Editing The Tales of the Emperasque: Part Seven (section)

==3-028-001-M42==
Gabriel Angelos, Master of the Blood Ravens, sat on a sandbag just outside the outermost walls of Kasr Vortiga, stewing in his own misery. His stomach felt like it was curling in on itself, and he honestly couldn’t keep his hands from shaking even by gripping them on one another. He tried wondering what would happen, but quickly abandoned the process, finding speculation useless. He tried praying, but immediately recognized it: his God-Emperor was judging him directly, what good was prayer?

After nearly three hours, the Emperor appeared out of midair before him, the shockwave nearly knocking him backward, though his augmented inner ear allowed him to keep his balance. He immediately cast his gaze to the ground, apprehensive in the extreme.

“CHAPTER MASTER ANGELOS. THE STORY BJORN TOLD ME IS SOMEWHAT DISTURBING,” the Emperor said. Angelos waited long enough to know that he was finished speaking before levering himself up off the sandbag, then kneeling before the gigantic Emperor.

“I know. It is factual,” he said, his voice dulled by resignation and nerves.

“YES. HE’S TOLD ME A LOT. SPECIFICALLY, HE’S TOLD ME THAT YOUR CHAPTER HELPS ITSELF TO ALL MANNER OF INTERESTING WARGEAR, LEFT BEHIND AFTER BATTLES. DO YOU REALLY HAVE A SUIT OF CUSTODES ARMOR SALVAGED FROM THE HORUS HERESY-ERA WARSHIP YOU CAPTURED FROM THE WORD BEARERS?”

“Well…yes, my Lord God. The Traitors hadn’t found it, somehow, it was jammed into the bulkhead in the abandoned core of the ship,” Angelos said, his stomach knotting even more.

“FASCINATING, REALLY, NOW LISTEN UP.” The Emperor’s tone grew dark, and Angelos felt the hair on his neck stand on end. He couldn’t resist tilting his head back and looking at the Emperor’s face.

He needn’t have bothered; its utterly alien features were impossible to read. “CHAPTER MASTER ANGELOS, I HAVE ALLOWED THE BLOOD RAVENS A GREAT DEAL OF LATITUDE. YOU HAVE ALL MANNER OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT DEVIATE FROM THE CODEX ASTARTES, THOUGH CERTAINLY THAT IN AND OF ITSELF ISN’T A PROBLEM. WHAT I DO FIND PROBLEMATIC IS THE CREATION OF ROLES LIKE THE SECRET MASTERS AND THE PSYKANA, WHICH GO AGAINST THE RULES I ESTABLISHED AT NICAEA. YOUR LIBRARIANS HAVE DONE QUITE WELL OVER THE YEARS, PREVENTING FULL-SCALE DAEMONIC INCURSIONS, HERESIES, AND XENOS INVASIONS. HOWEVER, FOR EVERY TRIUMPH, YOU BRING RUIN ELSEWHERE.

“YOUR THIRD COMPANY CHIEF LIBRARIAN TURNS TO CHAOS, YOU KILL GUARDSMEN FOR DOING THEIR JOBS, YOUR CHAPTER MASTER HIMSELF MERGED WITH A GREATER DAEMON. ALL ARE THINGS WHICH YOU, PERSONALLY, GABRIEL ANGELOS, ARE NOT TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, BUT THE PRACTICE OF STEALING FROM OTHER CHAPTERS LIKE A FLOCK OF MAGPIES IS THE LAST STRAW.”

Angelos squeezed his eyes shut and let his head hang in shame. “I understand, my Lord God. By what means shall I atone?”

“FOR NOW, I AM BINDING YOU TO THE DEATHWATCH,” the Emperor said, shocking Angelos into raising his head again. “THERE YOU WILL SERVE, ANONYMOUSLY, PROTECTING THE GALAXY FROM THE THREAT OF THE GLASIANS UNTIL THE BLUE DAGGERS FIND YOUR USE HAS EXPIRED. I WILL DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH YOU AFTER THAT.”

Angelos recovered quickly. “Blessed Emperor, I thank you truly. I will never falter in the defense of the Eastern Fringe from the foul xenos menace!” he declared, elated. He was to be forgiven!

“NOT SO FAST, ANGELOS. YOUR OWN RECORD OF SERVICE, THE STRENGTH OF YOUR OWN ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND BJORN’S TRUST MEAN A LOT, FOR YOU, BUT YOUR ENTIRE CHAPTER IS SKIRTING DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO HERESY WITH THEIR COLLECTION OF SORCEROUS KNOWLEDGE AND RELICS.”

Angelos found his elation dying right back down. “My Emperor, only ever have we served the Imperium, loyally and capably.”

“WHEN YOU’RE NOT TURNING TO CHAOS, STEALING FROM YOUR BROTHERS, KILLING IMPERIAL GUARD, AND USING SORCEROUS WEAPONS. DON’T PATRONIZE ME, SPACE MARINE,” the Emperor roared dismissively.

Angelos felt his temper flare at the blanket condemnation, but wisely held it in check. “My Emperor, I-”

“MY MIND’S MADE UP, ANGELOS,” the Emperor roared. “YOUR OWN PERSONAL CONDUCT IS BOTH EXEMPLARY AND UNPARDONABLE, AND THAT OF YOUR CHAPTER IS BOTH HEROIC AND APPALLING. I AM NOT GOING TO HAVE YOUR CHAPTER DISSOLVED, BUT KNOW THIS: EVEN ONE MORE INFRACTION FROM THEM – ONE MORE MEANINGLESS KILLING OF GUARDSMEN OR SORORITAS, ONE THEFT FROM OTHER CHAPTERS, ONE MORE LIBRARIAN FALLING TO CHAOS; AND YOUR CHAPTER WILL BE GENE-HARVESTED AND DECLARED DEAD. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?”

“Completely,” the Chapter Master said, bowing his head once more. “I shall inform my battle brothers, before I depart. To where shall I go?”

“VOID PLATFORM SIGMA OCTAN, CHAPTER MASTER,” the Emperor said, somewhat surprised by Angelos’ lack of protest. “THEY WILL EXPECT YOUR ARRIVAL. DISMISSED.” The Emperor vanished without another word.

''Continued in [[The Tales of the Emperasque: Part Eight]].
[[Category:The Tales of the Emperasque]]