Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Iron Cross. Enjoy the 5200-word chapter. I do not own Warhammer or Halo, Gameshop and 343 do.
(UNSC/Imperium star base, Regis, 2532, March 12th.)
Halius hummed and then looked around the chamber. He was silent, beyond silent now, and unable to deal with it now and all.
A meeting had been called, and most of their forces and the UNSC had slowly started to be dealt with.
Halius hummed and then thought of what was occurring for now and it had been too much to deal with it.
He seemed to be dealing with it all as he stared across the hallway at Linda. She hummed and then they stared ahead.
Neither side was used to deal with for now… She had a lot more to deal with.
Halius hummed and cracked his fingers, he closed his eyes.
"There are plenty of soldiers here. They had a lot more here than before." Halius stated before he shook his head.
He had a lot more to deal with… A lot more than now.
He was too curious as he paused to think of what was occurring now and for now.
Halius hummed and looked at Igaros who flanked him on one side and he thought of what was occurring now and it had been too much.
Halius seemed to be dealing with it more easily than one expected… Something about it all had him on edge.
The soldier within him was curious now and for a good reason. Most of the Ultramarines and their spin-off chapters are under one roof.
Not once before the plague ward did Halius recall so many soldiers being confined under Guilliman's banner.
Then again? Halius was young compared to Guilliman's sons. Now? Now he was confused.
He looked back at the rows and rows of marines and guardsmen, dozens of them all aligned in a neat and orderly row. They stood so damn still it was like watching statues.
Beyond them? Rows and rows of Ultramarines… Dozens of his brothers had been gathered here from battlefields
Halius was too struck with confusion as to how it would have gone down the road. He hummed once more and he paused to think of it all now.
Halius hummed before the sounds of heavy footsteps were heard, Halius turned and fought the urge to kneel himself before he looked over at Linda.
The massive being was the father of all Ultramarines, Guilliman… Flanked by the Honor Guard of the Ultramarines and a half dozen Custodes. Besides him was a man in a uniform that was high ranking… Along with several other officers.
'Admirals, Generals, and the Primarch? So, this is a war meeting… Then we have been called here because the war is still at a stalemate.' Halius thought as he paused.
The group passed by them and Halius, his squad, and the Spartans all snapped to attention… There was more left to deal with for now… Something about it all had been thrown off now at the time being… Something would have ended now and all of it had been more and more fascinating now….
It was more and more at the time being… It was more and more as she paused to think of what was going to be occurring now for now as he wished it.
They had a lot more to deal with.
"Hmm…" Guilliman stated before he looked to the side.
He had no idea at the time being… It was so much to deal with for now as he cracked his fingers.
He had no idea what to deal with for now as he paused to think of what was occurring now and always.
It had been fun now and for a good reason…. He turned to look in his direction. He was silent, too silent as to it.
The massive warrior looked at the group. Halius felt small and powerless now, something which he believed was the most obvious sign he knew something bad was coming… Something he could not control.
Granted? As a soldier, he knew the Primarch was busy… The man was a warrior without a peer and someone who had a bone to grind.
Halius was motioned to follow them. He did not at all need another push forward now, something he needed to be left to deal with now.
The soldier within him told him that Guilliman had a plan. Their commander always had one, always a plan in place.
And a good one usually when it came down to it now at the time.
It had to be ended… And those ideas were to find something chaotic now.
The group followed in the wake of the wave of the Primarch. Fred looked at Halius as they walked.
"That's the commander of the Ultramarines?" Fred questioned, his tone fully in awe.
"Ruler of the Ultramarines, lord of our domain, and ruler of the Imperium Secundus… Yes." Halius stated, voice shaking a little. "He is the reason the Ultramarines were the dominant soldiers in the Imperium… And he wrote the book on tactics we hold to." Halius added to which Linda hummed.
"You sure he's not the guy who should be fighting the covenant?" Kelly asked.
"He is… Where do you think our tactics and battle plans come from? We were all bred from Lord Guilliman… We all possess a small amount of his brilliant mind." Halius added, crossing his arms.
The room they entered was almost wide enough to hide a small army, seats the size of Ultramarines, statues of Ultramarines, and several soldiers from the UNSC.
Halius was reminded of their fortress on Ultramar. He could not call them anything less than brazen.
He would have asked where the remaining others were… Only to realize there were several Ultramarine commanders in the room, other officers from the UNSC.
This was a war meeting and it seems both sides had called their best and brightest to the forefront… Something which surprised him.
For a moment? Guilliman turned, looking at the Ultramarines and their Spartan allies as one would inspect cattle before slaughter.
"Spartan?" Guilliman questioned, his gaze still that of a prying soldier.
They had plenty of things left to deal with and all of them had fallen silent for now.
"These are the soldiers who have fought as equals among the Ultramarines?" Guilliman asked with a nod from Halius as his answer. "Spartan… Master Chief, I have a question, one I believe a soldier of your caliber would understand." Guilliman asked, taking a step forward.
Halius and his group withdrew a step but kept their gaze upon the ruler of their realm. It was clear to all Ultramarines present that the Primarch had a plan, a gait in his step that was not present before.
"You know the covenant…. If they were to strike? How would you lay them low? Deal a blow they could not easily recover from?" Guilliman asked to which the Spartan was silent.
"Strike at their heart… Damage their infrastructure and leadership." Master Chief stated as the Primarch nodded.
"Then we all agree… The only way to destroy the covenant is to cut out the heart of their empire." Guilliman stated before he turned, armored hands clasped. "Lieutenant? Do you know why I have called the leadership of the Ultramarines and our finest officers to this meeting?" Guilliman questioned, watching as Halius gazed around the room.
"To draw ideas from us… You do not wish to command us, only probe our minds for weakness, my liege… No?" Halius questioned as the Primarch hummed. "I have already given my idea on the covenant. I am a soldier, a leader only on battlefields, not equal to the one who saved our homeworld during the Plague Wars." Halius added, tone low.
Guilliman walked forward, looking downwards at the Ultramarine who had slowly started to think of what was occurring.
The hulking man towered over the Ultramarine who nonetheless stood his ground. He looked at his master, his father through the lens of his helm as if questioning what he might serve.
"Captain Titus told me you are quite different from your brothers… Focused only on battling the enemy, the safety of mankind, willing to improvise and ignore the codex if it runs counter to victory." Guilliman stated as Halius inclined his head.
"I am a soldier of the Ultramarines, my liege… I do not claim nor wish to be anything else. Nor will I claim to know warfare better than someone with centuries beyond me." Halius added, his gaze straight at the Primarch.
After a minute where both sides assumed there might be a skirmish. Both turned away as Halius hummed.
"I have heard the other chapters are slowly starting to enter this galaxy… First the Salamanders… Was the Space Wolves or Dark Angels next? We might not have had a war." Halius stated as Guilliman hummed.
"We might be joined soon… But I am more curious as to what was found at the battle… One of the UNSC's Ancilla discovered something." Guilliman stated to which the man in the Admiral's spoke up.
"Cortana?" He questioned before it was brought up now.
The AI popped up as the Ultramarines, several of whom were both captains and lieutenants. He seemed to be dealt with now as he paused to think of what was going through them all now.
He had been silent, truly silent in ways he could not have. Halius hummed and then thought of what was going on before long… As soldiers? He had no idea what was going on now.
Halius was silent, curious as to things before Cortana spoke up. The hologram projector displayed a familiar hologram… Thel.
And then a ring, one that seemed to be like a planet.
"We recently discovered a communication to the Fleet of Particular Justice… They and a large fleet of covenant warships are headed towards a pair of coordinates that were placed within a relic the Master Chief located… We believe it is one of the ancient relics they worship." Cortana stated to which Halius hummed.
It was something else to be done…. And Halius closed his eyes. Thel's involvement in the war bothered him, he was not a master of war like Guilliman… But he was damn well a skilled strategist.
He was a soldier of power and a skilled one for now… It had a lot of ideas now and for a good reason.
Something about it all had to be done at the time being… He had a lot more dealt into them now… It had a lot more chaos for now at the end of it all as he sighed.
He was silent… Very silent, very well damn thrown off. They had plenty left to deal with, to do with it all now… Something about that chaos was all too much to distract from it all now, an idea of it more than to deal with.
Halius stayed to deal with for now as he cracked his fingers and then thought of what was growing on his mind for now.
Halius hummed and relaxed, for now, an idea as he paused to try and think of what was occurring for now.
He had not been too much to deal with. Halius was all too much to deal with as he cracked his fingers before he looked to the side.
He had been too thrown off as the soldier before he thought of it all and cracked his fingers.
Something about it all had been too much for the warrior and he knew better than to try and figure it out. Something about it all had been too much.
He sighed to himself before he cracked his head and then thought of what was growing for now.
All of it would end sooner or later, sooner rather than later at the time being now and for a motive now and always seemed to be dealt with for now.
He had no real idea as he cracked his fingers… They had a lot more to deal with it for now.
"'Vadam," Halius stated, hissing for now and then thought of it all. "He is involved in the invasion of this mission?" Halius asked, walking closer.
Guilliman stayed silent before he looked to the others, thought of what was growing on it as he sighed.
"He is… And we believe this is a vitally important moment in the war…. But we also have concerns about them attacking our more important planets." Guilliman added, silent once more to try and think of it. "We have more important battles to focus on… But we must confirm that this site is important." Halius stated before now.
This was a lot more to try and think of it all for now… He had been a soldier for so long that he wished to think of the battle as a place to reflect.
He would not let it end so much for now… It was not at all too much as the Primarch looked over the others.
"Was this a joint decision?" Halius questioned, glancing at the UNSC staff. "We are still a united side. What do you believe?"
Halius questioned his eyebrow at the others raised.
"We believe this is a covenant attempt to win the war… We both know conventionally we are both matched." The admiral stated before he looked at Halius. "General Hogan believes if we overextend our forces? The covenant will attack our more important planets, we cannot repel them at Reach… Or Earth." The admiral stated.
"How much of a force have they mustered? If they are deploying so many soldiers? We still must respond in kind." Halius stated.
"Careful, Lieutenant… This battle is important but so is defending." He heard as he turned to see a very fancy-looking Ultramarine.
He knew him… Captain Cato Sicarius of the First Company. He was a soldier beyond even the Lieutenant and one of their best warriors.
"It is a strategic question, sir… If this ring appears vital to the war effort? We should deal with it… My first concern is still defeating the covenant. We need to find a way to tear out their heart while they still possess so much manpower. I do not see them as vulnerable." Halius stated before he sighed to himself and thought of it all.
What little he had on his mind? He thought of what was growing for now. it had been too much to deal with for now as he cracked his fingers.
Halius was silent for now… An idea of this now and for a good reason.
"We are not the only ones after this ring… It appears these… 'Banished' are after it, as the Orks might also be." Titus stated as Halius hummed.
"Atriox…" Halius hissed as he frowned to himself. "Then what shall we do? We cannot leave a dangerous weapon in the hands of the enemy; whichever side controls this ring? It will cause death and chaos on a galactic scale." Halius added his hands at his side.
He was silent for now. Guilliman crossed the room, dwarfing all who dared approach the massive warrior. He knew they were to fight either way and he killed Halius and Cato.
"We must still fight… There is no question… Cato? Titus? You and your companies will siege the ring… We will stop them. A loss here could force them into a final defeat." Guilliman ordered, looking at them.
"Admiral Hood? I request you send forces as well; this battle is still vital to the war. If we allow them to control the ring? There is no idea what damage they will cause." Guilliman added before he frowned.
"Yes… 200 Ultramarines will not be able to hold off an entire fleet and millions of soldiers, good or not." Halius added, frowning to himself.
"We can only dispatch a small fleet. We still need to secure our territory; the covenant still controls hundreds of warships." Hood stated before he sighed to himself.
Halius hummed and then sighed to himself for now… He had a lot more to try and think of what was growing for now.
As a soldier? He would have to try and think of what was growing on his mind… A soldier like this was controlled and entirely chaotic for now and then thought of it all.
He crossed his arms and then thought of what was occurring for now and then thought of what was occurring now once more.
As a warrior… Still? They had so much to deal with for now. Halius sighed to be dealt with as he paused once more.
Soldiers were all too much to deal with for now. They had a lot more to deal with for now and he had not yet seemed to be dealt with for now.
"A 4-way war with the Banished, Covenant, and the damned Orks… Lovely. Either way, this battle ends? There will be massive losses for someone." Halius added before he turned to the Primarch. "Is there any other news we must discuss, Lord Guilliman?" Halius questioned, looking over the holograms.
"There is something I and the UNSC high command have discussed. A plan to end the war in one battle without risking half our armies or fleets." Guilliman added to which Halius fell silent. "It involves both the UNSC and Imperium… So please take seats and allow us to explain." Duke stated before he looked to try and deal with it for now.
He had a lot more to try and think of what was growing on his mind. Something about this reeked of a battle that would decide the war.
Halius cleared his throat. He had a lot more to deal with for now and then thought of what was all too well. He was undecided for now and he had plenty left to distract it for now.
He took a seat, the heavy metal creaking under the weight of the soldier. The others were all too much to distract for now.
Halius was silent, thrown off… He had no idea as to how it was a good idea now and for a good reason.
It was good enough to be dealt with for now… Halius sighed.
"Spartans? As you know, the operation to capture one of the covenant leaders has always been an option… However, one that we considered less dangerous." Hood stated as General Hogan spoke up.
"However? Given the fact we now have more enemies distracting the covenant along with new allies? UNSC HIGHCOM has decided that the mission RED FLAG is now at the best possible outcome. That, along with a new weapon created by Admiral Whitcomb? We believe if capture is not possible? We can strategically obliterate the covenant." Hogan stated as Halius blinked.
"There is a weapon within the UNSC's weaponry that can reduce the covenant to dust?" Halius questioned to which another General spoke up.
"Correct… But it is currently top secret… All we will state is this weapon is nuclear and capable of destroying an entire planet. Admiral Hood will explain." General Straus, general of the UNSC Army spoke up.
"It is called a NOVA bomb… It can obliterate an entire planet. If we cannot capture a prophet? We might as well destroy the heart of their empire." Hood added before clearing his throat. "We did not believe even a Spartan fireteam would be capable of directly penetrating the Covenant defenses," Halius said before Cato spoke up, tone loud and confident.
"But the Ultramarines proved it possible. You required two sets of the best warriors in the galaxy to win one war?" Cato questioned, tilting his head.
"Do not act as if victory is so certain… We have fought enemies this ruthless and cunning. The covenant is no different." Guilliman stated, his loud and booming voice reminding the group they were still close to their commander.
It was clear they had no real choice, nothing in or out… Now at the end of time? it was going to end.
"How many ships are attacking the ring? The covenant possibly still has thousands of warriors as well as Atriox. The Orks still have an entire army and we have yet to kill their commander." Halius stated before Hood sighed.
"We estimate close to 60 ships… From the covenant. Unsure how much manpower Atriox has devoted to this battle. Lord Guilliman believes the Orks could send well over 100 warships." Hood added as Halius frowned.
"And how much of a force can we bring to bear? There is very little we can do against 160 ships. We cannot simply board each ship and pick them off at our leisure. It will not work against the entire fleet." Halius added as he paused.
He was silent for now… And knew that thinking was best.
Guilliman was silent, too thrown off at the end of it all… He was a soldier, a skilled one… Something about it all had been too much.
He still had to focus on the leadership of the Imperium and the UNSC. They had plenty of work left to deal with for now.
She had no real idea to deal with for now. They could not have thought of it all and relaxed for now.
They had a lot more to try and figure out and as a soldier? He had a lot of different operations now. Something else had left them for now.
"Cato? You will lead the Imperium forces alongside Captain Titus. Lieutenant Halius? Since you have proven you can lead? You will have another assignment before this one, finding out who is coming through the new tear. We know it will be a third legion… More of our brothers." Guilliman ordered before he sighed.
He had a lot more to deal with for now… They had a lot more to deal with now.
Halius frowned to himself, knowing that they had plenty of work left. Still? If this duty was anything harrowing? It would not help now and good.
Something about this all had been too much. He had more time left to relax, as a warrior, an Ultramarine was silent and he had a lot of different distractions.
He had no idea about what was going on. Yet? He had no idea for now.
Such had been exactly how things were meant to be. As a soldier? He would need to handle things.
"I have a request then," Halius stated, standing up. "Spartan Red Team shall accompany me and my squadron. I shall not ask for much manpower as most will be prepared for the mission, only that I have some support in the off chance we are asked to combat an enemy instead of meeting friends on the battlefield." Halius added before he sighed.
He was all too much to deal with.
"This meeting is not yet concluded." He heard as he blinked. "The technology on that ring does not belong purely to the Ultramarines." He heard, the mechanical voice all too familiar.
"The Adeptus Mechanius… You could not have shown up during this meeting?" Halius questioned, eyebrow raised as all turned to a group of crimson-robed warriors.
Halius knew of them. He knew many of them who had been on Ultramar at the time was sent here. Still? He did not know their stake in these sorts of things.
Halius was silent, curious about what they wanted, they had their forces and he knew their minions were not eager to deal with work like this.
Granted? He wished to have more warriors and if they wanted to send Skitarii and their armies with them. Well, they would need as much manpower as possible.
"It is your idea of heresy to take alien technology? We both know this…" Halius added, pausing to himself for the time being, eager to ask what to do now.
Something like this was more chaotic than it should have been. As a soldier? He had plenty of time left to deal with now and for a good reason.
(With Thel and his army)
Thel looked over most of the fleet, curious as to how it would have been done now. They had been a soldier for so long that they had to distract themselves.
He knew they would all come, they would all become easier… Something else to deal with for now.
The Ultramarines, the UNSC. All would come for him; the ring was what all of them were after as soldiers. It was clear such a thing was all too much for now.
He had a lot more left to deal with for now. They would fight and die in equal measure and nothing would come down the line.
They had a lot more to deal with, for now, an idea like this was more and more tiresome to the Sangheili and he was no fool. As a soldier? They had fought for too long; they had no idea what would come next.
Now? Now they were at a crossroads. The covenant was also desperate to get to work and if this mission failed? There would be a loss of the heart of the covenant's empire.
If they lost? They would be out of the heart of their empire; they would have nothing left to fight with… Something which had yet to be done for now at the end of it.
"You expect an army." Thel heard as he turned. "That the demons and their allies will come and destroy us all, no? We have lost little within the war… Little when it comes to fighting the demons." Thel hard as he frowned.
"They have slaughtered millions of covenant soldiers, commander… These 'Ultramarines' fight us as equally and slaughter us even as we throw our most elite warriors at them." Thel stated, mandibles flapping.
"The Great Journey cannot be stopped," Rtas stated, making Thel frown.
"How many of us must die for the Journey?" Thel asked, looking at the holograms of Ultramarines and Spartans cutting down Sangheili and Kig-Yar and Grunts, bullets, and bolts slicing them up.
"Careful… You speak heresy." Thel heard as he sighed and waved away Rtas.
(With Halius and the Ultramarines)
Halius wasted no time. He had been given an order; he would act. His heavy footsteps signaled all around him that the Ultramarine Lieutenant was eager to get to work.
"I'm surprised there were no inquisitors present." Halius heard as the Ultramarine snorted.
"The Inquisitors would not last 10 minutes in our presence. They seek only to kill those who do not fall in line… And to slaughter humanity itself." Halius stated, tone full of disgust and hatred.
"You sound eager to destroy them." Halius heard as he waved off his squad. "Do you?" Halius heard as he turned.
The Ultramarine stared down Suriel, the smaller marine recoiling for a moment as the two stared at one another. Halius made no move to harm him, only to step forward.
"I dislike what we were. I intend to defend humanity, carry out the orders of the chapter, and aid humanity. The Inquisition would slaughter half the UNSC, the Ecclesiarchy would do worse simply because they do not bow." Halius added, tone level yet calm.
"I respect the UNSC, I care for its warriors, I respect its sovereignty, others would slaughter me for such a sentiment. I do not care; I care if they are enemies and must be destroyed and wish to harm humanity." Halius added, turning on his heel.
He strode forward. Jerome told him of a craft that could carry the group to the sector under its power. He would take it, the UNSC and Imperium… United.
Halius rather enjoyed the idea there was not an enemy to butcher, a heretic to destroy. He was bred a weapon but this calm?
It began to speak to him. it began to feel like cold water which bled hot, it would sting but ease with time.
Halius could not for the life of himself wish this to be ending. Yet? He had a duty to attend to, battles to fight and they would find no lasting peace until it was acquired.
And Halius had a feeling more would be butchered until then. Way more would have ended.
"Which do you think is worse? The Covenant, Banished or Orks?" Halius heard from Suriel. "All three are skilled armies… And your history with the Covenant commander means we are up against heavy resistance." Halius heard.
"The covenant is another army to fight, nothing like the traitors," Halius stated, pausing in front of the room to the hangar. "The Orks and Banished concern me more. The Orks feed on war and they have more soldiers than we can kill… And Atriox is much more cunning, his army is vast and he has plenty of skill with commanding it." Halius added before frowning.
"Something tells me you are dreading the big bash." He heard as he turned to look. "Getting there is harder than fighting, cannot kill a fleet with bullets in orbit…. And with so many ships? We are outnumbered and outgunned." He heard.
"Jerome… Yes. We are, the problem that vexes me… We cannot reach the ground. We would need more ships and I am no space tactician. Losing the battle in orbit will decide the ground battle. It does not matter if we can land a million soldiers if they can simply bomb the surface to glass." Halius stated, frowning to himself.
He knew that they were to be on another battlefield soon.
(Within the Banished)
Atriox looked over the hologram of Installation 04. He had dispatched fewer warriors than the covenant towards the ring… However? The Brute warlord had no intention of ruling Halo, it was a target for all the galaxy.
"Why do you send less than the humans and covenant? They will slaughter dozens of us in orbit." Atriox heard as he snorted.
"Because I have no interest in the ring, only the information on the ring. The Ultramarines will do most of the work for us… Tell Volir to bring me the index." Atriox ordered before looking at another screen.
A tear formed on it… Another cut in the reality of the galaxy, another cut into the Warp….
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! A few things.
Guilliman. I have read the Dark Imperium arc of books. I am aware he does not believe in gods nor worship the emperor… This was a trait passed to Halius and all Ultramarines. I am also aware he is very smart; this is why all Imperial forces including other Astartes chapters are working for him as he is the regent of the Imperium here.
I plan to involve other factions in the story… I have not decided whether Tyranids, traitor marines, or Necrons will appear or when.
The Fall of Reach might not occur but the battle of Earth will.
The next chapter will be in 2-10 months, be 900-6500 words, and show Halius encountering more loyalist marines, setting up the battle of Installation 04, and near the end of the Human-Covenant war. Until then, Lighting Wolf is out!
P.S: Chapter updates might be slower. Not writing nonstop for this story and I have other Astartes stories I wish to make.