Magdalena saw the distorted reflection of herself in the highly polished black tile floor as she strode through the corridors of the Emperor's Eye. The warped image of herself undulating in the floor reminded her of that horrid feeling she had every time the cruiser slipped through the Warp. She could still hear the whispers of the Daemons in the Warp, as they taunted and teased those who dared travel through their domain, the only method of interstellar travel available to the Imperium. Though protected by the psychic shields around the ship, and by the awesome power of the Emperor, a woman of her piety and faith could sense even the slightest taint of the Warp.
She reached the portal she had been seeking and pressed the hailing button. The door opened after only a moment's hesitation. She stepped into the spartanly furnished antechamber where three female Inquisitional Crusaders stood guard. Their carapace armor was ornately decorated, fashioned of brass-colored material to resemble Spartans of long ago. There were power-swords at their waists and Suppression Shields on their left forearm that gave them unparalleled protection in close combat. The violet trim identified them as the personal guards of the Inquisitor whom she was there to speak with.
Magdalena was clearly expected, as they stepped away from the door and bowed slightly in respect for her position. She stepped into the personal chambers of the Inquisitor. She raised an elegant eyebrow in disapproval at the luxurious furnishings of the chamber. As a Sister of Battle, her life had been one of austere sacrifice, and such excesses of largesse were not only unnecessary, but dangerous. Only through suffering can purity be maintained.
Inquisitor Gaius Romulus Saevitiae sat in a richly decorated chair of mahogany wood, upholstered in velvet of deep purple. His clothing was white with violet trim, obviously tailored. His blond hair was short with a loose curl, and his eyes were ice blue. He had a strong jaw and prominent cheekbones, and Magdalena could tell he was well aware he was a handsome man. Kneeling at his feet were two women in diaphanous dresses that left entirely too much of their skin bare, particularly their long slender legs. Around their necks were collars of leather and iron, with leashes of adamantite chain. Their backs were bare and criss-crossed with the scars from hundreds of lashes from a neural whip. Magdelena could feel the dull throb of their psychic power. Penitents.
"Inquisitor Saevitiae," She spoke coolly. "We have arrived. The cruiser is in orbit over the planet."
"Thank you, Mother Magdalena," He replied with a deep, smooth voice. He let his gaze wander over the Mother Superior of the Order of Saint Celestine. It was one of the newer Orders of the Sisterhood of Battle, the virginal templar-nuns sworn to the service of the God-Emperor. Her habit was crimson and white with trim of gold. The bolt pistol on her hip was rich with filigree and religious symbology, crafted with care and anointed and blessed. A small tattoo of a Fleur-de-Lys, the symbol of the Sisters of Battle, was under the corner of her right eye.
He followed her glance to the two women kneeling at his feet, "My penitents. Vispania and Helvia…" He touched each on the head. He cradled their cheeks in his palms, lifting their heads so their eyes met his. Magdalena saw a devotion and worship in the penitents' eyes she found unsavory and potentially blasphemous. Gaius explained, "They were both rogue psykers on my home planet of Byzantium Nova. I neutralized their powers, captured them, and the purified them." Magdalena's eyes dropped to the scars on the penitents' backs. Purity through suffering. Through weeks of purification under the whip and the Inquisitor's psychic domination, their own psionic talents had been honed and channeled. Now they acted as psychic "lightning rods", drawing the powers of evil psykers and "grounding" them.
"May I speak freely, Inquisitor?" Magdalena asked.
"Of course, Mother Superior," He released the two women from his hold and leaned back in the chair.
