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The Black Death is a chaos warband operating out of the eye of terror, they leave the relative safety of the eye to destroy and plunder for a few decades then disappear, sometimes sending small packs of ships, other times moving as one large fleet. One of their newest ships is the Blood Shrike, a recently taken Astartes strike cruiser, under the command of a minor lord named Tor.

Aboard the “Shrike” resides Dina, a human psyker turned traitor, finding she can stay alive if she serves the traitorous crew and Goren, once a rising champion in the warband, now without a squad of astartes to lead he’s found himself assigned as Dina’s protector.



Chapter 1: Enter the witch

Colonel Tish Leonara sat on a cold chair in the dark room after watching her entire unit be murdered. She remembered every scream and would see every face in their last moments when she closed her eyes. She’d seen her share of war, fought xenos and traitors on dozens of planets, even had witnessed the terrifying military display that was an exterminatus, watching a planet full of loyal imperial citizens and their families, their culture and traditions all die screaming in moments. Colonel Leonara had served the emperor well for eighty three cycles, she was past her prime but her experience held value on imperial worlds, her Lord General knew it, that didn’t stop the traitor astartes from running him through with a power sword.

She didn’t know why she was the only member of the command staff left alive, the traitors came quickly, the front lines were supposed to be kilometers from their position and anti-air cover was supposed to be absolute. She knew the battle in space wasn’t going well but the air above the command center was supposed to be safe, they were nestled in an armored command bunker anyway. Who would’ve expected the enemy to drop tanks from low orbit?

The door slide open with the grating of metal on metal. Before it stood a female figure, she wore armor it looked like, of polished black with a dark cloak hanging over her shoulders and a hood covering her head. Behind her was an armored giant, clearly an astartes, not the one who killed the general but still one of ‘them’. He stood motionless, the fingers of his monstrous left arm twitched. “I will deal with this one.” She said quietly, the giant remained unmoving as the door closed sealing the two women in. This one had authority, Colonel Leonara cautioned herself.

“I’ll never betray the emperor.” She spat with the words, spittle landing on the metal table between them. The woman looked down at the wet spots then lifted her eyes, her expression was one of sadness, pity, Tish’s anger flared, this traitor was pitying her?

+I know+ She said in Leonara’s mind, the colonels eyes went wide with alarm she was a psyker! A witch! A small smile crept across the witches face as Leonara came to the realization. “I’m not here to ask you if you’ll betray your emperor. I’m here to give you a choice and tell you what’s going to happen once I take the information we need from your head depending on your answer.” She said simply using her voice now. Leonara didn’t know what information the witch was talking about.

“Why?” She asked through teeth gritted with hate.

“Because you’re useful.” The witch paused. “At least some of you, the rest will be discarded.” The witch stood. “Once I take what we need you’ll be moved to another ship, there a true sorcerer with use your soul as a sacrifice to bring a demon into this reality, then he’ll trap it while it’s still eating your soul, your essence, the very things that make you, you.” Her steps were quiet as she moved around the table. “It’ll spend eternity chewing on your soul while you’re trapped in whatever unholy contraption they choose for it. I imagine it’ll be quite painful.” She leaned against the table. “Then your body will be recycled into protein paste for the crew I expect.” She said it with an almost casual sigh, Colonel Leonara’s mind raced, she was stuck here, chained to this throne damned chair with this fething woman.

“You could be useful though, you have experience, I don’t have to read your mind to see that. You could be the leader of an army.” She added.

“A traitor.” The colonel spat. Her voice was determined, she wouldn’t turn even in the face of death or worse. “I could never betray the emperor.” She added, the witch only chuckled.

“I thought so too at first.” She said stepping around Leonara slowly. “I used to serve, wanted to serve the emperor since I was a little girl, I was raised on stories of his power and mercy, all the good things he did during his crusade so long ago, uniting all of mankind…I was actually excited when they came for me.” She began. “My parents were afraid once I showed some semblance of psyker ability, I was a foolish child, they knew more then they told me and I never tried to read their minds, I always was too trusting. My parents started keeping their distance, then ‘they’ came with their ships…” she paused. “I was given a choice, serve until my eventual death or…” she trailed off, stepping around the table again to sit across from the colonel before picking back up. “Well it was no choice really.” She said with a pathetic smile. “I thought I was special, but I was a mutant with a power no human child should possess.” She moved her eyes to the table as she spoke. “They called me an abomination, said my life was a crime against the emperor of mankind and the only way to be granted his love and mercy was to serve long enough to be forgiven when I die in his service.” Leonara sat in silence and listened, she watched a single tear fall from the witches left eye.

The colonel counted the moments as they passed, no more words came forth from her traitorous captor. “Why are you telling me this?” She asked quietly. The witch ignored the question, picking her story back up.

“When I was assigned to the Astra Militarum I was grateful, when my training was complete they actually had me believing I was a criminal for simply being born. I thought I could finally earn my forgiveness and serve the emperor. I was assigned to a little dust ball of a planet and a fortress that was nothing more than a scrapyard, storage for spare parts. I thought here I might do some good…” Her voice trailed off

+ I was abused +

The witches voice entered Leonara’s mind like sudden thunder, her anger, hate, contempt, everything was exposed to the colonel in that moment, she could feel it all and it hurt more deeply then she thought possible. Leonara was stunned by its power and intensity.

+ At every turn my fellow guardsmen cursed me, they never said anything to my face but when I touched the shallowest parts of their minds they hated me, hated what I could do, what I was assigned there to do. +

Her mental voice was deafening, hearing it, feeling it hurt Leonara, she felt a pressure in her brain increase with every word.

+ They drugged me, violated me, gave me to the planetary governor so he could play with me, live out whatever sick fantasy he wanted, when he got bored he “invited” his friends, some of them my superiors, to come violate me in so many ways. +

She was standing now, Leonara didn’t know when she got to her feet, the colonel could taste copper in her mouth and a warm liquid trickling from her ears. The witch paused taking a moment to calm herself and breath, she could feel the tendrils of the woman’s power leaving her mind.

“Every day was pain and humiliation, I was in hell.” The witch spoke with her normal voice, her minds voice deafening in its rage, now her speaking voice almost a whisper in its softness. “I was going to die no matter what I did. I decided if they hated me I should hate them back. They wanted to abuse me and I would fight back.”

“You’re damned.” Leonara said, her rage gone, softened from hearing the witches story. Was Tish really so weak now?

“I know.” The witch replied. “I made my choice knowing full well the consequences.” Her voice was of calm resolve. “Would you like to know the first thing one of these traitors said to me?” She asked, Leonara didn’t want to know what honeyed words or spell they used. “Well done.” She said after a moments pause. “One with a glowing axe opened the door to my cell and said told me I did well.” She was smiling. “I’d never heard that before.” Leonara shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “He said I was free to go where I wanted to go. My own people hated me and would kill me if they got the chance so I decided to run, I was dead and damned regardless. I walked with the astartes who was kind to me.” Her eyes rose to meet Leonara’s. “That’s all it took.”

“What do you want from me?” Tish asked.

“Information.”

“What information?”

“You don’t know?”

“I have no clue what you could want, I know nothing of value.”

“That’s a matter of perspective.”

“Then what!” Leonara yelled, the witch smiled letting the shout die in the room. For a minute all that could be heard was the colonels frustrated breathing, then a quiet click coming from the witch, the tell tale sign of a vox link. Leonara chuckled, someone was pulling the strings. The puppet master hiding like the coward they are. “Are your masters in a hurry.”

“Not particularly.” The witch answered turning her head toward the door. “I’m ready for it.” She said to the mag locked plasteel slab. It ground open and in floated a skull, one eye socket was empty, the other held a large solid red photoreceptor, hanging from the skulls base was a pair of mechanical arms, the claws clasping a hexagonal object of clear material, the thing gave off low light, prismatic colors danced inside the clear gem-like object. The servo skull floated to the witch and halted with a mechanical chirp.

“What is that?” Leonara asked, her mind racing with possibilities, each worse than the last.

“Memories.” Is all the witch said in answer. She didn’t include these were from her fellow soldiers final moments or what it cost the poor psyker who powered the ritual. The memory of that poor man’s screams made the witch shudder inwardly, she was sure she’d cry tonight holding that horror inside. The servo skull gently lowered and placed the quartz gemstone on the table, depending on the light one could almost make out the runes etched into the sides that made up the spell. The witch pulled out a small symbol attached to a silver chain. “I don’t normally see a possible future as clear as the one I saw for you.” She said pulling the symbol tightly to her right palm. “Would you like to see?”

Leonara tried to answer but the witches hand shot out to hold her forehead before she could speak the curse she had formed. Leonara’s eyes rolled back as she saw herself leave this room, chains broken and free to walk where she wished, she saw herself younger, somehow de-aged with rejuvat or some other method, dressed in a fine uniform, a long black coat over her shoulders, holding a finely made power sword in the shape of a dueling saber of old terra, old she’d seen a holo-pict of when she entered the academy. She stood at the head of an army millions strong with thousands of tanks behind her and beyond them stood titans, proud god machines that could lay waste to a city in moments. All obeyed her every command, worlds died before her army, even the astartes of the emperor…the false emperor…fled before her might.

This was wrong, this was all wrong. Leonara knew it in her heart what she was seeing was a lie, she was an old woman now, she had the spirit to keep fighting but the treatments to stay young were so expensive, and she was never cut out to lead an army, she hated authority too much. This whole thing was a lie, a trick to entice her to turn against the emperor and his light. She fought to deny her visions, her mind played its nightmarish vision against her will. She tried to concentrate, push out the witch and this set of false promises from her mind. “NO!” She screamed finally achieving her goal. Gasping for air after the effort Leonara had denied the witch what she wanted.

+Are you sure?+

Immediately Leonara felt the witch invade her mind, the attack was so powerful and so sudden she had no hope of pushing it back. She felt her mind unravel, each icy tendril of her power peeling through memories that spanned hours, days, years, decades… then just as suddenly as it happened, the cold tendrils were gone. Withdrawn from her mind with a speed that hurt. The colonel gasped in pain, trying to breathe, the air felt like fire, it burned her lungs, she could smell the flesh of her chest burning, the muscle beneath her skin charring. Her scalp steamed, blisters rose pushing her hair apart in places. Her scream was silent. A weak thought in the back of her mind, barely perceptible to the witch ‘Mercy’.

With a wave of her hand the witch directed the servo skull to place the glowing object on the table in front of the blistering, bleeding, boiling colonel. The prismatic collection of memories settled on the metal table with the faintest clink. The witch withdrew her hand from Leonara’s head. “Thank you for your compliance.” She said softly.

Dina approached the door and stopped.

+He does mercy, we don’t+

With a thought the witch opened Leonara’s mind to the soul gem, there was a sudden pained gasp and Dina, witch and dark mistress walked out of the room to her waiting guardian. The giant in ceramite hadn’t moved.

“It’s done.” She said, not lifting her eyes to meet his. “Let him know, she’ll be ready in time.” The giants head tilted downward ever so slightly.

“You told her.” Goren said, it wasn’t a question, he knew Dina shared the mortal dogs future with her.

“She needed the possibility added to the pain.” Dina commented starting down the hall. She paused when she didn’t hear Gorens heavy footsteps, she looked back questioningly.

“In time.” Is all he said.

“You’re stalling.” She said with a smirk, there was equal chance he’d take it as a joke or an accusation of cowardice. The giant said nothing in response, she let a moment pass and still no reply. “You are stalling.” She almost laughed with the realization that even he just might hesitate to meet some members of the warband. “You’d tell me to get it over with.” She pointed out, daring to graze his mind she felt him relent, a minor victory but a victory still. Goren took one step behind her and together they set off deeper into the ship to see the sorcerer that made even Goren uneasy. Dina used all her self restraint to hide her amusement, knowing her protector was likely weighing the consequences of crushing her to paste with his Powerfist right there in the corridor.

Chapter 2: Conference and company

Gorens feet fell heavy in the corridor as the pair made their way to the flight deck. Crewman and slaves hurried out of their way as the space marine and mortal witch walked. All around them slaves and servitors worked, still repairing the damage sustained from the battle when they took the ship. Dina walked with purpose, she wanted the upcoming conversation finished quickly, for her sake and Gorens. She knew her Astartes protecter wasn’t comfortable with the man they were on their way to reporting to.

The ship was a chaotic mess of activity, menial’s from almost every vessel in the fleet were moving prisoners, slaves, and equipment about after the battle. Some of it was salvage from the battle and some of it was trade, common with a fleet of pirates and raiders. Dina tried to walk around the crew and slaves, Goren moved through them not caring that they were there. She was sure she heard muffled screams and the crunching of bone twice behind her, she didn’t look back, she couldn’t look back. In front of the crew she was the Dark Mistress, the terrible mortal sorceress of their fearsome lords.

The flight deck was a riot of noise, a chaotic mix of engines cycling up or down and scraping of heavy equipment on the deck. Beside a thunderhawk Dina spied Khaun. The astartes sorcerer stood still before his transport the engines screaming. His armor was decorated with numerous skulls and fetishes. His shoulders carried his more disturbing adornments. His left pauldron had numerous runes in a language few could understand etched into it then inlaid with gold, a writhing mass of organic metal tentacles hung from the ceramite armor piece, they were various lengths and some hung the length of his arm, they twitched as he stood idle. On his right pauldron sat three heads, each had a face dehydrated from years of exposure, the eyes stapled still open, lengths of spinal cord hung from each, veins and nerves chorded around the bones of each spine, occasionally a pained gasp could be heard from one of the faces and she had sworn she’d seen drops of fresh blood fall from at least one.

The noise was deafening but Dina knew Khaun had his auditory sensors turned up so high his ears were bleeding inside his helm. She approached him cautiously.

+My lord.+ She greeted him telepathically and with a bow. He didn’t return her greeting or even acknowledge her. +Your memory gem served its purpose. The mortal will be ripe for the ritual.+

+A shame to waste it on one mortal+ His mental voice seemed to silence the riot of sound around them when he addressed her. +Its collection was exquisite.+ He spoke as if he was talking to himself, she almost didn’t exist to him. +The location?+ he asked after a pause.

+ I have it.+ She answered, at that his head turned to face her, the eyes of his horned helm seemed to focus.

+Report+ he ordered.

+I cannot, lord+

+Report+

+Respectfully my lord, I cannot+

+Report!+ His command thundered into her mind. It felt louder than the engines of his transport just behind him. The power of his mental voice made her wince, she thought she was prepared for it but he was just so powerful. She shuddered falling to to one knee, behind her Goren stepped forward, the energy fields of his left arm coming alive with murderous intent. Dina held a hand out, knowing Goren would die if he took another step.

+Leave it+ Told him, the noise in the hanger combined with the ringing in her ears from the sorcerers restrained wrath made it impossible to hear even her vox bead if he responded to her at all. Dina slowly rose to her feet, her eyes rose to meet the sorcerers. She could feel tears of blood coming from one eye, she kept hers open to meet the contempt of his stare, she was a mortal, he was astartes, how dare she deny him anything.

+With greatest respect lord, I am bound to report my findings directly to the Siegesmith, by order of Lord Adrammelech+ Her eyes never left his helms eye slits. Minutes passed before he reacted, it was an eternity.

+I will escort you+ He replied, he almost sounded pleasant, cordial. He stepped back and turned to march to his thunderhawks boarding ramp. Dina followed with Goren behind her, his powerfist and shield powering down.

………..

Of the many ships in the fleet Dina was both awed and terrified of the Harbinger of Darkness, lord Adrammelech‘s massive command ship. She’d seen the huge battleships of the imperial navy, one monstrous vessel of the Adeptus Mechanicus used to transport titans, even a few Tyranid void organisms. The battleships she found exuding raw power, the Titan transport felt ominous, the tyranid void creatures felt evil and hungry, the “Harbinger” had an aura of all that and more. It was an old ship, a vessel of a much older war, a stunning ten kilometers long, from its forked prow to its engines it was dotted with weapons, armored towers, crystalline domes and twisted ornamentation. Its aft section held two arrow headed blocks of hull, looking like cruisers slapped to its sides, each adding more room for its terrifying armament of lances, macro and plasma cannons, and defensive systems. The vessel seemed to have an especially dark aura around it, like a cloud she could barely see that darkened everything nearby.

The landing bay of the the “Harbinger” they touched down in was so cold she could see her breath, Dina, Goren, and Khaun were met by a squad of ten astartes, their black armor was ornamented with red highlights and gruesome trophies. They stood silent at attention with bolters held at their chests, Khaun probably communicated with them via private vox channel. The group of three walked down the thunderhawks boarding ramp as its engines whined, cycling down. They didn’t stop, simply marching across the landing bay as their escort fell into lock step beside them.

It felt like they were walking forever when they came to the huge doors of the throne room. On either side of each door stood two astartes in terminator armor, they were the same dark coloring of every astartes in the warband, their hulking haunched forms decorated with skulls and helms of loyal imperial champions or xenos wretches impaled on trophy spikes and racks welded to their armor, their helms stood unmoving, bony tusks and horns sprouted from the ceramite helms. Each warrior had with their weapons at the ready with the groups approach. Dina was afraid to look over any of them as they passed, the great doors opened as they arrived, admitting the group to their lords throne room.

Like the rest of the ship, Lord Adrammelech’s throne room was dark, the huge chamber was so tall Dina couldn’t see the ceiling in the low light. The moment she passed the threshold she felt her senses dull, like her warp powers were restricted somehow, she felt like part of herself was hidden away as she walked, it made her uneasy. The room was long and wide, six great columns rose along the edges of her vision, each adorned with grisly trophies, helmets of astartes most still containing heads, the massive head of an Eldar Wraithlord was mounted to one with other Eldar helmets below it, its twin on the other side of the room held heads of various Tryanid bioforms. Dina walked forward along a dedicated walkway, its sides lit with low hovering glow globes. As she advanced Dina could see the great armored form of an astartes dreadnought coffin, the armored plate cracked and split, the box ripped from its bipedal war machine and placed here. Across from the mighty dreadnoughts coffin stood a single warrior frozen in mid strike, seemingly suspended in the air the astartes had one arm cut off at the elbow, their other lunging forward with a wicked looking sword. In her peripheral vision she noticed one elongated skull shaped helm, numerous tubes wrapped around its back, one tube connected to a large covered lense in one eye socket, the aperture covering the eye lens was welded shut. Dina didn’t know what the helm came from only that the feeling she got from it was she didn’t want to know.

With her limited eyesight Dina could make out armored figures in the shadows of the room, she didn’t chance her warp senses in this room, she saw a dozen suits of the terminator armor, her masters guards likely and a few select champions able to earn or win the powerful armored suits, she didn’t try to count the warriors in standard power armor, she knew them to be hand picked elite warriors or champions of the traitorous warband. As she approached Dina averted her gaze at the figure on the throne.

He was dressed in ornate terminator plate armor, great ridged horns grown around the upper half of his all black armored suit and crowned the opening where his golden helm rested, his left arm was a massive powerclaw with the face of a leering demon and the great skull of some lupine beast attached to it, she knew he had blades hidden within the beasts head, at his hip rested a long bladed sword in its sheath, from its decorated pommel hung a chain attached to a soul gem that glowed a strange reddish orange. Even seated his long cloak looked like liquid gold and billowed gently despite the lack of movement or wind, its edges seemed to burn or smolder giving off a burned metal taste in the air.

To the left of the throne stood her lords chief sorcerer Mered, his staff taller then he was with its large golden eye top and a dozen of his soul gems hanging from different length chains, each glowing with a different color. Beside him stood Arexal, his terminator plate seemed to give off a blue glow despite its dark coloring and crimson highlights. In his left hand he held a long bladed spear, runes etched along the blue colored blade with some dark material. On the right side of her lord stood the Siegesmith, almost as tall as lord Adrammelech, he stood in his hulking terminator armor, a group of chains hanging over his left shoulder each holding a series of skulls, his heavy double bladed axe was held in his right hand. The few times she’d seen him he always had it in hand. Beside him was a warrior she didn’t expect to be here, his black armor was scratched and worn from thousands of years of war at his hip sat a long bladed powersword with his bolter mag-clamped to the opposite leg. Tor commander of the Blood Shrike, her ship.

The group halted, Dina bowed before her betters, Khaun stepped away, moving to stand beside the spear holding terminator, Goren stayed behind Dina. “My lords, I have completed my task and have come to deliver the required information.” Her voice was loud to carry across the room but still calm, she kept it controlled hoping to show some sigh of strength before the group of fearsome warrior lords. The Siegesmith strode before her.

“Report witch.” He commanded, his helms vox grill boomed the command. Dina bowed again. Behind her a holographic starchart appeared in a flickering green. She stepped to it and pointed to a star.

“Siegesmith, the fortress is here.” She said simply, her finger pressed the spot in the air and the chart zoomed in to a solar system. Dina pointed again to the fourth planet. “The base and its vault are on this planet.” The planet she was pointing to turned a red color and she stepped away. “Thank you for the opportunity to serve, my lord.” She bowed again as she spoke, this time directing her words specifically to the warlord in the throne. There was a quiet few moments as she held her hand head low, the air was thick, Dina felt she might suffocate from the airs density.

“Return to your ships.” Adrammelechs voice was almost quiet, like the deep calm of a lake yet still carried like rolling thunder. “Prepare for warp translation. We have a target.” Immediately there was movement all around the room. Warriors filed out though the main door, the Siegesmith and the sorcerers moved to stand before the throne. Tor bowed to his lord and promptly marched out, Dina lifted her head finally and followed Tor while Goren walked behind her. They were back in the corridor leading to the throne room before she heard the tell tale clicking of vox traffic in the helms of the two astartes. Almost on instinct she brushed their minds, feeling Goren was relieved to be free of that place and Tor was…was he excited?

Chapter 3: Brother

Dina kept silent the entire long walk back to the flight deck. She paused watching the drooling twitching body that was the imperial colonel be carried by down the ramp and into the command ship. She scratched out her eyes, pulled clumps of her hair tearing her scalp in the process, soiling herself as she spasmed uncontrollably. The memory gem’s work, she was terrified to know what the woman saw and felt. Dina told herself she was just doing what she had to, staying useful and obeying orders meant staying alive. She had to find a way to live with it all, somehow to Dina’s horror she was getting used to it. That scared her more than anything.

“I trust, brothers, that my presence won’t present a problem?.” The question came from a new passenger. When the group exited their lords meeting hall and returned to the thunderhawk they found someone waiting for them already seated. He was astartes, his armor black like the rest of them but he wore dark blue robes over his armor and his hood sat over his armored helm. In addition to a bolt pistol he carried an axe, Dina could barely make out symbols etched into the blade and haft in the darkness of the transports cabin. Like the rest he wore adornments, a chain hung across his torso, attached were three soul gems that glowed with a peculiar shade of green, his left shoulder held a collection of crystals seemingly growing out of the armor while his right was smooth and plain. Dina knew this one, Halamar, when she was still in imperial service he was the one that came to her in her dreams, spoke to her and somehow was able to use her to disable key systems of the fortress she was assigned to.

Halamar seemed odd among the astartes, he was relaxed, almost casual with everyone. “You will be tolerated.” Tors voice was quiet against the muffled rumbling of the thunderhawk as they made their way back to the Blood Shrike. Dina was shaken from her thoughts.

“Excellent, I’m in your service lord.” Halamar said bowing his head slightly, when he lifted his head his helm’s eyes seemed to go dark.

+He doesn’t trust us little sister.+ Dina almost jumped when the sorcerer telepathically spoke. ‘Little sister’ was what he called her in her dreams when he posed as a phantom brother she thought she made up to escape the abuse before she was “freed”.

+Maybe he just doesn’t like you+

+When you can do what we can, it only makes sense others are wary+

+I can’t do what you can, you’re far stronger…my lord+ She felt oddly more familiar with Halamar then the other astartes, she assumed that was because they’d spoken for a while before she even knew who he really was and he seemed kinder, considering he was still a traitor.

+True, but even you can do things he can’t and that’s enough+ She could almost see him smiling. Dina knew most of the astartes on the Shrike were outright cold with her, she assumed it was their nature as super soldiers, the human crew were either afraid of her or avoided her completely. The cabin shook lightly as the gunship made its way across the void. She heard more clicks of internal vox channels but none for her. She didn’t like being left out, she did her job, she served her lord, she thought she earned something for it other than another day alive. She was too impatient to just play the silent servitor. The silence was starting to drive her crazy.

+I cast fire.+ She sent to Halamar.

+I am aware, I admit to being impressed, maybe it’s time I taught you more+

+I would appreciate that my lord+ She made the slightest gesture of a nod, Gorens head snapped to the side in her direction.

“Speak witch.” Tors voice made her jump in her seat. He didn’t move his head, still looking straight ahead in his seat. She didn’t expect her nod to be perceptible, she sighed and reasoned super engineered trans human walking death warriors being able to perceive tge tiniest movements made sense.

“Apologies my lord, I was communicating with lord Halamar.” She admitted.

“Our way is exclusive our kind. Simply…practicing our abilities, brother.” Halamar added, the eye slits on his helm lighting up again, his hand rose to lay flat against his breastplate and he bowed in his seat respectfully. Dina watched the exchange, he was so casual with them when every other sorcerer treated their brother warriors as beneath them, less capable. +Caution little sister, he tolerates you but he’ll still order Goren to kill you if you seem more trouble then you’re worth.+

+Thank you lord+ she replied, settling her self into her seat and resolving to stay quiet and motionless for the remainder of the journey

————

“I dislike not knowing what they say to each other.” Tor spoke over the private vox channel. Goren sighed, he didn’t care enough to see it as a problem.

“It’s no different for them, she has no helm, no practical way to use a private vox, only the bead in her ear. When we talk like this she can’t hear us.” He replied. “I understand some mortals are sensitive about these things, she may think herself entitled to a private conversation.” He allowed the witch to speak into his mind but demanded she leave it at that, he didn’t wish to be subject to her warp powers.

“That’s as it should be, she’s mortal, she doesn’t need to know what we say, only what her orders are, she’s entitled to nothing.” Tor kept the mortals at arms length, certain resources were expendable. From the gangs that maintained order on the Shrike to the servants who operated the ship, all easily replaceable. His orders were to kill any mortal who so much as hesitated to follow an order. With a ship full of astartes, mortals hesitated a lot. Goren assumed command was to blame. A soldier rising through the ranks to lead as a champion, then chosen to command a ship and all that comes with it, he didn’t like the idea, Goren was never one to lead beyond his squad of warriors, he was just a soldier, he preferred to keep things simple. “He could be less familiar with her though.”

“Halamar’s been unusually talkative for three hundred years since he joined the warband. I don’t expect him to change now.” He pointed out.

“Perhaps that’s why the thin-blood turned, or perhaps he was kicked out instead.” Tor joked, Goren acknowledged the jest with a quiet chuckle. “I don’t expect us to be in the vanguard.” Tor changed the subject to the coming campaign. It was expected, they were under strength compared to some of the other commanders. The Seigesmith always had a plan though and every plan had potential for glory if you could see it.

“We’ll see plenty of action brother. If that’s what you’re concerned about…”

“I’m not concerned about it.” Tor said interrupting . “I’ll leave Zeral or one of those other fools to lead the charge on the ground. We’ll likely be saved for the void.” He mused, the Shrike was a void specialized strike cruiser, it lacked the bombardment cannon of most astartes ships in favor of a pair of Lance turrets, allowing the vessel to engage more effectively in the void. Tors helmet turned slightly so he could keep and eye on Dina.

“Two minutes until landing.” The pilot spoke over the gunships vox speaker.

“You’re bothered by her.” It wasn’t a question. “She amuses the sorcerers and even Adrammelech finds something useful about her.” Goren didn’t know what exactly it was about her they found fascinating, she was just a human, no different than the countless billions dying across space. She was a psyker, he gave her credit for that, but she was small and frail, a broken limb or poorly treated disease could be the end of her.

“I’m bothered by the sorcerers brother, I’ve never cared for how they hold themselves above the rest of us.” Tor paused and turned his head slightly as if listening to a different channel.

“You’ve seemed to advance despite them.”

“It’s because of them I command.” Tor admitted. “Halamar convinced me to claim the damned command throne. If I waited, recruited, I could’ve had a vessel full of astartes. Now I have…”

“Three squads of warriors, two sorcerers, one squad of bikes, a small tech adept cult, four thunderhawks and one predator plus landing craft.” Goren finished the list as if he was reading from a slate.

“I know what I have.” Tor hissed. The thunderhawk rocked as it slipped into the landing bay and the ships artificial gravity grabbed it. The engines spun higher to counter the resistance and keep the vessel hovering as the pilot made minor adjustments before the ship set down. “I never asked for any of it.” The gunship landed with a shutter. The astartes were already on their feet. Halamar waited for Dina to release her harness and stand, he was met by Goren staying with his charge, their eyes meeting. The astartes stayed standing facing each other for a moment, silent. Looking up, Dina thought they might come to blows

To Goren it looked, felt, like the sorcerer was thinking, weighing his options, but what options? He was sent by their lord to spy and report back certainly, maybe influence their actions through words and tricks. Was he friend or foe? If it came to blows Goren calculated he had the advantage up close like this but just how fast could Halamar react? He’d have to defend against the blow from the powerfist, its energy field would make ceramite armor as brittle as plastek but it would need a fraction of a second to ignite even as he was throwing the punch, in that fraction of a second the sorcerer could do something.

In the time it took Dina to rise to her feet Goren saw the fight happen a hundred times, each time he struck first but not every scenario started with a killing blow. If the sorcerer survived he’d be a problem. Most times when he lived Goren died moments later. Gorens left hand threatened to twitch, tense while his arm begged to coil in preparation for a strike that could shatter a tank. He had to be accurate, sure of his hit.

“After you, of course.” Halamar spoke first, breaking the tension, he stepped back, placing his hand to his chest plate and bowed. Gorens left side relaxed. Dina gave the sorcerer a nod.

“Thank you my lord.” She said and started for the boarding ramp. Goren followed but kept his head angled to keep an eye on Halamar.

“You shouldn’t trust him.” He voxed to the witch.

+I don’t trust any of you+ Was her reply, not breaking stride.

“That’s wise.”

Chapter 4: Child

The Blood Shrike was a big ship. Four kilometers long and built for full sized astartes in mind, everything was bigger to accommodate their armored forms even those who wore bulky terminator armor would find maneuvering easy in the corridors. In the lower levels of the ship the human crew, slaves mostly, had more then enough room to live huddled in small groups, cycling through work shifts, breaking themselves for their astartes masters, working themselves to death and having their corpses recycled into protein paste to feed the rest.

The mortals lived by strict rules and so enjoyed a limited freedom, could take what they wanted for themselves as long as their masters didn’t notice or care and the marines generally didn’t care as long as the ship functioned. Scavenging what little came to them, discarded by others as useless but in some cases finding treasured supplies among the refuse. Naturally some wanted better, wanted more than the meager scraps they were “gifted” by their lords. Those that didn’t know better would find the bodies of their friends and loved ones decorating the corridors until they learned their lesson. If they still didn’t, entire work crews would be purged, recycled, used as sacrifices, or simply voided prior to warp translation.

Throughout the mortals on the ship different work crews banded together to protect what little they had, working to create livable conditions and small communities, trying to salvage some form of civilization. Gangs kept order lest their astartes masters be inconvenienced enough to appear, which would lead to half of them being slaughtered and that would leave the rest to pick up the work load. Small black markets popped up in each living area, slaves used what minimal living supplies they had as currency since the imperial credit was worthless.

Arlin was brought on board as a refugee with her family, their colony was evacuated prior to an alien invasion, she didn’t know what they were called but a kind soldier said they were giant bugs, very dangerous, and she shouldn’t be scared since she was being evacuated and would be safe. She was evacuated with the emperors angels, they were big and scared her but her parents told her they only had to be in order to keep her safe.

When the ship was attacked Arlin hugged her parents tight, the alarms were deafening and she hid with the other people in who couldn’t fight. Her mother died when a grenade rolled into the hall, she was closest and threw herself on top of it before it exploded. The last memory little Arlin had of her mother was a panicked scream and seeing her explode into a fine red mist.

She knew the other children on the ship disappeared, her father never told her what happened to them but she overheard others talking, they were sent to “recycling” whatever that was. Now she “lived” with her father as he worked sixteen hour days on a gun crew and she hid between pipes in a narrow hall she could barely fit in. Sharing her fathers rations when he could get them and making her clothing from rags he found, sewing like her parents taught her.

Most of the time Arlin stayed in her cramped little hideout, on rare occasions she tempted fate to sneak into one of the black markets that had sprung up to try and steal food or valuable supplies she could give to her father. Recently she’d been hearing rumors that some witch of their lords, a very special and very scary person had been visiting the various black markets, not buying anything just “looking around”. Arlin asked her father to let her see this witch but no matter how she much she begged, he refused. “It’s very dangerous little one, that witch and everyone of the masters should be avoided. If you ever meet someone like that just let them do what they want and hope she doesn’t see you.” He told her but Arlin was curious. She waited until her father fell asleep and quietly snuck out of her hiding place. Creeping through the darkest places of the once proud ship was scary but like with so many children, Arlin’s curiosity overpowered her common sense.

—————

Dina rarely made appearances on the lower decks of the ship, she spent so much time among the bigger astartes and their silent terrified slaves she almost forgot what it was like being around actual people. She enjoyed at least seeing other humans despite her bodyguards protest. He claimed she could be put in danger, ignoring the fact that she could use the warp to send almost any mortal to a quick and very painful death, she was just human after all. Even so, with Gorens massive from behind her she was in no danger.

The slaves and “crew” hurried out of her way as she approached, she tried to talk to a few brave souls who didn’t slink away as far as the others at her approach, her polite simple questions were met with silence and eyes that refused to look up from the ground. She moved through the groups going from small community to small community, each in different sections of the ship, occasionally finding nicknacks that caught her eye they would remind her of aspects of her old life she didn’t hate. She had just started going through another “community”, gunnery personal she thought, when she caught a metallic object drop onto the deck in front of her. A small pair of hands and brown haired head followed it, attempting to scoop up the little object quickly. Goren reacted, his huge astartes body stepping forward to deal with the potential threat.

In the span of a heartbeat Dina’s consciousness saw the girl, a child really, her short life was laid out in front of the witch, every memory she had was open to read like a book. She was happy and playing with children her own age one moment, then scared and clinging to her parents in some large room listening to some imperial governor speak, then there were space marines, dark blue armor with a silver hawk sigil, the astartes that Tor and the rest took the “Shrike” from. This child was a refugee, hidden away by her father as he tried to keep her safe. She was just exploring and dropped her favorite little good luck charm. She wasn’t a threat. Dina returned to her own mind to tell her massive bodyguard the child wasn’t a threat.

“I’m so sorry mistress, please forgi…” the man, the girls father, never got to finish his statement. He quickly leapt from the back of the group to help his daughter and pull her out of the way. Goren was faster, his right hand grabbed the man by the shoulder and threw him into the wall with such force you could hear the crunch of his bones on impact, the man’s skull cracked and left a red splat where it hit the wall and he fell ungracefully in a pile of still warm meat, slumped on the deck.

“Papa!” She squeaked realizing her father was there and suddenly dead now. She was alone.

+He wasn’t a threat, none of them are+ Dina told Goren telepathically.

“He could be.” Was his response in her vox bead, returning to his station behind her, the fingers in the powerfist on his left hand twitched, making the slaves back away.

“It’s ok child, stand up, please.” Dina tried to use her softest voice, easing her power into the girls mind to calm her down, this poor thing was scared and now alone on this terrible ship surrounded by terrible people, human and transhuman. She didn’t have to scan the minds of the gathered people to know that what some of them would do to a poor defenseless girl, this now alone defenseless girl. Part of her mind burned with the memories of her own abuses, if she could prevent them from happening to this child… “It’s ok, stand up.”

The young girl looked at Dina, her eyes wide with fear, tears threatening to spill down her face. Dina offered her hand and the girl took it, awkwardly getting her feet under her to stand half on her own and half pulled up by the Dark Mistress herself as the giant that just killed what father stood silently watching.

“I’m sorry about your father.” Dina said out loud. “My big friend is very protective.” She said smiling, it wasn’t an apology simply an explanation, she’d never try to apologize for anything the astartes did. “Do you have anyone left?” She asked already knowing the answer. The girl tried to answer but only looked down stifling a cry. “Come with me, I’ll look after you.” She said scanning the crowd, first with her eyes then with her mind.

“This is a mistake.” Goren said in her ear, he didn’t move but Dina could hear his surprise and disproval at the move. Dina wrapped an arm around the young girl and lead her away. The big space marine waited a moment, looking around at the gathered mortals then turned to follow. Dina knew Goren would be reporting this, she didn’t care.

“I’ll have her as a servant, she’ll be safe with my name attached to her.” Dina lead the girl through the huge corridor that seemed a bit bigger today. She had considered throwing her weight as a sorceress around a little more, at least with the mortal crew. With her dealing with the tech adepts she had been feeling bolder, direct interaction was something she was denied with the astra militarum, she would have to go through handlers and other officers before an adept would even come see her about adjusting something and she could forget about requesting a piece of equipment like she did with Gorens replacement arm. Dina had to admit, this felt pretty good, she felt like she had actual value.

“This is a mistake.” Goren said again. This time she didn’t answer, just continuing to March foreword arm around the little mortal girl. He blink clicked the vox, switching to the channel directly linking him with Tor. “Captain, we need to talk.”

Chapter 5: Strength and regret

“Repeat that.” The vox channel couldn’t hide Tor’s confusion. Beside him Herrz barked a laugh, he was always amused by something, it was a source of endless frustration. Tor had stopped trying to understand him centuries ago, merely accepting the fool for what he was, an excellent warrior and commander, regardless of his oddities.

“She claimed one of the mortals as a slave.” Goren reported again. “A child.” Tor ignored the fact that one of the fire teams missed a child when they were purging a captured ship and somehow that child ended up here, no mortal could take servants unless permitted by their betters, their astartes lords. Tor didn’t give her permission, she was talented and useful but she hadn’t earned the right, not according to him.

Tor gripped the railing on either side of the command pulpit. Steel bent and twisted in the grip of his armored gauntlets. That witch was getting too big for her station.

“Easy brother.” Herzz said poorly hiding his smirk. “The sorceress seems to have station with the warband, a slave or two might suite her station.”

“She’s a slave herself.” Tor growled.

“Are we any different?” Herzz asked. “Over the long years we’ve known each other can you honestly tell me you think we’re free? You may lead this company but you serve Adrammelech like the rest of us and he in turn serves the Warmaster. We all serve someone brother.”

“I command and…” He couldn’t finish, Herrz growled and he cut in, he was one of only a handful of warriors that was allowed to interrupt him. Their long friendship allowed him a familiarity Tor shared with very few others.

“What? And what brother?” Herzz dropped his amused tone and was serious. It was a very rare thing for Tor to see his battle brother serious, even in the chaos of combat he would make light. This was the warrior he’d met on the battlefield so many centuries ago, his ‘friends’ mask had dropped entirely revealing the vicious killer beneath. “Tell me what harms your ego so badly.”


“Ego? You dare…” he was cut off by a sudden movement from Herzz. In one swift motion the bike marine ripped off his helm and pulled his bolt pistol with his other. His face was a map of scars criss crossing from his jaw to forehead. His eyes held a predators gaze. One would never know it from how he normally carried himself but Herzz was as deadly as they come.

“Tell me, Champion. I could end it right here if you want. Give me a reason.” His eyes bore into the captain.

Tor didn’t answer immediately, taking time to think and stare down the barrel of the bolt pistol in front of him. Herzz sighed and lowered his weapon. “You miss the finer points of command. You’re a fine warrior, I don’t think I could beat you in a fair fight but when it comes to leadership, you’re without a doubt the weaker of us.” He was direct as only he could be. Any other would’ve been bisected by Tor’s blood red blade for their tone alone, say nothing about their words and pulling a weapon on him.

“Use her.” He said. “She’s a weakling but she’s only a mortal, she’s probably the strongest mortal you have on the ship, I know you are suspicious of sorcerers and you should be, but every sorcerer in the warband has shown interest in her abilities, she possesses a vital link to powers neither of us can wield, she has value, why not use that, allow her some freedoms? Let her show a little authority among the mortals, she can’t harm you, she wouldn’t dare try, Goren protects her at your command.” Herzz was right of course, that fact only served to frustrate him more. “I don’t have to tell you that symbols have power. Use her, make her a symbol of your authority, use her abilities.” He paused and sighed: “Each of us is a weapon, you wield us as such, add her as another weapon to your arsenal.”

“She serves Halamar.” Tor observed, spitting the words.

“She serves Adrammalech as do we all. Any more personal allegiances can change. Humans are finicky that way.” His toothy grin was like that of a killer about to sink his knife into some unfortunate soul. Tor immediately knew he was about to make a mistake.

He took a single long breath and calmed, his gauntleted hands released the railing it’s form now twisted from the strength of his grip. He chuckled quietly with the ridiculousness of it all. “What makes you think you who are the younger of us, is so wise as to advise me?” That made Herzz laugh.

“Because brother, I didn’t waste the first three centuries of my life like you did.” Herzz said smiling again and that made Tor grumble to himself.

“Very well. I’ll remind her of her place…gently.” He added after a pause and a look from the warrior he would consider his oldest, and potentially only, friend.

“Very good of you captain, these mortals are so fragile.” Herzz said with his usual mirth. Switching his vox channel to the one shared with Goren. “Brother, bring the witch to the bridge, she needs to make her obedience at once.”

“No.” Barked Tor. “Report on her destination and await my arrival. Tell her nothing.” He added.

“Compliance.” Was the response and the link died.

—————

Dina lead Arlin to her quarters, Goren and as silent the whole trip from the mortal decks. The only sound from the big space marine was the heavy fall of his armored boots on the deck. Dina could feel the disapproval radiating from him, part of her knew she should fear the sound of his footfalls, they were somehow different then when he was just neutral about her and what she said role did, but part of her didn’t care. She made a choice to protect this young girl. Was she crazy? Is that why she took the girl? In perfectly simple and normal moment she stumbled across this girl, then what could only be madness from being on a ship filled with monsters, she took this parentless child under her protection. Did she even have protection to offer?

The girl was shaking with fear and uncertainty but stayed quiet the whole walk from the lower decks. Dina appreciated her strength doing that, the survival instinct, she could understand how this one was still alive after the purge. With an arm wrapped around the girls shoulders Dina tried to offer a comforting presence. ‘You throne damned fool, your bodyguard murdered her father in front of her and you think she wants comfort from you?’ She thought to herself. Dina considered for a moment she had to be delusional, maybe she was going crazy, being exposed to so much evil, joining up with these traitorous astartes, using her powers so often…but then, she did all this to survive, didn’t she?

The heavy steel door ground open, revealing the simple spartan chamber beyond and the low amber light inside, emanating from a crystal object hanging from the decaying corpse of a servitor. Dina stepped inside, the girl didn’t follow. Pulling the hood from her head she turned. “It’s ok, you’ll be safe here.” She said holding out a hand to guide the girl across the threshold. The little one hesitated, her head turning ever so slightly to eye the huge form of Goren, her fathers murderer. “Oh he is not coming in. It’s my space and not big enough for one of his kind.” Dina explained doing her best to be calming, she tried to project a relaxing, calming, confident, presence. She was failing.

Goren took a half step forward, his boot landed heavily on the deck. The girl jumped at the sound and hurried into Dina’s chamber. He disappeared from view as the door closed, the runes aligning and flaring as the spell activated, sealing off the room from the psychic overflow of the rest of the ship. Dina sighed quietly, the girl noticed. Her young eyes staring at the sorceress with intensity and suspicion. ‘She’s alert, observant’ Dina thought.

In a heartbeat Dina felt her blood run cold. She was immediately alarmed, danger was here. The door to her chambers ground open without ceremony. The runes of protection disconnected and the voices of the crew came flooding in, the sudden rush of psychic signals made Dina wince. She almost fell to her knees as she fought to regain control of her senses. When she finally was able to open her eyes her vision was blurry. She fought to clear it, seeing what could only be an astartes standing in her doorway. His bulky armored form filling it to the point of blocking any light from the corridor beyond. “Goren I don’t know…” she was cut off as her vision cleared and she saw the intruder, the warrior wasn’t Goren. She bowed immediately as Tor stepped through the doorway, having no room to move in the mortal sized chamber, what little she had was knocked aside as his armored body barged in. “Lord Tor…”

“Silence.” The giant barked. The vox grill of his helm making his voice thunder, the small room seemed to shake with its intensity. His head turned slightly to examine the shaking child, fallen to her knees in supplication or fear, likely both. “Explain this.” He ordered, his gaze snapping back to the sorceress. Dina slowly explained what happened, her movements below decks, the black markets, and the child stumbling out of a dark corner, then Goren killing her father.

“I thought I could take care of her, if she stayed down there without protection she’d be violated, killed, or...”

“You do not think, you obey.” Tors voice was sharp, the grill of his helm amplified the sound to a roar in the small room. “This thing is small, frail.” He paused, his armored head turning eye Dina. “Recycle it.” He commanded. The child shuddered at his words. Not exactly knowing what he meant by the word recycle but understanding the tone and implications.

Dina was devastated, she just promised this child she would be safe, until today no one knew she even existed, now she was exposed, her father killed in front of her, and their lord and captain was ordering her to be recycled. Dina had no doubt he was that cruel, she’d witnessed countless horrors. Minor cruel things, at least minor if you had lived for thousands of years in darkness and bloodshed, having everything that makes you human pulled from you by force.

Through the minds of slaves she’d read she watched and even felt skin burned or flayed from limbs. Arms and legs ripped from bodies without warning or ceremony, sacrifices made for no reason other than the horrid amusement of these evil astartes or forces beyond them.

“Lord, how could…” she started but Tor silenced her with a breath. Her eyes were down to the deck, she could feel his eyes on her, those red lenses staring a hole through her head, she could imagine the sneer behind the helm. She could hear the feint clicks of a private vox conversation, though between whom she couldn’t tell. A growl rumbled from a helmet, it almost sounded like Goren…

“Stand.” Tor spat the command, it was so sudden Dina flinched. Slowly she rose, legs resisting the movement as if her body thought remaining kneeling would secure her safety. She cursed the instinct, she was equally dead.

She was hesitant to lift her eyes. When she did Tor’s red helmet lenses met them. Minutes seemed to pass, the armored giant said nothing. What was he thinking? Was she going to die? Part of Dina wanted to reach out and read him, he’d know and kill her. In the back of her mind some madness infested her brain that made her consider forcing herself into his mind and controlling him the way she could a regular soldier, idiot, even if the strain didn’t kill you Goren would, what then?

“You belong to my company.” He said.

“Yes my lord.” She said, bowing her head.

“You live because I allow it.”

“Yes my lord.”

“You will obey my commands.”

“Yes my lord.”

“If I order you to die, you will die.”

“Yes my lord.” She almost hesitated.

“If I order you to kill that…thing.” He said gesturing to Arlin. “You kill it, painfully.” Dina hesitated, swallowing hard before she replied.

“M…my lord I…” her entire body shuddered as a heavy boot slammed against the floor outside, the metal clanging seemed to bounce between the walls of her small room. She drew in a long breath and closed her eyes, tears forming as she said the words. “Yes my lord.”

Tor said nothing else. She heard Arlin cower in a corner of the room but there she stayed, unharmed. As quickly as he arrived, Tor was gone. The door remained open for a moment, Goren standing silently in the corridor until it closed to the sound of grating metal.

Dina released a breath she didn’t remember holding. Her shaky exhale was followed by her knees threatening to give out. She opened her watery eyes to find the young girl terrified, shaking, and silently sobbing. She gave the girl an apologetic look and before the child could scream, Dina forced her mind into the girls.