Warhammer 40k: Ours Journey

Chapter 55: Inquisitor Buhao's Fleet, My Nine Clans!

"Now it's 740.M41, year's end. The timeline fits," Romulus mused. "Plus, there were Genestealers on that cruiser before."

Genestealers. Classified in the Imperium as a xenos species capable of corrupting the human genome and forcibly assimilating populations. But the transmigrators knew that these so-called xenos were actually the vanguard of a terrifying race from beyond the galaxy. When this race locked onto a prey-galaxy, it would gradually sever that galaxy's connection to the Warp, driving psykers mad. In the Immaterium, it manifested as a thick, tangible shadow filled with an all-consuming hunger.

"Should I say this planet is lucky or unlucky?" Karna asked, putting down his fruit platter. He craned his neck to look at the system display but saw no gravitational anomalies. Still, he had a bad feeling. If nothing unexpected happened, this war was about to get very lively.

"A mixed bag," Ramesses commented, extending his psychic shadow to protect the psykers in the crusade fleet from the dense field of ice fragments and the slowly appearing wreckage of system defense fleets on the sensors. "At least the chances of this planet falling to Chaos have been greatly reduced."

"The mountain rain is coming, and the wind fills the tower."

"We'll know for sure once we land on Pierdra and see if there are any 'stealers," Romulus said. In his demonic vision, which Ramesses had jokingly dubbed the "Imperium-scope," he stared at the numerous warships in orbit around Pierdra. "And it looks like we'll have a tough fight just to make landfall."

Right on cue, a communication request came through the ship's internal vox. It was from the Inquisitorial fleet. That fleet was currently in orbit around a satellite of Pierdra VI, a gas giant.

"They are within the effective range of the Explorator fleet's weapons," Cawl's voice came over the fleet-wide channel. "One battleship, one battle-barge, three cruisers, twelve frigates."

"There is a main Word Bearers fleet group in high orbit of Pierdra Prime," he added.

"Any sign of the Nemesis Chapter, Archmagos?" the Deathwatch Chaplain asked.

"The Nemesis Chapter cruiser Pride of Terra has been captured. It is impossible to confirm if the Inquisitorial fleet is in league with the Word Bearers."

The Nemesis Chapter, a successor Chapter primarily composed of Terran-born Ultramarines. At their founding, they were gifted a Gloriana-class battleship, the Claw of Law. During the Great Crusade, this Gloriana had been known as the Chronicle of Ash, the flagship of the Word Bearers' Primarch, Lorgar. Back when they were still the Destroyer Company of the Ultramarines, the Nemesis Chapter had spent three months on a boarding action to capture the ship. Otherwise, the Ultramarines wouldn't have been rich enough to give away two Glorianas. For the Word Bearers, this was an unprecedented humiliation.

"Hot damn. How many enemies do we have right now?" Ramesses began to count on his fingers as if reading off a menu. "Tyranids, a renegade Inquisitor, the gaze of multiple great Chaos powers—definitely the Lord of Change and the Prince of Pleasure—and now the Word Bearers."

Noticing the transmigrators seemed to be connecting some dots, Aglaia cast a questioning look at Arthur. Arthur just shook his head. He could talk freely about the secrets of Chaos traitors, but not loyalists.

"Shall we sink them?" Archmagos Cawl, who was in charge of the naval engagement, asked.

Romulus glanced at Aglaia, whose curiosity was practically overflowing.

"I request permission to communicate with the fleet," Aglaia said, raising her hand after having just jotted down Ramesses's poetic line. She then turned to Ramesses. "If you would be so kind, Lord Ramesses."

Ramesses understood and immediately used his psychic shadow to envelop the Inquisitorial flagship.

"Permission granted," Romulus said, opening the channel.

"This is Inquisitor Aglaia Talanhors," she began.

"Lady Aglaia, the Grand Inquisitor warned you not to enter this star system," a voice replied, not bothering to introduce itself.

"Of course. If not for his 'warning,' I would not have known that you had all already thrown in your lot with the Great Enemy," Aglaia sneered. "You still have a chance to prove your loyalty, Captain. Now—assist the Imperium in exterminating the Word Bearers' fleet."

"An unfounded accusation, Lady Aglaia," the captain replied, his tone still flat.

"I require your service to the Imperium." A hidden device near her wrist began to vibrate at a specific frequency. A new confidence filled Aglaia's eyes. As expected of the psychic master who could guide ancient warriors safely through the Warp. The psychic channel Lord Ramesses had opened was more stable and secure than any she had ever used.

"We only obey the orders of the Grand Inquisitor. The Grand Inquisitor has ordered us to wait here and to sink the Word Bearers when they prepare to withdraw." Of course, the battle-barge's captain left out one detail. If necessary, they were to enact Exterminatus upon Pierdra.

"You may refuse," Aglaia's voice was cold as ice, echoing in the captain's mind. "But I guarantee that within twenty-four Terran hours, the Officio Assassinorum will ensure that the thirty-one noble houses of Terra, including the House of Holvard, will be erased from history, Lord Kybal."

Damn it! The captain, or rather, Lord Kybal, knew he could no longer bluff his way past this junior Inquisitor.

"Do I need to recite all of your names, in the presence of the Emperor's Angels and the Archmagos?" She had no time to argue with the captain. She had to play a card from her investigation. Since the fleet hadn't joined the Chaos traitors, it meant the old bastard hadn't revealed his entire plan to them. Or perhaps, no one had ever known his entire plan.

Could it be that even these enforcers have doubts about the Grand Inquisitor's decisions?

Receiving information from her secret channel, Aglaia monitored the expression of every person on the battle-barge's bridge. She could exploit this doubt.

The other end of the comms line went silent, followed by the sound of a commotion.

"The Grand Inquisitor has betrayed the Imperium and his own oaths," Aglaia continued to apply pressure. "And you will remain loyal to the Imperium and obey my orders."

After the commotion, Captain Kybal's voice came through, sounding drained. "...We will obey your orders, Inquisitor-Lord Aglaia." He didn't know if the Grand Inquisitor had truly betrayed the Imperium, or how Aglaia knew their true identities. But it no longer mattered. If Aglaia reported their current actions, their families on Terra would be annihilated.

On the other side, the Archmagos canceled the attack order.

Watching the Inquisitorial fleet begin to advance towards Pierdra Prime on his sensors, a hint of satisfaction appeared on Cawl's face, his logic-cores spinning at high speed. Aglaia was highly efficient. With just a few words, she had dealt with their biggest problem. This was indeed beyond his expectations. In Cawl's calculations, if they had to fight both the Inquisitorial fleet and the Word Bearers, the two fleets would have been locked in a stalemate for a long time. Cawl had been worried he wouldn't have time to investigate Pierdra after the naval battle, but Aglaia had just pulled the entire Inquisitorial fleet over to their side.

"It seems the young lady is not entirely useless," Cawl nodded with satisfaction. He didn't dislike eccentric people; he only disliked those who could not contribute value to humanity. As an ally, Aglaia had, in this moment, finally been entered into the Archmagos's list of noteworthy individuals.

(End of Chapter)