| Jupiter |
Aboard the Bucephelus…
Located on the 23rd deck was a large banquet hall with big glass windows that showed holograms of space surrounding the Bucephelus, large mirrors that reflected the candlelight in hypnotic beauty, and vaulted ceilings depicting the history of mankind.
In the center of the room was a long table made of wood, decorated with gold engravings, and on this table were all kinds of delicacies from Terran and Saturnian cuisine.
Around the room, Valdor and many of the Hetaeron Guard stood watch, along with soldiers of the Saturnyne Ordo.
Seated at the table were the Emperor, Malcador, and high-ranking nobility, generals, leaders, and the Mechanicum Tech-Enclave from Saturn.
As they feasted, they observed on the various holograms and live pict-recorders the grand spectacle of the Emperor's first found son, Alpharius, performing his first campaign as Warmaster.
Back when the delegation from Saturn first arrived, all they could do was stare in wordless awe at the sheer size of the Bucephelus and the mighty figure of the Emperor of the Imperium. Now they were witnessing what the forces of the Imperium could do and how capable the sons of the Emperor were.
To their astonishment, Alpharius didn't resort to simply using the overwhelming manpower or firepower at his disposal. Instead, under his rather confusing and conflicting commands, forces from each legion and even regiments of the Imperial Army were combined into specialized teams and task forces.
Multiple Kill Teams composed of Space Marines from different legions were deployed deep into enemy lines.
Once there, some Kill Teams moved forward to execute the xenos high command and steal critical intel, while others moved to destroy vital defenses and locate any human presence. Some Kill Teams were even told to secure only an open area and were given three different sets of orders to enact depending on what occurred.
After Kill Teams located human presence, they sent this information over to the Retrieval Task Force, which consisted of up to 40 Space Marines and 100 soldiers. They worked together to lead enslaved humans toward a designated extraction site.
The xenos forces tried to give chase and rout the escaping slaves; however, this was where the confusing and conflicting orders for Kill Teams began to shine. Looking closely at the pict-recorders and holograms, the delegation realized that the Kill Teams were set up across the moon in a winding pattern almost like a snake.
When needed, they moved as one, creating new safe paths for the Retrieval Task Force, leading enslaved humans out, and they moved as one, curling around the xenos. They set up death traps for them or deceived them into believing an outpost of theirs had already been destroyed.
The eyes of the generals from Saturn were glowing as they looked at the way Alpharius led. This was truly the art of war, the pinnacle of it. Alpharius turned every battlefield into a canvas, a canvas that highlighted not only his own abilities but the abilities of every force of the Imperium.
His confusing and conflicting orders were actually an extremely unorthodox method of forcing cohesion among the forces under his command. Everyone had a different interpretation of what his orders meant, and due to every legion and Imperial Army regiment not wanting to mess up, and the fact that the enemy was near.
They lacked the ability to argue for long with each other about what each command meant and had no choice but to listen to whoever's interpretation seemed the most logical. Under this pressure and time limit, the delegation witnessed Space Marines and soldiers achieving a unity that no one would ever expect.
Space Marines and soldiers were listening to each other's callouts and advice on what to do next. This continued until their communication became wordless, as all they needed was a glance and hand signals to fully understand each other.
Within about 6 hours, under the flawless command of the Warmaster Alpharius, Jupiter was conquered with 144 Space Marine and 1,432 soldier casualties, mainly due to suicide attacks from the xenos. Now there was only one world left before the unification of the Sol System was complete.
Everyone present in the room looked toward the man seated at the head of the table…
They all waited expectantly for me to officialize the summit's end between the Imperium and the Saturnyne Ordo. I raised the goblet in my hand into the air and proclaimed:
"For over 5,000 years, the people of Jupiter were enslaved by a cruel xenos race, but now… Under the command of the Warmaster Alpharius, in the name of the Imperium, Jupiter is now free and back in the hands of its rightful rulers, its people.
I ask you all to rise. Today, we bear witness to a moment that will forever be remembered in the history of the Imperium. Today, the Imperium welcomes the Saturnyne Ordo into its ranks as not a vassal, but as worthy allies.
Today, the unification of the Sol System is complete. The cradle of humanity now once again belongs to us. Now, we must venture deeper into the galaxy. The Great Crusade will continue until our lost kin are brought into our fold and our enemies are felled by our righteous wrath.
I offer a toast to all of you who have joined me in carving out a path for our species in this galaxy. United in the name of Humanity, we will prevail against all who oppose us!"
A resounding "For Humanity!" was heard throughout the room as we all took a sip from our cups. Then, what followed was everyone continuing to eat and small pleasantries being exchanged.
Seeing this, I left all the remaining talks to Malcador and directly teleported myself aboard the heavy battleship of the Alpha Legion. I appeared just outside the command center, and instantly the doors were opened by Alpharius, who sensed my presence.
Ignoring the shock and hasty prostration of the Alpha Legionnaires present in the command center, I walked directly up to Alpharius. Just as Alpharius turned away from the command hub to face and greet me, I pulled him into a big hug and happily congratulated him.
"Well done, my son. Your ability to command was splendidly shown and has inspired many. Though it is a shame that there were no xenos below that required your personal intervention. It would've been nice to have your martial prowess displayed. But nevertheless, bring your forces and return with me to Terra for the parade to celebrate you and what has been achieved today."
Alpharius awkwardly returned the hug and replied, "Thank you, father, but I must pass on the parade. I was merely performing my duty, and there is still much more to do."
"Nonsense," I chided as I released the hug. "As Emperor, if I decide that there will be a parade, there will be one, and if I decide that you must be there, you will show up."
"So be it, father," Alpharius said with a reluctant sigh and turned back around to face the command hub and started issuing new orders.
I stared at him and huffed internally at his overly reluctant sigh. As his father, I knew he truly didn't care for the celebrations, but I knew it meant all the world to him when I went this far for him.
And to prove me right, with my perception I sensed that the edges of his mouth were imperceptibly curled in a smile.
Seeing how he tried hard to hide what he really felt, I chuckled lightly and teased him, "I must say, my son, I never expected you to be something of a dandere."
Alpharius blinked and looked up at me, confused, asking, "Dandere? Father, what does that mean?"
I let out another light chuckle and said, "Good luck finding out." Then, after hearing his exasperated sigh, I teleported back to the guest hall on my flagship.
Once back, I signaled to Malcador to wrap this up so we could return to Terra. Within moments, some final pleasantries were shared and the Saturnyne Ordo delegation was escorted back to their ship by my Custodians.
With them gone, it was now only me, Malcador, Valdor, and a few of my Hetaeron Guard remaining here. I was still in a good mood and decided to tease Malcador by saying, "I'm quite tired from all this administrative work."
Immediately, Malcador's head snapped toward me, his eyes full of wrath at my statement. For a while now, all of my own administrative work has been handled by him. This started ever since I became Neoth, and well, he deserved a short break.
"I jest, my friend," I said in a tone filled with light humor. "After we return to Terra, I will resume aiding you in administration, speeding up the handling of the Mechanicum, interpreting visions, and mapping out proper star charts."
Malcador gave me one more look of disdain and replied, "You better, or else I'll put in my two weeks' notice. I'd love to see how quickly the Imperium falls apart."
We both laughed out loud for a while and let a comfortable silence take hold. I enjoyed these brief moments with Malcador as we shared old jokes that only other Perpetuals would know. It was one of the only ways for either of us to relax, and in my memories, even the original Emperor would also occasionally share a joke like this with Malcador.
I can see why the original Emperor felt immense sorrow when Malcador chose to sacrifice himself and take the Emperor's place on the Golden Throne, so that the Emperor might go deal with Horus and put an end to the rebellion. It was a cruel fate that Malcador faced in just about every timeline, but that ends here in mine.
"Shall we, my friend?" I asked Malcador.
"Indeed, it is time to head back to Terra," Malcador replied as he got up from his seat.
Together, we exited the banquet hall. Outside was Valdor, who immediately got into step behind us as we made our way to the command center.
A short while later, we reached the command center, and looking over to the left, we saw Gildas, who had finished the painting he had been working on. For approximately a week, he had worked on it while also fulfilling his other duties as a Remembrancer.
It was quite hilarious seeing him walk back and forth from the command deck to his own room. Showing no reaction to anyone he passed, his focus was only on completing his set tasks. If it weren't for me subtly giving him power, he would have collapsed by now.
Gildas, who had finally completed his painting, looked around as if this were the first time he had ever seen the command center. His eyes wandered until they landed on me, Malcador, and Valdor. Then he immediately prostrated himself, saying, "I don't know what came over me, I never meant—"
I interrupted him and said, "No matter, what I am interested in is what you have made."
"Of course," Gildas said eagerly. "What I have made here was inspired by your desire to reach your son, Alpharius, before he left to complete his first campaign. I would like to call this piece: Shadows of Glory, Light of a Son."
Gildas rose up and removed the veil covering the canvas. I stared at it with approval gleaming in my eyes. In the center of the painting was me, with my body facing forward but turned toward the left, giving the feeling that I was walking away from something.
Which I was indeed doing. The left side of the canvas showed Custodians and Sisters of Silence at war, fighting gloriously. However, looking once again at myself, the side of my head that faced them had a somewhat dull expression.
While the side of my head that was turned to the right side of the canvas had a slight smile. As for what caused that smile, it was Alpharius in the distance pointing at xenos, giving him the feeling of giving orders to the Space Marines around him.
"I am impressed," I said with a slight smile on my face to Gildas. "I will have this displayed in the halls of the Inner Sanctum of the Imperial Palace."
Glancing over at Malcador and Valdor, I saw them appreciating the painting, looking closely at every detail on it.
Turning my attention back to the painting, I mused, 'This is something I have to let the rest of the family see once I bring us all together.'
Then I frowned, recalling that I had a meeting with Erda soon. In fact, it would be better if I got it done sooner rather than later. Once I return to Terra, I'll handle that before the parade and resume the Great Crusade.
Gildas noticed my frown and cautiously asked, "Is there something wrong with it, my liege? I will immediately fix the problem or pay with my life."
Snapping myself out of my thoughts, I replied, "No, I just recalled something a bit troubling that will cloud my mind for a while."
Without even thinking, Gildas answered back, "Perhaps some music will help, it is good for—"
I looked at Gildas with amusement as his face froze in absolute horror at the fact that he attempted to offer me advice like an close aide. I could instantly tell he was about to drown in fear, believing he was going to be rebuked and punished.
Using a flick of my power, I calmed him and lightheartedly said, "Music would indeed be great. Your suggestion is not a bad one at all."
Turning my head toward Malcador, I asked, "Play one of the good old classics, one that pairs well with travel and success. After all, we did just complete the Unification of the Sol System."
Malcador chuckled at my antics and replied, "Yes, my friend, I have quite the perfect song for the occasion."
With a smile, I took a seat at my command throne, with Malcador sitting at a makeshift table near me with paperwork on it, while Valdor put in the coordinates for our return to Terra.
Very soon, Malcador brought out his old radio and started playing the song, What Is Love, and got to work on the papers before him. I listened quietly to the song, recalling old memories, and just like that, in the blink of an eye, three days went by and we were back on Terra.
___
Erda POV
___
Back on Terra, at a house hidden in Guelb, Mauritania, Erda was staring at Magnus, utterly puzzled as to what he was up to.
Earlier, Leetu was urging her to run, as he was about to suicide charge the three Custodians he had seen heading toward the house. Just as Leetu was about to rush back out, Magnus stopped him and insisted on letting the Custodians in.
After a while of listening to his pleas, she relented only because she sensed no ill intent from Magnus nor the three Custodians. Erda made Leetu stand down and allowed the three Custodians to enter.
Watching closely, Erda noticed that all the Custodians seemed to have very conflicting emotions, not wanting to be here, but at the same time wanting to be present. It was odd to her, but she was torn away from her observations as the Custodians unloaded cargo boxes that they were carrying.
Magnus was standing next to them, jittering in excitement as he issued orders to the Custodians to start decorating the house. In five minutes, the walls were covered in well-made red silks, and the stone table now had an elaborately made tablecloth on it.
Magnus then ordered the Custodians to start using the food ingredients to cook. Never once in Erda's or Leetu's life had they ever expected to see Custodians working as chefs.
Erda could no longer hold back her curiosity and gently questioned, "Magnus, what exactly are you trying to do here?"
"Isn't it obvious, mother?" Magnus said with a straight face. "This is a dinner I have arranged for you to enjoy. Please come take a seat at the table."
Although confused, Erda still got up from the window chair she was sitting in and sat at the dinner table. Once seated, Erda couldn't help but wonder, 'Why does a dinner require Custodians to add such extravagant decor and cook themselves?'
"Magnus, I appreciate the—" Erda began to say, but was cut off by Magnus, who said, "One more minute, mother. I need to set the table before it's too late."
Deciding to just wait it out, Erda watched as Magnus then ordered the Custodians to quickly leave as he used his abilities to carry the food they had cooked over to the table. He set up one plate of food that, for some odd reason, had a sauce on it drawn in a shape of a heart.
At first, Erda thought it was Magnus expressing his love toward her, his way of trying to appreciate her as a parent. This made her feel a pain in her heart, recalling what she had done, and just as she was about to speak.
Magnus set down another plate, which was very odd to her considering that Magnus was in his psychic form and could not eat food. Erda looked at Magnus with a questioning look, asking why there was another plate.
Magnus simply winked and lit the candles on the table, then he went over to the cargo boxes and picked out a sealed container. He opened it, and inside was a flower shaped like a heart, which he took and put on the table next to the second plate across from Erda.
Erda kept glancing back and forth from Magnus' overly smug expression and the empty seat across from her, with food and a flower. Then suddenly, Magnus' expression changed into one of surprise as if he had just recalled something, and he quickly went back to the cargo boxes, grabbed candles, and lit them.
Now, Magnus' face sported a wide grin, and then he suddenly enhanced his voice with the Warp and shouted, "Father, everything's ready now."
Hearing that, Erda's once calm but slightly confused expression turned into one of utter horror, and for the first time in her life, she completely froze, not knowing what to do.
In the next instance, Erda felt a presence she hadn't felt in years. Neoth was here, and as she looked up at him, her eyes widened as she could now properly feel his presence, his soul, the wounds it bore, and the extremely powerful Warp signatures that she sensed from those wounds.
She didn't recognize any of those Warp signatures, but just sensing them made her feel nauseous at what the source of them was. All her shock and fear turned into concern. She looked away from his soul and toward his face.
But Neoth had turned around and was glaring at Magnus, not in rage or indifference, but in annoyance and exasperation. Neoth then slapped the back of Magnus's head and forcibly dispelled his psychic form.
After Magnus disappeared, Neoth turned toward Erda, and they both stared at each other in wordless communication built from the many years they had worked together. Together, at the same time, they both sighed at the nonsense of Magnus and the absurdity of the situation they found themselves in.
Neoth then shrunk himself to the height of a Space Marine and sat down at the table. Erda waited for Neoth to say something, but instead of starting the conversation, he started to eat the food that was made.
Erda watched in growing unease at how human Neoth seemed to be right now. It left her questioning, 'Just what made him no longer repress his humanity like he used to? Is this just another one of his schemes, or is it genuine?'
A silence continued for a while until Neoth paused from eating and asked, "Are you not going to eat what our son had made for us?"
'Our son?' Erda thought, still not quite believing what she was seeing and hearing.
"You're right, I shouldn't let it go to waste," Erda replied as she picked up her fork and started to eat.
Erda was still lost as to how this was going to go, while Neoth remained impassive, and soon the food was finished.
Neoth looked Erda in the eye and said something that made all of Erda's confusion and unease momentarily disappear.
"I am sorry for ostracizing you all those years ago when I made plans for our sons. I repressed my humanity far too much and failed to see the harm I caused."
Erda's mouth hung agape at his apology. This was nowhere near what she had expected, and then she hastily yelled, "No… I… the fault is mine."
Distress appeared in her tone as she continued, "I let the futures I saw and the doubts I heard guide my actions into trying to free them from you and the plans you had in store for them. Yet, all I did was become a tool for the Ruinous Powers, giving them clear access to the Primarchs and letting them have their way with the fates of the Primarchs."
Breathing a bit heavily, Erda's eyes watered slightly, and looking at Neoth, she earnestly said, "After what I did, instead of trying to make it right, I fled and isolated myself here, waiting for the day you would arrive in wrath."
Erda paused as she held back a sob, then continued in a trembling, almost pleading tone, "I… I deserve to suffer, to die, to die a true death."
"You will suffer," Neoth began to say. "However, it will not be decided by me. Our sons will be the ones to decide. Some already have and will suffer due to your actions."
Erda's body lurched, and she desperately said, "Wait… Shouldn't you be able to sense where they are and even offer some form of protection? If you tell me where they are, I promise I will retrieve them no matter the cost."
Neoth shook his head and replied, "For a while now, my connection to the Primarchs has been waning. I cannot see their futures, and now I am slowly becoming unable to sense their presence completely. I can faintly detect some of them in sectors of the galaxy that I can't reach without having to brute-force it.
"The rest are still being forcibly held in the Warp. They intend to let the Warp slowly taint our sons, making them more receptive to their influence. The Four are forcing me to play by the rules of the Great Game, forbidding me from interacting with our sons until they are about to achieve control of their homeworld."
Erda stood up in alarm and asked, "There must be some way around this. I… I cannot leave them to their fates like before."
Neoth made a gesture with his hand indicating for her to sit. Seeing this, Erda slowly sat down and stared at Neoth with eyes desperately begging for an answer.
"There is a way," Neoth said with complete certainty in his voice. "I am working on it, but I require your help in many things. Though I will not be able to share everything about my plans with you. As contradictory as this is, I'm sure you understand exactly why I cannot do so. But I can swear a promise to you, using my true name, that never again will I use you or our sons as tools."
There was a pause for a moment as Erda listened to those words. In the next moment, she vowed, "By my name, Edavol Raek'lar Darine Ariona, I swear to never again harm the Primarchs, and I vow to dedicate myself to finding them and bearing the weight of the harm I've caused them."
Neoth followed suit by vowing, "By my name, 𞺇𞺇𞺇𞺇𞺇𞺇𞺇𞺇𞺇𞺆, I swear to never use Erda or my sons as tools. I vow to uphold this to my last."
With Erda and Neoth having both made their vows to each other and the future, what followed next were simple talks about what had occurred in the past few years.
Soon, Magnus appeared once again, and after being told about the vows and that he was to decide what her first punishment should be, Magnus simply refused, saying that he did not suffer at all from her actions, though the same couldn't be said for the rest of his brothers. Especially Alpharius, who was on his way here after being notified by Magnus.
So while they waited for Alpharius to come, the three of them sat at the table and talked with each other like a real family.
-To Be Continued...
(A/N: Would you all believe me if I said that the main reason I created Gildas was simply to find reason to create a cameo inspired by (IG: emwattnot). He has great wh40k memes and after I saw his most recent one about the unification of the sol system. I instantly thought, yeah I need that in my fanfic.)