The Blood Angel's Dirty Secret

Chapter 2, Hours before Dog Watch

The décor of the sisters quarters were as to be expected of a Astartes vessel, dark dinghy and above all else it was simple, an armour corner made up of steel shelves and hooks with a seating bench and small wooden table with a single draw, while in the opposing corner sat a desk most likely used by the remembrancers when they are given privilege of these quarters though Valeria would use it,

 she liked to keep her own records of events, these records could never be considered fact as she did not have the bio implants that the remembrancers did, no picter bank in her eyes and no mind for poetry, however she did keep very detailed logs which from time to time she would read to herself to aide her memory of past victories and losses as she saw them as just as important to remember, a way of learning from her mistakes and rectifying them in the next instant.

The dusty outline of an oversized bunk shadowed the gleaming new single human sized bed frame that now sat in the furthest corner of the room under the port hole looking out into the warp, as Valaria glanced over at the time piece above the cold almost depressing hatchway she decided to take rest for an hour to recuperate her strength, she felt alien on this ship as if she was the new gadget that everybody was scared to turn on in case it exploded in their hands,

an internal cry for help bellowed inside her mind as she slumped her body down to the hard mattress the springs of the bunk stretched and creaked beneath her as she removed her robes dropping them to the deck, she lay still for a moment letting the cold air kiss her skin, sitting up against the bulkhead behind her headboard she looked over her own body studying every tattoo as if seeing them for the first time, she seemed so entranced by the first mark she received, a single Aquila on her right thigh the size of her palm,

 as she traced her finger tip over it she could feel its raised scaring as though it was stitching on a tapestry she cracked a smile remembering the fellow sister that gave her the mark Erwin was her name also a seraphim within the order and much like Valaria with her personality but with brunette hair that cascaded to the floor and was always kept tight in a braid and twisted loosely around her neck like a scarf, a loud knocking at the hatch startled Valaria and broke her concentration,

"Enter"

she exclaimed her heavenly voice echoing through the room, as the hatch lock crunched open and swung halfway open a blonde haired Astartes popped his head through the crack he seemed almost to be smiling but it was hard to tell through all the facial scaring,

"commander, excuse me but I am Xander, apothecary to 12th company, I just wanted to welcome you aboard and reassure you that should you require the aide of space marines for anything then 12th company are your men,

We stand behind the lord commander's decision to bring you in and I must add that the 502nd death company stand with the 12th brothers to the end and at your command"

his voice almost angelic but also rough like you would expect of a veteran, as Valeria looked at his he did smile it was obvious to her now, she returned the gesture as her words drifted over her lips,

"Thank you Xander, it is good to know I will not be fighting the war on my own" she chuckled lightly

"Please do come in apothecary I could do with some company before my first watch"

she added as she pulled her robe from the floor and slinking it over her shoulders to cover her breasts, Xander stepped through into the room himself only wearing a wrap almost like a kilt, not like the other marines that wore loin cloths this was decorated in symbols of the various armies of man,

"I must ask Xander, why the symbols?"

Valaria asked cocking her head slightly to glance at the ultramarine patch.

"Well I keep a sort of record of every army I have had the honour of working with, I hope to one day have a flir di lies,"

He explained as he took a seat on the bench in the corner bumping his head on Valaria's breast plate as he sat back, she chuckled lightly before adding

"I'm sorry I mean no offence by my laughter"

"None taken, I am a bit of a cluts when getting to know new people"

He returned as he replaced the plate to its hook,

she smiled softly at his remark as her lips parted to speak the internal white lights dimmed as the red warning lights buzzed into life, sirens sounded from the Caxton and a voice bellowed over the ships vox,

"Now hear this, now hear this, all command personnel to the bridge, I repeat all command personnel to the bridge, by orders of the lord commander"

Valaria sighed slightly as Xander smiled,

"I'm guessing you should armour up and report"

He said standing from his seat

"I would look forward to talking with you more Valaria, I sense you have some good tales to tell,

"That I do, I shall seek you out when this is done"

She replied getting to her feet and walking to the bench, Xander smiled again and departed with the words,

"I look forward to it"