(Took inspiration from these two posts and wanted to write something larger. Also took inspiration from the Dolls from Street Fighter Series. Going for a lot more of a Zealous Puritan Confessor, rather than the more moderated and impersonal perspective from last time. Hope it's not too much.)
"The Fallen Commissar: An Impartial View of Ciaphas Cain" Chapter 18. By Confessor Kelten Loghain
As much as Commissar Caiaphas Cain is a focus of much speculation within the Imperial Guard, a figure to be feared and reviled. He is also a source of curiosity, both for his meteoric rise up into a position of unparalleled power and authority and for the fact that he has so publicly fallen from the Emperor's light. The fact that so much of his faults and fall to the Ruinous Powers are documented, recorded, and even appropriately archived makes him a very frequent point of study. This does not mean that he is a figure to be admired, despite the unwise admiration some have discussed for this traitorous individual. The organizations which fall under him, have been equally postulated about, by many within the most Holy Emperors service. Of the more base speculation, none are more commonly discussed in the lower ranks, and then what is commonly called the "Dark Sororitas". This is blatant and quite frankly bordering on libel misnomer, as the organization is in no way the Adeptus Sororitas, as that is the militant arm of the Ecclesiarchy, and is composed of Holy Ordos, created in the name of and blessed with the divine purpose by the God-Emperor himself. If one insists upon drawing comparisons between the holy organizations under the God emperors domain, and the traitorous Commissars failed attempts to imitate them, then these would perhaps, better be described, as attempts to imitate the Tempestus Scion, rather than the Adeptus Sororitas. This being said, this comparison is still an intense affront to the Adeptus Terra, and should not be considered by any serious scholar. Yet, the comparison exists, and as much as one may attempt to correct such misguided assumptions, the ignorant will make them regardless.
The reason for and method for the establishment of the Black Commissar's twisted version of the Adeptus Sororitas is a matter of fierce academic debate to those intellectuals and scholars, who have the lead on lives to try to understand this emergent power. Some of the arise that it began as a result of members of the Holy Ordos, who fell into the traitor's hands and were subsequently corrupted. This theory, while not impossible things to largely be a factless assertion, created with the logical response, that a predominantly female organization rising within Cains Empire, must share a common heritage of some varieties with the far nobler organization within the imperial space. This is the error of the casual historian. To see similarities, and assume that there must be a connection, then formulate as many conjectures as needed to tie them together. Instead, from the sources that the Imperium has worked so hard to cultivate both from observation and intelligence assets which continue to operate in this ever-expanding front, the origins of such a group seem to be another example of the maligned wisdom and forethought of the Dark Commissar, and his tendency toward adapting existing model and forces into his empire.
In the aftermath of the rebellion and true rulership being absolved on Slawkenberg, the social and civil upheaval left hundreds if not thousands of children orphaned, and with no appropriate government organization, prepared to take care of them. Even with such a decisive revolution, there were a great many casualties, Loyalists and Traitors alike having engaged in battles with each other multiple times throughout the revolution. Not to mention those left behind by off-worlders or noble families, who fled off-world when the Revolution began. This only compounded existing issues with the planet's uncared-for youth, as many, especially in the lower classes, lost their primary caregivers in what can only be described as industrial accidents, lack of self-care, and acts of political disobedience. Some of a more cynical bent have claimed that these were in fact, the victims of systematic abuse by the former Governor, including mass executions, police actions, or deliberate negligence of his planet's societal and economic needs. As the imperial records do not state this, we can safely dismiss it as nothing but Propaganda by the Imperium's enemies and discount such ridiculous statements.
Still, this many of the planet's next generation, being without an education, a means to feed themselves, or any other necessities of life, would obviously be a problem and would surely ferment rebellion for the next generation. Even to such a heretical sort, this would prove an issue, and as such a plan was formed by the Liberation Council's leader, to expedite his plans to ensure his stranglehold on power would remain for generations to come. While a more Pious individual would see this as a sign of The Emperor's displeasure with their actions, and seek forgiveness, the Black Commissar instead used it as an opportunity to further entrench his power and as a way to ensure his teachings would not die with him, once the inevitable Imperial reprisal caught up with him. Drawing upon the supposed lessons of his life and of those around him, Cain crafted a new tool of civil subjugation, one which continues to spread its insidious poison to this day.
Thus, we see the establishment of Cain's 'National Academies for Slawkenburgs Advancement' (NASA). These heretical centers of indoctrination were supposedly modelled after the Schola Progeniums in which his own education was carried out. This is an attempt to give them a legitimacy they severely lack and to besmirch the good name of an Imperial Institution which Cain failed to properly learn from, and so he mocks its nature to get a petty revenge for his own failings. These so-called academies would take any youths they could find off the street, regardless of their merits and provide them with indoctrination, led partially by the Black Commissar himself. Clearly priming these new students to take over and subvert what was left of the pre-revolution institutions and conventions, Cain's lessons are recorded to have included sword and unarmed fighting, lessons on faking empathy and other more positive human emotions to manipulate others, how to take advantage of existing systems are, and even how to avoid doing the work that one is assigned to. All of these are given masks and euphemisms, with polite words, such as 'Delegation', 'Preparedness', and 'Camaraderie'. Yet, it is known that none of these traits are possessed in truth by the heretic regardless of origin, and so clearly hide more sinister motives.
It is claimed that the reason the Liberation Council supported the initiative, and came personal desire to create these institutions of corruption, was in order to provide education which supposedly had been lacking on the planet for Generations and to ensure that future generations would have the skills and ability necessary to is almost comical, as official Imperial records clearly show that there was no immediate issue with the education system under the previous governor, nor any complaints made by appropriately sanctified authorities on the matter. Instead, we can simply take these excuses as a justification for the Liberation Councils' ploy to ensure its power is not challenged by a rising generation of humans yearning to return to the Emperor's light. Instead, he supports these efforts to prevent the next generation from feeling the light and love of the Emperor and knowing their duty to the Imperium of man. The fact that many of them are brought to live inside of the academy's walls, if no other establishment houses them, means that many of them will not be permitted even the moments at their own homes to be free of this disastrous propaganda. Truly an Insidious way to prevent any from attempting to sway these profligates back to the righteous path.
Cain's Academies, not only claims to teach the skills that would be taught at the Schola Progenium but also a variety of other topics which the Creator and his lackeys in the Liberation Council have determined to be necessary for his subjects to function. This includes a heavily falsified history of the Imperium, that says the Imperium committed multiple massacres of human worlds when they failed to meet imperial tithes, and social concepts, which do not include the emperor as a central figure for governance. On top of this is the more typical mathematics, literature, and arts, with a disturbing amount of attention being given to pursuits that do not appear to have any direct benefit to their eventually prescribed rules. As if the act of wasting their time with these frivolous pursuits will in some way improve their standing against the glorious imperial hammer, which shall one day crush their miserable rebellion.
Those who graduate from this parody of the righteous Schola Progenium, are often sentenced to further service to the Black Commissar's twisted vision. Being shepherded towards the institutions of control which grant him power over that suffering world and those who have fallen under his sway. The best and brightest were plucked from the lot by the various wings of his foul conspiracy and brought to serve in his army, administration, or various other perverted parodies of proper Imperial worlds institutions. Those who cannot be found a purpose within their blighted ranks will be released with nothing more than a certificate, saying that they have addressed through the institution and thus are skilled in whatever matters they were supposed to have learned, and then simply let loose to spread what havoc they will into the general populace. To think that those trained next to the corrupted parodies of stormtroopers and Commissars would be inflicted upon the hidden masses, who still yearn for their Emperor appointment leaders' return, is a Heart wrenching Prospect.
Those who show a particular aptitude towards subversion, infiltration or negotiation, all things which a true Schola would purge from their student's minds either through discipline or a mind cleanse should all else fail, are directed to the organization that seems to so fascinate Guardsmen, the so-called 'Velvet Vanguard'. This is of course, not their true name, and in more official circles, they are titled, the United Slawkenburg Special Service or 'USSS'. This name seems to have originated, due to their habit of often including very comfortable clothing as a part of their standard uniforms, with velvets being a frequently noted material for their accessories, as well as the fact that they are frequently seen cooperating with members of the Slannesish cults and acting in conjunction with local organizations of this kind. Acting as the militant wing of the Handmaidens of Emeli, a group of all-female spies who believe that their namesake spirit now guards and guides their planets and the Commissar, the Velvet Vanguard acts as their muscle and enforcers both on Slawkenburg and beyond. Composed of both security and infiltration elements, these units are deployed both inside Cain's nominal territory, as well as to the worlds which he views as his next targets. These women (As despite having no special restrictions on gender, it is usually, but not always women recruited into this formation) are often deployed far beyond the borders of Cain's supposed Domain, acting as an independent body to the USA. One of the reasons that they are perhaps more well-known and more focused on than their larger and more official counterpart, is the fact that they are often deployed, wherever the 'Handmaids of Emili' believe that their deployment may permit the rise of a traitorous and heretical movement. This means that many guard formations, especially ones stationed to the world to act as a garrison force, have encountered these warp-guided psychotics and so naturally begin drawing comparisons to the holy sisterhoods of the Sororitas, despite the clear differences, just because of their tendency to be composed mostly of women.
Many of their members, their accents, names, mementos, and identities, are based on regional or planetary identities that do not conform to the group as a whole. It is not unheard of to see headbands, pieces of jewelry, or specialist weapons with specific cultural meanings being used in these formations. This inability to separate from one's past suggests that the commissar has not implemented proper Mindscapping procedures, as would normally happen to those entering any sort of Adeptus Terra Organization. Perhaps even more disturbing, are members who seem to have origins far beyond the domain of the Black Commissars' borders. Suggesting that heretical forces are conceiving of ways to smuggle their children off these planets, and into his awaiting arms. Some would argue that this suggests there is larger discontent Brewing within the imperium, but to claim that would also be to claim that the official reports are inaccurate or falsified, a serious accusation which should not be made without significantly more evidence.
The 'VV' is also noticeable for its lack of a universal uniform. On multiple occasions, members of the Imperial Guard have noted suspected USSS members wearing local garb, personal uniforms modified to display ancestral iconography or even specialized equipment. This appears to be a largely deliberate choice on the part of teams being deployed, as there is evidence that for more Frontline operations, they do in fact, have access to large amounts of the same or more powerful versions of the armour used by main of the forces of the USA. It would suggest that either there is not the Esprit Décor that is to be found in them all forces who serve under the Glorious name of the emperor comment to be found in these organizations or that they are so blinded by their desire to complete their foul God's missions, that they subvert their own planetary identities, a frightening concept for any Guardsmen.
The most elite of these indoctrinated Warriors, have been called many names by the Guardsmen who have come up against them. However, two of the names with the most disturbing implication are "Cains Angels" for their clear favouring by the Black Commissar and "Daughters of Emeli", due to their main political patron. At the moment, only around 12 have been positively identified, and they seem to operate within groups of six, believing that the number to draw favour from their foul god. These warriors have become feared by both regular guard formations, as well as their commanders, due to the fact they have shown an absurd proclivity for the elimination of high-level officers. Their understanding of the imperial Command structure and conventions has allowed them to, on multiple occasions, disrupt operations across entire planetary theatres by the systematic removal of entire cadres of commanders and specialist officers. This knowledge, along with their specialist skills in close-quarters combat, and clear reverence given to them by the Heretics aligned with Cain, suggests that they are the personal students of his foul practices. That he has created what is clearly intended to be in some way, either his own personal elite, assassination force, or potentially his successors, truly highlights the sheer level of madness this once proud figure has fallen to.
Despite being intensely effective saboteurs and elite commandos, this unit is also lacking the dedication that graduates of the Schola typically demonstrate. There are no strictly standardized uniforms, enforced by martial punishment, there are no hierarchies of more senior individuals, nor is there a clear use of mind-cleansing technology. Each member of this supposedly Elite unit uses different weapons and has clearly modified their uniform with cultural artifacts which supposedly hold great meaning to them. An utterly ridiculous sentiment for one who seeks to draw a comparison to the Stormtroopers of the Tempestus Scion. In essence, while these individuals appear to be the rough equivalent of Tempestus Scions for their cause, they are also a clearly inferior model, and their previous identities have not been fully cleansed from that time. Thus we can see an example of one of the Black Commissar's inherited flaws, as he has failed to learn the lesson that The Schola Progenium has learned and practices to this day, that the culture and individual identity one holds should not be permitted to influence the methodology that carries into their duties.
Even more disturbing than such an organization's existence, is how it seems to interact with the other officers and organizations within their sphere. instead of separating Themselves from matters, that should be the need for their status as elite units, Many times 'VV' units have been seen acting as local reserves or Strike Teams for low-level officers, Without a clear order to do so. These assignments appear to be chaotic and poorly thought out. When compared to the clear discipline and chain of commands of the Imperial Guard, this lazy and unfocused strategic mindset highlights how the chaotic forces systems are simply aping what they do not understand. It appears simply that when not on a direct mission for their immediate superiors, the Agents of this haphazard imitation of the Tempesta Scion will arrange themselves into teams and begin carrying out operations in association with whatever forces request support. Some have speculated that this is the proof of a long feared, Grand mobilization of chaotic forces. Some of my more superstitious, and reactionary colleagues believe that the fact that this militant arm of a minor cause is willing to follow the commands of other organizations indicates that they are transcending their primitive and aggressive nature. chaos forces do not evolve, and thus these ideas are nothing more than heretical twaddle, unfit to be discussed in looks as divinely inspired as the ones I work on.