5 Chapter 1 Part 4

Chapter 1: Welcome to the Inquisition

=ATBS=

Part 4​

Imperial Guard base "Final Liberation"

Victory Bay

Kronus

"Normally I'd laugh at such a request." Captain Lenox sounded rather irritated over the vox. "After the Astartes Cruiser threatened to blow MY SHIP to pieces for no good reason, I'm inclined to agree. Sent your message and our Astropath will transmit it. Do you have any particular destination in mind?"

"The nearest Naval base with request to make it available immediately to the Inquisition? As well as Segmentum Command." I asked.

"That might work."

My station strikes again. Someone actually experienced and higher up on the food chain would know where to send such a message as mine so it would light a fire under people's feet.

"Priority Transmission to Segmentum Command and the nearest Naval Units to the Zeus System, Lithesh Sector. Imperial Guard units and Adeptus Astartes Blood Ravens in open warfare on the surface. Reason: conflicting orders from Segmentum Command and Astartes Chapter Master. Higher authority intervention needed to resolve the conflict. Inquisitor Requista has been out of contact for a week investigating Heretic activity on the Deimos Peninsula. Status unknown, will investigate shortly. Heavy Xeno presence confirmed on Kronus – Eldar, Tau and Ork. Requesting clarification of orders, Inquisitorial support and additional reinforcements. Inquisitorial Agent Delkatar Veil, identification..."

"I hope that works. If it wasn't for Inquisitor Requista's orders to send you that message, the Astartes Cruiser would have kept jamming our comms and prevented us from contacting the "Blood of Saints" just as it continued doing after you left the ship." General Alexander who had been keeping an ear for my message grumbled once I was done.

"It's like they aren't particularly keen on betting that their orders might be countermanded." I mussed. "Any idea what has the noble Astartes ready to murder us all along with the Xenos?" I asked.

"Not sure. One of our scout teams reported finding some kind of relics before we lost contact. When I sent a mech company to investigate, they were butchered by the Space Marines." Alexander looked positively murderous as he relied that little tidbit.

"Well, I hope they would enjoy the Ordo's investigation on their activities."

Alexander smirked at that. "I can give you a short platoon, five Chimeras and a handful of Stormtroopers. I hope that will be enough."

"Me too. Whatever is responsible for Lord Requista being out of contact that long has to be nasty. Thank you for the support, General. Do you have any idea where exactly in Deimos Peninsula Lord Requista went?"

"Unfortunately no. He kept his own council."

That was suboptimal. It was time to bite the bullet again. "Would it be possible for someone to guide me to his quarters? There might be some pointers."

"I can't decide if you're very brave or foolish." The General raised and eyebrow at me.

"Try desperate. I know I could be shot when we find the Inquisitor, though the alternatives aren't much better."

"I'll see to it. A few Stormtroopers who ran errands for the Inquisitor are around the base. I'll assign them to you. They know where he stayed in the city." Alexander gave me a sharp nod and returned to planning on how to deal with the myriad of enemies besieging Kronus.

That in itself was curious. It would have actually been safer and lower profile if Requista had stayed in the base and requisitioning barracks for only him and his retinue would have been a child's play.

=ATBS=

When the General said move, the IG usually does so with a gusto. At least the First Kronus Regiment, the Liberators as they were now known did so.

Just a few minutes after I sent the message that hopefully would get this mess sorted out if I failed in retrieving Requista in one piece, I was standing in front of the CP, where the promised Chimeras were already waiting. Their Leftenant, one Felicia Pickos was standing at parade rest, flanked by two grizzled NCOs. Behind them, a trio of Stormtroopers clad in a armor that looked much more advanced than the carapace every Guardsman on Kronus seemed to wear, were lounging on the middle APC.

"Sir. Third Platoon, Alpha Company, 56th Battalion First Kronus Regiment, reporting for duty!" The woman saluted, speaking with the voice of a drill instructor. She had the bearing of one too, reminding me for the people who handled some of our training in the shcola. She was likely a promoted NCO, which meant that Pickos knew what the hell she was doing.

I gave her a reassuring smile. My chances for survival just jumped up a bit.

"Splendid. Are you familiar with the Deimos peninsula, Leftenant?" I asked.

"Only by map, sir."

"We'll be going there to find a missing Inquisitor and his retinue."

That earned me a long-suffered look. So I wasn't the only one to suspect that Requista might have chewed up more than he could handle.

"What's your plan, sir?"

"Find if someone can narrow down where exactly Inquisitor Requista went and failing that just head into the peninsula and start asking pointed questions." I smiled thinly. I would be getting answers one way or another.

I turned my attention to the Stormtroopers.

"Soldiers, I understand that you did a few odd jobs for the Lord Inquisitor and know where he stayed in the city?"

"That's right." The apparent leader of the group nodded and stood straighter."

"We'll be going there while waiting for the Astartes to make up their minds."

"About what sir?" The Leftenant asked. "If it isn't too much to ask, sir!" She hastily added.

"If they will accept my suggestion to concentrate their efforts on the Xeno instead of trying to kill us as well at least until we can locate the Inquisitor so he can straighten up this mess." The troopers in earshot perked up at that.

"Ah. I hope they will." Pickos nodded.

Right now I was following the advice of First Sergeant Nolan, who was the latest NCO handling my CQB training in the shcola. He was on the opinion that it was always prudent to make sure that the average IG trooper has at least a few reasons to keep you alive. Doing your best to prevent Spake Marines from murdering them all fell square in that category I think. According to Nolan, such little things increased the likelihood of the troopers actually trying to save me when I was in a scrap and decreased the chance of getting "accidentally" shot in the back. Multiple times.

"Your name trooper?" I asked the Stormtrooper who addressed me.

"Corporal Santos, sir."

"You and your two friends will act as my bodyguards until we get the job done. Do you have any idea where the Inquisitor headed to?"

"Negative, sir."

"Then we're going to check up his quarters for clues. On my authority so don't worry about getting shot if he disapproves. Where is he staying anyway?"

"Elysium district, to the south west of here."

"Leftenant, I trust there won't be any problem getting there now?" I asked.

"Not that I know of, sir."

"Let's get going."