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

Chapter 8 Histon 8

Sharue sighed some as she made her way through the bowels of the ship to the maintenance shaft. It was an area that the 301st could slip to for some rec time and to grab ass so to say. This would be the first time that Sharue and the others would be invited to it. Once she was initiated then she could come here when ever but it was tradition that the new joins don’t get to become a part until they have been there two weeks.

It’s been over a month and they are just now letting her and the others in. She could only hope that it wasn’t because they didn’t like her.

The clank of the metal rings sounded out as she made her way down to the bottom of the shaft. A lone worker was hanging from a seat scrubbing rusty metal. The flakes coating his overalls in a reddish stain and the mask he wore almost gave him a monstrous look. Sights like this have long since stopped affecting her though.

Smiling as she put her feet to the deck, she remembered back when everything astounded her. Being in space was something that she still had a hard time wrapping her head about but she knew of it and the general ideas of how things worked. Reed had been working hard to bring her up to date on reading and writing too. She felt like she was accomplishing something. A feeling that she never really had before. Here females could be just as strong and dominant as they wanted to be as long as they were a part of a team.

The stale smell of air told her that the recyclers were offline again, making her check her side for her rebreather just in case. The mask allowed her to breathe in polluted or lack of oxygen areas of the ship. Being on ship wasn’t too different then the hive. You had your lower class and the ground pounders of the 301st and then you had the officers and every one that was like the upper hivers. You had the servitors and slaves that could be taken as the under dark.

It was a small floating hive that had to have everyone work together in order to survive. Truth be told Sharue was starting to like some aspects of this life. It was structured, you knew your place and what you had to do, and you felt like you could actually do something for something larger than yourself.

It was too bad that she had to keep what she was a secret from everyone. Reed especially as she really liked her. She was a strong independent woman that gave her courage to keep going on. She was also a good friend that loved some grab ass and to have fun.

It was going to be sad to leave them when Issa came to get her. Following the path, she was told she made her way to the tunnel where she saw one of the 301st standing outside the door nodding to her and pointing on in.

It was a fairly bright light as Sharue stepped in blinking looking about. There was a lot of the 301st here. Everyone went quiet as she took a step in and then looked about. Iho sticks were lit and what could only be booze laid about in containers.

Many long uncomfortable minutes ticked by before Reed walked over and put her arm about your neck and shoulder.

“Come into the back, nugget. We have to get you shined up.”

“The frack you mean by that?”

Sharue asked giving a confused look but let Reed guide her to the back. It was another door where she saw Eric and the others. Van was there to sort of kicked back while Eric and Emma had a more nervous look.

“Ok nuggets, here is how it’s going to work. Each of you have a sponsor that is vouching for you. You have to do what your sponsor says.”

Van stood and came over to join them as Reed offered a coy lopsided grin.

“Here are your sponsors.”

The first one in was a the black skinned human who walked in and stood in front of Emma, no surprise there as him and her had been together since week one. The next one that came in was a husky female. One of the other rare anthros of the 301st, she was a salty and hard charging bitch that had a bit of a sour mentality. It was amusing to see her stand in front of Van. Both of them crossing their arms and almost glowered at each other. A tall filled out male human came in next. He was part of the heavy weapons team and tended to hang out with Eric a lot. The two of them offering a smile when they lined up. Eric putting his arms up looking about.

“Come now I don’t get a sexy female as my sponsor?”

The large human laughed a bit.

“No, sexy, you’re all mine tonight.”

Sharue couldn’t help but crack a small smile at the two. Eric was fitting in very well here. Though her smile faded when no one else came in and she looked nervously about. Eventually she looked over at Reed.

“And mine?”

The human laughed leaning in.

“You’re looking at her.”

The fox relaxing and offered a smile before Reed stood in front of her. Then something unexpected happened. Sgt Cataline came in.

“Attention on deck!”

Reed called out and everyone came to attention looking right ahead. He looked about as if he just caught the group doing something they weren’t supposed to do.

“Listen up, nuggets.”

Even he was calling them nuggets now. Sharue frowning a little bit at the term not knowing what it exactly meant.

“We dug you out of the shit hole you use to live in. You’re rough and covered in crap. No one wants that, now though starting to see a little gold show through, showing that you have worth and value. From here on out it will be shining and polishing you to become something more.”

He was talking about gold nuggets. The metaphor was starting to make sense to her now as she watched him. This initiation is completely against regulations. Which means I was never here and you never went through this got it?”

“Aye sir!”

The athletic human looked about walking up to Emma. The fox was shaking a little bit as she did not like him but also feared him.

“Emma! You’re slow, weak, timid, and you cry a lot!”

Every ones jaw clenched hard expecting this to become just some ass chewing.

“But you drive on, your make sure to rely on those of your squad to help you when you need help. You dive in and work on things you can and you bring skills such as having a good eye for fixing gear and you have learned to navigate well.”

The fox looking a little shocked at getting a compliment from him as he went to Van next.

“Van you’re an asshole! Not going to lie, you have an heir of superiority about you that drives me nuts. You also are one of the strongest willed individuals I know and you’re smart. I know you have seen war and combat before I can see it in your eyes. Bring that experience to us and help those who have not experienced it get through their first battle got it?”

Van nodded a little bit sort of stiffening up his back as he did so.

“Eric you are simple minded and it’s hard to find anything that I don’t like about you. Remember though that you need to be able to think further ahead than the next day, got it? Others will be expecting you to use your strength to rally those about you and pull the ones that need saving out of the fire. Don’t be a hero though. Hero’s burn the brightest but like a candle they also burn out the quickest.”

Cataline stepped in front of her, forcing her to look straight ahead as he looked her up and down.

“Honolin,”

Cataline paused for a moment as if to collect his thoughts and look her over. It made Sharue fidget a little bit before he finally continued.

“You have a lot of fear in you.”

The foxes heart about jumped out of her chest as she blinked trying her best not to look at the Sgt.

“I don’t know what it is you’re afraid of Honolin but whatever it is, it is driving you to push forward and overcome things that I didn’t think you could overcome. You have, so far, the most determination than anyone I have come across and your will power will see you through any obstacle. That determination will be the war cry that emboldens those around you and that is a very important feat to have.”

Cataline looked at the four sponsors.

“I leave them in your charge. You and these four will have mandatory cleaning in the supply room tomorrow.”

The four sponsors cracking a smile at something the other four didn’t know about.
“This isn’t a graduation shit heads.”

He said turning to Sharue and her group.

“Far from it, this is where it gets tough. Don’t let this little pat on your back go to your head.”

And with that he simply left allowing the group to relax some. Sharue was shaking a bit as she held her paws behind her in the small of her back. Eventually Emma moved and offered a smile to the group.

“That it?”

The four sponsors laughed almost in unison.

“Oh no nuggets it’s just starting. First thing is first! Strip down! Tonight you four are not allowed to wear clothing until you leave here.”

Sharue blinked some, taking a little bit of time to think it over.

“Did I stutter? Get your clothing off!”

Reed said with a little bit more command forcing an “Aye sir!” out of the others as they started to strip and pull off their clothing.

It was interesting to see how their bodies had changed in the short month they had been here. Eric’s had bulked up some. Truth be told, it was a good look on him and even made Sharue want to sneak into his rack. Emma was filling out well, too. They put her on double rations allowing her to gain a little bit of weight but she was athletic now. Van was already pretty fit. In fact, of all four of them he was the best suited for this and didn’t seem to have too much trouble. He was attractive, being a mutt he had a mixed blend but he was filled out in all the right areas. Even though she was sure he would say no to her it had crossed her mind once or twice about bedding him.

Sharue pulled out of her clothing, her body was a little bit more exaggerated then Emma’s as her heavy bust rolled out of her shirt one orb at a time and she had to work to get her trousers off. Eventually though she stood nude in front of them just like the others. Her own body having firmed up but with her thick fur it was a little harder to see. It embarrassed her a bit but she had caught her self-looking at her own body once or twice in the mirror liking how she was looking.

“Ok time to get some ink on you!”

The group was lead on into the back where a servitor awaited them. She was a pitiful sight with wires and mechanical parts all over her body. One of her arms had been turned into a multi tool which sported a tattooing needle. The device was filled with pigment changing chemicals that would change the color of the fur itself as well as the skin.

“Honolin! You’re first!”

Sharue hurried up and sat in the chair as Reed grinned.

“You see the sponsors get to choose how you’re inked. I think you need something sexy and you have some big tits on you girl.” She said suddenly grabbing one up and lifting it. It made Sharue blush a bit and her eyes widen. “Slap a tribal paw on her left tit. Big and put the brand there.”
Eric was the first to chime in.

“Brand?”

Reed turned and smiled.

“Taz, get a light.”

The ebon male grabbing up a black light as Reed cocked her neck to the side. She had a tribal tattoo that ran along her neck then down her back. The showers were all coed so everyone had seen it. In fact, almost everyone in the 301st had them now that Sharue thought back on it.
The black light shined on her tat and a glowing 301st tattoo brand was displayed with hidden ink. Then he shined it on his own skull tattoo on his shoulder showing the same 301st tattoo as well.
Reed watched as the servitor got to work and started to tattoo her tit! Sharue grunted and gritted her teeth as Reed leaned in from behind her over the chair.

“Sucks being a girl. eh? We have to have the cute and sexy tattoos, men seem so insecure if we start taking their skulls and bullets and bad ass stuff.”

She teased getting a laugh from Taz.

“To be honest though I like being sexy.”

Reed finally said with a grin. “Makes us unique as there ugly asses sure won’t look good with a girlish tattoo and still look bad ass.”

Sharue really couldn’t talk back as she was clenching her eyes shut as the needle worked over her tit. Eventually though she squealed out.

“WHY THE TIT!”

And everyone laughed. It was contagious and eventually Sharue found herself laughing with them. It was at her expense but it made her feel like she belonged. A tear welling up in her eye that could be written off as just from the pain of the tattoo gun but in reality it was because she felt wanted and needed.

Eventually he was done and Sharue was about to get up when Reed sat her back down.
“Oh no sugar you got more to go!”

It was another hour before she stood looking at the mirror half blushing half showing off at the large paw print on her tit and the three smaller ones on her hip. One was above her crotch and another two on her hip. The others were getting theirs and she could hear them laughing as Reed came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. She shoved something into her paw.

“Drink. Tonight is a night where you and the others earned a break. There are few and far between so you better enjoy it.”

She said with a wink.

“There is one thing though I want to do before things get to wild.”

The laughing coming from the tattoo room getting a little louder as Eric was squealing out like a girl at the gun.

Sharue took a drink and about gagged at the moon shine. It was strong! Her nose flared out as she doubled over, almost spilling the strong drink.

“What is that!?”

She coughed out getting a snorting laugh.

Her hands wrapped about her waist suddenly and moved up to tightly grab at her large bust. The fox gasped at the sudden attention and shot up pawing at her hands.

“Hey now!” she said having never had a female get a bit grabby with her. Reed just gripped in tighter as she hemmed nuzzling up against her neck and talking into it.

“Don’t fight it Hon, this is something that you owe me and trust me I will make it worth your while.”

The fox stiffened up. This was an odd and conflicting emotion. She liked Reed, maybe never in a sexual way but at the same time she was also her superior in a way having more time in service and rank then her.

The human guiding and shuffling the fox off down a side hall way and then crammed her up against the wall! The human letting a hand wander down her abs running her fingers through her fur down to her crotch making the fox gasp and sort of trot in place.

“Atta girl.”

Reed cooed out hugging tighter to her as she hemmed. She seemed needy and her body pushed harder against Sharue.

It was a very awkward situation for Sharue. She had never been with a female before. Not fully, anyway, which in a way made her body sort of shudder and zing as the human’s hand cupped her sex making her grit her teeth and dig her fingernails into the wall.

Another feeling that somewhat scared her is that she wanted to fit in. This seemed like it’s normal to do so as she let out a small pant. The human putting one of her hears in her mouth and letting her teeth bite down enough to make her grunt. It wasn’t like she was a stranger to sex and prostitution. Her body warmed up as she wiggled a bit dragging her nails down the wall. It had been a bit sense she had any sexual attention too.

Her nose flared out biting her lip as Reed played about in her folds for a little bit. Rolling her fingers in and working them about allowing the fox to get worked up a little bit. Her whole demeanor was different. The cocky head strong human female she knew was replaced with sort of a needy and dominant figure that was arousing. The feeling of being wanted helping her heart rate increase and her body responded in kind allowing her nipples on her breasts to fill and her thighs to quiver a bit.
Reed took this as a sign and flipped Sharue about and pushed on her head and shoulders getting her to squat down in front of her. Reed looked about and pulled down her pants enough to expose her own crotch to the fox. Wiggling her hips, she stepped in putting both of her hands on the fox’s head and sort of ground her crotch to her muzzle.

Sharue knew what to do, an awkward moment as she placed her paws on Reeds thighs and let out a lick. Her ebon tongue running up into the human’s folds made her grip the fox’s hair so tight that it hurt!

A painful grunt sounding out as Sharue worked the folds a little bit more. The smell, taste, and just the experience was thrilling. She couldn’t deny that as her own body shook a bit with the excitement. Her own sex slick but at the same time she felt nervous. Was she doing this right? Should she be doing this? All questions that were sort of pushed to the back of her head as Reed pushed in harder making her open her muzzle to take the bridge in and push her tongue up on her sex harder and eventually pushing her tongue in.

Reed gasped as it was what she was waiting for and groaned. The vixen’s teeth pricked her skin as she could feel her in her. Sharue could feel Reeds fingers pull harder and buck her hips into her jaws making her grunt and gasp till the tempo picked up hurting her jaws a little.

Eventually, Reed gasped and hunched over the fox shuddering and putting the side of her face to the bulkhead. Her ass cheeks quivering and bucking about a little franticly as she got off. She must of really needed it as Sharue felt her push in a bit harder her teeth pushing down probably painfully so into the humans flesh as her crotch quivered about her tongue letting her taste the climax of her friend.

Sharue just stayed like that for a bit before Reed backed off and let go of her head. Panting she huffed looking down at the fox with a smile.

“Thank you, I needed that.” She said running a hand through her hair sort of ruffling it up then let out a laugh covering her mouth.

Sharue was stuck in a squatting position with her paws still up a bit and her tongue lulled out in a dazed look. She was still trying to mull it over and frankly it was still up in the air if she liked it or not. Reed handed her the drink helping her stand and let her drink.

“Not fond of the taste?”

Tilting her head back Sharue let the moonshine sort of burn down her throat. Though she about gagged it back out as she suddenly felt lips on her own sex! The fox sputtered and pulled the drink down to look down seeing Reed seemingly returning the favor.

“No…it’s not that.”

Sharue fumbled with the words. She didn’t want to lie as it wasn’t the best thing she has tasted but at the same time she didn’t want to sour the moment.

“You know growing up it was taboo to really orally please a female.” Reed explained. “One reason why I’m a little shy about it.”

She knew what she was doing as she rubbed with her hand and knew how to use those lips. Sharue took another sip as she cleared her throat.

“It wasn’t taboo where I came from it just never happened much. They were paying me to please them not the other way around.” She said putting her drink down and bit her lip curling her paws back against the bulkhead.

It felt good. The fox groaned, spreading her legs a bit more as she let Reed work. Tossing back the last of the booze she just let go and rubbed the top of the human’s head. She was scared at first not knowing if she would like that. When Reed seemed to enjoy it Sharue gave in and let her own sexual need go. The fox giving into fully to Reeds advances and let it just flow naturally. She needed to reward herself and tonight was it.


Issa sighed and rubbed her face walking and pacing in her ship room. It had been over a week in the warp and she hated being idle while things were in motion. It also caused her headaches and lack of sleep the whole trip. Not only that, but the multiple transitions to the warp were making her more irritable. She didn’t like that she had to use someone else to get the fox off Titan and she was out of her control.

Taking a deep breath, she relaxed, stretching out looking at herself in a mirror that she had in her bed chamber. The collie was a little vain as she looked over her body. She enjoyed the shape of her figure but mostly it was a point of pride that she was not scared up. Some took scars as a badge of pride that they survived being hit. Issa took pride that she was good enough to have never been hit.

Walking over to her window she stared at the thick bulkhead shelter that covered it. It was not wise to look into the raw immaterial of the warp. She would be arriving at Histon 8 to meet with her counterparts in this whole operation.

She was anxious and excited at the same time. Her meetings with her counterparts were fruitful and if all went well things would develop how they wanted. Though still one more thing to do and she would have to talk to the rebels on Histon 8 to pull this off.

Banal was still going to be a problem and she bet he was at Histon 8, the puritans were a stubborn bunch and Brickwall would be trying to throw a wrench in the plans. It was good thing that they were a step ahead of them in every aspect. All she would have to do is keep ahead of Banal and his team on Histon 8.

“Ok Banal let’s put your morals to the test, shall we?”

Issa was talking to herself in the reflection of the glass of her window.

“What was that, Ma’am?”

A figure sat up in her bed then a second one. Last night’s entertainment, so to say. With Van gone for a bit, she needed to warm her bed with something. She looked back at the male who was getting up and the other female who was looking for her clothing.

They were both members of her ship’s crew and were k9’s, mutt breeds much like Van as she simply waved a paw dismissing them. She had her fun and it was time for her to move on. It was merely a distraction to help her through the headaches.

The pair picked up their things and headed out leaving Issa there by herself to ponder a few things. She wanted to make sure her masters plan followed the needed path and did not get any more interruptions. The torture she had to endure when she lost Sharue when she was a child was not looked on in a favorable light.

Getting dressed she headed to the bridge, her ship was different from Banal’s. It was quiet and fear was felt by all that worked under Issa. Even the captain of the ship was quiet and somber when Issa walked onto the bridge in her armor. Most radicals were easier going and allowed a lot of leeway but Issa liked the power of fear too much. It was fun to watch those under her worm and wiggle.

“Are we ready to translate?”

The Captain nodded as he stood. Unlike a lot of Captains this one preferred to be mobile and not bound to the ship.

“Yes my lady we are.”

He was a large hulking elephant, his rule much like hers: keep those under you under control by might. His massive, scarred up trunk swinging about to hit some controls on a coagulator. The ship responded and worked to open up a rift that allowed the ship to enter real space, tearing the fabric of reality to let the long black ship spill out into open space.

Issa watched as the bulkhead shutters opened allowing her to see a large planet in front of her. A naval blockade was set up about the planet as she was greeted with alarm and demands for identification.

“How do you wish us to respond, My Lady?”

A human female, mostly cybernetic asked.

“Send out the Inquisitorial I-dent codes and tell them to get out of my way.”

“I-dent sent Ma’am”

The collie simply nodded looking at the waste world before her. It had one main hive city that took up most of its northern hemisphere leaving the southern to be the wastes where many of the feral tribes to fight it out over meager resources. It was an ugly world to her, brown and covered with polluted clouds that changed colors as lightning struck out through them. She didn’t ask if the I-dent codes had been received. Her ship just moved towards the blockade and then through it. She watched as she passed several of the large capital ships looking them over as their guns remained silent.

“Send out an encoded pulse to our contacts on the surface. I want to meet them soon and get things rolling.”

This was a very tricky part of the maneuver. If the navigator did her job right then the cruiser that Sharue was on would have stayed in the warp much longer than her ship.

The warp was a very odd place. It was just under three weeks for Issa to do all her trips and get to her destination. She had a good navigator though and could flow through the warp with no issue. It worked both ways, one could stay in the warp for months and come out into real space just a few moments after you left or you could go into the warp and be in the warp only for a few moments but come out months later in real space. There were even rumors of people being able to go back in time or even in a different universe.

“Message sent, Ma’am”

Issa grinned and shifted turning to leave the bridge.

“Good work, everyone. Welcome to Histon 8. We have work to do!”


A month had gone by since her initiation and it was now time for her weapons training. To be honest, she had been training with a laz gun for some time now but this was her official weapons training time. Sharue was feeling like she fit in better with the group. Starting to make friends and it was like a whole new world once she got her initiation done. Sgt Cataline wasn’t lying when he said it was going to get tougher but the mentality of it was different. She felt she was more part of a team then being punished.

That night with Reed was quite a night as it wasn’t just her that got friendly with her. Eric had his turn and even a few others. She had her first group session which was a bit embarrassing but arousing at the same time. Also, the drinking, she understood why the nuggets and the vouchers got the next day off doing light duty. Reed was the worst so hung over that she spent more of her time with her head in a bucket and even Eric was dragging ass. Only Van seemed to be unaffected.

“PFC Honolin!”

That was something that really made her feel proud was the fact she had a rank now. Private First Class. Her fake name becoming something she was used to, even Eric and Emma were using it.

“Sir!”

Hopping up she hurried up where a massive riffle was laying out with spent rounds around it. This was sort of a joke having her shoot it. The rifle was even taller than her. It was a single shot bolt action rifle. It fired 655 grain .510 bullets and was effective over two kilometers. It was an older rifle but very effective against armor and shielding using the APIE rounds. Armor piercing incendiary explosive is what it stood for.

So far, Sharue had scored top marks in all her firearms training and was on par for special training. This was part of it.

Everyone who was with her was snickering as she got down in the prone position lifting up the riffle and working it about to fit it.

“Make sure to at least hit near the target Honolin.”

“Five credits says she scopes herself.”

Other jabs made her huff. She was still new enough where she couldn’t really back talk to them. Almost all of them were higher rank than her. So she would just have to give them the finger by showing them up.

The biggest thing was with this riffle you had to compensate for drop instead of refraction. A ballistic weapon had drop and was affected by wind speed and velocity where a laz weapon only had to adjust for humidity and refraction of your target. This target was on the longest part of the shooting range so it was 1.5 kilometers away. Another thing she would have to keep in mind was time to target. Laz weapons were almost instant where as this one had to travel at a much slower speed.

“Come on fox let’s see what you got. “

Sgt Beachem was the weapons trainer, a tall black human that was a little more personable than Cataline but was more prone to having bad moods. He was still a good teacher though and another thing she had to keep in mind was the fact they were in a ship. A round like this could cause a lot of damage if she missed by too much. They were deep enough into the ship that if the round did somehow go through the plascreet backing it wouldn’t go far. Though she doubted any one on the other side of the wall would be happy.

This was one of the more enjoyable aspects of her training. Reed was there watching too making the fox want to do better. She and her never got another chance to really fallow up on that night’s event but thankfully it didn’t create an awkward situation.

Pulling the rifle in tight and rolling her shoulders in, she shifted her body until the weapon naturally rested its cross hairs on the target. She zeroed it to where the third tick down in her range finder. Taking a sigh, she let her breathing calm, each breath lifting the cross hairs up and then letting them fall back into the target. For once her heavy chest was a bonus giving her a bit more of a prop as she tightened in on the trigger.

When the shot came, it came with a violent push shoving her back almost three inches on the ground. The concussive force pressed down against her face and chest. It was like someone open palmed shoved her taking her sight well off target.

Letting her sight fall back into the target eventually she caught the round vortex and could see the ark of it. Then a bright flash of impact as the explosive round sent the tungsten core into the plascreet target. She had hit it, how precise who knew until the flagger showed impact. Her spotter snorted a bit able to see a lot better than her and was looking where the flatter was marking.

“Inside 3, shit hit mill spec.”

Some laughed some goffed losing the bet as Sharue smirked giving a somewhat cocky grin to them. Inside 3 meant that she hit with in thirty inches of the bulls eye, which was something akin to millimeters on a dart board at this range.

“Good shot Honolin.”

Sgt Beachem kicked her thigh some to get her to get up.

“Next! Honolin you will have some extra training on the precision weapons next week, I’m bumping you to expert. Now go see Father Bastal. He has been wanting to talk to you.”

Sgt Beachem must have seen her concerned expression as he had chuckled.

“It’s your duty to keep your faith strong for the love of the emperor and all his Imperium.”

He said in an overly dramatic tone. She didn’t quite know if he was being sarcastic ether way she would have to go and see him.

The father scared her and seemed to have taken a very unhealthy interest in her as of late. Sharue had been trying her best to avoid him but it seems that may have only made the situation worse. It was like he sensed her apprehension and focused on her even more.

Van had said not to worry about him but at the same time she always hated his sermons.
She switched the safety on and left the bolt open on the old weapon and got up. The smell of the weapon still fresh in her nose, thick smell of gunpowder and some copper mixed into the stale recycled air. Putting her fist to her chest she bowed out and grabbed up her pack to head to the chapel.

The chapel was a wonderful piece of artwork. Something she had never seen in the lower hive. Everything was etched with prayer and images of battles and combat from a time long past. What more there was a massive stained glass image of the Emperor flanked by clear windows showing the ship and the void.

The portholes were covered now with thick armor plating. The ship in transit and it was told that those who viewed the warp would go mad. In fact, everyone was confined to sections of the ship. If you move out of your assigned section good chance you would be killed on site. For the 301st it was the Infantry board and facilities unless you were part of Sec Ops. In that case, you were guarding hatches and checking Id or doing patrols on ship.

“You are late, fox.”

He never used her rank or name and it grated on her. The scarred human looking up from his podium, his robes tattered and worn but the book and staff he carried shone and looked not a day old.

“I just now was told you requested me, Father.”

This was the only figure that really made her nervous. He liked to poke into her history to much and was always eyeballing her. The hate he preached worked with those who were not like her. It made her feel very insecure with her fellow guardsmen. Even if he was an old ugly human she wished she could just let him frack her and get him off her ass.

The problem was that his belief made it to where he would never stoop to that. This wasn’t about petty sexual need or the fact she was an anthro. It was honest true belief in what he preached was right and just. Something that conflicted with her greatly.

“You have been missing some of my sermons, fox. This is unacceptable and I have called you here to find out why.”

Sharue knew that she had to comply or face sanction from her Sgt’s. It was part of her training to fallow the word of the god Emperor. In the lower hive you never had to really worry about it. There were symbols everywhere and you had your shouters so to say but never a religious sanctioned order like what she has to deal with here.

She had to choose her words carefully with him. Letting him know too much about her and it could lead to something disastrous.

“I am sorry father. I have been in special weapons training and have been neglecting my duty’s to the faith.”

She bowed her head in submission to him allowing him to lord over her a bit. It was odd… before she started her life here she would have never had to much issue submitting to an authoritative figure or a male. Now that she has seen a different life it was slowly changing her. Being forced to submit to someone she found to be hateful towards her was angering. It might be because she was finally starting to get some pride in who and what she was. Something she had very little of living as a ganger in the lower hive.

The military was a very rough way of life. You worked hard, long hours, very dangerous situations, but you were allowed to feel like you were valued. Something beyond your sex and that was a feeling that had really started to change how she felt about her past.

This seemed to appease him somewhat. The sounds of his feet clacking on the floor along with a heavy thunk of his staff that came with each step. Sharue kept her view lowered till the father’s robes came into view and she felt a hand placed on top of her head.

“I have been told you are having nightmares that are unusual.”

That made her fluster some. The father knowing about her dreams meant someone had been talking to him about her. She could only wonder who as not everyone liked her in her unit. While the military was giving her pride, it was far from perfect. There are raciest views, sexiest views, and other factors with others that came into play on how they looked upon her. All these were sort of new ideas and feelings that she was still getting to know. Where she came from it was normal to think of yourself lower than a male if you were a female. It was the very culture you grew up in but here females could be just as strong and as high rank as a male. It changed her some making her realize how much of a sexiest culture she came from. It didn’t anger her really. She hadn’t been apart from her old world long enough for it to really sink in yet.

“No more than any other crew members, father.”

She said flatly trying not to divulge anything more than needed to the human looking down on her.
“Are you sure? Some say your screams go well beyond the point of normal nightmares.”

It was true that she had nightmares that haunted her to the point of panic and even thinking about them now made her heart race. It was getting to the point where she feared going to sleep. The only thing that helped was the old knight had been showing up more and more in her dreams. He seemed to be neutral as if gauging her but he was there, watching sometimes guiding her.

“They….They are just new to me. I have never had to deal with nightmares before.”

Sharue cursed herself thinking she should have just kept her mouth shut. She needed to confess though and get it off her chest. It just needed to be done in a way that didn’t force her to condemn herself.

“And what are they of?”

“Just fear, father. Fear of the unknown.”

Keeping to the truth as best as she could while being vague. This was all unknown to her and it scared her even without the demons and hell flooding her memories.

“Ah.”

The father moved sitting down in front of her. His gaze still hard and unwavering but in a way it was different.

“Everyone fears the unknown; it’s a healthy thing and keeps one mistrustful of the unknown. The only difference is how one reacts to it. Do you fear death?”

The word played about in her head. Death, something that was presented to her in the lower hives on a daily basis but she never really thought about it. You just didn’t, otherwise you might go mad doing so. A rex unit eating you, another ganger shoving a shiv through you, an industrial accident pouring toxic gas down into the hive killing millions, death loomed around every corner in the hive.
“No,” She lied a little bit. It wasn’t that she wasn’t afraid of death, it was that she just didn’t let herself dwell on it.

“I fear the unknown and being different from those about me.”

Her heart leapt in her chest, why was she toeing the line with her words. At the same time she could feel relief ebb out of her.

“Different how?”

“I am an anthro and most everyone here is human, I come from a culture that is so different than everyone here. I’m afraid that the more they learn about me the more they will come to hate me.”
There it was out, maybe not in a way that would make someone think she was a psyker but it was out.

“Ah,” The father moved his staff to the other side as he pulled out his large tomb. “Cultural shock is common here. You will learn to adjust though. Do you have something in your past that you fear will make them hate you? Only the wicked should fear others learning of their past.”

Sharue had to think on that one for a bit. The answer was obvious to say no but was she wicked? Looking back at her life she realized that to the father she was wicked and selfish but to her own mind?

“No, father. I do not believe I am wicked I believe I am just afraid of the perception of it.”

This seemed to go well with him as he flipped to a passage.

“To understand your faith is to glimpse into the darkness and know who you are. Understand there is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt that all share. Once you understand your darkness you must stamp it out with your faith and forge yourself anew, stronger than before with unwavering determination to your belief.”

A pause left the large room quite for a time before the father spoke again.

“Do you understand?”

Even though she did not like the father his words did carry meaning. She was giving it serious thought only nodding a bit.

“Yes father I understand.”

“Good I want you to come to me with your needs so I can guide you through your hardships fox. You may not like me but I am here to keep you on the right path. Do not miss any more of my sermons. I would be lax in my duty to not help you in your time of need.”

“Understood, father. Please forgive my neglect.”

The father stood taking up his staff as he rapped it on the ground twice.

“There is no forgiveness fox. Only redemption through acts of faith. Read your scripture and report to me on what you have learned.”

“I cannot read all that well yet father. Corporal Reed is helping me though.”

“Find away and do it is all I command.”

His tone was that of someone use to having his will obeyed, one which Sharue was going to obey regardless. She hated him for his demeanor and the hate he had for what she was but his words had a lot of meaning to them. Something that she didn’t really think could happen with him. Maybe there was something in the scripture that could help ease her anxiety of the situation. She would have to see as she stood putting her fist to her chest and bowed.

“Yes, father. It will be done.”

“Good now go and put your mind at ease. You do the god Emperors work which is a worthy task in its self.”

End Chapter 8

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