Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Iron Cross. Enjoy the 4000-word chapter. I do not own Warhammer or Halo, Gameshop and 343 do.
(Imperial Capital, January 15th, 2532.)
The Fortress of Hera was all too majestic for now. He sighed to himself before he looked towards the ground.
Halius followed Igaros… He did not at all know what would be conducted… With Guilliman coming? He had no idea how the populace on the planet of Macragge would be all too concerned with what was growing on his mind.
Something that had been drilled through his mind was HOW it had been done and HOW.
Something about it all had been enough to push him through it.
"You know… There is still a chance we will not go to the meeting." Igaros stated to which Halius glanced at his comrade. "Just trying to lighten the mood, Halius… We have other issues as well. Lord Guilliman would understand." Halius heard as he sighed.
He shook his head before he looked downwards at the ground. The rush of aircraft over his head as he looked downwards at the ground, glancing towards Igaros as both Ultramarines slowly entered.
There appeared to be all manner of scans which had been conducted on each other… Something which had been too much to deal with if he had not been surprised.
This was their home, this was the center of their world, their home, their fortress was something that they had relaxed within as he sighed.
"Hmm…" Halius thought of as he closed his eyes, his lenses changed towards her, something which had taken it away.
"Are we ok?" Halius asked before he crossed his arms and looked at the staff.
Both had been too interested in it all before he looked to the side, all of this had been odder and odder with each little motive that he had to relax for now… Something about it all made him amused at the time being… Something which had been harder and harder to figure out.
Something which had been harder and harder to deal with now and for good reason… Both were able to think of it for a reason.
They had a lot more to try and figure out now… Both soldiers had fought and both had suffered, neither of them appeared able to relax, it had been a very long battle, one which had shattered them into pieces, something which had been a long time coming.
If nothing else? They had more work to deal with, as a soldier. They had fought, they had been too interested in it all before he looked to the side.
Something about it all made Halius uneasy, something about him had been too disturbed back and forth now, and for a good reason.
They had been too disturbed with it all for now, something within it all had made him uneasy… And he would be uneasy in it all back and forth… Uneasy for now, something about it all had been too interested in it all.
He had been at the time amused… Something which he had not gotten used to.
It almost made him too interested in it all. Halius crossed his arms before looking over the landscape, something about it all before came to it.
They had a lot more on their minds before they looked to the side, something about this chaos was harder and harder to understand.
"We are home, we will be ok, brother," Halius added before he looked to the side.
"Now you act nice… How do we know that?" Halius heard before he shook his head.
Both were at odds with themselves, thinking of it all before now as if a small little game was occurring. Both were quiet… Both had been too disturbed at the time being.
Halius and the others all waited on the terraces of the palace, all of them thrown off by something like their Primarch coming, Halius had not seen him since the Indominus Crusade.
He would almost laugh if the rest of their army was confused for now, something which Astartes was not yet used to.
Both were curious as they looked to the side, something which tossed them all apart.
"The Primarch will be here soon… We should be prepared for now… If we are not? We will have no idea what to do… Both of us." Halius heard before he shook his head.
He brought an armored hand to his skull, laughing to himself as he realized he had been terrified and he knew that being terrified was something that Astartes were not used to at all.
He sighed to himself before shaking his skull back and forth, almost feeling pain ebb and flow, something which had been too much to them.
He had no idea what their father would tell them, the ideas he held were something that the Ultramarines tried to embody as they milled around.
Halius closed his eyes and then shook his head, glancing off to the side, something which broke him in half. This was a part of him he was not used to, they had not been here for a long time and it felt less like hum.
Halius still remembered the Plague Marines, the traitors who clambered, singing their damned songs as they spread death and decay across the realm.
He and Igaros had fought them and Halius still remembered the screams as they marched across the realm… His chain sword had drunk deeply of traitor blood back then, he had been too disturbed and disgusted of them to fight…
He did not know the Death Guard, only that they had to be fought and killed, slaughtered back again and again with venom in his soul, he had been too furious, disgusted by it, by them. He had been disgusted.
Halius looked over at Igaros for a moment then sighed to himself more than he did anything else… It felt more like a jab at the species than them.
The imperium had bred traitors and they had killed their kin… He was still reminded of the rotting monsters who used to be brothers, family who he cut down without remorse.
"Lieutenant?" One of the Ultramarines asked.
"Thinking, yes?" Halius stated before he looked to the side.
He cleared his throat, feeling as if he had been shoved through a bug zapper.
Something about it all made him more and more amused now with each second for now… It had been something for Halius to dread, to cut through like a damned knife.
Halius had been too disturbing for now and for a good reason… They had a lot more to try and figure out now as of now.
Halius was quiet… He could guess that from the look Igaros gave him. Igaros knew what Halius was thinking of, his armor betrayed his stance and how he was quick to look at them, quick to act.
It almost made him amused in the way that they faced off… As if Igaros would shout something.
"Do you remember the Crusade? How we clashed with the traitors inside the Fortress of Hera? We had seen abominations we could not even fathom." Halius stated with a nod.
"We gunned down traitor after traitor and yet those damned sicknesses had seeped down and infected almost everyone… Yes, we have been hardly working when it came to sickness." Halius heard as he nodded.
He knew damned well if the enemies had been able to think? If they had returned? He doubted many if anyone would have survived.
He would rather have dealt with any other of the traitor legions… They might have been tiresome now… It had been harder said and done.
They could have killed other traitors, bolts and other manners of weapons which would exist could kill enemies… Traitors were something he knew would have torn through the UNSC; mortal weapons did not easily kill them.
"Do you think they might return?" Igaros asked to which Halius shook his head.
"No. I do not believe they will… But it reminds me of the last time we were here… When the damned warp descended on the base." Igaros heard as he hummed.
"We beat them then." Halius heard.
"I would hope we never find them crawling around this planet… The more soldiers we deal with? The more strikes I do not want to deal with… I never want to feel vulnerable here again." Halius stated before he shook his head.
Halius seemed to be looking to the side, waiting for the Thunderhawk which carried the Primarch. He knew more and more that the warrior would come, something which he did not want to think of it all before now.
He had been too interested in it all before it had all been too disturbed for now. Halius seemed to be looking to the side, something which had been too tired with it all being dealt with for now.
Halius had been too interested in it all before now… Something which he had been amused with for now.
Halius paused to look at Igaros as both seemed to be relaxed for now. it was something that he could have dealt with for now.
Halius hummed, tiresome and it had been relaxed… He looked over towards the entrance.
"The Primarch approaches," Halius stated before he shook his head and looked towards the stars.
(In orbit)
Guilliman sighed to himself as he rubbed at his temples, the massive walls of his flagship felt more like a cage than part of the command center. They had been at war for several months; he had gone back and forth between the rest of the galaxy and the soldiers whom he led.
His sons had done a lot of work when it came down to their battles. The war with the Covenant was something that the Primarch had studied clearly, this man? This warrior within him had banged the cage, tearing holes in it.
"Shall we start the meeting?" He heard as he turned towards the Chapter Master.
"We shall… We have a lot more to try and check on it." He heard before he looked towards the ground.
He had been too amused before he looked towards the ground… Something that he could have been too disturbed with for now… He wandered around with interest as he paused to think.
Both had been tired at the time being… Something which he had been too interested in all, they had been too relaxed.
Something which had been harder and harder with a bigger idea for now… Something about it all had been harder and harder with each second coming towards them.
If nothing else? Guilliman had been distracted but content. The UNSC was not a screaming mass of fanatics, they were not a horrible mass of chanting screamers… They were soldiers, warriors.
The talks of them were all too interesting to the Primarch. They had been so eager for allies against the Covenant that the Ultramarines and the Imperium were welcomed with open arms.
They were soldiers, they were too interested in trying to think for now… Something which had been too interesting for now.
They had been too distracted for now… Something within the soldier had been interesting to him as he looked to the side, they had a lot more to try and figure it all.
Halius seemed to be dealt with and yet? The rest of them were making him think more of work.
"The Lieutenant… He cares more about the warriors within the imperium than it seems." Guilliman seemed to be tiresome for now.
They had been on the edge of the manner. An idea this way would be done for now… They had something which could not have been tired with it all before he had been relaxed with a new idea.
The ruler of Ultramar and its fiefdoms were all too uneasy, he was all too disturbed.
They had been too disturbed at the time being, something which had been too distracted at the time being as they looked downwards towards the ground.
He knew more and more and more that his friend was trying his best to try and figure it out.
They had a lot more to try and figure it out as of now. Both were quiet for now as they managed to relax… Something for now. Something before now and it had been more than he relaxed.
The Primarch was silent as he looked down towards the ground.
"We have much to discuss," Guilliman stated before he sighed to himself before he clasped a hand to his head, questioning what was too interesting.
(With Halius and the others)
Halius hummed, tired as he pondered what to do… He liked being home but part of his mind lingered on the battlefield, part of him had not yet escaped.
Halius frowned… He had been tired; he had been dwelling on plenty of past battles. He had battled so much that he had not yet managed to fight… He had not fought his inner demons.
Igaros made a point that Halius focused more on combat than on any other issue when it came to life. The problem with Halius? He did not yet understand WHY his friend cared. They were soldiers, Astartes.
They were meant for the frontlines where they could make a difference, not to dwell in hovels where they dealt with small issues. They were bred for war and only war, nothing but military matters.
Part of his mind drifted to Linda and Master Chief. They were Spartans, warriors of the highest caliber… Some Astartes refused to see them as equals.
He found a kinship with them. The Master Chief reminded him of the warriors of the Astartes. He was a fine soldier and he would have made a skilled Ultramarine.
Then there was all too much on his mind when it came to Linda… The lone wolf, the sniper, the hunter.
She had been a skilled warrior, there were very few soldiers who had kept up with Astartes, who operated with the stone-cold passion with which she had fought.
She was as much Astartes as the others would have been at long range. If she was allowed to become one? he assumed the Raven Guard would have taken her in without complaint based on her ruthless pragmatism and stoic professionalism.
Another part of him was distracted for now… They had been too disturbed at the time being.
She had been too distracted with it… But she was a skilled soldier, she had fought and fought well. She had been able to relax and fight and she was… Like a light in a dying star to him.
To him? Linda had been a warrior companion he needed, a friend who understood the soldier part of him.
Perhaps it was odd he knew much more than her but he respected for now.
"Lieutenant? There is a disturbance… The Primarch needs to speak with the officers now." Halius heard as he hummed.
"Seems relaxing is over." Igaros joked as Halius already started to leave. "After this, brother? You need to rest… I know you mean well but no soldier can charge forward into every shadow and fight every monster." Igaros stated to which Halius said nothing.
He snorted to himself…. He knew it.
"I will rest when I am dead, Igaros… Not before I done all I can for the Primarch, our people, and the UNSC…" Halius stated before he walked through the waves of Astartes and servants.
"Halius will give everything for everyone…" Suriel stated to which Igaros frowned.
"And then he will have nothing left… We are soldiers, but it is not ALL we are… Halius is not fighting just because of loyalty and care, he is punishing himself over each failure we all take and each failure the second company endures." Igaros stated before he looked to the side.
When this was over? Whenever this was over? Igaros would go to a Chaplin or the company's Librarian, Halius needed to know he did not need to shoulder their burden alone… Nor fail himself each time they faced a setback.
(With Guilliman)
The Primarch did not openly keep tabs on his sons. The Ultramarines were an extension of him, not a part of his body.
However? He did know of his one son, knew for one reason.
"The Lieutenant was the first to speak to the UNSC on our will, yes?" Guilliman asked.
There was a nod as he crossed the room, the ground warping slowly as if his footsteps shattered stars. This chamber often felt like his own kingdom rather than anything else… He had set foot here before and he would do so again only when needed.
"The Covenant is not an enemy that can be beaten with words… The reports of their last few battles show the depths of depravity they will sink to." Guilliman stated, watching as a lone Thunderhawk approached.
He had returned to issue orders to his men, provide them with guidance, and then depart back into the depths of space.
The UNSC was less spiteful and petty than the imperium. They did not worship his father; they did not believe in a god emperor sitting above them. Guilliman envied them, they held a better standard of life than his brothers held.
Perhaps when the smoke cleared, the son of Ultramar could speak to them and ask them to share this gift with his sons.
"They have yet to strike at us… Since we have destroyed several of their capital ships? They have retreated… Captains believe we should pursue, destroy them on their hovels." He heard to which he frowned.
"The Lieutenant's report… Suggested we draw them into a battle, force them to come to us, and destroy them when we have the advantage… Force them into a situation where the losses will force them to disengage from the war itself." Guilliman stated.
He sighed to himself before he looked to the side.
"My liege? Problems within the outpost on Grazo-IV…" Guilliman stated before he looked to the side.
He was tired at the time being… They had been too interested in battles… And now? it seemed as if he had been something which he had been tired at the time being.
Guilliman was all too interested in it all before now… He sighed and cursed, looking around the room.
(With Halius and his squad)
Halius seemed to be tired as he cracked his fingers before he looked out the window and into the depths of space. Suriel and the others spoke with the rest of them.
Halius nodded and looked around the craft before he sighed, looking at the pilot.
"Why are we not approaching the hanger bay?" Halius asked as he hummed.
He looked downwards now and questioned if he had been offending the Primarch… Was their punishment to be killed? To have their heads chopped off and tossed aside? He did not know this but he did think anyway.
"The Primarch has a mission for us… Just came in. There appears to be a disturbance at one of the outposts at the depths of Ultramar space." The pilot stated to which he was silent.
Halius was curious at the time being… They had a lot more to try and figure out now at the time being. Something that needs to be done now and for good reason.
It was something that they had been relaxed… They had been torn through it all now.
Halius was curious before he looked at the pilot, pushing both members of his squad away.
"Did they mention what has occurred?" Halius asked as he faced the screen.
"We know little about their strength… From what little do we know? They appear to be a covenant group but… Different." Halius sighed to himself as he heard this word.
He had been too interested in it all for now… A lot more at the time being. They had a lot more to try and do… But if they had a mission? He would take it for now.
Halius seemed to be tired at the time being… He had a lot of ideas as he looked to the side, glancing towards the ground.
He had been too disturbed at the time… And yet he was all too relaxed. Something which he had been relaxed.
Something which he had been too disturbed with to try and relax with an idea.
Something which had been too tiresome. They had been too relaxed… And he would fight as well as he had to.
"Tell me what we will need to do… And connect me to the Primarch… I will speak with him and then we shall be on the deployment." Halius ordered as he turned.
He had questions… The Primarch had asked for his presence. He shall give it… Then he would fight and he would fight as needed now and for all the good it did him… Something within him had been more than enough.
It would be harder and harder with each step made toward their next path forward.
"He has already said he would review it… We are to get underway as soon as possible… The Spartans seem to have been dispatched as well." Halius heard as he hummed and then sighed.
He turned to his crew and nodded before he looked over at them with exhaustion.
"Mission briefing then," Halius stated to which data spread across the screen.
Covenant forces seemed to have struck the world… But they used odd tactics and gear.
He blinked before scrolling downwards as the pilot chimed in.
"The Spartans appear to have information from the UNSC they are willing to share." Halius heard as he nodded.
"Show me." Halius heard before data scrolled past them. "Covenant soldiers, who act this manner? Hmm, it seems they either adapted… Or they are splintering." Halius added before he blinked as they approached the battle barge Retribution.
Perhaps it was quaint they not meet with the Primarch… Halius looked over at Macragge's Honour. The ship hung in the depths of space like a shark, hungry and vicious for combat. It was built for no less a warrior than Guilliman.
Perhaps it was something that he did not understand now… The problem? He knew he had little in the way of skills… Little in the manner of acting.
(With Guilliman)
"You are thinking about sharing territory with them? They might still feel a need to take it… The Covenant attack more and more of their worlds each day." Guilliman was tired, far more exhausted, and far more beaten down about hearing these words.
He said nothing, letting his silence cascade across the room as he realized both times. They would be unable to figure it out…
"The Covenant takes precedence as a threat over the UNSC even if we had ANY issues with them," Guilliman stated to which he sighed to himself.
He had been sure they could deal with this… Why? Because he knew every single little issue with them was something more problematic at the time being.
Something within them all was growing harder and harder with each little idea… Something had been tiresome to him.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! A few things.
I am aware Guilliman can be ruthless and such. I just read Dark Imperium… He is open to criticism and outside ideas; I also know he is willing to deal with politics he hates.
I am aware Halius and Igaros complain about being Ultramarines. It is not a bash against them, it is a point of how Halius is putting his own life at risk and Igaros is worried he has no care for himself.
I am introducing the Banished soon… I do plan for them to be an enemy but for the Covenant to still eclipse them and the Orks to be the second villain… Atriox runs a mercenary army, not a galactic superpower.
The next chapter will be in 2-10 months, be 900-6500 words, and show the introduction of the Banished, more of Halius and the Spartans bonding, and the next phase of the war. Until then? Lighting Wolf out!