41K RPG : Into the Eye

[Caz]

"Geological time," Cantor mused. "If you ever want a dose of anger at our own self-importance... A planet takes billions of years to form, let alone develop an atmosphere and chain of evolution to support life. Even an Inquisitor's lifespan--say, three hundred years--is merely the blink of an eye in the eyes of geology."

She watched a foggy sphere, no doubt a representation of a far-off world, rotate in one of the more quiet sectors of the map.

"And yet we, with our laughable life expectancies, have the means to destroy an entire world, something which grew so slowly that we can hardly comprehend its age."

[Pcm979]

"There is only one who can, and that is Him on Terra." Joritu said piously, pulling her heavy hands out of their holsters with a sliding sound and making the sign of the Aquila.

[Caz]

"And although the act is His, an entire species has grown complacent," she said. It was apparent even moreso now, Cantor's disdain for the general populous.

"It's worrisome," she mused. "Every day, I thank the Inquisition and its forces for keeping this power out of the wrong hands."

[Pcm979]

Joritu placed her hands on the Projector's rim. It was apparent that she couldn't hold them up for any length of time.

"And here we are, sitting on all the data required to build weapons not seen since the Dark Ages." She said quietly, staring at a random spot on the map. "If it had fallen into the wrong hands..." She shuddered.

[Caz]

"Well," she said, "that's what we're for. I didn't doubt a word of it when Inquisitor Novum said that you would all die for the Emperor's cause. Because while we fight for the Emperor, and for the Inquisitor, we're also fighting for ourselves."

[Pcm979]

Joritu nodded thoughtfully.

In a corner of the map, unnoticed, a planet winked out of existence.

[Cynical Cat]

Lydia walked into Gix's office with her hands clasped behind her back. The room was much like the rest of Gix's personal quarters, sparesely but functionally decorated. The walls were lined with a a pair of bookshelves and a few holopics. Gix himself sat in a contoured chair behind an ebony desk with a built in cogitator with stacked crystal and holographic controls. "You asked for me sir?"

"I did. Please make yourself comfortable."

"I prefer to stand sir."

"As you wish." Jolan pointed to the two objects on his desk. "Have you ever wondered about these Lydia?"

"Yes, my lord. There presence seems to be . . . . out of character."

He turned them to face her. One was a holopic of a platoon of Imperial Guard soldiers. They were smiling and posing for the pic taker. The other was a adamantium icon case, embossed in gold. Jolan touched the case and it slid open. It revealed a hawk faced man in gilded power armour.

"Who is that? A hero or primarch?"

"Our Emperor." Lydia's knees trembled. "A copy of pic owned by one Nathan Talstrem. He pointed to one of the soldier's in the pic. "That's him. You know I have secrets and have striven to be included in my inner circle. This is one of the greatest."

She feel to her knees and made the sign of the aquila. "What does this have to do with me?"

"These soldiers are not those of the Imperial Guard. They are soldiers of the Imperial Army, from the time of the Great Crusade. From their ranks, Nathan was chosen and annointed as a daemon hunter. Annointed by the Emperor himself. And then the Heresy came and he was lost in the warp, for ten thousand years. I met him on Adraxis."

"He gave me this copy and more than a few words of wisdom. He was . . . naive in certain ways. It was clear that we had fallen a long way from the days of the Great Crusade. We live in a darker, more primitive, and brutal time. I wish I had more time with him."

"So that is why he is so special."

"In part. He died on Cyrus Gamma, burning out his body in a blaze of warp energy. His soul survived, obviously. When the Gamesman targetted me, he spoke a warning through Domina and that brought us together. And that let me know that his soul survived."

"My lord?'

"A sample of his tissue existed on Adraxis. I had confirmation that his soul survived and the skill to draw a being from the warp into a living body."

"Resurrection," she said softly.

"Yes. And now the time has come. I will need someone to stand guard over the ritual, to prevent the interference of unwholesome influences. You."

"When?"

"As soon as we return to real space."

"Master, I am honoured."

"Soon, the last of the veils will slip away and you will know all of my secrets."

[Cynical Cat]

Jolan was securing a purity seal to his storm coat when his door buzzed. He touched the control with a telekinetic push. Hethor was on the other side. The big veteran stepped inside. "What is up?"

"Is this about-"

"No. Its about Lydia. She's acting strange. Cocky and nervous. That means you're including her in somethin' big."

"Yes. I'm going to be conducting a rather dangerous warp ritual. She gets to participate."

"Something you've kept secret until now."

Jolan kept his face expressionless. "Is that a problem?"

"No. You're the one who sees the big picture. I just execute. But if you want something done right, you know who to tap."

Jolan hesitated. "I'm going to resurrect Talstram."

Hethor flinched. "Are you- never mind. You wouldn't be trying it if you didn't think it could succeed."

"I've already failed," he admitted. "I think I will succeed this time. The circumstances are more favorable and my skill and power have grown."

"And Lydia?"

"Back up. In case something unpleasant comes through."

"If you need her you could use me. I've got still got the silver ammo for the stubber. And the melta."

Jolan considered it for a moment. "Alright. When we return to real space, armour up and get the shotcannon."

[Cynical Cat]

Jolan raised his hand and then hesitated. He had lived with distrust and suspicion for decades, fighting a shadow war. And now those habits were counter productive. They would need to trust each other with their lives. He touched the bell to Tech Captain Malkamar's room.

[SirNitram]

"A moment, then I am with you." The Captain replied, before placing down his tools and opening the door. He was outside of his armour; the Astartes attempted to be, whenever he might have contact with the crew or the Inquisitor. It put them at ease more than the armour. "My Lord Jolan. How may I serve this evening? I was just performing some repairs on my equipment."

[Cynical Cat]

"I hope the equipment provided is to your satisfaction. We have additional resources to place at your disposal if it is not. I came to speak with you of a rather important undertaking, Tech Captain. To put it in simply, I am about to attempt the resurrection of a man who was picked by the Emperor himself to fight daemons and who is connected intimately with our previous endeavour. I have good reason to expect success."

[SirNitram]

"..By ressurection, you're not using some quaint, low-tech term for jamming the guy full of adrenafix and jolting him because he's been on ice a little while, do you?" Malkamar lifted his brows. "But if the Emperor has stirred from His eternal slumber on Terra to appoint the man a Daemonslayer, he is the firepower we need on this mission. How may I assist? My Apothecarium training is.. Very limited, but..."

[Cynical Cat]

"The Emperor has stirred to annoint him, Tech Captain. Inquisitor Talstram was chosen by Him on Earth during the Great Crusade and subsequently lost in the warp. In the climax of the campaign on Cyrus Gamma, he destroyed his body by channelling an overwhelming amount of warp energy against a daemon. His soul survived and has been in intermitent contact with a member of the Adeptus Sorirtas, Domina of my retinue. Over the past twenty years, I have spent a considerable amount of time honing my skills for this moment. My divinations have revealed an auspicious moment is approaching. I will attempt to bring him to a body cloned from his own tissues so he may again walk among the living."

[SirNitram]

"Well. This is about the craziest plan I've heard since 'Let's go into the Eldar village to get away from the Orkz'." Malkamar replied dryly, considering this. "But.. If what you say is true.. If this man walked during the Great Crusade.. If he truly is this powerful, and you can bring him back, it must be attempted. This journey will require such power." He sighed softly. "Emperor help us all.. You're meddling with powers neither of us can understand.. But you are an Inquisitor, and that is your job. I am a Marine, and it is my job to guard the gates. I will assist. I hope I need not my equipment, but I suspect I should finish my repairs soon."

[Cynical Cat]

"I assure you Tech Captain, I have a very good understanding of what powers I am meddling with. If things go wrong, which is unlikely, the dangers are considerable. I am here as a courtesy, to warn of what is going to occur, whether I succeed or fail. If you wish to assist, I have several members of my retinue who will be standing as warders. We would be grateful for your assitance. In any event, we still have time. It would be unwise to attempt this resurrection until we have returned to real space."

[SirNitram]

"I can only imagine what foul happenings would come if we attempted it now." Malkamar said dryly, nodding. "I will assist as best I can, though I wield no knowledge of the Warp and it's.. Dangerous ways. I will do all I can, however. Including stand the line should anyone come across not him." He lowered his head. "I realize you need not inform me. I thank you for the courtesy."

[Cynical Cat]

"Your role quite simple Tech Captian. If something goes wrong, someone will tell you to kill something or it will become obvious to all that something unwanted has arrived. At that point, an Astartes needs no instruction from merely mortal men."

[SirNitram]

"See the problem. Kill the problem. Burn the ashes." Malkamar stated simply. "Fire purges even the worst the Warp has to offer, when wielded in the Emperor's name."

[Cynical Cat]

"A method I have used myself," Gix agreed. "It will nicely compliment the weapons that Lydia and Hethor will be using."

[SirNitram]

"I am not my best shot with my Servo-Harness, but I doubt I will be asked to fire at a few a klick away in this occasion." Malkamar smirked. "Thank you, Inquisitor. I will prepare. You give me chance to serve the Emperor and clear my name, a bit at a time. I will be ready."

[Cynical Cat]

"We have time, Tech Captain. I am grateful for your assistance."

[Cynical Cat]

After nearly six months in the warp, the Eternal Will broke into real space at the far edge at Kar Duniash, the Segmentum Base for the Ultima Segmentum. Squadrons of frigates and destroyers patrolled the outer edges of a system dominated the orbital foundaries, space stations, weapon platform, dockyards, and command centers. Cruisers and battlships rested at anchor points as commercial vessels and supply ships entered and left the system. The Adraxian refitted sprint trader was just one vessel among many.

Inside its hull the last preperations were underway. Gard Vikal transported the cloned body to a specially prepared room. The clone's autonomic functions kept it alive as it was placed in the center of an unfinished circle marked in silver. Marks of piety and purity seals marked the walls of the ritual chamber.

"The clone is sedated. It will offer you know trouble," said Gard.

"Thank you doctor," replied Gix. He secured the clone with the floor straps and closed the circle after the scientist exited. Symbolicly it was important that circle be unbroken. A minor part of his precautions, but not to be neglected nonetheless.

Domina entered the chamber as the Gix was finishing up. The Sororitas was wearing her power armour and carrying her heavy flamer. A bolt pistol and power blade hung at her waist. She bowed. "Inquisitor."

[SirNitram]

Artificier armour, four limbs of Servo-arms, and twin Boltguns were the visible portions of Tech-Captain Malkamar when he stepped into the room for the ritual, keeping a healthy distance from the circle. It was Warp-Magic, a practice he regarded with suspicion and intolerance, like most of his chapter. It had led to the downfall of the Fallen Primarchs, and many more humans had either tainted themselves, or in one instance that replayed in Malkamar's mind when he had gone too long without rest-cycles, had their heads detonate.

Still, the Inquisitor needed to do this. This man had seen the Emperor before his mortal wounding. If anyone could help Malkamar on his path to redemption in his Grandsire's sight, it would be this clone's original.

"I am ready to exterminate anything not of this plane, Inquisitor." He spoke through the synthesizer. "I stand by for your orders." Now he would wait. But waiting, after so long, was easy.

[Cynical Cat]

"Thank you Tech Captain," Jolan replied. Lydia and Hethor walked in behind Malkamar. The interrogator wore a black leather coat over an armoured bodyglove and carried her psycannon drawn. Her well honed skills combined with the targeter, her machine empathy, and precognition made the gun-witch absolutely deadly with the weapon.

The guard veteran wore his carapace armour and refractor field generator. His primary weapon was a drum fed, large calibre stubber. It was loaded with blessed silver bullets inscribed with runes of admonition and spite. It had proven to be deadly against daemonhosts possessed by the spirits of warrior-daemons. Hethor hoped that it would serve well here, if it was needed.

Jolan knelt in front of the circle. He had tried this before and failed, with no ill consequences but he was not inclined to take chances. His skills had improved since then and the circumstances had improved. He had come closer to Lena and Prius it was possible that the warp disturbance that held him had weakened. It was also possible that Nathan had become stronger. They had a good chance of success.

He began to intone the Liturgy of Praise. "Oh God-Emperor of Mankind, look well upon Your servants as we do Your work. Aid us a we work to restore one of Your chosen to this world so he may continue to do Your work." He reached through the warp, reaching for a soul he had met so many years past. This time he would succeed. Nathan would live again.

[Pcm979]

(The events during the journey are covered here)