The world of Aerobolia, Segmentum Obscrus
Chatter echoed throughout the chamber as discussion continued uninterrupted as it had for several hours at this point. Multiple parties vying and lobbying for their respective positions, all trying to gain the ear of the planetary governor for whatever caused they deemed more important.
Jeffery Hiram drowned out the noise as he once again zoned out, clearly bored of the discussions before him. As the fifth son of the Governor, Mikael Hiram, he was forced to attend these events, because he was considered to be in line of succession. In reality he was the back up plan, or more accurately the back up of the back up. And all of that was assuming that the old bastard would die in the first place, his father was already over two hundred years old and yet didn't look a day over thirty, thanks to rejuvenate treatments. And that was without mentioning the fact that he four older brothers before him that stronger ties to seat than he did.
Therefore Jeffrey decided long ago to accept his lot in life, he was born into mediocrity and there he stayed. He made it painfully obvious that he had little interest in courtly intrigue and politics, nor did have martial might or scientific genius. He wasn't physically inept nor he was he dimwitted either, he was merely average and that was enough to keep him out of the power games that the others played. He figured that by staying unremarkable he could avoid the inevitable conflicts that were sure to arise, as had happened to other houses.
Perhaps he had grown too comfortable for he was caught day dreaming by one of his father's attendants who gave him a menacing glare. This attendant was a military advisor, a former sergeant of the imperial guard and from the same regiment as his father, the 101st "Aerobolian angels", by the name of Sandrel Kingston. Jeffrey had always had a rocky relationship with Sandrel, the old sergeant had never quite given up on him like so many of the other servants and attendants did. Sandrel had taken to attempting to discipline the kid, trying to instill something into him and Jeffrey for the life of him didn't know why.
Jeffrey tried his best to listen and catch back up with the current meeting and discourse surrounding him. Apparently they were discussing an invasion from Xenos south of the sector, Orks to be precise. Jeffrey had obviously never seen an Ork before, or really any Xenos for that matter. He had however heard of from others and he had heard many things. Some said they were a ravaging horde of mindless brutes, others said they were all seven tall, still more claim that they had "space magic" and could shoot lasers from their eyes. Jeffrey put little stock in such rumors and cared even less, for war had been kept far from their system. If memory serves, it has been over thousand years any significant battles had been fought over his homeworld, instead it was other worlds which suffered the wrath of Mankinds enemies, assuming that was even true. Few who left their world to see service abroad ever returned and those accounts could easily be fictitious, Jeffrey was already familiar with how easy it was to use lies to remain in power.
Apparently the Ork leading this so called "WAAGH" into imperial space was named "Krug" and given the title of "star scourge" after taking a whole star system in a single solar year. Surely such a a fearsome would catch the attention of the Emperor's finest warriors, who would slay the beast and thus he had nothing to worry about. He tried to keep paying attention as the conversation drifted to matters of logistics and deployments but eventually his mind wandered and soon began to doze off once more. A few moments later he felt the collar of his jacket being pulled as he was quickly but forcibly yanked from his seat in the back of the chamber.
A few seconds later he was pulled into a dark room just behind chamber. Jeffrey was unceremoniously dumped onto the ground as he looked up to see Sandrel now standing over him. Sandrel frowned as he looked down on Jeffrey, the old Sergeant folded his arms behind his back. The dim lighting of the room highlighted the bright blue and white uniform the sergeant was wearing, which was just as pristine as the day he left the guard decades ago.
"What is the meaning of this?" Jeffrey grumbled indignantly, trying to perhaps flex his authority as he thought of how much trouble he was likely in. "You have dishonoured your father, your family and your house" Sandrel replied, his stoic face still holding the same expression of disappointment, if not a bit of sadness behind it.
"It was only but a brief lapse of attention" Jeffrey quipped as he suspected that these was something more afoot here. "No it wasn't, by not taking your duties seriously you have insulted the Emperor and the responsibilities he has given you. For twenty years I have tried to instill the discipline necessary in you to be a good leader, to do what so few noblemen are capable of doing, and leader your people with integrity.
For decades now I have overlooked your failures, because not only I but your father have seen something in you. But you have wasted that potential and you have forced our hand" Sandrel continued, his voice growing colder as he went on.
"What do you want me to do? Please give me another chance" Jeffrey begged, his mind racing at what the ominous words could entai. "It is too late for that. But you will get a chance at redemption" Sandrel replied as he stepped back and another man entered the room, this one also dressed in a blue and white uniform. Already, Jeffrey could start putting the pecies in his mind, mentally cursing himself. The man stepped forward and offered Jeffrey a hand as he got to his feet.
"Welcome to the Imperial guard" the soldier said as Jeffrey slumped his shoulders in resignation, "Frak me" Jeffrey thought to himself as his life was about to change.