The Grim Darkness (Alvis & Ghostwolf)

[Alvis Alendran]

Forget the power of technology, science and commmon humanity. Forget the promise of progress and understanding, for there is no peace amongst the stars. Only an enternity of slaughter, and carnage, and laughter of thirsting Gods.​

This was not how he had envisioned himself returning to duty. The precinct fortress was busy, as it always was, clerks and administrative staff moving quickly to get tasks completed. Sitting at a massive desk and going over reports was not how Lupus Wolfe had imagined his life being spent. He'd been wounded in the line of duty assissting in a purge of Gunmetal City. A full clip from a Judgeslayer handcannon had struck him before he brought the assailant down. But six rounds from such a weapon was usually more than enough to kill a man outright. But Wolfe had faced worse than simple thugs in his career. A long stint of service as a member of an inquisitional cell had exposed him to things that no mortal man should have to face. But in many cases, mortal men were all that was available to face down the darkness. Just thinking about it send twinges of pain through old wounds, long healed. He flexed his right arm, the quiet sound of top quality servos quietly reaching his ear. He'd been reminded on occasion that even those pure of faith in the divine might of the Emperor might face down threats that they could simply not prevail against.

He was a massive man, nearly seven feet tall, and thickly built with muscle from long service in the Adeptus Arbites. Even assigned to a desk here, he still wore the armour that he'd carried to bring the light of the Emperor and His justice to the darkest places in the sector. On completion of his third tour with the Inquisitor, he was granted leave to return to duty as an arbitrator. They'd offered him a high seat, the title of Judge, but he'd declined. He was not a politcal creature, he was a man of the streets. Shield to shield with his brethren was where he properly belonged. Time with the Inquisitor had proven that sometimes he must be more subtle, and he had learned well enough to be given cross training amongst the other fields of service within the Arbites. He was a force to be reckoned with in any arena. He looked up from his desk as marshal Fahlcrum approached him.

"Marshal. What can I do for you today?" He asked, bowing his head respectfully. The Marshal was a much smaller man, but had earned his place near the top of the command chain of this Precinct.
"Wolfe. I have an assignment from you, should you wish to be away from the desk." Fahlcrum stated calmly.
"Emperor be praised. What have you for me? Riot control? Sweep of the underhive?"
"A murder. In the Imperial Governor's palace." Lupus felt his heart sink.
"Marshal, I am...perhaps not best suited to this task."
"Yes you are. You've cross trained into the Chasteners, teh Detectives, and the Verispex. You served with the Inquisition, and your name carries enormous weight. Frankly Wolfe, we both know you could take command of this Precinct at any moment, and no one would stop you. Or object."
"Such is not for me. But if this is your order Marshal, then I shall see it done."
"It is. Bring the guilty to justice. The Emperor protects."
"The Emperor protects." Wolfe echoed the words, and stood, lifting his helm from the desk, and snapping it into place, obscuring most of his face behind the visored helm. He set out to secure trasport.

The city was a massive one, Hive Primaris on the planet of Zweihans World. Nearly ten billion sould in this city spire that stretched to the skies. Within that spire were colossal vaulted ceilings, containing the many towered buildings of the cictzens. Not wanting to delay, Wolfe had commandeered aerial tansport, the Aquila shuttle heading towards the palace of the Imperial Governor. The sturcture would have housed thousands of citizens, had the structure been occupied by any besides one of the most powerful men on the planet. As it was, barely a quarter of that lived and worked within. The shuttle landed, adn Wolfe moved down the ramp, his pilot simply bringing the shuttle to a standby mode, and staying put. Wolfe moved within.

Murder. And not a clean one. The body was a man wearing the livery of a Castellan, making this man teh right hand of the Governor. Wolfe looked at the scene, already knowing what had caused the wounds from long years on the battlefields. There was a bloody crater in the chest of the man, and one arm was gruesomely severed at the shoulder. Bolter wounds. That meant money. Training. Nothing casual. Well, at least it was better than paperwork. He turned to the aide that had been follwing him since he entered the building.
"I need the last people to speak to this man. I need surveilance footage, his itinerary, everything. And I need it now. Get to it." He looked around the room. Now it was time to wait until someone else appeared, either brought by the aide, or to happen across him. Either would be enough to level an interrogation.

 

[Ghostwolf]

It had been raining when it happened. A soft downpour in the early evening as the pale sun had begun to descend, a sight and sensation that those deep within the spire of Hive Primaris would get to experience. No, such pleasures were reserved only for the rich, the important, and the powerful. Those living at the top of the city spires, or those living outside of the Hives, far from the shadows cast by their looming presence.

Tyrin Willam had been one of those fortunate enough to experience such things every day. However, he would experience them no more, or anything for that matter. He lay on his back in the large front hall of the main building of the Governor’s palace, the grandeur of the room lost to his dead eyes as a pool of cooling blood spread from his body across the checked marble tiles. His hair and the shoulders of his pale grey jacket wet from the rain. A shaft of light spread across his face cast from one of the great windows, caught permanently in a look of surprise, a spot of blood below his left eye. Then slowly the sun dipped further and the light moved on.

“A damn shame”.

The voice, deep and gravelly, came from behind Wulfe as a man emerged from a side door, the aide behind him. Taking slow careful steps towards the deceased Castellan until the two living men drew level. The Arbitrator was taller than him, but not by much. He gazed down at the corpse.

“A damn fine shame. Willam was a good man. A good friend.” His large walrus moustache twitched, causing his chin to wobble. The man brought his attention back to the Arbitrator in front of him, looking him over, scrutinising.

“So. You’re the one dealing with this mess then, ey?” After a moment, the moustache twitched again, and the man’s hands unclasped, one held out in front of him before Wulfe. “Governor Burroughs.”

The Governor had once been an impressive man, a strong awe-inspiring figure, renowned for his part in leading the small PDF attachment which assisted in putting down the Hive Tertius tax rebellion. Actions that had brought him fame and political attention, the medals he still wore on his chest, and the scar and augmetic left eye which twinkled brightly. Time and the comforts of his position had not been kind to the Governor, very little remaining of the man he once was. Most of his muscle turned to blubber, the excellent tailoring of his expensive attire doing very little to hide his large stomach.

“I hope you can deal with this matter swiftly. Terrible business. It does not do well for these things to go on for too long do you understand. No, not well at all.” The moustache bristled again, as he clasped his hands behind his back once more and rocked back on his heels. “Of course, we will assist you in any way we are able, so as to…” He thinks for the word. “Expedite this investigation as much as possible. Terrible business”. He shakes his head. Chins wobble.

“Now, my man here tells me you want to speak to the last person to poor Willam. It pains me to say that person is my very own daughter. I will permit you to speak to her…” His eyes find Wulfe’s own, his gaze steel, his voice stone. “But. She is my only child, my firstborn. I am aware of the tactics and trick the Adeptus Arbites emply in their questioning, in their interrogation. I will have none of that employed here. None, you understand? She is not a suspect.” A slight smile breaks the seriousness in his face.

“If that is all, I will take you to her. I will not have her witness this mess.” He waves his hand at the scene. “She is waiting for you.”
​

 

[Alvis Alendran]

Wolfe looked at the Governer, glad that the disdain in his gaze was hidden behind the visor of his helm. As the governor introduced himself, Wolfe nodded.
"Cheif Investigator Lupus Wolfe. Formerly of Inquistor Lord Romanov's Retinue." He said by way of introduction. He'd read the dossier on the Governor once he'd been assigned to this world. Knew his record, his list of accomplishments, knew that the man was resting on the laurels of his past achievments while content to enjoy the fruits of his labours. While many saw this as a fine goal, Wolfe did not. He had personally fought things that no one should even see. And could likely retire nicely on the funds he'd accumulated in his service. But there was still mighty, bloody work to be done.

"It is always a tragedy when a loyal servant of the God Emperor is laid low before his time." He agreed about the death of the Castellan. When the governor offered a thinly veiled threat about his actions, Wolfe felt his back stiffen. Well. THis wasn't how he expected things. He honestly thought the Governor might have known better. "Be watchful of your words Governor. The demands of the law come first, even on Zweihans World. Know that another statement of such intent could be construed as intent to obstruct the investigation. And no one on this world is above the reach of the Adeptus Arbites. Not even you. Now, in the interests of co-operation, I did not plan to drag your daughter to the precinct for thorough interrogation. I highly doubt your daughter is responsible for firing a bolt weapon at the man, and that was clearly the weapon of choice for such a job. So. Shall we then?" He asked, not smiling. He wasn't here to be friendly or liked by people, he was here to get the job done. A man was dead. And it was up to him to find the responsible persons.

 

[Ghostwolf]

The Governor turned back around to look at Wolfe, a mildly bemused expression of his face, his brows furrowed. He shook his head, his mustache wiggling once again along with a slight twitch of the long scar upon his face.

“I have no intention of obstructing this investigation Wolfe. I will do everything in my power to assist you. He presses his lips tight together, looking once more at the body on the floor of his palace. “My friend is dead, killed in my own home. I want those responsible found and given the Emperor’s justice more than anyone”.

He returns his gaze to the Arbitrator, looking at him with one natural and one bionic eye. “I simply meant I would not have you interrogating my daughter in the heavy handed way you Arbites are known for in the slums. She is my daughter. I will not have her harmed or intimated by anyway”. Looking Wolfe up and down again, another wiggle of his top lip. “But. You were an Inquisitor’s man. I trust you have more subtlety about you.”

Nodding, “Yes, I thought as much. I’ve seen their work before you know”. The Governor seemed to stand taller, his chest puffing out as he appeared to be remembering his glory days. “Never liked them myself. Much prefer a good sturdy laspistol. They’re reliable. A weapon you can trust in.” He furrows his browse again, nodding enthusiastically. “Anyway, yes! My daughter awaits.”

He turns from Wolfe once more, leading the way. Up the grand staircase at the rear of the entrance hall, and up the steps to the right. Down a long hallway with a lush carpet, showing the Investigator the grandeur of the palace. Another turn here, and another turn there. Eventually he stopped in front of a bright white door, turning to make sure Wolfe was still with him.

“My daughter’s solar.”

He knocked on the door, three short raps. A voice replied instantly, soft and sweet. “Come in Father.”

Governor Burroughs hand reached down to grasp the knob, but he paused before turning, once again looking at Wolfe. “Please. Be gentle with her” he pleaded, his face a picture of concern. It morphed into a sad cheerful smile as he pushed open the door, stepping into the room.

“Darling, this is Chief Investigator Wolfe. He’s here to talk about Tyrin.”

The Governor’s daughter was found seated at her large window, cross legged with her back against the soft plush cushions, a small half empty crystal glass of amber liquid clasped between her hands in her lap. She was looking out of the window, over the many well tended gardens and grounds of the palace, the setting sun catching in her hair highlighting it like spun gold. Her gaze moved from the outside world to those intruding on her thoughts, her expressive eyes sorrowful.

She carefully unfolded herself, standing from the window seat. Her pale yellow gown flowed down about her, covering her bare feet. She walked towards her father and this new imposing armoured figure, foregoing the wearing of her shoes which were left stood together in front of the window

“This is my daughter, Alexa.”

“Good evening, Sir. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Still mindful of her manners, even in these circumstances. Setting down the glass she held on the round table in the centre of the room, she held out her hand for the Investigator to shake.

“I’ll leave you to it”. The Governor announced, only shaking his head at Alexa’s pleading looks to stay. With one last glance at Wolfe, Governor Burroughs closed the door.
​

 

[Alvis Alendran]

Wolfe could sense the demeanour shift in the governor, the man being called back to his memories of fire and glory. Wolfe kept the sneer from his face at the mention of the las weaponry. Oh, reliable to be sure. But Wolfe had lost count of the number of times the las had been tried in the task of stopping him. And thus far, it had yet to do more than irritate him. It might be good for what teh Governor had been doing, putting down a workers rebellion, but there was a difference between facing down throngs of the unequipped and untrained mobs, and dealing with those that knew the business of war. He flexed his arm again, the faint whirring still coming to his ears. He couldn't quite blot it out. It was there, and in his mind it should not have been.

Wolfe followed after the man, looking at the oppulance around him with a faint twinge of dislike. He'd been trained to snoop around in the lives of the nobles, but still tended to be heavy handed about it. It was one of the reasons that several Marshals had enjoyed using him. Lupus Wolfe feared no noble, and would never hesitate in reminding them that no one was beyond the reach of Imperial Law. He kept going abck to the assumption that as a former Inquisitor's agent, that he would be subtle by nature. He'd primarily been the mailed fist of the Inquisitor, smashing aside resistance, and getting answers when and where he could. But he wasn't going to disabuse the man of his assumption.

As he asked Wolfe to be gentle, the Arbitrator didn't respond. He was not a man who made promises lightly, or often. The door opened after the faint voice that he heard. Wolfe followed him in, looking at the young woman. SHe was...pretty he had to admit. He'd faced things that struck an inhumanly beautiful look, making things difficult to compare. But Alexa had a very calm, human beauty about her, something that seemed almost effortless in it. She wasn't what he had expected. Most nobles her age were little more than fancy painted whores in his experience. And he had expected the same here, from the highest placed noble lady on the world. She extended her hand, and his first impression was to sinply stand, putting some distance between them. But he opted for a different approach. He'd been trained in the right protocol while serving with the Inquisition, so he put it to good use.

He took her hand, and lifted it to his lips, kissing her hand softly rather than shaking it.
"My lady. I reret that I must trouble you during this time. But the Laws of the EMperor wait for no one. And I am told that you were the last person to speak to the recently departed." He said smoothly, his voice shifting to High Gothic, the language more suited to nobility and the church.

 

[Ghostwolf]

And just like that, the two were left alone. The Governor’s daughter and the Arbitrator. Imposing and intimidating in his armour, he seemed to tower over the slender young woman. With an unsure smile, Alexa Burroughs shifted her weight slightly as she waited for Wolfe to speak or take her outstretched hand, the other hanging by her thigh nervously playing with the thin silky material, her bare legs slightly visible underneath the loose skirt of her gown. The young highborn’s eyes searched to make contact with his but there were hidden well behind the blank visage of his visor. After what seemed like a long moment to Alexa, the Arbitrator finally moved, surprising her as he took her small graceful hand in his own and raised it to his lips, her soft skin holding a barely detectable sweet floral aroma. Somewhat taken aback by the tall armoured figure performing the gentle demonstration of protocol a pale rose crept its way onto Alexa’s cheeks as she bowed her head, averting her eyes from his gaze as her free hand raised to move a hanging lock of her blonde hair behind her ear.

Her eyes returning to look up at the Arbitrator’s half hidden face as he spoke, noting the use of High Gothic. Alexa only barely noticed that it was unlikely it was his first language, the inflection on some letters very slightly off, but Wolfe spoke the language well nonetheless. “Of course Investigator, I understand. The Emperor’s justice must be swift”. The woman smiled softly as she looked up at Wolfe, the curl of her lips at odds with her sombre expression. The sun began to dip down further behind the horizon, casting the last shards of orange light into the room.

“Yes, I was” she nodded solemnly. Taking the opportunity to move away from Wolfe as the Arbitrator released her hand, her gown flowing about ever so slightly as she walked to a side unit. “Please, take a seat if you’d like”, indicating one of the chairs at the round table in the middle of the room, both carved from an exotic off-world wood, the chair having a cushion of plush cream upholstery. From within the side unit’s drawer Alexa withdrew a pack of matches and set about quickly lighting the candelabras, a pleasant smoky scent began to fill the room as the small dancing flames illuminated the solar. Alexa much preferred the smell and gentle flickering of the candles to the often harsh overhead lamps, activated by the dial upon the wall at the door. Turning to face Wolfe, she leant lightly against a side unit, her hands clasped together in front of her.

“I spoke to Tyrin a few hours ago, before he left. We were only talking for a little while. I wasn’t aware he had even returned until…” she bowed her head, long blonde hair framing her face, “until after”.



​

 

[Alvis Alendran]

As she responded to him, Wolfe knew that the difference in speech patterns was notable, not overtly, but notable. It came from the very subtle differences in planetary teachings. Also, that his was not taught by nobles. His was taught by the Clerics of the Ecclesiastic sects, which had little to no alteration for thousands of years, while the nobles had refined it ever so slightly. He moved close to the table, but did not sit.
"Not to offend miss, but I find myself sitting for most of my days lately. I enjoy the chance to stand." He said to her politely.

The had an air of indulgent oppulance to it, not unexpected from the wuarters of the daughter of the Imperial nobility, let alone the daughter of one of the most powerful men on the world. He watched as she lit the candles. Actual candles, and pure wax from the scent, not the cheap tallow ones that could be found in the lower city. And she was lighting them with actual matches. The expense of a wooden match to be manufactured on a Hive World was extravagant in the extreme, much more so than anything else he's seen thus far. It was almost mindboggling. And all because of a person's preferences. But then, the Emperor had granted such priviledge to his elite, adn it was not for the likes of Lupus Wolfe to question the will of the Emperor.

He had tapped the side of his helmet, activating the auto recorder within, letting him take a record of everything that was said, adn be able to review this conversation with her later to try and spot inconsistancies.
"What did you speak of lady?" He asked her. He paused, catching what she'd said. "And why had he left? What was he doing?"

 

[Ghostwolf]

With a small sweet smile Alexa gave a gentle nod, causing her hair to shift and fall about her shoulders, blonde mixing with the pale yellow of her gown. “No offence caused at all sir, I understand. We often enjoy things the most when we are unable to experience them often.”

Yes, Alexa’s solar had some extravagance to it; she was the Governor’s daughter after all. However it was not overly excessive, Alexa knew ladies of lesser positions than hers who had much more expensive tastes and preferences, often better suited to those of a higher status and quite usually more than their fathers or husbands could rightly afford. But some of those women were frightfully needy and spoilt. Alexa often thought to herself that she did not ask for or require much, even though she rightly could, but she certainly did not go wanting. In her mind, the candles were one of the very few indulgences she enjoyed and allowed herself. The matches were her father’s insistence. If you are going to do something, do it properly and spare no cost, a motto he lived by and repeated regularly.

Looking down at her hands, fingered steepled together, from the edge of her vision she noticed Wolfe reach up and touch the side of his helmet. Was he recording her? Alexa raised her gaze, her expressive brown eyes looking up at the tall bulk of the armoured Arbitrator just as he questioned her

She remained silent and still for a moment, thinking. “Very little. It was nothing more than small talk, we passed in the hall. I was coming in from the gardens; he was on his way out. It was nothing…” Alexa searched for a word, a mild look of frustration on her face as it remained out of reach. “important? It was not significant.” Of course it was now, it was the last words she had spoken with the deceased, and she was the last person within the household to see him alive, but at the time it wasn’t. “He told me he was going to finalise some arrangements for the ball next week. I told him to make sure he wore a coat as it looked like rain.”
The highborn woman paused for a moment, her features falling sorrowful once more. “I don’t understand why anyone would want him dead. Tyrin was such a pleasant person, he was nice to everyone. He was a good friend.”
​

 

[Alvis Alendran]

Wolfe nodded as she spoke. That was right, the Governor was hosting another of his at this point famed gatherings. All of the nobles currently in favour would be invited, along with members from a few other organizations. Trusth be told, the frist two years he'd been stationed on this world, Wolfe had been invited due to his connection with the Inquisition. He'd politely declined each time, sending elaborately worded refusals and excuses about duty and his need to attend to it. It was better than simply telling hte governor that he had no interest in hobnobbing and dickering with the upper layers of society. In light of recent events, maybe he should have made the effort. It might have given him a slightly bigger pool to draw his contacts from for this case. But that was fine to wish for. But wishing got him nowhere. He had to get things back on track.

"Your man had a reputation for being rather thorough with his records and documentation. With his death, I need to know who can acess them that I might be able to run down who he was intending to speak to today. Do you know of any noble houses that are currently ourt of favour adn feel that they are unjustly being targeted by your father? Anyone that might have an agenda against either teh governor or yourself?" He asked, his mind working through the most likely possibilities. Even if he found the shooter, it was unlikely that it would give him a direct line to the guilty. The noble houses were well monied, and knew how to spread that out in ways to create a covoluted trail that would be unlikely to lead anywhere useful. But he had to try it anyway. Hitting the killer would be a good start in this case. After that, it would be time to try and discover the motive and direction of the one who had set this plot in motion.

 

[Ghostwolf]

“Yes, that’s right.” Alexa smiled softly as she thought back on the Castellan. “Tyrin was rather particular about keeping records, keeping everything documented and in order. He always said it made things easier to find, and if it was all filed away neatly and documented properly, it was the same within his mind and he could remember it easier.” She let out a small sad laugh to herself as she remembered what he was like.

The noblewoman raised herself from resting against the side unit, moving to stand by the large open window and looking out over the gardens. Her hand moved to rest on her chest, graceful fingers played with the necklace that rested at her throat, touching a rich purple gem imprisoned in a rhomboid cage of fine silver. The neckline of her gown left the skin bare, just low enough to display the start of the gentle slope of her breasts, a small glimpse of the valley between them visible, hinting at what lay under the thin material.

“Well,” she turned to focus back on the Arbitrator, her teeth nibbling at her plump bottom lip in thought. “My Father does. He has access to pretty much anything stored within the Estate’s databanks. And by extension so do I. If there is anyone else with access, I’m afraid I’m not aware of them”

She shook her head, brushing a golden lock of hair away from her face and tucking it behind her ear. “No, nothing like that. Yes, there are disputes and families fall out, but nothing serious, and nothing of that nature lately that I’m aware of. Although,” Alexa paused for a moment, a slight frown forming on her face. “Perhaps Jonah Rivers. He was going to be one of the suppliers for the upcoming ball, but Tyrin thought his costing was overly expensive this year, that he was trying to overcharge us. So he and Father decided they should go with someone else, one of his competitors.” She fidgeted with the necklace again. “Father said the quality was beginning to lack with Rivers anyway.”

“But I don’t think he’d be one to go so far as this. He doesn’t seem the type.”
​

 

[Alvis Alendran]

Wolfe nodded as she spoke, and made a metal note. Not a great lead, but not one he'd pass up on. It was something that had to looked into, for completion sake if nothing else. He caught himself looking at her as she toyed with the purple gem. A moments glance showed him that it was likely a corundum stone. Not common on this world, or even this system. They were all imported, or else found in some of the asteroid mining endeavours. Which made it expesive, but really, if you were going to be wearing a gem, you might as well make it one that you would value and enjoy. It was a type of extravagance he could understand. After all, it wasn't as though he didn't have a rather elaborate Aquila rosary on him. A gift from the Inquisition as a reward for his service and sacrifice. There was another moment of being struck by how she held herself. She was not trying to advertise herself, not in manner of dress. And somehow, that did more to draw the eye and interest than any of the masses of women that had tried to avail themselves to him after his rise to prominence.

He shook himself, squaring his shoulders.
"I'm going to need a copy of all of his records. Everything from the last two years. Or failing that, as far back as you can get. There might be something that could link him to the killer." He said calmly, but softly. He found himself not considering dragging her back tot he station for a mroe thorough interrogation, and that had nothing to do with her father's request. He sincerely believed that she'd tell him what he asked, to the best of her ability. And that was rare for him.