III

Emperor's Descent

The two jet engines of the Gun-cutter roared as the spacecraft descended into the hangar of the Obsidius Euxinum. Verrater and Eligor watched as the spacecraft's landing gear folded out; its piston making a hissing sound as it made contact with the hangar floor. As the engines of the Gun-cutter began to wind down, the rear doors of the spacecraft slowly opened. Eligor watched with venom-filled eyes as two figures emerged and came walking down the ramp. The first figure was wearing a hooded black robe with red trimming over what looked like dark-grey garments. Under the hood was a mask made of an unknown material; hiding the figure's face. He walked towards the Marshal and Castellan with a long, ornate halberd that resembled a Mechanicus Omnisian Axe. Hanging around the neck of blade was the ever recognizable Inquisitorial Rosette. Behind him, the other figure wore a black helmet with dark silver faceplate; wearing a long black fur overcoat.

"Greetings, Marshal Verrater of the Black Templar," the masked inquisitor spoke with an air of grandiose, "I must thank you for allowing me to board your vessel."

"State your name and purpose, Inquisitor," Verrater said as he tried not to scowl, "My knights and I are about to engage in a crusade against the Tyranid Hive fleet Kraken. We cannot have any more delays."

"How noble," the inquisitor quipped, "Which makes it even more appropriate for this meeting. I am Inquisitor Marion of the Ordos Xenos. The man behind me is my faithful bodyguard, Fantoche. As to the purpose of us being here, it is very simple. I request your aid."

"Our aid?!" Eligor blurted.

Fantoche was about to unsheathe a curved blade from his long overcoat but stopped when Marion raised his hand. Verrater turned to Eligor; giving him a stern look.

"What aid do you require?" the marshal asked, still looking at Eligor.

Marion looked around, noticing several other Black Templar Astartes staring at him. He could feel the tension in air as all of them looked at him with deathly expressions.

"I can see how unpleasant your knights feel about my presence here," the inquisitor spoke calmly in an attempt to de-escalate the tension, "Perhaps it is best we speak in a more private area."

Verrater took a deep breath.

"We will talk on the bridge," the marshal said as he turned away, "Castellan Eligor will escort you."

Eligor bowed as Verrater walked out of the hanger, slightly shocked by his marshal's order

"I will escort you, Inquisitor,"Eligor said it bitterly, "As per my marshal's order."

Marion nodded his head before turning to Fantoche, giving him a signal to follow. The dark helmeted bodyguard nodded in agreement and followed his master as Eligor guided both of them to the bridge.

"How dare he?" Catellus said as he watched the inquisitor and his servant follow Eligor into the elevator shaft, "The gall to approach us on the eve of our crusade."

Giltbert stayed silent, contemplating on what he had just seen. Was it a coincidence that an inquisitor of the Ordos Xenos appeared on the eve of the crusade against hive fleet Kraken? And just after he had his second vision?

Giltbert pondered. His concern was on his brother now.

The elevator creaked as Veratter and Eligor returned to the bridge with Inquisitor Marion and Fantoche. Trystan and the bridge crewmembers watched as the marshal and castellan exited the elevator shaft; their eyes trained on the inquisitor and his silent bodyguard following behind.

"Leave us!" Verrater ordered to the bridge crewmembers, "Except you, Trystan. You will remain."

Trystan bowed at his console as the rest of the bridge crew exited the bridge; their eyes launching daggers at Marion. The Ordo Xenos inquisitor watched as they stepped onto the elevator before it slowly descending.

"A fine crew," Marion said, looking around the bridge once the crewmembers were out of his sight, "In such a fine bridge."

"State your business, Inquisitor," Veratter spoke, annoyed and impatient, "Why did you wish to meet us?"

"Straight to the matter," Marion sounded like he was stifling a laugh, "Fantoche, the data-slate."

Fantoche reached into the breast pocket of his long overcoat and took out a small black data-slate which he then handed it to Veratter.

"What do you know about the Emperor's Descent?" Marion asked as Veratter scanned through the data slate.

"The Emperor's Decent?" Eligor repeated the question.

"The Emperor's Descent," the inquisitor remarked, "Was an Imperial space cruiser. It was believed to have been swallowed by the Warp during one of the Despoiler's Black Crusades."

The mention of the Black Legion's Warmaster made Eligor's blood boil.

"Before it was lost in the Warp," Marion continued, "The space cruiser was carrying a vital Imperial artefact that would have turned the tide against Abaddon's forces of Chaos."

"This artefact was of such importance that the High Lords of Terra even asked Grand Inquisitor Ioutka, my mentor, to find the lost ship and reclaim that artefact. Unfortunately, he was unable to fulfil that task when he was butchered by some greenskins. As such, the task has been given to me."

"So what are we supposed to do?" Eligor retorted, "Help you find it?"

"That would not be necessary," Marion spoke, ignoring the castellan's remark, "For I believed that I have found it."

Veratter raised his head from the data-slate.

"You found it?"

"A few months ago," the inquisitor replied, happy that he got the marshal's attention, "My astropath received a distress signal. Although he was unable to decipher it completely, he recognised that the psychic message was coming from the Emperor's Descent. With his aid, I was able to pinpoint the location of that distress signal to one of the planets in the Eastern Fringe."

Marion pressed a few buttons on the shaft of his ornate halberd. With a soft whirring sound, a holographic image of a planet emerged out from the halberd. The planet was grey; covered by a thick blanket of smog. Through the smog, a bright red light was blinking.

"I believe the planet's name is Oroboros," the inquisitor explained at the staring Black Templars, "A rather unexplored planet quite far out in the Eastern Fringe."

"Trystan," Veratter turned to his navigator, "What do you know of this planet?"

"I know of its name and its location, my liege," the navigator answered, "It is just outside the Ultima Segmentum. As to the history of that planet, I cannot answer."

"Of course you wouldn't know," Marion said haughtily, "The only reason you know of its name and location is from old maps of the Astra Cartographica."

Trystan stooped his head, hiding his pained expression from being embarrassed by the inquisitor.

"With the lost ship found, I need to retrieve the artefact as per the High Lords request," Marion turned to Veratter as he stopped the holographic image of Oroborus, "But considering that this is an unexplored planet, I would require some protection."

"You already have your protection," Eligor spoke, pointing at the silent Fantoche, "Besides, why come to the Black Templars? You could have just asked the Ultramarines or the Blood Angels."

"Castellan Eligor!" Veratter snapped, his eyes burned with anger.

Eligor stooped his head, realizing too late that he had foolishly offended the inquisitor. Marion turned to face Eligor; taking ominous steps to him.

"If I had a choice, Castellan Eligor," he hissed, "I would have chosen those two instead. Your chapter has been very obscure with your numbers. Don't be surprised that we, the Inquisition, find your Chapter very dubious."

Eligor clenched his fist; resisting the attempt to pulverize the arrogant inquisitor's head.

"Eligor." Veratter spoke sternly, "Leave the bridge."

Eligor stared at Marion before turning towards the elevator shaft.

"Know this, Castellan Eligor," Marion spoke with an icy tone, "The only reason that I have come for your Company's aid is because you are the closest to Oroborus."

Eligor looked back at Marion with his ornamental halberd before stepping into the elevator. He watched the inquisitor turn back to Veratter as the elevator began to descend.