{oOo}

Jaghatai Khan was waiting in in the landing bay as the white Thunderhawk with blue trim entered the compartment. Through boots that were magnetically locked to the deck he felt the hammerblow of the assault craft's landing. Stormbirds had become increasingly uncommon sights among the Legions but Grand Companies could usually find one or two if necessary. Transporting a Primarch was usually considered good grounds but he doubted Angron cared - actually, he suspected his brother had simply boarded the nearest craft to landing bay hatch on the Strike Cruiser that had brought him to this rendevous and wouldn't have cared if it was Stormbird or a boarding torpedo.

The assault ramp lowered and Angron walked out, followed by a dozen World Eaters with the markings of Captains. The Khan did not see Kharn - no doubt commanding the Legion in his lord's absence - but he recognised the markings of 11th Company, still commanded by Dreagher. But Jaghatai was not looking for old comrades: to his disappointment none of those white suits of armour bore the lightning bolt of the White Scars.

It had been ten years. Had Artai not been able to drag himself away from the battlefield? Or... He shook aside the dark thought. Angron was brutal, certainly, but not cruel. He would not keep further tragedy from a father out of thoughtless desire to guard him from grief. More probably, Artai would simply be aboard a later transport.

"Well met, brother," he voxed, raising his voice to be heard over the air rushing into the bay.

Angron took one gauntleted hand away from the hilt of his sword in greeting. "I'M MISSING A WAR FOR THIS. WHAT'S WRONG NOW?"

The Primarch spread his hands. "Roboute convinced Father to call a conference. The full Terran Council, the old War Council and a lot of the younger ones. Then She-Who-Must-Be-Heeded decided there should be a ball..."

"...WHAT SORT OF BALL?" Angron asked, gesturing with his hands to suggest dimensions of something small and spherical.

"A party, Angron."

"IN A BALL?"

Jaghatai was distracted from clarifying for his brother, who he suspected was playing dumb for the sake of his nascent sense of humour rather than genuinely ignorant (then again, Angron did get hit on the head a lot) when one of the World Eater Captains stepped forward and held out both hands. The Khan had placed his own arms over them, each with hands against the other's elbows, in the traditional Chogoris greeting before he thought to wonder why a World Eater would make such a gesture.

"Are you well," he asked in his native tongue, suspicion beginning to cross his mind.

The Captain nodded sharply. "I am well. Father."

And Captain Artai of the 19th Company, World Eaters Legion then endured the indignity of being picked up and hugged in front of his peers.

{oOo}