The halls of the Battlecruiser Spear of Rangu, seemed to whisper with anticipatory awe, a feeling of expectation hung in every room as the three battle companies of the Palemaw Warshoal assembled in the sweeping cathedral that marked the traditional gathering place of the Warshoal. The holy chambers ceilings soared high into shadow where not even the enhanced eyesight of the astartes could see, the far wall held a high dais backed by gargantuan stained glass images of the Exiles and Way of the Predator. Bone fetishes hung from every available beam, scraps of parchment with oaths of moment attached to each. The stone floor was carved with the eight litanies of the Carcharodon, all surrounding the faceless obsidian figure of Rangu.
Upon the dais a small cadre of robed astartes stood facing the near three hundred brothers of the Palemaw, at their head was the Lord Palemaw himself, Captain of 4th Company, Lord Nikau. He was flanked by the Captain of 6th Company; Kai, and the command staff of the Shoal. Shoal Champion Mikaere, The venerable Banner Bearer Ari, Chaplain Atama, the Veteran Hehu. Before them on a raised pyre lay the body of Captain Hau, his face carefully laid to rest to appear as though he merely slept, his grievous wounds hidden by robes, and his progenoid glands long removed. Nikau stepped forward and spread his arms as his addressed the gathered force of the Carcharodon Astra.
" Kia Ora, brothers of the Carcharodons, brothers of the Palemaw Warshoal, long has been our crusade in this system, many brave brothers have we lost in our efforts, but at last we have achieved victory. The Bengal System is once more stable and compliant within the Imperium, now we lay our final fallen brother to rest, Captain Hau of the fifth Company fought to the end, taking many of the green xenos' lives as he and his warriors held the western flank." Nikau paused as the brother's raised their voices in celebratory chorus.
"Now the fifth are without a Captain, and I find my staff lacking in Hau's absence, so it is that we must select a successor here before Hau's body that his spirit may rest at the Void Father's side peaceful in the knowledge that his brothers are lead with all the skill and devotion that he himself did, Chaplain Atama!" Once more he spoke, with the air of a practiced orator.
"Who among the fifth Company stand as possible successors to Hau's position." The Lord Palemaw stepped to his left to allow the skull-masked Chaplain to join him at the head of the procession.
"Brothers, the Void Father knows his name and Captain Hau served for many years with distinction as the commander of fifth company, now we send him on the final journey back to our Father's embrace, we are blessed to have three brothers who stand as equal successors to this mantle, I would ask they step forward when I call them." The spiritual leader's voice was raspy and old and to those who heard it, it brought forth images of crinkling parchment, he had served the chapter since before the Shade Lord Tyberos had even been a scout of the tenth Company, yet none questioned his ability, for only a fool thought to challenge Atama when his blood was surging.
"Strike Leader Maui of second Shiver, often seconded by Hau to lead secondary troop movements and has served as Shoal champion on three separate occasions." A robed Brother walked towards the dais, his cowl thrown back from his pale head, his features were broad and sloped like those of most astartes, lending him a somewhat ape-like appearance, his jaw square and his eyes inky black. A shaved scalp and two service studs at his temple marked him as a veteran, and swirling black tattoos of exile markings covered half his face, the right side was bare pale white skin except for a thin line of stylised shark teeth below his right eye. Maui saluted the assembled leaders and turned to face the gathered companies.
"Next, Brother Manu, also of Second Shiver, he in turn has served as Maui's second on many deployments and as Company Champion, his skill with sword is second to none and he has earned the title of Strike Leader several times over, passing it over only so that he may stay as his brother's second, a most loyal and steadfast brother." A brother who could have been Maui's twin stepped forward, his head shaven and service studs matching, whereas Maui was shaved bald however, Manu's was shaven to a single central lock, threaded with wire and bone.
"And Brother Rongo, veteran of First Shiver and Company Champion of Fifth Company, who avenged Captain Hau's death on the Greenskin Warboss after taking up the company Standard when brother Tui fell, banner in hand he slew all who tried to tear it down." The Chaplains words were greeted with cheers, even from the two previous candidates as an Astartes that stood head and shoulders above his brothers stepped forward, his hair was short, cropped at the temples in a standard military cut, his black eyes wide and chest puffed out as he strutted forward proudly, his lips drawn back in a wide grin revealing his sharpened teeth.
As the three candidates stood facing the assemblage of the Warshoal each staring straight ahead, only Rongo showed any hint of emotion, a smile was reflected in his dark eyes, the large marine rolling his shoulders.
"Lord Palemaw, do you find any candidate to be unworthy of this post?" The Chaplain intoned the ritual words.
"No Chaplain Atama, all candidates stand as giants among their brothers, their deeds the equal of those who came before them." The Lord of the Warshoal nodded politely to his Brother, who in turn returned his gaze to the assembled throng.
"Brothers of the Palemaw Warshoal, do you approve these candidates?" His words were met with a fierce cheer, all the warriors were well liked amongst their peers and would receive no pushback should they be named Captain.
"Brothers Maui, Manu and Rongo, do any of you deem yourself unworthy?" no candidate moved, until Manu raised his arm.
"Chaplain Atama, I am honoured that my Brothers and yourself would consider me for this honoured position, but my place is not as a Captain, I belong amongst my brothers yet awhile." With a bow to the dais he returned to his place among the assembly. Lord Nikau stepped forward, "Brother Manu, the Company is honoured by your loyalty and humility, once we are done with ceremony today, I would ask you attend me in my quarters." Manu saluted the Palemaw and resumed his place.
"Maui and Rongo, it is time to let you both be tested to take Hau's place, Brother Makus of the Armoury, please see them armed for the test."
After the brief period of time it took for the candidates to strip to their loincloths and arm them with thin light plasteel combat shields and a short gladius each, the image of the Void Father on the stone floor split in two and parted to reveal The Pit, where all rites of challenge had been fought. The crowd of brothers stood and sat around all parts, each finding a vantage point from which to watch as captaincy challenges were rare. Maui and Rongo now stood at opposite sides of the Pit, Rongo feinted and struck and parried in the air against an imaginary opponent, flexing his muscles and demonstrating his skill, Maui knelt resting his forehead against his blade, eyes shut in silent prayer.
Chaplain Atama walked to the centre of the Pit, his voice being artificially magnified by the Vox operators, "Now that our champions are prepared, let them join here in ritual combat, this fight is a test of skill, not to the death, our brothers need you both." The Chaplain raised a hand to each brother.
"Rongo, are you ready?" He asked, receiving a nod of assent from the giant marine he turned to face Maui.
"Maui are you ready?" The smaller battle brother nodded and rose to his feet, letting his blade fall back behind his shoulder.
"Good luck brothers, and may Rangu guide you to your destiny." With that the Chaplain exited the pit, and the fight began.
Rongo wasted no time in launching his assault, his sword rose and fell in a straight arc as he charged across the intervening space towards Maui. The blow, intended to cleave from shoulder to hip met only air, as Maui stepped sideways into Rongo, lashing out with a fist into the soft underside of the oncoming giant's wrist, dropping lower he proceeded to drive his shoulder into Rongo's stomach pushing up as he connected, the startled Rongo was catapulted over maui's head to land dazed on the Pit's floor. Rongo was on his feet quickly, leaping with catlike grace into a ready stance, his liquid black eyes going flat with suppressed rage. Maui knew that the same maneuver wouldn't work twice and now Rongo was angry, but not angry enough, he thought.
Rongo approached slower this time, the headlong rush was gone, replaced by a weary crouched step. The Company Champion raised his shield and edged as close into range as he dared before firing off two quick diagonal cuts from shoulder to hip and back, but all they met was the solid resistance of maui's shield, the older marine was smaller, but he knew he was more skilled with the blade. Rongo was powerful, he'd been able to make a name for himself through sheer size and strength, something every astartes had but through some quirk of gene-seed had been given in extra portion to him. Maui had already been a Strike Leader when Rongo had become a battle brother, and even back then he'd known sooner or later Rongo would rise to a standing worthy of challenge.
Maui also knew that Rongo had observed every fight for the last seventy years that Maui had entered in this very Pit, Rongo was in every respect an ambush predator. What the big Astartes lacked in honed skill he made up for with the brutal instinct and rigid adherence to the Way of the Predator that made their chapter so deadly. For all his raw ability however, Maui had him cold, and the Strike Leader knew it. With every blow Rongo threw the gladius in Maui's hand slashed out like a darting snake, each time drawing a shallow cut, no more than an angry red line, somewhere on the giant Champion's body. One on the thigh, one on the stomach, one on either side of his neck, two on his lower back, one painful nick under his armpit. Each was painful, but no more than a scratch, especially to the constitution of an Astartes, Rongo could already feel the blood clotting and the first cuts were already scabbed over.
"It seems we are well matched Maui, neither of us capable of breaching the other's defences enough to land a telling blow." The large Astartes yelled with a good natured smile, he was startled to find an answering smile of absolute confidence on his opponent's face.
"I've already killed you a dozen times Rongo, your body hasn't worked it out yet, all I'd have needed to do was press harder on any of my cuts, or did you assume those scratches weren't done on purpose?" Maui's attack finally gained power and speed as he rained blows all up Rongo's arms and legs, the wounds he opened no longer shallow cuts, but deep superficial gashes, red gore dripped down Rongo's limbs, giving him a ghoulish appearance and draining his already pale skin of colour.
"You're powerful Rongo, but you are no swordsman, I suggest you yield now before I humiliate you further." The larger Astarte's eyes went hard as he threw himself at Maui, now he's angry enough, Maui thought with an inward smirk. Another neat step took Maui out of harms way, lashing out with a foot he smacked Rongo's ankle hard, forcing it into his other leg and bringing the Champion down hard, with a speed that rivalled all but the fastest of his brothers, Maui straddled the fallen Rongo and drove his pommel into the man's temple, twice more and the marine went limp. Satisfied that there would be no more fight, Maui stood.
"Lord Palemaw Nikau, I present your victor." Chaplain Atama had appeared at Maui's side and raised his trembling sword arm. Lord Nikau looked down fondly.
"A well fought victory Strike Leader Maui, get yourself cleaned up and attend me in my chambers with Brother Manu, Captain Kai, if you would also join us."
The Lord Palemaw's quarters were not what one would expect of a Space Marine of the Emperor's Adeptus Astartes. Instead of the usual spartan cell with a bed and desk, this was a sweeping apartment with two floors and decked with shelves containing many vast volumes of Imperial Texts, ranging in subject from warfare to agriculture to even city planning. This was complimented with a set of plush grox leather armchairs and a large stone holographic fireplace. Lord Nikau rested now in one chair set to the side, a volume in his hands and a dataslate resting at his side, a glass of a fine red wine rested on a side table within easy reach.
Freshly washed Maui and manu entered, each in plain black leggings and grey loose fitting work shirts that were the standard non-combat attire of the Chapter. Maui noted with interest as he entered that the volume in his Lord's hands was titled The Mating Habits of the Common Grox, like most members of the Warshoal he knew of Nikau's love of learning and knowledge and always considered it a privilege to see what the Lord was currently studying as he had learned as a new recruit that the Lord was always happy to teach.
At the sound of their approach Nikau rose from his seat, placing the closed book down on his arm rest.
"Ah finally, kia ora brothers, come have a seat, Rua!" He called, and a heavy set young cadet entered the room at a run.
"Fetch these brothers fresh glasses of the Chiron Red if you wouldn't mind." The cadet snapped off a salute and bounded away to do as he was bid. The Lord Palemaw resettled himself in his chair and turned his attention back to the new comers as they settled into their own. Captain Kai, nodded a greeting to them both.
Nikau regarded each of them cooly, his lips drawn back in a smile that revealed several rows of sharp teeth, evidence of the namesake of the Chapter given form in his image.
"Now Maui, you know why you're here, you won the challenge and as such you have earned the right to bare the title of 5th Captain, as Hau did before you. However, I wanted to speak to you both before you assumed the mantle."
Maui and Manu looked to each other before returning their attention to Nikau.
"My Lord?"
"You will be a fine Captain I have no doubt Maui, I remember when you were a cadet with as much experience as Rua here." At these words they noted the return of the cadet, as he placed wine glasses before each of them filled with the same red fluid as Lord Nikau's.
"Even then I knew you'd be a true asset to the Warshoal and the Chapter, and I was right, I thought the same of you too Manu, and yet, Maui continues to hold you back." The two Battle Brothers opened their eyes wide in shock at their Lord's words.
"But Maui has always pushed me to be a better soldier my Lord, how could he hold me back?" Manu asked aghast.
"More accurately, you are using Maui as an excuse, you are both talented leaders and yet you have passed up promotion on multiple occasions in order to stay with Maui's Squad, your loyalty to your brother is admirable but it is denying the Chapter a valuable leader which is something we sorely need, as such I have invited you here to provide an ultimatum, you will not be allowed to join Maui's bodyguard as he ascends to the Captaincy, you can either accept a promotion to Lieutenant of the 5th Company, Strike Leader of First Shiver, or I am transferring you to Kai's Sixth Company where you will be able to grow and eventually become a Strike Leader away from Maui." The lord Palemaw looked directly into Manu's eyes.
"So Brother Manu, what shall it be?" Manu tried to tear his eyes away from Nikau but found himself trapped by the stare, unable to look for guidance.
"He's right Manu, you should have been leading a Squad a long time ago." Maui said matter of factly.
"I should have pushed you, but my selfishness kept you at my side."
"I will lead First Shiver." Manu said deflatedly, "I do not think it would be right for me to assume mantle of Lieutenant without proving myself to the men first."
"Good then it is settled, with that out of the way, congratulations Captain Maui, Lord of Fifth Company, in a Terran Standard Week I expect you to present yourself to Chaplain Atama to be outfitted as befits your station, we have several months of Warp travel ahead of us yet before we reach the Cyclonus System, hopefully the distress beacon keeps transmitting until we arrive." Nikau nodded to himself as he flicked his dataslate on.
"Alright, Strike Leader Manu, Captain Kai, you are dismissed and may return to your own quarters, I wish to speak with Captain Maui alone." The named brothers stood and saluted, Captain Kai with a knowing smile as he drained the last of his wine before filing out after Manu.
"Now Captain, it's traditional that a new Captain sit vigil with the Lord Palemaw on the night of his elevation, I understand in the Black Fin Warshoal this is spent in contemplation and prayer, but I've found it is a much better practice to talk to the new Captain, after all how better to gauge what sort of Commander he might be than to discuss his new position." Maui nodded in deference, the Lord's words had merit and he was, as always, eager to learn from his teacher.
"You are the first Marine recruited from the Exilus project to have attained such heights, it is gratifying to know that all of our effort in the last half a millennium was not for nothing, are you aware of the Exilus project Maui?"
"Yes Lord, the Chapter is fleet based and maintains no Homeworld, however the Red Wake determined our usual recruitment methods were not sufficient to maintain Battle Brothers, as such the lost death world Kappa Theta Nine was selected to become the new recruitment world of Exilus, a century was dedicated to Terraforming before a primitive population of humanity was installed on the planet from Psycho-conditioned Cryosleep to fit the needs of the chapter, after two further centuries of growth the population was deemed suitable for recruitment, thus the planet was named Exilus, the planet of the Exiles." Maui recited the history of his world without a thought.
"Very good, now, do you know why an Exilus recruit is so rare amongst our Brethren?" Nikau asked, a slow grin spreading across his features.
"Because the recruitment quota is still too small to be viable as a replacement for the Reaping of the Edicts of Exile, but we can not rush into full scale recruitment until the population expands beyond the paltry four million currently on the planet." Nikau nodded again at his student's words.
"Well said Captain, I knew you were paying attention when I taught classes to the recruits, you are a testament to how much this project can achieve however and I will be transmitting a report to the Shadelord, Lord Red Wake as soon as you have assumed full mantle, he will be pleased to hear of our success, now what do you know of the upcoming Cyclonus campaign?"
Maui knew he was being tested, he was determined to remember every scrap of information he had gleaned from his meetings with Captain Hau as they'd wrapped up the last campaign, "Cyclonus System, three habited worlds; Primus, Secundus and Tertius. Currently under siege by the Cult of the Eight Armed Emperor, Genestealer infestation has almost buckled food production on Primus and the other two planets are equally in danger, we are to eradicate the infestation and restore order before Imperial Navy elements arrive."
"Yes Captain, very good, I want you to land on Secundus with Fifth Company and ascertain how much danger the world is in, there's an important Space Port that will act as our base of operations in the system while we wage war on these filthy Xenos, I want you to secure it and eliminate the threat on Secundus, Captain Kai will take Tertius and I shall handle Primus until you are ready to join me." Maui could scarcely believe his ears, here he was about to lead a planetary assault solo, were it not entirely improper he'd have jumped for joy.
"It will be an honour my Lord." Nikau laughed out loud, the explosive sound erupting from his barrel like chest.
"Enough with the my Lord nonsense boy we're not in front of the men, you may call me Nikau within the confines of these quarters, for here we are equals, a pair of Captains discussing lives well lived, only in the War room need you show me such deference, now tell me of your life on Exilus, I like to know the stories of the Commanders who are my word and will."
"Sir?" Maui asked, unsure of what was being asked of him.
"Your story Maui, what makes you, you." Nikau said firmly, "Tell me of your childhood and your induction, what was it like to become one of the Void Father's mightiest warriors, and don't give me the diplomatic answer, I want the real story, so that I may enshrine it in the volumes of the Palemaw's history as I have done for all Captains who have come before you since I have been Palemaw."
"Well I guess we have all night, uh Nikau." The freshly minted Captain spoke, hesitating slightly on the name, so unnatural it seemed to speak with such familiarity to this man who had guided his life for the last two centuries.
"I remember being a boy on Exilus, I must have been maybe nine summers old, and the Trials had come…"