Thus Did The Imperium of Mankind Fight There

Part 36 Headaches

After the Solar Wardens and the other natives filed out of the meeting room, only Arik Taranis and Rory Mercury remained.

The two sharply contrasting individuals stayed silent as they stared at one another. The two could truly be described as exact opposites.

One was a hulking brute, a rushed project grown artificially in the Emperor's gene labs. The other was a small, slender girl, born as a regular human.

The Proto-Primarch's face was fixed with a stone-cold gaze, the Apostle displayed a beaming smile.

Arik's biology, equally as unstable as it was powerful, required constant treatments and monitoring to prevent rapid genetic degradation, a product of unperfected sciences, his soul unremarkable by the admission of his creator.

Rory's body, made perfect by the blessings of her patron God Emroy, could regenerate itself from even the most horrific of wounds and make a mockery of death, a vessel for a soul that would soon ascend to godhood.

There were differences that were also far less obvious.

One had accepted his fate, to eventually die from either his ailing body or violently on the battlefield, either way, it would be painful, but ultimately in the service of mankind.

The other, secretly despaired at her destiny, wishing for her time in the mortal world to last just a bit longer, drowning herself in pleasure and alcohol to escape from reality.

However, there was one way in which they were all too similar: both were broken - not completely unto insanity, but partially so.

Though here, too, there was an all-too-important discrepancy: Arik had made peace with his creator, still shared in the company of his sole remaining son, and possessed a family with the Emperor's sons.

Rory had no one to share her burdens with.

This was what Arik saw in Rory, something that she longed for above all else, something any true warrior would understand: comradeship.

"You are lonely Miss Mercury, do not try to hide it from me with that mask you wear," Arik rumbled.  

Momentarily, Rory's ever-present shiny smile faltered imperceptibly. 

"Oh???'' Rory tilted her head to her left. "What do you think I am hiding...Sir Taranis?" Rory questioned, the tone of her voice dripping with false innocence.

Arik narrowed his eyes at Rory as she maintained her confident smirk, neither willing to back down. Once again, a tense silence filled the room. 

Eventually, Arik was forced to break the standoff when his vox beed sounded. Shooting one last glare at the Apostle, he lifted his hand to click the device in his left ear. 

"This is Lord Arik Taranis, speak." 

"My Lord," Ghota responded over the vox-link. "Second-Lieutenant Minerva Antioch has arrived."

"Send her in," Arik commanded before returning to his irritating guest. "Rejoin with your compatriots, your time here is done." 

Rory gave a small nod of acknowledgment and spun around, leaving the room, her smile never leaving her face. 

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Minerva POV

After her unnerving meeting with the Gold Order Agent, Minerva was ordered to head for the Expeditionary Army's HQ to receive further instructions from the Primarch himself. 

She knew her actions would catch the eye of some in the higher echelons, but she never expected to attract the personal attention of the Lightning Bearer.