authors note: life is being life so things get iffy at times
Chapter 8: the lord of iron and the Inquistor
The fleet dropped from the warp with the Iron Warriors first captain looking towards Perturabo "my lord we have translated back to real space successfully" he said and sitting in the throne built for someone vastly bigger the primarch sat, "good, whats our distance to Solemnace?" Perturabo asked his voice once a gravelled deep grumble now more of a higher pitch voice of a toddler something that made at least a few of the Iron Warriors present be glad they had their helmets on to hide the grin they had.
The Perturabo that was a few months ago was a hulking goliath of marble, metal and flesh that would have used their corpses for demon engine fuel should they have laughed at him but now in a fully fleshy form and in such a small size it was hard to believe it was their primarch.
"You do realize he isn't going to just GIVE us what we are looking for right?" Gallius said one of his ears flicking in annoyance "he is labelled as annoying at best and one of the most abhorrent xenos by the Ordo Xenos" he continued, Perturabo looked up at the half-felinid with a look that if he still had his adult body would have made the Inquisitor think twice about talking to him like that.
"I know he has an interest in history… and he owes me a tour" Perturabo said with Gallius going slack jawed "you're kidding? How did YOU get invited? I am here to supervise the extraction of what if your mother is correct is an uncorrupted body for one of your brothers not babysit you on a grand day out" Gallius said annoyance and anger purring into his voice as his tail slashed through the air.
Of all the things that Perturabo had experienced even being forced to sit through one of Fulgrims performances didn't hold a candle to the insult that was the Lord of Iron needing a babysitter, "YOU THINK THIS A MISSION TO BABYSIT ME!" Perturabo yelled standing up in his chair only just about reaching the inquisitors chest getting the attention of the metal automata that was the new Iron Circle to look down at the Inquisitor.
Gallius backed off took in a deep breath and tried to focus on the calming techniques taught to him by his master the previous inquisitor to hold his title whilst mentally pleading the Emperor for the strength to not throttle one of his sons for yelling at an Inquisitor, after calming himself Gallius gestured to the holographic projection of Solemnace "then do explain how him owing you a tour is going to help us?" Gallius said getting a smile from Perturabo the small child seemingly satisfied with getting his way plopped back down onto his thrones seat with a thump muffled by his diaper.
"Simple," Perturabo said "we trade for him, I still have that Tyranid ship infested with the Obliterator virus a one of a kind priceless historical artefact that I think he would be interested in" he added. "Actually that isn't too bad of a plan but surely you have more to trade than just that single cursed vessel, maybe some stuff from your workshop" Gallius said though whilst the inquisitor was more than happy to just blast his way through and take what they came for if the intel was right then this place would need a lot more forces to siege.
"Now speaking of my workshop are my clothes ready? I am sick of wearing this onesie all the time" Perturabo said tugging at the collar of the gun metal grey onesie that had cloth padding on it that made it look similar to Astartes armour, Gallius rolled his eyes as Kydomor turned to give the report "they are ready my lord would you like assistance?" he said getting the primarch to turn his head up.
"I do not need help" he said sliding himself down onto the metal ground before toddling over to the door to the corridor before looking back at Kydomor, "fine I will be needing your assistance" Perturabo said recanting his previous statement before pointing up at the mechanism for the door. Gallius put his hands up "I am an inquisitor you're the first captain, you look after your primarch" Gallius said knowing deep down that Kydomor was going to do that and that saying that to the first captain of the Iron Warriors would have been a suicidal for anyone less than an inquisitor.
Kydomor sighed from within his armour and went to aid his primarch scooping the ancient child up he opened the door with a single push of the activation rune before striding through. Perturabo still attempted the same iron wrought expression his face usually had when he was still at full size expecting to be treated with the same respect his marines would have given him, despite the fact he was riding in the crook of his first captains arm as if it was a giant hazard marked throne.
Tech-thrall, slaves and Marines alike moved out of the way with one slave stifling an aww in her heavily augmented throat before Kydomor turned to a large ancient door, a single needle stuck out of the lock which the primarch used to prick his finger with before the various gears, runes and locks clicked away allowing the pair access to Perturabo's personal quarters.
The ship was as clean of chaotic taint in its entirety once more, Perturabo's quarters still the usual practical construction but had crib bars installed around the large bed that once hosted his frame. Kydomor sat his primarch up on the table in the middle of the room gently pushing aside the various trays of metal bits that the child was using in his latest project taking full advantage of having actual hands once again.
With his first captain rummaging through a chest of drawers that once held tools but repurposed by his mother to hold clothes, Perturabo laid on his back staring up at the pipe covered ceiling then closed his eyes. He could see the tear in the galaxy much larger than the eye that once stared at him but the light of the rip in the fabric of the galaxy began to fade, a calming deep shush breezed through his mind allowing calmness to go through his mind making the primarchs lips softly say a single word.
"Father" Peturabo said in a hushed almost silent way getting Kydomor to look back in surprise as he held in one metallic hand a bundle of clothes, Perturabo looked at him and gave an annoyed expression "not you, you're not my father but I have felt him in my mind as of recently" he said letting Kydomor walk back over putting the primarchs clothes down next to his head before removing his own helmet.
"Permission to speak freely my lord?" Kydomor asked with Perturabo nodding getting a relaxed sigh from his first captain, "why have you allowed us to rejoin the imperium? We have fought them for what according to their calender is about ten thousand years give or take a few hundred" Kydomor said as he got to removing the onesie.
"Well I feel as if I had no choice" Perturabo said with a depressed sigh, "with how my legion was the powers of the gods were eating away at us like rust, though my corpse of a father no-longer is at the helm of his empire neither are those that continue to rot the carcass humanity may have hope yet" Perturabo added.
Kydomor nodded "though can this mother of yours be trusted?" Kydomor countered as the lightly used diaper was pulled off Perturabo before he rolled him onto his side to check the small ports that darted the top half of his back, "she can… I just hope she does not spoil my trust like my father did" he said the echoes of ancient wars on his tiny voice that made something within the warp shed a tear.
Rolling his primarch back onto a clean diaper to seal it up Kydomor focused himself more on the mission ahead thought something inside him make him feel more like he was taking a younger sibling to see a play or in this case a museum, with his padding taped up, shorts tugged up and a shirt with a series of pinprick holes in the back with the grey skull of the Iron Warriors put on him Perturabo pronounced himself dressed.
Though he would have wanted something far more formal he had no battle plate for his size, he had no time or tools to forge some during his stay with his mother but at the same time he tried to hold back a blush as he realized either way he would look ridiculous in comparison to his sons.
He did how ever have the time during their journey to modify the Servitor charged with his care, during his tinkering with it he noticed how little in human components it had essentially being a bundle of neurons inside a metal casing. He had giggled at this the construct would have been called "heretical" by the mechanicus but was perfect for what Perturabo had done to it, a harness was strapped to the servitors front an interface embedded to its artificer torso.
The construct walked from his alcove in the corner of the room where one of the Iron Circle once called home presenting himself with an opened arm expression and wings open the face replaced with a silvery skull, lowered into the harness Perturabo shuddered as the two linked together Perturabo guiding its motions like that of the Knights.
The machine spirit of the device echoed in his mind cooing at him trying to drag him down further to make his mind be like his body, resisting the urge Perturabo guided it towards the doorway waving a metallic limb as if it was his own calling for his first captain to follow.
When standing at rest at the communications terminal on the bridge the servitors hands had a mind of their own rubbing at his side echoes of a silenced voice cooing at the child in its harness in an calm warble of code, Perturabo tried to focus almost giving into the temptation to let his expression relax when Trazyns skull appeared as a hologram.
"Iron Warriors? Come to visit or invade?" the necron said with Perturabo stepping forward to get his attention, "visit historian I want to make good on your promise of a tour" Perturabo said with Trazyns hologram staring at him for a few second before bursting out into laughter. The servitors soothing protocols kicked in as Perturabos blood boiled bouncing the child whilst verbally stating how it's going to be ok and to ignore the mean skeleton in a static laden voice, "enough of the joke where is the lord of iron?" Trazyn said making a gesture out of wiping a non-existent tear from his metallic face.
Clearing his throat Gallius gestured to Perturabo who continued to scowl despite his servitors urging him to be calm, "that is the lord of iron" Gallius said and Trazyn chuckled again. "Last time we spoke your flesh was that of stone now look at you... Fleshy once more" he said curiosity and amusement lacing his tone, Perturabo stared at the holographic projection "well it's amazing what the powers of the warp can do" he said annoyance obvious in his tone.
"Ah where is my manners you wanted a tour yes?" Trazyn said his hologram clapping his metal hands together, "a tour but also to come barter for something that my mother wants" Perturabo said with Trazyn nodding, "ah i knew there was just something else Lord of Iron but we can discuss that on the ground" Trazyn said cutting the connection.
Kydomor looked at his primarch and stated that they had permission to land, with this Perturabo turned to Gallius "i know how your kind work inquisitor, just know Malcador would be so disappointed should you screw up our mission" he said in an accusatory tone with Gallius nodding to acknowledge the tiny tyrants statement.
When they got down to the planet they were welcomed by the necron historian himself in a grand hangar bay decorated with artistry from thousands of different points of history, Perturabo gave a small wave to Trazyn as they approached and the historian just gave him a blank stare. "Fascinating" he said scanning the primarch up and down with Kydomor taking a step forward to half body block his primarch, "not anything harmful, it seems the effects of time can't touch your body which is perplexing but you're not here for that are you?" he said turning and begins to stride away.
Gallius silently hissed to himself as the trio with Perturabo riding his Servator followed the corridors seeming to bend and twist to shorten the journey, "i know that your life span is not to question but your companions is why i make this tour more of a flash in the pan whilst you point out what you want" Trazyn said with a dismissive gesture as he prepared some of the displays that he wanted to show.
The trio saw the rooms ahead twisting phasing into new shapes as the very planet itself shifted rooms, a Thunder Warrior standing ready with his bolt gun in hand not at the organized stance of an astarties but in a charging attack. Despite the fact that Perturabo is thousands of years old his new body was feeding him something that he had never experienced before pure curiosity, the armour of the giant was detailed and he could recognize the serial number partially scratched out on the bottom side of the chest plate as genuine Terran.
"Ah i see you actually do have emotions," Trazyn said his voice carrying the intrigued expression his face could not muster as he prattled on "i captured this one from the battlefield of the first purge of the thunder warriors a very rare thing indeed."
Perturabo nodded "i know about their gear, my sons wore their armour.. Primitive things didn't even have powered lower halves but an important step in the Astarties development" he said pulling back his hand as he realized he reached out with it as if he could touch the armour to feel the metal, the servitor cooed at him his voice breaking out from under his control "now now Perty you can't touch the historical artifacts" it reminded him in a gentle voice making the primarch blush as well as Gallius put his hand over his own mouth to trap the laughter in his throat.
"I fail to see the humour inquisitor" Kydomor said blandly a smile on his face, Trazyn eyed the construct "interesting artifice must be that annoying thing Cawl but either way please come with me since you seem to fancy the thunder warrior so much" Trazyn said leading the group on. The first exhibit a grand battle a replica of the first extermination of the Thunder warriors and Perturabo gawked at the detail the historian went to though had many gripes with it, pointing to a Thunder warrior he blurts out "THATS A SPACE MARINE!" getting Trazyn to look at him insulted.
"Well sorry for not figuring out time travel, i am a historian not a chronomancer but i do try my best" Trazyn he said with annoyance prying its way through his statement, rolling his eyes in indignation at Trazyn just slapping figures and equipment from entirely different Era's to complete some of his displays Perturabo let him prattle on about events he had already studied to the point of growing bored.
Gallius's tail started to become of interest to him with Perturabo having to mentally slap himself for his attention becoming distracted, the constant mental cooing to relax of his angelic servitor was emanating was getting surprisingly hard to resist so much of his focus going onto it he didn't notice the urge to pee sneaking up on him with an almost sinister sense of timing.
Whilst the inquisitor was taking notes and Kydomor was scanning the environment for any and all threats like the universes biggest guard dog, Perturabo just as quickly as he realized he had been holding it the damn burst trying with all his might to at least make sure his urination can at least be silent. The strained look on his face Perturabo was at least glad that Trazyn mistook it for a look of of interest as he went over the details of Thunder Warrior battle formations, the servitor mentally questioned if its charge needed a diaper change to which Perturabo mentally pleaded with it not to mention or do anything about it in front of the necron.
It was seemingly successful getting a silent sigh of relief from Perturabo. With the servitors silence loading its knowledge or what little of Cawl could decipher about necron manners, "this is not what I am looking for" Perturabo said firmly with Trazyn nodding. "I have been keeping an eye on things in the galaxy, the woman proclaiming herself as Empress seems to be gathering your brothers so I might hazard a guess at what you might want" Trazyn said striding away.
The three kept up with Perturabo cringing at the warm padding being mushed up against him making him wish his mothers little healing ritual didn't do away with potty training like it did corruption. The next room twisted into existence a diorama of the drop site massacre upon Istvan 5, this room was a lot more accurate to the actual battle with Perturabo swearing to himself that the marines must have been the corpses of the fallen astartes in the battle propped up as if in true life.
Standing in the middle of the battle with sword raised high was Fulgrim or at least what Perturabo and Gallius knew was a clone of the primarch, despite not delving into his true powers like his brother Magnus Perturabo could still sense emotion from the frozen figures soul. The stench of regret, depression and a familiar bruised ego where the bruise is more like a gigantic wound that screamed out, it didn't take a telepath to see that despite his frozen state he was still alive in it and in pain.
Trazyn noticed the look on his face "now I see what you want, he is a centrepiece to an incomplete exhibit I am guessing you have something you may try to bargain for him" the necron said tilting his head annoying Perturabo of how easily he realized the plan. Why did he feel annoyed? It was a simple plan even Fulgrim in his opinion could figure it out he was going to have to retinker with this servitor it was trying to pull his emotions back to that of an infant despite Angron having jabbed that he had always been that way.
"Yes I have, show him" Perturabo said with Kydromor holding up a small hologram projector a red but clear image of the abomination spawned from the obliterator virus, spires of steels formed in the shape cannons large enough to fire projectiles the size of knights and titans to tiny lasgun shaped protrusions that could create a star above planets with volume of fire alone.
Necrons have long forgone their biological forms their facial expressions locked in the same neutral stance for millions of years but Perturabo and Gallius swore they saw the necron drool greedily, "from what I understand that body is a clone of my brother," Perturabo said Trazyns attention reattaching to him "but it has his soul in it so give me my brother as annoying as he is and not only will I give you this abomination for your display, but I will give you empty clones of all my brothers even myself" he added.
Trazyn shook his head then pondered Gallius leaned in to Perturabo who had a smile from ear to ear with confidence "we don't have any empty clones of your or your brother thou- did you just pee?" the inquisitor said before the smell hit his nose. Perturabo mentally cursed the half felinids ability to smell the two standing apart when Trazyn spoke, "consider the beast is just a down payment… but fine you can have him il have his tesseract loaded on your transport" Trazyn said waving a hand dismissively.
Perturabo's grin beamed out in victory though how he was going to explain to his mother that he needed 20 clones devoid of souls was going to be one hell of a conversation, but one thing he was sure for certain he couldn't wait to be finally out of this diaper.