23: 'Navigating' Decisions

"So what now, Octus?" Ashe asked.

"Hell, I don't even know where to start," Octus replied with a snort.

"While we will advise you, the decision is ultimately up to you. You are the one chosen by the Emperor for your holy mission. We will defer to you, Octus."

"Don't ya have yer own duties to see to?"

Ashe shook her head, "Yes, but they are irrelevant in the face of a direct mission from Him-on-Terra. The Emperor has enough Inquisitors. He only has one of you, Octus. I will have an Astropath send a message to a trusted colleague of mine telling them that I will be occupied with a long-term mission on the fringes of the Imperium. I will not be missed."

"Irrelevant?" Octus asked with doubt in his voice. "I find that hard to believe. Sure, the Emperor's word is important but it's my mission, not yers."

"And yet, without me, you would be lost and floundering without the means to take the first step of your mission. It is my choice to accompany you. Now, that does not mean I am your subordinate, nor does it necessarily mean that I feel you owe me something. Just that I feel my efforts could be better served with you than by simply doing what I have been doing."

"I'm sure I would've found a way… The Emperor provides an' all that…" Octus said, not sounding nearly as sure as his words proclaimed.

Ashe humored him, "Yes, I'm sure you would have… But now it is not necessary. So, since I am providing you with a ship and advice and logistics and additional forces, the least you could do is make a decision."

Octus was beginning to get slightly frustrated, "Then maybe ya should put yer money where yer mouth is and advise me. Like I said… I don't know where to start! Are ya gonna give me a map or something at least?!"

Though she didn't show it much on her face, Ashe had the decency to notice when she was being unreasonable, "Ah… That… is a good point. My apologies, Octus."

"Yer forgiven…" Octus sighed, deflating with his frustration. "It's just… I'm still new to all this. I need advice and guidance, not demands and unfair expectations. The Emperor may have declared me special but I certainly don't feel it. Don't ya forget that before this I was just a Guardsman. Not even an officer really. Sure, Lady put me in charge now and then but I was never wielding power of my own like I am now. This is all just a bit much, all at once…"

Alastor cut in at the perfect time, just as Octus started to feel the pressure mounting upon his shoulders, "I believe you are special, Octus. Take strength and confidence in that. You were chosen for a reason, not just your mutation. You are special. You are a leader. You are a beacon in the dark for people to rally around, Octus Humblestock."

"Indeed… I could not have said it better myself. Once again, I must apologize for my behavior, Octus," Ashe said. "It seems that I have been in charge for too long. Even when ceding control, I am still giving orders…"

"Well, ya could start making it up to me by tellin' me my options," Octus half-joked.

Ashe was uncharacteristically quiet as she truly thought about Octus' options for the first time. How did one go about finding lost Human civilizations? Was it best to target a specific destination or just pick a direction and let the currents of the Warp take you? As she thought, the true magnitude of Octus' mission began to set in for the Inquisitor.

Was it possible to find lost worlds and Human civilizations? Absolutely. Did it happen regularly? No. Maybe half a dozen times in a millennium. Still, Octus was given a mission. To give up because it might turn out to be difficult or impossible was to spit in the face of the Emperor Himself. Ashe could only hope that something greater — be that the Emperor or fate itself — would guide Octus to his destination.

"I have an idea of where you can start," Amelia said after Ashe was silent for a while.

Octus sighed in relief, "Please, I'm all ears."

"Well, since you're now the…" Amelia trailed off as she tried to find the right words. "Ship's captain's captain?… Commander? Whatever, since you're basically in charge of the ship now thanks to your Warrant, you'll need to meet the rest of the crew. My officers can wait but there's one person that needs to be informed about you and the change ASAP."

"There is?" Octus asked cluelessly.

Ashe reached Amelia's conclusion only a few seconds after the Captain, "Ah, yes, why didn't I think of that…"

"Exactly," Amelia nodded. "The ship's Navigator. They're as important to the ship's functions as the rest of the crew put together so we can't really keep them in the dark. And they'll have charts and maps that you can use to get a better idea of your options, Octus."

The beginnings of Octus' trademark himbo smile started to appear on his face now that he saw a light at the end of the tunnel, "Thank the Emperor. 'Cause I'll be honest, I'm not even completely sure where we are right now. I mean, I know we're in the Segmentum Ultima but that doesn't really narrow it down much, ya know?"

While Ashe was relatively unaffected by the almost unnatural charm of Octus' smile, that was not the case with Amelia. Both were strong-willed women. They had to be for their chosen professions. But there was still a difference between the will of an Inquisitor and the will of a void Captain.

Octus' smile could conquer planets and sway Xenos (mainly of the elf variety). It was so sincere, wholesome, and bright that it pushed away the grimdarkness of the far future. And he had no idea how potent it was. Even just a hint of it hit Amelia and she felt her knees weaken. An involuntary purr began to rumble in her throat. She caught herself in mere moments but those moments were enough to shake her first impression of Octus. She saw a sliver of what made Octus special enough to attract the Emperor's attention and it left her wanting more…

The trio (quartet if one remembered Alastor's presence) then began to make their way to the Navigator's quarters. Amelia stopped someone and sent ahead word of their arrival. It wouldn't do to surprise someone as dangerous as a ship's Navigator.

They were certainly an interesting sight as they walked through the halls of the ship. The crew made sure to give them a wide berth. While the crew members they passed knew Ashe and Amelia, Octus was an unknown. An unknown that people were glad to steer clear of until he was proven safe or trustworthy. And the less said about Alastor, the better.

They stepped into the elevator to the Navigator's quarters in comfortable silence. Immediately, Octus noticed the difference in decor between the elevator and the rest of the ship. While the rest of the Immortal Spirit was clean, it was also still dark and suitably gothic in design.

The elevator was almost the exact opposite. Its interior was bright and sophisticated with cracked, white marble walls and floor. Yet at the same time, it was easily the least well-kept area Octus had seen yet on the Immortal Spirit. The elevator's grandeur had fallen to dust and disrepair.

When the elevator reached its destination and the doors slid open, Octus saw that the same was true for the rest of the Navigator's quarters. It was obvious that once this place had been a grand display of wealth and power. Now, though, all it displayed was ruin and despair.

They were greeted by a very young man who reflected his environment. He stood with a bearing of faded nobility, almost blending into the background because of it. The dye of his silk robes had paled with age and a lack of upkeep. The embroidery was scuffed and the golden laurel on his head only shined dimly.

Even the man's looks and features were doomed to fade. Eventually, his stark, noble good looks would twist and change with the mutations inherent to his kin. His sharp jawline and cheekbones would morph. His sight would fade. His skin would gray and crack. But for now, the only sign of his Abhuman heritage was the closed third eye set into his forehead.

"Captain. Inquisitor," the Navigator greeted tersely with a perpetual scowl on his face that told more about his bitter existence than the decay of the Navigator's quarters around him. "Stranger. Anomaly that I'm going to pretend to ignore."

"Octus, this is the Immortal Spirit's Co-Navigator, Osiris. Don't mind him too much. He's just a bit grumpy these days," Amelia introduced Octus to Osiris.

"You try smiling after your whole family is murdered and your house is cast into disgrace," Osiris grumbled.

Hearing the grumbles, Octus looked aghast. Amelia just rolled her eyes, "I think he just likes to brood. It happened quite literally before he was born."

"Yes, and I was molded by the stories of grace and grandeur my mother would tell me before her untimely death!" Osiris snapped. "Stories of how my house used to rule the stars and the currents of the Immaterium! Oh, how I yearn to experience those glory days for myself!"

"Your mom is still alive," Amelia pointed out as if this was a familiar argument. "She's still this ship's primary Navigator. She's just too mutated for pleasant company."

Osiris' scowl deepened, "Exactly! She used to be beautiful! The most beautiful scion of the Navigator houses! Her beauty was told of from holy Terra to the very edge of the Imperium! She might as well be dead now!"

Ashe raised an eyebrow, interjecting into the spat between Navigator and Captain, "Shall I tell her that you feel that way?"

"I-… Err…" The Inquisitor's pointed question brought Osiris up short. Somehow, his scowl deepened even further. "What do you want?"

Ashe, however, was taking none of the Navigator's shit, "For you to do your job, your duty to the ship and your superiors. We need to consult your house's charts. And my new… partner… could use your advice and expertise."

Osiris glanced at Octus. Honestly, he couldn't see the appeal but he wasn't about to argue about the Inquisitor's love life. That didn't mean he couldn't still snark though. As a sharp and witty retort formed on his tongue, Osiris glanced back at the Inquisitor… Then at the Custodes who seemed to be glued to Octus' side. Common sense reigned.

Osiris swallowed his snark, "Of course, Inquisitor. I… shall prepare the charts. I would offer you refreshments but…"

"That will not be necessary. We would not want to ~burden~ your formerly prestigious house, after all," Ashe said, showing that her tongue was just as sharp as Osiris'.

Somehow, Osiris' scowl deepened even more. He couldn't refute Ashe's point though. He just had to take it on the chin. He spun, robes fluttering around him, and without a word, led the way deeper into the Navigator's quarters. Ashe and Amelia were used to the young Navigator's behavior and were already following him. Octus glanced at Alastor, getting no response from the Custodes just as he expected, before shrugging and following them too.

It was obvious that Osiris and his mother did not entertain guests often. Octus saw no sign of anyone other than them in the Navigator's quarters. Not even a slave, servant, or maid.

Octus found it strangely eerie to witness the aftermath of a noble house's fall from grace. He didn't know much about Navigators but he knew that they were usually well-respected both on the ships they piloted and off of them. That was something of a necessity when the Navigators in question could strip a person of their flesh and soul with a single glance.

He also knew that Navigators were rarely seen outside of their quarters upon a ship or upon holy Terra itself. So to see a Navigator's quarters in such a state was a bit of a shock. Quarters such as these were usually resplendent in majesty and maintained by the disposable labor that a ship wouldn't miss. Here, though, it was obvious that neither of those things had been true for decades.

Everything here was covered in a thin or thick coat of dust and decay. The once-glorious furniture was coming apart at the seams. Blank spots on the walls signaled places where portraits used to hang. If Octus hadn't seen Osiris with his own two eyes, he would have assumed that no one had lived here for years and that the quarters had already been looted for everything of value.

And yet, as Osiris led the rest of them to his destination, Octus' perception shifted once again. They entered a dark room that was lit only by dim, red lights. Parchments, scrolls, and tomes cluttered every available surface within the room. While messy, none of the dust or decay from outside continued into this lived-in and well-cared-for room.

A large circular table sat in the center of the dark room. Upon the table, a large sheet of parchment was laid out with love and care. Its edges were held down and kept from curling back up by ornate paperweights. One of the weights was a scale replica of the Immortal Spirit, carved painstakingly from stone. Another looked to be made of pure gold and symbolized the Navigators' key mutation — the Warp Eye. Each paperweight, though, was undoubtedly worth more than Octus had made during his whole career with the Guard.

Osiris moved to the head of the table, putting the table and chart between himself and the door. Ashe and Amelia took up positions opposite of each other on either side of the table at its 'cardinal directions'. That left Octus standing at what would have been 'south' if the table was a compass. Alastor, of course, took up position right beside the room's door, having to hunch to fit inside its confines.

"You may look but do not touch," Osiris sneered. "These charts are quite literally priceless. They are my family's millennia-long legacy and the last real reminder of my house's true place in the galaxy."

Ashe and Amelia nodded, both well aware of the importance Navigators and their houses placed upon charts and maps. A house's maps were its history. They were the charted stories of hundreds of Navigators over thousands of journies across the millennia. They were the heart and soul of a Navigator house. And though Osiris' house had fallen from grace, they still had their charts to act as their legacy and hope for the future.

Octus just snorted. Even he could tell that much. If the expensive paperweights and almost shrine-like quality of the room didn't tip him off, then the way the young Navigator scion seemed to hover over the parchment on the table would have.

Still, as much as Octus appreciated the room's atmosphere… he couldn't see shit, "Can we get a bit more light? Ya know, to actually read the map?"

Osiris turned his nose up at Octus, steadfastly ignoring the fact that he was the one who forgot that the others did not have the same advantages his mutation offered. He snapped his fingers once and the room's light level raised slightly. Octus nodded his thanks now that he could actually make out what was on the table.

The vox unit on the room's wall crackled to life and a beautiful matronly voice drifted out of it, "Osiris, dear? Do we have company?"

"Mother! Now is not a good time!" Osiris hissed, stiffening at his mother's voice.

"Oh, nonsense, Osi!~" The woman's voice came in tinkling giggles. "I am not so far gone that I cannot greet guests over vox. Is that Captain Amelia and Lady Ashe I spy with my Warp eye? Oh, it's so good to see you girls~ And who is that-… oh my… Osiris…"

Osiris winced as his mother's voice chilled and grew dangerous, "… Yes, Mother?"

"Did you deem our guests — including that wonderful golden man there and his charge — not worthy of my time?"

Osiris' true age of only 17 began to show in his drawn-out, guilty-sounding reply, "Noooooo…?"

His mother obviously wasn't having any of it, "Hmm, I see. Come to my chambers after our guests leave, Osiris. We need to have a… talk about you overstepping your bounds. It seems you need reminding of what is and isn't proper for a Navigator scion."

Osiris fell silent, fuming with nowhere to direct his anger. Ashe took the opportunity to greet the out-of-sight Navigator matron, "It is good to speak with you again, Lady Nuit. Do not be too harsh on your son. We are used to his… eccentricities…"

"You shouldn't have to get used to him, Lady Ashe," Nuit sighed. "He is the last scion to our noble House of Ra. He should be able to comport himself with manners and dignity."

"Be that as it may… he still allowed us access to your house's legacy so we may make an educated decision. While his attitude could have been better, he did do the right thing," Ashe surprised Osiris by actually defending him to his mother.

"I will take your suggestion of leniency into consideration, Inquisitor, but this is an internal house matter. Please do not interfere."

Ashe nodded, "Of course, Lady Nuit. Now that you are here, perhaps you can help us make an informed decision. Some events have changed the fate of this ship and its crew. You should be introduced to my new… partner."

"Partner? Have you finally settled down? Oh, congratulations, Lady Ashe! I don't mean to be crass but I've been slightly worried about your romance prospects. I can already ~see~ that this young man at your side will do wonderful things for your life~"

The barest hint of scarlet dusted Ashe's sculpted cheekbones, "A-Ahem, not that type of partner, I'm afraid. This is Octus Humblestock, a newly-minted Rogue Trader. I have given him free rein of the Immortal Spirit to complete his Emperor-given mission. And I shall be accompanying and advising him as well."

"Oh? What a shame… And I was so sure I caught a glimpse of the two of you in the throes of passion together when I first saw you…" Nuit said the last part in a mutter that was purposefully just loud enough to be intelligible over the vox.

Octus suddenly found himself choking on nothing. He coughed and sputtered and tried to regain his bearings. Amelia found her position leaning over the table was suddenly unsteady. She almost fell in shock before recovering. Ashe was the only one without a visible reaction (other than Alastor, of course). Even then, the Inquisitor was screaming on the inside because of the Navigator Matron's mischievous cheek.

"Right, well it's nice to meet ya, Lady Nuit, but that's not really why we're here," Octus said when he managed to stop coughing. Ashe sent him a grateful look that the absent Matron didn't seem to miss even without being in the room if her giggles said anything.

"Lord Octus is correct," Ashe said, stressing Octus' new title and making Nuit sober slightly. "We have come for the guidance and knowledge that your house's charts hold. Tell me, Lady Nuit, do you know of any lost Human Worlds beyond the reach of the Imperium?…"