Bleeding Out: A Custodian's Story (Warhammer High) - Revision history

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2023-06-18T00:04:05Z

8 revisions imported

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1d4chan>Someone else.: /* The High Lords of Terra */

2019-01-08T00:34:47Z

The High Lords of Terra

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:34, 8 January 2019
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	“Pomerium.” Quadriga called back. That instant they stood down and waved the party forwards.		“Pomerium.” Quadriga called back. That instant they stood down and waved the party forwards.

	“Do they have to do that?” Skuratova asked. “We’ve been through at least three layers of security already. They should know we are friendly at this point.”		“Do they have to do that?” Skuratova asked. “We’ve been through at least three layers of security already. They should know we are friendly at this point.”

1d4chan>Someone else.: /* Future Plans */

2019-01-07T04:39:58Z

Future Plans

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:39, 7 January 2019
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	Skuratova set the dataslab down, then fixed Quadriga a foul stare. “You seem to forget that myself and the men and women under my command are only mortal. We do not have the legendary vigilance of the Legiones Custodes. We need to take breaks, rest ourselves.”		Skuratova set the dataslab down, then fixed Quadriga a foul stare. “You seem to forget that myself and the men and women under my command are only mortal. We do not have the legendary vigilance of the Legiones Custodes. We need to take breaks, rest ourselves.”

	“And why the Emperor entrusted the security of the Subjects to mere mortals will always confuse me. Your weaknesses have already been exposed on several occasions.”		“And why the Emperor entrusted the security of the Subjects to mere mortals will always confuse me. Your weaknesses have already been exposed on several occasions.”

1d4chan>Ahriman's Aide: /* The Subjects */

2019-01-07T03:36:57Z

The Subjects

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1d4chan>Ahriman's Aide: /* To the Palace Depths */

2019-01-07T03:29:36Z

To the Palace Depths

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	Skuratova bid goodbye to the Provost Marshall and joined Quadriga as they went back to the surface. Once they were far enough, Skuratova cut loose a long-suppressed snarl, part rage, part frustration. “I knew this was going to be bad, but not this bad. The Administratum are out for blood now. I can’t have an enemy at my back as well as ones in front of me.”		Skuratova bid goodbye to the Provost Marshall and joined Quadriga as they went back to the surface. Once they were far enough, Skuratova cut loose a long-suppressed snarl, part rage, part frustration. “I knew this was going to be bad, but not this bad. The Administratum are out for blood now. I can’t have an enemy at my back as well as ones in front of me.”

	“We can address their concerns at a later date. Right now, we have to deal with the subjects.”		“We can address their concerns at a later date. Right now, we have to deal with the subjects.”

	Skuratova shot him a glare. “I would ask you not to refer to them as such to their faces, Shield-Captain.” She put her head in her hands. “How many times to I have to tell you this before it will penetrate that auramite helmet of yours?”		Skuratova shot him a glare. “I would ask you not to refer to them as such to their faces, Shield-Captain.” She put her head in her hands. “How many times to I have to tell you this before it will penetrate that auramite helmet of yours?”

1d4chan>Ahriman's Aide: /* To the Palace Depths */

2019-01-07T03:29:15Z

To the Palace Depths

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1d4chan>Ahriman's Aide: /* A Summons to the Palace */

2019-01-07T03:21:59Z

A Summons to the Palace

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1d4chan>Ahriman's Aide: /* Shots Fired */

2019-01-07T03:12:45Z

Shots Fired

1d4chan>Ahriman's Aide: Created page with "{{Story}} A story from the Warhammer High Universe. This is a spinoff to Bleeding Out, and is best read alongside the first chapters of the..."

2019-01-07T03:07:15Z

Created page with "{{Story}} A story from the Warhammer High Universe. This is a spinoff to Bleeding Out, and is best read alongside the first chapters of the..."

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← Older revision		Revision as of 03:12, 7 January 2019
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	“Well, excuse me for not being on the same level as a Custodian.” Carver spat. “Excuse me for not having two hearts, four lungs or whatever else is inside that body of yours. I am merely human, and I did everything a mere human could do to prevent this.” She cursed audibly. “Nothing you say will hurt as much as what I know is being said even now. All the blame, all the recriminations, all of it will be laid on my head.” She held her head in her hands. “If she…if she doesn’t make it, then I’ll have to live with that, if I even live long enough. Maybe that damned sniper should have finished me as well.”		“Well, excuse me for not being on the same level as a Custodian.” Carver spat. “Excuse me for not having two hearts, four lungs or whatever else is inside that body of yours. I am merely human, and I did everything a mere human could do to prevent this.” She cursed audibly. “Nothing you say will hurt as much as what I know is being said even now. All the blame, all the recriminations, all of it will be laid on my head.” She held her head in her hands. “If she…if she doesn’t make it, then I’ll have to live with that, if I even live long enough. Maybe that damned sniper should have finished me as well.”

	“Are you certain?” Quadriga asked her.		“Are you certain?” Quadriga asked her.

	“What?” her head tilted to face him, her eyes wide.		“What?” her head tilted to face him, her eyes wide.

	Quadriga drew his Misericorda. “If you wish it, I can give you that end. I can ensure that you will not have to face hostile politicians or a hostile public. I can give you peace.”		Quadriga drew his Misericorda. “If you wish it, I can give you that end. I can ensure that you will not have to face hostile politicians or a hostile public. I can give you peace.”

	“What? No!” Carver stumbled back. “I didn’t mean it that literally dammit!”		“What? No!” Carver stumbled back. “I didn’t mean it that literally dammit!”

	“As you wish.” Quadriga sheathed his Misericorda.		“As you wish.” Quadriga sheathed his Misericorda.

	Carver shook her head wildly. “You Custodians are way too literal.”		Carver shook her head wildly. “You Custodians are way too literal.”

	“Better to be literal than to hide your words behind falsehoods.” Quadriga answered. “And they will spin falsehoods about you and your conduct today. That’s why I need to know, so that Skuratova can work out the best way to shield you from what is to come.”		“Better to be literal than to hide your words behind falsehoods.” Quadriga answered. “And they will spin falsehoods about you and your conduct today. That’s why I need to know, so that Skuratova can work out the best way to shield you from what is to come.”

	“Skuratova would be better off dismissing me.” Carver’s voice was soft and sour once again. “I am a liability to the Treasury now. Why waste time trying to defend me?”		“Skuratova would be better off dismissing me.” Carver’s voice was soft and sour once again. “I am a liability to the Treasury now. Why waste time trying to defend me?”

	Quadriga did not hesitate or pause. “Because Skuratova can see herself in you. Because you are a professional who did their best, even when it turned out that was just not enough. Because you are respected throughout the Treasury. Because they take care of their own, no matter what.”		Quadriga did not hesitate or pause. “Because Skuratova can see herself in you. Because you are a professional who did their best, even when it turned out that was just not enough. Because you are respected throughout the Treasury. Because they take care of their own, no matter what.”

	He rested a single finger from his gauntlet on her shoulder.		He rested a single finger from his gauntlet on her shoulder.

	“There are things no-one can forsee. We all planned in case this day would happen, and from what I’ve been told and what you’ve just told me, your conduct in the crisis was exemplary.”		“There are things no-one can forsee. We all planned in case this day would happen, and from what I’ve been told and what you’ve just told me, your conduct in the crisis was exemplary.”

	“But you just said…”		“But you just said…”

	“There are many reasons the Emperor placed the security of the Subjects in your hands, and not those of mine and my ilk. There are things your kind can do that we, for all our prowess, cannot.”		“There are many reasons the Emperor placed the security of the Subjects in your hands, and not those of mine and my ilk. There are things your kind can do that we, for all our prowess, cannot.”

	She blinked, clearly confused. Quadriga pressed on. “You will not be made into a sacrifice because you were the one on duty, any more than we would sacrifice Witold if it had been Subject XVI and not XIV under the bullet. Loyalty is one of the strongest currencies in this universe, and the Treasury is loyal to its own.”		She blinked, clearly confused. Quadriga pressed on. “You will not be made into a sacrifice because you were the one on duty, any more than we would sacrifice Witold if it had been Subject XVI and not XIV under the bullet. Loyalty is one of the strongest currencies in this universe, and the Treasury is loyal to its own.”

	For the first time Quadriga could see a spark of something in Carver’s eyes. The dismal failure was still there. But the smallest spark of hope had been added. It was time to fan that spark into a flame.		For the first time Quadriga could see a spark of something in Carver’s eyes. The dismal failure was still there. But the smallest spark of hope had been added. It was time to fan that spark into a flame.

	“You have nothing to worry about. If Subject XIV fails to make it, then we will burn that bridge as we come to it. I have long had plans in case a Subject should fall under our watch.”		“You have nothing to worry about. If Subject XIV fails to make it, then we will burn that bridge as we come to it. I have long had plans in case a Subject should fall under our watch.”

	“You’ve planned for a Daughter’s death?” Carver exclaimed.		“You’ve planned for a Daughter’s death?” Carver exclaimed.

	Quadriga’s reply was blunt and direct. “Yes.” He said. “Just as I know the Emperor and the Captain-General had plans in case a Primarch should die fighting the Crusade. We plan for everything. It’s what we do as Custodians. Most of the Treasury’s emergency protocols were written by myself in cooperation with Skuratova.”		Quadriga’s reply was blunt and direct. “Yes.” He said. “Just as I know the Emperor and the Captain-General had plans in case a Primarch should die fighting the Crusade. We plan for everything. It’s what we do as Custodians. Most of the Treasury’s emergency protocols were written by myself in cooperation with Skuratova.”

	“We have plans already in place for what will come next. Trust that Skuratova will do all she can for your sakes, and the sakes of those under you. The public, the Council of Terra, the politicians, all of them we have accounted for. You will not be left to their mercy.”		“We have plans already in place for what will come next. Trust that Skuratova will do all she can for your sakes, and the sakes of those under you. The public, the Council of Terra, the politicians, all of them we have accounted for. You will not be left to their mercy.”

	Quadriga turned and gestured to a nearby Valkyrie with his spear. “As commanding officer here, I hereby dismiss you. Go home. Get some rest. Know that whatever happens next, you did all you could. Maybe if my brothers and I were here we could have prevented this, perhaps not. Either way, you were here, and you did all you could. There is honour in that.”		Quadriga turned and gestured to a nearby Valkyrie with his spear. “As commanding officer here, I hereby dismiss you. Go home. Get some rest. Know that whatever happens next, you did all you could. Maybe if my brothers and I were here we could have prevented this, perhaps not. Either way, you were here, and you did all you could. There is honour in that.”

	“Honoured Custodian.” Carver threw him another, more sharp salute and strode over to the others to call for a transport. Quadriga watched her go for a second, and then turned back to the tasks at hand. Her day might be over, but his was only just beginning.		“Honoured Custodian.” Carver threw him another, more sharp salute and strode over to the others to call for a transport. Quadriga watched her go for a second, and then turned back to the tasks at hand. Her day might be over, but his was only just beginning.

			=== A Summons to the Palace ===

	The distant glint of an approaching aircraft silhouetted against the growing darkness of the night sky caught Quadriga’s eye. The daylight sky might still be more brown than blue despite centuries of geo-engineering to reverse the effects of Old Night, but the night was still black.		The distant glint of an approaching aircraft silhouetted against the growing darkness of the night sky caught Quadriga’s eye. The daylight sky might still be more brown than blue despite centuries of geo-engineering to reverse the effects of Old Night, but the night was still black.