{oOo}
The Emperor was happily working on checking out her dna sequence using the hair sample that Fulgrim had brought him.
The Emperor of Man was finding out some very interesting things. Firstly, it looked as if Beryl came from a specifically engineered bloodline, holding those strange psyker powers. Secondly this lineage made her more difficult for Daemons of the Warp to find. Thirdly, the powers could be passed down to any children. And fourthly, her body was stronger than one would have expected from an unaugmented human because of this. This seemed.. very promising.
The Emperor examined the samples, trying to determine the best course of action. While he still considered encouraging Fulgrim to impregnate the woman, his research indicated she was not very fertile. Given that he had made sure his sons were not able to sire children easily, it would probably take a long time.
Perhaps too long. There were other options. Cloning, manipulating her DNA to produce fertile psykers of her kind. All of these would take time, as well. Maybe it would be best to take all routes.
Perhaps he assigned the woman to Fulgrim prematurely. Just how fixated was she on him?
Still, so far Fulgrim had not failed him.
Still, perhaps a little talk with the woman would be fine? He had something she wanted, and she had something he needed to ensure that Humanity would prosper. Trade would be a natural concept.
Beryl had been a monster beyond definition in her first life and was still a monster in this one. She admitted it. It hadn't had anything to do with her parents in either life, it was all her. She was sure she deserved no forgiveness, and equally sure that she was doomed.
And now that Fulgrim desired to know where she came from, she was inevitably doomed.
And yet, as she stared at him, clearly flustered, searching for words, she prayed still, silently to any god that might hear her 'Please get me out of this?'
"Milord, the Emperor wishes to speak with the lady Beryl?" came a voice from behind the door.
...Apparently her diligence was rewarded, or the gods found her funny, because that was the point at which the messenger with the Emperor's summons came in.
Thank the gods! Wait... Should she thank Chaos or not?
"Go," Fulgrim nodded at her. This could wait, it was merely idle chit-chat. He still had work to do. Funny, he actually felt better now.
The Emperor awaited Beryl. He had been considering what action to take and finally settled upon an idea. Perhaps... First he had to see how she would react.
Beryl's alacrity in arrival was probably not what the Emperor would have expected, had he been a bit more human. However, he'd saved her metaphorical ass, and so she was more than willing to accommodate him. In this state of events, the Emperor now had a significant advantage.
"You summoned me, my lord?" Beryl volunteered, still somewhat at odds with addressing the Emperor in such a manner. Or in any manner, really. Fuck. She needed to catch up on Imperial protocols.
{oOo}
Beryl's eyes narrowed slightly as she thought this over. "... I find I have no real objection to that." she admitted. It would, after all, help her kick Slaanesh and thus, Chaos in the pants, even HARDER now. "What exactly did you have in mind?"
"There are several options," he replied. "Cloning. Artificial insemination-you would only have to donate ova. And, of course, you could get pregnant yourself."
The bait was there. Would she notice?
"You probably already know that I prefer the third, and that I have... designs on your son." she pointed out mildly. "But I am amenable to donating blood to help with the first. I'd be more comfortable with my ova inside myself, to be honest. More to the point I think I'm going to run into a bit of difficulty." A moment's pause. Why not go ahead and spread out all her cards? Or at least share some with him, anyway. "Firstly, I'm not from this universe, properly speaking. And secondly.. you've run through reincarnation, right?"
"Why would you ask me that?" he arched his eyebrow, watching her thoughtfully. It was proving to be an interesting conversation, it seemed. Not from this universe? His mind examined the possibility. He needed a hypothesis. He needed more data.
"...I've been reincarnated before." She stated flatly. "Twice now, I think. And I believe in that universe, I qualified as what you'd call an evil empress. It did not end well. All my memories are from there. I admire your son. Thus I wish your son to never find out about it."
Her lips curled up in a bitter smile. "This place, is, for me at least, a new start. I do not wish to befoul it with past mistakes."
"Interesting," the Emperor replied. "Do you have any proof?"
What proof can she give if not... Oh.
Oh.
She pulled out the rock that Chaos gave her, full of so much eldritch energy it could probably destroy three planets without even being depleted. She offered it up to the Emperor. "This might help. Also, I think I can.. ah... summon another being to corroborate my evidence if necessary."
Perhaps this was being too open. Nevertheless.. She didn't want to start off on a bad foot with her potential father in law.
"Also, I am capable of creating animate statues capable of thought to a... certain level." she admitted, as she conjured up an example from a black-queen chess piece. It grew in size, reshamed to be more visibly feminine, humanoid, graceful, clearly made of the same black crystal. It bowed low before him. "I used them in battle very often."
"I may ask you to summon the being later," the Emperor replied. "Now, I suppose that if you agree to trade your blood it is only fair I repaid you somehow. Do you have anything you would like to ask for?"
If not, he had his own ideas. After all, they had a common goal, at least partially.
"Your help in covering for my deficiencies in this world, your permission to court and hopefully marry Fulgrim and a list of what planets you plan to take over so I may get started on taking them over, as ... what was that term again? A betrothal gift? For him." Beryl said immediately. "Also permission to slag each and every temple of the Ruinous Powers that I come across."
The speed of her reply was.. commendable.
"Those are acceptable terms," the Emperor replied. Betrothal gift? It was rather fortunate Chemos had no such traditions. An old, almost forgotten part of his mind supplied him with the list of cultures were the bride-or her family had to provide one.
"Good. Thank you." Beryl said, relieved. "...Damn, I still have to think of what to say to him." she was clearly still off-balance from Fulgrim's questions, whatever they may have been. "He's starting to ask about my background after Bile turned out to be... ah.. "
A pause.
"Screw it. Bile betrayed your son, and was tampering with his Legion's geneseed. The info's going to be sent to you tomorrow, as soon as Fulgrim manages to collate it all, and he's not happy. A part of me wants to disembowel Bile for making him so upset. Another says it would be better to conquer a world to try to mollify your son, and a third keeps saying things about 'brownies and comfort food'. Do you have any suggestions?"
This was possibly understandable to the emperor, who, after all, had probably had enough voices in his own head to relate to it.
The Emperor listened to her impassively. He did not show any emotions at the mention of Bile's experiments. The recruitment procedures did not prevent sociopaths and similar from being drafted to become Marines, and he was well aware of it. Perhaps Fulgrim would learn from the experience. It would be beneficial for him, his Legion and many others in the long run, if he would.
"Brownies and comfort food, as you put it, might be the most suitable option," he replied after a moment. "He can disembowel Bile on his own, and will probably do so. Planets… they would not be his, anyway. However, he does not know human comfort well. It will surprise him, I believe. Though I'd suggest a… nice tale to accompany the comfort food. Explain to him why you're offering it. He might not realize it on his own."
"Thank you, Milord." Beryl said, shoulders slumped and only a little closer to a solution than before.
{oOo}