First Exchange

The Astropaths fell silent. It was not that they were unwilling to answer Anya's questions; they simply did not know where to begin.

Anya realized that as well. She pointed at an Astropath whose eyeballs looked like milky-white candy spheres and asked him to tell them about his life.

"My life..." The Astropath's voice was unpleasant, making Anya, who was accustomed to the songlike manner in which the Aeldari communicated, deeply uncomfortable.

This Astropath came from a savage world. He had no desire to recall the distant past, when he had been scorned by the locals. He merely said that life had not been easy, leaving the Aeldari sisters plenty of room for imagination.

Later, the Black Ships arrived on their planet. Powerful warriors captured the psykers and crammed them into the Black Ships' cells until the vessels could hold no more.

The ships returned to Terra, where the psykers were sent to academies for selection. They would study different branches of knowledge according to their psychic inclinations.

Some would become Sanctioned Psykers in the military. Their clothing bore numerous protective sigils and power suppressors. They carried staffs made from rare materials that could channel their power, had psychic suppression crystals implanted in their necks, and vented excess Warp energy through countless miniature circuits.

Even after every Sanctioned Psyker endured inhuman training, the Imperium's soldiers would not regard them with respect.

Keeping their distance, fear, and suspicion were the most common attitudes.

Another portion of psykers would be selected into the Adeptus Astra Telepathica, taking on the vital duty of communications across the vast Imperium.

The most stable and loyal members of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica would be selected for the Astronomican Court. They would become the Chosen of the Emperor, fortunate enough to behold the great Astronomican, before having