Prophets and Parenthood
(Ellera POV)
You looked at the Inquisitor and stuck your tongue out.
"Stop being annoying." She said.
"You know you can't touch me." You said.
"Because you are pregnant, that is all that protects you." She continued.
You rolled your eyes. You couldn't believe the game this little bitch was trying to play. From the moment she had stepped in, she had turned against you, and you were sure if it wasn't pregnancy, she would be making up some other reason to explain why she could absolutely detest you without just taking the gloves off and punching you.
At this rate, you knew she was going to try and get you back through politics, and that would just be a pain.
"If your mad because you can't take a joke tell me something actually witty to make yourself feel better." You snarked.
"Your 338 Pounds, you are afraid of human connections and you need the Bishop to agree to remove the taint of Bastardry from your Child." She said
"Killjoy. When was the last time you actually had a good time?" You said, as you rolled your eyes at her intimidation attempt. She didn't know a thing about you! At All!
"I am an Inquisitor, I don't do good times." She said.
"Can your boss take a Joke?" You asked innocently.
"He does not do...Jokes." She said.
"Neither do I" she quickly continued.
Seriously? This was their response... ughh...Both sticks in the mud!
"Now as for your
bastard child-" the inquisitor continued.
She kept saying that like it meant something to you personally. Like you'd love your daughter any less because of your marriage status.
"Lord Bishop Belford..." You said. "My you are looking a lot better then the last time I met you?"
"Quite...Now General Ellera, you come to me to get the stain of Bastardry from your Child among other things?" He said calmly "Leave us Inquisitor."
"By Your word." She said leaving you and the Bishop alone.
You could feel the entire room get tense, as soon as the inquisitor was out of sight.
Huh, you wondered what he actually wanted, as he waited for you to make your formal request.
"I uhh, am here to request my child not to be a bastard and for you to bless my bloodline for...protection and shit." You said.
He frowned "Is that all? Your grandfather put a lot of money into you becoming a woman of tact and here you are being a ingrate...drinking whore who cares not for the consequences of her actions."
"To be fair I'm good at getting out of trouble." You said.
He just snorts at your last declaration.
"Oh come on, this is a simple request. this isn't even that a big deal."
He just ends up giving a glare at you again, "The church recognizing a bastard is always a big deal. You are asking us to ignore the origin of this whole affair. Not only that, you are asking us to just ignore the degenerate behavior you will continue to partake in. Honestly, 'not a big deal'? You must be joking."
"Oh come on don't you have a whole Prophecy thing that you'll do just to ignore it?" You said.
"Hah, sure, I'll tell you about your bastard's child sad fate, let me just take a look and-" He stopped, staring straight at your belly.
"AHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHHA. God must be humoring me tonight isn't he!" He shouted.
"Eh?" You said. "Lord Bishop?"
"Director-General…you have been a headache well worth the investment?" He said.
"Yes…and the point?"
"Tell me what do you know about the Prophecy of the God Emperor?" He finished.
"God-what now? The Children's story? About the only thing I stayed awake to listen to?" You said.
Seriously, why bring up such a thing now? what use was a children's story about the fabled future unifier of the human race, as well as the one savior who would sacrifice their lives to recreate Terra. It was a wondrous little bedtime story for child, but it had no place in serious conversation.
Was he trying to say you were some mythical hero, meant to burn your life out on an impossible task? You know you had wishes to be the god-emperor back when you were a child, but those were the common dreams of children wishing to be hero's. You had no illusions now that you wanted something more in your life than just some mythical duty, especially one that would be impossible to fulfill in reality.
Moreover, You did recognize now, as an adult, that that story was somewhat of a warning about the futility of trying to unify all of humanity, and you did not wish to partake in that Sisyphean task.
"That's ridiculous...why bring it up now?" You said.
When the God Emperor Rises from the Pit of Chaos of Man's creation they will lead an army that will outnumber the stars in the sky.
"Now does that remind you of anyone?" He said.
"I don't have an army that big." You said.
"Or perhaps you will have something WORTH an army of such magnitude." He said.
You wonder how many people that had been said to.
Seriously, from the pirate lords of the Tsukuyomi system and their salvaged Terran Hegemony God AI, to the vast armies of the 13 Star Horde, to the secret Comet Crusaders, and their Old Terran Hegemony fleet, many had tried to reconquer all of humanity at any cost. All of them had vast armies or secret weapons.
And none of them had gotten close to their goal. Seriously, you didn't need a bishop with delusions of grandeur. And here you thought all you'd need is a bribe for the bishop. You didn't even know how to move forward with the conversation at this rate.
Instead, after a brief moment, the bishop continued, "Have you considered the one thing stronger then all the thoughts in your head..it doesn't take a Psychic to know your running through modern man's current armies."
"I wasn't worried?" You said.
"You were thinking of all the things that are made by man save One?" He said.
"You mean stars and black holes," you said, as you acted surprised and gave a dumfounded expression.
"No jokes,
Ms. Sigmadohtor. I mean children! Life! The one thing men cannot do!" the bishop almost yelled back at you.
Seriously, the church could not take a joke.
"Huh...Ellera. Understand one day we'll have the God-Emperor dropped into our lap and like Human waste not know what to do...that's why I want you to take religion and its obligations seriously." He said. "Unlike you who seem to revel in our annoyance. The God-Emperor...cannot just be another person...they have to be more then just a human being."
"So you're trying to tell me not to be a deadbeat and try not to destroy her life by being a helicopter parent." You said.
"Ellera... I'm asking you to give your child a responsible parent, if your going to be anything be a good parent. Then and ONLY then will the church take the stain of bastardy away...its on you."
You seriously didn't need this. Everyone from your best friend to your future self had tried convincing you that you would be a good parent, but now the church was determined to make your daughter's life harder because they had precisely 0 faith that you were even interested in being a good parent.
"Do you seriously think I will just continue to go on drunk escapades, and abandon my daughter on the side of the street or something?" You tried to bluff, "of course I'll be a good parent".
"For all of our sake I hope that is True." He finished.
You left not a moment later... reeling in the fears and doubts you thought you had left behind.
Reward: you remember and learn to appreciate the Bishop and his advice.
Your baby fluttered.
A random roll will get a +5 next turn.
AN: The Space Bishop gives good advice...really.
