Sorry for the delay work has been rather hectic of late and I did not want this chapter to be rushed however it may still have been.
Chapter 9
His blood boiled beyond measure nearly controlling him. "ALL Battle brothers not aiding civilians begin full spectrum scan and search for anything remotely nuclear in nature. Dorns shot is about to launch kill rods at the presumed launch site twenty kilometers from here."
He could tell that everyone was upset, his Astarte's were furious, and the civilians hope had died considerably. No matter what he had to lead effectively and that mean a cool head.
"Captain Polux this is storm bird fist of heavens, last scan and check completed… no survivors."
Squeezing the grip of his sword tight enough to crush a man's skull. "Very well, go hunting and kill any xenos you find. We will continue search for civilians and other foul weapons."
His orders were carried out for the next several hours a few more human civilians were found and a number of centauri forces and a few civilians were wiped out.
Fifteen hours later
"Welcome back aboard captain, all civilians from your sanctuary have been retrieved. Status update on the titan forces for you." The ship master spoke as he rendered the salute to the captain whose armor was covered in blood, dirt and grime from the fighting on the planet.
His mood was sour, even after avenging the fallen on a few centauri had not improved his mood. "Thank you my friend, what information do you have?" he asked." I trust it will improve my mood."
Bowing his head before continuing, "Aye captain, reports are that over 80% of enemy military facilities have been wiped out and that the majority of the xenos civilians are dead, estimates for them range from 78-83%. Also we have been ordered back to the phalanx."
That made him raise an eyebrow.
"The Primarch has the enemy commander and wants us to escort the Hammer of Terra. Also you have been invited to join the trial of this xenos. From what I understand the Emperor himself will be presiding." A somewhat envious grin slips out onto the ship masters face.
His mood had improved and it was heard in his voice, "A great honor for the ship. Let us not disappoint shall we? Carry out Lord Dorn's instructions." The ship master balled his fist and banged it across his chest, the salute returned by Captain Polux.
Surface of proxima III
Fires raged, explosions resonated across the city as building's crumbled; cries of the Xenos fell on death ears as they marched through the city. He almost laughed at how easy this mission had turned out. Not even a new princeps would have difficulty against these centauri.
Flashing lights descend and destroy more of the rear guard of the last centauri base on the planet.
"Hmm kill rods, from the VII Astarte's legions strike cruiser terrible angel? Very accurate I like it but getting in the way of our fun." The princeps sneered. "Well two can play at this game. Activate the two turbo lasers and vulkan cannons and set for ten second barrage of each…"It takes a few minutes for the task to be carried out.
The all ready signal is given and with sheer childlike grin, it is unleashed.
Two giant lasers race each other across the battlefield and strike the remaining enemy armor zones, obliterating the last dozen or so centauri armor. The volcano cannon annihilate two entire battalions of xenos infantry. This battle is over, proxima III has been cleansed of all xenos military at this point.
Static…. Static before a transmission?
"This is Primarch Rogal Dorn our conquest here is finished. My congratulations to all who survived, our brothers in the titan legions performed magnificently. To my fist we shall fully avenge our lost brothers rest assures, Dorn out."
Ten hours later
Aboard the phalanx
In a dark room with a single light, a single dark yellow light of focused light on a chained centauri. He was standing but barely as a chain on his neck kept him upright while four chains one per limb kept him from moving.
He was in pitiful shape; rich colorful clothing was torn, shred and soiled in several places. A few cuts on his arms and head could be seen still dripping some red life blood. A small puddle of mixed blood, tears and urine collected at his feet.
A loud, powerful voice filled with barely controlled rage erupted and ended the silence of the darkness around him. "State the name, title Xeno."
He flinched and began to tremble again, fear gripped him and he did not answer
Suddenly a crash resonates and the command is repeated.
Uttering a whimper before finally responding," my… My name is Lord Refa, Antono Refa." He manages to feebly speak.
"LORD" a mocking voice spits out, this one different, an accent he thinks, "Do you know why we have attacked and destroyed your forces and population on the planet?"
Trying to muster some dignity, "Because I have somehow offended a great power such as you. Are you the Vorlons?"He asks and then regrets as electricity shocks through him. The pain is nearly unbearable and if he wasn't restrained he be on the ground.
Another new voice this one speaks with the barest hint of hatred only a matter of fact tone in his voice. "You will answer our questions only; any divergence will be harshly punished do you understand?"
Holding back his bodies desire to cry, "Yes I understand."
The first voice speaks again, "Now Refa you are here by charged with murder, profiteering, enslavement, rape, and trespassing upon human space. How do you plea?"
He was bewildered how did they know so much and who would dare back the humans? "I am a centauri, and guilty of nothing you speak of." His defiance cost him dearly as nearly twice the force of electricity struck this time. He screamed out in pain.
"You cannot hide any information from the Emperor of mankind or one such as I. Your thoughts and memories are like an open book to us." Another voice shouted, but the assault wasn't on his ears but in his mind.
"Yes we can read your thoughts, you would call it a telepath but we call it psykers. Now I ask again before I have Librarian Fuson start making you truly uncomfortable. How do you plea?" The most authoritive and powerful of all the voices commands.
"I plead guilty to murder but the rest is simple capitalism." A burning sensation erupted in his brain, as if a hand was squeezing it from the inside. He begins to have the memories forced into his vision and replaying over and over, repeating time and time again.
Another crack resonates, "You raped several human women to satisfy your despicable lust. You had tens of thousands of human slaves and butchered several if they got out of line. You used them to fuel your greed, and your family took part in enslaving humanity, from what we can gather you are personally responsible for the deaths of over four thousand humans."
"What do to the members of the tribunal say?" The most powerful voice spoke out asking all in attendance.
"Guilty, on all accounts." The noble almost political sounding voice spoke with little to no emotion.
"He is guilty take his head and mount it on a pike." This statement was delivered with much emotion and did not sound as delicate.
"Guilty" Another voices.
"No innocence, their blood rest solely with on his hands"
"Very well the verdict is unanimous on behalf of your victims we" He was interrupted by the prisoner
"The humans, how do you know them?" He asked and then flinched expecting more pain, but none came.
A light now showed over half a dozen armor clad behemoths and one in strange robes. They all had human like faces. The one in the middle, easily the largest and leader spoke out. "WE ARE HUMANS, AND WE CONDEMN YOU TO DEATH. YOU SHALL BE RELEASED TO THE VICTIMS OF YOUR CRIMES. CONGRATULAITIONS LORD REFA, FOR I AM FEELING MERCIFUL."
Two large men in yellow armor came up as the clamps released him; before he hit the ground they grabbed him. He kicked and screamed but it was impossible to free him as he was dragged to his fate.
As the door slammed the leaders began to cool themselves.
"Well that went rather well, he is lucky you didn't jump out and rip his throat out brother Khan."
Stroking his beard, "Oh ha-ha Rouboute, he is lucky you didn't try to bore him to death with one of your writings."
The entire group chuckles a bit.
"VERY WELL WHAT IS YOUR LEGIONS PROGESS ROUBOUTE?"
Bowing his head slightly as the hologram showed centauri space.
"As you can see the blue is what my legion is attacking or gathering intelligence on. We are prepared to launch a major attack on the primary supply and logistics base of the enemy here. Thanks to the creative method of our mechanicus friends we have a solid source of intelligence and can strike whenever."
Looking around the entire assembled nod their heads in agreement. "Very well my son, wipe them out." A loud crash of fist on metal resonates as the assembled Primarch's agree with the mission.