Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Warhammer 40K games, books or movies. They belong to their creators and/or copyright owners. I make no money from this story. It is not for sale or rent.

AN: This part was betaed by Seylerius on the sufficient velocity forums. Thank you very much for the time and effort you put in cleaning up this story!

A Tale of Blood and Steel

Prologue: Monsters in the dark

=ATBS=

"Ah, you're awake. Good, good. Just in time." A voice, swinging from a mouth watering contralto to a pleasant bass whispered in my ear. It sent shivers of pleasure and revulsion down my spine, yet it froze the blood in my veins.

"He's just a little terrified human." A deep, chilling voice rumbled from all around me. It felt like blood-thirst, rage and war. It made my blood race like a battle-hymn. My heart thundered with the need to rip and tear, to bathe myself in the blood of my enemies.

I opened my eyes and immediately wanted to claw them out of my skull, yet I was unable to move, to look away.

The landscape… it was hard, no impossible to describe.

There were fleshly, half-rotted mouths on the floor/ceiling. Men, women and children, who were little more than slabs of brutalized flesh and offal were being tortured in unspeakable ways. Their screams of agony/ecstasy were echoing in the purple, pulsating void all around us. Directions were shifting in a way that simply made no sense, up and right left and down, ! #%!*HRF! $%!...

"What did you do, bird brain?" Another male spoke. The voice sounded like decay, like the moans of the deadthly sick.

"This wasn't according to plan." Another voice. Inhuman. Wise. Amused. Interested. It constantly changed in tone and timbre, it held the promise of things to come.

"You think?" This was different. The voice made my very soul ring with confidence I've never known. It held calm radiance, filing my heart with hope.

"How amusing, a shard of the Corpse Emperor..." The Male/Female thing laughed from behind me, the very substance of the sound making me flush with desire.

"He's one of mine." The bright voice spoke, disregarding the interruption.

"Yours? No." A flutter of feathers. Many birdlike eyes formed in the twisting madness around me and staring into my soul.

"Then he isn't one of yours either." The light sounded amused.

"Not yet." The voice was all feminine, soothing, seductive, arousing. It's sheer presence made me scream as my mind was bombarded with visions of carnal pleasures that no sane man would ever dream of in his deepest nightmares.

"Don't break it yet." The constantly changing voice admonished, while the thousand eyes continued to stare into me.

"Wrong! This' exactly by da plan!" A large, very green face suddenly appeared in front of me and grinned.

Those were some huge and reeealy sharp teeth.

"That just what yer get!" The green being winked at me.

"You." The flutter of feathers was getting irritated, though even more interested.

"We is bord!" Another even more green face simply materialized next to the first. "Teh thousand yers da same staf!" It grumbled.

The twisting madness around the faces started turning green.

"You want ChANgE…" The ever changing voice had a distinct tone this time. It was amused. Satisfied. Curious.

"Fun! We wana FUN!" The two green monstrosities roared as one. "Da thirteenth was borin!"

Something muttered a cur!# $%! #(! #… that made my mind hurt.

"We wanna new game!" The faces chanted again and again.

"What do you expect just an ordinary man from wherever you got him to do?" The only voice I could relate to spoke in a long suffered tone.

"Dat… Unexpected..."

"His flesh is weak. His will is brittle." I could hear the echo of a battle in the voice.

"I can fix that..." The sound of tongue wetting lips followed the seductive whisepr. The promise of… I shuddered in more pleasure than a human should be able to ever feel.

"He's still a human. And… alive..." There was a wonder as warm light brushed over me.

The thousand eye starring at me crinkled, smiling.

"Yess..." The voice was all sex and lust..." Amusement rolled from her/him/it. "What say you, little morsel? Ready to play?"

"Don't answer!" The light became harsh, searing the 'yes' off my tongue.

"Games afoot." The first green face beamed at me. "WAAAAGH!" His joyful scream washed over me.

Reality itself shifted, snapping into focus. My mind suddenly cleared, allowing me to comprehend where exactly I was. If my body wasn't frozen I would have voided my bowels then and there, before screaming like a little girl and fainting.

None of that was allowed.

"We have a proposition for you..." The sensual voice slid over my body like a lover's caress, making me shudder in delight.

"Choose a boon and be on its way..." That was more akin to the roar of chainsaws than a voice.

=ATBS=

I awoke with a startled gasp and looked around. Small, stuffy room; pitch dark. I could hear the soft whine of a servo-skull. It felt familiar, reassuring. Letting a sigh of relief, I closed my eyes and fell back in the bed.

It was that dream again, though there were a few more details this time. I shuddered as a vivid recollection ran through my mind. Even whispering a word about what I often dream of would be enough to see me summarily executed if I was lucky. I should know; I've been training to be an inquisitor for what felt forever.

That was mostly true too. My first memories were awakening in a tiny, empty cell in what I later found out to be one of the Holy Black Ships. Let me tell you, the journey to the Most Holy Terra was rather unpleasant, especially when I simply couldn't remember who I was or how I got there.

Then I found out that I didn't know the meaning of the word "unpleasant", or what agony was for that matter. Not until I found myself securely strapped to a gurney, while a robed abomination that was more machine than man shoved a piece of rubber in my mouth, ordering me to bite down. Then he was out and something shifted around me, letting me get a good look of the place where I woke up. I had mere moments to stare in horror at the dozens of very sharp, very long needles pointed all over me, before the torture implements descended and all I knew was pain…

I know I lost consciousness soon thereafter as the agony became too much for my mind to bear.

That was also the first time I had the bloody nightmare.

When I regained consciousness I was informed of what was expected of me. I had to train my cursed powers and use them in the name of the God-Emperor of Mankind.

Or I could get shot then and there if I was lucky.

I shook my head at the memory.

It sucked; there was nothing else to say about it. The fucking pain was bad enough. The little fact that it heralded me being able to touch what was literally Hell for the first time I could remember was so much worse… I shuddered. The mere thought chased off what little vestiges of sleep I had left.

I threw the blanket away and stood up.

"Light up." I ordered. The servo-skull obeyed the voice command. A quiet click came from it. A subdued whoosh followed and the crown-shaped basked it wore like a hat was filled with flickering orange flames. I took a deep breath of the sweet incense. The simple familiarity of the smell made me feel a bit better.

The dancing flames illuminated my home for the past half decade since my soul was bound to the Emperor and I was sent back to the schola. My meager possessions were carefully arranged around the room. That was the Stormtrooper Sergeant's fault. He who enforced discipline and made sure that we all were presentable all the time, because he wouldn't tolerate anything less.

We were on the third such fella ever since I was volunteered for this particular school. The last two suffered rather gruesome and inventive accidents after pissing off a few of my fellow students too much. That bit of fun was swiftly followed by Inquisitorial type of justice. It was ever more bloody, long lasting and gruesome than what my shcola mates could ever think about. The first accident actually made the smarter of us think.

It became obvious why most of our cadre weren't Psykers. They were a test of a sort to see how would we act towards them when pushed. When someone went overboard, well… At least we got break from classes on the next day and a bit of free entertainment.

That also served as additional motivation to study hard and learn how to safeguard our thoughts better. After all, an open mind was like a fortress with its gates opened and sign in orbit inviting various unpleasant types, as Master Hughes used to say - before he got eaten by a daemon in class, the poor sod.

Fortunately I missed that bit of excitement, because anyone in the same wing of the building had to go very strict screening by the Ordo Malleus folks who were here to teach us, while doing some R&R.

A whole third of the people in there were never seen again, though soon we had an upswing in servitors on campus. Totally unrelated.

I mean it. When an honest, Emperor-blessed Inquisitor says so, it becomes a divine truth, one that no one sane is going to nay-say.

I smiled at the good times I remembered and returned my attention to the present. What little I possessed was packed up in a single cargo container, which lay open in the middle of the room. Mostly it held a few changes of clothes, courtesy of the small stipend the students without any other source of income received for expenses. They served as an additional packaging for the most expensive thing I owned - a couple of heavy, leather bound books covered with blessed seals. They contained various litanies and blessings which should protect a careful Psyker when practicing his warp-craft or facing such a phenomena.

Besides that, all I had was my issued gear, which didn't amount to much, because of who I was – a no one, who lacked a family or any other support structure to help pave my way. So instead of something more functional, I had to relegate myself to a standard issue carapace armor, a Laspistol and an old, scarred chainsword.

Then there were the most important things that, while technically "mine", were actually owned by the Holy Inquisition. Those were my credentials - papers that would let me board a Warp capable transport to Kronus, in the Zeus system, Lithesh sector – and the small blessed Sigil signifying that I was working for an Inquisitor… One I haven't yet met, though that wasn't really a surprise. Usually the neonates like myself - once we were deemed sufficiently trained that we could be of some minor use before we got ourselves killed - were sent to meet the Inquisitor under whom we were supposed to apprentice and really start learning the ropes.

I glanced at the dataslate containing my orders and stilled as a shiver ran up my spine. For some reason every time I thought about Kronus I felt unease. My few attempts to divine that was all about were unsuccessful, giving me only vague portents of danger. That was decidedly unhelpful. I would be meeting my master while he was at work over there, something that virtually guaranteed danger.

Shaking my head at the worry, I tore my sight from the cargo crate and checked up the time. It was four in the morning, about a hour or so before I should have gotten up to ensure my arrival at the spaceport would be in time. That left me to check up if everything was packed at my leisure, seal the crate and take a shower. Once that was done, I got into one of my two pair of decent clothes, strapped the armor on and pocketed my credentials and orders. Knowing my school mates, leaving something really valuable in my rooms unattended wasn't a smart thing to do on the day I was to finally leave this place.

It was time to properly adjust the caff to blood content in my veins.

=ATBS=

Chapter 1: Welcome to the Inquisition

=ATBS=

Part 1

Munitorum Warp Transport "Blood of Saints"

En route to Kronus

Zeus System

Lathesh Sector

Two weeks in Warp transit. It frayed my nerves and shook my mind. The source of my power, so close, so enticing… I had to spent all my time on board in prayer, reciting litanies while going over the mental exercise to center myself.

This was much worse than my only other Warp travel after my binding, which brought me to the schola. During that little excursion, the Empyrean was very calm in contrast to the turbulent travel I had to endure this time around. By the time we emerged at the edge of the system, the Gellar fields were straining and the unintelligible whispers I'd been hearing in the last days of our transits were getting more and more vocal.

So it's not a surprise that I felt a huge surge of relief when we were back in normal space.

I should have known better then, though at the time I was more interested in catching up with some sorely missing sleep to think how the universe planned to screw me over.

Once I was awake and managed to drag myself to the mess hall, I was still downing my first cup of steaming Caff, when a Naval Armsman bursted in.

"Sir, the Captain requests your presence at the bridge." The Sergeant gave me a proper salute. "At your earliest convenience."

In turn I rewarded him with a bleary-eyed glance that would have made a plague zombie proud and finished my cup. I didn't need to touch the Warp to feel the fear oozing from him. My status as a very new, very green Inquisitorial agent might have had something to do with that, though personally I think it was a more mundane reason.

A symbol on my coat designated me as a Psyker so everyone and their uncle should know who to shoot in case of Warp shenanigans. When you took those two things into account, you can guess why I was left alone during the transit… though coincidentally there was a heavily armed detachment of Naval Armsmen stationed near my chambers.

"That was the Navy-speak for 'right fucking now', right?" I groaned and looked forlornly at the kitchens where the cooks were busy preparing lunch. Nah, appearing in front of the ship's Master with a cup of Caff, unless it was for him, won't fly.

As far as someone working for the Inquisition, I was near the bottom of the food chain and currently had no real authority of my own… Something that Captain Linox was well aware of. He's been carting passengers such as me for a long, long time. Now that the caffeine was kicking in and my brain was starting to work properly, I had to stop myself from groaning and tarnishing my nonexistent reputation. The Captain wasn't calling me so I could watch us approaching the planet from the bridge. I wasn't important enough to warrant such a privilege. Someone of my station would need to be a scion of a rather powerful noble dynasty, famous military family or something like that to earn a visit by the Ship Master.

I stood up, straightened up my clothes and waved at the Sergeant.

"By all means. Lead the way. I haven't had the honor of visiting the bridge."

The NCO looked indecisive for a moment. He was obviously reluctant to let me walk behind him.

I gave him a flat look and walked next to him.

"I have no real idea where's the bridge without Scrying for the place. That's something both of us would rather avoid I think."

The casual mention of Warp-craft made him pale. His hands crossed in the warding sign of the Aquila.

"Let's not keep the Captain waiting." I walked towards the entrance I came from.

"Ah, sir. This way." The Sergeant cleared his throat and pointed at the door in the far end of the mess hall.

My mood was already in a free fall when we reached the bridge. There were a lot of naval rats doing their job, and a few cog-heads whistling in Binary and waving smoking incense with their mecha-tendrils.

Most notable and concerning were the three people looking at a holo-projection of the Zeus system.

The one in the middle was the most physically imposing, towering a head taller than the rest. He wore a purple trench coat with ridiculous parade pauldrons on the shoulders. Bald head with visible implants and data jacks was all I could see from this angle.

To his left stood a short woman in a reasonably plain uniform, which fit her like a glove. I admit, I stared at her curves for a few moments before my eyes snapped to the third person. Even with my Warp-sense shut as I've kept it ever since the journey started, I could feel the power of the man. If I had to guess, he was our navigator.

The woman was probably either the CO or the commander of the Naval Armsmen. That didn't bode well.

"Agent Veil, you join us at last." The Navigator's voice boomed.

I gave him a respectful bow. It never hurt to be polite to a potentially more powerful Psyker, not to mention one who was undoubtedly much more experienced than me.

"We have a problem." The captain's gruff voice made me redirect my attention. The man had turned towards me, revealing a burnt face that was mostly bionics.

"How can I be of assistance, sir?" I asked politely.

"We've had some communication problems ever since transiting to real space. They were fixed a hour ago and we got a sit rep." The woman, turned around, revealing a weathered face that once had held stunning beauty. Now it was a mess of scars which she wore proudly.

"It's rather interesting I take it?"

"Kronus is a mess. Besides the damn Tau, we've got Orks and Eldar down there. They've been giving hell to the Imperial Guard." The woman smiled thinly. "The 'good' news is that we've got an Adeptus Astrates Strike Cruiser in orbit, it emerged from behind the planet a few minutes ago."

"That's not as good as it should sound?" I tried.

"We've also have conflicting reports stating that there have been at least two engagements between elements of the Guard and the Blood Ravens, who own the cruiser."

"Well, fuck." My false good cheer died a sudden and violent death.

"Do you know something about this, spirited situation?" The Captain made a grimace, which might have been a smile. It was impossible to tell.

"All I know is that I'm supposed to meet with Inquisitor Requista on my arrival planet side." I shrugged.

Captain Linox gave me his version of disappointed look.

"We've also received instructions to ferry you to Victory Bay as soon as practical. "We received an encoded message for you too." The woman, who lacked a name tag on her uniform fave me a dataslate.

"I see. Have arrangements for my departure been made?"

"Your luggage should already be in the shuttle. You're leaving in an hour." The woman stated blandly.

"I see. Thank you, ma'am. Captain Linox, it's been a pleasure." I gave them a proper bow and saw myself out.

=ATBS=

Thirty minutes later, I was strapped into the back of an ancient shuttle, which took off a couple of minutes after I went on board. Whoever had requested my presence, had obviously lit up a fire under the Captain's command throne. Not good at all.

At least I was alone in the small passenger compartment, which let me free to see the message. I used my Sigil - which was actually an artifact full with codes and ciphers - to decode the data. My eyes skimmed over the tittles of Inquisitor Jonas Requista, Ordo Xenos until I reached the important part.

It was succinct and to the point. The Blood Ravens and the Imperial Guard had conflicting orders, something that might prove 'troublesome'. I was to go visit Governor-General Alexander and fix the mess before it got out of hand, while my Master and his retinue were busy investigating heretic activity on the Deimos Peninsula. They were expected to be out of contact for some time.

Obviously that message had been recorded before the shit hit the fan and the Emperor's finest started shooting each other.

The only bright thing in sight was the last few sentences of the message. They were in High Gothic and meant that in this instance I was to act in the name of the Lord Inquisitor, something that at least in theory gave me a bit of power.

Well, fuck me. If the Imperial Guard and the Space Marines were shooting at each other, my new found authority was unlikely to impress them while Requista and company were out of contact.

Damn it all to the Warp, I was fresh out of the Schola! I wasn't supposed to be dealing with Generals and Astrates!

I was so fucked...

=ATBS=

Part 2

Space Port

Victory Bay

Kronus

Once I was able to stop bemoaning my fuck all luck and likely immediate demise, I had a few hours to start scheming. Without an actual Inquisitor around who could simply order this whole fucking mess stopped I would need to get creative. Considering that I really knew very little about the situation - besides what amounted to rumors - meant that I needed some facts and to talk with the General. Persuading him to stop trying to force the IG on Kronus in mass suicide by Astrates would be a good first step after that.

If that didn't work, I would be in a bind. Technically I might be in my rights to shoot him then, though that wouldn't be a course of action that would be survivable.

For some arcane reason I was quite taken with my continued state of living, so that was flat out.

Our atmospheric entry and landing went without a hitch and soon enough the ramp opened, revealing a brightly lit landing pad. I looked around. The place was rather busy, but it paled in comparison with the port at Omnicron V – the location of my shcola and the only place I could call home until I was promptly kicked out into the outright terrifying world that was this millennium.

There were a lot of dockworker, heavy machinery, the inevitable cog-heads and soldiers milling around either doing their work or trying to skive off a few minutes of rest. A squad of the latter waited leaning on a chimera next to the steps leading down from the landing pad below me. Obviously they were here for me, because one of them, an NCO started striding up the steps once I got out into the sun.

"Sir, I'm Sergeant Lacroix, Alpha Platoon, Baker Company, 71st Battalion, 1st Kronus Regiment. Are you Agent Veil, from his Majesty's Inquisition, sir?"

"I'm an Inquisitorial agent, yes." I nodded at the sergeant.

"We're to escort you to see the General, sir."

"Splendid. Just a moment."

I took a deep breath and let my mental barriers ease up a tiny bit. Touching the warp was both exhilarating and revolting. The sheer raw power at one's command was only surpassed by the perils that laid in wait over there. This time was much worse than usual. The warp here was akin a boiling cauldron, just needing a push to explode into violence.

That didn't bode well for anyone. I sent a prayer to the Emperor on Holy Terra that Inquisitor Requista would be successful in his Heretic hunt before the imbeciles could do something particularly idiotic and doom us all.

I touche an tiny fraction of the power the warp "freely" offered me, using it to pick up my cargo container and make it float after me. That was an obvious power play, intended to rattle the Guardsmen a bit before I started questioning them during our ride to meet the brass. At the moment they were my best and only source of information and I was going to ruthlessly milk that, mind screwing included.

As expected, none of the soldiers were particularly happy at my mostly harmless display of witchcraft. It got them nervous, on edge.

"Shall we go?" I beamed at the Guardsmen, who were throwing uneasy glances at the cargo crate floating behind me. They reluctantly piled into the Chimera - which had an auto cannon mounted on top - and I followed suit. Once inside I lowered my luggage to the ground and took a free seat. "How's the situation around here? While making my way planet side I heard some concerning rumors."

The troopers looked at each other and hastily shook their heads.

"No idea, sir. We just do what we're ordered to." Lacroix shrugged.

To tell you the truth, my time in the shcola didn't made me a silver tongued devil. They were too busy teaching us how to literally tear thoughts from people's minds or effective interrogation methods, which was Inquisition speak for how to torture people, while keeping them alive so we could actually learn something.

Actually being nice and persuasive, that wasn't something they taught. Such things were apparently mere superstition and never worked. At least that's what Inquisitor Gregory Foch, believed and he was the one who taught us how to untangle reluctant tongues. Besides, anyone who didn't start singing about any sins he though might be perpetrated by a person he either knew or heard about, was supposedly an obvious heretic who needed to be questioned…

I took those lessons with a grain of salt, but made sure that Foch thought me to be very attentive student who agreed with his methods. Of course I did. I had no desire to be a volunteered like Claudia after mounting off to the Inquisitor.

Last I heard the medicae were finally putting her back together and she might return to school in an year or so. Fortunately for her she was a scion of a minor Noble house and they were able to pay for the expensive treatment. Anyone with less wealth and connections would have received the Emperor's mercy if they were lucky.

But I digress. I had a squad of soldiers to grill about the mess I had unwittingly landed myself in. I gave them a disarming smile, while I delved a bit deeper in the Warp. Their very souls shone around me with the dull light of the Empyrean blind majority of the population. I focused on the people around them and laced my voice with intention and power.

"The overall situation, Sergeant Lacroix. Give me a summary. Tell me about the issues with the Blood Ravens too."

The NCO stiffened and his eyes glazed. The rest of the Guardsmen shrunk back from us. I could sense the fear radiating out of them.

It was tasty.

"It's an Emperor damned mess!" Lacroix sneered. "We were sent here to recover this world from the Tau and the local bloody xeno lovers. We took this city with light casualties. Before we could even properly set up FOB and depots, the damn knife-ears started raiding our rear areas. Then the fucking Orks landed and the Eldar had been funneling them our way ever since. Meanwhile the damned blue skins had been taking pot shots at everyone and they're keen on retaking Victory Bay and kicking us off this rock. It's only thanks to the General we've been able not only to hold our positions but retake the farmlands beyond the city limits." The Sergeant paused to take a deep breath. "When the Astrates arrived last week, we thought that it was Emperor's blessing. Instead they demanded that we leave the planet and evacuate the populace. The General refused, because he has orders from up high to secure this planet. In the last three days the Astrates wiped out two companies in the farmlands and I heard we've shelled one of their forward outposts. It's a fucking damned mess." Lacroix shook his head in disgust.

"What about the Inquisitor Requista?" I asked.

"He was here a few days before the Astrates arrived. Took a Storpmtrooper platoon, his retinue and went hunting heretics. I hope he'll get the fucking traitors."

Well, wasn't that just peachy. Apparently the problem wasn't with the IG and instead the Space Marines were feeling unreasonable today. I was certain that the General would want me to fix that mess, though I simply lacked the authority to even suggest a course of action to the Astrates.

Yet, I would probably have to do so anyway and hope not to get a bolter round to the head for my trouble. Joy.

=ATBS=

Part 3

Victory Bay

Kronus

We were barely halfway to the main Imperial Guard base in the city where General Lucas Alexander was lurking, when the troopers finished apprising me of the situation. On the bright side, with the arrival of "Blood of Saints", the guard now had more than enough munition and equipment to conquer this world twice over. When combined with what was left of the PDF after the mandatory purge, which was a given when you consider that the locals were tight with the Tau, the IG had the numbers too.

There was just one little snag. The Strike Cruiser wasn't likely to let the equipment get down here in one piece unless the bloody idiotic mess between the Guard and the Astrates was resolved.

We spent the rest of the ride in silence, something that gave me a time to think. I was idly staring through one of the side gun ports, marveling at the city around us. The place was no hive, just a handful of ornate, tall buildings with the rest sprawling all around us. It was eerie for someone like me, who could only remember a single Hive City as the way people in the Empire lived. Most of the buildings, especially the older ones, were typical Imperial engineering - tough things with as much ornamentation as there were Thrones for. They were beautiful too, at least in my humble opinion.

Then there was the newer construction. It was simply wrong – from the clashing color schemes to the rounded forms without any straight angles. It wasn't something most humans would ever consider building. I frowned. This world was supposed to have been under heavy Tau influence before General Alexander and company came to bring them back in the fold by shooting anyone who wasn't fast enough in decrying the Xenos.

At least I didn't have to deal with the Adepta Sororitas. The few I had the misfortune to meet simply creeped me out even if they were otherwise stunning women. At least the pair I met back on Omnicron.

I returned my thoughts to the problem at hand and let out a mental sigh.

I needed a plan, though most things that ran through my mind ended with my brain splattered over the nearest wall.

Betting on the small amount of authority that Lord Requista's missive gave me might have worked… if the General Alexander was the one being antagonistic and if he suddenly decided to act reasonable after seeing the dataslate.

Nothing short of a direct Inquisitorial order was going to make the Astrates even listen.

Fuck it. I would have to wing it after listening about the situation firsthand. That was always less than ideal.

Soon we started hitting checkpoints, but thanks to Lacroix' written orders and my Sigil we were waved through after a cursory look in the troop compartment. No one sensible wanted to piss off anyone even tangentially connected with the Inquisition. Doing so usually was hazardous for the health.

Eventually we reached the main Guard base in the city, which had taken over a rather large park.

On entering the base, we were actually properly inspected - and once the guards were reasonably sure that we weren't a bunch of Eldar masquerading like good men - let in.

The former park was turned into barracks, motor pools, ammo depots and gunship landing pads, while its surrounding area was fortified with bunkers, trenches, prefab walls, good old fashioned barbed wire and a lot of weapon emplacements. The liberal dispersal of various mines on the likely approaches went without saying.

I could see whole companies drilling, while cog-heads were blessing at least a battalion worth of armor. Most of the tanks were the good old Leman Russ, though I could see three huge Baneblades in the center of the formation.

It was certainly impressive. I had to make sure that our good friends in the Adeptus Astrates didn't come here to turn all this splendid equipment into so much scrap.

The Chimera parked in front of a bunker's entrance, one that was guarded by a squad of Stormtroopers. It was time to face the music.

A few checkpoints later, I was led into the command center, where General Alexander and his officers were looking over a map of the region.

"General, Sir. The Inquisitorial Agent as ordered." Lacroix saluted.

"Good job, soldier. Go get something warm to eat." The General rumbled. He turned towards me, revealing a face weathered by the elements. "We have a problem, Agent. One I hope you can fix."

"I'm all ears, sir."

"The Emperor's Adeptus Astartes have issued a purge of Kronus and ordered us to withdraw. They have already engaged my troops massacring them on three separate occasions." He glared at me as if all this was my fault. "I already have standing orders from Segmentum Command. This world must be secured or we will die trying. I would rather avoid the latter."

Oh, my. I might get to like the man. I agreed wholeheartedly with the not dying idea.

"You want me to convince the Astrates not to kill us all." I went to the heart of the matter.

The General winced, but nodded. The other officers gave me a dirty looks instead.

"I'm ready to talk with whoever's in charge over there, though I don't know how much good it would do. I'm not an Inquisitor." I shrugged.

"I was afraid of that. I would like you to do your best. The lives of everyone here might depend on that."

Well, shit. The way the General was approaching me meant that the situation was more fucked up than his succinct summary implied. Great.

"Well, if someone would be good enough to patch me to the Space Marines. I hope you have a communications line open with them despite the ongoing unpleasantries."

More dirty looks.

"Leftenant Williams. Patch the Agent."

A minute later, I was facing a small, green tinted screen. It showed an Adeptus Astrates helmet.

"This is Brother-Sergeant Koleman. Are you ready to depart Kronus?"

"My Lord." I gave a proper bow. "This is Delkatar Veil, agent of the Holy Inquisition. May I inquire what's the reason for the conflict between the Emperor's Space Marines and the Imperial Guard on Kronus?" I asked politely.

For a long moment the super soldier stared at me. "We have orders by our Chapter Master to purge Kronus. So far we've been rather accommodating to the locals and the Imperial Guard. That won't be the case for much longer. We have to do our duty."

"My Lord, I believe you're aware that General Alexander and his troops are under orders by the Segmentum Command. To retreat even if The God Emperor's Adeptus Astrates demand it would be an act of treason."

"That's regrettable." The Sergeant didn't appear to be moved at all. It was worth a shot anyway.

"What would it take for you to call off the Purge at least until the conflicting orders are cleared up by higher authority?" I asked.

"Order by The Chapter Master or someone with equal authority."

"Would Inquisitorial order do?"

"It might be enough for the Force Commander to consider cease fire." Koleman nodded.

"May I make two suggestion both to the Adeptus Astrates and you General Alexander?" I asked carefully.

"I'm listening." The Officer spoke clearly.

"I'll entertain you in view of the organization you represent." Koleman's voice was toneless, showing no emotion.

"As I understand the situation, there are three Xeno factions currently operating on Kronus? Tau, Eldar and most recently Orks?"

"Correct." The Space Marine just stared at me through the screen.

"Then may I suggest that you concentrate all purging efforts against them for the next few days? The same goes for the Imperial Guards."

"That's our duty." Alexander sounded eager.

"What would that accomplish?" Koleman wasn't buying it.

"Not kill loyal Imperial Citizens while I go and retrieve Inquisitor Requista. That's my second request. I would want an escort from the Imperial Guard to achieve that objective. I most humbly request that one Space Marine accompany us so he can witness whatever decision the Lord Inquisitor makes and immediately inform his battle brothers of it. I believe that such course of action would benefit the Empire the best."

"I'll bring this request to Captain Thule." Koleman cut off the connection.

"Do you think that this stunt will work?" The General asked.

"At worst it might buy your men a bit of breathing space. Sir, are you willing to provide me with escort and transport to the Deimos Peninsula?"

"If it stops the Astrates from shooting my boys and girls even for a few days, I'll do it gladly. What do you need?"

"I'd prefer a mech platoon and at least a squad of Stormtroopers. Whatever Lord Requista ran into has to be nasty or he would have been in contact by now."

"I'll see what we can spare."

Now the ball was in Captain Thule's hands.