Interrogator

by Paul Scoffone

Ever since the great victory on Silas 8 the innermost halls of the Rock had echoed with the screams of the tortured and the throes of the dying. Silas 8 had been the refuge of a group of fallen Dark Angels, but that was only until the chapter had located them and smashed their base. Mostly it had ben a farming community where it seemed that the heretics had planned to settle, maybe they were tired of running of dodging the chapters relentless pursuit, following the accursed Cypher on his maddening jount about the galaxy. Or maybe the Chaos damned had something more sinister on mind. Brother Zephron shook his head and laughed silently at himself. Only a Interrogator Chaplin for 20 years he was already starting to see the plots of Chaos. Pride bringith the Fall he reminded himself. He knew more about the deepest secrets of the Chapter than almost any other Dark Angel, and that knowledge convinced him that he knew nothing. Because he knew nothing he only had room in his mind to learn. Everything, every word, every scream, every cleverly crafted lie possessed the truth, you only had to know how to look. Asmodias' lessons echoed in his brain as he prepared himself for his job ahead. He was to interrogate one of the fallen, take form him all his memory had to offer, any clues leads or other that would lead to more fallen, and then convince the damned soul to confess and admit his mistake and beg for our forgiveness. This would be his first solo interrogation, a great honor for one so young in the Inner Circle, he would not fail their trust. Zephron rose out of bed and walked over to his closet. His spartan room had only a cot, a washbasin, and a covered hole, so deep in the core of the Rock, the builders wanted to get this section done quickly (before they saw something that they shouldnt have) and with as little damage to the Meteor turned base that the Chapter calls home as possible.

As he threw on his bone white robe he felt stronger, almost up to the deed at hand. Zephron walk out his little room and in front of him was a surgical tray. Arrayed out on the tray was every manner of blade or prod that one could think of. Zephron swallowed hard and looked up as he once again gathered his strength. He placed one hand on each side of the cart and started to wheel it down the long dark corridor. He tried to block out screams that Asmodai told him to think on as the "music of redemption", music that Asmodai danced to and soon so would Zephron. A wave of nausea swept through him, part of Zephron knew it was his duty and obligation to do this but another part was disgusted, sure he had killed before, but on the battle field in a honorable way, but this, Zephron shook his head. Suddenly Asmodai appeared before him. "Brother, a word with you" commanded the blood soaked figure.

"Certainly Brother, as you wish" Zephron replied, stunned by the quickeness that the ancient Dark Angel appeared before him.

"Brother Zephron" Asmodai began "This will be your first solo interrogation, and many difficulties and trials await you. You are not a sadist so your first trial is with yourself, as was mine. But duty will overcome this feeling and you will do as you were trained. Perhaps you think me a sadist, perhaps I am. I do enjoy breaking a Fallen, as rare an opportunity as that is, like a Tluxian mountain fruit, a rare pleasure to be savored. In time you will see the truth in our ways, but today your battle is with not only the Fallen Angel that awaits you and the forces of Chaos but with yourself and the prize is for your soul. You were chosen for this job for the very reasons that hold you back now will be your greatest assets shortly"

And with that the fearsome Interrogator Chaplin disappeared in the maze that was these catacombs.

"What in the emperors name have I gotten myself into" thought Zephron. But then again he really wasnt offered a choice, when you are chosen to enter the inner circle, you do not refuse, not if you one day hope to command your own company. Zephron knew he would do his duty this day and he steeled his nerves.

Zephron finaly got to the door of the chamber and he opened it and looked inside. The room was dark except for two bright candles. Zephron waved his hand over the light sensor at the doorway illuminating the entire room. At the far end of the room he saw his work. Hanging on a "X" shaped crucifix was a badly beaten man, either sleeping or drugged. On the near end of the room was a huge glowing red sign that simply read "REPENT".

Zephron wheeled his cart to the far end of the room, not saying a word. He walked to the front of the crucified man and hit him with as much force as he could muster. The man simple looked up at Zephron and smiled then looked over at the sugical cart.

"So its to be torture, how honorable, what a brave warrior you are" sighed the man

"It doesnt have to be, just answer all questions I put to you. Let's started simply shall we? What is you name?"

"Frenius Nax" the man spoke softly as he looked away

"How old are you?"

"I dont remember, maybe 10,000 years"

Zephron tried not to look incredulously at this man, he knew his was telling the truth because the lie detection machine had not pumped his body with pain.

"Oh I know of your machine, i have no wish to endure any more pain, I will not lie to you. You have already ripped my soul and my heart apart" whispered the man

"You have done that youself when you betrayed all that you were and all that you stood for and embraced Chaos" Shouted Zephron, he would not give this creature pity.

"Never have I embaced Chaos, I just followed the wrong man, a man I still would follow, a man who was right.

What do you know, your ancestors were probably living in caves before I helped bring this galaxy together." Freinus Nax shouted back

Lies all of them thought Zephron, all spun by some dark Chaos god to cloud my mind. I know nothing, I make no judgements, I only learn because my mind is clear, and I see the truth in all lies. Zephron repeated his mantra to himself.

"I only wanted to free myself from this, I was tired of running, tired of the fight, we only wanted to be left in peace" explained Frenius "Do you wonder why your victory was so easy?, how you could capture so many of the most ancient warriors in this galaxy with so little effort, because we did not want to fight. For 15 years we had lived there, we had settled raised families built a community, no weapons, no chaos, no Emperor, we just wanted to be left alone. The you came, you werent just satisfied with taking us, you had to butcher our families, and destroy what we had built" Frenius seemed like a beaten man

He began again while Zephron listened in stunned silence "I knew the end had come when Cypher had found us he asked for our assistance, we tried to explain to him that we were done with the war, he left but we knew it wouldnt be the end"

"Wait" stammered Zephron "You saw Cypher, what does he have to do with this"

Frenius Nax laughed out loud "How do you think you found us, how naive you are, Cypher betrayed us to you, he knew the hell we would go through, even now he manipulates you fools to do his bidding. Dont you know that he contacts AGGGGHHHHHHHH......" blood gushed from a bullet hole in the Frenius' head, he was instantly dead.

Zephron spun around to the doorway to see Asmodai with a bolter in his hand.

"Why?" questioned Zephron, "He was just about to..."

"SILENCE" roared Asmodai "You know nothing, Leave."

Zephron did as he was told and walk back to his quarters as confused as ever.

Asmodai watched the man walk down the hall and knew that he must be taken care of, he didnt expect this Frenius Nax to speak, he didnt even think he knew of Cypher, now he had to kill Zephron, maybe a suicide assignment for him tomorrow into the Tyranid attack force on Jilut XX, nobody must know of the connection, thought Asmodai as he turned out the lights in the now lifeless room.