Chapter Two "Thunder Warriors"
Imperial Palace, Unification War, Late M29
Arik Taranis, the mightiest and one of the first of the Thunder Warriors, strode through the halls of the Imperial Palace, his brow furrowed in thought. He had been summoned by his liege, the Emperor of Mankind, for a matter of great importance. Though he knew not the specifics, Arik could sense that something momentous was afoot, a feeling that was only heightened by the strange events that had recently transpired on Terra.
As he approached the Emperor's private chambers, Arik was surprised to see Constantin Valdor, the Chief Custode, standing guard outside. The Custodes were the Emperor's personal bodyguards, genetically engineered warriors of unsurpassed skill and loyalty. For Constantin himself to be present meant that whatever was happening within was of the utmost significance.
Constantin nodded to Arik as he approached, a gesture of respect from one warrior to another. "The Emperor awaits you," he said, his voice deep and resonant. "But be warned, you may find what lies beyond these doors... unexpected."
Arik raised an eyebrow but said nothing as Constantin stepped aside, allowing him entry. As he crossed the threshold, Arik found himself in a grand, ornate chamber, filled with the trappings of power and wealth. And there, at the center of it all, stood the Emperor Himself, resplendent in His golden armor.
But it was the figure standing beside the Emperor that caught Arik's attention, causing his eyes to widen in surprise. It was a woman, tall and regal, with long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. She was clad in armor of a design Arik had never seen before, sleek and advanced, and at her side hung a sword that seemed to hum with barely contained power.
"Ah, Arik," said the Emperor, His voice filled with warmth and affection. "Allow me to introduce you to my daughter, Tanya."
Arik's mind reeled at the revelation. The Emperor had a daughter? How was this possible? In all the years he had served his liege, Arik had never heard even a whisper of such a thing. And yet, as he looked upon Tanya, he could see the unmistakable resemblance, the same regal bearing and aura of power that the Emperor Himself possessed.
"It is an honor to meet you, Princess Tanya," Arik said, bowing his head in respect.
Tanya smiled, a gesture that seemed to light up the room. "The honor is mine, Arik Taranis," she replied, her voice melodic and filled with confidence. "I have heard much of your exploits and your loyalty to my father. It is good to finally put a face to the name."
Arik couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at her words. To be recognized by one of the Emperor's own blood was no small thing. And yet, even as he basked in the glow of her praise, Arik couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Tanya than met the eye, that beneath her regal exterior lay a depth of knowledge and power that even he, the mightiest of the Thunder Warriors, could scarcely comprehend.
"Tanya has returned to us from the depths of the Dark Space," the Emperor explained, placing a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "She brings with her the knowledge and wisdom of the Age of Technology."
Arik nodded, his mind racing with the implications of the Emperor's words. If what he said was true, then Tanya represented a link to a past that had long been lost, a repository of knowledge and technology that could change the course of human history. His faith in the Emperor grew as he knew that his decision to serve the Imperium had been the right one. After Unity of Terra, the rest of the galaxy awaited.
So Arik Taranis, the mightiest of the Thunder Warriors, knelt before the Emperor and his daughter, pledging his life and his honor to their service.
- O -
As I stood beside my father, the Emperor of Mankind, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as I looked upon the kneeling Arik Taranis, the mightiest of the Thunder Warriors. Here was a man who had given his life and his loyalty to the Emperor, who had fought and bled for the Imperium, and yet, I knew the fate that Father had planned for him and all the Thunder Warriors.
It was a waste, a terrible waste of human potential and resources. The Thunder Warriors were among the finest human soldiers currently available to the growing Imperium, well, if you discount the Custodes protecting my Father or my own private military. And yet, my father had already planned that the Thunder Warriors were to be discarded, cast aside because of their flaws.
I understood his reasoning, of course. The Thunder Warriors were unstable, their genetic enhancements causing them to degrade over time. They were a stopgap measure, a tool to be used and then discarded in the name of progress. But as I looked upon Arik, I couldn't help but feel that there had to be another way.
My Father had never been the cannon fodder, the common soldier that fought and died for His noble goals of ensuring humanity's prosperity and survival. While in my second life, I hadn't been part of the common rank and file soldier; I had been an elite Aerial Mage sent into more dangerous situations than any common soldier would have been. I understood the mindset of most soldiers that my Father would never understand, even with his fathomless wisdom.
The Astartes that were to replace the Thunder Warriors were starting to be made in small batches and were still in the process of training. So the Thunder Warriors' end wasn't coming anytime soon, maybe in several years, but it was coming. Their time was ticking, unless I did something about it.
Even with all the scientific knowledge and technological wonders at my fingertips, I could create soldiers to match the sheer physical might of the Thunder Warriors, and do it without their flaws. But that would gobble up resources and time better spent expanding the Imperium. My gut told me that even if I did manage to replicate Thunder Warriors without their shortcomings, the cost would be far higher than simply fixing the current Thunder Warriors' flaws and having them fight for the Imperium's cause.
I had to consider that any new Thunder Warriors or enhanced soldiers I created would be total rookies when it came to handling their newfound abilities. They'd be resource-guzzling, time-consuming greenhorns with no guarantee of ever matching the battle-hardened Thunder Warriors who had already proven themselves a thousand times over. Tossing those veterans aside just seemed like a colossal waste.
I knew that I would have to tread carefully, of course. My father was not a man to be trifled with, and his word was law within the Imperium. But I also knew that I had a duty to the people of the Imperium, to ensure that every resource, every asset, was used to its fullest potential.
I couldn't hold back any longer. The words spilled from my lips, a torrent of frustration and anger that had been building within me since I first learned of my father's plans for the Thunder Warriors.
"How could you be so shortsighted?" I demanded, my voice echoing through the grand chamber. "The Thunder Warriors are a valuable resource, a tool that could continue to serve the Imperium. And yet you would cast them aside because you fear a possible treachery?"
My father's eyes narrowed, and I could feel the weight of his gaze upon me. "You forget yourself, Tanya," he said, his voice cold and unyielding. "The Thunder Warriors have served their purpose, but they are unstable, their genetic enhancements causing them to degrade over time. They are also liability, a risk to the Imperium that cannot be tolerated."
I shook my head, my frustration only growing at his words. "That is a poor excuse, and you know it," I said, my voice rising with each word. "With the knowledge and technology of the Age of Technology at our disposal, we could easily stabilize the Thunder Warriors, give them the upgrades and enhancements they need to continue serving the Imperium."
I gestured to Arik Taranis, who stood silently beside us, his face an unreadable mask. "Look at him, father. Look at the loyalty, the dedication, the sheer potential that stands before you. Would you truly throw that away, simply because you lack the vision to see what could be?"
My father's face darkened, and I could see the anger building behind his eyes. "You overstep your bounds, Tanya," he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "The decision has been made, and it is final. The Thunder Warriors will be retired, and that is the end of it."
But I was not so easily cowed. I had faced down worse than my father's anger, and I was not about to back down now. "No," I said, my voice firm and unyielding. "I will not stand by and watch as you waste the potential of these warriors, these loyal servants of the Imperium. If you will not see reason, then I will take matters into my own hands."
I turned to Arik, my eyes locking with his. "Come with me, Arik Taranis," I said, my voice ringing with authority. "Together, we will forge a new future for the Thunder Warriors, one in which they will take their rightful place as the guardians of humanity."
- O -
Arik Taranis stood in stunned silence as the words of Princess Tanya, the Emperor's own daughter, washed over him. The revelation that he and his fellow Thunder Warriors were slated for disposal, to be cast aside once their usefulness had ended, was a blow that struck him to his very core.
For years, Arik had served the Emperor with unwavering loyalty, leading his brothers into battle against the enemies of the Imperium. They had fought and bled and died for the cause, secure in the knowledge that their sacrifices were not in vain, that they were building a better future for all of humanity.
But now, to learn that their loyalty had been repaid with betrayal, that the Emperor saw them as nothing more than tools to be used and discarded... it was a truth that Arik could scarcely comprehend.
Anger surged through him, a white-hot rage that threatened to consume him entirely. He clenched his fists, his enhanced muscles straining against his armor as he fought the urge to lash out, to strike down the Emperor where he stood for this ultimate betrayal.
But even as the fury burned within him, Arik felt a creeping sense of doubt, a nagging whisper in the back of his mind that he could not ignore. He thought of the changes he had seen in his brothers, the increasing instability and aggression that had begun to manifest in their ranks.
At first, he had dismissed it as a natural consequence of their enhanced physiology, a side effect of the very processes that had made them into the ultimate warriors. But as time went on, and the incidents became more frequent and more severe, Arik had begun to wonder if there was something more at play.
And now, as he stood before the Emperor and his daughter, the truth of the matter began to dawn on him. The Thunder Warriors were flawed, their genetic enhancements causing them to degrade over time, turning them into a liability, a risk to the very Imperium they had sworn to protect.
It was a bitter pill to swallow, but Arik could not deny the logic of it. The Emperor had created them to serve a purpose, to unite humanity under His banner and pave the way for the Great Crusade to come. But now that purpose had been fulfilled, and the Thunder Warriors had become a hindrance, a obstacle to the very cause they had fought for.
Arik's gaze shifted to Princess Tanya, the woman who had dared to speak out against the Emperor's decision, to champion the cause of the Thunder Warriors even in the face of His wrath. He saw in her a kindred spirit, a warrior who understood the value of loyalty and the cost of betrayal.
In that moment, Arik knew what he had to do. He stepped forward, his head held high as he addressed the Emperor and his daughter.
"My liege, my Princess," he said, his voice steady despite the turmoil that raged within him. "I understand now the reason for your decision, and though it pains me to admit it, I cannot deny the truth of your words."
He turned to Princess Tanya, his eyes locking with hers as he spoke. "But I also cannot stand idly by while my brothers are cast aside, their sacrifices forgotten and their potential wasted. If there is a way to save them, to give them a new purpose and a chance to serve the Imperium once more, then I will do whatever it takes to make it so."
Tanya nodded, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "I knew you would understand, Arik Taranis," she said, her voice filled with approval. "Together, we will forge a new future for the Thunder Warriors, one in which they will take their rightful place as the guardians of humanity."
Arik felt a surge of gratitude towards the woman who had given him this chance, who had seen the value in him and his brothers even when the Emperor had not. He knelt before her, his head bowed in a gesture of fealty.
"I pledge myself to your service, Princess Tanya," he said, his voice ringing with conviction. "I will stand by your side and fight for the cause of the Thunder Warriors, no matter the cost. And I will spread the word to my brothers, convince them to join us in this new crusade."
He rose to his feet, his eyes blazing with a newfound sense of purpose. "For the Emperor may have created us, but it is you, Princess Tanya, who will save us. And for that, you have our eternal loyalty."
Please excuse me if Tanya and the Emperor isn't completely canon. I am tryin to convey how they are different because they lived in a more peaceful and prosperous time, the Age of Technology. If you still disagree please comment how I can change it to better fit Tanya into her canon self.
What do you guys think about what you read? Is it good, bad or meh? Any recommendations to improve? Please let me know.
Thank you for reading!