Discovery

Well that got their attention.

The whole ship was in a state of celebration for the next day, feasts and prayers were called as we added a new saint to our annuals.

See this hit my order with distinct potency, because we were in exile. The whole order had been put on The Garden and sent to the votes as a form of punishment. I won’t say what our crime was, but suffice it to say, failure.

News that the emperor was still with us, was almost too much for them to handle.

I saw new found respect in their eyes as I strode along the deck towards my throne. I was no longer a child to them, but a host to a saint. I’d even come with a miracle.

The women of my breeding bath had all given birth while Cedrus was channeling Erotica. A dozen healthy baby girls, future warriors for the order, if we survived our first encounter of the vortex.

“Lady Navigator is giving us the okay to drop out of warp.” Brugmansia intoned, through her digital voice. I once again traced the lines of sweat rolling down her bald scalp. I had much few complaints about raising the heat this time around.

“Give the order.” I nodded.

Brugmansia agreed, and her artificial voice rang out over several levels of the ship and soon we reentered real space.

“Drop the shutters.” I said, spinning my throne to face the thick windows at the front of the ship. “Show me my prize.”

Thick metal plates retraced from the windows, now that the perils of the warp had abated. They revealed a tine little star system sustained by a cool bloated green sun.

“I’ve never seen a planet before.” I mused, pointing towards a pale tan orb on the horizon.

“There’s two.” Brugmansia “pointed to a second orb, that was nearly invisible in the black of space, for it too was black. Obsidian like a bead of jewelry.

“Crafts are approaching.” The Voidmaster boomed, vetoing our curiosity with his own hurry.

“Damn.” I hissed. “Has a rogue trader beaten us here.”

“They’re small.” Brugmansia trilled, unlikely. “They’re voxing us.”

I smiled, finally some excitement. “Put them on.”

“Greeting travelers!” Brugmansia was suddenly speaking with the voice of a man. “Are you pilgrims come to travel the wastes.”

“We are pilgrims.” I agreed. “What miracles do your wastes offer?”

“They’re not my wastes.” The man chuckled. “They belong to the lord of death, which is the exact miracles they offer, death.”

Tension was strung through the room now. “People come here to die?”

“Many yes.” The man’s voice was excited. “But a few survive the ordeal, blessed by the gods.”

“Gods, you say?” I turned to Wisteria. “Open fire.” Turn my throne away from the ensuing violence, and Wisteria joined me.

“I have Olive Jennings prepared to meet you.”

“Ah perfect.” The ship shuddered as the cannons erupted to lay waste to the flotilla of ships who had been approaching in peace.

Soon Dr. Jennings wife, the other DR. Jennings approached the throne. The two of them were a good match, both very handsome. She was a wavy blonde, with freckles. She struck me as a serious woman, more so than her husband, but this was a ship of serious women. As my handmaiden she was expected to wear fine clothing, her old medicae uniform would not do. So she was dressed like me, a short robe, in a cow print pattern.

This pleased me.

“Welcome Olive.” I grinned as she approached and bowed.

Despite her seriousness, I could feel the nervousness radiating off of her. Her husband had no doubt told her about my advances, so I’m sure she figured out why she was here. “Thank you for this honor, lord Captain.” She quivered.

“Strip her.”

Dc: 70

Roll:74+14=88

Success!

Corruption +1

Bertha’s corruption:15

“Dionaea, strip her. Make sure she doesn’t have any weapons.”

Olive squawked, but Dionaea only nodded and moved forward. “Doctor.” She gestured to a side room.

“No.” I said. “Here.”

This earned me some looks, but I held firm. “There shouldn’t be any secrets between us Olive.”

Dionaea blushed, but did her duty and began to undress the doctor, which didn’t take too much work with her new style of robe.

“The people of your ship do not appreciate the perfection of the human form. We should erect naked statues of my around the ship to inspire the crew.”

Dc50

Roll29+15+13=57

success!

Corruption +1

Erotica’s corruption +1

Bertha’s corruption: 16

Erotica’s corruption: 14

That was a good idea. “Wisteria bring me the High Factorum. The Saint just brought me an idea.”

The room gasped, and Wisteria smiled despite herself. “At once lord Captain!”

“This saint business is turning her into a school girl.” Brugmansia whispered, so I could hear.

“Don’t you have a battle to direct?” I raised any eyebrow was Dionaea began to pat down the naked, shivering Olive.

“Already finished, it’s just clean up now.”

“Good.” I smiled as my enemy was molested by my guard, she had a better fate than my enemies out there in the void.” When that’s done, bring us into orbit. Let’s see what kind of death these gods have in store for us.”

“She’s clear.” Dionaea called from below, where a shivering Olive was waiting for permission to redress.

“Good, sorry about that Olive but we can’t be too careful.”

“I understand Lord Captain,” She croaked.

“Captain.” There was a scraping sound as CICADA came to join my council. Out of battle her sleek form was now disguised by bulk, cables, and robes.

“What is it Enginseer?” I gestured for Olive to get dressed.

“The decommissioned enemy fleet should be salvaged for parts. They appeared to be traders, and may have had useful parts.” She screeched.

I sighed. “I kind of want to go to the planet though.”

“You’re too weak.” Dionaea scoffed and came to my side. “You couldn’t lift your bolter in your condition.”

I rolled my eyes. “Good point. Olive in your opinion, how long until I’m back at full strength?”

She was tying her robes around herself, and looked up at me eyes still scared. “Um… with the routine my husband has you on… two more weeks at least.”

Dionaea smiled. "I could lead a party."

I scowled at her. "We'll take our time and salvage the ships."

CICADA nodded. "This is unit is detecting traces of wisdom in this decision." She bowed and slunk off to her corner, eager to prepare her men for a mission.

"The High Factorum." Wisteria announced, as my supply master waddled his way up to my throne. Remember what I said about the station master? You can always trust fat tyrants and Factorums. If you've got a skinny factorum it means he's not good enough at his job to steal from you. Sapindales was very good at his job, which was managing the supplies of my spin, I'm sure he'd be elated to hear we'd soon have plunder for he and his scribes to fawn over.

"Lord Captain, as always I'm besides myself with humility to be in your presence." He gave a deep theatric bow. "How might I, your humble servant labor for you?"

"Statues." I announced, quite seriously. "The saint wants us to start putting up statues around the ship."

"Very good, lord captain." He drawled, at least one of my servants didn't question me. "Statues of what?"

"They'll be depicting the saint." I said confidently. The sisters all around me vibrated with interest. Now that they knew I was channeling the will of a saint, nothing could stop me.

"Splendid." He dabbed his forehead with a silk handkerchief, he was no doubt the biggest victim of my temperature regime. "I'll supply the artists with a depiction from the records, shall I?"

"We weren't able to find a record of her in our histories." Wisteria said, sadly.

"Ah." He nodded his understanding. "Then I shall procure of model of good looks, and purity." He licked his lips, already dreaming of the girls he'd get to inspect in the quest.

"There's no need." I said.

"You have someone in mind."

"Of course, the saint wishes for it to be me."