Thus Did The Imperium of Mankind Fight There

Part 39 Reunion

Arik waited on the tarmac of the base's airstrip with Count Formal, his equerry, and most notably, Princess Alice.

He'd gathered them all here to wait for the return of the Callidus with her aunt after receiving confirmation of the assassin's successful insertion. The mission's outcome after that point was a forgone conclusion, the Officio possessed a superb record of meeting its objectives and it was a woefully dubious prospect that the enemy had any means to stop one of its operatives here.

Nevertheless, the abhuman princess had plainly been anxious, shifting on her two rabbit legs and tense in her posture. She'd relaxed somewhat after the pilot reported that the mission was a success but still carried a worried expression. 

Eventually, the silhouette of a Valkyrie emerged in the distance and rapidly came in for a smooth textbook landing.

The side doors of the troop carrier slid open and out strode the Callidus Assassin. In her arms, she held an abhuman that had a striking resemblance to Alice but was visibly older.

"Auntie!" Alice cried out as she tried to run to her elder's side but was stopped by Ghota who placed one of his massive hands on her left arms.

"Stay where you are miss," he rumbled.

Emergency response teams rushed to the unconscious bunny warrior, gingerly taking her from the arms of the assassin, any fear for the deadly killer suppressed by their training to give aid.

Alice still tried to struggle free from Ghota's hold, yelling, "Let me go, I need to help her!"

Ghota kept his hold on her though, replying, "You can aid her by not interfering with those trained to do so, or are you a medicae?"

Finally, either seeing reason or realizing the futility of her struggle, Alice relented.

Arik ordered the liberated slave to be brought to the primary apothecarium of the Army. The medical facilities of the Army had so far mostly treated freed slaves and refugees as any engagements with Saderan forces were one-sided and over quickly, in fact, so far the Imperium's only casualties on Falmart were the two deceased Night Lords.

Arik allowed his equerry and the two Falmartians beside him to follow the medical cadre to the apothecarium as he approached the Callidus.

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Camila didn't feel any fear as the Proto-Primarch strode towards her as others might. Such feelings were removed from her via hypno-indoctrination and relentless training.

Calmly, she kneeled to the Primarch as he stood before her. "Assassin, the reputation of your Temple proceeds you, good work," Arik spoke gruffly.

Camila felt a small surge of pride at the Lightning Bearer's words. Receiving praise from a Primarch was no simple feat.

"My thanks Lord Taranis, if that is all, I will return to Terra now that the mission is complete," she stated, rising as she expected to be dismissed.

Instead of dismissing her though, Arik shook his head, informing, "You will remain Assassin, I have requested you be attached to Army Cataegis until the planet's full compliance. The Sigilite has approved of my request."

Camila was in no small part surprised by this but kept silent. Imperial Assassins never questioned their orders, not ever.  However, Arik decided it was only proper to explain the reasoning behind his request.

"Even with the considerable intelligence gathered from captives and refugees, much of it may be outdated or no longer relevant. That is why I require a trustworthy source in the heart of the enemy's territory, someone who can operate covertly and provide accurate, current information."

It didn't take a genius to realize who Arik was referring to and Camila swiftly understood.

"So I am to return to the enemy's capital?" she asked.

Arik gruffed in affirmation, "Yes, but not immediately. A room has been set aside in the Headquarters building for your usage, rest there; further details will be provided later."

Bowing to the Primarch, Camila then took her leave.

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Later the next day, in Expeditionary Army Cataegis's Apothecarium

Tyuule slowly opened her heavily lidded eyes as she groaned. Her entire body was sore and her hips were in pain from activities she tried not to remember. Through the small slit between her opening eyelids, she saw a pristine white ceiling and odd glowing tubes that shown brightly.

However, before she could fully open her eyes, a voice called out to her, a voice she hadn't heard in years.

"Auntie!" Alicia's voice called out upon seeing her aunt wake up, taking her right hand into her own.

Instantly, Tyuule's eyes snapped open and she turned her head right. She gasped at the sight of her niece and heir, a person she thought she'd never lay eyes on again after her enslavement. Yet there she was, smiling through tears of sheer happiness streaming down her cheeks.

For a fleeting moment, after enduring nothing but resentment and loathing since her captivity, her heart filled with both shock and joy, a silent joyful reunion enveloping the two.

Carefully, almost hesitantly, Tyuule raised her left hand to caress the right cheek of her beloved niece.

"Alice, is it - is it truly you?" Tyuule whispered as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing was real, like this was all a dream and soon she would wake up to find herself back in her holding cell.

Sniffing a few times before she answered, Alice responded, "Yes Auntie, I-I'm really here."

"How?"

Alice maintained her smile as she excitedly told her aunt, "These people, Auntie, they saved you and me and all the slaves they freed."                                                                                   

"Oh?"Tyuule let out, her smile drooping, confused by Alice's words. Taking her hand from Alice's cheek she used it to push herself into a sitting position. She lifted her head and took stock of her surroundings and for the first time since regaining consciousness, noted how unusual they were. 

Everything was almost unnaturally clean and perfectly white, including the loose robes that hung loosely over her body. Even the air was cool and felt as if it had been cleansed. She also noticed the strange equipment that filled the odd little room she lay in.

Then, from behind her, she heard another voice.

"I wouldn't recommend moving too much, Miss."

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