Heinrix"[Name]." Heinrix gives you a curt nod in greeting. "I apologise for barging in unannounced. I have received news that I must discuss with you face to face."
Heinrix"You may recall that I mentioned that Achilleas..." Heinrix pauses before continuing, "That Achilleas Scalander was transferred into my remit by a colleague. The colleague in question has contacted me. She requires my immediate assistance."
YOU"Who is this colleague?"
HeinrixHeinrix hesitates for a moment before answering, "Emelina Lichtenhart. Sage to the Lord Inquisitor."
YOU"Tell me more about Emelina. Who is she?"
Heinrix"An acolyte who was assigned a different range of objectives in the Koronus Expanse..." Heinrix trails off, then shakes his head. "Throne take me, I am still trying to hide information from you even when I am asking for your help!"
Heinrix"Emelina is a Sage. A unique acolyte of the Inquisition who can absorb huge amounts of knowledge and store it in her own memory more securely than any data-crypt. She entered the Lord Inquisitor's retinue before even I did. Talking to her is... a strange experience, but that is barely scratching the surface of who she is. Emelina is an incredible scholar, an expert on the forbidden and the illicit. And, of course, she is a loyal servant of the Golden Throne."
YOU"Tell me more about Emelina. Who is she?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You say talking to her is 'a strange experience' — what does that mean?"
HeinrixHeinrix locks his fingers and says nothing for a few seconds. "Since birth, Emelina has been different from other people. Specialists from the Inquisition enhanced her natural gift of hypermnesia — there are certain procedures that can be done. She... creates separate blocks of memory, which she can then lock under a code word or even overwrite with new information. She can organise her mind like a normal person arranges boxes on a shelf."
Heinrix"One box might contain information about a recent mission in the Calixis, another the latest decrees of the Lex Imperialis, and another her own childhood memories. This level of compartmentalisation might seem somewhat insane to the untrained eye, but it is the price one must pay to turn an ordinary servant into a useful tool of the Inquisition."
YOU"Tell me more about Emelina. Who is she?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You say talking to her is 'a strange experience' — what does that mean?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You said 'the forbidden and the illicit.' What does that entail?"
Heinrix"Emelina carries knowledge that is forbidden to common servants of the Imperium. She carries this knowledge within herself, as it cannot be entrusted to logs or cogitators." Heinrix frowns. "I said before that acolytes of the Inquisition must shoulder a heavy burden — to come into contact with things that can penetrate and corrupt the soul. For Sages, this is an especially trying ordeal. Emelina's hypermnesia has been enhanced so that she now remembers everything she sees, however briefly. After many years of service, she has examined and seen enough to become an unrivalled expert in this field."
YOU"Tell me more about Emelina. Who is she?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You say talking to her is 'a strange experience' — what does that mean?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You said 'the forbidden and the illicit.' What does that entail?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You speak of her with obvious affection."
HeinrixHeinrix's eyebrow lifts. "Emelina is a worthy acolyte and an invaluable tool in the Inquisition's arsenal. I admire her traits and talents."
YOU"Tell me more about Emelina. Who is she?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You say talking to her is 'a strange experience' — what does that mean?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You said 'the forbidden and the illicit.' What does that entail?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You speak of her with obvious affection."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You failed to mention that Calcazar has other agents operating in the Koronus Expanse."
Heinrix"I didn't fail to mention it, I deliberately concealed the information. Divulging the location of the Inquisition's agents could threaten not only the acolytes themselves, but also the results of their endeavours."
YOU"Tell me more about Emelina. Who is she?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You say talking to her is 'a strange experience' — what does that mean?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You said 'the forbidden and the illicit.' What does that entail?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You speak of her with obvious affection."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You failed to mention that Calcazar has other agents operating in the Koronus Expanse."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I believe I have a clear picture of Emelina now. What was her message?"
Heinrix"Emelina's message is incomplete and distorted — it is impossible to make sense of every word. The only thing we know for certain is that an acolyte of the Inquisition is asking me to go immediately to Phton IV, a remote planet. In her message, she seems to be requesting either military support or help with an evacuation, but whatever precipitated this request, Emelina would not make it if it weren't absolutely necessary."
Heinrix"I know a Rogue Trader has more than enough other matters to deal with. Nevertheless, I would like to officially request the Lord Captain's assistance in dealing with this issue." Heinrix inclines his head. "I have no authority to demand anything from House von Valancius, therefore I am confining myself to a request — for the sake of the Koronus Expanse and the Imperium."
YOU"Who is this colleague?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"How did you circumvent me and acquire the information from the Astropathic message?"
HeinrixThe Interrogator's eyebrows lift. "Lord Captain, a Rogue Trader may be in a position to challenge the Inquisition's authority over their soul, mind, and actions. But a Rogue Trader's Astropaths and vox officers? Hardly."
YOU"Who is this colleague?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"How did you circumvent me and acquire the information from the Astropathic message?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Is there any hint of what exactly is threatening Phton IV?"
HeinrixHeinrix says nothing for a time, then begins to speak — slowly, as though he is fighting against resistance. "For the avoidance of leaks, the details of the objectives of specific acolytes shall remain a secret. All I can tell you is that the primary threat that Emelina was dealing with in the Koronus Expanse was xenos. In particular, Drukhari raids on distant systems. A Sage is ideally suited for gathering data about the chronology of this problem and finding appropriate methods for combatting it."
Heinrix"As for what Emelina is doing on Phton IV specifically — I don't know. I don't even know any details about the world itself, only that there are humans there, so either it has been colonised or a garrison has been established there. The Cult of the Final Dawn has been my top priority here, and my investigation has given me no cause to turn my attention to that planet."
YOU"Who is this colleague?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"How did you circumvent me and acquire the information from the Astropathic message?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Is there any hint of what exactly is threatening Phton IV?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"If I help you, what do I get out of it?"
Heinrix"Your concern for your own pockets is deplorable, especially in such dark times. An Imperial world is at stake here, along with all the resources it may hold." Heinrix's lip curls in contempt. "You may requisition everything on Phton IV that has not been touched by corruption and does not fall under the category of objects prohibited by the Holy Inquisition. My only concern is whatever problem forced Emelina to contact me, not the world's riches."
YOU"Who is this colleague?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"How did you circumvent me and acquire the information from the Astropathic message?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Is there any hint of what exactly is threatening Phton IV?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"If I help you, what do I get out of it?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Are you certain you are asking for my help for the sake of the Imperium, and not because one of your own is in trouble?"
Heinrix"I am not inclined to display excess sentiment. Every agent of the Golden Throne is willing to sacrifice themselves if the need arises. Every agent of the Golden Throne can be replaced. What cannot be replaced are the results of our efforts, such as a message reporting that a bulwark of Humanity is under threat."
YOU"Who is this colleague?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"How did you circumvent me and acquire the information from the Astropathic message?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Is there any hint of what exactly is threatening Phton IV?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"If I help you, what do I get out of it?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Are you certain you are asking for my help for the sake of the Imperium, and not because one of your own is in trouble?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I shall help you. We shall go to Phton IV and put an end to this threat."
HeinrixHeinrix bows. "Thank you, Lord Captain. I am confident that this minor deviation from our primary course will help to stem the spread of anarchy in the Koronus Expanse, if only slightly. At the very least, we won't be outflanked."
Heinrix"I have already spoken to the navigation crew and provided them with the coordinates of Phton IV. We can set a course for it as soon as you give the order."
end of branch
YOU"I don't have time for this."
HeinrixHeinrix cocks his head slightly and his eyes take on the icy hardness already familiar to you. "An acolyte of the Inquisition has reported a threat — one significant enough to reveal herself and her position. Need I remind you what ignoring such a report could lead to?"
YOU"My decision is final."
HeinrixHeinrix's voice turns clipped. "The Rogue Trader's answer has been noted. Permission to leave the Lord Captain's presence? I have no intention of taking up any more of your valuable time."
end of branch
YOU"You have convinced me. We shall make our way to Phton IV and deal with whatever is happening there."
HeinrixHeinrix bows. "Thank you. God-Emperor willing, we will arrive in time to avert disaster and stop the threat before it gathers momentum."
Heinrix"I have already spoken to the navigation crew and provided them with the coordinates of Phton IV. We can set a course for it as soon as you give the order."continues where this line first appears above
HeinrixHeinrix frowns. "[Name]... The people of Kiava Gamma were once left without aid, and that ended in tragedy. The people who should have protected Rykad Minoris made a mistake, and the Imperium lost an entire world. Phton IV and its inhabitants could be next."
YOU"My decision is final."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You have convinced me. We shall make our way to Phton IV and deal with whatever is happening there."continues where this line first appears above
Heinrix"Every agent of the Golden Throne is an insignificant cog in a system designed to protect the Imperium of Man. My responsibility to respond expeditiously to threats against our kind guides my every action." Heinrix pauses. "That same responsibility rarely brings with it the chance to save a fellow agent's life. I will not lie and say that I am not glad to have this chance today."
YOU"Who is this colleague?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"How did you circumvent me and acquire the information from the Astropathic message?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Is there any hint of what exactly is threatening Phton IV?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"If I help you, what do I get out of it?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Are you certain you are asking for my help for the sake of the Imperium, and not because one of your own is in trouble?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I shall help you. We shall go to Phton IV and put an end to this threat."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I don't have time for this."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I shall help you. We shall go to Phton IV and put an end to this threat."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I don't have time for this."continues where this line first appears above
Heinrix"Saving an inhabited world is not sufficient incentive for you?" Heinrix tuts in disappointment. "I imagine the planet's inhabitants would be willing to part with all their worldly possessions in exchange for aid. Of course, you will receive whatever requisitioned resources I and Emelina deem not to be dangerous or prohibited by the Holy Inquisition."
YOU"Who is this colleague?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"How did you circumvent me and acquire the information from the Astropathic message?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Is there any hint of what exactly is threatening Phton IV?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"If I help you, what do I get out of it?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Are you certain you are asking for my help for the sake of the Imperium, and not because one of your own is in trouble?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I shall help you. We shall go to Phton IV and put an end to this threat."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I don't have time for this."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Are you certain you are asking for my help for the sake of the Imperium, and not because one of your own is in trouble?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I shall help you. We shall go to Phton IV and put an end to this threat."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I don't have time for this."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"If I help you, what do I get out of it?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Are you certain you are asking for my help for the sake of the Imperium, and not because one of your own is in trouble?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I shall help you. We shall go to Phton IV and put an end to this threat."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I don't have time for this."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Is there any hint of what exactly is threatening Phton IV?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"If I help you, what do I get out of it?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Are you certain you are asking for my help for the sake of the Imperium, and not because one of your own is in trouble?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I shall help you. We shall go to Phton IV and put an end to this threat."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I don't have time for this."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I believe I have a clear picture of Emelina now. What was her message?"continues where this line first appears above
HeinrixHeinrix gives you a crooked smile. "Emelina was something of a mentor to me. She helped me when I had only just joined the Lord Inquisitor's circle. She taught me psy-techniques to maintain my focus and equanimity. She trained me in the finer details of working with archives and data-crypts. She gave me the chance to unwind a little in my post by playing games of regicide with her."
YOU"Tell me more about Emelina. Who is she?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You say talking to her is 'a strange experience' — what does that mean?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You said 'the forbidden and the illicit.' What does that entail?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You speak of her with obvious affection."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You failed to mention that Calcazar has other agents operating in the Koronus Expanse."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I believe I have a clear picture of Emelina now. What was her message?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You failed to mention that Calcazar has other agents operating in the Koronus Expanse."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I believe I have a clear picture of Emelina now. What was her message?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You speak of her with obvious affection."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You failed to mention that Calcazar has other agents operating in the Koronus Expanse."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I believe I have a clear picture of Emelina now. What was her message?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You said 'the forbidden and the illicit.' What does that entail?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You speak of her with obvious affection."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You failed to mention that Calcazar has other agents operating in the Koronus Expanse."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I believe I have a clear picture of Emelina now. What was her message?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You say talking to her is 'a strange experience' — what does that mean?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You said 'the forbidden and the illicit.' What does that entail?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You speak of her with obvious affection."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You failed to mention that Calcazar has other agents operating in the Koronus Expanse."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I believe I have a clear picture of Emelina now. What was her message?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"How did you circumvent me and acquire the information from the Astropathic message?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Is there any hint of what exactly is threatening Phton IV?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"If I help you, what do I get out of it?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Are you certain you are asking for my help for the sake of the Imperium, and not because one of your own is in trouble?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I shall help you. We shall go to Phton IV and put an end to this threat."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I don't have time for this."continues where this line first appears above