Fuck That! I'm Going To Be A Rogue Trader Instead: Chapter 9

Crossroads

The Battle for the Port of Selene ended as soon as it began and it was all thanks to his sister's hubris. She had walked right into his trap and it blew right at her face, literally with the loyalists' ships laying fire upon her section of the port.

It was a high price, one that left much of the station in ruins thanks to the large batteries brought to bear against the harbor, but they had won the first engagement of the war. The momentum of the war was now their side. What its conclusion was something he wouldn't be around to see as the Enterprise slipped away into deep space.

"It's finally over," He croaked out before he was wracked with coughs. Under the inky darkness of the void, he stood hunched over, struggling to catch his breath. He might have done his part, but he didn't come out of the encounter unscathed.

His sister left him a little gift, one that left him weak and nauseus. Thankfully, it wasn't anything serious, just a persistent cough and a mild fever that fluctuated from time to time. After everything that happened, he was lucky to get out of that with only this.

He had some suspicion that there was something lurking underneath, but the medicae assured him that it was just a mild flu; a very virulent and persistent one, but mundane nonetheless. All he needed was to take his medicine, keep himself hydrated, pray to the Emperor, and take some rest, but the latter could wait.

He still needed to check on the progress of the battle. It was perhaps a bit sentimental on his part to care so much, but Romulus was his home. Taking a moment to steady his breath, he asked, "How's the battle over at the surface?"

They had left before the battle started in earnest and now his home was nothing more than a pale golden sparkle amidst the inky darkness of the void. He just wanted to make sure things were going well before they left the system.

Things could easily change after all and not even his sister being out of the picture, for now at least, would ensure the victory of the loyalist. His older brothers were still around along with the rest of the troublemakers. He can't rest easy, at least not yet.

"It's going well, sire," His butler reported from behind the thick glass isolating him from the rest of the crew. It really wasn't necessary for him to do so, but he'd rather take the precaution than have this bug spread.

"From the last few messages we've received, Lord Scipio had suppressed the various mutinies amongst his ships and is now coordinating with Lord Garathos and his father, Lord Mordeus," The man added, making Octavian smile.

"That's good," He coughed before easing himself down as the floor beneath him started to sway. Things were going just as he had hoped. The void now belonged to the loyalist and so long as no outside force came to their aid, something unlikely given how deep the seven stars are within Segmentum Ultima, the heretics were trapped.

Things were great. Now if he could say the same for himself as he clutched his eyes and braced himself at the sharp pain being driven right into his very skull "I really should have placed a bullet between her eyes myself," He gritted out as he grabbed the warm tincture the medicae made to ease the migraine

It tasted awful, with a taste similar to the smell of burnt rubber and bile, but it did the trick as he felt the pain ease somehow. At least now his eyes only felt like they were being squeezed ever slightly from behind. It also helped with his scratchy thoughts, giving him much needed relief.

Taking a moment to catch his breath, croaked out, "How about the heretics? Have they been dealt with?" It was unlikely, but he had hopes that Livia merely puppeted them much like what she did to all those acolytes. Things however were rarely if ever that simple.

With a grimace, the man answered, "While the Lord Captain had taken control of the void above the capital, the heretics took advantage of our forces' momentary inattention to the ground to muster their forces."

"By the time Lord Scipio managed to subdue the various mutinies within his forces, by the arch heretic Tiberius and his ilk had swayed more than half of the planet's armed forces to their cause," The man said with a heavy frown, "What's worse is that they've captured much of the Orbital Batteries before our men could scuttle them."

"Emperor damn it all," He cursed as he rested his elbows on his thighs and hunch over, deep in thought. It seems that his brother moved faster than he had anticipated. This would make things harder as one of his ancestors made significant investment on the defense of the system in fear of the Ghoul Stars.

They were overbuilt to an almost absurd degree, but he could understand their logic. Unfortunately, those very same defenses meant to keep the world protected now turn against those trying to protect it. Any and all void engagement planet side will be a tricky affair.

This also meant that landing the Knights of De Lancel on Romulus' soil would be close to impossible until these batteries were dealt with. Not all was lost however. There was still one factor that could tip things back to the loyalist side. "What of Nero?"

"He attacked your brother the first chance he got," The man answered, making Octavian chuckle. If there was one thing he could rely on Nero, it was violence. "Unfortunately, your brother is attacking everyone who doesn't recognize him as the legitimate heir."

It was unfortunate, but that was just Nero being Nero. He will fuck things up by being the meat head he was. Hopefully, his violent tendencies would get him killed before the Orks become a problem. He'd rather not have his uncle and his in-law's dealing with a full blown WAAAAAGH! just because Nero decided to rally the garrison meant to contain them to push his claim.

He'd definitely need to collect favors so the Loyalist would have the strength later, but that was a problem for later. Right now, he just has to focus on what's in front of him; Namely the heretics now running amok.

"Aside from your two brothers, there are reports of traitors turning against traitors, something natural to their kind," Said the man as Octavian felt his throat getting scratchy one more. "Not everyone agrees with your two brothers or to the cause of the Lord Captain and the Lord Protector."

"Various warlords have propped themselves up, each proclaiming supremacy and legitimacy over the other," The man added, making Octavian grimace before he coughed out again. It was one thing to plan things out, and another to see it happen.

Taking a deep raspy breath, Octavia sighed, "What a mess." No doubt it'd only get worse. At least now with the Enterprise making preparations for the first jump of her voyage, they'd be as far away from this clusterfuck as they possibly could.

"But for how long?" A voice whispered as the ever present fear of the Emperor's agents lingered at the back of his head. He'd worry about that particular can of worms later. "How long till the core's hot enough for the jump?" He asked as he forced himself up and walked over to the table before grabbing himself a roll of velum.

As planned, they were to head to the nearest forge world; Janus IV. There were closer Forge Worlds, with one within the seven stars, but he did not have the most favorable reputation with them. That and the system was getting plunged into a civil war. He did not want to get trapped here when the other boot came crashing down.

While he sharpened his quill, his butler answered, "By our dear captain's reckoning, within the next half an hour sire." Still plenty of time for him to make preparations before his coughing gets worse once more.

"Then best you get yourself some rest," He excused his loyal retainer as he grabbed himself an ink well and started drafting a letter, "Warp travel can be treacherous and a weary mind is a place most vulnerable to the whispers of temptation."

Just because they were protected by a Gelar Field doesn't mean that daemons can't wreck havoc. "Bit If anyone should be resting, then it should be you my love," Orianne scolded, making him jolt in surprise.

"Orianne!" He shouted as he got up from his seat and covered his mouth. He didn't even notice her slipping in through the door! Glaring at her as he backed himself into the corner, he reminded her, "Haven't I told you that I'm self isolating?" It was already bad enough that he was with him when they fought Livia so why was she here?

He did not want her catching what he had, but his knight was nothing if not stubborn to a fault. Ever unrepentant, the blonde smiled, "You have, but I've decided to ignore it just like a certain someone ignoring the explicit instructions of the good medicae, hmm?"

She was not going to let him live this down, was she? Turning away, he coughed, "I'm just wrapping up things before we arrive at Janus." They can't just waltz in a forge world after all. There were protocols to follow, something which the iron priesthood were very particular about.

"We still need to write a letter to the Forge Lord. Then, there's the matter of keeping myself updated with my loyalists forces…" He replied before pausing to catch his breath.

He just needed to do a few more things before he finally called it a day. It wouldn't even take him an hour, but Orianne doesn't seem too keen on allowing him so. "Nope, you're not doing any of that!" Said his lady wife as she crossed her arm across his chest, "What you need is rest and that's final."

"But I need to do this now and it's not that bad…" He insisted as he walked over to his work station, only to find the ground rising up to meet his face. If not for Orianne's quick reflex, he'd probably sport himself a bloody noise, something she was all too keen to remind him of.

"You were saying my love?" She asked as he held him aloft the ground by the collar of his shirt. With a casual pull, he hauled him back up before slinging him over her shoulder like a sack of potato. "Now let's get you back to your bed."

Struggle as he might, there was simply no way he could overpower her; Not in his current state at least. He had no choice but to suffer this indignation. "Fine, have it your way," He grumbled before Orianne gently lowered him down against the soft sheets.

Immediately, he felt the weariness of his body as he boneless into his bed. Was he really that tired? He was still fine, but his body did not want to move. "Maybe I should just lay down for a bit," He yawned as Orianne sat down beside him and cradled his head atop her lap.

Stroking his hair, she smiled back, "Good boy." She was lucky that her cool touch felt soothing against his scalp.

Closing his eyes, he asked, "How did you get in here by the way? I'm pretty sure I gave explicit instructions not to let anyone near me." He even made sure to have a tech acolyte guard the terminals just so nobody messed with them, but Orianne found a way in.

"A screwdriver is a tool with many uses," She answered with a smug smile, "Such as threatening the cog boy monitoring with its pointy end!"

That certainly explains a lot. Reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose, he sighed out, "Remind me to find them and apologize." It was already a miracle that a few of the priesthood boarded his ship. He did not want to lose what few he had.

"It was their fault for obstructing me in my quest for my beloved!" She giggled, making him roll his eyes at her cheerful energy.

"You'd think they'd have a reason why," He sassed as he let out a sigh. Sometimes, he wondered why he allowed her to cause havoc, until his gaze landed upon the thousand watt smile across her lips

She was a trouble maker alright, but she was his trouble maker. "What am I going to do with you?" He asked with a with a rueful smile on his lips

"Perhaps you can listen to my lullaby so that the sweet embrace of sleep might find you sooner?" She offered, making his chuckle.

"That is tempting," He admitted even as his gaze lingered towards the desk. He could always insist that he needed to work, but rest now calls and he was tired. Maybe it was best that he called it a day. He already did what he could so a worthwhile rest was well deserved.

Letting out a yawn, he closed his eyes once more. "Good night Orianne," He whispered as he shifted, leaning closer to Orianne's touch.

"And good night to you as well, my beloved," She replied as she slipped down to his side to cradle his form before she planted a soft kiss atop his forehead.

"Now rest my beloved for we have a long journey ahead of us," She whispered as the lull of sleep pulled him to its soft slumber, "Rest so you may recoup your strength and gather your wits for the road ahead."

-x-x-x-

It was going to be a long journey, one wrought with dangers and tribulations. Not only would he be without support other than those aboard his ship, but there would be those seeking to bring upon his doom. From dangerous xenos, to rival Rogue Traders, there was no end of potential enemies. He must prepare for the road ahead, so why was he in a bar of all things?

Blinking, he gazed around, momentarily disoriented at the sudden shift. It was a dimly lit saloon with the warm moody lighting of incandescent bulbs hanging over low shaded lamps, filled with the hushed whispers and laughter of the various patrons.

With the heady scent of drinks and the ever present haze of loh's sticks lingering in the air, it felt almost familiar. This place reminded him of the bar where his father made dealings with the nobility and the miltarum, a place where rumors and hush whispered flowed as freely as the drinks they served. Something felt off, however.

Perhaps it was the way the light had the shadows wrapping around the various patrons, obscuring from view or how there was a familiar silhouette at the nearby bar, one that his eyes couldn't make out. Where was here exactly?

Last he remembered he was asleep and the next thing he knew, he was here… whatever this place was? For a moment, he wondered if he had somehow gotten himself pulled in some daemonic trick, but he couldn't smell the taint.

The air was clean, too clean even. Best that he leave, however. He had no business here and the door was just off to the side, guarded by a severe looking brunette in armor.Why does she looks so familiar, and why does her scowl reminds him of his Sororitas teacher after he stopped using his flamer halfway to burning through his training dummy?

Just as he backed away, he bumped into something soft against his back. "Oh! You're finally here and just in time," Another sororitas, one with fake bunny ears of all things, holding up a tray of drinks, "He's waiting for you by the counter so best to hurry along!"

With that, she hurried off, leaving him somewhat confused. Should he follow her advice? It was not a guarantee that whatever this place was was pure, but he was curious. He'd deal with the consequences later. Right now, he had someone to talk to.

As he approached the strange figure at the edge of the bar, he finally realized why he was here. The sudden silence, the air of serenity around them and the golden glow of their sun-kissed complexion partly hidden under their tattered hood.

He was a stranger, but he knew him well. "Revelation," He greeted with a smile as he sat down to join the master of mankind for a drink.

"Octavian," The man greeted back as his golden eyes started into his very soul.

It was unnerving to be so near them and feel their presence. So radiant was he that at times it felt like he was staring right into the sun, but he need not be afraid. He was in good company, one that offered him a cup of a recaff.

"I'm surprised to see you here this early, but given your encounter, I can't blame you," The golden man replied with a voice of a thousand speaking in chorus, each familiar yet unknown to him. It was no small wonder that many considered him as a god.

"And you do not?" The man asked as his eyes stared into his very heart, weighing his very soul with his gaze and found it wanting.

"I'd be lying if I said I don't," He admitted as he gently picked up the cup with shaking hands before taking a sip, enjoying the familiar flavours that he hadn't tasted in years, "But saying you're one would be a disservice when you're clearly something more."

Slowly, the man smiled as he picked up his drink and said, "It seems that one's sense of flattery can be inherited."

"Ah, I see you've met my great ancestor," He grinned as the weight lifted off his shoulder, "I hope she was not as wild as the story led us to believe."

"Oh she is," The man replied with an enigmatic smile, "And she has a particular way with her tongue, one I find… titillating." This had Octavian sputtering as he covered his head, unable to look at the Emperor of Mankind any longer.

"She was a master of the art of speech," The man grinned, earning a disgruntled grumble from him, "One who spoke such promises to my companion that he could scarcely believe what she had gotten out of him."

"But it would be sometime before you meet her," The man said, making Octavian pause, "For you still have a lot to do in this world."

"Well that's a relief," He sighed, both at finding that he wasn't dead and his ancestor wasn't that wild, "But if I'm not dead, where am I?" Was this all a dream, a hallucination his mind conjured from the bloated corpse's curse? He can't be talking to the real Emperor of Mankind right?

"You are, but at the same time, you aren't at least not the whole to answer your latter question," The man replied as he took a drink. "As for where we are? We are some place where any weary soul could rest. Nothing more, and nothing less."

Noticing his gaze, he followed them to find the shadows outside the windows as they writhed in agony. They were being burnt alive, keeping them at bay as the vast beyond lay outside. "It really wasn't the smartest idea to face someone who worships a corpse, is it?"

"It was not," The man nodded, making Octavian wince.

"It was for a good cause though!" He chuckled nervously before his shoulder sagged. Reaching up to rub the back of his neck, he thanked the man, "Thanks for saving my ass out there. I might have pushed my luck a fair few times…"

"A fair few times he says," The man snorted.

"Ok, I might be a bit reckless but it all paid out in the end," Octavian replied as he raised his hands in surrender. Yes, it was reckless, but it was all according to plan. The fact the big man was watching over him wouldn't have affected his decision because he'd still do it anyways.

"You remind me of your ancestor," The man replied, "Brave, yet so utterfoolish."
"Heh, I'll try to be less of a headache next time," He promised. He can't always rely on the man's blessing, as useful as they were. Seeing how chaotic the galaxy was, he probably needed a bit more of it to survive.

"You need to be better," He thought to himself as he stared at the cup in his hands and saw the white haired and blue eyed man that he had grown accustomed to. With those dark rings around his eyes, he looked tired, something that wasn't hard to do after everything.

Frowning, he asked, "Have… Have you ever made decisions you regret making?" So many decisions that were done out of fear and self interest. "That when you look back, you know you could have done better?" He could have always made a better choice, but he didn't.

For a moment, silence descended between them before he spoke up, "I've made some, but they cannot be changed." Setting down his drink, he continued, "I've made many decisions, decisions which had far reaching consequences, and now I live with those consequences."

In that moment, he saw neither a being beyond measure or tyrant, but rather a weary man, but one whose eyes never faltered. "I've had my regrets, but it's not what defines me."

"What defines us is what we make of these decisions, even if they are mistakes," He continued, "So accept what you did, but never let them shackle you to the pass. Move forward and strive to be learn from these mistakes so that you could be better."

"Become better huh?" He whispered before a small smile grazed his lips, "I guess you're right."

"I usually am," The Emperor of Mankind replied with a self satisfied smile.

As much as he wanted to keep talking, time was an ever fickle mistress. "Octavian," His lady wife called and he felt a pull from beyond, "It's time to wake up…"

"Well, seems like my time is up," He said as he grabbed his drink and downed it all in one go. He can't waste perfectly good coffee, not when he'd probably never drink it again. "Thanks for the drink and the piece of advice."

It was now time for him to depart and become the better person he needed to be as the roof of the saloon gave way to the yawning portal to his mind. Just as he was floating away, he started swimming against the current as he shouted, "Oh, and before I go! I just want to ask you something real quick!"

"It's nothing big, I promise!" He shouted as he struggled hard to keep himself in the saloon. Already, he could feel Orianne shaking him awake, but he held on and thankfully, his request was answered as the man shrugged.

"I suppose," He replied, exasperated but still willing.

Taking his chance, he shouted, "Am I going to have a boy or a girl as my first child?"

To this, the emperor merely smiled as he replied with the smuggest smile he'd ever seen, "Yes."

"You motherfu-!" He cursed out, only for his words to get drowned out as he was forcefully pulled back to the world of the living. He'd just have to curse the man in the privacy of his personal shrine then.

-x-x-x-

With a gasp, Octavian jolted awake in Orianne's arm as she hugged him tight. "Octavian, my love," She whispered as he felt his ribs creak before she finally let him go, allowing him to breath out, "Are you ok?"

"For a second there, I thought you'd departed and I would have surely returned to exact vengeance upon your sister," She added as he hugged her once again, this time less bone crushing and more tender, "But seeing your fine, a strongly worded letter would suffice."

"Why do you sound so disappointed," He jested as he patted her on the back. "I was just dreaming, that's all, but it was a pretty weird dream." It was weird enough that he could remember it clearly, something which his lover picked up on.

"A dream you say?" She asked, her eyes glinting with curiosity and mischief as she jabbed back, "I suppose it's the Emperor visiting a follower who had done many a good deeds!"

"It's not really him visiting, and more of me finding him," He replied, making Orianne stare at him, "But that story has to wait for a bit because it seems like we've arrived."

The forges of Janus IV now lay before them above the clear ceiling of his room. What awaits them was anyone's guess, but one thing was clear. This was the start of a new beginning. He just hoped he learned well enough from his mistakes to not repeat them as his ship slowly descended beneath smog choked clouds of the planet.

A/N:

Late Merry Christmas to you all! Job's beating me up with the insane transpo time I have to do every time I have to start a new week and end it to get back home, but that's not going to stop me from writing. I will keep chugging along. Tommorow, I'll try squeezing out two Worm fics chapter before moving on to the start of the next arc of Rogue Trader!

A bit of a sneak peak, but our boys about to get a quest to scavange some Hulk! Nothing to grand cause he have to start somewhere, but it's a rather dangerous one. Hopefully, he find something or someone ;) there.