see the same black armoured Astarte in front of him. "Where am I, space marine?" He would ask groggily and the Astarte simply shrugged slightly. Perhaps he was still dreaming. He found himself in a very small room, just big enough to hold the Astarte and him. He got up out of the bed and shook his head a few times and checked himself for any injuries. There were none it seemed. "How long was I out for?" He asked again. The Astarte held up six fingers. Six hours? Six days? Six weeks? He felt groggy, as if he had slept for an entire day straight and walked around the small room a few times. "Are you my warden then?" His companion shook his head and pointed a finger at the ceiling. He looked up and saw a painting of the Emperor, his majesty somehow translated into the painting itself. Around him stood a single Astarte from each of the First Founding Legions, not just the loyalists. He was surprised to see World Eaters, Thousand Sons, all of them, every single Legion was represented. The message was quite clear however. The only warden of humanity was the Emperor. This at least comforted him; he was in the hands of loyalists it seemed. The Astarte would gesture for him to follow again as a doorway appeared. He followed his companion who walked down the hallway to lead him into a large room with large screens that began to play as soon as he entered. He turned to ask another question of the Astarte but he was gone. He could only stare at the screen and watch as the figure in the screen summoned blood magic. Blood magic, used only by Chaos worshippers. He hissed slightly in disgust as he watched the figure draw a small seal on the floor. That must have been his sacrificial circle. Then the camera followed the figure as he flung guards about and killed them rather brutally after melting the walls surrounding his chamber in a fling of blood. His greatest shock came when the figure had turned his head and saw that it was Mikhail. But not the Mikhail he had remembered. The Mikhail he saw in the screen had blood dripping out of his tear ducts and a cold smile on his face. He watched as his shadow grew to something monstrous, something that could only be described as daemonic as he walked out of the facility and out onto the streets.

The next screen showed his bridge, the bridge of his Inquisitional Cruiser. He watched as his loyal Captain and various bridge staff were forced onto their knees and executed with chainswords held by other staff that he recognized. Staff that he had always thought as unassuming but loyal to a fault. They too looked different now, with their uniforms defaced with foul symbols drawn of blood. He gritted his teeth as he watched the Imperial symbols defaced with chainswords and blood, as symbols were drawn in blood all over the bridge and his former Interrogator became more than he ever should have been. "Why are you showing me this? What is all this?"

"That is the truth of what had happened in the six days since you have been asleep." A rich voice answered him from behind. Turning his head, he saw the dusk blue power armour that had appeared in his dreams but he was shocked at the symbols on it; the hydra of the XX Legion. With a snarl, he reached into his pocket only to find that his weapons had been taken from him. The Alpha Legionnaire shrugged and gestured towards a table where his weapons were placed. He looked at the table suspiciously and glanced at the Astartes standing there. "I won't try to stop you Inquisitor. But please do think of what would happen if you were to shoot me with a bolt pistol." He sighed for a moment before grabbing his weapons, feeling a bit more secure now that he was at least armed. "So this is where I've been captured. By Alpha Legion traitors." He snarled as he checked his bolt pistol. The Legionnaire looked at him without any answer for a moment before chuckling deep from within his helmet. The Astarte took off his helmet and locked it at his side before looking at the Inquisitor. He was completely bald, and had the same features as the images of Alpharius that Gregori had once seen.

"What do you want then traitor?" The Legionnaire sat down on a bench and shook his head. "And what presumes me to be a traitor Inquisitor?" Gregori sat back down and glared at the marine for a moment. "You're from the XX legion. They turned against the Emperors light and took the side of the arch traitor Horus. How are you not a traitor?" The Astarte shrugged for a moment. "The only time I've fought beside the Warmaster was when he was still the Emperors favoured son. Besides, I am no traitor Inquisitor. I am loyal to the Emperor." The Inquisitor frowned for a moment and looked back at the screen. "Why are you showing me this then?"

"Because I want you to see the true threat. Your acolyte, he is not what he seems." The Inquisitor sighed and shook his head. "No, he is not. I do not know how he has been corrupted by Chaos. Perhaps it would have been better if he was sacrificed to the Golden Throne instead of being taken in by me." The Marine nodded once. "Yes, it would have been. But you have been deceived from the very start. Was it not him that suggested you stop here to refuel and resupply?" The Inquisitor nodded. "Yes, it was. We had been on a mission for a long time, chasing a Chaos cult. It has been at least a decade since we completed it, and Mikhail suggested that we stop here as it was close to the edge and would allow for us to check on the planet. Of course he had shown me a while after the vox message claiming that cultists had overrun Imperial rule. That is not something that I can look past after all." The Legionnaire laughed a little. "Clever boy. He baited you here because he was hoping that his master was still in power. Yes, Chaos truly was in control here. Was." The Inquisitor looked at the Astarte for a moment. "And what happened to it?"

"It was exterminated of course. You must understand Inquisitor, galaxy belongs to the Emperor of Mankind. We carry out his will." Gregori sighed and thought to himself at what he had been shown. The image of the Emperor, it could not be faked. The way even as a psychic memory which is what he recognized it, could not fake something so extraordinary. "You cannot expect me to believe that you are loyal to the Throne." He asked as he looked back at the screen. "Inquisitor, from everything you have been told, there is one large part that has been left out. And left out on purpose by the Imperium. Not all of the fallen Legions turned traitor. There have been many Marines from the traitor chapters that retained their loyalty to the Emperor. Not all of them were killed at Isstavan. I would know, I was there. Besides, if I wished to manipulate you right now, I would appear to you as a member of the Raven Guard or a loyalist Chapter. I doubt even you know each individual chapter of the Adeptus Astartes. No, I come to you in my true colours because I am loyal to the Emperor."

The Astartes words held truth to them, and after what he had seen about the Emperors own stance on worship, the Inquisitor was beginning to believe the Astarte. "Those of us born of Terra, we stayed loyal. Most of us, anyway. There are pockets out there still of loyalist legionnaires who hide as pirates, intervening on the side of the Imperium when they can. So believe me when I tell you this Inquisitor, saying that every member of the fallen legions are traitors to the Emperor is the same as saying every member of the Inquisition is a loyal agent of the Throne." Those last words rang quite true to him. "I cannot debate the merit of that statement, Astarte. Truer words has not been spoken." He sighed as he covered his face with his hands, his mind racing as he examined the facts placed before him and found them to be true. "Well then Astarte, tell me. What do you wish of me then?" The Astarte thought about it for a moment. "I wish Inquisitor, for you and I to work together. We both know the Inquisition is filled with corruption. Not the corruption of Chaos necessarily but the corruption of wealth, personal power, as well as advancement. That is the way of mortals ever since the Emperor united humanity on Terra." The Inquisitor nodded in agreement but thought about his offer. "What do you mean work together."

"You may call me Kyreg, Gregori. That was the name given to me by the Legion. As for how we work together, you must know then in the Great Crusade, Legions had mortal agents that did things no Astarte can. I wish the same of our arrangement now. In return, I will promise you assistance when you require it. Assistance that will not compromise you. I believe you to be a loyal servant of the Emperor, Inquisitor. But I want you to think on this for a moment before you believe my offer to be overstepping my bounds as we have just met. I can say that I have no desire for coin, nor women, nor power. If I wished for power, I could rule this planet right now and dispose of the Governor and the Lady Inquisitor easily. And you can see quite clearly that even amongst our ship, there have been no signs of opulence. I wish only to serve the Emperor. I do not include the High Lords of Terra in that statement, make no mistake. I have seen how the greed of mortal men have diluted the Imperium to the state that it is now. Now, can you say the same about the Inquisitor Lords in charge? Or even the Inquisitional representative on Terra?"

The Inquisitor nodded after a few moments of thought. "You are quite correct in that statement, space marine. But I will not serve you as my master." The Astarte laughed at his statement. "The only true master of humanity, Inquisitor, is the Emperor. And I do not presume to put myself at the same level of him. No Inquisitor, my agent. We will provide each other with assistance when required. And we will both need each other in the times to come, I believe. Besides, you have no ship. You are somewhat at a disadvantage and I have no qualms in admitting that I will use your disadvantage as my boon." Gregori laughed for a moment, surprisingly put at ease by the Astartes mannerisms. "Then I suppose you leave me little choice. Yes, I will agree to such an arrangement. But do not think of me as naïve, Kyreg. I am sure you have your own agenda." Kyreg smiled a little. "Of course I have my own agenda. I've even told you my agenda. I will serve the Emperor, and I will do so until my life ends on the battlefield."

The door opened and Inquisitor Laneth would walk in with an annoyed look on her face as she looked over at Kyreg and Inquisitor Gregori. "Are you two boys done bonding over boyish delights or can we get back to work?" Gregori looked at her in surprise at her casual address of the Astarte. "Inquisitor Laneth has been shown the truth, Inquisitor. I do not think that she will execute you. She is much more likely to execute me." Laneth snarled at him and shook her head, before turning to smile at Gregori. "I'm sorry Gregori, but the Commander here is a fan of melodramatics. You will find that he is deadly effective at what he does but I personally can't stand him for long." Gregori smiled weakly as he stood up while Kyreg stood up with an exasperated look on his face. "Tell me then Laneth, why do you hang around my ship as if you own it then?" The female Inquisitor shrugged as she walked out, followed by Gregori who bowed slightly to Kyreg who returned the bow as they made their way to the ships bridge. "What is our plan now then?" Gregori asked.

"We pursue your vessel, Inquisitor. You are welcome to come with us if you wish although I am not sure if you will question our methods or not. Or you can stay on the planet with Inquisitor Laneth." The Commander answered as he arrived on the bridge. Laneth thoughtfully looked over at the planet for a few moments. "I think Inquisitor, it is best if you stay on the planet with me. The planet still needs much cleansing, and I believe it is honest work for an Inquisitor." Gregori nodded in agreement. "I trust then Kyreg, you will ensure that my honour is done? Mikhail must die." Kyreg nodded and shrugged after a moment. "Of course. That is the plan. I am unsure when we will next return but I trust our agreement is still valid, Laneth?" Laneth nodded before leading Gregori out of the bridge where her acolytes awaited her. "What deal did you two make?" He asked once they were out of earshot. "The Commander wishes to command. That means that he wishes Tyven V to become a recruiting world for him and his remnants. I really hope you can at least trust him, Gregori. It's a shame for if he was a member of the Imperial Fists or the Blood Angels, he would be revered in the Annals of Terra but he is a Hydra and thus will never receive acknowledgement." Gregori frowned a little as he thought about her words. "He is sincere. I have felt that when we spoke. He reminds me of.. well he is not like the traitor marines that I have ever fought." She laughed when he said that. As he looked at her questioningly, she shook her head. "I feel the same way when I stand beside him. He reminds me of the stoic and reserved Astarte Veterans I have had the honour of fighting beside. I mean, it also makes him an arrogant ass." She said with a laugh. From the bridge, Kyreg snorted a little as the ships overall surveillance system fed him their conversation.

As the Inquisitors and their staff were sent back to the planet, Kyreg stood on the bridge and looked over the coordinates that the tracker they had fired onto the Inquisitorial vessel was currently heading towards; he would smile as he saw where they were heading into a system known for renegades. It was a place where the 8th would thrive without needing to adhere to any specific restrictions. After all, there were innocents on board the vast space station. Just inside of the Halo Zone was a space station well known to renegades as well as traitors alike. The only faucets of Imperial representation are the Rogue Traders who gladly enter it in search of rare items that will put more coins in their purses. The space station was known as the Marauder Station, controlled by a renegade Magos called Zykirah who was once a tech adept of great renown until he began to really experiment and try to produce xenos tech. His adepts and him were chased out to the Halo Zone where he managed to turn the former Mechanicus battleship he operated into a massive space station that held salvation to those who entered. The price was of course, a tax that was levied on every trade made on the space station but it meant a safe haven for renegades of all sorts to conduct their business. However those that have given themselves over in worship chaos was allowed only under strict conditions. There, mercenaries can be hired as well as rare and forbidden items exchanged.

Kyreg would look on as Centurion Maygis plotted the new coordinates and ordered the Kilo Zeta to head for the ghoul stars, the human serfs carrying out the orders quickly and efficiently. Due to the lack of recruitment, the 8th had been forced to use more mortals than ever before, much more than many other Astartes vessels. Kyreg smiled as the warp drives engaged and the Gellar Field was ensured to be set at maximum before the vessel would dive into the warp under the careful guidance of careful guidance of the Navigator. What navigator house would serve the XX Legion? The answer was quite simple. The ones that had been taken and shown the Imperial Truth, they are the ones who fall onto their knees with their faith broken and their understanding opened.

Four weeks later

Kilo Zeta drifted in towards the massive space station as Kyreg and the rest of Xythos entered onto the bridge to watch. The ship's crew would pilot the vessel closer in until it had docked carefully onto one of the loading docks. Around them were warships of all sorts, whether human, or xeno. Kyreg nodded and sent out a vox to the Astartes under his command. "Blackshield protocol now." Blips of acknowledgements came over the vox as the Legionnaires all activated the holographic projector built into their power armour, with Legion colours and insignias covered up by all black. The ship itself was of a neutral build, without any insignias showing allegiances to Chaos or to the Imperium. Perfect for an environment such as this, Kyreg thought as he waited to be hailed.

"Glory to the Magos, you are welcomed to the Marauder Den, Vignir." Vignir was the disguise used by the ship. As far as the Magos knew, the Vignir was a band of renegades who used his den to trade as well as resupply themselves. To a point, it was true. Raw ores and metal ingots were purchased and that is what was used in order to produce the ammunition on board the ship. Kyreg looked at the data screen inside his helmet and saw that the tracker placed the ship they were chasing here as well. Of course, they had quite a head start after them but they held the element of surprise. "Glory to the Magos, we require metal ingots once again. The same order as always." After a few moments of dead air, the reply came back. "Very well renegade, the price of course has risen due to Imperial actions. I trust that will not be a problem?" Kyreg smirked under his helmet before replying. "It will be of no problems to me but it may be a problem for you if the Magos finds out you've been trying to profit off of his merchandise." The tech adept he was speaking to was always seeking to improve his own wealth, but of course for those that did not know any better, they would mistake them as enemies. "Very well the usual price it is Vignir." Kyreg chuckled and led Xythos to the docking port where he would exit. Taleon would remain on board to defend it in case someone tried to hijack it but he was not concerned for such things, not here. On board the space station, conflicts were not allowed, period. In fact there were precious few who were even allowed to carry arms on board, renegade Astartes being one of them. The reason was simple, the Astartes have the potential to kill most living creatures in the galaxy with their bare hands so having weapons or not made no difference. Of course the law was quite strict, any Astartes who started a fight risked having their vessels seized and their warband attacked by heavy weapon servitors.

Kyreg exited the docking bay where now servitors carrying large quantities of the metal ingots he had asked for were being rushed on board to deposit the desired items. In exchange, he would ensure that large quantities of precious metal would be sent back. Gold, titanium, and silver, none of them were items he had any need for. However for the renegade Magos, such things were used in circuit boards and the like, and were precious commodities indeed. He walked down the hall which led into a massive market place inside, the hallway itself patrolled by security servitors armed with heavy bolters and assault cannons that moved on small tracked platforms, their human legs having been removed long ago in the name of efficiency. He kept his weapons clamped to the side of his armour, having no need of them. Inside the market place were humans and xeno, all selling their different wares. Further down were the mercenaries, warband leaders standing waiting for a good bid for their services. He could see Kroot, Dark Eldar, and even human troops. Of course the ones he was always fascinated by were the renegade Astartes. There were many in loyalist colours, as well as black shields. The variety was huge and there were many of them. They all eyed him with suspicion as he walked past him with his retinue, with good reason. The only ones he was interested in was a group of Astartes standing by themselves, separate from the other renegades who wore a mixture of different armour. There were those in the slate white armour of the XVI, the blue and white of the XII, even the dark red and bronze of the XV. The ones that interested him the most however was a small group of those in dusk blue, of the XX. Were they traitors or simple renegades? Those were answers that he did not care although he wished to find out at some point. Not now however, now he had work to do. The 8th would spread themselves out in the market place, with their scanners on. The tracker had only been added onto the ship so they were unable to locate specific personnel. Suddenly a large explosion rocked the upper portion of the star port. Alarms began to sound and Kyreg swore in his helmet. Gun servitors seemed to be rapidly moving up towards the upper levels where the sound of gunfire and roars could be heard.

"Regroup now, towards the entrance. We must secure the entrance itself before we ascertain what has happened. Taleon, stand to. We may require the Hydra's fangs." Acknowledgements came from Taleon as more orders were given. "Ladon, reinforce now. Gungnir, Helix pattern." Sergeant Fratis would lead his squad forward out from the ship itself and towards the entrance way, bringing Ladon as well as two G 67 operatives manning a Rapier Laser Destroyer. Sergeant Rythor moved in closer towards Xythos squad, his own squad carrying combi-bolters instead of their usual compliment of sniper rifles. Above, more gun fire could be heard, the sounds of a heavy bolter roaring away although it was hard to tell who was shooting at who. With a hand gesture, they activated their active camouflage and began moving up past the market. The Astartes in Legion colours did not seem to be part of the same group, as they each rushed off to their own defensive positions and awaited what would come. The renegade Astartes of course, had already began to withdraw. A fight on board the Marauder Den brought no true profit to anyone.

Before they had gotten up the staircase, a gun servitor was thrown from the top level and landed on the ground floor with a loud crunch and a sickening crack as body fluids began to leak out of the broken creature. Kyreg looked up just in time to see more gun servitors as well as tech adepts being thrown off. One of them would arrest his fall with a metallic cable arm that extended from its side before skittering off towards the exit.

"Commander, one tech adept. I believe it's Kretis." Kyreg thought for a moment before replying to Frathis. "Detain him. Assure his safety. He has treated us quite well." An acknowledgement came as Ladon quickly waved the tech adept forward to stay behind them. Kyreg set his preysights on and through the walls, he saw almost no heat signatures. What sort of creatures they were, he knew not but they soon revealed themselves. Stomping forward with roars of bloodthirst were daemons. Khornate bloodletters roared and aimed their flaming blades at those below and lept down without any concerns of distance. Behind them floated who else but the former Interrogator Mikhail. Except he had grown horns and floated above the ground itself. With a roar, the Legion Astartes opened fire, their bolts not doing much to the bloodletters who charged with a roar of challenge. Kyreg gritted his teeth and looked over at Mikhail who was laughing as he flung great streams of flame towards any that remained. A large bout of flames melted through a few of the Legion Astartes as well as renegades who had began to fire as well. Gun Servitors would join the battle but the few that did were reduced to piles of flesh and machine by the bloodletters.

"Commander?" The voice of Ulyr brought his mind back into focus and the Commander grinned. "Very well. Librarian.. shield yourself." Thodor sighed and braced his mind for what will come, for it had been done before. Ulyr would issue a thought command to his power armour, and a small black ring that was set into his armour would power down before the waves of nothingness would rip through the small space. Thodor gasped and dropped down to a knee as the Commander drew his phase blade. "For the Emperor!" Kyreg roared as he charged with Ulyr by his side. His warcry drew the attention of the Legion Astartes who was starting to retreat. Mikhail glanced over at them and smirked before firing another stream of fire towards them, although the fire would dissipate to nothing as it reached to just in front of the Commander. Even the Khornate daemons would begin to hesitate slightly as their connection to the warp was being closed off. It was then that the bolter fire of the Legion Astartes began to take their toll. "Send them back to the warp brothers!" Kyreg took a chance and roared to the Legion Astartes who began to unite as one and formed a more solid firing line. "Brothers, we require the Fangs." Mythis grabbed the teleport homer and threw it to right in front of the Khornate daemons and with a flash, Sergeant Lefias appeared with the rest of Taleon. With baroque finery and power axes, the cataphractii armoured veterans would sweep their power axes with ferocity through the closest bloodletters, who screamed their defiance even as they exploded in a flash of warp stink. The sons of Hydra rallied to the side of the Learnaean terminators and fired with their stalker bolters, some drawing power daggers. Kyreg looked on with satisfaction as his phase blade cut through the daemons who began to retreat bit by bit, the null field of Ulyr bringing a sense of fear into their soulless bodies.

Those in the red and bronze armour of the XV however were down on their knees almost and Gungnir stepped in front of them with their combi-bolters roaring as blasts of melta and bolt shells cleared a small space in front of them. Kyreg shoved a bloodletter out of the way while Ulyr brought up his power sword and decapitated it, the Commander charging towards Mikhail who now was beginning to bite his lips in danger before he turned tail and ran for it. However as he ran for it, Kyreg drew a bolt pistol and fired six rounds right into his retreating back. Each of the shells would hit the former Interrogator but bright lights of red and purple would pour out of his holes instead of blood as he continued. With a snarl, Kyreg turned back towards the bloodletters who were being cut down now that they no longer had the powers of the warp helping them. The battle itself was over as a white armoured Wolf slashed a power axe through the last one, the daemon screaming in rage as it dissipated in a puff of warp light. Kyreg ordered the 8th to stand to in case their new found allies began to fire. Gungnir stood beside Xythos in front of the Legionnaires, as Lefias and his terminators would step up to form a thick wall of power armour against the renegades who now were eyeing the Commander with curiosity and just a hint of bloodthirst.

"You all rallied to the cry of the Great Crusade. I will know who you all are."