You let out a long sigh, and head over to check on Yasha, as Lord Pyrus kneels down to check on Rubicon. "I think she will have to decide for herself, once she awakens. I would like to be there, to explain her choices to her."

"Fair enough. Can you escort her to the medical bay aboard the Aegis? The Terra Incarnadine’s is swamped with injured crew from those pulses."

You check Yasha's pulse, and gently shake her awake. She has a small lump on her head, probably from where Anai knocked her out. "Yes. Will Rubicon also need help?"

"Yes, but I can handle that and guard the artifact at the same time."

"Interesting that the Sister didn't take it. Perhaps it is unstable?"

"I'm proceeding under that assumption. Take care of your crew, Tristan."

Ten Hours Later...

Elena finally sirs in her bed in the Aegis' medical ward. Alerted by the nurse, you and Inquisitor Olaf enter and sit in chairs near the foot of her bed. Elena's first questions, "where am I? what happened?" are predictable, as are the answers.

You ask her if she remembers anything from the previous day, and she breaks down when she comes to Adam's head disintegrating.

Olaf leans forward. "I hate to play the heavy here. What you remember, from just before you passed out in the cathedral, is information that the Inquisition cannot afford becoming general knowledge. Master Von Sebastion and Lady Saurlance already knew it, because they work for me, however indirectly. Had Adam survived, I would have conscripted him to serve me more directly, as he possessed useful skills and attributes.

"You don't. Not anything that I can't find elsewhere. But you have survived contact with foes that should have left you dead. So you have my interest. And this give you a choice."

Stolen novel; please report.

Elena's face is drawn in a combination of shock and fear. "What choice?"

You lean forward. "What Inquisitor Ironsides is getting at is that he can't let his secrets spread. So either you can serve him directly in his retinue, or he can have you mindwiped, causing you to forget everything that happened yesterday. Lord Pyrus asked me to decide, but I opted to let the decision be yours. Until you make up your mind, you are stuck here for 'observation', though you can talk to Inquisitor Olaf, myself, Yasha, and Lord Pyrus about whatever you need to."

Elena nods somberly. "I think I need to sleep. I'll talk with Lord Pyrus in the morning, and ask him what the mindwipe entails, and with you, Inquisitor Olaf, about what my duties would be if I were to serve you directly. I'll not rush into this blindly."

You lean back. "A wise decision."

Three days later...

The Aegis docks alongside the Mavros in orbit over Viking, and Inquisitor Olaf's party, now bolstered by a still-shaken Elena MacWater, prepare to transfer back over. You aren't sure what ultimately made up her mind, but you get the feeling that it was in part the desire to work for a 'crime boss' instead of having to run and hide from one again. And the Inquisition is the biggest one on the block. At least Olaf will treat her well, and her mind will remain her own.

You wish them all well, and shake hands with Rubicon, still getting used to his new augmetic arm courtesy of Jace and Lord Pyrus. A strange sensation, to shake the hand of so lethal a post-human. The careful moderation of strength in their grip is something you will never forget.

You sigh, for dull but important paperwork and decision making lie ahead. You will soon have two ships under your command. The Terra Incarnadine is the obvious flagship, but she is unarmed at the moment, so the Aegis must play nursemaid. Rectifying this situation is the next step, but the question remains of who to put in command of the Aegis when you transfer your flag. You will be keeping your existing bridge crew, as they have proved valuable and trustworthy up to now.

You rub the back of your neck as you sit at your desk in your quarters. It's time to delegate some authority to a trusted underling. Rather than worry about every position and title, you decide to appoint one trustworthy shipmaster, and allow him or her to fill out the officers as they see fit.

Your dataslate dings with an incoming file transfer, and you raise an eyebrow. It seems Zheeves has sniffed out a potential opportunity or two, but you will have to decide quickly. You check the file: two dossiers for Imperial Guard veteran regiments mustering out for retirement. Some of them will want to return to civilian life, but some will want a job that they are more familiar with, and the position of armsmen and perhaps Bosun will be just about right. You decide to pursue both, one for the Aegis and one for the Terra Incarnadine.