Morgainea, a world so alien from my homeworld, thought Varn. He was in the Imperial Precinct's records room and he looked through the window of perspex, admiring the way Merlyn, the crimson sun of Whychaven system, bathed the 3 mile high industrial mega-factories with a warm, red light while illuminating the millions of spires and towers which stood erect in Morgainea's horizon, high above the uncountable hives and structures of the Scavengers, the less affluent denizens of Rift-City. The Emperor be praised, whispered Varn, for granting me a view such as this. Varn was glad that the dense pollution which monopolized the skies of Rift-City had cleared for today. The morning sun had never looked so beautiful, it made him feel good to be alive. That, is a good sign thought Varn while chuckling to himself.
Usually, neuro-toxins and noxious, gaseous chemicals spewed from the mega-factories which drift into the air will evaporate and form clouds of poisonous death and a beautiful patchwork of bright, deadly colours. A clear Morgainean sky was a once-in-a-lifetime event. Then, Varn thought of the food riots, queue wars and gang fights he had heard about had been happening lately.
Even thinking of ill-equipped Scavengers roaming the streets disgusted him. The only law is the Imperium's law, that was the maxim of every Arbitrator, remembered Varn. Those incidents must've impelled the Governor to force Morgainea's ruling class, the Rulers, to temporarily stop mega-factory production until the planet's reign of confusion subsides. If the end result is a clear Morgainean sky, maybe Morgainea needs more riots, wars and fights joked Varn. Then, he sighed, muttering to himself that the work of the Adeptus Arbites is never appreciated until needed.
"Kramer! Come here quick!" yelled Migashi, the precinct's resident cyber-detective. Varn turned away slowly form the shield of translucent plastic and strode comfortably in his black and gold carapace armour towards Migashi. The cyber-detective was sitting on a seemingly cosy sponge-like armchair, in front of a huge console and crystal monitor. Migashi's semi-mettalic head was bursting with inserted cables and wires which were connected to the console. The crystal monitor blinked at Varn when Migashi moved his bionic arm over the console and touched a small red button. Huge amounts of information appeared all over the screen and started scrolling furiously down the screen after Migashi touched a glowing rune on his arm. To Varn, Migashi wasn't human, he was more like the mindless servitors used by Rulers as personal slaves, but he knew in his heart that Migashi's loyalty to the Emperor was not to be doubted. Nevertheless, Varn always tried his best not to get too personal with the cyber-detective..
The scrolling of data on the screen stopped. Records of damage done to crucial structures all over Morgainea popped up along with list upon list of evidence, suspects and never-ending incoming information from Arbitrator patrol groups. DNA strands and other biological evidence were found at the crime scenes.. The information was being analysed by Migashi's cyborg brain and cross-examined thrice by the detective to find a single possible match in the administratum's unlimited records. Varn wondered what went on in migashi's once-human head when the detective searched the Imperial computer matrix.. Finally, after some waiting, Migashi said, " Aah, I've got a match, a 'jigger' druglord and his lackeys were behind the crimes."
"Jigger?" thought Varn, " Forgive me for my ignorance detective Migashi but what's a 'jigger'?" to which Migashi replied, " 'Jigger' is the name given by the Scavengers and Rulers to one of the more powerful underhive gangs in Morgainea, the 'Jigsaws'." Migashi touched yet another rune, this time where his left fore-finger should've been. A planet surface map materialised on the screen. Pointing with a mettalic finger, Migashi said, " The Jigsaws originated in hive Mer, thousands of miles south of Rift-City, because of a genetic mutation centuries ago in the hive of Mer, the inhabitants of Mer are now known as 'Jigsaws'. They are 'bestowed' that name because of their multi-coloured skin which looks like a patchwork of colours, just like Morgainea's sky whenever the Governor decides to let the Rulers to push the mega-factories production rate to the very limits. Because of centuries of having to endure racial oppression, the Jiggers have started to exact their revenge on those who are racists and claim that they are 'champions' of racial minorities, ever since the Governor got elected decades ago and outlawed racial hatred. In the name of the Emperor, I've always sympatised with the Jiggers and really thought their cause was just but, this.. " Migashi stared at the amount of evidence pointing to the guilty. "..... this is not the way of the Emperor, it is terrorism, a crime against humanity. "
" Genetic mutations, racial oppression, terrorism, sounds familiar. Maybe I shouldn't have slept through the Arbites Advanced course, back at the Academia." thought Varn. These things were none-existant in Osiria X, my homeworld. Varn remembered the time he was raised in Gaza, Osiria's capital, when he was a mere child. He remembered the 7 lunar years of training he voluntarily undertook at the Academia Adeptus Arbites Osiria in Riker-Colony and how much he despised it at that time.. Only his devotion to the Emperor enabled him to survive his gruelling education. He remembered the day he graduated from the Academia and how proud he was to be a Noviciate Arbitrator form a famous Academia, supposedly the best Academia in the planet, the Osiris system and the Epsilon Segmentum. How proud I was... Finally, he remembered being posted to Omnibus Prime for his first assignment as part of an Enforcement Squad and also as part of a Riot Squad.. Varn thought, maybe my experience in two different areas caused me to be transferred to Morgainea?
"Officer Varn kramer, F - 24LV4, ATTENTION!!!!" Hearing his name, rank and serial number being announced, Varn woke up from his daydream and was about to ask who the zog dared to call an Arbitrator until he recognized the chilling voice of Judge Wilson. Varn gave a perfect salute while turning to face the imposing figure of authority. By instinct, Varn barked, " Reporting for duty, sir!! " Judge Wilson's normally stern face turned red and barked back at Varn, only louder. " DID I TELL YOU TO SPEAK, OFFICER KRAMER, F - 24LV4?!?!? " Varn hesitated, " Er, no sir, I just thought.." " I DIDN'T TRANSFER YOU HERE FOR YOU TO 'THINK' DO YOU UNDERSTAND!!! " The judge was literally shouting at Varn now. Detective Mijashi tried his best not to keep eye contact with Judge Wilson, the most hot-tempered and respected judge in the precinct.
Judge Wilson, in an attempt to cool down, brushed his SnowLeopard fur coat. After a period of silence, all the time Varn and Mijashi not moving a single musle, Judge Wilson said, " Look here Officer Kramer, I know you just got transferred here from Omnibus prime but now you are an Arbitrator of the Imperial Precinct of Morgainea, and I expect you to abide by OUR rules here, am I making myself clear? " " Loud and clear, sir! " responded Varn. He started to despise Judge Wilson's arrogance and pride but he had seen the judge in action and he knew Judge Wilson was one of the best judges in the Imperium. " Now, I've assigned you to the best squad in this precinct in order to track down and terminate the 'Jiggers' involved in the terrorism crimes. A lot of good officers really wanted that prestigious post but when they got word that I was giving it to a new transferee, they've really spoilt my mood. Now, fail me in your duty and I shall ensure that you end up cleaning zog in this hellhole as a custodian for the rest of your life! " claimed the judge. Varn asked, " Sir, may I know to which squad did you assign me to? " confidently, and with pride. The judge grandly said, " Ah, the same squad I was in when I was an officer, execution - squad, codenamed : The Black Squad 3. "... Varn's knees suddenly felt like jelly and his brain, wheatmeal but if it wasn't for his discipline and vigorous Arbites training and conditioning, he would have fainted right where he stood. Varn smiled. He knew about the Black Squad of morgainea, as do all ex-noviciate Abitrators. He had studied about the exploits of the legendary Morgainean black Squad in the Academia. When he found out that he was to be transferred form Omnibus Prime to Morgainea, he was overcome with joy because he finally had a chance to fulfill his dream, that was to have a chance to meet the infamous Black Squad, the best of Arbitrators but he did not expect to be part of them!!! To be a member of the legendary executioner Black Squad was to be the elite of the elite. Varn felt again the same pride he once felt when he graduated from the Academia, for this was to be the greatest day in his life. Again Varn asked, " What position will I be in sir? " And again the judge proudly said, " In my position when I was still in the squad, the special-weapons man! "
Suddenly, it struck him, he had always wanted to be a squad's special-weapons man and while studying the legend of the Morgainean Black Squad in the vast holo-libraries of the Academia, it occured to him that he had once analysed brilliant manoeuvers and military tactics of the current Black Squad special-weapons man, and his name was Urbak Wilson. Holy Emperor be praised! He didn't believe it, Urbak Wilson IS Judge Wilson and Varn was standing face-to-face with a living legend. Finally, seeing Varn's excitement, hidden deep under the cold, emotionless exterior of an Arbitrator, Judge Wilson said, " I expect you to report for duty later in a quarter of a rotation, your squad leader is Captain Scarab Mesostopolous, I suggest you get to know him and the other Black Squad members as well that is Brockwell, Ahmud and Thyrgo if you want to live long as a Black Squad Arbitrator."
By now, the plasteel floor and titanium ceiling of the precinct looked larger than life to Varn. While perfectly saluting the judge, he thought," In the name of the Holy Emperor, I'm not going to fail Him now... "