Legends of the Smoke Jaguars chapter 194
"You let them onto our Thunderhawk?" Lujan asked pointedly.
"Not by choice," Ajax grumbled.
"This is a violation of the sacred sovereignty of our Chapter!"
"It was that or leave the Smoke Jaguars to die," Ajax sniffed.
"That is your justification?!"
"Needs must when the gremlin drives," Ajax retorted.
The Veteran Sergeant was reporting to his master in the impromptu command centre, surrounded by bustling adjutants and harried-looking vox operators. The battle for Coronam was heating up, the front spreading as Orks probed forward. Ajax had been at the forefront of the battle, but that was only one thrust into the urban sprawl. The Orks were building to something, he could sense it. Lujan however seemed more concerned with his Sergeant's handling of the fight.
Ajax had dropped the Smoke Jaguars off at their Stronghold, then reported to the Techmarines for repairs. The devotees of the Cult Technis had been aghast at the state of his armour and lectured him copiously on the proper ministrations due to the Machine Spirits. Ajax's reply had been equally curt and, one new breastplate later, he returned to duty. Now he was addressing his Lord and Master, who seemed equally displeased.
"I find your change in attitude disquieting," Lujan hissed.
"We've fought side by side," Ajax deflected, "They're no Black Templars, but they serve well enough."
"Such high praise from you?" Lujan remarked, "I can't remember the last time you spoke so warmly of any outside the Chapter."
"Well... one of them did save my life."
"Bonds forged in battle are strong indeed, but let that not direct you. Their botched ambush nearly lost me a prized Veteran squad."
"It's war," Ajax argued, "Sometimes you get the Carnodon, sometimes the Carnodon gets you."
Lujan waved a hand at the charts strewn everywhere and said, "Orkamemnon has shifted tactics. No longer does he rush blindly into our guns, now he advances cautiously. Probing thrusts into the Purple District are testing our lines and the roads have seen little activity at all. I would count it fortunate; every day he delays is another day for the relief fleet to close, but conserving his strength is the last thing I want Orkamemnon to do. I want his troops impaling themselves on our defences."
Ajax glanced at the tables, "If it were me, I'd ignore the urban districts. Gather everything I've got and ram it up Hanged Man Lane, cut us off from the bridges and trap us on the east side of the river."
Lujan chewed on it, "It has been suggested that the Orks may be delaying to repair their Stompas, such firepower would tip the balance of any fight. But our long-range augurs report they are operational already."
"As much as they ever are," Ajax grunted, "So who pissed in your Synthi-gruel?"
Lujan scowled, "The Smoke Jaguars have uncovered something unusual. Their scouts have identified a mysterious construct at the centre of the Ork army. A transport of unusual size and quality. This carriage only entered the combat zone after the area was secured, and hung back. That does not sound like typical Ork behaviour, everything they build is a ramshackle war machine, fit for no other purpose than to ravage and destroy. Whatever reason Orkamemnon delays, I suspect it has something to do with this transport."
Ajax looked over the disposition of forces and suggested, "Send in an airstrike and blow it up."
"That would not work, I need our few remaining air units for close ground support.
"Then put a spearhead together, give me six squads and I'll crush it like a spent ration can."
"Again, we need our forces where they are. The Smoke Jaguars have suggested a stealth infiltration, one squad, to penetrate that construct and probe its mysteries."
"One squad would never make it through that wall of Green flesh," Ajax dismissed.
"As well I know," Lujan agreed, "I have ruled it out, but the Smoke Jaguars seem disinclined to obey orders."
"Sovereign Chapters eh?" Ajax quipped.
"Less cheek from you, Sergeant," Lujan admonished.
Their discussion was interrupted as Chareal entered; the Chaplain hurried in his step. Mortals gave way before him, as well they should, being crushed under a Ceramite boot could truly hamper one's day. Charael had removed his helm and his eyes gleamed in a way that made Ajax's guts go cold. He knew that look, it spelled trouble.
"Chapter Master!" Charael called, "I bring revelation!"
Lujan turned to address him, "High Chaplain, have there been developments?"
"Not yet, but the hour is upon us!"
Ajax scowled in annoyance, "Warp Hells, here it comes."
"A vision!" Charael proclaimed, "I have had a vision, given unto me by the Divine Emperor!"
A scurrilous silence went around the room as the mortals stared. Such utterances were a bombshell in these times. To claim direct inspiration from the Golden Throne was hubris of the highest order, to draw the gaze of the Inquisition if proven false, but a sign of greatness if true. Charael dared to claim it though, more than once. Ajax had heard it said there was a flaw in the Storm Herald's Catalepsean Node resulting in Hypernumerological predictions, manifesting as prophetic visions of future events and dazzling revelations. Few had it, maybe one or two from each generation of recruits, but enough to form a pattern. The Librarians said it wasn't warp-related, and they should know, but it veered dangerously close to Heresy for Ajax's tastes.
Lujan's eyes lit up as he ordered, "Tell me!"
Charael explained, "The sea! The Orks will attack from the sea! We must secure the docks at once!"
"That's it?!" Ajax scoffed, "You dreamt of the ocean and expect us to redeploy for the sake of a fancy?"
"You dare question Him on Terra?!" Charael snapped.
But Ajax barked back, "I have eyes! The Orks are already in the city, they have numbers enough to grind us down, and they will if the Storm Heralds do not strengthen the front lines. To pull our forces out now is folly!"
However Lujan glanced at the charts, "Our plans depend on the western half of the city being secure when we reach the river. If Orkamemnon attacks the docks he can seize our last bastion before we have a chance to employ it. Our armies will be crushed between the hammer of a renewed offensive and the anvil of an enemy in our rear. Our defeat will be total."
Ajax waved a hand, "And how are the Orks going to reach the docks? We saw no boats; we scour the oceans with augurs and have Macrocannons pointed out to sea. Are we to suppose they walk on water?"
"Your lack of faith is unbecoming a Storm Herald!" Charael spat.
"And your deviation from the Codex Astartes is unfit for descendent of Roboute Guilliman! Our Primarch would have no truck with prophecy and visions!"
Lujan glared at his Sergeant, "Ajax you have seen the evidence with your own eyes! One hundred years ago we doubted him and wasted a decade chasing ghost pirates across the stars. It was Charael's visions that led us to the heart of the conspiracy, eight years he spent in the void following his revelations and he was led to the truth as a reward for his piety. Charael alone discovered the nest of Traitors lurking at the heart of Battlefleet Karyl, and proved he is no Heretic. Time after time we have trusted our Master of Sanctity's visions since and not once have we been led astray."
"I know that," Ajax rejoined, "I donned the sackcloth and ashes too, I paid the penance and I still say this is folly!"
"You should have learned your lesson then!" Charael hissed.
"We cannot abandon our positions, Orkamemnon will have free reign in the city. The Guard will bleed without Astartes reinforcements, our numbers will wither. Tactically we cannot pull out, it will be tantamount to defeat!"
"It is not your decision to make," Lujan admonished.
"Then pull out one Company alone," Ajax pleaded, "Leave enough Brothers to shore up the front line, surely a Battle Company can hold the docks."
Lujan glared at his outburst, "I tolerate much from you due to your age and lauded accomplishments, but you go too far. You had a chance to be First Captain and turned it down. Do not think to lecture me on strategy, I am in command of this theatre and I say if the docks fall then the city is lost. I cannot countenance that, the Storm Heralds are redeploying to hold the sea front, that is my order."
Ajax however wasn't done, "What of honour, what of our duty to stand with our comrades in arms?! If we abandon the Purple district many Guardsmen will die, and Smoke Jaguars. You forsake our honour with this action."
Charael answered, "Their lives are forfeit to the Golden Throne, as are ours. All soldiers of the Imperium are sworn to die for Him on Terra, it is the first duty, above all others."
Lujan agreed, "As theatre commander it is my role to make the price of their lives dear, and I deem this is the best way to achieve that. To lose men on the front is a lesser evil than to lose the city. The Storm Heralds move to the docks, General Vregust will assume command of the front. My decision is made and I will brook no further arguments!"
Ajax knew this fight was lost. For all his worthy qualities and sterling pride, Lujan had a weakness for flights of fancy. He'd let Charael fill his head with talk of divinity and visions, as he'd given the Chapter's clandestine support to Magos Lazar and his cult's dark research into the Legion of the Damned. Lujan let himself be distracted by fanciful dreams, his head in the clouds and never on the ground under his feet. Ajax may refuse to be drawn into these dubious matters, but at the cost of rank. He'd scorned a Captaincy, and so was bound to obey the orders given unto him. For a Storm Herald disobedience to orders was unthinkable.
"Then I shall return to my squad and tell them we are redeploying," Ajax relented.
"Do so, and question me no more," Lujan dismissed.
"We shall discuss penance for your intransigence later," Charael promised.
"I look forward to it," Ajax rejoined, refusing to be humbled.
Ajax left the command centre under a cloud of darkness. He'd tried to make them see sense, he'd tried to keep the Storm Heralds on the straight and narrow. They wouldn't listen, they never listened. Drawn by glittering dreams and empty enticements they'd embraced faith and ignorance, ignoring the rational and practical mindset demanded by their Primarch. Ajax felt like the last sane Marine in the Chapter some days, surrounded by cretins and gullible fools. As he slopped off he tried not to think of the Smoke Jaguars, and how he was abandoning them. One more burden of guilt on his shoulders. Throne, Ajax reflected, he was so tired of life.