Speculum Enigmate Chapter 2

*Planet Lujan II*

The sun burned fiercely upon the Fortress-Monastery of the Storm Heralds atop its lonely island. The slowly turning world was barely half-way through its rotation and it would be several more Terran days until the sunset brought the Emperor's Storm. Until that hallowed moment there was work to be done. Teams of serfs laboured in the sweltering heat, tending to the innumerable duties required to support a Space Marine Chapter. Firing ranges were diligently cleared of spent bolt rounds, Thunderhawk bays rang with clanking machinery, training parks were diligently ploughed clear of smoking craters and the gold-plated footsteps of the Primarch's Walk were polished with reverence. Such was a regular day in the Fortress-Monastery but not all was as it had once been.

Amongst the narrow boulevards between buildings, where Astartes had marched for millennia, strode a new breed of warrior. They were taller and broader, with new models of armour and weapons: the Primaris Marines. The new paradigm of Space Marine had been brought to the Storm Heralds a mere month earlier and their presence rankled many. Thunderhawks now sat side by side with Overlord gunships, Predator tanks rolled to the training grounds next to floating Repulsor tanks and Astartes who had served for centuries found themselves ranked next to warriors who had been dragged out of stasis tubes mere weeks before. It was a jarring change for a Chapter that had stood for five Millennia and in the Scout-Barracks it was no different.

In a cold and bare hall ringed by high balconies scores of aspirants stood in a row, looking nervous with their short shrifts and shaven heads. They were young; none of them more than a year or two into puberty and their fear was plain. Yet these youths had passed the Chapter' trails, the tests of courage, fortitude and skill held on the various islands around the planet. They were the future of the Chapter, at least those who would survive the coming gene-seed implantations, deadly challenges and gruelling training regime. Currently they were under the stern gaze of Tenth Captain Nimodes and Chaplain Furion, the most senior spiritual guide in the Chapter. The aspirants were filing towards a large jar, within which were placed white and black stones. Each one reached in and took one at random, then they separated into two groups. Those who took white outnumbered those who took black three-to-one and all the youths looked mystified as to what this meant.

Watching from high above stood the Captains and Masters of the Chapter. All of them, a rarity since most Astartes spent their days at war. There was bold Hakulo of the Fourth, Jemiel the new First Captain, Phalros the Pure, cunning Cyvo of the Second and Toran of the Third, wielder of the Sword of Thiel, along with several more. Standing some way back from the Third Captain was his Command Squad, Champion Novak, Apothecary Memnos, Ancient Smyth, Librarian Arvael and of course Brothers Jediah and Persion.

Persion was watching the proceedings and tried to stifle a yawn. He was a mature Marine, with the pale features common to those born to the secondary recruiting world of Trux. His armour was fitted with an expanded vox-pack and at his side hung a Friction-axe. One arm was an augmetic replacement and his plate bore many campaign badges and laurels of victory. Persion was a veteran Marine, who had fought the enemies of mankind for several times the lives of mortals, but he had never seen this before.

Below the balconies the selection process had ended and Chaplain Furion addressed them with words of duty, sacrifice and selfless service. Persion didn't pay much attention, he'd heard it all before, so wondered how the recruits would cope with the changes to their training. A quarter of the aspirants, those who had drawn black balls, would be inducted into the new Primaris paradigm. They would be the first Primaris the Storm Heralds produced and if they proved successful they would be the first of many. The Chapter was slowly adopting the new models brought by the Primarch Roboute Guilliman, a change as inevitable as it was daunting. Persion was confronted by the possibility that he was an obsolete model of Transhuman, soon to be supplanted by a faster and stronger type.

Below the lines of Aspirants trudged out, led by Nimodes and the various Captains swiftly departed, taking their entourages with them. Persion shook his head and said, "I don't like this."

Ancient Smyth, himself a Primaris born of Terra, replied, "Those aspirants will fare well."

Persion sighed, "I'm sure they will but it rankles. Five millennia have we practised our recruitment, change seems wrong."

Librarian Arvael sighed, "Alas, change is coming whether we wish it or not. This is the will of the Imperial Regent and so the will of Him on Terra."

Persion glanced at him and asked, "Are you saying we should simply shut up and get on with it?"

Arvael grinned as he remarked, "Your eloquence is astounding. I shall miss your sharp tongue."

Persion blinked as he queried, "You're going somewhere?"

Arvael nodded as he informed them, "Yes, there is a Librarius Conclave gathering. All the Chapters present in the Crusade are sending envoys and I shall accompany Chief Librarian Echeb. With fair warp tides we shouldn't be away for more than a month or two."

"Have fun debating old books with fussy greybeards," Novak quipped, "Meanwhile I shall be winning glory for the Third."

Persion glanced at him and probed, "How will you be winning glory when the Third is only going on training exercises?"

Novak's burnt face beamed as he proclaimed, "You're taking the Third to train, I am competing for the honour of the Chapter Champion. The Fortress-Monastery is to host a Feast of Blades, thirty Chapters are competing and I intend to take the Storm Heralds to victory."

Persion blinked in surprise, he was usually the first to know new information, and he said, "Novak, I know you're good with a blade, but are you that good?"

Novak smirked confidently as he declared, "There's no upstart Crusader who can beat me with a sword."

Persion thought he was being cocky but said, "I trust the Emperor will smile upon you. I shall be thinking of you as we slog through training exercises."

Their conversation was interrupted as Captain Toran interrupted, "Actually you won't be with us."

Everybody turned and Persion inquired, "Captain, something amiss?"

Toran looked the Command Squad over with his augemtic eye and said, "I need to speak to Persion and Jediah alone. The rest of you are dismissed."

At the Captain's order the party broke up, each heading out to their own destinations. Persion watched them go and realised for the first time in years the Third Company would be splitting up. It was strange for a Battle Company, yet the calls of duty were many and a Space Marine never knew where he would be heading next. Persion took a moment to examine those left behind. Captain Toran was a respectable officer, Persion
had known the Marine since he was a raw rookie and had watched him grow into command. Persion had great admiration for Toran's intelligence, his dedication to honour and his knack of forging alliances. Jediah on the other hand could not have been more different, a bloodthirsty warrior who relished killing for its own sake. His armour bore numerous kill markings and his face was badly scarred by knife wounds. Jediah had gained a fearsome reputation, not least for once besting five Astartes, a feat he adamantly refused to explain to anyone. Persion had fought for decades alongside the warrior and still didn't feel comfortable with his eagerness to spill blood nor with the predatory gleam in his dark eyes. Somedays Persion was certain that had Jediah not been swept up by the Chapter he would have become a serial killer.

Toran waited for the balcony to clear then said aloud, "Brothers, this is a time of great changes."

Persion was bemused by the non-sequitur and replied, "Yes, the arrival of Roboute Guilliman has thrown everything into flux. Yet to see him fight was an experience never to be forgotten."

That was an understatement; they had stood on the bridge of a starship and watched their Primarch wage war, then followed him into the face of Chaos itself. It almost made up for the fact that their first encounter had seen the Primarch try to disband the Storm Heralds entirely. Toran had even been privileged enough to talk to him, a fact attested to by six gold studs on his left wrist. Persion hadn't been so blessed, but it was an honour merely to stand in the same room as the Imperial Regent.

Jediah cut straight to the point as always, "What's he doing now?"

Toran explained, "The Imperial Regent has departed for Crux Lapis, to inform the Tech-Priests they will be contributing to the restoration of the Indomitus Crusade. Then rumour has it he intends to make a state visit to Sucaris, to tour the Dreaming Spires of scholarship and lecture the Provosts regarding his academic reforms."

Persion muttered suspiciously, "Sounds easy enough, so where do we come in?"

Toran sighed, "All is not well in the Saint Karyl Trail. The Lord Regent's Emergency Tithes have not been accepted without quarrel. Many Planetary Governors are protesting the exorbitant demands he places upon them. The Indomitus Crusade must be restored, but the resources required will leave many worlds in poverty."

"So what?" Jediah snorted, "Send a Battlebarge to the resisting planets and if the Governors don't get the point start levelling cities until they do."

That was typical of Jediah's attitude but Toran sighed, "That has proposal been raised, but the Lord Guilliman disapproves of such heavy-handed methods. He insists we be 'Diplomatic'."

Persion sensed a lead and ventured, "Is that where the Third comes in?"

"Partially," Toran replied, "The bulk of the Company must train, our new Primaris Brothers must be integrated properly. One battle is not enough to smooth over the cracks in our Brotherhood. Yet we have been ordered to send an envoy to support the Administratum's negotiations. Each Company has been assigned a troublesome planet; the Third is required to send a delegation to Pascum."

"Pascum?" Persion mused, "Never been there myself, but it's an old world, one that predates the Imperium. It lies near to Sucaris and is famed for the quality of its Flesh-Markets."

"Well remembered," Toran said, "The Bassail dynasty has ruled Pascum in an unbroken line for three millennia. They are staunchly pro-Imperial and gift unto the Storm Heralds a hundred gun-servitors a year as a gesture of trust. It is hard to imagine a more loyal Governor, but Aleys Bassail is dragging her heels paying the emergency tithes. She cities internal unrest and protest marches among the populace, she pleads for assistance to quell the discontent."

Persion frowned as he said, "So… we're not going there to depose her but to prop up her rule?"

Toran nodded as he explained, "A show to remind the people of their duty to the Golden Throne. Three squads should be more than enough. Take Yones' Intercessors and Zeax's Devastators and Gortam's Reivers."

Three squads were overkill, Persion thought, cities had fallen to less, yet he questioned, "The Reivers?"

Toran elaborated, "They are struggling to acclimatise to our philosophies. They insist on following their own course and tactical doctrines, they need to learn how we Storm Heralds operate."

Jediah scoffed, "You mean they pissed you off one time too many and you want them out of your hair for a few weeks."

"I didn't say that," Toran stated with a grin that told them it was exactly what he meant, "Try not to throw them out an airlock."

Persion accepted this yet there was one burning question, "So… who will command this expedition?"

Toran smiled broadly as he said, "You will and Jediah will be your second."

Persion spluttered in shock, "I will?!"

Toran looked pleased with himself as he said, "Yes, there have been more reforms. The Primarch has published his latest revisions to the Codex Imperialis and seen fit to allow Astartes to become Lieutenants, as well as Primaris Marines. Thus I am proud to bestow upon you both the rank of Lieutenant."

Persion's jaw dropped and he exclaimed, "You're promoting us?! Both of us?"

Toran grinned as he said, "The Chapter Master has agreed to a brevet promotion, to test the concept in the field. If you do well formal ceremonies will confer the rank permanently, but for now let me say congratulations."

Persion was flabbergasted and glanced at Jediah who looked thoughtful at the news. Persion's head was swimming and he spluttered, "But… but I'm Truxian."

Toran scoffed, "That has never mattered to me. Captain Hakulo hails from Trux and none doubt his fervour. But be warned don't think this makes you better than everybody else. You must learn that a leader must listen to his men if he wishes to succeed."

Jediah commented, "At least Smyth doesn't outrank us anymore, that never felt right."

Persion could hardly believe his ears and squawked, "But I don't know anything about command."

Toran calmly reassured him, "You will learn, I trust you to rise to the occasion. I have every confidence in you both."

Persion fought to get his head around the idea and whispered, "I… I always dreamt of becoming an officer but I'd lost hope it would happen. I don't know what to say."

Toran slapped him on the pauldron and said, "Try saying thank you!"

Persion blinked in surprise then stated, "Thank you, I swear to live up to the trust you show in me."

Jediah merely nodded briskly and said, "We won't let you down."

Toran looked them both over and said, "I know you won't, I look forward to seeing your triumphant return. Now go forth Lieutenants and do the Storm Heralds proud, there's a Gladius-class frigate in orbit waiting for you. Collect your squads and read your mission briefings, then depart in twelve hours."

Persion made the sign of the Aquila and left as ordered. His head was swimming as he walked away; he was now an officer with his own command. It was everything he had ever wanted, since before Toran was born. Elation bubbled in his hearts but it was tempered by the weight of authority laid upon him. He'd never had to take responsibility for a whole mission before, never had the lives of his Brothers entrusted to him and known they were all looking to him for leadership. A sliver of doubt settled in his hearts as he wondered if he was up to the challenge and a tiny voice in the back of his head wondered if this was a good idea.