The path to exile part 1: A Perfect Storm
Prologue
Alistravia starred into the mirror, an hour was left before the counsel began and she had finally chose her dress for today's session. As she pulled up the white and gold dress she brushed her long black hair back so it fell down cascading like a waterfall of black oil, the lights of her quarters reflecting off it's surface.
Beauty was not a term often used in Estrellan society because science was at the heart of their civilization. No one cared about the looks of someone, only their intellect and research mattered and Estrellan's were careful about who they invited to live with them for that reason and their high level of genetic manipulation had made sure no one could be born with illness or be deformed.
The first time she had heard the word beauty it had been from her father. He had told her how beautiful she was and that should would be able to use that to sway worlds into compliance and she had. She remembered the worlds that offered no resistance. The people would look upon her as a vision of a perfect being and kneel before her pledging their allegiance to the her and the imperium.
Once Fulgrim had shown her a picture of what normal man considered the perfect woman, the picture was of a tall long legged woman with perfect curves and a perfectly sized pair of breasts. She wore a long dress that barley covered her figure, in fact one breast was almost completely revealed.
"Venus the old earth goddess of love" he had called her
In the picture she saw some resemblance, but she was no goddess and could not see the obsession with beauty that Fulgrim saw.
In the reflection of her mirror she could see the warrior of the maidens shield who stood in the corner of her quarters, never moving, always vigilant.
There was a knock at the door and Sankara walked in as she turned from the mirror.
"are you ready mother?"
"I hope so" she replied "I hope so"
Storm breakers
The beach was a complete mess of tank traps and trenches. Artillery from whirlwinds and other batteries rained down as the storm raged around the advancing sea devils who charged out of the ocean firing at what targets they could see.
Gerik Thou captain of the sixth dived into cover behind the wreckage of an enemy rhino. A few other marines joined him as bolter shells rained down on them from the outer walls of the fortress.
Captain rebus of the seventh slid into the cover next to him as mortar shells impacted close by.
"you would not think that we were once allies" he shouted over the vox
"like mother and Lord Russ said, it's best to not think about it"
And that is what had been said just hours before, it had been easy to secure the space around the planet of storms. Empty ships littered the sky's as the space wolves and sea devils fleets had arrived. There was some confusion at first as only the XI fleet stood between them and the planet, it wouldn't be till later that the truth would emerge. The eleventh had massacred their own civilian population and planetary defense forces in their attempt to push human evolution forward.
Billions were dead not just on their home-world but on many other worlds they had conquered for the emperor. It had been sheer luck a task force of sea devils led by Sankara had run across refuges perused by the eleventh. They had told the whole imperium of the horrors of what the storm lord had done and initially it had been decided he would be brought back to Terra to answer for his crimes but that had changed when mother had received a secret communique from the first lord.
"The island is a massive fortress with multiple choke points and thousands of defenders who were once your allies, but no more is that the truth" lord Russ had told them
The battle to capture the rest of the planet had proven that, while the storm lord had retreated to his island fortress his sons had, with a little will, defended every inch of ground. Without a civilian population to protect they had no qualms in using every weapon at their disposal but they were no match for the wolves who ferocity and rage had engulfed them. Supported by the sea devils and several battalions of imperial guard they were unstoppable. Until they reached the ocean.
"I thought all canines could swim?" Alistravia had teased Russ
"swimming a short distance is one thing Alis but crossing and entire ocean is your specialty not mine" he had growled in response
And so that is what they had done. Marching along the ocean floor until reaching the island. Aircraft had tried but the storm lords storm shield had prevented troops from landing so it came down to the sea devils to to establish a beach head but that was proving rather difficult.
Another barrage from a whirlwind brought Gerik out from his thoughts and he took a quick peak over the wrecked rhino. The artillery was firing from a pit behind a section of walls covered by platforms with figures of bronze and silver manning them. What was only a few hundred meters separated them but it looked like a thousand miles from where he looked. About half way there were some trenches that offered better cover than the ruined APC.
"we need to close that gap" Rebus said as more sea devils emerged and attempted to push forward
Gerik spotted the loping figure of a dreadnought and had an idea
"Kelsey we need you by this rhino" he voxed and the contemptor stomped over as small arms pinged off his armor
"what do you require brother" he said through his vox
"I want you to push this wreckage up to those trenches, we will cover you"
"Gerik that's insane" rebus said as Kelsey grabbed hold of the APC "I love it"
"Alright target any lass guns or rocket launchers, on three...one... two... three..."
Kelsey pushed on the wreck and it began to move forward, slowly at first but gaining speed. As other sea devils realized what was happening they took aim at the enemy space marines now targeting the dreadnought and without needing orders they sent hundreds of bolter rounds suppressing the opposing astartes. Gerik saw one stand up with a rocket launcher but one of the snipers further down the beach removed his head before he could take aim. As the trench neared space marines in bronze and silver started firing from the trench but several of the sea devils following Gerik spat grenades from their launchers into the trench and the sound of explosions silenced the return fire. As they reached the trench Gerik flipped the switch on his power sword and dived in coming up to meet an enemy astartes head on cutting his bolter from his hands and his head from his body before he could react.
More sea devils poured into the trench blasting and stabbing as the opposing astartes tried to defend but these were not imperial fists. Defense had always been the elevenths weakness and now despite their lighting assault strikes they could not handle being on the defensive side of a fight.
Gerik cut down more of the bronze and silver space marines trying to forget at one time they fought together, there were none here he recognized. Rumor had it that the storm lord had killed those of his sons who opposed his insane plans, another rumor said they had fled and joined another legion but it was unlikely the truth would ever really be known.
The trenches were long and winding and several sea devils fell to well placed ambushes or booby traps but the majority of their forces were now marching up the beach and deeper into the trench unopposed as light tanks equipped with quad cannons emerged from the ocean spitting fire from their quad repeater guns into the defensive walls. Gerik found Kelsey pounding on a door, he had almost smashed it through as he arrived.
"stand clear brother, I detect multiple enemy signatures on the other side" the dreadnought said as he pulled the door free and then threw it in sending the space marine with a multi melta into the wall before he could do any damage to Kelsey.
The intrusion program the auspex researchers had designed made it easy to track enemy astartes and know almost their exact location. There were ways to block it and it wasn't perfect but it prevented stupid losses at the hands of well placed enemy marines most of the time.
The part of the trench Kelsey had broke through to opened up into a sunken pit where they could see the three whirlwinds shooting from.
Kelsey charged out and smashed into the first whirlwinds flank tearing open it's armor with his power drill before using his claw to rip out the crew inside. Bolter fire shot out at him as the bronze and silver warriors tried to stop him but they were gunned down by warriors from the sixth and seventh as they attacked.
Ahead of him Gerik could see the entrance to this end of the fortress where several squads of enemy astartes were hunkered into trenches. Already taking pot shots at the sea devils with their massive shock cannons.
"The battle plan is this" Mother started as she looked over at Gerik "Kyros will take the first, second, third and two armor companies west and attack the main beach head on, Gregory and Tai will attack from the north and attempt to take the docks and hanger bays which will hopefully distract enough of the storm lords sons that they will leave the south beach lightly defended which is where you and Rebus will move in and attempt to take the storm shield offline"
"what about the wolves?" Kyros asked
"Myself and a several companies will land as soon as the shield is offline" Lord Russ said as she he examined the holo image
"and where will you be mother?" Gerik asked
"In order to complete the task I have been given by the first lord I will need to be somewhere away from the main battle and in order for me to be successful I need that shield gone"
"rebus let's clear out those trenches and then get inside" Gerik voxed
"affirmative" The young captain responded
Rebus was the youngest captain in the legion, in fact he maybe be the youngest of any legion, he had worked his way up to Sargent with his gun ho attitude and reasonable tactical thinking. When the original captain of the seventh had been killed in an ork ambush he had rallied the entire company and beaten back the green skinned brutes.
Kyros had questioned mothers decision to make him captain at first and although he still had that gun ho attitude he knew how to temper that into handling his company like a seasoned veteran.
"I will flank left and try to draw as much fire as I can while you get close with Kelsey and take them out"
Gerik nodded as the seventh organized and began a feint attack on the far left on the enemy trenches. The distraction worked long enough for Gerik to get into position and charge straight down the middle taking the opposing astartes by surprise as the sixth stormed into the trenches and cut the enemy down.
As more of the bronze and silver warriors fell it became clear that either the distraction by the other sea devils companies had worked or their heart was not in this fight.
"this is too easy brother" Gerik said as rebus approached
"I agree, it's like they have just given up. They used to fight with such valor... Gerik this is not what I pictured my first campaign to be... I hope we never have to fight our own again"
Gerik placed his hand on the young captains shoulder.
"me too brother"
The structure before them was a housing for the mechanical works that powered the storm shield and was sealed with a solid door thicker than the hull of a standard imperial star ship. Kelsey banged on it with his power drill to no avail as the giant door barley took a scratch.
"First captain we have reached the fortress entrance but are unable to gain access"
there was static for a minute before Kyros responded.
"I am a bit busy here Gerik, what do you expect me to do about it?"
Gerik could just about here the sound of mass bolter fire on over the vox.
"I need to borrow your artillery" Gerik said in response
"Do what you need" Kyros shouted back as a large explosion went off and then the vox ended
Gerik searched through the vox lines until he found the one he needed and opened a Vox line.
"This is Captain Gerik Thou of the sixth, I need particle strike at these coordinates"
"Understood captain" Came the response "Please hold while we move into strike position"
"Alright all units get back from the door" Gerik shouted
As the seventh and sixth began to fall back from the door Gerik knew underwater close to the beach three particle winds would be re-positioning themselves, they bore the same chassis as a whirlwind but mother had removed their vengeance launcher, added a new drive mechanism and placed a particle beam cannon on the back that could shoot an arching beam of high energy particles that was far more effective than the missiles standard whirlwinds used. As with all technology she had offered to share this with the Mechanicum but they had refused saying she had mutilated the machine spirits in the whirlwinds.
Gerik laughed at the idea of spirits living in machines, artificial inelegance lived within machines but not ghostly spirits.
"Captain we are ready to fire on your command" the tank group commander voxed
"We are clear, you may fire at will"
There was no response but then after a minute from the direction of the beach three golden beams shot into the air, first they seamed to go straight up but then they began to arch over and shoot down towards the door. In anticipation every space marine visor switched modes so their vision would be protected from the blinding flash that would come from the impact and it was blinding.
Unlike rockets or the heavy artillery used by the Iron warriors particle beams made little to no sound on impact and most of the noise came from the crumbling doors as the particle beams burnt them away like they were a flame and the doors were ice.
What seamed to last an age only took a few seconds and the particle beams stopped leaving a massive hole where the two doors to the structure once stood, the walls they had been attached to had also been
damaged but as a result of the particle beams those pieces that had been torn free had been disintegrated.
The sea devils wasted no time in moving through the disintegrated doorway, no enemy legionaries stood to oppose them as they entered the main chamber.
The large central room housed a large group of six spheres with lightning sparking around each one dancing from sphere to sphere then as it hit the central mechanism, a large cylinder projected a beam that shot up into the air creating the conditions for the large hurricane surrounding the island creating a shield of sorts.
"Secure the room" Gerik said as a tech-marine name Sylph made his way to the control unit connected to the mechanism.
"I am surprised mother isn't here to see this" rebus said as he walked around the central core
"This technology while impressive is a little beneath us captain" Sylph said as his servo arms began taking apart the control panels
"How Long?" Gerik asked the tech-marine
"A few minutes assuming they haven't booby trapped it"
The tech-marine was about to say something else as bolter fire cut him off.
From a door on the far side a flood of bronze and silver warriors stormed in, many were cut down by heavy bolters set up by devastators but more made it through the other entrances and a mixture of close and ranged combat broke out around the room.
"Kelsey protect Sylph, all other units engage"
Gerik charged ahead taking down several of the enemy astartes as he went, rebus was flanking a group that had tried to move in on the devastators as they let loose thousands of bolter rounds into the wave of bronze and silver warriors.
In the midst of the enemy Gerik spotted a captain wielding a thunder-sword and pushing his troops forward, he was rather tall and well built but looked out of place with the sword and it was clear it was not a weapon he was used to as Gerik charged through his company cutting down the storm lords sons, Rebus was right there was no fight in them.
It was almost like they knew how futile this was and could no longer be bothered to defend themselves. Perhaps they knew the mistakes their lord had made, perhaps they saw the evils they committed and threw themselves at the sea devils in one last sacrifice in an attempt to atone for their sins.
He reached the enemy captain who swung his sword high at Gerik who rolled under it and spun around. To his surprise the enemy captain parried Gerik's attempt at a quick kill and thrust back but Gerik had learned much from the Lucius of the Emperors children and dodged the blow easily before coming around and running his blade across the back of the enemy captain who yelped as Gerik's power sword bit into his flesh.
He spun round to attack back but Gerik had no time to waste with such a poorly trained opponent and drove his power sword through the bronze breast plate of the captain then yanking it free and then decapitating the legionary.
The rest of the battle didn't last long as the storm lords sons simply allowed themselves to be gunned or hacked down.
A few braver enemy astartes had tried to get at sylph but Kelsey had crushed them as they approached.
"I just don't get it Gerik, they defend their positions but there's no heart in their defense at all" Rebus said approaching the console where Gerik stood with Sylph.
"It makes you wonder how many of them truly believed in the storm lords plan"
"Gerik status" Kyros cut in
"We are at the storm shield now and are attempting to disable it, stand by"
Sylph was ripping out large circuits and throwing them away
"Ok I just need to send a power surge through the system and without these breakers" he indicated the mess on the floor "it should shut down the machine"
"do it" Gerik said
Sylph pulled a small machine from the back of his harness and attached it.
"here we go" he said pushing the controls of the device
A large buzzing emitted from the device before it sent a massive power surge through the system, the first sphere simply cracked and it's shroud of lighting became less prominent as the power surge increased in magnitude shattering the second and third spheres.
The cylinder creaked as the power surge ran through it blowing out connecting power cables and circuitry, the last three spheres cracked open revealing the mechanical devices inside to be burnt out like a nuclear fire had hit them head on.
"storm shield is now off line" Sylph said as he began gathering his other equipment
Gerik ran out side followed by rebus, the swirling winds and crackling thunder of the shield had begun to dissipate and the sun began to shine through the dark clouds as they dissolved.
"Lord Russ we have disabled the shield, you may approach when ready"
The storm Lord watched as the storm shield dissipated, his sons could of stopped the sea devils attack he knew that but he had seen that they gave into the warriors of the second easily with little resistance.
Behind him his equerry walked in flanked by several terminators.
"It is over father, we have lost"
"what did you say to them gene, did you tell them I was a monster or some great evil? You once believed in me and that is why when the culling began you were spared" The storm Lord said turning away from the massive window to face his sons
"I did and I was wrong, you were wrong. I should of listened to marabous and stopped you when I had the chance and there is still a chance so I told my brothers to atone for their sins and let their lives be that atonement. It is over and you must agree to surrender to the wolf king"
"I am disappointed in you my son, you had potential to be my successor but I see now you are a traitor just a marabous and the others were"
"No father it is you and I that are the traitors... to our own people, I do not know what happened to you that day your ship got lost in the maelstrom but it changed you" Tears formed in the equerry's eyes as he raised his plasma gun "I am asking you one last time father, surrender"
"I can not do that my son"
The storm lord was too fast for the terminators who barley had chance to shoot off a few rounds before their father was cutting them down. The equerry watched, slowly backing away as his father approached him after discarding the severed head of a terminator.
"Let me make it quick my son"
Gene let off a plasma burst but in his panic it went wide and hit a legion banner.
His father reached out to grab him and gene stared directly into his fathers eyes.
"STOP BROTHER!" a loud voice said drawing the storm lords attention "No more of your sons need die today, this rebellion is over"
Leaman Russ stood in the door way with his weapons drawn.
"so father sends a dog to bring me down does he, do you not feel a twinge of guilt for all the lives you have taken today"
"Do you for all those you took, you killed your loyal sons and the civilian populations of four worlds so do not lecture me on guilt when yours should be greater" Russ said stepping into the center of the room
"those sons could not understand the wisdom I gave to them and needed to be removed but now I see none of them truly understand my works" The storm lord said as he powered his shock staff while glancing over at Gene
"There is no need for us to fight brother, let go of your anger and hatred. father can help you see sense"
"How blind you are, father is the very cause of my anguish" the storm lord said as he charged into Leaman.
Intermission
"I am sorry Alis but I fail to see how this has anything to do with your request for exile" Lorgar said interrupting her
"Perhaps if you let me Finnish you would find out" She responded
"I do somewhat agree with Lorgar" Horus said "I do not yet see the relevance this battle has on your request"
"As I said if you allow me to continue that will hopefully become apparent"
"we have been in this chamber for hours Alistravia, perhaps a break is in order" Roboute interjected "While I am eager to hear the end of this story I must ask the arbiter for a recess so we may have time to gather our thoughts, plus not all of us here can go without nourishment for this long" He continued indicating the Lords of Terra
"I will grant recess if all is in agreement" the arbiter said from his position just below the emperor
Green lights came on as each primarch indicated agreement, even Alistravia agreed. It would give her time to rest up ready for the next half of her tale.
"We will reconvene in two hours" The arbiter stated before banging his hammer
Atlantis was the largest of the underwater cities on the ocean world of Estrella, it stretched from the golden reef fields that covered the northern pole all the way to the equatorial line over ten thousand miles away, it was a hub of activity and the streets were filled with people going about their daily lives. When Alistravia had been a young child recently adopted by the man and woman who found her pod she had marveled at the idea of being able to one day travel and see the other cities of the oceanic world but now the simplicity of that travel bored her somewhat.
Visitors who came to the world always came to this city first as it housed the star port and daily ships would come and go. Most were simply exchanging goods with the space station Alistravia had designed called the "Nantucket" which received goods from the other Estrellan colonies as well as some imperial resources that Estrella could not produce it's self.
Most elements and ore types could be artificially created on Estrella giving them an endless supply of the majority of resources but there was a few that could not be replicated in a lab and had to be mined and harvested the old fashioned way, all these elements were processed in the western part of the city away from the more heavily populated districts such as the central square that was the main area for commerce, Estrellan's did not use any form of money. They would simply ask for what they needed and it would be provided.
Alistravia sat at a table on a balcony of a cafe one the main concourse just north of the square, the owner had greeted her and taken her order. People had of course recognized her and bowed their head slightly but in Estrellan society people rarely acknowledged rank and so their had been no big fanfare on her coming to this little shop.
Two terminators stood away from the table as she drank, the owner approached as he moved around following the drone that was wiping down tables.
"Everything to your liking Arch-Invetress?"
"You never disappoint tel-kine"
The owner went to move away but the shadow of a giant fell across him.
"Your strongest drink" The Lion said as the barman slightly shaking nodded and moved off
"Funny, I was expecting Leaman" Alis said as he sat down opposite her
"Nothing is funny about this Alis, do you have an idea how angry some of us are about your request. Do you honestly think we will let you leave just because you think your better than us"
"I have never stated I am better than any of you" She responded as the barman placed a drink down in front of the Lion "But my technology is and how long do you think it will be before someone else feels threatened by that"
"The rebel Mechanicum are gone and no longer pose any threat, the current fabricator general has quelled all dissent"
"I am not talking about the Mechanicum... Do you really think father will allow me to advance so far beyond him he can not control me?"
The Lion's eyes narrowed.
"You will have to come up with a better lie than that if you wish to convince me to let you go" the lion finished by taking a large gulp of his drink
"Then maybe you should consider asking the watchers of Caliban for their opinion" Alistravia said after taking a sip of her own
"Your relationship with the watchers confuses me sister, they do not appear to just anyone. What did you do to gain their interest"
"As I said, ask them their opinion" she said as she stood "we should be heading back, the afternoon secession is about to begin"
Alistravia had already taken her place behind the podium as the last of the Lords entered. Her brothers had made their way back quickly and were already seated when she entered.
"This session is now resumed" the arbiters voiced said
"Before you continue Alis" Horus spoke "I would like to know how you plan to leave the imperium, this world has a population of forty two billion. While that is a lot less than most worlds it is still a lot to evacuate and move, it could take you many years"
"It will take no more than three days to evacuate all the colonies and bring their populations here, after that we will leave"
"How" Horus stated again "You can not move a planet"
"you are right brother a planet can not move but Estrella is not a planet... it is a star-ship"
There was shock at this revelation, gasps and murmurings filled the space where the Lords sat.
"Forgive me sister" The Khan said standing up "But this notion is laughable"
"You may laugh all you wish, when the descendants of my people left Terra when it was still known as earth it was in a small science vessel but as their knowledge and population grew they expanded that ship but with that expansion came the need for a greater power supply and they found it in the star-burst nebula... Dark matter"
Silence filled Alistravia's pause and she continued knowing she had their attention.
"But dark matter generates a lot of heat and while a star-ship can cool the small amount needed to power it with something as massive as what the Estrellan's had built they needed a way to cool it forever so they partly drained oceans from thousands of worlds including many of your own and used their knowledge to build a whole oceanic planet around their original ship which became the housing for the dark matter core. They had planed to use it to explore every inch of the galaxy and eventually beyond but then the cataclysm came, the engine was damaged as sub space was torn apart and those who knew how to fix it died from the radiation leaks. Overtime Estrella's auto repair system fixed the leaks and life began to thrive again but it wasn't till I arrived and found the planet core could the engine be repaired"
The room was silent and no one spoke for a few moments.
"Father did you know of this?" Sanguinius asked
"Alistravia told me of this many years ago when I first came here, it is one of the reasons we do not allow the Mechanicum to be present on this world"
"May I get back to my original story now?" she asked looking out at her brothers who each nodded "Now where was I... ah yes Leaman had just begun fighting our former brother"
The Neptune's eye
The impact of two primarchs colliding sent a force wave of air across the room knocking over display cases and sending papers attached to walls flying. The room shook as their combined strength seamed to test the walls of the very fabric of reality as the quick strikes of the storm lord hit Leaman's armor in quick succession tearing chunks out as the Wolf king parried and hit back with his sword and axe. The Storm Lord was much faster than Russ but the Wolf King was far stronger when it came to raw power and the early advantage of speed was soon lost to the storm lord who found himself defending far more than he needed too.
To Gene it was a sight he would never forget, two of the emperors sons fighting. He had seen them train together before and test their strength in little brotherly competitions but that's when it hit the equerry, those were sea devils out side not space wolves so if Lord Russ was here then where was the water maiden and sister to lord Russ and his father, Alistravia.
Russ was pounding hard on the Storm Lords chest armor with the hilt of his sword and it was clear the Wolf King did not want to kill his brother however the Storm Lord did not return the feeling as he smashed his shock staff hard into the weakest points he could find in the Wolf Kings chest plate.
Leaman forced the Storm Lord into the center of the room and they exchanged blows for several minutes before pulling apart.
"So father sent you here to kill me then?"
"No brother... not at first...but you have left us no choice"
"then why are you here" The storm Lord growled
"Because Alis needed me to be"
Gene didn't see it but his father with his greater enhanced vision did, a small flash in the distance just beyond the horizon followed by a small object traveling at incredible speeds. The Storm Lord dropped his staff and turned to face the large window that allowed light into the room, he walked as close as he could to the glass with his arms open.
"Clever girl"
The Storm Lords Last words had no relevance and would not be remembered as the shot penetrated the glass window and then drilled into his chest through his ornate metal Brest plate, inside it spun faster sending thousands of smaller bullets through his body.
Minutes previous
The elderly tree sat on the coast line that pointed out towards the Storm Lords isle. In the distance a storm could be seen brought on by the storm shield that protected the island.
Gigas stood beside a storm bird with a full company and the maidens shield as Alistravia climbed the old tree, the very symbol of her brothers legion.
She scaled it quickly and reached the top with little effort unhooking first the bag she had carried with her down to the planet and second the "Neptune's eye". A sniper rifle given to Alistravia by the emperor. It was a large rifle with strange ornate designs that did not seam to affect it's balance or aim in any way and it had become one of her favorite weapons to use often supporting her sons assaults with a deadly reach as it's range far exceeded any other rifle she had.
It's range was needed here, to make the shot she intended to take she had to be able to fire over a huge distance or be close to her target and Russ had refused that.
"You should stay away from the fighting, he is too fast for you and will not give you chance" Leaman had said when Alistravia had told him of the new orders
"I would rather look him in the yes when I kill him Leaman" she had responded
"This decision to take our brothers life concerns me Alis, he should be given a fair chance to explain himself"
"We both saw the atrocities he committed, reason is lost on him now. I do not not like this either but you know in your heart he can not be given a chance to spread this destruction"
Leaman had looked at her with sorrowful eyes.
"I may not agree with the decision but I do understand it"
The tree was the perfect vantage point and as she heard Gerik's voice confirm the storm shield had been disable she looked out through the scope of the rife. She could make out the storm shield fading and just beyond that as she zoomed further a large fortress. As a Grey storm bird descended she located her brother. He was talking with the son who had contacted them as they approached the planet.
She zoomed further in towards the window, the storm lord was stood slightly away and at the wrong angle to make the shot.
She watched as the storm lord killed a group of terminators before turning on his equerry then Leaman came in and a battle ensued. Both the storm lord and Russ moving away from the window as they fought.
"Bring him back to the window" Alistravia said under her breath as she pulled a custom bullet from her bag and loaded it into the rifle.
He did a moment later and then the two fighting brothers parted.
Alistravia waited till the storm lord had exchanged a few words and when he shifted ever so slightly she pulled the trigger, the shot leaving the rifle with the sound less recoil of a killing blow.
"You have new orders Alistravia" The first Lord said via his hologram
"What is it that you want me to do" Alistravia asked curious as to why the first lord had opened communication so close to their target
"It has been decided that the eleventh primarch must be executed for his actions" Malcador said bluntly
"I thought this whole task force was designated with bringing him in to answer for his crimes, not be an execution force?!" Alistravia said surprised at the new order
"Given his atrocities and his now clearly damaged mind an assessment has been made that any trial would simply allow him to spread his dissent"
Alistravia became annoyed at the last remark and paced around the hologram.
"None of us have spoken with him, all we have is hear say and rumor with no clear picture as to what as actually occurred so to decide his fate so callously feels wrong"
"the emperor has made his decision Alistravia and you and Leaman must comply"
"and if we don't?" she responded meeting the gaze of the hologram
The hologram of Malcador growled at her before pointing a finger.
"This decision has not been taken lightly, the emperor has been considering this since it began and has finally come to a decision. I can assure you it was not easy for him"
"You realize Leaman will not likely agree to this course of action"
Malcador nodded.
"We are more that aware that Lord Russ will have objections similar or greater than your own which is why I contacted you" The Hologram paused for a moment "the Storm Lord must be terminated"
"I will have to tell him, I can not just kill a brother without reason"
"The emperor will gladly speak to Leaman about this decision when it is done but not before"
The storm Lord had fallen to his knees, blood poured from his mouth and nose unable to clot with so many of his organs shredded by Alistravia's shot fragmenting inside his body. Leaman Russ approached him from the front and with what little strength he had left the Storm Lord razed his head.
"Brother I'm sorry but this was not my decision"
With a sweep of his sword Russ took the Storm Lords head and his body fell forward.
There was nothing but silence for almost an hour until Gene approached and stood over his dead father.
"I failed... I should of stood against him... but I was too much of a coward"
Leaman looked down of the legionary with understanding.
"We all failed... even the emperor failed in a way... perhaps lessons will be learned from this and we can grow as a race"
Gene looked up at the bloodied face of the Wolf King
"My Lord... please end my life"
Leaman was taken back by the request and walked over to him raising his sword but no death came for Gene as Russ threw his sword to the ground.
"No I will not"
"Why?"
"Because the only way for you to learn is to look up on the corpse of your father and understand this is the end for all traitors"
"I sided with him, helped him. My life his forfeit too" The Equerry pleaded
"but you saw right before the end, convinced your brothers to die with dignity instead of dyeing for a lost cause. I have killed my brother and a friend today... no more life will I take"
Leaman walked out towards the exit of the room as Alistravia came in with an escort of space wolves and sea devils. The Wolf King stopped in front of her.
"We should at least give him the dignity if a proper burial, under the tree"
Alistravia nodded and the Wolf King moved past taking the space wolves with him.
Gene was knelt by his father as she approached, he stood to bow but she waved him away.
"Only you remain?" she asked looking over the body
"I am the last Storm ranger, everyone else is gone"
"the first Lord is starting a new legion made of displaced warriors, those who no longer fit in their respective legions for one reason or another and he has requested any survivors to join this new legion on Titan"
gene stood and then ripped of his shoulder guard bearing his legions symbol
"I do not deserve to be part of any legion no matter it's members"
"None of those astartes do. Which is why they have found a reason for being with the first lord"
"I would prefer to die!" Gene shouted at Alistravia
"Then you will do it as all astartes do... in service to the emperor, as a part of Malcador's little project"
"and if I refuse, will you kill me?"
Alistravia took a deep breath and then moved so quickly Gene could barley react as she picked him up like a child's doll and threw him across the room. He rolled across the floor hearing ribs snap at each impact but his expectation of death was not achieved as Alistravia came over followed by her guard. She placed one foot on his chest plate and applied a little pressure.
"I will not take your life" Alistravia growled as the pressure she applied began cracking the breast plate "You will go back to titan and earn your death is that understood"
Gene could not vocally respond as the pressure from Alistravia's foot meant he could barley breathe but he nodded and she took her foot away allowing him to gasp and return the air to his lungs.
"An apothecary will see to your wounds and then you will be placed on a ship back to the Terran system"
Gene was helped up by Alistravia who then pointed towards an apothecary stood by the door.
"see that he is looked after"
"yes mother" the apothecary responded as he led gene out
The grave by the tree was covered with it's final layer of dirt and the drone flew back into the waiting storm bird as Leaman Russ and Alistravia Tempera looked upon the ground that now held the body of their brother.
"I wonder how history will remember this event" Leaman said as he looked upon the grave
"It won't, at least not how it should" Alistravia responded kicking a small stone "Father will likely have all trace of his existence removed or locked away"
"How are we supposed to learn from our mistakes if we simply erase them" Leaman spoke softly trying to keep a respectful volume
"I agree brother but unfortunately I don't run the imperium... I just work in it"
Leaman razed his eyes to look out over the ocean towards the island fortress.
"I still do not understand what drove him to such madness" he turned to Alistravia who's eyes were still on the grave "you must of studied that realm at some point Alis, surely you have some explanation?"
Alistravia turned to face her brother looking up at him as she did with them all. She had researched the layer of subspace she called the warp, she refused to travel through it because she knew what lived there. Xenos made of pure energy with power far beyond that of the mortal realm, she had seen them once when she first experimented with warp travel but after monsters had poured through the rift killing hundreds she sealed it and developed wormhole technology instead. She had told her father all this and he had insisted warp travel was safe but she wished to stick to her own technology and he respected that asking only she never tell her brothers the full truth of the warp. Many times in the past her brothers had asked her for knowledge on the warp, all of them except Magnus because he already knew.
"It is difficult as that realm is not reality as we know it, we are such a small corporeal species and are not capable of understanding such realms of chaos so it stands to reason that prolonged exposure could cause a human mind to become warped... I doubt even a primarch is immune to such forces but as long as you have Geller fields you will be safe"
"So this could happen again?"
Alistravia nodded at Leaman's remark
"we're only human brother"
Aftermath
The hall was silent as Alistravia looked around at the stone faces of her brothers, Russ was staring a hole right through her and simply shook his head.
"This proves nothing Alistravia. It only stands as a warning for those who lose their way"
"I agree Leaman" Lorgar said leaning forward on his stand "and as for your assessment that we are only human, surely you mean to say we have the same flaws as a human because look at us sister, look at father... we are beyond human"
"Lorgar if we talk about our enhancements then yes we are more than a standard human being but we are still part of the same race and can still fall to the same vice's and emotions... anger, revenge, hate and love are just as much a part of us as they are all members of the imperium. Only the Mechanicum would dare to say they are above such concepts... but for some even that would be a lie"
"I agree with you sister" Mortarion spoke after taking a wheezing breath "no one not even Fulgrim is perfect"
"The need to seek perfection is what drives me Mortarion, I am sorry if that disturbs you" The Phoenician shouted
"There is no perfection brother when we are so imperfect" Mortarion responded
"YOU MIGHT BE BUT THE REST OF US..." the knocking from the arbiter cut Fulgrim off
"Lord Fulgrim I ask you to keep your emotions in check"
Fulgrim straightened himself up and nodded.
"my apologies arbiter... it won't happen again"
Alistravia waited for the tension to clear for a moment.
"You asked me to start at the beginning but where truly do I start... I choose this point to be an example of how different we all are as siblings but it would seam that I choose poorly"
Horus's light lit up and he stood
"Perhaps Alistravia tomorrow you can enlighten us more but for now I think this session should be brought to a close if father and the arbiter agrees"
The emperor simply nodded and the arbiter took that as a cue to bang his cudgel.
"very well today's session is over, we will reconvene tomorrow"
Epilogue
Estrella – unexplored sea trench, final day of the Kappa war – 15 years before legion founding
It was black not dark. Every rock. Every piece of coral. Every fish, it was all black. The light beams from the twenty elite warriors of Estrella's recently reformed army provided barley enough illumination to see the walls of the deep trench. Sealed in their armor they could just about make out the lights of Alistravia`s command ship the "Stingray" blinking every so often. But the huge shadow it cast was not the cause of the pitch black trench. That came from the oil spewers the Kappa had enslaved. Giant starfish that spewed a black liquid that painted the walls with their oily defense measure when pain was applied to them. At the beginning of the war the Kappa had used only a few of these but as the war went against them and especially after the reformation of Estrella's armies they were used in mass numbers to slow down the Estrellan's pursuit and hide their bases. It hadn't worked. Alistravia early on in the war liberated many marine biologists and they helped her find a way to counter act the oil spewers. This solution unfortunately meant the deaths of these noble creatures but many of their young had been rescued and they remained free. Kept in a conservation hold while efforts were made to help them reproduce and revive there species.
LT colonel Kyros held his hand up and the march forward stopped.
"Mam there is something ahead of us but the oil has become toxic. We can not go any further"
"Understood" Alistravia`s voice came back "We have armed a torpedo, proceed in deploying the target beacon"
Kyros signaled to a corporal who moved forward carrying personal torpedo launcher but instead of one of the many torpedoes he carried on his back he pulled a small pad from his waist and slid it into the launcher. Kyros pointed straight ahead and the corporal lined up his shot and fired. The trail of bubbles from the propellant shot off carrying the pad deep into the black oil and a few moments passed before a the sound of the pad attaching to rock was heard.
"Beacon is ready and online" Kyros said seeing the beacons broadcast signal come through
There was no answer from Alistravia. Instead there was a boom and the sound of water parting at a rapid rate as the torpedo slid out of the launch tube from the Stingray and shot down towards the beacons location. It disappeared into the oil and then there was a flash as a new clear substance began to wash away the black oil. The toxin was taken from a small species of squid that had the ability to counter act the oil from the starfish. Before the Kappa arrived the two were part of the grand balance in Estrella's vast Eco system but the Kappa had no concern for nature and had upset that balance so much the science guilds had needed to shift all their resources to cleansing the ocean and resetting the natural balance and it was starting to work. Coral regrew and could be harvested again as well as the natural green color of the ocean had been restored and once again the Estrellan's could go outside and explore. As the black parted the trench was revealed.
Like always the black oil had killed off most of the life within the trench. Only those species of fish that naturally lived with and fed off the giant starfish had survived but now they died as the counter toxin spread over the trench. In these last few months with the Kappa almost eliminated many an argument had been had about the use of this weapon on the council because of the damage it posed to marine life but the science guild and Alistravia had shown them that this was the only way deal with the oil and terminate the last of the Kappa.
The two giant starfish pinned to side of the walls so they would constantly produce the oil died last as the oil finally dissipated.
The trench was wider than it had appeared with smooth sides and the floor looked almost man made like a ramp going down as if towards an entrance and as Kyros looked down the trench there was indeed a door. He marched the unit towards it slowly, it was not unknown for the Kappa to leave booby traps but nothing happened which was more suspicious. Like most doors on Estella it was an airlock but this one although having Estrellan markings was of a very different deign. The outer door was open and inside Kyros could make out the bodies of two dead Kappa, energy beam marks scored their many limbs.
"Are you seeing this Mam" He voxed
"Indeed I am, that is not Kappa technology. It looks almost Estrellan but far older and more advanced" There was silence for a moment before Alistravia continued "Secure the area beyond the airlock and prepare for my arrival"
"Mam I advise against that we don't know what the Kappa were doing here and..."
"Your advice is noted and appreciated as always Colonel but I have my personal guard and your brother. Plus twenty of Estrellan's most elite so I am certain I will be well protected"
Kyros did wonder why he had even tried to argue. Since the first day he had met Alistravia she had been one to take risks and while it was dangerous to have your leader so exposed to the enemy as she had been at times he could not doubt her presence inspired valor. Something about her voice made him feel powerful and strong. He felt safe like he had as a child when his mother would take him in her arms and sing him a song before she had been taken and tortured to death by the Kappa. Alistravia had given him his revenge and so much more. So he owed her his allegiance until the day he died.
There was room inside for all twenty of the elite shock troops he commanded and once they were all inside he moved to the console on the wall.
"Sir" A voice interrupted him
The trooper was a young medical support soldier called Nev who Kyros had hung out with as a youth along with his brother who was still in basic training.
"What is it private?"
"The wounds on the bodies of the Kappa bare an energy signature similar to our own energy rifles. In fact if it wasn't for the knowledge that no ones been on this part of the planet for over a thousand years I'd say it was our own who did this" Nev said as the last of the Kappa bodies was disintegrated
"Interesting, Vex are there any Estrellan life signs beyond the door"
The little floating auto-matron de-cloaked above the soldiers, it's little arms extending one with a heavy laser cannon the other with a scanning device.
"My apologies LT colonel but I am unable to scan beyond the door however the power signature running through these conduits is identical to our own"
A panel bellow the console had been ripped off and the Kappa had clearly hot wired the door to open it but the device they used was no longer working so Kyros called an engineer forward to re-link the original wires. As the engineer reconnected the wires a beacon started blaring and a voice echoed through the chamber as the outer doors closed and the ocean was drained.
"Intruder alert beginning termin..." The voice cut off and a scan beam passed over them "Human life signs detected, standing down lethal response"
The beacon stopped and the inner doors opened. Inside lights lit up the open space and Kyros was shocked at what he saw. A battle had taken place between the last of the Kappa and auto-matron constructs. The Kappa were all dead along with two of the constructs but two more, damaged but undergoing repair from small drones not unlike the ones used in Estrellan repair facilities stood in front of a large door. The constructs made no moves and stood silent as the drones worked on them. A grand door behind the constructs was untouched. One of the Kappa had clearly been trying to hot wire this door as they had the airlock but had been blown apart by the auto-matron constructs.
"Atmosphere is free of toxins" Vex said as he scanned the room
One by one the troopers removed the re breathers from their helms and unsealed their armor. Kyros completely removed his helm and looked upon the room with his own eyes. The tingling of his genetic modification kicked in as his eyes adjusted to the light. The door to the airlock shut and They could hear the sound of water filling up the space.
"Fan out and make sure the Kappa are all dead then secure the room. Don't touch the auto-matron"
The soldiers fanned out. Some checking the dead the others setting up heavy assault weapons. The door to the air lock opened and ten soldiers stepped out along with Alistravia who carried her assault rifle over her shoulder. She wore her bio mechanical armor that seamed invulnerable to all but the heaviest of weapons plus augmented her strength and speed even though she was already unusually fast and strong. Kyros nodded to the leader who nodded back before taking off his helm to reveal the face of his twin. The next to reveal his face was Sankara, Chief adviser to Alistravia. He had a rare power in Estrellan culture that gave him the ability to create fire and ice out of thin air and move objects with his mind. He had become a vital part of Alistravia`s Command not just for his rare power but for his ability as a warrior in battle and the wisdom his rare gift granted him.
"Is this all the kappa?" Alistravia asked as she strode towards Kyros
"I believe so mam. It looks like they tried to access this door but were killed in the process" Kyros responded as Alistravia looked over the auto-matron.
"So is that is it?" Gigas said watching the soldiers disintegrate the Kappa bodies "Have we won?"
"Don't get ahead of yourself" Sankara said looking around the room
"If these were the last of the Kappa as intelligence suggested then we have finally defeated them San, how can you not be pleased?" Gigas exclaimed
"Gigas I hope you are right and this is finally over but intelligence can be wrong" Sankara said in response
Alistravia was examining the console by the door and it sprung to life with a holographic interface.
"Amazing" she said reading the glyph symbols "This dialect of Estrellan I've only seen in the ancient science books in the guild. If I am right this should open the door"
She pressed a symbol and the sound of a lock disengaging echoed through the room.
"Kyros" She said and he nodded to a unit of his men who moved down the corridor checking for traps
"You have nothing to fear" A booming voice said and the door at the far end of the corridor opened up
"Kyros, Gigas and San come with me" Alistravia said
"It could be a trap" Gigas said
"You are descendants of my builders and you are welcome here" The voice said
The four of them walked down the corridor and into the new room where a circular platform hovered above a huge machine that appeared to be damaged. A large console was displaying holographic information and a holographic image of a featureless man appeared in front of it.
"Greetings descendants of my creators" it said as Alistravia walked over to it.
Kyros and Gigas both gripped their weapons in anticipation of a trap but the room was peaceful and their was no sign of the Kappa.
"Who are you?" Alistravia asked the image
"I am for lack of a better interpretation Estrella" The image responded "A more clear interpretation would be I am the ship and the ship is me"
"Ship, what ship?" Sankara asked
"Why the planet ship Estella of course, did your elders not explain it's mission to you?" The image said clearly puzzled by Sankara's question
"Most of our history and people were lost in the cataclysm. We have very little information about our ancestors" Sankara said in response
"Perhaps that was the same cataclysm that heavily damaged my engines" the image said pointing down at machinery underneath "I have been unable to communicate with the surface since and have had to wait for you to find me. Now I know why it has taken so long"
"So" Alistravia said "This planet can move"
"Yes. This ship was constructed with the aim of traveling the galaxy and discovering it's secrets" The image responded
"Can you scan yourself" Gigas said interrupting Alistravia who was about to say something "Forgive me Mam but I have an important reason for speaking up"
"Yes I can scan myself" The image said boastfully "Might I assume you wish me to check for any more life signs of the species you call the Kappa"
Gigas nodded and the image was silent for a minute
"I have completed my scan and apart from the one you call Alistravia there are no none Estrellan life signs aboard this vessel"
"I don't know where I came from" Alistravia responded "I landed here in some kind of pod but I am still human"
"Yes you are human however I detect significant gene modification with in your genetic structure" the image responded "Who ever created you must have been very powerful"
"It matters not. Estrella is my home now" Alistravia said sternly "So please tell me more about this planet ship and how I may repair it"
To be continued in part 2: Don't fear the reaper