Dark was the night when sister Dominica (named for the founder of their order) and her squad infiltrated the holy chapel, under orders to assassinate the mother superior. They found her alone, praying, unguarded. Dominica marched towards mother Sheya, purpose and resolve making her footsteps boom in the deserted chapel. The mother superior stood, turning to meet her unexpected guests. Her face froze when she saw the look of menace in Dominica's stride, and the inferno pistol in her hand. "Mother Sheya, you are guilty of treason against the emperor. Your punishment is death". Dominica raised the pistol, looking Sheya directly in the eye. "Poor child",whispered mother Sheya, "you don't know what you are doing".
Dominica squeezed the trigger, reducing the mother superior to a smoldering pile of ash in seconds.
"To the rendezvous ," ordered Dominica.
And as quickly as they had come, they were gone. A short distance away, in a forgotten warehouse, Dominica made the call for extraction.
"Mother Voshka, it is done".
The hollophone crackled to life.
"Excellent, child. You have done well. I am sending a transport now. Have no fear, I will take care of you, just as I promised".
A black, unmarked rhino soon arrived, a very somber sister beckoning them to climb aboard. As soon as the doors closed, they could hear the locks engage. A soft mist began filling the vehicle, their vision starting to blur. Soon they were lying unconscious on the floor, speeding towards an unknown
Location. They awoke to find themselves stripped of their weapons and armor, bound in manacles and chained to one another in a row. They were laying on a cold, stone floor, bars on all sides. They had been redressed with thin, rag like robes. Dominica recognized this as the holding cells beneath the royal temple. She never thought to be on the inside of these bars, however. An elderly sister shuffled close to the cell.
"Your trial will begin now".
The squad exchanged confused looks. Trial? For what? They answered only to mother Voshka.
Two guards appeared, brandishing flamers. Opening the cell door, they motioned for the squad to follow. In the great hall above, the high court was assembled. Everyone of any importance was there. Surely there must be some mistake; they could not truly be on trial. They were lined up in a row before the high dias, awaiting their accuser. Mother Voshka emerged from the throng, walking slowly up to the dias. Dominica's heart rose at the sight of her. Surely she would set the record straight. Voshka looked sternly down at them, her face most grave.
"Sister Dominica, and company, you stand accused of the murder of Mother Superior Sheya, and of treason against the order of the sisters militant. How do you plead?"
The sisters all looked to Dominica, who looked profoundly confused. Why was mother Voshka doing this? They followed her orders exactly. She promised them everything would be taken care of.
"Mother superior", said Dominica slowly, "I don't understand".
For a brief moment, a look of triumph flitted across Voshka's face, and Dominica's
Blood ran cold. They had been set up. Voshka planned this from the start. She had told Dominica that mother Sheya was a traitor, that she was in league with devils. But they were simply being deceived and used to serve Voshka's own goals. Sheya was most likely never a traitor at all.
"Playing ignorant will not help you here", said Voshka airely. "This seal was found at the scene of the crime. It is identical to those worn by your company and was matched to your very own armor. Footprints were found in the ashes, matching those of you and your squad".
Lies, all of it. No evidence of any kind was left behind, Dominica was sure of it. It had to have been planted by Voshka. Hatred swelled inside her, trembling where she stood.
"Your guilt is clear", continued Voshka, "the evidence speaks for itself. I hereby pronounce you. ........ GUILTY!"
Dominica's stomach gave a horrible lurch. She could barely breathe. Two guards stepped forward. Starting at opposite ends of the line of accused sisters, they ripped off their flimsy robes, leaving them naked before the entire chamber. A mistress of repentance stepped forward . She held in her hand prayers of repentance, written on long strips of parchment. The accused were seized from behind by two guards at once, while the mistress began sewing the prayers directly onto their bare skin. Not one of Dominica's squad made a sound. The battle-hardened sisters gritted their teeth against the pain, unwilling to show Voshka any sign of weakness. Blood trickled down their naked bodies, collecting in a small pool on the stone floor. Disbelief and rage were fighting for control of Dominica, rage quickly gaining the upper hand.
"Your sentence will be carried out on the planet Crystallos", droned Voshka, "where you will work in the mines until you have atoned for your sins with your last breath".
Dominica knew this place. It was a prison planet, frozen and hostile, where the prisoners were forced into hard labor under excruciating conditions. Voshka raised an enormous gavel, which Dominica realized was, in fact, a power hammer. With a mighty Crack and a flash of lightning their sentence was final. The last thing Dominica saw was the stock of a bolter meeting her forehead. Before blacking out, she vowed one day to have vengeance on Voshka. She only had to survive long enough. .......
For ten long years Dominica and her squad toiled in the mines, waiting, hoping for a chance to gain an advantage over their captors. Embracing their harsh environment, they learned to draw strength from it. They stubbornly refused to die, waiting for their moment. The planet Crystallos was occupied by various chapters of space marines, each assigned a specific district. Under the guard of the Ultra Marines, the sisters closely observed their rigid structure and unyielding discipline, which they learned to use to their advantage. Such things as patrols and changing of the guard became predictable as a clock. Through careful observation and shear strength of will, the sisters surprised and overpowered the small force of marines guarding their location, giving them access to several stormraven gunships and predator tanks. With the other inmates at their side, they soon had control of the entire planet, the severe isolation and compartmentalization of the prison colony working to their advantage. Their faith in the emperor shaken, their ties to the order completely severed, they began to forge a new purpose. No longer will they blindly follow religious fanatics, or those who would be god. Taking what they learned from their space marine captors, and their new arsenal, they would bring justice and vengeance to all who would suppress the free people of the universe. Enemies of freedom beware: the Ultra Sisters are born!
Had to shorten/gloss over a few areas. Was going to turn into a mini novel real quick lol. Not sure exactly when Ultra Sisters will debut, but the models are in the works!
No comments:
Post a Comment