2: Holy Himbo

"Sister Sabine! Where have you been?!"

Sabine's response was a non-verbal grunt, "Hnng…"

Sister Josmica had accosted her the moment she stepped back into the barracks. Which was probably fair since Sabine had spent basically the whole day stalking-… observing Octus. She was only returning to her squad now and had most likely missed any briefings that had happened in her absence. And Sabine couldn't bring herself to regret it at all.

Following Octus as he went about his day had been amazing! Sabine hadn't felt this fulfilled and optimistic in years! Just watching him spread the Emperor's light through the little, unintentional things he did around the camp helped to fill in the hole in her heart. Octus obviously wasn't aware of it, but the Emperor's blessing followed him everywhere he went. That was the only way Sabine could describe his effect on others.

Octus was constantly the center of his own world. People lit up when he interacted with them. The weight of the world felt lighter wherever he went. Even after only observing him for an afternoon, Sabine could already see how the universe seemed to almost favor him.

Octus was constantly being put into situations where he could help. The young man obviously wasn't very bright. Even Sabine couldn't stay ignorant of that fact after following him for so long. But what he lacked in traditional intelligence, he made up for with unintentional social skills and physical strength.

The boy was as strong as an ox and as smooth as butter, though he didn't realize the latter. Of course, he was also as dense as tungsten and couldn't read a room to save his life. But Sabine found that those flaws only made him more endearing in her mind. Octus may not have been the best specimen of a Human being that Sabine had ever met or heard of, but he was damn close and special in his own way.

That was why Sabine was willing to put up with all the chastisement that Sister Josmica could throw at her. If Sister Josmica had met Octus as well, she would have been singing Sabine's praises for finding one of the Emperor's blessed children. Not that Sabine would allow Sister Josmica to discover Octus and steal him from her of course. She was allowed to be selfish just this once, right? Yes… It's what the Emperor would have wanted.

Sister Josmica continued talking even though Sabine's mind was elsewhere, "In consideration for your perfect record prior to this incident, I shall allow this error to slide with minimal punishment. You will be made into a liaison between our squadron and a regiment of the Guard for the upcoming battle. Think of this as a way to repent for today's transgression."

Sabine grumbled mentally but didn't protest at all. She gave her senior Sister a single sober nod. Sister Josmica was letting her off easy and someone had to keep an eye on the Guard regiments anyway.

"When are we deploying, Sister Josmica?" Sabine asked.

Sister Josmica sniffed haughtily but did not sneer, "That is something you would have known if you were here for the briefing. The assault will start within the hour. You should report to the Commissar immediately. You'll mostly be working with them until we clear this seditious Hive city."

"Yes, Senior Sister…"

Sabine was dismissed rather curtly after that. She didn't fault her superior though. Sister Josmica had things to do and Sisters to lead. And Sabine had been too… preoccupied to show up for the briefing. Sister Josmica nodded and went to find Sister Superior Geneva, leaving Sabine to her own devices. With glorious battle quickly approaching, plans must be made, rituals must be observed, and faith must be offered up to the God-Emperor.

The commandeered barracks were a mess of movement and preparation. The clang of metal on metal echoed through the large room alongside pious chatter. Both experienced and green, Sisters of Battle bustled about, readying their equipment, bodies, and minds for what was about to come.

Sabine knew she had her own duty to see to. Unfortunately, she would not be able to join her Sisters-in-arms directly in this battle, but she could support their cause in a different way. It took her less than five minutes to gather up everything she would need for the coming days. She slid into the rest of her power armor with practiced ease, checked her weapons, and made sure to grab as much ammunition as she could carry.

Her boltgun was quickly stripped and reassembled as she went through the rites of maintenance that had long since been drilled into her brain. Her bolt pistol got a similar treatment and she made sure to grab a plethora of grenades to strap to her belt. Her chainsword revved once before she deactivated it and slung it across her back.

She gripped the golden Aquila that hung around her neck. A prayer to the Emperor was muttered under her breath and Sabine kissed the slightly warm metal that rested on her palm. The Aquila seemed to pulse with a dim light as it settled into place between her breasts, resting on her chest plate over another Aquila Sabine had tattooed onto her skin.

Sabine double-checked everything. Finding nothing out of place, she squared her shoulders and walked out of the barracks. People raced to and fro throughout the camp, spending their last few minutes of peace doing everything they could to increase their chances of coming back in one piece. But no matter how busy they were, everyone made way for the stoic Sister of Battle in full war gear.

And so Sabine was not held up for a moment as she made a beeline for the Commissars' tents. Long strides brought her closer and closer to yet another battle for Humanity. Her mind settled into a familiar state of zen. This would not be her last battle. Sabine was sure of that. Recently renewed faith thrummed in her heart. The Emperor would deliver her back to her Sisters and she would see that oh-so-interesting child of his again.

What she didn't realize was that she would be seeing Octus — that oh-so-interesting child of Humanity — sooner rather than later. She strode through the entrance to the tent, boldly pushing aside the flaps, and was stopped dead in her tracks. Sabine froze as she found herself looking into those same bright, blue eyes from earlier. That vibrant, butterfly-inducing smile stretched beneath them. A needy whimper bubbled and died in Sabine's throat.

Strong hands steadied Sabine from her shoulder pauldrons as Octus spoke, "Whoa, easy there, Sister Sabine. Ya look mighty unsteady on your feet there. Might be heat stroke. Let's get you sittin' down. Ya can never be too careful."

Octus led her over to a chair and sat her down without taking notice of how stunned the Sister was. Eventually, Sabine managed to clear her throat and said, "Yes… Heat stroke… I must thank you for… looking out for me. Truly, you are one of the Emperor's finest, Octus Humblestock."

Octus' grin said it all as he lived up to his name, "That's awfully kind of ya, Sister, but I ain't nothing special."

Sabine raised an eyebrow at him but Octus didn't look like he would back down any time soon, "We will have to agree to disagree then. Tell me, what are you doing here? Is it pure coincidence that sees us together again so soon?"

Octus scratched the back of his head sheepishly, "I couldn't tell ya, Miss Sister-…"

"Sabine. Call me Sabine. I prefer to be addressed by my name," Sabine interrupted to correct him. A pleasurable shiver ran down her spine as she told him to refer to her so informally.

"Right, of course, Miss- uh, I mean, Sabine… As I was saying, I just work here under Commissar Lady. I wasn't expecting to see ya again at all… I sure am glad to have a woman like you fighting next to me though!" Octus finished with a bright smile directed at her.

Sabine coughed to mask how fast her heart was now beating from that smile, the compliment, and him saying her name without honorifics, "Likewise… I believe you to be a formidable warrior, a true conduit of the Emperor's will and spirit. And congratulations on gaining the attention of the Lady Commissar. That is no small feat by itself."

"Lady Commissar?" Octus asked, cocking his head to the side. "Oh, no, you misunderstand, Sister Sabine. The Commissar is surely a woman of great standing and beauty but her name is Katrina Lady. That's why we call her Commissar Lady."

Sabine's face set in a deadpan expression at the 'beauty' comment, "Commissar Katrina Lady? I see… Apologies for my assumption."

Octus flashed her his goofy smile, "No harm done, Sister. Now, I shouldn't keep ya any longer. I'm sure ya've got more important things to do than talk to little ol' me."

"Non-…" Sabine started to say before reluctantly stopping herself. "Ahem, yes, indeed. If you would be so kind as to point me in the direction of your Commissar, I will be out of your hair shortly, Octus Humblestock."

"That ain't necessary, Sister," Octus said, his smile stretching wider. "I'll walk ya over. I'm always happy to help."

"So I've seen…" Sabine muttered.

Octus was already walking in the Commissar's direction so he didn't hear her clearly, "What was that, Sister?"

Sabine cleared her throat, "Nothing. So, Octus Humblestock, how long have you been with the Guard?"

Octus hummed as Sabine caught up to him, "A couple of years now… Seems like it's been longer, ya know? These guys and gals are my family now."

"And what of your actual family?" Sabine pressed, eager to get to know everything about the man beside her.

"Ma and Pa are back on Paxak's Paradise. Lil' Sis is in the Schola. I'm so proud of her," Octus said, wiping a genuine tear of pride from his eye when he mentioned his sister. "I didn't wanna leave Ma and Pa alone on the farm but they said it was time for me to spread my wings and set sail. And I wanted to be someone my Sis could be proud to call her big bro…"

"So you went off and joined the Guard," Sabine nodded. "Tis an admirable path, Octus."

Octus nodded, "Best decision I ever made, I'll tell ya. I never felt so fulfilled back on the farm. Always felt like something was missing, ya know? Well, I found it here in the Guard. Nothing beats that feeling of fighting for the Emperor's Creed and helping my fellow man."

It was such a simple expression of faith and contentment but Sabine found herself captivated. When Octus spoke, the world seemed to stop and listen. His words rang with sincerity and belief and reminded Sabine of the hopes and convictions she'd nearly lost over the years. She swore she saw a Halo of His light flicker around Octus. A selfish part of her screamed to seize this man and never let him go.

"Yes… Quite…" Sabine muttered.

Octus kept his eyes straight ahead as they walked but Sabine couldn't help but stare at him. Her eyes traced his cheekbones and jaw. They ghosted over that perpetual goofy smile, marveling at the innocence it still held even after years of fighting His enemies. She felt something inside her heat up dramatically and averted her eyes with a slight cough.

"Well, you certainly have the correct mindset, Octus. I wish more Guardsmen would think the way you do. Too many take a cynical view of His service," Sabine said before admitting something softly at the end. "Even I find myself guilty of it…"

"We all serve in our own way," Octus shrugged. "I won't belittle anyone for something as personal as that. So long as we still serve, it's our actions that matter. I'll take-… what's the word?… Tannable! I'll take tannable results over pretty thoughts any day of the week."

"Tangible," Sabine corrected with a small smile. "But I must acknowledge your point. I'm sure the Emperor would agree with you as well. You are wiser than you seem, Octus Humblestock."

Octus blushed and scratched the back of his head sheepishly, "I don't know about all that, Sister Sabine. I just say what makes sense to me."

"Something I have no trouble believing. Everything I've learned about you tells me that you are a simple man, Octus Humblestock," Sabine nodded then hurried to clarify what might have been taken as an insult. "Do not misunderstand. That was wholly meant as praise, not some ill-concealed slight toward you."

Sabine sighed in relief when Octus smiled brightly, "I got it, Sabine. No offense taken."

The conversation died out after that. They continued walking through the surprisingly large tent in uncomfortable silence. Octus didn't seem to notice the awkwardness but Sabine was almost fidgeting as she tried to find something to say. The two of them reached their destination before she could.

Octus stopped in front of a holo table and snapped to attention with a salute. Sabine sighed internally and reluctantly turned her focus away from him. A Commissar and a Guardswoman stood behind the table. The hectic action inside the tent was centered around them. The Guardswoman, the same one Sabine had stopped to interrogate ('a mere interview!' Sabine frantically thought to herself) earlier, noticed their presence and cleared her throat.

The Commissar was completely focused on the projection above the holo table. Sabine took a moment to inspect her from a purely professional standpoint… Surely not as another rival for Octus' heart. Perish the thought! Why would Sabine even be after the pure, beautiful farmboy's heart? And if she was, she would be first in that race without a doubt!

Still, Sabine could certainly see where Octus was coming from with his earlier comment on the Commissar's appearance. She had to begrudgingly admit that the Commissar was a beautiful woman in her own right. With her sharp, battle-scarred features (Valhallan if Sabine's instincts were correct), piercing scarlet eye, dignified eye patch, and those curves she hid poorly underneath the Commissar's great coat, she could have easily been a Pict-recorder star.

The slight noise made the Commissar look up from the holo table and a smile quirked at her lips and crinkled her eye when she saw Octus, "Ah, Octus, back so soon? You didn't forget what I asked you to do again, did you?"

Octus blushed slightly at the teasing, "No, Commissar Lady. I, uh, ran into Sister Sabine here while leaving… Literally… I figured it would only be right if I escorted her to ya after that."

"So I can see," Commissar Lady said with a twinkle in her remaining good eye before turning to Sabine. "Well, Sister, it is an honor to have you here. Allow me to introduce myself and my entourage.

"I am Commissar Katrina Lady. Greetings. People usually call me 'Commissar Lady' or simply 'Lady'. For the record, I prefer Lady to Katrina. You seem to have met Octus already. The woman at my side is Corporal Lacey Braal."

"Your entourage consists of only two people?" Sabine asked with a raised eyebrow.

Lady shrugged, "No, there are others. I work closely with many in the regiment but have become rather fond of these two. They are the only ones I claim without hesitation."

"Claim?!" Sabine gasped, affronted by the gall of this… this vixen. "Surely you jest! I'm afraid I must object, madam! Octus' loyalty belongs to Humanity as a whole, not a single Commissar!"

"And mine?" Lacey asked sarcastically.

Sabine didn't pick up on the sarcasm, nodding earnestly and adding Lacey to her concerns as an afterthought, "Yes, You as well, Corporal Braal. Your hubris does not allow you to claim these loyal Guardsmen, Commissar Lady."

Lady stifled a chuckle, glancing at Lacey as if they shared an inside joke, "It does. I've been entrusted with the duty of maintaining the morale of this regiment. That requires the appropriate sacrifices. Neither Octus nor Lacey has objected to me conscripting them."

Sabine turned up her nose, "Well, I think Octus is better served by doing his duty to the Emperor as directly as possible."

"Of course you do," Lady said with a knowing smirk on her face. "Like maybe… by waiting on one of the Emperor's chosen hand and foot… A Sister of Battle, perhaps?"

"Precisely!" Sabine declared, ignorant of her bias and hypocrisy when it came to Octus and drooling slightly at the idea of having him to herself like that.

Lady continued to tease the Sister, "Or maybe a Commissar? As in, what he is already doing?"

"No!" Sabine almost shouted. "Oh… I, er… I see your point. My apologies, Commissar Lady, I stepped over the line. I do not know what came over me…"

"Apology accepted. I understand how certain people can drive us to do irrational things," Lady said, nodding.

Sabine started to make noises of protest but they quickly died in her throat as her mind went back over what she had been saying. She turned away, doing her best not to bury her head in her hands and cringe at herself. Octus looked back and forth between the Sister and the Commissar, utterly confused by Sabine's uncharacteristic behavior and the slight argument as a whole. Lady's teasing was pretty typical of her personality but he didn't understand what she was teasing Sabine about in this case.

He leaned down to whisper to Lacey, "What just happened?"

Octus didn't notice Lacey shiver as his breath brushed against her ear but Sabine and Lady did. Lady suppressed a longing sigh and Sabine tried to do the same with a sudden surge of unfamiliar jealousy. The Sister's face still contorted into a frown at how close the two Guardsmen were though.

"Just a little bit of inter-faction rivalry. Nothing for us to worry about," Lacey whispered back to Octus. "I believe Commissar Lady won this round though."

Octus frowned slightly, "Should… Should I be rooting for one of them?"

Lady, having overheard their whispers, let out a giggle, "No, Octus. This isn't anything for you to concern yourself with… yet~…"

"Yet?…" Octus mouthed to himself, furrowing his brow in confusion as his adorable himbo brain tried to put together Lady's hint.

Sabine cleared her throat in a hurry to distract Octus from catching onto something she hadn't even accepted herself yet, "Ahem, now that introductions are out of the way, I do believe there are other important things that need our attention…"

Lady sent Sabine one last knowing smirk before she turned her attention back to the holo table in front of her. The table displayed the Hive City and the Imperial forces that surrounded it. Sabine let out a sigh of relief as the Commissar focused up and started barking orders. She then almost whined when Octus was sent away for more last-second preparations for the assault. With a shake of her head, Sabine put her latest fixation out of her mind.

The Emperor's will must be done. It would not wait for her to figure out what was going on with her. It would not listen to her paper-thin excuses that it could not possibly be love. She was a Sororitas and she had a duty to perform. So with a heavy heart, Sabine channeled her energy into her duty and faith. And if she focused on preparing to stay alive more than usual, there was nothing wrong with that. After all, she had something… someone to live for now…