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The Truth Will Out


BlueWaterDragon

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Long time since I posted here, ah well. Enjoy, there will be more later. If there are any Erros in Punctuation please tell me so I can refine it. :teehee:

 

 

 

 

It was during the years of the Imperium’s expansion; Warmaster Horus and the legions of Space Marines fought for Him. Glittering star-ships filled the Warp. The Name of the Emperor was already glorified on a thousand worlds, but that changed swiftly, the number growing almost every year.

 

On the Imperial world of Cyrene a young girl stood at a window, high on the side of a building that she felt stretched up forever. Her hand went to her throat and the small vial that hung from a golden chain, she held it up examining its contents in the dawn light. It contained blood; she clasped her hand around it tightly knowing that she had been given a most precious task. A soft cough turned her from the view. The Space Marine stood at ease, his helmet by his feet, along with his bolter. His belt was empty of grenades and spare clips. His status as a Marine meant that the only concession to a non-weapons rule in the tower was his sacred Bolter, and one clip. She studied him carefully, his face appeared tanned. He stared straight ahead despite her scrutiny, although a small smile playing around the corners of his lips meant he had noticed. Her thoughts turned to how beautiful he was; not just rugged or scarred like the pictures of marines she had seen in the past. She remembered briefly for what must’ve been the hundredth how he looked under his armour. She turned back to the window to hide her embarrassment at the unseemly thought.

 

“We must go to the dock Madam," he said. “The Spear of Truth awaits us in orbit. Permission to speak freely Madam?"

 

She nodded and he continued. “I must soon return to my Company, it will be a sad day for me, as it has been an honour to serve you. I have been on many Missions in my service to the Emperor, but this I will remember for the rest of my life."

 

“I would not count babysitting to be so very honourable, I am sure you have completed many more which have bought honour to your Legion. I am but one in a sea of souls," he twitched slightly at her words. “What is so important about me? I am not even a high ranking member of the Administratum." She hung her head, and he felt for her, her task was not one that should be thrust on one so young. She sighed and turned away from the window, walking past him, her robes flapping and swirling. He followed her after stooping to retrieve his helmet and weapon. He noticed in passing a long scratch along the side of his helmet, he tutted, and the soft huff sounded loud in the silence of the hall.

 

 

The Spear of Truth, shining Imperial cruiser hung against the blackness of the interplanetary void, her sleek lines accentuated by her paint. On her bow was the Legion badge of Indarin’s Brothers-in-Arms.

The drop-ship was tiny in comparison to the massive city sized ship. Inside as she disembarked Telorna looked up at two huge statues one of the Legion Primarch at ease his head bowed, hands crossed on his sword's pommel the tip of the mighty blade resting on the sculpted ground. The other wasThe Emperor, both were golden, and the statue of the Primarch seemed to watch her as she walked past. She looked up at the Marine’s face; he closed his eyes and bowed his head to each statue.

 

“Brother Indarin, who is that?" She pointed to the Primarch.

 

“Our Primarch, dear child. Do not question too much here, there are many things you will not understand, but bear with us, you will be told." She felt vaguely hurt by his words, but her anger faded at the sight of the Emperors face, to be replaced by fear for the future. She walked quickly to The Emperor’s Statue and reached up to touch it, she did not hear a cry from a Marine as she climbed the plinth, oblivious to anything but the face above her. She could almost feel him there with her.

 

Far below Indarin held up a hand as he walked towards the statue. A Librarian joined him, Brother Kerath; the psyker glared at Indarin angrily.

 

“Get her down from there! You are meant to be responsible for her!"

 

“Pardon my indulgence Brother Librarian, and name penance if I am wrong. But she is special in a way I should not have to tell you." Indarin did not waver under the Psyker’s gaze and Kerath looked up at her adjusting his sight in the way Indarin had suggested. Instead of seeing her outline and the blurred form of her soul, he saw only a glow from the vial at her neck. The statue seemed to be wreathed in light, and responding to her

 

“He is with us!" Kerath breathed, dropping to his knees. Indarin joined him, as did a group of others who had been passing by. “You know what is said of one such as her?� Indarin nodded the satisfaction plain on his face. “Blood of the Emperor. But that means…" Kerath trailed off the thought too much to bear.

 

“Why do you think she was entrusted to one as low ranking as myself? In His service I am expendable, however she is not. Telorna!"

 

 

The moment her hand touched his foot the world exploded into a thousand images. Telorna felt the vial beginning to heat up, but she continued to climb, drawn on by a need to find the top. Like the spire of her home, it seemed to rise forever; his face was just a handhold away the interceding miles seemingly endless. She reached the fist that was over his heart and sat down on his wrist, she could feel his pulse through the armour as though it matched her own. They both were still as friends who had stopped walking to admire a view. She felt warm and comfortable with Him, the father she had never seen. Her real father had died in an accident, her mother said. But she had overheard someone talking about murder, that her mother had found out about his mistress and had seen to it that they were victims of circumstance. Telorna had often prayed to the Emperor, not just at Devotions but other times too. She felt as though He was a friend she could call on at any time, but she did not know if He could hear her. It did not bother her however; as she was sure He had bigger things to attend to. It had shaped most of her life, the solid unshakeable faith in the Emperor. She noticed His hand was open and lay down, her feet towards His elbow, she rested her head in the palm, closing her fingers around the thumb, the detail was such that she could feel the loops and whorls of His finger prints, and she stroked them. A memory flashed across her mind, the day Indarin had come for her, a month ago; thirty-eight days could be such a long time.

 

“But why? I do not understand why they want my daughter; could they not have sent someone else? Someone other than," Klista waved a hand, derisively. She continued her distaste evident. “A Space Marine."

 

“Why do you dislike me so? I have given up much for His Service. I did not choose to be here, I came as ordered. In answer to your question, she is special and her particular talents are needed elsewhere, I was not told full details of this, all I know is that she is required."

 

Telorna withdrew from her eaves dropping at the door, and ran to her room. There she grabbed a book and, leaping onto her bed, opened it in the middle pretending to read. She heard voices in the hallway. Her door slid open to reveal the Marine in his brightly coloured armour.

 

“May I enter?" He raised a perfectly arched, pure white eyebrow. She subconsciously crossed her legs and tucked them under herself.

 

“Certainly, have a seat." He looked at the dainty chair and sat down lightly on the floor cross-legged.

 

“Forgive my presumption Madam, but you were listening to your mother and I talking, were you not?� She nodded blushing; as she opened her mouth to speak he intercepted her. “How did I know? I shall tell you, some things are because of what I am some are simple things you would do well to learn. The former, I could hear you breathing and your footsteps as you ran down the hall. I can smell your perfume across the complex." She shuddered inside; the girls at school had often wondered what a Marine was like outside of their power armour, and other unseemly things to that end. She tried not to think about it now, but she could feel her body blushing, and from what he had said she realised he must know too. She closed her eyes to regain composure as he continued. “The latter, things you must learn, you were breathing hard, your dress is rumpled, one of the bottles on your shelf is upended, and most importantly, your book was upside down."

She could hear him calling her now, she opened her eyes, and realised how high up she was. She cried out, but the feeling of warmth was still there. With grim determination she began to climb down, she did not want Indarin to see her fear get the better of her. His disappointment would hurt more than being scolded by her mother. Her hand slipped on the knee plate and she would have fallen but for what Indarin had taught her about climbing. She remembered the days she had seen what a Marine looked like under the armour. He had gone up the rock like he was stuck to it and had tried to teach her to do the same. She now focussed on what he had said, as her grip faltered.

 

“Feet up flat to the face, it will give you the base you need to grip with your free hand. If you think you are about to fall, drive yourself upwards if you can. This is one of the few situations in which lost ground can be easily recovered.�

She slid from the plinth, tired but happy. As she approached, she curtsied deeply to Kerath.

 

"Honoured Librarian," she said not rising, her head still bowed. “Please forgive my impertinence, and place no blame on Brother Indarin, the fault is entirely mine. I was awed by my surroundings, and forgot my sense of propriety." Still she did not look up, and Kerath lifted her chin, she averted her eyes, and the Librarian could not sense anything. It unnerved him more than a little. He had heard of these so called ‘psychic nulls’, but the information was extremely limited, and he had wondered about its veracity. But now he knew it was all true.

 

“You can look at me child, I am not hideous monster."

 

Indarin shuddered, as a memory lurched into his mind. The Librarian looked at him sideways and continued. “It is fear, I understand. Brother, I wish you well." He let go and smiled.

 

They had found her quarters, although Spartan they were comfortable, and she had settled in easily. Indarin sat in his cell, he looked at a sealed packet in his hand, tracing the seal, the double –headed eagle at its centre, and he held it up watching the light glint on the flecks of pure gold in the wax. To him the sealed orders represented treachery but he had no other choice. To defy The Emperor himself was unthinkable. He placed them carefully back in his armour and settled back in his bed, the ceiling above him seemed to tease at his memories, calling to them and pulling what he considered shame, to the fore. He faced a dichotomy, and was torn between his Brothers and his Emperor. He was in truth worried about his future. He sat up folding his legs under him; taking a deep breath he exhaled and cast his mind back to the fateful day.

 

The two Custodes stood like statues on either side of the doorway, almost like sleeping golems standing ready and waiting. It awed him and despite the honour he had as Astartes, he felt a terrible inadequacy. He steeled himself and entered. It was not how he could ever in his wildest dreams have imagined. Surprisingly bare of ornamentation, and the fripperies of His Exalted Office. The Emperor sat behind a solid wood desk, writing. Indarin stood to attention. From the outside it would appear that he only stood there a few moments, before bowing deeply and leaving, not a word having been said. To him however.

 

“Stand down Marine," He said. Indarin’s body moved of it’s own accord. “Sit down, your making the place look over decorated." He smiled beneficently, leaning back on his chair and stretching. Standing he headed towards a sideboard, lifting a bottle of wine from the ice bucket, he returned and poured two glasses. He set the bottle down with a soft thunk. His senses seemingly heightened as if he were entering battle Indarin noticed there was no label or any other indication of where it had come from. The Emperor picked up both glasses and handed one to Indarin, the Marine accepted it graciously swirling it.

 

“You are probably wondering where it comes from." Indarin nodded and tasted it; it was like drinking silk. The Emperor smiled. “It is one of my hobbies, I have bottles from every corner of the galaxy, and alas some are truly irreplaceable."

 

“Why my lord?" Indarin was genuinely interested. “Surely nothing is beyond you?"

 

“Some are from worlds that are now mere husks of rock, when each is discovered anew I collect a bottle of the planets finest and raise a glass to those who are gone. It is an ancient tradition and one that seems fitting in the circumstances." He sat on the edge of his desk, and savoured the taste. “You are wondering if The Emperor of All Humanity, summoned a relatively green Space Marine to his personal chambers just for a wine tasting. I don’t have to read minds," He added, as Indarin looked pained. “I read faces too, it’s a knack, learn that and you learn the way humans think. Space Marines sometimes forget what it is to be fleeting in this life."

 

“I shall remember, My Lord. Why did you summon me, Lord?" He sipped his wine as The Emperor drained the last of his and poured himself another. Darkness crossed His face and Indarin could feel a sudden pain, as The Emperor looked at his own armour, motionless and silent in its alcove. Indarin followed his gaze and nearly dropped his glass. The great golden armour was buckled as if from mighty blows in several places, blood streaked it all over and a section of the chest plate was smashed. He tried to collect himself, and as he slowly did, the image faded, to be replaced by the armour, as it should be.

 

“What could do such a thing? Who?" The Emperor grinned conspiratorially.

 

“It’s all down to probabilities, you are my fail safe. Should the plans I have laid fall awry you are to be my back up plan. Never rely on one thing going right, always build an interlocking chain of events and they need to be gently manipulated as a spider does her web. As for who, that will be hard for you to understand, but you must know what you must know and there is no way I can avoid it. Stand up." Indarin did, placing his glass down on the desktop. The Emperor took the Marine’s face in both hands and kissed him on the forehead. Indarin could never remember what the images were. Occasionally he had the briefest of flashes when he was about to sleep, or when he saw one of his brothers as something different, similar to the way the armour had been, but it bit deeply into his soul, like they were gone, lost to him forever.

 

The Emperor let go and Indarin dropped to his knees. Thought concepts assailed him, betrayal, loss, pain, and the suffering of untold millions. Just as he feared it would overwhelm him, the turmoil in his mind lessened, hope rose, blossoming like a thermonuclear explosion. It would take time but humanity was far from having breathed its last gasps under a dying sun. Breathing hard the Marine looked up. The Emperor’s face was half-gone and his body was a desiccated husk, Indarin closed his eyes to rid them of the image, when he opened them The Emperor was normal once again. He concentrated on the face, memorising it for eternity if necessary. The lines that spoke of both joy and sorrow, the shoulder length raven black hair tied back neatly with a bone clasp, turning a faint grey at the temples, and the deep dark pools of his eyes, there was written the history of humanity. The Emperor smiled softly and held out a hand, Indarin took it and nearly lost his arm, he wasn’t expecting an unarmoured man to be able to lift so much. After righting the chair he sat back down, The Emperor sat too and riffled through some papers on his desk.

 

“Here we are." He spoke as though nothing had happened, picking up a sheaf of documents, another fell of the edge of the desk and Indarin picked it up, and the language it was written in was unintelligible. As he made to hand it back he said.

 

“What is that? I have never seen its like before." He traced the patterns with his finger. They corresponded to nothing he had ever seen before, even the one piece of Eldar that he had seen. The Emperor tossed a book across the desk and Indarin picked it up. It was a dictionary of words similar to those on the sheet he held, and something very close to a variant of Imperial low gothic.

 

“Keep them both, it will give you something to do, learning a new language the old fashioned way is good for mental discipline." He folded the papers in two bundles three ways and sealed them both, tossing them over. “Right, then that concludes this interview, two last things before you leave me. One is a gift, the other an indulgent favour." Indarin nodded. “The first, take this as part of your mission." He placed a device on the desk; it was a box on a chain, slightly less than the size of Indarin’s unarmoured fist. “Use it when you have need but remember, it is limited to a personal field, so she will have to be close to you." He gave no indication of who she was, as Indarin hung the device from his belt. The Emperor watched him silently, then closing his eyes said. “Now the indulgent favour," He opened them and they locked with Indarin’s, the Marine felt like a kept animal. Loved, petted, fed, but always kept in a cage. The eyes softened and He smiled. “Remember me as I am now, powerful, but still just a man. Don’t ever forget me." The Emperor looked away and swallowed, Indarin tucked the papers away behind his breastplate. He bowed deeply and left.

He had noticed the chronometer had barely moved, but on the desk were two glasses and the Papers had been in his breastplate, the book too was there, he could feel its weight. He dismissed it as something he could not understand and left for the shuttle to The Spear of Truth.

 

 

He roused from his trance, and feeling truly tired, he lay down again. This time sleep came quickly and he did not feel the ship slip into the Warp.

 

Telorna looked around her room. To her eyes it was little more than a side cupboard, most of the pantries in her home were larger than the space she had been allocated. She sat down on the bed feeling more than a little lost. The sheets were of fine quality, and she stroked them softly. She sniffed back tears trying desperately not to cry. She lay down on the top sheet and curled herself into a protective ball, fingering her necklace. The tears finally came in large hot rivers, melting away her resolve like wax. She wanted her mother, and missed her terribly; she missed Brother Indarin too. The night in the mountains when he had held her in his arms, the first time she had felt safe outside of the city. His body was so covered in scars that he appeared to be a ball of puckered tissue with limbs. From his neck down that was, his face was lovely, sharp planes framing his eyes which were a brilliant hazel, the green of them shining, and the brown was almost orange. She thought of his white hair, trimmed short at the sides, and long at the top and back, a mane that caressed his shoulders and fell neatly onto his chest. That night he had let her touch it she had run her fingers through the stiff looking fibres. She felt the ship lurch gently as it entered the Warp but sleep overcame her before she realised what was happening.

 

Edited for formatting, and errors.

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Thank you I'lll post up the rest of it (that I've written)! And yes the armour does come off. I use older references because I prefer the way they were written. It's realy the Fluff for my own chapter.

 

Here's the second part.

 

 

The loud crash and a sudden pitching started Indarin awake, he ran into the corridor, and felt the ship shudder once more. The alarm started its call to arms. It bewailed the fact of a hull breech and Indarin knew what would happen, that with a breech in the Spear’s protection, all the creatures of the Warp would be homing in on the bright light that was the ship. He returned to his chamber, the neophyte that shared it with him stared with large round eyes.

 

“Help me with my armour, I think haste is necessary.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Thanks it's been ages! I'm currently busy with the Black Library's 'Planetkill' competition, so it might be a while before more comes up. But keep an eye out! If I don't make it in 'Planetkill' I'll post up the story here.
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  • 1 month later...
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  • 1 month later...

Absolutely amazing. This story is awesome, well-written, and engrossing. I can't wait for the next part. I like how you write SMs as more personable than single-minded automatons that I often read in other stories. I'm just trying to get into writing myself, but this story blows my efforts out of the water.;) Keep up the good work.

 

For as much as you wrote, there was almost no mistakes. The only big one was, half way through the first part: the sentence 'As he made to hand it back he said.' needs to be moved to the next paragraph (I think)

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Thanks very much Folks, I really am not writing very much at the moment, as I am still not very well. :unsure: When I have more of everything I'll post it up. I do have another story but it's Warhammer Fantasy.

 

@chavic: Don't worry about it, keep practicing, I put stuff up on Black Library occasionally. Keep looking at the fluff, and writing stuff, read everything you can lay your hands on. PM me and I'll link you to Stigmata of Khaine.

 

Edit: the one Question I have is, how are people finding my representation of the Emperor? It's the one thing I've had very little input on!! :)

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Thanks. As for how you portray the Emperor I think its good. He's just a man. I mean of course he is super-human, but hes mortal and he acts like just another guy. Hes not high and mighty, hes casual and friendly. And I think that the way he just acts so casually when so much rests on his shoulders just adds to his aura of power.
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Edit: the one Question I have is, how are people finding my representation of the Emperor? It's the one thing I've had very little input on!! :lol:

 

Honestly, I like the portrayal. It's less enigmatic, and offers a new facet to his character. It makes him seem less aloof, and somewhat more caring.

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  • 4 months later...

Ok so you all bugged me for it and I've found a bit more of it. Enjoy!!

 

 

 

Telorna awoke to find Indarin gone, she screamed until her lungs were raw. Her cries brought an Apothecary’s Neophyte to her side a troubled expression on the man’s face.

“Where is he?” she shouted at him, gripping the front of his robe.

“Calm yourself,” he soothed. “He is receiving an audience from the Company Captain. He will be with you shortly. In the mean time I have been ordered to provide you with anything you need.”

She relented and let go, curling herself up on the narrow bed. “Can I have something to eat?”

“Certainly.” He smiled and disappeared through the doorway. She sat up and looked around the room, the Chapter’s Badge was displayed on the wall, woven in an intricate tapestry. She got up and walked to it, tracing her fingers across its surface, feeling the delicate texture. The symbol was strange, a pair of stylised black wings around a red tear drop. She heard the Neophyte’s steps behind her, and whirled as though she was a small child caught with her hand in a cookie jar. He smiled and balanced a tray on his out-stretched fingers. She covered her embarrassment by speaking.

“Sons of Baal?” She asked. He shook his head.

“Blood Ravens.” He said. She pursed her lips, thinking. He put down the tray and crossed to where she stood.

“Where is your Homeworld?”

“We no longer have one. What planet are you from child?”

“Cyrene.”

 

 

Indarin sat before Captain Gabriel Angelos and felt relieved. He could deliver the girl to wherever it was she had to go. He was looking forward to joining his Brothers. Gabriel was still in most of his armour after the previous mission; he had sustained light damage and was being repaired by a tech-priest. Indarin had been stripped of his and subjected to a lengthy examination. He sat with his hands clasped over the little leather bound book; that was all they had let him keep. The rest of the papers where in the hands of a Librarian, whose intense blue eyes occasionally snapped up to stare into Indarin’s. The Psyker tossed the papers down on the Captain’s desk and scratched his head.

“They are indeed genuine. Provoking an interesting dilemma, we are headed for the Ultramar System, and these papers do say that he and the girl must be taken there,” he drummed his fingers on his knee and then apparently came to his decision. He lowered his feet from the edge of the desk. “But something feels wrong. I can feel …” he was interrupted by a long scream growing louder, the door slammed open as a scout was bodily shoved through it. The shape that shot through the door after the unfortunate and now supine scout was dressed in virtually nothing and should have been in no state to take on anyone. She leapt pushing herself off of the scout’s chest, one foot connected with upper edge of Gabriel’s grieve and she bounced up to his face, one hand on his cuirass. He pulled his head back as far as he could from he other hand, which held a tiny scalpel blade. The Librarian put his feet back up on the table and grinned at Indarin. “I wasn’t expecting that, I must admit!” He muttered. Gabriel was at a serious disadvantage in that his armour was deactivated, so he could not even peel the girl off of his face. She stabbed at him and he grabbed at the blade with his teeth and sucked on it for a moment, spitting the glass handle out.

“I hate you!” She hissed. “You killed them! All the cities gone! You can’t understand what you’ve done!” She collapsed shaking into Indarin’s arms. Indarin returned to his seat, as a startled looking Apothecary stepped over the still recumbent scout.

“What just happened?” Gabriel said. He glanced at the Librarian who opened his mouth. “Not from you Isador!” Isador subsided and picked up a book from the floor and began leafing through it. Gabriel looked the Apothecary square in the face. “How did she get out, how did she get so far without someone stopping her?” Isador sniggered, the Captain looked at him sharply, turning his wrath back to the Marine in front of him.

“Brother Captain, I apologise unreservedly, there is no excuse.” He went down on one knee. “Name penance.” Telorna slid off of Indarin’s lap and stood between the Captain and the Marine.

“That’s not fair! It wasn’t his fault! He told me what happened…to Cyrene,” she swallowed. “To my home,” she began to cry, the Captain closed his eyes and sighed. He clicked his fingers and the Tech priest stripped off his armour. For the ten minutes it took she stood, shaking with the cold and her anger. Gabriel stretched and sat down, lifting Isador’s feet off of the papers he read through them, and then put Isador’s feet back down. He sat back in his chair and rubbed his temples.

“Alright, Brother Indarin you will both be dropped off at Ultramar, on Macragge no less. Go now to your assigned quarters. You,” he looked at the Apothecary, who looked up. “I have no idea.”

“I have one,” Isador smiled. Gabriel raised an eyebrow. “The Librarium could do with being cleaned.” The Apothecary looked shocked.

“But none can look upon the texts therein, except those trained to do so.”

“How good is your sense of touch?” Isador stood and shook himself, his blue robes settling on the floor around him. He shooed the two Marines out.

Gabriel looked at Telorna who was now shuddering violently and staring into space blankly. He went to a piece of fabric hung on the wall and took it down. As he draped it around her shoulders, it fired memories which he suppressed as he would a heresy.

“Sit down child. I shall tell you what I can.”

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A very good read BWD. I liked the punishment for the Apothecary, rule number one with looking after children: Never let them out of your sight! They disappear before you can say "moose". :mellow:

 

I agree with Marshall Strat about having the feeling that more will come...

 

Cambrius

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