Present- following the translation to realspace - Rykad system
-The Rogue Trader needs to find a Navigator, a Chief Enginseer and she has to honor Theodora's mission to retrieve an envoy of the Inquisition. She set out first for the Navigator, which brings her and her retinue on a secluded Navis Nobilite station, where an imprisoned "Child" has driven her keepers to madness…-
Idira, Abelard, Argenta and Elena found themselves in the lab in Eurac V station, analyzing whatever information they could get about this surprising "Child" they were told to put down.
Idira was busy looking into the data-slates of the cogitators, reading aloud whatever piece of information she found useful. Abelard, hiding his nervousness behind a grimace, stood guard at the door. And Argenta paced inside the lab, trying to keep her wits sharp and not cede into impatience, even though watching the Rogue Trader examine the machinery was nerve-wracking.
" Never thought I'd see the day when a Navis Nobilite station is wrecked and abandoned. Winterscale seemed to have ignored his duty to his protectorate, for us to find the place in such a state ", commentend Abelard dryly. He changed his weight upon his other leg, having been wounded in a fight with some of the guards of the station that had gone mad and attacked them. " The Orsellio family must have kept something very precious in here", he added pensively.
" They keep referring to "the Child" in here," said Idira, looking at the slates. " Seems like the whole station is made to contain it. "
" From what we saw, this…Child…may be a spawn of Chaos. The thing it did to its servants…it's inhumane." Sister Argenta shook her head slightly, to try to repress the memories, as a spark of anger flashed in her eyes.
" Are the data-slates telling you anything else about this Child ?" asked Elena Martyr, as she was bending over a pipe of some sort to examine its mechanism cautiously. Strange wires of all sorts connected the various parts of the machinery together.
" Well, the voices surely do", mentionned Idira forwardly, and Argenta frowned her eyes. " As for the data slates, they keep mentioning whatever horrid fates happened upon those that came to close to the Child. People killing themselves, going mad, flaying themselves to death…the whispers of my little friends concur with it. Whatever this Child is, it has twisted the fates of those that approached it. " Idira scanned over the slates quickly, and put them aside. " Are we sure we want that on the ship ?"
" What do you mean ?" snapped Argenta, gritting her teeth. " I don't understand a thing about your gibberish !"
Idira made a gesture of her hand in the air. " You know. We come looking for a Navigator, and now we look for a secret Child of House Orsellio. Don't need the whispers of my little friends to guess we're coming back with this child-prodigy aboard. This is just good sense."
At that, Argenta remained silent, though everyone could see her lips forming a silent prayer. As the uncomfortable silence settled in, Elena suddenly stepped back from the curious machine, a smile on her lips : " Got it."
Idira raised one of her delicate eyebrows, eyeing the Rogue Trader. " Got what ? The recipe for whatever this thing does ? I must have the slates somewhere in my bag, I can explain the process…"
" No need", cut Elena.
Abelard watched as the newly appointed Rogue Trader moved with absolute certainty around the room, picking up exactly a few of the objects present that he didn't even realize were there, and fueling the machine with it. He would have to adjust to the strange way Elena moved around people ; her eyes always found you first and she seemed to know just where things were without even looking. The same went with people, and he found it slightly unnerving how she knew where he was exactly at all times. This certainty in herself and the precision of her movement wasn't normal, but it wasn't exactly abnormal as well, and the Seneschal found the in-between situation even worse. He could tell Argenta found that nerve-wracking as well but put a lot of effort to overlook the psychic nature of their newfound leader, but Tlass had already adapted to her new Lord Captain and didn't even bother trying to help her out.
" Idira, tell me more about the experiments that were conducted here", Elena asked, her voice commanding.
If the Rogue Trader was having trouble processing her newfound authority, she showed nothing of it and already ordered them around as if she owned the place.
" Experiments, experiments…here it is…" Tlass cleared her throat. " 'the Child's influence on the psycho-emotional state of various representatives of the Imperium. Test subjects exhibit signs of acute stress…the majority died of blood loss due to their inability to halt the discharge of ocular secretions'…oh, and the Child's identity is Cassia Orsellio."
" Wait. They cried themselves to death ?" asked Argenta in disbelief.
Idira grimaced as she kept reading the slate. " It appears so."
" Poor servants, they did not deserve this", whispered Argenta, a glint of compassion in her eyes
" Hmm. This Child must be deeply tormented to create such psychic states in her retinue ", said Elena slowly. Her dark eyes moved to each of her companions, as if evaluating something. " When we find this Child, you let me handle her."
Abelard started to open his mouth, in the intention to say something, but the Rogue Trader's black eyes darted to him imperiously. " None of you shall interfere. Is it clear ?"
" As you wish, Lord Captain", replied Idira, and they all nodded along.
" What shall we do with the keepers of this Child ?" asked Argenta. " One has rebelled against it and put the station and the whole communication system to risk, but the other has protected it, given in to its twisting ways."
The Rogue Trader stopped to think, and looked over Idira who shrugged. " Both of their paths lead to tragedy. One is blinded by faith, the other by envy and betrayal. None is right, you just have to choose what tragedy you prefer ", commented the diviner.
" I suppose you're right", replied Elena, her words a bit too sharp, as her own pupils distorted slightly for a few seconds. Abelard had to shake off the off-putting feeling it caused in him. She paused, and looked back at Argenta. " I intend to suppress them both. They did both partake in this, after all, and I don't believe any of them is our friend ", she said, gesturing at the lab.
Argenta's grip on her bolter grew tighter, as she nodded in agreement.
" This will not please the Navis Nobilite", warned Abelard. " Neither the Winterscale dynasty, once it comes to its senses."
The Rogue Trader smacked her lips together in a gesture of annoyance.
" You'll send them my deepest, personnal regrets in a lovely letter ", she said dryly. " Let's go. I want to meet the Child now" , continued Elena as she braced herself and stormed out of the lab.
Elena activated the elevator which would bring them upstairs, to the Child's room. Abelard, Idira and Argenta followed besides her. The keeper downstairs had agreed to give her a stone adorned in intricate jewellert, whose purpose was to contain the Child's power. Elena had decided to keep the artifact for now. It might proved useful. She thought about it as a kind of psy-shackle equivalent.
The Rogue Trader turned her back on her retinue and focused, reminding herself of another prayer to anchor her thoughts. The elevator reached its course and...
**** Past
The little child was happy to see her dad come back from work. Her father put back his voidsuit, used for repairing the hulls in the ship. He looked tired and he wore new bruises on his face.
" Daddy !" claimed the girl, embracing her dad.
" Dear little one", he replied, squeezing the child close to his heart. " How was your day ? Did this old Meshuan teach you anything useful today ? "
" Meshuan showed me how to weld today !"
" Great. You'll be a good little welder someday, then", smiled her dad.
" Also, I think something bad is going to happen to Meshuan very soon."
" Oh." The father tensed, and looked at his child intensely; " Did you tell Meshuan how you feel ?"
" No, I didn't say nothing to the old hag."
The man relaxed. " Remember, Elena : you don't say a word to anyone, ever. Do no trust anyone except me. You remember that, eh ? " The child nodded obediently. " Good. Anything else happened while I was gone ?"
" I didn't like it when the statue cried, daddy. It scared me ! I'm pretty sure it whispered too, but I ran away."
" What are you talking about ?"
The child pointed to the direction of what served as both a salon, a kitchen and a bedroom. Cautiously, the man surveyed the minuscule cabin and his gaze fell upon the little statue of the God-Emperor every voidborn kept with them. Indeed, red stains have appeared under the figurine's eyes, as if it had bled. A chill went up the spine of the man as he looked back as his child.
" Oh, that. It's nothing, baby girl." The man searched for a blanket to wipe the tears away from the statue, which was perfectly normal when he cleansed it. He forced himself to sound reassuring, even though the consequences of his little secret grew direr every day. " You just need to pray a little harder, that's it. Always keep praying, that's what we do here. You need to do that a lot, do you understand, Elena ? Otherwise, it will make the statue very sad. You know how to pray, of course ? You put your hands together and you hope as intensely as you can. "
The child nodded, anguished at the thought. "Now," said her dad, forcing a smile up his lips, " I'm going to play some cards tonight. Will my dear little lucky charm come with me ?"
Present
The strength of the memory assailed Elena as the doors of the elevator opened, revealing a scene of grief and despair. The room that held the Child was an artful scenery, full of paintings, books, and various objects of arts. But there was no beauty in it, as a powerful wave of despair hit her mind. She didn't know why, but it had brought her back to an old memory of her childhood she had not thought about for a long time. It took a willing effort to cut free of the wave of sadness and nostalgia.
Her companions seemed to go through the same experience. Abelard heavily shook his head, and found himself leaning on the door, heavily breathing as his gaze regained his focus with difficulty. Argenta's face was pale and she had put her hand over the aquila adorning her armor. Idira had closed her eyes and was muttering gibberish under her breath.
" Stay here", Elena commanded, and took a step into the room.
Her mind kept getting assaulted by feelings that were not her own. In front of her, a dozen men were crying their eyes out. It was disquieting to witness these experienced men, warriors in their own right, cry like children. In the middle of it all stood a tall, elongated young woman. She held her deformed hands above her head, as if trying to protect herself from something. Her unnatural fingers ended up as horrid talons. She was weeping blood, each drop of scarlet contrasting with her deathly pale skin. Her spiny gills twitched nervously as Elena approached, and the young woman slowly, with effort, turned her head towards her. Instantly, Elena felt crushed under a wave of despair that nearly sent her to her knees.
Elena took a few seconds to let the blow pass, but the crushing feeling never faded away.
I can take more than that. I am no feeble mind.
She gritted her teeth and pressed forward. Suddenly she was out of air, and felt as if an invisible hand had encased her throat. Her head jerked back unwillingly as she gasped for air. She felt fear inside her, the ominous desire to run away and flee the station while it was still possible. To not go anywhere near that monster.
Clenching her first, Elena let the fear bubbled in and the invisible hand clawed at her chest.
I do not get afraid. I get angry.
At last, she managed to push back the crushing fear, and breathe once more, a grimace of pain on her face. Each step towards the mutant seemed inexorable, leaden. It was as if…
**** Past
A memory flashed by. She remembered the first time she'd set foot on a planet. After years and years in the Martyr ship, where she was born ; and then on the Black Ship, where she was rebirthed anew ; and never has she before known the crushing feeling of so much gravity on her shoulders, putting her down, her knees weak and heavy, her breath getting ragged in her chest.
The light was awful, blinding her, watering her eyes. The other psykers who descended avoided her, whispering to themselves: 'she's not gonna last long.' Her body was weak, a freil vessel. All she could rely on was her will, merged in stubborness, to take another step and another step...
**** Present
Elena's consciousness sparked up again in the present. How long had she been out ? Minutes ? Hours ? She found she had stopped moving. The men around her kept crying, tears of blood now. She did not have the strength to turn back and look at Abelard, Argenta and Idira, but they were completely silent. Probably elsewhere as well, caught in the web of psychic emotions. They're my retinue now. Mine. I must protect them.
Elena gathered her will once more. She was close now, close to the Child of House Orsellio. Up close, the young woman looked more real, her dishevelled hair sweaty on her forehead. Her youth stiked Elena as she got nearer.
" Lady Cassia, please, calm down," she said, extending her hands in a peaceful manner. " I can help you."
" Help me ? I do not need help", murmured the Child, her head jerking back to her. Elena shivered under the weight of her invisible third eye, hidden behind an embroidered piece of fabric laced with jewellery. " The Emperor protects. I have seen His light amongst thousands of stars." The Child fell silent, and a sense of loneliness and quiet encased Elena.
Is she a telepath ? she wondered, shaking off the feeling. This is not me. She's penetrating my mind, my soul, but this is not me. I never see any light in the Immaterium. I wish I could.
Elena could tell that she would not resist Cassia's powers for long anymore. Each second spent in proximity to her was a danger, a risk to the integrity of her soul. The deafening silence of her companions was enough to know they were incapable of helping her if she did not go through with this. Clenching her jaw, in a last movement that seemed to last a few hours, Elena managed to bring the stone in front of her. Suddenly, the jewel started burning her, and jumped from her hands towards Cassia's chest - now red hot with fire encased within. In horror, Cassia's eyes widened as she started scratching at her torso desperately, her talon-hands clawing at her robe. Cassia howled in pain and despair, but soon the stone disappeared, merged under her skin.
" What did you do to me ? Why is everything so dull ? I can barely see the colors…who are you ? " The mutant raised her head once more to Elena, and the Rogue Trader felt a pang of guilt and torment hit her. Now, she was sure it was her own feelings. She managed to compose herself as she heard her companions pressed forward toward her, still haggard from their experience.
Elena knelt, to reach Cassia's level, still shivering on the floor.
" My name is Elena von Valancius", she said calmly. " Lady Cassia, I am sorry to have resorted to this. But I need your help, and I think you need mine. Would you listen to me ?"
The strange young woman looked at her with a puzzled expression, nodding cautiously…and then fainted, probably from the stress the melting with the stone had put her under.
Elena gently embraced the elongated silhouette in her arms, and steadily supported her as she carried the Navigator in her arms.
Argenta and Abelard were watching in awe and disbelief, but Idira was twitching nervously.
The men, who had stopped crying, now got up to their feet. They looked pallid, famished ; how long had they been caught under Cassia's spell was anybody's guess. Their leader's eyes gleamed with fury as he saw Elena's carrying the Navigator in her arms.
" You blasphemer !" he spat. " What did you do to Lady Cassia ? Let her go, right now, or the wrath of House Orsellio will fall upon your head ! " warned the man.
Elena's face calmly turned towards him, her unusually dark eyes boring into his face. Whatever she saw, she deemed it unworthy of her attention, as she took a step forward.
" Your wrath means nothing to me", she murmured. " Abelard, would you mind ?"
The Seneschal put his hand to his sword, sighing.
" You stand in the presence of Rogue Trader Elena von Valancius, Bearer of the Holy Warrant of Trade", he began, and continued his litany in the blood of their enemies.