Chapter Text
An unexpected companion
I've been thinking about this for a while now and the last few chapters have inspired me to write this. I'm not entirely satisfied, but write down what you think.
"What in the name of...?" I stopped myself just in time before I could say Imperator. The sight that met my eyes was gruesome. The... thing lay on the floor, so disfigured that I wasn't even sure what species it belonged to. "Tselion?" I whispered, and the Magos pushed past me to kneel beside the figure. A Mechadendrite shot out and scanned the body. "Species. Human. Female and... alive." I raised my eyebrows in surprise and wondered silently how that was possible. "Stabilisation possible, but I will need considerably more Panacea," he continued. With that, he stabbed the body with a needle and began pumping it full with Panacea.
"This is Cain. I need a medicus team at my position," I said into my com bead. That was all I could do. I was not a doctor after all. I handed Tesilon-Kappa my panacea injectors before turning away and leaving the room, which could only have been a torture chamber of the brotherhood. A short time later, the Medicus team arrived.
"My lord," the sergeant greeted me, but I just pointed to the door. "In there." He nodded and entered the room with the others. "In the name of the gods!" one of them cried. But I wasn't listening anymore. "The room stank of warp," Jurgen said beside me after a while.
Great, just what I needed. Another failed ritual by the Brotherhood. I'm slowly starting to believe that the dark gods don't particularly like them.
"Hmm, any idea why it didn't work?"
"I can only imagine that her spirit has a special strength."
"Then she's either very lucky or a fanatic," I grumbled, and Jurgen nodded in agreement. Maybe I should lock her up, just to be on the safe side.
"Let's go back and see how far they've got." We re-entered the room. It still looked gruesome, but the medicus team had done a lot of work to make the woman look human again.
"We still have a lot of work to do, my lord. Her injuries are severe and we don't know how much damage has been done to her mind."
"I see. Do your best, sergeant." His soldiers were putting together a stretcher. "I want you to take her to the officer's brig on the Worldwounder for her own protection." I hoped I sounded like I cared about her. The sergeant looked at the woman. "Yes, that would probably be best. I'll take care of it, my lord." He saluted and helped the others hoist the woman onto the stretcher.
I sighed when I was finally alone with Jurgen. "Clean the room, Jurgen." I turned away from the horror that must have happened here and let Jurgen clean the room with warp fire.
Several days passed as I processed everything that had happened and dealt with the aftermath, in addition to all kinds of meetings. Finally, I stood in front of the cell where the woman had been taken and entered. The cell was pleasant, but equipped with nothing she could use to hurt herself.
The woman wore a simple white robe and was kneeling on the floor with her back to me. "Good afternoon, miss. My name is Ciaphas Cain. I was the one who found you."
"I know, that's what I was told, and I am very grateful for that."
"Of course, it was only natural to save you."
"And, as I said, I am very grateful." She sank back into silence.
"Excuse me, but you're coping amazingly well with your experience?"
"I can't remember much except the pain. Don't worry, it wasn't the first time, I'll get over it." In retrospect, this sentence should have frightened me more than it did at the time.
"Hmm, very well. Nevertheless, I would like to keep you here for a while for your own safety."
"I can understand that. Still, it would be nice if I could get out of here."
"I have some time. If you want, I can guide you."
"That would be very nice." The woman got up and turned around. She looked healthy and yet something wasn't right. As if something had dug itself into her that even the Panacea couldn't heal
"Can we go?" she asked gently.
"Of course." I led her out of the cell into the corridor and out of the brig. We walked a little without talking too much until she suddenly asked, "Is there actually a place to train here?"
I was a little surprised by the question at that moment, but I led her to the nearest training room, which unfortunately was used by the Kohrn soldiers, but was empty at that time.
"I didn't expect that," she said as I opened the door.
"Well, the soldiers have their own idea of training."
"I can see that." She looked around and then walked over to a rack filled with swords. I had some reservations about letting a traumatised woman near sharp weapons. But she already had a sword in her hand before I could stop her.
I watched her examine the sword and swing it tentatively. At that moment, I was certain that something was wrong with her. No one could simply brush off an experience like hers without suffering any damage and then grab the nearest sword they could find.
I narrowed my eyes slightly as I watched her. "Miss? Would you be so kind as to put the sword down?"
She looked at me as if she had briefly forgotten that I was still there. "Of course."
Perhaps she gave herself away, or perhaps it was my natural distrust. Four steps separated us, and before she took the second one, I held the slayer sword in my hand.
My situation was bad. No guards, no Jurgen, no Malicia and no armour, just my uniform, which a sword won't stop. I was stupid to let it get this far.
Meanwhile, she took the last two steps and attacked. My muscles reacted instinctively and parried the attack. The sword demanded her blood, but before I could attack, I had to parry the next blow. She was good, extremely good. She would defeat any soldier I know with ease.
She made up for her lack of strength with excellent technique and wielded the sword with a speed that left me no time to react. The only thing keeping me alive is my muscle memory and the hope that she will tire quickly.
But my hope was not fulfilled, and she seemed to draw her energy from an endless source. Blow after blow, parry after parry, she kept up with me or even outdid me. She was definitely not a simple prisoner of the brotherhood, that much was now clear to me.
Our duel dragged on, and it was a tough few minutes. She wanted to kill me and had the skill to do it. After two or three minutes, however, she made a mistake.
I pushed her sword down, pressed myself against her and struck my forehead against hers. Instinctively, she recoiled, giving me the space to strike her head with the pommel of my sword.
She fell and lost her sword, but immediately tried to pick it up again. However, I was faster and kicked the sword aside. She slowly turned around and found herself facing the tip of my sword. "I have some questions for you," I gasped between heavy breaths.
Her previously neutral gaze had turned to hatred. "I bet you do, heretic." She spoke as if she wanted to spit on the ground in disgust.
I nodded slowly and thought about my words, but suddenly something came to mind that filled me with pure fear. "You know how to fight properly and you know who I am, which doesn't leave many possibilities as to who you are..." She continued to stare at me with hatred. "Canoness."
She continued to stare at me with hatred, but something in her gaze changed. Perhaps it was surprise, but it confirmed my fears. "And how did you come to that conclusion, great Cain?"
"You tried to kill me at the first real opportunity. Not immediately, as a soldier or zealot would have done, and an Inquisitor would have had enough self-control to wait until he could kill my officers too. And you know my name when you call me a heretic."
She nodded slowly. "And what are you going to do now, great Cain?"
I sheathed my sword. "Nothing."
"Nothing?" she asked, completely surprised.
"Nothing," I confirmed. "You didn't attack anyone else, and I'm not vindictive."
She frowned but said nothing as she slowly stood up. The white robe did not make her look like a dangerous Sororita at all.
"Perhaps I should take you to one of the chapels of the God Emperor?"
"You have chapels on this ship?" she asked with amusement. "Thanks, but I can do without the perversion your crew calls Imperator." Her shoulders trembled with disgust.
"I can assure you I'm not joking." I gathered all my courage and turned around. "Follow me."
I listened, but instead of steel scraping across the floor, I heard footsteps. Perhaps I had actually piqued her curiosity. I led her through the adjacent corridors, out of sight of most of the crew. Finally, I stopped in front of a bulkhead and opened it. The chapel is tiny compared to the large cathedrals I have seen, with room for only a few, perhaps 30 people.
We entered and she looked around. It was really sad. A few rotten chairs, a single small statue made of easily workable lead.
She looked around and considered the five sailors sitting here. She walked past them carelessly and went forward to look at the small statue. Finally, she came back and we stepped back into the corridor.
"Is this the only chapel?" she asked, looking at the bulkhead.
"No, there are one or two larger ones, but for the few followers, no more is needed and there are hardly any good artists among them."
She seemed to be thinking. "And you allow that?" she finally asked.
"Of course. I'm not someone who tells others what to do in their free time."
She nodded. "And of course they have the same amount of free time?"
"Of course." She looked at me as if she didn't believe a word I said. "And I can come here anytime?"
"Not you, because you're actually locked up for your own safety."
She raised her eyebrows. "For my safety?" She seemed to be holding back laughter. "Sure, but theoretically, I could?"
"Theoretically, yes." She looked back at the screen and still didn't seem to believe me. "I want to go back to my cell," she finally said.
A few days later, I found time to visit her again.
"The prisoner is singing, my lord," said the lieutenant in charge of the shift after greeting me.
"She's singing?"
"Yes, my lord, and she asked for art supplies. I saw no reason not to give them to her. I was told to guard her, but to give her whatever she wants."
"You did well, even though it surprises me."
"Us too, my lord."
"Hmm, very well. I think I can manage on my own from here." The lieutenant nodded and saluted before turning and leaving. I took the last few steps to her cell door and entered.
Her cell looked like the studio of a mad artist. She was kneeling on the floor and seemed to be painting on a large canvas. In one corner were clay figures, and everywhere lay pages covered with text and drawings.
She looked up and stared at me. "The great Cain is back." She greeted me sarcastically.
I nodded politely. "Canoness," I greeted her. "I see you've found something to do."
"Yes, even though my other visitors were far too helpful." She shuddered briefly in disgust.
I nodded. "Yes, the Slaanesh worshippers can be a bit intrusive at times."
She looked at me with contempt. "You actually say their names?"
"Of course. After all, they are my patrons, just as the God Emperor is yours." I hope I appeared confident enough to her. She looked as if she wanted to say something, but she remained silent and turned her gaze back to the canvas on the floor.
"I was surprised that no one tried to plant any of their contaminated stuff on me."
"As I said, we don't dictate what anyone should believe in."
"Sure," she said, although it was clear that she still didn't believe me. "Why is the Black Commissioner personally in my cell? Surely not to marvel at my work for the God Emperor?" she said shortly afterwards.
"What does the God Emperor stand for?" She blinked and looked at me as if I were crazy.
"For the good of humanity, of course."
I nodded. "And what about the welfare of humans?" She stared at me.
"This is the sacrifice everyone must be willing to make. Just as the Emperor has sacrificed for us every second for over 10,000 years," she said with conviction.
I nodded again. "Even though there are better ways and means of doing this?"
She clenched her teeth and seemed to suppress a reply. "No matter what you say, heretic. I will not betray my faith in the Emperor," she finally continued, forcing herself to remain calm.
"And I don't expect you to. Answer me one question. Does Terra follow the path of the Emperor?" Before she could answer, I turned and left.
A few days later, I was standing in her cell again. Art and writings were still scattered everywhere. When I entered, she turned to me.
"YOU DARE TO RETURN, HERETIC!" she yelled at me.
"So you've thought about my question?"
"I HAVE, AND YOU KNOW THE ANSWER, HERETIC!" She pointed her finger at me, and I was suddenly very glad of the slayer sword at my hip, because I was sure she would have killed me with her bare hands otherwise.
I forced myself to remain calm and raised an eyebrow serenely. "Terra does not follow the path of the Emperor. They are greedy and corrupt, yet a thousand times better than you are. You are a heretic who works with mutants, abhumans and xenos instead of killing them as commanded by the Emperor."
"I fight against the death and misery that plagues humanity. I will kill every mutant, abhuman, xenos and human who stands in the way of humanity's secure place in this galaxy," I said with the greatest conviction I could muster.
"And yet you follow the gods who bring this destruction."
"And yet I have never brought such destruction." She crossed her arms and looked at me with a gaze that even an Ogrin would notice she didn't believe me.
"You have seen and felt what the Dark Brotherhood has done. I would never allow such a thing. The High Lords have betrayed the word of the God-Emperor. I will free everyone who believes in him on Terra from them."
Her eyebrows drew together. Her whole demeanour spoke of how much she wanted to tear me to pieces. "Go. Before I kill you." Her voice was calm. Completely calm. She didn't speak like the fanatic I had met at the schola. But perhaps that made her even more dangerous. Either way, I decided not to tempt fate. I nodded to her and left her cell.
I gave her a few days before returning, but this time I had brought Jurgen with me, though only as far as the cell door so that he could use his psychic powers to prevent anyone from eavesdropping. I remained silent and waited for her to speak.
She sat on the floor and looked at a figure of the God Emperor. The silence dragged on and I was about to leave the cell when she spoke. "Maybe you're right." She spoke softly, as if she needed all her strength to talk.
She stood up and turned around. The first thing I noticed was how tired she looked. She held the figure out to me. "Swear. Swear on him on Terra that you're not lying. That you, like Saint Sebastian, will travel to Terra to depose the High Lords. No more."
"You know the other Imperials will try to prevent that?"
"I know, and I will do everything I can to prevent a fight, but no more. Now swear." I hesitated. Having a Sororita on my side would draw a lot more attention to me, but on the other hand, she could prevent unnecessary dangers for me in the future.
I sank to one knee and formed the Aquila on my chest with my hands for the first time in a long time. "I swear by the eternal God-Emperor that I will never harm His Majesty on Terra and will not rest until all dangers to humanity have been eliminated. That I will respect and protect the welfare of all who come from Terra."
She nodded with satisfaction. "I will follow you for now, Dark Commissar. I do not trust you and will not swear allegiance." That was probably the best result I could hope for at this point, and I had never expected it to happen.
"What is your name?" Her eyebrows drew together as her gaze became uncomfortably intense.
"Aurora."
"Thank you for your trust, Aurora, and please come with me. I would like to show you something." We left the brig and she followed me through the corridors of the ship. We spoke little until I stopped in front of a door and she opened it.
Behind the door was a small equipment room with a completely black-painted USA standard armour. More significant, however, was everything next to the armour that was needed to make it a real Sororita armour and bless it accordingly.
She paused and looked at me, seeming for the first time to be unsure of what to do. She nodded to me and entered the room. I watched her examine everything closely, probably to check for heresy, and when she found nothing, she began working on the armour.
I hope it won't cause any problems to have her with me.