A/N: Thank you Naranka and Solarion for reading the section about Malcadors past proposals.


"Leetu. Leetu! Wake up now." Neoth watched glumly as Erda knocked against the Space Marine's helmet. Her knuckles made a loud clanking noise when they rapped against the beaked helm.

The Space Marine in question was swaying groggily from side to side, a side effect of being exposed to the aftershock of almost an hour's worth of divine nagging.

"Poor boy." She tutted. "Neoth, can't you apply that psychic warding you gave to the soldiers you sent to fight the Cognoscynths?"

"I wouldn't suggest it." He muttered. "The anti-psyker warding I applied to them dulled their senses to the unnatural. On top of making them more oblivious to things from the immaterium, LE-2 might no longer see you as before."

"He will recognize me." Erda said as she patted the side of the Space Marine's helm. "Even if he doesn't, it won't matter. All my children outgrow me eventually."

Neoth remained silent at that. LE-2 was just a prototype to him. He was pretty much the standard for all of those who would come after him, making him unremarkable amongst his future peers. The one thing that made him special was his attachment to Erda. He would never betray his own mother, and that loyalty made him a useful bodyguard and manservant for her. If he removed that loyalty by accident, the one thing that made LE-2 special would disappear.

Erda may be able to accept that. He could not.

"LE-2's only worth is his attachment to you. You need a guard at all times."

"Oh, you are such a worrywart." Erda huffed.

"Should I help?" Isha spoke as she walked up to the Space Marine.

"It depends on what you will do." Erda said as she knocked on LE-2's helmet again.

"Nothing much, besides activate his fight or flight response." The long-eared goddess poked the Space Marines right pauldron. "A boost of adrenaline should awaken him. He is a soldier. He wouldn't end up like this if he had his war mask on. If he can be reminded of what it means to survive, he should be able to shake this off."

"That would be a bit much." Erda sighed. "I would rather splash him with a bucket of cold water, or use some smelling salts."

"Both would require removing his helmet." Isha's ears flicked with irritation.

"And that can only be done by Leetu." Erda said as she pulled back her hand and began tapping her chin thoughtfully.

"Then how about this?" Isha stopped prodding the Space Marine and reached for Erda's shoulder.

Immediately the Space Marine shoved himself between Erda and Isha then raised his bolter, finger on the trigger, only to stop when Erda's hand covered the barrel.

"I always imagined the Aeldari to be more elegant." She huffed.

"He clearly views you as his mother." Isha shrugged. "Even at his worst, he would prioritize your protection and honor over everything else."

"Even so, using faux blackmail to wake him was unkind."

"It was the only non-violent way to wake him quickly. Why wait when it's obvious there is no other path?"

"I see." Erda sighed. "You and Neoth might be more agreeable than I thought."

Isha shrugged at the accusation. "If we weren't I wouldn't have decided to work with him."

Erda chuckled at that while LE-2 calmed down. His bolter lowered as he shook his head. The grogginess hadn't fully been dispelled, but he was at least aware of his surroundings.

"Neoth." Erda said as she turned to her other son. "Where were you planning to take your new partner after this?"

"To Khangba Marwu." Neoth answered.

"The Imperial dungeons?" Erda asked back with a raised eyebrow.

"It is close to the Imperial Palace, isolated, and gives me an excuse to see her." Neoth replied, listing off his reasons. "There are still a few of Narthan Dume's lieutenants there who I could be questioning, as well as other artifacts from Old Night that might provide cover for my presence there."

"She is to be my guest upon Terra. I will not have my hospitality sullied." Erda paused for a moment in thought. "We shall take her to the Sanctum Imperialis."

"Like this?" Neoth gestured to the obviously alien goddess before them. Besides her appearance, her nature meant any mortal who saw her would be heavily affected by the psychic emanations that came from her.

"You can change your size and form, can't you?" Erda asked as she turned towards Isha.

"For the sake of deception, then yes." Isha replied.

"Then I have a plan. We will go to the Imperial Palace aboard my shuttle. There you will follow me as a handmaiden, temporarily." She flashed a small smile towards the other goddess. Although minor, this ruse was an expression of dominance. A handmaiden was subservient to her mistress. Thus, symbolically Isha would be at Erda's mercy.

"Fine." Isha nodded as she returned the smile. "As a guest upon your body, I suppose I can pretend to be your servant."

Tacit agreement was provided to the arrangement. As the guest, Isha would agree to follow Erda's house rules. So long as Erda was hospitable, she would feign obedience to the maternal goddess of humanity.

"It's only a ruse until Malcador and the others are informed." Erda chuckled, accepting and providing a time limit to their agreement. "I wouldn't want to have you tailing me every moment like an actual handmaiden."

"Good." Isha nodded, then turned towards Neoth. "See? This is what hospitality looks like."

"What sort of hospitality did you expect me to extend after mind-wiping an entire planet?" He grumbled back.

The catatonic Xenobiologis would have to be unloaded from the Bucephelus and smuggled back to the Imperial Palace over the course of a couple days. Other arrangements were being made for the rest of the materials he had stolen or scavenged.

But, there was another reason for his mention of them. It seemed Erda and Isha had formed some sort of bizarre rapport with each other, and he didn't like it. Hopefully the mention of what Isha had done would put a wedge between them, but Erda merely shrugged in response.

"They are still alive." Isha huffed. "Just cursed with knowledge."

"Although unfortunate, that is the fate of any mortal who attempts to tamper with a deity." Erda sighed. "At the very least, they were able to satisfy their curiosity before losing their personality."

Neoth turned away, rubbing his temples as he did so. "I don't understand your definition of love."

It certainly wasn't the same as a normal human's.

"I am Terra. Storms, earthquakes, and all other natural disasters came from my body and rained down upon my own children. Those disasters may have come regardless of what I wanted, but it is because of that I can accept the death of the individual." She put a hand on the table, and the clay turned to dust as did the interwoven plant fibers of her chair. "To be mortal is to die. Humanity has always overcome this by leaving behind a legacy, and passing along hope to the next generation." She turned and gestured with her head towards Isha. "I may not devour my children like her, but simple death is not cause for mourning."

Neoth sighed. He had had this conversation with Erda before, and this was usually where it ended. Death was the end of the story. After that, it was either apotheosis, damnation, or dispersion into the immaterium that awaited the soul.

Until now, he would denounce her and say that gods truly didn't understand mortals before storming away.

Today, he continued the conversation.

"So, it is only meaningless death that you mourn over?" He asked.

Erda blinked in surprise for a moment, then smiled.

"It is absolute death that I abhor." She said quietly. "When there is nothing left to pass on to the future, that is when I mourn my children."

Neoth remained silent at that. Erda was a naturally spawned goddess. Her name had two roots. One was for the ancient term for Earth. The other was from Urðr, or the eldest of the trio of Norns; the three women who decided the fate of all mankind.

The Norns didn't exist, but the concept of a being that watched over all humanity existed. This was what Erda was. A wild deity created by the first humans who could consider abstract concepts.

She was the answer to their question for where all humanity came from, and her existence grew as humanity grew more complex. At first, she was simply the concept of Mother Earth. A loving bountiful being who was both kind and cruel.

As the first humans gained the ability to think and plan for things far in the future, their realization of certain patterns in nature added on the idea that there was a preset path for all things. Hence, she became associated with the fate of past, present, and future.

After those concepts were envisioned to be part of her, the first group of primates that would become mankind separated out into different tribes. These offshoots eventually made towns and cities, creating new cultures from the same old sources. Thus, she remained in the psyche of humanity even when they came up with new names for her. Even when humanity began to subdivide various functions of her into different idols, she remained intact.

Gaia. Terra. Erda. Inari Ōkami. Jörð. Moirai. Norns.

No matter how many times humanity changed her name, she remained mostly as she was first envisioned and absorbed all the thoughts and beliefs that fell into the original mould that was made when humanity was unified.

This is how all wild gods form. They are born when the first group of sentient species envision them. Then, as that group breaks apart and divides, they remain as proof of a once unified people. After that, they take in bits and pieces of the new myths and legends that are closest to them, growing but remaining the same. Yet, they are also powerless as the divided minds that spawned them pull them in every direction at once.

"Enough philosophy." Erda's voice interrupted Neoth's musings. "Now, let me explain my plan for getting Isha off this ship and to the Imperial Palace." She pointed at Neoth. "First, Neoth will inform Velor about our disembarkment. Then, we will all exit the Astropathic Choir. Neoth will be carrying a bundle of chains to pretend he's carrying the 'terraforming device' off the ship, and I will carry the shrunk down Isha under my cloak. Once we get to my shuttle, Isha can return to her original size and disguise herself as a human. That way we can pretend that the weapon has been removed from the ship, and provide an explanation for why another person has joined us."

"I'm fine with that plan." Isha nodded.

Neoth was fine with the plan as well, but before that he had a complaint to make.

"If you could shrink, why didn't you do that before?" He grumbled. If she could shrink herself down small enough, he could have simply shoved her under his chest plate. It would have been far easier to pretend he had just destroyed her and smuggle her onboard in his armor.

"Besides being terribly uncomfortable." Isha replied, nose wrinkling. "Surface area to volume ratio would be the biggest problem. The smaller one is, the less volume one has compared to their exposed skin. Being in your presence is painful. Making myself smaller means your essence can penetrate further into my being. Being Aeldari sized is the bare minimum if I want to stand near you. Erda doesn't have that same immaterial hating touch you have, so I can shrink myself down near her if necessary. Although, it is demeaning."

Neoth snorted at that. Although her explanation sounded logical, he also remembered Isha could express his Truth on her skin. Therefore, she should be able to reflect his immaterial hating touch to some degree. In other words, he was convinced that the main reason she kept quiet about being able to change her size was for her own personal comfort.

"Do you have any other complaints, Neoth?" Erda interjected before he could point that out.

"No." He sighed. "Let's get this over with."

—-

"Thank you for your hard work, Captain Velor." The Emperor saluted the Captain of the Artax. "Inform Commodore Lysander that the recovered device will be returning with me to the Imperial Palace."

"As you will, my Lord." Captain Velor returned the salute.

They were in the hangar bay of the Artax. A large bundle of golden looking chains was on the Emperor's shoulder. Behind him, Erda and LE-2 were entering the shuttle. He was stuck exchanging the barest of niceties with the nervous captain in order to appear as normal as possible.

"I will be leaving for the Imperial Palace. Return to Commodore Lysander's command. Dismissed."

"Yes My Lord." The Captain stood to attention with a strained smile as the Emperor turned and entered the shuttle.

Once inside with the hatch shut and sealed behind him, Neoth dispelled the bundle of chains and turned towards Erda.

"Have you notified Malcador and the others?" He asked as a doll sized Isha jumped out of the back of Erda's cloak and returned to her normal size.

"Leetu is contacting them right now." Erda replied as she sat down in one of the shuttle's seats. The entire ship shook as it took off from the hangar floor and exited the ship. "Valador, Astarte, and Malcador are gathering at the Whispering Tower."

"It is Malcador's retreat now." Neoth warned.

"It is the last surviving artifact of the Cognoscynths." Erda sighed. "At least let its name live on."

"Even if it is the name left by an enemy?"

"Even more so."

The two locked eyes. Meanwhile Isha stretched her limbs out in the background.

"It's no use arguing, Neoth." The Aeldari goddess said as she rolled her shoulders. "Whether it be an enemy or ally, humanity's legacy is irreplaceable to her. That's just how she is as a deity. If you want to get her to change, you're going to have to engage her in a divine debate. Of course, that would probably kill her in her current state. If you don't want to kill Erda, then you're just going to have to accept her."

Neoth turned to glare at Isha, then relaxed his gaze. He had already fought enough times with Erda. He could not change her mind anymore than she could change his back then.

"Just be careful when you speak in public." He finally said.

"Do not worry." Erda replied softly. "You know I keep to myself."

Neoth nodded then changed the subject. "So, what have you told the others?"

"I only requested their presence. This matter is quite sensitive. I'm not comfortable talking about it, even on encrypted channels." Erda's tone turned serious. "The Whispering Tower's Cognoscynth designs should keep what we discuss secret from any attempt to eavesdrop from the materium or immaterium. Malcador requisitioned it for his personal use after the destruction of the City of Sight for precisely that reason."

"And I'm the one who has to explain everything?" Neoth grumbled.

"Who else is going to do it?" Erda shrugged in return before turning towards the Aeldari goddess. "Isha, show me your human disguise."

The goddess's ears shortened and rounded themselves as her height lowered itself to the average height for a human female, taking 40 or 50 cm from her original form."Here. Perfect, isn't it?" She said proudly.

Neoth and Erda both remained silent for a moment.

"You've only gotten shorter and rounded out your ears." He finally pointed out.

"Is there a problem?" The goddess raised an eyebrow. "There are blonds amongst humans."

"Yes, but it is unusual to see a human with silver eyes, not to mention beauty such as yours is very rare amongst humans." Erda said as she put a finger to her chin in thought.

"Are you asking me to make myself look ugly?" Isha said as she narrowed her eyes.

"Well, that would be a st-" Neoth's comment was cut off as Erda raised a hand, covering his mouth.

"Don't Neoth. I can already tell that her definition of beauty and ugliness are totally alien to ours. It would be easier to hide her features physically." She turned and rummaged around in one of the overhead lockers of the shuttle. "Here, take this cloak and these shoes. Make yourself shorter and keep the hood on at all times. Nobody should be able to see your face that way. We can get a veil later to be doubly sure nothing is revealed."

"Fine." Isha said as she shrank again and took the cloak. "As a guest and handmaiden, I suppose I can do my best not to outshine my mistress."

"There are many types of beauty." Erda chuckled. "Not all are attracted to the vibrant and wild. Sometimes, it is the calm and quiet that draws the interests of others."

"But, both should have their thorns." Isha replied as she put on the cloak and shrank herself some more.

"Of course." Erda nodded. "True beauty is found in endurance; the strength to keep on moving forward to a better tomorrow."

"Do you like each other or hate each other?" Neoth interrupted.

Quite frankly, watching these two circle each other was getting exhausting. At this point, he would settle for them hating each other if only to get a clear cut answer as to how to deal with them.

The two of them looked at each other before looking at Neoth.

"I have to hate her. She fills the same niche for a different species. It is because we are alike that I must." Isha replied matter-of-factly.

"However, both of us value the future of our respective children, and believe in the importance of passing on hope to the next generation. It would be hard not to agree with each other under those circumstances." Erda added on.

"I see…" Neoth muttered.

They had the same values, and hence would often come to the same or similar conclusion. Thus, they agreed on many things. Yet, when it came to the implementation of said agreements, Isha would always prioritize the Aeldari and Erda would always prioritize humanity. Therefore, they would always be opposed to each other despite their similarities.

On the other hand, they seemed plenty capable of working together at needling him. That probably meant that cooperation was possible between the two, so long as there was a third party that they could both target.

In a sense it was representative of how every alien and human alliance formed during the golden age of humanity. But, in hindsight that was to be expected. These two were formed from the thoughts and prayers of entire species. Their actions mirrored the broad strokes of their respective children's possible paths.

'Then I guess I can take this as a good omen that the children of Isha can work with the children of Erda.' He thought to himself. He could only hope that the third party the Aeldari and humanity would be united against was the Ruinous Powers or some other alien.

—-

"We have arrived, mother." Leetu announced as the shuttle landed on one of the pads sticking out of the upper levels of the Sanctum Imperialis of the Imperial Palace.

"Thank you, Leetu." Erda replied, stroking the massive pauldrons that covered her son's shoulders. "You may do as you wish for now. I will send for you when I wish to return to your brothers."

Isha pulled the hood of her borrowed cloak down over her brow and bowed her head as the hatch of the shuttle opened. A welcoming party of Custodes was present, standing to attention to either side of a red carpet embroidered with the golden insignias of the Imperium.

The Emperor exited the shuttle first, followed by Erda and then Isha herself.

"So, this is the heart of the Imperium of Man." Isha whispered as she looked around.

The gold and marble white Sanctum Imperialis, the central portion of the Imperial Palace, towered over the Himalazia mountains it was built into. Numerous smaller abodes and towns had sprouted up around it like lichen growing on the exposed roots of a great tree. However, the rest of the Imperial Palace was still incomplete. She could see large sections of flattened land beyond the walls of the Sanctum Imperialis. It was a clean slate for a future builder to impose their vision of what the seat of power for the Imperium should look like.

"Hush." Erda whispered back. "Your voice alone betrays what you are, even when spoken with a human tone."

Isha frowned, then reviewed all the information she had taken from Neoth.

'Is this fine?' She signed with one hand towards Erda.

'It will do.' Erda signed back.

The three of them traveled into the central domed tower of the Sanctum Imperialis. There was a certain Persian influence in its design, although the color scheme was closer to Greek or Egyptian architecture with its marble white walls and golden inlays. The outer parts of the Sanctum Imperialis were a combination of Greek and European designs. Massive interconnecting bridges in the shape of aqueducts spanned between steeples and spires the size of skyscrapers.

This mass of towers and bridges darkened the lower levels with their shadows. If it were not for the electric lamp posts placed at regular intervals, those beneath the top 9 or 10 floors would be living in perpetual dusk or dawn. Golden statues of the Imperial Eagle were perched on various monument gates upon the bridges or on the outside of the towers like gargoyles. Each one seemed to glow with the light reflected off of their auramite feathers. All of them looked downwards at the people below with their realistically sculpted avian eyes. Cold judgment seemed to radiate from them as they stared down at the populace below.

'Isn't this a bit much?' She signed to Erda, referring to the oppressive feeling of the city-sized structure that was the incomplete Imperial Palace.

'They are a reminder of the legend of Prometheus.' The dark haired woman sighed as she signed back. 'The legend describes an eagle that came to tear out the nightly regrowing liver of the thief who stole power from the gods. This was where the Cognoscynths' last city was located. Nothing of it but the Whispering Tower remains, not even its people. Still, the architecture of the Sanctum Imperialis was designed to incorporate elements of that symbolism to ensure the new populace would remain humbled.'

'So, the eagles watch the populace so they no longer steal power above their station?'

'That is what these symbols mean, although there is a practical reason for the design.' Erda signed. 'Each eagle acts as a psychic ward. They muffle the whispers of the Warp, but stifle the soul in the process.' She gestured with one hand to the people on the bridges below. 'The touch of various Warp creatures marks the people on this planet. Even long after the destruction of Shang Khal's armies and wrathsingers, zealot priest-kings and Ethnarchs have risen up again and again from the ruins of ancient Ursh's client states.'

'Banishing Pharaa'gueotla made no difference?' Isha asked. The creature she brought up was one of several Daemon Princes who had taken residence on Terra during Old Night. It entertained itself by egging on the destructive and treacherous tendencies of humanity.

When the Emperor returned to Terra, Pharaa'gueotla and its minions were the first Warp denizens to be defeated with his gene-enhanced warriors. Additionally, a psychic weapon dubbed "The Angel' was let loose. The results of the conflict were mixed. Although Pharaa'gueotla and its mortal thralls were defeated, the Daemon Prince managed to flee from Terra. This forced the Emperor to leave his home planet again to chase it down and finally seal it on the abandoned world of Karis Cephalon.

'The Daemon Prince merely exacerbated what was there. Even after his imprisonment, humanity has continued to tear itself apart on this planet.'There was a rather noticeable slump in her shoulders, showing a great exhaustion in the mother of humanity as she replied. 'Then again, there may be other daemons of various nature hiding within the minds of the people. Another justification for the extreme measures Neoth has put into place here.' She signed back with a shrug. 'On top of that, there are some who can come with the mere mention of their name. Thus, educating the populace has its own risks of daemonic infiltration. With humanity's current cultural, societal, and psychic levels of development on Terra, mass-ignorance is one of the possible countermeasures against them.' Erda's lips were pursed, as if she had bitten down on something sour as she signed the last sentences.

'But, you disagreed with him, didn't you?' Isha signed back.

'You already know the answer to that if you took all of Neoth's information.' The hand motions of Erda were quick and irritated.

'I want to hear your side of the story.'

'Are you that bored?' Erda snorted as she signed.

'My children view me as the one to help the downtrodden and the defeated.' Isha shrugged. 'Although Eldanesh masked what that truly meant after the War in Heaven, I still find myself aligned with the weaker side of any conflict. Oppression and domination strangle diversity, and as the Goddess of Life, I dislike that.'

'Of course you would feel that way.' Erda flashed a tired smile in Isha's direction. 'You don't deploy an Exterminatus weapon when you have won the battle normally.'

Isha didn't reply, and instead waited for Erda to answer her question. Finally, Erda sighed and began to sign again.

'I asked him to trust them. He, like humanity, has made mistakes. Therefore, I asked him to allow at least the children of those he defined as sinners to be free.'

'And his answer?' Isha asked.

Erda sighed again and made a quotation sign to indicate she would be repeating his words verbatim.

'There are no more second chances. The people of Terra made their choice, and have shown they can no longer be trusted. We no longer have any time to waste.'

Isha shot a tired look at the back of the Emperor's head. However, she had his perspective from the information she had taken.

'The Omnissiah was still free back then, wasn't it?' She signed to Erda.

The Emperor was dealing with several crises at the time. Terra was but one planet in a crumbling federation. AI rebellions, civil war, and out of control psykers had descended upon humanity in relatively quick succession. Of course, the Ruinous Powers and other daemons tagged along for the spectacle, making things worse wherever they could.

'It was, and things were dire.' Erda admitted. 'But, if it was the choice of my children, I can accept the result. As a mother, you should know how I felt.'

Isha frowned at that.

'I do, but I made a different choice.'

Erda snorted then signed back. 'I fail to see the difference between our outcomes. You allowed your children to fall to temptation, just as I watched my children destroy themselves.'

'Perhaps…' Isha's reply came slowly. 'But, I still believe my children can return to what they were.'

'Hope…' Erda signed. 'can be a dangerous thing. I have learned that the hard way after watching many struggle in vain. At times, one must accept fate as it is. If my children wish to take the next step, then they should be allowed to do so. It is their choice, and it is not my place to stop them when I can no longer support them.'

A small smile tugged at Isha's lips.

'You remind me of my own mother.' She signed. 'She too was a goddess of fate. She too always stood back, merely reading and not controlling the strands she had in her rune skinned pouch.'

'That is the side effect of having a hand on the past, present, and future.' Erda replied. 'I love watching my children make their own choices. If I interfered, I would no longer be myself.'

There was a slight pause between the two as they walked deeper into the Sanctum Imperialis. Marble pillars and golden decorations lined the walls of the corridor, while a red carpet made of interwoven metal and resin fibers lay in the center of the floor. Any other fabric would have been flattened by the armored boots of the Custodes long ago. Naturally, all visitors to the Palace had to wear shoes at all times. Otherwise, the red staining the fibers would have been blood instead of dye.

'By the way…' Isha asked, changing the subject. 'I was wondering about the name of your shuttle. Who named it?'

'Neoth.' Erda shrugged. 'I originally wanted it to be named the Past, Present, and Future. But, he said that was too obvious.'

'So, why did it change to the Emperor's Grip?'

'It comes from a quote by George Orwell 'Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.' It was the compromise we reached. As it is my personal shuttle, the ship's name symbolizes Neoth's control over humanity's fate.'

'I wouldn't call that much of a compromise.' Isha snorted.

'By making the name seem to be a reference to him, he makes himself responsible for all that shuttle does.' A small smile crossed Erda's face. 'It was his way of standing in front of me to take the brunt of whatever was to come. You may imagine a controlling fist from the name, but it was intended to be a shielding hand cradling a small object in its center.'

Arrogant on its surface. Fascistic and despotic in sound. Yet, even as the Emperor, there was an attachment that only those who knew him could see.

He was a tyrant due to his nature, but he envied Enkidu who walked with humanity. Now, it was hard to say whether it was simply his nature or necessity that made him take the mantle of the Emperor.

'So, he still loves you.' Isha signed with a sad smile. There was a hint of envy in her expression. She did not wish for the Emperor's love, but this conversation was a painful reminder that Erda's children were still with her. Lilieath and Eldanesh were both out of her reach.

'He will always love me.' Erda replied. 'I have watched him since before he became what he was. I watched him as he wandered off into the desert after murdering his uncle. When he stumbled under the heat, a cooling wind brushed against his brow. When he dug into the earth out of thirst, water welled up from the moist dirt.' She paused to take in a breath of air. Despite speaking silently, the emotions depleted the oxygen in her blood rapidly. 'I am the mother he and all humanity sprang from. That fact has never changed, no matter how many times we have fought, nor how many times he has hurt me.' Her brown eyes looked up at Neoth's armored back. 'Even when he lost all control and became the burning figure upon his golden path, he has cared for me.'

Erda turned her head towards Isha, brown eyes meeting silver ones through the fabric of the hood. 'I have said it before, but allow me to say it again. Thank you, mother of the Aeldari, for restoring a portion of his sanity.'

A tired smile spread across Isha's lips. She could tell Erda was truly thankful, but she could also empathize with the other maternal emotions that were no doubt bubbling in her breast.

'There is no need to hide your feelings from me.' She signed as she shook her head. 'I know the black hatred in your heart that wishes to consume the both of us.'

Erda sighed softly then nodded.

'Yes. I hate you and myself.' Her eyes were fixed on the floor as her hands formed the words. 'I hate you for doing something I was not able to do for tens of thousands of years. I hate myself for being proved powerless in helping my son. Yet, I am indebted to you in this regard.' Her right arm blurred, then split into three. The young and old hands were superimposed upon each other, forming the hand signs necessary to communicate, but the soft feminine hand of the mature woman extended itself towards Isha. 'So long as you do not stand in humanity's way, I will swallow these feelings as I have swallowed the bitterness and anger that I felt towards the Emperor.'

Isha took Erda's hand in her own, accepting the handshake gently.

'Do not worry, I would have felt the same if it was my Eldanesh marching before us.' She replied after they let each other go.

'A mother's love is possessive to some degree.' Erda raised a hand to cover her mouth as she chuckled. 'But, there comes a time that we will have to let go, no matter how much it breaks our heart.'

Isha remained silent. That was the decision Erda made, and she could not agree with it. She may have abandoned the path where she decided what was right and wrong for her children, but she had never stopped trying to help them. If she had let go, she would have never broken Asuryan's edict.

But, that was a freedom Erda did not have. What can a dead world give to things that require life?

"We have arrived." Neoth interrupted their conversation. They stood before a set of blast doors decorated with the Imperial symbols and colors. There was the electric hum of a machine receiving a code, then the locks within the doors began to undo themselves. There was the sizzle of a dissipating void shield as the doors slid into the walls and floor to reveal a hanging corridor made of plexi-glass. It was attached to a thin stone gray tower; knobbly and crooked like an outstretched arthritic finger pointing at the roof of the Sanctum Imperialis. Dirt was still smeared across parts of it, as if the tower had shoved its way out of the very ground during its erection. The Imperial Palace walls surrounded it on all sides, forming a small courtyard around the tower. Several hanging corridors attached to the tower at different heights. All of them varied in length due to the tower's uneven surface. It was as if this part of the Imperial Palace had been built around the tower, confining the ancient architecture within marble walls inlaid with gold.

The three walked across the hanging corridor towards the tower. Isha looked around, and saw several half-spheres attached on the outer roof and upper sides of the corridor. They were proximity triggered melta-charges that would be primed to detonate should the doors be forced open. There were several other defenses outside the corridor as well. One was composed of prism-like focussing crystals disguised as gem-like objects on the very bottom of the courtyard. They would fire up into the plexi-glass corridors whether the melta-charges detonated or not. Whoever was caught in the focal point of these lasers would meet a grisly end. If the melta-charges destroyed the corridor, whatever survived the inferno would be cut apart. If any intruder managed to disarm the melta-charges, they would be swallowed by molten plexi-glass as the lasers liquified the material the corridors were made of. Of course, the disarmed melta-charges would detonate at point-blank range from the heat after that.

The entry point to the tower was also covered by a blast door, but she could see it was a later addition to the building's architecture. This part of the corridor was attached to the tower like a boarding tube of a void-ship; pressed up against the stone like a leech's mouth on skin.

Once again the electric hum of a code being transferred came, and the void shields and blast doors opened to reveal a hole bored into the tower itself. Smooth edges reminiscent of solidified lava flows showed that this hole had been cut open with extreme heat.

Isha looked around as the doors and shields sealed the tower again.

The interior of the tower was amenable to human habitation. The floor was made of the same gray stone as the tower, but the furniture consisted of ordinary looking tables and chairs. Cogitator screens and data tablets hung or lay on some of these. Two individuals were sitting at one of the tables, with two more standing slightly behind them.

One was an old man in a hooded cloak with an ornate staff in one hand. This was Malcador, the Imperial Regent and 6000 year old Perpetual. He was of mortal birth, but his psychic gifts and ancient technology kept him alive far longer than any normal human.

One was an old woman with virtually no hair remaining on her head and perhaps even less flesh on her bones. She was clothed in a pleated shift of victorian style. It was white in color, and the only other item of clothing upon her was a sturdy belt and las pistol holster at her waist. This was Amar Astarte, a gene-sculptor of Terra who had served many techno-barbarian Warlords. Creating mutants and monstrosities was her specialty, and she had survived this long only because her patrons had been satisfied by her wares. She herself, however, viewed all she made as mistakes and mishaps. It was only after witnessing what the Emperor himself could do with the surviving gene-tech on Terra that she pledged her loyalty to the Imperium to learn more secrets of gene-crafting.

One was a towering giant in golden armor with an ornate spear in his right hand. This was Constantin Valdor, Captain-General of the Custodes and officially the first of their number. He was in charge of the Imperium's progress in the Unification Wars, handing down strategic directives to the Thunder Warrior legions while giving direct orders to the regular Imperial army. But, he was no armchair general. He had stormed across the battlefield more than once whenever it was tactically or politically necessary. As all Custodes, he was a soldier and statesman both.

The final individual was not among those requested by Erda. She appeared to be a maid in an apron dress, but none of the psychic beings were deceived by her physical appearance. This was Lady Callidus, the Imperial assassin that was tangentially useful in the realm of politics. Technically, it was the Vanus Temple infocytes that were meant to infiltrate and investigate in secret. However, as it was occasionally useful for those assassinated to appear to be alive, Lady Callidus and her skills struck a unique balance between deception and violence that was useful within the Imperial Palace.

"Malcador." Erda said with narrowed eyes. "There are more here than I asked for."

"Lady Erda." Malcador replied as he bowed his head slightly. "I sensed that this matter would be political to some degree, hence I thought it important that all parties involved be represented."

"And you chose the one who can change their face at will?" There was a slight tinge of sarcasm in Erda's voice. Representation often meant recognition. To choose a Callidus Assassin for that role was oxymoronic if not down right paradoxical.

"Who better to represent an organization that should not be recognized?" Astarte interjected with her raspy voice as she eyed the hooded Isha curiously.

"Well said." Erda nodded. "But, I have a guest here. I will not have one with those questions in her mind before her."

Astarte snorted as a strained smile crossed Malcador's face. One did not need to be a psychic to guess what the assassin was thinking if they knew her for long enough, and everyone in this room had been acquaintances or partners for at least 300 years.

"Lady Erda…" Malcador said as he sent the Emperor a pleading look. Imperial Regent he may be, but when it came to Erda it was only the Emperor who could override her orders. Yet, the Emperor remained quiet this time.

"It is fine." A musical voice sounded through the chamber, causing every remaining muscle in Astarte's body to tense. She was the only non-combatant in the room, and ironically the youngest of all the people there. But, she had not survived this long on Terra without picking up a few tricks. Line after line of memorized chemical reactions and genetic code went through her mind, allowing her to hold onto herself by using her obsession with knowledge to shut out the warbles of birds and trickle of creeks.

Isha pulled back the hood covering her face, while returning to her Aeldari height and form. "So long as she gets her answer, she should be well behaved."

Silver eyes crossed over each individual, reflecting each one as she gazed at them.

Astarte fixed her eyes on the table before her, well aware of the dangers of interacting with any psychic being. Not much was needed for them to worm their way into the mind of their victims.

The other three returned her gaze with varying degrees of emotion.

Malcador gave her a weary look, before shooting another at the Emperor. Bringing an alien deity to Terra was out of character for the Emperor. As his oldest friend, the Imperial Regent was worried about what this change in behavior meant more than anything else.

Constantin Valdor did not blink as her eyes met his. He hadn't blinked once since she had entered the room. His eyes had remained open to ensure he wouldn't lose sight of her for even a nanosecond. Yet, there was no emotion in his gaze or face. It was impossible to tell whether he was wary of her, or merely acting as any Custodes would. After all, the Custodes are not human enough to blink.

The assassin remained immovable, still taking the form of a maid. Even after being called out, her pride as a shapeshifter caused her to refuse to return to her original form. But, the burning question in her mind seemed to grow as she felt Isha looking at her.

"Fine." Erda sighed. "Satisfy her curiosity."

Isha walked up towards the assassin, who merely bowed her head and curtsied. The alien was a guest of Erda's and her disguise demanded she treat her as such.

Isha's right arm blurred, and there was a small spray of blood.

A long needle, slightly bloodied, was grasped in Isha's right hand. On the maid's body, a small pinky-sized hole had opened in her side. It was the exit wound where Isha had plucked the poisoned needle hidden underneath the assassin's skin.

Isha's hand flipped the needle around, holding it like a dagger, then slammed it into her own eye. There was the dull sound of warping metal, then the Aeldari goddess lowered her hand.

"This is your answer." Isha said gently as she slipped what remained of the poisoned needle into the front pocket of the assassin's apron dress. It had split apart down the center, spreading open like a whisk. The Aeldari's silver eyes were unblemished, without the slightest hint of irritation or reddening.

'Can I kill that?'

That was the question that always appeared in the assassin's mind whenever she saw something or someone new.

She couldn't react when the alien had plucked the needle from her body, and any physical attack might as well be useless against whatever the alien was made out of.

Lady Callidus bowed again, still keeping the form of the maid. She had her answer, and expressed her thanks in the only way she could with her current form.

"I know you think you're lowering your communication skills to our level…" Erda huffed. "But, a physical demonstration like that just makes you look barbaric."

"Oh. Was I that obvious?" Isha snorted as she turned back towards Erda. "Even more so, am I wrong?"

"No." Erda replied. Lady Callidus was the one who was rude first in that regard. She had appeared before Erda's guest with dangerous curiosity. "Thank you for your succinct answer." She said sarcastically before turning to the assassin. "You can stay now. Take whatever form you wish."

"Thank you, Lady Erda." The assassin finally spoke as her face and hair returned to their original shape and color. The hole in her body closed up as she reformed her flesh, staunching the bleeding.

"To think, I'm the one closest to human." Astarte said with dry laughter. Out of all of them, she was the one who looked least human with her almost mummified appearance. However, compared to the psyker, the Custodes, the shape-shifting assassin, as well as whatever Erda, the Emperor and the alien were, she was just very old.

"My Emperor." Malcador said, rising from his seat with his staff before turning to his friend. "May I assume you will share the reason for your decision with us?" He bowed his head, ensuring his question would not appear insolent or sarcastic. His free hand gestured towards Isha, indicating what the decision in question was.

"Rise, old friend." The Emperor replied. "Although I understand the situation is odd for many of you, I shall share with you what has happened to lead us here."

—-

The room remained silent after the Emperor finished speaking. Naturally, he had omitted Isha and Erda's conversations, as well as his attempt to re-wrap Isha in chains when they reached Terra. He also left out any mention of gods or god-hood and his own history.

To summarize what he did share; he discovered Isha on one of the planets he intended to recover some more gene-tech from. She helped him lure the Aeldari refugees into a trap while preparing a trap of her own for him. The two of them fought to a stand still, and read each other's mind entirely during the fight. Then, Isha had agreed to help him unify humanity in return for future assistance with her species' war against Chaos.

Of course, his definition of salvation also remained hidden as well.

"My Emperor." Astarte was the first to speak up. "How much Xenos knowledge may be shared with me?" Of course, her one concern was her craft. Although she specialized in operating and recovering artifacts from the Dark Age of Technology, she would gleefully take anything else she could get her hands on. Seeing Isha's physical and psychic abilities had also aroused her interests. The Space Marines were lesser copies of the Emperor's genetics, yet they were superior to any natural born human. She could not stop wondering what she could create if she had access to Isha's genetics.

"None." The Emperor replied firmly. "You have not reached my level of expertise in gene-crafting. You do not have the right to ask for more when you have yet to master what you have been given."

"As you say my Emperor." Astarte replied. It was a long-shot, but she expected the answer. "Lady Isha." She said, turning to the Aeldari. "What can I offer for your knowledge?"

Malcador and Erda both sighed simultaneously. This was to be expected. Astarte had always served the warlord with the greatest access to gene-tech and Dark Age of Technology artifacts. Until now, she only had the techno-barbarian warlords of Terra to offer her services, but it appeared she truly didn't care who or what she pledged her allegiance to.

"Nothing." Isha replied. "But, I commend your bravado and fool's bravery for asking to serve another before your current patron." Sarcasm and amusement was mixed in the Aeldari's tone, but Astarte only shook her head.

"I have neither, Lady Isha. I ask now because now is the only chance I have."

"Oh?" The Aeldari raised an eyebrow. "Why is that?"

"I speak before Lady Erda and her guest." Astarte answered. "The Emperor cannot harm me if you, the one who fought him to a stand still, accepts my service. He cannot stop me from speaking at this meeting convened under Lady Erda's orders without tarnishing her hospitality. Therefore, it is only now that I can speak freely without fear of punishment."

"Clever little creature." Isha chuckled, amused by her political guile. "And arrogant as well. You think yourself valuable enough to survive slighting the Emperor after this meeting and its protections end?"

"Should you reject me, I have nowhere else to go." The over-aged woman shrugged. "I do not fear death or torture at this age. I know too much to be thrown out of the Imperial Palace. Thus, the only threat available is the withholding of knowledge and restriction of my craft. Both are counterproductive to the Emperor's goals. Besides, I have no choice but to be loyal to the Emperor. He has known this from the day we met, and it is because he knows that I only serve my craft I will never betray him. Although…" A proud smile pulled her wrinkled lips back to reveal pearly white teeth. "I do admit I believe I am still useful to him."

"Interesting." Isha laughed. "But, I have no interest in you or your services, human. Although, I suppose it may serve your Emperor if I answered the odd question about gene-crafting in general. But…" She fixed Astarte with a cold stare. "Do not pester me. Charity should only be accepted, and not asked for."

Astarte bowed her head quickly, sending the few strands of white hair attached to her bald scalp fluttering like cut kite-strings in the wind.

"I shall await you in my laboratories should you find yourself in a gracious mood."

"You will only talk to her after I have heard what you are going to share." The Emperor ordered Isha. "Astarte serves me, and I will decide what she needs to know."

"So your master says." Isha shrugged, speaking to Astarte. "But, as his student and disciple, you should show reverence to his decision."

"I do every day by serving him and no other."

"How very human." Isha laughed as she turned towards Erda. "Arrogant, obnoxious, unrepentant, and avaricious to no end."

"Indeed." Erda gave a tired sigh before smiling softly. "But it is those traits that make them endearing."

"Quite." Isha nodded. "Perhaps I should have said it was child-like instead. I could have used those words for many of my children as well."

"Enough." The Emperor interrupted. "Malcador, do you have any comments?"

The Imperial Regent remained seated, stroking his staff with one finger. He was the most directly involved in this, as he was about to lose his 'friend' Ael Wyntor to the Aeldari.

"If she has all your secrets, my Emperor, then there are only two ways to ensure that data breach does not destroy us." He stated calmly. "If silencing her is out of our capabilities, then cooperation is the only option."

"An obvious observation." Isha snorted. "So, you say to my face that you trust neither me nor Erda's hospitality."

"It is my responsibility to doubt." Malcador said with a polite smile. "It is the ones closest to the individual that must ask the most questions."

"So he says." Isha flashed a sarcastic smile towards the Emperor. "You have a good friend, Master of Mankind. Despite ignoring him so often, he still does his duty as confidant." She turned away from the entire group and readorned her hooded cloak. "Erda, shall we leave the rest of them to debate what they shall do to me?" She spoke as she shrank and ears rounded.

"Well, if they have no intention of sharing their thoughts with us, then it cannot be helped." Erda shrugged. "Come, assassin. I have a favor to ask my guest, and I will need your help with the details."

The female assassin reassumed her disguise, and followed the two woman-shaped beings as they exited Malcador's retreat.

Neoth sighed internally while his physical form kept up the persona of the Emperor. He could still tell where Isha was at all times, so her leaving his sight did not do much to hide her activities. Additionally, Erda seemed to have some sort of agreement with her as a kindred maternal deity that restricted her actions. Still, that wild personality of hers and unrelenting tongue was exhausting.

"I shall return to my laboratories." Astarte said as she stood up. "Ezekiel has free reign there while I'm away, and I'd like to reclaim my position there."

"Amar." Malcador called out.

"I know when to keep quiet." The old woman croaked back. "You don't survive as many warlords as I have without knowing when to keep your mouth shut and when to speak."

The blast doors and shields opened and shut, leaving only the Captain-General, the Imperial Regent, and the Emperor in the room.

"I must ask." Malcador began. "Could you not have killed her?"

"Do you think I did not attempt that?" The Emperor asked back.

"I believe you did, once." Malcador replied. "But, I cannot see how she can resist even one blow from you now."

Malcador was an accomplished psyker, and was capable of reading the strength of metaphysical beings to some degree. The Aeldari goddess was far far weaker than the Emperor as he was now. In fact, she was barely equal to Erda who was on her deathbed. A sufficient number of greater daemons could overpower them, which was part of the reason Erda remained either near the Emperor or under the protection of one of his wards.

"The Aeldari do not die easily." The Emperor repeated the adage all survivors of any conflict with the Aeldari often repeated. "She would find a way to make things worse for her killer than her jailer."

"And is that what we intend to do to her?" Malcador said as he turned towards the Emperor. "Imprison her here with you?"

"Not at the moment." He shook his head. "Erda has invited her as a guest, and that means something to the both of them."

Malcador sighed, then gave a tired smile.

"Having another secret we cannot expose to anyone is not a major issue. We have billions of them already." A thoughtful expression crossed his face then. "But, I do not trust Xenos."

"You do not trust anyone." The Emperor stated bluntly.

"You have me there, old friend." He said with a laugh. "I question everyone and everything, and it is that feature that has allowed me to be your confidant."

"That is the privilege of having the same dream as me."

"A dream on the cusp of becoming reality." Malcador stood up from the chair and summoned one of the data tablets towards him with a bout of telekinesis. "We have come far. Conquering Terra with the same resources all the other factions have theoretical access to has taken time, but the conquered peoples do not question our power. The fear of thunder has been firmly ingrained in them." A map appeared of a single legion of Thunder Warriors 5000 strong patrolling the wastelands of the Franc. "After Avelroi, Urartu, and the Ethnarchy the changing of the guard can commence. We can finally shed the last dependencies of the techniques from Old Night, and begin a truly human reconquest of the stars." Malcador's wrinkled hand tightened its grip on the data tablet. "We are so close, old friend." He whispered.

"Do you fear that my change in behavior jeopardizes everything we have done?" The Emperor asked quietly.

"I do not fear. I question." Malcador replied as he put down the data tablet and looked into the brown eyes of the Emperor.

The two stared at each other for a while as the Captain-General of the Custodes watched the both of them quietly.

Finally, the Emperor flashed a small smile that was returned by his friend.

"Reading the mind of an alien while being read by it was taxing." He said, rephrasing what had happened between Isha and him. "I have seen things from different perspectives, and learned how to say the same thing with different words." He put an armored hand on his friend's shoulder. "Yet, my goal has not changed. Salvation, for all humanity."

Malcador let out a small sigh. He believed his friend's words. He had to, or there was no point to his questioning.

"But you might have changed how you want to get there." He said as he patted the armored hand upon his shoulder.

"Yes. I have." The Emperor said as he withdrew his hand. "Perhaps I have grown soft through the experience. I find myself considering Erda's pestering to use dialogue instead of destruction."

A dry chuckle came from Malcador's throat. Pestering was not how he would have described the fights between the two of them. It was only his psychic gifts that allowed him to watch the two of them argue.

"There have been times that I too have asked for your leniency, and been refused it." Malcador added on, pulling another data tablet towards him. Upon it were several proposals on countering religious zealotry. Legislation based around regulation rather than prohibition were written down in detail, but all of them had been rejected by the Emperor in the past. "If you wish to take a softer style in your rule, I will serve you as I always have as the Imperial Regent."

A frown crossed the Emperor's brow as he took the data tablet from Malcador. Religion was a touchy subject on many levels for him, but it was also the most draconian portion of his rule. Many churches, covents, monasteries, temples, and shrines had been burned to the ground at his direction. More than once, the people who lived there remained inside as stone ceilings collapsed from heat stress-fractures created by the Promethium streams launched from Heavy Flamers.

"Knowledge corrupts." The Emperor said quietly, handing back the data tablet to Malcador.

"To be forewarned is to be forearmed." His friend countered.

Spirituality and religion were intertwined with the beings of the Warp. The multitude of Priest-Kings and Ethnarchs that plagued Terra with strange boons or mutations was proof of this. Yet, to be completely oblivious to the concept of the immaterium was like living in a sterile bubble. One perforation, and those inside would be exposed to infections and disease they had no immunization against.

Malcador had proposed several means of immunizing the populace against religion beyond simple prohibition. Allowing minor cults to grow and eventually self-destruct in a controlled manner would allow the religious to sully their own image for them. Letting a few false prophets more interested in selling 'power crystals' and 'healing bath waters' than any actual belief loose for a few months before arresting the fraudsters and revealing who they were could also nurture a healthy skepticism against all those who brought strange promises of salvation. Whether such mundane tactics would have any effect against the temptations of the Ruinous Powers was unknown, but it would be better than nothing. After all, such social events were what gradually drained the strength of religion from before Old Night.

Enlightenment dispelled the need for religion to explain things, but skepticism was also required to reject and renounce all those who brought temptations of eternal salvation.

However, to experiment with spirituality risked looking into the depth of one's soul. Since the soul was connected to the immaterium, to look deep into one's self risked peeking into the realm of thoughts and dreams. For almost all individuals, what they would see would be harmless or so incomprehensible it would be as if they had seen nothing at all. Yet, it was still a risk that the Emperor had not entertained until now.

Failure was impossible for him, so leaving the entirety of the Imperium unimmunized was a non-issue, so long as the bubble of ignorance remained unbroken.

The Emperor's brow creased even further, then relaxed as he let out a sigh.

"I will contemplate the matter." He said softly. "Thank you. Malcador."

"I am your friend, my Emperor. I will stand by you regardless of whether I agree with you." The old man bowed his head. "No matter how harshly you treat me or the insults you may throw at me, I will remain." Malcador's voice dropped to a whisper as he said the next sentence. "If I do not do so, I have no right to be at your side."

The armored hand of the Emperor patted Malcador's shoulder gently twice in thanks.

"Valdor." The Emperor called out to his Captain-General, who had remained immobile this entire time. "Do you have anything to say?"

"No, my Emperor." The Custodes replied in a surprisingly dulcet tone. There was nothing for him to do here. Isha could not be killed with Valdor's spear, and the politics here operated with a different mental arithmetic to that of the Imperial Palace. There was a more emotional touch to it that could not be mimicked by the Custodes. Therefore, the correct answer to this problem of statecraft was to remain silent.

Constantin Valdor had no emotions, just like any other Custodes. Everything was a problem that required a solution, and he was here to appraise what sort of problem the Emperor's partner and Erda's guest was.

At the moment, he had no solution to provide, and there was no extra-information the Emperor would give to elaborate on the situation. Hence, he had nothing to say.

"I see." The Emperor replied, as if he had expected Valdor's answer. "Both of you, follow me to my office. We shall discuss what to do with Avelroi and the Thunder Warriors."