Lilla blue eyes lit up like stars in the night sky when Abida repeated those precious words to her. Even now, though Lilla didn't know exactly what they meant, she could take a good guess she felt and the mystery of them only made them more precious to her. The one thing she was sure of was that she did mean it when she said those mystery words. She returned Abida's kiss warmly, pecking her in return and smiling gleefully as Abida nuzzled her cheek, Lilla was just listening though. She knew well enough when it was time to just listen.<br/><br/>She loved the stories that Nina was telling of Aziz El Andulous. She cradled Abida close as she recalled the story, supported her as she played with her fingers, peering through them. She imagined the visuals in her head of Aziz, his first venture into the Xenos craft, performing the autopsies, reverse engineering the technology, she imagined each scene in her mind in vivid detail, even more so, she imagined what Abida must be imagining of her hero. And when she heard what Abida wanted to do with her life, she beamed brightly.<br/><br/>Finally, when Abida mentioned the feeling that everyone in the Imperium was fearful of what the future held, she immediately agreed but explained,<br/><br/>"Ten thousand years ago, the Imperium was very different, Abida." Lilla looked up towards the ceiling and smiled, imagining, "It was filled with hope, honor, heros like you couldn't imagine, Abida. Religion, of any sort, was outlawed. Enlightenment and Knowledge was the way of all things. Primarch's walked the stars re-uniting humanity under one banner. The people were happy, life was good, and the future looked so bright. Humanity was advancing and becoming more whole unto itself." Then she lowered her eyes and let her fingertips brush through her hair,<br/><br/>"Then Horus' betrayal came. A Betrayal so deep, so cut to the bone that we nearly lost everything. Chaos... the forces you are aware of, nearly took over everything. Only the Heroism of the Emperor and a precious few kept all of us from falling over into the brink of oblivion." She paused in that moment and thought about her next words first, continuing to brush Abida's hair. "The Imperium reacted badly to that. Which I know that last statement is probably Heresy, but it's also the truth. The Imperium had a knee-jerk reaction, totally and utterly depending on religion, faith, ancient unknowable technology, lost traditions and oligopolies to hold everything together as the waves of Chaos keep crashing against us. It is neccessary... but it is a neccessary evil."<br/><br/>Lilla watched as her pale skinned hands traveled calmly through Abida' s long lustrous strands.<br/><br/>"There are those in the Imperium, devout Imperialists, who believe that the complete death of our God-Emperor would seem him reborn in some avatar form that would save us all from the encroaching powers of Chaos. There are those in the Ordo Malleus who believe that Ephrael Stern is the best hope for saving Mankind since the Primarchs walked the stars." She kisses the top of Abida's head lovingly,<br/><br/>"And there are those in the Adepta who will defend her love and believe that her Ha' Borak Abida will spear head progress for humanity and she will have a Guardian that won't let anyone try to stop her,<i>Heresy or no</i>."<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>