41K RPG : Into the Eye

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 4:52 am

Prius' people marched up toward the entrance. He stopped as the woman stepped out, studying her, the marines stopping as he did and pivoting into fire vectors, ready to move into cover as needed. The landing area was exposed, after all.

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 4:55 am

"Inquisitor Ristani," she said, nodding her head fractionally. Her tone did not convey an ounce of warmth or greeting.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 4:58 am

He studied her for a long moment, augmetic eye swiveling, irising to narrow focus.

"Interrogator," he said. "I take it this," he gestured toward the Thunderhawk. "Is Jolan's doing?"

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 5:02 am

"You are wrong," she said smuggly. "Inquisitor Novum's doing. I'm surprised your people didn't inform you. I'm also curious why you suddenly feel the need to bring down a Deathwatch Kill Team."

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 5:04 am

The sole instrument of expression on his face, his eyebrow, rose archly. Brash, this one, and unschooled in even the barest manner of diplomacy, it would seem.

"I am certain you are," he replied.

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 5:10 am

Her gaze narrowed and then her expression smoothed into a mask of faultless politeness. Her voice became the cool instrument of a self confident aristocrat. "Should I inform Inquisitor Gix of that reason or would you prefer him to remain ignorant?"

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 5:14 am

"Inquisitor Gix may of course inquire as to my reasons, as befits our prior association and rank," he said, his own voice blank and calm. With that, he resumed walking. If she did not step aside, several thousand kilos of Inquisitor and Astartes were going to roll right over her.

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 5:21 am

It was easy enough to step around her. She stood her ground.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 5:27 am

He stopped a step away, looking down at her.

In his fiery youth, he likely would have shot her for this temerity.

"You will not go far in the ordo," he said coldly.

Then he took the next step and knocked her aside like an insect. If she were inclined to suicidal behavior, the Astartes would see her wishes through.

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 5:30 am

She rolled easily with the blow and got up smiling. "Thank you inquisitor. Your actions are most informative."

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 5:31 am

Undoubtedly, she felt as though she had unearthed some sort of deep, meaningful investigative work. He stepped into the lift, leaving her the last word, then triggered his internal vox, requesting a link with Jolan.

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 5:36 am

Gard drifted into the room where Jolan was meditating. The inquisitor was prone to doing it both as a form of prayer and as preperation for intensive use of his psychic powers. It was likely that he and Lydia would attempt to divine future obstacles, so this surprised the scientist not at all. "Inquisitor."

Jolan's eyes opened. "Yes."

"Inquisitor Ristani wishes to speak with you by vox link."

Jolan got up. "Thank you Gard."

"You are welcome as alway, Jolan."

Gix walked over to where he had put his vox button. "Yes?"

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 5:42 am

"Jolan," the voice crackled. "Your Interrogator and I just now had a discussion that turned mildly unpleasant. For her. You may wish to inform her of my previous methods for dealing with gross disrespect and insubordination of this variety."

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 5:43 am

Jolan's blood turned cold. "I will. What gross disrespect did she display?"

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 5:51 am

"Stand by, pict and audio feed will be available to you," he said. "I trust in you to make the appropriate judgement and deal with the matter accordingly. If you feel further need to speak to me on it, I of course will make time to discuss it."

Moments later, the pict-recorded data from Prius' onboard audio-video equipment transmitted to Jolan's station, displaying the entire incident.

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 5:57 am

"I see what you are refering to," Jolan replied. "I will talk with her." And least she didn't kill him on the damn spot, was what he was actually thinking. That would have been completely unrepairable. Cyborgs tended to fair very poorly against the rather brutal uses of machine empathy his interrogator was prone too. Not to mention the modified dark eldar agonizer concealed in her glove. "I would appreciate any restraint you could muster in dealing with my people," he replied. "Given Pater's behavior, you can see how an influx of troops could be percieved as aggravating the situation."

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 6:04 am

The open arrival of a single squad of Astartes would not be my approach in cracking this fortress.

None of them had the resources to make any sort of appreciable dent in the garrison. Even had it been staffed with human norms, rather than the Iron Men, this was so.

And simply walking over her had been his version of restraint, in any event.

"As you say. If you wish to inquire as to my motives, we may meet privately."

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 6:08 am

"Thank you," was Jolan's reply. He switched channels. "Lydia. To me. Now."

"B-, yes lord." The woman straightened out and walked stiffly back to Jolan's suites.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 6:15 am

He proceeded to his quarters with the Astartes. As they walked, he analyzed the incident for possible implications, both from it being entirely innocent and simply the behavior of an overzealous Interrogator moving above her station, to the possibility that it was one of Gix's devious schemes, setting some arcane manipulations in motion.

Unlikely, but the possibility could not be ruled out.

Once they had arrived, he turned to them.

"Honored battle brothers of the Space Marines, we have served together with valor and courage. Now, I must ask of you more than I have asked before, not only of you, but of the chapters from which you come. The Emperor calls to his bravest warriors through the vessel of one of His chosen servants, to strike a blow worthy of the Great Crusade itself, to cripple two of the greatest foes of His Imperium. For some time now, we have moved to bring mankind back to His vision, to crush our foes beneath our heels, the alien, the mutant, and the heretic..."

It was the sort of rhetoric that Astartes and commissars alike adored, precisely the reason he was so well-suited for serving as the conspiracy's primary liason with the oft-distrusting Space Marines.

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 6:32 am

She walked in to Jolan's suites. Gard Vikal looked up. "He's in his room."

Lydia nodded and walked inside to find Jolan Gix sitting on his bed. "What am I going to do with you Lydia? What did you intend to accomplish?"

"My lord, I went there to observe. Ristani and Novum both brought forces down. A psyker and a squad of Deathwatch. If they decide to move against you-"

"They have enough forces to do so, overwhelm any nearby Men of Iron, and present the other conspirators with a fait accompli. Yes, that's true. That is one possibility. There are others. You shouldn't allow one possibility dominate your thoughts. There are others. Your own considerable skills at precognition should have driven that into your brain."

"Yes lord." She stood stiffly at attention.

He sighed. "You don't have to impress me with how tough you are. There are lots of people tough enough for this job. You need to be wise enough for it. Standing in front of Prius Ristani is no wiser than standing in front of a Baneblade. Perhaps less wise as a Baneblade is unlikely to be able to have any psykers that could interfere with your abilities.

"To properly understand Prius Ristani's actions, they must be put into context with who he is. What is he?"

"A former commissar turned inquisitor."

"True. He is also a man who can turn a bunch of believers into an army of devoted zealots. He is a man who showed his first psychic talents in the field of biomancy and who has systematically replaced his flesh with cybernetics and augments."

Her eyes widened. "Sir, that's insane. He's crippling his strongest psychic gifts."

"Yes. He's a believer in brute force, not subtle psychic power. You played chicken, skirting the line, with a hammer who lives in the now, who will trade the future full of possible psychic power for the immediate results of bionics. He can be subtle, I am sure of it, but he prefers different methods."

"I've fucked things up," she said.

"None of your teachers have ever doubted your ability Lydia. It is your eagerness to overreach yourself, to act as if the honours and responsibilities that will one day be yours are your now that gets you into trouble. Think in the now. How must this situation be repaired?"

"I know how," she replied.

"Tell me."

She did.

"Then go." She turned around and walked away.

------------------------------------------------

She knocked on the door to Prius Ristani's quarters.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 6:36 am

There was a long moment of waiting, before the door irised open before her. Prius stood next to the magnificent painting, hands clasped behind his back, the Astartes nowhere in sight.

"Enter," he said.

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 6:39 am

She bowed. "Inquisitor, may I speak with you in private?"

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 6:44 am

He looked to his savant, who rose and departed without a word, then turned back to study her.

This should be no mere apology. Varian once told him that their every interaction held a lesson in it, an explanation of sorts for the detachment his mentor had adopted once Prius had been assigned to him as an Interrogator.

An explanation that had been entirely unnecessary, but Varian had more of the human needs in him, and Prius was well aware that for some odd reason, the man had liked him.

"Beyond any such devices as escaped detection," he said. "We have privacy. Speak freely, Interrogator."

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 6:49 am

"I wish to apologize for my behavior, inquisitor. As you may or may not be aware, Inquisitor Gix has spent the last several years pursuing a renegade inquisitor who has committed terrible crimes against the Imperium. He was not without resources inside the Inquisition. For several years I have lived a life where every Inquisition contact was with a likely enemy. When I saw new troops coming, I immediately suspected the worst. I- I had failed Inquisitor Gix shortly before the final contest. There were deaths that could have been prevented if I had been there. I had resolved not to do so again, even if it killed me in the process."

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 6:52 am

He nodded curtly. "Your apology is accepted. However, your justification is not. Had I been planning to move against Inquisitor Gix, precisely how would your actions have served him?"

As he spoke, the pictcaster came to life on the wall, replaying the incident via Prius-cam.

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41K RPG : Into the Eye

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