Warhammer 40,000: Stavrakis- The Hunt For Valakt

Interview with a monster

The cell doors were once again covered by a localised void shield. The Skitarii outside the entrance were on alert, and covered us as we turned the corner. I showed them my Rosette.

"Inquisitor. Your timing is fortuitous. The prisoner is stirring." Reported the senior of the two. He placed his hand over the control wand hung at his belt, waiting on my orders.

"Wait. I need two more members of my team here before I question the prisoner." I instructed him. He nodded. It didn't take long for Edmund and Kalanaar to show up. The Skitarii stirred at the sight of the Warlock, but were professional enough to connect the two of us together, and not cause a scene. I was thankful. I looked at the pair of them. Kalanaar had taken his helmet off for once. The large, conical helmet made him look passive and imposing. Now his exposed face had a similar effect: his face was thin and angular, giving the impression of a sharp blade. His dull, grey eyes took in the sight of the door and the Skitarii. He caught my gaze, and I raised an eyebrow.

"A change of appearance." He explained. "I felt it was necessary for this." He looked slightly troubled, but he hid it well.

"Whatever you think is necessary. Edmund, are all the preparations in place?"

He nodded. "Yes sir. Remote Vox pickup and recording, live pict feed, the astropaths are in position as well." I nodded as well. He was a good Interrogator. Hopefully his ascension to Inquisitor wasn't far off. I turned and directed my attention to the prison cell. The large imposing opaque shield fizzled and buzzed in its place.

"Open it." I instructed the Tech Guard.

He grabbed the control wand and waved it at the door. The void shield shimmered, flickered, then winked out of existence with an acrid whiff of burnt ozone. The huge bulkhead behind it sat still, daring enemies of the Inquisition to breach it. Or try. On it was stamped the skull and cogwheel of the Adeptus Mechanicus, and I was sure that they could forge something that was near impervious.

"Disengaging active psyk-damping." He announced. I could feel the slight pop in my inner ear as the room became un-dampened.

"The astropaths record no warp activity Inquisitor." Edmund reported after a moment or two, his face scrunched and strained. "Ambient temperature is below average."

The main blast doors were slowly opening, cycling on huge gears. The tertiary locks snapped open then, and the doors opened with a soft crashing sound. I motioned for my team to step through quickly. As we crossed the threshold, the void shield sprang back into life behind us. I blinked as the hazing effect occurred. The cell I was in was not small by prison standards, but not overly large either. It seemed to be as big as the stasis chamber the subject was being held in. The room was sectioned neatly and precisely, with the bunk for sleeping in the far left corner. In the opposite corner were sanitation facilities. I noticed that they weren't screened or covered. Not that such niceties would occur to the Mechanicus, even if they were inclined to sneak a peek. Still, they were there, which was more considerate than most prisons I have seen. In the middle of the cell was a bare wooden desk, and two chairs on opposite sides. On the wall behind us were bare metal shelves. In another set of circumstances, this would make a perfect study, I mused. Perfect for isolating yourself from distraction and interference. Maybe that is the reason it was turned into a holding cell. On the whole, it was remarkably humane, compared with other prisons. Our prisoner was sitting on the bunk, her back to the wall. In front of her was a small, plastic board. They had brought a lukewarm soup or broth for her,and she was mid-gulp. The hazing effect of the void shield receded and I got my first good glimpse of her. She was of a moderate build, slightly taller than average. Hm. No. I looked again. She looked malnourished, underfed. Whatever her life before the attack, she was not treated well. Her short, red hair looked sickly and matted. I was glad that the Mechanicus aboard the Radiant Dawn had experience dealing with fully biological people. They had given her some clothing, a mismatched assortment of materials and thicknesses, but clothing nonetheless. The psyker inhibiting cuffs she wore jingled as she set the bowl down and wiped away the remains. She saw us then, and her entire demeanour changed instantly. She gasped, terrified and backed away as far as she could into the corner. She dragged the thin bed covers around her, and huddled in a tiny heap. Not a good first impression. My band lounged around the edges of the cell as I walked slowly to the desk. She eyed me and my team fearfully. I reached the desk, and sat down. I studied her reaction intently. This did not seem like fear of something, or someone, unknown. Sometime in the past, a situation must have played out almost exactly like this. With a far more dire outcome.