IXOLOTL DAY
Training for the Neophytes would continue unhindered for years, with each of them progressing and expanding upon their capabilities so as to be better prepared for the Gene Seed implants they required to become Astartes. For Levente he was nearly at the end of the implantation process, having been ahead of the others at the beginning, though despite being a now fully grown Astartes he was actually now shorter than many of his fellow trainees. His overall mass was far greater than any of them, possessing a stout form that granted him incredible strength that veteran Iron Warriors compared to that of Jarn in his younger days. Having received Jarn's Gene Seed may have had something to do with the already powerful Neophyte growing to possess such a build, though he lacked the towering height Jarn also was known for and instead was barely seven feet tall.
As one could expect of his opposite, Tristan had grown immensely in the years he spent aboard the Eisernen, standing at the height of an average Astartes by the time he became a teenager. His build was still slight, but only by Astartes standards: he would appear lean beside them but incredibly muscular compared to the average Human. As the other recipient of Jarn's Gene Seed it would appear that his body was more suited to express the traits Levente's lacked, though in turn Tristan could only boast a fraction of Levente's strength. Height came with its own advantages however, and thanks to his training with the War Hounds Tristan had grown accustomed to using spears in close combat to best leverage his height to keep enemies at bay.
Growing used to his rapidly growing and changing body was difficult for Tristan at first, what with him seeming to grow an inch taller every month or so with all the growing pains that entailed, but he managed to press through it given his notable pain tolerance. He accepted that he would never match Levente in their close-combat drills and so instead invested himself in the activities of the Dodekatheon and also in training his ranged capabilities. He had managed to expand his ranged accuracy for moving targets to 83.33% by drilling himself constantly, as to Tristan firing a gun was akin to a mathematical equation and thus something that could be solved. There were still better marksmen than him, but he reasoned that if he kept improving he could prevent his enemies from ever drawing close enough to take advantage of his relatively lacking skills in close-quarters combat.
Accuracy drills and brawls were not the only forms of training the Neophytes went through of course, with plenty of exercises dedicated to other areas of expertise such as teamwork, leadership, strategy, tactical acumen, history, and critical thinking.
This was one such occasion of the latter, with Ossus standing alongside a guest before the ten Neophytes.
"All of you by now have experience dealing with these creatures. They are a species native to the Warsmith's homeworld, and they have proven useful in aiding us in various tasks."
The guest was Arien, who was facing backwards while snacking on an icy treat from a dispenser from a nearby room. For the sake of the Ixolotls on board his ship Jarn had arranged to have these dispensers widely available, with Ixolotls trading in shiny objects they 'found' in return for food. On Kimara the salamander-like creatures could eat snow or bathe in water as they pleased given the conditions of the world, but upon a ship there were far fewer opportunities to engage in such behaviors. These treats thus helped keep them hydrated, groomed, and overall healthy so they could remain useful to the crew as assistants in various tasks.
It also helped mitigate the fascination of Ixolotls with shiny objects, for while they were not thieves by nature they were known to take objects that they did not believe belonged to anyone. If something was marked in some manner to display ownership they were intelligent enough to leave it be, but sometimes a bolter or other necessary object would go missing when it was not properly marked. Rather than let the Ixolotls horde useful tools and weapons they were conditioned to trade in what unmarked objects they found in return for the icy treats they enjoyed so much.
Ossus held out a lustrous orb that seemed to be a part to a machine, lowering it in front of Arien who had just finished snacking and had become fascinated with his own reflection in the wall he was facing instead of the Neophytes.
"Today that task is to take this object and keep it away from you all. Arien, take."
The Ixolotl readily accepted, having been offered something with such luster and this not being the first time he had taken part in an exercise like this in all the years he had lived upon Jarn's ship. It was a first for these particular trainees however, so they were left somewhat confused as Arien scampered off with the ball offered him.
Ossus continued explaining upon Arien's departure from the room, "Without bringing harm to the Ixolotl you must recover the item it possesses. This exercise is meant to test you beyond your physical capabilities, so keep in mind that purpose. As this is a contest the victor shall be rewarded by the Warsmith himself, so do your best to succeed. The competition begins now, so you best get moving if you hope to catch him."
The sudden announcement that things were beginning saw all ten Neophytes leap into action, though as expected Levente was first among them with his talent for rapid short-distance movement.
As for the action he took, it was one that the others perhaps ought to have seen coming, as this was an individual competition which would see the victor rewarded by the Warsmith: of course Levente was going to knock them aside and set the others back so he could take the lead.
"The rules said nothing about taking you runts down a size!"
Tristan grunted as he was shoved forcibly out of Levente's way, not falling like some of the others as Levente bulldozed through them but still disorientated all the same. He would be annoyed at Levente usually, but instead he found himself grinning as he witnessed Levente try to apprehend the fleeing Arien only to have his grip fail completely thanks to the Ixolotl's smooth body.
"Slippery bastard!"
Arien slipped right out of Levente's grasp thanks to the condition that no harm could come to him, as Levente could not be too forceful and thus his lighter grip was a paltry obstacle for the Ixolotl. This did not deter Levente however, who continued to give chase even as the others all followed suit.
While Levente continued to give chase directly through the Eisernen's hallways the other trainees came up with solutions of their own to the situation. Since Levente was continually slowing Arien down by continuing to try and wrangle the Ixolotl without causing him harm it gave Seven, known more properly as Gunnar, the opportunity to acquire a shiny object to try and distract Arien with. The plan may have worked if not for how he was offering an object that was already marked, causing Arien to instead cast as displeased a look as an Ixolotl could manage before scampering along with Levente in pursuit. While annoyed that his plan didn't work, Gunnar shrugged and let it go since he tried at least and did not know where he went wrong.
Three, or rather Quidel, would soon try and lure Arien out after the Ixolotl wandered into an officers-only area, which the Ixolotl technically was and which the Neophytes were not. While Levente was trying to goad Arien out by taunting the oblivious Ixolotl, Quidel instead tried creating something shiny that the creature might like. Since bright lights were described as shining he figured if he could flash a light at a spot outside of the room the Ixolotl could be lured out...only for Arien to just stand there looking at the display from the safety of the room. Arien seemed to enjoy the light show, but eventually grew uninterested and exited the room from another doorway to continue on his way, forcing those chasing him to go around.
Two, Five, and Nine would try to unite in an effort to succeed together since there was nothing saying they could not succeed as a group. They would manage to block his path a short while after Arien departed the officer's quarters with Two, named Dominicus, using the opportunity to try and get Arien to stop fleeing by saluting the Ixolotl. To Dominicus hierarchy was important and Arien was technically their superior officer despite it being in name only to grant the Warsmith's pet access to the ship. Thinking that perhaps Arien would have picked up on various military protocols and behaviors he expected Arien to perhaps salute him back and maybe drop the orb, only to be proven half-correct when Arien moved the orb to be held in his mouth and then used a flipper to give a mimicked salute as best as he could.
Not entirely deterred by this, Dominicus would continue his efforts while Five and Nine attempted to surround Arien.
"Sir Arien, I am Neophyte Dominicus, and I have been asked to requisition that object you possess."
Given that Ixolotls were prone to general mimicry Arien responded with a vocalization of his own, though it held as much meaning as a canine barking, "Uwah."
"Permission to retrieve the object, sir?"
"Uwah."
This would continue for a brief while before Dominicus would eventually realize it was pointless because Arien simply didn't care about what he was saying. Feeling foolish with the Ixolotl just staring up at him, and hearing Levente approaching their position, Dominicus gave up his attempts at diplomacy and lunged at Arien out of embarrassment. Five, known as Kastor, would stop him out of fear of harming Arien, while Nine, known as Aldred, stepped in a moment after to also restrain Dominicus to prevent punishment for the three of them. Aldred would only manage to calm Dominicus down after threatening to inform Ossus of his attempt at forcibly taking the object from Arien, essentially blackmailing his fellow trainee into relenting.
While they worked things out and rethought their plan Arien would wander off, continuing on his journey and not caring about their squabbling whatsoever. He would soon stumble upon a series of lustrous objects lain out for him by Six, whose name was Urban, only to ignore them like he did Gunnar's offering since they were all marked as well. Since they both had not particularly gone out of their way to interact with Ixolotls they lacked a finer understanding of their behaviors, and so both would fail to distract Arien enough to take the object from him.
Eight and Ten, Faustus and Richter respectively, would be persistent in giving chase just like Levente and attempt to grab the objective from Arien whenever Levente had his tepid hold on Arien. Since Levente was hampered by being unable to really use force it left opportunities for Faustus and Richter to swoop in and take advantage, though they too would fail given just how slippery the skin of a healthy Ixolotl was. Faustus would come close to snatching it at a few points, only to just barely miss thanks to the movements of Levente and Richter impeding his own.
The last of the Neophytes to try their hand at the exercise would be Tristan himself, who had gone off on his own entirely to enact his own plan. Having spent years traveling throughout them, the labyrinthine layout of the Eisernen's hallways was no trouble at all for Tristan to navigate. Neither was it difficult to mentally picture the route this particular Ixolotl evading capture would likely take while heading to a set destination: Jarn's room.
Arien had access to nearly the entire vessel and could hypothetically retreat to anywhere, but he had been given a 'shiny' and thus was no doubt going to go place it with the rest of his collection of random objects the Ixolotl had acquired over the years. If it wasn't bolted down or marked in some method to display ownership it would wind up in the Ixolotl's shelf of things within Jarn's quarters.
There was a risk that one of the others would have already caught Arien on the way, but Tristan took that as an acceptable risk because there was no way he could best the likes of Levente in a direct physical competition which is what chasing Arien would amount to. Instead Tristan used his head and aimed to cut Arien's path off at a point where Levente's chase would bring the Ixolotl right to him, and in doing so he managed to successfully trap the animal companion of their Warsmith.
As extra precautions Tristan had closed the hallway off behind him, sealing a door using his minor credentials so that Arien could not simply continue running past him when he arrived. While fairly intelligent for animals, Ixolotls were not geniuses and so it would take Arien a moment to realize that the raging bull he was fleeing from was leading him into a dead-end. It would then take Arien a few moments to fiddle with the door to continue on his way, but by then Tristan would have the shiny object Arien now coveted.
Arien first approached Tristan to offer him a brief hug, such was their familiarity, before then trying to walk past him only to softly bounce off the closed doorway. The door had not been closed when Arien had come through earlier and so the simple-minded creature hadn't thought it would be now, though this setback was no real issue to him: Arien just went over to where he had been taught to open the doorway while Tristan knelt down to his level and held out something he had acquired on his own way here.
"Do you want this?"
The sight of an icy treat like what Arien had been snacking on earlier instantly captivated the Ixolotl, who reached out to it with both of his stubby arms in hopes of receiving it.
"Uwahhh..."
Tristan had noticed in the past that Ixolotls would regularly trade shiny objects or other things they enjoyed freely, what with their fascination and wonder being easily captured and their sentimental value on smaller objects pretty shallow. They simply liked things, and would happily trade things they liked for other things they liked, thinking nothing of it because to contemplate greater value was well beyond them. If the shiny object in particular was something large they might covet it more, but in this case it was just a small round ball.
"May I have that?" Tristan asked, gesturing to the ball held in Arien's mouth.
Years of conditioning to trade shiny things for treats prompted the Ixolotl to nod instantly, happily placing the ball in one of Tristan's hands while holding its flipper-like limbs to receive the 'ice cream' as Jarn called it in return, "Uwah!"
Arien was ecstatic to be given the icy treat, quickly placing it in his mouth while forgetting all about the shiny he had been running away with until moments ago. Having won, Tristan looked up to where he had rigged another door to shut close and refuse access to trainees like them upon Tristan's signal, putting his time in the Dodekatheon to use to fully entrap Arien while keeping Levente at bay. Knowing how frustrated his rival must be at having been outwitted in this way, Tristan smiled at him through the door's viewport and spoke through it to Levente.
"Sometimes you can get what you want by just asking," Tristan spoke pridefully, celebrating the moment not just by pointing out the folly in Levente's approach but also in petting Arien, who he did not get to see as often now that Tristan had his own personal quarters.
Something about being around an Ixolotl made Tristan feel at calm, and he could see why Jarn kept one around all these years. Pets seemed to have their purpose after all, not that he had ever possessed one of his own.
After being labeled the victor of the exercise Tristan would be sent to the Dodekatheon along with the successful recruits from other squads. It would seem that all the trainees had undergone a similar competition, leading to a handful of them who had used their wits to catch an Ixolotl to being invited to join the Warsmith here. Tristan was queued last to meet with Jarn, but he was fine with that: it gave him time to work on things and improve his own understanding of technology. He enjoyed his time in the Dodekatheon, and it was one of Tristan's few goals to become a proper member of it when he became an Astartes. Constantly working on technical tasks and using his mind be it in design or in wargames was far more enjoyable to him than more physical endeavors.
From what Tristan gathered the meetings with the Warsmith were to go over a set of schematics and both learn from the Warsmith as well as allow the trainees to grant their own unique insights about what they were viewing. In this way the Dodekatheon could have new ideas injected into it even if it was by less experienced individuals, as sometimes a new perspective could shed meaningful light on a situation that those too deeply mired could not ascertain on their own. Whatever flaws in their ideas would be noted and rejected of course, but if they demonstrated any particularly good points they would be contemplated like any other. In the Dodekatheon what mattered not was seniority or rank, but rather results, and so every idea would be contemplated and tested to achieve the best results.
To Tristan seeing the Warsmith work was like witnessing a single, perfectly elegant machine amidst so many others. Each action taken was exactly as it should be, each decision swift and without error, be it a precise application of various parts to form a greater whole, or be it in applying his military knowledge to solve the conflicts set before him on a display board. This machine-like efficiency carried over to those under his control, both guiding and correcting them as needed and showing them the correct action. In Tristan's eyes Jarn could do no wrong, having grown to possess the utmost faith in him through years of observation and learning under his tutelage.
Jarn would be the first to say he was not infallible, but to the Neophyte that was unimportant. The Warsmith was guiding him and others towards the utopia spoken of by the veteran Iron Warriors all around them, and when others would err Tristan could feel certain that Jarn would help set them right. No malice was paid to those who had failed, only the raw information on what could have been done better and how to improve upon it in the future. To some the impersonal nature of such feedback could be seen as flawed in and of itself, but to Tristan and many of the Iron Warriors within the ranks it was exactly what they desired above all else. Each exercise was another step towards greater success, each failure used as a guide to achieve better in the future.
Where some Astartes looked up to their Gene-Fathers, to the Primarchs of ages past, Tristan instead looked up to Jarn above all else. Not only did Tristan owe him his life, but Jarn had given him a reason to live after the loss of his family. While some when looking at Jarn could only ever see an inferior Perturabo, possessing the Primarch of the Fourth Legion's skills but lesser by every measure, Tristan instead found their Primarch as the lesser of the two. Perturabo had been a volatile man whose noble ambitions had led him to ruin, a man who had fallen in pursuit of utopia, but it was Jarn who carried on the Primarch's wishes. Jarn had remained stalwart in his dedication to what the world could be if they stood firm and refused to break, if they continued forward no matter the foe or the cost.
Eventually Tristan's turn would come to be rewarded for his wit, and so he met with Jarn by the most sophisticated display table in the entire Dodekatheon to discuss what it was Jarn was contemplating.
"Take a look at this," Jarn spoke, eschewing a greeting entirely since neither he nor Tristan were particularly fond of them. Arien was with them as well, quietly eating the treat he was given earlier at a slow pace to savor it.
Atop the table a comprehensive holographic representation of a military structure was visible down to the last minute detail. From what Tristan was able to see it was labeled as File 9N23I20, a meaningless designation to him, and so the name was ignored in favor of the rest.
"What is the purpose of this schematic?" Tristan asked simply while going over the data in front of him so that he could best steer his focus.
"It is one of many I possess. We need to study every structure we can if we are to be prepared for the sieges ahead. Gathering information on your enemies is vital to engaging them efficiently and successfully," Jarn gestured to the display, "Tell me, if you were to lay siege to this location, what would your approach be? Your goal is to breach the facility and neutralize its garrison while extracting whatever resources reside within its inner sanctum."
In his studies under Jarn and Ossus both Tristan had seen many structures, be they military bases or simple outposts, but this one put those others to shame. Embedded deep inside of a planet covered in glaciers and snow, the base was subterranean in nature and surrounded by rigid ice that supported it. With how deep it was surface strikes would take ages to breach its thick walls, and the only entrance leading to the surface was protected by redundant adamantine gates that in turn were hidden beneath a façade of snow and ice to mask their existence.
Whomever designed it certainly knew their craft, of that Tristan was certain, as there was no indication from looking at the area that this base existed at all. It was designed to be nearly impenetrable on its own, and hidden entirely from any would-be assailants. What's more, the world possessed immense fortifications all over that were manned by countless troops with a matching amount of artillery. Above it were a multitude of orbital defenses poised to prevent entry to the planet, as well as to strike foes down upon it, further inhibiting anyone from daring to cross them.
Put simply, to lay siege to this facility in a conventional fashion would require an actual Legion's worth of resources, and so Tristan asked another clarifying question.
"What resources would I be working with?"
Jarn seemed pleased by the question and answered swiftly, "Consider this a test of your imagination. No limits. Just do so efficiently and with minimal casualties to your own forces."
It was a simple matter to manipulate and change one's view of the facility via the controls built into the table, and so Tristan began by zooming the display out and taking notice of the landscape and the planet itself. Since it was an underground facility one had to reach it by first bypassing the planetary defenses, which in turn would have to be dealt with after landing on the planet. Since the goal simply required dealing with this one facility that meant that the other obstacles would be best dealt with in a minimal manner, so as to not commit too many resources where they were unnecessary.
The simplest method to defeat this fortress was to simply bombard it with Earthshaker shells until any ability it possessed to resist was neutralized. However that would take time, time in which the planet's defenses from elsewhere would be relocated to quell any such action.
"Surface bombardment would result in being surrounded on all sides and wiped out by reinforcements, correct?"
"Correct," Jarn nodded.
Surface action was thus an issue to implement. While such weapons could still perhaps play a role, Basilisks and their fellow artillery would need to be used with greater precision rather than as a blunt instrument.
Another method to crack open the ground and reveal the base buried in ice would be to implement an attack from above, utilizing the powerful weapons of the Iron Legion's fleet to crack it open before swooping down and retrieving what remained. Not only would this likely cause more collateral damage to the materials Jarn desired to be recovered in this hypothetical, but the powerful enemy fleet above would prevent any such action.
"Orbital bombardment would be negated by hostile spacecraft as well."
An engagement on the surface would be suicidal, as infantry teams would lack the firepower to breach it and heavier weapons would be too noticeable. Orbital conflict was similarly unreliable and risky.
With that in mind, it left Tristan with one other method of attack, one which he shifted the base's display to show it: subterranean invasion.
Tristan shifted the display to focus on the miles upon miles of glaciers beneath the surface of the world and beneath the facility itself, "With time, and the resources, you could hollow out the glacier beneath them here. They possess sensors for seismic activity, requiring this be done gradually over months if not years. Weaken the glacier's structure until the operation is put into action, then detonate planted charges at specific points to cause the collapse."
Shifting the view again, Tristan showed the side of the facility to Jarn instead of the gateway that originally had been facing them. The point he gestured to specifically was the armory of the base, and thus a major point to consider given the supplemental details provided on the side of the display.
"If you drop them down enough most the inhabitants will have been neutralized, and those remaining will be shaken and injured. The gate is reinforced, but the sides are less so given the natural geography protecting them. Pierce through here and you will enter the armory first and secure their weapons."
"How do you know they will not already be armed?" Jarn questioned not as a way of demeaning Tristan's observation but rather as a simple way of testing his theory.
Tristan had expected that question and so brought their attention to the details listed about the facility's garrison, its activity, and the lack of any prior known attacks upon it. The only complicating factor was that within its defenses were listed an unknown quantity of Astartes ranging from a few dozen to one hundred at most, but most of those defending it were mortal Humans.
"Some will, but in the specifications here it says this base has not ever been engaged in combat and that the planet it is on is heavily defended. Centuries or millennia of isolation would make many grow lax and complacent. Hitting their armory will neutralize much of the heavy weaponry in the facility, and so what remains will struggle to breach Power Armor. Bolter fire can still pose a threat, but it would minimize casualties."
Jarn nodded, accepting the observations of his student, "So you would focus your forces on the armory."
Tristan shifted the display again to display other areas he would then point at, "The bulk, yes, but not all of them. I would have specific groups breach other locations to split attention of the garrisoned forces. If they can focus all of their attention on one point they may be able to mount a counterattack, but a multi-pronged strike would leave them disorientated after the initial drop."
Some might consider this entire plan immoral, cowardly, or unbefitting of an Astartes: instead to Jarn it was exactly the kind of thinking he fostered and was glad to see replicated in Tristan. Winning mattered, and while some methods were not acceptable such as working with Chaos, there was no reason to not drop one's foes some miles down into a pre-set trap that you then launch from numerous directions to further confuse their survivors and wipe them out entirely. That was simply thinking intelligently as far as Jarn was concerned, as the alternatives to such a decision in the scenario presented were suicidal.
"I approve of your methodology. With further study I am sure you could iron out details, but for a first glance I am impressed," Jarn praised Tristan genuinely, recognizing the Neophyte's budding talent and seeking to nurture it further, "Consider this a reward for coming up with the most effective of plans."
With that said Jarn called forth a different image onto the display, projecting a video feed of a large Daemonic being tearing through what appeared to be Humans not too dissimilar to those found in Tristan's village. While gruesome to witness Tristan remained firm, watching the slaughter with contempt while Jarn explained it.
"This is Palamedes, a Daemon Prince of Khorne. According to our recent reports he is the one pulling the strings of the Word Bearers we clashed with some years ago, being one of their number who ascended thanks to the blood he spilled upon your world."
For years Tristan had no real face to place to the phantom enemy he hated so deeply for taking everything from him, but here it finally was. This was the individual to blame for his family's slaughter, his village being torn asunder, and for an entire world being torn apart by the vicious slaves of Chaos.
"The Word Bearers are one of the few Legions with greater number than the Iron Warriors, and they outnumber our own number many times over," Jarn continued as he brought up other relevant information for Tristan to go over on the screen, "It is thanks to this that they will draw the attention and ire of the Imperium, and in time their numbers will be cut down by their constant search for new conflict to sate the thirst of their commander. In time they will fall, and we shall be the instrument to deal the final blow, but direct conflict at this time would be unwise."
As much as he hated this Palamedes there was nothing Tristan could do about them right now, and he was acutely aware of that fact. If Levente could best him in combat without breaking a sweat then how could he overcome a fearsome creature such as this? They were larger than even Jarn by a fair degree, and appeared to be a fair bit stronger as well. With vicious claws that could cleave through flesh like it was not there at all to fight such a Beast would be to die without accomplishing anything at all.
But some day...
"I understand."
It affirmed Jarn's faith in his pupil that Tristan was not so blinded by revenge that he would seek out Palamedes even after learning of him, instead choosing to hone his bitter rage to one day defeat his foe in a more advantageous moment, "I promised you your revenge, and you will have it."
To shift things away from the subject at hand Tristan brought up a related topic instead, "Are there other Warbands we should take note of?"
"There is one, as of this moment, belonging to the Emperor's Children."
"The Astartes you fought prior to entering the Warp?" Tristan recalled from his lessons.
"Astute. Yes, they have not been dealt with as of yet, and are among the few to know of us. Their present whereabouts are unknown, but I would not put it past them to try and make even."
Turning the display table off, Jarn turned to look down at Tristan, who had already grown so much since they first met and now was approaching the height of Jarn's shoulder.
"Right now everyone who is not us is an enemy. Those who stand with us against the tides of extinction and Chaos are few at the moment, so we must forge our own path so that others may join us. Only then may we realize our goals and reach the end we desire."
Riding through the frozen tundra of Kimara upon a Dirtcycle always gave Isolde a thrilling sensation despite her lack of daredevil or thrill-seeking tendencies. The natural sensation of adrenaline was all the more apparent given her bold nature which overshadowed whatever fear she might have, and thus left her feeling at ease even when she knew she had to remain focused. While the Atalan vehicle primarily used for mining operations was sturdy it was still nothing compared to the monsters that could be encountered out here beyond the safety of Kimara's fortress cities.
Along with Isolde were her classmates such as Dairine, Verita, Clausura, Kalles, Madge, Umida, Coredelia, and Marlene, all of them riding a modified Dirtcycle to travel from the city's Schola to the ancient Schola facility relatively close to the city. The path was clear of threats for the most part, but caution had to always be paid in case a pack of Hoarverns might catch sight of wayward travelers. Their Dirtcycles were swift, but not as fast as their unmodified counterparts would be on flat land since these ones were made to tread through snow and remain sturdy even on ice, along with possessing greater protection in case of dire weather conditions.
By darting along the landscape these eight year old girls were able to reach their destination in short order, though on the way there was a minor competition between Dairine, Kalles, and Isolde to see who could get there first. Isolde had not particularly wanted to engage in such a pointless activity, but she also did not wish to appear the lesser of the haughty Dairine or snobby Kalles. Dairine was the best in their class in whatever physical activity they took part in, being rumored by the other students at the Schola to have been genetically altered, designed, or otherwise unnaturally made given her uncanny reaction time and general capabilities.
If one was to believe the rumors Dairine was gene-crafted and designed to be better by nearly all metrics than her peers. While young she had already distinguished herself as possessing incredible coordination and reflexes with speed to match, though it was far more likely that the Schola had simply taken in such a promising orphan as Scholas had for thousands of years.
While physically superior to her compatriots Dairine did possess a notable flaw, with that being an excess of pride that bordered on arrogance. She was better and she acted like it, only kept in check by the fact she was not at the top of her class in raw intelligence. While intelligent in her own right, Dairine was surpassed there by Isolde and Verita. Losing to Dairine in such a competition Isolde could stomach alone, for how could one compete with such a person, but Isolde's limit was reached when it would also mean losing to Kalles.
Kalles possessed the sort of personality and charisma which would typically result in someone her age being popular or at least well-liked by many of their peers, but on the planet of Kimara such traits were outliers and thus socially she stood apart from the others. She still carried herself highly given her background hailing from a noble family which served the present Planetary Governor and his predecessor, only ending up at the Schola thanks to the death of her family during a minor rebellion against the Governor's mass conscription some years past.
While nearly the entire male population was forced to join the Imperial Guard, certain government workers and officials who handled matters related to them escaped the conscription, earning them ire and resentment from others. The only things preventing widescale retaliation was the protection afforded to them by their services to the ruling power, and the fact that the stubborn loyalty of the people of Kimara largely saw them bow their head and just suffer through the injustices forced upon them. What once saw them rebel against the Imperium in favor of the Iron Warriors now saw them unable to cast off their new shackles.
Isolde in particular disliked Kalles, possessing a bitter rivalry with her instead of anything approaching companionship. Like oil and water the two simply did not mesh, and so each sought to surpass the other however possible. It was for this reason that even though the perfectly timed turns and swerves of Dairine would see her victorious out of their group Isolde at least did her best to follow straight behind her and surpass Kalles, who came in last due to failing to properly land after riding over a snowbank that Dairine effortlessly sailed over. Isolde had doubted her own ability to do so and so had gone around it, something their other classmates would mirror out of caution, and so was able to pull ahead and maintain a lead until they reached the ancient Schola.
Truth be told, Isolde had been looking forward to this day for quite some time, but it also made her inherently nervous because of how much she had looked forward to it. While not outwardly expressive or emotional typically the fact that this was the day everyone in her class would be able to get their own Ixolotl, an animal companion that would last them a lifetime, was enough to make her smile. The issue came in how they had to pass a test to properly adopt an Ixolotl of their own, and the possibility of failing it while her classmates succeeded wracked her nerves.
The test was a simple one: the test-takers would be introduced to various Ixolotls of varying ages, and the reaction of the Ixolotls to them would be recorded. Given their empathetic and mirroring nature Ixolotls once given enough exposure to someone would gravitate towards or away from them based on that person's nature. Ixolotls were well known for helping their owners with anxiety and other such negative feelings, but they also would rather not be around strangers who give them the wrong vibes. They naturally would linger by those they feel safe with, even if that person tends to be outwardly harsh or angry: what mattered was what was on the inside. This was fortunate to the icy natives of Kimara, who otherwise may never have been able to bond with the creatures.
It was in this way that it was less an owner choosing their Ixolotl and more that the Ixolotls would choose their owners, with the exceptions being Ixolotls hatched from eggs belonging to a family. Those more often than not would stay within the family, with the strong familial bonds of Ixolotls allowed to remain through the generations of their owners.
If during the test however one was not chosen by the Ixolotls they would not be granted one of their own until such a time they could pass such a trial, though this outcome was almost unheard of for locals upon Kimara and was mostly encountered by those from off-world who did not share the same history as those on the planet. As such most of those who would fail the test were from the Schola, though the number was still minimal, as the Schola possessed orphaned children from many different worlds with sometimes vastly differing personalities.
As the top student in their class Isolde was the one who was expected to guide the others through tasks when instructors were not present, and so she saw to it that all the others in her class put their Dirtcycles away properly once they were within the confines of the Schola. They were expected to take care of themselves and not cause disruption, and would be punished if they needlessly caused issue for other Schola students or instructors, so proper equipment management was expected without a word being spoken by their Abbots.
The test and resulting ceremony was to be held in the depths of the Schola, down in the caves which made the Ixolotls feel particularly comfortable and safe to lay their eggs. Ixolotl reproduction was a fairly slow matter, likely a result of them being such long-lived creatures that if they reproduced rapidly it would cause them issues in the wild. Generally speaking it matched the rate at which Humans were born on Kimara in years past which made matching them to owners a simple matter, but the conscription years ago had caused this to change for the present generation. With less Humans around there were plenty of excess domesticated Ixolotls, who mostly were just accepted as members of the general community and allowed to go about the fortress cities as they pleased.
Their constant presence was an annoyance to the Wostyn mercenary garrison however given the bitter history between their planets, and so Planetary Governor Conomor's servants had implemented increasing regulations about Ixolotls. They could not overturn certain laws dating back to the foundation of their society about mistreatment of Ixolotls, but they could make ownership of them more difficult and pass regulations on where the creatures could roam without causing the stoic natives of Kimara to speak out.
Because of this increase of regulations Isolde was met with the sight of a member of Kimara's governing body and their cronies speaking to the Commandant when she entered the cavern with her class. From a look Isolde recognized the one speaking with her father as Desmia, an administrator who sometimes featured in the news due to her wide-reaching influence and connections. That the reason for Desmia's influence was seduction and manipulation was unknown to Isolde at the time, but her father's nonplussed attitude towards the woman whenever she was mentioned told Isolde all she needed to know: Desmia was not someone to be trusted despite her claims to be serving the interests of the people of Kimara when she actually was enforcing its newfound tyranny.
With Desmia were others that Isolde recognized thanks to her father's tutelage, as well as one she knew from simply encountering them once on her own. First was Pyan, a Kimaran native who served the Imperium and who much like Desmia did his duties allegedly for the good of his people. He served the Emperor above all else, at least on paper, as he was most notable for speaking against his own people and of how their sins were so great that they deserved their present fate. He looked down upon them even as he tried to preach salvation through the Emperor, and so while this endeared him to the government it did little to win the respect of other Kimarans.
Next was Arran, a nobleman who had avoided the conscription through his connections and who helped fund and bring support to the regime's cause. His pompous behavior was insufferable, always just barely crossing the line of civility such that whomever would react to his goading would be the ones punished by the law, and thanks to his wealth he could often be found in the company of actual officials of the government despite providing nothing of tangible value to discussions they may have. It was this narcissism that saw him look down upon his fellow Kimarans, and why he took perverse satisfaction out of their suffering under the reign of the Conomors since he believed it was for their own good.
Last among them was Rahtor, a more local member of the government whose very existence caused others irritation given his unintelligent nature, only being able to orbit around those more capable than himself due to his family's connections. To compare his wit to an Ixolotl's would be an insult to the animal, as at least they could provide useful aid in various ways, but for Rahtor he only knew how to complain and whine ineffectually.
Isolde's entire class sans Isolde herself, Verita, and Kalles lingered away from the Commandant's location, having been taught to be wary of outsiders. There were other students their age being prepared for the test that they could go join and so they did so, ignoring what the adults were discussing in favor of being able to go pet Ixolotls. Isolde could not help but be curious however, with Verita having the same reaction, while Kalles lingered because she came from a family much like those of the visitors and so did not mind being in close proximity to them.
From what Isolde could make out from her eavesdropping was that Desmia was attempting to cancel the event, citing new Ixolotl regulations that were occurring across all of Kimara. The others she brought with her argued in favor of this stance, with Pyan arguing that Ixolotls were beginning to draw negative attention to their world as some Imperials considered them Xenos including the local Wostyn forces. Arran in turn cast doubt on the point in raising such animals, believing it to be a waste of time, while Rahtor simply repeated the statements the others made.
The Commandant's response was a simple one.
"No."
Due to the fact the Commandant himself worked for the Imperium rather than the more local government, and that this location was a Schola under the jurisdiction of him, that he could hold whatever ceremonies he well pleased. Rahtor began to complain that it was not fair that the rest of Kimara would undergo one set of rules while the Schola would have its own, only for the Commandant to retort.
"Indeed. Perhaps you should undo your obvious error then."
Arran scoffed, "Are you questioning the decree and wisdom of Governor Conomor?"
"I am not questioning his wisdom, Lord Arran, for one cannot prove a negative."
The tension was palpable, but, seeing that the Commandant was not going to just roll over and do as they please, Desmia corralled the others into departing along with her. It was obvious that they were displeased that he did not do as they said, but he was correct that under Imperial law they could not force him to do as they bid. On their way out Pyan took note of the children gathered in the large and spacious cavern, commenting that he hoped for their eternal souls that they were being taught to follow the Emperor's light and vision. To this the Commandant affirmed that they were being taught to be true followers of the Emperor's will, of that there was no doubt.
With their departure the Commandant was left free to resume his part in the Ixolotl Day ceremony, willfully ignoring that his daughter and two of her classmates had been listening in since he was no issue with them learning the true nature of their government even if just one little bit. Soon after the children were gathered and led to a swarm of Ixolotls ranging from newborns to elderly, the test beginning right thereafter as the Commandant and various Abbots observed the interactions of the Progena with the animals.
Isolde was nervous at first because none of the Ixolotls approached her just as they were not approaching Kalles and a few others, but she remained as calm as she could and prayed to the Emperor that the Ixolotls would accept her. She could see Dairine of all people surrounded by them, with plenty of infant Ixolotls with their violet external gills approaching her to receive the shiny objects each child was granted to be able to give the Ixolotls.
A minute passed by, then two, then three, then four, and just as Isolde was beginning to doubt if she would pass she felt something soft squish up against her back. Turning around, she found Olym standing there with his head leaned into her as a show of affection, being the Ixolotl belonging to their household and thus already familiar with her. While not as reassuring as an unacquainted Ixolotl reaching out to her it did at least quell the fear that they simply did not like her the way they disliked Desmia's group, with not a single Ixolotl having even approached the four of them.
It was then that Isolde realized that Olym was holding an Ixolotl egg, its most notable characteristics being its blue shell marked with a few stripes as well as the lustrous sheen to the large egg. From what Isolde could tell this egg was Olym's child, and he was offering it to her because he trusted her. Accepting it took no consideration at all, with Isolde thanking and petting Olym as her thanks while also offering him some of the shiny marbles they had all been given. This done, Olym seemed content to just hang around Isolde, still leaning his head into her on occasion in his odd way of showing companionship.
No longer fearful about failing the test, Isolde was able to turn her attention over towards one of her classmates who seemed to have their hands full with one of the infant Ixolotls.
"Upa!"
Dairine groaned as she tried to get the creature to follow her commands, "No. No 'Upa'. I said sit. Do as I say, I am your master now."
"Upa?" the Ixolotl's big head tilted as it seemed confused by what she was trying to convey.
"Sit."
"Upa..."
"Sit!"
Now believing this to be a game, the Ixolotl began to hop up and down in amusement, "Upa!"
While she was attempting to be stern with the Ixolotl that seemingly chose her Dairine could not help but laugh when its long tongue became a weapon to tickle her with through licking her face. Haughty, but not particularly mean, it was obvious why an Ixolotl had remained with her even as the other young ones with short attention spans wandered off to find new shiny objects.
As she watched them play Isolde felt the warm egg in her arms begin to move, and as soon as she looked down at it she found a strong, soft blue tail poking through it and wiggling back and forth. Setting it down, Isolde watched as the shell slowly cracked open bit by bit and Olym lay on his belly beside her to watch along with his mate. It took a couple suspenseful minutes for the Ixolotl inside to get out, including a bit of an incident where once its feet got out it began to walk around with the rest of the egg still obscuring all but their feet and tail, but eventually they succeeded and revealed an Ixolotl around a foot tall.
Olym and his mate began to cheer at the sight of their newborn son, who in turn was looking around for the first time in his life in amazement and wonder...until he laid eyes on Isolde and seemed to smile, wasting no time in brushing up against her.
Leading up to today Isolde had been debating what to name her own Ixolotl if she received one, and in now seeing him she felt certain in her choice. After all, why not name her pet after her favorite character to read about in her books, Induro Beau?
"Bo."
A/N: In the grim darkness of the 41st Millennium there is only war...and Ixolotls. Because not everything in the universe is always trying to kill you.
What do you guys believe Jarn is thinking about with that schematic he shared? Curious what you are thinking.
