Chapter 19 Part 1

Chapter 19: Kronus: Consequences

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Part 1

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Gryphon

Dictator class cruiser

high orbit above Kronus

The room roared with the Priestly approval. If they failed to halt this disaster in the making in its track, Anteas could see the Imperium burning in the fires of a civil war. The Librarian smiled, hoping that the usual reaction his kind had on normal people would come in useful this time around. He placed a hand on Veil's shoulder and waited for a moment, so the Priests all looked at him.

"Now that you've heard the Inquisitor's goals, we'll give you a few minutes to think them over and calm down." His smile grew a fraction. "And you can consider this a test of faith." He gently poked Selene's shoulder. "You'll have to endure her presence without our friend providing distraction."

Selene, bless her soul, got the hint and reluctantly moved off Veil's lap. Anteas took the opportunity to drag the Inquisitor outside. He could hear the other two Inquisitors hastily follow them. The moment they were out of the room and the door closed behind them, the Librarian looked at their host.

"We need a quiet place to talk, now." Anteas rumbled.

"This way." Chandra pointed down the corridor. If the man's expression was anything to go by, he was painfully aware of what Veil just did.

"I'll want an explanation, now, thank you very much." The Saint grumbled, yet thankfully let Anteas drag him to a nearby half-full storage room.

"What is the name of the Emperor were you thinking?!" Vail hissed. "Did you hit your head and lost what little wits you had left?!"

"I don't think we're that lucky." Inquisitor Chandra looked at Anteas. "You've known him the longest, Librarian. Did he voice such sentiments before?"

"While Inquisitor Veil had a particular world view, his conduct has been generally accepted. However, there were noticeable changes after the Emperor blessed him. Those changes increased after the second intervention. Unfortunately, there was no proper opportunity to address this development."

"What in the Emperor name are you talking about?" Veil grumbled at them. His wings unfurled, and their feathers ruffled, glowing like gems with the Emperor's power.

"Inquisitor, you almost started a Crusade twice while speaking to the people of Kronus. You all but started one just now, and it will take a lot of work to prevent a bloody civil war." Anteas stoically explained.

The Librarian didn't like the look of utter confusion and bafflement that appeared on Veil's face.

"All I did was reassure people and tell them to go back home, or to work! And just now, I merely explained my goals, which should be the goals of every sane Imperial citizen!"

Veil began answering in a way that all but guaranteed he was genuinely surprised by the sentiment. Yet, as he kept talking, his whole form glowed brighter, and his voice became more and more passionate.

"The Imperium is dying! It's a rotten mockery of what it should have been! It is our duty to drag it kicking and screaming from the pit and back on the path of enlightenment! This cursed age of blind faith must end, and the Imperial Truth must shine once again!"

Anteas shared a look with the Inquisitors.

"This is the first time I hear of such sentiment. What do you mean the Imperial Truth, Inquisitor?" Anteas asked lightly, all the while bracing himself for whatever would come next.

"The Imperial Truth?!" Veil scoffed, and his blazing eyes bored straight into Anteas' soul. "It was the banner under which the Emperor united Terra and led the Great Crusade. It is reason and logic, not insane dogma and blind faith! Its refusal of religion, the triumph of science and secularism! It is the core upon which the Imperium was built, it is everything today's Imperium is not!"

The more Veil spoke, the more fervent he became. The clues were subtle, almost impossible to notice if you weren't familiar with the man. However, Anteas was an Astartes. He was a Librarian, and he did know this young man. The shifts were subtle, but they were very much real. It wasn't the choice of words, but the way he spoke them. There was an utter, unshakable belief in there. Charisma Veil had never demonstrated before.

More importantly, when Anteas touched the Warp to observe the Inquisitor, he could swear there was almost impossible to perceive figure interposed, and meshed with Veil. It was a familiar figure. That wasn't the Emperor how Anteas experienced him when He on Holy Terra smote down Nurgle. That was a mere echo of that Divinity, yet it was very much real and clung upon the Inquisitor lie a cloak, almost meshing within his still healing soul.

That wasn't Veil's sentiment. Not his belief, or at least, not fully.

Anteas didn't think. He fell on one knee and lowered his head in supplication. He didn't know what the Emperor intended, much less, what plan his sovereign had. However, he would see it carried to the bloody end, as it was his duty.

"The Saint is speaking to us with an Echo of the Emperor's voice. I can see it in the Warp." Anteas spoke reverently. He hadn't believed that the Emperor, perhaps the closest thing his kind had to a grandfather, was a real God. Not until he beheld Him in all His glory fighting Nurgle.

"So that is how it is," Chandra muttered in near surrender. "Inquisitor, I don't know what the Imperial Truth used to be. At this point, it scarcely matters. If we don't approach your goals with the utmost care, and if we don't meticulously plan how to reach them, the only thing we will achieve is a pointless, ruinous civil war." The older Inquisitor pleaded.

"Inquisitor Chandra is right, Delkatar!" Amberley joined it. "If we're to realize the Emperor's vision, if we're to see the Imperial Truth as it was meant to me, we must be careful! We can't just start a Crusade against the whole Imperium, or even just the Adeptus Mechanicus, and hope for the best! You need more allies, time for news of your status to spread! You need even more deeds under your belt, proving you not only know what you're doing but that your success on Kronus wasn't a mere fluke! We need time!"

Yes, there was the little issue of the Imperial Truth practically being the antithesis to everything the Church stood for. That wouldn't go down well at all with the Ecclesiarchy. Perhaps not even if the Emperor one day stood up from the Golden Throne and proclaimed this truth to the galaxy at large Himself. However, the Ecclesiarchy could still be useful as a partial counter-weight against the Mechanicus. If they had to walk a path leading to civil wars, it would be for the best to fight them one at a time, Anteas decided.

"Time?" A different, tired voice asked.

It came through Veil's mouth, however, this wasn't the Inquisitor speaking. The sheer power that washed over Anteas blanketed his mind.

"Ask me of anything but time." The Emperor, or the next best thing to Him on Holy Terra, spoke to them.

The Emperor's echo, or perhaps the Emperor himself, looked at them through Veil's burning eyes. Then the glow faded, and the Saint collapsed to his knees, gasping for air. His wings closed around him in a protective gesture, and even as the Emperor's power dissipated in moths of light, a few feathers gently floated to the deck.

And each one of them kept glowing like a tiny lantern.

"We've got our work cut off for us." Inquisitor Chandra whispered in an odd, awed voice. "Inquisitor, Veil, we will follow the Emperor's command. We will do our best to bring the Imperial Truth as you know it back. However, we need to do it slowly and carefully. We need allies and a much stronger position before we could even dream of acting openly. Otherwise, we'll set the Imperium on fire and leave it open for our countless enemies."

The wings unfurled, showing Veil. The Saint's hair was longer, an even darker shade of black. It now framed his face, covering it in shadows. When he opened his eyes, they were flecked with bright, shining gold.

"I'll take your concerns under consideration. Make your case." Veil sounded exhausted.

"You all but suggested to the Ecclesiarchy's representatives to raise a Crusade against the Adeptus Mechanicus unless they fall in line. And we all know that most of them won't fall in line. The Mechanicus is not only one of the most powerful factions of the Imperium, they directly or indirectly control the bulk of our industry. Open war against them will be disastrous." Inquisitor Vail attempted damage control.

"That is one of the many reasons the Imperium is in this state. Unless the Mechanicus as it exists now is broken, the Imperium is doomed in the long run." While those were Veil's words this time, they still held adamantium-clad conviction. The Saint took a deep breath and opened his mouth. Whatever he was about to say, he reconsidered, shook his head, and scoffed. "Anteas, get up. You never have to kneel to me!"

The Librarian did as bid. Meanwhile, the Emperor's Herald looked over the three of them.

"What do you suggest we do then? I could feel a burning need for action. I don't know why, but I know this. We don't have unlimited time. We probably have less time than we fear." Veil grimaced. "And I also feel the burning need to head to Kaurava."

The other two Inquisitors looked at each other.

"We can work with this. Once we've resolved the immediate issues on Kronus, perhaps it would be for the best if you went there as soon as possible." Chandra temporized. "Between General Alexander's troops, the reinforcements that arrived with me, and the Temple expedition, we should be able to get you a respectable force."

"If your luck holds, you'll need it," Vail added. "However, what we absolutely cannot do is fight both the Ecclesiarchy and the Mechanicus. Veil, please for the sake of the Imperium, no of humanity itself, don't mention the Imperial Truth until we're in a position to do something about it!"

"And I'll follow you, Inquisitor. To the depths of the Eye of Terror and back, if you will it. I'm sure some of my Brothers would do the same if asked." Anteas quickly added. If he could help it, he wasn't going to let the Emperor's Herald out of his sight.