The Astropath's spire was built into the planetary capital. The spire had several highways that led to the lower security cauldron of the spire, which itself was an enclave for the Mechanicum and manned by various servators and enforcers loyal to the spire exclusively. Under the command of the servants of the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Spire was left bare of all but the most necessary components and defenses. It was devoid of spirit, faith, or love, and Vylerine hated it. As gears slowly turned and mechanical slaves slid on rails, the Canoness could only scowl at the offensive structure. The way its occupants were either twisted abominations only tolerated for their use to humanity or humans who had abandoned their humanity and souls in a pursuit of being nothing more than a cogitator pretending to be human.
Even as she stepped out of the Immolator, with Bellolla jumping out of the upper turret and Chrana clambering out of the driver's hatch, one of the techpriest's servitor slaves was waiting. Its distorted voice spoke the moment the canoness of the Jade Heart left the transport, her three youthful Sister-Superiors behind her as escort.
"Canoness, welcome to the Astropath's spire. Techpriest Imm3s awaits inside alongside one of your compatriots." The machine made a crude imitation of a bow, while its stubby pincers gestured towards the entry to the Spire. The six Sororitas began to march, brushing past the once-human thing, and forced their way into the spire. There within the sisters entered into what could forgivingly be vaguely assigned as a lobby and almost immediately encountered their quarry. Standing next to the uncannily humanoid Techpriest stood Arbiter Eran Alexios; the man wore a much more formal-looking uniform, blues and golds highlighting his features nicely, marking him as the poster child of good, loyal Imperial Justice. If it hadn't been for the sound of an abortive swoon behind her, Vylerine would have allowed the man's presence to put her into a good spirit; instead, she had to wince knowing of the slip of discipline in her Sororitas, her own tainted influence, or the failings of being a woman she didn't know, but she would see to it this was no longer an issue.
"Imm3s, explain your summons! I told you before, Mechanicum, that we would not tolerate your twisted machinations. So let us be done with it." The short-tempered canoness roared to the techpriest, who only looked up, her mechanical face switching into an unnerving smile.
"My apologies, Canoness, but the Arbiter had no other way with which to meet with you. Also, we must hurry; the governor is hosting a ball, and I have preemptively designated you as my 'date' for the occasion. Your escort, due to your position, of course, are all permitted entry." Even as the technology-worshipping near heathen spoke, Vylerine hastened forward, barely restraining herself from striking the once-woman.
"Please, Canonness, I asked the techpriest to do this for us. I needed a private place to speak to you, as well as for you to come to this ball. The future security of this world could well depend on your attendance." Eran explained hastily, putting himself between the power-armored Canoness and the techpriest behind him.
"I need more than that to care; investigations of such a simple nature are the field of the Arbites like yourselves. The Sororitas are not to be used as your administratum's enforcers." Vylerine threatened softly, already disliking the implications of what the Arbite was insisting on.
This led to the man relaxing while the techpriest behind him remained as still as a statue, smiling. Eventually the Arbite continued. "I know, but this matter involves the Ecclessiarchy as well. My leads lead to one of your cults on the planet, but I didn't want to push my investigation further. There are a number of elements on planet conspiring against the governor, some who clearly wish to see his heir-apparent removed."
"I certainly already have little reason to care for her manipulations." Vylerine provided, hopeful that the Arbite would finally drop the issue. Instead the techpriest finally spoke up.
"I have found many data instances and warp anomalies that suggest that this affair is of moral threat to our planet. While I would not disturb you and our difficult relationship. This matter is of mutual concern for all the parties involved; there could even be willful heresy at work." The faux-female voice of Imm3s proclaimed. The techpriest presenting a dataslate. After a cold, tense moment, Sister-Superior Ogina stepped forward, taking the dataslate, the youthful Sororitas reading the presented data quietly, her complexion taking a tone darker than the braids of her dyed black hair.
"Canoness, if the techpriest is truthful, then three separate cults under our diocese are included with a list of conspirators who plot to revolt against the current governor." The Superior stated, behind her the shorter Superior Mirael tightened her grip on her bolter, while Superior Katira kept a practiced neutral expression.
"A conspiracy against a sitting governor is of little concern to neither the Ecclesiarchy nor the Sororitas. What Governor De La Torre brings upon himself or upon Hellen is of no consequence to our Commandery, nor to the faith." Vylerine coldly proclaimed before continuing. "You have accused the Emperor's holy servants of heresy, yet the only evidence you have brought forth is political conspiracy."
"WRONG!" Arbite Eran shouted, retaking control of the conversation. "The conspiracy only goes to show the level of threat, Grothard, in the short few months I had him, while your Commandery was still being built, and before the PDF intervened and transferred him and his aid to some mysterious site outside of my jurisdiction. The criminal confessed to supplying raw materials, feed, and weapons to a hidden enclave, one full of mutants, which were being tended to and protected by one of the planetary cults. While it certainly could be little more than ill-advised charity or a lie from a desperate man, the fact that this conspiracy against the governor is separately corroborated by the Techpriest's data warrants further investigation, especially since the primary participants listed as the ones moving against the governor are these same cults. Certainly this investigation falls to you and your sisters, as the ecclesiastic cults and their protection and policing are your duty, Canoness."
Vylerine closed in on the Arbite, her face a mask of wrath. "You dare presume to know better than I the sacred duties of the Sororitas? I have killed seventeen Deacons for heresy and participated in the throwing down of a cardinal who dared to think he could overthrow a Sector Governor with an army of zealots. Seventy-two noble bloodlines have ended in my time of service for daring to blaspheme the Emperor's most holy servants. It is folly to think one knows the Emperor's will in its entirety, and it is damning to try and reach for a soul outside one's divine duty to humanity."
"No, I am an Arbite, I am supposed to know when a duty has not been performed and when a law has been broken. Both are true, and I need your help to know what laws have been broken and which duties have been neglected. Now if you will excuse me, I should arrive at the Governor's Ball first to avoid suspicion, but do keep an eye on the head priests of the listed cults; they all will be in attendance." Eran walked past the gathered Sororitas, making his own private way out of the Astropath's Spire and into the streets of the planetary capital.
Those who remained stood tensely watching the Arbite leave. "My processor can't handle tea poured through it, but I have quite the selection if you would like Canoness." Vylerine could only glare at the techpriest.
Remaining in the Astropath's Spire with the Techpriest Imm3s was a trial for Vylerine and her fellow Sororitas. However, eventually the techpriest partially relieved the Sororitas by having them then escort her to the Governor's Ball. The affair was certainly unpleasant being in the discomforting machine worshipper's presence, but soon the Sororitas arrived at the governor's palace.
The governor's palace was certainly in an opulent state; various banners, lights, and artistic displays were put forth as various transports and private vehicles drove past them. Various nobles in tight yellow suits, half of which exposed hairy chests with show muscle underneath, walked in even as Vylerine stepped from her transport. Beside them, depraved mistresses in fuchsia dresses with exposed hips, rears, and legs, with equally ineffectual muscle, walked behind them. Vylerine was relieved to see that, at the very least, the priestly representatives, the PDF, and several other officials, including Hellen De La Torre, all were dressed according to their stations and not an affront to her sight.
Once the Canoness and her sisters were inside the Governor's palace, they were free to abandon the Techpriest at their side, making their own way to a secluded corner of the surprisingly simple ballroom. Bellolla, while still grinning, looked about the chamber with a nervous air, and the three young Sororitas all seemed uncertain. Leaving only Chrana, her head still sealed in her helmet, looking relaxed and certain as she moved among the dignitaries, nobles, and representatives.
The Canoness simply stood and frowned, watching the revelry and various depravities that would see any of her Battle Sisters flogged and then flogged again; she even noted the several nobles engaged in subtle intercourse or running away to dark corners to do so as if they were undisciplined youths. By their expressions, filled with a mixture of scandal and disgust and excitement, the three young Superiors under her certainly noted as well. If she could, Vylerine would engage these fools with a loud sermon on their failings; however, that was neither her purpose here nor her place as a soldier of the Ecclesiarchy rather than a true preacher of the Lectitio Divinitatus.
"Such sights are sadly common on nights like these." A new voice interrupted Vylerine from her brooding. Looking to the side, the Canoness could see a thin, robed man approaching, on his lapel beneath the robes the mark of the Church of the Divine Will, which would make the man standing before her High Priest Cynius.
"Priest Cynius, it is good to finally meet one another in person. And to speak to someone who isn't like this licentious crowd." Vylerine greeted, her greeting followed by Bellolla and the superiors, each granting the Emperor's blessing to the man who smiled more widely hearing the Emperor receiving proper praise.
"Well, it's a little more than a sign of the divine's will that I met you here tonight. My church was going to be delivering yet another offering to your commandery following my summons to this ball. I have some servants bringing them in now." The priest replied, gaining the curiosity of the canoness.
"Will this gift be difficult for us to transport, Priest Cynius? If it would be easier, perhaps have your servants deliver the gift to the Commandery." Behind her, Sister Superior Mirael voiced her agreement.
"I can signal back to the Commandery or ride with your servants to ensure it arrives properly; Sororitas don't belong in places like this." This statement from the shortest sister earned a helmeted stare from Chrana, which caused the young woman to back away silently.
"No, it'd be best for me to deliver the gift to you personally; the activation phrase is best kept as private as possible. Also, I personally doubt my ability to go to the Commandery to deliver the phrase like I intended. General Okier, unfortunately, is in one of his moods and wishes to confront me directly." The priest explained, leading only to more questions for Vylerine.
"What is this with General Okier? Please elaborate." The canoness requested.
"Right, the Church of the Divine Will recently has taken a position opposed to the governor; we feel he's been lax towards mutation and heresy for the last few years, and while two days from now will mark the end of our seven hundredth and thirty-seventh year without a mutant incursion or any chaotic taint on our world. We have the record to the exact minute of the execution of our world's last great heretic, and there is a prepared worldwide celebration of our loyalty to the Imperium. Yet this governor, my church protested, will be unprepared if anything should happen. What if mutants still live on this world? What if there were still heretics hiding among us?
Of course, this protest earned fierce opposition from General Okier, who has made himself the military arm of the governor. The man calls me aside to complain and yell frequently. He thinks his PDF armies, particularly his core capital army, as well as that of the allied planetary warlords, could crush any uprising. So far I don't have anything to refute him with, but our discussions have been intense." The head priest of the Church of the Divine Will explained, his face going from downcast to slightly amused.
Vylerine straightened and presented a reassuring posture to the priest. "My sisters and I shall remain vigilant then. We already have a rumor of mutants we were thinking of following."
The priest perked up hearing this. "Oh, certainly. Might I ask you not to immediately take action? Delay your hunt for these mutants for a day; make the deaths of these mutants you hunt the first news of the coming new year-of-purity-from-heretics. It certainly would be the most welcome gift to the Church and a sign of hope for the future of this world." As Cynius spoke, various expressions of surprise, shock, or curiosity started echoing from the main entry to the ballroom. "Ah, that must be the gift now."
Vylerine was certainly surprised at the gift given to her sisters, though it was something she could appreciate. It was a pair of damned souls, their bodies unnaturally muscular but lithe, their hands replaced with arco-flails, which currently dragged on the tile of the ground, heads covered with helmets that only left their mouths exposed as they stood silently in a tranquil, nearly trance-like state. The male and female Arco-flagellant pair stood silently, though their focus was clearly centered on Vylerine while their handlers stood nearby, a pair of stasis pods resting open by the entrance.
Despite the pair's apparent state, the Canoness knew better. Whoever these two heretics were, they were now locked into a state of perpetual agony until combat and the release of death would send them to the Emperor for final judgment of their actions. The gathered nobles were relatively quiet, likely frightened by the pair of 'combat servators' standing in the middle of the room.
"We tried to acquire a penitent engine for your Commandery to use, Canonness, but sadly the Church of the Divine Will did not have the resources to spare, and this was the best we could afford for you." Cynius stated while the Arco-flagellants began to shamble forward again. "I'll whisper the coded trigger word to you, then we can put them away and return to having the Governor's Ball, which I fear we disrupted."
"Yes, let's do so, High Priest." And so Cynius silently whispered the command phrase to Vylerine before a polished-looking officer stormed over, his voice already a yell of outrage.
"I should have known you were the cause of such outrage, Cynius, you waste of human potential. GET THOSE THINGS OUT OF HERE. Cynius, if you don't want me arresting you for threatening the governor with weapons of war, brought to this party unsanctioned, I advise you come speak to me in my office. If you beg, I might allow this slight to pass without a crackdown on your church." The officer threatened, his well-kept beard somehow the only thing to end up out of place despite the officer's exaggerated movements and frantic behavior.
"And that would be General Okier. Farewell, Canoness, I bid you great fortune!" The general roughly dragged the high priest away. While Bellolla clearly wished to intervene, Vylarine's outstretched arm prevented the Sororitas from jumping to the priest's defense. But while the Ball was still young, Vylerine concluded that after this display, she had plenty of excuse to abandon this place to return to her Commandery and her Sororitas. Confidently she stepped towards the exit, Chrana and Bellolla following her actions and the superiors shortly behind; however, a familiar voice stopped the Sororitas.
"You can't leave us so soon, Canoness; I was just about to see if Father would be able to come meet with you. I know neither you nor he have even spoken since you've arrived in this world; why not wait a little longer?" Hellen De La Torre stepped between Vylerine and the exit.
"My sisters and I have little reason to remain here; if you will excuse us, we have many duties for the Ecclesiarchy and the Emperor to perform." The response was curt, diplomatic, and straight to the point. The response was also entirely ignored.
"You know Arbite Eran Alexios has regaled me with tales of how he found you in that criminal's compound. As well as many of his own theories. The man has quite the frightening mind toimaginesuch threats about us. Why I've nearly changed out my guard because of him, though after some talks with my advisers, I did not do so, as the Arbite's paranoia certainly must bedelusional.What is your take on his ramblings, Canoness?"
"I perform as the Emperor and the Ecclesiarchy expects. The defense of the faith and the faithful is all that concerns me; now, if you will excuse us, Hellen De La Torre, I intend to take my Sororitas on an expedition in the next few days." Vylerine pressed, trying to walk past the Governor's daughter.
"Well, maybe you can assuage the fears that man has been fostering by taking your sisters into the Zet-taan valley. It might be Church of the Divine Will territory, where their main compound is, in fact, but he keeps telling me that there are mutants there. You will do this for me, right, Canoness?" Vylerine glared into the eyes of the heir apparent.
"Do you think yourself in command of my sisterhood, Hellen De La Torre?" The Canonness' voice had a venom that could kill a lesser individual.
"Certainly not, but I do have ways to get what I need. So, pretty please?" The woman's innocent act disgusted Vylerine; if she could, she'd slap the woman.
"I might take you up on your advice, but I doubt it; your ways are lax and faithless." The subtle insult seemed to pass over the heir, her mind either too slow to understand, or she was somehow immune to insult.
"Please don't be so judgmental; service to the Imperium and Emperor has always been what my father and I have been all about." The heir's own tone now was cold and challenging, but after a tense few seconds, she smiled and casually walked away from the Sororitas, allowing them to finally leave.
So freed, the Sororitas were able to make a swift but subtle retreat to their Immolator and began their journey back to the Commandery bastion. Meanwhile, Vylerine was left sitting to the rear of the Immolator as the others either drove, mounted the vehicle turret, or rode alongside her. The ride, though, was quiet, nothing but prayers and silence.
While memorization was a blessing, allowing one to recite prayers, verses, and hymns word for word with absolute accuracy. But at the same time, memorization allowed one's mind to wander as they recited the lines. Those of weak conviction could use memorization to cite lines expected of them while allowing their minds to wander to dark places; the faithful could use this gift to plan for battles, perform further preparations, or fulfill extra duties to the glory of the God-Emperor. The Sororitas, when they served alongside Ordo Hereticus, either in heretic hunts or in the ordo's routine missions to monitor the Ecclesiarchy priests for disloyalty, were trained to see the differences between genuine prayer and memorization.
It was then a small blessing that Chrana was driving and Bellolla was in the turret. With Orgina, Mireal, and Katira in the back with Vylerine, they seemed incapable of realizing the wandering nature of the Canoness' mind. The way her thoughts whirled through her head, it felt blasphemous; rather than thinking of her duties, of the deep meanings behind each prayer, hymn, and verse spoken in this quiet, instead Vylerine was thinking of the politics of Keyan I. The various powers that were trying to control her and, through her, her Sororitas. Gifts that felt like bribery, political pressures, conspiracies with mutants and criminal syndicates—all of these things whirled in Vylerine's mind along with her concerns for the Commandery's fate.
Did the Sororitas have enough supplies, enough corpse-starch rations, and enough ammunition? This world was a trial; typically, the Sororitas had each of these things fully cared for by the Ecclesiarchy themselves, swarms of priests serving under the deacons from the Creed Temporal. Yet here, if there even was a presence of the Creed Temporal, they had chosen to ignore their divine duty and left Vylerine to resolve her Commandery's supply issues alone, thus subjecting her to these secular politics. She had now been forced to play the role of Deacon, the very role she had learned was most prone to corruption as they daily engaged in secular activities, many of which could be twisted by heretics or self-absorbed and foolish nobles.
Each concern and thought beyond keeping her devotion to the Emperor pure and how to best strike down his foes with her sisters felt like a heretic she left walk free. The Sororitas sequestered themselves from such secular ways, knowing that the more pure, the more martial and capable they were, the more the Xenos, the Heretic, and the Daemon suffered and died when they were unleashed. Yet it was now Vylerine's trial by Keyan I to be consumed by the secular, trapped between factions of passionate and heretical ideals and those of corrupt and weak faith who would abandon their souls for a moment's advantage. And they all demand different things from her, all to grant their faithless endeavors a modicum of divine sanction. Even the priests on this world were trapped in the nature of secular politics rather than being engaged in the nature of the Emperor.
The Immolator lurched to a stop. Vylerine realized then that she had been so lost in her improper thoughts that she had missed their arrival back to the Commandery. Thus the canoness engaged in one final prayer for those young sisters in the rear with her before dismissing them. As she herself stepped out of the immolator, Chrana was already waiting for her. "Canoness, a word please."
Vylerine nodded in consent and followed Chrana to a quiet side of the vehicle bay before her Palatine spoke. "Canoness, I know you and I haven't served long together. You are a new Canoness, and I only served as a Palatine for perhaps months before being assigned to your side. But my previous Canoness had given me some advice before my transfer to you. Vylerine, if there is any matter of your faith you wish to discuss, I am here both to support you and to chastise you when needed. You do not stand alone. Do not let these faithless animals pressure you; you and you alone are the canoness of our Commandery, and as your Palatine, I will support you and keep you from falling to these secular's schemes."
With a smile, Vylerine kissed the Palatine upon her forehead. "Thank you, Chrana, by the Emperor's holy guidance, should a modicum of his will and his most esteemed attention ever be drawn our way. May it be to bless you for your loyalty, so you may keep me pure in his sight."
For the first time since Vylerine had met the woman, Chrana smiled demurely before donning her helmet, hiding away the blush upon her face. "May the Emperor always use you as a beacon for me to follow, blessed Canoness." Chrana's vox grill sounded as her response before the woman turned and walked away, destined for her chambers for the night.
Vylerine smiled to herself before nodding and following after Chrana's example, but as Canoness she decided to make one crucial exception. Before removing her armor and taking to bed, Vylerine decided she would walk the halls of the Sororitas dorms to ensure each of her sisters under her command was settling in, completing their prayers, and getting well-deserved rest.
As she walked, Vylerine noted each sister in their room. The ones who were fast asleep, those in prayers, those sharing discussions among their dorm mates, of them who were discussing tactics or faith or frivolous topics, and which of those might need reprimanded in the future. She then passed the private rooms. Chrana was reciting prayers of appeasement to her armor as she performed the ritual to remove it. Bellolla was going over nightly prayers, her own unique twist placing personal prayers praising the Emperor and begging for him to bless those above her and to protect those beneath her.
In their private rooms, the sisters assigned as superiors labored to prove themselves worthy of the honor that women half a decade their senior were not afforded. In her room, Ogina was reciting the day's events, making comments aloud while the sound of a quill worked; the young Sororitas was making notes of what happened and each tactical opportunity she saw. Next, Katira's voice in her room was cold and analytical as she prayed over her equipment, each word part of a prayer of maintenance, the sounds reminding Vylerine of when she served alongside the Tempestus Scions of the Inquisitorial Storm Troopers, and yet there was so much more faith and fervor in her words, the young woman marking herself as the best of both the Scions and the Sororitas in one person. In her own room, Mireal was begging the saints and the Emperor with a fervent voice for the blessing of righteous wrath and strength, to be able to destroy the unfaithful, even citing many of the nobles from the earlier party by name, begging the Emperor to use her to strike them down should they leave his light.
Finally she reached Adala's room, the room was silent as a grave. If Adala was asleep Vylerine would test her in the morning to inspect her Flagation if the girl failed, shown she had been self indulgent, soft upon herself, or disobedient then she would strip her of her station and punish her personally. However if the girl's actions were satisfactory, then she would just see to it she had another test of her faith before dropping this matter. Even if well intended such self serving arrogance and insubordination was not to be tolerated.
Then there was a crack followed by a muffled shout of pain, and second after a loud think, heavy and wet. Vylerine paused processing what she heard, questioning herself before self chastising and barging into the young Sororitas room. Inside the floor was slick with sweat and blood, Adala lay shallowly breathing and unconscious in a pool of her own blood. In her hand rather than the traditional scourge or Cat O' nine tails, the whip Adala used was weaved with shards of bone and barbed wires, now all wet with blood and holding chunks of mangled flesh.
Vylerine rushed to Adala's side and cursed. Immediately she grabbed the girl to hold up against her armor while tapping the communication bead on her collar. "Chrana, Chrana are you there?"
"Yes, Canoness." Chrana's voice was calm but swift and ready.
"Wake Zoie immediately. We have a sister in need of her attentions." And with that the communication was cut as Vylerine inspected the wounded Adala in her arms and the room about her. A sacred copy of the Lectio Divinitatus lay on a small floor pedestal and next to it a counter marking out ninety-one lashes.
"What were you thinking? Foolish girl." Vylerine asked trying to understand what what had led to this moment.
"C-canoness, i-is that you? I-I am sorry, I failed you're order... F-five more lashes, then... Then I will have done twice and twice again as... As many lashes as I performed in the... The schola." As Adala spoke Hospitaller Zoie entered the room various tools of healing in her hands as she raced in to the room.
"What happened here?" The Hospitaller demanded while begining to apply her chemicals and medicines to Adala's back, some of which the Canoness herself had applied to herself and others in the past, others beyond her ability to comprehend her mind one given to the militant service to the faith rather than to the health and life of the faithful.
"My orders were faithfully executed by this sister superior." Vylerine explained. "See to it she survives; should her strength in the battlefield be as good as what she shows here, she may be the first Celestian of this Commandery. Also remind me to send a letter of my condemnation to the schola, if this is what their drill abbots are teaching for self-flagellation, they must be censured for excess cruelty."
"Your will be done, Canoness." The Hospitaller answered as Chrana joined at her side to carry the wounded Sororitas to the Medicae chamber.
Just outside the door to Adala's room Bellolla stood by watching and waiting. "She's a faithful girl, she could be the best of all the sisters we received, Canoness."
"Bellolla, the day after tomorrow you will lead my Sororitas into battle. After prayer select the fifty you think best prepared for combat. The Church of the Divine Will suspects there are mutants in their territory, we can not allow them to live any longer." Vylerine ordered watching as Adala was carried away.
"By your order and his divine will."