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’Nestor here, Brother-Chaplain,’ the Apothecary answered
’Please come up to the apothecarion, I have a matter I wish to discuss with you,’ Boreas said
’Affirmative I will be there shortly,’ Nestor replied
Boreas walked over to the nearest operating table and looked at his reflection in its glea metal surface
Many times he had been in such a place, either as a patient or to provide spiritual support for those under­going surgery He had also spent tooover a dying battle-brother, while an Apothecary had reht be passed on to future warriors It was the most important function any Apothecary could perforene-seed was all but impossible to create - cer­tainly no Chapter Boreas knew of had ever achieved such a feat - and so future generations of Space Marines relied solely on the vital gene-seed storage organs that every Space Marine was ienoids, and in theory his death could help create two replace and brave efforts of the Apothecaries, too enoids were lost on the field of battle before they could be harvested to ever ensure the continued existence of a Chapter It was the task of the Chaplains to teach every Space Marine of the legacy he held within hilory of the Chapter A Space Marine was taught that although he may be asked to sac­rifice his life at anyso he betrayed those ould co: Only in death does duty end But for the Space Marines, even death did not bring an end to their duty to protect mankind and the Imperium the Emperor’s servants had created In death they lived on in newly created Space Marines Soht be interred in the hts, to live on for a thousand years as gigantic warriors encased in an unliving body of plasteel, adamandum and ceramite In such a way, over ten thou­sand years of the Imperium, there was a bond of brotherhood from the very first Space Marines to those who had only just been ordained as Scouts of the Tenth Coether every warrior of the Chapter Not merely for tradition’s sake were they called battle-brothers
Or so the litanies taught, but Boreas knew different He had learnt , the elite Inner Circle of the Dark Angels He had learnt yet el, Astelan, things which even now still troubled hi her­alded the arrival of Apothecary Nestor Of the five Space Marines currently under Boreas’s coest, and by quite soels for nearly three hundred years, but at over six hundred years old Nestor was one of the oldest members of the Chap­ter Boreas did not knohy the veteran had not risen higher, why he had never been ad Nestor was one of the finest Apothecaries on the field of battle, and Boreas owed his life to him when he had been wounded in the battle for the basilica Nestor had also been honoured for his heroic fighting during the first ork assault on Koth Ridge
In looks, the Apothecary was even rizzled than Boreas His thick, waxy skin was pitted and scarred across his face, and six service studs were hammered into his forehead, one for every century of service His eyes were dark and his head shaved bald, giving theappearance that was entirely at odds with the conscientious, caring man Boreas knew hih; in bat­tle Nestor was as fierce as any warrior Boreas had fought alongside
’How can I help you?’ the Apothecary asked, walking past Boreas and leaning back against the operating table
Boreas thought he caught a flicker of so in Nestor’s eye, a momentary flash of nervousness
’Hephaestus says ht have shifted in the wound, and he reco directly at the Apothecary
’Perhaps it becaht and indicating for Boreas to lie down on the table The Interrogator-Chaplain did so, staring up at the bright lamp directly above the examination slab Nestor disappeared for awith one of his instruently probed at the cauterised flesh on the right side of Boreas’s face Most of it was in fact artifi­cial flesh grafted on the metal plate that replaced much of Boreas’s te at his face as the Apothe­cary exahtened up
’There see serious,’ Nestor co you discom­fort?’
’Nohis legs off the table ’Do you think it could worsen?’
’Over time, yes it will Some of the capillaries have retracted, others have collapsed, and the flesh is dying off slowly It would require a new graft to heal colanced around the apothecarion for a’I do not have the facilities here to perform such a procedure, I am afraid I will provide you with a solution to bathe your face in each , which should hopefully slow the necrofication There is no need to worry about infection, your body is alreadyitself of any kind of dis­ease you ht pick up on Piscina’
’Hephaestus will be pleased,’ said Boreas ’He worries over his instrument in an auto-cleanser concealed within the wall of the apothecarion
’Yourhis heavy robe ’You have just confirmed that there is no cause for concern’
’With your eye, that is true,’ Nestor said over his shoul­der He rest the scalpels, mirrors, needles and other tools of his craft ’However, one cause for the loss of blood to your graft ht be stress on the rest of your body’
’You think I need a fuller exa down at himself ’I feel healthy’
’That is not what I ht shake of his head
’Then say what you mean,’ snapped Boreas, tired of this subtle innuendo ’What do you think is wrong?’
’Forgive me, Brother-Chaplain,’ Nestor bowed his head in acquiescence ’I wasan observation’
’Well, make your observation clearer, by the Lion!’ barked Boreas
’Out of all of us, it ar­risoned here, away froaze to meet Boreas’s
’What do you mean?’ asked Boreas
’When we are troubled, it is to you we turn to remind us of our sacred duties, to refresh the voe have all pledged,’ Nestor explained softly ’When we lament the inactivity of our post, e crave the couidance and wis­douide turn?’
’It is because of th of mind that I was chosen to become a Chaplain,’ Boreas pointed out ’It is our role to pass on that inner strength to others’
’Then forgive my error,’ Nestor said quickly ’One such as I, who on occasion has doubts, and whothe bloody path alk, cannot under­stand what mind you must have to walk that path alone’
’No more than I can understand the purposes of the machines in this chaene-seed, like you can,’ Boreas answered after a ht ’No s of this fake eye which Hep­haestus ives it a semblance of life’
’Yes, I suppose we each have our purpose here on this world,’ agreed Nestor, slapping Boreas on the arm ’Hep­haestus for the machines, myself for the body And you, Brother-Chaplain, for our mind and souls’
’And so, I ask you in return what troubles you have,’ Boreas said, seeing his opportunity to steer the conversa­tion onto a trackHe was certain that Nestor was not questioning his thoughts or his loyalty, but the s, thein his ears
’I am content,’ Nestor replied ’I have served the Emperor and the Lion for six centuries, and perhaps if I am fortunate I may serve him yet for two more But I have done my duty I have bathed in the white-hot fires of bat-tie and created new generations of Dark Angels The things I once strived to prove to myself and my brothers I have now done, and all that renity of our Chapter If fate and the Supreme Grand Master see fit for ue against it’
’You are surely too experienced to be given such a htly ’With such experience as you have, do you not think your ti those ill follow after you? Acting as nursemaid to a Chaplain with a broken eye is hardly worthy of your talents’
’Are you trying to provoke me, Brother-Chaplain?’ Nestor said harshly ’ follow the will of the Eain that I a sys­teury It is because of ht come after I am entrusted in more ways than you can knoith the Chapter’s future’
’I did not seek to belittle what you do here, ise,’ Boreas hastily replied, uncrossing his ar a step towards Nestor The Apothecary sy With a last glance, Boreas turned away and walked towards the door