What he does on vacation [story]

[Allanea]

++Yet Another Parallel Universe++

In all corners of the Emperor's Galaxy, Black Ships move back and forth, seeking out uncorrupted talent – psykers of both sex, young and untrained. These – when found – are collected upon the enormous craft and taken to Terra. There, they are mostly either soul-bound in a horrific ritual – or, much more commonly, sacrificed horribly. To those aboard the ships, this is the way of things – horrible, perhaps, but unavoidable and necessary. The only way in which the Imperium survives.

Martha was a passenger aboard one of these ships. She was sixteen years old, and came from a poor family. She was resigned to her fate already – merely praying to the Emperor of Mankind, as she was instructed.

It took her time to notice that the person on the bed next to her has been replaced – by a short, black-haired girl – or maybe woman – who did not seem to have a first name.

When Martha asked for her neighbor's name, she had already been sleeping in that bed for three days. She merely shrugged and answered: “Parkinson.â€

[Central Facehuggeria]

Hmmph. I don't particularly like the subject matter [you're taking food from the mouth of a hungry anatolian!], but it's still a good read.