The Longest Short Bus. Chapter 15 (Patreon)

Looking at the fucking Custodes standing in front of me... I realized I had a walking talking Inquisitorial Rosette or a Writ of Trade. So I looked back at Adeleith and without any shame I said. "Actually, I think I will follow you to meet Inquisitor Grendyl."

To which Adeleith only nodded as she held out a little transponder that was previously sown into the wrecked remains of her previous outfit.

"The Inquisitor's adjutant's know I need a pickup." Adelith said and she looked between me and the Custodes in obviously confusion and hints of worship so I coudn't help but wonder what was going on in her head.

But regardless I looked to the Custodes and I asked. "Would you share a name that we may refer to you as?"

The Custodes looked from where he was inspecting the darkness in the distance and his ruby lenses of his armor looked at me for a long moment before he shook his head making my lips twitch at his refusal to answer. It looked like I just had a silent guardian then.

And for the next while we were left alone as we had alreadly cleaned out the heretics in the area, until finally a Valkyrie class gunship carefully flew through the maze of buildings and avoiding random lances of las fire being made at the gunship as it flew towards us.

"Boss... I don't like flying though." Barghest muttered as she crouched down beside and I knew that she was pouting under her helmet so I gave her a firm pat on her armored shoulder so she could feel it.

"It will be fine Barghest. You can hold my hand while we fly." I consoled her gently and I saw Adelith looking at me with incredulity at the childish interaction we shared but at Barghest's core she still had the gentle simple heart of an Ogryn.

The Valkyrie banked on its side and then with its back towards us it lowered itself to the ground and then opened up with the ships speakers crackling to life. "Alright get the hell on, I woke up the nasties flying to low to pick you guys up." The pilot called out and I took a breath and went into the ship while Barghest and the Custodes had to the lower their heads slightly to properly fit into the ship.

"She is actually holding onto you... Someone with the speed, strength and size of an Astartes is holding your knee because they are afraid of flying." Adeleith muttered as she sat beside me and saw how Barghest's large hand was holding onto my armored knee in a firm grip.

I just gave Barghest's hand a pat to make sure she didn't feel self-conscious about Adelith's words and then I looked to the silver-haired sister of battle and with honest kindness I offered a hand and asked frankly. "If you are nervous as well, we can hold hands."

There was a moment of silence as even the Custodes looked at my hand being offered to the Sister of Battle and I only barely held in a giggle as Adelith looked at my hand and then back up to my face with her saying blandly. "I am quite alright thank you."

I shrugged and then just relaxed in my seat while keeping my hand on Barghest's wrist as my mind ran on what ifs, and what was going to happen next.

Thankfully my previous setup was damn near unhackable by the heretics and if they tried to have a Nurgle demon try to infect my systems... They were going to be in for a lovely surprise when all my systems went off like a dozen nukes as they can easily make heavy elements and then smash the atoms together.

So although I was a little annoyed about needing to leave behind my previous setup. There was nothing else I could do besides be happy with the protections I left there.

-

The rest of the flight was a mostly silent affair and when we arrived at the Mourningstar I tilted my head to the side as even through the sealed walls of the ship as we landed in the spaceship I could hear the sounds of marching. "Lord Grendyl is ready to meet you on the bridge Adelith, along with the honored guests you have picked up."

Adelith nodded towards the camera next to the Vox system that the voice came from and then with a loud hissing noise the ship unsealed itself with the back coming down with a hissing noise allowing us to leave the ship and I saw dozens of people kneel as they saw the Custodes walking behind me and Adelith with Barghest walking beside the Custodes and adorably trying to look just as serious and stoic as the golden armored clad work of art.

"Come with me, Grendyl is always in his back office looking through his window towards Tertium trying to sus out the heretics' next moves," Adeleith spoke leading us through the large spaceship and I remained silent as I took in my surroundings while mentally keeping a map back to the hanger bay. As I very well may need an emergency exit you know.

And after a while, we reached the supposed office of Inquisitor Grendyl which was a long hallway that had several short bookcases filled with many odd things that were secured in the cabinets. But at the back of the room was a raised platform with two stairs on each side leading up to the raised platform.

On the back of the raised platform was a man, a man who was standing with his back turned to us as he stared out of the window. And as we came closer to the raised platform Grendyl turned around and I finally got to see the Inquisitor as in the game of Darktide you never actually got to see him.

He was tall and his face was mangled like a clawed hand or something had dragged over his face taking one of his eyes that was replaced by a glowing red eye. And as he took in our forms he spoke with his voice coming out in a gravelly growl. "Adelieth, I will listen to your report in a minute... Now, Jake Barris and the Emperor's Watcher. I do not have time for pleasantries I obviously cannot command you to tell me. What is your goal and objective?"

I wasn't a member of the Guard so technically the Inquisitor didn't have the right to tell me to do squat with the golden banana man standing behind me so after a moment I answered frankly. "I need food and men... And then with those men, I will secure parts of Tertium and push the heretics out of secure the important manufacturing facilities."