Chapter 14 Part 6

Chapter 14: Diplomacy is not a dead art

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Part 6

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Victory Bay

Kronus

There was a method to my madness, I thought. The more I examined my situation, the more certain I became that my days were numbered. Even the Emperor's blessing wouldn't help much in that regard. After all, one of the few better things than a living Saint causing waves was a dead martyr.

In that regard, the best thing I could think of that might stave off my impending execution was to give Inquisitor Vail enough information as to tempt her not to shoot me out of hand. Hopefully, while doing that, I might recall something that would be useful to humanity in the long run. After that, all I could do would be to hope that the Inquisition wouldn't fuck up by the numbers. Unfortunately, I couldn't exactly get useful information on demand. I still wasn't sure if whoever mind-fucked me on Terra had been sloppy or a genius.

For now, an abridged history of the Necrons had to do. It was true, as far as I could recall, which wasn't saying much at all. I merely made our current allies look a bit better for various obvious reasons. What they added was a nice touch. For all I knew, it might be the honest truth. Or complete grox shit.

Fortunately, dealing with that wouldn't be my problem for much longer.

Inquisitor Vail reluctantly disembarked the Chimera. She looked at her minion with exasperation. Mott, was it, was still busy scribbling down the story. She had to drag the poor bastard away.

Dealing with odd minions was a general curse upon all Inquisitors, not just something special I had to deal with. That revelation didn't make me feel any better.

"Sweetie, you're staying here, where is safer. I'm sure that if you're good girl, we'll be able to find out some hot cocoa for you.'

Selene frowned at me, then brightened and nodded rapidly.

Getting out of the transport was a bit of a chore, with wings and all, but I managed. Weber jumped off the Chimera to be at my side and wavered a bit. With only one arm, his balance was less than ideal.

"Charles, get the transports," and Selene, "farther back in case of trouble. The last thing we need is for some particularly eager or foolish grunt to become overly excited."

"Yes, sir!" Weber saluted smartly and barked orders.

Scipio hurried to join us, while Inquisitor Vail ushered her scribe in one of the Chimeras and left him to look after her Psyker. The thin reedy woman still looked out of it.

From our position, I could clearly hear the chanting of hundreds of people, if not thousands. Streams of angry Binary answered in kind.

"The roads leading closer are packed, sir." Leftenant Pickos jogged to my side, surrounded by her command squad. "It might be best if we go through the field hospital." She pointed at the rows of pre-fabricated structures covering most of the park in front of us. "I've informed General Alexander. He has units on standby to intervene. However, he'll appreciate a peaceful resolution, sir."

"I'll do what I can."

"Then hurry up, Inquisitor!" Scipio bounced off the ground. "Recent scans confirm with 89 percent certainty that we've got a Blessed Hellstorm Cannon! We must retrieve and properly sanctify it! The Omnissiah demands it! He showed us the path!"

I glanced at Inquisitor Vail, struggling with the desire to ask if really all Cogboys were like this, or worse, or if this was just my luck acting up again! I abstained from making even more of a scene and walked forth. Behind us, the convoy moved away, and soon I could sense the Warp clearly. Power filled me, physically refreshing me. However, my mind was another matter.

Once again, wounded and Medicae alike stopped in their tracks to watch the show. More bows, prayers, and signs of the Aquila followed. So much so, I was tempted to check if the Sanguina came early this year!

At least we managed to make our way through without anyone trying to stop us, and soon a painfully familiar sight greeted me. The scene was almost identical, just less scared shouting and running. To compensate, there were many more people around, including a large contingent of angry Martians brandishing everything they could with angrily twitching Mechadendrites.

The mob quieted down in a hurry once they saw my approach. The blessed silence didn't last. Within moments a few thousand people fell to their knees and began praying, while others waved small flags and chanted my name.

"VEIL! VEIL! VEIL!"

"THE INQUISITOR! VICTORY!"

"AVE EMPEROR!"

"THE SAINT IS BACK!"

"Fuck the toasters!" One enthusiast cried out, making everyone pause in confusion before they went back to the insanity.

"Do you see, Inquisitor? Scipio quivered with righteous fury. "Make them go away!" He half-demanded, half-pleaded.

One of these days, I'll be back to dealing with issues where shooting everyone involved might be the prudent thing to do. Either that or Vail and her colleagues will stop dancing around and put me out of my misery, damn it!

Meanwhile, I had to keep dealing with shit I wasn't qualified for.

"My fellow citizens of the Imperium!" This time, I didn't even need to think about it. The radiance filling me jumped to obey, and my voice thundered like an earth-shaker barrage.

Everyone finally shut up, instead of acting like the Emperor bothering bastards they were and paid attention as if I was about to speak the Imperial Truth!

"I would never presume to speak for the Emperor!" Even if it was kind of in the job description of the Inquisition. "However, as an Inquisitor of His Imperial Majesty's Most Holy Order of the Inquisition," There was a contradiction here, no sire! Neither any trace of playing up for Vail and her retinue on the distant chance that she might consider not shooting me… The Emperor knew anyone trying to sell the story of what happened on Kronus to me would earn themselves a firing squad for not trying hard enough to properly bullshit me! Or for trying too hard!

I noticed myself pausing and pretended it was because of the gravitas the name of the Inquisition carried.

"As a humble servant of the Inquisition," I continued as if I didn't slip up in my own mind for a moment, "I must look at facts, temper them with pious faith, and act accordingly."

I wasn't sure how anyone could hear what I said with a straight face. Vail managed to do it. The toaster-fuckers didn't count, for all I knew, any faces they had on display were fake. The mob? It exploded in cheers as if I was going to piss off the Mechanicus, in general, any more than I already did, when they were vital in order to make my impending doom, not a waste.

"The facts of the situation are obvious! The Emperor, in his infinite wisdom," I made the sign of the Aquila and lowered my wings in a sign of respect, an act mirrored by thousands of people I could see, "decided to bless us all right here! Thus, He on Terra made it a holy site, that much no one should be able to argue!" My wings fluttered open to maximum reach, and golden light bathed everyone in sight. I gestured at the feathery ornaments I got stuck with for my trouble. "This is a constant reminder of His grace! This is a fragment of His Divine power! It was no coincidence that the Emperor chose this place to bestow his blessing! In His wisdom, He not only saved his people from the green barbarians, but the Emperor also pointed us at a sacred relic of the Adeptus Mechanicus! The relic is the weapon of a divine machine that fought to protect Kronus ten thousand years ago, and with the blessing of the Emperor, it shall do so again!"

"Wise is the Omnissiah!" The toaster-fuckers chorused as well. "Blessed is his chosen!"

"Will you be good citizens of the Imperium and pious servants of the Emperor? Will you allow His, servants, the Adepts of the Mechanicus to retrieve the blessed artifact patiently waiting below our feet?" I demanded.

There might have been agreement among all the rapturous cries that tried their best to deafen me. Might. It was hard to tell. Even if it wasn't, the way Scipio began to bounce and gleefully chant in Binary told me he heard what he wanted to anyway.

"Now, please go home. If you're still willing to pray, go to your local church. Please, leave the good members of the Imperial Guard secure the site to avoid preventable incidents. The Emperor does help those who help themselves. I can assure you, the Adeptus Mechanicus will treat the area with the appropriate respect. Isn't that right, Magos Scipio-Ro-11?" I put the Cogboy on the hot spot. Misery loves company!

Scipio spent the next few moments whistling in happiness, before everyone's attention registered. He probably recalled my words from a recording. He solemnly made the sign of the Aquila, which was almost hilarious with all those Mechadendrites.

"Praise be the Omnissiah!" Scipio began.

"He means the Emperor!" I pipped up to reassure the crowds.

"We will, of course, excavate the divine relic with all the care and piety appropriate for such a blessed task!"

"You heard it, my fellow citizens! From the mouth of the most senior Adeptus Mechanicus representative on Kronus no less! There is nothing to worry about!" I hammed it up.

The one bright point was that the strength of the faith of everyone in the crowd practically skyrocketed. On second thought, that wasn't exactly the best of news. If they weren't die-hard Emperor Botherers before, they were now.

Fuck my life, can't I get a break, damn it?! What did I do to deserve this?

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Amberley watched Veil play the crowd, saw their unmistakable religious fervor, and reached the logical conclusion. She had to re-evaluate the threat he represented. No matter Veil's true allegiance, the effort it might take to either neutralize him or bring him in the fold properly would be great. Of course, admitting aloud what she was beginning to believe, that he was indeed touched by the Emperor in unfathomable ways, wasn't an option she could use anytime soon. Doing so would immediately put her on the back-foot and severely limit even her theoretical options, much less those she could put to practical use.

Shooting the bastard out of hand was no longer a viable option. Amberley looked at the wings and the soothing golden radiance surrounding them. Besides, she kind of doubted that conventional means would be of much use. And she really hoped it wouldn't come down to her last-ditch contingencies because they would be everyone's death sentence.