Omake: "How Celestia Met Judith" · 5:15pm Nov 3rd, 2018
"This is an outrage!" the now ex-High Lord of Terra cried. "I have served the Imperium faithfully for years! I do not deserve to be treated like this!"
"On the contrary, you deserve it all the more," Celestia said, leaning forward to glare down at the uppity noble from her throne. "I took a few days to review records of all the Lords of Terra, and I must ask if you intend to fund a Segmentum Battlefleet with the money that flows through your coffers on a daily basis." the lord looked uncomfortable for a moment, but managed to regain his bluster soon enough.
"That is merely for personal expenses," the man said. "My duties are quite expansive and strenuous, and I must be kept well funded -"
"Well funded enough that you can throw several ten day balls in your family holdings on the world of Mariposa?" Celestia asked. "That is not an insignificant distance away from Terra, I must note. According to my research, you spend more time on that world or in transit to and from there than you spend on Terra governing my people." Celestia's eyes flared with power, the the High Lord shrank back from her gaze. "Yes, I think Junior Adjutant to the minister of population for the Drook Subsector should fit you nicely. Perhaps then you will learn what many have to do with so little."
"But Empress, I-"
"You have one day to pack. Failure to be prepared will see you sent to the Drook Subsector in chains. You are dismissed." the Junior Adjutant sputtered for several moments before turning to leave, Celestia's gaze unwavering as he sulked out of her Throne Room. when she was sure he was out of earshot, she sighed and palmed her forehead.
That was the tenth noble I had to reassign today, she thought. Have things really gotten this out of hand since my departure? She sighed again as the Remembrancer assisting her for the day approached. "Who's next?"
"One Sister Judith of the Order of Our Martyred Lady," the Remembrancer said, taking the scroll his pet Cherub passed him. "She comes with an... odd request. Shall I refuse her?" Celestia sat up. Judith was one of the Sisters Inquisitor Markos had summoned on their arrival to Terra. She seemed harmless enough, but then the Inquisitor's hatred for her ran deep; perhaps it had affected the Sister as well?
... You're being paranoid, Tia. Even if Luna was a universe away, her voice would not leave Celestia's mind so easily.
"No," She said. "Send her in. I will see what merit her request has." the Remembrancer bowed, stepping back towards the door while Celestia prepared to receive the Sister of Battle. There was a pause before Judith came into view, shuffling nervously up to the throne with her head down.
Judith was not unusual for her Order, as far as Celestia could tell; black armor marked with white Fleur-de-lis, red robes draped around her neck and upper arms, snow white hair. She was a bit shorter than her Sisters, but Celestia guessed she made up for that in stocky muscle. Judith had two small tattoos, one above each eye that would have given her an expression of happiness were she not so nervous right now, and she carried a well-maintained heavy flamer before her (unloaded, as far as Celestia could tell).
"Good morning, Sister Judith," Celestia said, giving the Sister a small smile. "What troubles you this day that you seek audience with me?" Judith stopped at the base of the throne, her hands trembling as he looked up at Celestia.
"E-Empress..." she stammered. "I know I have not been the most faithful of servants at times... Ruth calls me silly and I think Naomi merely humors me so I don't fall to despair. But I love serving you and your Throne, and I... I ask for one small request." there was a pause before the Sister swallowed and lifted her flamer towards Celestia. "Can you bless him? His name is Frederik and he's been with me since my first deployment and he's never been properly blessed by the Ecclesiarchy and that makes him sad and his machine spirit doesn't operate properly in that regard and I want him to be the best heavy flamer he can be so I can serve you properly and show I'm a good Sister and not silly-"
"Please, Judith," Celestia said, raising a hand to calm the Sister down. "I understand your concern, and I would be more than happy to impart a blessing upon your weapon."
"Really?!" Judith cried, her nervousness vanishing beneath excitement. That moment passed before she shrank back again "I-I mean, thank you, Empress. It truly means a lot for me and my Order." Celestia nodded, rising from her Throne and stepping down to take the heavy flamer from the Sister. The machine spirit within the weapon was weak, like most that resided within mechanisms smaller than a bike, but there was potential within.
"I see it cares for you as much as you care for it," Celestia said, stroking the weapon before continuing. "Machine Spirit, you have my blessing as Empress of Mankind. May you never fail your mistress and reap a terrible bounty upon those that would see her end." With that, Celestia raised the weapon and placed a small kiss upon its side, a small portion of her power reaching out and mixing within the mechanics of the weapon. That task complete, she passed the heavy flamer back to Judith, the Sister beaming up at her as she cradled the weapon in her arms like a mother holding a child. "Go in peace, Sister Judith, and may you continue to serve with unmatched loyalty."
"Thank you, Empress!" Judith chirped, turning away and all but skipping down the hall. "How did that feel, Frederik? You're so strong now, I can't wait for you to meet all the heretics and aliens we'll see on our new mission." Celestia allowed a chuckle to slip past her lips, shaking her head in amusement as she ascended back to her seat.
Such blind faith... she thought. But then, it's better to see some innocence has not been fully broken.
I felt a little burned out writing for the main story, so I came up with this little scene to get back in the swing of things. Hope you enjoyed it.
That was adorable. I somehow get the impression that Judith cuddles with Frederick when she goes to sleep. Pinkie would approve. This also readily explains how Judith was able to make the claim that Frederick knows his own when she torched all the genestealers without any friendly fire.
Adorable and mildly disturbing! Adorasturbing?
Whatever, I like it!
4962711 Well, that's how things go in the Imperium sometimes.
4962701 That, and to prove she really did have the Empress bless it with a kiss as Naomi noted when fighting the orks.
4962715
Squee! So cute!
I think that the former High Lord should be weeping in gratitude that the Empress felt that he might have some small value to the Imperium that justifies him keeping his life. All she would need to have done was utter the magic words 'heretic' and/or 'traitor' and I suspect that the Inquisitors would have done several particularly imaginative and unpleasant things to him before burning him at the stake in the middle of the Great Square.
Judith was so cute. Is she going to be the one who becomes the Bearer of the Imperial Element of Laughter, I wonder?
Too wordy and forced. It doesn't really feel like either Celestia from the show, or anything like Emps from the books. As...wish fulfilling as it may be to see a mean, old ruler get theirs with a rambling speech to deliver it, it didn't do immersion any favors.
I liked it. A combination of serene and authoritative. I'll agree Empress is nothing like the cannon Emperor of the Imperium, but hey, Celestia isn't a genocidal warmonger with godlike powers who's sole objective is conquest preservation of his ideal human at all costs. Defiantly mellowed I'd say, no way emps would 'bless' anything upon returning, unless he thought he could make a useful tool out of the worshiper, but this Emps? Its much more noblebright, and fits Celestia's Imperial Rule of warm sunlight. Powerful, but capable of as much destruction as love and compassion.
I can defiantly see the downtrodden and dejected masses of the Imperium of Man used to the fear of the inquisition and randomness of the xeno attacks and demon magics following her. Shes the sort of ruler who would make examples of people. But those to follow, not those to condemn. And that fits the combined character of Emps-Celestia perfectly, and gives a nice tale of how hope and thirst for the future can beat back a stagnant grimdark cesspit of an empire anyday. . Looking forward to more when you get back in the swing of things.
Dangit, can't put a like on a post.