Dissent of Angels: A Crimson Lords Short Story

[Son of Carnelian]

I will always remember.

 

Nestor’s breaths came to him painfully as he ran. One of his brothers had gotten lucky during their pursuit and pierced Nestor’s primary heart with a bolter round. The fact that Nestor yet lived seemed miraculous. Still, he remained painfully aware of the fact that his pursuers now had a trail of blood that they could follow through the corridors of the Carnelian Son. The primary battle-barge of the Crimson Lords held plenty of hiding places for even beings of Nestor’s considerable bulk, but Nestor had no time for concealment. No, he needed an escape.

 

He gradually ceased running, the pain in his chest finally forcing him to a halt. He leaned up against the side of the corridor, bracing one hand against wall. He examined the label telling him what deck and subsection he now stood on. He remained over a kilometer away from a launch bay and his enemies would close with him long before then. He could feel it. Over a century as a full battle-brother had honed his instincts. He frowned underneath his helmet. His blood still had not clotted the wound in his chest and running again seemed out of the question.

 

“No more running,’ he growled to himself. He made his plan of attack, noting a particularly narrow section of the hallway where he could use his pursuers’ numbers against them. He then slipped into a storage hold nearby, positioning himself for a swift assault. As he reloaded his bolter, he let the memories sweep through his mind. He needed that purpose again. The memories would give him the strength for the fratricide he would soon commit.

 

+++

 

In all our years as a chapter, never before had the Crimson Lords won so many honors in a single day. Across the ice fields of Houlis, the Crimson Lords made war side-by-side with our primogenitors, the Ultramarines. The daemonic horrors we faced could do nothing in the face of such tactical precision and martial prowess. We corralled and slaughtered the daemons until a mere handful stood in defense of their leader, a horrific Keeper of Secrets bound to the service of Slannesh. It roared out in anger as its spawn dissipated all around it at the hands of the Emperor’s chosen.

 

But the final deathblow to the daemon came when Chapter Master Calderon of the Crimson Lords stood side-by-side with Captain Galenus of the Ultramarines. They faced the daemon in combat and struck it with such ferocity that it crumbled under their attacks in mere moments. But just before the final blow could fall, the daemon employed its hateful magiks and struck them from their feet. In a desperate maneuver, Brother Nestor of Calderon’s honor guard stepped between his commanders and the daemon, buying time so that they could recover. In the end, they three struck it down together and the threat of the daemon shall never again haunt the world of Houlis.

 

Nestor put the finishing touches on the honor scroll he had spent all morning transcribing and sealed it in a compartment in his armor. He had hoped he could present it to Lord Calderon in sight of the Ultramarines, but the primogenitors had already departed the system after yesterday’s victory against the daemon-spawn. Now, the Crimson Lords bore the responsibility of debriefing Lady Valerian of the Inquisition.

 

As Nestor stepped onto the bridge of the Carnelian Son, he got his first full look at the inquisitor. She stood quite tall for her frame, thin but with none of the unhealthiness sometimes present in Imperial nobility. She wore a cloak of dark green over an ornate, but clearly functional, suit of armor. As she spoke with Lord Calderon, her hands moved in a graceful fashion, conveying elegance and directness. He midnight-black hair fell at shoulder length and curled immaculately around her face. Nestor could recognize that she had gone to great lengths in presenting herself.

 

“Hail, brother,’ Calderon greeted Nestor. ‘Lady Valerian was just informing me of the procedures following combat with the daemons in sight of the Inquisition.”

 

“I’m unaware of what you’re referencing, sir.” Nestor could not keep the uneasiness from his voice. The Crimson Lords had just won an incredible victory for the Emperor. What more could the Inquisition want? Lady Valerian and Chapter Master Calderon shared a look. Valerian seemed perturbed by Nestor’s question, while Calderon’s eyes briefly flashed with anger. Nestor took a step forward making his will clearly felt.

 

“I have spoken too much,’ Calderon began. ‘I would prefer to break this news to every battle-brother together.”

 

“My lord, if that is your wish…” Nestor’s voice trailed off. He could not hide the obvious fact that this answer did not satisfy him. He frowned inside his helmet. He could see the inquisitor’s expression darkening further and it seemed as though she might go for the plasma pistol. Suddenly, she composed herself again and turned towards Calderon.

 

“If he is one of your honor guard, then he should know. Besides, we should use his reaction to gauge how the others under your command will take the news.”

 

Nestor disliked her tone. It made him feel like an experiment at the hands of some debased tech-priest, but he held his tongue.

 

“As you know, contact with the daemonic corrupts the soul. Ordinary men cannot survive such trials and must be terminated after any such contact. The Adeptus Astartes can withstand daemonic exposure, but the Inquisition takes it upon itself to remove such memories when it can. As such, I will conduct this procedure on all of the Astartes assembled here so that we may preserve your purity.”

 

Nestor felt as if a blow had struck him in the chest. He felt his eyes practically bulging with rage and his blood boiled. He could not fathom what she asked. This went against every convention he had learned, every teaching of the Codex Astartes. Warriors should learn more from each survived battle, not less. It seemed some kind of cruel jest.

 

“You would strip us of our honor? Our victory? What right have you?” Nestor knew the folly of his words before they left his mouth, but he could not stop himself.

 

“I have every right, as a member of the Inquisition. Or have you forgotten whose will we represent, Astartes?” Nestor decided to change tactics and go on the offensive.

 

“And you would perform this rite on us, but not the Ultramarines?”

 

“As a first founding, they enjoy privileges that others do not. If I had my way, they too would submit to the procedure. But the Inquisition cannot engage in a conflict with Ultramar. It would bode ill for the Imperium,’ she replied dryly. She let that hang in the air for a moment before speaking again. ‘Are you quite finished with your impertinent questions, Astartes?”

 

Nestor seethed in his armor. He cast his eyes downward and remained silent for a moment. Lady Valerian turned towards the Chapter Master.

 

“Will all under your command act in such a fashion?”

 

Calderon never responded. Instead, a shot hit the inquisitor square in the chest, sending her flying across the deck. Her cloak covered her form as she lay still. Nestor kept his bolter trained on her, not sure if she feigned death or had truly succumbed. He tensed himself for another shot, but his commander stepped between him and the inquisitor.

 

“Stand down, Astartes,’ Calderon began. ‘Before you make this breach of protocol any worse.”

 

“I will not stand down!’ roared Calderon. ‘She would steal our very identities! Make us less than ourselves!”

 

His next words came in at just above a whisper.

 

“If you value this brotherhood so little, than I renounce my part in it.”

 

Calderon stood impassively as Nestor left the bridge in a sprint. Suddenly, a cough came from Valerian’s form. Turning towards where the inquisitor had fallen, Calderon saw her picking herself up. She shot the Chapter Master a look of pure anger and made a single utterance.

 

“Go after him.”

 

+++

 

The firefight with his pursuers had not lasted more than a few moments. Nestor had taken several shots directly to the chest the instant he broke from cover. He felt his secondary heart failing as his vitals pooled across the deck. In his fading consciousness, Nestor saw the honor scroll he wrote earlier soaking in his blood, the ink illegible now. He turned his head forwards and saw Lady Valerian striding towards him, the assembled Crimson Lords moving out of her way in a clear display of submission. She knelt down and stared directly into the lenses of Nestor’s helmet. He made a move towards removing it, but he found he had no more strength in his arms. Surprisingly, she leaned across his bloody form and undid it for him.

 

“I will always remember,” Nestor spat at the inquisitor with his last breath. Lady Valerian calmly removed a plasma pistol strapped to her side. 

 

“But no one will remember you.”

[deathspectersgt7]

A good read now I know more than ever that I do not like the Inquisition.

[Sanguine_Knight]

They're cowards. Always hiding behind their rosettes. I like it when Marines stand up to the Inquisition. He died with honour. Good read

[Valerian]

It's Lady Valeria, brother.  Valerian is the male version of the name :)

 

V

[Argent aquila]

exceptionally well done, i love the way you managed to spite the boys in blue and the crazy secrecy freaks at the same time. more work from you would be inspiring to wanna be writers like myself!

(not to mention your models, those are great too!)

[Son of Carnelian]

Glad you guys liked it! I wanted to submit something that met the limits of the Fanthology. 1500 words becomes difficult quickly. I cut out an entire side of Lady Valerian. 

 

@Valerian: Sorry about that! She is actually a reference to this character here.

 

@Argent Aquila: Thanks for the praise! Spiting the boys in blue was never the overall goal, but they serve as a quick way of galvanizing the reader onto Nestor's side of the situation. 

 

@Sanguine_Knight: Agreed. Cowards, the lot of them. 

 

@deathspectersgt7: Thanks for the continued support, brother! I always like hearing your feedback. 

[Disruptor_fe404]

Alrighty, first:

• I like it. I feel it's a good take on the Astartes-Inquisition relationship.
• Valerian could just be a last name.

Now for a nitpick.

 

“As a first founding, they enjoy privileges that others do not. If I had my way, they too would submit to the procedure. But the Inquisition cannot engage in a conflict with Ultramar. It would bode ill for the Imperium,’ she replied dryly.

 

In a universe where the projection of power is as powerful as actual power itself, I find this line in particular a little... casual. Especially for an Inquisitor, an individual who can consign a world to oblivion with but a word (Lady Valerian might not have this authority though... also, is he a Lord Inquisitor? The 'Lady' might just be an honorific from before her Inquisitorial days...). Such an individual take special care to not undermine their own projected power with such a nonchalant statement. Perhaps something along the lines of, "The lords of Ultramar have millenia of service beyond reproach. Mayhaps one day the Crimson Lords may be held in such esteem, but that is not this day..." ? I feel the hint of condescension as well as the irritation at having to mask her inability to force such action on the Ultras fits a little better.

 

Just a thought.

 

Also, kudos on the title. At first I thought it was 'descent' spelt incorrectly, but it fits perfectly after the read.

[Son of Carnelian]

 

“As a first founding, they enjoy privileges that others do not. If I had my way, they too would submit to the procedure. But the Inquisition cannot engage in a conflict with Ultramar. It would bode ill for the Imperium,’ she replied dryly.

 

In a universe where the projection of power is as powerful as actual power itself, I find this line in particular a little... casual. Especially for an Inquisitor, an individual who can consign a world to oblivion with but a word (Lady Valerian might not have this authority though... also, is he a Lord Inquisitor? The 'Lady' might just be an honorific from before her Inquisitorial days...). Such an individual take special care to not undermine their own projected power with such a nonchalant statement. Perhaps something along the lines of, "The lords of Ultramar have millenia of service beyond reproach. Mayhaps one day the Crimson Lords may be held in such esteem, but that is not this day..." ? I feel the hint of condescension as well as the irritation at having to mask her inability to force such action on the Ultras fits a little better.

 

I like that. I like that a lot, actually. It reinforces the idea that the Inquisition has dominion over nearly everything... but not quite everyone. Plus it makes the fact that the Inquisition has seemingly singled out the Crimson Lords singled out sting even more. 

 

This is why I love posting ideas and thoughts on the B & C. Quality feedback par excellence. 

[Valerian]

Glad you guys liked it! I wanted to submit something that met the limits of the Fanthology. 1500 words becomes difficult quickly. I cut out an entire side of Lady Valerian. 

 

@Valerian: Sorry about that! She is actually a reference to this character here.

 

Ah, sorry about that.  I assumed that you were writing about the Lady Inquisitor Valeria that is included as a special character in the Codex: Grey Knights and digital Codex: Inquisition. 

 

Disregard, and carry-on!

 

V

[Son of Carnelian]

 

Glad you guys liked it! I wanted to submit something that met the limits of the Fanthology. 1500 words becomes difficult quickly. I cut out an entire side of Lady Valerian. 

 

@Valerian: Sorry about that! She is actually a reference to this character here.

 

Ah, sorry about that.  I assumed that you were writing about the Lady Inquisitor Valeria that is included as a special character in the Codex: Grey Knights and digital Codex: Inquisition. 

 

Disregard, and carry-on!

 

V

 

No no, it was a good point! I haven't looked at the Inquisition people in forever, so thank you for reminding me that I am treading too close to canon. I'd be like forgetting Mara Jade existed in Star Wars canon and writing a story about Marla Jade. 

 

Anyway, I will change the name! Probably make it a reference to something else I love outside of 40k. 

[Valerian]

Funny and true story related to this very issue.  A D-B had The Emperor's Gift almost complete with a Grey Knight named Valerian as the book's protagonist.  When Codex: Grey Knights was published, including the already mentioned Inquisitor Valeria, A D-B had to go back and rename the character (at least there is a Find - Replace All function in MS Word).  He was not happy (and neither was I)!

 

V

[Welcheren]

Great read.

 

If you were aiming to inspire apoplectic rage and indignation at those £&%4*&... well done.