Locum Ignotum Chapter 13
On a barren hilltop a gathering was taking place, a small group of Transhuman figures meeting at a prearranged place. It was a small hillock, set amid the surrounding farms, just within sight of the docked Thunderchild. The hilltop was bare of trees or cattle, little more than a bump in the landscape, which made it perfect for meetings. Many would have liked to look upon such a meeting but the people had been firmly shooed away, this was private, not for the eyes of outsiders. Stood on that hilltop were the members of the Command Squad, Bylan, Furion and Persion. It had been several days since Chaplain Wrethan had set off in pursuit of the errant Jediah and Captain Toran was busy keeping the rest of Third Company occupied, so they had been left in a strange limbo.
Mortal men would have fretted and worried over the fate of their comrade, whether he would come back at all. Space Marines were different; their lives were a constant parade of struggle and conflict. They could not waste time wringing hands over things that could not be changed, they had to move forward. Bylan reflected on this as he watched events unfold before him, seeing Novak their Company Champion, engaged in a ritual duel. Set against him was the one they called Maxivus, meeting him blade to blade. The two had been itching to test each other's skills since they had set eyes upon each other and now they at last had a chance to see who was better.
Bylan had left the Company Standard in its reliquary and was watching as Novak's burn-scarred face dripped with sweat, running down to stain his leather bodyglove. Full armour had been deemed inappropriate so they had met in lighter gear, armed only with blunted sabres. They had been going back and forth for nearly ten minutes now, dancing so rapidly that a mortal would have struggled to track their moves.
Bylan had always been amazed by Novak's skill, for he was fast and precise, strong and ruthless. His ability to wield any blade was preternatural and his talent for reading his foe's moves gave him a critical edge. It was strange therefore that he didn't seem to be able to make any headway against Maxivus.
The other Astartes seemed cool and collected in comparison, calmly blocking and parrying every strike one-handed. His movements were crisp and precise, never wasting more energy than necessary, never making a mistake. He held his other hand clasped behind his back, confident in his ability to fight one handed and it seemed that confidence was well earned.
As he watched them duel Bylan leaned over to Persion and said, "+He's good+"
Persion didn't take his eyes off the duel as he replied, "It's his style, backwards and forwards, a fencer's moves. Novak's just as good but he's a melee fighter, his style's much more side to side. He's been trained to guard his flanks; it's so ingrained that he can't help it."
Furion grumbled, "I'd like to see how long Maxivus would last in a real battle, fighting like that."
Suddenly there was a burst of movement and a rather complicated exchange of blows which ended in Novak's sabre flying free to land in the dirt. The pair froze with Maxivus' sabre resting in the hollow of his neck and Novak held up his hands to say, "The duel is yours."
Maxivus withdrew his blade and smoothed out his moustache as he said, "A fine contest, you have credible skill with a blade. But your weakness is your lack of focus; you are too easily distracted, looking for an attack from elsewhere."
Persion called out, "Easy to say, but in a melee total awareness is essential."
Maxivus sniffed and said, "It should make no difference, your pure focus should let you win through regardless."
Persion muttered, "Tell that to an incoming Earthshaker shell."
Novak bowed and stepped back as Maxivus called, "Who is next?"
Persion grinned and drew in a breath but Bylan was prepared this time and yelled, "+Persion volunteers!+"
"Excellent," Maxivus said as Persion glared but then he stepped forward and picked up the sabre in his augmetic arm. Furion called out, "Shouldn't he remove his armour?"
Maxivus shook his head and said, "It won't make any difference."
Persion scowled and said, "I'm going to beat you black and blue for that."
Maxivus merely cocked an eyebrow and raised his blade in salute. Persion went to do the same but mid-way he pounced, trying to catch his opponent by surprise. Maxivus didn't seem to be surprised however, merely stepping back and twisting out of the way. His foot came up and caught Persion's shin, sending him flying into the dirt.
As the Storm Herald sprawled in the dirt Novak laughed and called out "The match goes to Maxivus."
Persion picked himself up with a glare and said, "Bylan, your turn."
Bylan swallowed but stepped forward and picked up the sabre, Maxivus watching him intently. Bylan settled into a ready position and waited, not moving a muscle. Maxivus' face didn't move but his sword tip probed forward, testing his defences.
Bylan didn't make Persion's mistake, keeping his motions constrained and defensive, not wanting to reveal himself too soon. Maxivus pressed forward to force a reaction and was deflected by a parry; he sniffed and said, "You are timid, overly cautious."
Bylan circled to the left and said, "+Maybe I just don't want to reveal my hand+"
Maxivus moved in response as he said, "No, you are a follower, not a leader. Your loyalty to one man weighs you down, limits your potential."
Bylan edged his sabre forward but Maxivus countered expertly, the Standard Bearer knew he was outmatched but was determined to put up a good show. As they circled he said, "+My loyalty is my strength, my duty is a humble one. I must bear the honour of a whole Company; I am content to follow Captain Toran+"
Maxivus replied, "You live in another man's shadow but you could be more, you could be superlative. You have the steel and the determination, you just lack the ambition."
Bylan was irked now and said, "+What makes you such an expert?+"
Maxivus stepped left again, sword point raised and said, "Peace has gifted me centuries to hone my craft, not just in the sword but in all areas. I have grown and learned much, become greater than I was, more precise and knowledgeable. Astartes were built to excel in all things and I have had the time to manifest that truth. I have dedicated myself to a program of improvement, both of this land and of myself, I am becoming more than the Emperor made me to be."
From the side Persion called, "That's arrogant of you; the Astartes are the Emperor's greatest achievement."
Maxivus actually laughed at that and said, "How much you have forgotten, the Astartes were never the pinnacle of his art, we weren't even the first of his gene-crafted warriors. There were others, the Geno 52-Chiliad, the Inferallti Hussars, the Thunder Warriors, the Custodes and of course the Primarchs."
Bylan was intrigued and pressed, "+So why did he make the Astartes into His legions?+"
Maxivus replied, "Because we were the most suited for the task, more powerful than the 52-Chiliad, more stable than the Thunder Warriors, more obedient than the Hussars and easier to mass-produce than the Custodes. We fit the task so became preeminent, but we were never the best one-to-one."
Bylan was shocked to hear that and his guard dropped for an instant. Maxivus' reaction was blinding, his sword point whipped up to cut across Bylan's cheek in a spray of blood. Bylan fell back desperately and got his guard up as Maxivus advanced.
He continued as if nothing had happened, "He sent us to war but it was made clear to us that it would not last forever, there would come a time when must we lay down our arms. Peace was coming or so we thought. Some of us accepted it and prepared for that day but not all. The XIIth, the VIIIth and the VIth, I can't imagine what he planned to do with those monsters once the Crusade was over."
Bylan tried a counter but Maxivus blocked him with ease. Bylan looked for a distraction and inquired, "+What was the plan then, what were the Astartes supposed to do after the Crusade was won?+"
"An intriguing question, one that doubtless played a part in the Heresy," Maxivus replied, "The answer is we don't know but everybody has a theory. Baruch says the Legions would have been disbanded and sent to live among the mortals as equals but Samandriel thinks were to become the leaders and teachers of men. Leanyr thinks that we would have been put down like rabid dogs and Ganaar says that we would have been sent into stasis, held as a fail-safe should some future threat emerge."
Bylan circled, watching Maxivus' blade as he said, "+What about you?+"
Maxivus replied, "I think we were to be the exemplars of a future humanity, one designed rather than given over to the randomness of evolution. The Emperor had used his arts to make perfect warriors but why stop there. I imagined a human race where every citizen was gene-crafted for their role: labours, artists, politicians, diplomats or pilots, each man designed before conception to fit his station. Perhaps the Emperor even intended to elevate humanity in ways I can't imagine, to take us down a path only he could see. Whatever the goal, it is clear to me that the Imperium he built was but a temporary measure, a cocoon for something greater to be born within."
Bylan thought he saw an opening and stuck forward but Maxivus moved like quicksilver. His sword flashed and Bylan saw his sabre go flying away, he couldn't even react before the sabre came back, pointed right at his throat. He held up his hands and said, "+The match is yours+"
Maxivus nodded and said, "You have potential but you limit yourself, you have to outgrow your humility. You could be magnificent, if you would only let yourself be so."
From the side Novak called out, "Cheer up, you lasted longer than Persion did!" eliciting a scowl from the communication specialist.
Bylan stepped back and Furion approached saying, "My turn."
Before he could touch the blade the sky rolled around them, a darkness blinking into and out of existence. Bylan was stunned and thought he had imagined it but then it returned, longer and more enveloping than before. Everybody was silent as the light returned and even Maxivus looked surprised, blinking repeatedly in disbelief.
"What was that?" Novak uttered.
Maxivus replied in confusion, "I do not know."
Persion however grabbed his ear and said, "We are receiving an alert, Captain Toran has declared an emergency. Third Company is to rally to the Thunderchild and prepare for war."
"War," said Maxivus in disbelief, "It can't be, it just can't."
"+But it is+" Bylan declared with certainty, "+Battle has found us, it seems your peace is over+"
