A Monster in Hell: A 40K Story

Chapter-5

The interrogation was about to begin.

So far... I knew that the interrogation was carried out by three people: the Commissar leading us all, a local Inquisitor, and the highest-ranked member of the Ecclesiarchy in the area. There had been no Heretics so far: we were more or less lucky. My interrogation was about to begin.

As far as I knew... they were going to absolutely drill you with questions.

I was after Brutus and another well-built fellow called Cassius. The door opened and Brutus went in, and the door slammed shut.

I stood there for some five minutes. Brutus' interrogation proceeded for exactly five minutes before he was declared clean. He was a fervent worshipper of the Faith, and a believer in the manifest destiny of humanity, so he was off the hook.

After Cassius was declared clean after a grueling ten to fifteen minutes of interrogation, it was my turn.

I distinctly saw Olga giving me a wink before I disappeared through the door.

There were three people in the room.

The first was an old man, wearing the uniform of a Priest.

Reality slipped out almost immediately.

I was looking at a church, where another Priest approached the old man.

"Has the payment been received?"

In response, the old Priest simply motioned to the floorboards. Two more men, wearing uniforms of the Faith, came over to the aisle and climbed onto the podium. The old priest stepped aside, and the two men dug up the floorboards, revealing bags of Throne Gelts which would be worth an entire planet. More men arrived, carrying the bags and boxes full of currency away.

"I suppose we do not have to worry about any problems down the line."

"The tracks have been covered. Business will boom. Rogue Traders, Inquisitors, Renegades, even our Xeno clients--- they are all satisfied with our performance. There are no customer complaints so far." the old man smiled. "Lessen your paranoia, Uriah."

"I am worried. The Inquisition was close to finding out how we are embezzling Imperial supplies to enrich our positions in the galaxy. Twice..." Uriah retorted. "That nosy Inquisitor, Justinian Hiram, was close to exposing us."

"He will do nothing. His brother Octavian wants to be an inquisitor too, no? Perhaps a lesson is required for that stubborn boy..." The old Priest nodded his head. "We own an galactic smuggling ring and have thousands of safehouses and customer support to fall back upon, not to mention our political and military support in Cadia. We are capable of hiding behind the cloak of the Faith if so required. As missionaries, we have direct access to funds."

"You forget, Religious, that the Faith and the Inquisition only lend their support because they believe you to be a devout servant of the God-Empress! If word gets out, they will be the first to hunt you down!"

"Then they will die!" snarled the old man, now identified as Religious (was it a codename?), "There is only one who even suspects me, and that is a lowly Inquisitorial aide! Justinian Hiram! Is it not so, Justinian, you nosy brat?"

"What---?! Are you mad---?! IS THAT THE BOY?!" cried Uriah in horror, as Religious pointed a bolter at a corner of the wall, from where a section burst open and the boy identified as Justinian Hiram was revealed.

"Surrender yourself, Lucius Religious!" snarled the boy, a hololithic camera in his hands and a laspistol in the other. "You have betrayed the Imperium by breaking the laws of the Faith, embezzling Imperial funds, enriching yourself, smuggling Imperial supplies and relief aid, consorting with Xenos and uncountable crimes. Also, you threatened my brother, so that is another thing to add to the list!" He pointed it at Religious. "You are guilty of Heresy. Surrender yourself now."