IdiraIdira stares at you with crazed eyes while clutching the wounds on her head. At first, no sound comes out of her moving lips, then she coughs weakly and whispers, "Lord Captain, is it... really you?"
YOU"Are you all right?"
IdiraIdira removes her hand from her head and tries to wipe away her tears, leaving bloody marks on her face. Then she touches her burnt-out implant, frowning. "I... don't know. It should be quiet... but in my head... the whispering's louder. It shouldn't be... like that."
YOU"Are you all right?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"This abomination claims that you called her. Is this true?"
Idira"Me? Did I...? Yes, Lord Captain... I think it was me who called her."
Idira"I... can barely remember. The voices, my old, good whispers, they suddenly turned red... sharp... They started cutting, tearing, ripping me to pieces. I cried out, I called for help... and she came." Idira groans and clutches her head. "Damn it, why are the voices making so much noise now? Shut up! Shut UP!"
YOU"Has anything like this ever happened to you before?"
Idira"Like this — never! Well, there was something... but it was different. It wasn't as strong, or as terrifying. Apparitions appeared. Mechanisms malfunctioned. The crew lost their minds..." Idira breaks off. "But Lady von Valancius knew about that. She said it was a small price to pay, an acceptable expense! No psyker is immune to it! But what happened here... it was just a mistake. I won't do it again!" Idira stretches her lips in a helpless smile, looking past you. "There will be no more mistakes, Lord Captain."
YOU"Has anything like this ever happened to you before?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The previous Rogue Trader has been seen on the ship recently. Was that your doing?"
Idira"Yes, [Name]. I did it a couple of times, when I'd had too much to drink... At the time, I thought I heard her voice among all the whispers in my head. The voice was so sad, so clear... I couldn't help myself — I answered. I hoped I could reach her... there."
IdiraIdira bites her lip. "Ever since she died... Since I first heard her voice in my head... the whispers have gotten louder. Clearer. Harder to resist."
YOU"You hear the warp whispering in your head, and you answered? Are you insane?"
Idira"You don't know what it's like — the most important person in your life, who's now gone forever, suddenly starts talking to you inside your head! How could I not try to reach her? I had to!"
IdiraShe falls silent for a moment. When she next begins to speak, it is in a barely audible whisper. "I know what you're thinking. During the warp jump, when Lady Theodora came out toward us... I keep thinking about that meeting. I keep blaming myself... Why didn't I divine it? Why didn't I stop her killer? These thoughts have been playing at the back of my mind, day after day... choking me with guilt... and do you know what? The one... on the officers' deck... I don't know what that was. But this time... here... this was the product of my guilt. An accuser straight out of my own mind."
YOU"Has anything like this ever happened to you before?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The previous Rogue Trader has been seen on the ship recently. Was that your doing?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"So what am I supposed to do with you now?"
IdiraIdira turns sharply to face you. "[Name]... I know after everything I've done, you have no faith in my willpower or my strength, but I can fix everything. It's just I'm not at my best, you see, but maybe we can find a way? To replace my implants. Or some other remedy, a better one. Lady von Valancius said that such a thing could be found — if not here, then elsewhere. I just didn't need it before, but... We just need to find it. We need to figure out where to look for it, and we'll get it! And until then, I'll keep myself on a tight leash!"
YOU"What will happen to my crew while we look for this 'remedy'?"
IdiraIdira swallows and straightens. "I'll pull myself together, Lord Captain. The death of Lady von Valancius knocked me for six — I'll get myself under control. No more booze, no more obscura, nothing. And I'll stop walking around the lower decks. I'll be stone-cold sober." She determinedly wipes the tears and blood from her face.
YOU"What will happen to my crew while we look for this 'remedy'?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I want to help you, Idira. We'll think of something."
IdiraIdira covers her face with her hands and tries to hold back her sobs. "Th-Thank you... Thank you, [Name]! I won't let you down!"
Idira(sequence)
Argenta"You are making a mistake, Lord Captain. Perhaps you will find something to slow the decline, but it will not stop it. Only a miracle can save Idira Tlass now."
Jae"Why? I've heard enough stories about ways of extending a psyker's life. But I don't think you'll like all of them."
end of branch
IdiraIdira awkwardly shakes out her stained clothing. "I... I think I'd better... With your permission, Lord Captain..." She sways, takes a step back — and faints.
Idira"Lord Captain?" The Vox Master's shaking voice comes over the comm-bead. "I received a report that the shooting on the lower deck had stopped. I presume you have brought the situation under control. Awaiting further instructions."
YOU"I eliminated the problem. Neither Idira nor the ghost of the departed Theodora will trouble us again. Once I'm finished here, make arrangements for the disposal of the bodies."
Vox Master VigdisFor a moment the airwaves are filled with something that sounds somewhat like breathing, somewhat like ordinary interference. "Of course, Lord Captain."
end of branch
YOU"I got rid of the warp's illusions. Idira is alive — bring her to the chirurgeons and have them see to her."
IdiraYou hear unconcealed relief in the Vox Master's voice. "Of course, Lord Captain. As you command."
end of branch
YOU"I got rid of the psyker's creations. Idira is alive — see that she gets medical attention, and then put a guard on her. If she succumbs to the warp's influence again — shoot her without warning."
IdiraYou hear unconcealed relief in the Vox Master's voice. "Of course, Lord Captain. As you command."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I handled the problems in the bay, although there is one matter outstanding: see to it that Idira Tlass leaves the ship at the next port. I cannot risk keeping her in my crew."
Idira"Lord Captain... Of course. Consider it done."
end of branch
YOU"Everyone who was on the deck is dead, including the attackers. What happened was entirely the fault of Idira Tlass. Dispatch servitors here and put her out through an airlock, I am sick of her antics."
Vox Master VigdisFor a moment the airwaves are filled with something that sounds somewhat like breathing, somewhat like ordinary interference. "Of course, Lord Captain."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Your worries do not interest me, but as long as you keep yourself under control and remain useful, you will live."
IdiraIdira nods and with visible effort forces herself to smile. "Understood, [Name]. I swear I'll be more useful than ever before."
Idira(sequence)continues where this line first appears above
IdiraIdira awkwardly shakes out her stained clothing. "I... I think I'd better... With your permission, Lord Captain..." She sways, takes a step back — and faints.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I'm not going to kill you, but keeping you in the crew is dangerous. You'll be put under guard and escorted from the ship at the first orbital stop we come to."
IdiraIdira shudders in fear and reluctantly nods. "I... understand. Of course. Thank you, [Name]. Forgive me... and farewell."
end of branch
YOU"Sister Argenta, do your duty."
IdiraIdira lets out a desperate shriek and tries to hide from the inevitable, but the Sister of Battle's strike finds its target. The psyker's body slowly sags to the floor.
Idira(sequence)
Abelard"Emperor grant her—" Abelard stops short, staring at the body unblinkingly for a few seconds, before turning away.
end of branch
PasqalWielding a sampling tool, a mechadendrite carefully reaches out toward the bloody mess that used to be Idira's brain and dips the tip into it. "I will preserve an organic specimen for future study."
end of branch
Argenta"You did the right thing, Lord Captain. There is no way back for a fallen psyker."
Idira"Lord Captain?" The Vox Master's shaking voice comes over the comm-bead. "I received a report that the shooting on the lower deck had stopped. I presume you have brought the situation under control. Awaiting further instructions."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Kill Idira] "Die, heretic."
IdiraIdira lets out a plaintive scream — and then sags to the ground like a broken toy.
Idira(sequence)
Abelard"Emperor grant her—" Abelard stops short, staring at the body unblinkingly for a few seconds, before turning away.
end of branch
PasqalWielding a sampling tool, a mechadendrite carefully reaches out toward the bloody mess that used to be Idira's brain and dips the tip into it. "I will preserve an organic specimen for future study."
end of branch
Idira"Lord Captain?" The Vox Master's shaking voice comes over the comm-bead. "I received a report that the shooting on the lower deck had stopped. I presume you have brought the situation under control. Awaiting further instructions."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I want to help you, Idira. We'll think of something."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Your worries do not interest me, but as long as you keep yourself under control and remain useful, you will live."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I'm not going to kill you, but keeping you in the crew is dangerous. You'll be put under guard and escorted from the ship at the first orbital stop we come to."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Sister Argenta, do your duty."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Kill Idira] "Die, heretic."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Sister Argenta, do your duty."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Kill Idira] "Die, heretic."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The warp tricked you. It played upon your feelings. I can understand why, but that is no excuse for what you did."
Idira"Forgive me, [Name]. I know I let you down. I let everybody down... But it started off well, didn't it? You didn't shoot me or chase me off... All I had to do was keep control of myself and the two of us would have gotten along fine! I threw away my chance!"
IdiraShe falls silent for a moment. When she next begins to speak, it is in a barely audible whisper. "I know what you're thinking. During the warp jump, when Lady Theodora came out toward us... I keep thinking about that meeting. I keep blaming myself... Why didn't I divine it? Why didn't I stop her killer? These thoughts have been playing at the back of my mind, day after day... choking me with guilt... and do you know what? The one... on the officers' deck... I don't know what that was. But this time... here... this was the product of my guilt. An accuser straight out of my own mind."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Enough. Sister Argenta, carry out the Emperor's will and destroy this heretic."
IdiraIdira lets out a desperate shriek and tries to hide from the inevitable, but the Sister of Battle's strike finds its target. The psyker's body slowly sags to the floor.continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Kill Idira] "Your weakness will be the death of us all. I will not allow it."
IdiraIdira lets out a plaintive scream — and then sags to the ground like a broken toy.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"So what am I supposed to do with you now?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Sister Argenta, do your duty."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Kill Idira] "Die, heretic."continues where this line first appears above
Idira(sequence)
ArgentaArgenta grits her teeth. "This is not the first time this... heretic has caused the death of her crew. Do you remember the incident on the mid-deck, Idira? What did those honest souls ever do to deserve such a fate? To be turned into mutants and attack their own families? You are a monster. A heretic. If you have any humanity left in you, admit what you are!"
Idira"Shut up..." Idira moans. "Quit your preaching, you're the worst out of everyone here!"
end of branch
Heinrix"Sometimes a psyker's first manifestation leads to their death and the deaths of many others. But if a psyker possesses inordinate willpower and discipline, they can stave off their fall for some time. Idira has been alive many years already — a laudable achievement and a stroke of incredibly good fortune — but the forces of the warp will ultimately devour any psyker deprived of the Emperor's protection. The fact that these manifestations are growing more powerful is a clear sign that the end is near."
end of branch
YOU"The previous Rogue Trader has been seen on the ship recently. Was that your doing?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"So what am I supposed to do with you now?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Sister Argenta, do your duty."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Kill Idira] "Die, heretic."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Sister Argenta, do your duty."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Kill Idira] "Die, heretic."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"This abomination claims that you called her. Is this true?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Sister Argenta, do your duty."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Kill Idira] "Die, heretic."continues where this line first appears above
Idira(sequence)
ArgentaArgenta trains her weapon on Idira and watches you closely.