Brotherhood of the Yellow King: Cult War - Chapter Three

III

Sefina De'ath leaned back in the luxurious highbacked executive chair, rolled her eyes and sighed for what must have been the hundredth time. For not QUITE the hundredth time she wished she had accompanied the Inquisitor on his mission to Endomaw, hell, been sent with Wraithchild squad to hunt down the Genestealer. Anything would be preferable to this interminable mindnumbing tedium.

"Emperor Save me" she muttered for what MUST have been the hundredth time, she'd have so dearly loved to have had Ralscon back here so she could kick him in the gut again, repeatedly. She had been all too aware that he had been up to no good and concealing things but she had been astounded by the scope of his devious machinations, she was actually kind of impressed. To conceal and falsify so much data spoke of some innate talent, it was a shame that it had been so very severely misdirected.

"Damn you Ralscon " she swore, consoling herself with the fact that wherever the former Supervisor Prime had been taken it was likely to be wholly unpleasant for him. The Inquisition were not gentle to heretics. The first stage of retrieving the information was a thorough data sift. In this at least she had been able to secure assistance. Her time undercover in the Administratum had allowed her to identify the most competent and trustworthy personnel and it was no coincidence that these were those that tended not to indulge in the narcotic known as 'Emperor's Caress' that had paralysed so much of Narthley. These individuals had ceded quickly to her authority when she had brandished Garanthe's Inquisitorial sigil. All throughout the Imperium knew and feared the Emperor's Holy Inquisition even if they seldom expected to encounter them in their lifetime.

She found herself considering the drug for a moment. That it had originated in Endomaw was very clear but for what purpose? Control? It seemed likely but then why suddenly curtail the supply as they had? It made no sense. Then again it HAD reduced Narthley's readiness and productivity to practically zero. Could Endomaw be planning an attack? They were a long way away, they would see them coming well in advance and despite the increased activity in Endomaw there had been no signs of any advance or indeed any increased presence for a week or more now. It was true however that every facet of Narthley had been affected by the prolificity of the drug. Industry, security, productivity, not one element had escaped. However, the withdrawal symptoms and problenms that came with them would surely be short lived. By the time any invasion force made it's way over from Endomaw Narthley would surely be recovered. The worst addicts in the Administratum had been removed for 'processing and even now local civil enforcement operatives (those that were not also corrupted by the Narcotic) were rooting out anyone else who might be under the influence of the Emperor's Caress. This was a gargantuan task in itself for they were much reduced in manpower and Sefina was under no illusion that ALL users could be eradicated, the city would quite literally cease to function in any meaningful way. No, they must all be 'Processed' but they could not all be executed or even imprisoned. At least not till replacement workforces could be sourced. Needs dictated that she must operate in a slightly less drastic manner than usual, it chafed her that her hands were tied in this manner. There was something she was missing, what was it?

Shaking hear head as if to clear it, she returned her focus to the screen ahead of her. There were reams and reams of data to analyse and check. In the Emperor's name why had the Inquisitor taken the Savant with him? Throne knew hew would have been invaluable in processing this kind of volume of information. Ideally suited to this endeavour, he would have been able to perform the task much faster than she. Sefina finished reading the latest report, made some quick notes and dismissed it before summoning what was probably the hundredth document to be examined.

Some distance away Keroi Kass crouched in the dark, trying to steady his racing pulse and panicked breathing. Nothing he could do would stop his hands shaking though, nothing except another lift. It had been over a day since his last, prised from the grip of a dead man, a man he had killed, all for the Emperor's caress, and that was just one paltry tab, barely enough for a lift at all. Still, it was better than nothing he had told himself as he rifled his victims pockets whilst swallowing the yellow pill.

Now he was deep in the throes of withdrawal again, the drug was proving impossible to find Morgal lay dead behind him in the alley, strangely contorted, his twisted body testament to Leroi's desperation. Morgal was no easy target and had put up quite the struggle, borne out by the shallow stab wound to Keroi's side, but in the end he had fallen victim to his own blade. Keroi had thought Morgal was holding out on him but a frenzied search of his corpse had yielded nothing. If Morgal didn't have anyone no one did, you could be sure of that. Still, he had had a nice coat and Morgal's blade was now Keroi's, to the victor the spoils and all that. Along with a stab wound to the abdomen of course. Thing was, Keroi barely felt it, only the agonising, insufferable emptiness from his need for another lift.

He pressed himself further into the shadows as figures passed by. Black Jacks. They were hunting people down, dragging them off the streets. No one knew why. He'd even had a few friends taken recently. OK, friends might be pushing it, and acquaintances would be kind. People he knew then. Still, there was no denying that something was going down, something BIG. They wouldn't take Keroi Kass though, nuh uh, not without a fight. Keroi shook his head vigorously as the denial went through his mind. Drops of ash laden rain fell from his hair splashing into the greyish puddles below. If there was one constant on Worth it was that damnable ash. Yeah, they wouldn't take Keroi, he was free and had a knife and even a nice coat that he had liberated from Morgal to boot. No actual boots mind you, Morgal's had alas, been far too small. A real shame because the hole in Keroi's let the ashwater in.

Keroi giggled a little at his internal monologue, he needed another Lift! What was he going to to do? He scratched subconsciously at his chest, there had been an itch developing there for a while, it was getting more and more irritating and persistent. He chalked it up to just another withdrawal symptom. Maybe it was time to go back to normal drugs like Lho, Kick and Freez.

No nothing, NOTHING compared to a Lift, he needed more Emperor's Caress. Soon the Black Jacks would leave this area and then he could make for a safe place. Maybe Gyrnt's, that old bastard would put him up for sure, wouldn't refuse old 'KK'. It might take a few coins, but he could shiv someone for those easy enough. Money was actually worth something again these days now the Caress had dried up. Rain continued to drip from the rooftops overhead running down his face in violet grey streaks. Presently the enforcement officers left the area. Keroi pulled his stolen coat tight around himself with one hand and with Margal's knife in the other crossed the ashrain covered street and headed towards Gyrnt's place, there was sure to be a mark on the way, maybe even one with the right sized feet.