WH40K quick-fic.
Posted: 2006-05-29 08:28am
A quick (written in 15 minute) 40k fic with 2 characters....
“How much do you really think you know Brother? Surely your memory cannot be that complete, with all the work that has been done on you to make you such a fine tool of the Emperor. Can you remember when we met last?”
“We have never met before.”
“Surely you would remember the man who fought alongside you and your bretheren on Maiax, who helped you keep the forces of darkness at bay during that long, long night?”
“I have never been to Maiax. You must have me confused with one of my Battle Brothers.”
“I have not Alexandros. I do know you, and you know me. But like many things, it has been struck from your mind with such reckless abandon. Like how a guardsman in a trench may swipe away a fly from the corpse of a comrade.”
“The Flamebearers have never served on Maiax. You surely must be mistaken.”
“I am not. Tell me, how did you get the scar on your left thigh? You cannot, can you? It is a mystery to you, as if one day, you simply awoke with it. The pain is there though, isn't it? The pain that the stims just cannot suppress, the ache which the Chaplain has told you is the Emperor himself guiding you to improvement, to perfection even. The ache which you focus on to the exclusion of all else when your body feels like even its magnificent self cannot go on any longer. Do you know why it aches, despite your healing and treatment?”
“I . . . I do not.”
“Because there is something black in there. Something dark that was left behind during that long, long night. A sliver of the darkness of our enemy which no chirugen could remove, that no scan would detect. It became a part of you the moment the blade hit you.”
“Boasman . . .”
“So, you remember my name at last friend? Surely you can relax your guard a little now. The prisoner is quite subdued, as you can see.”
“I remember you, standing over me after I fell.”
“And what a fall it was Brother Alexandros, it is no small feat to fell a Marine. The one who struck you was no mere tool of the enemy. It was one of their many forms, incarnate, in the flesh, ready to reap a terrible havoc on our precious Imperium. That is why this prisoner is so important. To have one of the enemy, bound and imprisoned, think of what we might learn from them – think of what we might learn of their flaws. Of their weaknesses.”
“It is too great a risk. I cannot allow you to take the prisoner.”
“Tell me Alexandros, do you remember who stood with us a Maiax that night, long ago? You wouldn't, would you?”
“I do not remember Inquisitor.”
“It was the Squats. Our staunchest allies. Brave beyond compare, loyal, strong-willed. But, sadly abhuman. To some, despite all their support for the Imperium which they had forever been a part of, indeed, descended from, some saw the shape of their bodies as being a sign that they must be purged. So, they were killed. Worlds at a time destroyed, with their peoples, their history and their technology. Oh – for their technology once more. Can you see what I am saying? The merest hint of abnormality is reason enough for some to wipe out our staunchest ally. And not just wipe them out. Erase them. Forget them. You will find no reference to a Squat in any of the histories of the Imperium. They are gone. Forgotten in a generation. That is the true enemy today – unrestricted fear. You Alexandros, you have been taught to control your fear. It was one of the basic tenets of your training, no?”
“It was Inquisitor.”
“Then look at this prisoner. When you look at them, do you feel fear?”
“No Inquisitor.”
“What do you feel Alexandros – do you feel power at being in control of their destiny? Do you hate them? Are you intrigued at what we may learn from them? What is it you feel?”
“I feel hatred towards such an abomination. The Emperor commands us to cleanse. To purge. To kill.”
“Then surely the Emperor would be best served by studying this beast, learning how best to cleanse it. How best to purge it. How to most efficiently kill it. Your Chaplains tell you that to waste your ammunition is a great sin against the Emperor. Surely learning the weaknesses of enemy serves the Emperor far more than to squander a bolt round executing it now. Brother Alexandros, pass the prisoner to my custody and we shall have one more great weapon in the war against the eternal enemy.”
“Very well Inquisitor Boasman, the wretch is delivered to your custody.”
“Thank you Brother.”
“Inquisitor, why did you not simply order me to pass the prisoner into your custody?”
“Because Brother Alexandros, a little knowledge can go a long way. And I could not simply let an old friend pass by unnoticed.”
“Your logic is lost on my simple warriors mind Inquisitor, but I will meditate on your words when we return to the Chapel. Farewell Inquisitor.”
“Farewell to you to Brother. Now, come child – we have much to do together.”
“How much do you really think you know Brother? Surely your memory cannot be that complete, with all the work that has been done on you to make you such a fine tool of the Emperor. Can you remember when we met last?”
“We have never met before.”
“Surely you would remember the man who fought alongside you and your bretheren on Maiax, who helped you keep the forces of darkness at bay during that long, long night?”
“I have never been to Maiax. You must have me confused with one of my Battle Brothers.”
“I have not Alexandros. I do know you, and you know me. But like many things, it has been struck from your mind with such reckless abandon. Like how a guardsman in a trench may swipe away a fly from the corpse of a comrade.”
“The Flamebearers have never served on Maiax. You surely must be mistaken.”
“I am not. Tell me, how did you get the scar on your left thigh? You cannot, can you? It is a mystery to you, as if one day, you simply awoke with it. The pain is there though, isn't it? The pain that the stims just cannot suppress, the ache which the Chaplain has told you is the Emperor himself guiding you to improvement, to perfection even. The ache which you focus on to the exclusion of all else when your body feels like even its magnificent self cannot go on any longer. Do you know why it aches, despite your healing and treatment?”
“I . . . I do not.”
“Because there is something black in there. Something dark that was left behind during that long, long night. A sliver of the darkness of our enemy which no chirugen could remove, that no scan would detect. It became a part of you the moment the blade hit you.”
“Boasman . . .”
“So, you remember my name at last friend? Surely you can relax your guard a little now. The prisoner is quite subdued, as you can see.”
“I remember you, standing over me after I fell.”
“And what a fall it was Brother Alexandros, it is no small feat to fell a Marine. The one who struck you was no mere tool of the enemy. It was one of their many forms, incarnate, in the flesh, ready to reap a terrible havoc on our precious Imperium. That is why this prisoner is so important. To have one of the enemy, bound and imprisoned, think of what we might learn from them – think of what we might learn of their flaws. Of their weaknesses.”
“It is too great a risk. I cannot allow you to take the prisoner.”
“Tell me Alexandros, do you remember who stood with us a Maiax that night, long ago? You wouldn't, would you?”
“I do not remember Inquisitor.”
“It was the Squats. Our staunchest allies. Brave beyond compare, loyal, strong-willed. But, sadly abhuman. To some, despite all their support for the Imperium which they had forever been a part of, indeed, descended from, some saw the shape of their bodies as being a sign that they must be purged. So, they were killed. Worlds at a time destroyed, with their peoples, their history and their technology. Oh – for their technology once more. Can you see what I am saying? The merest hint of abnormality is reason enough for some to wipe out our staunchest ally. And not just wipe them out. Erase them. Forget them. You will find no reference to a Squat in any of the histories of the Imperium. They are gone. Forgotten in a generation. That is the true enemy today – unrestricted fear. You Alexandros, you have been taught to control your fear. It was one of the basic tenets of your training, no?”
“It was Inquisitor.”
“Then look at this prisoner. When you look at them, do you feel fear?”
“No Inquisitor.”
“What do you feel Alexandros – do you feel power at being in control of their destiny? Do you hate them? Are you intrigued at what we may learn from them? What is it you feel?”
“I feel hatred towards such an abomination. The Emperor commands us to cleanse. To purge. To kill.”
“Then surely the Emperor would be best served by studying this beast, learning how best to cleanse it. How best to purge it. How to most efficiently kill it. Your Chaplains tell you that to waste your ammunition is a great sin against the Emperor. Surely learning the weaknesses of enemy serves the Emperor far more than to squander a bolt round executing it now. Brother Alexandros, pass the prisoner to my custody and we shall have one more great weapon in the war against the eternal enemy.”
“Very well Inquisitor Boasman, the wretch is delivered to your custody.”
“Thank you Brother.”
“Inquisitor, why did you not simply order me to pass the prisoner into your custody?”
“Because Brother Alexandros, a little knowledge can go a long way. And I could not simply let an old friend pass by unnoticed.”
“Your logic is lost on my simple warriors mind Inquisitor, but I will meditate on your words when we return to the Chapel. Farewell Inquisitor.”
“Farewell to you to Brother. Now, come child – we have much to do together.”
