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There are two main aspects of this story that I really enjoy. Ianthe’s realisation that she’s already been on dozens of missions with the Inquisition and had her mind wiped, and the revelation that the Hive Mistress is actually the target Covenant’s retinue is after as she’s fallen to Chaos, presumably Slaanesh.
So, this story was not my first introduction to Ianthe, but I had failed to make the connection until about halfway through the story, so the reveal was still fresh for me. I thought it was cool seeing Josef feeling sad as he interviews her, to ensure that she remembers nothing. The story takes on a very cyclical feel at the end when Ianthe ends up interviewing one of her sergeants for the same purpose. She asks the exact same questions that Josef asked her and for the most part, the Sergeant gives the exact same answers. It really goes to show what a meticulous process this is, and it is understandable that you’d be saddened, interviewing people you’ve fought alongside countless times, but who have no memory of you.
I wondered if that was part of the reason Covenant lets Ianthe keep her memories in the end. It’s not made clear in this story why he does it, but I think it’s mostly because she remembers and yet still handles it pretty well, while her squad mates are on their knees puking.
The Hive Mistress was another compelling part of this story. I’m sure some of you will have known straight away that she would end up being Ianthe’s target, but for me it was a great reveal. I think it also goes to show how not all who fall to Chaos do so with malicious intent. I think we’re so used to seeing the Chaos Space Marines and occasionally the Cultists and it was refreshing to see someone who had fallen without really knowing what she was doing.
In the beginning of the story, the Hive Mistress reminisces about inheriting the Hive Spire from her father and the reveal that she killed her father later on was so quick that I actually missed it the first two times that I listened to this story. Still, I think it really adds to her character. She couldn’t wait to inherit all that power and luxury, so she sped things along. Then it wasn’t all it had cracked up to be. There was responsibility marring the luxury, so an external force, a voice in her dreams, reached out to her and offered to lighten the load.
Her Major Domo, Salictris, was another interesting part. Because of the way he is voiced by John Banks, I assumed he was cybernetically enhanced, especially when he starts fighting and it’s described like a dance, calculated, precise and faster than the eye can follow.
It was only recently that I realised that he is actually, of course, a daemon, and it’s interesting how the Hive Mistress never looks directly at him before the fighting starts, only out of the corner of her eye. She doesn’t want to force herself to face the reality that’s all around her. The throne room from Ianthe’s eyes is grotesque but the Hive Mistress only sees the good things.
That’s another one of the things I love about this story. It’s very show-don’t-tell. It never explicitly tells you anything but introduced you to the information and lets you piece it together for yourself.
I’m a big fan of this audio drama and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.
The Emperor Protects