Lyre slumps in his chair and, for a brief moment, actually looks his age, as if all of his concerns have dragged him so deep he just can’t bring himself to care. “It would appear that there are still a few lessons I can impart.” “What is it now?” says Raphael. “The Inquisition is an odd institution. We have a representative among the High Lords of Terra, yet no Inquisitor is ever placed as a permanent representative. Every Inquisitor has their own agenda and views that often contrast with the representative, between different Ordos, and even mentor and protégé. We are, arguably, the most divided of all of the Imperium’s institutions.” “Lyre, I have known this for years.” “Of course you have, I’m setting the scene, providing context for this discussion. After all, we are divided, are we not? It is important that we start from what we do agree on.” “I do indeed! Now shut up and listen, this is important,” Lyre glares at Raphael. Raphael says nothing and sips his recaf. Lyre seemingly recovers his energy, sitting up straight, and continues, “Our divided nature and roaming duties means that the Inquisition receives the fewest resources of all the Imperium’s institutions, despite the valuable role that we play, for how can one assign men and ships to those who will no longer be there when they arrive? Yes, we have our fortresses, strongholds, and safe houses, yet these are secretive locations and not suitable for stockpiling vast resources. As such, Inquisitors must acquire almost everything they need in the field. In theory, we can approach anyone, flash our rosette, and commandeer them, extracting whatever we wish. “In practice, this is absolute hogwash. Our authority is backed by our reputation for inventive torture, Exterminatus, and small task groups of elites. This puts us in an awkward position. Torture is useful, in that we are told what we want to hear. Sometimes this contains useful information. “More often, it is used as a tool of fear, or punishment. As you said earlier, most do not know who we are. Its use in inspiring fear is limited. Torture is rarely as effective as proper investigative work too. Not only that, but the threat of punishment tends to only work on those who wouldn’t commit high treason anyway and does little to turn back the damage the sinners who actually do trouble us. Now, Raphael. What would you say the problem is with Exterminatus?” “It’s a last resort. You can’t use it as a threat as each use weakens the Imperium and Inquisitors have to follow through on their threats or they will be seen as toothless and their authority lost as it is based on fear. Exterminatus’ only use is in denying the enemy resources, or preventing enemies from spreading, when a world is so lost it cannot be recovered, even with a Crusade.” Lyre nods, “Quite right. That’s two tools down. That leaves us with small task groups. These range from small retinues to large networks of informants, or my light cruiser strike group of three void ships. Inquisitors can band together into fleets, though this is vanishingly rare. “Our vessels are an Inquisitor’s legacy, passed from one Inquisitor to another, slowly building the authority of a particular line and Ordos. We are occasionally given our ships as thanks, or as prizes. Rarely are they assigned. “More often, we find a Rogue Trader who is misbehaving, or a merchant fleet captain who is trading illicit goods or raiding, then bully our way on board with a small team then requisition their vessel in exchange for their compliance. We then use the vessel for long enough that the captain dies and the highest authority on the vessel is no longer in dispute and it can be seized. “The length of a troublesome captain’s tenure depends on how cooperative they are and the loyalty of their crew to their captain. This is why the battle against the Barghest chapter was so draining to our local forces and why the Inquisition's forces in the Koronus Expanse is such a mess. “Like the Navy and Astra Militarum, we could demand replacement vessels and troops as we please, I certainly would in an emergency. However, pissing off everyone without adequate cause is a terrible idea. The quality of our investigative work, the most important thing that we do, is heavily reliant on good will and cooperation. If we are too scary or demanding, vital clues will be missed because people are afraid to tell us what we need to know. Balancing compliance and fear is tricky and all Inquisitors approach this problem differently. “As such, one often has to be creative in acquiring resources to avoid aggravating local powers and the most difficult resource for an Inquisitor to acquire are diligent, loyal people. Anything else can be taught. The problem is that loyal individuals don’t change their loyalty. Obvious, I know. However, an Inquisitor has to wrestle these individuals from others if they actually want to get anywhere with saving the Imperium from itself. This requires creative incentives. Leverage. To the outside viewer, it might look like I am being greedy in chasing Magos Issengrund’s people, but what other choice do I have?” Raphael stares at Lyre for a good minute, “You could ask. You could wait. You could not piss him off. Didn’t you just call that the most vital part of any Inquisitor’s duty? He already replenished and enhanced your vessels, augmented your infantry, and improved your rosette. Why are you chasing more?” For more chapters visıt 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩·𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖·𝘯𝘦𝘵 “Ah, but Magos Issengrund is a canny and soft hearted individual. He has shown that he will what resources he can if you need them and share his technology if he is convinced you won’t abuse it. In that respect, he is a model Imperial citizen and one that I wish there were many more of. For the Inquisition, this noble, moral behaviour is actually a problem. What’s the one thing he has that will never give up? The one thing anyone of his calibre will guard with everything he has. The one thing that he’s effortlessly poached from me on three occasions?” “People,” says Raphael, frowning. “At last the curtain falls!” says Lyre. “You, Killovie, and JK-404. Magos Issengrund is no Enemy of Man. He is competition! This is survival of the fittest. He has taken the people I need the most. He has swept up Trader Modren’s fleet from under my feet. He has allied with the one chapter of Space Marines that brought the Inquisition low and who killed my predecessor! “He has subsumed the cheapest supply of light hulls, the type the Inquisition needs the most, in the Koronus Sector and arguably the Segmentum. He has the best technology. The best ships. The best weapons, armour, education. He has the best of everything. The Inquisition relies on being the best and he’s giving it away to penitents and captains while depleting my own resources and cutting me off from resupply! “You call me greedy? I am not greedy. I am desperate! Everyone is going to flock to Magos Issengrund and his precocious daughter. No one will have resources to curry favour with us, or pay us off. A Saint? Emperor deliver us! What a time we live in.” The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. “Pay us off!” yells Raphael. “What are we? Thugs for hire? Is that where all your comforts come from?” “Oh, lay off me boy. We do the most heartless job in the Imperium. If I didn’t have something to look forward to, or a safe and quiet space to sit and think, not only would I be groxshit at my job, I’d have blown my brains out years ago. Besides, we do not have the time to look into every tiny discrepancy. That’s the Administratum and Arbites job. “So what if I mention I am fond of an item to a shifty governor or general from time to time? I accept the gift and leave local enforcement with a tip off, or inform the appropriate Ordo if it looks particularly bad. So long as it isn’t an immediate threat, like a chaos incursion, we have to leave it be. We’re here to hunt xenos: Genestealer Cults, Eldar, and other horrors. Threats that mean we might have to use that Exterminatus if it’s not dealt with in time. Petty corruption is not something we can afford to investigate.” “How do you not gag on your own hypocrisy?” “The sweet taste of victory? Avoiding bitter defeat? Take your pick, Raphael. I’m old. I won’t get to retire. I’ll probably get eaten alive in the tunnels of an Underhive, or blown up by some corrupt Navy Captain using one of Magos Issengrund’s fancy new void ships. I might as well enjoy what time I have. Emperor knows I won’t get a lick of sleep otherwise.” “You are absolutely infuriating,” says Raphael. “I hate everything you are doing yet I can’t help but see your point!” “Well, it’s up to you now, boy. Keep that friendly Magos of yours in check and make sure he doesn’t give away anything else. The Imperium is on the edge of crumbling and it just can’t take another shock.” Raphael squints, “You’re not dying are you?” Lyre chuckles, “No. Magos Issengrund’s rejuvenat gland is really good. I haven’t felt this good for at least a century. Letting Talliel-Iota-5 study it a little has had him drive his little tech-slaves to exhaustion getting Petitor Veritas into tip top condition. That, or he is still pissed about being shown up when Magos Issengrund fixed the Gellar Field. I may have pushed too hard, however. “No one likes a loose cannon Inquisitor and I’ve been throwing a lot of accusations about to see what would stick. I was hoping for leverage to extract the necessary people from him. This is the first time I’ve seen that tactic fail. That’s why I consider his moral fibre a problem. Not only that, he has far too many titles and an immense technological advantage. I swear Magos Issengrund is more oiled up than a Custodes. No doubt a bunch of boot lickers from other Ordos will swarm the Magos and ‘retire’ me as a favour. Better than being turned into Xenos rations at least.” “Retirement would reduce the competition for me as well,” says Raphael, wincing. “You finally get it.” “You don’t think anyone will see Magos Issengrund like you?” “What did I say at the beginning of all of this? The Inquisition is divided. There’s no real right answer to a lot of what we face. Magos Issengrund is the same. He’s chosen the saviour route. He’s not the first and there will be many others after he is disassembled into brass cogs by the weight of his own dreams. He and I will never see eye to augmetic though.” “What of my own path? Do you still think it is worth it?” “I would argue that the failure of my own only proves that a problem should be tackled from every angle. I don’t actually believe there’s anything wrong with wanting to be an Imperial Hero. It was my dream too, once upon a time. Neither do I believe that working from a problem from the inside is a bad idea. I’ve done that a time or two as well. As for divided loyalties? I think I’ve shown that a few indulgences need not get in the way of duty. Friendship is a weakness, not a sin. “Magos Issengrund has proven he can restrain himself from impulsive action. He won’t bite your head off just because you want something from him or annoy him a bit. Just because I hate his guts doesn’t mean he’s not a decent fellow.” “Would you kill him if you could?” “I wouldn’t even bother thinking about it.” “Thus the curtain falls, once again.” “Indeed boy. Off you go. Take care of yourself.” “Aye. I’ll need to, now you’re no longer around to watch my back.” “That’s the spirit!” Lyre closes his eyes and leans back in his armchair. His altar starts playing soft choral music. Raphael downs the last of his drink, grimacing slightly at its tepid temperature, then leaves the cup on the table. He departs without another word, or even looking back. There was a lot there to think about. Lyre did, at last, come clean about his motives, or so I believe. The Rapid Decision Engine gave a positive result as well. Despite everything that the old curmudgeon has done, I feel reluctant to hate him. That’s a lot more emotional investment than I think he deserves. He has, however, proven himself to be a threat. Lyre tried to point his gun at Alpia and called her a demon. That really pisses me off. I am not annoyed that he called me a demon, rather it is the weight and consequence of the accusation that has me so angry. Lyre attempted to utterly soil my reputation in the worst possible way and he did so because he’s salty about me poaching his best people and turning the loyalty of his crew. I would be rather irritated if someone did that to me, so I can understand his petty behaviour. I can even see why he argued that I am competing for resources that he needs, though that one was a bit of a stretch. He’s right that I would never give up my people, however. He’s a canny bugger, I’ll give him that. He’s also equally petty. I don’t begrudge him a few luxuries. My absurd search for builders tea is no better and our reasoning for luxuries is much the same. I understand why he feels the need to steal specialists. He’s not talking about Tempestus Scions when he’s after people. He wants Magi, Temple Assassins, and Psykers, the sorts of people it might take decades to requisition, if at all. He wants people who already have a proven record so that he doesn’t have to invest his limited resources, or risk an operation going to shit because everyone he has are well trained yet still green. He’s looking to save time and to flitch expertise that he has no easy way of getting. He can’t train others in what he doesn’t know, and a lot of the time, especially with advanced technology, he doesn’t know what he doesn’t know, so he can’t even ask the right questions, or even know that there’s a potential problem. As such, his best bet is to find as many remarkable individuals as possible and get them to work for him by hook or by crook to ensure that they’re loyal. Both Taliel-Iota-5 joined and JK-404 joined Lyre in suspicious circumstances and, until I came along, had no way out either. His argument that handing out better equipment to everyone means making his job harder was flaky. Like he said, he’s Ordo Xenos. It’s not his problem and he made it plain that is all he should concern himself about. I won’t be selling to Genestealers or other Xenos. My technology is potentially a problem for other Inquisitors and he inflated their threat to prove his point. There are so many weapons in this galaxy though that I don’t think it matters what mine can do. My technology tends to have a higher tech burden than most Imperial weapons, armour, and other equipment. Their proliferation is limited. It’s not the weapons that are a problem, so much as the people using them. On that, at least, Lyre and I agree. Quality personnel are the greatest blessing and trial of any organisation. The troubles we’ve had re-educating Imperials only reinforces the argument. Agreeing with Lyre won’t change my decision or opinion though. In that, Lyre and I are remarkably alike.