Chapter Text
In a rapidly deteriorating situation, even a small delay in communications can be fatal. It's a simple and straightforward truth and something that the Imperium as a whole is all too familiar with - Consider how long it takes to send a vague astropathic message across the galaxy, and now remind yourself that since the Great Rift tore the galaxy apart like a gangrenous wound communication has become even spottier and more difficult.
It's perhaps no surprise then that couriers are usually the way to go. Whether it is courier ships blasting their way through the Warp in the hopes of delivering their message in time or the various manners of automated or living couriers employed on various planets, especially those that, like Aurora Hive, were outright hell for vox sets and commbeads. I had my servoskulls, based off of a memory of a story Alizabeth used to tell, about a planet using pheromone traces to track recipients of any given message. It was a risky technology - all too easy to use those skulls to trace someone, as Eisenhorn had demonstrated way back when, just send a message and follow it - but under circumstances when we were the only ones using said tech it was good enough.
Not in terms of speed, however. I mentioned before briefly that with the foresight of how our adversary would behave I would have made a significant amount of different decisions, but as it were I got all my information hours after the fact. Or, as was in this case, a full day.
"This explains… a lot." I commented, finishing watching Alira's message. Next to me Adelynn was pacing around, a habit I really need to ween her off of, considering she would be appearing at my side during rather tedious conversations. Can't have my Interrogator fumbling in the background while I calmly wait…
I tore my thoughts away from future education plans and forced myself to return to the present. The opposition have made their move and everyone involved was behaving as foreseen. If I didn't know better - and I did - I would almost be willing to assume Cogitae or Alpha Legion fuckery, considering how well set up the whole thing was. An unwinnable situation from Alira's perspective, one that was bound to drive a wedge between her and Seph, especially if Alira persists in plowing ahead like an angered Ambull - and under the circumstances it was one of if not the only things she could do.
Bloody clever, in an annoying way.
"What do we do?" Adelynn asked from behind me while I thumped the hololith with my boot, flicking it over to display a map of the hive. I had to take a step back and consider the whole playing board, just this time…
"Focus on the things we can work on immediately. I need to report back to Serpentia, sorry, former Governor Liasis, keep the Phyrra persona alive for now." I muttered, squinting at the green light projection. We were missing a few puzzle pieces, I could smell it… the question was, were those puzzle pieces truly that important?
"I will need to take immediate control of Fulcrum." Adelynn commented, stepping next to me. "It's the only way to keep things on track." There was a hesitation in her voice and I turned to look at her… poor kid, chewing her bottom lip as she undoubtedly was asking herself the same questions as I was - like how to make it out of this alive. And with our various prizes in hand.
"Any reason why you wouldn't want to do that?" I asked and she huffed, blowing a strand of hair out of her face.
"Numerous, but mostly it's the danger of Fulcrum not having progressed far enough. Considering how close I will have to be, I can't afford the serum - or the come down after it."
I nodded. "What's your backup plan if Fulcrum goes sideways?"
She shrugged. "Tranq her, drag her topside, load her aboard the 'Fury' and hope the Magos can unfuck things. Really the only way we can do this, even if the risks… I don't need to tell you."
She really didn't. I knew exactly why we chose the far more complex plan in the first place - but at the same time she was right. If push comes to shove I'd rather take the ten percent odds at success that Magna predicted, although it probably wouldn't hurt to have her recalculate it taking into account all developments… but not now.
"I'll be abandoning the Den." I finally decided after one last look at the map. "Make a deal with Liasis to transfer the mission critical gear down below. You have full run of the place."
"Respectfully, this won't help me much." Adelynn grumbled. "But I'll keep Agnissa here, just in case."
"Don't split up too much. Have her shadow you." I cautioned and received a disbelieving snicker from the interrogator.
"Agnissa? Shadow?"
"You might be surprised. I know Seph had been drilling her squad for subtle ops like that."
Adelynn turned to face me with a raised eyebrow. "I was… unaware of the Canoness having this type of skill set…"
"When I was injured during the Temnota investigation she took over instantly and played a fairly decent gambit on our enemies. Made a few amateur mistakes, of course, but it was five years ago, before she got the chance to work with me properly and frankly, some of the issues she simply could not have seen coming. We had arrived in the middle of an unfolding plan, after all… Do the math, Adelynn."
"I… see." She turned away. "Is this why you seem so… unbothered?"
"If there is one thing I have learned, then it's trusting Alira and Seph to be on top of the situation. Even if it does not appear this way - especially if it does not appear this way." I allowed myself a small smile. "Doesn't make it less likely that I will have to do a lot of smoothing things out in the aftermath, but I trust them. Now, anything you need me to leave behind for you?"
"Just gear for Agnissa in that case." Adelynn shrugged. "I have my own stuff. When do you leave?"
"The sooner the better. Tell everyone to start packing and be ready to move in two hours. And tell Magna to bring the specialty crate as well." I concluded, clapping my hands and exhaling. "Let's get to work. And Adelynn?"
"Hm?"
"You I trust as well." I smiled, giving her shoulder a squeeze. "You got this."
The circus upon my return resembled more a fortification in the making than a place of leisure. Sandbags were being piled up, plasteel barricades were being raised and the sullen guards that had previously tried to shadow myself and Adelynn were openly posted at the entrances and glaring at me as I passed. Even Jolty was looking more serious, carrying a massive automatic shotgun with faded guard stamps - of course he did. Still, he greeted me with a jovial smile as I approached.
"Phyrra lady. Boss been' waitin'. Go right ahead, she's in her spot." He exclaimed, waving me past, not even telling me to disarm - I assume with how tense everyone was he deemed it too risky of an ask. Or Serpentia trusted me. Or both.
I found the former governor in her boudoir once again, although shockingly this time she was not getting high on Obscura, the water pipe standing unlit in the corner. She also seemed far more animated this time, the metal tip of her tail whipping around while she rested on the coils.
"Phyrra." There was a tone of apprehension in her voice and she watched me closely through half-lidded serpentine eyes. "I am beginning to wonder just how honest you had been with me, my dear. Considering Kerem sings your praises… and considering that this time it was only three of you against eight."
I shrugged, not waiting for an invitation and just plopped myself down on one of the many pillows. "Regimental spooks can be bloody terrifying, as long as you keep an eye on them and ventilate their skulls the moment they get too twitchy."
"That they can be, but someone who so easily commands them? Come now, Phyrra. Stop playing me for a fool."
Right. Now that I knew that I was dealing with someone who made a carreer out of playing people I had to pay closer attention… and spin a better yarn. Just my luck that I was prepared for such an eventuality and with an exaggerated sigh I pulled out a lho and lit up, for the first time offering the pack to Serpentia who delicately pulled out a stick with her almost clawed fingers and lit it on a nearby candle.
"I told you, I've seen this kind of crap before." I finally started. "What I didn't tell you is that my people and I were Jumptroopers. When the whole shitshow on that dirtball really kicked off, they dropped us twenty kloms behind enemy lines. Our goal was sabotage - disable the artillery emplacements the Traitors had set up, sabotage supply lines, all that while working behind enemy lines with no plans for evac or recovery. We were on our own. High Command probably fully expected us to die out there."
I exhaled a cloud of bluish smoke, watching it float up while Serpentia was watching me with an unblinking gaze.
"Except we didn't. We achieved all our objectives and when it became clear that no one is gonna extract us, we kept fighting. Linked up with some local survivors… The shit we had seen, Serpentia, it would make your blood freeze. Everything that Ard is talking about is child's play compared to what the servants of the Ruinous Powers do when they have free reign over the population. Not to mention their malign influence seeping into your every pore, trying to corrupt you from within, just by virtue of being in the area…" I let the sentence hang for a bit, taking another drag, then continued. "I also told you that I had seen His Angels up close and personal - but I didn't mention that they had come for us. You see, after the Traitors' spine had been broken and we started rolling them up, the fraggers of the Inquisition decided to clean up any and all loose ends. Everyone who had come into contact with the Enemy was to be purged. Civilian survivors, guard operating behind enemy lines, it didn't matter. The Astartes were killing everyone."
"How did you make it out?" Serpentia asked and I allowed myself another small smile. Got you…
"Luck. And an Inquisitor with a conscience. She was young, probably a rookie or an underling. She was leading the Astartes when they found us… and ordered them to spare us and found us a way off the planet. We did some odd jobs for her since, because we owe her… but not in a while. No clue if she's still alive or not. But, now you know. I am as good as I am at taking the bastards down because I've done it before - and we got the training to match."
"And the little Squirrel? She seems a little young to be… special forces."
"Oh, she was a damned FENG when it happened… Schola trained. We used to scoff at the Schola graduates, but she did well enough to stay. Helps that she never tried to second-guess my command… but she's better than you give her credit for."
There was a momentary silence in the air while Serpentia was looking me up and down, trying to decide on whether I am being truthful or not… come on, then, Governor. You tried to use the truth to play me, let's see how you handle this specific little yarn…
"I can understand why you were so reluctant to help me." She finally said. Bingo… "And I am not going to hold it against you. But rest assured, I have no intention of hanging you out to dry. So, let us talk… compensation."
"A hundred grand. In Thrones, not the local currency." I said and watched as Serpentia pressed her lips together. "It may seem like much, but remember what you are getting in return."
"And what would that be? A hundred thousand Thrones… that is not the kind of money I can simply hustle up in a fortnight."
I made a mental note of the fact that she didn't say 'can't pay it at all' and continued my pitch… well, 'pitch'.
"A fully trained spec ops squad clearing out the entire problem for you. Not just the cultists and outlying bases. No, I will take my people straight into the heart of that mess and wipe your little problem off the place of the planet. Before the Spirers even get a chance to inform the Inquisition."
Which wasn't even much of a lie, in a manner of speaking.
"Twenty" Serpentia resolutely stated. "As an advance. And the rest after completion. Under the circumstances it will take me a few days, perhaps weeks to mount up the entire sum… but twenty grand I can give you right away."
"I will need… two more favours." I quickly added and Serpentia raised an eyebrow. "I need a safe house at the Mons and I need help from your people to ferry over our gear. And I need you to do something about all of… this nonsense up here, I'd rather not deal with a riot behind my back."
"The safe house and transport are doable… although I do have to question why you need the help?"
"You pay premium prices, you get premium service, and that means busting out the good gear." I shrugged. "Lots of bits and bobs our coggirl set up over the years. To make really sure none of those fraggers escape."
"Hmm… all right. I will make the arrangements. As to your other request…" She sighed and for the first time I saw something akin to weakness from her as she rubbed her brows with an expression of intense frustration on her face. "I am afraid it's not that easy. Leo and Smiler seem both determined to compare metaphorical dick sizes, and the thrashing from above is not helping. Neither of them talks to me, aside from either demanding I clear out of this area or support their cause. It's… incredibly frustrating. Men always get so infuriatingly stubborn when it comes to their pride…"
She was… not wrong there, I had to admit. And men like these two in particular…
"That said, there is… some hope." she added and I was all attention again. "But you will have to help me in turn. While those two are throwing accusations at each other I had been… thinking."
"Do tell." I urged. Now this was promising to be rather interesting…
"The question is always, 'cui bono' or who benefits, to use Low Gothic?" She sat up to her full height, leaning in to look me in the eyes. "The Spirers certainly don't - riots are bad for productivity, and they have been reacting almost more than they have been acting. Yes, the conscription didn't help, but everything that happened over the past two days has been making things worse. Causing more chaos, distrust, aggression… sound familiar?"
Oh, she was good. Or rather, adequate. But then again, I suppose she was the only one currently not being swept up in the events…
"You're thinking the cult is doing this?" I asked none the less.
"They came out of nowhere and they have the means, it seems. One of these days I will tell you the story of how Smiler came to be and how it's related… but that is beside the point. They stand to gain the most - which is where your role comes in. If you can find me evidence of the cult stirring things up… I might be able to get those two to back off of eah other's throats. But you would need to move fast. We might not have much time."
I paused, mentally calculating things… she was right, of course, but evidence like that would be tough to get, especially now. Still…
"If things kick off before I can find the evidence… what's your plan?"
"Retreat into the depths, as always." She shrugged. "If you get me the evidence then I'll try my best, but my main worry will be keeping my girls safe. And everyone else who wishes to be under my protection."
"Understandable." I nodded. "so my job is to keep your back clear and try to stop things from escalating, and if not…"
"Then I might need to rely on your protection for a while longer. Is that agreeable?"
"I still have another mission to complete… but something tells me, taking down the cult will help in that. I will need a way off-world afterwards, however, especially if we are forced to extend our stay."
Serpentia smirked. "Help me, and I will get you and your people a space on the next freighter off this planet."
"Fine." I finally nodded and started to get up. "I'll send my people here with the gear, then and we can get going."
"And hope we are not too late." She added and I found myself genuinely nodding in agreement.
"Yeah. Hope we are not too late…" And if we were, hope that nothing so far has been irreversible…
=][=
Adelynn triple-checked her gear - or what little of it she would be bringing with her - and groaned. Her first proper action and everything was going sideways… her solo actions under her old master had been a breeze in comparison, but Inquisitor von Stern evidently didn't do things the easy way. Still, it felt like everything had conspired against her in particular. And she had such high hopes for how this was going to go, especially since Agnissa joined them…
Agnissa. Now there was a problem she was unsure on how to tackle. She would not like what was coming, would probably sulk for days if not weeks afterwards… Throne dammit, if only she could somehow actually get the other woman to stop being an idiot… Especially considering what she had to do in order to keep Fulcrum going. Damn her, but it was unavoidable… but then again, getting Agnissa to admit that it troubled her was hopeless, considering how determined the woman was to maintain the status quo between them.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the door opening behind her and aforementioned idiot stepping into the room, stopping in her tracks when she saw the clothing and weapons arrayed on the bed before Adelynn.
"I didn't realise you were going out again?" The Sister grumbled, closing the door behind her and rounding Adelynn to sit on the edge of the bed. "Not too early? Didn't you just check in on her?"
Adelynn huffed and stretched, noticing a brief twitch on the Sister's face as she did so. Oh my… maybe, just maybe, if she could figure out what buttons to push…
"New phase of the operation. I am taking direct control of Fulcrum… and the Inquisitor is taking the 1-1 down to the Mons to pursue her own thing. Congratulations, you have the run of the place…" She laconically explained. "I won't be back for a few days at the very least."
"Just like that, huh?" Agnissa grumbled. "And what am I supposed to do in the meantime? And who's gonna be watching over you?"
Adelynn made a dismissive gesture. "Catch up on Arbitrator Foreboding, pray… I don't know what you Sisters do in your free time. I don't need you hovering over my shoulder like a chaperone. I am going to have to get very close to Fulcrum and having a third would spoil the whole thing." With a small pause she cheekily added. "Not that you really care, do you?"
"Who said I don't?" Agnissa grumbled and Adelynn had to suppress a grin. there we go again…
"Well, if it were any important you likely would be complaining about something other than me going off on my own… but then again, that's all you care about, don't you?" She walked around the bed, stepping in front of Agnissa with her hands on her hips. "Sister Agnissa, the eternal 'protector'… although let's be real, it's not about keeping me safe for you, and you and I both know all too damn well that that's the truth. You don't want to protect me, you want to control me. You're just too much of a coward to admit it and too much of a coward to do anythi-"
She was not quite prepared for Agnissa to all but jump to her feet, nor for the intensity in her eyes. Finally, touched a nerve…
"Say that again?" She snarled, glaring down on Adelynn. It took a lot of willpower for her not to smirk and instead meet the gaze head on.
"You. Are. A. Coward." She slowly repeated, putting emphasis into every word. "A coward that could have had everything months ago. But since you are so determined to pretend that you don't care, you have to live with the status quo, and the status quo is that I will likely have to fuck Fulcrum. Oh, well, I suppose nothing can be don-"
She once again did not get to finish, but this time there was even more of a triumph in her mind, because she was interrupted by a strong hand closing around her throat. Agnissa grabbed her all too easily and pushed, all but slamming her back-first against the wall… and then the next moment she felt Agnissa's thigh between hers, just as the fingers around her throat tightened. And yet again Adelynn was grateful for her training - because it helped her suppress a choked moan. And she would not want to give the game away too early…
"You talk too much." Agnissa snarled. "I think it's about time I shut you up…"
And before Adelynn could choke out anything else bratty she felt Agnissa's lips on her own. It was an angry kiss, a possessive kiss. A big part of Adelynn wanted to immediately drop the act, part her lips to allow agnissa's probing tongue in… but where would be the fun in that? Instead she kept her lips pressed together, at the very least until Agnissa opened her eyes as if to check whether she was actually crossing a boundary. Throne dammit, even now… well, supposedly it was time to drop the act just a little… but then again, the moment her lips parted and her tongue met Agnissa's the game was already up. This time around she could not suppress the noise escaping her, nor could she stop herself from reaching for the other woman - only to find her wrist get caught and her hand to be pinned to the wall abover her head. Agnissa released her throat for all but a moment, not that Adelynn would get much air in their kiss, merely long enough for her to bring Adelynn's other arm up and pin both her wrists with one hand while her free hand started fumbling with the belt of Adelynn's trousers…
Finally. Frakking finally.
Agnissa pulled away, just as Adelynn's belt came apart with a metallic clang. Adelynn's hips moved as if by their own volition, fishing for the friction where Agnissa's thigh was pressed up against her crotch, but the Battle Sister let out a throaty chuckle, pulling her leg away and leaning in, her voice in Adelynn's ear sending shivers down the Interrogator's spine.
"No you don't. You wanted to play, Adelynn? Wanted to make me mad and punish your insolence? Then kindly reap what you saw. You don't get to do anything without my permission~" She whispered and the words alone were enough to elicit a needy whine from Adelynn, a whine that was met with another chuckle. "Now, now. Relax… you wanted this, after all…"
She sure did, but she may have underestimated just how long she had been waiting… the briefest sensation of touch as Agnissa's hand slipped beneath the waistband of her panties was already enough to send a violent shudder through Adelynn's entire body. Even if she had mainteined her act, the jig would have been up in that moment, not to mention that Agnissa could easily tell just how soaked she was, a fact that the Battle Sister acknowledged quietly as she withdrew her hand, showing Adelynn the glistening wetness on her fingers… and pressed said fingers against Adelynn's lips. Lips that parted immediately and eagerly. Adelynn's tongue was swirling around the digits, savouring the tangy taste of her own arousal… but that could satisfy them both for only so long, and agnissa pulled back with a smirk, her hand once again slipping between Adelynn's legs - and not bothering with teasing her this time.
"Hnghhh~" Adelynn felt her back arch painfully as Agnissa's digits slipped inside her. the Battle Sister was not wasting any time, and if Adelynn were still capable of rational thought she would likely have realized that Agnissa had been just as eager as she was, maybe with better impulse control… but rationality had gone out the window the moment her back had hit the wall. Her hands clenched into fists, her eyes fell shut and she let out another needy moan, her hips jerking every time Agnissa's fingers plunged in. The bigger woman set a fast pace from the get go, her skilled fingers unerringly hitting all the right spots, as if she was operating a familiar piece of equipment. There was no escape and no reprieve - and it was driving Adelynn nuts in the best way possible. Sure, maybe another time they could take things slower, but right now she wanted this, she wanted Agnissa to relentlessly drive her insane. The scent of her own arousal was mingling with the faint smell of sweat and incense, her moans were more frequent now - luckily for them both the place was rather well insultated as far as noise was concerned - and judging by how heavily Agnissa was breathing in her ear, the whole thing was not leaving the battle sister unaffected either.
Adelynn realized that she was squeezing her eyes shut forcefully and she fought to open them, her vision blurring from the onslaught of sensations… but even through bleary eyes she could see an intense expression on agnissa's face. Want, need and affection, all the things she was feeling in this moment were being mirrored perfectly in the other woman's expression. throne dammit, Agnissa, if you hadn't been so stubborn…
…then maybe their first time would not be half as intense and in hindsight, that would have been a shame. As much as she would have liked to, Adelynn could hold out only for so long, especially as Agnissa's thumb pressed down on her clit, rubbing the sensitive nub with slow circular motions while a single command was whispered into Adelynn's ear…
"Cum"
She couldn't - nor would she if she could - resist. Once again her back arched, her ribcage feeling like it was about to burst with how tense she suddenly was. A moan died in her throat and she saw stars for a moment - and then lost control of her body entirely, shuddering, shaking, clenching around the invading digits like a vice, a rattling breath tearing from her throat as she went completely weightless for a moment… Throne, she had waited for this for so long, and this was everything she had ever wanted…
Not that Agnissa was anywhere close to done, of course. Adelynn was still coming down from her high as the battle sister effortlessly lifted her up and carried her into bed. She landed heavily next to her picked out outfit, her eyes momentarily focusing on the loaded needler in arm's reach before she looked up at Agnissa who was straddling her hips, her legs pinning down Adelynn's arms, and looking down on her.
Slowly, torturously slowly, especially since she was still helplessly trapped under her, Agnissa began unzipping her bodyglove, revealing inch after inch of pale flesh underneath. Adelynn let out a starved noise, jerking as if wanting to reach for the swell of Agnissa's breasts that was being slowly unwrapped before her, but the battle sister simply laughed. "Nuh-uh…" she muttered, keeping Adelynn trapped, forcing her to watch with bright eyes instead of touching… up until the very last moment when Agnissa stood up, stepping out of the stretchy fabric, her muscular body on full display. Adelynn's eyes wandered along her, from the small yet somehow intense looking peaks of her chest, to the chiseled abdominals, to the small patch of black hair down below… so black was her natural haircolor, good to know… She took the sight of the woman towering over her in completely, burning every scar, every ridge and hill into her memory… until Agnissa stepped forward and began lowering herself down again.
Oh. Oh.
She craned her head up to meet her, getting a small fleeting taste on her lips before Agnissa's weight pinned her head to the pillow, the strong thighs framing her face being simultaneously intimidating and comforting. Adelynn's tongue slipped out fully, eager for a taste. She was like a woman parched, having finally found a spring to drink from, and just like Agnissa earlier she was not going for slow and steady. No, she was far too hungry for this, wanting to taste and feel every inch, wanting to hear the noises that started overcoming Agnissa's discipline, wanted to see her come undone. Her hands were free now, mostly, but her nails immediately dug into the skin of Agnissa's thighs while Adelynn slurped and licked and sucked… she felt Agnissa's nails scratching her scalp as the bigger woman grabbed her hair with a moan of her own, keeping her head well and truly trapped underneath her. Agnissa's hips jerked every time Adelynn's tongue targeted her weak spot, smearing clear juices on her chin while Adelynn was fighting for her life underneath her…
"Ahh~ f-fuck… G-Good… girl…" Agnissa managed to get out between moans, and Adelynn felt a surge of pride. That's right, you're not the only one who knows what she's doing… somehow in this moment she felt more confident than she had in days. Another point for why they should have done this earlier, but alas…
She did, however, very soon realize that Agnissa was not easy to satisfy. It was not like the battle sister hadn't been as eager as her - she could definitely tell this was not the case - but even as Agnissa's thighs tightened, almost threatening to crush her head, even as the battle sister shuddered atop of her and gripped the headboard hard enough to make it creak, even as Adelynn felt her climax around her tongue, even then Agnissa refused to climb off, a tug on her hair urging Adelynn to keep going, keep eating her out throughout the orgasm… which was something she was all too eager to do, despite the fact that her neck and jaw were getting noticeably strained by the effort…
She eventually lost track of time. For a while, at least. They didn't stop there, not even remotely, and for a while Adelynn's world was entirely Agnissa. The salt of her sweat, her scent, her warmth… she lost track not only of time but also of how many times they changed positions, going at it like frenzied animals, celebrating the last hurdle that was left to take, catching up on occasions missed and, at least from Adelynn's standpoint, paying it forward for the future… but eventually all good things had to come to an end and she found herself being cradled in Agnissa's arms, basking in the afterglow, fighting really hard to not just fall asleep there and then in the comfortable embrace…
"Still think I'm a coward?" Agnissa murmured, her breath tickling her ear. Adelynn giggled, turning to lightly kiss the battle sister's jaw, looking up to find eye contact.
"Never did… but I had to break you out of this pattern somehow… I'd say it worked."
"Smugness doesn't suit you."
"Yeah? What are you gonna do about it?"
"Oh, a million things…" Agnissa pulled away a little, just enough to run the tip of her finger down Adelynn's body. "But… not right now. You got places to be…"
"…and I'll need at least an hour to recover, not to mention the mess we made." Adelynn looked over her shoulder at the disheveled pile that her carefully prepared outfit had turned into. "Ugh… in a bit." she decided, cuddling up against Agnissa who immediately started running her fingers through her hair.
"I still might need to sleep with Fulcrum." Adelynn finally admitted with a pout. "And it might not be the last time either. A honey trap is a staple of the Inquisition's arsenal for a reason…"
"I'm not an idiot, Adelynn." Agnissa murmured. "I'm aware. It's your duty… the Inquisitor seems to avoid it, but…"
"That's why she has me." Adelynn sighed. "For now at least… you do understand that when I become a full Inquisitor in turn, your ass is coming with me, right?"
"Oh no. How horrible." Agnissa deadpanned. "What did I do to deserve this…"
"Me, for once." Adelynn grinned, propping herself up on her elbow… and then leaning over to softly kiss Agnissa, holding the kiss for a while before finally withdrawing and nuzzling her neck. "Look, I won't sugarcoat it… the next few days are gonna be risky. So… stick around, yeah? In case I do actually need you to bust me out of trouble…"
Agnissa nodded. "I'll stay out of sight and close by, or as least as close as I can. But Adelynn, the riots…"
"We should be out of the way when it all kicks off. Should." Adelynn gave her an encouraging smile. "And if not, I'll just turn on my beacon, yell really loudly and hope the cavalry arrives to save us before things go badly. I think we can both agree on that…"
"Yeah, they better. I am not letting you die on my watch, not after all this…" Agnissa grumbled and Adelynn smiled… as annoying as her protectiveness could be, there was something about the resolutness in Agnissa's tone that was… endearing. And she generally was in too good of a mood to argue. Or to doubt herself…
Hours later she stepped out of the den and sighed, casting one last look at their temporary home. Inside crates were being moved and re-sealed, just to avoid nosy circus folk taking a look at what's inside. Outside she spotted a first few haphazard barricades, as if no one down here even believed in a non-bloody outcome anymore. Chaos within, chaos without… except for herself. She was still feeling as confident as before, quickly checking that her needler was loaded and ready and setting off toward her target.
The countdown had begun for them all, and God-Emperor help them if they make a single mistake… not that she had to worry.
From here on, it would be all smooth sailing…