Chapter 7: Respite in the Shadow of Victory
Highhold, 892.M41
It was a well-regarded change of pace, for the moment at least, to have the action that the 119th experienced be the relatively easy task of guarding a recently liberated city. Due to the length of the siege, most citizens that remained had hidden in the depths of the undercity, and were in no rush to antagonize their new tenants.
It did, however, lead to a rather sizeable amount of boredom, military drills with the PDF forces trickling into the city in dribs and drabs going from a chore to the highlight of any given battalion's day.
It was such an exercise that Daniel and his squad were presently engaged in, scattered about and hidden in the ruins. He was in a burned-out building facing a mostly clear road alongside a boy who couldn't have been more than 16 years of age, largely silent as they listened intently.
The boy fidgeted where Daniel was silent and still, and Daniel heard his breath quicken as thumping footsteps began to turn onto the street.
"Remember to match my breathing, son," Daniel whispered, breathing deeply and evenly. "Where your breathing goes, your muscles follow. Then, you won't get spotted as easily."
The boy nodded, doing his best to match Daniel, and a few moments later, the fidgeting lessened, even if it didn't fully stop.
'Better than nothing,' Daniel thought, continuing to listen as the footsteps, armored and familiar, grow louder and louder. 'Better than spoiling an ambush and getting everyone killed.'
He peeked as discreetly as he could through a small crack in the wall that they hid behind, looking down at the street. Nothing for the moment. Then, glittering green legs, 5 pairs of them in total, a black cape gently swirling around one pair.
Their Ork proxies, auspex sensors tuned to roughly an Orkish perception, were here. But they weren't in position just yet. A few steps more…
Then the signal came, a high whistle, and the pair stood and aimed as smoothly as they were able to, sighting in the closest target and pulling the trigger as more than a dozen lances of rather harmless red light brushed the armor of the half-dozen Emerald Dragons that served as willing targets.
In that moment, the exercise ended, Ghera taking off his helmet and looking around at the soldiers who began to remove themselves from concealment and cover. "Well played," he said. "We were largely unaware of your presence this time. Should the Orks return, you will be able to catch them off their guard."
"I'd hope so," Galen said as he regarded Ghera with a slight grin, a stark contrast to the two PDF soldiers who averted their gaze in deference. "The last several times have been unfortunate happenstance more than anything."
Ghera chuckled as they quit the field, returning to one of the forward bases that had been created in the immediate district around the governor's palace. Now that morning exercises were through, it was time for lunch.
As they walked back to the barricades that were now in sight, Daniel looked up at Serrani Ghera, a curious glint in his eye. "I must ask after all these weeks, sir," he began, "but what compels you to remain with our garrison? Surely, there are more important or prestigious places for you to defend."
Serrani smiled slightly. "Your squad in particular has a certain air about them beyond most. A calmness not present in other squads as young as yours. That you've all survived this long is a fair omen for your squad as well."
"Is that all?" Iago chimed in. "We're interesting because we're lucky?"
Serrani chuckled. "You are interesting because of far more than that, Guardsman. It's not every day an Astartes as we are find the common Guardsman to be as relaxed and talkative as you all are."
Iago shrugged. "Fair enough, I guess."
The forward operating base that the gathered squads stepped into was a diverse space, squads of Guardsmen and vehicles of all the Billet regiments residing alongside 3 squads of Sororitas and 2 of the Emerald Dragons. With things as peaceful as they were in this sector of the city, vigilance was tempered by calmness, all within the base mingling.
One Guardsman, however, was vigilant for entirely different reasons than most that manned the barricade, hopping down from it with a pair of binocs in one hand and a wide grin on her face.
"Impressive ambush, I must say!" Firebelcher Lieutenant Commander Jessie, or just Pallavi by now, said, having found them in the weeks after the successful liberation of the governor's palace. "You PDF sorts are learning rather quickly."
"It helps when the Astartes are among their trainers," Daniel replied, a slight grin of his own appearing. "Their wisdom and experience has taken these men and women this far, and it will take them farther still, I think."
Pallavi rolled her eyes as she fell in with the group. "Oh, you sell yourself so short, Daniel. As far as I've heard, you're the next best thing to an Imperial Saint, according to some."
Daniel sighed quietly. "Surely, no one's being that dramatic."
Pallavi shook her head. "Hah! I'm an artilleryman, Captain. I'm well aware of what happens to information when it travels far from the source. If no one around here's saying it, it's being said somewhere else in the city. I'd bet good thrones on it."
As they approached the mess tent and took their meals, the PDF squad drifted away to their compatriots gathered in a corner of the open space that was nominally the 'hall'. To Daniel's surprise, three of the Space Marines peeled away as well, having taken no meal.
"Do they have a task to attend to?" he asked Serrani. "It must be important if Adric is going with them."
Serrani nodded. "We received some new information as we were returning. Lieutenant Adric will be taking Bepheris and Timel to lead some new Astartes to this world to me."
"More Marines?" Kat said, her eyes wide as they sat next to Ruth and her squad, the group welcomed with nods and a few scattered, slight smiles.
"Does that mean new Chapters?" she continued, and Serrani nodded.
"Indeed it does," Serrani replied. "We will be joined by the 4th Company of the Mastodons Chapter, as well as the 3rd Company of the Void Weavers. Welcome reinforcements as the focus of this war changes."
"One can certainly hope so," Leona said, looking over at her sister after a moment. "Are there any other Sisters coming from your order, or any others?"
Ruth shook her head. "Not that I'm aware of. But with 200 more Astartes, I doubt we'll need much more in the way of reinforcement."
"With how tough you Brides can be," Iago said, looking over Ruth's squad, "I would have been surprised anyway if you needed any help."
Daniel watched the sisters for a moment, seeing more than one tense expression at the term. It was time, now, for a gentle change in course.
"Word to the wise, Iago," Daniel said, drawing his gaze to him. "Don't call any more Sisters you might meet Brides of the Emperor. All things considered, the sisters of the Order of the Purified Flame have been remarkably gracious in letting you get away with saying that. Most won't be if you remind them of that part of their past."
Iago's brow furled slightly. "Isn't that one of their older nicknames, though?"
"I believe the term you're looking for is 'Daughters' of the Emperor," one of the sisters chimed in meaningfully, parting a lock of dark brown hair to regard Iago with remarkably verdant green eyes. "Your captain has a remarkable grasp on the Sororitas' history for a man not of the cloth."
"He's seen a lot of things, apparently," Iago said with a shrug. "Comes with palling around with a Rogue Trader, I guess. What makes 'Brides of the Emperor' such a dirty thing?"
The sister regarded Daniel intently for a moment. "How much are you aware of?" she asked.
"As you are a Sister," Daniel said, "I'll let you take the lead, as you're more likely to know the whole of it than I."
The sister nodded. "My studies focused quite intently on the scriptures surrounding our Adeptus' founding. I can only praise your wisdom in allowing me to share."
Most eyes turned to the sister as she began. "Deep in the past, during a time of weakness among the leaders of the Ministorum and disarray within the Imperium, a fallen man named Goge Vandire swept into power, becoming a petty tyrant who held no care for the God-Emperor's will, or for His people. To enforce his desires, he swept up the Daughters of the Emperor through false miracles produced through his own craven cunning, making them his personal bodyguards. For a time, what would become our order enforced his will, going into dark paths away from the God-Emperor's light. But when those loyal to the God-Emperor's will managed to find those who would become the leaders of the Great Orders, introducing the leader of the Brides, Alicia Dominica, to the God-Emperor Himself, she was forgiven of her unknowing follies, and told that only in the blood of Vandire would her order's path to redemption be started. Following the God-Emperor's will, she slew the crazed, fallen man that had yoked them, and from that day, Vandire's Brides became the Daughters of the Emperor."
After a moment's silence, Ruth nodded. "Well spoken, Sister Wisterra. It is always wise to remember one's past, and the dictate of the God-Emperor in turning to him. Along with the rarity in such a thing."
Daniel couldn't help but find himself somewhat impressed. Spoken as it was through the lens of faith and dogma, Sister Wisterra had delivered a remarkably accurate summary of events for something that took place well on 5,000 years ago.
Iago, for his part, nodded. "Got it. It's Daughters, not Brides."
Wisterra nodded. "Now you know. And thus, you know not to repeat your mistake."
After a moment, Pallavi nudged Iago. "There's one more thing I can think of you needing to make up for," she said meaningfully. "You've been holding out on me."
Iago sighed somewhat dramatically as he looked through his uniform's pockets. "My ever-loyal compatriots at the front have been holding out on me," he replied. "Picts and vids of any big guns have been scarce for the last couple of days. Let me check and see if I have something new."
The sisters' brows collectively furled in slight confusion, and Stavros decided to fill the somewhat befuddled silence. "Apparently, Lieutenant Commander Jesse and a select few among her regiment trade in captures of heavy vehicles such as tanks, walkers, and other such things in the middle of operation or battle. It is… an interesting past-time."
As Stavros finished, Iago gave a satisfied 'Aha!' as he pulled a folded piece of plasti-film from a back pocket, unfolding it and nodding as he showed it to Pallavi. "It almost took pulling teeth to get this one. Apparently, someone caught it during the first days of the breakthrough, and knew you and yours would kill for it."
Pallavi's eyes went wide as she gasped, taking the pict gently, almost as if it were a relic. "Someone caught one of the Reaver Titans firing a plasma blastgun at a giant Ork machine? Whoever caught this, they were right."
As she regarded the pict for a few moments, one of the other Astartes looked on intently. "I cannot help but wonder at the quality of such a pict," he said. "Our helmets can capture images and video of a remarkable quality. If I recall correctly, some of our brothers in the 5th Company engage in such a practice of trade as your regiment does."
This caught Pallavi's attention, her focus lasering in on the Astartes. "And you wouldn't happen to do this as well, would you?"
The Astartes, his skin a caramel color, shrugged, amber eyes glittering with hidden amusement. "I may not. But I perhaps know of some within the 2nd Company that do."
Pallavi grinned as Ruth and her squad stood and excused themselves to afternoon devotions. "I'll have to meet some of these inquisitive souls," she said. "You get all the excitement, and while big guns never tire, it does get a little sad sometimes, not watching the rest of our Basilisk's brothers and sisters do their work."
"I shall see what I can do," the Astartes said with a slight smile.
"You have my thanks, Brother…" Pallavi trailed off after a moment.
"Locana," the Astartes replied. "Well met, Guardsman."
It was silent for several minutes more as the group focused on eating their meal in largely companionable silence. Then, a two-tone chime came from Serrani's helmet. The man, setting what little was left of his meal aside, reached into his helmet and pulled out a small cup that he placed over his ear. "Go ahead."
He was silent for a moment. "Send them to my position. I will meet them here. Ghera out."
He calmly replaced the component in his helmet, returning to his meal as all eyes turned to him. "You shall meet some representatives from the newly arrived Chapters," Serrani explained simply.
"Bold of you to have them come to you," Daniel said. "I imagine there are protocols of propriety that you would surely have to consider."
"Firstly, leading them here allows them a chance to gauge the troops that they will be fighting alongside, so that they might understand how best to integrate with them," Serrani replied. Then, he paused, smiling slightly. "And, in a distant second, there are some… minor benefits to being the Chapter Champion."
A quiet chuckle rippled through the gathered group, Daniel noticing that one remained silent. He looked over to see Vherra, who had always been at least somewhat skittish around any of the Astartes, looking intently at Serrani.
"I… have a question," she said after the chuckle had died down, seeming to shrink back slightly as Serrani turned his attention to her.
"What would you ask, ma'am?" Serrani asked as Vherra hesitated.
"I've heard that… most Space Marines are a lot more… serious than you and yours are. What makes you so… different?"
Serrani looked between his fellow brothers for a moment before cupping his chin with an armored hand. "There is a certain pride, some would say arrogance, that many Astartes inherit due to their… uplifted station. In that, you are often correct. Even our gene-fathers, the Salamanders, have some… distance from the rest of humanity, if only by dint of being made so different. As for ourselves…"
Serrani was silent for a moment before nodding. "I have served for well on 650 years as a Space Marine. After my first 2 centuries, our first homeworld came under attack, a relentless assault by the forces of Chaos that ended up destroying it. Our Chapter was unprepared for what would become the darkest hour of its existence. Many brothers were lost in the evacuation of our ancient home. And were it not for the efforts of ordinary humans, our entire Chapter would have been lost as well."
It was silent for a moment as Daniel watched for Vherra's reaction, seeing her somewhat guarded expression become remarkably curious as Serrani continued. "It was a moment that began to teach us humility, a lesson that was reinforced as we adjusted to the life of a fleet-based Chapter whilst rebuilding ourselves. Without the people of this Imperium, we are nothing, just as they are defenseless without us. And sometimes, even our strength requires the excellence of mere mortality to support it."
'My, my,' Daniel thought as Serrani seemed to finish his story. 'These Astartes might be a real boon for my cause. I'll have to make sure to keep in contact with them. Or at the very least, stay in their good graces.'
Before Serrani might continue, one of his compatriots looked behind where Daniel sat and nodded forward. "Serrani. Our guests have arrived."
Serrani smiled slightly as all eyes turned to join the rest of the camp on their two new, armored arrivals. "Ah, good. Old friends, and perhaps new comrades."
The two Astartes were a fascinating study of dichotomy. While both were armored but bereft of their helmets, the one that was ahead was armored in a rich brown, with shoulder and knee plates in an almost sky-like deep blue and accented in ivory, with a face framed by brown hair and a respectable beard, a smile almost barely contained within as deep blue eyes focused on one of the Astartes that had remained with Serrani.
His compatriot, on the other hand, was clothed in an iridescent black with white secondary markings trimmed with blood-red, and white lines, decorated here and there with red and white symbols and markings, going from the center of his chest and wrapping around his left arm and leg. His face was a pallid, almost corpse-like gray, drawn into a reserved neutrality that hid annoyance under a head of silver hair that seemed out of place on a face as young as his. His eyes were almost completely black, focused on Serrani.
The Astartes in brown was first to speak after a low chuckle. "My good Brother Gholanis! I see you keep noble company these days," he said, his voice rich, smooth, and booming.
The Astartes in question rose with a slight smile, stepping past the group. "I suppose it comes with what little portion of valor I have," Gholanis replied as he accepted the proffered hand. "It's been too long, Ilmenar."
"It has indeed," Ilmenar replied, looking around at the group as he released Gholanis' hand, his turn revealing a helmet hanging from his right side. Unlike most that Daniel had ever seen, this one was modified by two ivory tusks that looked to be just a shade over 20 centimeters long, the one on the right ringed by a circle of gleaming gold.
"You Guardsmen keep good company as well," Ilmenar continued. "By all accounts, Champion Ghera is a formidable ally and a venerable sentinel for those he fights alongside."
Serrani nodded. "You heap much praise on someone who has not met you before."
Ilmenar placed a fist over his chest and bowed slightly. "Captain Ilmenar of the Mastodons' 4th Company, brother. My Company and I come to lend the Wisdom of Ages to your cause."
Serrani nodded. "Well met, Captain. It is good to fight alongside the Mastodons once again. Send my regards to Sergeant Felkor when you can."
Ilmenar nodded in turn. "I shall be sure to do so when we meet again."
Serrani stood, making his way to Ilmenar and clasping gauntlets for a moment before looking over at the other Astartes. "And who might you be, cousin?"
"I am Captain Amilus of the 3rd Company," the man replied, his voice quieter, rasping softly like a blade drawn across silk. "And I must admit, I question your reasoning as to meeting with us here as opposed to in a more secure location."
"These Guardsmen and Sisters will be your comrades, Captain," Serrani replied. "I would suggest getting to know them, so that you both may be more effective in the field."
Amilus glanced at the Guardsmen who looked at him expectantly, somewhat hesitantly, then back at Serrani. "You are likely unfamiliar with the battle doctrines of our Chapter. We are not so concerned with integration as your Chapters may be. Our appearance alone already causes enough… consternation, shall we say."
"Now," he continued. "Will we be briefed here as to the nature of this campaign? While we have received targets, we have little reason to invest ourselves in such battles."
Serrani, in reply, looked back at Daniel. "I will allow someone who has more current information than I to brief you. With your investigations, I would assume such a briefing would be comprehensive?"
Daniel had been searching out the 'why' of this campaign. Now that Haelin Kinley had ascended to the rank of Commander and settled into such a role, she had been willing to discretely provide such information over a round of drinks.
As he stood and stepped forward, Ilmenar regarded him intently, the only change in Amilus' expression a raised brow.
Daniel nodded respectfully. "My lords, the matter of this campaign is one of relief. This planet, and many others within the Gateway Stars, are rich in resources, but heavily contested by various hostile forces. Such resources are needed to lighten the load of an increased tithe demanded by the nearby Karthago sector. Apparently, our neighbors further north in the Badab sector continue to resolutely withhold their tithes."
Daniel gauged the reactions of the two Captains for a brief moment, Ilmenar's curiosity far more open than Amilus', despite the latter's attempt to hide it. "The leadership of both our sector and Karthago know that such tithes cannot last forever. Every year the increased tithes hold, millions of Imperial citizens are worked to the bone, even to death. This means that the specter of potential dysfunction in the long term looms large over this part of the Imperium. The more effective we are here and in other worlds of the Gateway, the less the leaders of the sector need worry about these tithes."
It was silent for a moment before Ilmenar nodded. "A most comprehensive brief, soldier. I am surprised to see you out here only in command of a few, instead of at the head of a holo-sculpt table."
"I am only graced by lucky connection, my lord," Daniel replied.
Amilus simply cupped his chin. "Those within my Chapter have heard rumors of the increasing vice of the Maelstrom Warders' withheld tithes during our deployments to the Karthago sector. What reasons they would have for such behavior remains speculation."
Serrani's brow furled as he looked at Ilmenar. "If the plight with the Warders has become such a pressure point with the Karthagans, why have they not called on the Mastodons to attempt mediation? Surely, your ability to resolve disputes between brother Astartes would be known to them as well as among all the Segmentum by now."
As the descriptor piqued Daniel's curiosity, Ilmenar sighed. "We would be willing to undertake such a task, difficult as it may sometimes be to mediate between Astartes and regular human. But it is only recently that even my Company has been able to be spared for other places throughout the galaxy. The rest of our Chapter, along with that of the Screaming Ravens and elements of the Tigers Argent and Genesis Chapters, have been standing at our home in the north of Ultramar against a Chaos incursion. We may have them on the back foot, but they are doggedly tenacious. One can hope that we can resolve that to go and address whatever the Warders' grievances might be soon enough. But for now, we are here, and we shall serve the people of the Noranades Cluster."
"Just so," Amilus said. "Whatever else, our current planetary goal is in sight: the mountain fortresses of the Orks of this world. Our Company will range ahead and clear the way for your forces to strike at their heart."
"You have our thanks for such," Serrani said.
Daniel nodded, looking down at a watch and noting the time. "It has been an honor, my lords," he said, "but I have a briefing with my commander I must attend to. Good day."
He glanced back at the rest of his squad. "I'll be back to collect you once I'm done with Kinley. We might need to move out soon after."
. . .
3 Weeks Later
Daniel's intuition proved to be correct, as the Fighting Furies would leave the city at Kinley's behest, alongside a few other squads from the Silver Scales and the Void Weavers.
Their objective was to secure a surprisingly comprehensive cache of weapons, ammunition, and other defensive supplies within the large forest outside the city. Such supplies would be vital in arming Highhold's PDF forces, allowing the Guard forces stationed within to be freed up for use on other fronts.
The one caveat to such a cache was its hidden nature. Its location had been a carefully guarded secret, kept only in the records of the governor's palace. With the Ork occupation having lasted as long as it had, however, such records had been laid to waste. The governess could only give a frustratingly vague area. One that had measured more than a dozen square kilometers.
So, they searched, combing the area alongside a Techmarine and some Techpreists to find their mark.
They were getting close now, Daniel was sure. There were only about 4 square kilometers left that the cache could be located in, and their search pattern this far had been… remarkably unmolested.
It was something to ponder, what with an Aeldari Ranger potentially being a harbinger of others to come. But for now, there was another he needed to contact and meet with.
The maelstrom of the Warp had calmed, allowing Daniel a night where he could return to the Star Child's secret abode.
As he broke through the barrier, returning to the pastoral scene, he found that the Star Child was waiting for him. "Am I expected?" Daniel asked.
The Star Child nodded slightly. +Though my presence is hidden here, I have kept watch over your exploits. It is all I can do from here. Besides, it was only a matter of patience until you saw the calming of the Immaterium.+
"I see," Daniel replied. "There's much to talk about."
+Your mind is more open to me now,+ the Star Child replied, +likely by design. I see you have many questions for me.+
Daniel sighed quietly. "I do. But all of them can ultimately boil down into a single word."
+Why.+
Daniel nodded. "Why prosecute the Crusade as you did? Why treat your progeny in the Primarchs and Astartes so inconsistently? Why decide that the best course of action was… anything that resembled what would become the Imperium? Just… why?"
It was silent for long moments, the wind making the world around them sway and swirl slightly. Then, the Star Child sighed.
+To answer such a question, you shall need the full context of what the Emperor was. And, to some extent, still is.+
Daniel frowned slightly as the Star Child walked towards, then past him. +Walk with me, if you will.+
Daniel followed after, and the Star Child began. +In the distant days before the first millennium, I was among a select group of nascent psykers within humanity. They went by many names then; shamans, druids, seers, and oracles. I was part of a druid's circle in what would become known as Ireland.+
+With our powers, we kept contact with each other around the world. And with that contact, all of us saw the rising power of the Warp. And the Chaos within it.+
The Star Child's expression twisted slightly into a grimace. +Something needed to be done to preserve humanity. So a decision was reached. In psychic conference, we concluded that with a large enough well of psychic power, a singular child could be born, to guide humanity against the rising threats of this realm and any others.+
He paused for a moment. +It simply made sense then, in an era of kings and rulers who were descendants of the gods. So, we sacrificed ourselves. Our souls, and their power, pooled in the Immaterium and, after a year's preparation, we descended as one great conclave of souls into the body of a single child, somewhere in the steppes of Anatolia.+
Daniel considered the story for a moment. "Then the Emperor was never just a single soul? Every decision was made in conference?"
The Star Child nodded. +Not at first. Those that were most experienced among us took the lead to guide this body, a Perpetual body, through its nascency. But after that, well over 3,500 souls counseled together as we took many faces throughout Earth's history. Some were recognizable, even worshiped. Most were not. However, as time went on, a great majority of the conclave refused to change its mindset, even as times changed and humanity progressed beyond the absolute need of kings and gods. They determined a great man, a New Man, was needed, a focal point for all humanity to focus on and follow.+
"And you?"
A sigh, quiet but filled with weariness, seeming to match the gentle breeze. +I was one of the few voices that called for open-mindedness, compassion, and flexibility. But my voice, and those that stood beside me in those days, was often ignored. There was, after all, one concern that drowned out almost all else.+
Daniel frowned slightly. "What would that be?"
The Star Child was silent, and Daniel wondered within that silence just how far this realm stretched as they continued to walk.
+At the moment of the Emperor's birth,+ he said, +our collective psychic power, and our attunement to each other in the Warp, allowed us to pierce the barrier of time and discern a vision of the future. We saw, as best our minds could comprehend, humanity scattered to the stars. We felt the oppression and suffering they underwent daily in a backward society rife with oppression, hardship, and the worship of manufactured gods. We witnessed the birth of a storm that would cleave the night sky in half. A storm that would herald the certain extinction of humanity.+
"The Cicatrix Maledictum…" Daniel said quietly. "You saw the 41st millennium and the beginning of the 42nd. You saw the Imperium."
+That much I am certain of now,+ the Star Child replied. +Hindsight being what it is and all. But the vision drove us onward, and even desperation and improvisation, over the course of millennia and produced by a being with such perspective, can seem like craftiness and cunning to those unknowing.+
+As time went on,+ he continued, +and the old empires of humanity were destroyed, Old Night falling over the galaxy, my council was heeded less and less, those who stood with me being swayed to the thinking of the greater will. In time, as I watched the unification of Terra, and the Great Crusade marching out into the stars in search of the Primarchs, I continued to offer my voice, but all hope had gone out of it. I dissented simply because it was what I had always done. My only small victory was in advocating for trying to relieve Angron, our son meant to embody empathy and kindness, of the suffering of the Butchers' Nails. And even then, my only reaction to our failure was… resignation.+
"There was merit in trying, if nothing else," Daniel said firmly. "You stood your ground even in the face of overwhelming indifference."
+Yet what good did it do the universe, really?+ the Star Child asked. +Regardless of my efforts, the forces of Chaos fomented the Horus Heresy, turned my sons and those that followed them against each other, and killed a scattered, almost frenzied dream. And by our own hand, we have brought the vision that terrified us so to pass.+
"And yet, because of your compatriots' haste in ejecting you into the Warp at the climax of the Heresy, you are safe," Daniel said meaningfully. "I do not need to risk traveling to Holy Terra to find someone sympathetic to my cause. I'd call that something of a victory."
+How it tastes like ash,+ the Star Child said quietly. +And what strategy do you think you shall employ to change this galaxy for the better? How will you succeed where the Master of Mankind failed?+
"It's simple, but a difficult task," Daniel said. "We must educate the people. Transform fear into curiosity, paranoia to trust. For only together, in alliance with those others in the galaxy, can we weather the coming darkness."
+And how do you propose to do such for an entire Imperium, set in dogma and steeped in ignorance concerning all around them?+ the Star Child asked archly.
"The only way that I can for the moment," Daniel replied. "A few souls at a time. With the help of someone else who they feel they can trust."
It was silent between them for what felt like an age, Daniel waiting quietly for the Star Child's answer.
+I still cannot see how any of this ends well,+ the Star Child admitted. +Even with all our efforts, the slightest thing may leave your plans, your dreams, in ruin, as mine were. But even so…+
After a moment, the Star Child sighed quietly. +It might be good to feel some measure of hope again.+
Daniel smiled slightly. "I would think that two minds in this matter, for the moment at least, will manage better than 3,500."
For the first time this visit, and likely in a long, long time, the Star Child chuckled softly. +And perhaps you may take my counsel into greater consideration than those before.+
Then, from behind them, another voice interrupted.
"Father?" The word was soft, almost velvet-like, but it too carried with it the subtle rumble of power, of a capability to boom across the battlefield and be heard clearly.
They both turned, and Daniel beheld a striking figure, his angular face a pale thing almost tipping into ashenness, structured in such a way that handsomeness blended into beauty almost seamlessly, a refined, elegant air to him in body and mein that would be at home at a royal court bound up with a strength that seemed perfectly fit for the battlefield. Blue-gray eyes regarded them intently, and long waves of an almost golden blond fell around his head and shoulders.
Capping all of this off, as a part of Daniel had almost expected, were the pair of brilliantly white wings, massive in their scale, folded neatly at his back.
"I…" the new arrival said, caution tinging his voice. "I did not know you had gone out to save another soul. Who might this be?"
+A guest, Sanguinius,+ the Star Child replied. +But one who brings with him intriguing opportunities.+
Sanguinius nodded, regarding Daniel intently. "Well met," he said, nodding slightly. "I am Sanguinius, the Sanguine Angel and former master of the IXth Legion. I would hope that you come to this place with right intentions. You will not leave it otherwise."
+Peace, Sanguinius,+ the Star Child said. +If what he says is true, then he will be our best chance to right the wrongs we have produced.+
Sanguinius nodded beginning to turn away. "I'll inform the others," he said, walking quickly down the path that they'd traveled on.
The Star Child nodded. +I doubt he is quite as you expected him to be,+ he said quietly.
Daniel grimaced slightly. "I imagine fratricide would change anyone from what they were."
The Star Child sighed quietly. +Indeed. Come. Let me introduce you to the rest of my sons.+
