Author notes:
Quite a short GSS chapter, I think, but I am still in the hospital with my mom so I couldn't write much. Thankfully, there's a free bed next to hers that I am lucky enough to use (Its prior owner was discharged). That does save me some back pain, but I am still mentally drained. Nonetheless, I will try to write whenever I am done taking care of my mom, gotta keep the words flowing, right?
Yeah, that, and making sure that we won't starve after handling all the hospital bills. Quite unfortunately, our income just keep falling flat in this trying time. Can't the world get a moment of peace of something? Why all the wars and raising prices? Let the people actually live, not just survive, damn it...
This is probably the last chance for the membership discount on Pat-reon, for this month, at least. If you are able, and willing, do help us out and enjoy the benefits for both GSS and RM fics, depending on what you're following right now.
Peace, and have a good day, whoever read this far.
There are advanced chapters on Patre-on for both of my fics, with a couple of special bonuses if you read the fine print :D
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Income goal 710/800 USD (The increase to 800 is now set to pay the hospital bills and sequelae)
For my fics:
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I leave alone.
Having finished my bonding session with Mama Elyzabeth and Tsavorae, I excuse myself first on the ground that I would like to take a bath. While my true purpose is to check my System's notifications, it doesn't hurt to take a shower and cleanse my body of two days' worth of dirt and grime. Mama said she would help reapply the sacred ointment on me so I don't need to worry about the medicinal salve being swept away alongside the dirtied bathwater. Truly, I have such a thoughtful Mama.
I follow behind a Servo-skull, tasked with guiding me to my very own private quarter aboard the Iron Revenant. Yes, my quarter, temporary as it may be. It's not only myself that is surprised by the sudden increase in housing privilege, but the rest of my Platoon as well. As low-ranking Imperial Guards, getting a private quarter assigned to each and every one of us is something quite unheard of. However, this treatment is apparently normal according to Belisarius Cawl. The Archmagos Dominus surprisingly doesn't take kindly to his ship being a proverbial floating slum, thus making an effort to have a proper housing area for not just the Iron Revenant's crew but also any of its guests. 3rd Platoon's assigned rest area is but one of many and is part of a greater internal block aboard the iron Revenant that is dedicated toward receiving temporary visitors.
Walking down the metallic hallway that is warmly lit by candles and incensed sticks, the latter of which is surprising to behold in this day and age, the Servo-skull soon stops in front of a metallic door. Turning around, the Servo-skull communicates tersely.
"Corporal Ein, this is your assigned quarter. Door combination is 1669. If a need arises, you may find me at the Overseer's post or request for aid via your given dataslate. Please enjoy your stay aboard the Iron Revenant. May the Omnissiah bless you."
Although I am dealing with a Servo-skull, I remain polite all the same. "And to you the same."
For a brief moment, I can see the floating contraption of skeletal fever dream seemingly tilt its floating body toward me as a show of acknowledgment, but I could be wrong. I then step to the side, letting the Servo-skull float past me. As the Servo-skull disappears behind a bend in the hallway, I shake my head.
"Well, this is my life now..." Sometimes, it's surprisingly easy to forget that I am living in the 40K universe, as improbable as it may sound.
Typing in the password for the door, I watch it smoothly slide open with a soft hiss. "Leave it to the Mechanicus to make everything smooth and well-maintained... To the best of their ability, of course."
Prayers can only screw so many bolts before they fail.
I step inside my assigned quarter for the period of 3rd Platoon's stay aboard the Ark Mechanicus. Perhaps a bit unsurprisingly, it's diminutive, but to someone who's been bunking together with others for most of my life, this is large enough. My quarter is like those capsule hotels, the high-end ones, back in my previous world. It has a small but comfortable bed that is fused into the metallic wall, underneath are a few drawers, and above are a couple of cabinets. Opposite the bed are a retractable desk and two chairs, an equipment locker, and a mini kitchen. In the corner of the room is a small standing bathroom for my hygiene needs. In other words, the room is furnished with only the basics. In fact, with how the rest of the hallway outside are rooms similar to this one for the rest of 3rd Platoon to stay in, this whole section is no different than a part of an actual capsule hotel.
I smile slightly, savoring a tinge of familiarity that swiftly fades as I am reminded of the weight of my belongings on my body. Turning around to close the door, I then take my time to put away my stuff. I don't have much other than the bare necessities and whatever trinkets signifying my bond with Mama. In fact, the biggest thing I am lifting around is my combat kit. I stash most of that away in the locker, but keeping a laspistol and my Yoroi Doshi around for personal defense purposes. For entertainment, I have a couple of books and the dataslate given to me by the Tech-priests of the Iron Revenant. Straightforward stuff, really, but I can't ask for more than the peace already given to me now, can I? While putting away my stuff, I also check what's already equipped in my quarter. I am surprised that it's stocked with canned goods and other personal essentials, sparing me the need for a trip to the logistic officer who should be around this block somewhere.
Picking up a can of supposed meat from an agricultural world, I appraise it. "Well, it's not great, not terrible. It's disheartening to know that this thing can last ten more generations after mine. Those Tech-priests sure procure things to last."
But I can't say no to free stuff, so I put the can of meat-of-some-kinds back to where it was before standing up and stretching. Feeling my body ache somewhat, I take a towel from one of the drawers and a set of spare uniforms I brought along for the trip. Putting the stuff on the bed, I then start undressing. After dumping my dirty clothes in a bucket for some handwashing, I take to the corner of my quarter with the towel. Time to hit the bath.
After getting inside the bathroom, I turn my body a bit to close the privacy screen on habit. It's when I turn around, however, that I am greeted with something that is not supposed to be on the Iron Revenant, at least not in this internal block.
"What the fuck..." Pardon my language, but my reaction would be perfectly understandable when I explain what I am seeing right now.
Instead of the standing bathroom with a retractable toilet and sink, I am straight up looking at an ornate and mega-sized bathhouse. The bathtub, which is in fact no different than a pool, even has a small fountain with steam and a pleasant aroma wafting in the air. I swiftly scan the area ahead of me before clenching the laspistol hidden beneath my towel and turning around, raising the weapon to the privacy screen I closed earlier... A privacy screen that doesn't even exist anymore as I am now greeted by a towering figure clad in golden armor. Still keeping my pistol trained on the golden figure's belly (?), I feel my eyebrows shoot up in disbelief. Slowly moving my eyes upward from the belly(?) I am aiming at, I come to see a sight I never thought I would ever lay my purple eyes on. Golden eyes that glow mesmerizingly, a crown made of resplendent materials that is married to a head of long straight ebony black hair that shines a metallic glint... I can go on and on about the person ahead of me and people won't even be tired to read or to hear about. But honestly? My vocabulary is so shot up by now that all I can say is this.
"Pardon my language but..." I breathe out in absolute incredulity. "What in the actual fuck, Milady?"
In response to my understandable confusion, I am greeted with a sonorous chuckle that causes every fiber of my being to nearly capitulate and kneel in reverence or whatever damn emotion that is making my body shiver-me-timber, and that's with Debuff Immunity, by the way. Whatever that was, it wasn't a threat, otherwise, my instinct and Debuff Immunity would have gone haywire in alarm. No, this is all-natural, unintentional, it's just a bodily reaction to someone who is clearly on another plane of existence, someone who deserves your voluntary submission and nothing else. Quite frankly, I don't even understand what the hell am I spouting right now as I think my brain bluescreened itself and is still stuck in a reboot loop. It's not until the figure raises an armored finger and gently lowers the muzzle of my laspistol that I even remember how to properly breathe and blink my eyes.
Leaving behind a series of clatters, I let my laspistol drop to the floor. With a sigh, I weakly say. "This... This is not how I figured my day would end."
Once more, the lady in golden armor chuckles, and once again I feel that rush of heat and shiver all over my body.
"If it's any consolation," Holy Terra, her voice is something else, something that one will shout the words Chef's kiss. "Even I didn't expect our first meeting to be like this, Corporal... Ein."
With her golden orbs appraising my form up and down much to the chagrin of my poor, fragile heart, she continues. "But I won't deny the opportunity for some eye candy after all the time I laid bound to that glorified golden toilet."
Yeah, ok, that joke basically wrote itself into saying who she truly is.
Then she continues to speak while laying a hand on my head. "Nonetheless, there are times and places for everything. Right now, we have much to discuss, Ein."
Accepting my fate and reality, I nod as I am given head pats as if such is the natural course of life. "I am yours to command, Milady."
What's with me being given head pats by others taller than me? This is so like the common tropes from the old stories I used to read! Am I in a drunkenly written fanfic somewhere or something?
"No need to be overly polite, my dear. It's just us in this bathhouse... But since you can't speak my name yet, you may call me Emperor directly."
"I understand, Emperor."
"Good." The Emperor nods, pleased... But she doesn't stop with the head pats. "It would seem Viola and Nicolae weren't wrong when they said you're quite obedient and adaptive... And perhaps even quite cuddly too."
I roll my eyes internally.
What the hell did those two feed the Emperor with!?
But at least that comment further cemented Her identity and the fact that:
Yes, the Emperor is one of us.