Supply Chain Issues

Assistant junior logistician Pilheshni, twice removed, gathered himself before knocking on Tishatal's door.

"Furious one, a moment of your time."

Tishatal gruffly beckoned Pilheshni while remaining in his seat, not even looking up. He was flanked by his manacled stress-slave, who seemed bored.

"What is it, Pilheshni? Spit it out, I'm busy with the IG-88 blessings."

"We.... we lack sufficient ritual power to perform the blessings, sir."

"What!?" Tishatal exploded, leaping to his feet and punching his stress-slave square in the jaw.

"Did Qīšum botch the Kurite consecration!?"

Pilheshni grimaced, before replying, "I, er, I don't think you ought blame Qīšum, sir, but it does concern her work on the Eriduki disruption."

Red faced and huffing, Tishatal rounded upon his only-just-recovered stress-slave, who winced. But full comprehension struck first, anger dissipating into confusion. Years ago Qīšum had infiltrated the Imperial hive-city of Eriduki and through thrice-accurséd scrap-code corrupted vital city infrastructure algorithms, yielding a 13% increase in accidents and a 26% increase in violent incidents. Through ritual she'd ensured all that blood and hatred generated power for the Office of Ceremonial Calculations, fuel for their blessings. It'd been very reliable!

"What happened, the Eridukites stopped driving?"

"In a manner of speaking," Pilheshni hesitently replied. "They're all dead. The hive-city's generatoria all went nuclear simultaneously. The city's gone."

"Is that why Qīšum isn't at work today!? That cowar-

"- Sir, I must insist you are more respectful about Qīšum."

The stress-slave just had time to shoot Pilheshni a withering glare before Tishatal kicked their shins.

Tishatal bellowed:

"YOU DARE INTERRUPT!?"

Pilheshni cringed:

"B..but... Qīšum ascended, sir, she's a daemon now! She fights at Khorne's side in battle everlasting!"

Tishatal blanched. Apotheosis! If he'd have insulted a holy vessel of Khorne even the stress-slave would have been permitted to kill him.

"Ah. I see. Good for her; I always said she's a fine logistician. Pray tell... why?"

"Her scrap-code caused the reactor explosions. She effectively offered up a hive's worth of souls all at once."

"But her scrap-code had nothing to do with reactors! It just disrupted traffic-light timing during peak commuter hours!"

"Two years ago Eriduki's chief nuclear-safety inspector's commute was delayed by a minor collision. Rather than submit late work, he lied about having completed his review, claiming all was up to spec. His failure ultimately led to the disaster. To accrue the benefits of road-rage, Qīšum's ritual should have ensured the Office reap'd all downstream consequences of the scrap-code..."

In a rage Tishatal interrupted, exclaiming:

"Wait, the explosion's blessings empowered her instead!? That bitch messed up the ritual! She -"

But he was cut off by the stress-slaves' manacles wrapping tight around his throat.

Scowling, Pilheshni watched Tishatal splutter out his last, then let out a weary sigh himself. He said to the stress-slave:

"I suppose you'll be wanting manumission on grounds of pious service?"

And, receiving a nod in reply, muttered bitterly:

"Bloody hell, that'll require a notary."

Pilheshni left to find the appropriate forms. What a day!