The Imperium's Frontier: A Cliché Play

Dim lights flickered in the enclosed underground space, blinking like dying candles shrouded in mist. This silent parking garage had fallen into a deathly stillness; countless vehicles sat parked here, resembling an aging galaxy of extinguished stars, drifting toward a final, eternal tranquility.

Suddenly, a sound from the edge of that silence shattered the stillness. It was the crunch of tires rolling over grit, growing louder, bit by bit, breaking the eternal void.

Bright headlights pierced the garage from the spiral ramp exit, cutting through the darkness like a beam of light from the void. A black sedan drove down and finally came to a halt in the empty center of the garage.

The folding door swung open, and a boot stepped out—a boot inlaid with silver plating.

Vito stepped out of the car, steadying himself against the pitch-black roof. Marshall also exited from the driver's seat, leaning against the door as he instinctively adjusted the position of his lasgun.

Vito reached out a hand to help Olivia out. He straightened his collar and looked around, his expression amused as he surveyed the silent parking garage.

Before Vito could offer any comment, the sound of footsteps interrupted him. He looked toward the source: a man in a high-collared commissar-style coat emerged from the gaps between the parked vehicles, followed by several heavily armed individuals—men and women, all armed to the teeth.

The man in the coat stood directly in front of the sedan. His face was as cold as a bitter winter; beneath his coat, he wore a ballistic chest plate with a striking leather holster strap extending toward his armpit.

Vito smiled helplessly and walked toward the man. "Really? A parking garage? Such a cliché meeting spot?" "I only care about security. No one will disturb us here," the man replied. He watched Vito approach, the latter stopping a few paces away with a playful smile. "This is our first meeting, Lord Arbiter Sher, but I have known of you for a long time."

Lord Arbiter Sher's face remained stern, devoid of any smile or even a hint of friendliness. He stared coldly at Vito, as if trying to pierce him with his gaze.

"Before we begin any discussion, I need to verify your identity, Vito Constantine," Sher said. Vito gave an awkward smile and glanced at Marshall. "I believe Marshall already told you, didn't he?" "Yes, but I must personally ensure you are not lying, outsider." "And what if I am?" "I would have to dig a grave tonight."

Vito looked at the gunmen behind him—the officers wearing the Adeptus Arbites badge. Every one of them looked at him with murderous intent, even the female officers who could be described as beautiful.

Vito's specialized hearing caught the clicking of safeties being disengaged. He smiled with satisfaction; it seemed there were still commendable aspects to the Victoria System.

Vito raised his wrist, and his comms unit lit up with a tiny point of light. "Cole, Olaf, are you available?" "Of course, Inquisitor." "Good."

The young Vito Constantine detached the comms unit from his wrist clasp and placed the small device on the ground. As refracted optical fibers appeared in the air, two human silhouettes were woven into existence in a heartbeat. As countless light filaments crisscrossed and grew denser, their appearances became clear.

Lord Arbiter Sher looked at the figure beside Vito. The man who had stepped out of the void to stand by Vito's side wore a naval captain's uniform so distinct that one glance was enough to identify him.

On his other side, the eyes of Sher and all the present law enforcement officers widened. Even Marshall and Olivia behind Vito displayed expressions of utter shock.

Everyone present stared at the giant—a hulking figure so massive that he exceeded the limits of the holographic projection.

The massive power armor was fully visible before them. His face flickered within the light filaments at the edge of the projection, impossible to see clearly, as if he were an angel descended from the heavens to the earth.

His Angel of Death.

Vito smiled slightly, one hand behind his back. "Allow us to introduce ourselves again. I am Inquisitor Vito Constantine of the Ordo Xenos of the Imperial Inquisition."

"I am a former Imperial Navy officer, currently attached to the Inquisition fleet, Captain of the Mars-class Battlecruiser Infinite Frontier, Rear Admiral Cole Makarian," the naval captain stated.

The hulking giant beside them spoke, his deep voice suppressing all other sounds, as resonant as The Emperor himself.

"I am Chaplain Olaf Thorz, a son of Leman Russ of the Space Wolves, and a member of the Deathwatch. My battle-brothers and I follow Inquisitor Vito."

The crowd stared at the giant in astonishment. None of them had ever seen an Astartes before; even as a projection, the presence of the Emperor's Angel of Death was enough to fill anyone with fear and awe.

Vito smiled playfully at Lord Arbiter Sher, who quickly forced himself to regain his composure and nodded firmly. No one would doubt Vito's identity now.

"You arrived very quickly, Lord Inquisitor," Sher said, his voice still carrying a slight tremor; clearly, the shock brought by the Emperor's Angel had not yet fully subsided.

"As The Emperor protects, the astropathic message you sent crossed the void. Lord Inquisitor Hegart received your request and ordered me and my companions to come and resolve the issue."

"And as The Emperor wills, we have already completed the first step. The Inquisitor found the location of the Imperium's great enemy, and my brothers and I destroyed the evil factory of the xenos traitors today," Olaf said, clenching his iron fist. Although the small holographic device could not accurately replicate the clicking sound of the fist clenching, the movement of the Angel of Death still caused many to instinctively step back.

Cole raised his hand slightly, his sleeves trimmed with naval officer's gold thread swaying. "Our purification and testing results from the Crimson Essence factory show that the local Genestealer cult used Crimson Essence to alter the believers' minds, bypassing the genetic infection process and evading the scrutiny of the local Adeptus Arbites."

Sher's brow furrowed, while Vito raised an eyebrow at Cole, who smiled faintly. "You guessed it, didn't you?" "Ha, basically, yes."

Vito cleared his throat to draw Lord Arbiter Sher's attention. "Arbiter, your sector has been infiltrated by Tyranid Genestealers. I believe this has been going on for centuries. They call themselves the Devout Society, pretending to be a branch of the Imperial faith, spreading followers across this planet and hiding in the shadows until they stepped onto the stage decades ago."

Vito turned and pointed to Olivia. "She is the daughter of the former Governor, Dylant Kaon-Lane, and the legitimate heir to the governorship of this planet. Her father did not die at the hands of Chaos cultists, but was assassinated by the traitor currently in the governor's seat, Luwen, in collusion with the Devout Society—that is, the Genestealer cult."

Sher's expression twitched. Only now did he focus his attention on the woman in the distance. After studying the silver-haired girl for a moment, he showed a rare expression of surprise.

"Olivia? Is that you, child?" Sher asked in surprise, taking a few steps forward. Silver Snake merely nodded slightly, saying nothing.

"The Emperor be praised! We thought you were dead. General Livov and I searched for you for a long time but couldn't find you. Why didn't you come to us?" Sher asked excitedly, clearly deeply concerned. Silver Snake sighed. "I had other matters at the time, and afterward, I didn't dare return to the Upper Hive."

Sher clearly wanted to press further, but the towering Olaf stepped forward. Although he was only a projection, his heavy footsteps were transmitted from the other side in digital form. "Lord Arbiter, I do not believe now is the time to dwell on Ms. Olivia's past. We have a more pressing threat approaching."

"I apologize, my Lord. Let us return to the main topic," Sher said, stepping back. The giant nodded slightly, his phantom image flickering.

"The local Genestealers have sent a signal to the Tyranid Hive Fleet, and our enemy has received it. The destruction of the space station at the edge of the system was not the work of Chaos or pirates, but the Genestealer members there receiving the psychic signal of the Hive Fleet. The astropaths there received it too, and to prevent the station from sending a warning, they destroyed it."

"Now, the Hive Fleet is coming. Lord Arbiter, in the name of the Father of All Knowledge, we must prepare."

Olaf's words made Sher's eyes widen. Those seemingly formidable law enforcement officers unexpectedly revealed a trace of fear. To the common citizens of the Imperium, they might not know what that meant, but clearly, for those in the Adeptus Arbites who fought on the front lines against the Imperium's great enemies, they knew exactly what it signified.

Sher turned his head, stood with his back to them for a moment, and then slowly turned back. "The Hive Fleet. How long until they arrive?" "We do not know, but it is estimated to be soon," Cole replied, the naval captain speaking as such.

"Our astropath observed shadows approaching in the void. She cannot specify when they will arrive, but based on our past experience, it should be very soon."

Sher pondered for a moment. "Captain, have you fought the Tyranids before?" Cole nodded firmly, one hand resting on his Chainsword. "Yes, we once fought a splinter fleet alongside the Catachan Jungle Fighters. It... was a bitter battle."

"I have fought Chaos Daemons and battled Orks; I know what that means. And I know even more that we need the support of the Astra Militarum and the forces of the Imperium," Sher said, turning around. His weather-beaten face was filled with clouds, yet he remained calm.

He was a true warrior who would not lose his footing due to fear.

"Yes, we have already sent a distress signal. As of now, Astra Militarum regiments and an Imperial Navy fleet have responded to the request and are on their way, but we still need to be prepared."

Sher nodded and looked at his officers, who had also regained their composure. Truth be told, the quality of the local Adeptus Arbites was quite surprising.

"I know clearly from my time fighting Chaos that on the eve of a demonic invasion, cultists will launch riots and uprisings to weaken and distract our forces. I believe the Genestealer cult is doing the same."

Vito patted his empty belt. "Yes, so we need to resolve this internal issue before we can face the coming destruction."

"I have already investigated some parts. You don't need to worry about the Lower Hive; I have already convinced the Hammer Gang and the Syndicate to help us handle it. What you and your Arbitrators need to do is purge the upper levels with thunderous force."

"How are the local loyalist forces?" "I know the loyalists in every department. They are good men and excellent individuals, but because of the problems that now seem clear, they have been suppressed and stifled by the elites we once thought were merely greedy bureaucrats, but now appear to be alien traitors."

"General Wolf can take over the Planetary Defense Force, Bishop Rapt can ensure the loyalty of the Ecclesiarchy, Minister Kadi can do his best to ensure the Administratum continues to function, and I also have connections with the loyalists in the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Astropathic Choir, and the Merchant Guild."

"We have been planning for these greedy traitors, intending to eradicate them the day they betrayed The Emperor and Terra, but it seems we still underestimated their madness."

"Indeed, they have turned to a group of alien enemies that will devour everything on the planet. Apparently, in the face of greed and desire, a few small lies and promises are enough to fascinate them," Vito said helplessly, waving his hand slightly.

"I can now confirm that the current Planetary Governor, Luwen, is one of them. Olivia's parents did not die from the retaliation of Chaos cultists; rather, Luwen collaborated with the Genestealer cult. They colluded to assassinate them and placed Luwen on the throne to ensure their survival."

"For years, Luwen has secretly condoned their proselytizing and covered up their existence. He even obtained leverage over the Archbishop and bought him off, causing the Bishop to betray his faith and betray The Emperor."

Olaf clenched his fists in anger. "He must be punished." "He will be, my friend, he will be," Vito said, still looking at the Arbites Judge. The latter was clearly surprised, but the surprise quickly faded; after all, it wasn't that hard to understand, and they had likely guessed part of it, though they probably assumed it was Chaos cultists. Now, however, it made no difference in the end.

Olivia rested one hand on the car door, her eyes lowered in silence. As if many memories were resurfacing, she cursed under her breath and leaned against the hood of the car.

Vito looked at Olivia. Cole seemed slightly surprised; he had never seen Vito lose focus at a time like this, but the Inquisitor quickly refocused and looked at Sher, raising his head.

"We still don't know exactly how many Imperial 'officials' have betrayed the Throne, and we don't have time to screen them. We certainly cannot conduct an indiscriminate purge at this critical juncture and destroy our own defenses."

"Soon they will accept me as a member of the 'family,' likely by injecting me with the infection and pulling me into the Genestealer family. This means they will summon me, and I will soon be able to identify who the leaders are. What you and your men need to do is eliminate and arrest them."

"As for me, my friends and I will storm the induction ceremony led by the Patriarch. A significant number of Genestealers will be present then, and we will round them all up and deal them a heavy blow."

Sher pondered for a moment and nodded affirmatively, but soon raised a new question—a valuable one. "The number of cultists is vast, especially the infected. We have no idea how many there are in the upper echelons of the government. It is difficult to search them all at once, and if even one leader escapes, it will pose a huge threat."

Yes, if even one leader escapes punishment, they will quickly organize and launch an uprising. Even if it is a hopeless, doomed uprising, they will fight to the death, and that means the planet's defensive capabilities will be severely weakened, leaving it powerless against the Tyranid fleet.

Vito smiled, clasping his hands behind his back as he looked at the Arbites Judge. Cole and Olaf stood behind him, the two of them looking as if the entire Imperial army were present.

"I have my own methods, Arbites Judge. Now, please go and contact the loyalists and prepare everything that needs to be prepared. We don't have much time left." "Indeed. I will prepare as soon as possible. Marshall will continue to assist you, Inquisitor. Please allow me to take my leave; we have much to do."

Sher did not hesitate for a moment, which Vito greatly appreciated. He must have had many questions, especially regarding Olivia, but he only glanced at the girl not far away before leaving with his Arbitrators, disappearing at the other end of the parking lot.

Yes, now is not the time to dwell on many questions; now is the time to make a final stand for survival.

Vito looked at Cole and Olaf. "I and the others will rendezvous with you as soon as possible, Inquisitor." "I know. Cole, keep an eye on the reinforcements and begin organizing the population and supplies of the Victoria System to retreat to the Hive World. Be quick." "Understood, Inquisitor." "Then goodnight, and good luck to everyone." "May the Allfather protect us." "May The Emperor protect us."

The two projections vanished after a flicker of light particles. Vito picked up the communicator and inserted it into his wrist slot. He walked to the car, and Olivia slowly looked up at him, offering a weary smile. "I... I need a drink."

"Me too. Marshall, take us back." Marshall nodded, and Vito took Olivia's hand, a look of exhaustion appearing on his face.

"Beneath our feet, a group of traitors and lunatics are preparing to kill us, and in outer space, a nightmare catastrophe is approaching. This is my daily life, my one evening."

"Tonight, it has indeed been too long."