His eyes never blinked. The door behind me opened, and a tall young Gellendrite with
blue skin entered the room. Shifting my feet, I launched a pair of devil-spikes at his solar plexus.
Both struck home and he fell to the ground gasping. In a trice I had my iridium blade out and
struck his head from his body. Slick purple blood splashed upon the walls.
Gebron did not move. “He was a man of great potential.”
“All the more reason,” I said.
“The Emperor is Just,” he said.
“Names,” I said.
He nodded.
*
*
*
Gebron’s sources were two Imperial Legionaire officers, a Sacriftor on Gelma-3, and a
Governor’s son who had introduced them to Gebron. I put them all to the question. They begged
before I let them answer. And their information did not deviate from what Gebron had told me.
The Sacrifitor in particular was very detailed about how far the infiltration had gone. The Order
of the Green Skull had much to answer for. I travelled through the time warp considering how
best to handle the matter.
For Gebron, loathsome as he is, was not wrong. It is for me to settle disputes between the
various wings of the Imperial government. The Vicar’s are each given their area: taxes, war, and
worship. It falls to me, who has total freedom but no underlings, to keep them each in their area.
I cannot even trust a balance of power. Rule by Two Vicars would be as unstable as rule by one.
Only the Emperor rules over all.