Noctem Oritur Chapter 51

In the darkness of night swarms of lights moved over the island home of the Storm Heralds, bright contrails of descending rocket engines mixed with ascending flood lights as squadrons of Thunderhawks and Stormravens brought wave after wave of reinforcements down to the Fortress Monastery. Whole Companies of Space Marines were disgorging from their transports amid cleared sections of rubble and spreading out. They swept the island from end to end, seeking any surviving enemies before plunging underground and continuing their hunt in the sunken depths.

Behind the Astartes came teams of menials with heavy lifting gear and mono-tasked servitors. They did not wait for their lords to move on before they began their work. They set to the piles of broken masonry and smashed buildings that covered the Fortress, salvaging anything that could be saved and sweeping away what could not be. From among the devastation emerged piles and piles of bodies in various states of decay, the remains of serfs were given warrior's cremations on vast pyres that burned into the night, a truly singular honour for mere men. The bodies of cultists and Traitors were stripped naked and put on servitor load lifters and driven to the shores to be thrown unceremoniously into the ocean for fish to feed on. Meanwhile their effects were sealed in leaden caskets, lest their taint spread even in death. In one case the still living form of a Chaos Marine was unearthed, pinned under a mountain of rubble; a Chaplain was hastily called over who did not hesitate to execute the Traitor with a swift shot from his bolt pistol.

Standing observing this all from atop a pile of rubble was Chapter Master Gorgall. His form painted a dark picture as firelight danced over his armour plate and his expression was grim as he surveyed the work. The Battlebarge Thunderlord had arrived in orbit only a few hours earlier and he had led the first wave down to the planet to secure the Fortress Monastery or what was left of it. Standing with him in bone white armour was Chief Apothecary Lessall, who looked furious and Ninth Captain Phalros who looked only slightly less irate, though for very different reasons. The last member of the party was Chaplain Wrethan who was stood awkwardly in a medical exoskeleton, he really should not be walking yet but he had refused to lie in a bed for a second longer and had harangued the sawbones with the wrath of the Emperor himself until they finally relented.

Standing at the bottom of the pile of rubble was Acting-Captain Toran, awaiting his Lord's summons to be debriefed on recent events. Whether he was here for praise or condemnation for his earlier report he could not say. His small band had continued fighting in the depths until reinforcements had arrived but he was pleased to say not one more brother had fallen since the bulk of the Traitors had fled. Victory belonged to the Storm Heralds yet the Fortress Monastery was nought but a ruined mess and Toran honestly couldn't say if he was to be awarded the Laurels of Charael or be exiled in disgrace.

From where he was standing he could hear Chapter Master Gorgall saying, "Our home shall be made secure then we shall move on to wipe the remnants of the heretics from the other landmasses. Captain Maxitio is securing the spaceports and Captain Erathor is moving to recapture the Arca Imperator. Chief Librarian Echeb is directing the sweep of orbital space and when the rest of the Chapter arrives we shall cleanse this planet of the filth entirely."

Captain Phalros asked, "Is there any trace of the vector the Traitors fled in?"

"Sadly none," replied Gorgall, "Our Navigators and Astropaths can find no Warp wake to follow and we can only assume they used sorcery to evade detection."

Lessall growled, "Someone has to pay for what occurred here, how could this have been allowed to happen?"

"Let us ask directly," replied Gorgall waving Toran to approach.

The Acting-Captain strode up the loose scree effortlessly, masking his apprehension with a stoic demeanour as he saluted his Masters and waited their judgement. Lessall was the first to speak saying, "Well you certainly have a lot to answer for."

Phalros protested, "Watch your tone, his victory saved the Fortress Monastery."

Lessall glared angrily at the rebuke and snarled, "If this is what he calls victory I would hate to see what he calls defeat!"

Toran refused to be brow beaten and said, "The enemy came at us with overwhelming strength and nothing less than our full fury would have broken them."

"Indeed," agreed Phalros, "Victory carried a high price but defeat would have been far greater."

Lessall barked in outrage, "Third Company is gone, Captain Dassa is dead, Ka Lau was irradiated and the orbital docks shattered… someone has be held accountable!"

Phalros replied testily, "You can hardly blame the lad for the actions of the enemy."

"What about everything since then," growled Lessall, "Blowing up half the island, obliterating the Rock of Heroes, abusing relics and honourable vehicles, allowing the Emperor's Storm into our hearths and homes, not to mention demolishing the Chapter Master's tower!"

That last one elicited a wince from Gorgall and Toran realised how irate the Chapter Master was but ever the diplomat the Lord said, "His actions are indeed a matter that requires evaluation, when we left he was but a Sergeant and now he stands before us in a Captain's garb, with squads sworn to his service."

Wrethan spoke up for the first time in defence of his protégé, "That was my decision, I was incapacitated and we needed leadership. My actions were entirely in keeping with the emergency command protocols, as laid down in the Codex Astartes."

Lessall did not seem mollified and growled, "And what about this business with the Sword of Thiel, was that in keeping with the Codex?"

Wrethan fell silent, unable to justify such deeds and Toran realised how much trouble he was in. He spoke up to explain, "That was merely a symbolic gesture to inspire the men, just a show to reinforce their courage, it carries no weight or authority."

Gorgall eyed him suspiciously and said, "Yes it was very... theatrical but it is not something we can ignore. The Codex Astartes clearly warns of the danger of officers generating cults of personality about themselves. This 'Primarch's Own' business is in direct defiance of our traditions and to some it looks like you are creating a cult sworn only to yourself."

"Such was not my intention," said Toran bowing his head in humility, "If you judge that I have committed the sin of self-aggrandisement then I will accept whatever penance you deem appropriate."

"No one is saying that," said Gorgall consolingly, "But it does look bad, especially in conjunction with the revelation of a Traitor in our ranks."

Lessall interrupted to bark furiously, "You had a heretic standing by your side for four decades and did not see it!"

"No one saw it, there were no signs whatsoever," protested Phalros, "Halis Paur passed every test, every psychic probe, even the Apothecarion's genetic screens found nothing suspicious."

Lessall looked furious at the subtle rebuke and glared angrily at Toran letting the Acting Captain know he had made an enemy in the Chief Apothecary. Gorgall overrode the bickering saying, "How many people know of this treason?"

Toran answered, "Only myself and my command squad… though I admit Sergeant Nimodes has been asking some very pointed questions, he suspects much."

"Tell him nothing," ordered Gorgall, "Speak to no one of this, if word spreads that we harboured a Traitor in our ranks it will shatter our brother's trust and faith, not to mention be used as a weapon against us by the inquisition."

"That is our greatest concern," growled Lessall, "With our support structure shattered our ability to wage war is compromised. We will be vulnerable to enemies near and far for years to come."

Phalros argued in response, "The Forges are untouched and the Gene-seed remains unblemished, we can rebuild all that was lost, we shall rise again."

Gorgall declared, "In the meantime we must call upon the beneficence of Terra for support, we shall have to rely heavily on the good graces of our allies for the foreseeable future."

Lessall scowled at that and Toran realised that the Chapter Master had just scored a major point in their ongoing struggle over the direction of the Chapter's future, it seemed that even the near destruction of all they held dear was secondary to politics. "What of Vorshaan?" asked Phalros changing the subject.

"Confirmed dead," replied Toran, "We found his head separated from his body, it seems his own Astartes turned on him in defeat and finished the job for us."

Phalros asked "You are certain it is really him?"

"Beyond a shadow of a doubt," answered Toran, "The Dusk Prince is truly dead this time."

"Such is the fate of Traitors," declared Wrethan, "They sow the seeds of their own destruction with their lack of honour and fealty."

"So then, what are we to do with this one?" asked Lessall glaring at Toran, "His actions are most divisive, the Chapter will be split over how to treat him."

Phalros said, "Third Company is gone, it needs to be rebuilt."

"No, we must mourn our losses with due reverence and let tempers settle first," said Gorgall firmly then he addressed Toran saying, "For now I am officially approving your promotion to the permanent rank of Captain but you will not sit in the seat of the Third Company. If anyone questions this tell them I am taking you under my personal mentorship until I deem you fit."

Toran nodded as Gorgall continued, "You shall keep your scratch company together and the squads will be rebuilt to full strength. In time we shall add to your ranks and if you prove worthy we shall revisit this issue. But let me be absolutely clear on one thing, this business with the sword stops now and I never want to hear the words 'Primarch's Own' ever again."

Toran bowed in respect of the wise decision, it was a political compromise that offered both sides something, to some it looked like a promotion to others a punishment. It served to defuse the tensions around him but it also left him wallowing in a strange limbo in the command hierarchy.

Lessall scowled but said, "If that is your decision I shall appoint one of my Apothecaries to serve with this ad hoc formation and ensure they are up to standard." Toran knew this was no concession but in fact Lessall's way of putting one of his own men into what he saw as a potential faction opposing his goals.

Gorgall let the matter go as he addressed the rest of the group, "Phalros take command of rebuilding the Fortress Monastery while Wrethan returns to the Apothecarion to heal. No, Chaplain I will hear no arguments on this, you are not fit to serve yet. Lessall I am putting you in charge of the investigation into this Halis Paur, I do not want blame I want hard information on exactly how he bypassed our security and how to prevent it happening again. Now you are all dismissed."

The group bowed and made their departures, Toran moving off to find his squads and tell them the news but before he could leave Gorgall said, "Captain there is one other thing."

"My lord?" Toran paused and faced his Chapter Master as the others departed.

Gorgall waited until they were alone then the Lord said, "This is just between us, for I will deny it if anyone else asks, but you should know that I have consulted the Strategeos-Simulacra and in your stead, with the forces you had and the enemies ranged against you, I could not have led us to victory as you did."