"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humidity comes wisdom."
Sector Lord Commander Siental entered the cabinet room, he felt like he was stepping into the air as he placed his feet down on the thick one way glass floor that overlooked the busy war room below. The strong smell of shellac filled his nostrils as he approached the large hololithic desk, he observed that there were several people wired into it but most noticeably was the man directly opposite, of all the gnarled, old and wizened men he'd seen today, this one Siental was sure had bested them all.
In a thin trill the Adept Ministrator said "My humblest greetings my majesty lord commander Siental. My name is Ananasousis, Scribarch General of the Sector Munitorum. I am aware that you are inquiring after the war effort in the Prox system."
"That is correct."
Ananasousis nodded sagely, "Very good, do join me at the head of the table, I have taken the liberty to summon a number of officers and advisers on your behalf. They should be arriving promptly."
As Siental walked around the table he observed the charts that flickered in the hololiths below his feet. An apocalyptic battle raged somewhere, Imperial forces besieged by hoards of aliens and traitors with warhound titans racing across a ruined cityscape, by the time he reached his sit hundreds had be killed on all sides.
Soon the war council began to arrive, he examined each of them as they entered, high hetman and generals of the Imperial Guard, admirals of the Navy, and other leaders from various scholistas followed by a lone representative of the inquisition. Once they had all civilly taken their seats, Scribearch Ananasousis led proceedings.
"General Emerson Cole, I understand you'll be the best one to begin informing the Lord Sector."
A stout blond man nodded firmly, "The Prox war is proceeding well," General Cole had one of those Western accents, the annoying kind, the overly smug and pompous kind. "We've countered all of the many Ork attacks on Prox and are in the process of consolidating our control over the plasma mines."
"But what of Ignus?" Siental asked.
"It's of no strategic importance."
An ornately dressed grand judge interrupted "An Adeptus Arbite agent reported that 'The Saint'; the leader of the needless martyr cult, evacuated from Ignus shortly before the planets demise. Our agent is in the process of pursuing her to the Karsonis System, where significant cult activity has been building up in recent months."
"Tell me about this cult."
Cole quickly explained "It's a wide spread unsanctioned cult, basically they're recidivists,"
"Rumours suggest they practise some sort of blood rituals." A large nosed confessor added. "We've been unsuccessful in eradicating them."
Siental stroked his cleanly shaved face, and thought about it briefly. "What can we offer them?"
"My Lord?"
"With these wars, I want as many allies as I can," he nodded to himself, "and as few enemies as possible."
"But they want to separate, they want to destroy the Imperium." Cole objected.
"Offer them a planet then, make this saint an Imperial Planetary Lord. Then they'll be the Imperium, and'll have to change their policy or destroy themselves."
"But they're an unsanctioned cult?" the confessor asked.
"That can be corrected later by your missionaries, let us deal with now. What else is happening."
"If my lord you are interested in what is currently happening," Scribearch Ananasousis said "then I could contact Commander Stonewalliam Calder, the commander of the 5th and 8th Army Group on Flamberge, who's battling the somewhat epic battle you can see below our feet."
Siental thought about it, the events of the Prox seemed pretty serious, the corruption and loss of an entire planet, but he could still find out more information from the generals after the vid-vox. "Flamberge, that's not in the Prox system."
"No my lord it's in Notos system."
"Yes," he smiled knowingly "Alright proceed."
Hololithic swept about as it produced an orb, the orb shone black, an effect of the light or the absence of it. A weathered face appeared and like a well painted painting it faced each person around the room from their own directions. It bowed lightly.
"Commander Calder" Ananasousis said, "Report on the situation on Flamberge."
"Flamberge is heavily besieged, we've received relentless attacks following the fall of Ignus as adversaries from the Prox War are migrating to join forces with the invading Orks and followers of Chaos. My combined army group continues to defend the planet, to hold the relic cathedral, but morale is running dangerously low as wide scale panic is setting into the populace over the loss of Ignus. There seems to be no shortage of those making planetfall against us and spies have intercepted rumours that Braxton is on his way to personally destroy the Relic of Flamberge."
"Braxton?" Siental asked, "That names seems familiar."
Cole contritely handed Siental a dataslate. He looked at the dataslate, Commander Acuzio Braxton had been a military genius, Aleron's father had appointed Braxton as General of Aftermath's planetary defence. Where he had served a long and well decorated career, Braxton had saved the planet and sector several times over. Siental remembered him and couldn't understand what happened to turn him into a depraved monster of the likes Braxton himself would have fought in the past. Siental felt guilty, he himself had hidden away from the world, from his generals, from everybody. Had he not, would his sector be in so much trouble now? He then noticed the room go quiet. Self aggravation swept through him as realised he'd closed himself off again. Faces from around the polished table sat patiently watching him. He inhaled calmly and instead thought of what he could do, of what he had to do.
"It looks like the Prox War is concluding, and the battle has shifted focus on to this relic. A bold move is required to restore morale and bolster our defences. I will personally head to Flamberge immediately."
Sector Lord Commander Siental entered the cabinet room, he felt like he was stepping into the air as he placed his feet down on the thick one way glass floor that overlooked the busy war room below. The strong smell of shellac filled his nostrils as he approached the large hololithic desk, he observed that there were several people wired into it but most noticeably was the man directly opposite, of all the gnarled, old and wizened men he'd seen today, this one Siental was sure had bested them all.
In a thin trill the Adept Ministrator said "My humblest greetings my majesty lord commander Siental. My name is Ananasousis, Scribarch General of the Sector Munitorum. I am aware that you are inquiring after the war effort in the Prox system."
"That is correct."
Ananasousis nodded sagely, "Very good, do join me at the head of the table, I have taken the liberty to summon a number of officers and advisers on your behalf. They should be arriving promptly."
As Siental walked around the table he observed the charts that flickered in the hololiths below his feet. An apocalyptic battle raged somewhere, Imperial forces besieged by hoards of aliens and traitors with warhound titans racing across a ruined cityscape, by the time he reached his sit hundreds had be killed on all sides.
Soon the war council began to arrive, he examined each of them as they entered, high hetman and generals of the Imperial Guard, admirals of the Navy, and other leaders from various scholistas followed by a lone representative of the inquisition. Once they had all civilly taken their seats, Scribearch Ananasousis led proceedings.
"General Emerson Cole, I understand you'll be the best one to begin informing the Lord Sector."
A stout blond man nodded firmly, "The Prox war is proceeding well," General Cole had one of those Western accents, the annoying kind, the overly smug and pompous kind. "We've countered all of the many Ork attacks on Prox and are in the process of consolidating our control over the plasma mines."
"But what of Ignus?" Siental asked.
"It's of no strategic importance."
An ornately dressed grand judge interrupted "An Adeptus Arbite agent reported that 'The Saint'; the leader of the needless martyr cult, evacuated from Ignus shortly before the planets demise. Our agent is in the process of pursuing her to the Karsonis System, where significant cult activity has been building up in recent months."
"Tell me about this cult."
Cole quickly explained "It's a wide spread unsanctioned cult, basically they're recidivists,"
"Rumours suggest they practise some sort of blood rituals." A large nosed confessor added. "We've been unsuccessful in eradicating them."
Siental stroked his cleanly shaved face, and thought about it briefly. "What can we offer them?"
"My Lord?"
"With these wars, I want as many allies as I can," he nodded to himself, "and as few enemies as possible."
"But they want to separate, they want to destroy the Imperium." Cole objected.
"Offer them a planet then, make this saint an Imperial Planetary Lord. Then they'll be the Imperium, and'll have to change their policy or destroy themselves."
"But they're an unsanctioned cult?" the confessor asked.
"That can be corrected later by your missionaries, let us deal with now. What else is happening."
"If my lord you are interested in what is currently happening," Scribearch Ananasousis said "then I could contact Commander Stonewalliam Calder, the commander of the 5th and 8th Army Group on Flamberge, who's battling the somewhat epic battle you can see below our feet."
Siental thought about it, the events of the Prox seemed pretty serious, the corruption and loss of an entire planet, but he could still find out more information from the generals after the vid-vox. "Flamberge, that's not in the Prox system."
"No my lord it's in Notos system."
"Yes," he smiled knowingly "Alright proceed."
Hololithic swept about as it produced an orb, the orb shone black, an effect of the light or the absence of it. A weathered face appeared and like a well painted painting it faced each person around the room from their own directions. It bowed lightly.
"Commander Calder" Ananasousis said, "Report on the situation on Flamberge."
"Flamberge is heavily besieged, we've received relentless attacks following the fall of Ignus as adversaries from the Prox War are migrating to join forces with the invading Orks and followers of Chaos. My combined army group continues to defend the planet, to hold the relic cathedral, but morale is running dangerously low as wide scale panic is setting into the populace over the loss of Ignus. There seems to be no shortage of those making planetfall against us and spies have intercepted rumours that Braxton is on his way to personally destroy the Relic of Flamberge."
"Braxton?" Siental asked, "That names seems familiar."
Cole contritely handed Siental a dataslate. He looked at the dataslate, Commander Acuzio Braxton had been a military genius, Aleron's father had appointed Braxton as General of Aftermath's planetary defence. Where he had served a long and well decorated career, Braxton had saved the planet and sector several times over. Siental remembered him and couldn't understand what happened to turn him into a depraved monster of the likes Braxton himself would have fought in the past. Siental felt guilty, he himself had hidden away from the world, from his generals, from everybody. Had he not, would his sector be in so much trouble now? He then noticed the room go quiet. Self aggravation swept through him as realised he'd closed himself off again. Faces from around the polished table sat patiently watching him. He inhaled calmly and instead thought of what he could do, of what he had to do.
"It looks like the Prox War is concluding, and the battle has shifted focus on to this relic. A bold move is required to restore morale and bolster our defences. I will personally head to Flamberge immediately."
