18
The large void vessel was ostentatious. It's surface was
covered in beautiful reliefs of mermaids. Nautical imagery
was a common for House Green. House Green was one of
the primary houses controlling Sarracenia. Sarracenia
was an ocean world whose primary export was seafood.
Sarracenia's native ecology made it ideal to have its oceans
stocked with a wide variety of different sea life. As a result
the agri-world was used as a giant fish farm.
House Green was the only house of Sarracenia to
hold a warrant of trade. Like most of the nobility of
Sarracenia, House Green administrated their holdings from
off world. Despite not currently living on Sarracenia House Green
had been founded on Sarracenia. They were considered a noble House of Sarrecenia.
The House still prided itself on their association with the fishing world. Thus the use of nautical imagery on their vessels. House Green was also one of many noble houses in the area of Subsector Textus to be corrupted by Chaos. They were also one of the primary backers of the "Thorn of Ecstasy" cult of Slaanesh.
The Cheshire and his companions approached the
main entryway to the ship. The Talarn assassins Qatae, and Alkhanq were with him. A guard nervously tried to stop
The Cheshire. The Cheshire showed the guard his badge
of office. Displaying his Rosette was more of a formality
than anything.
The distinctiveness of his augmetics made The
Cheshire a known operative. The young man likely had
heard the rumours. The Cheshire smiled at the man and
spoke "I am an agent of the Inquisition, I am here to speak to Inquisitor Horthvin."
The guard nervously eyed The Cheshire's group "One
moment my lord." The young man walked over to the ship
vox and keyed something into it. "My lord there is another
Inquisitor who wants to see you." The Cheshire couldn't
hear the response but the guard eyed his group nervously
again. The guard tried to whisper into the vox so The
Cheshire couldn't hear him. The young man misjudged the
augmented hearing of The Cheshire. "It is The Cheshire"
the guard again listened to the response on the other end.
After a moment an officer came to escort them to the
quarters where Inquisitor Horthvin was billeted.
Once on the ship The Cheshire's companions moved to
break with the group. The officer moved to object, but The
Cheshire moved close to her. "My companions act with the
authority of the Emperor's Holy Inquisition. Are you
objecting to the will of the God Emperor?" The Cheshire
spoke, his augmetic fangs far closer to the officer than she
was comfortable with.
The woman shook her head in the negative. The
Cheshire gestured her to continue leading him. When they
came to Inquisitor Horthvin's chamber The Cheshire didn't
wait for the officer to open the door, he simply barged in.
Inquisitor Horthvin as an agent of the Inquisition was
better at hiding his fear than most, but he still failed to hide
it. Horthvin stood from a desk in the corner of the room "My
Lord Cheshire to what do I owe the pleasure?"
Horthvin wasn't alone, Horthvin had a bodyguard of
Space Marines wearing Terminator armour. The ship was
full of Astartes, Ordo Textus was aware that The Cheshire
was sniffing their operation. The Heretic Astartes, wearing
Iron Hands colours were an attempt to deter The Cheshire
from getting in their way.
Still it seemed the heretics believed they could talk their
way out of this. The Astartes watched The Cheshire while
keeping their weapons close at hand. The Cheshire pulled
a group of picts from a pouch he wore of his Synskin
armour. He dropped the picts on the desk in front of
Horthvin. The Cheshire turned around and strode a few
paces away.
Inquisitor Horthvin brought up one of the picts. The pict
showed Horthvin's Astartes allies raiding an Imperial world for slaves. Other picts showed Horthvin handing over the cargo of slaves to a group of Silath on Nu'shar.
The Cheshire looked over his shoulder at Horthvin. The
Cheshire tutted at Horthvin "Handing over slaves to be
used in some kind of heretical ritual, wouldn't that make you
the worst kind of heretic?"
The Cheshire paused a moment to let his statement
sink in. An Astartes next to Horthvin was the first to react,
roaring as he trained his storm bolter at The Cheshire. Bolts
sent splinters of the fine wood panelling around the room
flying everywhere. The Cheshire dodged around the bolts,
his augmetic tongue lolling from his mouth allowing him to
taste the feelings of those in the room. On the air The
Cheshire could taste the delectable flavours of rage and
fear.
The Cheshire closed distance with the Astartes, The
Cheshire unsheathed the power claws embedded in the
ends of his fingers. The Astartes backed away as The
Cheshire cut chunks of Ceramite out the Space Marines
armour.
As their brother backed away from the hail of slashes
another Astartes shouted into the vox built into his helmet.
The Astartes asking for help was cut off by the sounds
bolter and las fire erupting from elsewhere in the ship.
An Astartes behind The Cheshire tried to slash at him
with a pair of lightning claws. The Cheshire ducked the
slash and spun with a single motion. As he spun The
Cheshire unsheathed the power axe blade implanted in his
heel. The Cheshire caught the Astartes on the shoulder
turning him slightly.
The first Space Marine came at The Cheshire with a
power fist. The Cheshire vaulted over the fist and sliced
into the Astartes neck with the power axe hidden in his shin.
The Sergeant of the surviving three Terminators
ordered his men to fire. As The Cheshire leapt over the
bolter fire Inquisitor Horthvin leapt out of the way of the
bolts. As he sailed through the air The Cheshire twisted to
avoid the power sword of the Sergeant.
The Cheshire dodged the Sergeant's slashes. One of
the Sergeant's slashes went just a hair wide opening his
chest just enough. The Cheshire leapt onto the sergeants
chest and buried his power claws into the Sergeant's neck.
There was a distorted gurgling sound as the Sergeant
coughed blood into his helmet's vox.
Behind the last two terminators, the door opened.
Alkhanq strode in before the two marines could turn, she
caught their feet with the tendrils that replaced her hands.
Alkhanq strode forward the clouds of sparking tendrils
moving from the Marines feet to around their necks. She
barely reacted as she decapitated them.
The tendrils reformed into the shape of hands. Qatae
and a group of Tempestus Scions followed her in. The
Scions carried a large trunk with them.
These Tempestus Scions were part of a purge team
that had been waiting outside for the sound of bolter fire
within the ship. "We cleared out the other Marines on the
ship the Scions are mopping up the rest of the heretics"
Qatae said.
In a quaking voice Horthvin sputtered "You can't do this,
I am a ranking Inquisitor of the Ordo Textus." Inquisitor
Horthvin pointed a bolt pistol at The Cheshire.
The Cheshire thought of the Tau commander O'Dashas
on Precipice. He had fought O'Dashas while she was
piloting a Crisis Suit. Having her forces broken by The
Cheshire and his companions she had accepted she was
out matched. Yet she had fought on, only backing down
when ordered to do so by her Ethereal.
Inquisitor Horthvin by contrast, had to on some level
know that The Cheshire wouldn't be here if The Cheshire
was afraid of the Ordo Textus. Still the coward refused to
acknowledge the situation and hid behind his masters. It
embarrassed The Cheshire to see an agent of the Inquisition
refuse to accept reality where a Tau accepted it and still
stood for her beliefs.
With a bemused expression Alkhanq shot out her
tendrils and shredded Horthvin's bolt pistol before Horthvin
could react. The Cheshire dashed forward, grabbing
Horthvin by the shoulders, The Cheshire bit Horthvin with
his augmetic fangs.
The Cheshire released Inquisitor Horthvin "Be a good
boy and get in the trunk" The Cheshire told him. Compelled
by the venom The Cheshire had injected him with, Horthvin
moved to obey. Unable to understand why he was obeying
The Cheshire's instructions Horthvin wore a look of fear and
confusion.
As Horthvin climbed into the trunk Alkhanq closed the
lid over him. "Caln give me the vox" The Cheshire called.
When The Cheshire had the local channel for Inquisitorial
communications. A nervous acolyte answered the call "My
Lord, how may I help you."
The Cheshire's grin widened as he spoke into the vox
"My team raided a vessel held by heretic Astartes.
Inquisitor Horthvin was seen entering the vessel, however
we failed to find him on board. I am afraid he may have
been captured by heretics."
"Acknowledged" the acolyte responded simply. The
Cheshire was equal measure amused and annoyed by
the game he had to play with the Ordo Textus. Many of the Inquisitors The Cheshire was contacting were heretics, but not all. Inquisitor Danton's forces and those loyal to the Ordo Textus were locked in a secret shadow war. In front of those who were on neither side they had to act as if they were not at each others throats. Then turn around and assassinate each other and sabotage each others operations.
Lord Inquisitor Danton had wanted to capture Horthvin for a long while. He had been out of reach before now. Horthvin had made a key mistake. The Ordo Textus could cover for Horthvin's actions, they could not cover the actions of the heretic Astartes they worked with. By making the Space Marines who they had used in the slave raid, as bodyguards, they had given The Cheshire excuse to raid their ship.
Horthvin would be valuable source of Intel once properly interrogated. The Cheshire keyed the channel for Lord Kannaan al-Elbaz. Lord al-Elbaz was a rogue trader The Cheshire worked with. Lord al-Elbaz had in his youth done business with a number of undesirables. A group of Chaos worshippers had turned on him while he was doing business with them.
The Chaos worshippers believed that Lord al-Elbaz would make an optimal sacrifice for their ritual, so they threw al-Elbaz in with the other slaves they had slated for sacrifice. In the pit he fell in love with another slave named Indomus Ahmulla.
Lord al-Elbaz and his lover were rescued personally by the Living Saint, Maya. The Cheshire winced at the memory of the Living Saint. Maya claimed to be a being created by the fusion of multiple women who had been forced to bury their children by the enemies of the Imperium.
While speaking to Maya, Maya had brought one of the individual souls within her to the surface. The Cheshire was stunned as Maya took the form of Abarrne Maro, Inquisitor Maro's dead wife. Abarrne had been a friend to the Dead Man he had been. It was before he had become The Cheshire. She had warned him about what he was about to become and told him that what he was to become made her sad.
He wasn't sure if Maya truly was what she claimed to be. Still the thought that the Emperor's scion did not approve of him becoming The Cheshire frightened him. Nonetheless as horrible as The Cheshire was, the Imperium had need of a being like him.
The whole experience of being enslaved and then rescued by an Imperial Saint had changed Lord al-Elbaz. The man was now deeply religious. The Cheshire had made him part of The Cheshire's retinue partly at the insistence of Maya. The other part of why The Cheshire accepted him was due to Lord al-Elbaz demonstrating a knack for convincing heretics to trust him.
al-Elbaz's performance in his duties was slipping. In al-Elbaz's native Talarn the local Ecclesiarchy considered same sex relations heretical. While The Cheshire did not share these views, this interpretation of the Emperor's will was common even amongst Inquisitors.
Guilt over feeling he was a heretic for who he loved was one part of what was tearing him apart. Fear of The Cheshire discovering Indomus Ahmulla was not al-Elbaz's servant, but his lover, was the other part.
The Cheshire of course knew full well of who Lord al-Elbaz loved. The Cheshire could feel the Dead Man raging at him for letting al-Elbaz torture himself. However the process of explaining to Lord al-Elbaz that The Cheshire knew and that
al-Elbaz had no need of feeling guilt for who he was, was a process The Cheshire was not built for.
The risk of harming Lord al-Elbaz's performance further, was too great, to risk frightening him. Ultimately Kanaan al-Elbaz's duty was first to the Imperium, and to himself second. Even if it meant driving Kanaan to his death the good of the Imperium came before everything. Though the Dead Man likely did not see it this way The Cheshire was sure Kanaan would agree with him.
"My Lord?" came a haggard response from the vox. The Cheshire thought he could hear Indomus stifling a sob in the background.
Earlier that morning The Cheshire had needed to debrief
al-Elbaz on the mission. When The Cheshire knocked on Kanaan's door The Cheshire's augmented hearing had picked up the sound of the Two men rushing out of bed. The Cheshire pretended he did not know full well what he had nearly caught them doing.
The Cheshire also knew that guilt and fear often drove Kanaan to whip himself while Indomus begged him to stop. The Cheshire knew it was regrettable to use a loyal servant of the Imperium in such a way. But the Imperium was the only thing holding back the darkness of the galaxy. The Cheshire would sacrifice billions more good men and women if it meant preserving the Imperium.
"I will soon be conducting an interrogation on your ship. The trunk headed your way contains my target. The trunk must be brought on board with discretion. Ensure that the interrogation chamber is ready." Kanaan responded "It shall be done as the Emperor wills."
After voxing Lord al-Elbaz, and sending the trunk containing Horthvin ahead, The Cheshire left the vessel followed by Qatae and Alkhanq. After leaving through the hatch he looked up at the ship behind him. Though he had ample evidence of the corruption of House Green, they were too powerful to be challenged yet. The Ship behind him would have to be returned to its master.
After looking up at the ship for a while he made his way back to the main road. As he made his way to Lord al-Elbaz's ship he came a woman huddling with her daughter under an overpass. The two of them seemed to be sewing embroidered clothes. The work was so fine The Cheshire wondered why the woman was living in squalor. As he was musing he recognized her the woman's name was Gorinskiam Qvingh. She was the descendant of Thaddeus Qvingh, the Omnicus noble who while tainted, had still remained loyal.
The world of Menenherti still used paper money. As The Cheshire approached Gorinskiam and her daughter the two emaciated figures eyed The Cheshire nervously. The Cheshire held out a large amount of Menenherti bills towards the woman. Gorinskiam moved to take the money and then seemed to notice The Cheshire's synskin bodysuit.
Gorinskiam prostrated herself before The Cheshire. "My lord I am glad for the charity, but you must know my family is tainted. I only say as from your attire I assume you are an off worlder. All here know of my family taint." The Cheshire's smile became slightly warm looking at the woman. He was glad that she understood the taint of her forefather. "That your taint brings you guilt, is the reason I offer this to you."
The woman's eyes filled with grateful tears as she took the money. "Emperor bless you my lord."
He nodded smiling at the woman and returned to heading toward Lord al-Elbaz's ship. The Dead Man pushed the urge to look in the direction of the ostentatious House Green ship into The Cheshire's mind. Normally The Cheshire confronted the thoughts the Dead Man pushed into his mind. Every once and a while however he could not face what the Dead Man pushed him to be aware of.
The Cheshire's unconscious mind swallowed these thoughts that were too hard to face. This time the thought was a connection. A connection between the draconian measures he took in the name of the Imperium, and the results of those measures. For all his efforts the true heretics lived in luxury, while the loyal starved in squalor.