We quickly reached the hastily built shack, the psyker around it kneeling and exerting their will on the malignant energies exuded by the pandemic staff. So far they had been successful, but I could sense the mental toll it subjected them to. Sickly green energies swirled around inside the shack but were restricted to the inside of the little building.
"By the holy throne..." The witch hunter muttered under his breath.
"Indeed. As you can tell, I have used every precaution available to me, even going so far as to move sanctioned psykers from my own ship, down here to suppress the unholy energies released by the foul artifact. My Ogryns serve as their guardians while they work, and the rest of the troops are under strict orders to keep their distance, under penalty of receiving the Emperor's peace." I explained as the psykers from the witch hunters' retinue rushed forward to aid and replace the exhausted men and women under my command. As they slowly let themselves be replaced, soldiers that had been waiting moved forward, offering food and drink to the drained psykers. They ate and drank with almost mechanical movements before shuffling away to find a bunk to collapse on. I will never forget the nearly endless exhaustion in their eyes, and I could not imagine the toll this had taken on them.
"I assume you have taken precautions that will allow it to be moved without directly touching it?" The witch hunter half sneered. It was obvious he was annoyed by the efficiency I was putting on display. Not surprisingly, his job was to find heresy, even where there was none to find. A weird mix of expectation and projection.
"Of course. It is secured within an iron box so direct touch can be avoided. The troops that placed it there, unfortunately, passed away from disease and were subsequently cleansed in holy fire to prevent it from spreading. May they find peace in the embrace of the Emperor." I bowed my head at the end of my statement, both as a sign of respect and to hide the smirk that was forming on my face. I had anticipated and answered his next question before he could get to it, and he positively glowed with annoyance. I had to step carefully, despite the fun I was having.
For a moment, he was silent before he turned his attention elsewhere. "Your abhumans. I assume they are both sanctified and loyal, but what about their propensity for corruption? Spending extended time in the presence of such a dark artifact has corrupted more robust and pure minds, before."
"Come now, witch hunter, we both know that Ogryns considers anyone not loving the emperor with all their heart to be worse than the filthiest heretic. To even suggest they are corrupted is an insult to your intelligence." I was tethering on the brink of what was acceptable to say, but if he was allowed to take my Ogryns in for 'questioning' he would set a precedent that none were safe from his gaze, not even those that enjoyed the security of being close to me. And to be honest with myself, I took no small amount of pleasure in denying him. I would happily let him take the artifact, even let him help me kill off the Skaven, but it would have to be on my terms.
Yes, he was technically a higher rank within the Inquisition, but I was a sanctioned rogue trader with the blessing of the Inquisition. There would be hell to pay if he made my life too difficult. The Inquisition did not like conflict within their own ranks, especially not between powerful agents, and if he went after me, he needed solid proof of heretical actions and thoughts, proof that was so solid that even the most skeptical paper-pusher could not deny it. And he barely had ground to be suspicious.
"I shall have the foul thing moved to my ship as soon as it is deemed safe. In the meantime, that glass of amasec sounds like just what we need, Lord Captain." The witch hunters' words were courteous enough, but the meaning was unmistakable. He was hungry for answers, and I was but a tasty morsel to him right now. But I had made the offer myself.
"Of course. If you will follow me, my tent is over this way." I gestured vaguely in the direction of my tent and began walking with a purpose. I heard him snap his fingers and the sound of several sets of footsteps started following me. It didn't take a genius to figure out that he had decided to bring some of the Mordians with him, their expertise in urban and close-quarter fighting made them the perfect choice of retinue to bring with him. It only took a minute to get there, and I opened the flap with a gesture for the witch hunter and his retinue to enter.
As he walked into my tent, he cast a sharp look around the inside. "Pragmatic. How unlike a rogue trader." The remark was meant to antagonize me with my lacking displays of wealth, but I cared little for such things.
"Pragmatic leaves room for efficiency. I have no use for baubbles or gaudy displays and I believe there is an old saying that simplicity is its own beauty. I agree with that saying." I walked in behind him and picked up 2 glasses and a bottle of amasec, poured a quarter glass for each of us, and held it out for him. As he reached for it, I pulled it back and looked him in the eyes.
"It occurs to me, that I have not yet been given the honor of your name. I cannot share a drink with a man I do not know the name of." With a raised eyebrow and a smile on my face, I watched his confusion turn to anger, then understanding.
"You are a bold one, Lord Captain. Hann Rostias is my name." He said and I smiled as I extended the glass once more.
"Good. Come, Hann Rostias, drink with me and ask your questions. I will provide you with the truth in return."
He took the glass and sipped it tentatively. "A decent vintage, but a far cry from what I expected to find among the private reserves of a rogue trader." He remarked, but he continued to drink it nonetheless.
"it is the same vintage my soldiers drink. I like to be reminded of my origins." I gave a sardonic smile at the memory. It may not have been enjoyable in the PDF, but I was spared the responsibility of, well, responsibility.
"Not only generous with your attention but with rations as well. No wonder the troops under your command hold you in such high regard." There was a mocking tone to Hann's words, but also a hint of something else. Maybe respect, but more likely, simple understanding. Having the goodwill of your troops meant devoted people, rather than subjugated people.
"So, Lord Captain." Hann swirled the amasec in his glass as he took a seat in one of the wooden chairs that had been placed in my tent for guests, while I got comfortable in a cushioned and leather-bound chair. "How did you come to find this enemy?"
"Markings were discovered on the space station above, and combined with rumors of mutants haunting the nights in the villages surrounding the mountain, it was the obvious choice to start looking. A short expedition proved I was right, and the extermination process was initiated." It was enough truth to hopefully satisfy the witch hunter, and it left out some crucial details about my more than basic knowledge of the Skaven.
"I see. And how did you know how to approach this enemy?" Hann fixated his eyes upon me, and I had to fight hard not to squirm under his scrutiny.
"I didn't. But I figured that possibly sealing the enemy inside and coming at them with a clear advantage would be prudent and, by the grace of the Emperor, effective. As it turns out, I was right, and the population of the planet remains blissfully unaware of the enemy that lives in the mountain. Speaking off, I managed to capture one of the wretched things for the Ordo Xenos to study, so we may know how best to eradicate their filth." I snapped my fingers and one of my attendants stuck his head inside, much to the dismay of the Mordian who had taken up guard positions just inside the tent.
"You summoned me, Lord Captain. What do you require?" He asked in a courteous voice, earning a notch of respect from me. Not everyone could remain calm at the sight of an Inquisition interrogation being conducted, civilized as it may be. The air inside was thick with a tense atmosphere like a spring being coiled up too tight.
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"Fetch the captured enemy, and have it brought inside for the Inquisitor. He will be taking it." I said and received a short nod before the head disappeared.
"I should be so bold as to hope you have not kept it in the vicinity of your troops, Lord Captain!" Hann's voice was dry and dangerously low, and I had to flash him a smile as I pulled my eyes away from the Mordians guarding the entrance.
"Of Course. it has been locked away in a hole in the ground, caged and kept in the dark." Hann grumbled at this, "How did you capture this enemy?"
"Any battle leaves wounded, ripe for the taking, many of these seemingly lesser ones are quite cowardly and hide among the dead rather than fight." Another grumble escaped Hann when I answered, but nothing tangible. We continued to sip our respective glasses in silence as we waited, Hann sitting rigid and stiff on the wooden chair, and I leaned back in a relaxed posture. In a sense, it was a picture-perfect image of the roles we represented. He, serving multiple lifetimes as an interrogator and executioner, the perfect agent of the throne, and me, a scandalous rogue, breaking rules and bringing prosperity to the Imperium.
After a minute or two had passed, Hann moved to say something but was interrupted by a fearful squeak as the tent flap was tossed aside and a steel cage was carried inside, the Skaven slave inside screeching in fear at the sight of the witch hunter. I wasn't surprised, as even among men, he looked unusually grim and calculating. I could only imagine what he looked like to the Ratkin, and what came to mind was not good.
Hann slowly rose from his seat and walked toward the Skaven, who in turn screeched louder and louder. "SILENCE!" He boomed and the Skaven slave pressed himself into a corner of the cage, trying to make himself as small as possible. "Fascinating. And I believe I saw different varieties out on the battlefield?" The question was directed at me.
"Differently equipped and built for all we can see. I know little of such things, but they all die the same at our blades." I responded, and for the first time, there was a sign of something other than scorn on the face of Hann. He turned to me and nodded.
"A good answer, Lord Captain, and one I would expect of a rogue trader, blessed by the influence of the Inquisition. I do believe I may have been hasty in my abject dismissal of your efforts on this planet. I still have many questions, and you will still be held responsible for every single word of your answers, but know this. I will be more honest in my approach and there will be no more animosity between us. As you so wisely said earlier, we both work for the same masters. You have earned that much, at least." Hann sat down again in a more relaxed manner and held his glass out for me to pour him some more amasec, and I could only do so in stunned silence. I would still have to weigh my answers carefully and take the greatest care to not let slip that I had intimate knowledge of much more than I should possess, even if I had been in my current position for a hundred years. We talked for many hours, Hann cleverly hiding meaning where none was intended, and purpose where there were random choices, where he attacked and I defended in a dance of death with my life on the line. By the end, only that single bottle had been shared between us, but he seemed placated and, not satisfied, but as close to that as a witch hunter could get as he left my tent with a simple "Goodnight, Lord Captain".
As his guards left with him, my attendants peeked inside, both to see what state I was in and if I needed anything. But I waved them off, I was ruined mentally. A casual conversation with a witch hunter would always be adrenaline-inducing. So many pitfalls and traps within convoluted words that could alert him to the fact that I was not the Imperial citizen they thought I was. I hoped he left soon enough, but I also REALLY wanted to use some of his troops to shield my own, perhaps even entice them enough that I could get a hold of some of them...
I quickly went to bed, relieved and exhausted, and slept soundly.
The following morning I was barely through my first cup of recaf, finishing the third report on the seizure of the local nobles' holdings, a summary of actions taken by my confessors let loose upon the populace, and the latest from the frontlines when there was a commotion in front of my tent with several raised voices. I allowed myself a smirk as I had taken the liberty of upgrading my security as the very first thing when I woke up, and now anyone wishing to see me would have to cross several groups of guards, each demanding an explanation with orders to turn anyone away that does not seek a meeting on my terms but is demanding to see me at leisure. This would undoubtedly piss off Inquisitor Hann since a direct order from me could not be surpassed. It was a small act of defiance and would let him know that while I was willing to work with him, I was adamant about maintaining autonomy in what I did.
Still carrying the recaf, I got up and leaned out of my tent. "Let the honored Inquisitor approach," I said to the guards just outside, and the lieutenant in charge of the guards hurried to intercept the brewing incident. Hann did not look pleased when he stomped up to my tent, and I sent him as dazzling a smile as I could manage. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the guards shy an inch away from me as I did, the youngest even wincing when I smiled. I would have to look into that later.
Han was still looking mighty annoyed, but he was no longer stomping towards me, having slowed to a brisk walking pace. "Rogue trader Björn, why have you not informed me that the situation is as dire as it is?" he boomed in my direction, and for a moment I was taken aback by his tone and harsh demeanor.
But I was not about to let him intimidate me. I raised myself to my full height and squared my shoulders. "Dire?" I asked "The mountain is sealed except for the opening at our back, I have auspex crews on constant patrol to find attempts at digging around our defenses, sentries are placed evenly and well within earshot of one another, and we have been gathering strength and waiting for reinforcements before we made the final push. And now that you have arrived with a ship laden with strong, capable fighting men and women, we have that strength. Shouldn't I be the one asking you why I have not been reinforced and supplied to the point of being able to finish this minor skirmish with the Arch-enemy?" I barked back. Hann looked like he was about to explode, but there was merit to my words.
"Furthermore," I continued while Hann struggled to find words, "I know you have verified everything I have told you we have accomplished, as well as passed your impromptu interrogation yesterday evening. I understand that your work is for the betterment of the Imperium as a whole, but to be honest, you are starting to piss me off, Inquisitor. So either give me the troops and weapons I need to finish eradicating this foul nest of mutation and heresy or get the frak back on your ship and ever so kindly step out of my way while I do what you refuse to! I have offered honesty and even extended the hand of friendship, but you have slapped it away like an impudent servant. Your actions deem you fixated on sowing discourse within our organization's ranks, and I WILL be sending an extensive report of your actions here, to my benefactors. Now, what will you do, witch hunter" I loaded as much spite and poison into the pronunciation of his title as I was able to, and he didn't hesitate to reach for his meltagun as I practically spat the last word at him.
The sound of nearly 3 dozen lasguns being slammed into the shoulders of the guards around us, stopped him before he reached his weapon. We stood there, frozen in the moment, and I decided to roll with my momentum.
"Let's start this over, Hann. What is the issue." I asked more calmly. I was handing him the smallest of straws to escape the situation, but I was not sure he would take it.
He slowly righted himself, making a show of removing his hand from his weapon, "The artifact you recovered is so much more than you reported. The power of it suggests it was gifted from the dark gods themselves. There is open heretical insurgency on the planet!" he hissed low enough for only me to hear.
I raised an eyebrow in open question of his words "You already knew this, no? Are you telling me that the artifact we discovered is more than a mere trinket created by a sycophant of the ruinous powers?" I asked, feigning ignorance of the severity of the pandemic staff. I knew it would cause havoc wherever it was, unless its bleeding effect of psychic energy was kept in check, causing rampant mutations, disease, and more.
"Of course it is, since I doubt you would summon an Inquisitor to deal with it." Hann spat back, and I kicked myself mentally.
"Unless I am a fairly newly appointed rogue trader who wishes to be seen as the true son of the Emperor that he is, leaving nothing to chance. Not even the accusation of negligence in the presence of artifacts of the Arch-enemy. Had I left it, we would be having this discussion in a few years, only then you would be hounding me about why I did not secure it. So tell me, Hann, What exactly.." I never got to finish the sentence as a messenger came running up to me, his permission orders waving in his hand as he did.
"Lord Captain!" He interrupted, gasping for breath as he presented the Aquila. "The enemy is pushing through our defenses, they have already reached the 3rd blockhouse. The honored chartist's captain's arch militant is leading a tactical retreat to the cave opening where he hopes to mount a defense to stop the advance." He reported between gasps of air, and I waved him off when he had said what he needed to say.
"TO ARMS! THE ENEMY APPROACHES!" I yelled as loudly as I could, for a few seconds, nothing happened, and then the cavern became a flurry of activity as my orders were spread and soldiers ran to get their kits and weapons. Turning back to Hann I couldn't help but smile. "Looks like your thoughts of heresy must wait until I have killed the enemies of the Imperium." With a wink and a laugh, I retrieved my weapons from my tent, foregoing my carapace armor for my greatcoat. I had an idea that might just finally shut up the witch hunter for good.