Editing Bleeding Out: A Custodian's Story (Warhammer High) (section)

=== Custodian Guards ===

The ground was set. Skuratova gave a curt nod aimed past the daughters. Quadirga gave the slightest twitch of his helmet in response.

He banged the floor with his spear twice, the hollow thumps sounding like distant shellfire. In an almost comical fashion seventeen heads all snapped over to him. In a flash of microexpressions Quadriga was almost amused to note a few faces showing surprise at his presence. They rarely if ever saw their hidden guard, and when they did few were ever sure how to speak with him’. He was not some Treasury Guard who could be ordered around. He answered to none of their kind. No Primarch, no Daughter could command him.

“Honoured Custodian Quadriga, do you have something to add?” Skuratova called over.

“Yes I do.” He boomed, a complete opposite to the soft touch Skuratova had given. “Director-General, Sub…Ladies.” Quadriga just caught himself in time. “Earlier today we met with members of the Council of Terra. The topic of your future security was one of those we discussed.”

His voice filled the room like crashing thunder.

Now to lay it upon them. “For the short term your security details will act as normal and continue to be handled by the Treasury, however each detail will be augmented by a single member of the Ten Thousand, there to advise and react in case of latent security threats.”

The room was sharply divided in an instant. Some Subjects gave no outward reaction to the news that soon they would have a nine-foot-high gold-armoured superhuman keeping a watchful eye over them. Some showed instant anger or annoyance, Subject III and XII foremost among those. Others like Subjects IV and XVII showed relief instead.

Subject XIII raised a slender hand, and before he could react began speaking. “Honoured Custodian, the reports suggest the alert seems to be dying down. If that’s true, why do we need the additional security?”

Quadriga was not surprised she had deduced that news for herself, even though the lowering of the alert level was not yet publicly known.

“Surely the answer should be perfectly obvious to you,” Quadriga addressed her like a teacher would a pupil. “We don’t know that for certain. Your security has already failed once before,” Skuratova shot him a foul look in reply. “And we cannot rely on what was being done before. Not anymore.”

Skuratova was not the only one now wearing an expression of thunderous fury. There was no prize for guessing right who the other one was.

“And exactly how,” Subject XII nearly spat, “are we supposed to be able to do anything with a golden monster following our every footstep?”

The implied disrespect towards his fellow Custodians annoyed Quadriga. But it also gave him a chance to put her in her place. “You clearly know nothing of the Blood Games or any of our abilities if you would denigrate the skills of the Custodians in such a way, Subject Twelve.”

That instant he knew he’d crossed a line. The honour of the Ten Thousand did not mean such treatment of a young woman who could clearly not think straight. 

“My name,” she hissed, “is Furia.”

He could not back down now, even with his mistake. He had to assert his authority over them.

“Your name,” Quadriga corrected, “Is irrelevant.”

There was stark silence for a second. Then a voice piped up. “Honoured Custodian, that is a rather rude thing to say.” Subject XVI addressed him directly, her own invocation of her authority as a shield for the others.

“Still, that is the truth. You all are subjects of my protection. That is all that matters. Who you are, what you are, none of it means a thing. I treat you the same as I treat any under my protection, including the Emperor himself.”

“You don’t give us the same respect though.” Subject III shot at him.

“You have never proven yourselves worthy of such respect.” Quadriga fired back. “And right now your respect means nothing next to your safety. I’d rather you were protected then respected. You can’t earn respect if you are dead.”

Silence greeted him. None of the Subjects could argue with that. His point had been made.

“Director-General Skuratova has the details, and she will brief you on them and take any questions you have.” Quadriga stated. “She will also address any concerns you may have. We are committed to ensuring your security without infringing on the freedom you have enjoyed, even if belts will need to be tightened in the wake of these unfortunate events. Ladies.” With a nod, he turned and strode from the room. He could feel the glares shot at him as he withdrew, including one he knew came from Skuratova herself.

[[Category:Warhammer High]][[Category:Stories]]