In Memoria (40K)

[Dominus]

Interesting. I've been wondering why Tzeentch, who is doubtless aware of Jolan's duplicity (being supposedly omniscient and all), doesn't warn his servants of the coming danger, but then again I suppose watching the conflagration unfold would amuse the foul Lord of Change in some inexplicable capacity.

Heh. We shall see if the ever-duplicitous Chaos god grants the Gamesman the clarity to see the threat posed by Sevren Dask.

On another note, since Jolan clearly has something of a vested interest in the Jivanne system, I can't help but wonder if, through his quiet reforms and the Adraxian archaeotech, he was indirectly responsible for putting the Gamesman in power in the first place...

[Imperial Overlord]

Interesting. I've been wondering why Tzeentch, who is doubtless aware of Jolan's duplicity (being supposedly omniscient and all), doesn't warn his servants of the coming danger, but then again I suppose watching the conflagration unfold would amuse the foul Lord of Change in some inexplicable capacity.

Tzeentch isn't omniscient. The Emperor and the Deciever have both hidden things from him and outmaneouvered him. Furthermore, Tzeentch's servants aren't omniscient either.

On another note, since Jolan clearly has something of a vested interest in the Jivanne system, I can't help but wonder if, through his quiet reforms and the Adraxian archaeotech, he was indirectly responsible for putting the Gamesman in power in the first place...

No, but his reforms have played right into the Gamesman's hands.

[Imperial Overlord]

Jolan and his retinue were housed in luxury for two days before the summons arrived. They ate the finest delicacies and had wines of exquisite quality with their meals. Intoxicants of varying descriptions were offered to them and concubines of both genders were available for their pleasure. Servants treated them as if they were the Emperor's saints in the flesh.

Jolan feigned nervous anxiety and avoided partaking in most of the decadent amusements offered to him. Gard availed himself of the library, which stored countless volumes in a variety of storage media, and Danell continued with his exercises.

On the morning of the third day a young woman with short hair, wearing black livery accented with white, appeared at the door of the suite and bowed low. "My master, Lord Ardecron Levian, by Grace of the God-Emperor of Mankind Imperial Commander of Jivanne, wishes that Sevran Dask join him in his study for a private audience."

"I will, of course, attend," said Jolan. He was wearing dark pants with a scarlet tunic and a black formal jacket. He put on the harness holding Azuregel on over it and followed the page into the palace's interior. The palace was decorated with taste and restraint, substituting a stained glass windows, crystal chandeliers of holocandles, and white marble statues in the place of exorbident embellishments.

The page lead Jolan to hall of that separated the Commander's quarters from the rest of the palace.. It was half a kilometer long, a hundred meters high, and carpeted in vibrant red. Gilded cherubs held light globes in their hands and rank upon rank of empty suites of ceremonial armour stood guard. At the end were a pair of guards in gilded carapace armour holding chain glaives and two others. One was smiling man with a shock of vibrant red hair. He was tall, lean, and pale skinned with a hook nose. His clothes were black accented with blood red. He had a cruel smile. The other was a slim, dark woman, with jet black hair and heartless eyes. She wore a gown of flowing silver silk, that didn't look that good on her.

Jolan inclined his head to the Prince of Ruin and the Queen of Nightmares. He held out his hand and swallowed his rage. "I'm Sevran Dask."

"Yes," said the Prince of Ruin as he shook it. "Your reputation precedes you. I take it that is the daemon blade I've been hearing about?"

"Yes."

"Impressive. Its very good about hiding its malice. Where did you get it?"

"I forged it myself."

The Prince of Ruin's jaw worked soundlessly for a moment. "Most impressive. You'll have to leave it outside the audience chamber."

Jolan shrugged and leaned the blade against the wall by the door. "Don't touch it," he told the guards. The Queen of Nightmares giggled.

The gilded doors swung open to reveal another pair of guards just inside the large chamber. The room was filled with innumerable pedestals and hosting dozens of holos floating in mid air. Each pedestal supported a game board and each holo depicted a game in progress. The numbered in the hundred and each game was different. Jolan could barely identify more than a handful. At the center of the chamber was the spider, curled in his web.

The Gamesman sat on a throne of leather and chrome suspended from the ceiling. He was two meters tall , with a neat white beard and hair. He wore a robe of gold silk with shifting ebony patterns crawling across it. His eyes were gold and his tongue was forked like a serpent's. "Sevran Dask," he said.

Jolan bowed clumsily. "My master."

The Gamesman laughed. "Get up Dask. I have been watching you. Your accomplishments are impressive, most impressive. Some think you would make a potent addition to our order. It has been proposed that I elevate you directly to be one of our Illuminated Masters? What do you say to this?"

"The title doesn't matter to me," said Gix. "I was promised lore and power. I will have it."

"A little more subtlety might serve you well in the future," said the Gamesman. "But the directness of your ambitions is pleasing. A man who can make his own daemon sword has little interest in minor tricks or promises of fleeting wealth. Everything you want will be yours if you become an Illuminated Master."

"Then I accept."

"And I should take this bargain why?"

"She's seen what I can do know. Imagine what I can do for you when I am stronger, wiser. I am the fulfillment of your ambitions. You would be betraying yourself not to give me what I want."

"Perhaps I do not need to teach you subtlety after all, Sevran Dask. Very well. Approach." Jolan walked up to the Gamesman, stopping about a meter away from his throne. "Kneel." The inquisitor did so. The Gamesman's eyes glowed gold.

"You are about to initiated into the highest mysteries and join the Great Work. Do you swear yourself to that high task." Feelers of psychic power slid out from the Gamesman and probed Jolan Gix.

"Yes," said Gix. The tendrils touched thought-constructs, false emotions and memories floating near the front of Jolan's mind.

"We shall sow chaos and destruction everywhere where the Phoenix does not rule. Shall you be an instrument of Ruin?"

"Yes," answered Gix. The probing tendrils floated through a see of ambition, rage, and lust.

"When the time is right, when the Secret Masters rule countless worlds, we shall rise up with a lie and proclaim others heretics. In the Emperor's Name the faithful shall butcher the faithful and the Great Architect's plans shall near fulfillment. Will you be an instrument of Deceit?"

"Yes," Gix answered. The tendrils probed at the though-constructs and found bubbling reservoirs of hatred, malice, and ruthless drive.

"When the False Empire burns, then shall be the time for the followers of Tzeentch to march. Death will become life. Shall you become a instrument of Change?"

"Yes," said Gix. The tendrils probed deeper in a thought-construct. Beneath hatred, bile, and cruelty they found. . . . truth.

"Gix," the Gamesman whispered.

[Chris OFarrell]

"Yes."


*loads 'Chateau' track form Matrix Reloaded soundtrack*

[Dominus]

Yes! Let the purgation of the foul heretics begin! Ave Imperator!

Erm... yes, was channeling the Grey Knights for a second there. You must update, and soon. I, and so many others, so very badly want to see the Gamesman die a truly horrific death, as befits a servant of the false and duplicitous Tzeentch. Or, failing that, give his soul to the Dark Eldar for good measure.

Excellent work, IO. Don't let up; the pace and quality of your updates have been absolutely brilliant thus far.

[PeZook]

Holy shit, that was awesome.

The best thing? The way Gix didn't lie to the Gamesman.

He swore himself to the Great Work years ago.

He will be an instrument of Ruin. He already is an instrument of Deceit.

And he will enact one hell of a change

[Imperial Overlord]

Holy shit, that was awesome.

The best thing? The way Gix didn't lie to the Gamesman.

He swore himself to the Great Work years ago.

He will be an instrument of Ruin. He already is an instrument of Deceit.

And he will enact one hell of a change

I hadn't considered that angle at well. Obviously my brilliance extends to my unconscious mind.

Almost finished the next installment. Probably no more than five or ten minutes.

[Imperial Overlord]

Not all of the thought-constructs in Jolan's head were crafted with the intention of assisting his disguise. One swelled and roared to life as Jolan called upon the warp, a thing of murderous fury and rage that swam through the warp like a ravaging shark to attack the Gamesman's mind. As the cult master recoiled from the furious mental assault, Jolan reached out with his telekinesis.

"Gix!" the Gamesman cried out again. "Gix!" The armature on his throne lifted him up and above the fray as Jolan ripped the chain glaive out of the hands of the guard on his right. The Queen of Nightmares and the Prince of Ruin stood dumbfounded for a second. Then they began to move.

Jolan's warp augmented body was a blur as he spun and struck. The Prince of Ruin jerked back away from the blade as he began calling upon the warp. He wasn't fast enough. The buzzing blade sliced through his left cheek and through his jaw. Blood and fragments of teeth fountained from the wound as Jolan severed half of his jaw.

"Tanindreos!" the Gamesman screamed as he struggled with the warp construct. "Get in here now! Kill him!" The Queen of Nightmares stepped back and unleashed a withering psychic blast as the Prince of Ruin fell to his knees, clutching his mangled face. The guards closed in, one wielding his chain glaive and the other drawing an ornate bolt pistol.

The psychic blast tore into Jolan's defences, ripping into the barriers he had erected in his mind. In a few second she would be able to violate and destroy Gix's mind with impunity. She didn't have a few seconds.

Jolan leapt forward, his body a warp accelerated blur. He rammed the chain glaive in between her breasts. Twenty centimeters of the buzzing blade emerged from below her neck in a shower of blood. Jolan ripped the blade down and out, spilling pieces of her entrails on the floor. A lance of blue-white flame shot from his left hand and blew the head of the bolt pistol wielding guards to ash. The other lunged at the inquisitor with the chain glaive.

The Gamesman's guard was very quick, but compared to Jolan's warp accelerated blur it was if he was moving underwater. Jolan ducked under the stab and slashed the chain glaive across the guard's belly. Chips of gold and ceramite spun away as Jolan ripped through the armour and the guard's flesh. Torn up entrails spilled on the floor as the guard doubled over and fell.

The Gamesman finished tearing Gix's warp construct apart and turned his attention back to the battle. The Prince of Ruin had regained his feet, his psychic powers having healed him enough to slow the flow of blood from his wound. His master was eight meters above the floor, above the scrum of battle and fully able to employ his hard won mastery of chaos sorcery to decide the outcome. There was a hiss as one of the room's panels slid up and a huge figure emerged, crushing one of the game stands as he advanced.

It was an armoured nightmare, nearly three meters of blue painted armour heavily accented with brass. His armour was marked with sigils of dragons biting their tales and the serpent-flame squiggle of the Mark of Tzeentch. His helmet was sculpted to resemble an elaborate head dress. He had a rune marked bearded axe on his left side and a daemon mouthed bolt pistol on his right.

Behind Gix came the two guards that were stationed outside the door, chain glaives buzzing in their hands. "Take him alive," ordered the Gamesman. "I want his secrets."

And I want him to last a long time before he dies, sent the Prince of Ruin telepathically. All three chaos sorcerers unleashed terrible workings designed to cripple their target and rip open his mind. Black ribbons shot from The Prince of Ruin's hands, dissolving into smoke as they struck Gix. Pink flames crawled across Tanindreos's armour and the Gamesman's eyes glowed gold. The inquisitor fell to his knees.

The guards advanced. "Sever his arms," said the Gamesmen. "Leave the rest." Gix struggled back to a standing position. The chain glaives were raised.

Silver light exploded in the room. All but Tanindreos cried out and averted their eyes. The sorceries around Jolan dissolved. A humanoid figure of shining gold appeared in the center of the light. "In the Emperor's Name," he cried, "I pronounce you Anathema!"

"Back to the Warp, Emperor's lackey!" screamed the Gamesman. He shouted unholy words and invoked the most terrible magics he knew. A dark shroud ate away at the silver light, constricting Nathan Talstrem in cocoon of chaos sorcery. Nathan shouted a word and the Gamesman spasmed, bloody froth staining his lips. The shroud around Nathan cracked. Tanindreos began to speak, uttering blasphemous words of power. Darkness enshrouded Nathan and spat him back into the warp, wounded and shorn from much of his power.

Jolan had not wasted his brief reprieve. The inquisitor leaped up and somersaulted above and behind the guards with a telekinetically assisted leap. Azuregel flew to his hand like and obedient dog. He pointed the daemon weapon at the Prince of Ruin. Jolan channeled a lance of blue-white warp flame through the daemon sword. It struck the Prince of Ruin directly in the chest. For a moment he was a dark silhouette surrounded by a corona of brilliant fire. Then the flames faded and a pillar of ash remained. It stood for a moment and crumbled.

The guards rushed Gix. He decapitated one in a blur of motion and then severed the left arm of the other, the blade continuing to travel through the guard's armour and chest until it hit spine. The second guard was falling before the first hit the floor. Jolan walked over them, gushing blood sliding off his telekinetic shields and spreading over the floor.

"You bit off too much this time Gamesman," said Tanindreos. "This mortal is greater than you have allowed for." He drew his bolt pistol. "Still, you are a servant worthy of preservation and it has been a long time since I have had interesting sport."

[Dominus]

Wow. I must admit that I am extremely impressed with this fanfic. This is easily one of the best 40k fanfics I have ever read, and I've been following it for years now. Your writing continually fails to disappoint, Overlord.

Nathan's appearance was simply awe-inspiring, even if only as a distraction. Has he metamorphosed into some sort of "angel" of the Emperor in the years since his death on Cyrus Gamma, by any chance? I have heard rumors that such things exist, as a natural foil to the daemons of Chaos, of course, and thought it was worth inquiring after.

And, if I may say so, Jolan's mastery of warp magicks is bloody damned impressive, indeed. He's come a long way from the Gamma-plus rated psyker that Kyra Nevan originally plucked out of the Schola all those decades ago, to be sure. Now, let's see Gix unleash the fires of hell on that filthy Thousand Sons traitor legionnaire and his vile master. Ave Imperator!

[Imperial Overlord]

The Thousand Sons sorcerer raised his bolt pistol and unleashed a torrent of fire. Gix was already moving, a warp accelerated blur armed with a daemon blade. Some of the shells hit, bursting in explosions of pink fire on his shields and then he was upon the Traitor Legionnaire. Tanindreos tossed his bolt pistol behind him and drew the daemon axe Hozerel.

The daemon's clashed with a scream of unnatural steel. Blue sparks sprayed from the contact. Azurgel howled, Hozerel roared. The Traitor forced Jolan back, the inquisitor's warp augmented strength no match for the might of a power armoured Astartes.

Jolan dodged back out of the way of lightning swift sweep of the daemon axe. The Traitor followed up, pressing his advantage. Jolan backed away and stumbled over a game stand, falling on the floor and scattering ivory and jade pieces everywhere. Quick as a cat the Thousand Son lunged, his axe swooping down. A telekinetic impulse sent Jolan flying across the room, avoiding the axe with mere centimeters to spare.

The distance bought Jolan a few moments. He used them. He unleashed a pair of ravening thought-constructs, one of them upon Tanindreos and the other at the Gamesman. The Gamesman writhed as the construct tore at his mind. Tanindreos was merely staggered before he flayed it into fragments of Warp. Then Jolan dropped the hammer on him.

A spike of pure malice bored into his psychic defences while tendrils of warp stuff latched on and leached power away from sorcerer. Black fire crawled the length of Azuregel's blade and then flew at the Traitor Marine. Tanindreos dissipated the blast of dark sorcery, but the spike continued to bore into him and the tendrils syphoned away more of his power.

Jolan shouted words which should never have been spoken. Ribbons of a thousand different colours erupted from his mouth, slicing at Tanindreos's armour and boring through his defences. The Traitor Legionnaire shouted a word of unworking, blood frothing his lips from the force of the sorcery. The mind splinter shattered and chaos ribbons dissolved away into fading fragments of rainbow. The syphon-tendrils withered away and dwindled into nothingness in the Warp.

The power that they had stolen did not vanish. It had fed the creation of Jolan's next attack. He pointed Azuregel at Tanindreos and the daemon blade amplified the attack. A bolt of ravening blue-white fire blasted through the Traitor Legionnaire's breastplate. The chaos sorcerer screamed and smoke poured from huge crater in his armour. He staggered back as Jolan blurred forward.

An invisible wall preceded Jolan, smashing the game stands out of his path and lifting Tanindreos off his feet and smashing him into the wall. The chaos sorcerer broke Jolan's psychic grip and slid to the floor just as the inquisitor was upon him. An ordinary man would be dead twice over from the wounds the Thousand Son had received. Tanindreos was just moderately inconvenienced.

Hozerel parried Azuregel and forced the daemon sword aside. Tanindreos lashed out with his gauntleted fist and Jolan dodged back. Tanindreos rushed forward to follow up on his advantage, pink fire taking shape in his hand, when he felt warp power flood through his body. He saw Jolan Gix smile and then heat flooded his body. The Traitor Legionnaire staggered forward and then fell to his knees as his blood approached boiling. He let out a cry of despair, undone by a mere human. And then he fell to his knees, his brain being boiled in its own fluids, and died.

"So perish all the enemies of the Emperor," rasped Jolan Gix.

"Tanindreos was stronger than you," said the Gamesman.

"Yes," said Gix, "but he wasn't stronger than me after banishing Nathan and I took a chunk of his power. And my daemon weapon was much better than his. I would have thought your information on me would include my talents regarding multitasking in psychic combat. My aptitude in that area got me picked by Nevan as her interrogator. Or do your Inquisition contacts not come through with that. While we are on the subject, who are they?"

"You think you have the upper hand, don't you?" sneered the Gamesman. "You think you've won. You're wrong. You've cost me, much more than I expected, but this room will be your tomb. I must say, in retrospect, the price I am paying to be rid of you is more than reasonable. Goodbye Jolan Gix."

[Raj Ahten]

More please!

Edit: Quick question: The Prince of Ruin is not the Psy King correct? Because considering their history together, it would be a shame for their last fight to be over so fast. I wonder what the gamesman has up his sleeve, besides a planet's worth of resources that is........

[Vehrec]

O.O Damn man. You just ran through that fight at the same speed that Gix did. And the Gamesman is sounding like a very astute Bond villian there in that last sentance. "Goodby Mr Bond" and all that. Nice job taking out 3 of 4 psykers so far, but you've barely even touched the Gamesman at this point. Where's the backup when you so dearly need it? Domina, Hethor, Nofield, Vikal, Melina, Keys! Get your asses in there!
Have you ever considered what Jolan Gix would be like in Inquisitor or 40k itself? What a figure of him would look like and what his stats would be?

[Dominus]

Ave Imperator!

Jolan Gix is just amazing. Simply amazing. You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this day. Run that vile heretic through with the daemon blade, Gix!

Post scriptum: I do hope that Severa shows up with the Lord Vonrilyental for a suitably dramatic rescue at some point. Aside from that, after (and if) the Gamesman's taint is exposed, Jivanne may well have to suffer the fate of Exterminatus to purge it clean of all Chaos influence. And, besides, Overlord-class battlecruisers are awesome.

[Enigma]

Where's the Psyking in all of this?

[Imperial Overlord]

Where's the Psyking in all of this?

Somewhere else. He does move around you know.

[Imperial Overlord]

The Gamesman's warp soul withdrew from his body, leaving an empty shell. Gix saw it retreat down into the depths of the fortress. The Gamesman was just a puppet, a mannequin to be paraded around in front of underlings and abandoned when no longer needed. He precognitive senses were screaming at him.

Jolan raised Azuregel and brought the howling daemon blade down, blue flames flickering at the edges of the unholy steel. The barrier between the material universe and the warp parted and Jolan stepped into the Sea of Souls. Behind him the tear closed and Jolan descended through the warp towards where he saw the Gamesman's soul.

The explosive charges placed throughout the room detonated, filling the audience room with fire and shrapnel that were driven by shock waves that could shatter bones and pulp organs. A detonation that occurred a moment too late to catch Jolan Gix. The Warp was not without its dangers. Even Jolan Gix could not expect to survive there long. He didn't plan to.

Jolan burst through to the material world in a chamber deep beneath the palace, falling face first on a cold tile floor. Banks of monitors, cogitators, and exotic medical machinery lined the room. At the center of the room was an armourplex tank in which floated a humanoid figure who was connected by a tangle of cables to much of the rooms machinery. The tank dweller was as much machine as flesh. Jolan thought it might be female.

A voice rasped from a speaker. "You continue to impress. But here I am at my strongest and you have spent much of your strength. Now you die." A telekinetic wave lifted him up and threw him against a bank of machinery. A mental vice closed around his mind, sending pain shooting through his mind.

Jolan thrashed under the relentless crushing power, lashing out with his own strength in an attempt to break her hold. His efforts availed him not at all. She was far too strong for him in his current state.

Trying to fight down panic, Jolan looked around for any piece of the environment he could use to his advantage. Him eyes drifted over banks of medical machinery. There. He thrashed around helplessly with his telekinesis to cover the slender tendril of power he extended to the medical machine.

The pressure continued to mount. Jolan thought his skull was going to burst. Then it eased off. "What did you . . . .do . . . to . . . me?" the Gamesman whined. Jolan slowly got up and limped over to the medical machinery to check the indicators.

"I got your life support units to tranq you," said Jolan. "You were to busy crushing me to notice a little machine empathy interface. Not that I'm very good at it, but it was very straightforward." He rapped on the tank glass. The Gamesman floated peacefully. "Guess no one is there."

Her turned back to the machinery, examining everything. The whole palace was monitored from this underground bunker. He had access to everything and command codes and overrides to exert his authority with. He was in the palace's hidden brain and its master was dead. He was in control.

He sent orders to seal of the audience hall and forbidding admittance to anyone. He then sent orders for Gard and Danell to be brought down to the sub basement with only a single escort. He sent another to the astropathic dome with orders to send messages to various authorities.

Vikal and Keys finally arrived outside the sealed door. He ordered the guard away and unlocked the vault. They both carefully examined the room.

"You look like you've been dragged through the Warp and back," said Gard.

"That's actually true," Jolan replied. "I feel worse."

"Let me get a look at you." The physician opened his case and knelt down by Gix. "What's the story with the tank job?"

"I need you to keep it alive and sedated until reinforcements arrive," said Gix. "I need everything in her head."

"Some of that might be in that set of data banks over there. Direct man-machine interface. She could have unloaded a lifetime's worth of data and still had it at her finger tips. It is female, right?"

"I think so," said Gix. "Well, we have a lot to do and apparently some time to do it in."

"You don't," said Gard. "You're going to get some rest if I have to trank you right here."

"Yes doctor. Anything else?"

"Yeah. I should have something interesting for you by the time you wake up. Get some rest."

[PeZook]

See? Change and ruin

Now it's time for the best part of any criminal story.
Arrests and surprised expressions of the villains when hordes of Arbites and Inquisition Armsmen come storming into their hideouts and boltholes...while Gix hasn't exactly won yet, he survived a direct confrontation with the Gamesman and his Space Marine bodyguard, which surely means the Emperor is on his side despite all the things he had to do to get here.

I mean, seriously...he kicked the asses of four powerful psykers, and one of them was a superhuman mutant to boot! Surely, the Emperor's hand is on his shoulder.

[Vehrec]

It's always the little things that bite you in the ass. You smite one of the hicks around your feet, and dad realizes you're a dick, and kills you. You have a bigo orgy and wind up accidentally killing your own gods. You attach yourself to machines? Sombody's gonna turn them against you, if you live long enough.

[Raj Ahten]

Things have been, it seems, too easy for Gix so far. He has grown insanely in power, but still. The security around the Gamesman was light (not counted all the chaos sorcerers), and things are remarkably relaxed in the palace considering the throne room just blew up. I'm betting things are going to go to shit, really fast and unexpectedly. Jivanne's (Nathan's really) visions of dark futures probably aren't for nothing as well! My best bet: The Psy King to going to fuck up everything, even though the last time we saw him he was seriously in the dog house for 'killing' Gix.

[Xon]

The hallmark of great planning is everything looks easy. ANd while the last few chapters might have a very 'easy look' to them, the amount of planning shown in the however many other threads show this wasnt a simple play

[PeZook]

The hallmark of great planning is everything looks easy. ANd while the last few chapters might have a very 'easy look' to them, the amount of planning shown in the however many other threads show this wasnt a simple play

To be honest, it seems that Gix was forced to reveal himself there. There were far too many variables at the throne room to really consider the entire fight "planned".

He was probably counting on the Gamesman not seeing through his disguise, and continuing His work until the rest of his retinue could be notified and enough information gathered to break the Phoenix.

Still, I don't think it was "too easy". He almost fucking died there more than once, and with the kind of people he was messing with, he was either dead or pretty fine. A wound would mean death. Oh, and his doc demanded he get some rest right there or get tranq'd.

[Dominus]

I'm with PeZook; I honestly don't think Gix planned or wanted to reveal himself at this stage -- the general gist of his plan was to work his way into the Rising Phoenix and then destroy it from within, not decapitate it at the onset. Now that he's been forced to reveal his hand, what guarantee do we have that the rest of the organization won't just go to ground and disappear before Gix's personnel and/or the Inquisition can find them all, to return with a new figurehead when the time comes?

However, it's worth noting that, even tranquilized as she (it?) is, the Gamesman is still dangerous. Thus, you can imagine that I'm quite looking forward to the interrogation scene.

[Imperial Overlord]

Of course security in that part of the palace was light. The Gamesman doesn't want anyone to know what is going on. Only a few of his people are actually corrupt enough to be permitted to see his minions. It's not like the Gamesman's real body is there, or there aren't layers upon layers of palace between his audience chamber and most enemies. The self destruct is there in case any of his acolytes start getting ambitious.

Yes, the PsyKing is loose and still capable of making trouble and he isn't the only one. As for Jolan wanting that fight, he absolutely didn't. He survivied only by the skin of his teeth and because Nathan was personally able to intervene, something he's never done before. As for his ability to give orders effectively and have them obeyed, remember he is in secret lair of true master of the planet who tends to conduct many of her affairs in secrecy (because they are heretical). The palace staff is inclined to obey strange orders, as long as they seem legitimate.

[Imperial Overlord]

A thousand colours erupted in the dark void of space as the flotilla broke through into real space. Two lean and shark-like Strike Cruisers from the Argent Flames Chapter lead the fleet, Cobra class destroyers darting near their flanks. Behind them came four squadrons of Imperial cruisers, moving through space like barnacle encrusted monster whales. The battle barge Vae Victus, a blocky mass of guns and armour embellished with butressess and bronze gargoyle heads, kept pace among them. Behind them came the four mighty battlecruisers and the deadly core of the fleet, three mighty battleships and Ecclesiarchy cathedral vessel, a ship with defences and firepower the equal of a grand cruiser, The Blood of Thor. Behind them trailed transports and the Eternal Will and the Inquisition Black Ship Righteous Inquiry. Guarding the flotilla's flanks were squadrons of lethal frigates and darting light cruisers.

The Jivannians were not at all pleased to see such might enter their system, but the flotilla's power and authority were undeniable. On ships, bases, orbital platforms, and space stations the system defence forces stood at alert but did not obstruct the flotilla's passage. Orders from the palace demanded cooperation in every respect with the flotilla, but rumour was already spreading that not everything was well planet side.

The Imperial fleet neared orbit and the defence forces stood down as ordered. Launches and cutters conveyed boarding parties of security troops and skilled petty officers lead by junior officers and tech initiates to take charge of the orbital defences. The commanders reluctantly surrendered their control centers and their command codes to the interlopers.

All ships in the system were ordered to anchor points around one Jivanne's moons. Most did so with great reluctance, obeying only because their superiors confirmed the orders and the flotilla's superior power. One vessel was slow, its commander insolent and full of excuses why his vessel was unable to immediately comply. Three Sword class frigates reduced it to hot gasses and drifting pieces of scrap. There were few problems after that.

Elements of the fleet took up station in orbit around the palace and disgorged a swarm of landing vessels. Arbites troops on the ground awaited to assist them. The city and palace defences were quiet. Palace guards reluctantly allowed themselves to be disarmed. They had been ordered to stand down, but they were inclined to question those orders if defiance didn't mean death for them at the hands of overwhelming Imperial firepower and the possible deaths of their sworn liege lords as a consequence of their resistance. So they allowed themselves to be disarmed.

Domina leaped out of the fifth lander just before it touched down. The Sororitas bent her knees with the impact and stormed across the tarmac in her power armour, others automatically making way for her. Hethor D'eckor and his picked troops followed in her wake. They brushed passed the palace guard troops as they were being disarmed and detained by others. Their mission lay elsewhere.

A coded burst from the palace's transmission towers told them where to go. They moved into the palace's heart and then into its dungeons, moving through layers of security scanners and automated guns and blast shields, passed servitor manned choke points, and into the deepest darkest heart of the fortress. All was calm, quiet, peaceful. They were expected, as promised. The last door slid open.

Domina stepped through first, her massive flamer clenched in her hands. She surveyed the room and lowered the weapon. Hethor stepped around her, the distortion effect of his refractor field dying as he deactivated it. He addressed the ragged, blonde man before him. "Boss?"

Jolan managed a weak smile. "Heth." He walked forward and the men embraced. "Emperor preserve me, it's good to see you again."

Hethor lifted him into the air. "Throne. I thought I would never see you again." Suddenly self-concious due to the watching audience, he put Jolan down. "Good to see you."

"Inquisitor," said Domina and she bowed.

"Sister," said Jolan. "I'm glad your here."

"I am . . . pleased to be of service," she said.

"What?" rasped Gard, "not happy to see me? Fine, see what happens next time you're under the knife."

Hethor threw back his head and laughed. "Good to see you too doc. And the scarecrow too. You might want to do something about that missing arm."

"You can tell me how to practice medicine after I tell you how to shoot," said Gard testily.

"Who's the vat job?" Hethor asked.

Jolan turned with a smile. "Hethor D'eckor, may I introduce you to the grand master of the Rising Phoenix. She can't answer back as we've got her tranqued to the gills, so you'll have to excuse her rudeness."

Hethor smiled. "We have their boss? Alive? And already hooked up to a drug pump?" He let out a whistle. He looked back at the tank. "You are royally fucked."

[Comosicus]

Looks awesome ... an entire battle fleet ... and a battle barge ... are the Grey Knights ready to rock or some other Astartes? I guess that after delivering the Gamemaster, Jolan will get full rehabilitation and will get back to his Inquisitor duty?