But what of the "Imperial Truths", now with things as they apparently are?

Prince Endymion

“The Tau? The Eldars? the Dark Eldars?” I hear Rei mutter softly to herself, in contemplation at what we all have seen and heard whilst in this grim and dark reality. “Well . . .personally, I don’t know… but I just cannot say I like ANY of them really.”

Oh yes, those charming fellows. The Elders are an "elf-like" race which had a galaxy spanning empire that had become very decadent before falling due to the birth of the newest Chaos God, Slaanesh. Untold millions and millions of Eldars died and had their very souls (according to Rei and those game books we gathered on the way here) got sucked into and "fed" the powers of Slaanesh itself. And that seemed (if the source books are correct) with every Eldar who dies and does not take precautions with some mystical and rare "soul stone" or some such until now.

Most Eldars go to great length to avoid being absorbed, understandably. And while the "regular" surviving Eldars aren't exactly the most trusty folk out there (more like looking out for themselves and their race and every other race go hang), the DARK Eldars go and try to go one further and extend their lives (and soul's existence after death) by FEEDING Slaanesh others to stave off their own assimilation. Doing it through VERY dark means.

No, neither Dark Eldar or regular Eldar would make good neighbors, even NOW with the change in fortunes. Cannot see them believing in "turning over a new leaf" just because of this. More like trying to step up efforts in regaining what they'd lost in their old empire all the more...

Tau? Well, nice sounding platitudes but she's been soured on the "greater good" message with what she'd gone through whilst the First Child with Gendo Akari. All of her sisters had, in the end. It hadn't been for the Greater Good with Gendo Akari or SEELE, trying to bring about the force evolution of humanity to a higher being. It had been for the more selfish reason of becoming a GOD, in the end. For different reasons for Gendo and SEELE, but still it had been for godhood. And nothing else, period.

Ah, and we're not too happy with the Imperium, even.

Point in fact REI isn’t really much of a fan of the Imperium even BEFORE with the Horus Heresy because of the Imperial Truths. Truth be told, she was rather put off by the idea of non-religion being forced upon the people at large by the force of arms. Secretly, it kind of “pissed her off” would be the more rightful (if albeit a bit colorful) phrase if I am correct in what I’ve overheard from various Otherworlders who’d come to the Silver Millennium.

. . .

And here I had thought that even with the “crash course” I had taken before going on this Quest to Sunnyvale I’d be better prepared. Learned all the esoteric “slang terms” and thought I would be set. I mean after all, time has a habit of repeating itself. The architecture of the Silver Millennium had come back into being in the “20th century”. The basic technology was similar enough (albeit a bit more primitive comparatively speaking) than what I was used to in my world. I mean things have a tendency to repeat. Just the way of things in my world!

Ah, but how foolish I turned out to be… Landed ourselves in a dark and dismal place indeed: Warhammer 40K! A place unlike any I’ve ever had even nightmares I have ever had before would approach THIS realm.

Rei had been MOST thorough in briefing us all in what to expect from the memories she’d garnered from her glimpse into the Warmaster‘s mind.

But back to what I had mentioned earlier. The little matter about religion and the Imperial Truths. Sigh, as bothersome as it may be for some out there to “hash out” (that IS the proper term Rei’s people used for situations like this, I believe). However, I believe that such is NECESSARY if one is to understand something about ME and my friends here.

Strange people the Otherworlders can be at times, but given everything I believe that they’ve got the right of it in THIS particular mess. I’d be less than honest if I had not been a bit “pissed off” myself when I learned of the truth about the “Imperial Truths” myself, as it were.

Not an overly religious man myself, I should have you know. However, just as forcing a faith upon unwilling masses through threat of violence is a horrible idea THIS business is not any less horrible, even IF it is the polar opposite (forcing basically a VERY secular view upon the masses).

If it had not been for the fact how belief creates (and be twisted) into horrible “Chaos” entities, I should dare say we would be totally against everything Horus and his Imperium stood for, almost. Or at least just against the Imperium and not trying to be as helpful as we had been thus far.

The enslavement and eventual extinction of the human race is NOT something to want at the hands of these Chaos Gods. AND that is . . .was why we all had kept our silence about the Imperial Truths. It made what would otherwise be called a fascist, irresponsible action by the Imperium . . .understandable. There weren’t much in the way of other choices, in the end

And boy did that cause a LOT of frustration to even have to admit that, if only to one’s self, for some of us here.

Remember, one of us here is a Shinto priestess, so deeply has she given herself to her new found religious belief. Cannot totally understand it, but can respect Setsuna’s choice. Not like it keeps her from my arms, as it were…

As for then, we’d given Horus and the Imperium a “free pass” in not condemning them for their actions then. Now? If the Emperor should again try to go down that path?

How ironic indeed such harsh measures might no longer be necessary any longer… Maybe. Not exactly sure just WHAT caused the Chaos Gods to apparently vanish from the sight of even the most powerful Psyker humanity has ever produced.

But if their absence is permanent? If they actually are destroyed and gone? What then for the Imperial Truth? That might need to be addressed here…carefully.

Here is the God Emperor of Mankind, and I shall wager he would not take critism too kindly if too harshly given. Hm, best just coach it as advice and leave it at that? Give him a few pointers about how to deal with cults who INSIST on trying to paint you with the paintbrush of godhood?

Not so much MY royal family and me, myself (though there are some small cults out there who insist). However, Setsuna's mother has this cult who keep on trying to make Queen Serentity as the actual Moon Goddess given flesh and blood...

With the magical powers gifted her and the Senshi? Some whisper about them being actual goddesses!

And when (not IF) the general public hear about what kind of things Setsuna had done, while having power more worthy of being called godlike when she dragged all the Champions to the Moon Kingdom, from another GALAXY?!

. . .

Well, we have experience in how to handle cultists (and not with violence, may I add).

I do hope that whatever he does, the Emperor does NOT just whilly nilly renounce his divinity and refuse his followers worship. THAT kind of played a large part why one of his loyal legions, the World Bearers (who'd been the first to worship him as a god) had been the first to turn against him and towards the Chaos powers. They'd done it because they'd wanted to . . .have something to believe in. A higher power. . .which unfortunately they looked for foolishly in the wrong place, in the end I'd dare say! That had happened in the gamebooks for "Warhammer 40K".

I know, I know! A work of fiction, yes. But works of fiction in one reality had the nasty tendency at being spot on accurate (to the point of being a Known Commodity) in other realms.

Something might need to be said, soon. Ten thousand years in agony on that Golden Throne might have proven to us all the Emperor's true intenitions for being with the good of humanity and all that for the Imperium, but it MIGHT make him . . .without scars. Might make him make mistakes, perhaps? Make him impatient to put things to right after being helpless to directly steer things?

He IS human, after all, God Emperor or no.

1. Yes, probably be the best thing for all of us . . .all considered. We are strangers here, and not exactly welcome ones, really.

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