The Watchers

Lieutenant Edvar Locatum stepped into his Primarch's war-chamber. The chamber, located deep in the depths of the Gloriana *The Last Light*, was brightly lit but sparsely populated. First Captain Chovacs, Heirarch-Primus Kairen, and an unknown Heirarch stood near the planning table in the centre of the room. Dominating the room, even though he was merely standing at ease, was Edvar's lord and gene-sire, the Primarch Morrigar. Pale blue eyes studied the holo-lith charts and maps on the table, crackling with eldritch power as the Primarch worked calculations and troop-deployments in his mind.

"Reporting, sire."

"Good, Edvar. We have need of you." The deep voice of the Primarch was hard and cold, "Your Shards of Scoria implantation was successful?"

"Yes my lord. Thanks to Magos Scoria, the Shards are implanted." Edvar's hand rose to his brow, where a shimmering red diamond pushed slightly through his skin. The Shards, a net of psionically-attuned crystals harvested from the bodieds of failed Heirarch initiates going through the Deadman proceedure, granted those non-psykers implanted with them the ability to be a conduit for their psychic brothers' powers. "I cannot say if it was truly successful, as of yet I have not had a Heirarch confirm it."

The Heirarch-Primus, Kairen, looked at Edvar's crystal. "Indeed, the implantation was successful. I can feel your mind much more easily now."

Morrigar looked at Edvar, and opened his mind. Edvar's psyche trembled as the Primarch's massive psychic presence focused all its terrible power on him. Colors and sound faded, everything faded as Morrigar's mind touched that of his son's. Then suddenly, the presence was gone and the world came back into being. Edvar looked at his lord's pale eyes and scarred face, honored that the master of the Riven would communicate to him mentally.

"We are forming a new company, Edvar." First Captain Chovacs harsh voice broke the silence. "You will be transferred from my Breakers to a new command, under Frumentarii-captain Hadren."

Abruptly, Edvar became aware of another being at the table. Slowly coming into view, like a man passing through concealing mists, a legionnaire appeared. Short and wearing recon armor marked with a captain's insignia, the legionnaire's sharp face held an amused grin.

"I'm glad to have you with us Edvar. Your skills in battle will become very useful." Hadren's voice was almost loathsome, a oily utterance that wormed through one's ears and dripped into their brains.

"I am glad to hear it Frumentarii-captain. I just do not know what you expect me to do." Edvar's tone was firm but confused. He believed that he had served the First Captain well as his lieutenant and swordmaster. "I have been the right hand of Captain Chovacs for over ten years now and had thought that the Frumentarii-captain was in charge of our intelligence network, of which I have little knowledge of...?"

"This is no demotion Edvar," Morrigar's voice held a trace of amusement. "We are splitting half of the Breakers and folding them into the new company. All of them will be given the Shards as well- we are making you a trial run for a new structure in the Legion. Each battle-brother will be paired with a Heirarch and train together to become a seamless team. We are making you our advance scouts and assassins, our eyes and knives before we go into battle."

Edvar's brow knit together in thought. The XVth Legion's tactics had always included a large force of scouts, saboteurs, and tactical assassination teams that worked against an enemy before the main assault force hit, but this was something new. Never before had the psychic Heirarchs joined with the recon elements, they were too rare a resource to risk losing. Combining psykers with the skills of the elite Breakers could provide a unique opportunity.

"What of the Deadmen, will this new company contain any?"

Hadren answered, "No. As of yet the Deadmen are too few in number to serve as anything other than a psychic defense for our Heirarch conclaves. Our Heirarch numbers are growing faster than the Deadmen. This company will serve as a possible bridge between the battle-chapters and the compliance-chapters, linking the two faces of the Riven closer together."

"Edvar, did you notice Hadren when you first walked in?" Kairen asked.

"No sir, I did not. I assume he was underneath a psychic cloak of yours."

"Not mine, Edvar. His own psychic cloak- borrowed from his partner, Heirarch-praetor Tallis." At Kairen's words another legionnaire melted into view, clad in a Heirarch's robes. "We have learned that if a battle-brother with a Shard forms a deeper partnership with a Heirarch, they can become more than just a transmitter for that psyker's powers. If attuned properly, and if they are in close enough physical proximity, the non-psyker can "skim" some of the psyker's power."

"As of right now," Morrigar took over the conversation, "I have decided to make the company a testing ground. We know that an attuned pair can work exceptionally well as infiltrators, becoming an unseen asset for us. We are relying on you, and your Heirarch partner Revas to train this new company on the way to your first mission."

"Yes lord, it will be done." Edvar looked at the previously unnamed Heirarch, seeing a legionnaire with the pale skin of a native Skiiradian and proud features. "What is our mission?"

"Keld'abe. My brother Rang has created a realm of rumors and shadows, and we need to be informed about it. I am sending you to be my Watchers, my eyes that will see the truth while staying unseen. We have our own plans for the Shadow Warriors and do not wish them to suffer any mischief from more...traditional elements of the Imperium."

"If those elements intervene?" Edvar's eyes met those of his gene-sire.

"Then you will help them achieve the destiny that the Lord of Fate decrees." Morrigar's icy voice brought small smiles to the faces of all the Riven present, the smiles of hidden predators.

"As my Primarch and the Lord of Fate commands, so shall I obey." Edvar turned and followed Hardren out, the two Heirarchs following.

"Keld'abe...it will all happen there..." Morrigar's voice was soft, barely audible to even the enhanced hearing of Chovacs and Kairen. The Primarch's pale eyes watched a spinning holo-lith of the Shadow Warriors' ash-covered homeworld. "Soon..."