Vex Chronicles 1: Infection

Security officers

Lucena's Ascent, prow section

Kressman lead the small group. It was a wretches feeling to know the enemy in his back. But there was no other choice as he definitely didn't want the xenos woman to lead either.

There had been a gun fight in front of the air lock that had brought them back into the Lucena's Ascent. Most of the dead were deformed genestealer cultists. Shotguns had cut them down from behind before they had gotten the chance to respond. Only a few imperial security officers had fallen.

Kressman's rifle wandered trough the dim twilight of the emergency lights. The autogun Cassilia had passed to him was crude and badly maintained. But it was the only one with spare magazines.

The others of their band had armed themselves as well. The hooded hybrid had picked up one of the shotguns and a power maul. And the aberrant now carried a heavy stubber as if it weighted nothing. And the three women had taken autoguns and lasguns.

It was a dreaded feeling to depend on Cassilia. But the cultist woman had received message from Vex. As wonderful as it was to know that the inquisitor was alive, he depended on a xenos thing to speak with him.

"He said Level 3 conduits?"

Cassilia did not reply. She just stared at Kressman with confusion and fright in her eyes.

"I gave you a question!," Kressman barked.

The two xenos creatures in Cassilia's entourage gripped their weapons tighter. And the three women of the crew slipped beside Kressman to assist him if the xenos would try to attack. But a gesture of Cassilia let her own stand down. Her hands were shaking in well suppressed cramps. And then Kressman saw the twitching muscles in her jaws. The thing wanted to answer. It just couldn't.

"Breath! Calm down. I need you sane and collected. I need to speak with Vex!" Kressman's voice still vibrated with anger and disgust. He just couldn't see it as a "her". He could not allow that! It was a creature, a twisted xenos creature. And this alliance of desperation was over the moment he no longer needed them.

"Again! Type 3 conduits? Just nod."

Cassilia's expression turned frantic. She couldn't even nod... Was that a result of the implantation? With a gut wrenching feeling Kressman put his hands onto the thing's shoulder.

"Breath in, breath out. There is no need to be in panic. Your own are there for you. And I will... protect you until this is over." Somehow Kressman managed to channel his will to help people in need. And even though Cassilia was not "people", Kressman managed to turn his voice into a soothing tone.

And so Kressman begun to recite a verse of imperial creed. It was more to calm down his own disgust. But it also had an effect on Cassilia. The woman was in panic. And in her panic she could not think clear. At least that was Kressman's theory. And so he choose words to calm her, recited prayers of sharpen ones mind. And it soon begun to work. Cassilia swallowed and finally managed to get a nod out.

"Type 3?"

She nodded again. And just that simple motion put happy tears on her face. Kressman quickly looked away. He didn't want to see her like a woman in troubles. By the Emperor, Cassilia was an "it"!

"Okay. There is a maintenance workshop in the prow. We'll go there once we assisted the security forces."

Again Cassilia nodded. And this time she managed to get a word out. "Thank... you."

Kressman groaned and waved them to follow. "Keep your eyes open. There are still enemies aboard. They are searching for something. Or someone..."

Were the enemies out for Vex and the others of his retinue? The mere thought of a man with the power of an inquisitor mind controlled by a genestealer cult made Kressman's gut ache.