I pushed past the guards and, with them at my heels, reached the greasy iron shutters of the cell.
'Open it!' I barked, and one of the guards fumbled with his ring of electronic keys. 'Quickly, man!'
The cell shutter whirred open and locked into its open setting. Konrad Molitor and his three hooded acolytes turned to face me, outraged at the interruption. Their surgically gloved hands were wet with pink froth.
Behind them, Girolamo Malahite lay whimpering on a horizontal metal cage strung on chains from the ceiling. He was naked, and almost every centimetre of skin had been peeled from his flesh.
'Fetch surgeons and physicians. And summon Lord Rorken. Now!' I told the cell guards. 'Would you care to explain what you are doing here?' I said to Molitor.
He would, I think, have preferred not to answer me, and his trio of retainers looked set to grapple with me and hurl me from the cell.
But the muzzle of my autopistol was pressed flat against Konrad Moli-tor's perspiring brow and none of them dared move.
'I am conducting an interview with the prisoner…' he began.
'Malahite is my prisoner/
'He is in the custody of the Inquisition, Brother Eisenhorn…'
'He is my prisoner, Molitor! Inquisitorial protocol permits me the right to question him first!'
Molitor tried to back away, but I kept the pressure of the gun firm against his cranium. There was no mistaking the fury in his eyes at this treatment, but he contained it, realising provocation was the last thing I needed.
'I, I was concerned for your health, brother/ he began, trying to mollify, 'the injuries you have suffered, your fatigue. Malahite had to be interrogated with all speed, and thought I would ease your burden by commencing the-'
'Commencing? You've all but killed him! I don't believe your excuse for a moment, Molitor. If you'd truly intended to help me, you would have asked permission. You wanted his secrets for yourself/
'A damn lie!' he spat.
I cocked the pistol with my thumb. In the confines of the iron cell, the click was loud and threatening. 'Indeed? Then share what you have learned so far/
He hesitated. 'He proved resilient. We have learned little from him/
Boots clattered down the cell bay outside and the guards returned with two green robed fleet surgeons and a quartet of medicae orderlies.
Throne of Terra!' one of the surgeons cried, seeing the rained man on the rack.
'Do what you can, doctor. Stabilise him.'
The physicians hurried to work, calling for tools, apparatus and cold dressings. Malahite whimpered again.
'Threatening an Imperial inquisitor with deadly force is a capital crime,' said one of the hooded acolytes, edging forward.
'Lord Rorken will be displeased,' said another.
'Put away your weapon and our master will co-operate/ the third added.
Tell your sycophants to be silent,' I told Molitor.
'Please, Inquisitor Eisenhorn.' The third acolyte spoke again, his soft voice issuing from the shadows of his cowl. This is an unfortunate mistake. We will make reparations. Put away your weapon.'
The voice was strangely confident, and in speaking for Molitor, displayed surprising authority. But no more than Aemos or Midas would have done for me should the situation have been reversed.
Take your assistants and get out, Molitor. We will continue this once I have spoken with Lord Rorken.'
The four of them left swiftly, and I holstered my weapon.
The chief physician came over to me, shaking his head. This man is dead, sir.'
At Lord Rorken's request, the warship's senior ecclesiarch provided a great chapel amidships for our use. I think the shipboard curia was impressed by the Lord Inquisitor's fury.
We had little time to repair the damage done by the incident, even though the medicae had placed Malahite's lamentable corpse in a stasis field.
Lord Rorken wanted to conduct the matter himself, but realised he was duty bound to offer me the opportunity first. To have denied me would have compounded Molitor's insult, even if Rorken was Lord Inquisitor.
I told Rorken I welcomed the task, adding that my working knowledge of the entire case made me the best candidate.
