A.N.: Hello again! So soon! I've been working on this one and well...finished faster than I thought. On the one hand, I could sit on it and release on time...or I could do a double release. You know which I decided from the fact I uploaded it today haha.
So yeah, I hope you enjoy this chapter as we enter the final arc of the story: Terra! Thank you for reading this story so far and I hope you will keep enjoying it, and thank you for the reviews, they mean a lot to me!
The streets were very crowded today. That was the first thing Alexa noted.
The second was the regular patrols of imperial guard that strode through the crowd, parting them in groups of two dozen heavily armed and armoured karskin troopers. Each patrol was accompanied by a chimera, some even by a hellhound tank. The chatter and clamor of the busy alleys of Terra would regularly find themselves drowned by the roar of engines as aircrafts flew overhead; Valkyrie transports sharing the same airspace as merchant shuttles and even the occasional astartes thunderbolt.
Something was happening.
Ever since the custodes had started purging their flock, the world had entered a frenzy. Of course, Terra was always in a frenzy; A planet with so many people living on it was always going to be hyper-active. But this was different. As if the entire world was bracing itself for the shock to come. A shock that she knew was now on its way.
She heard it speak to her at night. Whispers that sounded like a chattering of teeth, gnawing maws hungering for the feast to come. Voices murmuring their salvation into the collective consciousness, encouraging her and her flock to join them. And yet, she knew this would not be her fate. Terra was strong. Its defenders doubly so. When the Amica came, she would find it fortified, prepared, expecting her. She would struggle immensely in face of the task to come.
Alexa was not one destined to ascend as her dreams had shown her the hybrids had. No, she was different. Already embraced by the Great Devourer, and soon the Angel Amica would come and lift her up in her welcoming arms. She shivered in barely restrained bliss. She could hardly wait. Her soul would be cradled for all eternity under the gentle gaze of Amica.
She waited patiently for her turn to pass through the security checkpoint. Handed over her identification papers to the stern looking Arbites, who took a long look at them before handing them back with a nod. Alexa gave a curt nod before walking past him into the immense spire where she went every single day to work. She greeted those she recognized; Their names etched into her mind as essential to remember as part of her occupation. The others she acknowledged with a nod as she made her way through the labyrinth of desks, piles of paper and parchment. It would be so easy for someone unfamiliar with the place to get lost here, she knew. So easy. But she had been working here for over twenty years now, and so she found her desk within only ten minutes.
Sitting down, she gave a smile to her neighbor; A dour and solemn man who kept pretending he wasn't as blind as a bat out of fear of losing his job. Alexa did not report him; Better him than another who might report her to the Arbites upon noticing what she did here.
She stretched herself some, enjoying the feeling of her muscles loosening before gazing down at the first of the numerous papers laid on her desk. A requisition for more ammunition by the thirty seventh commandery of sector thirteen-A. She looked at it carefully. Nothing out of order. Nothing wrong. She approved it, passing it along to the next bureau. It hurt her to approve of ammunition that might be used to hurt her Amica when she came, but she had to keep up pretenses. Plausible deniability. Be able to work properly and efficiently. Next document. A requisition for repair pieces for a leman russ tank for the fourteenth armoured division. Properly filed, but what they were requesting was a highly advanced piece that would no doubt meet pushback from the Mechanicus element the document would go to next. She could send it back with this information and save the division the bureaucratic fight it would take to make this matter sorted by requesting something more reasonable. She smiled as she approved the document and passed it to the next group. That was a full week of trouble the division had inadvertently signed up for, and one where their tank would be inoperable, whilst also causing a rift between this division and the mechanicus element they would be doing this request from.
A ration request from division twelve. Approved, but sent to a department she knew from underground contacts used expired meat in them.
A request for radio spare parts. Denied for failing to fill the proper forms as she subtly placed one of the aforementioned forms in her neighbor's shredder when he went for a bathroom break.
A request to transfer a baneblade and a dozen leman russ tanks from the sixteenth battalion of sector seven to the eighteenth. She grinned as she approved it. That one was of the flock. More weapons for when the time came, taken from the loyalist troops.
Stamp.
Stamp.
Stamp.
All across Terra, millions upon millions of cultists dutifully worked to the fall of their home.
"What is your name." The child remained silent. Avarus glanced at his battle brother who gave a subtle nod. He grabbed the child's arm and twisted it, making the young boy scream. "What is your name." The child whimpered, tears rolling down his eyes, but remained silent. Avarus had to hold an exasperated sigh. "Your stubbornness does you no service. Loyalty to traitors is not an admirable trait." The space marine let go of the child's arm, taking a step back from the interrogation table. "Let us try again. From the top." The marine grabbed something held in one of his pouches, placing it on the table. A small pair of cutters. "This is one of the tools the overseer of the Everan power plant found on you when you were apprehended. Tools that a child like you should not have been able to obtain. So, once again, I ask you." The marine slammed an armored fist into the table, the child jumping in fright. "Who gave you these tools. Why were you in the power plant and who sent you. And finally, what is your name." No answer. The child kept on staring down, trembling with fear. Silent. The marine shook his head. His battle brother spoke up:
"You do not want the Arbites to send in the interrogator. We are being patient with you. Kind. They will not." The child finally said something as they scoffed, their eyes full of tears.
"My arm...you broke...my arm..." He hiccuped. "That's kindness to you?"
"Yes." The marine answered without hesitation. "For breaking into such a sensitive location, execution would be the usual punishment." The child gulped, but stared resolutely down. Avarus waited for a further minute before eventually turning away.
"Suit yourself." With that, both he and his fellow imperial fist exited the room, a strange servitor with many many vicious looking tools connected to mechanical arms entering the cell. The child's breath hitched at the sight, trembling with renewed terror.
The screams started soon after.
Harrison stared through the tinted window as the child was mercilessly tortured, his fists clenched tight enough to draw blood.
"Harrison." He did not turn to face the sister of battle. "You do not have to be here for this."
"I ordered this." He replied through gritted teeth. He could see his pale reflection in the mirror. His dead eyes. "The least I can do is witness what my orders lead to myself."
"...Understood Harrison." They stayed in uncomfortable silence, occasionally broken by the child's hysterical sobbing and crying.
"He's not a genestealer." The sororitas frowned.
"Well of course he isn't. He clearly shows no sign of it."
"No, I mean he isn't even a half breed. He's got no sign of genetic tampering whatsoever; Not even the more subtle ones that would require a thorough testing. Trust me, I ordered a battery of tests." A drop of blood fell to the ground, dribbling from his closed fingers. "Nor is it psychic indoctrination. I had them exposed to a blank. Besides the usual discomfort, nothing. Nothing at all." Harrison laughed bitterly. "It's just...faith."
"Faith?" She asked.
"Faith. Not all of the ones we've been finding like this one have been so stubborn or resistant to torture. They believe Anya is a genuine Angel. One who will save them all and lift them from their miserable condition." He shook his head. "This is so much worse than just genestealer cults. We can't just use genetic testing to sort them out."
"Heresy." She said through gritted teeth.
"Problematic at least." He agreed. "Call Occ for me. We're going to need to organize around that."
"Again." Smith grunted, closing his eyes and reaching out to the other hybrids. A million bright souls, connected in the Synaptic Network, each another pair of eyes, more senses, another shift in perception. He tried to control it all; Tried to take it all into account, to relay it, to...
"It burns." Smith croacked.
All around in the immense flesh hall the hybrids stood silent and unnaturally still.
"I know it does. But you must push on. You are strong, Smith. If something isn't working, either you aren't applying enough pressure...or you are not going about it the right way." He frowned, considering the words. An idea came to mind. He called out to a thousand of his best. A thousand leaders. He passed his mind through them, using their own brains and calculation power to process all the flood of information. The relief he felt at that was wondrous.
"I think I got it." He pushed a thought. At once, all the hybrids took a step forward, breaking out into excited whispers. "Yes, yes! I've got it!"
"Excellent job Smith." The words of praise made him stand taller as a hand reached up and patted him on the head. "You make me proud." He took a deep bow before the small winged child before him.
"At your service, Amica. We will be ready for the assault." She smiled happily, her wings fluttering.
"I can always count on you." Her eyes shifted to the side. "It seems Jane wants my attention. Continue training your troops. Use the hive-mind for any data you need on Terran defenses."
"Of course Amica."
Anya happily skipped through the flesh corridors of the Progenitor-class ship, passing by swarms of creatures scuttling about as they tended to various tasks. She patted the head of a termagant patrolling along with its tervigon birther. She happily rode a carnifex through some of the journey as they went the same way. She flew the rest of it as she reached a massive hollow artery, until eventually reaching the veritable fortress that led to the primary brain node where Jane's current body resided. There were many other nodes such as this, redundancy was essential for such a large creature, and she would be able to be reborn at any of them. But part of Anya always found comfort discussing things face to face rather than simply using the synaptic network.
She passed through layers upon layers of chitinous growth, shock absorbing and heat absorbing flesh, strange gelatinous substances and even some liquids until eventually she finally reached the heart of the node. Jane was standing up, connected through her mind with a crown of chitin and neural links to the mind of the ship.
"Amica." The voice came distorted. Anya giggled, walking up to Jane and hugging her.
"Jane! How is my favorite admiral doing?" Jane's eyes were covered by the chitinous crown, but she could still see her smile.
"I am doing well Amica. Supervising the fleet." A moment of pause. "Growing the new ships. Designing. Experimenting."
"Hmmm..." Anya hummed. "Well, I wanted to ask you to make sure to coordinate with Ylsen and the allied craftworld. We want to keep them safe to ensure they offer the firepower we need... But I also want you to make sure they stay in line."
"I can have ships cutting off their escape route and a few more ready to strike weak points if necessary."
"Sounds perfect." Anya grinned. "I trust our allies to understand this is their best option...but never discount what desperation might make them do." She frowned. "Speaking of which. We will be keeping the spirit stones on a separate hive tendril heading our way. Hive fleet Kronos will take care of them, as I expect demons to be the main issue trying to get to them if anyone does try."
"I will ensure the transfer goes well and safely Amica." Jane proudly declared. "You can count on me."
"Of course I can." Anya nodded. "I trust you with this Jane. We are close to victory." With that, she turned away and left the room, leaving her admiral to her devices. Next, she needed to visit her beloved sisters.
Once again, she traveled the interior of the ship. She was in no rush, and it was not before an hour had passed that she had arrived at the training ground where her sisters were in the process of sparing. Anya watched silently as her clone screamed defiantly as she rapidly formed a heavy venom cannon from her body; A feat that was impressive even to Anya in terms of biomancy. She fired the cannon at Ayna, who was standing proudly in her full tyranid form at four metres tall. She darted to the side avoiding the attack, striking a crippling blow at the clone as her clawed foot pierced straight through the small child's abdomen. The clone cried out as she went flying back, the wound regenerating instantly into a series of devourers that fired their beetles at Ayna mid-air. The taller tyranid simply charged straight through, frying the beetles with her psychic shielding before slamming the clone mid-air into the ground. Anya winced at the crunching sound that came from the impact.
"Too damn weak! There's no use in your rapid mutations and transformations if they end up too weak to actually damage your opponent!" The clone snarled.
"It's only weak because you're so freakishly strong! This would have murdered a space marine!" Ayna glared down at the clone with utter contempt.
"If you think a space marine is too slow to dodge a venom cannon shot that's this obviously telegraphed, you clearly didn't take much of my dear sister's wisdom in you. Secondly, you aren't going to be sent to the front lines, you're joining my sister in the assault on the palace. You won't be facing space marines but Custodes. And this." She slammed her foot down again, breaking the clone's entire skeleton in a single stomp. "Isn't. Enough!"
"I think that's quite enough actually, Ayna." Anya spoke in a calm but dangerous voice. She noticed immediately how her younger sisters both froze, one looking like she had just been caught in a big blunder whilst the other grew a smug grin. "When I told you to train her, I didn't mean to beat your frustrations onto her." Her eyes narrowed. "You are treating her like you treated me back then."
"I..." Ayna's expression was conflicted. "You know it's not the same."
"She's just like me, Ayna."
"She is nothing like you." Ayna venomously answered. Anya saw the flash of hurt on the clone's face. Her eyes narrowed at her younger sister.
"Alright. Family meeting." As she saw Ayna open her mouth to answer, she flared her wings. "Now." Appropriately chastised, both sisters followed her sullenly as she led them to a more remote room. The moment they entered, Anya pointed to two chitinous growths that vaguely resemble boulders. "Sit."
Ayna sheepishly sat down on one of the boulders whilst the clone sat on the smaller one.
"...In my defense..." Ayna started, only for Anya to give her such a withering glare she immediately silenced herself.
"Now. I understand, little sister, that the appearance of the new addition to the family is disconcerting." She gave a grudging nod. "Her origin must also be very confusing and distressing on some level. That I can appreciate and understand." Ayna seemed to relax somewhat at that. "However. Whilst you are correct she is not me, she is as much me as you are. You are both parts of me that have taken in your own directions, grown in your own ways and become independent. Different."
Anya sighed. "She is our sister. Lost and confused, born to die with the will to live. To survive at all costs, to refuse to simply lie down and accept her fate." She looked into Ayna's eyes as the clone bowed her head, looking miserable. "You cannot tell me that's something you cannot understand."
Ayna stared at the clone for a long, hard moment. Then, hesitantly, she placed a hand on the clone's head.
"Hm." She rubbed the head, making a mess of the hair as the clone protested, angrily swiping at the large clawed hand. "Perhaps...perhaps I was a little too harsh. I suppose." Anya smiled.
"Good." She walked up to the clone, kneeling in front of her. "Now little one. You're going to need a name. You can't simply be called Anya or the clone; One is confusing, the other insulting. Do you have preferences?"
"Um..." The clone mumbled, twiddling her fingers as she looked thoughtful. "I'm not really sure. I never thought I'd live long enough to need a name other than Anya." She paused. Then, a small amused smile appeared on her lips. "How about... Secundus?" Anya tilted her head.
"That seems a little cruel of a joke." The clone tilted her head.
"Is it? I don't have your enhanced empathy so I wouldn't know." She shrugged. "I kinda like it though. Can I keep it?" Anya sighed, but nodded.
"Sure, Secundus." She glanced at both of her sisters. "From now on, you two will get along and cooperate. I'm not asking for you to be running in the fields hand in hand or anything, but we are going to be embarking in what will be by far the hardest of all our challenges." Anya sagged on herself. It was startling to the two sisters to see how tired, how utterly exhausted she looked. "We cannot afford to fight in between ourselves. We need to keep the course and stay strong. United."
"...My apologies sister. I let my feelings get ahead of myself." Ayna softly said. "And my apologies to you too, Secundus. I should not have let my fears and concerns be expressed onto you."
"For what it's worth, I didn't make much of an effort to get along with you either." Secundus sheepishly admitted.
"Now." Anya brought the attention of the two back to her. It was nice to see them get along, but they would have time to make amends later. "You both will be key to the invasion operation. Both of you will have your tasks; Each different from their own. Ayna. You will be in charge of accompanying the orks and keeping their high command safe. That means making sure Ravmasha doesn't bite the bullet, or if he does that a new warboss is chosen fast and keeps the rest in check." Anya shook her head. "The last thing we need is for the Imperials to snipe Ravmasha and the entire Waagh to crumble in the middle of the invasion."
"Understood." Ayna nodded.
"Secundus." The clone eagerly looked at her. "You've already had your consciousness and soul connected to the Memory Holders, yes?" Secundus nodded rapidly. "Great. Your task is more subtle than Ayna's. We plan on smuggling you ahead of us onto Terra; It won't be easy, but we have some contacts thanks to the cults already present. Sneaking a single individual should be fine."
"Oh." Secundus nervously shuffled. "What do I do once I'm there then?"
"Simple. You are to be my herald." She smiled at Secundus, deploying her wings. "Spread the word. Rally the cults, coordinate them as I would. Gather those who are not in the cults and bring them to heights of zealotry. Prepare for our arrival, and when we are here...unleash Hell." Secundus cackled, clapping her hands together.
"Ooooh...is this a redo of what we did on Secundus?" Anya nodded.
"That, but worse, and without Lictors."
"Sounds fun! I'll do it big sister, I won't disappoint you!" Anya smiled, patting her little sister on the head.
"I know you won't."
"What will you do in the meantime?" Ayna asked her sister.
"Me?" Anya asked, smiling sweetly. "Well. Besides preparing the army, making battle plans and coordinating our allies..." She chuckled darkly. "I'm going to train."
Ylsen winced as a sudden, powerful throbbing pounded at his skull. He let out a sharp hiss of pain as he brought his hands up, noticing how his bodyguards seemed similarly distressed, though not nearly to the same degree.
"Autarch! What is..."
"Something is happening." He cut them off, straining himself to look down at the world they were currently orbiting. Being at the heart of a massive tyranid hive-fleet was incredibly uncomfortable at the best of times, but usually it was not actively painful. Something else was at play. Something...familiar.
A wave of psychic power threatened to overwhelm him, bringing him to his knees.
"AUTARCH!" The banshees and aspect warriors deployed themselves around him in a defensive formation as multiple squads of wraithguard went into high alert.
"I'm fine!" He yelled back. "Just...give me a minute!" He needed to shield his mind. Needed to close his third eye to whatever was happening.
"...Isha merciful, what is that?" One of his guards whispered in horrified awe. Despite himself, he looked up.
Down on the planet, a powerful light was gleaming at the surface of one of the oceans. A beacon of psychic power that could be sensed all the way from up here.
And he knew exactly what it was.
"...It seems our tyranid friend is trying something out."
Anya laughed as the ocean parted around her. A perfect empty sphere kilometres across, the water held at bay through sheer psychic might. A colossal pillar of light centered on her went from the ground all the way to space, melting the ocean floor as it continuously blasted the landscape. She laughed as she opened her arms and unleashed powerful beams of eldritch might, striking immense destruction from mountains revealed by receding waters. She laughed as their peaks collapsed in a rumble loud enough to overpower the screeching searing noise of the power she channeled, the sound of millions of tons of collapsing rock and rubble causing a cataclysmic cacophony. She was powerful. So powerful.
She screamed in frustration as she unleashed all of her power at once, the shockwave pulsating all in a wave of destruction that spread beyond the horizon. Tsunamis from the released waters battered the far away shores, swallowing the land in displays of destruction of biblical proportions.
It wasn't enough.
She was powerful enough to sink entire countries under the waves. Powerful enough to pluck a titan from the ground and crumple it with her mind. Powerful enough to ram an imperial battleship into another. Powerful enough to wipe out an entire space marine chapter by herself.
It still wasn't enough.
She was an ant to an elephant when compared to the chaos gods. A very visible, very potent ant. But an ant nonetheless. Her powers were risible to them. Impressive for what she was, but to them? It was child's play.
She silently floated down to the height of the raging waves, a bubble of power keeping the immense storm she had created from her display of might at bay whilst she meditated. It was strangely calming for her. There in the heart of the maelstrom, she felt she had an easier time maintaining clarity of thought. As if the madness around her soothed the tremendous power within.
She could have eaten the soul stones. But she was already struggling to control the power she had, more would do her no good. It would leave her too exposed to the powers of the warp.
She didn't think it was possible for her to ever grow stronger than the chaos gods. Perhaps not even strong enough to face them directly.
But then again, she didn't have to.
An ant didn't need to become strong enough to fight an elephant on equal footing.
It just needed to become venomous enough to hurt it. Either to scare it off...or poison it to death.
The Emperor was that poison. That venom.
She needed his power.
She needed this strange anathema ability he had against the warp. Against chaos.
Her eyes glowed with power.
And she would have it.
Harrison was at his wits end.
Two weeks he had spent working with Occ and the rest of the inquisitorial retinue trying to prepare Terra for war.
Two weeks of meetings, interrogations, negotiations, blackmailing.
And whilst progress had been made, everything Harrison found was making him angrier and angrier.
It would be the commander who allowed some of his tanks to 'disappear' Emperor only knew where in exchange for a little extra bonus to his salary at the end of this month. The generals who argued about whose units should be placed where, turning what should have been a simple six hour mobilization into a six day slog of back and forth negotiation that left no one truly satisfied. The nobles who complained that their view of the Imperial Palace was dampened by the fortifications being built all over the surface of Terra. The assassination of competent officers by people placed there through nepotism, greater zealotry to the Emperor and other such things. And that was just what he had to deal with on his scale, from the people who were meant to be on his side.
The less was said about the sabotage they were finding out, the better. And again, that was only the sabotage they were finding out about. Who knew how much damage pencil-pushers were doing at this very moment; Or even worse, how much of the military was compromised. The very same they could not afford to be too harsh or dismissive of at risk of getting rid of loyal soldiers. Fucking hell.
Oh Emperor, why couldn't he have died on Secundus like the others. At least he'd be able to rest now.
Something beeped on his wrist. He grabbed his holopad, checking the update.
"Vel." The ex-arbites grunted, hunched over as she examined a series of documents. "Vel."
"What?"
"I just received an update."
"Yeah?"
"Callidus found a new nest. That one's going to be a problem. Imma have to get Occ on this one."
"Want me to hold the fort I'm guessing."
"Got it in one." She gave him a thumbs up.
"You got it boss. Go kick genestealer ass." He grumbled as he stood up.
"Last nest they'd converted bloody bulldozers into tanks. Bulldozers!" He sighed, walking out of the room. "Damnit, there goes any chance of today being a good day..."
Secundus happily hummed aboard the spaceship she was riding as it approached the surface of Terra.
So far, their little infiltration has been working. Converted officials, corruption of border agents and more had allowed them to get this far on this ship. After all, to the pirates she'd hired this would seem merely like yet another worshipful pilgrim who wanted to see the Emperor in person. She could see the looks they gave her at times. No doubt they were intending on selling her to some black market once they landed.
Too bad for them, she didn't plan on landing.
The control over the actual landing ships on Terra was too strict. Whilst pirates and smugglers might not have raised any alarms over her, she knew for a fact that intensive genetic scanning was taking place on Terra. And no matter how she tried, she could not conceal all traces of her nature. To remove it all would be to cut herself from the Hive mind and to leave herself vulnerable to true death. No, instead she'd had a better idea.
She casually walked up to the ship master, mentally reaching out to the many people in various ships in orbit.
She willed them to put in place the plan she'd designed. A small smile appeared on her face as she watched the captain's face grow confused, then fearful, as the indicators on his cabin suddenly began blinking red.
"FUCK! THE ENGINE'S DEAD!" She pretended to be afraid, her eyes growing wide in fear. She'd made sure that the engine would cut right as they approached Terra. Now, it was time for all the other cultists to play their part. This ship had been chosen for a reason. Its flight path was known. The station it would contact as well.
"Shit, contact the nearest orbital station! We're going to need some help!"
Elib watched as the distress call appeared on his desk. Immediately, he picked it up. He'd been rehearsing this. Fervour filled him as he heard the voice of the smuggler.
"Hey, um, control, our engines are fried! We need to make an emergency landing!"
"Of course. Let me just..." Three...two...ones... Suddenly, the control centre was flooded with emergency calls as in the distant void of space, hundreds of ships found themselves suddenly sabotaged. Engines burst into flames, cabines were depressurized, crews rose up in revolt. He had to prevent a grin from reaching his lips. Just as planned. "Sorry about that captain, but we're having some priority distress calls. All our shuttles are going to be busy. We're going to need you to do an emergency landing." Cries of panic and distress echoed through the control room as it erupted into chaos, each operator and servitor attending to the flood of calls from endangered ships. In this mess, no one was paying attention to Elib.
"An emergen... fuck. Alright." The captain sounded stressed. Elib felt like chuckling, but kept a calm and professional expression.
"I will send over a flight path. Follow it exactly, or I can't guarantee AA won't shoot you down."
"...Isn't that over some residential areas?" The captain nervously asked.
"Yes. Unfortunately the rest of the airspace is restricted." A half truth, but it hardly mattered at this point. By the time this was over, Elib would no doubt be dragged for interrogation and execution. He patted the laspistol in his pocket. Not that he planned on letting it get to this point.
"Alright, alright. Fuck. Okay, I think we've got enough juice in the engines to do this. Landing's going to be a bit rough."
"I'm sure." Elib commented. He watched on his sensors as the ship descended down towards Terra, authorized to take a specific flight path. A smile spread to his lips.
With that, his task was done.
Samantha watched eagerly towards the sky as she stood against one of the houses in the shantytown's upper levels. Something pinged on her wrist. The signal. Phase one of the plan had been successful. Good. Now, for phase two. All she had to do was wait.
A man approached her. He had a lurid smile on his face, the stench of alcohol permeating him. She frowned as he leaned over her.
"Hey there angel face. You're looking lonely." She glared at him.
"I'm not interested." She didn't want to bring attention to herself. This was a delicate operation, and the last thing she needed was some drunk oaf to ruin it.
"Oh come on...it'll be fun." He asked with a slightly more menacing tone this time. She noticed something glinting in his hand. A weapon? "I'll make it worth your whi..." She reached to her own holster, tapping her laspistol.
"The miss said she wasn't interested." A deep grumble suddenly froze the drunk. He yelped as someone picked him up, a bull of a man lifting him and throwing him away. "She said scram." The drunk looked at the giant with wide eyes, scrambling away with fear. Thankfully the bustle of people barely paid attention. Such events were common here.
"Thanks Avery."
"Pleasure." The man grunted. "A few minutes and it's our turn." She nodded.
"I know. Everyone's in place." She glanced at him. "...I can't believe it's happening."
"It's hard to believe, I know." He patted her shoulder. "Have faith. Amica will absolve mankind of its mistakes."
"Yeah." She nodded firmly. A ball of fire appeared in the sky as the ship began entry. "Prepare to move. She's coming."
"Fuck, fuck, fuck..." The captain angrily swore as he tried to keep control of the ship. "Alright, we're going to be passing right over this slum, and then over this set of alleys and then land near the military base...fuck's sake. Better that than dead." Secundus chuckled.
"Well... about that." She reached out psychically, snapping the captain and every other crew member's necks at once. Then, calmly, she walked up to the controls ship. She'd been leeching memories from the pilot since the beginning in order to make sure she knew how to do what she was about to do.
Grabbing the controls, she decelerated the ship and lowered it by a good amount, until it was grazing against the roofs of the slum.
Then, she plunged it down, crashing it into the busy alleyway.
The moment the ship began to lower itself, the people in the street began to panic. A stampede began as people scrambled to get away, the hysteria only growing worse as the ship suddenly took a nosedive towards them. Samantha watched as it slammed into the ground, the hull of the ship immediately caving and crumpling under the impact. Fire burst from the already burning engines, catching some unfortunate souls that hadn't gotten away fast enough as blood poured in the street from those who had been crushed by the ship. Immediately Samantha rushed forward, dozens of others deploying in the streets as she climbed on the burning ship. She winced as the hot metal burned her hands before slamming her fist three times against the hull. The signal confirmed, she watched in awe as part of the ship was cleanly ripped off by an invisible force.
Then, she walked out.
An angel of white hair, beautiful yellow eyes and a childish smile. She wore a simple garb and appeared for all intents and purposes as a regular human.
"I think you are my welcoming committee?" She asked in a musical voice. Samantha wordlessly nodded. "Excellent. Then let's head underground...I believe the authorities will be on their way already." That snapped Samantha out of her religious stupor.
"Y...yes of course Herald. Follow us!" With that she jumped off the ship, followed closely by the white haired child. She made no sound as she landed on the ground. Not even a speck of dust displaced, as if she were weightless. Samantha snapped her fingers. "Alright people, let's move!" In the distance, she could hear the familiar whistling of arbites troops approaching. They immediately dispersed, each going into a different building. Each had one thing in common: It was connected to the underground.
The upper level of the slums were only the part exposed to the light of the Sun; They really spread kilometres underground, in a sprawling network of tunnels, buildings, passages and pipes that covered almost the entire world. An impossibly large labyrinthe that even the custodes were wary of entering. Samantha ran down passages, slid down pipes, crawled in tunnels. All to put distance, to lose herself within the network of cracks and crevasses.
It took them a day to finally reach their destination, and that was with the advantage of having essentially free passage anywhere they went. The cult's influence ran deep down here. Secret passages, roadblocks, gang shakedowns...all avoided through the privilege of being associated with the cult. Even those now belonging to them knew better than to cross them.
Deep below the surface layer, at the end of an endless maze of crevasses, they found a massive door made of solid metal. Before it stood a variety of ramshackle defenses, manned by all manners of people who started cheering at their sight. They made to signal the opening of the door but Secundus raised a single hand, stopping them in their tracks.
"Allow me." She said gently. The doors began opening inwards as if pushed by some unseen force, Secundus confidently striding forth with Samantha quickly following in turn.
Behind the doors was a massive manufactorum. Built in the old days of Terra, it had since been abandoned as layers upon layers of urbanization were created above it; Until it was completely buried deep in the lower levels. Thousands of people were gathered on the railings of the repurposed and repaired factory, watching in awe as Secundus happily skipped towards the centre of the open plaza at the heart of the manufactorum. There, a group of well dressed cultists watched her arrive with awe in their eyes, bowing deeply as she finally reached them.
"Oh blessed Messenger...Herald of Amica!" The leader among them, a lithe and tall man with clear genetic mutations, announced aloud. "We welcome you among our people! I hope the journey was not too difficult?"
"A tad worrisome at times, but nothing that could not be handled." She gently chuckled. "And with the help of my friend here, I made it unharmed." She gestured to Samantha who blushed deeply, looking down.
"It is good to hear our dearest Samantha completed her task so well." The leader commented approvingly. "Now, I am sure you would like some time to rest..."
"Actually, I have a declaration to make." Secundus cleared her throat. "Now." Her voice, amplified by her psychic powers, reached every person within the immense factory as if she were right next to them.
"People of Terra. I have traveled the stars in order to reach you; Your devotion and your will to succeed have caught the attention of our beloved Amica." She paused for a moment, letting the weight of her words sink in. She carefully enunciated every one of the syllables, putting emphasis where needed to ensure she was not only heard, but remembered. "You were born shackled by a golden tyrant. An oppressor that cast you in chains and turned you into nothing more but cogs and grease for the nightmarish war machine of the Imperium. You were told this is the natural way of things. That there is no better way. That this evil is a necessary one." Secundus closed her eyes, feeling the memories of her own experiences down below in the slums of Anya's world. Of starvation. The beatings. The fear. The constant, gnawing fear. "That Is A Lie." She clenched her fists, letting her own anger immerse itself in her words. Her outrage. Her desperate will to live. "A Lie, made to justify your enslavement! To put you in your place, to make you willing servants! A Lie that mankind has to live like this whilst they build palaces of gold and towers of Ivory! Where is the need for immense palaces to defend you?! Where is the need for nobles to fatten everyday to protect you?!" The rage, the anger and injustice she could feel from the people around her fuelled her passion. She opened her arms wide. "HOW MANY COULD HAVE BEEN FED FOR THE PRICE OF A SINGLE CATHEDRAL?! HOW MANY HOMES BUILT FROM ITS MATERIALS?! BUT THE LIE REQUIRES ITS TEMPLES, IT REQUIRES ITS GREAT WORKS TO BLIND YOU, TO CRUSH YOU, TO MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE NOTHING!" She lowered her voice, and in a whisper: "To make you feel worthless." Then, she extended a hand, and though not all could see her, she knew all would know she did so. "But you are not worthless my friends. If you were, they would not be so desperate to enslave you. To make you work. To make you worship. You have power, power in your will, power in your faith, power in your numbers." She deliberately lowered the power of her psychic voice. "Amica is no God. She is no Divine Power or Entity. She is a human, just like you. One that has cast aside the chains of the Imperium and broken their yoke. One who has had enough of the tyrants. Enough of the Oppression!"
"Down with the Tyrant!" Cried out a man leaning above the railing. "The murderers beat my father to death for coughing blood on their precious cathedral stairs!"
"They stole my children!" A woman cried in anguish. "My babies!"
Soon more cries joined the clamor, a mixture of fury and grief. Some of the cultists, who had been recording the speech from start, started diffusing to the rest of the underground. In shady bars, dingy meeting halls, cult chambers. All over Terra, the words of the Herald were heard.
"Aren't you tired of it? Aren't you tired of the oppression, of bending the knee for petty tyrants, for the dictator, for any who wields violence and might as a cudgel to beat the innocent into submission?" She smiled softly. "I know you are afraid. I know many of you are scared. That is alright. Even Amica was afraid when she started rebelling against the Imperium." She raised a clenched fist, her audience captivated. "But someone has to fight. If your parents had taken the sword, perhaps your grandchildren would be spared the cruelty of the Imperium. When the Emperor first rose in power, perhaps if those following him had refused him, had cast him aside and fought him, none of us would be here. If everyone refuses to fight, to stand up to oppression out of fear, then they not only condemn themselves but all those who come after it. Their children. Their grandchildren, and all those that come after." She brought her hands together in a praying motion and asked, pleadingly. "So I ask you today. Will you be the ones to break the cycle? Will you stand up to the Emperor, cast aside the chains of the Imperium? Will you fight alongside Amica?"
"FIGHT!" The roar echoed through the underground as a million voices joined the clamor from the factory. "FIGHT!" Came the cry of the oppressed. The malcontent. The heretic. The broken child. The guilty. The innocent. The countless souls the Imperium grinded down everyday to keep its monolithic control strong.
"Then prepare yourselves! Rally the faithful, sound the bells! Gather the weapons, sabotage the infrastructure! Heed my word and with that of those who speak for Amica, and with your help we will make this world ready for Her!" She closed her arms. "Our Amica is strong, and she comes to dethrone the tyrant. But she will need your help. Every bit counts. I ask you this again! When the time comes and her ships appear in the skies; When her followers descend upon the soldiers of the tyrant; When she stands face to face with the Emperor himself, what will you do!"
"FIGHT!"
"Then we shall fight together! Spread the word! Amica comes!"
"AMICA!" Screamed the worker whose entire family had lived and died in the halls of an ammunition factory.
"AMICA!" Raged the father who had seen his daughter dragged away to be thrown to the pyre fuelling the Emperor.
"AMICA!" Sobbed the child who just wanted the men in black uniforms to bring her mother back.
"AMICA!" Bellowed the billions who had had enough. Who had been broken beyond repair. Whose hate and fury towards the system that oppressed them to the point of insanity outpaced the fear it had cultivated in them.
Secundus smiled. Softly, to herself, she murmured.
"And war they shall have."
The Emperor: "What is that noise outside."
Custodes: "The people are revolting."
The Emperor: "Again? Well, it is what it is."
Custodes: "They have an ancient relic from pre-dark age Terra. I believe it is called a Guillotine."
The Emperor: "...On a second thought, Mars is looking wonderful this time of year."