Approximately 42 days ago...
In the damp and dripping ruins of an abandoned comms tower on Tenebrae Quintus, Jaques Bishop impassively listened to a man who was neither there, nor entirely a man.
"Are you quite finished?"
The holo-figure glared but remained silent.
"It is not a matter of betrayal. You were greedy, you delayed, and you were noticed. It is as simple as this."
"We did not delay! The trader argued over payment-"
"Come now, it took you five hours to convince the man the pebbles in his hand were worth more than the figure you planted in his mind? Tsk, tsk. I know you know that I too am gifted as you are - I am aware of everything from the moment you loaded the cryo-stores."
The glowing figure looked murderous and sullen beneath his cowl.
"If the Ordo are aware - and I assure you they are, I still have loyal servants within after all - then Van Saar and the other Istvaanite crones who support him will already be on their way, and our business is already concluded. I told you that this would be the consequence if-"
"You know our resources are vast and powerful, Inquisitor. The work will proceed regardless, the Hive will-"
"No. Your Hive fleet is on the other side of the sector, with a great many space marines in between. But you may do as you please if you think you can survive the attentions of the Ordo."
Bishop flicked the holo-comm off, the cowled figure vanished.
"Goodbye, magus."
High above, entirely unnoticed by the sentry drones and the remote-scanners, something watched in the dark.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
In the damp and dripping ruins of an abandoned comms tower on Tenebrae Quintus, Jaques Bishop impassively listened to a man who was neither there, nor entirely a man.
"Are you quite finished?"
The holo-figure glared but remained silent.
"It is not a matter of betrayal. You were greedy, you delayed, and you were noticed. It is as simple as this."
"We did not delay! The trader argued over payment-"
"Come now, it took you five hours to convince the man the pebbles in his hand were worth more than the figure you planted in his mind? Tsk, tsk. I know you know that I too am gifted as you are - I am aware of everything from the moment you loaded the cryo-stores."
The glowing figure looked murderous and sullen beneath his cowl.
"If the Ordo are aware - and I assure you they are, I still have loyal servants within after all - then Van Saar and the other Istvaanite crones who support him will already be on their way, and our business is already concluded. I told you that this would be the consequence if-"
"You know our resources are vast and powerful, Inquisitor. The work will proceed regardless, the Hive will-"
"No. Your Hive fleet is on the other side of the sector, with a great many space marines in between. But you may do as you please if you think you can survive the attentions of the Ordo."
Bishop flicked the holo-comm off, the cowled figure vanished.
"Goodbye, magus."
High above, entirely unnoticed by the sentry drones and the remote-scanners, something watched in the dark.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
