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Made in us
Preacher of the Emperor






“Ma’am? Ma’am? I’m having trouble with my armature, ma’am, I can’t get the boltgun to...”

“WRONG!”

The Sister Superior’s shout boomed like a bolt exploding. All the Novices whipped their heads around to look.


This is the story that sent me staggering into the Novice Ginevra series, now complete:

1. Bolter B-Word Privileges: Ginevra begins her Novitiate, the hard way. (This story)
2. Ollanius Pius Requiem: Novice Ginevra encounters the Imperial Guard. There is singing.
3. Able Baker: Expect some sort of Inquisition.
4. The Beginning: Every Sister's story begins with tragedy... and paperwork.
5. Dancing with the Astartes: The finale, involving the galaxy's nicest Space Marine, a shopping trip, and permanent scarring.

And Bolter B-Word in full follows in spoiler tags:

Spoiler:

“Ma’am? Ma’am? I’m having trouble with my armature, ma’am, I can’t get the boltgun to...”

“WRONG!”

The Sister Superior’s shout boomed like a bolt exploding. All the Novices whipped their heads around to look.

Superior Torres (Order Militant of the Bloody Rose, seconded to the Order Famulous of the Key as Mistress of Novices for Weapons Training at Novitiate Facility Ophelia-VII-Beta-212) was smiling unnervingly down at Novice Ginevra. Poor Ginevra blinked back blankly, paralyzed, with her bolter still dangling like a broken wing from the strength-enhancement armature intended to let 13-year-olds carry the enormous bloody gun. Ginevra might have been crying, just a little, but it was hard to tell in the drizzle that splattered all their faces and made spiky, clumpy messes of the first-year Novices’ hair as they tried to grow it out from their Schola buzzcuts to the more feminine length that was regulation for the Adepta Sororitas.

“Novice Ginevra,” Torres said all too sweetly, “try saying that again.”

“Ummmmmmm....” Ginevra flinched as a particularly good trickle of cold rain ran down the back of her neck. “Um, Ma’am, I’m having trouble getting my boltgun....”

“WRONG!” Torres shouted, then sighed. “Twenty sit-ups in full armor.” She turned to the other stunned Novices. “Can any of you Little Sisters tell me – oh, for Terra’s sake, Ginevra, unhitch your bolter first, it’ll get in your way otherwise.” Torres bent down and, with a subtle twist, effortlessly snapped the gun out of the harness Ginevra had spent ten minutes jamming it halfway into.

The Superior held the weapon above her head. “Can any of you Acne Cadets tell me what this is?”

“Ma’am!” A little brunette with a pinched expression had her gauntleted hand up. Novice Granger. Of course. Torres allowed herself a second sigh and nodded. The girl took one step forward and belted out:

“Ma’am! A Mars-Pattern Godwyn-De'az Boltgun with Novitiate armature attachment, chambered for 0.75 caliber rocket-propelled high-explosive armor-piercing bolts! Ma’am!” The girl smiled smugly and took one step back.

“WRONG!”

All the girls looked shocked. The rain was picking up a little now.

“Granger, you get forty sit-ups, I didn’t get you off-guard like Ginevra.” The increasingly pinched-face girl unhitched her weapon and plopped down next to Ginevra, who stopped her sit-ups just a second to smile at her. It wasn’t exactly a sympathetic smile. Granger just glared back.

“Let’s try this one more time.” Torres held the gun up again. Rain spattered along its metal surfaces and onto her face, but she didn’t blink. “Is there one, just one, of you miserable little Pettanko Commandos who can tell me what this weapon is properly called?”

There was a long, uncomfortable silence. Then:

“It’s a bolter.”

Torres smiled. “Thank you, Novice Luna. ‘It’s a bolter,’ what?”

“Ma’am, it’s a bolter, ma’am.” Luna still sounded dreamy and distant when she said it in the properly military style. She didn’t even seem to notice the rain.

“Yes, that’s exactly right,” Torres said. “Girls, I don’t care what kind of crap they drilled into your shaven little skulls at Schola, you’re in the Novitiate now, and you will refer to this by its proper name: bolter. Say it with me!”

“Ma’am, bolter, ma’am!”

“I’m sorry, it must be all this rain pattering down, I couldn’t hear a thing.”

MAAM BOLTER MAAM!”

“Oh, that’s what you call it. Quite right,” Torres said. “And, accordingly, you are not ‘boltgun girls.’ You are ‘bolter....’”

There was a long silence. Torres held the heavy gun aloft one-handed and ostentatiously cupped her other hand to her ear.

“You are ‘bolter....’?”

Silence.

“No one?” The Superior allowed herself her third long sigh of the training session, and it was barely 0530. “All right. Novice Ginevra!”

Ginevra, who had just gasped “twenty” and struggled upright, still gasping, made a horrible choking sound that was possibly the result of her mouth falling open and letting too much rainwater in at once. “Urghk – uh – ma’am?”

“Novice Ginevra,” Torres said, having to shout a little over the ever-harder rain, “what did they call you at Schola, when they learned you were accepted for the Sororitas?”

“Ma’am?”

“What did they call you?” Torres repeated. “You know who I mean. The pretty ones. The ones whose uniforms were always perfect. The ones with the family connections and the cushy Administratum job just waiting for them. The ones who snuck food on fast days, who whispered during chapel, who always lagged behind on field exercises, but never enough to get in trouble. What did they call you?”

Ginevra looked at the ground – rivulets of water running down her forehead – and muttered something inaudible.

“What did they call you?”

“Bolter – bolter bitch. Excuse me, ma’am.”

“No need to apologize, Ginevra. None of you should ever apologize for that.”

“Ma’am, thank you, ma’am.”

“So were they right?”

“Ma’am?”

“Were. They. Right?”

“Ma’am, I don’t understand, ma’am.”

“Well, Ginevra dear, do you have a bolter?”

“Uh – ma’am, yes, ma’am.”

“And are you a bitch?”

Ma’am!

“Let me put it this way.” Torres looked around at all the staring Novices. “Are you a pretty little kitty who meows and purrs and slinks away when trouble comes, or are you the dog that stands her ground and barks?”

“I....Ma’am, I guess I’m the dog, ma’am.”

“When the wolf comes down on the Emperor’s fold, are you the cat that hides behind the barn or the bitch that fights it and rips out its throat?”

“The bitch, ma’am,” Ginevra said, and there was something stronger in her voice now, something stiffer in her spine, that showed she finally understood. “I’m the bitch.”

“So what kind of bitch does that make you?” Superior Torres said, so softly all the other Novices stepped closer to hear.

“Ma’am! A bolter bitch! Ma’am!” Ginevra roared above the pouring rain.

Torres smiled and handed the girl her bolter back. Then she turned on her heel and shouted, “NOVICES! WHAT IS YOUR WEAPON?”

MAAM, A BOLTER, MAAM!”

“AND WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSION?”

MAAM, BOLTER BITCHES, MAAM!”

“Never fething forget it,” Torres said softly. They all heard her anyway. Thunder rumbled in the distance.

“Okay!” the Superior shouted above the storm, smiling and clapping her hands. “Everybody, 10 kay run, follow me!”

They headed off together into the rain.

This message was edited 6 times. Last update was at 2014/04/01 17:23:35


BURN IT DOWN BURN IT DOWN BABY BURN IT DOWN

 Psienesis wrote:
Well, if you check out Sister Sydney's homebrew/expansion rules, you'll find all kinds of units the Sisters could have, that fit with the theme of the Sisters (as a tabletop army) perfectly well, and are damn-near-perfectly balanced.

I’m updating that fandex now & I’m eager for feedback on new home-brew units for the Sisters: Sororitas Bikers, infiltrators & Novices, tanks, flyers, characters, superheavies, Frateris Militia, and now Confessors and Battle Conclave characters
My Novice Ginevra stories start with Bolter B-Word Privileges 
   
Made in no
Terrifying Doombull





Hefnaheim

Intresting, I really enjoyed your take on the Sisters in this. Well done! And do make more if you can/will/ have time
   
Made in us
Gore-Soaked Lunatic Witchhunter




Seattle

I actually liked that a lot, and I think the punning/referencing names are cute.

It is best to be a pessimist. You are usually right and, when you're wrong, you're pleasantly surprised. 
   
Made in gb
Mekboy Hammerin' Somethin'





Papua New Guinea

Pretty fun and when Granger was introduced it made me chuckle. +1

Be Pure!
Be Vigilant!
BEHAVE!

Show me your god and I'll send you a warhead because my god's bigger than your god.
 
   
Made in de
Shunting Grey Knight Interceptor






The privilege of the word granted, much inflated use there shall be upon the tongues of the young. Not all of the orders would be such free thinkers as to allow it.
Nonetheless, methinks, I let out a few undignified roars of laughter while my eyes gazed at the tale.^^

"When in deadly danger,
When beset by doubt,
run in little circles,
wave your arms and shout." - Litany of Command (parody)

DR:80+SG-MB--I+Pw40k13#----D++A+/eWD-R++T(F)DM+ 
   
Made in us
Preacher of the Emperor






I rather imagine this particular lesson was not on the meticulously crafted Sacred Curriculum worked out over a thousand years ago by the Orders Famulous after decades of negotiation with the other parts of the Adepta Sororitas. I also rather imagine Superior Torres doesn't give a flying feth (it's a small creature from Catachan).

Also, everyone realize who Superior Torres is based on?

BURN IT DOWN BURN IT DOWN BABY BURN IT DOWN

 Psienesis wrote:
Well, if you check out Sister Sydney's homebrew/expansion rules, you'll find all kinds of units the Sisters could have, that fit with the theme of the Sisters (as a tabletop army) perfectly well, and are damn-near-perfectly balanced.

I’m updating that fandex now & I’m eager for feedback on new home-brew units for the Sisters: Sororitas Bikers, infiltrators & Novices, tanks, flyers, characters, superheavies, Frateris Militia, and now Confessors and Battle Conclave characters
My Novice Ginevra stories start with Bolter B-Word Privileges 
   
Made in de
Shunting Grey Knight Interceptor






Wash's wife?

"When in deadly danger,
When beset by doubt,
run in little circles,
wave your arms and shout." - Litany of Command (parody)

DR:80+SG-MB--I+Pw40k13#----D++A+/eWD-R++T(F)DM+ 
   
Made in us
Preacher of the Emperor






Ayup.

BURN IT DOWN BURN IT DOWN BABY BURN IT DOWN

 Psienesis wrote:
Well, if you check out Sister Sydney's homebrew/expansion rules, you'll find all kinds of units the Sisters could have, that fit with the theme of the Sisters (as a tabletop army) perfectly well, and are damn-near-perfectly balanced.

I’m updating that fandex now & I’m eager for feedback on new home-brew units for the Sisters: Sororitas Bikers, infiltrators & Novices, tanks, flyers, characters, superheavies, Frateris Militia, and now Confessors and Battle Conclave characters
My Novice Ginevra stories start with Bolter B-Word Privileges 
   
Made in us
Gore-Soaked Lunatic Witchhunter




Seattle

.... Sister Torres needs to have, as standard wargear, a power-ruler.

It is best to be a pessimist. You are usually right and, when you're wrong, you're pleasantly surprised. 
   
Made in de
Shunting Grey Knight Interceptor






 Psienesis wrote:
.... Sister Torres needs to have, as standard wargear, a power-ruler.


I heartily agree^^

"When in deadly danger,
When beset by doubt,
run in little circles,
wave your arms and shout." - Litany of Command (parody)

DR:80+SG-MB--I+Pw40k13#----D++A+/eWD-R++T(F)DM+ 
   
Made in us
Neophyte Undergoing Surgeries



Belleville, Ontario, Canada

I would like to see more of this - It's an awesome read.

Space Marines are Go  
   
Made in us
Regular Dakkanaut





Washington State

Brilliant, thank you. - J

"Others however will call me the World's Sexiest Killing Machine, that's fun at parties." - Bender Bending Rodriguez

- 3,000 points, and growing!
BFG - 1500 points
WFB Bretonnia - 2200 points (peasant army).
WAB Ancient Israeli (Canaanites) 2500 points
WAB English 100 Years War (3000 points).  
   
Made in us
Preacher of the Emperor






Thanks, all. A little sequel is bubbling in my brain but it'll have to wait until this week's Association of the US Army conference is over....

BURN IT DOWN BURN IT DOWN BABY BURN IT DOWN

 Psienesis wrote:
Well, if you check out Sister Sydney's homebrew/expansion rules, you'll find all kinds of units the Sisters could have, that fit with the theme of the Sisters (as a tabletop army) perfectly well, and are damn-near-perfectly balanced.

I’m updating that fandex now & I’m eager for feedback on new home-brew units for the Sisters: Sororitas Bikers, infiltrators & Novices, tanks, flyers, characters, superheavies, Frateris Militia, and now Confessors and Battle Conclave characters
My Novice Ginevra stories start with Bolter B-Word Privileges 
   
Made in au
Shunting Grey Knight Interceptor





Innawoods

THIS IS A BOLTER THIS IS A NUN

ONE IS FOR FIGHTING THE OTHER FOR FUN

If we win we win, if we die we die fighting so it don't count. If we runs for it we don't die neither, cos we can come back for annuver go, see!
 
   
Made in us
Preacher of the Emperor






Laughed out loud even though it's so very wrong.

Everyone noticed the 300 reference, I hope?

Note that I've never seen the whole movie, just bits and pieces on cable and YouTube... Who wins in the end?

Spoiler:

That was joke. Have history degree. Know length of Macedonian pike (18-21 feet) and chief strength of Theban Band (gay couples).

BURN IT DOWN BURN IT DOWN BABY BURN IT DOWN

 Psienesis wrote:
Well, if you check out Sister Sydney's homebrew/expansion rules, you'll find all kinds of units the Sisters could have, that fit with the theme of the Sisters (as a tabletop army) perfectly well, and are damn-near-perfectly balanced.

I’m updating that fandex now & I’m eager for feedback on new home-brew units for the Sisters: Sororitas Bikers, infiltrators & Novices, tanks, flyers, characters, superheavies, Frateris Militia, and now Confessors and Battle Conclave characters
My Novice Ginevra stories start with Bolter B-Word Privileges 
   
Made in gb
Junior Officer with Laspistol





Desperado Corp.

Very good read, loved the 300 reference. If it's brewing, more please

Pretre: OOOOHHHHH snap. That's like driving away from hitting a pedestrian.
Pacific:First person to Photoshop a GW store into the streets of Kabul wins the thread.
Selym: "Be true to thyself, play Chaos" - Jesus, Daemon Prince of Cegorach.
H.B.M.C: You can't lobotomise someone twice. 
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut





Calgary, AB

 SisterSydney wrote:
Thanks, all. A little sequel is bubbling in my brain but it'll have to wait until this week's Association of the US Army conference is over....


And by that you do of course mean "finished collating source material ".... Yes?

15 successful trades as a buyer;
16 successful trades as a seller;

To glimpse the future, you must look to the past and understand it. Names may change, but human behavior repeats itself. Prophetic insight is nothing more than profound hindsight.

It doesn't matter how bloody far the apple falls from the tree. If the apple fell off of a Granny Smith, that apple is going to grow into a Granny bloody Smith. The only difference is whether that apple grows in the shade of the tree it fell from. 
   
Made in gb
Esteemed Veteran Space Marine




Sheppey, England

This tale's so good even spambots are attracted to it!

Enjoyed that a lot - a nice punchy read.

Click for a Relictors short story: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/412814.page

And the sequels HERE and HERE

Final part's up HERE

 
   
Made in gb
Mighty Vampire Count






UK

Enjoyed that thanks

I AM A MARINE PLAYER

"Unimaginably ancient xenos artefact somewhere on the planet, hive fleet poised above our heads, hidden 'stealer broods making an early start....and now a bloody Chaos cult crawling out of the woodwork just in case we were bored. Welcome to my world, Ciaphas."
Inquisitor Amberley Vail, Ordo Xenos

"I will admit that some Primachs like Russ or Horus could have a chance against an unarmed 12 year old novice but, a full Battle Sister??!! One to one? In close combat? Perhaps three Primarchs fighting together... but just one Primarch?" da001

www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/528517.page

A Bloody Road - my Warhammer Fantasy Fiction 
   
Made in nl
Numberless Necron Warrior





Netherlands

A very enjoyable read, very vivid, it created a lot of images in my mind. In my head sister Torres is allready chewing a cigar-butt. ^^

My Projects:
Order of Holy Illumination Showcase
The Anuphal Dynasty (Showcase WiP Background stories)
The Lady Elizabeth
AOS: Hedonites and Clans Skryre
Blood Bowl: YBL: You Be Lunch (skaven) and Hugz Time! (nurgle) (Showcase)
 
   
Made in au
Utilizing Careful Highlighting





Australia

Epiphany moment in writing. Golden. Well done.

Aurora SMs in 5th Ed (18 wins, 3 draws, 13 losses)

1st in Lords of Terra Open (Sydney) 2012

Aurora SMs in 6th Ed (3 wins, 0 draws, 5 losses))
 
   
Made in gb
Brigadier General





The new Sick Man of Europe

I liked the drill-sergeant sister.

DC:90+S+G++MB++I--Pww211+D++A++/fWD390R++T(F)DM+
 
   
Made in us
Preacher of the Emperor






Me too. She was fun to write.

Thanks all for kind words. If anyone has criticisms or suggestions for improvements, I'd happily take those and revise for when I post this as an article sometime.

Sequel suggestions are very welcome too.

BURN IT DOWN BURN IT DOWN BABY BURN IT DOWN

 Psienesis wrote:
Well, if you check out Sister Sydney's homebrew/expansion rules, you'll find all kinds of units the Sisters could have, that fit with the theme of the Sisters (as a tabletop army) perfectly well, and are damn-near-perfectly balanced.

I’m updating that fandex now & I’m eager for feedback on new home-brew units for the Sisters: Sororitas Bikers, infiltrators & Novices, tanks, flyers, characters, superheavies, Frateris Militia, and now Confessors and Battle Conclave characters
My Novice Ginevra stories start with Bolter B-Word Privileges 
   
Made in us
Gore-Soaked Lunatic Witchhunter




Seattle

Hmm, I dunno... there's all sorts of places you could go with this cast of characters. You could have more "training" stories like this, vignettes centering on each character, including Sister Torres, stories with them, post-training, actually going into the sharp end as a squad... lots of cool things could be done.

It is best to be a pessimist. You are usually right and, when you're wrong, you're pleasantly surprised. 
   
Made in us
Crushing Black Templar Crusader Pilot





Arizona

This was very well done.

A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head. - Maxim 12 - The Seventy Maxims of Maximally Effective Mercenaries

Check out my painting and modeling blog here! Currently I'm working on getting my painting set up... set up. 
   
Made in us
Potent Possessed Daemonvessel





Well done! I enjoyed that, and would read more if you wrote it.

 Atropamin wrote:
The privilege of the word granted, much inflated use there shall be upon the tongues of the young. Not all of the orders would be such free thinkers as to allow it.
Nonetheless, methinks, I let out a few undignified roars of laughter while my eyes gazed at the tale.^^

Was this filtered through Google translator six or seven times before you posted it?

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2013/10/30 20:59:46


Fluff for the Fluff God!
 
   
Made in de
Shunting Grey Knight Interceptor






 Omegus wrote:
Well done! I enjoyed that, and would read more if you wrote it.

 Atropamin wrote:
The privilege of the word granted, much inflated use there shall be upon the tongues of the young. Not all of the orders would be such free thinkers as to allow it.
Nonetheless, methinks, I let out a few undignified roars of laughter while my eyes gazed at the tale.^^

Was this filtered through Google translator six or seven times before you posted it?


No, but I watched a film version of Hamlet while writing this. I blame Shakespeare for what I was writing that night.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2013/10/30 21:13:13


"When in deadly danger,
When beset by doubt,
run in little circles,
wave your arms and shout." - Litany of Command (parody)

DR:80+SG-MB--I+Pw40k13#----D++A+/eWD-R++T(F)DM+ 
   
Made in de
Shunting Grey Knight Interceptor






Sorry, mistake while editing.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2013/10/30 21:12:44


"When in deadly danger,
When beset by doubt,
run in little circles,
wave your arms and shout." - Litany of Command (parody)

DR:80+SG-MB--I+Pw40k13#----D++A+/eWD-R++T(F)DM+ 
   
Made in us
Slippery Scout Biker




Long Island, NY

I think this is how sisters would be, bad-ass, don't-take-no-sh** warrior women for the Emperor!

I like the story and want to see more!


-Mazz

Flaming Skulls Adeptus Astartes - 2nd Battle Company ( completed ... mostly )
Flaming Skulls Adeptus Astartes - Rest of the Chapter? ( someday ...
   
Made in us
Preacher of the Emperor






And the first sequel is finally up: Ollanius Pius Requiem.

BURN IT DOWN BURN IT DOWN BABY BURN IT DOWN

 Psienesis wrote:
Well, if you check out Sister Sydney's homebrew/expansion rules, you'll find all kinds of units the Sisters could have, that fit with the theme of the Sisters (as a tabletop army) perfectly well, and are damn-near-perfectly balanced.

I’m updating that fandex now & I’m eager for feedback on new home-brew units for the Sisters: Sororitas Bikers, infiltrators & Novices, tanks, flyers, characters, superheavies, Frateris Militia, and now Confessors and Battle Conclave characters
My Novice Ginevra stories start with Bolter B-Word Privileges 
   
 
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