Sorry this took so long. Here's the final chapter. All my efforts are going into the Sicarius sequel now
17
I was starting to feel the cold. An odd moment for the winter’s chill to finally set in but there you have it. Exhaustion and nerves will get to everyone in the end. Gathis was smiling at me through the bloodstains I’d left on his face. That didn’t bother me too much. I knew he was in for a world of hurt no matter what happened to me. I couldn’t really savour the thought though. Not with the Navy speeders arcing overhead and training weapons on our ride.
I figured there wasn’t much point in staying aboard. I’d never out run them on that floating piece of gak and it wasn’t exactly a redoubtable bunker either. I’d just have to take my chances with my boots on dry land and a knife at Gathis’ throat. He didn’t struggle as I dragged him ashore. The smug bastard...
+++ Don’t give them the satisfaction of bringing you in. Kill yourself... +++
I glared at Gathis whilst the lead speeder circled around and began to set down in the snow.
+++ Take that black knife of yours and open your throat +++
“You know you aren’t going to need your eyes where you’re going either, Herud...” I said as I hauled the traitor to his feet and placed him between the speeder and myself. Kaleb’s knife was in my hand and near enough to Gathis’ throat to make myself clear.
+++ Kill me then. Your Imperial friends are only going to do the same. Why should you give up the right? +++
“My Imperial friends are going to ask you a lot of questions before they execute you. And believe me they aren’t going to ask nicely. In fact they probably aren’t even going to ask. They might even decide there’s no point in executing you after their done. Mind rape doesn’t leave much of a man left.”
Gathis was beginning to squirm. His fear was reassuring.
The second speeder maintained its holding pattern, lazily circling over our heads with not a few barrels pointed at us. The first was on the ground with its hatches opening. The exhaust from the transport’s engines had melted the snow around its hull and steam was rising from the ground. Through the vapours strolled the unmistakably whip thin form of Mr Black and behind him came a troop of Navy armsmen.
“Come on then” I whispered to no one in particular. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”
+++ Its over, Arjun +++
“It’s over, trooper” Mr Black’s voice echoed the knifing psychic telepathy. Despite his wire frame the man’s voice projected well over the twenty feet between us. Black kept on coming but his armsmen halted at some inaudible signal.
“Found something of yours, Black” I growled, keeping my body and as much of my head behind Gathis as I could.
“Indeed you have, soldier” Black was only a few feet away now. “Ah its you, Tuplin... Just you?”
“You’re not getting that one for free” I retorted. When all you’ve got are scraps it bears reason to cling on tight.
“Suit yourself, Tuplin. What’s the status on our man here? That’s a fair amount of blood on your clothes.”
“It’s not all his,
sir” I hissed the title. Emperor knows Black didn’t actually have a military rank but then and there he was definitely the one holding all the cards. Well, almost all of them. “I put a few holes in him, sure. But thats to be expected in the course of a kidnapping.”
“You cut out his tongue, Arjun” Black seemed unimpressed.
“He talks too much” I replied without breaking my gaze on Black’s eyes. Gathis sniggered and spat up some more gore before I tightened my grip and drew a single bead of blood from the traitor’s neck. Black visibly stiffened up but composed himself quickly enough after he realised I wasn’t going all the way.
“The point of bringing him in is was so that he could talk...” Black shook his head.
+++ Oh I’m sure we’ll be talking a great deal +++
Black snapped his head back towards Gathis and almost imperceptibly betrayed a little shock.
“Herud was no psyker...”
+++ I have had many talents unlocked and many gifts given to me by the true masters. The same masters who continue to make fools out of your pathetic intelligence agency +++
“See why I took his tongue?” I inclined my head to Black with a smirk.
“Nevertheless...”
+++ Oh come now
Mister Black all three of us know that you aren’t going to be asking me any questions. Psychic interrogation is superior in every respect. You’re just looking for a way to invalidate the deal you made with this one’s boss +++
I don’t know if it was the psychic feedback but there was a definite chill in the air as all three of us stood in silence that moment.
“I’m not here to kill you, Tuplin. You, a single man, that just walked into enemy territory and fetched me back the most wanted traitor on the planet. You have skills Arjun Tuplin and men with skills don’t get wasted on my watch.”
“I wasn’t alone...” I blurted it out, almost immediately cursing my loose tongue.
“Ah but you are now” Black finished with what seemed like an air of genuine sadness. “Your comrades will not be remembered as heroes. You know that.”
I grimaced and started to take deeper breaths.
“But you and I will know the truth, Arjun. We will know that the members of the 1313th dine at the Emperor’s side tonight.”
“Sorry if I don’t seem too reassured by that, Black” I spat.
“Your concern is somewhat justified but at this point what choice do you really have but to trust me?” Black spread his hands, probably to highlight the fact that he wasn’t armed. But the troop of navy armsmen lined up behind him kind of broke the illusion.
“I still have a choice” I murmured. “I can put myself in your hands and hope for the best. Or I can put this knife through one of your eye sockets before your boys back there have time to blink.”
“Then the choice is all yours, trooper. Just make it quick... the cold doesn’t agree with me”.
No doubt you’ll have guessed which way I went on that decision. I’m still alive after all. But back then it wasn’t such a clear choice. There was a part of me that knew Black’s order to wipe out my team had to be given. But my soul still burned with anger. The sort of anger that sits deep in the pit of your chest and brews venom into your blood.
Not an easy choice.
+++ Don’t let them take me, Arjun +++
That was it. Hearing the desperation in the traitors tone convinced me right there and then to hand him over. The satisfaction in feeling the broken man’s terror was enough to quench the fires of vengeance and give me clarity.
“He’s all yours” I spoke as I shoved Gathis forward into the snow at Black’s feet.
EPILOGUE
“Wise” murmured Black as he hauled the heretic to his feet and signalled for his men to approach.
Gathis started to struggle when the dark helms of the armsmen approached and he started to wail when they dragged him back to their speeder. I allowed myself a smile as I watched him disappear into its depths.
“Gentlemen” snapped Black and as one the armsmen raised their shotguns and aimed them at my head.
“Of course...” I sighed, hefting Kaleb’s knife for all that it was worth. “You snake...” I cursed
“Easy soldier. You’ve got one last choice left to make. Believe me I don’t want to have to give the kill order here.” Black was bafflingly reluctant to kill me but with those gun barrels pointed at my face I had only one thing on my mind. Calculating the trajectory needed to throw Kaleb’s knife into Black’s skull.
“You can’t go back to your regiment, I lied about that part and I’m sorry. The Imperium needs to have the traitorous 1313th stay traitors and stay dead. You’re no spy Tuplin and we can’t trust you to keep your mouth shut if we send you off to another Storm Trooper company.”
I felt my guts tighten as I realised the only home I’d ever really had was being taken from me before I’d even had a chance to savour it.
“But you can still serve the Imperium, Tuplin. I have contacts amongst various adeptus’ who are always looking for men with talent. I daresay I could use you myself but I don’t envisage that transition going smoothly.”
“You want me to run knife work for an administratum crony?” I asked in mild disbelief.
“No, Tuplin. I want you to meet someone and listen to an offer.” Black spoke quietly into a vox bead hidden in his jacket cuff. Moments later a solitary figure in a fine fur coat emerged from the navy speeder and sauntered over to us. He didn’t look like much but the armsmen cleared out of his way like the man was a damned Astartes.
“Greetings Arjun Tuplin” the man spoke with honeyed politeness. “My name is Inquisitor Heinrich Zartosht and I have a job for you.”
