This is fan fiction and is unofficial and in no way associated with Games Workshop Limited

Chapter 5: To hell and back

It had been over three days of moving though the nightmare that was the under dark. Sharue had been following Issa the whole time and keeping quiet for the most part. Issa had explained a bit about Psykers, which seemed odd that she would know so much about them.

It scared her to be honest, to have some power that others wanted to kill you over. The fox quietly wondering if Rose or any of the others knew? Had she been born with it? Why did so many want to kill her over it?

All questions she had brought up with Issa who was slow to give full answers. Sharue still didn’t trust her and Issa seemed to expect it. She summed it up like this, a Psyker is some one that could manifest their power in whatever way they wanted. Some brought fireballs into life. Others could freeze and others could bring monsters into the world. The possibilities were endless Issa had said but was very vague on details of how to use said powers.

If there was one thing Sharue was good at it was common sense and one thing she knew is that something like that always comes at a price.

Though it was interesting to get a lesson on history and hear what Issa had to say. About how in the old days of man, before the races were born and humans ruled the lands unopposed from xeno races in the lands they owned. Humanity had always had psykers, from shamans to witches and some were worshiped some were feared.

Magic is what they called it back then and today its sorcery.

Shaking her head Sharue had to think of the here and now. It has been rough going through the under dark. The fact that the land scape was dead set on killing them as well as they did pass a few of the locals in their days of travel.

Horrid mutated souls that looked tormented. Insanity ran ramped with them as they howled and beat on each other, one dyeing and becoming a feast that the others partook on with quite a bit of vigor.

“Do you know where to go?”

Sharue asked quietly not wanting her voice echo through the void. The darkness was oppressive when Issa had to turn her lamps off when voices reached them or they took breaks to catch their breath.

“No, but as long as we keep going up we should be able to eventually find an old hatch. I’m hoping that my men send down a drone some time to get coms back up if Benal has left.”

A tone of regret was hinted in her voice, Sharue not knowing that Issa had ordered her men to stand down like Banal ordered and was regretting not telling them to come back later for her.

“We will need to find more water and food soon.”

Sharue said and Issa nodded “Something that won’t kill us instantly or turn us into monsters would be best.”

Issa was trying to make a joke but the problem was that it rang true. They had found some water but when Issa kicked a chunk of metal in it, they quickly decided to pass it up as the metal bubbled and boiled popping madly as if the water was acid.

Issa had a purifier that helped but even then it only made so much. It was surprisingly hot this far down and many of the pipes still pumped steam and other materials from deep in the ground up. Though Issa also said that they were so deep in the ground that the moons natural magma core made it this warm.

The collie also added that it was rumored that there was another level under the under dark that was a slave mines. That penal colony lived and died working the massive machines that ran the hive city where those who have committed heresy was put to use giving back to the society that gave them everything.

Sharue had snorted at that thinking of what she had to do to stay alive as well as how the upper hivers lived. Though it did point home that others had it worse than her ilk.

The way Issa had added that last term made Sharue scowl a little bit at her tone. She got a feeling that Issa looked down on under hivers but she also had said that under hivers were a key resource. Another term that made Sharue a bit cautious but to be honest Issa also knew more about the under dark then her as well as the fact that she had proven it several times warning or moving them out of danger.

In all honesty Sharue was scared and Issa was the only other soul that she was able to decently trust. She did save her from Banal and she has saved her a few times from things of the under dark.

“There is a hatch here help me open it.”

Sharue moved up to help put her shoulder into it helping move the rusty hatch till it cracked open a bit. Light flooded the area making both of the female’s blink and back up a little bit. It was light from lamps.

“Did we find the lower hive?”

Issa shook her head “We have gone a good bit but we should be nowhere near the under hive.” The collie twisting her body about to try to peek through the crack in the hatch. Seeing no one about she moved the hatch open more before looking through left and right.

Sharue didn’t like it seeing lights was sign of others and if they were not near the under hive then she sure in heck didn’t want to bump into any one living down here.
“Should we go around?”

Issa shrugged a little bit pulling back “Depends, we need water as well as some food, they may know how to get to the lower hive to. The under dark isn’t a hell that only monsters live in just very dangerous.”

She was right and to be honest Sharue suspected that Issa was injured more then what she was letting on. Her steps had been faltering a bit more as of late and she was favoring her right side a bit.

Issa watched Sharue look undeceive and huffed to herself. It was bad enough having to slog through the under dark but her armors meds had run out and her injuries were starting to ware on her. If there was a chance that she could get ahold of a com unit or just something to get ahold of her men she would get out of this situation a lot faster.

“Look we need to get supplies and frankly were out of options.” The collie pushing through into the hallway with a huff.

Issa had to be careful too making sure that none of her inquisitorial icons were viewable. She took care to keep them hidden from Sharue but these folk are constantly hunted by the guard and inquisitors and she was sure that they would not welcome her kind. It was bad enough that they reeked of the imperium which these wretches loathed due to being banished down into this hell hole.

It took a little bit before she saw Sharue peek her head in and slip in. It was ironic to be tossed into this situation after waiting so long to get to her. Now that she has the vixen she is stuck in this situation. She was a filthy ganger, and a little bit submissive and young making her easy to manipulate. Though she still had a great body and was strong willed on things she felt strongly about like going to get her friend.

Issa groaned to herself thinking of Eric and Emma, two others she will have to deal with and smuggle off the planet. She needed them to keep the fox stable while she tried to get her to a spot where she could be trained and prepped for what she needed.
“I hope they have a com unit…”

Issa still had her bolt pistol as well as her needler for weapons. About four mag’s each though so it’s not like she could hold off an invasion.

“I hear someone” Sharue whispered nodding down the hallway.

She was right as Issa could hear it as well. It was a grunting shuffling sound coming their way.
The creature was at one point a wolf, maybe that is. He was so mutated that Issa could only look on in revulsion fighting the urge to not just pull out her bolter and giving the wretched thing emperors grace. Though she was sure this creature didn’t deserve a swift death.

“Feeeeeeemales.”

It gurgled making Sharue jump a little bit.

“Feeeemales you are eeeeeeexpected.”

It wheezed out shuffling to a stop. Its left eye was acid burned and healed over leaving part of its jaw showing. It had to many mouths and not enough jaws. Two other arms stuck out of its hips hanging uselessly as it took another shuffle.

“Master Cruzeeeeee expects feeeeeeemales.”

Issa pulled her bolter cocking an eyebrow. “And how did your master know that we were coming? Also why would we wish to meet him?”

The mutant gurgled a little bit “Heeeeeee has others watching your fall. Can feeeeeeel poweeeer.”
Issa frowned a little bit thinking that over. Looking at Sharue she knew if it was another psyker that could sense her that could be very dangerous. He would try to take her for himself probably or kill her and try to absorb her.

“I don’t think we will be taking that offer, mutant.”

Raising her bolter to shoot, he gurgled “Inquisitor should not jump to conclusions.”

Issa paused eye twitching as this wretched thing knew more then she liked.

Sharue perking her ears up “What you’re an Inquisitor too?”

“Yes, but not one that wants to kill you.” Issa muttered keeping her eye on the mutant.

“And if the Inquisitor wants to get out of the undeeeeeeer dark she must comeeeee.” The being shuffling up closer, looking quite hunch backed, puss ran from many wounds it carried.

“Masteeeeer Cruzeeee said to give you this.” Dangling something in front of her.

Issa snapped it up before Sharue could see it. The symbol explaining a bit as she quickly hid it from sight. It made her relax and the mutant gurgled with pleasure going into an odd sort of bouncing dance.

Issa could see Sharue was at a loss but she gave her a nod. “It’s fine, they are part of my network.”

It was a half lie as she never heard of Cruze or anyone in the under dark being part of her network but at the same time he had the markings to prove that he was.

“What do they call you, mutant?”

It paused a bit one eye narrowing looking at Issa “Ghoul of the dark. I bring meeeeesageeees to all that my masteeeer wishes.”

“Well, Ghoul, lead on.”

The mutant shuffled on letting her follow. Issa turned to Sharue “I wouldn’t overly trust this whole situation, so stick close and do not let them know you are a psyker.”

The fox was giving the collie quite the glare “You’re an Inquisitor like Banal?”

Issa nodded some “Yes, but not now. If the general population finds that out it will not end very well for you nor I. We would be lucky to breathe our last breath before we are flayed alive and feasted on.”

Issa put up a paw, hushing the fox when she saw that she was about to ask more questions. “Just follow and be quite.” And simply turned and left banking on Sharue’s submissive nature to follow strong dominate figures especially in situations she was unsure about.

Thankfully she did start to follow and soon the pair was making their way through the maze of twisted and rotted metal. The mutant, for all his size seamed to move about it with little or no effort and could be very quiet when he wanted to be.

They passed others, just as mutated or disfigured as Ghoul. They stared and watched, one approaching only to have Ghoul gurgle loudly at it forcing it to back off.

Issa was making a mental note to report this area to the Inquisition when she got out of here. The whole lot needed to be put to the flame and it would provide a good distraction to help cover her tracks.

It took what Issa guessed to be the better part of the day before they started to come into the under dark city. The whole place was patch work of rusted iron and sparking lamps. Drums of burning petroleum polluted the tight confines, bellowing black smoke throughout forcing others to hunch to keep their heads out of the toxic cloud.

There was endless sea of filth shuffling about, all with some sort of mutation or defect that would render them useless to the Empire. Sharue stuck close trying not to touch anything, which was a wise idea. Most of anything here would probably kill a normal person.

Things were going well till an oversized brute of a bear turned and blocked the path Ghoul was taking. The wolf was nowhere near the size of the mutated bear. The larger figure might have been female at one point but it was hard to tell as Ghoul gurgled something out.

The bear moved its head showing huge growths forcing its way through its fur and running down its shoulder in an almost hunch back look. Then it suddenly back handed Ghoul out of the way sending the wolfen figure flying through several shacks.

“Imperials……IMPERIALS!”

It roared forcing the crowds to turn and push in.

Issa had her bolter but there were hundreds if not thousands of them and the screaming was getting higher and deeper into the city.

The first shot took the bear in the side of the face blowing out its eye socket and cheek area. The bolter round exploding turning most of its head into a mess of goo making it stager and flail but it refused to fall. That’s when Issa noticed that it had fused with some other poor soul and her second shot took the half hidden face off that was showing under its arm pit.

Sharue screamed at the shots covering her ears. “I thought you said to not do stuff like this!”
“That was before our guide was just clubbed out of existence!”

Sharue looking at her and stuck a finger in her own ear digging about “WHAT?!”

Issa cursing a bit as the shock of it did buy them a little time the crowd not so eager to meet their end but they were not parting for them.

Ghoul came out of the rubble soon afterwards though. Metal and other materials embedded in his body and he was screaming. Not in pain but anger, taking a large I beam and tearing it off the wall slamming it to the ground. Blood and puss oozed over his body as he ran over, very ape like, to the downed bear and beat it with the iron beam. Gurgling and screaming he stood on it and said something that got the crowd to scream back.

That’s when chaos started, the crowd diving down on the large bear and started to tear into its corpse.

Ghoul soon approached and gurgled out almost in pleasure. “It is a good day.” Simply swaying still having glass and other items sticking from its flesh and sauntered off making a follow me motion.
Sharue gave Issa a look of disbelief but Issa held her calm and put her bolter away. “Come on.”
The pair worked their way through the city having only minor situations but eventually they made it to an old fortified missile silo.

It was an old orbital defense silo and by the looks of it, it was an mk83-b, meaning it was a big girl. It was made in the heresy era to bring down the monsters they called battleships back then.
“I thought these were long gone.” Issa said rubbing an old double headed eagle that had been defaced by the mutants.

“Most, but not this one!” A voice from within coming out to greet the two females.
A slender male jackal walked out with a grin. “You must be the two that I sent Ghoul to go find.”
Ghoul shuddered as if in pleasure when Cruze acknowledged it. Cruze didn’t have any mutation that Issa could see on the outside.

He was decently dressed, a thick trench coat protected his body from shoulder to boots and he had a respirator mask dangling about his neck.

“And you are Cruze?”

Issa was not in the mood to dick about.

The jackal making a mock bow and then turned about “Follow me. Let’s get inside and relax before the natives come looking for you.”

Sharue and Issa looked at each other than to the massive blast doors of the silo. “Well if there is a com unit it would be in there.”

Both did not like it but they knew that this was their best shot at getting a com out to whoever Issa needed to get ahold of. From what Sharue had seen through her travels in the under dark she was willing to chance something if it meant getting out of this hellish landscape. The pair sighed a bit and gave in following Cruze into the silo while Ghoul stayed out side letting the doors shut.


Risia could only grunt into her ball gag as she felt even more pressure being pushed down on her. The feline was bound up tightly, her knees on either side of her head as her master Banal pressed down making sure that he was fully in her as he did so. Her bare body showing off to him with her paws tightly bound behind her back.

This was a common thing to happen between herself and Banal on long trips. Her wounds had healed well and they were about to make station fall which meant that this would be a rarity till they get more down time.

Truth be told she enjoyed the sexual attentions that her master gave her. His body was firm and still attractive even if his face was scarred. Even the scars thrilled her a little bit though as she looked on them as his devotion to his duty. Each scar a symbol of a sacrifice that he had endured for the empire.

His hips bucked again grinding down hard with a meaty slap of skin on fur making Risia grunt again.

Banal did not like the softer side of love making. He loved control, over both himself and Risia. In fact, he expected her to ground herself and control her needs. Things like moaning out in pleasure was a sign of weakness that he did not approve of. Signs of being too eager or submissive also was something that was not approved of. Sometimes the sexual experience wound up as a battle of the two trying to force the other over the edge. Granted she was at quite a disadvantage being bound up and less sexually experienced then Banal.

It was still a thrill though. The feeling of being controlled and fighting that feeling aroused her greatly as his hands forced her keens down more into the bed.

He was never painfully rough with her and never once was a demeaning word ever spoke from his lips. Banal never had need of those as he let his body language and demeanor demand obedience.
It was nice and relaxing, these flings in the sheets never left the bedchamber and it never interfered with their relationship in a working sense. Risia knew her place and when she became an Inquisitor she would take on others under her and it would be her turn to figure out how she would interact with them and train them.

The tempo was working up and she knew that she would not be allowed to get off. She also knew that Banal would probably stop himself as well from climaxing. He liked to prove to himself that he had control not just with Risia but over himself. It was a ritual that happened each time they came out of a long journey.

Didn’t mean he would push it though. His body firm and strong pushing against her letting her feel each thrust of his hips. Those hands gripping hard enough on her calves to make her toes feel like they were going numb. Just the weight of his body on her aroused her, forcing her to fight back a moan and just reward him with a grunt or deep breath as a thrust forced it out of her.

Eventually, just about when she thought she was about to give in and just let her self-go, he stopped. Looking down at her and relaxing she could see that he was close too. His lips were slightly parted with a pant and his skin shone from the illuminators from the sweat he was building up.

Long moments passed as he kept his cock deep in her then slowly pulled out and stood. Risia stayed in position trying her best to keep her legs up till she was allowed to relax.

“I am going to clean up and be on the bridge. I expect you to be there in ten minutes.”

Banal had left her cuffed and bound which wasn’t surprising to her. He expected her to be able to escape her bindings as part of her duty and training. He did not make it easy though.
Risia offered a nod from her bound up position and was rewarded with an ever slight softening of that stern face. Was it approval? She didn’t know but she lived for those little rewards and it helped reinforce her feeling of never letting Banal down.

After he had left she went to work with the restraints. Her legs dropping as she sat up quickly looking about the room for anything she could use.

Banal liked to us a wide range of locks from leathers to more advanced mag locks on her.
It was odd to her, while she has been asked to do many things for Banal he had never asked her to seduce a target ever.

Twisting some she eyeballed her bindings seeing that it was a simple three phase mechanical lock. Meant that she would have to have a key, pressure, and a stop lock. The key was to turn the lock; she would have to find something to pick that with. The pressure to push in on the restraints themselves to unbind the teeth that helped ratchet it in and then the stop lock. A simple piece of metal or hard plastic that was used to push in a small spring to allow the turning of the key.
It was standard Arbiter issue lock and after a little bit of searching she was able to find all she needed. It took her longer then she would like to get them off and remove the ball gag but she would still meet Inquisitor Banal’s time line.

Banal was on the bridge keeping watch over his crew. Most of them were servitors that were expendable but one or two of the crew was personnel that had to have a wit about them.
Example being the hunched over navigator. The poor creature shriveled and aged well beyond his years due to the stresses of the warp and his duty. He was a k9 of some sort, and at some time he might have been even considered attractive by his race. His duty to the inquisition saw to an end of that though living through the terrors of the warp and close contact to daemons and other foul entities of the warp. He spoke very rarely but when he did it was a raspy cough sometimes hard to understand.

“Was the transition smooth Matok?”

The Navigator looking towards Banal “As smooth as one could expect.” Came his raspy voice.
One thing he liked about Matok was he was direct and to the point. He spoke little but conveyed a great deal with the little he spoke.

His other trusted hand was a human female. The actual captain of his ship, she was a dark skinned figure that had long ago given up much of her biological body. Her face mostly encased in a mask that helped allow her input and receive critical data about the ship. Thick cables ran from the back of her head and spine to a coagulator and most of her body has long sense been replaced by bionics and other mechanical parts.

He had to be careful as most captains that integrate so heavily with the ship sometimes end up losing themselves to the ships machine spirit.

“Course and heading Tictonia?”

The Captain turning and in a surprisingly female and human like voice.
“We should be coming up on their auspex soon.”

Just as she finished the door hissed open behind Banal. The human inquisitor not even turning knowing who it was. The only act he did was to shift his eyes to the time.

“Risia we are coming up on the Citadel. You may want to see this first hand.”

Risia nodded walking up next to him. She was in her full body suite and was clean. The feline had never been before the council which you could look at it like a blessing.

“I’m eager to see the famous Citadel that almost no one knows of.”

Banal nodded “You may change your view on that once we are in and start to talk to the council directly. Remember this is a very dangerous place as you never know who is with you and who is against you.”

Tictonia chimed in. “I agree as everyone looks to everyone else as a possible source of corruption or security risk.”

Tictonia was from the Citadel, born and raised there, Banal had recruited her after she had passed her officers test with top grade.

Risia cocked an eyebrow at the captain and Banal chimed in. “Tictonia is a void born from the Citadel.”

That only brought up more questions from Risia.

“Void born? That would mean she was born on a station or ship.”
Banal nodded a bit “Bring it up.”

An image screen came up, its green halo light showing just a massive complex of towers and spires.

“Zoom out.”

The image zooming out slowly till Risia realized that what she was seeing was just a small part of the citadel. Infect as the image zoomed out more and more she could see that it was a ring station. A ring station with such size and mass that it circled an entire planet. Thick spires ran from its core to the planet itself.

Bionic chatter suddenly came from Tictonia as she started to receive requests for auth codes and other technical data needed to approve her ship for approach.

“Remember, Risia, you are only to speak when spoken to and you will not divulge any of our transactions to anyone but who I say can receive that sort of information.”

Risia felt a little chided with that comment but nodded firmly.

“Yes sir.”

“We are cleared for landing in Bay 54 sub dock eight sir.”

Banal nodding to Tictonia to proceed.

“Sir,” Risia unable to keep herself from chiming in. “You make this sound as if we’re more in danger here at the Citadel then when we were in the slums of Titan’s hive moon.”
Turning to face her Banal just grunted a little before replying.

“That is because we are, just different sort of danger. One from in fighting and politics that could get you killed even faster than a hiver with a bolter.”

Risia watched as a path lit up and the visual view actually came up instead of the halo. It was massive, larger than anything she had ever seen. Even the largest ships of the empire were dwarfed by the massive citadel that the Inquisition used. Even more intimidating then the massive flags of weapons pointed at them was the utter blackness it held. The metal was black and there were very little lights coming from the Citadel as if it was just a ring of black titanium floating about a planet.

The planet was a sharp contrast to the Citadel though. Lush and green with what looked like a very vibrant hues of blue mixed in. It was rumored to be a death world though. A training world for Marines and other operators of the Inquisition to test and perfect survival.

Matching the black plates of the citadel were black ships. Thousands of them coming and going in a never ending tide of plasma trails. The large ships the life blood of the Inquisition bringing and sending resources to and from needed areas. It was amazing that not many knew about this location and that its secret was still widely intact.

A huge bay with a lighter grey number of 54 was cracking open to allow the ship in. It was one of the smaller bays but at the same time it was massive. You could easily fit a battle ship in as they started to float past the almost kilometer thick door.

Risia had to admit it was intimidating. The darkness of the bay like a void swallowing the ship up as they slipped in. The lights only coming on in the bay after the doors were closed.

“Welcome to the Citadel, Risia.”

Banal said with a serious look on his face.

“I have a feeling that I’m going to be wishing I was back on Titan.”

Banal nodded a little bit “Most likely. Captain, secure the ship in our port and no one is to touch her without my orders. No maintenance crew, fuel crew, or inspection crew is to board or work on this ship. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes sir I will put a Magenta lock down code in place and terminate any personnel that tries to defy that order.”

Banal nodded his approval and turned to Risia. Just giving her a look he turned and left knowing that she would fall in a step behind him.

He trusted her then more than any one on this station beyond a few close colleagues. Even those can change over long years apart. To be honest he didn’t know what they were stepping into.
A soft clang sounded out letting him know that the mooring clamps were attached.

He had questions he would need answered. Why the council had held him back for so long in terminating the target? Why was Issa, who was obviously a radical,1 allowed to interfere and not brought up for sanctions? It was obvious that Issa had strong contacts on the council to keep the kill order from going forward.

He also had his own goals to look at. He could kill the vixen and close that possible gateway for the daemon or he could draw her to some remote planet and allow it to manifest. Killing it and banishing it for a thousand years.

The thing that scared Banal was the thought of bringing it to the mortal world and failing in his duty to kill it. One simply did not just kill a daemon, it was a risk that most would view as radical which scared him even more then the thought of failure.

Shaking those thoughts from his mind he focused on the here and now. Distractions would only get him killed and that would be a failure in his duty. He would simply have to confront this head on and decide if other actions were needed.

The ship door hissed open showing a large corridor leading into the bowls of the citadel. It was dimly lit and defense turrets were on pointing down at the ship. Stepping off he kept a wary eye on them knowing that “accidents” were possible.

The weapons tracked him and Risia till he entered the main corridor. Risia going out ahead of him to check on things before clicking her vox three times to let him know it was clear.
Clenching his teeth Banal took a step out and formally entered the Citadel. He would do his duty and leave this place as soon as he could. Till then he would not shy of his duty to root out the questions that would be answered ether by friend or foe.


Sharue was in awe of the size of the missile silo. It had been cramped and closed off, a series of twist and turns that she couldn’t understand as to why it was like that till Issa had explained they were kill zones. Areas that were meant to entrap an attacking enemy and kill them. The inner Silo was massive though. The launch chamber at least over a kilometer high and the main feature had Sharue standing dumbfounded.

It was a Titan class Mk V planetary defense missile. The massive metallic monster looming over even some of the larger machines of war that the empire could bring to bear on its foes. These sort of missiles were made to bring down the massive ships that use to be common place in the ancient days. When science was a religion unto itself.

Issa frowned as a weapon of this size and power could crack a planet or in this case a moon. She had remembered hearing that Titan use to be a solar defense station. Guarding the whole outer section of the solar and this was just proof of that. The question was how many more were located on Titan and how many more were forgotten like this one.

“Are you trying to intimidate us?”

Issa was watching the host with sharp eyes.

Cruze had a dark grin on his face. The lips curled up slightly but he shook his head slowly and sadly. The jackal put a hand on the railing rubbing it some as if inspecting for dust.
“Don’t worry your pretty head Inquisitor. The ability to use this has long sense been forgotten down here in the dregs of society. We have tried but failed at understanding how this weapon works so it sits here and maybe one day one of us will figure out what buttons to push but good chance that will never happen.”

Patting the rail he smirked a bit.

“However if your order were to find out they would do everything in their power to wipe us out and retake it.”

“That is a point so why show me?”

The jackal rolled his shoulders and then pointed to the fox.
“For her, mostly. Though some in your order already know about this place in which provides a little protection.”

Issa watched and snorted a bit walking over to the male jackal and leaned in on the railing. Waiting for Sharue to get engrossed in something she whispered.

“I thought I was granted full power to do this as I saw fit.”

It was more of a statement then a question. The collie not liking being overseen and managed.
“The higher ups are simply helping expedite your goal. Nothing more, nothing less, that and if you want to get the fox off world you have to hurry. Banal is believed to be on his way to the citadel and you know that will start kicking up a lot of questions.”
Issa nodded a bit.

“I had hoped that he would have left without knocking me down into this hell hole.”
Cruze snorted a bit leaning on the railing and cocking an eyebrow at Issa.

“That wasn’t a wise move on your part. You know the higher ups want to work in the shadows and not have someone poking about at our plans.”

“I don’t give a damn what they want. We all answer to one and as long as I carry out that goal the others can suffer in the warp as far as I care.”

Cruze just smirked and hemmed. “You will make a lot of enemy’s doing that. Is your plan that far forward that you can risk that?”

Issa looked back at Sharue who was looking over some parts laying on the ground. The fox was naturally curious and Gangers always were on the lookout for stuff they could trade and barter with.

“Yes, I got her to activate her powers once. It was beyond what I had expected. The potential is limitless I believe. How many do we still have on our side?”

“Three in the inner circle of the council that the proprietor has control of and then agents like myself of course. With Banal going to the citadel I will assume that number will go down if he does what he usually does.”

Issa could only agree with that. Banal was unyielding in his cause and would sanction even a council member if he were to find out that they were working for someone other than the emperor.
“That might work in our advantage though. If he does sanction a council member, he will be marred down in the investigation and dealings of such a matter. Once we get out of here see if you can arrange that if he is still there. We need to slow him down till we can get Sharue to the destination and properly train her.”

A shake of his head was all she got back from Cruze right away. After a bit though he sighed.
“I’ll make it so. I can see why the proprietor chose you to champion this cause.”
Issa looked over at Sharue one more time before answering.

“Everyone is a pawn to the proprietor, even myself. Now you said there was a com we can use to get ahold of my contacts?”

“Yes it’s on deck 43. There is a secure passage from here to the top side too thankfully.”

Nodding Issa looked to Cruze with a cocked eyebrow.

“How long have you worked this sector?”

The jackal offering a coy smirk.

“Work it? I was born down here Inquisitor, Inquisition offered me a deal that I couldn’t refuse. Thus the king of the grime was born. Though I have very little control of the masses as you seen on your way here.”

Sharue was eyeballing all the new things that she was encountering. After the fall it was just a constant fight for life, keeping her running on adrenalin and fear. She was still on guard but the wonder of the place helped take her mind off things for a little bit.

Being weak from lack of food and water also helped calm her just on the fact that her mind and body could only take so much before starting to just shut down.

Rubbing dust and grime off a plate she looked over the scrolls of text covering it. The skull symbol and the intricate artwork was amazing to see. In the under hive you did not see such things. Everything was functional and bare, with little or no artistic additions.

She wished she could read; the fox knew some basic words in low gothic but that was it. Feeling over the wording she moved on to tools and other things even snagging up something and slipping it into her belt pouch when no one was looking. It was a metal like box that had intricate writing and art on it. Eventually though she heard Issa call out for her.

The collie was waving at her to follow, the jackal heading up a stair way following it up to who knows where. She really hoped that this Cruze guy could be trusted. Being a ganger, she had a natural mistrust of any one out side of her gang. Issa was no different as she had her own secrets, such as being an Inquisitor herself.

The fox didn’t want to trust any of them but she was cut off from her support and her gang. This left her with only one real option and that was to trust Issa. So if the collie was trusting Cruze then she would have to trust him some as well.

As she headed up the railing she looked out at the silo. Because she had never seen space or the wider empire she could not fully understand the scope of what such a weapon was used for. In all honesty if Issa had not told her it was a weapon she would have just thought it a large holding tank or habs. The weapon so large that you couldn’t quite see all of it from any one section of the silo.

She did however realize that if the empire needed such a weapon that the dangers were beyond her imagination.

It took almost an hour to get to level 43. The faded paint barely showing the numbering making her legs throb and shake with each step. Being weak from lack of food and water and then taking on all those stairs was pushing her to her limit.

Even hurt Issa was still walking like it was nothing. It confused the vixen to wonder how she could have that arm injury and yet walk and act like nothing had happened. That was because she was ignorant to power armor and its tech. The fact the armor could create a cast about broken parts of the body as well as administer drugs and other medical needs helping the user get through the rough time was well beyond her for now.

“Are we almost there?”

The pair looking back at her and paused.

Cruze took a moment to fish into his clothing and pulled out a flask of something. Tossing it to her he simply said.

“Drink, it will help.”

The fox opening the container and took a big swallow. Almost gagging at first though as the foul taste and stench reached her nose.

“Are you trying to fraking poison me?!”

Cruze let out a laugh and shook his head.

“No that is a mixture of lichen and purified recycled fluids. It might not taste the best but it will give you what you need to live down here.”

Sharue must have looked comical as they both gave her a smirk.

She was to hungry and to thirsty to argue the point and just started to drink the mixture down. It took three tries and several repressed gags to choke it down but eventually she walked up to the pair and handed back the canister.

“We are here, though.”

Cruze walked into a large room where coagulators lined the wall. Several were still online and running with com sets all over the room.

“Here you are, Inquisitor. Just remember this lowly king of grime when you leave this place and maybe toss me a bone down here?”

Issa let out a flirting smirk as she hemmed.

“Only if you behave.”

Cruze offered a crooked smirk but let the collie slip in and start to work on the needed task. Sharue watched curiously as the inquisitor put a head set to her hear and started to speak after adjusting the dials.

“This is Star dot I contacting asset sixty-two. Auth code as follows, magenta-echo-cyan-alpha I repeat Magenta-echo-cyan-alpha. Be advised channel is not secure.”

This repeated for about a good half hour before crackling came back and Sharue watched Issa sit up eagerly.

“Sixty-two you are coming in faded but clear. Please start encryption. Public key is nine echo six nine two.”

After a bit Issa nodded a bit. “Hand shake is secure. Putting you on speaker.”
Van’s voice sounded out to the room. “It’s good to hear from you Issa, I take it the asset is still alive?”

Sharue scowled a bit “I have a name you gackin’ idiot!”

Issa letting a small smirk form.

“As you can hear, yes she is very much alive. We are here with Cruze in a safer area then we were. We will need extraction.”

Cruze butted in as well,

“I have a path to the under hive that is relatively safe, though it will take a few days to get them there.”

“That’s good. If you can give me the coordinates, I will make sure that a team is there for extraction.”

Sharue listened and swallowed a bit. It made her nervous to think what waited for her. Banal was trying to kill her, the inquisition had some grand plan that she didn’t know about, psykers were not welcomed at all. The thoughts running about in her head only were suppressed by the sheer hell that the under dark was. She was eager to get out of this hell hole. The mutants and the environment scaring her more then she would admit.

“Let Sharue know that Eric is alive and well as well as we know where her other friend Emma is. The team is picking her up as we speak.”

That perked Sharue’s ears up as she stumbled forward. “Emma and Eric are ok?”

It was hard to keep the eagerness out of her voice as Van clicked back.

“I think your friend’s thick skull helped keep him alive in the fall, and Emma is being held in section 9b awaiting processing. I put a halt order to the factory on her serial number.”
Sharue visibly relaxed some and smiled. Something she hadn’t done sense this whole thing started and it felt good. Her friends were still alive!

“Thank you!”

Issa was looking to the fox with a grin, weather it was because she was amused at the vixen’s eagerness or because of the irony that it was Issa and Rose that set the whole thing up who knew but things were seaming to proceed forward.

“Van, while we are en route make sure that preparations are in place to get us off this filthy rock. We are behind schedule and need to get things rolling. Contact the commander and let him know that we will be contacting him once we are off world.”

“Roger that, sixty-two out.”

Issa turned to Sharue and offered a grin. “Time to make you hide in plain sight there fox.”
The confusion on Sharue’s face made Issa snicker “Get some sleep though we leave in a few hours. I want to be topside as soon as possible.”

Issa watched as Sharue nodded and complied. The fox did look exhausted and if she was to go on she needed sleep and food. Issa knew that she should get some rest too but before she did she needed to go over a few things with Cruze.

“If you have contacts make sure that they come to assist us in the guard.”

Cruze nodded a bit.

“I take it Van isn’t part of the group?”

“No he takes my orders and is loyal but he is not aware of the overall plan. He still thinks we are training her to become one of us in the long term goals.”

“So why slip her into the guard? Wouldn’t it be easier to just train and groom her with you and your team?”

Issa shrugged a bit leaning on the railing after having left the room to talk with Cruze.
“I would think so but the Proprietor is starting a conflict in the Histon 8 section and was very specific that she be a part of that campaign. So our little vixen gets to play soldier for a little bit.”
Cruze nodded a bit looking back through the door at the sleeping vixen.

“And how are you going to manage her powers?”

Issa scowled at that as she had been trying to figure that one out as well.
“I don’t know to be honest. If something pushes her over the edge she will use her powers again. It’s going to have to be a very specific unit and I think I may have to send Van with her to keep her powers suppressed weather she likes it or not.

Van was a blank but that in itself had issues. If she were separated from him her powers would be back and just the un easy feeling psykers get around blanks as well.

“Something I will tackle when I get to it. I am going to get some rest. Please ensure that I am not disturbed. We leave in a few hours.”

Cruze nodded a bit. “Sure thing, Inquisitor.”

It was a fairly easy going few days after the com vox came through. Cruze was true to his word and the path that he had set out from them avoided most of the danger. The climb was exhausting but eventually after almost a week Issa came to the surface of the under hive. Cruze had left them a while ago to go back to his domain but waiting for them was Issa’s team. Van was there along with Eric and Emma. Sharue and Issa were quite a sight. Dirty, tired looking and just in bad shape over all.

Van let out a cocky grin.

“Welcome back from hell girls. It’s good to see your smiling faces.”

End part 5

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