Chapter 8: Seeds of Doubt
The victories continued. World after world fell under the sway of the Imperium, brought to compliance by the might of the Iron Hands. Ferrus Manus, with his blend of Primarch power and Stark ingenuity, became a legend, a figure of awe and respect, but also of growing unease.
His methods, while effective, were often unorthodox. He prioritized efficiency over brute force, innovation over tradition. He sought to understand his enemies, to exploit their weaknesses, to find solutions that minimized bloodshed. This approach, while often successful, clashed with the more traditional, more ruthless tactics favored by some of his brother Primarchs and by elements within his own Legion.
Rogal Dorn, Primarch of the Imperial Fists, was one of his most vocal critics. Dorn, a staunch traditionalist, believed in unwavering obedience and the application of overwhelming force. He saw Ferrus's methods as inefficient, undisciplined, and even… soft.
"You coddle your enemies, brother," Dorn said during a strategy conference aboard the Imperator Somnium. "You seek to outsmart them, rather than simply crushing them beneath your heel. This is not the way to build an empire."
Ferrus, ever the pragmatist, simply shrugged. "I prefer to win without wasting lives," he replied. "And I find that a little ingenuity goes a long way."
Their ideological clashes were frequent and often heated. Dorn saw Ferrus as a maverick, a loose cannon who threatened the stability of the Great Crusade. Ferrus saw Dorn as a rigid, unimaginative brute, too focused on tradition to see the bigger picture.
But the seeds of doubt were not just sown by external criticism. They also grew from within. The memories of Tony Stark, the lingering echoes of his past life, often haunted Ferrus, forcing him to question his own actions.
He remembered the faces of the fallen, the innocent civilians caught in the crossfire of war, the sacrifices he had demanded of his Legionaries. He remembered the guilt he had felt on Earth, the responsibility he had shouldered for the weapons he had created, the lives he had indirectly taken. Those memories gnawed at him, reminding him that even in the service of a noble cause, the path to victory was often paved with tragedy.
He started to see parallels between the Iron Lords of Pertinax and himself. Were the Iron Hands truly any different? Were they simply replacing one form of tyranny with another, albeit a more benevolent one? Was the Great Crusade truly about liberation, or was it just about conquest?
These questions plagued him, keeping him awake at night, clouding his judgment during battles. He found himself becoming more withdrawn, more introspective, more prone to moments of melancholic silence.
His Iron Council noticed the change. Valeria, in particular, grew increasingly concerned.
"Lord Manus," she said one day, as they reviewed the latest campaign reports. "You seem… troubled. Is there something you wish to share?"
Ferrus hesitated, unsure of how to explain the turmoil within him. "It's nothing, Valeria," he said, dismissing her concerns. "Just the weight of command."
But Valeria wasn't fooled. She had seen the fire in his eyes dim, the spark of innovation fade. She knew that something was deeply wrong, and she feared that it might jeopardize the Iron Hands and the Great Crusade itself.
The next target was a world called Cygnus Prime, a heavily fortified planet ruled by a xenophobic cult known as the "Purifiers." The Purifiers believed that humanity was the only species worthy of existence and that all aliens must be exterminated. They had enslaved the human population of Cygnus Prime and were preparing to launch a genocidal crusade against nearby alien worlds.
The Emperor ordered Ferrus to bring Cygnus Prime into compliance and put an end to the Purifiers' reign of terror. It was a straightforward mission, a clear-cut case of good versus evil.
But as Ferrus prepared for war, the seeds of doubt continued to grow, poisoning his mind, clouding his judgment, and threatening to derail his mission. He was Ferrus Manus, Primarch of the Iron Hands, and he was beginning to question everything he thought he knew. And Tony Stark, deep within, was struggling to reconcile the man of iron with the realities of a galaxy at war.