Lifetime of war

Emperor protects

"Inquisitor?" a familiar voice sounded through the vox. "Do you copy, Inquisitor?" a soft yet somehow powerful voice of Rulf Todd continued questioning, stirring the woman out of her meditation session.

"Could you stop babbling? I heard you!" a relatively simple yet filled with venom answer was provided. "I hope you bear some useful information," Inquisitor Eleanor von Ryke slowly added. "So... what is it?"

"The captain estimates our arrival in 10 standard minutes," Todd responded, apparently unconcerned by the rather hostile Inquisitor's tone. "Our travel through the Warp was seemingly trouble-free. As soon as we're in the range, I'll vox the local administration to prepare for us," he assured the woman.

"Proceed then," Eleanor responded vaguely. "I would prefer this visitation to go through seamlessly. And you, Rulf, are responsible for that."

"I'm aware of the potential consequences, Inquisitor," the man replied immediately. "Still, serving as the Inquisitor's assistant is an honour. And... I'll do my best not to disappoint."

"Good," von Ryke commented. "I presume the task force has remained silent?" she questioned, seamlessly changing the topic entirely.

"Unfortunately, Inquisitor," the assistant responded momentarily. "If we had received a message, I'd have passed it without delay. Currently, communication with the ground team is a rather problematic matter."

"That is?" the Inquisitor asked, intrigued.

"The vox quality is poor, to say the least," Todd simply explained. "But, considering the place they've delved into, these circumstances are all within the acceptable boundaries."

"Your faith in coincidence is admirable yet misplaced, Todd," von Ryke stated coldly. "I want the communication link to be established as soon as possible. But, this time, I want the matter to go smoothly. This investigation is taking too long to conclude," the woman allowed some bitterness to taint her tone.

"We'll double our effort to quicken the investigation. I assure you about that, Inquisitor," Rulf said.

"These are but the words," the woman scoffed. "I will meet you and the captain on the bridge shortly. But, until then, I take we will leave the Immaterium behind us."

...

Eleanor von Ryke made her way toward the ship's bridge, surrounded by an aura of disdain. Even though her being an Inquisitor in the service of the God-Emperor required a near-constant movement across the vast Emperium, she did not like travelling through the Chaos domain. No matter how many times she had been reassured throughout the years that as long as the Gellar field generators worked, she had nothing to fear; a seed of mind-killer had been steadily growing inside of her.

Still, no matter the woman's preferences, the duty called, and she answered as its dutiful servant. So, despite the ever-present fear, she covered the distance between her quarter and the ship's command centre. It was always a long and uneventful journey. However, it also caused the Inquisitor to reflect. Sometimes, she would think about something glorious, something worthy. But, it would not always be the reality. From time to time, the woman's mind would get flooded by conflicted ideas. But, of course, these were petty things, nuisances. For example, how could the ship's enormous haul and its passages feel simultaneously so empty yet crowded and filled with cacophonic noises? Nonetheless, Eleanor knew there was no worth paying attention to such topics. So, usually, she would shake her head, trying to get rid of these petty thoughts.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the gate leading to the bridge opened, allowing the Inquisitor to enter the commanding post. But as the woman stepped into the room, she momentarily looked to the sides. Just like she expected, two former Death Korps of Krieg members stood there, taking the vigil as she had commanded. Even though, for many, these loyal soldiers of the Emperor were but maniacs, the Inquisitor preferred them over other Astra Millitarum regiments. If one found a way to counter their self-sacrificing mentality, seemingly endless qualities could be found within these incredibly young combatants. Still, getting used to the constant sounds of breathing through gas masks was a hassle. And quite frankly, the process had not been completed in the case of von Ryke.