** Author's note : and here we go ! Just one more chapter and this story ends !
If you find time to leave me a review, I'd be glad for it. I have no idea what people think about this very longfic on this fandom. It would be helpful ! **
There was one thing to be said about Calcazar : that man knew how to make an impression. He was practically oozing charisma from every pore of his skin and every joint of his augments as he loomed over them all from his judge seat high above.
Presiding over the trial, the Lord Inquisitor sat just by Chorda's throne. If Calcazar showed no emotions at all - except for the obvious traces of fatigue on his face - Chorda, on the other hand, looked elated by the situation. Her eyes were unusually wide, her eyelids spasming at times with uncontrollable contractions - the sign of a heightened state of stim abuse.
"Lady von Valancius. It is good to see you again. I thought you were gone. We have many questions for you. Please, stand."
Calcazar's words might have been polite, but his voice was cold as night and ice.
He hadn't expected her to reappear. Elena von Valancius was nothing but trouble to him. An issue he was going to dispose of quickly and mercilessly, she was certain of it. Neither Chorda nor him showed any sign of compassion to her.
Elena stood up, followed by the ones who had decided to accompany her : Argenta, Pasqal and Cassia. Her original team. The ones who had been there from the start of it all. As for Abelard, after much discussion, he had stayed over the ship for the next part of their plan.
In accordance with what Henrix said, their arrival at Footfall had only been peaceful because of the immediate surrendering of Elena to the Inquisition. Having proclaimed her Trial, they couldn't just blast her ship from orbit and had agreed for it to dock. The vessel was now locked and magnetized upon the docks, guarded by two crusaders. There was no chance it could escape.
As soon as Elena and her retinue had landed, Calcazar's right hand - the woman named Tanakia - had proceeded to disarm them and put a psy-stifler collar on her. Tanakia had laughed all the while. After a brief stay in a damp cell, they had been ushered into this quickly assembled court.
Brasswhisper stood at Calcazar's side, staring at Pasqal in interest all the while. No binharic greetings had been exchanged as Pasqal was presumed a heretic. Tanakia was nowhere to be seen - probably working on the inquisitorial files from Tocara's palace. Chorda was with Doloroso, as always. The old priest looked uneasy and had to hide his relief at seeing Argenta alive again. The other observers were all Inquisition agents.
Unseen to them all, Yrliet and Nocturne had taken position in the court, using the Solitaire's holofield of invisibility.
Ulfar, Heinrix, Achilleas and Emelina were leading an infiltration team right now into the palace to take out the Inquisition's center of command, jam their coms, and execute Calcazar's most trusted acolytes. Once the comms had been taken out, the Winterscales would intervene, coming out of their hiding place into the asteroids' orbit. They would pursue the inquisitorial ships, giving Abelard time to disengage the ship from the docks while Jae would reunite with Vladaym and lead the uprising from there, preventing Calcazar from reaching his shuttle.
Calcazar began reading her the list of her rights (of which they were few) and duties (of which they were many.) Argenta, at Elena's side, kept her eyes straight ahead to Doloroso. Pasqal's mechadendrites moved with indignation and trepidation. Only Cassia remained steady, saluting stiffly.
"In short, Lady von Valancius, you stand accused of treason to the Imperium and Mankind. You have partaken in sorcery, allowed a Chaos cult to develop in your protectorate and even take control of Kiava Gamma. You gave away Janus to a group of xenos. You failed to uphold the duties that the God-Emperor bestowed upon you. You kept amongst your crew heretics : I believe this Tech-Priest at your side follows the corrupted schism of his mentor, and that you offered a shelter for a xenos -..."
As Lord Calcazar spoke, he was suddenly surprised to hear, as en echo of how own words, the voice of the disobedient and untamable Elena von Valancius rise over his own :
" -Not only that, but you also contributed to perverting innocent souls amongst Imperial subjects - I doubt that Lady Orsellio took the measure of your vileness and trickery. What have you got to say in your defense, Lady von Valancius ?" said the renegade, producing every inflexion of Calcazar and predicting his every word ; she spoke them only a fraction of second before Calcazar, producing a most bizarre and unnerving effect, as if she was poking at his mind right now.
Calcazar kept a blank face.
"And a void rat witch at that !" spat Chorda, her eyes widening.
At that, Elena's pale lips twitched in a soft smile.
Calcazar said nothing, staring Elena down. Despite himself, he could not help but whispered to his acolyte : "Are the psy stiflers working ?"
"Absolutely, my Lord."
"Then this bitch is just testing my patience with mind games", he sighed to himself. He pursued, more loudly, completely ignoring Chorda : "I'd advise you, Lady von Valancius, to stop trying to pretend to be clever with me. The floor is yours to make your statement, unless all you can do is parroting me like an imbecile child…?"
Cassia hummed loudly, and something in the poise of the Navigator gave everyone pause. Elena stood tall, her mutated height and slender build making her tower over the imperial agents easily.
"Lord Xavier Calcazar," she began, her lack of formality to the status of the Lord Inquisitor ruffling through the crowd of acolytes and Chorda's soldiers alike.
"I accuse you of high treason towards the Imperium and Mankind and demand your immediate execution, in accordance with any good imperial citizen's duty."
Immediately after her words, the crowd rippled with protestations, insults, and outraged shouts.
And here it was, the old curse, with its own very life, born out of fear and hate alike : "witch witch witch witch witch"
Still the diviner kept on, raising her voice above the ruckus. The picture of this tall and confident woman, unflinching in the face of the crowd, painted a regal scene worthy of a religious painting. Though if it was of martyrdom or heresy, none could say.
Calcazar narrowed his eyes, his fingers sliding towards the command button that would shoot down her amplification comms, reducing her to silence.
"You have consorted with drukharis." Elena claimed.
Chorda leant back and laughed at that. "Shut up !" she howled. "Or I'll make you keep quiet !" She gestured for her soldiers to take hold of their flamer. " Do no let the words of the vile sully your good souls, my flock !" she went on, raving rabidly.
At her side, though, Hieronymus Doloroso threw a tentative glance at Calcazar's impassiveness. It was an impossible feat to read the man's thoughts. But why didn't he shut her down ?
"You have nurtured a Chaos cult and allowed it to thrive inside the Expanse, because it was convenient for you to use them." Elena claimed.
At her orders, the first soldiers of Chorda fueled the flamer and walked towards Elena. They aimed at her, but the weapon suddenly dysfunctioned as a wave of green electro-magnetic discharge rippled through every augment, every weapon, every machinery in the area.
Brasswhisper immediately stood up, their mechadendrites deploying around their form as a binharic screech emerged.
Pasqal's voice resonated through every vox link, overpowering even Brasswhisper's frantic alerts. "YOU WILL BE SILENT, LAY PEOPLE. THE GOD-EMPEROR'S CHOSEN IS SPEAKING. LISTEN AND NOW THAT JUDGMENT WILL BE SERVED, FOR I KNOW NO FEAR AND MY NAME IS DEATH."
Elena took a step forward. The soldiers had the good instinct to recoil and frantically tried to repair their flamer.
Chorda leant back in her chair, her eyes wide. "The witch is using her powers against us !"
But all eyes laid on the figure of the Magos, his red robe hiding his delicate and hunched frame away. Where did that surge of energy come from ? By what trick of the Omnissiah did he call that on them ? What else could he do ? In this instant, Pasqal looked like a teacher monitoring children, his presence and aura so commanding that it reached the most primitive part of their brain without even being fully registered by their eyes and ears.
"My voice cannot be silenced, Lord Xavier Calcazar, for I am telling the truth and you know it", continued Elena von Valancius. "You allied yourself with the drukharis to steal suns from whole solar systems, in order to feed a dangerous artifact you've found on Epitaph along with my predecessor. You have used Theodora von Valancius as your puppet but know this - she shall be avenged from you. Reveal yourself to your subjects. The worm was inside the fruit from the start, the rhizome of evil firmly rooted in the Expanse. And it was you all along."
Calcazar held back for a moment, capturing the crowd's whole attention. Internally, he was displeased that so many of his precious secrets went out. Even if nobody believed Elena von Valancius - and surely nobody would ! - still, she had learnt things she wasn't supposed to know. Epitaph, for instance. How did she know about that ?
Heinrix, he thought immediately. His acolyte must have betrayed him. "Brasswhisper," he whispered. "Check the sensors."
"The spirit machines are…irate, my Lord", replied the Tech-Priest with unusual annoyance. The only focus of the acolyte was now Pasqal Haneuman. "Harvesting control back."
Something is wrong, understood Calcazar immediately. Perhaps he'd underestimated Elena von Valancius.
A diviner was a scary opponent to have, after all.
Calczar understood. This was indeed a trap. But his prey has turned into the predator and he was his game.
"The psy-stiflers are down, my Lord!"
Calcazar shushed the acolyte away with a simple gesture, and turned back to the matter at hand, keeping his composure. Elena von Valancius was no alpha psyker. He could manage this.
"Lady von Valancius, you have forgotten yourself completely. Your laughable effort to provide us with an amusing distraction is duly noted. Still, and regrettably, you cannot vouch for your own sanity. I say -"
"That's not true !"
That shout went from Sister Argenta. Calcazar's eyebrow ticked - the first unmastered flinch over his face since the beginning of the trial. Down there in the courtyard, the Rogue Trader looked at him with the hint of a smile on her pale lips. Her abhorrent, despicable mutated eyes kept track of his every move, like a hunter cornering their prey. Patient…and ready to bounce.
Ridiculous idea, he thought to himself. "Get the psy-stiflers running again", he ordered to Brasswhisper, a flicker of impatience in his voice. He prepared to strike first.
But he could not do so while the beloved Sister of Battle appealed to the crowd. The presence of Lady Orsellio and Sister Argenta was a problem, he now realized. Calcazar would hate to have to kill them publicly.
"Lady Incendia, I beg of you", continued Argenta, looking not at Chorda but at Doloroso, "to hear on the pleas of the faithful. As a woman of faith, I plead with you to listen. The accusations laid out by the Lord-Captain are all but true. Lord Xavier Calcazar is a heretic, sworn to his own pride, and has been manipulating the Rogue Traders of the Expanse to do his bidding - including, I fear, yourself, honored lady."
Calcazar laughed out loud at that. "A risible idea. Sister of Battle, have you lost your mind as well ? I know how the veil and lies of the corrupted can burden the mind of the pure. Would you truly accuse the arm of Mankind, the Lord Inquisitor, when your Lord-Captain carries the taint of the Warp with her ?"
Chorda's glimpse of hesitation faded immediately, driven away by her hate for psykers.
But Doloroso's eyes linger on Argenta.
The Sister raised her chin and formed the sign of the Ecclesiarchy over her chest. "The Lord-Captain has been chosen by the God-Emperor himself, whereas you, Lord Inquisitor, merely got exiled here by the Conclave of Calixis. I put my faith in the God-Emperor's design. Her actions have been good. Didn't she give food to the famished people of Footfall ? Didn't she bring order and peace in her protectorate ? Didn't she repel the drukharis ? Whereas you, Lord Inquisitor, schemed with them and condemned billions to die, allowing chaos to grow from your negligence."
"She stole my world from me !" snapped Chorda. "She sheltered xenos in Janus. She allowed piracy and thievery to grow on Footfall ! She is not good, she is weak !"
"She acted as the Holy Warrant of Trade enabled her to do, and she fought for Mankind. You may be different, Lady Incendia, but you are both Rogue Traders : appointed by His will to do His bidding and protect His people in the untamed spaces. I say : Lord Calcazar has to repent from his sins ! I say : he has been blinded by pride, and through pride stems the root of all evil ! And I stand fearless and brave as I know I carry His will and words !" cried out Argenta, each of her words burning bright with devotion and certitude.
Doloroso slowly leant forward, whispering in Chorda's ears. "The Lord Inquisitor has indeed proven strangely negligent to the welfare of the Expanse these last years. It is not because one is gifted with a title such as his or yours that they should not bow to His teachings. None of us can help how we're born, but surely we all can change. I call for humility in this matter. Perhaps it is worthwhile to consider what the accused has to say."
"Ludicrous !" said Calcazar, shaking his head in disbelief. "Sister Argenta has clearly lost her mind. You will not believe her ? And I daresay it is ironic how highly she speaks of the Warrant of Trade and the status of Rogue Traders, considering she was Theodora's murderer."
Chorda gasped. Argenta's eyes flashed with fury and fire.
"So I did", she stated calmly. "For Theodora was a heretic. And I stand before you as I did before, knowing that no matter the wealth or the prestige of one's name, I will come down on any heretics. Today, Lord Inquisitor, I come for you."
Silence.
"I'd like to speak as well, Lord Calcazar," Cassia spoke up.
Even Xavier himself, despite his amount of self-control and the sickening feeling that he now longer had the situation under control, found himself drawn to Cassia.
He reminded himself, through a show of willpower, not to give in. Navigators held tremendous powers, and he knew from Heinrix's reports just how considerable Lady Orsellio's were.
He needed to turn her against the Rogue-Trader.
"Speak, Lady Orsellio."
"I confirm everything the Lord-Captain said and I vouch for her sanity. In fact, I'd even go so far as to say that she is the most lucid, even most extra-lucid person around here." Cassia smiled politely. "I see the hues of greed and pride in your soul, Lord Calcazar. You cannot control what you wish to unleash upon the Expanse. It is not a weapon you can hold. And if the words of House Orsellio have power in here - and I certainly hope they do ! -, then let everyone know I accuse you as well, on behalf of my House, and forbid every Navigator of my blood to provide passage for you. "
Calcazar flinched again this time, the weight of the Navigator's hidden third eye upon him straining his will. And still that psyker bitch was smiling at him, mocking him !
"Enough !" he roared, standing up. "Enough ! I will not tolerate another minute of this…mockery ! You have no proof to confirm your lies but vain accusations ! The witch has rotten all of your minds and speaks through you as a puppeteer would. I am sad to say you are lost. Whereas you, Lady von Valancius, will burn for your heresy, as well as your crew and dynasty. I've had enough of the von Valancius's eccentricities ! Your ancestor was nothing but a worthless heretic, and so are you ! The likes of you never change ! "
Elena allowed herself to finally exhale the air she's been keeping out without noticing it. "Thank you", she said, grateful.
The inquisitor glanced at her like she was mad, until understanding came to him.
Chorda Incendia had gone sullenly silent, Doloroso whispering in her ear. Her eyes went from Elena to Xavier in quick movements.
"Do you truly think that, Lord Inquisitor ?" Chorda asked.
Xavier grew still.
"Lady Incendia", he began. "This is not your House we're speaking about, but the damnable one of the late Theodora."
"I must confess," says Chorda very slowly, "that I must believe that the God-Emperor can bestow redemption upon us. Otherwise it would mean that I have to become the equal of my mother, a fate none in the Expanse wishes. So it means that, considering everything, I should ask for both of the accused parties to produce their proof and demonstrations while I'll be the one to judge. My Warrant of Trade, it seems to me, and my repeated services to the Inquisition and to the faith, should be enough to make me trustworthy ?"
Calcazar has had enough. He was sure that, while he was stuck here in this nonsense, something was happening. Brasswhisper was clearly more interested in Haneuman than him, he had no news of Tanakia or the palace, and the psy-stiflers were still off.
"You, trustworthy ? Doloroso puppeteers you with his hand so deep up your ass that it's a wonder you can still take a shit by yourself. You are a worthless clone of your mother, Chorda, and the only thing trustworthy with you is your stupidity", he said calmly. He gestured for his acolytes. "The Rogue Traders of this sector have always been a thorn in my side. It is time to clean up your unholy mess and bring true order to this wild dominion. The Inquisition declares you both anathema and I sentence you to death. Once I'm done with you, I'll clean up the untamed Winterscale and the Expanse will finally be a peaceful place. As for you, Elena von Valancius, know that I will find Heinrix back and he will pay for all your crimes. Tanakia is a very methodical Interrogator. Now I have things to do. Kill them all. "
All hells broke loose.
– In the palace –
Leading an infiltration mission with three rogue acolytes and a Wolf Space Marine was a suicidal mission, reflected Heinrix. In the end, Heinrix had admitted that going in stealthily was bound to fail.
So they were doing it Space Wolf-style. Which was to say, they barged in, and simply went straight for their target like the place was theirs by right already. If anyone disagreed too loudly, they shot them. Pretty straightforward strategy, all considered.
After Pasqal's wave of electro-magnestim hit the vox links and jammed the comms of the area, their little squad hit the first surrounding wardens of the palace. Without their ability to sound the alarm or call back-up, they were easily dismissed. None could face Ulfar's wrath - nor Heinrix's biomancy.
He wondered if those useless deaths would have meaning in the end.
They took the shortest route possible to Calcazar's office, trying to avoid as much carnage as possible. For many of the agents in the palace, the sight of a Space Wolf and known acolytes of the Inquisition didn't trigger immediate alarm : they just assumed they'd been let through. The lurking shape of Achilleas attracted more attention, but the disfigured Wrack pretended to be a captive.
Contrary to what is most depicted on holomovies, humans didn't come running when they heard a shout or when strange people were walking around. If you seemed to have a reason to be here and didn't act frightened or out-of-place, most people would gladly see you through. So they passed, until they entered what used to be Tocara's anteroom.
Calcalzar's secretary lifted his head and, upon seeing them, immediately cried out : "Code Red !"
Ulfar's bolt entered his head at high speed, reducing the exceptional intellect of one of the most important man of the Expanse to a pulp of blood and bones.
"I guess we're done sneaking around," sniggered the Space Wolf, running at the door of the office. With one of his powerful kicks, he dismantled the door completely and entered, followed by Heinrix and the others.
Inside, Tanakia had already leapt over a strange device and activated it - and the papers and precious documents inside of it started getting destroyed. As Heinrix came closer to her, he felt the sickening aura of a Pariah, spiraling down all his psykana. He staggered. He had always known Tanakia was odd, but had never figured out she was also a blank. She had hidden herself well.
Ulfar wasn't quite as surprised as him. He immediately attacked the agile assassin ; but Tanakia dodged his blows.
"You !" she growled. "I thought you were dead ! You little traitors !"
"Tanakia !" cried out Achilleas. "This isn't what you think. Calcazar is not the man you believe. He is - "
Tanakia jumped over the Space Marine's large shoulders and drove a blade straight between the ceramite joint of his shoulder blades. Ulfar howled and threw himself backward. Tanakia rolled back on the floor, swept Achilleas off his feet, and nailed his hand to the ground with a knife in the same graceful movement.
"I know all there is to know about your master." Her fiery eyes embraced them all.
Even the bad-tempered Tanakia would realize she was outnumbered. Emelina rushed to the desk, only caring about grabbing all pieces of Calcazar's work. Her quick fingers stopped the destroying device. Immediately, Tanakia's muscles flinched and -
Heinrix threw himself in her trajectory, parrying her blades as she tried to leap over Emelina. They stumbled to the ground.
He resorted to buttheading her in the face - her nose cracked. She screamed inhumanely but managed to kick him off her. Her aura made him feel sick to the core, and he had to control the urge to run away from her. He felt weak in her presence.
Ulfar's chainsword nearly killed her, but at the last second, Tanakia evaded him. Her face was horribly bloody. Howling like a beast, she threw herself out of the windows, fleeing the fight.
Heinrix ran towards the window.
"That's too high ! She cannot survive that !" cried out Achilleas.
"Oh, but she can. And so can I."
"Heinrix ! Wait !" Achilleas dragged the knife out of his palm.
Calling the unholy powers of the Empyrean to him, Heinrix surrounded himself in a shroud of warp and jumped after Tanakia.
"Heinrix ! She said "your master", not hers !" cried Achilleas, hoping his words would reach Heinrix.
– Over the docks –
And, once again, Jae Heydari was down in the sewers with Vladaym Tocara at her side.
There were many things in the world worse than being in a sewer, but not that many things worse than being with Vladaym in a sewer. Every second spent with that sociopath made her feel disgusting, more than the slime around. Despite her life as a smuggler and a pirate, Jae has always kept far away from the most grievous trades and actions, keeping herself in the game through wit and cunning. Tocara was different. He rose to power through violence and something inside him still craved it.
Persuading him to unite with the von Valancius and strike against Chorda hasn't proven difficult. Vladaym was eager to get back at Chorda and reclaimed the station. What would be hard would be preventing him from trying to come back on his words and kill Chorda.
Jae had a very small strike team from von Valancius, led by Lieutenant Avrilla. Only a very few discreet people could hope to get off the ship while it was locked in the bay.
They were waiting for the signal. Supposedly, Pascal would first jam the comms in the main plaza where Elena was facing Calcazar. Heinrix's team would take hold of the palace. Their team needed to strike fast : using old tunnels only known to Tocara, they would invade the command center in the bay, kill the defenders, and take control of the nevralgic point of the bay. During this time, Evayne Winterscale would attack the inquisitorial ships surveying the von Valancius's flagship, allowing the crew to break free and reply.
If all went well, at the end of the day they would all be drinking poorly crafted moonshine in the Martyr's Endurance.
Tocara was patiently waiting for the signal to come.
"I didn't picture you for a Rogue Trader's lapdog, Heydari", he smiled, unnerving Jae.
"Ah ! I am not a lapdog, Tocara. Do you know I am now in possession of the very rare Tabula Mercata ?" she nagged.
Tocara's lips twisted in a scowl. "I suppose congratulations are in order."
"The irony of life", sighed Jae theatrically. "It was not long ago you threatened to kill me and threw me out of your palace like an ashmag. Now we have to save your ass from the Inquisition itself. How the tables have turned. See, how you ruled over this simple rock, while I soared and flourished in the stars."
"You were lucky with Elena von Valancius", said Vladaym, not reacting to her gloating. "You have wormed your way into a willing protector's arms. But she will not always be around, Heydari, and she might grow tired of your mess. It is true I treated you harshly in the past - just like I would any potential opponents. But I never thought badly of you. A word to the wise, then ? As one old friend to another."
Vladaym leaned over her, whispering : "Don't put all your wager on one person. Start planning ahead. Keep a way out. And never, ever go somewhere without a good knife in your knickers. You might think you're an important person now, all proper and official, with your little Tabula, but deep down you'll always be a lowlife from the hive Never forget that, despite all the gold and smiles, because the nobs out there sure will not. You'll never be one of them."
Jae looked at Vladaym and nodded reluctantly. He was right, of course. It was so easy to believe in this illusion of grandeur - but that's not how fairytales worked. They usually involved a certain type of character, probably a tall slender fair girl with dreams in her head, and girls like Jae Heydari, well, they just didn't fit the bill, did they ?
"Oh, you worry about me, Tocara. So cute. Don't fret, though. I've got it all under control."
The signal pinged their vox link suddenly.
She reached for her sub machines guns, as Tocara leapt into life.
"Follow me", he ordered.
They ran down the last turns of the sewers, Jae hoping all the while that despite his trickery Vladaym would not have sold them out in the end. But he didn't, and they emerged from the basements of the command center of the bay.
The place would have taken days to storm and raid usually : it was heavily defended from the outside. But no one had expected foes to splurt out from the waste ditch. Their strike team moved fast, killing everyone on sight, trying to optimize every second of their momentums.
Tocara led them up, towards the main node. Jae was on his heels, her breath hoarse inside her lungs.
"Blast it ! They're closing the doors of the bunker ! We'll never get them if we don't barge in !" cursed Tocara, speeding up.
"You hear the man ! Move it !" ordered Jae.
Her voice seemingly inspired her surrounding allies, but only a few managed to get inside before the main node was cut off from the rest of the building by the closing doors. They were now outnumbered, but still held the advantage of surprise. Tocara was badly wounded in the fight, but ultimately he managed to purge their enemies and regain control of the command.
Jae pushed away a corpse, taking its place behind an augury station to get a reading at the station. Alerted by their presence, the enemy forces on the docks were trying to gather up against them, but they were hindered by the absence of comms. She couldn't hear anything either but an annoying white noise in her vox. There was no way to know how things were going over at the trial or at the palace.
"Demagnetize the ships !" she said to Tocara, gesturing for him to stop stabbing people and actually get behind the command center. "Calcazar must not be able to get away, so we have to destroy his escort ships !"
Tocara nodded and entered a new line of command. In the absence of official Tech-Priest, the spirit machines were heeded by curious litanies, one made out of "come on, work, please, work, you bugger lil'shit !"
Her sensors bipped. Jae looked back at the screen and sighed with relief as she saw the flagship starting to disengage from the docks. Just as well, because the two inquisitorial ships chose this moment to intervene, launching their missiles and torpedoes at it.
Jae barely had time to try to get to cover when one of those hit the structure above them. The walls shook, the floor crumbled, and then fifty tons of plasteel and concrete fell upon them.
— In space —
"We have received news from the von Valancius's flagship. They ask us to go on our interception routes" conveyed the Voxmaster of the ship, with no emotions in his voice.
Evayne Winterscale, sitting on his throne, looked at his commanding officers. There was once a time when he was merely a young pup in their eyes, barely a man, and certainly not the scion of the terrifying Rogue Trader.
But things had changed. After all, Calligos had lost Rykad Minoris, Footfall, Quetza Temer and many other worlds during these last months, entranced as he was by the lure of the Ruinous Powers. He had been saved from this corrupting influence and regained some of his old clarity, but nevertheless, people wondered if he was still the Rogue Trader he used to be.
And so the bravado of the timid and posh Evayne Winterscale came as a surprise to all, including himself. He had fought to save his father's life and soul. He had commanded in his stead as he was sent in recovery. And now he was claiming back what had always been Winterscale's territory : Footfall, this dirty, filthy asteroid that everybody knew was the beating heart of the Expanse. And, in doing so, he was raising his middle finger high up in space to the Lord Inquisitor for everyone to see. Such a move was judged completely worthy of a Winterscale.
It didn't hurt that his engagement with Lady Orsellio was a thinly veiled secret. It wasn't just any man that got to wed a Navigator.
That Cassia was retained captive on Footfall was even more interesting. Here were tough men and women, hardened by years of service under his father, and yet, they all longed for this young master to be reunited with his beloved.
"Then let's strike ! I want these inquisitorial vessels down ! Augurs, at your station ! Artillery, at the ready ! Engage the maneuvering procedures. Today, we claim back what is ours ! Today, the lion shows its claws ! Show them why the Winterscales are the masters of the Expanse, men !"
— By the courtyard —
Calcazar may have been able to handle Elena von Valancius, despite the unworking psy stiflers and her sorcerous powers.
What he couldn't handle, though, was a Solitaire.
His forces had fallen in a chaotic fight, with both Chorda's forces and the heretics' ones. Still, more often than once, Chorda's men hesitated or proved unsure in their allegiances, aggravating the overall confusion.
Calcazar had seized Doloroso's head and unscrewed it in a pool of blood, to the shrieks of Chorda Incendia, when a bullet caught him in the knee. His power armor was a fearful carapace but still the shock of the impact made him recoil. Fortunately it didn't pierce the thick layers of precious metal. He spotted the red hair of the xenos Heinrix had mentioned in his reports.
"Look !" he spat at Chorda, trying to sway her at his side. "The witch is lying to you. She has xenos as allies !"
But, as soon as she appeared, the red-haired disgusting beast disappeared once more, making him look like a fool.
Chorda hesitantly slashed at him with her fiery sword. He looked down at her.
"You are a fool, Chorda."
He blasted her away with the minigun mounted on the plate of his shoulder. Chorda fell down to the center of the courtyard. He pushed her men away, aiming for the exit.
Whatever plans this psyker bitch had made, she had talked about Epitaph. He had to hurry, to come back to the Yoke. Damned be Footfall and the Rogue Traders ! Let them be happy and wiggle their tails over this pile of dirt ! Supreme power was at hand for him.
He wasn't surprised to spot Elena von Valancius tailing him, her retinue fighting by her side as the voidswoman ran towards him, jumping over the rows of the made-up courtyard to try to get to him. He shot at her as well, but she deflected his shots. Still, it slowed her down. The Lady Navigator was using her unnatural powers to open up their ways.
At least, Brasswhisper made themselves useful by interposing, swaying their monstrous battleaxe straight to the face of the mutant. Lady Orsellio fell down, holding the remnants of her face and the precious collar hiding away her third eye.
Now would be a really good time to disappear, while Elena and her retinue were distracted by his acolyte and the grievous wounds of Lady Orsellio. Calcazar had no idea what was going on inside the Tech-Priest's head - and he didn't want to know. Brasswhisper has always followed their own goals and he had to seize the opportunity to flee while he could.
He saw the glimmer in thin air despite the chaos and shot straight at the invisible xenos. A feminine voice cried out in pain as a limping figure staggered. The xenos had evaded most of his shots but couldn't dodge them all.
Calcazar would be too happy to crush that horrid little face down his feet but he couldn't waste time. He hurried. The vox links were still jammed and he couldn't get any news from Tanakia or the palace, despite switching to his most protected and secure lines.
Well, Tanakia would know where to find him in times like these. He had two shuttles for this type of situation : one official, one secret.
Calcazar escaped the trial, leaving everyone behind. He hurried through the streets, ignoring the agents looking at him quizzically. The shuttle. He had to get to the Yoke immediately. The shuttle would be - ah, yes, right there. Surely Tanakia would come here as well.
Calcazar relaxed slightly when he reached the warehouse in which he had hidden away his escape route.
He registered movements in front of him and someone slipped out of the shadows.
Calcazar groaned.
"Another xenos, are you ?"
It wasn't long before the light revealed the masked figure in front of him.
Calcazar's heart sank. The silent and slender figure made a flourish bow, as one would salute another opponent.
The Lord Inquisitor was educated enough to recognize a Solitaire.
He then knew he would never see Epitah again.
— By the palace —
Heinrix leapt out of the windows, Achilleas's words reaching him in a blur.
His analytical mind, despite the speed at which he was going to meet with the floor, took the time to compartmentalize and analyze his situation.
He now knew two things about Tanakia : one, she was a vile and cruel woman. Second, she was a blank, a Pariah.
Heinrix summoned his psykana to surround him with strength and resistance. He could survive the fall unscathed - but he knew instantly he wouldn't. Tanakia had lured him out, waiting for him to try exactly that. The moment he touched the ground, she would call on her Pariah aura and he would die from the shock.
But Tanakia forgot that Heinrix had not become Interrogator through sheer impulses of mind.
As soon as he reached the floor, he felt his psykana disappear, leaving him weak and panting. He readied himself for impact – he couldn't even shriek in pain as his body landed on the ground, bones breaking in shards all through his feet and legs. He barely registered anything at all, but his cold mind kept him conscious.
Second before the impact, he had injected himself with two stims. His heart was beating like mad with adrenaline, chasing away the pain and the cold darkness of death.
Tanakia could not resist it. She simply couldn't ! The woman could have slipped away, killing him cleanly and swiftly.
But, as Heinrix predicted, she was cruel. So she loomed over his agonizing form, thinking him the weakest of the two.
"Pwah !" she scoffed, kicking him in the ribs.
He played along and gurgled from plain, blood oozing out of his mouth.
She took his sword away and knelt down at his side, cusping his destroyed cheek in her hands.
"Poor little Heinrix. You cannot stop anything, can you ? You're such a useful little tool."
Heinrix could end her right now, but he remembered Achilleas's quick words. He pretended to lay dying on the ground.
"Why ?" he spurted out with difficulty.
And, of course, Tanakia, prideful and petty as she was, obliged him.
"Why am I doing this, Heinrix ?" she caressed his bloody cheek like a lover would. "Because I was bored."
"Epitaph.." he managed to gurgle.
Tanakia laughed, her giggle like bells. "What about it ? I'm gonna tell you a secret, pretty boy, one colleague from another."
Her grisp grew firm over his hair as she leaned down to whisper in his ear, so she couldn't see the faint smile of satisfaction over Heinrix's face.
"You think you're smart because you uncovered Xavier's little secrets. But you haven't seen the Truth. I did. I basked in the glory of the Final Dawn. Xavier's foolish plans to domesticate the C'Tan…he merely played the part my Master wanted him to play. And now, sleep well, Heinrix. I'll make sure your girl ends up safely in the Master's arms. Do you know Voigtvir is waltzing right now to get her ? When Tervantias cooked up that little worm for the von Valancius bitch, I did think of adding something convenient for us, a backdoor of sorts into her brain. Brother and sister are bonded together and he's always on her mind, you know ? He'll replace you soon enough, you see !"
Heinrix's blood grew cold as the implications of the revelation made his head spin. The Truth ? The Final Dawn ? Was she part of the Cult ? Since when ? How long had she been working for Kunrad ? Still, he didn't lose his composure. In a calculated way, he grabbed Tanakia by the neck and plunged the dagger he'd been hiding under his bleeding abdomen all this time into her heart, holding her down. Tanakia wore only thin leather armor, and, because of her pettiness, always kept a cleavage up. It was easy then to stab her in the chest. Reaching the heart was harder, because usually you would open up someone from the sternum down, but he was a skilled killer and he could make it work.
She was stronger and healthier than him, but she was surprised. She yelped. Heinrix flinched, but steadied his deadly embrace.
"You could never be a good Interrogator, Tanakia. You speak too much."
Something big landed on the floor beside them. Tanakia escaped his grip and tried to run away, but this time the chainsword of Ulfar didn't miss her. Heinrix spotted her head rolling on the floor in front of him, her expression forever surprised in death.
"Damnit, van Calox !" growled the Space Wolf. "You should never have gone in there alone ! Look at you ! Such a mess. Ah ! Never thought I'd see the day where I call an agent of the Inquisition an ally, but I have to say, well played, lone wolf."
Heinrix inhaled and immediately called on his biomancy, forcing his heart to keep beating despite everything.
"Listen to me, Ulfar", said Heinrix urgently. "Tanakia was not working for Calcazar."
"What do you mean ?"
"She was working for Kunrad, Uralon and their Cult of the Final Dawn. Is your vox link working ?"
"Still jammed."
Heinrix cursed.
Through sheer show of will, he got up on his arms and tried to stand - but he couldn't yet.
The big arms of Ulfar the Everlost surrounded him and he felt himself being lifted off the ground and thrown across his massive shoulders.
"Heal, young wolf. I'll carry you."
"The courtyard. We have to find Elena. And, Ulfar…"
The Space Wolf started running, his gigantic legs carrying them away faster than a mortal could.
"...can we agree never to speak of this to anyone ?" grimaced Heinrix.
The Space Wolf laughed. "Of course, mortal. In the tales of the skald, you would have been running on your very bones out of the strength of your will alone. Now, let's go !"
— On the von Valancius's flagship —
"Shield is up to 70% !"
"The trajectory of their torpedoes is locked down on our position, Seneschal !"
"First ship is entering combat with Winterscale. Second ship is getting away."
"Engage evasive maneuvers !" said Abelard, his voice loud and steady. "And then block away the second ship. All hands on deck !"
The Seneschal studied the augur's representation of the space battle gravely. The flagship had taken a few hits and bruises in the initial part of the battle, being an easy target as it disengaged from the docks. But it seemed they now had the upper hand, with Winterscale backing them up.
He had to suppose that everything was according to plan on the ground. Letting Elena go in there alone…letting Cassia go…it had been hard on him.
But he knew he was needed here. After all someone with naval experience had to keep those cheeky officers in check, right ?.
"Incoming torpedoes evaded."
"Target acquired, Seneschal."
"Fire !" he ordered.
He watched the bay as the void was scarred by the bright aeldari beam Elena had installed on their ship. The xenos weapon was a terrible thing to witness - it burnt down the enemy's shield.
"Torpedoes locked !"
"Launch !"
A deadly dance began between the two ships, one Abelard was certain to win. He leaned in over the screen until -
"Hello, Abelard. It seems like you're having fun again ! There's nothing like a little bit of frolic to make an old man feel young again, eh ?"
Abelard knew that voice.
Sheer, pure dread bloomed in his heart. It was impossible !
He reached for his weapon, as he spotted the expression of everyone on deck widening with surprise -
But it was too late.
A shimmering sword, its hues sickening and maddening with the corruption of Chaos, went through his abdomen like a knife through butter.
Abelard Werserian tried to say something, but couldn't through the blood gurgling in his throat. He grabbed the railing of the ship, trying to hold on, to fight -
Kunrad pushed him down like he was nothing.
to fight. To hold on. -
Vigdis immediately sounded the alarm, her face cold and strained. The augurs panicked across the deck. It must be said that Kunrad's figure was a nightmare. If the man had retained his pale blonde hair, his face had been distorted, his nose like a beak, two new eyes blinking on his cheeks. His hands ended with claw-like fingers. The mutations of Chaos had tainted his figure horribly and, in a perverse way, he exhibited them, knowing full well that the stare of his numerous eyes glancing at all those different people at once could make them go mad.
Kunrad basked in the glow of the Ruinous Powers, his otherworldly sword and frame crushing the mortals in despair and fear.
"You", said the Voxmaster flatly, trying to control her terror. She was a Holliman, damnit ! Vigdis was not about to slither in fear in front of a daemon ! "Traitor and murderer."
Kunrad laughed at that. "Come on, Vigdis, stop flattering me, you old crone. You know I've always liked you, do you ? This augment is really fashionable. I always thought you would be such a good little servo-skull for me to possess. Oh, the things I'd do to that head of yours !" He smiled pleasantly as Vigdis felt an ominous sickening feeling grip her insides. "Isn't Idira along ? Wasn't she here this time to warn you ? That's too bad. She was good at foreseeing these sorts of things. Elena is a bit busy right now to take care of you all."
"I cannot see what you possibly mean."
"Have you warned Her Ladyship of my presence ?" yawned Kunrad. "I'd like her to come and play. You see, I kinda need her blood for the ultimate sacrifice that will bring doom to all of you. So if you don't mind hurrying along and calling for help…?"
Vidgis said nothing.
"Fine. I'll do it myself then." He tapped his own head with a crooked smile and raised his sword, ready to strike down.
A burst of plasma caught him in the chest and sent him staggering down the railing.
Kunrad looked up in surprise at Janris Danrok. Of all people, he had been shot at by the freaking intendant ! Guardsmen were flying down the command center.
"Danrok ?" spat Kunrad in indignation. How did this old fat prick even dared raise his hand against him ?
He stood up, unwrinkling his uniform, his wound closing up. "Have you forgotten your good manners, Danrok ?" he asked.
Danrok's face went white with fear as he witnessed the monster regenerating. "God-Emperor preserve us," he said shakily.
Kunrad forgot completely about Vigdis, who slipped away from the scene.
"The Corpse God ? Oh, no, no, he's not here right now, he can't listen to you."
Kunrad smiled.
"I fear, Danrok, that there's only me around. And you've been a very naughty boy. Oh, this is gonna be fun !"
The ship shook as a torpedo hit it.
— In the courtyard —
Brasswhisper proved a skilled opponent, but in the end Yrliet put him down with one of her shots. Cassia was badly wounded, her precious tiara broken in shards. She held it as she could over her forehead, trying to hide away her third eye. Her jaw and shoulders were broken and one of her lungs punctured. Yrliet quickly injected her with stims while Elena used her pyromancy to mend the broken piece of jewelry as best she could, fusing the pieces together crudely.
Elena pressed on. "Calcazar ! Where has he gone ?"
"This way, elantach," said the Ranger, leading them out.
But Pasqal wouldn't move.
The Magos leant over the fallen Tech-Priest almost mournfully. Elena cursed and stopped. "Pasqal !" she called urgently.
Despite Calcazar fleeing away and Brasswhisper being killed, the place was still overrun with inquisitorial agents out for their blood.
"I cannot follow you, Lord-Captain", said Pasqal calmly. "The memory slates need to be saved and recovered. Then…" He waved her away with one of his mechadendrite. "Go, Elena von Valancius. Do not wait for me."
"I can't go either, Lord-Captain", suddenly burst out Argenta. " Chorda and Doloroso - she is wounded because of us. I have to see to her wounds. And someone needs to take care of the rest of Calcazar's men !"
Elena sighed and hesitated. She hated to leave them behind - but she could tell she would not change their mind.
"Fine," she said reluctantly. "Keep an eye on each other."
Elena turned on her heels and ran, Yrliet leading her while Cassia stayed at her side. They approached a warehouse, in which they could spot an inquisitorial shuttle - Calcazar's, most possibly. It was unused.
They stumbled upon Ulfar and Heinrix on the way. Heinrix was heavily limping, his face almost entirely covered with blood. Despite his wounds, his eyes remained clear.
"Heinrix !" Elena ran out to them. Heinrix smiled as she embraced him without a thought. "What happened ?"
Gently, he patted her on the back and recoiled. "Emelina and Achilleas would be on their way, they recovered what they could from Calcazar's office. Tanakia proved a difficult assaillant, but Ulfar killed her. We haven't seen Calcazar. Wait - something important came up. Tanakia - she told me she was a servant of the Truth. A member of the Cult."
Yrliet exhaled softly. "Then…the Yoke…"
"Is compromised," confirmed Heinrix quickly, glancing at Yrliet.
Cassia gasped. "Then we must go to Eufrates II right now !" she said. "It must not fall into the Cult's hands ! I dare not think about what they could use it for !"
Elena froze, her mind racing. "Yes, we must go", she agreed.
"What about Calcazar ?" argue Ulfar.
"Worry not about him", said Nocturne, revealing himself out of the shadows. He held Calcazar's head in his hand and offered it as a gift to Elena, like one would give away a bouquet of some sort.
The Rogue Trader hesitated but accepted the gruesome gift.
The Solitaire continued :
"And thus the whole of the stage is finally revealed
The one who believes himself the predator ends up prey
But, as it turns out, a third player roamed the field
And it's now unmasked, but too late to slay.
Strike with all your ruse and might, Merchant Vagabond."
"Wait, are you going away ?" asked Elena. "But this threat - we could use your help defeating the envoy of Tzeentch !"
The Solitaire stayed silent for a second while Ulfar made a sour face.
"Perhaps. Here, take this. I'll hear when you call on our bond."
The Solitaire produced a strange pendant that he threw at Elena. She grabbed the piece, interrogative, and Nocturne slipped away, invisible again.
"I told you this xenos is not that helpful", groaned Ulfar. "What shall we do ?"
Elena paused to think, all eyes resting on her.
Before she could elaborate a plan, her voxlink crackle with life once again as Pasqal's surge of energy finally withdrew.
"...Lord-Captain, are you there ?"
"Voxmaster ! What's the situation ?" Elena grabbed the comm. Her vox-link was pinging with all different people trying to contact her.
"I don't have much time. Lord Captain, Kunrad Voigtvir is aboard the ship. He has killed Abelard. And we're under fire by the inquisition ship. Lord Winterscale is covering for us, but…Kunrad has taken a hold over the command center. I…the screams…he said to contact you. I think it's a trap, Lord Captain."
In the distance, they spotted Emelina and Achilleas running towards them.
Elena's cheeks grew red with emotion. "Kunrad ? But how did he get on the ship ? How did he know where to find us ?"
"We don't know, Lord Captain. You also have an impending message from Mistress Heydari. I…I'm hidden away for now, I'll secure your voxlink and make sure only the most crucial messages reach you. Lord-Captain, whatever you decide, may His light be with you. Our lives are in your hands.."
Heinrix twitched. "Why would Kunrad come here now ? It makes no sense !"
Lady Cassia staggered towards the shuttle. "Then we must go at once ! The Seneschal…perhaps there's still a chance…"
Heinrix reached out to the staggering Navigator, stabilizing her. "Lady Orsellio, I am very sorry", he said softly. Cassia was shaky.
By this time, Emelina and Achilleas have joined them with interrogative looks on their faces. Heinrix gestured for them to keep quiet and that he will explain later.
Elena repressed her feelings, not allowing herself to dwell on them just yet. Abelard, dead ? It couldn't be !
"Voxmaster, we're reaching you. Code of identification : shuttle of class-B, name : 'The Chastiser'.'"
That Calcazar gave such stupid names to his personal shuttle felt fitting.
"Heinrix, you know how to pilot those things. Get it running," she ordered.
"I will need ocular identification", he replied stiffly. "And it is probably locked."
"I know the code", cut Achilleas. "I'll help."
They both looked at the decapitated head in Elena's arms. She gave it to him wordlessly and Heinrix proceeded to open the shuttle.
"Voxmaster, let Heydari through ! Ulfar, Yrliet, help Cassia get in and see if there's any further medication in the shuttle we can use to stabilize her. "
Comforted by her steady orders, her retinue broke into actions, following her. Her voxlink finally connected to Jae's and she heard her punctured and laborious breath. Hearing her, Emelina slowed down, eavesdropping on their conversation :
"Shereen…looks like you finally have time for me…"
"Jae. Where are you ?"
"The command center in the docks. The good news is, we disabled it. The bad news is, I'm stuck under tons of plasteel as we speak. The tower crumbled upon us. A torpedo hit from above. I…can't move much and I suppose there won't be much air left soon. I can't see Tocara in this mess."
First Abelard, now Jae too ? Elena's heart sped up as she forced herself to repel the panic and sorrow.
"Jae, you have to hold on, it's an order ! I am coming to get you, understand ? I just have to get at Kunrad first. The bastard has found a way upon the ship and I have to stop him before he kills all my commanding officers."
"I understand. In case I don't make it though…"
"You have to !"
"In case I don't make it. Please make a statue of me and put it right in the center of one of your worlds, eh ? Call me the Princess of Efreet or something."
"Lord-Captain", interrupted Emelina, "I'll be of no use to you aboard your ship. Delegate this matter to me."
Elena looked at Emelina. The woman's brown eyes shone steadily, unflinching, but her voice hid urgent streaks.
"Please, Elena, say yes", urged Cassia gently. "We can't afford to lose Jae !" The Navigator was distraught by so much bad news at once.
Elena nodded. "Are you going alone ?" she asked.
"Do not diminish your forces for me, Rogue Trader. I'll manage."
"Fine. I'll tell Argenta and Pasqal to reroute with you. They're still on the ground. Join them and save Heydari."
Emelina bowed and quickly left the shuttle. Elena turned towards the cockpit. Despite his wounds, Heinrix had taken his seat behind the controls. "Ready when you are, Lord-Captain."
Elena arched an eyebrow. Was it the first time Heinrix called her 'Lord Captain' without even paying attention to it ?
"Let's go then. We must be quick !"