For her first Black Library story, Danie Ware gives us Mercy – a Sisters of Battle short story in which Sister Superior Augusta leads her squad to a distant corner of Ultima Segmentum to investigate an ancient, ruined cathedral. Rumoured to contain an icon of her own Order, the cathedral is a powerful symbol that appeals to Augusta’s faith, but that faith is soon tested when it becomes clear that the Sisters are not alone. Orkish brutality meets fury and discipline as the Sisters fiercely defend the cathedral, while Augusta begins to wonder what the orks are actually doing there.
As depictions of the Adepta Sororitas go, this is a strong one. Augusta and her Sisters are a fearsome force and absolutely hold their own against the orks, tempering a powerful sense of aggression with military discipline and deep-rooted faith. Augusta herself is the centre of attention and she ably carries the action-packed story on her armoured shoulders, while her fanatical devotion lends things a darker tone than you might expect. It’s nice to see the Sisters cutting loose a bit, and while there’s not much subtlety here there’s enough depth for the characters, and the story overall, to still resonate.
Check out Mercy on Amazon; if you buy through this link you’ll be supporting Track of Words as well.