Tales from the Imperium: The Inquisitor and the Three Xenos

[Editor's Note: This is the first in what will hopefully be a long series of fables, classical stories, and legends (in both unabridged and summarized form) from the Warhammer 40,000 universe, collaboratively written by myself and Stormshrug. We hope you find them enjoyable, and encourage you to contribute yourself to the collection if you feel so inclined.]


Once, long long ago, an Inquisitor served the Emperor of Mankind faithfully and strongly. Although his name is now lost to the sands of history, he is remembered for his long, golden hair and his sterling record of service to the Imperium. He fought tirelessly against the xenos, the witch, and the heretic for many centuries, and slowly but surely the years began to weigh upon him. He found himself questioning his faith, being tempted by the radical, and in short suffering doubt, an inquisitorial sin.
Despite this, given his record, none suspected. So in his capacity he decided to begin discreet investigation into the forces he had combated for so long, in an effort to give new meaning to his life.

The first chance he received was after slaying the mighty  Grax Skullsmasher, and in the process of cleansing the world of the stain of ork capturing one of the subordinate leaders. He had him imprisoned, presumably for anatomical study, but in secret he interrogated the prisoner, hoping to understand the orkish motivation. Sadly between the screaming and the cursing lay only a thirst for combat. The Inquisitor declared the xenos' faith too lacking in intelligence, and shot him.

Many years later an uneasy truce was formed with an eldar splinter clan in order to eradicate a common foe, but in the finest traditions of the Imperium the Inquisitor turned at the moment of victory and had them all slaughtered in a brilliant ambush, save the Farseer. Imprisoned in a psionic nullification field, the Inquisitor set out to understand his erstwhile ally. Sadly, between the condescension and the doomsaying, the Inquisitor only found haughtiness. He declared the xenos' faith too full of self-rightousness, and shot him.

Finally, in the last years of his life, in perhaps the most desperate struggle he was ever to encounter, the Inquisitor lay panting after having contained a daemonhost at great cost. After recovering himself, he questioned Man's archenemy, the greatest of foes. The daemon expounded at length, and the Inquisitor sucked in every word. Somewhere between the lies and the half-truths the Inquisitor received true enlightenment, and sincerely thanked the warpspawn. However, appearances had to be maintained, and he banished the abomination back into the Warp. But now filled with purpose, the Inquisitor traveled to Terra.

Filled with his newfound conviction, the Inquisitor somehow managed to convince and connive himself to an audience before the Golden Throne, and prostrated himself. He confessed to his sins, and that he had realized that his discomfort stemmed from his less than complete faith in the Emperor. Singing his God's praises, the Inquisitor drew his ancient power sword and with a mighty swing stabbed it directly into his heart. He hoped his sacrifice would redeem him somewhat in front of the true and only hero of the Imperium. And even in death he did serve; an example to all to never doubt the righteousness of the Emperor Almighty.