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[Munting]

Begininng

 

 

Thaeg checked the power cell on his laspistol, then once satisfied he holstered it in to the hidden holster strapped across his chest. Despite the fact he was merely going to find the local taverns, hidey holes and other places Hive scum gathered he did not fell comfortable with out the side arm’s metallic weight underneath his long leather over coat. Long and black, bulked out with pieces of flak designed to look natural, with reinforcement on his elbow joints to disguise the mechanic augments he needed on Epsilon Segment nearly three years ago. 65 Years of age, he found Two and a half years before he had come under the employ of Inquisitor Rhoren, he had served in the Epsilon Sectors guard.

 

His meditations were disturbed by raucous laughter, an ex officer in the guard at the age of 67 was not used to such insolence and he looked up, he saw the tattooed figure of the Hive-woman Sedecera, “You can’t seriously be thinking of going down hive dressed like that can you?” The woman had served the Inquisitor since his ascension to such a title, a year previous, she was his body guard, but it would be foolish to think of her as just hired muscle.

 

The dark chill, that contrasted ironically with her bouts of laughter at the hapless guard officer, betrayed the fact she was unique. And this was what made her most useful to a member of the Ordos Malleus- she was an untouchable. Her presence was un recorded in the Warp and despite the Inquisitors countless explanations to his staff few could understand it better than this- she countered psychic power used in her vicinity, neutralized them.

 

“What’s wrong with this?” Thaeg asked, taken aback by the young girls mockery. He was dressed in tactical gear, inconspicuous to that of an Imperial citizen, but clothing that would afford him some protection should he require it. His weapon was easy to hide within the confines of his coat, and his boots provided grip within the icy winter of the hive world, although with the amount of industry the streets would be filled with blackish slush rather than snow and ice.

 

“You’ll be spotted a mile away,” Sedecera answered, “You look like a member of some high-born bastard’s personal guard.” And then grinning she added, “You need to dress more like me.”

 

Oblivious to her jest, Thaeg looked her up and down, she was dressed in a baggy white top and trousers torn at the knees- revealing even more blue swirling tattoos. In a fire fight she would be afforded little protection. As if reading his thoughts she threw a pile of ragged clothing at him, “We’re under cover, there’s no need for that ancient las pistol you tot bout either!”

 

And with that she walked out of the room leaving Thaeg to get changed, that blasted girl- the cheek of her! The las pistol had served him well in many battles and she would not be complaining when the hive scum turned on them. He still had much to learn before he got the hang of working for the blessed Ordos of the Inquisition.

 

 

 

Rhoren waited in the briefing room, he, like Sedecera was dressed in clothes similar to those of the Hive gangs that they would be investigating. Rumours that one such gang had been supplying a heretical cult with weapons and man power had drew him here. This would be his first solo investigation having spent the last year since his ascension from interrogator serving with the Inquisitor Lord Thaos in the Epsilon Sector. He stifled a smile, he felt so out of place without his inquisitorial clothing; almost vulnerable. But, on his departure from the Imperial Cruiser that had brought them here, he had managed to aqquire a heavy weight auto pistol, its dull mechanics hidden and concealed within one of the mismatched boots her wore- his disguise was perfect.

 

However upon her entry Rhoren had to admit he didn’t look as much the part that Sedecera did. However she was not entirely acting, although unspoken Rhoren knew of her gang heritage on the fabled Necromunda, and from the blue swirls that covered her figure he guessed it was fighting for the women warriors of Escher. In one sense he felt he had rescued her from a death unappreciated and unknown, and worse of all unfulfilling for one with such faith in the Emperor. Yet in another sense, he knew he had resigned her to a probably more painful, and possibly earlier death against the forces of the enemy.

 

The cold of her entrance almost caused him to not notice the entrance of Thaeg, who without some form of military appearance looked almost comical as he fiddled with the torn trousers he wore. Rhoren smiled, he knew that hidden on the man was that blasted old las pistol he swore by, used in the man’s fathers service and his fathers and so on and so forth. Rhoren doubted it could even fire anymore. Casually Rhoren raised his legs and rested them on the desk, eh had rented them an almost luxurious 4 bedroom apartment. The 4th bedroom was used for this; a briefing room. Rhoren ran his fingers through his long black hair, and then slowly and deliberately he stroked the stubble on his chin. He knew such a slow and arrogant assurance of his control was unnecessarily- these two were his companions. But his mentor, Thaos, had taught him that before a mission it is best to be cool and slow- to remind his field team he was the one in power.

 

He noticed Thaeg was unhappy with being made to wait by a younger man; Rhoren remembered the reasons he had recruited an almost pompous man. But within the battle against the Tzeentch cult of Epsilon Segment, the man had shown his true colours. He was as pure and devout as any of the priests Rhoren had met over the years, going as far to chanting battle hymns as he smote cultists with his shot gun.

 

“I’m guessing you wonder why I went through the bother of commissioning a ride to this blasted hive world,” Rhoren said his voice youthful, like his age of 29, was betrayed by the cold greys of his eyes. Sedecera, often wondered what such gems hid, and what had drew their master into his role as inquisitor. Her obvious attraction to him, would not betray her work, and she listened inventively to his words.

 

“Evidence suggests that a gang here, an off branch of the Van Saars,” Rhoren continued, ignorant to the young girls stare, “has been supplying heretical cults withint he sector with both weapon and man power.” Thaeg, unable to stop him self spat at the word heretical, his devoutness letting his usual up-tight persona down. “Therefore tonight,” the Inquisitor continued, ignoring the interruption, “we will search out the downtown, finding possible locations were such cults can be found.”

 

“You,” he addressed ,nodding at Thaeg, “On best behaviour- me and you are just hired- muscle for the infamous Escher leader Thalina here.” He continued tog ive out the cover names, Sedecera was an Escher gang noble named Thalina, Thaeg was her body guard Krugen and Rhoren was his brother Zeheen. If asked why an Escheer woman was with male body guards she would simply state that her usual “maidens” were KIA by Goliath- the use of Van Der Saar’s rivals would hopefully gain empathy some sort of gang confidence.

 

This was of course irrelevant if they could not find the gang. Rhoren hoped that finding them would link him to heretical cults in the Sector. He peered around the room looking for reactions, Sedecera as he could guessed looked enthusiastic and confident. Her blood hair framing a concentrated face, emphasised by the blue pattern upon her left cheek. Her blue eyes looked at him with her full attention. Thaeg however looked less confident, he was a guardsmen more used to combat and his older face, topped with a crop of white hair indicated that he would feel more at home guarding the apartment.

[Grand Master Tyrak]

Considering Imperial medical techniques, and Inquisitorial access to the best of them, its worth remembering that human Imperials can live up to and beyond 300 years thanks to medical treatment. 29 is far too young for an Interrogator, never mind a full Inquisitor. Maybe add 50 years to all the ages.

[Tauren]

Well that's not necessarily true now. Living to 300 does not make up for the fact that a number of inquisitors are in their early years, nor does it make up for the simple fact that unless they are unnaturally human they still age. There are young non-wrinkly inquisitors. I just don't see how medical techniques change the fact that the body still ages... Short of living in a lower grav area where the body doesn't deal with life's weight.

 

Further-more some inquisitors recruit their own "Apprentices...", some are just that young, when they get above the 100 year mark let alone the 150 they start to turn into classroom relics and are often not really much of a human anymore, old heavily implanted inquisitors who either teach, or work within the higher ranking areas.

[Grand Master Tyrak]

Well, given that one could be taught at the Schola Progenium for over 30 years, I suppose it just depends on the background of your Inquisitor.

[Wulfen Lord Leo]

Tauren your statement is incorrect, many Inqisitors still in active service can be of ages in the hundreds upwards, such is the miricle of the imperial tech. its when it ets to the 200's that they start to slow down. Very few Inquisitor Lords reach the rank before the 100's.

[Tauren]

Imperial tech or not, "aging" is still a problem. And unless the future body doesn't age in look, IE wrinkles, etc. Then most inquisitors are not age 100. In fact most of the fluff points away from that in many books. On top of that many inquisitors take in basic retinue followers at a young age, 20's on several known characters.

 

In many pieces of fluff, relatively "young" looking inquisitors and their retinues fall into the 20-60 line of age.

[Grand Master Tyrak]

Tauren Posted Today, 08:13 PM

Imperial tech or not, "aging" is still a problem. And unless the future body doesn't age in look, IE wrinkles, etc.

 

Juvenat drugs include looks. In Eisenhorn Alizebeth Bequin, despite being just short of 200, still looks like she's in her thirties thanks to Juvenat drugs.

[Tauren]

And what is her social standing Tyr? Just because the drugs are available does not mean that everyone uses them, lest afford them. And understandably a number of young inquisitors would have nothing to do with the stuff...

[Grand Master Tyrak]

She's an Untouchable in Eisenhorn's retinue.

[Shunch]

I understand that somewhere in the series [Eisenhorn], it's mentioned that being in one's 140s is only early middle-age for the privileged of the Imperium. However, for those without the money, or those who won't use juvenant drugs (which, if you had the capital, would be stupid to do), I couldn't expect a standard Imperial living much longer than a human normally does - that is to say, a healthy lifestyle might carry you into the 80s or 90s.

 

But on the actual subject - in the very first chapter of Xenos, Eisenhorn reports he is 42, and has been an inquisitor for 18 years - meaning he had been an interrogator at 24.

 

So why is 29 too young?

[Grand Master Tyrak]

Shunch Posted Today, 11:32 PM

But on the actual subject - in the very first chapter of Xenos, Eisenhorn reports he is 42, and has been an inquisitor for 18 years - meaning he had been an interrogator at 24.

 

Really? I missed that. In that case I withdraw my objections.

[Munting]

Lol so he is not too young?

feedback on the actual description etc?

[Elenaria]

In my humble opinion, the age given in Eisenhorn is far too young. I'd add at the very least five years. Very, very least, and that's me compromising between opinions my own and that one mention of such a young age. Otherwise the =I= seems to me a bit too easygoing. Heck, you're not experienced nor "grown up" enough before 30, for that matter. Except in rare cases, I suppose, but still. Then, I'd have him have been an acolyte for... oh, most of his life, say, at least 15 years.

 

I believe it is not entirely uncommon for the privileged in the Imperium to live up to 200 years old, still looking, what did "Titanicus say", I think a "fourth of his age" or something.