Ciaphas Cain: Hero of the Koronus Expanse

Hjonk · Jun 10, 2026

Editorial Note:

The following is, I must admit, a rather stark departure from the preceding contents of the Cain Archive. It marks an unpredictable upheaval in the life of Commissar Cain - one that comes just at the cusp of the 13th Black Crusade and explains Cain's absence from any other Imperial accounts of that time.

This is, as I'm sure all my readers well know, due to the sudden and unexpected revelation as to exactly why no-one had managed to track down the true homeworld on which Cain had been raised, and trained for the Schola Progenium, despite considerable efforts to do just that.

Of course, while it comes as no surprise that Cain's parents were more than hiveborn lowlifes (he'd never have been selected for the Schola if that were the case) I dare say I speak for all of us when I say I never could have guessed the true origins from which he stemmed.

Nor, I'm sure, could Cain himself.

Nonetheless, I have continued to move through the contents of Cain's memoirs in an effort to put his often slapdash ramblings into a more coherent narrative. The very nature of this new 'chapter' of his life has, however, made this a more challenging endeavour. I have therefore decided to supplement these writings with some less scholarly sources. I shall do my best to ensure the largest and most important events are told in Cain's own words, however some must be reconstructed from whatever I can find of security footage, eye-witness accounts, or simply retelling from third-party sources.

Rest assured that I maintain the same standards for historical accuracy, and so even these additions have been curated to be as close to the actual events as I could manage. Cain himself has occasionally assisted in this, though as I'm sure my readers are aware, that could influence the perception of events to be rather less impressive than they may have been. The testimonies of his eventual Companions have been invaluable to push things back into a more accurate retelling.

As it stands, I shall do my utmost to ensure the Inquisition has a full and complete account of the life of Commissar Cain.

- Inquisitor Amberley Vail, His Holy Inquisition, Ordo Xenos

Soldiers, as a rule, make exceptionally poor Nobles. They spend so much of their lives looking ahead to find the enemy, that they forget the deadliest blade is the one that strikes from behind. Unless they're used to the attention of a particularly irritating Commissar, of course.

- Governor Bethany D'tois, High General of the Astra Militarum, Retired - 984.M41

As I stared out over the truly massive ship-borne Cathedral aboard the Eternal Vigilance, flagship of Rogue Trader Theodora von Valancius, I wondered what in the world I had done to become the Emperor's favourite joke. I'd never been the most pious man in His service, often of the opinion that He likely had much more important things to worry about than whatever sorry plight I had gotten dragged into, but surely a good two centuries of continuous bowel-clenching horror should have been enough for me to earn my peaceful and uneventful retirement.

Alas, that was not to be.

I'd been having quite the nice evening at the Schola, toying with the few suckers among the faculty that had yet to learn not to bet high against me over a tarot deck, when we were interrupted by my faithful and long-serving aide, Ferik Jurgen. He knocked quickly on the door before stepping inside, clearly considering whatever he had to say a high priority for me to hear - which told me instantly that I wasn't going to like it at all.

"Commissar," He began in the unbothered and phlegmatic fashion I'd grown so used to, his attention locking on me and ignoring the mildly disgusted look of the other teachers as his rather nauseating bouquet washed into the room. "There's a squad of rather insistent navy-boys out here, saying you've been summoned." Well, that was rarely a good sign, especially considering my retirement. At best, I was about to give some stern lectures and punishments to students who messed around and somehow got a Captain on their case, at worst... well, at worst I was about to be pulled right back out of retirement so the Emperor could once again see about the most amusing situations in which to torment me.

Which turned out to be the case, though in a far more confusing and terrifying way than even I could have imagined. As it was, Jurgen had understated the importance (and clear self-importance) of the 'navy-boys' who had come for me. Indeed, it turned out they were not just any old procurators, but the House Guard of a Rogue Trader dynasty come to collect me on the direct order of their Liege. They even had a signed transfer order from High Command of the Ultima Segmentum! As such, I was barely afforded the time to collect my kit and a few select private items before I was shipped off-world, and only then was I told where exactly we were heading.

I baulked, staring in bewildered confusion at the nervous guard that had shown me to my room on the ship, his eager-to-please attitude likely influenced by my ever-present Commissarial cap, sash, and the reputation that had earned me an undeserved legend as a Hero. He seemed at a loss for words, not quite sure what about his answer had brought my undivided attention onto him, an undesirable position to be in for any guard who knew of the Commissariat. Finally, I found my wits and asked what I, at the time, thought was the most relevant question I could ask.

"Where the frack is the Koronus Expanse?"

On the ass-end of nowhere, as it turned out. The Koronus Expanse was a large subsector on the opposite side of the galaxy from the Ultima Segmentum where I'd spent most of my career. It was so far away, in fact, that it took us right up past the Cadian Gate. Not my first visit to that Throne-Forsaken fortress world, but definitely not a place I'd wish to linger, lest Abaddon decide to launch another Black Crusade so he could really screw with my day. (1)

We were forced to make a short stop there however, both for the ship to refuel before the final leg of the journey and because nothing could so much as sneeze above Cadia without a dozen reports filing and inspecting it for any threat of Chaos. That didn't help me much of course, cooped up on the ship as I was, endlessly moving through my chainsword routine to pass the time, but it did afford me a moment to send out an encrypted astropathic message informing the Inquisition of my whereabouts. Not so they would come and save me of course, but Amberley tended to get cross with me if I up and disappeared on adventures she herself had no hand in orchestrating. (2)

Then we were off again, sailing through the warp for the very edges of Imperial space and then beyond even that into territories that could only be called part of the Imperium if you were being rather generous. The domain of Rogue Trader, pirates, heretics and xenos empires yet to be brought to heel.

Frustratingly, the House Guard on the ship were either too well-trained or too loyal to tell me why exactly I had been pulled right out of retirement at the behest of the Rogue Trader, so I was all but clueless up until we actually arrived. (3) At least the captain of the merchant ship we were hitching a ride on provided some better company, sharing his collection of well-aged amasec over dinner, the regicide board and even a tarot deck once or twice, all in exchange for some watered down tales of my own adventures.

By the time we arrived in some unnamed system and I was transferred over to the Eternal Commerce, an enormous, golden Cruiser and flagship of the von Valancius dynasty, I'd managed to dig a little info on the Rogue Trader herself from the captain. Supposedly, she was a daring and demanding ruler who demanded nothing less than excellence. A woman with a taste for the finer things in life, along with the power and authority to demand it. A terrifying mistress in all respects.

And she had gone through the effort to summon me, specifically. I could feel the palms of my hand tingling at just the thought, even as I put on a humble smile and assured the captain that it would be an honour to meet the noble Lady.

"Oh I'm sure the honour will be all hers!" He'd assured boisterously, shaking his head in humour as the shuttle door closed and ultimately sealed my fate.

My arrival on the Eternal Commerce was rather subdued - the guards simply handed me over to their comrades on the flagship, who then herded me through the monumental ship only to leave me on a balcony overlooking the outer doors of a full-sized, honest-to-throne Cathedral in the bowels of the ship. I will admit the sight impressed me a little. Certainly, it wasn't the biggest or most absurd thing I'd seen in my, by then, two centuries of service, but it truly put into perspective just what kind of person I was dealing with.

"Impressive place." Jurgen commented with his usual penchant for understatements. I nodded agreement, my gaze wandering over the doors that could have fit nearly two Leman Russ tanks abreast and the statues that stood on either side, massive skeletal saints standing eternal vigil over the Holy site. It was enough to give even a cynical old man like some pride in the God-Emperor.

"A bit much for a ship though." My aide continued, and I let out a low chuckle. "I suppose the space could be used to hold another armoury, or perhaps a depot for macro-cannon shells." I suggested, though I knew my sarcastic tone was lost on Jurgen. We were interrupted before he could reply, a polite cough making me turn away from the grand view.

What greeted me was a spook if ever I'd seen one; slight build beneath a decorated, ornate blue uniform with neat golden highlights, all of it cleaned and fitted to perfection. Clearly not front-line combat gear, lacking in substantial armour or anything other than what I assumed to be small concealed weapons of some kind in his pockets. Cables connected to minor augmetics ringed his skull, peeking past short dark hair, while one of his ears seemed to have been entirely replaced with a bulky vox-link. His face was sharp, with the natural look of a man used to political mind-games. Meeting my gaze, he gave a polite smile and walked closer, hands clasped behind his back. He looked every part the conniving diplomat, though his gait gave him away - he walked with the grace and lethal intent of a prowling predator. I would not be turning my back on him anytime soon.

But, at the very least, I would soon be given some answers as to why I was here.

"Magnificent, isn't it?" He asked, voice smooth and almost honeyed to my ears. He came to a stop a respectful distance away, just barely past the range of Jurgen's pungent aroma I would guess, and nodded towards the cathedral. I made a show of giving it another look over with a scrutinising eye, before giving my best commissarial nod of approval. "Really glorifies His might and the vastness of His dominion." I answered diplomatically, my hand going down to rest on the hilt of my chainsword.

The man nodded slowly, as if my answer was confirming something for him. "As is the purpose of all such temples - to inspire awe and reverence in all his subjects" He mused on that for a moment, eyes moving past me to examine the structure below before focusing back on me. "I am Kunrad Voigtvir, Master of Whispers in the service of the illustrious Theodora von Valancius. It's a pleasure."

The introduction was given with the slightest bow of his head, though his eyes remained locked on me and Jurgen, flitting occasionally between us but seeming to largely dismiss Jurgen's presence, as most tend to do when they're not close enough to smell him. I returned the nod, drawing myself up and lifting my chin to look every bit the heroic figure I was used to pretending I was. "Commissar Ciaphas Cain, assigned to the Perlia Schola Progenium."

Kunrad nodded again, his lips quirking into a smirk as he looked me over. "Believe me, even out here you don't need much introduction. However..." Trailing off, he gave me a hard look, like a pre-Schola instructor telling a juvie not to eat the sump-rats. "Know this; You are now on the ship and in the service of the Valancius Rogue Trader Dynasty. Any loyalties or duties you held before are hereby null and void."

Hah, that was almost cute. I didn't even have to fake the amused grin I gave in response even as I nodded understanding. If this 'Master of Whispers' or, hell, even the Rogue Trader herself demanded it, they could all go to the warp before they had me turning my back on the Guard, let alone the Inquisition! Still, I knew how to play the game and would go along with it until I saw fit not to. (4)

So, I simply nodded along, masking my true thoughts with the ease born from centuries of practice. "Of course. I am retired, after all - I wouldn't dream of betraying such a powerful patron." Kunrad watched my face for a moment longer before seeming to find what he wished for and accepting it. "Good. But in case you should ever forget, keep in mind." He glared, leaning forwards slightly as he made sure I heard him clearly. "I will be watching you."

His piece said, he let the words hang for a moment before whirling around, beckoning me to follow. With his back turned, I rolled my eyes and made to follow, only to stop next to Jurgen and lean close (ignoring the heightened potency of his bouquet with hard-earned practice. "Keep an eye on him, and stay at a distance." Then I followed, trusting Jurgen's unshakeable loyalty and lack of doubt in my judgement.

Now to be clear, it's not that I was directly threatened by the man - Emperor knows I've faced more terrifying men in my time, and Kunrad lacked the understated lethality that would pick him out as a true threat to my person - but there was something about him that just didn't feel quite right. Beyond just making my palms tingle, I felt almost slimy when he talked to me, as if walking through the upper-hive runoff. And considering how my life had gone so far, I'd trust my gut instinct when it was telling me that something was off.

After a quick trip through the corridors and halls of the ship (including a short stop to have Jurgen melt a malfunctioning servitor and leaving him to join in securing the upper decks in case of further 'malfunctions) I finally reached the head honcho herself; Theodora von Valancius, the woman who wielded more power than most could comprehend and who had gone through the trouble of dragging me across the galaxy seemingly on a whim. Kunrad had been remarkably tight-lipped just like the guards that had collected us from Perlia, and to be honest the uncertainty was starting to seriously tick me off.

I've been pulled around on errands and life-threatening missions more times than I can count , more often than not earning an ever-larger reputation for surviving them (the ones that weren't classified with the 'talk and you'll be erased' seal, courtesy of Amberley(5)). I'd grown proficient at weaselling out of boring duties I'd rather not bother with, Jurgen serving as quite the valuable road block in that sense, but it wasn't new that sometimes, some high-ranked officer would 'insist' on a meeting or my attendance to some ceremony. It's a part of life in the Astra Militarum, and especially as a man with a reputation that others want to profit from.

But rarely have I been so thoroughly kept in the dark at the behest of someone not even in the Chain of Command. I'd met Inquisitors more willing to keep me informed or at least to tell me what they need me for when they pull me into some horrendously risky mission! the thought that this could all be for some elaborate ceremony, boring parade or the whim of some highborn, inbred aristocrat who wanted to 'meet the legend'...

Needless to say, I was a little miffed when I approached. As it turned out, I probably would have been delighted at any other option. At least a mind-numbing party with haughty and inbred nobles would have been within expectations.

In any case, when I approached the Rogue Trader herself, easily identifiable by nature of being the most expensively and intricately clothed person in the room (with the most outrageous hairstyle, I might add), she was in the middle of lecturing some poor sap on planetary governing. That had little to no interest to me, so I decided to survey her entourage instead of listening in.

To the left of Theodora was a distinguished old man, one who had clearly seen service in the Navy. Even if not for the perfectly maintained Navy Officer uniform, I'd have been able to clock that by the sheer aura of Discipline and the way he stood alone. His whole demeanour screamed pride in his service and the order he maintained of his command, while a greying beard, slicked-back hair and a large augmetic eye gave him the kind of elder wisdom and authority that you almost couldn't help but respect.

On Theodora's other side was what could only be a Death Worlder. Now, Death Worlds come in a multitude of shapes, sizes and levels of Frakking You Up, but there were certain traits that let you pick them out from a crowd with incredible ease, especially with firsthand experience. This one made it all too obvious by the fact he wore more weaponry than most people wore clothes. A Hellgun at rest in his hands, a crude pump-action shotgun hanging on his chest along with a clutch of grenades, two holstered pistols on each thigh and a Melta slung over his back, the man was more of a walking arsenal than a soldier. From the barely-controlled aggression in his stance even at rest, I had no doubt he knew how to make perfect use of every single bit of it as well.

"And what's this? You let just any Militarum rabble interrupt your conversations, Lady Theodora?" The man speaking with the Rogue Trader spoke up, his voice carrying that note of noble snootiness that just rankled my Hive-World pride. I looked away from Theodora's companions to level a glare at the man, giving him my third-best commissarial glare and relishing the way he flinched back slightly, though he rallied with commendable speed. Electing to ignore him, I instead gave a shallow nod of respect to the Rogue Trader.

"I'm sure the Lady herself can determine who is worthy of her attention, no?" I asked rhetorically, the snarky condescension just barely hidden in my tone as I slip into my usual role, giving the lady a charming smile while my hand goes to rest on the pommel of my chainsword in a relaxed, confident pose.

Theodora gave me a piercing look at that, the corner of her lip twitching slightly before she gave me a nod. "Indeed I can." She noted, a harsh rebuke unnecessary due to the frigid tone of her voice. Her gaze swung back to the other man, and I watched with mild amusement as he stiffened visibly. "Now, Edelthrad, why do you remain here among the Officers, instead of attending your duties in the middle decks as I instructed you?"

"Ah- It seems your radiance has distracted me. My apologies, Lady Captain, I shall get to it at once!" The now named Edelthrad hastened to excuse himself, whirling around and rushing off with such speed he didn't even care to give me a look. Or perhaps he deemed me too far beneath his holy and noble attention?

Whatever the case, I turned my attention to the Rogue Trader, who in turn was scrutinising me with something like the fascination of a noble appreciating their newest pet rodent. Before I could think of some way to politely ask why she'd ruined my rather peaceful retirement, she nodded to herself and spoke up. "Commissar Ciaphas Cain." It was not a question, her gaze boring into me as if reading every detail of my history. "I have certainly heard much about you - almost hard not to, when the 'Hero of the Imperium' is shown in every Militarum broadcast I pick up." She chuckled, a hint of mocking amusement in her tone. "Though I dare say I'd doubt you'd do the rumours justice."

Perhaps she expected me to take offence to that? In truth, I knew all too well how ridiculously exaggerated my own Legend had become. If she wished to get me angry she'd have to do better than that, as I simply gave a placid smile and a self-conscious chuckle. "Oh, I'd have to agree. Sadly, the pictcasters and newsreels always have this annoying habit of ignoring the truth in favour of a good story."

Ironic really, that I could wholeheartedly dislike such a thing when, as a Commissar, making propaganda was part of my job description. But then, considering the life I'd lived I found it quite appropriate. (6)

Theodora seemed to agree, giving a cold smile as she either found what she was looking for in my response, or expertly covered up how she didn't. "Indeed. As it stands, you will have to prove yourself worthy of your reputation - I shall have nothing less from an Heir to the Volancius Dynasty."

I nodded along, about to offer some platitude or other off of sheer reflex only to stop short as I processed the words. Mouth open in shock, I stared at the Rogue Trader for an embarrassing (but utterly justified, I'd argue) moment only to cough into my hand. "I - I'm sorry? I must have misheard." I stated, mounting horror barely concealed in my voice as I came to understand exactly why the secrecy of my purpose here was kept for so long.

For some reason, that only made Theodora smile wider, until she seemed like a predator tormenting her next meal.

Which made it all the more fitting that Chaos chose that precise moment to strike, setting off the chain of events that would see me barrelling face-first into war, politics, and Cosmic Horrors beyond my comprehension. (7)

1. Had their ship been just a little slower, this would actually have been the case - and Cain would likely have been lamenting an entirely different, though perhaps equally unlikely sequence of events.

2. I do not. I may take some slight offence should others presume to mess with my favoured operatives, and thereby my wider operations, but I would not be so petty as getting upset a Commissar was fulfilling his duty. That said, however, his message arrived at a rather inopportune time preventing me from tracking him down. As things turned out, that was probably for the best.

3. More likely, they simply hadn't been told. After all, why give valuable and possibly dangerous intel to the disposable commoners working for you?

4. Given his general attitude towards altruism and any actions that do not serve his own immediate survival expressed throughout his memoirs, this may seem like a curious deviation. However, despite his self-professed cowardice and cynicism, I would note that he rarely if ever went so far as suggesting Treason outright, and with his actions showing the pinnacle of loyalty in service, it is reasonable to assume Cain held his true loyalties as a point of seldom-expressed pride. Of course, the fact betraying the Inquisition would spell the end of his life rather swiftly may also have had some influence.

5. I never put it in quite those terms, but accurate.

6. Though he had a reputation for being exceptionally easy to work with both in the Militarum and among the various propaganda mills that had spread his heroic image across the galaxy, anyone who was truly close with Cain could attest to his fondness for ranting about the tedium and annoyance he felt at having to spend hours posing and reciting pre-written lines for the pictcasters. Of particular focus was his disdain for the gaudy golden Bolt-Pistol he always had to hold, as well as the constant dismissal of Jurgen's presence entirely.

7. Indeed, his lack of comprehension serves Cain well - or else it'd be a matter to take with the Inquisition.

Hjonk · Jun 16, 2026

Trust is the luxury of the ignorant, the moronic and the unimportant. It is a Sin which no person of proper Standing can afford to indulge.
- Rogue Trader Hectobar von Bossa, 942.M41

With a flick of my wrist and a flourish, I shook the remaining blood from my chainsword and sheathed it at my waist, once again glad that I never got out of the habit of carrying my weapons with me at all times. Around the room, the dozen or so mutineers lay dead or dying, the Lady Captain's Arch Militant going about the work of ensuring each man would remain dead. Theodora herself simply holstered her plasma pistol with a haughty sniff as if more insulted that this rabble would dare dirty her ship with their bloodstains than that they would attack her.

"Seems I arrived at the opportune moment." I called out to her, striding across the floor casually, though my eyes were scanning for every entry or exit. A century and more of practice had honed that particular skill rather well, I'd say. (1)

"Indeed you did." Theodora agreed, turning to bark orders at the squads of House Guard that came rushing into the room conveniently after the fighting was over. In the meantime, I moved to inspect the mutineers. In my years of facing xenos, rebellions, cult uprisings and traitorous rabble, I had gained a knack for understanding the nature of my foe - mostly because understanding who you were facing was crucial for understanding how exactly to avoid facing them again. And also because if this was a genestealer infestation, I needed to know so I could book it for the nearest shuttle off the ship. I'd escaped genestealers able to tear through Astartes Terminator Armour like it was wet parchment once before, there was no way I would bet on some Rogue Trader having forces more capable than that.

What I found wasn't all that surprising. They wore improvised uniforms, just enough similarities that they could identify each other and avoid accidentally crippling their own uprising. Lots of breathing masks and miscellaneous equipment, indicating that at least these ones came from somewhere in the lower decks as opposed to being nobles or officers with a grudge. What stuck out most was their weapons - autoguns of rather decent quality, meaning they'd either managed to overwhelm and break into an armoury, or they had insider assistance.

By the time I'd made the rounds, Theodora beckoned us all to follow her only to predicably order me to the front. Testing the 'heroic commissar' I suppose, but I didn't mind at that time. After all, it's a common misconception that leading from the front is always the most dangerous position. In actual fact, during uprisings or mutiny in places like the lower hives or the bowels of a voidship, the most dangerous position is the back owing to the sheer amount of crevices, hatches and rooms in every direction, and the resultant probability of walking into an ambush. (2)

Of course, likelihood does little in the face of my monumentally lousy luck, so we did end up barging into several more groups of mutineers on our way. (3) Not that they posed much of a threat - armed they might be, but it takes a bit more than an irate factory worker with an autogun to match the disciplined, controlled violence of a soldier. My pistol had scored a kill before they even knew we were there, and Arch Militant Mott's melta took care of the rest rather swiftly - while reminding me that I really would have preferred Jurgen at my shoulder as the heat of the weapon felt distressingly too close for comfort.

That said, I wasn't all that worried for Jurgen's safety. You wouldn't know it from looking at him, but Jurgen was a true and proper Guardsman that had served with me for over a century across a dozen campaigns against the enemies of Mankind. He'd make it through this just fine, and probably have a pot of tanna ready by the time it was sorted out.

Our little crusade through the ship came to a halt as we rounded a corner of the grand walkway, for once meeting more House Guard and none other than Kunrad Voigtvir instead of mutineers. The smarmy spook swiftly moved towards the Rogue Trader, his severe gaze sweeping across our group with an intense focus as if making sure we were not some cleverly disguised spies. Theodora didn't give him much opportunity to check or report though, simply storming forwards and shouting out.

"Master of Whispers, what is happening on my ship!? The vox-net is silent, the Vox Master not responding, armed assailants have stormed the officers' deck and we just destroyed several more heretics on the way here!" Her rant halted for a moment as she drew to her full height (substantial, when you counted her hairdo) in front of her subordinate, her voice brimming with anger at this entire event. "Is this a sever case of warp madness? Have some of my crew lost their minds and forgotten who they are and whom they serve? Report!"

If he was shaken by his Lady's clear fury, Kunrad didn't show it as he obeyed, relaying what he knew. "We have no word from the enginarium regarding any Geller field failures... but communications were already unstable half an hour ago and have now ceased altogether." He stated matter-of-fact, hands clasping behind his back. "Whatever this is, it's spreading fast - already I'm receiving reports from the middle decks, and the only vox-casts from the lower bays are one-way heretical gibberish."

"Typical." I huff with a shake of my head, only for the silence to stretch. Glancing towards the pair, I realised that Theodora was staring at me with a raised brow, expression halfway between insulted at the interruption and intrigued by whatever insight I might offer. She made a gesture for me to keep going, so I cleared my throat before explaining my own observations.

"The mutineers are uniformed, but barely enough to tell friend from foe. They all have thermal and gas protection, the kind you see on low-hive dregs. No officer or noble would need that, let alone choose to wear it, yet they've got proper weapons instead of improvised clubs and shivs. Not lasguns or even PDF-grade autoguns, true, but they clearly had access to some form of armoury or outside source to arm them." (4) I explained calmly, slipping into the same tone I had used when discussing command in my former units.

Or perhaps closer to the way I instructed my commissarial recruits. Come to think of it, that might have explained the irritation of the Seneschal...

"For the rabble to get this high in the ship, at such speed that you didn't know well beforehand? It suggests organization and planning, something heretics and cultist are regrettably rather infamous for. Worse, it means it's a near certainty that some unfortunate idiot has been corrupted by the Ruinous Powers to aid in their coup, smoothing their access to the inter-deck lifts and armouries."

The Seneschal visibly bristled at the insinuation that an Officer would let themselves be swayed and made to speak, only to stop as Theodora lifted a hand to stop him, considering my deduction. Clearly, she didn't like whatever conclusions she reached from that herself.

"Blast it! Master of Whispers, find Edelthrad immediately. A psyker on the loose during a heretical coup while in the Warp could spell the death of us all!" She exclaimed, Voigtvir nodding tersely. She nodded back, before turning glancing over her shoulder. "Seneschal, locate Tlass and the Sister - they are to be at my side. Arch Militant with me, we make for my study and will likely encounter heretics along the way."

Both men straightened dutifully, ready to spring into action. For a moment, I thought they'd all rush off and forget me - something I wouldn't actually have minded too much, as it'd allow me to find some nice bolthole to wait things out in while contacting Jurgen - but Theodora caught my gaze again.

"Cain, go with the Master of Whispers - find Edelthrad and bring him here. This elevator..." She ordered, pointing to a massive set of ornately decorated doors. "leads to to restricted sections of the ship, namely my personal chambers and the Bridge. I require you both, do you understand?" Her demand was clearly not up for debate, as she pinned me with a stare that might have had me intimidated if I hadn't been on the receiving end of Amberley's ire on a few particularly rough days. Still, I nodded my assent and gripped the hilt of my chainsword tighter, feeling the worn grip itch against the tingle in my palm.

"As you wish, Lord Captain."

She held my gaze for half a second longer before turning on her heel and rushing off into the secret passage, no doubt one of many she could use to avoid seeing the Lesser crew while on her ship, leaving the guards to fan out across the deck while Voigtvir and I made our way towards the regular inter-deck stairways.

"I presume you are ready to head down, then? It is a long walk - and with heretics about, your laspistol might not suffice." Voigtvir asked conversationally, slowing his walk just enough that he ended up slightly behind me, casual as can be - and yet the tingling in my palm only got stronger the more he spoke. With a huff, I made a show of adjusting my commissarial cap and coat, the ruffling cloth muffling the sound of my chainsword coming loose in the scabbard. (5)

"I shall make do." I answered him with feigned confidence, putting on a cocky tone. "I've faced worse foes than some foolish, traitorous voidborn, and with less gear to boot!" Which wasn't actually a lie, making it all the easier to sell my confidence and subsequent lack of suspicion.

"Of course you will." Voigtvir agreed easily, reaching into his pocket as we reach the doors leading to the stairwell. My hair stood on end already, and I made sure to just barely keep him in the corner of my vision. "Lady Theodora would never have someone she couldn't rely on as one of her heirs... but that is no longer relevant."

I was already moving before his hand cleared the pocket, my chainsword whirring to life as I swung it in a defensive pattern. There was a shriek of metal on metal as Voigtvir cried out and stumbled back, hastily dropping the needle pistol that he'd been about to shoot me with. I gave him no time to recover, advancing as he fumbled for a backup weapon. He pulled it out just in time, managing to deflect my next strike with a clearly reinforced knife - but he was no duellist or frontline fighter, and his strength failed him as his guard brok, the knife ripped away by the spinning teeth of my sword.

I heard the sound of rushing boots on decking then, the guards likely being drawn towards the sound of combat, and Voigvir clearly heard it too. He made a lunge towards his dropped weapons, diving low to dodge my next swing, and hit the ground with a thump and a scream of pain as his right hand landed a few meters away, severed at the wrist.

"You cretin!" He screamed past gritted teeth, glaring at me as he clutched the bleeding stump. Holding my sword ready for another desperate attack, I loom above the man and consider how best to restrain him when the doors behind me open. I was about to remark on the guards' ability to arrive just after the danger has passed when the sound of autoguns preparing to fire made me whirl around to find that they were not guards at all. A dozen men and women surrounded me hastily, uncoordinated but eager, all aiming centre mass with fingers on triggers while yet more cultists came running up the stairs.

"I need him alive." Voigtvir ordered as one helped him stand and began dressing his wound, the man hissing in pain but keeping his glare locked on me as if daring me to make some daring last stand.

Reluctantly I lowered my chainsword, then slowly put it and my laspistol on the floor. At a gesture from one of the cultists, I kicked it over to them. As much as it pains me to give up my weapons at any time at all, having them wouldn't help me much if I end up filled with more metal than a manic techpriest's latest pet servitor. (6)

When his wound was properly tended to, at least momentarily, Voigtvir retrieved his needle-pistol and came to stand in front of me a safe distance away. "You will come to regret your resistance, Hero." He sneered, lifting the weapon to point straight at my head, lips twitching into a smirk despite the pain he's surely feeling. Then he fired, and the world went dark.

I woke up in pain, being carried through a large candle-lit room. My head was pounding, a constant aching like I'd spent the day before challenging both Kasteen and Broklaw to a drinking contest at the same time. I groaned, which did nothing to help with the pain, and struggled to open my eyes and get my bearings only for whatever frakhead was carrying me to toss me to the hard metal floor, my cap knocked from my head by the shock of impact.

"Careful, careful!" I hear Voigtvir in front of me again, his voice tense. "He has an important mission to complete during our little visit to the Warrant Chamber, and for that I need him breathing." He berated his men while I tried to breathe normally, my chest aching almost as bad as my head. When my vision finally cleared enough to see more than blurry outlines, I found Voigtvir glaring down at me with pure, unmistakable hate. "You are back with us I see... delightful."

"Voigtvir, you two-faced grox-herder!" I growled at him, maintaining the image of an enraged patriot despite the way my bowels clenched in terror. I could see no way out of here with my skin intact, and so I had to stall for time. Luckily for me, while heretics are notoriously proficient at scheming, they also tend to have an overinflated ego and a need to brag about that fact. (7) "You're the one backing these heretical scum!"

Voigtvir smirked at that, puffing his chest forwards a bit as he sneered down at me, his remaining hand clutching at a knife that gave me the creeps as it shone in the low light. "Oh, just figured that out now, did you? It seems it takes more brawn than brains to become a Hero in the service of the Corpse Emperor." He motioned to a man behind me, and I found myself hauled up from the floor and forced to stand on unsteady legs, stumbling forwards towards a set of stairs leading to a massive gate and a servitor set into the wall next to it. "No matter - we only need your blood for this next step. The Warrant Chamber, holding the sacred Warrant of Trade, is guarded by a Sentinel that will only allow a true heir of the von Valancius Dynasty. I expected to do this part myself, but..." He paused, only to shake his head with a frown. "Never mind. You will offer your blood, or I shall spill it for you. Come to think of it, I might even take some pleasure in doing so."

Sensing a chance, a weakness, I pounced on it. "What is it, inbred? Is your blood too thin for the Sentinel to recognise?" I mock him, the heretic behind me delivering a punishing hit to the back of my head that has me stumbling forwards, nearly crashing into the wall before I can grab the edge of the servitor's station for support.

Voigtvir bristled with offence before something flickered in his eyes and he calmed back down with unnatural speed. "On the contrary," he explained with that slimy, disgustingly self-assured ease that felt almost physical in how it unsettled me. "The warp's blessing has raised me too far above your kind, Cain. The Sentinel refused to submit to me... but you can help. After all, isn't that what family is for?"

"You're no family of mine!" I growled back at him, feeling foreign offence rise in me. I'd never cared much for my parents - they hadn't been much when they were around, and joining the Guard to run away from debt while leaving me behind in the hive sump wasn't exactly endearing even with the knowledge that one of them had apparently been related to a Rogue Trader - but the idea that this heretical traitor was family felt like an insult I couldn't bear. (8)

Voigtvir scoffed, rolling his eyes at me. "Well, I am afraid that you, Ciaphas Cain von Valancius, have no choice in the matter." He indicated the servitor, which on closer inspection had a heavily modified jaw that looked distinctly terrifying, like something straight out of a Thriller pict-cast. The goons holding on to me shoved me forwards, one grabbing my arm and forcing it forwards.
I would love to lay all blame on the grogginess left over after whatever Voigtvir had drugged me with, but to tell the truth I was far too aware of the pain and suffering I was in for should I resist overmuch, and so mostly put up a front as they shoved my hand into the gaping maw of the servitor before stepping away from me.

The moment I was in place, the Sentinel's jaws clamped shut around my hand, and I felt sharp, sudden pain as it's many horrific implements punctured my skin and sank into my flesh. Dark drops of my blood fell to the servitor's throat, activating the mechanism with a thrumming hum deep in the machine's core. Servo-motors engaged, starting pumps that feasted on my vitals as the cogitator next to the Sentinel flickered to life.

Minutes passed like that, the Sentinel remaining closer around my hand. I was getting sick, vision growing more hazy and dizzying the longer it's needles remained. I started leaning forwards, supporting myself on the machine to keep from crashing to the floor. It was only when I leaned closer that a faint, synthetic voice started to pierce the hum deafening me.

"-igh levels of caustic humours. The subject is in a state of heightened stress. Do you require assistance?" I remained still, what focus I had left turning that voice over. In the moment, I was half sure I'd started hallucinating, but as I'm sure you understand, I had very little to lose.

"Y-yes, I think I do."

The Sentinel whirred for a moment longer, processing the answer, before letting out a loud shriek. "Request confirmed, activating defensive measures."

"Huh? What did you-" Voigtvir was about to ask only to get cut off as the pillars around the walls of the chamber slid hidden panels open to reveal large autoturrets. His fellow cultists scream and roar in surprise only to be cut down moments later in a hail of bolter-fire. I didn't see what happened to Voigtvir as the room filled with smoke and fire, focusing instead on extracting my hand from the Sentinel as it's grip relinquished my hand, then stumbled over to the massive doors of the Warrant Chamber seeking shelter from the slaughter.

The doors opened without so much as a sound, allowing entry before closing with a bang behind me. Only then did I let myself collapse, my back hitting the door only to slide down to sit on the floor, clutching my aching head and bleeding hand and trying to calm the frantic beating of my heart.

Despite decades upon decades of life-threatening danger, the threat of my imminent and unavoidable demise was still a terrifying thing. In most cases however, the path to survival tends to be something like 'fight for your life' or 'run as fast as you can'. To this day, the one thing that gets to me the absolute worst is when I have no options - and standing there alone, surrounded by heretics and knowing that even pretending to fight wouldn't do anything for my chances, was among the worst experiences of my life. Not that it made near the top of the list, mind you - my luck has made sure that those spots had some fierce competition.

When I did get my breathing and heartbeat down to something approaching non-critical, I got up from the floor and surveyed the room, and then stopped dead as I realised what exactly was right in front of me. (9)

Words fail me whenever I try to describe it. That's not some religious Emperor-bothering drivel, it's a statement of fact . Nothing I have written down or said can truly match what I felt as I gazed upon the Warrant of trade. For there was an enormous document stretching from floor to ceiling and beyond, a scroll of such power and value that planets had been razed in it's name all for one single detail.

I walked over in a daze, mind utterly blank to the world as I read over the flourishing, archaic script put to the page over ten thousand years prior;

"Let it be known,
that by My will and by the true words of this document,
I appoint this person to be the bearer of the Warrant of Trade,
and bestow upon them and their dynasty the great Mission
to be the Paragon of Humanity,
Unbroken by adversity,

To walk bravely first into darkness,
To unite and reclaim what was lost,
To triumph over nightmares untold,
To hold boldly the reins of fate,
To walk steadily the road of thorns,
Through pain to Greatness."

Haltingly, I stepped up to the dais, fearing for once in my life that my presence was sullying a holy relic. For there, beneath the flowery script and charges...

Was a single, dark red drop of blood. The binding seal of the Warrant, a seal of authenticity given in the God-Emperor's own blood when he still walked the Galaxy as a man.

I dropped to my knees and bowed my head, eyes clenching shut as if merely looking upon it would heighten my sin and see me struck down for the life of lies I had lived. But the strike didn't come, the otherworldly power that dwelt in the document and suffused the room simply settling over my shoulders as I, in a rare instance for my long and fraudulent life, prayed with earnest feeling. I do not know how long exactly I remained there, only that I was brought out of it the arrival of a Herald Servo-Skull, part of the Sentinel mechanism trying to offer me assistance.

Finally, I stood and turned on my heel, purpose and conviction driving me onwards as I strode towards the door. The chamber would need to be sealed behind me, and I could not remain there - not when heretics ran rampant across the ship. They'd surely find a way inside themselves, so it'd be better to face them where I was not isolated and unarmed.

It wasn't until long after the mutiny was concluded that I realised my hand was entirely free of injury after I left that Chamber.

Editorial note:
The events following Cain's beholding of the Warrant of Trade, such as what he did when he left, were for once not recorded in their entirety in Cain's memoir, despite him being central to all of them. Though these events are not necessarily vital to understanding how things turned out as they did, I have included extra material to add perspective so that one may understand the full story between Cain's own retellings. And to my great pleasure, I can inform that while some might get close, none of the sources I have found so far could match the butchering of the Gothic tongue that General Jenit Sulla would have subjected us to.

You may thank me, and the Emperor, for granting this mercy.

That said, this extract and the others like it should be read and analysed with some scepticism, as they were likely all written well after the events of which they tell, and therefore may have been tinted with the bias of experiences from after the events of the mutiny and beyond. In broad strokes I have confirmed their accuracy, but matters of opinion are harder to pin down - especially in publicly published memoirs that have likely been sanitised for the masses. Take from that what you will.

- Inquisitor Amberley Vail, His Holy Inquisition, Ordo Xenos

From 'A Senechal's Duty' by Abelard Wersarian, volume VIII chapter 4:

I had feared the worst when I got the message from the newest arrival on the ship, Ciaphas Cain, summoning me down to the Warrant Chamber post haste. For while I may have disliked the casual attitude he took with the Lord Captain, I nonetheless had to respect his reputation and service. Even in the Navis Imperialis, the name of Commissar Ciaphas Cain was lauded with awe, tales told on the picts and between crews of a man with unmatched competence and compassion, one that could turn a rioting crew around into a model of obedience and duty. He was a War Hero if ever there was one; one that must surely had earned a title as grand as Hero of the Imperium.

What I found when I reached the Chamber stopped me short despite it all. It had been an utter slaughter, plain and simple - cultists were scattered around the room by the dozens, bodies burned and blown apart and cut to pieces in a grotesque display of overwhelming might. And there, striding forth from the glorious light peeking past the closing gates of the Warrant Chamber, was the Hero himself.

His uniform was immaculate save the rumples gained through combat and use, his coat flaring out behind him as wind rushed forwards to the vacuum-sealed gate. His stride was one of purpose and intent, steps heavy with it as he gazed across the carnage that he had wrought on the traitors.
His march was only halted for a moment, Cain stooping down and snatching his Commissarial cap from the floor where it must have fallen during the fighting, only to remain perfectly untouched by the filth around it.

Fixing it into place, he finally turned to be with a brusque nod of acknowledgement, one that I admit made me straighten into a near-salute.

"Master Cain! What... how did you get to the Warrant Chamber? And what brought the filth even this far?!" I ask, horrified by the prospect that the heretics could reach even the sealed gates of the most precious relic on board the Eternal Commerce.

Cain gazed at me with an unreadable expression, one whose implied suspicion I must admit I would have been offended by if not for his impeccable reputation and the very nature of Chaos Corruption. Eventually he spoke, voice clear and grave as he delivered the horrible news.

"Kunrad Voigtvir is a traitor and a heretic. He and his conspirators disarmed and brought me here in the hope of laying claim to the Warrant. He openly admitted to being the mastermind behind this mutiny."

The news shook me, for I had spent many years in service alongside the Master of Whispers. I may have cursed him, with words that I shall spare the dignity of these pages, but suffice it to say that with the testimony of the Commissar, it was without question; Kunrad Voigtvir had sullied whatever dignity he had left, throwing his lot in with the worst enemies Humanity ever faced. (10)
"Then it is small wonder that the heretics are so well organised!" I stated, glancing around the dead around us. "I thought Kunrad's order to seal the passages between decks was his attempt to stop the attackers from spreading to other levels, but now I see the real reason: to stop enforcers from intervening! At least you are alive and well, Master Cain. Alas, I doubt we can afford to look for a compartment to sit out this disaster."

At that he gave me another look only to smile in humour, chuckling lowly as his hands clenched at his side, surely with well-concealed rage at the situation. "I'm afraid I agree - and as a man of the Navy, I'm sure you know all too well the dangers of remaining idle on a ship infested with heretics while in the warp."

Despite the subject, his tone was light and joking, the utter confidence of the man striking me as inspiring. This was what a Hero was like, I thought, undaunted and unbroken - as all proper soldiers in His service should be.

I nodded agreement, and was about to discuss our course of action when we were interrupted by the loud approach of half a dozen cultists bursting into the room. I whirled around, chainsword coming to a ready position as I positioned myself in front of the commissar. And then, to my utter astonishment, we were joined by one more man.

In he lumbered, wearing a heavy Valhallan winter greatcoat, his body festooned with a combat vest, utility webbing and other miscellaneous pockets. He looked like an utter mess, uniform filthy and grimy, his beard unkept and utterly beyond saving not to mention unacceptable to navy uniform regulations.

Most concerning though, was the large Melta (11) clutched in his grimy hands, held at the ready as he surveyed the room. It's mere presence seemed to give the cultists extra confidence, for such weapons were a death sentence to anyone who faced them in the cramped corridors of a spaceship. I knew not how I would combat it, and in hindsight must say I am rather glad that I never had to - for his eyes swiftly locked on Cain, his back approximating something like standing straight at attention after a few barrels of amasec.

"Commissar." He stated with a nod, voice phlegmatic and somehow matching his filthy appearance.

"Ah, Jurgen, perfect - I'd been wondering where you were." Cain greeted back jovially, surprising me and for a moment giving me doubt that he might be in league with these traitors after all.
"Oh, there was a lot of confusion after you left, sir - some changing uniforms and running back and forth. I tried goin' back for you, but before I knew it these guys grabbed me and said we were ordered down here." (12) The man stated matter-of-fact, the heretics to his sides seeming to loose some confidence at the casual rapport the pair had. The ones closest to this 'Jurgen' turned slightly towards him, raising their weapons uncertainly.

"Well, that sounds about right." Cain chuckled lightly, utterly at ease despite his lack of personal weapons. "Jurgen, deal with the traitors if you'd please."

There was a moment of silence, the grimy guardsman nodding with an entirely unbothered expression. "As you say, sir."

Then, with shocking speed and accuracy, the man turned to the side, his melta rising to aim and firing in one swift, smooth motion. The three heretics there were all caught in the blast, vaporised on the spot. The trio on the other side had enough time to leap towards him, but he was faster - turning out of the way of a club swinging for his head only to let loose another blast that robbed the heretic of his midsection.

I jumped into action as their attention was turned the other way, lunging forwards with chainsword roaring to cut down the remaining two before they reached Jurgen. The hum of his melta died down then, sparing me the fear that he'd keep firing regardless.

"Impeccable timing as always Jurgen, well done." Cain complimented easily, walking over and clapping the guardsman's shoulder. On his part, Jurgen seemed utterly unphased, though he preened slightly under the Commissar's attention. "Of course, sir." Then he seemed to remember something, letting the Melta hang over his chest as he fumbled for a chainsword slung across his back and a laspistol stuffed into one of his many pockets. "Oh, and I found these for you, sir - damn frakheads didn't even bother looting it before they moved on."

Cain took the weapons with obvious appreciation, holstering the pistol but keeping the sword unsheathed as he once more thanked his companion. I confess that, even long after that first impression, I held some disdain for Gunner Ferrik Jurgen - and perhaps still do, in some sense. He was almost like a manifestation of all I strove not to be as an Officer, from the state of his too-large uniform to the filth caking him and the stench that was nearly enough to make me retch. But no matter how much I may have disliked the fact, one thing remained undeniable after serving at his side and under Cain's command.

Unsightly he may be, Jurgen was an impeccable soldier to have at your side. It was just the rest that was a problem.

1. It was one of the many reasons Cain remained an exemplary soldier and companion for high-risk missions whenever I had need of him; even in the most pressing circumstances, if there was a way out he'd naturally lead you there so long as it meant 'leading from the front' and 'ensuring the Team can fight another day'.

2. Of course, Cain would have known that the probability of getting ambushed in such a way on the one deck where there were barely any hidden spaces and the attackers would have little time or reason to set up instead of pushing onwards was rather low compared to the chance of meeting the attackers head-on. I cannot guess why Cain himself would omit this from his own retelling.

3. Case in point.

4. While his deductions later in life are often accurate, at least in the major points pertaining to his survival, it should be noted that Cain's ability to analyse his foe was built more on experience than study, as he never attended any higher education after the Schola Progenium save as a teacher or guest-speaker. In some ways, that made his input all the more valuable, as every instinct and deduction he made was one borne from experience in the field.

5. Despite inquiries having been made, the Inquisition has found absolutely no psychic potential in Cain - not surprising, or he'd have been utterly incapable of touching Jurgen without severe reactions. As it is, we have found no way to replicate Cain's 'tingling palms', though studies persist among the more obsessive members of the Ordo.

6. I am reliably informed that members of the Cult Mechanicus do not keep pets, as such - the closest they have being small, round robotic floor-cleaners they seem mildly fond of, known as Circular Area Tidying units.

7. As any inquisitor of the Ordo Hereticus, Malleus or Xenos could tell you, this rings true for nearly all enemies of Humanity. And often, I must say, for Humanity itself as well.

8. Again Cain gives an account of his origins that are infuriatingly hard to verify - especially when at least one of his parents had in some way blood-ties to the von Valancius dynasty. The current theory offered by my savant is that one of Cain's parents or grandparents was a bastard of a previous Rogue Trader, leaving a loose heir that no-one else but the Rogue Trader themselves cared to keep track. The subsequent death of near every claimant to their Warrant, which was what prompted Theodora to gather those that remained, show that might have been deliberate; they may have had suspicions and so prepared to have an heir ready, although something clearly went wrong when Cain never received any teaching that would be required for such a role, nor even knew about his extended family at all. Personally, I'm still of the opinion that a noble had a fling and forgot about it, much like what Cain himself believes.

9. It is out of respect for Cain and his deeply personal experience here, along with respect for His Majesty the Emperor, that I shall refrain from commenting on the following event.

10. This statement is debatable - and indeed is hotly debated between members of the Ordo Xenos and Ordo Hereticus. I shall keep the factionalism outside this archive.

11. Having served as Cain's aide during his time at the Schola, there would be no reason for Jurgen to be issued such weaponry after their last deployment. However, like Cain, I have learned that it's best not to ask where Jurgen finds most things - and that one specifically, he had held on to for years after 'forgetting' to deliver it back to the PDF armoury he had taken it from.

12. Most likely, they thought Jurgen looked too out of place to possibly be in the service of the Rogue Trader - which wasn't terribly inaccurate, in any case.

Hjonk · Jun 21, 2026

Insanity is a relative scale set by the boring and the predictable. Why let everyone else or yourself know what you're gonna do, when you could have a nice little surprise?

- Jakes Parrow, Sanctioned Psyker in Inquisitorial service, sirka 995.M39

I can assure you that, had I ever been given the choice, I would have been delighted to simply find some reinforced armoury or noble's saferoom and hunker down until the mutiny was over. After all, the Lady Captain was a Rogue Trader in charge of an entire Dynasty - surely she could have handled something like an uprising on her own ship quite handily, and if the walls started looking a little too funny I could always move closer to Jurgen and hope the issue was dealt with soon. The problem with that, of course, being that I'd leave my life in the hands of someone who had no reason to ensure my safety in particular, and likely much larger concerns besides. No, if I wanted to ensure I made it through that mess in one piece, or at least something close to that, I'd have to once again go running into danger and ensure that when this damned ship left the warp, I wasn't somehow left behind.

And, I admit, having the Captain's dogmatically loyal Seneschal explain in horrifying detail how we were all fracked if the ship didn't leave the warp, and soon, might have helped to move me along rather swiftly.

Luckily, with the reappearance of my faithful aide Jurgen carrying my discarded weapons and a quick sip of Tanna, I felt reasonably sure we could handle ourselves against untrained discontents. So we set off into the depths of the ship, Abelard guiding us towards the Navigators' Sanctum where we could figure out what was keeping the mutant from giving us an express ticket back to reality. To my relief, our path there was rather devoid of cultists, likely because they had gone to harass some other part of the ship, but even then I was growing more and more anxious the longer it took us to get there. With every wasted minute, the ship was shaking and groaning more around us, and I had no doubt that there was something out there trying to get in.

I knew all too well what horrors prowled beyond the Gellar Field; I had no need for another meet-and-greet. (1)

"There, just past this corner!" Abelard finally shouted out, leading us swiftly through yet another identical-looking corridor. Usually I'd not have put so much faith in another's ability to navigate tunnels, preferring to rely on the safe knowledge that I could run circles around most people I met on account of my youth in the Hive, but for once I could trust that he knew what he was doing better than I.

Not even I could beat out a career Navy Officer when navigating his own ship. (2)

And so we rounded the corner only for Abelard to come to a dead stop, barely leaving me enough space to avoid slamming into his back. I was about to ask what the holdup was, but that question was rather succinctly answered when I followed his gaze.

There, right in front of the ornate doors leading to the Navigators' chambers, stood a woman. She wore basic fatigues under a long, brown robe and a metal breastplate, arcane cables whose function I couldn't guess at connecting some type of collar to her temples. She was stretching her arms out away from us, muttering beneath her breath something that I couldn't quite pick out. And her hands were glowing.

At the other end of the hallway, a man was writhing in pain on the floor and clutching his head. His mouth was frozen open in a scream of torment but no sound escaped. It was as if the sheer agony he was in robbed him of any breath to scream, leaving him without even the chance to verbalise the sheer soul-consuming pain he was experiencing.

"Idira!" Abelard called out, making the psyker half-turn towards us. Some of the pressure seemed to let off on the man as he finally let out a blood-curdling scream, his suffering echoing down the hallway until Idira clenched her fist, cutting him off with eerie suddenness as he slumped like a ragdoll. Then she turned fully towards us, psychic energies crackling around her bright, glowing eyes.

"... and so he will enter the halls of the Blinded Guide, to witness the radiance of the Final Dawn through the cracks..." She spoke louder only to trail off, head tilting to the side like a confused canine, brows furrowing. "... and... fall victim to a whim of fate?"

"Watch out, Commissar!" Jurgen urges as he closes in behind us, having fallen slightly behind. Trusting his warning implicitly, I lunged forwards along with Abelard just as the ship shuddered again, a loose pipe detaching from the roof and crashing down where we'd just been standing.

"Idira!" Abelard repeated as he regained composure, dusting himself off. "Would it be too much to ask that you phrase your soothsaying plainly for once? That was too close!"

Seeing Abelard approach the psyker without fear, I had no excuse not to myself and so followed after him. I made sure to stay slightly further behind, and decidedly closer to Jurgen, when Idira burst out into manic, guttural, drunken laughter, her eyes continuing to glow with the powers of the Warp despite a lack of hostiles to point them to.

Now, I've had many encounters with psykers over the years, and I can tell you one thing - they are very, very rarely anything approaching sane, no matter what side of His service they fall. Oh sure, some can mask it pretty well, and even pass for a normal and adjusted person from time to time, but they will always be the type of person you have to keep a close eye on. Only natural really, when they've got a constant connection to the warp whispering into their brain and the potential to turn any pleasant social event into an exterminatus-worthy horror show.

The fact this one was an Unsanctioned psyker on top of the normal insanity didn't exactly fill me with confidence. (3)

"HAH! Sorry, old man - the Voices are so loud I can't even hear myself!" She slurred out, leaning against a wall with the carefree smile of a juvie high off her mind on stimms. "They shriek, they sing, they- oh, Abelard, how they sing!"

The Seneschal let out a tired sigh, looking back at me with the expression of a man suffering from a serious case of bad digestion. "Master Cain, this is Idira Tlass, personal psyker and diviner of Her Ladyship." He explained shortly before looking back at the madwoman. "Idira..."

Something about his tone seemed to get to her, as Idira's eyes finally lost the glow and her back straightened, smile falling from her lips to make room for a severe frown. "I'm not drunk, old man! I'm suffering the effects of the Warp seeping through these walls. I see the ship's fate - to die in the waves of the Immaterium, fall under the burning rays of the final dawn... And in the roaring fire, I see a blazing figure of light next to an impenetrable shadow... Who is it? Who? I have no answer."

Well, her little rambling display boded well enough - she was sufficiently coherent to know how barmy she was, which was more than could be said for select other psykers I'd had to deal with. Rakel, Amberley's own pet seer, came to mind, as her warnings and portents were indistinguishable from the utter nonsense she spouted near constantly. (4)

In any case, she wasn't given the chance to keep going as a stuttering broadcast finally crackled from the vox-set at Abelard's belt, Edelthrad's voice barely clear beneath the wailing of voices that clawed at the mind. " -he officers' frequency. To all who can hear me: Those with a weapon in their hands are to gather on the officers' deck at once. I repeat... gather on the officers' deck at once and prepare to launch a counter-attack..."

Abelard straightened at once, gripping his sword tight. "That's Edeltrhad!" He shouted, stating the obvious. "Emperor's providence, the other heir lives as well! Quickly, we must head to-"

I cut him off, grabbing him by the shoulder before he could go running off to obey the order. "He can hold out a little longer, right now we have to make sure the Navigator doesn't get us lost to the Warp!" Which I felt was a rather more pressing matter. You can always run away from a bad fight, but when the warp and witchcraft is concerned, there's no use in running away. Better to face the threat you know for a chance to deal with it before it was too late.

He looked conflicted, clearly feeling a need to rush off into the more obvious, physical danger like some of the more zealous and over-eager guardsmen I'd known in my career, but in the end rationality won out. "Right, right, of course." He agreed, steeling himself.

"I have not seen you. You're not the one I..." Idira interrupted the silence that followed only to trail off, her stare intense as she slowly turned her gaze between me and Jurgen. "Your path is shadowed, your future undecided. The voices... they only croon for you, indistinct and longing." She seemed confused at that, and I admit I was rather apprehensive as to what conclusions she could reach from whatever the warp told her. I didn't particularly like the conclusions I reached myself either.

Her focus slowly turned more and more towards Jurgen, zeroing inn on him as the cause of her confusion. She took a few steps closer only to recoil a few meters away, hands darting up to claw at her head. She wailed, voice high and cracking only to cut off as she hit the wall opposite us again, panting for breath. "No, no no nonononono. Silence is bad, no silence, the voices help, they hate, they-they-they despise you!" She muttered, shaking her head hard.

When she regained her composure, she looked up again, anger and question clear on her face only to be met with my Commissarial Glare. I rested a hand on my laspistol in open warning even as Abelard watched with confusion, though he seemed less worried at her outburst - likely assuming it was just another consequence of how the Warp clawed at her soul. (5)

In the end Idira let it go, glancing away at something only she could see and swallowing hard.

"The voices called me here - the ones I could make out among the screeches and Darkness. Those who are rocking this boat hit us where it hurt - they went after the Navigator, our guide in the storm. Other whispers called me to the enginarium... but it was too late. I heard the cry of our Master Cog, and the silence that followed."

That was rather dire news, but not immediately catastrophic. If I understood her right, as it turned out I did, the ship had no Chief Enginseer. It could function without one, sure - and a Cruiser the size of the Eternal Commerce was built to endure independently for quite a while - but eventually there would need to be repairs and maintenance done that some random cogboy couldn't handle on his own. (6)

"Then we must ensure the Navigator does not meet the same fate." I declared, grasping my chainsword and laspistol tightly as I moved towards the door, though I kept a healthy distance between the psyker and Jurgen. Idira looked at me again, her expression shifting to a frown of annoyed confusion as if I'd said something unexpected, something that threw her off. (7)

She shook it off quickly though, nodding resolutely with the kind of focus and determination that I bet Amberley wished Rakel could posses. "The state of things here suggests the Navigator's in trouble; maybe at death's door, but still kicking. And since our skin hasn't peeled off our faces just yet, his third eye must be closed - at worst, it's a little roughed up." She smiled again, the edges of it tinted with manic joy as she turned fully towards the Navigator Sanctum door. "So what are we moping around for? Let's go protect that noble mutant while we're still alive!"

And then, without further ado, she blasted the door open with a surge of psychic lightning.

The Navigator was, indeed, in trouble.

We emerged into a large chamber with some of the most lavish decorations one could find on a ship, all of it surrounding a throne of gold and brass set on a raised platform inlaid into the wall opposite the door. The Navigator was there on his throne, gripping it's armrests with desperate strength as some kind of shield flickered in a bubble around him.

The reason for his plight was obvious, as the room was littered with armed cultists blasting away at the shield, trying to bring down the one man keeping the ship from becoming more abstract painting than space-faring vessel. They turned as one at our grand entrance, Idira cackling madly as lightning flickered across her form, frost spreading over the floor beneath her.

"Kill the Corpse-Worshippers!" One cultist screamed while lifting his autogun in our direction, and that was enough to set us into motion.

"DOWN!" I roared, diving for cover and gratified to have Abelard and Jurgen follow suit as we hunkered down behind gaudy golden furniture. My grip tightened on my laspistol as I waited with hammering heart for a chance to shoot back, knowing that raising my head would see my brain splattered across the room as the hail of autogun fire thundered above.

Idira saw no need for anything so basic as self-preservation, seeming to all but dance through the danger as the cultists missed her by bare inches. Then they were screaming, the madwoman's hands sending arcs of azure lightning across the room to fry any two cultists foolish enough to stand too close together.

Noting that, I holstered my pistol and held my free hand towards Jurgen. He understood without being told, pulling a frag grenade from one of his many pouches without delay and handing it over. "Thank you, Jurgen." I gave him a curt nod, pulling the pin and lobbing the canned death over our cover and across the room. It went off with a CRACK, the sound of fragmentation pinging against metal decking and walls following after as the gunfire calmed down. "NOW!"

Without hesitation, knowing every wasted second would let the cultists recover and spell disaster for us all, I leapt over my cover and dashed towards the enemy, chainsword revving in my hand and Jurgen at my back. The Seneschal was a second after, not as in-tune with the two of us but making up for it with remarkable speed.

The moment the first cultist was within range I swung, sword screaming through the air and creating a lethal gash from shoulder to hip. He fell back gurgling a scream as I vaulted over his cover to advance on his fellows, the loud thrum of a melta and stench of cooked flesh in the air letting me know that Jurgen was covering our backs with the Melta.

It became a brutal melee then, as Abelard and I pounced on any cultist trying to aim their autoguns while Jurgen vaporised those we couldn't reach. Through it all Idira cackled madly, lightning flashing from her in frenetic arcs, though I was gratified to see that she managed to keep her attacks mostly away from us.

The last cultist to stand held no autogun or sword, only a long staff covered in arcane and heretical symbolism. He was waving it around in panic as Jurgen closed inn on him, utter confusion and horror on his face as it failed to produce anything but sputtering sparks. "N-no! My lord, don't forsake me! The great changer is upon-!"

His plea was cut off as Jurgen hit him across the face with the butt of his melta, the staff flying from his hand as he fell to the floor. "Prisoners for interrogation, Commissar?" Jurgen asked phlegmatically, letting the Melta hang against his chest as he knelt down to grab the man, only to let go as the cultist started foaming at the mouth and shaking uncontrollably.

"Negative, get rid of him before he summons something!" I ordered quickly, careful not to look at Abelard in case he realised what was truly going on. It might be something of an open secret within the Inquisiton, but Amberley had made it abundantly clear that Jurgen's blank status was to be kept under wraps lest some other inquisitor come by and steal one of her favourite tools. It was only lucky that the true nature of Blanks was an obscure thing for anyone below a certain clearance level. (8)

It'd be a lost cause with Idira, but then few would trust her claims on sheer principle.

Seeing that all the cultists were dealt with after one final blast of Jurgen's melta, I turned my attention to the Navigator. He was in bad shape, clearly under immense stress and strain beyond what his kind usually had to endure. It was as if he'd become one with his throne; pink, parchment-like skin stretched between the seat and limbs with too many joints and too large bones, every jostle of the ship making inhuman muscles flex as if he was physically dragging the ship out of danger.

He was breathing heavily, air whistling through dark gills at his cheeks, his mouth covered in a large mask. And, if my continued existence wasn't enough reassurance, all three of his eyes were shut tight.

"Good, the Navigator remains in control." Abelard breathed, sheathing his sword as he joined me in front of the shimmering shield. At his approach, the figure on the throne shifted and stirred, head barely able to lift and look towards us as he half-opened his normal eyes.

"Your time... is short..." His voice was entirely mechanical, coming from the vox-grille beneath his throne rather than his own throat as a dark black drop rolled from beneath the closed third eye set in his forehead.

Great, more warp-touched portents of doom, I thought, palms tingling as I glanced around for any sudden eyes appearing in the walls, floor or ceiling. Finding none, I turned back to the Navigator. "Our time is short to do what?" I asked, keeping my voice level to hide how little I actually wished for the answer.

Suddenly, the Navigator's body began thrashing in place; lurching forwards only to slam back in his seat, only to thrust forwards again. His bones audibly cracked from the violent motion, and yet he was fused to the throne harder than the motion could tear at him, keeping the man - if it still was a man - locked in place even when he leaned as far forwards as he could, his gills bursting open to form a pair of hideous, screaming mouth-like pits. "Fall to your knees, mortals, and behold the Final Dawn!"

All of us save Jurgen recoiled back from the rumbling, echoing voice that shouted forth from the Navigator's defiled form, weapons in hand even as the protective shield remained in place. The voice didn't slow down, shouting out with such force that it filled the room as if coming from everywhere and nowhere at once.

"It's march thunders under the burden of hopes! Unseal your hearts, let loose the terror, and I will flood your souls with myriads of words and meanings, each one a portent of salvation within me!" The Navigator continued to convulse in his seat, shrieking and cackling only for his fits to stop suddenly. Face drenched in black and crimson, the dark ooze from his third eyelid turned from a trickle into a stream mixed with the blood coming from his nose, and skin swelling purple around his Eye, he looked like he was halfway into the Ruinous Powers' grips already. I was about to subtly signal Jurgen to get closer only to stop as the Navigator seemed to get himself under control again.

"Run... flee from this place while I still have the strength..." He spoke, the words once more coming from the vox in a laboured rattle. "I can contain... the intrusion... but not for long. We must begin the translation... leave the warp.... but it can't be done without the Master Helmsman's help..."

I took a deep breath then, giving the doomed man a long look and a nod of respect that showed none of the utter terror I felt at just the thought of the fate that surely awaited him. Turning on the spot, I made for the door, Jurgen following swiftly with Abelard and Idira hastening to follow. "You heard him! We have to reach the bridge and let him drag this damned ship into realspace!"

Abelard caught up with me as we left the chamber, turning to reseal it with as much security as he could before once more leading us through the ship's corridors. "We'd need the assistance of the Master Helmsman to begin translation. Praying he yet lives, it is worth a try!" he declared, taking sudden turns at full sprint without issue as if his grey hairs were nothing but for show. "But getting to the bridge will require support. Our best option is fighting our way to the officers' deck and joining forces with Edelthrad. Emperor willing, Lady Theodora will have heard his broadcast as well and take charge there."

Seeing no reason to object to that without revealing how much I'd rather not go anywhere near the fighting, I voiced my agreement, subtly making sure I and Jurgen stayed opposite and far away from Idira, an arrangement she seemed all too eager to cooperate with. She'd proven useful in a fight despite her occasional insanity - I couldn't afford having her turn into a rabid, seizure-stricken vegetable now.

If nothing else, she made for a dazzling and distracting target that pulled attention of whatever heretics wanted to put a bullet in me.

Luckily for our legs, Abelard managed to find an elevator from the Navigator's Sanctum up to the Officers' deck. Unluckily, what we emerged into was a warzone.

The moment the ornate golden gate of the elevator opened, we had to dive for cover to avoid a torrent of autogun fire. The hallway ahead was a major artery through the officers deck, stretching far into the distance, and it was under siege. Cultists from the other end hooted and hollered as they fired wildly, their undisciplined lack of aim made up for in sheer volume of fire to keep the loyal defenders down. And as they steadily advanced towards our position, I knew it'd only be a matter of time before we were overrun.

I glanced back at my companions, hoping for an easy exit - perhaps Abelard knew a way around to avoid this battle. To my disappointment, no solution was readily available. The Seneschal was just glancing at me, as if utterly sure in his expectation that I'd jump out and lead the charge. Jurgen, of course, was at my side, unconcerned and phlegmatic as ever as he switched out his melta for a lasrifle slung across his back, waiting for my cue. Not even Idira offered a way out as she remained behind the elevator door, shaking and clutching her head in pain from the close proximity to Jurgen she'd been forced into.

With resignation settling in my gut, I remembered that even a near-certain chance of death was preferable to a guarantee of it. So I clutched my laspistol and chainsword tight, knowing that once again I'd have to charge into danger and rally the guards into a counter-attack to take down the traitors. Even as my mind screamed in protest, I stood from my cover, ready to dive into the thick of it, when the Sister arrived.

Her entrance was as bombastic and sudden as most Sisters of Battle I've seen in my career; far behind the enemy line a door blasted open in a ball of fire and shrapnel as a melta breaching-charge went off, letting a resplendent figure in gleaming power-armour charge through, shoulder-length white hair whipping about her during the charge. She all but shone with holy radience in the light of the ceiling luminators and the fires burning around the hallway.

"I shall pity not Your enemies, I shall heed not their pleas!" The sister was singing, preaching with boltgun in hand as she charged into the fray, dozens of guards and navy officers following behind her as they flanked the enemy in a surprise attack.

"Quick, while they're distracted!" I roared, vaulting over my cover and leading the charge on my own side, Jurgen at my back firing precise lasgun shots into the hoard while Abelard ran with chainsword and revolver in hand. I let out a few shots in the cultists' general direction myself, scoring a lucky headshot as I ran, but refrained from firing too much for fear of hitting our allies on the other side. (9)

"I shall betray not Your tenets, nor stray one step from them!" Her voice ringing through the hall, no doubt aided by a vox-caster built into the collar of her power armour to be heard over the cacophony of battle, the Sister spared no moment in her charge, washing over the cultists like an unstoppable wave of faith and fury.

"Take not Your gaze from me! Leave me not without Your grace!" Her bolter roared along with the hymn, blasting on full auto to mow down any unlucky traitor that stood in her way. With the aid of her distraction and the dozens of House Guards that flooded into the hallway and out of cover with our combined charge, it was the work of moments to clear it of attackers, pushing what remained into a blind retreat towards the lower depths of the ship.

My relief at that fact was short lived however, as the Sister turned her attention towards us when there were no more cultists to fire upon, her gaze blazing with religious rapture and rage. For a moment I thought she'd turn her bolter on us as the next available targets, but as her eyes met mine something seemed to snap back into place. Her anger abated, confusion and wonder taking it's place as she halted.

"Sister Argenta!" Abelard called out, not yet holstering his weapons as we approached the newcomers. "Sister Argenta, it's a relief to see you well and bringing the fight to these tainted cowards! We require all the forces we can muster if we are to reach Edelthrad and retake the bridge!"

The sister - Argenta, apparently - didn't seem to hear him at all, her gaze dragging up and down my body in a decidedly unflattering way - less so than I was used to from the Canonness and her companions back at the Schola, in any case. I straightened on instinct under her scrutiny, chainsword held at casual readiness at my side and laspistol clutched tight as I felt almost as if I was being judged by Amberley.

"It was good fortune to find you and the guard here, Battle-Sister." I spoke up, glancing around the carnage and hoping the relief I felt at not having to face them all alone didn't show on my face. "With a member of the Adeptus Sororitas at our side, these traitors to the Emperor shall surely be routed swiftly."

To this day, I am still unsure whether my appeals to her pride and her Order had any effect, or if she simply found what she was looking for. Whatever the case, the Sister's face eventually lit up, eyes wide and awed as she suddenly dashed towards me only to fall to her knees, power-armour creating heavy dents in the deck floor from the sheer suddenness of the move.

"Honoured Saint Cain! You bless us with your presence!" She shouted out, head bowed as she made the sign of the Aquila across her chest. "I had heard the rumours, but to see their truth with my own eyes is truly a Sign from Him on Terra!"

The guards that had come with her seemed shocked into silence by her religious outburst only to follow suit, saluting and bowing their heads in reverence.

Now, I've had a rather interesting career during my centuries of service to Him on Terra, but that was the first time I'd had a genuine member of the Adeptus Sororitas - or any representative of the Ecclesiarchy, for that matter - actively proclaim me to be some holy symbol. (10) Throughout my life I've been far from a paragon of virtue, as I'm sure anyone reading this would be aware, so the whole affair came as something of a shock at the time.

Not to say it's gotten any less weird, but at least these days I'm more used to dealing with it.

"No need for that, sister." I assured her once my voice didn't feel like it'd crack from disbelief, Argenta finally looking up at me with something like hero-worship in her eyes.

"Of course - as you say, Saint Cain!" She agreed quickly, standing swiftly and hefting her bolter with obvious and violent intent. "We must cleanse this damned vessel in His name! For the Emperor to have blessed these crewmen with your presence, there shall surely be nothing that can prevent our victory!"

Privately, I was rather more pessimistic, but if that's what got her going with the bolter pointed away from me, then I'd take it.

"Let it be so." I spoke, trying to affect the tone that Emperor-Botherers like the sisters and certain members of the priesthood always seemed to appreciate, then giving Abelard a significant look. Luckily, he got my meaning even as he watched me with a curious and slightly more confused look than before.

"The quickest way to link up with Edelthrad would be through the officers' common-room, through the doors just down that way." He explained, pointing back towards where Argenta had blown her way into the hallway. I nodded in understanding, turning to find the Sister and her followers already getting ready to move.

A bunch of fanatic meat shields, at least. I thought, even as I pointed my chainsword and struck a suitably heroic pose. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's move!"

1. For detailed intel on Cain's experiences with creatures of the warp, see earlier records in the Cain Archive - particularly the ones pertaining to the Slawkenberg and Adumbria incidents.

2. It has been noted several times in this archive that Cain has a near preternatural affinity for navigation in tunnels and hive structures. This did not, however, seem to make him immune to 'getting lost' in the middle of a battle. One has to wonder why such always ended up with him stumbling right into the most dangerous or important parts of near any conflict he took part in.

3. Cain obviously speaks with hyperbole and hindsight here. Psykers can in fact be just as sane as the average Imperial citizen. That said, I feel it'd be disingenous of an Inquisitor to comment on his paranoia regarding that 'facade'. As for Idira, he had no way as yet to know that Idira was unsanctioned, and it takes a special level of Power or deliberate preparation before a psyker could be cause for exterminatus on their own.

4. Regrettably true. Rakel was tremendous help during her service as part of my staff, but I admit she was far from the most mentally stable individual.

5. Understandable. While an averse reaction on Idira's part, to most imperial citizens the ways of the warp are more mystery and insanity than anything else - and men of the Navy are an especially superstitious lot.

6. Cogboy - slang amongst the Guard for a techpriest of any rank, though usually referring to those assigned as maintenance crews outside the Adeptus Mechanicus.

7. Possibly, she was confused because she had foreseen the possible ways the conversation would progress, only for Jurgen's Blank influence to throw of the predictions by masking Cain's presence. It's one of the main weaknesses of seers - they rarely adjust well to surprises.

8. While not actually classified, the existence of Blanks and their abilities is largely unknown to the masses. The most a common citizen is likely to know is that they sometimes meet a person they viscerally despise with no seeming cause. This is partly why blanks remain so rare, as even parents are likely to share such hatred of Blank children and find ways to get rid of their child.

9. Despite often insisting on his average aim and reliance on luck during a firefight, Cain remains one of the more reliably skilled marksmen I have met - especially with his laspistol of choice.

10. Here we find one of the more curious results of Cain's many adventures and campaigns. During his service, Cain served in a multitude of campaigns and missions across the Ultima Segmentum and amassed a rather impressive Legend - one that would later result in a religious following and the establishment of an Imperial Cult in his name, built upon the Book of Cain proclaiming the Commissar to be a physical embodiment of the Emperor's Divine Will. This foundation was laid by Alem Mahat, a guardsman in the Tallarn 229th regiment after witnessing Cain standing up to a Deamon Prince during the Adumbria campaign, and failing to realise the importance of Jurgen's presence. Nonetheless, this cult has only gained more of a following as Cain continued his Service, eventually becoming an accepted sub-cult of the wider accepted Canon of the Ecclesiarchy, albeit a more obscure cult and doctrine. How this spread to the Koronus Expanse is unknown, though it's not improbable that a member of the Cult of Cain made the pilgrimage across the galaxy to spread it's influence among the Frontier churches.

Hjonk · 2026-07-06T17:34:16+0100

... and the Emperor shall nary let the heretic live within his sight, for it is an abomination to all that is good. But look not to the Allmighty to rid the world of all evil, for it falls to his subjects to prove themselves worthy of salvation. Go forth, thee faithful, and earn your place at His side!

- Cardinal Deltanya Torugechaff, attributed.

It's a common fantasy among Guardsmen to imagine themselves getting close to the pious, fierce women of the Adepta Sororitas. These fantasies tend to be built largely on their propaganda depicting beautiful women of splendid character and incredible skills in battle, all backed up with some rather exaggerated 'armaments', with little regard for what the Sisters of Battle are in reality. Some, I know all too well, even imagine the glorious paradise it would be to be considered a Saint, worshipped by the most gorgeous and powerful women you could think of. Mostly because I've had to take them to task so as to avoid a 'political incident' during joint campaigns. (1)

So I knew that many would consider me lucky beyond belief to be in that position; a genuine Battle-Sister falling to her knees and proclaiming me a Saint as if I'd hung the stars themselves, then proclaiming she'd follow me into battle and beyond. To those people, I say 'get a frakking reality check'.

If there is one thing that makes me despair more than my fraudulent reputation forcing me to lead from the front for fear of rightfully getting a court-martial as the lying coward I am, it's when that reputation is upheld by the most sincere, fanatical and downright bonkers Emperor-Botherers in the galaxy.

(Well, actually there are a lot of things that make me despair more than that, too. Tyranids, Daemons, Administorum clerks with authority... Necrons... But that's besides the point!)

Feeling Argenta's gaze burning into my back with such fierce religious euphoria was enough to get me sweating bullets. I was sure down to my very core that if I made one wrong step; one act not suitably heroic or saintly, she'd be the first to gun me down and proclaim me a false icon.

As I'm sure you'd understand, I'd prefer to avoid such an outcome.

So I really had no choice as I rallied the guards, officers and random crewmen that had accumulated around us, raising my chainsword high and proclaiming our counter-attack on the mutineers only to lead the charge from the very front, Abelard and Jurgen flanking me only to be swallowed by the mob, with only Argenta keeping easy pace behind, her power-armour adding an ominous and oppressive clang to each step she took.

We made good time charging through the Officers' deck, swiftly overwhelming cultists and lunatics alike by sheer weight of numbers and forwards momentum. Argenta made a good show of the abilities her order was known for, not seeming to ever switch off her bolter's full-auto setting even as she fired terrifyingly close to friendlies, gunning down whole groups of heretics in seconds. I'd have appreciated it a good bit more if I wasn't one of those friendlies, able to feel the shock of a bolter-shot whiffing by my shoulder as she shouted prayers in my name, but I'd take what I could get.

It seemed to effectively motivate the men too, so I had to bear with her ramblings as we fought onwards. I admit, it felt slightly nostalgic in some sense; fighting in such a large group again almost felt like I was back to serving with the Valhallans on campaign, albeit if the valhallans had too much to drink the day before and lost all sense of discipline or fire-control. It certainly carried the same constant and horrifying risk of sudden death, slightly mitigated by the amount of others that were all too willing to heroically jump in front of bullets for me.

In all honesty, I was rather shocked that we managed to reach the upper deck where I'd met Lady Theodora earlier that day without serious casualties; while well trained for what amounted to a private PDF force, the ragtag House Guard and officers we'd picked up were hardly much by Militarum standards. Though I suppose that was evened out by the exact same lack of training in the mutineers. (2)

"There! Just over the bridge, that's where Edelthrad was to rally!" Abelard shouted out, pointing across the massive hall and the chasm that dropped between each side. It still struck me as a massively wasteful piece of architecture, but I suppose that's part of the point in a ship owned by a Rogue Trader. Wasteful and decadent indulgence is their standard procedure, whereas mine tended to be minimal combat and anything other than ration bars where I could help it. "Quickly, Commissar - we may still be in time to join the assault on the bridge!"

I nodded confidently, hiding my apprehension at the idea but knowing it's necessity. Glancing to the sides revealed that the long way around the wall-mounted corridors was blocked by debris, but the bridge (hanging from chains held by massive angelic statues, of all things) was free. I had no way of knowing how long that'd remain the case however, and would rather not be caught up in a battle while crossing. The blasted thing didn't even have guardrails, let alone cover to hide behind. "Come on then!" I shouted out, waving my chainsword towards the bridge mostly for show, only to find myself sprinting at the head of the crowd for fear of being trampled underfoot should I try to stop.

To my relief, the bridge was built of sterner stuff than it seemed, not even swaying from the immense weight of our group. That relief was then swiftly tossed over the edge as the ramp leading up to the other side spontaneously exploded when I was mere steps away, likely from some heretic's booby trap going off early and bursting a pipe that sent thick, choking smoke billowing out across the entire bridge while a massive, scorching promethium fire flared to life ahead of us. I lifted my coat on instinct, breathing through the thick fabric to save myself the worst of the poisonous air even as I heard the men and women around me start to cough and gasp for air they couldn't breathe, screaming out in fear and desperation.

The roar of the flame only intensified the longer it burned, the fire stretching higher and higher. Something about it set me on edge, more than I was already in any case, but I couldn't quite put my finger on why. That is, until It appeared.

At first a hazy silhouette, a shadow seemed to strut through the blazing heat, each lick of fire dancing about it as if reluctant to get in the way. Only when it passed the outer edge of the devastation did the figure resolve into view.

And it was Theodora von Valancius.

Her eyes were calm and cold as she raked her gaze across our horde of loyal crew and companions, and this time I truly was terrified by the sheer lack of regard she seemed to hold for all but herself. I wanted to jump back and hide in the crowd, but knew it'd be a waste; I stood out too much, as evident when her eyes locked on me, one hand resting on the hilt of her power sword while the other stretched out to me as if offering help despite being the one standing in the middle of an inferno.

"Are you lost, my heir?" She spoke, all other sound seeming to grow faint and muted as her voice rang with an odd and melodic quality to it... and one that I definitely had heard before. Immediately my guard was up as I steeled my mind, mentally urging Jurgen to get the frak to the front even as I glared up at her, my free hand clenching around my chainsword until my augmetic fingers creaked.

The crowd behind me split, or perhaps were simply pushed out of the way as Argenta charged back to the front, shockingly unbothered by the smoke as she raised her bolter. "An apparition... a sorcerous apparition!" She shouted in rage, aiming squarely for Theodora's head with what I'd later consider a rather worrying lack of hesitation. "Trickery of the Warp!"

"Sister, you will lower your weapon!" Abelard demanded as he followed in her wake, though his voice was far from as sure as it had been before. He too was staring at the Rogue Trader, a conflicted expression on his face as he tried to rationalise what he was seeing. "Threatening the Lord Captain is outrageous..." He trailed off, lifting his sleeve to cover his face just as I was and coughing painfully.

"You are not the Lord Captain." I declared loudly, projecting my voice through the muffling while I made sure it didn't shake in terror with long years of practice. Behind me, I heard coughing get interrupted by yelps as people were shoved aside with little care, and felt some of my fear settle at Jurgen's familiar presence. "Don't think I haven't faced your kind before, Warpspawn!"

Theodora tilted her head at me, her cold, dead eyes glinting with amusement and cruelty. "Oooh, clever one, aren't you, Ciaphas Cain~?" She crooned, laughing mockingly. "But it matters not what you think I am - what matters is what I can offer."

She leaned forwards, the fire roaring ever louder and taller in response. The way she stared felt like I was being examined by some massive reptile or avian, unblinking eyes never straying from my face despite the bolter pointed straight at her. "I can lead you out of these flames, Ciaphas Cain. Show you the path, rid you of the pain and the fear." She smiled, too wide and too sharp, teeth I didn't dare count glinting in the firelight. "I can give you the weapon you need to defeat your enemies. Decide."

Her last words thrummed in the air like a physical force, but I was unmoved. I had seen far too much of what the temptations of the warp could lead to, and was in no hurry to damn myself more than I already was.

"Hah! Foolish abomination! To think your words would ever tempt one of His holiest of Saints!" Argenta crowed in delighted fury, and seemed on the cusp of shooting the thing outright only to turn to me, seemingly not noticing how her bolter turned as well to point squarely at my chest from the motion. "Honoured Saint, if there is truly naught but Faith and His Light in your heart, then step into the flames! The Emperor protects! His faithful will not be deterred by Darkness nor deceitful promises! Nor can the fires of damnation touch those who are blessed to carry the torch of His Faith and Service!"

And there it was, the big problem with Emperor-bothering lunatics like Argenta; they had the true faith and expected everyone else to live up to their utterly ridiculous standards. Usually on pain of death by bolter-fire to the face.

Luckily for me, I had the perfect excuse not to throw myself into a near-certain, painful and fiery death.

With monumental force of will and despite fearing attack, I turned head to look away, gazing back and taking in the dozens upon dozens of loyal crewmen coughing and choking, too confused and disoriented to act and save themselves. Unbothered as always, Jurgen stepped over, past and sometimes on the fallen as he reached my side, his utterly unflinching attitude serving as a calming balm on my own terror. My tense muscles relaxed slightly as a pressure was lifted, and I glared with all my commissarial authority at whatever had taken the Rogue Trader's shape.

"Hear me, abomination! Your temptations are a pathetic, desperate display!" My declaration seemed to hit her like a punch to the gut, the haze of illusion and suggestion she'd been laying shattering like glass as her grip on us was torn away by Jurgen's blank aura. "I will not leave my people to suffer and die to the likes of you!" (3)

Then I whirled around, lifting my laspistol and firing into the air to gain attention through the noise and smoke. "Everybody off the bridge, now!" I roared to all who could hear, rushing to follow my own order and urging everyone else to follow suit. It was a mad dash back to the solid deck, but I made sure to grab the first man I saw falter ahead of me. That at least made sure he wouldn't end up tripping me up while giving me an excuse to not stop for anything else.

"The compassion of the Saint shines through!" Argenta somehow found the breath to preach as we ran, her zeal not at all lowered by how I'd gone against her expectation - though I'd rather not have to bet my life on her whims of faith and interpretation. "For thou must remember that in the darkest hour, only thine fellow man and the God-Emperor may stand with you! Let not His efforts be wasted; lift the burden you can hold, that His might shall be spared for His enemies!"

At least her preaching served to encourage the crew, as I saw others slow down to ensure as many as possible got to safety. Though that verse sounded oddly familiar and utterly unlike any other preaching I'd heard before, save perhaps some of the more radical teachings of Saint Emelia. (4)

By the time I reached solid ground again and glanced back, the figure taking Theodora's shape had disappeared entirely, leaving only the bellowing fire blocking the bridge. I doubted it was the last I saw of it though; anything and everything to do with the warp was too much of a pain in my backside to let us go unmarred that easily. They also tended to demand a certain level of gravitas before acting though, so while I'd keep a hand on my weapons at all times until it was dealt with, I was relatively safe in assuming we'd be safe for a while.

Despite that, I knew that time was against us - every second spent with the ship in the warp was one more moment where something could go horribly wrong. So, after taking a moment to ensure my mob of fanatics were in alright shape despite the smoke (they'd be no use to me if they died before the enemy after all), we set off again, forced to find another way across to avoid the bridge.

We were fortunate that Argenta seemed to have more talents than preaching, expertly planting a melta-charge to blow out the base of a massive, and hopefully only decorative, pillar that bridged the chasm, allowing us all to cross the gap in relative safety.

I also avoided questioning where Jurgen had got the charge in the first place, as always sure that I was better off not thinking about it.

In any case, by the time we finally reached the other side where we were supposed to link up with Edelthrad and whatever reinforcements he had managed to pull together, it was too late. They were long gone, likely already in the middle of an undoubtedly heroic last stand against the cultists that had taken the Command Deck.

"Too late! We're too late!" Abelard shouted in dismay, throwing his hands into the air. "Or perhaps Edelthrad and his escorts never made it here - which would be even worse!"

I could see how his mood impacted the morale of the men and women around us as they slumped along with him, their zeal for battle robbed in seconds. Fearing that would escalate exponentially, I stepped forwards swiftly to gain their attention, my own gaze locked on Abelard with a frown.

"Get yourself together, Soldier!" I barked, putting all the authority I had ever known into my voice. (5) "Wherever they are, standing around and moping isn't helping anyone! What would your Lord Captain think if she saw you giving up so easily?"

That seemed to knock him out of the depressive spiral, his spine shooting straight like a spring. "R-right, of course! The Lord Captain wouldn't let herself fall so easily!" He proclaimed, face firming into resolve once more. I let out a breath of relief at that - a senior and respected officer losing his cool like that was a bad sign at the best of times. When in front of all these men? It was a disaster in the making, one that would have me seriously questioning some of Theodora's choices in companions and compatriots.

"That's more like it!" I agreed, giving him a smile that I doubted could hide the reprimand I'd have for him had he been part of my regiment. Honestly, officers should know better than to show such open doubt and despair in front of the troops, as evident by how the crew was hesitant still, caught in that state of knowing they should agree even as doubt and fear gnawed at their soul. A state I'm all too familiar with myself actually, so I could understand it even if it was my job to shoot whoever didn't show enough courage.

Before I got the chance to speak up however, one of the men stood forwards, head held low as he hefted his lasrifle, it's sling ill-fitting on his broad shoulders. "Pardon me, sir... the men are asking for orders." He did his best to stand straighter like a proper soldier, though he struggled to hold eye-contact for long. "You... you banished the deamon; you turned it away and saved us all. Your mercy is truly as the Sister has told! We will follow you, Lord Cain, wherever you shall lead us!"

His voice gained confidence with every word, and I could just feel the headache this would all cause me as I watched the rest of them firm alongside him, imperial salutes made and prayers murmured between them. "To Damnation or Salvation, we're with you!"

Well, I certainly knew what option I would prefer. "Then we make for the Bridge! With any luck we'll be in time to turn the tide and save this ship!"

The crew let out a hearty roar of approval at that, weapons raised and ready though they had enough sense not to actually fire anything without a valid target first.

"But..." Idira suddenly spoke up, actually managing to spook me as I hadn't noticed her getting close - and no wonder; with how slowly she moved to position herself away from Jurgen, she seemed more statue than person at times despite being a volatile psyker. "But the Captain is not there." She continued, eyes sparking lightly only for her to flinch and wince as if suffering a mind-splitting headache. "I would feel her if she was so near, but... the voices are silent. Her fate does not branch as it should!"

"That is... concerning to hear." Abelard agreed hesitantly, trying now to stand strong despite his own concerns for his Captain. He glanced between me and the crew before coming to some solution.

"Commissar, we must ensure the safety of the Lord Captain. While I'm picking up faint broadcasts from here, they're all pre-recorded. It makes no sense for her not to have reached the bridge. If she's under siege in her own chambers... no. We cannot leave her behind." He looked over the crewman who had stepped forwards, making him fidget under the scrutiny. "But then, we must also reinforce the bridge..." Indecision clearly gripped him, but for this I knew what to do.

"Then we split up." I declared simply, nodding at his assessment. "The crew will go to reinforce the bridge and link up with Edelthrad if he is there, while we shall ensure the Rogue Trader is safe and able to join us for a final push." Which, coincidentally, let me avoid the first and most suicidal push while catching up with the one person that likely had access to some rather advanced and heavy weaponry to turn the tide without risking my backside.

The others agreed too, snapping off clumsy salutes around their weapons. I decided to memorise the face of the man who had spoken up; if nothing else, a commendation would be in order to boost morale once this was all done with. "As you say, Lord!" And with that, he signalled the others to follow before running off, leading the little warband towards the Bridge.

Abelard watched them go with something like pride in his eyes, before turning to me again and gesturing down the other way. "We can use the same bridge Theodora and Mort used earlier - it's close by and leads straight to her Chambers."

And so we went off, once more diving into the depths of the ship in hope of some good news.

The personal chambers of the Rogue Trader were pretty much exactly what I'd have expected. The elevator dropped us of in a massive entrance hall; a ceiling that stretched tens of meters above us, carpets and decorations covering near every surface, and displays of ludicrous wealth shown wherever we looked.

Even despite that, I could appreciate that Theodora had style; her wealth was displayed more subtly than most nobles I'd known, as they tended to simply slap as much gold in your face as possible. By comparison, Theodora's decorations were likely leagues more expensive than even the Planetary Governors I'd had the displeasure of visiting without making gaudy. She had massive xeno's beast-skulls mounted on the walls, exotic plants from across the galaxy and artefacts of both human and xenos origin on stands all around - a collection that would probably have an Inquisitor throw a hissy-fit if they saw it and weren't held back by the Trader's Emperor-given free pass. (6)

None of that could distract from the oppressive silence that filled the space however. It set us all on edge, Abelard especially as he moved to the front with speed that made his anxiousness obvious.

At the end of the hall was a left turn, leading to an equally ludicrously sized and decorated room. The sheer lack of noise even from our group was almost deafening, up until we spotted the bodies.

Across from the entrance was Mort, Theodora's Arch Militant slumped against a bulkhead and sitting in a pool of his own blood, his arms clutching one of his many weapons even in death. It took only a glance to the right to find the Rogue Trader herself; slumped forwards, lying limp on her own bloodstained desk set right in front of a large (and thankfully still void-sealed and covered) window.

"Emperor, accept Thy faithful souls..." Argenta started to mutter a prayer, glancing between the corpses with eerie calm before looking down and away, making the sign of the Aquila across her chest.

Idira's reaction, on the other hand, was far from that controlled.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" She screamed with heart-rending sorrow, a psychic shock-wave rippling out from her that shook the walls and made anyone not standing close to Jurgen stumble away from her. She collapsed to her knees, unable to move closer as she stared blankly in dismay at her fallen Captain. "I... Lord Captain, I didn't hear! I didn't hear a thing!" She cried, tears starting to stream down her face, every other word joined by a sob. "It was so loud! Why-why I didn't I foresee this!?"

I moved to stand just a bit further behind Jurgen, fearing the psyker would loose all control and lash out uncontrollably. The movement evidently caught her attention as her face whirled around to face us - to face Jurgen - as she suddenly glared with unholy rage. "YOU!" She accused with a shaking hand. "You block my sight - you kept me from seeing, from SAVING the Lord Captain!"

My hand drifted closer to my laspistol, that at least hidden behind Jurgen's bulk, but in the end I didn't have to draw on the psyker as her rage shifted like the wind, making her fall right back down to mumble about her own failures. "Keep an eye on her, but stay out of range." I murmured to Jurgen as I passed him, receiving a confused but dutiful nod in return.

I moved to join Abelard by the desk, the greying man staring at his Captain while leaning heavily on the desk, his legs seeming far too shaky to bear his weight properly. "Lord Captain... who would even dare- unless... that rat, Voigtvir!" The accusation, putting a target on the tragedy, at least brought him some strength to stand again and examine the scene for clues.

"How could Mort have failed her so terribly? The Arch-Militant was born on a death-world, he served in the Guard! To beat out his lightning-fast reflexes... Voigtvir must have taken them by utter surprise to have even a chance."

I examined Theodora's body, moving carefully around the desk. In truth, there wasn't much to examine; she was seated in her chair, her expression frozen in shock. Clearly she hadn't seen the attack coming - a Bolter-shell straight to the heart, the kind of accuracy a Heavy-weapons Squad Leader would only dream of. She wouldn't even have time to process the pain before her body gave out.

A glance towards Mort told the same story - his death had been just as swift if not more, as the shot had blown open the top of his skull. A single, clean headshot had been his end.

"I... I can look at things." Idira spoke up again, voice shaky and wet even as she stood on weak legs and hobbled over. "In my own way. If you find... something that might bear the imprint of the killer... just give it to me, and I'll try to see what secrets it holds!"

It seemed as if she was driven purely by the motivation to find her Captain's murderer, and considering that telling her no brought the risk of enraging her even more, I decided not to protest. It was similar to abilities I'd seen other sanctioned psykers use, much as I'd prefer not to see them, most notably from Amberley's own Retinue. (7)

As I lean closer to Theodora's body, hoping to spot something that would give us an indication of who did this - and I seriously doubted slim, slimy little Voigtvir would have the strength or accuracy to make these shots with a bolter - I finally spotted something among the blood-spattered parchments and scrolls littering the desk; shards of glass, seeming to have been blown off the desk and laying out on the floor to it's side.

What they had come from was impossible to tell, the pieces shattered beyond repair or recognition. They did have a peculiar iridescent look to them, as if each surface had a thin layer of promethium over it. "Would these be enough?" I asked Idira, gesturing to the shards as I stepped back from, signalling Jurgen to get just a bit more distance from her as she walked over and crouched down in the mess.

Idira clearly had no concern about what the pieces were from, scooping up a handful only to close her hand around them so hard I could see blood begin to trickle from her clenched fist. "I see... streaks of colour, luminescence, blue lights... faces... drawing closer... Lady Theodora and... Kunrad, and... what is that?" She whispered beneath her breath, her hand clenching harder only for her to fling the pieces away from her with a cry of pain and shock. "AH! S-something dark! Enormous... Oh, Ciaphas Cain, this glass thing was something foul, that's for sure!"

"Tainted witchcraft..." I heard Argenta growl, hands on her bolter. It was unclear whether she meant Idira or the glass shards. I'd wager both, and couldn't really blame her much for it. People cursed with touching the warp directly were a sorry lot at the best of times, and even with decades of experience and having met everything from Navigators to Astartes Librarians, I still couldn't silence the animal instinct in the back of my brain that whimpered and wanted to get as far away from the witch as possible.

The fact said instinct often kept me alive made up for the chronic paranoia it also caused.

In an attempt not to show how I was cringing at the proximity to near-certainly tainted, if broken, chaos artifacts, I glanced over the desk again only to stop dead as a very particular seal caught my eyes. "Oh, by the throne..." I murmured with a grimace as a shiver went down my spine, my hand slowly sifting through the documents on Theodora's desk to pick out one specific letter. One that had been sealed with the unmistakable seal of the Inquisition.

I've had plenty more experience with the Emperors dedicated Witch-Hunters than most, and rather more than I could really recommend when not relating to certain friends of mine(8), so there was no doubt in my mind that I had just stumbled across the political equivalent of a Grox-herder's refuse pit.

"Jurgen, keep this safe." I muttered lowly as I left the desk and walked past him, handing over the letter only for it to vanish into one of the dozens of pockets littering his uniform and kit. I didn't bother reading the letter properly, both because there were other more pressing matters at hand than whatever laundry the late Rogue Trader had gotten up to, and because I'm rather familiar with the Inquisition's usual definition of OPS. (9)

"There's not much more we can do here." I declared, glancing back at the others. Abelard was still at Theodora's side, Idira similarly seeming reluctant to move. Argenta stood away from them, her expression locked and unreadable. "Whoever did this was too fast for both Lady Theodora and Mort to deal with - and they're still out there."

That got Idira lurching into motion, swaying on her feet like a guardsman freshly off of shore-leave. "Then lets go get the damned bastard!" She demanded, voice still shaking with a mix of rage and grief. "I'll not let the Lord Captain's murderer go about their days, thinking they got away like a pathetic thief in the night. I'll make them regret the day they were born!"

It was a more personal rallying cry than anything I'd have made up, especially if I'd had time to prepare beforehand, but at least it did the job of getting the others into action. So, trying to put off the fears of whatever inquisitorial and heretical mess I would have to uncover in the future, I lead the way back to the elevator.

It was time to see what shape the bridge was in, and whether or not we were utterly frakked.

1. A duty that Cain could spent quite a long time complaining about. Multiple hours in fact, if the offence was suitably idiotic.

2. As usual, Cain holds to the usual disregard for the training of anyone not in the Guard that others in the Astra Militarum hold to. In actuality, we can safely assume that the House Guard employed by a Rogue Trader of Theodora's standing would be significantly better trained than most PDF forces. Whether that would match the regiments in the Astra Militorum may be in question, but it would be far from impossible. Though given the mention of regular crew mixed in with the soldiers, perhaps the 'true' forces were simply tied up elsewhere.

3. While this would seem an incredible act of hubris or faith from another, I feel justified in thinking this is an accurate retelling on Cain's part. He's certainly faced the Great Enemy on enough occasions to be somewhat resistant to the lesser temptations and to recognise them on sight. Even still, it's an impressive showing of the willpower that Ciaphas rarely if ever truly credits himself for.

4. A notable favourite of Cain's since his time at the Schola, Saint Emilia is known for her teachings of mercy, love and charity - teachings that Cain drew on often in his career, justifying it as the best way to keep his men from shooting him in the back. For 'some' reason, the teachings of Cain's own cult largely mirror hers.

5. And that's quite a lot, as it turns out. During his career to that point, Cain had commanded authority over anything from squads, to regiments, to battalions and entire battlegroups and, on a few rare occasions, even the respect of Astartes; an authority all on it's own, even if he didn't have direct command over them.

6. While I would never insinuate that any of His Holy Inquisition would do anything so disgraceful as throwing a 'hissy fit', this is nonetheless a rather accurate description.

7. A mistake in vocabulary here. Rogue Traders have ____, while Inquisitors have Staff. Well, usually at least - it depends on how you define staff, and what it means to be 'hired'. Honestly, considering all the time we spent together, Cain should know this already.

8. Aha. Certain Friends, is it, Cain?

9. OPS - Operation Security, an example of the Guard's obsession with TLA, or Three-letter-acronyms. Though here, it's much more common to simply use Op-Sec. Whether Cain's choice is made from habit, being immersed in the culture of the Guard, or simply because he enjoys being annoying shall be left up to reader interpretation.

Author's note: Not 100% happy with this honestly, but I can't quite identify what my issue is. Was going to keep going and finish the events on the ship, but have decided to make the Bridge it's own chapter and move on from there to finish the "pre-prologue". If I suddenly find out what feels bad here I might come back and fix it, but as of now I just need to post it so I can focus properly on the next parts of the story instead of bashing my head against the wall.

Ciaphas Cain: Hero of the Koronus Expanse

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