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Disclaimer: I don't own Warhammer 40,000
Brewing Storms
The massive chamber was darkly lit. Our power armored steps and the wine of servos were the only thing that could be heard echoing off the walls. I followed the Canoness and her Seraphim bodyguards as we moved through the reliquary. The torches burned low. We passed several artifacts. Even a clear glass Sarcophagus with a mummified sister inside. I think that was Sister Melony who died defending a sepulcher somewhere far away in a War of Faith long ago. Several tomes and other holy relics were on pedestals dotting the chamber. We stopped at our destination.
It was a suit of blackened power armor encased in a protective glass shrine. Bell's armor. It used to be the most polished among us novitiates during and after training. Now though, it stood out against the darkness, the black suit almost seemed to suck in what little light hovered around it. It was just a vague and barely noticeable distortion in the air, but it was there if you looked. It was eerie in its own way.
I heard the Ad Mechs that worked on our gear were frothing at the chance to rip it apart, and discover how it was restored to its factory newness. The purity seals would burn off after being pressed on and they didn't know what to think. That part worried me somewhat, but were the seals necessary after being purified in the flames.
My thoughts were interrupted when the Canoness handed me a dataslate.
"Sister Rylanor, please enter this code into the case. I looked at it and moved up to the case. I looked into the case briefly. I entered the code and I heard the seals hiss as they sucked all the air out of the case.
I turned around to hand it back. Before the Canoness halted me.
"Memorize it and tell no one you know the code. Only myself and the Canoness Commander will know the code." she ordered.
I took a moment to take in the code. After I felt confident I had it down I handed it back,
She made a point of erasing the data on the slate.
"May I ask why I am privy to this?" I asked.
"The Canoness Commander insisted upon it." she said, clearly thinking it was a foolish idea. I decided to press.
"If she is retired, then why follow her orders?" I asked cautiously.
She sighed, "You will understand if you live long enough to be of any significant rank." That was all the answer I got.
I just nodded, knowing that was all the answer I would get.
We left, stopping only to ensure the reliquary door was locked down properly. If you weren't looking it was hard to miss blending into the walls of the Monastery so well. I was dismissed and immediately glad I had the foresight to grab some rations prior. I just hoped I had time to eat before Compline. I had to put on my helmet in order to not be bothered. My little stunt in the Furnace Chambers made people want to ask for blessings and what not.
The Monastery was still crowded with the Bishop's personnel. He wanted to stay another week. I heard a rumor that it was because he and Pontifex hit it off and the Bishop would take the thunderhawk off to preach at some of the smaller temples dotted throughout the countryside. It was an excuse to play Golf. Well it was called something different like Eagles now, but it was practically the same. Our Pontifex loved it and apparently so did the Bishop.
I did listen to the rumors going around as I walked. Well the ones not about me. I got all sorts of looks as I walked by. They no doubt wondered if I was the one who first jumped in. One conversation told of a Rogue Trader vessel stopping over before going to try their luck in the Typhoon Straights. That wasn't unusual around here to be honest. Perhaps it was news to the guests in the chapel, but not to those that lived here. Rogue Traders held a mystique after all, as many stories painted them as the hero and just as many, the villain.
It was the rumors of gang activity on the rise that caught my attention. If the feeling I had since the Ceremony was true, it could be something. Then again, I could just be going insane. I hope I never become an Inquisitor. I'd either be really fucking good at my job or the one of the crazy puritan inquisitors that are usually rivals to the so-called "sane" Inquisitor protagonists in the story. Most likely the latter because Radicals are fucking insane. I suppose that was the irony.
Cally wasn't in our quarters. Her armor was on the rack, but she was absent. Her lantern had the shutter open just enough to let in a little light. I walked over and kneeled before the lantern. It was a small thing, made of cast iron with four sides. Not much different from in old movies and even some of the pict screens in this era. It even had a large ring on top for someone to hold with. Its shutter was half raised. I shut the shutter completely. I didn't like the excess amount of light in the room. The Light never went out oddly enough even without air. I don't think I saw Cally fill it with oil once either.
Speaking of Cally, she should be here. Which was strange. Cally never missed Compline. I better find her. The Palatine was due to be by to check rooms any minute. I had been going to let her get in trouble through her own merit when I remembered she was my responsibility as a superior officer. It would look bad if I allowed this. I checked on Helena and Delilah quickly as I went to find Cally. They were fine. We were still down one as Celestian Sarah was being reassigned. She recovered well from the Psykic attack during the raid, but we didn't need two officers in our squad.
I wandered through the halls. The Bishop's people were also going to bed, say for those who had duties to be up for. I found it rather annoying. The monastery shouldn't be this loud.
I did eventually track down Cally. I noted the doors to the Furnace Chambers weren't shut completely. There was barely enough room in between the doors for a person to walk through. As quiet as one could in power armor I slowly, so as to not bump anything, passed in between the doors.
It was then I saw Cally and Cardinal. Both were wearing plain robes like the day at the ceremony, and I moved behind a pillar.
They stood before the flames.
I heard the Cardinal speak. "I heard many tales of this place. The story of how the God-Emperor lit the fire pit here changed more and more as I got closer to the source. How does your monastery tell the tale?"
Cally seemed unsure of how to start the story.
"Well the God-Emperor wasn't alone." Cally said, staring at the flames. I noted a slight twitch on the Cardinal's face when she said that. I continued listening and gauging the Cardinal. "His Son Vulkan was with him. They fought a large group of Orks who had beset the people here. During the battle, the Warboss broke Vulkan's sword. After the battle, scans showed the world was rich in various alloys. Vulkan wanted to reforge his sword of the alloys found here. The Emperor offered to help. Father and Son worked tirelessly for eighteen days to reforge the blade. It was a master work. Ever since the furnace the Emperor lit for has always burned. It never gutters or needs fuel." Cally was being very concise. The story we learned was far more detailed and ritualized. There were lines in the telling detailing each day of the forging.
The Cardinal smiled.
"A simple, yet inspiring tale of the Emperor's love for one of his greatest Sons." he said. When he said the Emperor name I noted he didn't flinch or hiss, so I don't believe he was a cultist.
Cally nodded and looked back at the fire. "Are you ready?"
The Cardinal looked at the flames. He seemed hesitant. "Yes."
Cally stepped forward, dropping her robe before walking into the flames. Ah, that is what they were doing. They weren't satisfied with just simply sticking the arm in. I was surprised the Cardinal didn't have an audience with him.
She was in Furnace for some time before she exited. She picked up her robes and put them back on. The Cardinal was respectful enough not to stare aside from a not so subtle involuntary peak. Couldn't blame him. Cally was beautiful after all.
Cally walked up next to him and nodded. The Cardinal took a breath, dropping his robe and stepped into the flames. There was no scream, so I assumed he was fine. He stepped out and picked up his robes. Cally gave him the same respect.
"It does feel better does it not?" The Cardinal said. He approached Cally.
She stepped close as well. "It does."
They were uncomfortably close as they looked into each other's eyes. I slipped back quietly to the door and made it look like I was just entering. There was no way some shifty Cardinal was going to make a move on my sister in arms. When I turned to look back, I even accidentally bumped the door. I timed it perfectly before their lips met. They broke apart nervously at the sound.
"Hello," I called out like I had just entered, "why is this door open? Oh, Cally there you are. We need to get back for Compline. Oh, you are with the Cardinal. Apologies Eminence."
"Nothing to apologize for. Cally and I felt our part in the ceremony wasn't as fulfilling after you set the new standard." he said.
"What about Ventra? She had only stuck her arm in as well." I said messing with them as well. Cally was the one to jump on that.
"It was her who gave us the idea," Cally said. I found I believed her. Seeing Ventra step forward that day before Tanya was still surprising.
"Oh, then I admire your dedication." I said to them both.
"I admire your vigilance." The Cardinal said with a bit of annoyance.
"Well Cally, we better go or we will be late for Compline before the Palatine finds us here." I said with urgency.
Her fear of the Palatine's wrath kicked her into gear. "Right," she turned and bowed. "Eminence." He returned the gesture with a nod. I repeated the gesture.
Cardinal, would you join us?" I asked.
He shook his head. "I wouldn't want to impose. I haven't even assumed my post yet, It would be poor form for me to intrude upon your sisterhood's services."
I nodded. Thinking back he had been hesitant to preach the whole time he was here. Always using this lame excuse. It was odd. A new Cardinal would be more than happy to preach to the Heavens daily and we would all be happy to listen. Believe it or not I found the preaching of the Pontifex and the other Priests on the planet to be entertaining. I found the way they preached differed and I had been mentally grading their sermons based on my own parameters for years. The Bishop was an amazing orator himself and topped my grading system easily. I could see why the Canoness Commander put up with him aside from their relationship. No doubt on and off again throughout the years considering their duties.
That brought me back to Tandem. He was far from what I expected for someone of his rank. I felt a bit uneasy around him. He wasn't some secret cultist or the fire would have burned him like Bell. Still I found myself starting to grow more suspicious. Perhaps his apparent interest in Cally was just raising my hackles.
"Right, we are cutting it close, let's go." We shut the doors to the Furnace chambers and parted ways with the Cardinal.
Halfway to Compline, Cally said sourly, "You have poor timing Sister."
I smirked, "More like perfect timing."
"I'll be sure to make it up to you one day." Cally said back. I believed her. Cally could be slightly vindictive when she wanted to be.
"I'm sure," I still said with a mock tone. I doubted I would ever have such an opportunity in the future. I continued, "Just who would you think to catch me with?" I said. I was partially curious.
Cally got a sly look. "Oh, no one in particular." I was relieved that there weren't such rumors about me and someone else flying about.
Cally continued. "Unless all that tension between you and Tanya is more than just a petty rivalry." She was frakking with me. She had to be. I never thought of Tanya like that. I mean she wasn't at all unattractive, but Tanya?
I stopped dead in my tracks as she all but skipped to Compline.
"Tanya," I said in shock and disbelief. "How ridiculous."
I heard her giggle as she skipped around the corner. I hoped she was just pulling my leg. As if I would ever consider the thought. This made me grumpy for the rest of the night. Leave it to Cally to take the wind of my sails.
It was another week before I was able to make a request to the Canoness in order to investigate the growing gang war rumors. We were assigned to guard the Bishop, and I couldn't get out of it. So we had to watch the two priests play golf. It was infuriating. Mostly because I wasn't allowed to play. Then there were all sorts of other assignments to deal with and the Palatine was having none of it. I couldn't blame the Canoness much either.
Then there was the Cardinal and Cally. They had been a lot more discrete as well. They were smart enough to go after compline at least. It was only adding to my growing list of problems. This whole promotion business truly was a double edged sword.
I did manage to get an audience. I simply volunteered to go see what was going on and report back. The Canoness agreed as she was preparing for the Bishop's departure. Which hopefully was soon and it was high time the Cardinal took up his mantle.
What I really wanted was to jump on any cult activity that we might have missed in the last purge. The way the gang wars flared up after the purge was not unusual as the vacuum left by the cults was standard fare. It was the tales of extreme violence that really got to me. More so than usual. Most gangs didn't like drawn out engagements preferring quick raids and retreating.
I departed the ramp of Repressor. I left Cally and the others outside. We all had golden arms painted on our right arms now. Impressive as it was, I figured a whole squad might cause more stress than necessary. The Arbites Headquarters was lit with commotion. Even the presence of a fully armored battle sister was overlooked. I walked toward what I thought was the Captain's office. The man inside was tall and built like most Arbities. but he looked as if he hadn't slept in days.
When I entered he got a "Oh what now!" face. I took off my helmet and clipped it to my side.
"Captain, the Canoness sent me to ascertain if you needed our help again. The Gang wars seem to only be growing and she is concerned." I said.
He sat back taking a swig of recaf before answering. If he didn't look so worn out, I would have taken it as an insult.
"It's bad. A new gang is tearing the others apart. They are even engaging in raids on the surface. People are sacred. They leave the only disemboweled corpses and flayed bodies behind at every turn. Any survivors we do find are scared witless and babble incessantly. I… have never seen such carnage." his voice was hollow and tired.
"Have you sent recon teams into the cities lower levels?" I asked.
"I did, only one squad came back out." He said. They came back with those picts. He nodded at the wall to my side.
My eyes widened at the picts on the wall. They were from a gang hideout. Bodies torn asunder, entrails hanging from the ceiling, and other body parts strewn about. A chill of cold fear ran down my spine. I continued looking at the carnage as I spoke.
"The survivors." I said quietly, "What did they claim to see?"
"They all reported the same thing. Big hulking forms in the dark. Monsters with glowing claws and eyes." he sighed, "I have my people working on local legends. Perhaps these gangsters are from deeper in the undercity."
"I don't think so." I said. "These attacks began after the raid. I think the ships delivered something else down to the surface. You should contact the navy and request their data on any piece of debris or chaff from the battle falling into orbit.
"Already done," He knew what he was doing at least. "I hope we're wrong, Sister," he said.
"I pray to the God-Emperor that we are. I will vox the Canoness with the news. And send over the data on the crime scenes." He nodded and handed me a dataslate having anticipated this from the Canoness. No wonder he was Captain.
When I got back into the Repressor. I hailed her on the Vox.
"Report Sister Superior." she said.
"Canoness, It is worse than it appears. Much worse. I am sending you the Arbities reports and pictures." I highlighted the details of the crime scene. The Canoness was quiet for a long time.
"Such barbarism." She let slip. "Stay and coordinate with the Arbites for now. I will send the Palatine and some squads to aid the Arbites once again. This has been going on for too long."
"Yes, Canoness." I said. I went back into the mess that was the Arbites headquarters. Beelining for the captain's office.
I knocked and entered. There was another person in the room this time. She had the look of a ganger. A large red mohawk jutted from her otherwise shaven head. Her body was slender and well muscled. Her midriff was exposed along with her shoulders with a moderate amount of cleavage shown. Various trophies and adornments marked as one of the Gang tribes in the undercity along with a makeshift shoulder plate. The exposed skin showed tattoos only her and the others in the undercity could identify without an Arbities source book. I saw no marks of Chaos. There were a surprising number of Imperial Eagles in the network of tats, no doubt the reason for the amount of skin being shown.
"Our Canoness is sending you a few squads. The rest of our order is going to be guarding the Bishop, ensuring his departure is safe." I said. "The Palatine will be here shortly to help coordinate."
"You are letting the Holy Whores in on this?" I looked at her in shock. The stupidity of this woman was off the charts. Even my fingers itched toward my bolt pistol. I noted her hand was already resting on one of her dual stub pistols. I cursed myself for having my helm off at the moment. Our eyes met. I coldly glared, seeing her eyes were full of mirth. I doubled down, not willing to take this shit. I noted that her posture held tightly. She was uneasy. She was first to look away, though begrudgingly.
The Captain's voice was calm and authoritative. "Watch your tongue, gang rat. If the Sister wanted to shoot you for that. I wouldn't lift a finger to stop her."
"Aye, and you lose any support from the Gang Alliance." She said with a hint of venom.
"If they're as dumb as you, they would most likely be a hindrance." I said. The ganger glared.
"We could use their insight in the undercity. It also shows the scale of the threat below if all the remaining gangs have allied so quickly and are willing to ask for help from us of all people." He said.
"They are making minced meat out of us, literally. They stalk us and come upon us unaware. They stopped leaving survivors now. It is not just the gangs but the people living down there as well." Tella said as if reliving some recent memory.
That only added to my suspicions of what was done there. The mutilated bodies, the fear stricken populace and the hulking yet unseen shadows pointed to a culprit I dare not name.
"Tella here is their representative. Tella this is Sister Superior…" He trailed off.
"Rylanor." I finished.
The Captain continued. "I almost had Tella imprisoned if it weren't for the fact she came bearing all of the ganger leader's icons on her person." That was a hell of risky move. Not to mention it told of the gangs' desperation.
"Good thing I didn't kill her despite her insolence. I will overlook the insult in the spirit of cooperation." I said.
She shrugged, "Insolence is more or less the best talent I got." She stated. She smirked. I rolled my eyes.
The captain sighed. "God-Emperor give me strength," he muttered.
I decided to move things along before the ganger said something my honor couldn't ignore or overlook and I had to kill her. "Now that introductions are out of the way. What part of the city do you want my squad and I to cover in the search for these monsters?"
The Arbities Captain mulled over what he wanted. "You should take Tella and search here." He brought up a map on the screen embedded in his table. I saw an outline of the Half Hive's structure zooming on a ride like this. "I lost one of my best squads there. With the Carnage unfolding I don't hold out hope."
"That there is Squeezar territory." Tella said. She pointed at the screen, smudging the monitor a little bit.
"Will they be a problem?" I asked.
"Nah, they aren't known for being all that tough." She said dismissively.
"Have you heard if they fell victim to the assailants as well?" The Arbities Captain asked this time.
"Not a peep, but things weren't good for anyone when I left. From the sound of it all the Gangs were going to organize and hunt down these fools who think their hot scrop." She said almost proudly. I noted the Arbities Captain gave a look that was accessing the potential of an organized gang uprising after all this was over.
"Well we will try and find your people." The man nodded.
"The Emperor Protects," I said.
"The Emperor Protects," he intoned. Tella even muttered along with it.
As we left I grabbed Tella's arm and forced her face first into the wall in the hall. I whispered in her ear.
"Now, listen and listen well. I understand your value to us in the undercity, but do not, I repeat DO NOT, call I or my sisters one of your cheeky nicknames or insults. They won't be happy and will show their displeasure with their weapons." I said. "I do this to save your life and I know the other Gangs wouldn't have sent you if you were an idiot. Are we clear?"
"Not the best way to ingratiate me to you." Tella said sarcastically.
"This is a warning, not a threat. Especially if my higher ranking sisters hear your best trait as you call it." I let her go.
She rubbed her wrist, but smiled at the way I threw her words back at her. "I just hope your sister's can do the same if we run into any other gangs."
"I will let you do the talking down there," We left the courthouse, and got in the Repressor.
"Nice ride." Tella said impressed. "What sort of initiation does one have to do to get in your gang?"
I looked at Tella, I would have chided her use of the word gang, but she probably didn't know too much about the surface. I really didn't feel like correcting her either.
"A long and tedious one." Was all I said.
"I walked up the ramp." Cally and Helena were there to greet me. Delilah was checking over her bolter.
"This is Tella, she will be our guide. Tella, this is Sister Calamity, Sister Helena, and Sister Delilah. Sister Jen is piloting." I voxxed them over our own channel quickly. "Don't shoot her if she insults you. Her demeanor could be seen as sacrilegious, but we need her and she agreed to hold her tongue. So hold your ire if she slips."
"Yes Sister Superior," they intoned.
"Hold up!" Sister Jen called over Vox from the cab of the APC. "The Palatine radioed in. She ordered me to take you to go guard the Cardinal. He wanted to visit some of the smaller monasteries in the countryside. He requested your squad specifically."
"We best not keep the Cardinal waiting." I felt glad I wasn't going down into the undercity, yet I wished I had a way of conveying what I suspected was down there." I looked at Tella.
"Follow me." I walked some distance from the Repressor.
"It seems I have been reassigned. When the Palatine and my sisters arrive-"
She cut me off, "I know, suck up and play nice. You made your point earlier." She grabbed her wrist for emphasis.
"Apologies, but better a sore wrist than a bolt shell to the head." She seemed to take the apology and nodded.
"You surprise me Sister. I hope your other sisters take this as seriously as you have been." Tella walked back into the courthouse to wait for my other sisters to arrive. She looked back and gave me a cocky smile before going through the doors.
"Me too," was all I said as she turned back. Luckily, the Palatine had come across as professional in the time I had known her. I am sure she would take this situation seriously.
The thunderhawk bucked with the turbulence. I couldn't help but think about what was going on in the undercity. I was relieved to not go down there, I prayed to God-Emperor that the Palatine could see the signs that I could. I couldn't reveal what I knew. Perhaps she and Canoness did know and they were keeping the newly inducted back for their own safety. I hoped. They did send us into a cultist nest for our first mission so I wasn't sure.
The Cardinal somehow looked as if he was lounging in the seat. Not a care in the world. He was dressed in the brown robes of a wandering Lay Brother again. He also had a tech priest and a couple servitors with him. The Tech Priest had spider legs poking out from under their white robes, which I found kind of cool.
The thunderhawks engines were loud but mildly cushioned do to the sound proofing in the bay. So I didn't bother trying to speak. I found this side journey annoying. What was the point? This was all odd as the Cardinal was more or less bumming around the Monastery for the past couple weeks. Regardless, the thunderhawk did touch down. When we exited the ship there was no temple, just some dilapidated, shack.
It might have been a temple once but it was abandoned and surrounded by faded tombstones worn down to nothing.
"Beautiful is it not?" The Cardinal said to me as he passed me on the boarding ramp. The tow servitors followed him. "Begin digging near the chimney until you find something." I noticed the thunderhawk powering down. The pilot was dressed in the typical habit the sisters who drove the macherry wore. I did not know her as well. The pilots in our order spent a great amount of time in the hangar working on their equipment.
"Are you sure this is the place?" She asked without any pomp or ceremony as she stood near the Cardinal.
"It matches the coordinates and the description my mother's contact gave me. Are the quadruplets here yet?" he said.
"Yeah, our shuttle is over there." The unnamed sister said, jerking a thumb over to our left. .
"Your Mother?" I said aloud, thinking over the implication. All the priests came from the schola. Well most, some joined later in life. But it was rare to know your parents.
Cally approached, "Tan- Eminence, what is going on?" she asked. "Why are we here?"
The tech priest scurried off the thunderhawk on spider legs before the "Cardinal" could answer. I found something to be off here. I remembered the rumors of a rogue trader. Could he be one? They would have the resources to pull off faking a Cardinal's credentials. Why the whole show?
Tandem answered Cally's question and confirmed my suspicion with a flare by tearing off his robes. "Let's dispense with this ruse now." Underneath he wore a blue shirt and black pants made of fine material. A fancy inferno pistol hung from his hip, and his boots looked to be made of some snake or xeno leather. There was a necklace hanging from his neck in the shape of a some vulpine creature's Tech Priest produced a great coat from under his white robes and helped the man who posed as Tandem into it.
I lifted my hand up to access my vox when the Tech priest chortled. "Do you honestly think I would let a signal out?" I dropped my hand down. He was right.
I reached for my weapons, when in an instant black armored figures jumped up on the ramp and rushed us. We drew our weapons just shy of their attack, but we didn't get time to activate our weapons. Helena, Cally, and Delilah screamed as the electricity coursed through them from high powered shock sticks that were expertly applied. I felt a strange tingling and turned to catch my assailant who wore a set of fancy black armor with a large visored helm that obscured his face. He had a bitchin' trench coat though.
My armor's power fluttered, but I had enough power to backhand the masked soldier sending him flying off the thunderhawks ramp close to ten meters. This made me a target, and I found myself beset by three more of the assholes. The ones that had dispatched my sister's so easily. All my squad was down. I wondered briefly why the shock sticks didn't seem to work. Then I remembered my genetic background and nearly laughed. With the shockstick gone, the power stabilized and I was back in business.
My ax crackled with energy. I managed to slice one of their batons in half before I, to put it bluntly, got my ass kicked. I had a crackling power weapon in hand and they didn't even flinch. In perfect coordination they had me on the ground with a series of kicks and well timed punches. The two remaining shock batons stabbed at my armor, managing to short my power pack this time. My armor went dead and the weight of the ceramite suddenly could be felt as I clanged back on the ramp. My visor and auspex went down, the light in my helmet eye slits deadening. I decided to let them think I was knocked down this time.
I heard voices.
"Wow, she was tougher than most sisters. I bet Hal is pissed." It was that sister who was speaking.
"Here is her file," The tech priest sounded off, "Sister Superior Rylanor. Given to schola at a young age, her parents were of Lyrian stock. No wonder the shock sticks were ineffective. What a fascinating subspecies. Do you know-" he was cut off.
"I don't care so long as she and the others are down." Tandem said in annoyance. "Just get the dataslate dug up. Took forever for the Canoness to let me see the old maps. We don't have much time. Elina would you sit on the thunderhawks vox in case they hail us. I don't want them to suspect anything."
The "Sister Elina," stopped by me as she walked up the ramp. She crouched by my side. As she did so her flesh shimmered and a callidus assassin stood before me. She gauged my "unconscious" body for a moment. Frak.
"I see you aren't too good at playing dead." she chuckled. I reacted with a growl, but it was too late. She reached down and with a flick of her blade, skillfully pried my helmet's seals off and exposed my head. I tried to reach for her in vain, but she had already pulled back and delivered a knockout punch. My world went black.
