Journeys – Part 9
Ahsael had a thought nagging in the back of his mind. It had been there since the recent festival held by the hab level and he'd encountered that group of unusually tall mortals. Unusually tall for hivers, anyways. He'd suspected they were spies sent by the Arbites or perhaps nobles disguised as the lower classes in order to indulge in some strange fantasy or other, but he hadn't been sure. They hadn't been disruptive, at the very least, and had actually helped in some ways. He thought he might have sensed psychic abilities about some of them, but every time he'd tried focusing on any of them he'd wound up distracted by something.
They had indeed left after the festival, as expected… except for one of them.
"Uh… hello," the woman said, the very same woman who had helped lift him up to assist Selene in decorating for the festival. She was tall, with dark brown hair and a hard face, but her eyes didn't seem quite so ferocious. She seemed tired, though looked just as physically healthy as the rest of them. "My name is Catherine and I'll be your-, well, one of your instructors. I'm going to be teaching you how to read and understand what you're reading."
She was speaking before the assembled children of the hab block, nearly thirty in all, who were seated in chairs behind long rows of desks, in a small room that had been converted into a lecture hall, albeit one for children. Ahsael could recall having studied in a similar, if significantly wealthier and more opulent, chamber in his own youth, one of the few memories he had of that time before he'd been taken away by a Black Ship that was raided by the Thousand Sons.
He was sat in the lap of Selene, who was near the front of the classroom, where he was able to have a clear view of the teacher, who he'd noticed had been occasionally eyeing either him or Selene with barely hidden suspicion. Another of the Malum Entity's servants, like Gamma? That had to be it, there was no other reason for someone clearly from the upper levels to come down to this specific hab block, even if she and the others who had come claimed it was for 'education'.
What was the point in educating factory workers anyways? He doubted it served the Malum Entity to have hivers become more aware of the universe around them… Perhaps it fed off of intelligence somehow? If so, that could be a weakness to be exploited. Intelligent beings were more likely to become dissatisfied with their circumstances because they knew it could be better. If Ahsael was able to make them aware of what was truly occurring, make them aware of how they were being taken advantage of by this hidden puppeteer, perhaps he could lead a revolt.
Ironically, that was the polar opposite of what his previous plan had been, which had relied upon turning the leadership of the planet to the worship of Chaos, with the bulk of the population being something to be turned later. It would be more difficult, but travel between hab blocks was becoming more and more common. The only difficult would be in ensuring the Malum Entity did not become aware of his plans.
He suspected it wasn't always watching him. Gamma had claimed it would be, but she had every reason to lie to him about it and it had every reason to deceive him. Such claims of constant vigilance were part of the Imperium's repertoire of fear tactics to keep people from even having seditious thoughts. Ahsael had utilized similar tactics to keep mortal cultists in line, though it was less effective against beings who worshipped the god of betrayal.
He recalled with great clarity the feeling of its presence. Tendrils wrapping around his soul, the sensation of burning eyes staring into the back of his skull. It was enough to send a shiver down his tiny spine and he felt Selene wrap her arms more tightly around him, apparently thinking he must have been cold.
If that indicated when it was able to read his mind… Well, Ahsael was well versed in keeping his thoughts elsewhere when required.
"I'm not your only instructor, of course," 'Catherine' was saying, her voice going sounding slightly strained as though she were frustrated with something. Ahsael reached out with his psychic abilities and was able to sense minds gathering outside the door. "Please, come in now."
The first two to enter were a pair of men, one of which immediately set Ahsael on edge. He stalked forward with the grace of a predator and his build was that of an elite soldier. The other man was less overt in his skill, but clearly still had a soldier's discipline and an arm that ended in a surprisingly well-made hand augment.
"My name is Belleric Draken," the elite said, nodding first to 'Catherine' and then to the class.
"Corren," the other man added with slightly less formality. "We'll be your physical education instructors."
Why would there be two soldiers here, let alone one who Ahsael would have expected to be in an elite formations? Gamma was the next to enter and Ahsael was confused again.
"You all know me as Gamma," she said, bowing her head to the class. "I'll be teaching you mathematics and how to commune with machine spirits, repair them, and eventually how to construct such devices for those of you willing to learn how to venerate the Omnissiah."
What? Clearly the Malum Entity had its hooks
deep into the local Mechanicus if it was able to get them to part with their secrets. Or was this some way of producing the next group of Mechanicus enginseers and such?
He wished he could talk, he had so many questions he needed answers to.
The final individual entered, a woman taller than even Belleric, who was the largest mortal in the room, and had a similar muscular build and graceful approach. Her hair was a deep black. Ahsael noted the tightening in Catherine's lips at her entry.
"My name is Evelayne Praxiah," the woman said with a smile and a slightly amused glance towards Catherine. "A pleasure to meet you all. Ellen, shall we begin?"
Catherine grimaced at that. Huh, Evelayne Praxiah. That was the same name as the Canoness of the local Sisters of Battle. And if Ellen was the last name, that would give his new instructor the same name as the Inquisitor living in-
Realization drained the blood from Ahsael's face. Icy knives felt as though they stabbed into his heart and his hands went to grip Selene's as though he were trying to keeping himself from falling over.
In that moment, he had no words to describe what he felt. Not one of the countless curses he knew could convey the unabated flood of emotions that were running through him. Then, as if whispered in his ear, he had one.
MOTHERFU-
End of Journeys
Then they had children, millennials, who followed what the Gen X's said and regulated with lead, and so on with Gen Z where almost all people (should) agree that lead poisoning is incredibly dangerous and "thank god I didn't grow up around lead in water and gasoline and paint and wow there was a lot of lead products back then"
