Chương 17: Price of Knowledge

"Come in, Gabriel. I have been expecting you for a while." I heard my mentor's voice before my hand even touched the door to knock. A good trick, but the magic vanishes when you begin to understand it more thoroughly. She either noticed my aura in the Warp, or simply checked the pict-feeds to see who had approached close enough. The former is less likely, as the skill of concealment is relatively simple, and I had developed it quite well over the past few years.

Yes, I reflexively draw attention, but you can only identify me as a psyker through indirect signs. I opened the door and immediately caught the scent of frankincense and incense that permeated the place. Because Jaya loved all sorts of exotic herbs, many of which didn't even grow in this sub-sector, the smells were wildly diverse. Sometimes pleasant, but mostly just strange. For example, right now it smelled as if someone had burned a dozen different herbs that clearly shouldn't have been combined.

Spiciness and bitterness all mixed together in a rather unpleasant way. How Jaya lived in this place was completely beyond me. At the beginning of my training, I thought these were some sort of Warp rituals that I simply didn't know about yet. Psychic science is heavily mixed with various mysticism, so you can expect just about anything. However, I had spent years trying to understand the Warp and had achieved a relatively high level.

And using all my skills, I can confidently say: this has nothing to do with the Immaterium. It didn't even resemble specialized narcotics used to enter a trance. I felt no effect on my body or mind whatsoever. The room itself was also unusual. While all the corridors and rooms inside our containers were grey and devoid of any color, this one was excessively vibrant. Soft, slightly dim lighting created a pleasant and warm atmosphere.

The walls were completely covered in various paintings, some of which even radiated faint psychic energy. It brought back memories of the Machenko family and their "artworks," but things here were much simpler. No Chaos, just a tiny influence making the image more lifelike. I suspect the artist was a weak or completely unawakened psyker who literally put a piece of themselves into their creation. No less prominent were the various decorations cluttering the entire room.

Dried flowers from unknown worlds and strange ornaments of clearly non-human origin were scattered here and there, sitting alongside perfectly ordinary items like firecrackers and porcelain vases. I approached her wooden desk, the surface of which was adorned with beautiful carvings depicting the conclusion of the Angevin Crusade, and sat in the chair opposite the former Inquisitor. She was smiling, looking me straight in the eyes, and I had no intention of losing this standoff.

Atreus had shown me how to handle this type of "battle" as well; he explained very clearly that diplomacy could be no less a weapon than tanks and bolters. Therefore, I was taught etiquette just as much as military theory. The worlds under human control are innumerable, as are the organizations that make up the Imperium, and each has its own traditions that are best observed. Unless, of course, you want the powers that be to hunt you down.

"I would hate to interrupt such a pleasant evening, but my business is quite serious. I came here to finally get answers to many questions that have been bothering me for some time." Jaya set down the papers she had been holding the entire time and tilted her head slightly.

"Well then, I am sitting before you and am ready to give you the answers you have earned. Allow me to start first, as I can guess the contents of some of them. To begin, I want to say how happy I am that it fell to me to mentor you at the start of your journey. I'll tell you a secret: I have had many students over my very long career, but you have surpassed them all. And it's not even a matter of power. After all, you aren't even the first Alpha-Plus psyker I've trained."

My mentor's voice was relaxed and even melodic, which made it slightly disorienting. However, I was already used to this and paid attention only to the content. And the content was truly important. I immediately switched from a relaxed state to a focused one, ready for negotiations. Subtly, so as not to be noticed, I accelerated my consciousness and began to analyze her words. And what she said was very serious. Training an Alpha-Plus psyker is, practically speaking, absolute heresy.

If other Inquisitors found out about this, heads would roll—and not metaphorically. I had protected myself using unusual abilities and information incredibly vital to the entire Imperium, but what could other walking nuclear bombs offer? Honestly, they are generally only good for causing harm. The human mind usually cannot cope with boundless cosmic power and simply breaks.

The exceptions are the Emperor and Magnus, myself (obviously somehow connected to them), and the Perpetuals, who are hard to even consider human. And it must be admitted, the Emperor and Malcador, the only stable psykers of that level, grew up in times when Chaos was much less active. They literally had thousands of relatively peaceful years to develop to the necessary level. And even Magnus... ended up not being so stable in the end.

Despite the fact that he most likely possessed a specialized biology protecting him from Warp influence and simplifying his work with the Immaterium. I possessed something similar, and our connection could not be denied. Thoughts raced through my head at incredible speed while I continued to listen silently to my mentor.

"Surprised? You shouldn't be, my dear. You have performed flawlessly over the past couple of days and therefore deserve to hear a more... comprehensive view of the current political landscape. This will be our final lesson, alright?" She reached out and placed a gold coin in front of me, engraved with the image of the Astronomican. It was a popular symbol in the Imperium, but the aquila was still more common. She then flipped the coin over, revealing a skull bearing the mark of the Inquisition on the other side.

I looked at her questioningly, and she continued.

"The Inquisition is the pillar of humanity. We are the Emperor's hounds, and it is our destiny to bring His wrath to all the enemies of mankind. But the Inquisition also strives to lead humanity back to the light of a better age. Its members may be scattered across various Ordos like stars, but they all work for the good of the state. However, like any highly developed society, there are many factions within our organization."

"Within the broad factions of Puritans and Radicals, there are hundreds and thousands of smaller fellowships, united by their vision of how to save humanity. Every Inquisitor is a unique individual whose ideas can vary wildly. Some believe that any change is a threat to society and must be eradicated at all costs, while others actively stoke the fires of change and revolution.

A Monodominant is ready to destroy even Sanctioned Psykers, so repulsive do they find them, while Xanthites try to uncover all the secrets of the Warp."

"I think I can guess which faction you belong to." Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators! I motioned with my eyes to the artifacts surrounding her. She smiled even wider and began to shake her head.

"I am certain you couldn't list all the organizations I belong to. Many believe you must align with only one, but if their interests do not intersect or are even interconnected, cooperation is highly beneficial. Yes, Puritans and Radicals rarely agree, but even they can work together," the woman answered.

"Therefore, a person is needed who will be connected to both factions so that everything doesn't devolve into a civil war, the only winners of which would be the enemies of humanity?" Jaya continued to smile silently, picking up a glass nearby filled with some blue beverage and taking a sip. The local alcohol, called amasec here, was a strange thing I hadn't even dared to touch yet. It was made from far too strange ingredients, making it impossible to know beforehand what it would taste like.

"The best example of this are Amalathians like Zerbe, who try to maintain order and stability at any cost, which is why they are willing to work with less than honorable individuals if it benefits the Imperium in the end. They maintain order by turning a blind eye to 'minor' issues like endless corruption and local dictatorships. As long as the worlds pay their tithes and serve the good of the Imperium, local lords can go far beyond what is acceptable."

"And since they are capable of 'forgetting' partial violations of Imperial law, Amalathians can also choose to ignore certain actions of their more 'radical' colleagues. That is why Anton didn't hand you over to the Black Ships and gave you to me instead, because you are capable of helping all of humanity. And your actions have already been beneficial. I was informed that House Van Saar no longer exists. Necromunda is the kind of place where... things can happen to an underhive gang." I simply shrugged.

I already believed in the Inquisition's ability to deal with some gang hoarding the greatest of treasures. These guys wouldn't miss their chance, but they are also smart enough to operate without drawing the attention of the Martians. I had no idea what they would do next, but I hoped they remembered my help.

"I assume the information regarding the STC was confirmed, but you won't tell me what happens next?"

"You assume correctly. So, there are many factions, and their goals differ. Some are quite heretical, but far from all. Even the most extreme Radicals desire a successful future for the Imperium, so they will not cause severe harm. But while some try to improve the situation of individual worlds and sectors, certain seers are trying to save humanity itself." She touched the coin again and slid it across the table with her finger, placing it right in front of me.

"The Inquisition has two faces. One punishes, and the other seeks hope. A light that will save humanity and destroy all the damned xenos. There are many theories, but everyone acknowledges that the best one is this: the one where He will lead us once again." The coin flashed for a moment as a drop of psychic energy passed over it.

"We call ourselves Thorians, in honor of Sebastian Thor, the first man to embody a fraction of His power. A hero who saved the Imperium from collapse and the abyss of the second-largest civil war, Thor was the first of the heroes sent by the Emperor. The Master has created many champions, but none have shone quite like you." Okay, I was starting to like this less and less. I saw the glint of a true fanatic in the Inquisitor's eyes. I was certain she was ready to do anything to achieve her goal.

But her mania being directed at me was a very bad thing, because I wasn't sure I could actually help the Emperor in any way. I am not the first, nor the last, near-god-level psyker, but no one has yet managed to fundamentally change the situation.

"I... highly doubt I can help with that in any way."

"Certainly not right now. No one can, not alone, at least. That is why we, the Thorians, work with practically all factions, utilizing all the resources of the Inquisition. But I advise against spreading this information, as it could create a rift within the organization itself, leading to a war of unprecedented scale. The Radicals will support us, as will some Puritans, but the damage to the Imperium would still be irreparable."

She finished her amasec, after which she snapped her fingers, and another serving flew into her mug. I, meanwhile, was trying to figure out what to do next as quickly as possible so I wouldn't end up on a sacrificial altar and die. Because it seemed like things were heading toward a very bad outcome for me. Logically, Jaya was no threat to me. She knew an order of magnitude more about the Warp than I did, but knowledge does not equal power.

Defeating an enemy who is ten times stronger than you is already almost impossible, but the gap between us was even larger. My mentor might know a thousand different tricks, but I was simply at least a hundred times stronger than her. Furthermore, Atreus had trained me well on how to counter enemy psykers. I was genuinely curious: what was her plan? To convince me to go to the slaughter? I doubt she hadn't gained at least a minimal understanding of my character over these years.

I will not risk myself for a phantom possibility of changing something. And it was hard to believe that I was capable of saving the Emperor. After all, He hadn't said anything about it in my vision.

"And how is that even possible? I may be a powerful psyker, but I am infinitely far from His level. Besides, would a sacrifice even have an effect?" I asked.

"No one plans to sacrifice you to the Golden Throne. They have already tried sending Alpha-Plus psykers there, even several at once, but it didn't help. Our organization is searching for heroes who harbor a fraction of His light, for who better to serve as a vessel for His might?" An idea suddenly popped into my head. I smiled, picking up the coin. While this turn of events also carried danger for me, at least there was room to maneuver here. The Inquisition had given me much, so it was time to pay for my training.

"Forgive me, but I don't really believe in the effectiveness of such an approach. I may be a powerful psyker, but I am not the most worthy of men. You are forgetting one category that is more closely connected to the Emperor than anyone else." She raised an eyebrow and looked at me questioningly.

"You are looking for someone to become a conduit for His will, but no one is better suited for that than His own creations. After all, the Primarchs are already an extension of the Emperor's will," I answered. The smile vanished from her face. Jaya frowned, as the conversation had clearly not gone the way she intended. I suspect there would have been speeches and attempts to convince me to sacrifice myself for the "Greater Good" next, but I also knew how to calculate moves ahead.

"Nonsense, all the Primarchs have been lost or dead for many millennia. And we cannot reach the body of the Lord of Ultramar; it is far too risky a move that could end in his permanent demise." I smiled even wider, twirling the coin between my fingers.

"I'm not talking about him either. Although attempting to heal him is a possibility, that is a matter for the distant future. You know that my future is hidden from me, but in exchange, I know many things lost to the past. And among all that knowledge is information regarding the location of the missing father of the First Legion Astartes, Lion El'Jonson. By all logic, he should be alive and well right now, making him perfectly suited for your needs.

And even if he isn't, that information alone is capable of changing the entire galaxy, is it not?" And now, judging by her widened eyes, she was clearly shocked. She could have however many centuries of experience, but everyone has limits to their surprise.

"That is... unexpected. This changes a great deal. Almost everything, practically. Only... this could actually work." She suddenly began searching for something on her desk, quickly sifting through papers. Well, while she wasn't at her best, I needed to press the attack. Otherwise, I would never get the truth.

"By the way, what about that red fungus? What role does it play in all this? And where are the chirurgeon and his assistants?" Jaya looked at me in surprise. Funny, I had never seen her like this in all ten years.

"What do you mean? The samples are supposed to undergo preliminary analysis by Francis, after which he is to provide them to me." I raised an eyebrow and looked at her, equally surprised. I exhaled, and steam plumed from my mouth. Then I stood up abruptly, for I began to feel souls extinguishing. One by one, the people on the base began to die, and they did so instantly, without any spike in emotion. But the worst part was that I couldn't sense exactly who was killing them.