Candy Cane Elf
AdvancedJ3lly
The Survivors of Athega Tertius they were dubbed, only by those too ignorant or too proud and only by those that hadn't actually been there.
Those that had been there were given time to rest and recover, sent back to their regular duties, whether that be tending the wounded and sick, safeguarding the Imperium by force of arms or – as was the case of Horacio and his fine facial hair – safeguarding it with rousing speeches and fiery oration.
It would be several months before anything noteworthy drew them back together, a calm falling over the sector of Taniea, reports of the shadowy cleansing of any further dissident elements on Athega Tertius reaching the Preceptory from time-to-time but little else happening to worry anyone.
It was all going well, some might say too well.
Sister-Celestian Victorine Blandine checked over her weapon one more time, the bolter in her grip as fine a specimen of Imperial craftsmanship as could be found anywhere in the Imperium, cleaned and maintained to the highest degree by its wielder and a weapon that had served her well since she had joined the Order of Our Thrice-Pierced Martyr; the chainsword that leant against the wall of her small cell, well, that was a different matter entirely.
“Sister,” came a soft voice from behind her, causing her to twist about, a smile playing over her scarred copper features, “the Canoness-Preceptor would like to see you.”
“Thank you, Josseline.”
Finally, she thought to herself as a calming, soothing, emotion overtook her, peace has broken.
As with every meeting Canoness-Preceptor Aubrie was curt and to-the-point, explaining in no uncertain terms that the so-called 'Survivors' were to be drawn together into their own formation – each Sister having already been informed by various means – and Horacio having been given the option to remain on Taniea Primus as a Confessor to her people (as a permanent position) or to leave once more for the larger holdings of the Ecclesiarchy.
She paced her own more spacious chamber for several heartbeats before speaking again, informing Victorine that she would be leading the squad and that, as the Celestian has predicted, something had occurred that would interrupt any peace they believed may have existed during these last few months.
“It began on Cekrov,” she explained, “an agri-world not known for its extreme religious faith, which is why the change that came over the inhabitants was so sudden and marked in its manifestation.”
The people of Cekrov, as far as she knew, had been whipped up into a religious frenzy by an event that had taken place in one of their hamlets – what had happened exactly was somewhat unclear, some saying that the God-Emperor had come himself to bless one of their number, others claiming to have seen a member of their hamlet rise from the dead. Each report varied, and got more and more audacious as time went on.
“You wish for us to investigate?”
“Yes Sister, it bears a resemblance to Athega, does it not?”
Victorine could not see a direct link, but what had happened there had been an explosive upheaval of faith, and those Kliment had tortured had made assertions that someone had come to them and made promises in the name of the God-Emperor himself.
“Rising from the dead,” she replied in a hushed tone, her eyes meeting those of the Canoness-Preceptor in the process of her thoughts, “could this be...”
“A plague of unbelief?” Finished the older woman, taking a seat upon the surface of her desk and opening her arms in a placating gesture, “the planet is alive, and there have been no further reports of undeath, so I would keep such suspicions in ones own mind until confirmed or not.”
She knew her duties, and knew that those members of her squad – her squad? It continued to feel odd to be in command of anything, let alone her peers – that had been summoned back to the Preceptory would be arriving soon.
As before they would join together in the same hall from which they had set off last time, a fitting circle of renewal that would begin their next journey into the wider galaxy.
[Start of Act II]
