Chapter 8 Part 4
Chapter 8: The calm before the storm
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Part 4
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Victory Bay
Kronus
A few hours of inquiries finally led me to a field hospital on the outskirts of Victory Bay. It was hastily set up after the battle and currently chock full with wounded and the people who tended them. Heavy guard too, because after the Tau practically overran our outer positions earlier, no one felt like taking chances, even if the uppity bastards shouldn't be in a position to launch another assault.
If I had any illusions about getting through the battle lightly, the visit to the hospital would have dispersed it. It further drove home just how lucky we got and how invaluable the Necron's assistance was. The place was packed with wounded, many high up on drugs and it was obvious that some of them won't be making it despite the best efforts of the available Medicaes.
Needless to say, this wasn't the only hospital packed to bursting – there were at least three other field ones, and the Guard began using it only after all the proper hospitals in Victory Bay got packed up with our wounded first.
As bad as the sight and smell were, it further drove my determination to seek a proper medical expert for my retinue, whose primary job would be keeping yours truly, and my bodyguards, in that order, alive if at all possible.
My vague memories of being wounded told me that Inquisitor or not, trying to interrupt my next two targets for recruitment while they still had patients to tend and it wasn't a life or death situation, wouldn't be a good idea. That's why, instead of barging in, I merely made sure they were working at this particular hospital and left messages for them to contact me at their first convenience.
That's how I ended up awoken shortly before dawn by very distinct and irate streams of Binary coming from just outside of my quarter's door. My training kicked in, I pulled out the Las-pistol from under my pillow, removed the safety and was about to cautiously draw on the Immaterium, before I figured where and when I was supposed to be. The first thought that rant through my mind was that this wasn't some mind of a weirdly realistic and particularly unpleasant nightmare, the second one was that I better go see what the Martian wanted before they cut through the door or something.
"I'm coming." I kept my voice to a quiet growl, got up properly, took a position to the side of the door just in case, and opened it, revealing a tall figure almost completely hidden by fresh red robes and a half-skull, half-cog mix between a helmet and a gas-mask. I could glimpse at least four mechadendrites waving reflexively behind the cyborg.
"Finally!" A mechanical voice grumbled. "Magos Biologis Karom-Beta-31, at your service, Inquisitor." The tall Cog-boy introduced himself. "You demanded my presence when prudent. Lieutenant-Medicae Vough will be here shortly. What is the medical issue you're suffering from this time?" He asked while carefully observing me for any more missing limbs or something.
"None right now. It's future medical emergencies that concern me, Magos Biologis. I have a request for you and the surgeon who did such an excellent job of treating me initially and thus keeping me alive. Will you be open to the possibility of joining my retinue on a trial basis? I can assure you, when time and resources permit, I won't be adverse to you and the good Doctor pursuing your own interests as well."
"This is an unexpected development, Inquisitor. I'll have to compute my options and perhaps try and commute with the Omnissiah before giving you an answer. If this is indeed a request instead of a politely worded demand?"
"It is a request, Magos Biologis," I added, hopefully in not too hurried a fashion. I already pissed off enough of our resident Techno-Cultists, no need to do so with any more of them. Then there were the others, who stared at me in an almost star-struck manner when they had eyes which could still express such emotions anyway.
The less said about the third group – full up cyborgs in appearance, who chanted in Binary every time they saw me and I was never sure if it was prayers or curses they were sending my way, perhaps both…
While we were talking, a man in his late twenties appeared next to Karom-whatever my prospective Tech-priest doctor was. He had short brown hair, a burn scar disfiguring his left temple, and lacked eyebrow, which had been seared away along with the skin of the rest of his forehead, which was an angry red color and gleamed with some kind of transparent balm.
"Martin, the Inquisitor wants us as a part of his retinue. This is Lieutenant-Medicae Martin Vough, Inquisitor." The Cog-boy introduced us.
"Oh. That's nice, I think?" The no-nonsense reassuring voice I recalled, suddenly faltered. "Details, please, My Lord?"
I repeated what I told Karom, adding that they could continue to heal other people if it took their fancy, as long as I and my retinue took absolute priority, especially if it was life or death.
"A much more sensible recruitment pitch that I would have expected. From what I hear, provided we don't all die in the coming days or get shot as heretics, you might get the resources to keep us happy…" The Lieutenant trailed off.
"I can't possibly comment," I stated flatly, while my tired mind spun, trying to figure out what the Medicae meant. What I knew about my future, if there was one, was that I would have to keep proving myself for years to come to ensure whoever decides not to shoot me for dealing with Xenos for example, wouldn't have second thoughts.
"I understand completely." The Martian buzzed in what vaguely resembled a conspiratorial tone. Kind of, it was hard to tell with his mechanical inflection.
"What tall and red said." The Medicae added hurriedly.
"It's good that we're all on the same page," I muttered. "I'll appreciate if you give me your answer tonight at the latest, I'll need to straighten up the basic membership of my retinue before the coming battle."
"We'll do so, Omnissiah be praised!" The Cog-boy declared reverently.
"Yeah, that." Vough awkwardly made the sign of the Aquila, which in turn made me wonder what kind of people I just tried to recruit…
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Blood Raven's complex
Victory Bay
Kronus
In the battle's aftermath, the Blood Ravens deployed planet-side, separated into three groups. One went for a brief rest period, a second policed, maintained, and prayed over their gear, with the third either providing security or they were out scouting various known and suspected enemy positions.
Devastator-Sergeant Avitus was in the first group, yet even a brief moment of sleep evaded him that night. For as long as he could remember, burning Hatred, has been his greatest weapon against the enemy, especially traitors. The orders they had to follow on Kronus and the refusal of General Alexander to stand down and leave, painted the Guard Regiments on the planet as the next best thing; or worst as the case may be.
It was just skirmishing initially, with the Guard obviously taking the brunt of the casualties, however, everyone knew, that wouldn't last. It had been just a matter of time before a direct, full force-on-force confrontation ensured, and the Blood Ravens on Kronus simply lacked the numbers and firepower to win such a battle without suffering some permanent casualties. It couldn't be helped, it was something Avitus steeled himself against, stroking the fires of his ever-burning Hatred… then the Inquisitor arrived and changed everything, throwing the Astartes for a loop. Not only did Inquisitor Veil broker a cease-fire, even before being promoted to his current exalted rank, but he also made it stuck and in the process. More importantly, along with a group of those wretched Guardsmen, he saved the skins of When and the brothers under his command, who were all Avitus' friends.
Then the Inquisitor distinguished himself in the fighting, proving for everyone to see that he wasn't like some cowardly members of his organization, which was a good thing indeed. Yet, after that, the bloody man had to go and broker a deal with Xenos, one which might have been useful, but still, those were never sufficiently cursed aliens, who were good only when properly dead.
Avitus didn't know what to think of the Inquisitor and his actions, he didn't know how to handle his faltering hatred, which has always been his shield, yet now threatened to become a liability. This was the worst possible time for such doubts! By the Emperor, they were about to engage Chaos and assorted traitor forces soon! He needed his hatred burning hotter than ever so it could reinforce the shield of his faith and resolve!
He did his best to clear his mind and began muttering soothing prayers and litanies, hoping for an answer.