Chapter 2 — The Terrified Bureaucrat

Level 1847 of Hive Oberryl looked like every mid-level administratum sector Kiri had ever seen: sterile corridors lined with data-slate stations, the grinding bureaucracy of the Imperium made manifest in plasteel and parchment. But everything was covered in a fine layer of crystal dust that caught the recessed lighting and made the air shimmer like heat distortion.

"Even the air is rich here," Seraya muttered, adjusting her rebreather.

They moved through the warren-like passages, following the directions the Seneschal had provided. Glume walked carefully, watching the crowds with the wariness of someone used to open fields and honest labor—this maze of corridors and pressed humanity made him visibly uncomfortable. Gen navigated the bureaucratic maze with the certainty of someone who understood how the Administratum organized itself.

Kiri counted doors. Noted exits. Old habits from Glascoynin-V, when she'd mapped her father's palace and learned which corridors led to escape routes.

They found Prefectus Hidemitsu's office squeezed between two larger departments, the door marked with his title in small, precise Gothic script.

"Glume, Gen—you two go in first," Kiri said quietly. "Use the forged credentials. Seraya and I will hang back and listen."

Gen nodded, pulling out the House Varindal documentation. Glume straightened his shoulders, trying to look less like someone who'd rather be anywhere but a hive city.

Kiri and Seraya moved to a position around the corner, close enough to hear through their vox-beads but out of sight.

Gen pressed the access chime with practiced confidence.

The door slid open.

Through the vox, Kiri heard Gen's intake of breath. Then Glume's low whistle.

"Data slates," Gen murmured, barely audible. "Thousands of them."

A voice came through—male, middle-aged, exhausted. "What can I do for you?"

"Prefectus Hidemitsu?" Gen's voice shifted into her bureaucratic mode. "We're here from House Varindal. There have been some concerns about recent shipments. Discrepancies in the crystal records."

A pause. Then the sound of parchment rustling.

"These credentials appear to be in order," Hidemitsu said. His voice was tight, controlled. "What discrepancies?"

Kiri listened as Gen probed carefully, asking about shipping manifests and quality control. Hidemitsu's responses were guarded, professional, giving nothing away.

Finally, exasperated, she changed tactics. "Look, we just need to know where the good crystals went. For the party tomorrow. You know how it is."

Another pause. Longer this time.

When Hidemitsu spoke again, his voice had changed. Gone tight with fear.

"I—I swear I haven't been complaining. I don't know exactly where everything is going or who has been supplying what, but you've come to the wrong administrator. I do not know how to help you and I don't want to know."

Kiri caught Seraya's eye. Not complicit. Terrified.

Through the vox, she heard Gen shift tactics. "Prefectus, we're just trying to understand the supply chain. If you could point us in the right direction—"

"The last auditor who pushed too hard was found three weeks later in the lower hives," Hidemitsu interrupted. "Flayed alive."

Seraya looked up and met her eyes. Kiri spoke into the vox bead. "Get out of there."

She heard a few more murmured words—something about the party again—and then footsteps. Gen and Glume emerged from the office, looking frustrated.

"He's terrified but not talking," Gen said quietly. "Thinks we're House Varindal testing him."

Kiri nodded. "Wait here. Three minutes, then Seraya and I go in."

They waited. Kiri counted the seconds, watching the corridor. No one approached. No alarms. Just the normal hum of administratum business happening around them.

At three minutes, she nodded to Seraya.

Seraya knocked on Hidemitsu's door.

The door slid open a crack. Hidemitsu's exhausted face appeared, eyes wary. "What now?”

Seraya pushed her way in. Kiri followed. Hidemitsu cowered. Kiri shut the door behind them.

“We’re here to talk about crystals,” Seraya said.

Somehow Hidemitsu seemed to shrink even more. “I told your colleagues I can't—"

Seraya cut him off with a wave of her hand. She pulled out a letter of authorization. The Inquisitorial mark gleamed in the dim light. "Prefectus Hidemitsu. We're not from House Varindal. We’re operating on behalf of the inquisition."

Hidemitsu stared at the credentials. His eyes went wide. “May I see that?” Seraya held out the letter closer, but did not let go of it. He brought up a scanner and scanned the mark.

“Genuine,” he whispered, before his entire body sagged like someone had cut his strings.

"Oh, thank the Emperor." The words came out as a gasp. "Thank the Emperor, the Inquisition. Finally. I thought I was going mad."

He started grabbing data slates from the towers around him, stacking them on his desk with manic energy.

"The numbers. They don't match. They never match anymore. House Varindal's crystal shipments don't align with production records. Discrepancies started eight, nine months ago. They've been escalating."

Kiri pulled one of the slates toward her, scanning the data. Production figures, shipping manifests, destination codes. Everything documented in the meticulous detail the Administratum was known for.

"Thousands of crystals missing," Hidemitsu continued, his words tumbling over each other now that the dam had broken. "Marked for various Imperial destinations, but the volumes are impossible. The shipping manifests reference the Iron Archipelago, Sector Tertius-Nine, but I've found encrypted references in seized smuggling documentation to something called 'Broker Velac.'"

"Who's that?" Seraya asked.

"I don't know." Hidemitsu shook his head. "The Iron Archipelago is a known pirate haven in the neighboring system. Beyond that..." He trailed off, then grabbed another slate. "Here. Recent shipments. They're marked with Imperial Munitorum seals, but they're not going anywhere near any Guard regiments."

Gen took the slate, her mind already cataloging the information. "How long until the next shipment?"

"Four days," Hidemitsu said. "Large transport. They happen every three weeks like clockwork."

Kiri studied the man. He was genuine—terrified, yes, but genuine. And he had evidence. Lots of it. Too much to leave here where House Varindal might discover it was compromised.

“Take me with you,” Hidmitsu said. When neither Kiri nor Seraya spoke, Hidemitsu starting grabbing slates frantically. "Please. I don't—I can't stay here. Those two nobles who came by earlier, I'm sure they're going to kill me. I'm sure of it."

Kiri met Seraya’s eyes. “I’m not about to speak on behalf of the Inquisitor and whether she wants another beaurocrat to…”

Seraya interrupted her. “You’re complicating things. He’s got evidence for our investigation. Let’s get him out of here.”

Chewing her lip, Kiri nodded. Seraya was right. “Okay, call it in.”

"Seneschal, this is Seraya. We have Prefectus Hidemitsu and significant documentation. Requesting immediate extraction."

The Seneschal's voice came through crisp and professional. "Acknowledged. I'll be there within the hour. Secure the witness."

Kiri turned to Hidemitsu. "Pack everything you think is relevant. We're getting you out of here."

For the first time since they'd entered, the Prefectus smiled. It was shaky, exhausted, but genuine. "Thank you."

The hour passed with agonizing slowness. Kiri and Seraya helped Hidemitsu organize the most critical data slates. The Prefectus worked with the frantic energy of a man who'd been waiting months for rescue. Gen and Glume stayed out of sight in the corridor, watching for problems. No need to reintroduce them to Hidemitsu and confuse the man.

When the Seneschal finally arrived with two armed guards, Kiri felt tension she hadn't realized she'd been carrying drain from her shoulders. The waiting was the worst part.

"Prefectus," the Seneschal said with a curt nod. "We'll see you safely to the Throne's Judgment. Everything you've documented will be analyzed."

Hidemitsu clutched an armful of slates like they were lifelines. "Whatever House Varindal is doing, they have protection. A lot of it. Please be careful."

"We will," Kiri said.

As they watched the Seneschal escort Hidemitsu away, Gen turned to Kiri. "The miners?"

Kiri nodded. "Let's find out what the people actually doing the work have to say."

Glume adjusted his power sword. "Finally. Somewhere that isn't an office."