I light myself on fire, and do my best. Usually in that order.

[psykerscum]

(Psykerblue) so I can't see the emoji, and I mean this platonically rather than sinfully, but for the touch meme-"comforting them when crying" for future averted! Scum and Blue

@psykerblue

Puberty was awkward enough without the sixth sense to fog it further.  There was still no exact date of birth to assign Quin, and time… was deliberately difficult to track, in the holds of the black ships.   There was little argument made when the date of her rescue was assigned in its place.  At least, for the sake of celebration.  

Which, as it happened, was fast approaching.  But this was not what Blue had expected to find.

“I don’t want anything,” She said, her voice hoarse. Quin had blossomed from her thorny shell in most ways, quietly personable and friendly so long as the lights were on.  But today was a dark day, as the state of her room mirrored.  The red emergency light flooded her space with an uncomfortably familiar glow.  Quin pressed her eyes into Blue’s shoulder, hot with tears.  “I don’t deserve it.”  

She pawed awkwardly at Blue’s clothes, trying to pull herself closer into the hug.  Quin choked, trying to keep her voice down and her emotions in check. “I don’t…deserve anything.”

[psykerblue]

Blue slung an arm around her sholders. She wanted to push back- but this line of thinking was a familiar enemy. It would hold against a direct attack. Better to slip alongside it, if she could.

“That’s the thing about family. You don’t have to deserve it.” She gave Quin a gentle squeeze. “Besides. The cake’s already baked. It’s got your name on it and everything. You might as well go see.”

[psykerscum]

Quin shook her head, hugging tighter to Blue.  “I can’t,” she croaked.  Even through her sleeve the heat of her face and tears betrayed how red she was.  Her misery was too obvious, and the concern stormed in her surface thoughts.  Projecting as clear as peals of thunder.

It was far from the only problem, of course, but it was the loudest.  “I’m not,” She wheezed, “I can’t.”  Quin swallowed hard. “I’m sorry,  I’m sorry.”

[psykerblue]

Blue nodded, sadly.

"Well, it'll keep. Do you want to talk about what you're feeling, or just sit like this for a little?"

[psykerblue]

Return

[horrible-on-main]

psykerblue

Hecate checks in on him at leaat twice a day for the next few days.  She checks in on his progress, makes casual inquiries into his sleeping and eating.  She knows about the nightmares, but isn’t bothered by the noise.  If she wants to delve into his past again, it dosen’t show.

Then, there’s the day where she comes in and there’s a tightness in her expression that wasn’t there before.  It’s not directed at him, but something is clearly not going well.

“Good morning,” she says, her voice tired, “medicae has informed me that you’re ready to begin assisting me- assuming you still wish to do so.”

After the first night, he takes of his own initiative to sleeping with rolled up clothes shoved between his teeth to muffle the noise when he wakes. He uses the furniture only reluctantly, except the washing facilities which he uses frequently - scrubbing himself clean with sufficient vigour that his skin starts to get dry and irritated from the constant washing. When he’s not dozing fitfully he spends a lot of time just staring blankly into space, or fidgeting restlessly.

He eats everything that he’s given hungrily, but asks for nothing else. He doesn’t try to take food back to his room to stash. It takes some prompting for him to remember to go to meals. When it’s gently pointed out to him that he can use the dataslate to keep track of the time, he takes to just sitting and watching it, counting the minutes until the next mealtime or check-up.

He reports his behaviour to Hecate with total frankness when she asks. The evident fear of her doesn’t fade, but he does start to seem keen to see her, and perhaps a little disappointed when she leaves.

He perks up at the news. Not quite smiling, but attentive. “Yes Lady Inquisitor, of c-course. What d-do you want me to do?”

[psykerblue]

She leads him to a small office room, a fair walk away from the hab she’d assigned him. There was a desk with a large cogitator unit, and a small dataslate.

"This shouldn't conflict with your volitor's programming, though please inform me if it does. I need to keep track of which files I've accessed and which I have not. Enter the opened files on this page of the database, and the unopened ones here. Make sure to mark down the level of encryption of the file as well. Do you have any questions?"

[psykerblue]

Void, Cold as Death

The journey had been underway for a few days, and had all had gone more or less according to plan. Blue had done her best to keep herself busy, though she knew her presence made Captain Castronova’s crew nervous. If the darkness beyond the ship’s portholes seems more abyssal than usual- well, the mission was grave and even those not taken into the Inquisitor’s confidance could tell.

Then came the cough. It sprang up among the crew quietly, nothing more offensive that the usual grime-given sniffle one might pick up at any port. Barely even the kind of thing one might report to the med bay.

[asklordcaptaincastronova]

The first notice was when a void sister started coughing. By then it had been three days, but the sister was ordered to rest. Two days later and a half dozen more were under the weather when Sister Candace declared quarantine and an investigation into which parts of the ship were infected. When an avian got infected and violently attacked 2 crewmen, then it was time to call for the Bishop and the Inquisitor. A grim knock came at her door, a pale void sister bringing a list of symptoms and a question, “Milady, is this what we think it is?”

[psykerblue]

Blue’s olive skin blanched as she read further and further down the list.

“Okay,” her voice was low and even. “Get your decks on lockdown now. No one goes in or out without my and the captain’s say so. Have the people who live there confined to their quarters and everyone who has visited since I came aboard sent somewhere that can be made livable, but is isolated from the rest of the ship.” She took a deep breath. “I know you’re probably scared right now. I’m not going to lie and tell you that you shouldn’t be, but I can tell you this- I will handle this. I will save as many people as I can. And this thing will not leave the ship.” She smiled, though the expression was grim. “Now, go. We don’t have a lot of time.”

“Captain.” She said. “I need to meet with you, somewhere secure. Now.”

[asklordcaptaincastronova]

The office was dimly lit, but isolated. When an Inquisitor asks to see you somewhere secure, you show up. Delaying is pointless and will likely just annoy them. Whatever they want to talk about is almost certainly important as well.

“You wished to talk to me in private Madam Inquisitor? This room has been abandoned for some time, nobody comes here. What can I do for you?”

[psykerblue]

Blue glanced around the room. Her expression was unreadable, but everything seemed satisfactory.

“There is an outbreak of Nurgle’s rot aboard the ship.” Before he could react she plunged on. “The decks where it started have been quarantined, but that’s not going to help for very long. We need to figure out which of the crew’s betrayed us and hope they can give us some answers. I need files on everyone, and your help going through them.”

[asklordcaptaincastronova]

Oh

Oh fuck.

“You shall have them. I’ll dispatch armsmen and the surveillance skulls to begin a search. Any thing you can suggest they look for?” he began frantically tapping on a dataslate and elsewhere in the ship massive calculance arrays began churning through stack data arrays.”Where to begin? Medicae? Engineering? Sanitation perhaps?” the Inquisitor would get full cooperation, this was a worst case scenario so holding anything back would be self-defeating in the extreme.

[psykerblue]

“Madicae, and if you have chaplains- any of them.” she frowned into the middle distance, “It’s a long shot but… check for anyone with a name that translates to a poisonous plant.”

[asklordcaptaincastronova]

Two hours later, and he had found something “A young novice named Baneberry working food blessings was reported as missing their shift. Nothing from their kitchen was tested positive for contamination but most of the areas within an hours walk of the place have. Do you think we have our vector?”

[psykerblue]

“Fuck…” Blue muttered, “Okay. Get your security some hazmat protection and put them somewhere quiet. I have a feeling I know what their mission is, but if we can get them talking they might spill something anyway. Have anyone they’re friends with, or work with, who dosen’t show signs of sickness confined to their quarters- they might not be accomplices, but we’ll need to question all of them to be sure.”

She paused, looking conflicted for a moment.

“Listen. This is a very… persuasive cult. I’m not even talking about persuasive for Nurglites, these people have won over folks a damn lot more faithful than you or me. It’s your ship, I’ll let you come with me to question them- but you need to be aware that this person is going be very good at getting to you. Do you understand?”

[asklordcaptaincastronova]

“Understood madam Inquisitor. You have my complete cooperation”  and if they did try and get to him, well that is what pyre rounds are for. “I can if necessary vent parts of the ship to vacuum if you think that would help. At the very least it would dissuade people from moving about.”

[psykerblue]

A half hour later, they were standing in an out-of-the-way storage room. It was empty of everything but a chair and a figure shackled to it. They were short and slim, with hair an unsually bright shade of white. Nothing about their posture seemed worried- if anything they were almost eerily relaxed. They sat, looking up at Blue and Castronova- a bright, sharp joy in their eyes.

[horrible-on-main]

@psykerblue

To my esteemed colleague Hecate Silversteel, with urgency.

I am informed that you have initiated unprovoked hostilities with my agents. Most notably that your forces have engaged, boarded and seized control of the Void Eye, a vessel under the personal command of my subordinate Ariadne Milonas.

What is the meaning of these attacks? Am I to take this as a declaration of war? I dearly hope that this altercation stems from a misunderstanding that can be peaceably resolved. However, in the absence of communication I must assume the worst and take appropriate measures to defend myself and my operations in this sector.

In that spirit, this is a formal request that you cease hostilities immediately, open communications, and return control of the Void Eye, its crew, and all other captured assets and agents directly to me.

Yours in good faith, Evelyn Bright

[psykerblue]

To my illustrious colleague Evelyn Bright,

I hope this correspondence finds you in good health. I write in hopeful anticipation of your help in this current endeavor. While I recognize my actions may seem brash, I am motivated only by the utmost desire to preserve your good standing with our mutual ordo.

To this end, I have received troubling intelligence about Interrogator Milonas that seemed to implicate her in a recent Slanneshi incursion in the Nausicaa system. While I recognize proper conduct would have dictated I bring my suspicions to you, I feared my communications were monitored and did not wish to compromise the secrecy of my mission.

Your reputation is one of steadfast and devoted service to the Golden Throne, so it is to this duty that I appeal: help me determine the truth of you Interrogator's involvement. Once this is made clear, I will be happy to leave this sector for move familiar stars.

I have the honor to be your humble college,

H.S.

[psykerblue]

Return

[horrible-on-main]

psykerblue

A moment or two later, a message pinged on his slate.

“I’ve found an archive I could use your help with.  When you’re awake, report to the meeting room I have marked on your ship map.  -H”

The electronic noise startles him into silence. He sits, heart hammering, and wonders what it is. Imagination, still fertile with the terror of nightmare, flashes suggestions of explosives, cybernetic horrors and terrifying scrapcode scramblers. He does not remember the dataslate he has been assigned. He can’t sift reality from dream, can’t figure out where he is or what is going on.

The bed is a strange and uncomfortable place to be sitting. He can’t possibly be allowed to be here. Whose room is this? Where’s his handler? He’s not safe. He’s absolutely sure he’s not safe. Teary-eyed and shaking, he rolls off the bed and looks around from a crouch. Nightmare is still trying to drag him back beneath the surface of sleep. Seeking safety, he crawls under the bed and creeps into the tightest corner he can, bracing his back against the wall and curling up tight. Bewildered, he sobs quietly until sleep reclaims him and he slips back into troubled dreams.

[psykerblue]

Hecate checks in on him at leaat twice a day for the next few days. She checks in on his progress, makes casual inquiries into his sleeping and eating. She knows about the nightmares, but isn't bothered by the noise. If she wants to delve into his past again, it dosen't show.

Then, there’s the day where she comes in and there’s a tightness in her expression that wasn’t there before. It's not directed at him, but something is clearly not going well.

"Good morning," she says, her voice tired, "medicae has informed me that you're ready to begin assisting me- assuming you still wish to do so."

[oldboyjensrps]

Welcome to Sadcanon Sunday

Send: “Ouch” to my inbox for a random, sad or distressing headcanon about my muse.

[psykerblue]

One of Hecate’s new acolytes wanted to sketch me while I was training. She said she might even make it into a painting later. She's good, it's hard to get a picture of me that I like.

[psykerblue]

Return

[horrible-on-main]

psykerblue

Hecate nods.  Something in her expression hints that she can read the train of thought behind his answer- but if the thought of being watched bothered her, she didn’t shown it.

“Then I will compile some tasks for you to do after you recuperate.   Until then, I have some structuring to do.  I will return with a better outline of your duties.”

His head bobs again, repeating the constant gesture of agreement and deference. “Thank you, Lady Inquisitor.” He has nothing else to say, so he just watches her leave, mind still reeling confusedly. At least the pain has subsided.

Nothing makes any sense.

He just sits for a few minutes, listening distantly to the jibber-jabber of his thoughts as they clatter round and round inside his skull, trying to sort themselves into something meaningful.

Then, because he is dirty, he goes to get clean. He scrubs the sweat and grime from his skin with relish. So good. He lives for the good things like this. Thought slips away, and he is just happy in the moment for a little while.

Then he spends a while padding around the room, investigating. Peering into all the spaces. Looking at the objects. Taking the time to make it familiar. It’s not so different from spaces he’s shared with handlers in the field sometimes. Except that he’s alone.

He flops down on the bed.

Then he decides he’d rather be the other way around, and spins. Then spends a few minutes changing his mind about it and spinning repeatedly until he starts to feel foolish rather than just uncomfortable.

When he stops wriggling, sleep comes as quickly as ever. But as ever, it is fitful and nightmare-ridden.  He manages to stay under, more or less, for about an hour. Then dreams of pain and terror set him screaming loud enough to wake himself. He scrabbles to sitting, kicking at the covers, caught halfway between dream and reality, panicked, still wailing, outright terror sliding into confusion and dismay as he tries to get a grip on what is going on.

[psykerblue]

A moment or two later, a message pinged on his slate.

"I've found an archive I could use your help with. When you're awake, report to the meeting room I have marked on your ship map. -H"

[psykerscum]

(Psykerblue) so I can't see the emoji, and I mean this platonically rather than sinfully, but for the touch meme-"comforting them when crying" for future averted! Scum and Blue

@psykerblue

Puberty was awkward enough without the sixth sense to fog it further.  There was still no exact date of birth to assign Quin, and time… was deliberately difficult to track, in the holds of the black ships.   There was little argument made when the date of her rescue was assigned in its place.  At least, for the sake of celebration.  

Which, as it happened, was fast approaching.  But this was not what Blue had expected to find.

“I don’t want anything,” She said, her voice hoarse. Quin had blossomed from her thorny shell in most ways, quietly personable and friendly so long as the lights were on.  But today was a dark day, as the state of her room mirrored.  The red emergency light flooded her space with an uncomfortably familiar glow.  Quin pressed her eyes into Blue’s shoulder, hot with tears.  “I don’t deserve it.”  

She pawed awkwardly at Blue’s clothes, trying to pull herself closer into the hug.  Quin choked, trying to keep her voice down and her emotions in check. “I don’t…deserve anything.”

[psykerblue]

Blue slung an arm around her sholders. She wanted to push back- but this line of thinking was a familiar enemy. It would hold against a direct attack. Better to slip alongside it, if she could.

"That’s the thing about family. You don’t have to deserve it." She gave Quin a gentle squeeze. "Besides. The cake's already baked. It's got your name on it and everything. You might as well go see."

[psykerblue]

(OOC: There are a serious lack of Jewish holiday RP asks. Considering writing my own. Would anyone be interested if I did?)

[historical-rp-memes]

Hanukkah starters

“Hands off those latkes! They’re for later.”

“Gifts, gifts, gifts. What happened to charity? Give something to someone who really needs it.”

“Give it up. I have won all your raisins. You’ll be left with nothing but those nuts no-one likes.”

“My Spanish grandmother is coming to visit. Bimuelos!”

“Please don’t tell the children the Judith story again. They love it so much, the bloodthirsty little beasts.”

“Hanukkah is a wonderful time to get together with your family and not invite any aunts.”

“Challah, kugels, sufganiyot… On Hanukkah, they count as healthy.”

“It’s one week. You could drag yourself to temple at least once or twice!”

“You have found the shamash–but now you’ve lost the menorah?”

“There’s nothing quite like this peace: the day done, bellies are full, candles are lit. Happy Hanukkah.”

[psykerblue]

Return

[horrible-on-main]

psykerblue

“Assuming your recovery goes as predicted… a few days.  Sooner, if I happen across something you can do while resting.”

Something flickered in her expression, too quickly to identify.

“That said… given what I’ve told you about the investigation we’re conducting, do you still want to help? I can find other ways for you to be useful, but it would help me draw a clearer picture to have people who know the interrogator on hand.”

He swallows, confused. The trained response - I want whatever you want - rises to his lips. But she is not his Interrogator. And she doesn’t want his trained responses anyway. He doesn’t know what she wants at all.

Does he want to help? Does he want to clear the Interrogator’s name? Yes. Will his testimony actually help? He doesn’t know. Is he being tricked into betraying her instead? He doesn’t know. Can’t know. Can’t think how he would start to know. It’s a level of reasoning he’s not used to having to deploy, and it’s almost painful - like opening an old wound.

He stares at Hecate blankly, frozen with decision paralysis, almost long enough for it to seem like he is not going to respond at all. But then “Yes I… I want t-to help, Lady Inq-quisitor please.”

If he doesn’t help, he won’t know what is happening. And watching and listening and remembering so that he can make a full report, that is a level of reasoning he can handle. He should choose the option that lets him do his job.

[psykerblue]

Hecate nods. Something in her expression hints that she can read the train of thought behind his answer- but if the thought of being watched bothered her, she didn’t shown it.

"Then I will compile some tasks for you to do after you recuperate. Until then, I have some structuring to do. I will return with a better outline of your duties."

[psykerblue]

Void, Cold as Death

The journey had been underway for a few days, and had all had gone more or less according to plan. Blue had done her best to keep herself busy, though she knew her presence made Captain Castronova’s crew nervous. If the darkness beyond the ship’s portholes seems more abyssal than usual- well, the mission was grave and even those not taken into the Inquisitor’s confidance could tell.

Then came the cough. It sprang up among the crew quietly, nothing more offensive that the usual grime-given sniffle one might pick up at any port. Barely even the kind of thing one might report to the med bay.

[asklordcaptaincastronova]

The first notice was when a void sister started coughing. By then it had been three days, but the sister was ordered to rest. Two days later and a half dozen more were under the weather when Sister Candace declared quarantine and an investigation into which parts of the ship were infected. When an avian got infected and violently attacked 2 crewmen, then it was time to call for the Bishop and the Inquisitor. A grim knock came at her door, a pale void sister bringing a list of symptoms and a question, “Milady, is this what we think it is?”

[psykerblue]

Blue’s olive skin blanched as she read further and further down the list.

“Okay,” her voice was low and even. “Get your decks on lockdown now. No one goes in or out without my and the captain’s say so. Have the people who live there confined to their quarters and everyone who has visited since I came aboard sent somewhere that can be made livable, but is isolated from the rest of the ship.” She took a deep breath. “I know you’re probably scared right now. I’m not going to lie and tell you that you shouldn’t be, but I can tell you this- I will handle this. I will save as many people as I can. And this thing will not leave the ship.” She smiled, though the expression was grim. “Now, go. We don’t have a lot of time.”

“Captain.” She said. “I need to meet with you, somewhere secure. Now.”

[asklordcaptaincastronova]

The office was dimly lit, but isolated. When an Inquisitor asks to see you somewhere secure, you show up. Delaying is pointless and will likely just annoy them. Whatever they want to talk about is almost certainly important as well.

“You wished to talk to me in private Madam Inquisitor? This room has been abandoned for some time, nobody comes here. What can I do for you?”

[psykerblue]

Blue glanced around the room. Her expression was unreadable, but everything seemed satisfactory.

“There is an outbreak of Nurgle’s rot aboard the ship.” Before he could react she plunged on. “The decks where it started have been quarantined, but that’s not going to help for very long. We need to figure out which of the crew’s betrayed us and hope they can give us some answers. I need files on everyone, and your help going through them.”

[asklordcaptaincastronova]

Oh

Oh fuck.

“You shall have them. I’ll dispatch armsmen and the surveillance skulls to begin a search. Any thing you can suggest they look for?” he began frantically tapping on a dataslate and elsewhere in the ship massive calculance arrays began churning through stack data arrays.”Where to begin? Medicae? Engineering? Sanitation perhaps?” the Inquisitor would get full cooperation, this was a worst case scenario so holding anything back would be self-defeating in the extreme.

[psykerblue]

“Madicae, and if you have chaplains- any of them.” she frowned into the middle distance, “It’s a long shot but… check for anyone with a name that translates to a poisonous plant.”

[asklordcaptaincastronova]

Two hours later, and he had found something “A young novice named Baneberry working food blessings was reported as missing their shift. Nothing from their kitchen was tested positive for contamination but most of the areas within an hours walk of the place have. Do you think we have our vector?”

[psykerblue]

"Fuck..." Blue muttered, "Okay. Get your security some hazmat protection and put them somewhere quiet. I have a feeling I know what their mission is, but if we can get them talking they might spill something anyway. Have anyone they’re friends with, or work with, who dosen't show signs of sickness confined to their quarters- they might not be accomplices, but we'll need to question all of them to be sure."

She paused, looking conflicted for a moment.

"Listen. This is a very... persuasive cult. I'm not even talking about persuasive for Nurglites, these people have won over folks a damn lot more faithful than you or me. It's your ship, I'll let you come with me to question them- but you need to be aware that this person is going be very good at getting to you. Do you understand?"

[psykerblue]

Void, Cold as Death

The journey had been underway for a few days, and had all had gone more or less according to plan. Blue had done her best to keep herself busy, though she knew her presence made Captain Castronova’s crew nervous. If the darkness beyond the ship’s portholes seems more abyssal than usual- well, the mission was grave and even those not taken into the Inquisitor’s confidance could tell.

Then came the cough. It sprang up among the crew quietly, nothing more offensive that the usual grime-given sniffle one might pick up at any port. Barely even the kind of thing one might report to the med bay.

[asklordcaptaincastronova]

The first notice was when a void sister started coughing. By then it had been three days, but the sister was ordered to rest. Two days later and a half dozen more were under the weather when Sister Candace declared quarantine and an investigation into which parts of the ship were infected. When an avian got infected and violently attacked 2 crewmen, then it was time to call for the Bishop and the Inquisitor. A grim knock came at her door, a pale void sister bringing a list of symptoms and a question, “Milady, is this what we think it is?”

[psykerblue]

Blue’s olive skin blanched as she read further and further down the list.

“Okay,” her voice was low and even. “Get your decks on lockdown now. No one goes in or out without my and the captain’s say so. Have the people who live there confined to their quarters and everyone who has visited since I came aboard sent somewhere that can be made livable, but is isolated from the rest of the ship.” She took a deep breath. “I know you’re probably scared right now. I’m not going to lie and tell you that you shouldn’t be, but I can tell you this- I will handle this. I will save as many people as I can. And this thing will not leave the ship.” She smiled, though the expression was grim. “Now, go. We don’t have a lot of time.”

“Captain.” She said. “I need to meet with you, somewhere secure. Now.”

[asklordcaptaincastronova]

The office was dimly lit, but isolated. When an Inquisitor asks to see you somewhere secure, you show up. Delaying is pointless and will likely just annoy them. Whatever they want to talk about is almost certainly important as well.

“You wished to talk to me in private Madam Inquisitor? This room has been abandoned for some time, nobody comes here. What can I do for you?”

[psykerblue]

Blue glanced around the room. Her expression was unreadable, but everything seemed satisfactory.

“There is an outbreak of Nurgle’s rot aboard the ship.” Before he could react she plunged on. “The decks where it started have been quarantined, but that’s not going to help for very long. We need to figure out which of the crew’s betrayed us and hope they can give us some answers. I need files on everyone, and your help going through them.”

[asklordcaptaincastronova]

Oh

Oh fuck.

“You shall have them. I’ll dispatch armsmen and the surveillance skulls to begin a search. Any thing you can suggest they look for?” he began frantically tapping on a dataslate and elsewhere in the ship massive calculance arrays began churning through stack data arrays.”Where to begin? Medicae? Engineering? Sanitation perhaps?” the Inquisitor would get full cooperation, this was a worst case scenario so holding anything back would be self-defeating in the extreme.

[psykerblue]

“Madicae, and if you have chaplains- any of them.” she frowned into the middle distance, “It’s a long shot but… check for anyone with a name that translates to a poisonous plant.”

[asklordcaptaincastronova]

Two hours later, and he had found something “A young novice named Baneberry working food blessings was reported as missing their shift. Nothing from their kitchen was tested positive for contamination but most of the areas within an hours walk of the place have. Do you think we have our vector?”

[psykerblue]

"Fuck..." Blue muttered, "Okay. Get your security some hazmat protection and put them somewhere quiet. I have a feeling I know what their mission is, but if we can get them talking they might spill something anyway. Have anyone they’re friends with, or work with, who dosen't show signs of sickness confined to their quarters- they might not be accomplices, but we'll need to question all of them to be sure."

She paused, looking conflicted for a moment.

"Listen. This is a very... persuasive cult. I'm not even talking about persuasive for Nurglites, these people have won over folks a damn lot more faithful than you or me. It's your ship, I'll let you come with me to question them- but you need to be aware that this person is going be very good at getting to you. Do you understand?"

[psykerblue]

Void, Cold as Death

The journey had been underway for a few days, and had all had gone more or less according to plan. Blue had done her best to keep herself busy, though she knew her presence made Captain Castronova’s crew nervous. If the darkness beyond the ship’s portholes seems more abyssal than usual- well, the mission was grave and even those not taken into the Inquisitor’s confidance could tell.

Then came the cough. It sprang up among the crew quietly, nothing more offensive that the usual grime-given sniffle one might pick up at any port. Barely even the kind of thing one might report to the med bay.

[asklordcaptaincastronova]

The first notice was when a void sister started coughing. By then it had been three days, but the sister was ordered to rest. Two days later and a half dozen more were under the weather when Sister Candace declared quarantine and an investigation into which parts of the ship were infected. When an avian got infected and violently attacked 2 crewmen, then it was time to call for the Bishop and the Inquisitor. A grim knock came at her door, a pale void sister bringing a list of symptoms and a question, “Milady, is this what we think it is?”

[psykerblue]

Blue’s olive skin blanched as she read further and further down the list.

“Okay,” her voice was low and even. “Get your decks on lockdown now. No one goes in or out without my and the captain’s say so. Have the people who live there confined to their quarters and everyone who has visited since I came aboard sent somewhere that can be made livable, but is isolated from the rest of the ship.” She took a deep breath. “I know you’re probably scared right now. I’m not going to lie and tell you that you shouldn’t be, but I can tell you this- I will handle this. I will save as many people as I can. And this thing will not leave the ship.” She smiled, though the expression was grim. “Now, go. We don’t have a lot of time.”

“Captain.” She said. “I need to meet with you, somewhere secure. Now.”

[asklordcaptaincastronova]

The office was dimly lit, but isolated. When an Inquisitor asks to see you somewhere secure, you show up. Delaying is pointless and will likely just annoy them. Whatever they want to talk about is almost certainly important as well.

“You wished to talk to me in private Madam Inquisitor? This room has been abandoned for some time, nobody comes here. What can I do for you?”

[psykerblue]

Blue glanced around the room. Her expression was unreadable, but everything seemed satisfactory.

“There is an outbreak of Nurgle’s rot aboard the ship.” Before he could react she plunged on. “The decks where it started have been quarantined, but that’s not going to help for very long. We need to figure out which of the crew’s betrayed us and hope they can give us some answers. I need files on everyone, and your help going through them.”

[asklordcaptaincastronova]

Oh

Oh fuck.

“You shall have them. I’ll dispatch armsmen and the surveillance skulls to begin a search. Any thing you can suggest they look for?” he began frantically tapping on a dataslate and elsewhere in the ship massive calculance arrays began churning through stack data arrays.”Where to begin? Medicae? Engineering? Sanitation perhaps?” the Inquisitor would get full cooperation, this was a worst case scenario so holding anything back would be self-defeating in the extreme.

[psykerblue]

“Madicae, and if you have chaplains- any of them.” she frowned into the middle distance, “It’s a long shot but… check for anyone with a name that translates to a poisonous plant.”

[asklordcaptaincastronova]

Two hours later, and he had found something “A young novice named Baneberry working food blessings was reported as missing their shift. Nothing from their kitchen was tested positive for contamination but most of the areas within an hours walk of the place have. Do you think we have our vector?”

[psykerblue]

"Fuck..." Blue muttered, "Okay. Get your security some hazmat protection and put them somewhere quiet. I have a feeling I know what their mission is, but if we can get them talking they might spill something anyway. Have anyone they’re friends with, or work with, who dosen't show signs of sickness confined to their quarters- they might not be accomplices, but we'll need to question all of them to be sure."

She paused, looking conflicted for a moment.

"Listen. This is a very... persuasive cult. I'm not even talking about persuasive for Nurglites, these people have won over folks a damn lot more faithful than you or me. It's your ship, I'll let you come with me to question them- but you need to be aware that this person is going be very good at getting to you. Do you understand?"

[askahzekahriman]

Ahriman rubbed his fingers together in thought, running through the flash of insight this gift had given him. He could sense the fear radiating from her but right now, he was looking for something he could use, something he could… A wicked smile spread and he nodded. “I shall return,” he warned. The rustle of silk accompanied him as he went in search of the tools he needed.

[psykerblue]

As the click of ceramite souls faded away, Blue allowed herself a breath. She regretted it the moment the air escaped her lips, as her limbs began to tremble. The terror had loosened it's grasp on her mind, only to tighten it's hold on her body. Her stomach lurched, and she gritted her teeth against the nausea.

Control. She had to stay in control. He had- Blue didn’t know what. A glimps of her thoughts? Or her memories? She had to focus. Find what control she could before he took whatever it was that had fallen into his grasp.

[psykerblue]

Return

[horrible-on-main]

psykerblue

Hecate’s smile is an odd mixture of kind and rueful- not quite disappointed, but not satisfied either.  Carefully, she begins to stack the bowls and cups back on the trey.

“I think that will be plenty for today.  You’re doubtless tired, and for my part I have much still to do.  Stay here and rest.  I recognize you may not be able to sleep, but I would like you to attempt to do so- on the bed, not the floor.  If, after half an hour, you want to try something else you may use the slate over there-” She gestured to a small table near the bed.

“The toilet and sani-unit are through there-” another gesture, to a small door this time, “please use them when you deem it nesscery to do so.”

“One of the medicae staff will check in on you in two hours to monitor your hydration and nutrition.  Crew dinner is in five hours, you may take it in the main hall or here.  If you’re unfamiliar with this part of the ship, there is a map with the route to the galley marked on the slate.”

She paused, as if considering what she was about to say next.  “Do not attempt to cause to yourself in any way while you are here.  I will be keeping a close eye on your physical well-being and I will notice if something is amiss.  If you are unable to control the urge, contact me immediately and do nothing else untill I arrive.  Do you understand?”

He nods along to the instructions. If anything he looks a little sullen at the emphasis on sleeping on the bed. It’s a new look on him, but he nods nevertheless. He perks up a little at the mention of washing facilities.

The warnings against self harm are received blankly with confused acceptance. Does she think these scars are self-inflicted? But the thought is easily let go of, the orders taken note of. “Yes Lady Inquisitor, I understand.”

He hesitates, but she’s encouraged him to speak so far, so he plunges ahead. “When will…” Stop, swallow. “Will… will I be g-given something to do, Lady Inquisitor?”

[psykerblue]

"Assuming your recovery goes as predicted... a few days. Sooner, if I happen across something you can do while resting."

Something flickered in her expression, too quickly to identify.

"That said... given what I’ve told you about the investigation we're conducting, do you still want to help? I can find other ways for you to be useful, but it would help me draw a clearer picture to have people who know the interrogator on hand."