Chapter 1

I kept running into her, it was distracting...

She was so tall, and dignified and stuff, a tall lady.

I woke up that morning, dressed as usual, my long white cloth robes immaculate.  My trusty staff-bolter ready, twelve rounds loaded, the blade sharpened to a keen edge.  Keen, that's how they all called me.

My cornflower blue eyes stared back at me in the mirror, my goldenrod-yellow hair a hint to anyone how my ancestors got the name, even though I didn't give it out, not anymore.

"Commandant!"

"Drill-Abbess."

"You don't have to pretend, not with me you don't."

"What don't I have to pretend?"

"That we're not related, those with me know, I just don't want the riff-raff to get in my business."

"Oh, they know do they? Did anyone mention anything?"

"About?"

"How awkward this must be for you?"

"Some, my staff aren't servants, they're..."

"True servants of the imperium?"

"Mostly, yes, you haven't stopped being preachy..."

"Bit hard, at this late date...  And a bit ironic that I'm getting upbraided by a Drill-Abbess, who's fully as preachy, I'm sure, when I'm not looking."

"I wouldn't..."

"You wouldn't what?"

"I wouldn't be preachy to you, gran Michael...  I still remember those stories by the fire..."

"Hey gran."

"Hiya sprout, you look even more disgustingly cheerful than usual, what gives?"

"Aw, shucks gran, that'll be my secret." The middle-aged woman smirked impishly.

"Aw, is he here?"

"He who?  Your sweet baboo?"

"I oughta wash your mouth out with soap, I haven't had one of those since before you were born..."

"Hey Cyn."  A sad, gravelly voice startled her.

"Mike!"  There were tears in the still tall, still ramrod-straight woman's eyes as she hugged her brother, the both of them in their nineties now.

"I shouldn't be doing this, colonel."

"If anyone complains, with a retired colonel, the drill-abbess of this academy and you here, just who do you write a complaint to, exactly?"

"I'm just a humble servant of the Imperium."

"Will you please cut the bullshit?  I meet the Lord Militant of the Imperium once a year, maybe, you have regularly scheduled meetings!"

"Well, I don't think being invited to meetings of the Senatorum Imperialis is good for your health, not with the number of prior members who are no longer with us."

"Treasonous talk!"

"Is it?  All that I said is that it's a dangerous occupation, which, since I know you have some level of access, you know for a fact."

"I'm just worried for my brother, who has just as much reason as I to know that talking about deaths in the Senatorum Imperialis can only lead to grief."

"Will you two back up a bit, I knew the Commandant was important, but you're in the Senatorium?"  She felt awe at the revelation.

"He is, I'm only a colonel, bro made good.  It outranks a General-Commissar."

"How many of those do you know Nan?"

"A few, remember Simone?"

"Auntie Simone?  Who disappeared three years ago?"

"Yes, that auntie Simone..."

"Of course I remember her, she babysat my Andrew, you said she was trustworthy..."

"She was General-Commissar in charge of the Sabbat Crusade Second Front, before retirement."

"Well she was, but she actually retired Commandant, she's the one who nominated me for this post..."

"Oh, you name your successor?"

"Not name, exactly, but you can suggest one candidate for consideration."

"Which, knowing the Imperium, is almost always approved."

"Mostly, yes.  They presume you know your underlings better than they do, most times."

"Apologies, worthies, I have come from holy Mars to confer with the worthy drill-abbott of this place."

"We shall see ourselves out then."

"Apologies, you mentioned being a member of the senatorum imperialis,earlier?"

"It is my duty to serve."

"I would speak with you as time permits, I would petition for your assistance, if it is permitted."

"In what way do you expect me to be of assistance?"

"I represent a faction of the Mechanicum interested in sharing knowledge, and we feel your initiative of a collegia is both timely and aligning with our interest."