31. Interrogation Record

Interrogator: Annika Jastutier.

A: Yes, sir.

Inquisitor: Your incident report doesn't seem very credible to me, but both Space Wolves and Grey Knights have provided evidence for you in various ways. Good methods, Inquisitor, at least better than Gusme Kisnaros, whose political skills have always been poor.

A: ...Then why push him to lead this operation?

Interrogator: That's not your concern. According to your statement on page twelve of the report, the thing that travels with the wolves has at least two forms, is that right?

A: Yes.

Interrogator: Describe his human form.

A: I've already written that in the report.

Interrogator: I don't want to hear those written words; to me they're just empty platitudes. Now, tell me your own thoughts about him, or let me ask you this: Did you think he looked like a human being back then? Or not?

A: It looks very human.

Interrogator: Suppose you are a commoner who has never seen an Astartes before, and you see him standing next to an Astartes, who do you think looks more human?

A: Sir, what's the problem?

Interrogator: You only need to answer, Judge Annika.

A: Him.

Interrogator: Interesting, so he's handsome, right?

A: Sir, what exactly do you want to know?

Interrogator: I want to know what he looked like, I want specific details, but your incident report doesn't contain a single photo or record. Even the Grey Knights refused to provide us with information using psionic rewind. I've never encountered anything like this before. What exactly happened on Amegadoton?

A: You can go and see the report.

Interrogator: I've seen it, and I've seen it twenty times in total. I know the whole story. Overall, it's an unfortunate situation, and we have nothing to say about it, unless we admit that Gesmay Kisnaros is a stupid and incompetent man and pin the blame on him, but we don't want to do that... I'm going to start asking specific questions now, so you'd better be prepared.

A: Understood, sir.

Interrogator: Very well, now tell me, how did you deal with the civilians and soldiers on Amighadoon?

A: Following the wolf pack's suggestion, we stayed for an extra eleven months.

Interrogator: So you really didn't clean them up, and it took you so long.

A: Lord Gesme has reached an agreement with the wolf pack.

Interrogator: But wasn't he already dead by then?

A: Yes, but I decided to abide by the agreement. We checked everyone on Amegadoton, cleared out some hidden cultists, and the rune priests and grey knights worked together to purify all the contaminated areas. We did everything we could.

Interrogator: This is absolutely foolish.

A: Sir?

The Inquisitors: The wolves, the gray knights, and the entire Inquisition fleet—all of this has been wasted so much time on Amegiddon for no reason, just to extend something that could have been done in a month or two into a so-called act of mercy that consumes countless manpower! So what if this world could produce a large number of Chimera armored vehicles every year? It's simply not worth it!

A: ......

Interrogator: Why are you silent, Judge Annika?

A: I don't know what to say, sir.

Interrogator: Then apologize! Is that so hard? Apologize for your stupidity! Now get out of here, and if your treatment of the Amighidodtons causes further chaos contamination, we will hold you accountable.

A: Understood, sir.

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Interrogator: Chief Logan.

L: Hmm.

Interrogator: It's a pleasure to meet you.

L: Really? Then be happy.

Interrogator: Leader, may I ask—

L: —If you're asking me about Olde, then I can only tell you that I have nothing to say. Go read Annika's report on the incident.

Interrogator: I have read it, sir.

L: Then what the hell are you asking? Get out of here and dismiss these poor soldiers you conscripted so we can go back to Fenris.

Interrogator: Please forgive us, we had no choice but to do this. After all, this operation took too long, and there was also the unusual behavior of an inquisitor who issued a summons and then canceled it... Headquarters had to send someone to investigate, and I was the unlucky one.

L: (Sneers)

Interrogator: My lord, may I see this Olde?

L: He's busy.

Interrogator: What is he busy with?

L: How would I know? I'm very busy, and he's very busy too. How about I call the Gilfaheim closer, and you can take a shuttle up to find him and have a chat? Of course, that's assuming you can find him.

Interrogator: Since he is so busy, I won't disturb him any longer. Now I'm going to start asking questions, sir. Please cooperate, okay?

L: I'm already sitting here, what more do you want from me? Ask away, you bureaucratic bastard. You're not even as good as Guessme Kisnaros, you know that?

Interrogator: ...The first question is, how did he behave when you first came into contact with Inquisitor Gesmay's fleet in the early days of their arrival in Amighiddon?

L: I'm better than you.

Interrogator: Okay, so you don't think Inquisitor Guise was possessed by a demon at that time, is that right?

L: I think you're possessed by a demon, really.

Interrogator: Your Excellency...

L: I'm not kidding.

Interrogator: Well, sir, here is the third question: where did you meet Ald?

L: What does this have to do with the Battle of Amegadoton?

Interrogator: Of course it matters. This mysterious wolf-walker has demonstrated combat abilities far exceeding any Astartes, according to Inquisitor Annika's records. His descent from the Void to the surface of Amegiddund and his direct slaying of a Tzeentch archduke is terrifying enough, not to mention his face-to-face combat with Angron. Do you understand what this means?

L: (Suddenly leaning forward) I don't understand, but my patience with you is almost at its limit, do you understand? So listen carefully, I'll only say this once—Old is a member of the pack, any offense to him is an offense to us, any hostility towards him is hostility towards us. Yes, he killed Angron, but so what? Is this the first time it has been banished?

Interrogator: Perhaps this time it won't be exile.

L: Hmm?

Interrogator: That's beside the point, sir. Anyway, I understand what you mean, and I won't ask any more questions.

L: So you have no problems?

Interrogator: Yes, you may leave now.

L: Haha.

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Interrogators: The Hyperion Brothers.

H: I'm here, sir.

Interrogator: Do you dare swear to the Emperor and the dead Lord Joros that what you are about to say will be completely honest?

H: I swear.

Interrogator: Very well, now tell me, you secretly helped Annika Justuttier, didn't you?

H: Yes.

Interrogator: Why?

H: Because I think she is trustworthy.

Interrogator: Hmm... I think it's more than that. How interesting.

H: I don't understand what you're talking about, sir.

Interrogator: Then pretend I said nothing. You witnessed Ald transforming into another form, didn't you? And you also had access to the memories of the Iron Legion soldiers who fought alongside him in the Battle of Amegiddon.

H: Yes, sir.

Interrogator: Okay, okay, now tell me, do you think he is the devil?

H: No.

Interrogator: Do you think he is a subspace being?

H: The Unborn? Of course not.

Interrogator: So, what do you think he is?

H: A soldier.

Interrogator: That's an interesting point. Anything else?

H: A weapon that is deadly to the Unborn, even more so than to us.

Interrogator: Oh, Hyperion brothers...you used your talent on him, didn't you?

H: ...That's true.

Interrogator: So what did you see?

H: I can't say, sir.

Interrogator: What?

H: I can't say.

Interrogator: Do you understand what you're saying? You can't speak? I represent the Terra Tribunal and the Terra High Council—

H: —Then I represent the Emperor.

Interrogator: ......

Interrogator: Say it again?

H: I represent the Emperor.

Interrogator: Are you insane?!

H: No, my lord, everything I have said is true. The Emperor did indeed give me his decree. I know who Alder is, I know his past, I know everything you want to know, but I cannot and will not tell you, for it is the Emperor's will.

Interrogator: Where is the evidence?

H: I have no evidence to prove this.

Interrogator: Then you are blaspheming the Emperor!

H: (A moment of silence) My lord, you may not believe me, but upon your return to Terra, you will meet a member of the Royal Guard who will personally convey the Emperor's decree to you. If this does not come to pass, you are welcome to come back to me; I will accept any torture and punishment.

Interrogator: You, you...

H: Do you have any other questions?

Interrogator: You're all insane.

H: Perhaps, perhaps it is true, but we averted a civil war and saved hundreds of billions of lives on Amegidotton. It was a just act, I have no doubt about it.

Interrogator: Justice? Where in this world is there any justice to speak of?

H: You're right. For most of the Empire's subjects, it doesn't exist, but for the people of Armageddon today, it's real. I was taught to be ruthless, cruel, to stop the invasion of Chaos at all costs, until the Emperor himself told me that there are always prices we can't afford, that they're too high... Some boundaries shouldn't be crossed, my lord, because crossing them means we're no different from the enemy. And that's exactly what they want; they want us to be like them, but we are human.

Interrogator: (Prolonged silence)

Interrogator: You can leave now. I will record everything you say.

H: Understood, sir.

Interrogator: Good luck, Hyperion brothers... When Headquarters and the High Lords see this record, they'll come after you first, not that warrior named Ald...

H: This is exactly what I hoped for. The Emperor has entrusted me with a great responsibility, and I will not let him down.

Interrogator: May he bless you, Hyperion.

H: I also hope he will protect you.

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Hyperion stepped out of the interrogation room and found two men waiting for him outside. One was Logan Grimner, the alpha wolf, and the other was Annika Jastutier, the judge he had served in the past. He was somewhat surprised and delighted, and nodded solemnly to both of them.

"How did it go?" the alpha wolf asked. "That bastard didn't give you any trouble, did he?"

"Of course not, sir."

"What did you say?" Annika asked.

"I said what I needed to say," Hyperion replied. "Everything is resolved, and it seems that the lord has no intention of doing anything."

Logan scoffed and said, "He had better do that, otherwise all our blood would have been shed in vain..."

Having said that, he turned and left first, leaving the long corridor to Hyperion and Annika. The two walked slowly, one after the other, in another direction, remaining silent until they reached a corner, at which point the judge suddenly spoke, even in Yuvik.

"You said the emperor gave you a revelation... so what did he look like?"

"I thought you wouldn't care," Hyperion replied in Yuvik. "After all, you didn't seem to care when I told you about it before."

"I hadn't slept for almost two weeks at that time!" the judge said angrily. "Why don't you try writing a report of several hundred thousand words?"

"We don't usually write reports, ma'am."

Upon hearing this, Annika cursed, and Hyperion, not understanding why she was suddenly so angry, remained silent. However, from not far away around the corner where they were, another voice speaking Yuvik came.

"That statement was far too horrible, Judge Annika. He doesn't deserve such a crime."

Hyperion instinctively looked up, then immediately gave a solemn bow. Annika glanced at him sideways, sighed, then stepped forward and smiled slightly.

"Hello, Dragon Slayer."

"Hello, Judge... Is the court representative still in the interrogation room?"

Annika paused, looking at the pair of red eyes with some confusion, but still answered his question: "They should still be there, what's wrong?"

"I'm planning to go find him."

"Wh-what?"

Old lowered his head, looked into her eyes, and calmly repeated, "I plan to go find him."

"Please, please don't do that," Hyperion earnestly pleaded. "That lord... still doesn't quite trust you."

"That's not important," Old said. "I just want to see him."

Having said that, he strode towards the other end of the corridor. The remaining two exchanged a glance and followed. A dozen seconds later, they watched as Ald forcefully pushed open the heavy door and went inside. Amidst the instinctive cry of surprise from the judge inside, a flash of crimson-gold light disappeared.

"Look carefully, remember this look," the soldier said in a low, hoarse voice. "That way you'll have something to report back to, and you won't be made to suffer."

The judge remained silent for a long time before asking, "Why did you do this? I mean, all of this... what are you fighting for?"

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Interrogator: He didn't answer. Now I'm starting to look forward to the return journey. I want to know if the Hyperion brothers were telling the truth. I already believe they weren't lying to me, but I still need to confirm it for myself...

O Emperor, grant me revelation, for I have trodden too much darkness. We have crossed so many lines, sacrificed so many qualities that should have been upheld, and you have remained silent, yet appeared in the world because of a single act of mercy that should have been denied. If this is your will, I beg you to send your guards to tell me in person, so that I too may firmly step into the light.

We should all walk in the sunlight. Humans shouldn't live like this.

—The First Battle of Amigidogon: A Complete Account