Above and Beyond - Episode 4 by Áron Németh

Author:Áron Németh [Németh, Áron]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: Games Workshop, Warhammer 40000
Publisher: The Black Library
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Epilogue

The freight shuttle was a battered but serviceable flyer. It had originally been a Navy-issue transport ship, long since discarded and later restored to voidworthiness. It had been stripped of most of its armour for increased cargo capabilities, and looked exactly as could be expected from a vessel like the Stormskipper – ugly, but surprisingly sturdy.

All traffic from the shuttleport had been redirected. The sun of the system shone unchallenged by pollution or clouds, glinting on the domes of the hive, and the sky triumphantly showed off hints of blue.

The servitors finished unloading the last containers. Mercer, who was standing by the ramp of the other, armed shuttle, recognised one of them: after his failure, some use still could still be found for Magos Skozar. Seeing the tech-priest’s repurposed body ambling around mindlessly did not give him the satisfaction he thought it would. The inquisitor shuddered at the Adeptus Mechanicus’ placating gesture – it made him painfully aware of the Well of Oblivion which might mean the same fate for himself, without the augmentics. The cargo master and the loaders checked each and every one of them with their own auspex device for signs of contamination or loss of content. Only then did they begin the process of loading and securing the containers. The tech-priestess leading the servitors took this distrust with the fabled mechanical equanimity of her order and signed off the documents, then walked over to Mercer at a deliberate pace.

She had some augmentics, but not nearly to the level a high ranking Adeptus Mechanicus would be expected to have. With long gloves on and her rust-coloured hood drawn down, in low light she could pass as a baseline human.

The inquisitor turned his calm gaze toward the Enginseer. He made sure that there was not even a suggestion of animosity to be seen, yet the young priestess visibly shuddered as she came close.

‘Captain, your consignment has been officially handed over.’

‘Excellent.’ He knew that he should have embellished his curt acknowledgment with platitudes, but that was all the courtesy the servants of the Machine God would get from him today.

‘Please understand. The Adeptus Mechanicus is taking sincere steps to make amends for any perceived slights of the past.’

‘I’m not the one you should be convincing, Enginseer. It’s them.’

He pointedly did not look at the formation of Imperial Guard armour and infantry who were stationed in a protective circle around the shuttles and the landing pad. Their presence was further reinforced by the Navy fliers that ensured that the airspace remained unchallenged.

‘Luckily for me, that is not my duty. I have been… offered to the Inquisition to escort the sealed container and to ensure that everything remains in working order, should you accept.’

Mercer thought about that for a second. Chances were that she might be an agent of the Mechanicus with her own agenda, but at least with her he knew whom to have watched.

‘You should be aware that there is a convent of Enginseers on my vessel. Their rites have been overseen and approved by the Adeptus Mechanicus as acceptable.

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