Kal
Staring down upon corpses seemed to be a regular occurence for Kyriaki. That didn't make any more pleasant. However, for a change, the bodies belonged to be three individuals she would not be the least bit upset about being dead. Good riddance. The room was long and rectangular with six tables. Shrouded corpses covered in linen rested upon three of them. All male, all of them senior KEC officers. All had served on Chios during the Extraordinary Peacekeeping Operation. All were highly decorated, and respected members of the community.
Captain Efstathios Georgakos. He looked like a poster displaying a muscular, dashing stormtrooper had come to life to slay xenos dragons, rescue fair, constantly fainting maidens and spread his genes. Judging by the photos, he had been handsome in life. His face no longer conveyed this since he had apparently taken a blaster shot to the head.
Cavalier Dimitris Nanoulis. Formerly of the Cerberus Legion, and former aide-de-camp to the commandant of Camp Freedom, then director general in one of the many enterprises that were part of the KEC's sprawling business empire on the island of Chios. He had done well for himself. Perhaps too well, judging by how morbidly obese he was.
Cavalier Dr Stamatis Melleas of the State Protection Police, former commander of SPTF-16 and responsible for carrying out special tasks. Neither a would-be Adonai nor a sybarite, he just looked...ordinary. She could imagine him as an accountant or perhaps a teacher. But then, as she had learned long ago, ordinary men could do horrible things. They were the stuff the Imperium was made of.
"These men all participated in the Extraordinary Peacekeeping Operation?" It was more a statement rather than a question. The answer was known. But she wanted their reaction.
"I knew them personally. Good men, good comrades. They all acquitted themselves bravely in the struggle against the xenos stranglehold," Paladin Vaggelis Ralliades said. He was dual-hatted as a senior KEC officer and a member of the burgomaster's administration. Finally, he was a Sith. "Thanks to them Chios is safe for women and children."
Yes, those poor, vulnerable women and children, Kyriaki thought derisively.
Where would they be without the hard men making the 'hard decisions'? Human women and children, of course. There were no others. Not anymore. They were gone. As if they had suddenly vanished into thin air. Gone up in smoke. Been whisked away, leaving a virgin land free for humans to claim so they could be fruitful and multiply. "It must've been an intense struggle. History books are so vague on details. They write about the grand battle against the savage hordes and the reconstruction, but not...what lay in between."
"Come visit our museum, and you'll understand the sacrifices these men made. You Adlerberg people could learn a few lessons from us. We don't have plague-carriers in our midst," Ralliades stated.
"Truly? Perhaps you can show me around later. But for now we have three gentlemen who, ah, died for the cause."
"I'm afraid you've travelled all this way for nothing, we know what killed these men. Doctor?" Ralliades gestured to a man dressed like a medical officer.
Pannikos Koskoulis cleared his throat. "I conducted the autosopy. My report is in writing. They were killed close-up through shots to the head, execution style. Jedi and Swamp Guard terrorists, no doubt."
"Their indentured assets have been rounded up. We have confessions," Ralliades interjected.
Kyriaki raised a delicate eyebrow. "Pardon my ignorance, but I thought the xenos population had been evacuated."
"It has," Ralliades spoke firmly. "All indentured assets are human criminals working off their debt to society. Work-shy, moral degenerates, habitual criminals, xenos lovers."
"Ah, I see. I assume those who confessed are no longer available to give testimony."
"We Chiosians believe in justice, my lady. Our people don't wait for pen-pushers to catch up when they see an injustice. It's why our humble island has the smallest police presence in the Imperium."
"It almost sounds like my work here is done, and I can pay Paradise Gardens a visit. I'll admit, I could use a vacation," Kyriaki said with a chuckle.
"I'd recommend it. A few days there are restorative. All your cares are washed away," the doctor agreed eagerly. "I must thank you, by the way, for saving
Jonas. He's a good friend."
I didn't want to, she thought. "I'm just glad I was on the spot to help him. He saved my life." Her green eyes darted towards the pathologist. "You're clearly an expert of your craft, but please humour me for a moment. Your report states that these men were executed at close range. Nanoulis was clearly no longer in...peak health, but Georgakos and Melleas were evidently fit. According to their files, Georgakos was a fencer, and Melleas received an award from the Chiosian Athletics Organisation. Neither of them seems the type to go down without a fight. Is that correct?"
The doctor tensed slightly, then smiled. "No, but one cannot account for the perfidy of the xenos, especially if they were aided by immoral degenerates. I imagine they were surprised."
"And judging from the burns, the shots were fired by blaster pistols? Each was found with his service pistol."
"Planted, no doubt."
"Where are you going with this, my lady?" Ralliades interjected sharply.
Kyriaki made a point of ignoring him. "So our working theory is: they were overpowered, the killer shot them with their own weapons and made it look like they had...taken their own lives? Honna, you fought the Swamp Guard before, is this a usual tactic for their assassins?"
Her words were directed to a tall, scarred Gamorrean standing in the corner. Heavy and squat, most of her body was muscle. She had short black hair, and brown, predatory eyes. "No, m'lord. They's savages,"
Honna said tersely. "They shoots people from afar or slits their throats and cuts off heads."
"In short, when the Swamp Guard kills someone, they want everyone to know it was them. That way they spread fear by fostering the impression no one is safe," Kyriaki remarked.
"Yes," the Gamorrean grunted.
"Xenos perfidy knows no limits. And these porcine creatures have no mind for the subtleties of a criminal investigation or a medical autopsy, my lord," the doctor retorted. "It thinks only of meat, liquor and violence." Honna remained silent, showing no reaction save for a tightening of her jaw.
"To understand the enemy, doctor, we must all means at our disposal. I believe that's what the guidelines on bandit-fighting say," Kyriaki said evenly. "The operation was very stressful. I've read reports about the...toll it took on some men. Our mutual friend Jonas confirmed some were...forever changed. Were there any signs that it weighed on them?"
"Are you implying they killed themselves?" the KEC officer demanded. "A KEC man is too honourable for that. We're a sworn brotherhood. If someone has a moment where he falters, we help him up. These were brave men, role models to squires across all of Chios. Not that someone who's never served would understand what it means to stand your ground in the trenches."
"I imply nothing and merely ask questions. Because if the impression is created that we are not getting to the bottom of this...disquiet will spread. For if the best of the community are not safe, who is? I guarantee it will lead to greater Imperial scrutiny. And I'll have you know that when I was a mere hostage, I sabotaged the defences the usurper was cravenly hiding behind. I did it without the benefits of the Academy's trials. That came after. Now I fight against corruption and ineptitude. You see, all the things holding our brave fighting troops back from completing their sacred mission. We all serve the Imperium in our own ways, so I ask you not to be too quick to judge," she never raised her voice, but there was an icy edge to it.
Koskoulis coughed, apparently sensing things might be going into a less pleasant direction. "I don't think anyone's casting aspersions on someone's service record. A simple misunderstanding."
"Yes...I meant no offence," Ralliades said very reluctantly, sounding like he'd rather have a tooth pulled. "Assuredly you serve the Imperium diligently."
"There is a slight possibility that your hypothesis could be correct," Koskoulis conceded, "but the men showed no signs of ill health or concern. We did find minor traces of abnormal substances in the bloodstream. I suspect poisoning or drugging. I'd have to examine further, but no doubt the terrorists used the toxic plants that abound in the forest."
"These cowards have no honour. Too craven to fight us like men, they stoop to foul trickery. The xenos are diabolical. That must be it, poison, suggestive drugs to compel good human men...."
Kyriaki's gazed shifted back the corpses. "I would like to see the site of their deaths. What was the forest called again?"
"The Bone Forest. Before we brought civilisation to Chios, it was a heathen temple where the xenos performed...unspeakable acts. Debauched rituals for their dark gods. When we cleansed this sinful place, we dug upon thousands of mutilated human corpses. They'd buried them alive to serve their demon gods. There's nothing there, lady. Only the ghosts of a dark time before we came bearing the torch of civilisation."
"All the more reason to birng light this dark corner..."
