The Lost Primarch Quest

Orus: The Eidolon World

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An old Terran poet once said, "All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances." In this strange day and age, it is no longer the people that are the players, but more often than not, entire worlds that are center-stage in galactic events.

None can deny that planets such as Mars, Terra, Ultramar, Prospero, Ryza, and many others play vital roles in galactic history. Sometimes while in conjunction with one another, but other times by their lonesome. None can deny their power and influence over hundreds of trillions and thousands of "minor" worlds. All vying to control the course of entire sectors, segmentums, and perhaps even the mighty Imperium of Man itself,

Others look upon such titans of the galaxy and covet their power and wealth, envious especially when they can recall their "great and storied histories" of their worlds from before the Age of Strife and the Long Night. Petty squabbles born of petty lords wishing to take their place in the future stage of human history.

Then there were the few worlds that didn't seek such power or influence. Not because they were unable to or lacked the will to do so but because they had found their place in the galactic paradigm. For such worlds, their ambitions resulted in simply safeguarding their worlds and contributing to the good of human civilization.

Most sniffed in disdain of such planets, for most were nothing more than Agri or Mining Worlds, whose sole accomplishments were that the soil or promethium wells were rich and full. Or they were planets whose government and people were pathetically underwhelming or considered backward by the "enlightened" ruling class of the Imperium.

Yet a world whose people and nations saw no strife nor had wants or needs was a planet of contentment and peace. Mayhaps not a prosperous or strong world in the grand scheme of things, but for many, a sound mind and hope for the future were worth more than an entire Titan Legion or an STC.

Primarch Fulgrim once said, "sometimes the greatest reward is being able to stop and smell the flowers" about such worlds. Even an ambitious man like himself saw the wisdom and value in such passivity, even if it would never bring joy or satisfaction to a man like him. Such planets were still free to do as they pleased as long as they contributed to the greater whole.

Such was the declaration of the High Lord of Terra, "If they lack the motivation or ambition for greatness, then they shall contribute to the greatness of others." In the Imperium of Man, no individual world or government was absolved of their "duty" towards the Emperor of Mankind and his Great Crusade.

Greatness would come to every corner of the galaxy, whether such worlds liked it or not. To the mercy of the fates, such worlds never offered much resistance, at least not at first. Indeed, a few Primarchs had caused…issues with these worlds upon such proclamations.

Nevertheless, these little realms of quiet solitude and stability were often welcomed additions to a Primarchs domain. Sometimes, they even offered a unique aspect that could pique similarly eccentric interests of a Primarch.

One such world fell into the realm of the Lord of Ravens. Recently found and integrated into the Imperium without fuss, it nonetheless attracted the attention of influential individuals within the Raven Guard and, soon very well, some of the all-powerful men in the galaxy.

Worse yet, the arrival of such forces and lords could awaken something forgotten among the histories and memories of its people and lands. A horror weaved into the very consciousness of an entire world.

It was here on the world of Orus that a secret battle began.

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General Overview and History

Situated within the Tarshish Sub-Sector and found within the Shinar System is Orus. An arid world, circling a large yellow star not dissimilar to the one in Sol and surrounded by dozens of minor planets, moons, gas giants, and planetoids. Orus is a red jewel gleaming among barren moons.

At least the locals call it a red jewel. When one looks upon Orus from orbit, the color appears more rust-colored than anything. But the planet is alive and well, even for an arid world, and the red color is because of the famously abundant red soil and clay of Orus.

There are no great Hive Spires of Forge Cities on Orus. The planet never achieved the industry, technology, or population growth level to warrant building mega-structures. Instead, there are hundreds of cities, thousands of townships, and hundreds of thousands of smaller settlements across its lands.

Seven and half billion souls call these communities and nation-states home. On paper, the planet is governed entirely by the Orus Directive. But the reality is that there are three geopolitical entities; the Orus Directive, the Confederacy of Azis-Kish, and the Enlighted Republic.

For the Imperium, such distinctions do not matter. For all on Orus adhere to the laws and directions of the Orus Directive. A dictatorship based in the capital of Regio Satur, located in the Southern Hemisphere. Mostly theocratic by design, it is technically run by a Deorum council but with an elected dictatorship. It has been the seat of governance for Orus for over a thousand years. The leaders of Regio Satur, and more importantly, their armies, ultimately ended the Great Civil War, returning stability to the entire planet.

(The Great Civil War being a rather ugly point of Directive history. Ultimately nothing more than a power struggle among a dozen would-be dictators and individual lords and city-states. The death toll was tragically almost 400 million for a century and saw the destruction of nine cities via orbital bombardment)

That isn't to say Directive is the only power on Orus. In the North and Western reaches is the Confederacy of Azis-Kish. A collection of horse lords, farmers, scholars, and miners. The largest gathering of Buddislamists was under the Ironworks Brotherhood, a group of merchants, tech-priests, and scientists. One would think the lords of Directive would war with the Confederacy, which was confirmed a few thousand years ago. Yet the Azis-Kish and the Directive would eventually find peace.

Although would be remiss to realize that this peace came at the Directive becoming the sole power over Orus. No doubt because Regio Satur controlled the orbital and ground silos. It seemed, however, that cooler heads prevailed, and the council and the brotherhood wished to rule over a barren wasteland.

In exchange for this alliance, the Ironworks Brotherhood became the masters of science, industry, and technology for Orus, while the Directive controlled all military, legislative, and mercantile aspects of their world. The Deorum faiths, having accepted the Buddislamists, easily adjusted to a new "unified" religious doctrine to represent this shift towards lasting peace.

A pragmatic decision, especially when the Confederacy and Directive had to contend with the Enlightened Republic. To an outsider, the republic is nothing more than an oddity among nation-states. With a population of only five hundred million compared to the seven billion living under the Directive's rules and laws, it could be said that the republic was a response to the theocratic or authoritarian nature of leaders from Regio Satur or the control over technology granted to the Ironworks Brotherhood.

Upon further examination, one finds more strange and perhaps even insidious lineage associated with the Enlightened Republic. The republic was born during the very start of the Age of Strife, although it was nothing more than another collection of survivors, survivalists, and nascent city-states whose only real ties were surviving the Long Night together.

Then the "sudden" appearance of the Church of the Eternal Hytoth was initially causing concern among the other faiths and governments. However, violence never erupted in any meaningful fashion. Instead, the Enlightened Republic ultimately surrendered to the authority of the Directive without bloodshed.

It was hard to turn such an offer. For the republic was rich in minerals and industry. The decision came quickly enough; the prosperity of the Enlightened Republic would be added to the Directive, and thus did the councils and lords of the Confederacy and Directive hesitantly accept their strange faith and stranger nation as part of Orus.

A lasting peace had been achieved on Orus. In a grand celebration in Regio Satur, Midio lyl Gavini declared their world would return to the stars to seek out those who survived the Long Night and aid those in need.

Sadly, that wasn't the easiest of endeavors to accomplish. Orus lacked the technology and industry to send anything beyond their solar system. Of the three nations, the Enlighted Republic was the only one actively researching space technologies under the control of the Orus Stargazer Foundation, a mega-corp and public face of the Church of the Eternal Hytoth and, in some ways, the real masterminds behind their republic.

Additionally, an issue of political and cultural apathy hindered the need to leave their system, as the Orusians failed to see the point, especially as many wanted to "embrace" the new world order and feel if it was the right direction. A growing desire to rekindle their collective past had also overtaken this desire to move forward.

The Orusians were odd like that. The history of their world was especially strange. Like so many others, Orus was not spared from the effects of the Long Night. The people and government, nor any religious or lore-keeping organizations, have any official record of the history of their world. Only a few fragments exist now, hinting at a strange and broken history.

Many believe that the name of their world is a bastardization of the word "Aura," which appears in several texts and pre-Age of Strife colonial documents. Yet none of the citizens have ever associated Orus with such a thing. There is no light save for the sunlight on Orus. Even in the most remote regions, the idea of an "aura" seems more like a poetic name than based on anything factual.

A few scholars believe Orus is even older than initially thought, perhaps even a root word from Old Earth. None can deny that such a thing wouldn't be impossible. Yet it remains a mystery.

Strange as it was, the Ironworks found further documentation to support a peculiar pre-fall affixation towards "light" and a general tone of reverence. However, further details are scarce, especially when trying to piece it together with the Lost Century.

The Lost Century is a peculiar point of Orusian history. Namely, the lack of information, save for a story passed down through generations known as the Twilight Revolution, has become a founding mythos for their world. It has yet to be discovered where or who started it, even after the Lost Century ended. The Ironworks has no knowledge, and even the Enlighted Republic has no "official" recollection.

All that is known is that during this terrible period, is the "Twilight Revolution" against the "False Reflugence." A somewhat fantastical tale of heroes, evil creatures, and stopping a tyrannical regime. Not exactly grounds for credible historical relevancy, yet it is the only recurring series of events told throughout the three nations.

Most Orusians don't seem to mind all that much. Strange as it sounds, for people that care about history. Their scholars call it a "fluke" in record keeping. In any event, Orus focuses more now on more "recent" events. Such as the lead-up to the Great Civil war and the Unification of their world.

At least, that was until the arrival of the Imperium of Man.

The Orus Compliance

Contrary to popular belief, the Imperium rarely just stumbles upon new worlds. More often than not, the Imperium of Man learns of worlds through unearthed records, repaired data cores, and info obtained via traders, pirates, or other governments.

In some instances, the Mechanicum can learn of technologically advanced worlds due to picking up distant vox transmissions or ancient or recent recon probes sent into the void of space. Much of the Imperial government tends to treat these findings with caution. After all, many of these worlds had changed over thousands of years.

Orus, however, wasn't any different. It had been broadcasting, perhaps unintentionally, for hundreds of years out into the void of space. Their signal was picked up exactly 45 years ago by the Yukon IV, a Forge World in the Æopia System about ~20 light-years away from the Shinar System. The tech-priests of Yukon IV had only a mild interest in heading to Orus and were slated to enter their space within the next two or three centuries.

That was until the arrival of the 1291st Expeditionary Fleet arrived in Æopia. Yukon IV quickly submitted to the authority of the Lord of Ravens and, more importantly, the Martian authority. When the Imperium demanded all astrotelemetry records, Orus was noticed as being nearby.

Barely a week in transit, the 1291st arrived in Shinar with an Ark Mechanicus and no less than nine battleships leading a force of a thousand vessels. The Orus Directive barely had time to notice the arrival of such a fleet. The augury machines onboard their sole void station, Porta Decumana, only recognize space's gravitational distortions as anything natural.

Yet by the time anyone down on Orus could fathom what transpired, the commander of the 1291st Expeditionary Fleet, Lord-Admiral Ken Pretorius, announced himself to the world below and, in standard Imperial fashion, greeted their lost brothers and sisters back into the galactic fold and the Imperium of Mankind.

The people of Orus were confused and frightened, but at the very least, the message being broadcasted was that of peace. The Directive called an emergency meeting, asking for representatives and experts from the Confederacy and Republic to attend to present at least a united front to these Imperials.

Again, in a typical Imperial fashion, Lord-Admiral Pretorius arrived with an entourage of diplomats, retainers, and a force of ten thousand Solar Auxilla. Barely a fraction of the military power that the 1291st commanded. But enough to make the message clear to the Orusians and their Directive.

It should be noted that the Orus military wasn't anything to sniff at, though. The Directive was born of Deorum ideologies and practices, which meant citizen soldiers. Regio Satur could call upon 25 million disciplined and trained men and women in an emergency to defend their nation.

Yet the real crown jewel was the Armored Corps of Orus. A "gift" from the Confederacy of Azis-Kish, who spent a thousand years cultivating a rigorous and dedicated military of armored vehicles, IFVs, and mechanized infantry. When combined with the directive's highly disciplined soldiers and the Republic's vast militia and mercenary armies, Orus was a force to be reckoned with on the ground.

Not that the 1291st cared. Even the orbital and ground base missiles silos, and the anti-orbital lance grid, would've been only a slight nuisance to Lord-Admiral Pretorius's fleet. Nevertheless, the good admiral was gracious enough to allow the Orusians to flex their might; if so, the Directive didn't look weak before its citizens.

Emissaries of the Adeptus Terra met with the Directive Council and representatives from the other two powers. At first, the dialogue was peaceful and even productive. The Orus Directive initially had no issues with the Imperium's offer of peace and an alliance, especially once they explained that the seat of government was in Sol. Even Orus knew of the home system of humanity. And Deorums, in particular, held religious reverence towards the worlds of Sol.

Issues began growing once the Directive and other delegates heard of the Imperial Truth and its no-tolerance stance on most faiths. The Orusians were confused. Why would the Imperium seek to deny beliefs that were intrinsically linked to humanity? Then again, Directive and Confederacy delegates shared concerned glances toward the Enlightened Republic. An exception to that rule.

Nonetheless, the Directive argued that they couldn't just abandon, let alone outlaw, the religions of their world. Of the over seven and half billion men and women of their world, almost 2.5 billion were faithful to some degree. Especially as the Deorum faith wasn't just a pillar but a foundation of the Directive. Those laws and mandates allowed them to rebuild after the Great Civil War within only a generation as opposed to a century.

The Imperial delegation, however, was unmoved. Lord-Admiral Pretorius proclaimed that if Orus needed "assistance" in re-educating the populace, the Imperium of Man was here to help in that regard. The unspoken "aid" included dealing with fundamentalist or radical holdouts via whatever means necessary.

Confusion turned to concern, as the Orusians weren't prepared for such civil unrest, let alone triggering a second Great Civil war. Talks became increasingly unproductive over the next few days, frequently becoming shouting matches. Thankfully, the Directive kept the contents of the meetings private from the citizens of Orus, lest a panic start.

However, the situation was dire. Thankfully, the Orusians had an ally among the Imperial delegation. One of the Adeptus Terra officials, a Petyr Łukomski, was sympathetic to the plight and encroaching mayhem that Orus faced. Additionally, Łukomski felt that spending a few years trying to bring this world into compliance was a waste of resources, even if it would be a relatively straightforward affair.

To that end, Petyr Łukomski knew of the Raven Guards' most recent decisions involving cults and religious institutions encountered during their compliance. And seeing as Orus was within their domain, it seemed only prudent and worthwhile to get their attention on developing crisis.

Going behind the Lord-Admirals back, Petyr Łukomski ordered that an astropathic message be sent to any local Raven Guard elements to aid the negotiations, making sure to describe the circumstances their delegation faced.

The message was sent. Diplomatic actions continued, but progress was next to none. A week later, a trio of Raven Guard ships entered the Shinar System and swiftly made their way over to Orus. Lord-Admiral Pretorius was quite ecstatic at the arrival of Astartes. Not only because it would make the compliance more manageable but it looked good on an officer's record to have Astartes working for you on one.

One can only imagine the shock on his face when a lowly Astartes captain named Edgar Blackshroud ordered him and the Adeptus Terra delegation to wait in orbit while he worked out something with the locals. Promising that a peaceful resolution would be obtained within the next few days.

Any argument was shut down as Captain Blackshroud came with a direct proclamation from Corvus Corax to allow Astartes and specific agents to handle these affairs.

That sealed the deal for most. Captain Blackshroud brought a few human delegates for this meeting, though none of the command staff or Adeptus Terra officials knew which branch of the government they were from; none sought to question the development.

The Raven Offers the Olive Branch

After nearly three weeks of back and forth, the Orusians were starting to think they were at the mercy of their new "overlords." They hadn't even begun to go over matters of state and financial issues over joining a galactic empire, let alone the obligations expected of them.

When the Imperials announced that a new team was going to handle negotiations, there was a bit of hope that the Imperium was sending someone that wasn't some bureaucrat or military officer, but those hopes were dashed when they heard it was a "Captain Blackshroud" that was taking control of the talks.

They were most certainly shocked when this "Astartes" arrived wearing the most advanced suit of armor they had ever seen and looked like he could kill an entire company of Republican elites without breaking a fast. At first, the Orusians thought this was just a new intimidating tactic.

However, a small group of men followed behind Captain Blackshroud. They looked less like diplomats or bureaucrats and more like the old depictions of priests from the Ironworks Brotherhood.

Captain Blackshroud introduced himself and proclaimed himself part of the XIXth Astartes Legion. Otherwise known as the Raven Guard. The group with him was part of Ravenloft, an organization dedicated to researching and studying the "empyrean disciplines."

The head of this Ravenloft delegation was a man calling himself Ravindra Singhal, a Dharmic "Brahmin" or priest. Again the Directive and its delegates were confused. Why would the Imperium use priests if they had a blanket order via the Imperial Truth to suppress and erase religious groups?

Ravindra explained that Ravenloft and the Raven Guard were more "sympathetic" to the plights that worlds like Orus faced. They were here to offer guidance and render political aid to help them through Imperial compliance.

Captain Blackshroud bluntly announced that the Raven Guard would never publicly allow the Orus Directive to openly practice their faiths or any religious institutions to hold sway over a political office. To that end, he remarked that the Imperial Truth would come to Orus and act as the new foundation for a more secular government and culture on Orus.

Thus the back and forth returned, but this time the Imperials had a bit more empathy and understanding, but more importantly, credible counter-arguments to the Directive. Captain Blackshroud noted that the Directive hardly even practiced most Deorum rituals outside the celebratory ones. That the Buddislamists had stopped building temples almost a century ago, and most of their followers were of the Zensufi sect, and their people had long since stopped trying to achieve Nirvana in favor of more "earthly" pursuits of knowledge and science.

Captain Blackshourd pointedly ignored the Enlightened Republic, which suited the Republican delegates just fine.

Midio lyl Gavini, who had been patiently watching and listening to these debates while letting his diplomats handle things, finally spoke up. There was truth to the Astartes and Ravenloft's words. Religious conversions on Orus were down. People had taken to finding hope in scholarly pursuits or rendering aid to one another. The gods didn't answer their prayers, but they still thanked them for sparing Orus much grief and misery. Their combined faiths' teachings allowed them to rebuild and grow after the Long Night, Lost Century, and the Great Civil War.

"We cannot just discard our faiths into the rubbish bin. If they must fall into disarray, I'd rather it was because we outgrew their need and instead found strength in each other. Not because some foreign government told us to burn our temples and prayer books."

Captain Blackshroud answered, "Then you must find a means to end this legacy on your own terms. At least in a way to not attract negative attention to yourself. Ravenloft can assist you on this matter. And based on what I've seen, you were already in the process of becoming a secular world. The Directive, the Ironworks, and I suppose even the Orus Stargazer Foundation are more objective and secular in design and nature now than they were at the start. I can only advise you now: Embrace this new direction."

Did anyone on Orus really have a choice? Embrace or perish. Either leads to the end of thousands of years of religious tradition and culture in any meaningful capacity. As such, it came as a surprise to the Directive and Confederacy when the Enlightened Republic agreed to the terms first.

"The Republic has never been or will be under the control of a religious organization or institution. We do, however, respect religious freedom, and while we disagree with the Imperial Truth, we shall abide by the suggestions and terms set forth by the Raven Guard. As Rakmou-leusan wills the universe, we shall accept."

That the delegation could say such a bald-faced lie was impressive enough on its own. As if the Church of the Eternal Hyoth didn't control every aspect of the Enlightened Republic. That the Imperials accepted it even more so. However, the Republic effectively ended the united front presented by the Directive. Midio lyl Gavini, realizing anything more was just a farce, spent another day talking with his delegates before agreeing to the terms. Two hours later, the Confederacy of Azis-Kish likewise agreed to terms.

After the signing of the Treaty of Regio Satur, which effectively brought Orus into compliance with the Imperium of Man, Midio lyl Gavini asked the question that was on everyone's mind at that moment.

"So, where do we go from here?"

The Imperial Era Begins

People on Orus weren't thrilled at the announcement that the Directive would join the Imperium of Man. However, there was a sense of relief. While not ideal for her citizens, all of Orus knew they weren't alone in the galaxy and were under the protection of a great and powerful stellar empire based out of Sol. A celebration was in order. The Directive declared five days of feasts and festivities. If nothing else than to distract the population as certain new laws and acts were passed.

All seemed well at first. But once people recovered from their five-day bender hangovers and started seriously pondering over the fate of their world, many became quite agitated and concerned. It didn't help when Imperial Rememberancers began answering questions about the Imperium of Man.

Naturally, the Imperials downplayed most issues. Yet they couldn't stop themselves when asked about "military affairs" and mentioned that the Imperium was engaged in an "unspecified" number of liberations, defensive, and policing actions across thousands of worlds. None were too happy when they heard that Orusians were expected to contribute to martial endeavors that were started on their terms.

To nip such concerns in the bud, the Imperium started making grandiose remarks about advanced technologies enabling the Orusians to gather resources from their home system's bountiful worlds and moons. Additionally, the Imperium of Man would provide medical, industrial, and civilian goods to Orus at a reasonable price. Finally, the Imperial Armada would safeguard the planet from orbit.

The ploy worked. Gradually, Orusian concern and fear were replaced by excitement and cautious optimism. It was just as well. Orus would sooner rather than later hit 8 billion citizens. There had been growing remarks about food, work, homes, and a slow decline in worshipers that could've resulted in cultural turmoil for all of Orus had they not returned to the stars in time.

With the Imperial's promises in mind, the Directive slowly cut back military spending to ensure that the civilians were further assuaged of any fears by returning some cash towards infrastructure renewal and secular education. Privately, they allocated funding for "heritage sites," as Captain Blackshroud suggested. The most significant decision was the decommissioning of the old Porta Decumana station.

It was necessary as the Directive would slowly roll out new proclamations and decisions to secularize their government and nation. Meanwhile, talks would continue with the Raven Guard over the possible resettlement of most "pious" communities lest they feel threatened and targeted by Imperial Truthers.

Midio lyl Gavini would privately remark to only close friends and ministers that out of everything, he felt sickened the most about this decision, "Will the gods forgive us for these transgressions? If a man doesn't believe, then I shall not blame him for not having or wanting faith in the divine. But what about the billions of Orusians that still do? Do their voices not matter?"

Such concerns were ultimately ones of a minor world whose only listener was a Primarch that could only offer so much aid. A price had to be paid to secure the future of their world. It would not be the last…

Only a year after the compliance was completed, the 1st Orusian Armored Regiment was raised, and preparations for off-world deployment were expected within only two years. Thus did the Imperium get its pound of flesh for the proverbial meat-grinder. Yet Orus continued onward, unaware of what awaited them or what lay within the fabric of their star.

Ravenloft Investigations

From the journal of Captain Jacobson Roth…
Entry One.

When Ravenloft was requested to assist with negotiations, most of our cell expected our mission to conclude after the Directive and Imperium signed the Treaty of Regio Satur. And that was to be that. We had done all we could for the faithful here on Orus, but our presence was needed elsewhere unless a Nest was established. Imagine my surprise when the psykers reported strange dreams.

Orus hasn't had psykers in perhaps over a thousand years. Maybe not even ever. Population numbers play a large part in increased chances of a human with the right genes appearing, but even among a trillion humans, you could potentially never see a psyker. Orus, having only a sparse population of seven billion, might as well not have had a ghost of a chance.

Yet it seemed that there might have been a reason for this if one can believe it. The psykers reported a series of dreams coincided with a recurring image of a diamond-like object shining with an increscent light. All psykers felt a sensation of confusing whispering and then a static sound emitting from around them. Finally, a single word was repeated whenever they tried to examine the object.

Eidolon.

This is concerning after Brother Markos, our cell's Helenic expert, reported that this and the name of the world are referenced as being Helenic titles and terms. Some would question how we could miss such a thing. Most don't realize that so much knowledge of the faiths has either been distorted, lost, or buried under tens of thousands of years of new scripture. Ravenloft has spent considerable time and effort trying to decipher the accuracy of most religious texts written by human hands.

An eidolon in the ancient Helenic text is a title given to a spirit or phantom, frequently representing an individual or an appreciation related to an idea. The Deorums claim that eidolons are aspects of the divine, often associated with an auspice of their faith. Once again, it also shows the overlap in some of the religions. Deorums and Helenics share so many similarities that it wouldn't surprise anyone here if there was once a sizeable contingent of Helenics on Orus, but they were lost in the chaos that consumed this world.

Orus itself is odd. Its name in the ancient text references it as the "First to be Born." Our cell debated if this planet was named after an eidolon, but initially, we were skeptical of this theory before further evidence came to light. But we'll get to that in a moment.

This development was a concern to Captain Blackshroud and Brahmin Singhal. By all rights, Ravenloft and the Raven Guard had an obligation to determine if this was warp or divine-related, and while the Gallitsur Cell isn't trained for investigations, the decision to look into this Eidolon was authorized.

At the time, I thought this would be a relatively easy investigation. The gods played fools on us, for we had no idea what we had all just gotten into.

---

When we arrived at the National Directive Archives, our cell spent the better part of a week combing through ancient texts related to the mythos and legends of Orus. You'd be surprised at what you can find in a library. Our first step in the investigation was to locate any information involving an "eidolon," and we had no success initially.

The Great Civil War that Orus suffered through destroyed more than just cities and hundreds of millions of livelihoods. When atomic weapons were used against traitor or loyalist forces, much of the EMP destroyed unprotected or hardened data cores or cogitator banks. Like many other worlds, knowledge could sometimes be preserved with books or word of mouth.

When we spoke with the archivists, they mentioned that much of the information used by the Directive was maintained either by the Enlightened Republic's Ministry of Information or the Ironworks Brotherhood. Considering the former meant speaking with members of the Church of the Eternal Hytoth, which was forbidden to most Ravenloft operatives, that left us to talk with the Brotherhood.

Sadly, they likewise repeated the same thing to us. Any information or knowledge they had was all that was left over following the Lost Century and the Great Civil War. The only mentioned was that it was possible that some archives might have survived.

Brother Barthelme then suggested, "Mayhaps we should check the locations of any old traitor facilities or bases for information? It sounds like the Orusians never checked to see if the traitors had any information left over. Perhaps they even knew something about the Lost Century?"

To which Brother Brandr pointed out, "Wait, just a tick. The Great Civil War happened sometime after the Lost Century, yes?"

"That's correct, but what does that have to do with us?"

"It's real easy to cover up something if you kill enough people and destroy enough knowledge through, say, I don't know, an atomic exchange that leaves millions dead and allows the new government to take control of the narrative?"

A frightening possibility and one that we considered reporting to Brahmin Singhal and Captain Blackshroud, but ultimately we kept that theory to ourselves. In any case, we needed to look through old records of possible former traitor facilities.

---

From the journal of Captain Jacobson Roth…
Entry Two.

The gods have conspired both against and for us. That is all I can say after we reached our first breakthrough in the investigation.

Gallitsur Cell did succeed in finding the location of an abandoned traitor base from the GCW. It was tucked away in a place known as Memorial Valley. The site of a significant battle, but otherwise unexplored by the Directive. Upon speaking with some of the nearby locals, a few did remember hearing stories about traitor forces having a hidden base here.

As luck would have it, our auspex had a much easier time finding the location of this base. It was a windfall of a find. Especially as this seemed to have been a vital facility for the traitors during the tail end of the GCW.

Once we broke through, our cell found only skeletal remains and broken machinery. No signs of battle, though. We did, however, find multiple vials around the bodies. Poison perhaps? As luck would have it, we succeeded in finding a commander center. Inside, we found an intact data core tucked away in a black box and a report from the corpse of a traitor general named "General Kopan" that provided a frightening message.

"Our grim task is almost complete. When we are finished here, the broken days shall finally end once and for all. The Eidolon's sacrifice will not be in vain. If anyone finds this message, do not remember anything else about the False Reflugence. Let it fade away, once and for all."

We quickly returned to our ships in orbit, reporting to Captain Blackshround and Brahmin Singhal, who were both concerned over this new development. They likewise said that the dreams increased in vividness, and now the psykers saw strange white lights. We had to be careful, specifically with the warning of that message.

The recovered data core was from the Dark Age. We know this because the encryption level was absurdly challenging to crack, but the tech-marines and priests accomplished the feat. Once we started sifting through the data, going to the most recent entries, it revealed to us the true history of Orus.

And it wasn't good.

---

From the journal of Captain Jacobson Roth…
Entry Three.

One day…the star over Orus broke.

There was no other way to describe it. At least, that was how the researchers and scientists in the data core archives thought of the situation. That wasn't to say it experienced an unexpected celestial event or suddenly began to die. No, it started acting unnatural. This event occurred during a period at the end of the early era of the Age of Strife. It likely started somewhere believed to be in the "middle" of it.

What was described sent chills down the spines of the Ravenloft operatives as ancient scientists who monitored the event claimed that their star was transmitting to the surface of Utah IX, the actual name of this world.

This transmission wasn't sent via vox waves but by their star's very light and energy, making it nearly impossible to stop. Even the night was not spared from what followed. What followed was a desperate set of reports claiming that billions of citizens and most of the old governments of Utah IX effectively went mad.

Ironically, those spared this madness aligned themselves with a god or faith. A brief mention of a "Neo-Ortothan Sect" made it clear now that the local Church of the Eternal Hytoth knew what had happened here. Captain Blackshroud looked ready to go down to the Republic and demand answers.

Society began to collapse. Most survivors either hid in secured bunker installations, likely built before the Age of Strife, or fought topside against the "Lightborn." Yet it was seemingly impossible to stop the star's transmission or these Lightborn from forming. The survivors called it an "infection of the mind and soul."

We can confirm now what they encountered was a "cognitohazard." What observational data is available points to a rapid decay of the mind before strange but otherwise innocuous mutations set in on its victim. Perhaps Ravenloft has more recent or detailed examples of similar cognitohazards, but my cell can only theorize what was happening.

All seemed lost until those hiding in the bunkers found a strange mineral within the bedrock of their planet. A diamond-like substance (sound familiar?) they took to calling a "Luxstone," which acted as a catalyst for a "Twilight Energy Conversion System."

The data becomes incredibly interesting when it reports that "Planetmind has given us the means to use the system and stones to create eidolons like Orus to push back against the transmission, but salvation will require us to embrace a new truth."

I can't even begin to tell you how much there is to unpack. What is the "Planetmind"? This world was named after an eidolon? What happened to them then? And what is this new truth that supposedly stopped the transmission?

Our only theory is this. The Twilight Revolution wasn't so much a revolution as it was a process by which to use "twilight energy" by the humans of Utah IX to either reverse or prevent the transmission AKA the False Reflugence via eidolons of "Uncorrupted Shadows" and the "Freed Radiance" with a figure by the name of "Orus" leading them to what we assume to be a victory.

But then, why erase what truly happened? Our cell believes it is tied to the nature of the Lost Century and the cognitohazard. There was likely no means to end the threat of the False Reflugence via brute force, so instead, the people of Utah IX and eidolons used the very nature of their enemy against them.

The humans and eidolons changed something within the False Reflugence. A vague "rule" associated with how it worked and using the Lost Century and the subsequent Great Civil War to carry out this modification for a more favorable end to the crisis. Except it wasn't an "ending" but rather a pause.

Whatever happened after this change is still a mystery, for the most part. The Twilight Revolution was used to create a revisionist history, and the Great Civil War was a means to cover the tracks of those who initiated it. Utah IX was renamed "Orus," perhaps to honor the eidolon that "saved" their world.

Questions remain, though. What happened to the eidolons and Orus? Or the Planetmind? Or what even caused the star to unleash the False Reflugence? Somehow the Imperium's arrival has changed things. Either the dreams are a warning of what must be done to stop the False Reflugence or that it has become reactive again.

Neither Captain Blackshroud nor Brahmin Singhal has any idea what to make of this development. Ravenloft command will be advised, especially considering the threat and opportunities presented here. Until further notice, Gallitsur has been reassigned to Orus.

Gods willing, we will uncover the truth of this place and find the means to end the threat here, once and for all.

---

And so, a piece of a forgotten apocalypse came to light under the suspicions of Ravenloft and human curiosity. That which had been rightfully buried, unearthed by ambitious seekers of knowledge. As the galaxy shift and churns over the approaching fires of greater wars and shifting state values, the planet Orus now stands to become an essential actor in the galactic stage.

Perhaps one could even see the lesson learned from whatever would come next. Even the most insignificant of planets could find themselves wrapped up in extraordinary circumstances, or their humble appearance hides a far greater purpose or terrible origin.

There are, after all, far greater mysteries in this galaxy, still unsolved and lying in wait.

---

@Daemon Hunter Here we go.

Family Unit

---

If Orion ever became a governor, he'd probably be a good one. He'd also probably want to end his life. The tedium of politicking and the drudge of bureaucracy felt like a hot knife slowly stabbing away at his sanity. How the Primarchs, especially those like the Khan, could stand this was beyond the Knight-Warden.

His only conciliation in this affair was that Orion knew he was doing some good for the people of Elegia. Mainly for the bit of pride over his accomplishments. This world was on the path to recovery now. Although it would take generations to achieve and at a substantial cost in money, materials, and favors to the Imperium.

Elegian blood was the most precious commodity now. That had been a hard sell for Clear Sky, but they had to accept. If nothing else, it worked in their favor. Once Orion explained the situation to the Administraum, the proverbial ball got rolling.

The Imperium had a constant, perhaps even desperate, need for logistical officers, bureaucrats, administrators, and taxation officials. Such individuals were required to help keep the Imperium functional. To say that it was a struggle of galactic proportions was an understatement. As the Imperium grew, so did the task of keeping track of resources and funding.

Yet money and resources were only part of the equation. Men and weapons also had to be taken into account. In turn, it became an issue of ensuring there were enough void-ships and stations to process, store, and move them. It was one thing to hire an army of clerks, scribes, and officers for tallying and filing. Finding someone who could ensure it wasn't all a waste of time or inefficient was another.

Thus when Orion finally made contact with a pair of officials from the Administraum and Imperial Armada, explaining that this world had a small army of Lexmechanics on hand, they could be incredibly beneficial to the right group. This skullduggery was beneath him, but Orion figured it was for a good cause.

His pitch found purpose with both. The Administraum loathed to give up such a find to the Mechanicum or give exclusivity to the Imperial Armada. Meanwhile, the Imperial Armada of this sector was likewise in desperate need of people to help run their logistical operations. It didn't help them that the current Lord-Commander of this sector was a rather shiftless sort of person. As such, they weren't the ones that reached out to him but rather a subordinate.

Orion's first meeting with Colonel Kyon Yong-Jin of the 83rd Gangju Sentries and chief subordinate of the Lord-Commander had all the trappings of a political officer and devotee of the Imperial Army. Getting Colonel Yong-Jin to agree to these terms was frighteningly easy, as he saw the value in allowing Clear Sky to assist with logistical operations.

However, Orion later believed it had been too easy, and he suspected that Khan had gotten involved to facilitate this agreement. This was a gentle reminder that some of Orion's success was only because a Primarch was backing his decisions.

Nevertheless, the plan succeeded. With the Imperial Army and Armada assisting, the Administraum swiftly agreed to aid in the reconstruction of Elegia in exchange for having these enhanced humans help with logistical and administrative work.

Getting Clear Sky to agree wasn't much of an issue. They weren't told to leave their homeworld in a permanent capacity or assist in direct military operations. As far as they were concerned, they were just to use their intelligence and skills to render whatever aid they could for the Imperium in a pedestrian sense.

In exchange, a Ramilies-class starfort would be placed over their world. This would ensure that no one would raid Elegia anymore. That was enough for Clear Sky. With the threat of war and raids averted, they could focus their efforts on rebuilding. If anything, the prospect of doing tedious administrative work was a breath of fresh air.

The next task, of course, was rendering actual aid to the citizens of Elegia. A thankfully easy assignment compared to politicking with the Administraum and military. Finding food, tools, and medicine was easy enough, but getting further amenities (civilian goods) was difficult. At the very least, getting the manpower to help the Elegians below was straightforward.

Plenty of regiments wanted easy work, and while Elegia wasn't a pleasure world and the citizens still distrustful, it was better than nothing. Most just wanted to get off the ships and breathe fresh air, while others wanted a safer job in exchange for a better Deck Claim. And some simply wanted to help, not even for a Deck Claim.

It was good to see humanity actually coming together to help these people. Just as well, his time on Elegia was coming to an end. The Great Crusade was calling the White Scars, and Orion was soon to follow.

---

One year later…

Elegia was on the road to recovery. At least if one could generously call the past two years a recovery process. If Orion was being candid, it felt more like the end of their world had become "arrested," so to speak. It would take another generation for this planet to truly recover.

Most of the population now lived around the Clear Sky compound, building a new capital city and calling it New Muni. This new endeavor gave the people hope for the first time even if there were new growing pains. For starters, the prospect of a new government and the direction to take their world.

Clear Sky was prepared to give up power, if for no other reason but to focus on more important things. For most citizens, the plan was to create a decentralized series of representative democracies into a confederacy. A sort of United Cities of Elegia. The concept of individual nation-states died centuries ago, leaving only cities, settlements, and bases to operate as bastions of civilization.

Elegian Industry was also returning, although much of it was dedicated to removing and smelting down scrap and junk left over from the numerous wars and raids of their world. If nothing else, the Elegians did it to simply remove the reminders of past traumas. Anything noteworthy was returned to the starfort for ship repairs.

That was another issue in itself. Many Elegians were heading up to work at the starfort, bartering their skills and whatever wares they could find below to passing ships and crews. A relatively meager existence but considered an improvement by most.

Then there were the Ambrosian-enhanced Elegians, who worked for their world, the Administraum, and the Imperial Armada. They had taken to their work with gusto, often to the point of exhaustion. However, it was their efforts that resulted in so much progress. More than that, Orion had seen reports that the Administraum had seen a staggering 2% increase in overall sector efficiency.

Furthermore, Kyon was gaining status because of the Elegians. On top of his recent success in suppressing pirate activity, Colonel Yong-Jin had already received a promotion to the rank of general and a personal commendation from Sector Command for organizing the resource allocation of two expeditionary fleets.

Overall, Orion's gambit worked in more ways than one. General Yong-Jin and the Administraum had also played interference with some of the more vocal Anti-Elegia neighbors, resulting in all possible reprisal attacks becoming nothing more than bluster.

So far, everyone appeared to be happy with this arrangement or at least content with it. Orion knew this wouldn't last forever, but that wouldn't be his problem once he left the system. He had done all that he could for these people.

Jaghatai Khan was most pleased with this outcome. No dead sons or wasted resources. If anything, he had gained a rare source via the Elegians. Additionally, he gained many allies within the local sector, Imperial Armada and Administraum, due to the amount of money, resources, and time earned or saved through the Elegians.

Although he and the White Scars were irked at the lack of battle, Khan at least could say that the battle of diplomacy and wits had been thoroughly won by his forces. There was still much to be done, though. Khan remarked that the fleet could stay for another year before departing. Plenty of time for Orion to finalize any lasting changes towards Elegia before they likely left this world for good.

Orion was primarily busy in that regard. He was constantly meeting with Clear Sky leadership, other Imperial officials, and even a few emissaries from neighboring worlds that had come to complain about allowing for possible Elegian expansionism to return to the sub-sector.

To his credit, Orion convinced a few to address their grievances directly to Clear Sky and allowed for a limited dialogue. Most, however, refused to be in the same room with any such Elegia political entity. Doubtless, this would take generations to address, or the Imperium would force everyone to sit down and hash out something.

Suffice it to say, Orion felt that the situation on Elegia had calmed down to the point that he could return to focusing on the upcoming expedition and the Grand Naadam. He might have even had time to "relax" and practice more with Humility.

As they say, fate threw him another spanner in his plans.

---

Another meeting with Khan over the state of affairs on Elegia and the general readiness of the expedition. All things considered, morale was high amongst the fleet and regiments. There was also excitement building up for the Grand Naadam, due sometime next year. The White Scars enjoyed their tournaments like any other legion.

Upon heading back to his room for the evening, Orion contemplated the state of their operation here in-system. The recent shipment of tools and equipment to the Elegians meant they could proceed with new mining and farming operations. They were interested in becoming self-sufficient as quickly as possible. He even heard talk that the Elegians were negotiating a deal with the starfort to sell raw goods and food at a discount.

Orion felt pretty happy with the situation as he made his way to his room. Time to review some documents and reports before getting a few hours of rest. It would be another long day tomorrow.

Upon entering the deck holding the officers' quarters, Orion expected to pass through the checkpoint without much issue. Legion serfs and armsmen were guarding them, but aside from a cursory glance and scan, most didn't bother or attempt to stop the Knight-Warden.

Tonight was different, "Excuse men, Captain Jesk?" One of the serfs approached, "I apologize for bothering you this late, milord. However, we could not reach you over vox, and we didn't feel it prudent to send a messenger and interrupt a meeting, but there was a development while you were away that involved you."

His micro-bead had been turned off due to the meetings with the Khan. One of those requirements by the First Captain of the White Scars is to ensure no interruptions. Regardless, Orion was worried that something had happened with his blasted sword.

"Don't tell someone was wounded or there were serious damages?"

The serf looked confused, "Err, no? Milord, nothing of that sort happened. It's just that you received a pair of guests."

What now? "I was not expecting guests at all tonight."

"We told her the same thing," Her? "But she had a written missive signed by the Warhawk. We thought it was important enough not to impede her." Just what the hell was going on here?

Before he could ask, the serf continued but lowered their voice, "Captain, you might want to know she brought a child with her. I made sure to keep this off the record. Otherwise, rumors might spread of you have an…" The serf stopped themselves, "Well, gossip and perception tend to create crazy speculation."

Orion felt an Astartes-sized migraine and couldn't help but ask, "Do not tell me that people will think I have a lover and child in my room. I can assure you, it doesn't work that way. At all." So much for a relaxing evening. "Are they still there?"
"Yes, milord."

"Did they leave a name?"

"No, they didn't." The serf looked a bit sheepish, "I think it was an Elegian, though."

An Elegian woman with a child and, more importantly, with a missive signed by Khan. Now, what was going on here exactly? Taking a moment to consider the only Elegian female that would be so brazen to try such a thing.

"Did she have gold hair, blue eyes, and looked to be about 23?"

The serfs' eyes widen before vicariously nodding, "You know her, then?"

Just what was Estrith up to? Not only did this look odd, but if a rumor got out, it'd be spread amongst the fleet in only a few days. Bored soldiers and civilians always took to gossip and rumor because it was entertaining.

"I do in a more professional capacity," Orion answered the serf, "She and this…child are still in my quarters, then?"

"Yes, milord." The serf gestured in the direction of his quarters, "We sent someone to check on her, but she all but rebuked any further questions until you arrived. I dare say she is trying to remain out of sight."

Lovely, had she gotten into some trouble? Estrith decided to go about getting help in the most opaque way possible. "Right. I'll go and handle this then." Orion didn't bother waiting for a response as he robotically made his way to his quarters.

Upon reaching them, he briefly stood outside the door and braced for whatever was about to happen next. Even after this entire year, Estrith had been somewhat of a beacon for things that made his job harder.

Opening the door and walking in, Estrith was already in front of him, "Finally! I was wondering when you'd arrive." She remarked before quickly closing the door. "Took you long enough." He never did get used to how "familiar" she acted around him. She had "warmed" up to him after all he did for Clear Sky and Elegia.

"Estrith," Orion started, "What exactly is-" He paused when he looked towards one of the chairs in his room to see a small child, a boy, sitting. It was almost comical how much space he had in the Astarte-sized seat.

The boy looked no older than five Terran years old. He had unruly brown hair and tanned skin but looked clean and hale. Orion narrowed his eyes when he saw that he was wearing what looked to be a modified Clear Sky uniform fitted for his size.

He was looking at Orion, wide-eyed. That wasn't too shocking to him. Adults tended to stare in awe, fear, or reverence upon seeing an Astartes in the flesh. Orion was more akin to a storybook hero or a living monster to a child, depending on what the child in question heard about Space Marines.

Orion and the boy had a brief staring contest before Estrith spoke up, "Aelred, don't stare at Captain Jesk." The boy, Aelred, swiftly obeyed and looked away from the Knight-Warden.

Deciding to focus back on the issue, Orion tried speaking again, "What is going on, Estrith? If you need my assistance with a specific matter, there are channels that you can go through."

The Clear Sky operative sighed, "I wasn't about to wade through that bureaucracy."

"It exists for a reason." Orion remarked, "You aren't the only one attempting to get into contact with me."

She huffed, "This was important." Estrith held up what looked to be a missive bearing the seal of the White Scars, "Primarch Khan has granted my request for a permanent assignment to your expeditionary fleet."

What? That made no sense to Orion, "First off, why are you bringing this up to me? Secondly, did you agree to this? I thought you'd be the first to resist leaving your homeworld."

Estrith looked unhappy now, "There were some…complications with the elders over my involvement in giving your forces information about Clear Sky. I guess you can call this an exile, but I'm looking at this as an opportunity to find prospective trade partners for my world."

There was some logic to that, Orion guessed. However, it sounded like the Warhawk gave her permission and her elders wanted her gone, so now Orion assumed that the issue was related to Aelred.

"So, where does the boy fit into this?" He gestured toward the child, "I have to assume he's why you effectively broke into my home."

"I didn't break into your home. I was allowed in by the serfs…although your locks aren't anything noteworthy." Orion ignored that last part, "But yes, I need your help getting permission to let Aelred stay with me."

Orion was confused, "But if he's here with you, that means he was accepted as part of the deal, right?" He waited for the confirmation until he noticed Estrith looking away from him, "Right?"

"It's complicated."

The Knight-Warden couldn't believe what was happening here, "Are you telling me you kidnapped a small child?!"

Estrith looked offended, "It's not kidnapping if I'm his guardian!" Orion noticed she didn't call herself Aelred's mother. While they cleared up one question for him, it brought up a few others.

"But you took him without anyone knowing, didn't you?" Orion pointed towards Aelred, "His suit indicates that he is part of Clear Sky, and I'm willing to bet that missive states that only you were allowed to leave Elegia."

"It's complicated." Estrith repeated, "I made a promise to his parents to keep him safe."

Orion felt that migraine returning, "This fleet will be heading into the unknown reaches of space, where we have no idea what we might encounter. The Khan suspects that loss of life among our forces will be significant and costly. And you think it's safe to raise a child here?"

"I wasn't going to leave him alone on Elegia," Estrith didn't answer his question, "If nothing else, he might be safer with me."

The Knight-Warden wasn't letting this go, "You have absolutely no idea what type of danger is out there in the galaxy. There is no promise that even this ship will be able to protect us if we encounter a foe that cannot be felled by our weapons."

"If that happens, then we are already screwed," Estrith countered, "And are you telling me that this ship isn't one of the safest places in the galaxy?"

She had a point. A Gloriana was one of the most powerful ships in the galaxy. There was a permanent contingent of White Scars on it, along with a host of regiments and tech-guard, and only the most brazen would attempt to board a flagship of one of the most dangerous Primarchs in the Imperium.

Even so, Estrith was underestimating things, "It's still not safe. We are going to be at the center of any major conflict. If anything happens, I won't be able to protect either of you."

Estrith smirked now, "Protect us? Nice to know you care, Orion."

"Considering the Khan thinks me responsible for the Elegians, it's not as sentimental as it is stating a fact." Orion declared, "And considering you kidnapped a citizen, which I haven't forgotten, I need to report this to the Primarch."

And then Estrith shrugged, "Fine."

Orion paused and then looked incredulous, "Fine? That's all you have to say?"

"Yes." She put her hand on her hips with a smile, "Because we both know the Warhawk isn't going to send Aelred or me back to Elegia, not unless it served his own ends or saved him from a headache. But considering he's given you authority over my world, he'll tell you to make a decision and be done with it."

Damn it all; she was right. Khan would tell Orion to deal with it, whether because it was beneath his attention or amused him to see the Knight-Warden handle such problems. So be it, then.

"Then I'll request the boy return home and be done with it." Orion answered with finality, "I will not become an accessory to kidnapping."

Estrith looked angry now, "How can you be so callous?! The elders won't be happy, but they won't push for justice or recompense once they learn I took Aelred. They know I'll protect him."

"It's still a crime unless you can tell me with absolute certainty that you were taking him out of a dangerous situation that necessitated kidnapping." Orion looked expectantly at Estrith, "Is that the case?"

"Like I said before, it's complicated." Estrith ground out that blasted phrase once more. Orion had enough and decided to get an answer from the victim. Turning his attention towards the small child, Orion approached and looked down at the gretchin-sized human.

"Then let me hear from the boy," Orion spoke up and looked at Aelred, "So what is it then? Did you go with Estrith willing? What was it?"
Aelred looked at Orion but said nothing. This situation made the Astartes feel pity toward the tiny human before him. Did Aelred even know what was happening? After half a minute of silence, Orion shook his head and looked at Estrith, "Is the boy mute or just addled?"

"Neither." Estrith looked quite annoyed at Orion, "Aelred is just very shy. I can assure you that once you Aelred going, he can probably talk for hours. He's only somewhat neurodivergent in that regard, but otherwise, it's just a trait that young children who grow up in difficult environments share."

Considering the state of Elegia and what it was like before the Imperium's arrival, Orion accepted that explanation. Children who grew up in war-torn or just awful environments tended to have a higher risk of being "societal deviants." That wasn't to say that many hadn't overcome their upbringings to become productive loyal citizens, but it was a fact of life that just as many didn't have what it took to return to normalcy.

Looking further at the boy, Orion realized, "This boy…is he Ambrosian-enhanced?"

Estrith looked like she didn't want to answer, "He's…a fourth generation."

"Is that so." Orion was a bit more curious about this now. "I didn't realize that Clear Sky had a fourth-generation enhanced."

"It was never announced," Estrith answered once more before switching topics, "Look, it's late, and Aelred is tired. If you can help me get some quarters for the night, I'll answer more questions."

"You'd be hard-pressed to find any on this level, especially as we have officers from the Imperial Armada and Administraum." Deck Claims were such a problem for sudden drop-ins. Estrith sighed and looked a bit frazzled at hearing this. "Might I suggest just staying here then?"

Estrith paused at hearing that, "Stay here? As in here in your quarters?"

"As long as either of you doesn't cause a ruckus, I see no issue." Orion spared a glance towards the still-quiet Aelred. Perhaps if the boy was a bit more rambunctious, he'd dread the idea, but seeing the eerily well-behaved child told Orion otherwise.

"Uhem," Estrith got his attention, "And where would you be sleeping then?"

Orion shrugged, "I won't sleep. So take the bed. Besides, I have plenty that I need to catch up on." An Astartes didn't need sleep in the human sense. To sleep soundly was a luxury most could not afford, but it wasn't necessary either. "I take it you have no objections?"

The young woman gave him a strange glance, "No, but you do realize how this sounds, yes?"

"Any worse than you arriving at my quarters announced and in public with a child?"

Estrith had the decency to look embarrassed, "You got me there. Fine, if it's no issue, we can stay the night before we go and speak to the Primarch directly about this in the morning. Sound good?"

"Fine." At the very least, something could be sorted out in the morning.

"Then, if you don't mind, I'm going to put Aelred to bed. After that, we can speak more."

Orion said nothing, opting just to hold his inquiries until the child was out of the room. Estrith walked over to Aelred and gently picked him up. It was strange because the boy was still looking at Orion the entire time. That was the strangest thing about Aelred. Orion had met veterans who refused to look him in the eye, and civilians rarely, if ever, let their eyes linger upon a captain of the Emperor's Space Marines.

It was almost like Aelred was studying Orion.

---

For the next twenty minutes, Orion awaited in the living space of his quarters. Taking a moment to consider that the room afforded him as a captain of the Eternal Wardens was unquestionably "decadent" by marine standards.

A living space, bedroom, bathroom, kitchenette, mediation chambers, and a personal library and maintenance room (where Humility currently rests.) Enough room for a family of five to live comfortably. Considering most Hiver world families live in much less, that was saying something.

It was a bit much when looked at from an Astartes perspective. Then again, Orion used these personal amenities more than he initially thought. He didn't know whether it was because they offered comfort or reminded him of his old life. Orion had grown up in a world of plenty, unlike so many of his brothers.

He learned not to take such luxuries for granted. However, it wasn't right to enjoy them while so many others lived in squalor or poverty. Indulgence and vice could ruin officers. Besides, he wanted to set an example for others.

The door to his bedroom opened and closed as Estrith stepped back into the living space, looking much more tired than before but equally relieved. As she sat down on another Astartes-sized seat, Estrith gave Orion a grateful look.

"I didn't thank you for letting us stay the night," She started with a small smile, "I can't say I was expecting the offer."

Orion shrugged, "It's no issue. I also didn't think it warranted aggravating the situation or our working relationship by kicking you out." Orion had done many cruel things in his time for the good of the Imperium, but rendering just a tiny bit of aid to an ally in this matter didn't seem as awful a compromise.

Estrith chuckled dryly, "Always looking at things from a tactical standpoint." She didn't seem to appreciate his practical decision-making on this matter. Then again, perhaps Estrith should've been more grateful for his aid offer.

"It's my duty." Orion remarked before standing and walking over to the kitchenette, "You must be tired. I don't have much for enjoyable food here, but I do have some spirits and liquor."

"Huh, well, sure, I guess if you are offering?" She looked at him strangely, "I didn't take you for one who enjoyed alcohol."

"A habit I picked up from a human general during the last major war we participated in together." Orion grabbed a pair of clean glasses and a bottle of brandy gifted to him by Skullface.

As he poured, Orion considered how Orban would've viewed this interaction. No doubt some coy comment about allowing strange women into his room, or perhaps disapproval. It was hard to tell sometimes what Skullface accepted or disapproved of.

Returning with the drinks and handing one to Estrith, Orion took a seat and gave a blank look to the woman across from him, "A quirk of mine, picking up strange skills and habits. Before I became a captain, I never governed, drank, ridden a horse, or learned about mineral prospecting."

"What's a horse?" Out of all the things mentioned, Estrith focused on that.

"A terrestrial animal suited for riding. You'll hear the White Scars speak of them fondly and proudly." He took a small sip of his brandy, "But that is beside the point. I've come to embrace learning such skillsets and talents in the interactions with the people I work with. If not that, then to gauge them as individuals."

Leaning forward slightly, Orion glared at Estrith, "I certainly didn't peg you for someone that took deals from what you called 'foreign warlords' and kidnapping children."

"Am I going to need to keep saying this the rest of the night? I didn't kidnap Aelred." Estrith shot back with some heat in her voice, "And for the record, Primarch Khan offered me a deal that was worth more than just staying at Elegia." She leaned back into her chair, "And no, I won't tell you. You can ask him yourself."

He was going to press on the second part, so Orion focused on the first, "What is your relationship with Aelred, exactly? Where are his parents? Are they deceased?"

Estrith practically gulped down her brandy before speaking, "I'm his godmother, but to Aelred, I'm probably the closest thing he has to an actual mother. His parents aren't dead. They just had to give him up to Clear Sky. They weren't ready to take care of him. Hell, Aelred's father doesn't even know his son exists."

"So the boy is a bastard as well." Orion remarked as he took another sip of his brandy, "And the mother just had to give him up to Clear Sky? Is there any particular issue with that, considering Aelred is a fourth-generation enhanced?"

Orion could see this was becoming an uncomfortable topic for her, "Aelred wasn't a planned birth. Clear Sky doesn't allow us to just…procreate with abandon. Some procedures and traditions go back to the days of our foundation. Clear Sky picks your mate. It's how mama and papa met. The whole idea is to monitor and study the development of Ambrosian enhanced humanoids and to ensure there are no mutations."

"A reasonable and pragmatic way of thinking." Orion saw the wisdom in this. Mutation was dangerous in any population, especially with a limited or unpredictable gene pool like the Elegians. The last thing Clear Sky wanted was for their blood to become tainted.

Estrith scoffed at hearing his agreement, "All that mentality has done has ruined the chances of anyone having sanctioned relationships or loves. Children born in this matter are also ostracized unless they prove themselves."

"This doesn't explain why his parents aren't in this equation."

The look of shame and guilt was palpable on her face, "The mother, Eria, was a good friend of mine that made a stupid decision. She and another operative, Sabert, got into a relationship that became too serious too fast."

Orion saw where this was going, "Unprepared for the rigors of parenthood, I see."

"They were too young. Eria was my junior."

He took a second to remember that Estrith was only 23 now. If Aelred was at least four or five years old, that would mean Eria was either 17 or 18 at the time of birth…or even younger.

"I see…" Trying to imagine someone so young, who was likely an operative of Clear Sky, going out and fighting enemies or helping citizens and then learning that you were carrying a child born of some childish and nihilistic infatuation.

Taking another sip of the brandy, Estrith looked quite tired. "When Aelred was born, I told Eria to let me care for him. She wasn't in the right state of mind, and Sabert might as well have been completely out of the picture. After about a year, she just…left the picture."

Orion couldn't help but remember their first interaction: "You were prepared to fight and die when we first met. Did the consideration that you were leaving behind Aelred not come to mind?"

It took her a moment to answer, "I'm still a soldier of Clear Sky. Just as you are an Astartes of your legion. In war, some sacrifices have to be made. I wasn't the first woman with a child to die for our cause, and I wasn't going to be the last."

She shifted in her seat, "I'll admit, though, it was a bit selfish of me. In that prison cell, I thought I would surely die after being tortured. Yet now, after everything that happened, I realized that I failed my promise to protect Aelred by being so…zealous in my duty."

What is zealotry if not love?

Dark words of wisdom sifted to the front of Orion's mind. Estrith had become so inundated by her desire to kill invaders that she was ready to abandon a child of its only source of maternal love in this galaxy.

If this was the love, Lorgar espoused to his sons, then he deserved to burn in whatever hellfire existed for him in the warp.
Orion kept the discussion going, "And now you seek to make amends? Did you not consider that maybe with peace for Elegia, his parents could reconnect with Aelred?"

She didn't say anything. If anything, Estrith looked disgusted, although he hazarded a guess it was about something he was unaware of.

"Let me guess," Orion started, "It's complicated."

"Yeah…" She took a sip of her brandy, "I decided to spare Aelred from it. It's selfish of me, but I survived encountering you, and my world is at peace…and yet I'm soon to be exiled from my home, and I was to leave Aelred behind? No. I took my chances by taking him with me."

The Knight-Warden needed to address this situation further, "You'll take even more chances by staying on this ship."

"Damn it, I know that Orion…"

"You know nothing!" He stopped himself from shouting, "You know not what horrors are out in this galaxy. We have one of the greatest commanders in the galaxy leading this expedition, but that isn't a guarantee that we are safe."

Orion calmed himself, "This isn't a place to raise a child."

"I've seen plenty of children onboard this ship alone, Orion."

He gave her a dark look, "A cruelty forced upon them because they were born here. In some cases, they will inevitably take their parent's stations, sooner rather than later." There were a lot of horrors that a child could be subjected to in one lifetime.

"I am trying to help you understand, Estrith."

She gave him a look of deep gratitude, "And I thank you for it." Setting her glass down, Estrith, however, looked unconvinced. "But I'm not leaving him alone or behind anymore."

Stupid woman, "And what happens if you die?"

"I will figure that part out later," She gave him a sardonic smile, "First things first is just getting a permanent home for Aelred on here."

Orion felt like calling Estrith out further, but what was the point? "For a genetically enhanced human, you are far too stubborn or whimsical in your decision-making."

"I like to think that makes me more human than how I sound on paper. Everyone thinks genetically superior means superior in all aspects or devoid of certain emotions or quirks…but that I can make little personal mistakes is an admirable trait to me."

Orion snorted, "Do not let a member of the Emperor's Children ever hear that." He finished off his brandy in one gulp. Just what kind of farce of a situation had he walked into? Humans and their blasted desires.

"To reiterate," Orion started again, "The boy is a fourth-generation enhanced human. Has he shown any interesting traits, at least?"

"A few." Estrith didn't go into further details, "It will take him until puberty to truly see him flourish. But right now? He's quite the little genius."

Orion rolled his eyes, "Why do I get the feeling every parent says that about their child…" He muttered under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

---

Even though Orion had many more questions, Estrith ended the conversation. No doubt wanting to keep an eye on the boy. The Knight-Warden honestly wondered if Estrith was perhaps lying about some parts of her story.

Moving towards the armory, Orion started working on Humility while contemplating all that had been said, trying to determine how much was truth, lies, or exaggerations. Skullface once told him that a lie can easily be made into a fact with enough narrative logic.

Orion considered if Estrith was lying. Perhaps Aelred could've been her child. Yet why would she still seek to cover that up? She was free now, technically, of her peers below on Elegia. No, Estrith was telling the truth. Which made all of this all the more baffling.

To take such steps as kidnapping a child that wasn't even yours. And for what, love? Orion had seen what love did to people if used as a crutch or an excuse. Skullface warned the Knight-Warden how dangerous it could be as well. Driving men into committing cruelty and deviancy for a toxic or faux love.

Still, he couldn't deny that parental love was at least grounded in evolutionary behavior and, often, a bit purer than most. At least then, he can understand the why better. Children were such an anchor in that regard. Fatherhood never did have the same pull on men as motherhood did on women, but then again, a mother put in all the work.

At least then, their love was more authentic. A father kept a child alive to continue the legacy and bloodline. At least, that was all Orion could remember from his childhood. His family had archaic views on everything. Even after everything Orion had seen and learned, he was still grateful to become an Astartes to escape that life.

Sometimes, though, Orion wondered what could have been. No question now that he'd have been shipped off to some university and then married some woman to sire children and continue the bloodline. Would he have been happy? Better yet, would he have been able to make someone else happy?

He'd have to ensure his wife was happy or at least content. If they had children, they would need to be looked after. A family was a difficult juggling act.

Did that make it right to ever abandon it? Orion almost understood why many went off to war to escape such responsibilities. Orban had done precisely that. Another lesson, then. War wasn't the solution or substitute for it.

Then again, Orion couldn't imagine help bringing a life into this cruel galaxy. Such a strange weight to have on your shoulders. He didn't want to think of those who bore it and died in one of the many wars raging across the galaxy. Going to war as an Astartes felt like liberation from such concerns.

There was no one waiting for him "back home." No one to disappoint. Orion would die, be mourned, and be remembered by his brothers, and they would move on. Eternally grateful for his service to the Wardens and humanity.

But a family? A wife and children? No. They couldn't just move on. They didn't have such a privilege as he and his brothers had.

As Orion continued to contemplate, he barely noticed the sound of the armory door slowly opening. So engrossed in his tinkering and thoughts, Orion chided himself for someone possibly sneaking up on him.

If it was an assassin, they were doing a lousy job of trying to kill him.

Orion turned, expecting to either dodge, tackle, or simply toss one of the spanners near his hands toward the assassin. But then, all he saw was Aelred peeking from behind the door. The boy saw that Orion noticed him, yet Aelred did not try to flee or explain himself. He merely kept looking at the Astartes and Humility.

Now the Knight-Warden briefly felt Humility getting hot and energized. What the hell?

Finding his voice, Orion stood and approached the boy, "You aren't supposed to be here. Go back to bed before Estrith awakens." Orion loomed over Aelred like an Ogryn would've over a full-grown man. Yet to the boy's credit, he didn't look afraid.

If anything, his eyes indicated curiosity and boredom. As if standing before an Astartes was a mild thing. Amusing but also worrying. If Aelred had an ounce of self-preservation, he'd know not to do such a stupid thing.

When the boy refused to leave, Orion figured he'd need to play the part of the responsible adult and awkwardly grabbed the boy's right arm, not applying any force to his grip. "Come on now, back to bed."

He kept looking at Humility, "Your sword is angry." Aelred spoke, and his words surprised the Knight-Warden.

Orion scrutinized the boy, "What did you just say?"

"It's furious," He repeated cryptically, "And it's lonely. It doesn't understand why it can't be let out."

Impossible. Was the boy a psyker? No. A psyker never developed their powers until they were close to puberty. Even the youngest recorded instance of one was about ten years old. So what the hell was going on here?

Kneeling before Aelred, he looked intently into the boys' eyes, "How do you know that the sword is angry?"

Aelred didn't know how to answer, "It…came to me in a dream. I saw it. It looked angry."

Humility had a machine spirit, Orion knew that much, but Aelred saw something? "You…saw it?"

Aelred nodded once, "It was on fire and dripped a bright green slime from its mouth. It reminded me of a few animals that Aunt Etsy showed me." He had a strange smile, "It had a funny shape, like a big furry noddle!"

Orion wanted to groan. A child's enthusiasm at the wrong moment. At least it showed that the boy wasn't some emotionless automaton. "Aelred, focus. Did it say or do anything?"

"Like what?"

"Did it threaten you?" 'Or me' was the unspoken question.

The young Elegian's face strained as if trying to recall, "No. I think it was just trying to get out."

"Get out how?"

Another moment passed before Aelred spoke, "It wanted to burn everything around it. I could feel the heat. I don't think it wanted to hurt me, though." How did that make sense with what it was trying to do?

"Aelred, have you ever experienced dreams like this before?"

He shook his head, "No."

Well, what did that prove exactly? The boy wasn't lying; that was plain to see. If he was a psyker, Orion would've sensed something by now. So how or why was Humility reaching out to Aelred?

"I wasn't scared of it." Aelred spoke up again, "It was just angry."

Orion didn't know what to make of this, "Well, good to know. But let's just…let's keep this between the two of us, alright? Otherwise, your…aunt might get upset." He didn't think one of the first real secrets in his life would be made with a five-year-old.

"Would Aunt Esty be mad if she heard this?" He didn't sound as concerned for himself as he did for Estrith.

The Knight-Warden shook his head, "I think she'd just be worried more than anything." Orion wasn't about to try and explain to her that her adoptive son had a dream about his sword meeting with him.

The next question threw Orion for a loop, though. "Are you going to let us keep staying with you?"

"What?" Orion blinked at the question, "This isn't…" Was he really going to explain to a technically homeless child that he would kick him and his guardian out? "Ah, well, I need to talk about that with your aunt."

"She likes being here with you," Aelred remarked quietly, "She feels safe." The irony of hearing that when considering their first meeting. Orion was ready to kill Estrith. Now she felt safe around him? This had to be a biological response more than anything. There was no logic in it otherwise.

So why did Orion feel bad about lying?

"I'm happy to hear that," He remarked awkwardly, "But you need to go back to bed before she wakes up. Otherwise, we'll both be on the receiving end of her." This time, and with a bit more gentleness in his touch, Orion helped Aelred back to the bedroom before softly ordering him back into bed.

Before exiting, Aelred turned to Orion, "Are you going to help your sword?"

Orion sighed, "That I do not have an answer for. I'm not even sure where to begin. However, leave that to me and get some sleep." The Knight-Warden had no idea what to do about this situation. The best he could hope for was that Khan and the others might have some suggestions.

Aelred nodded, "Thank you for letting us stay here, Captain Jesk." The young boy sounded truly grateful as he slipped back into the bedroom. For a moment, Orion felt a pang of guilt. This wasn't how tonight was supposed to go at all.

Slipping away and returning to the armory, Orion sat down, looked at Humility, and sighed, "What the hell am I going to do now?"

Far too many questions and not enough answers.

---

Orion didn't get any sleep that night. Not that he needed to. He was more interested in determining what exactly had happened with Aelred for him to dream of Humility. His chances of coming across a psyker Elegian had to be next to impossible. Especially for one to be dropped almost directly into his lap.

There had to be another reason for all of this. Going to Khan over this would be prudent as the White Scars had already demonstrated a greater understanding of more "spiritual" aspects of the galaxy.

As morning came, or what was designated as morning onboard the Swordstorm, Orion prepared to head off to see the Primarch and his war council. As he prepared to leave, the Knight-Warden left behind a credit chit and some instructions for Estrith.

The credit chit would allow her to purchase whatever she wanted or found within the many market stalls or bazaars of the Swordstorm. Technically, a space marine did not need to pay for anything. If anything, a stall owner would cherish a marine coming by asking for their wares since it would give them quite a bit of fame.

To hear that the White Scars readily accepted the notion of only having to pay if it suited them was a surprising aspect of the Legion. The Eternal Wardens didn't necessarily carry around money, but they could write checks that were good at an Imperial bank. The White Scars, on the other hand, simply traded or bartered. Money was rarely exchanged.

Nevertheless, a credit system was still in place for marines. Not that Orion used it aside from getting a few services rendered, such as mailing or purchasing specialist materials. He doubted that Estrith would even know what to do if she saw the balance on the chit.

Still, instructions were left for her, and Orion left it at that.

Upon arriving at the deck of the Swordstorm, Orion saw that most of the command staff was in attendance as usual. A hundred men, women, and Astartes already speaking amongst one another or enjoying some recaff and breaking their fasts.

Jaghatai Khan, meanwhile, sat at the head of the command table. Quietly speaking with Yesugei and Jubal as usual. As soon as Khan spotted Orion, he beckoned the Knight-Warden over and started talking about a host of concerns and developments that affected either the Imperium or White Scars.

"Grim tidings from the Throneworld," Khan spoke annoyedly, "The politics continue to hinder our efforts. More talk about not having enough money and resources. The Lord-Militant had already summoned most of my brothers to answer for their spending habits."

"A bad omen, my Khan." The Chief Stormseer uttered, "Counting coin and blood will only result in perpetual politicking."

"Wars tend to be costly," Jubal remarked, "Even the Ultramarines and their wealthy realm could not keep up with the spending wrought by the Great Crusade."

Khan nodded, "Roboute has taken it upon himself to take on much of the Imperium's debt."

This was the first Orion heard of this, "Is that even legal?"

"Bah!" The Primarch dismissed the talk with his hand, "Legalese is just words and wind. Roboute has the wealth and backing to do as he pleases. Although I most certainly do not envy him."

"Should we be concerned, though?" Orion tentatively asked, "I'd hate for our logistical line to become consumed in tax wars." Jubal snorted at hearing such a thing. Khan, meanwhile, looked unhappy at the possibility.

He gave a sideglance to Jubal, "We should take steps to prevent that. I refuse to run out of fuel because some sector bureaucrat thought it was better used elsewhere."

"And what are these steps exactly?"

"Something straightforward." Khan paused for a moment, "Anyone attempting to halt my progress will have to personally answer me. I'll need to show what happens to those that cross me, though."

Yesugei interjected, "A few war trophies ought to do the trick for that. They just need to be very striking and glorious ones. The head of a Titan, a broken throne, or perhaps a weapon shattered by your own hands, Jaghatai. All of which is to say that it be sent to the one causing us issues."

The Khan nodded and looked back at Orion, "If there was ever a farce of civilization, it's the notion of having to break the back of a petty empire to keep bean-counters and bureaucrats in my own nation in line."

Crossing his arms, Orion half-joked. "Perhaps we should take a page from the Orks. I doubt their warbosses need to file any paperwork, and I doubt their taxmen last very long."

Khan chuckled once at the half-hearted joke, "The more we look at the xeno, the more we ran the gambit of finding value in their insanity."

"Speaking of annoying politics," Orion interjected again, "After this meeting, I'd hope to get you, Jubal, and Yesugei to provide wisdom on a few matters that just came to my attention last night. Involving the Elegians, and two in particular."

"Yes, yes." Khan waved off the Knight-Warden, "We shall assist in these matters if they are that important." Jubal and Yesugei glanced at each other, unwilling to argue against their Primarch.

Orion offered his thanks before taking a seat as the Warhawk stood and brought the meeting to order. The first topic of the day was over the inclusion of an order of Fast Knights for the vanguard of the expedition, which had been a rather lengthy debate with the war council for the last six weeks.

Everyone settled in for another long morning.

---

Five hours later…

Once the meeting was adjourned, everyone swiftly took off, eager to get back to work, train, or perhaps even get some sleep if they were part of a late-night shift. The Khan waited until everyone was out before he, Yesugei, and Jubal gestured for Orion to speak.

"Let me start with exactly what happened. Estrith arrived at my quarters last night, brandishing a missive bearing your signature and seal on it."

Khan nodded, "That sounds about right."

"May I ask why she has that? Or why she was directed towards my quarters."

The Warhawk laughed, "I made a deal with the little operative. Her medicae skills are unmatched, saved only by my chief apothecaries and magi. She wanted to go and see the galaxy as well. So I took the opportunity to snag us another healer."

"And she was directed to my quarters because…?"

"Well, familiarity helps with accumulating to a new environment." He sounded almost innocent in his words, "Ms. Teron knows you best, and you have worked with her down on Elegia with the new government."

"In a limited capacity." Orion gently corrected the Primarch, "There is a complication. She brought with her a child."

That seemed to get the Khan's attention, "A child?" Then he started to slowly laugh, "That explains her request for sanctuary."

Estrith hadn't mentioned this piece, "She asked for sanctuary?"

"It was part of the deal made with her. I had assumed that it was for herself more than anything, but a child? Makes quite a bit more sense."

Jubal then spoke up, "She brought a child onboard a warship? Onboard our ship? Is she mad?"

"I warned her of the same thing," Orion explained, "But she seems convinced that raising the boy here is better than Elegia."

"A boy, eh?" Khan sounded interested, "Tell me, is he also enhanced?"

Orion nodded, "She claims that he's a fourth-generation."

"They already have fourth-generations enhanced?" Jubal sounded confused, "I suppose they would require more operatives in the long run."

Orion didn't know if it was his place to speak of this, but he was already this far in, "The boy wasn't planned. Estrith told me that the father isn't even aware of his son."

All three White Scars sneered and scoffed at hearing this, "The boy is a bastard then." Yesugei sounded almost sad, "Unfortunate." What did he mean by that? Chogoris culture seemed to have an issue with bastards.

Jubal shook his head, "And Ms. Teron never told the father she was with child?"

"It's not…it's not her child," Orion hesitantly answered, "The mother wasn't ready to have the boy, so Estrith became his guardian."

Again, all three men looked aghast at hearing that. "A cursed soul, then." Yesugei uttered before looking at Orion, "Such children tend to attract bad luck."

"Surely you are exaggerating, Stormseer." Orion felt a strange need to defend Aelred, "The circumstances of his birth shouldn't denote a cursed soul."

Yesugei, however, gave Orion a wary look, "A child who cannot remember the face of his mother and father is doomed to wander the darkness. He would not know of his ancestors. Worse yet, spirits will attempt to confuse or trick him into doing their evil work in this realm."

Orion felt a small stab of fear in his hearts. He knew what sort of "spirits" tended to beguile and corrupt innocents. "It can't be that simple…"

"Tell me," Khan spoke up, "What was the read you got on the boy?"

Thinking to himself, Orion couldn't help but admit that Aelred was strange, "The boy, Aelred, looked at me like he was trying to analyze me. His mind is far too advanced for someone of only five years."

He paused for a moment as he contemplated the other issue, "There is something else…I suspect that he might, and I stress this, Aelred might be a psyker."

Yesugei didn't look convinced, "Rare for someone so young to develop powers unless he was destined to become a great and powerful seer. However, the warp spoke of no such power within my portents."

Jubal was a bit more interested in this, "What exactly happened to make you think the boy is a psyker?"

Orion felt this was going to be a bit strange to explain, "He claims that the spirit of Humility approached him in his dreams. He described it as a creature of anger and fire, an animal that wanted out of its cage." The Knight-Warden briefly rubbed his face, "There is no way he could've known any of that without me explaining the nature of Humility to him."

The three Chogrians looked quite surprised now. "Well, isn't that fascinating…" Khan remarked aloud after a moment.

"He's not a psyker," Yesugei reiterated, "He might, however, be somewhat attuned to hearing and seeing spirits."

"Is that possible?" Jubal asked, "I've heard tales of children claiming to hear whispers from the dead, but the machine spirit sounds more like something the tech-priests would claim."

"Do you three have insight on this matter?" Orion asked before this discussion went any further.

Khan nodded, "There are some stories. Nothing is proven, mind you. But I've seen examples of child seers and dreamers who could communicate with the dead or hear the whispers of the land. In doing so, it allowed them to get a better understanding of Chogoris than any non-psyker adult could've gleamed otherwise."

Orion was still confused, "How does that work exactly?"

"It's difficult to surmise and quantify," Yesugei was trying to explain, "A child sees the world through a different lens than an adult does. The idea of whimsy and magic is still genuine to them. When I was a young boy, an old witch once told me that a child's imagination and dreams were a gateway for spirits and the Other because their minds could conceive the notion of ritual and thus allow someone or something could influence, speak, or even co-opt their creative nature for their own gains."

"You are telling me that Aelred's mind is somehow capable of hearing spirits because he happens to be a bit more creative than most other children?" Of all the things to invite damnation in a person. Then again, Orion remembered how the forces of the Changer of Ways routinely used such "creative" practices to invoke horror upon the galaxy.

"Perhaps you should keep in mind that his mind is likely far different than most children in the galaxy," Khan pointed out, "Ambrosia was designed to stimulate the mind in ways that Unfaded Horizons could've used to help decipher their blasted prophecies. Is it a surprise to imagine that young Aelred might be more susceptible to such things?"

"If I can offer a piece of advice on this?" Jubal didn't look too happy, "The boy is likely not a psyker, but this leaves two possible outcomes. One, the boy loses the ability to 'hear' spirits and the like as he grows older. The problem resolves itself. But the alternative is-"

"The alternative is that it grows in power," Yesugei interjects, "In which case, his mind could become wracked with the whispers of the dead or worse. That said, a dream and spirit speaker, under the right guidance, could become a powerful ally. And these enhanced humans are also extraordinarily gifted in most physical aspects, including the mind."

Orion saw the look on Khan's face. He was likewise interested in this development. "Lord Primarch, what do you believe is the best course of action."

Khan considered it for a moment before he closed his eyes and shrugged, "I will allow you to handle this, Captain Jesk." Jubal and Yesugei shared another glance before mimicking their gene-father in shrugging.

"Uncle, please." Orion tried not to sound desperate, "Does this not concern you? We haven't even discussed the political ramifications of Estrith kidnapping a child."

"As if Clear Sky will demand anything from the Warhawk," Jubal remarked with a grunt, "They are on the path to restoration and peace now. Ruining it for one child and woman isn't worth it, especially if Ms. Teron was exiled."

"You are free to deal with this situation as you see fit and with my blessing," Khan tried to reassure the Knight-Warden, "Look at this as another trial to embrace."

Yesugei was the only one that looked wary, "You should monitor the child, captain. A dreamer is not free of the effects of a cursed soul."

"Well, how am I supposed to do that?" At least Yesugei gave some advice now, "I can't keep an eye on them all the time."

Khan thought about that, then he slowly smirked and started laughing. Jubal sighed while Yesugei shook his head. Orion felt like he was about to be played for a fool.

The next moments proved he was right.

---

Orion must have walked through most of the day in a slight haze. It was unbecoming of a man of his position, but the awkwardness of what awaited him made Orion cringe. Khan gave him a solution, alright.

Upon reaching the first checkpoint of his deck, Orion advised the serfs that he would be moving into a more extensive set of quarters by tomorrow and to send some men over to help with the move. A surprise bit of instructions but one that would be followed.

As Orion approached the door to his soon-to-be old quarters, the Knight-Warden sighed and braced himself.

The first thing Orion noticed upon stepping inside was a delicious odor. It seemed that Estrith was an accomplished cook. Looking over at the "small" table, he saw Aelred sitting on it and, from what Orion could only assume, drawing on some paper with some pencils.

"Orion?" He heard Estrith call out from the kitchenette, "Is that you?"

Briefly pausing for a moment, Orion slowly responded, "Yes…" He walked forward to look inside the kitchenette. Estrith was wearing an apron over her uniform and stirring something in a pot on the stovetop. "I see you figured out the kitchenette."

"I hope you don't mind," She remarked before grabbing a few plates, "Granted, it was so spotless I assumed you didn't use it much."

"I didn't use it at all." Orion shrugged, "I tend to eat rations or with my brothers and cousins."

Estrith nodded, "I can respect that. Eating alone is not…well, it's not good for the soul." As she started pouring what looked like a stew onto one of the plates, "Thank you for leaving the credit chit and letting us stay the night. Thankfully I located a room for Aelred and I, so we'll leave after dinner."

Orion waited until her back was turned to him to speak, "Yes, about that…perhaps I was a bit hasty regarding your situation. And I'd like to apologize and offer recompense."

She looked confused, "Recompense?" Tilting her head, she sounded amused now, "I appreciate the gesture, but it's unnecessary."

"My honor demands it, however." Orion smoothly lied, "Especially to someone with a child who has been personally offered sanctuary by the Warhawk."

"So he mentioned that, did he?" Estrith didn't look too pleased, "I suppose he was going to tell you at some point." She walked back to get a few cups of water, "But the Primarch nor I question your honor in this situation."

Before she could turn back around, Orion carefully grabbed her arm to stop her, "I insist."

Estrith paused at hearing the tone in his voice. She then slowly nodded, "Very well…do you have something in mind?"

Orion sighed, "I do. One that will be most agreeable and generous." Pulling out a dateslate and handing it to her, a bemused Estrith started reading it. After a few moments, her surprise was palpable.

"A family unit?" She asked before scrawling through, "This looks reserved for nobles and officers."

"That's because it is," Orion confirmed. Family Units were technically a catch-all term for a crew, but most associated such units with the highest echelons of ship society. "I was able to reserve one of the units." Orion had to make a few promises, but nothing he couldn't keep.

Estrith didn't know what to say, "This is…quite generous, indeed." She was looking over the plans for the unit. It was pretty large, about the size of a small house even. Plenty of room and amenities to raise an entire family, let alone a single child.

Then she noticed something, "It comes with three bedrooms?"

"Yes. I, uh, requested it specifically for that purpose."

She stopped scrolling for a second before looking up at Orion, "Oh, uh, for when you come and visit then?"

"Not exactly. My stay would be more, umm, permanent."

The silence that followed was deafening, saving for Aelred casually drawing away on his paper before Estrith finally spoke up, "Orion…what's going on?"

"It's not…what it sounds like," The Knight-Warden wanted to kill a daemon so badly at this moment, "It's for security reasons."

"Then you can just assign a guard…?" Estrith wasn't convinced at all, "I'm just trying to figure this out, Orion. Is this some strange courtship ritual that space marines do?"

"I can assure you it's not like that?" To his surprise, he saw a look of annoyed disappointment in her eyes, "I'm just trying to look out for Aelred, understand?"

Estrith rolled her eyes, "You haven't even talked to him!" Then she stopped, "...Right?"

Orion glanced over at Aelred, who was blissfully aware of the awkwardness. Orion opted to be a bit more tactful here and gestured for Estrith to follow him back to the kitchenette before speaking quietly, "Last night, he snuck out of the bedroom and found me while I was working on my sword. We briefly talked, and he said he was worried about you and asked me to help."

A little half-truth was in order here. It seemed to work as Estrith became flustered and upset, "Oh, Aelred…" She whispered, and for a moment, Orion was worried she might cry. Now was the time to use this to his advantage.

"Just bear with me on this," Orion started, "But the boy needs a bit more structure and calm in his life, right? The Family Unit will be good for him; I can promise you that. And you and I will be close by to help him along."

Estrith still looked uncertain, "I don't know…this is all a little much, isn't it? People will talk about seeing you or me leaving the same quarters, right?"

They would. No doubt his brothers back home will hear about this in due time. Gossip was carried on the bloody celestial winds. There was nothing wrong or immoral about having a relationship with the opposite sex. Granted, most of his brothers and cousins would question what exactly Orion felt to warrant such an absurd thing as having a relationship.

But if Orion wanted to learn more about what was happening with Aelred, he needed Estrith to agree. He did something rather underhanded but ultimately necessary in the end.

"We both want to help Aelred, right? Do what's best for him?" Orion gently asked, "Right?"

Estrith looked conflicted before slowly nodding, "Of course."

"Then this is the best thing, given the situation." Somehow, the prospect of gaslighting a woman into accepting him into her home through her child was probably one of the worst things Orion had yet done. He promised himself that he would make this up to Estrith someday.

Slowly she started nodding in acceptance, "Alright. You made your point. But you must promise me that you'll help me raise Aelred."

Shit. "I'm not exactly father material, Estrith."

"Considering your only competition for Aelred is an absent father, I'm sure you'll do quite well."

Shit. Estrith got Orion there. No actual argument that didn't make Orion look genuinely awful. "Fine. I suppose I can convey some wisdom to the boy from time to time."

"Good." Estrith nodded, "Now, let's sit down and have dinner. Like a family." He noticed that it wasn't a suggestion but an order. Orion almost felt like saying "yes, dear" to be snarky, but he figured that was inviting more issues this early in their family unit.

Orion told himself that the hard part was over now. Yet he had no idea what was awaiting him.

---

To his credit, Orion did enjoy the homecooked meal and tried to converse with Estrith and Aelred, which amounted to him just listening to them prattle about one thing or another before asking a few questions.

Aelred did open up quite a bit during this time. Orion waited for Estrith to make the "announcement" of them going into a Family Unit, and Aelred seemed happy to hear that Orion was coming to live with them.

At the very least, Estrith seemed quite happy now. The relief from not having to worry about where to live and whatnot. Of course, she had no idea how to deal with Orion. A former enemy and now a "roommate" made for an interesting problem for her.

Nevertheless, that would be handled later. Tomorrow the three of them would leave for the Family Unit.

The evening came, and Estrith announced to Aelred that it was time for bed. The strange look Orion received from her made it seem like this was going to be something that Orion might need help with someday. As if he didn't need to figure out how to be an Astartes, Daemonslayer, and parental on top of everything.

As the two humans stepped away, Orion opted to clean up some of the dishes and paper left behind by Aelred. As he went to grab some of the drawings, Orion noticed something that stood out.

Orion wasn't sure what type of creature it was or how and why Aelred knew of it, but something told Orion that what he was looking at was what the young boy saw in his dream.

Aelred had an artistic talent that was beyond someone of his age. For what Orion saw was so vivid and lifelike that it could've been a vid-capture. The paper depicted a red, furry, noodly-like creature of pure anger and destruction, with fire coursing across its body and its mouth dripping with green slime or blood.

This was Humility as it saw itself. As Aelred had seen it.

An almost childlike depiction of a monster. Orion found it fitting.

He idly wondered if this was a sign of things to come. If so, he truly wondered if he was ready to face whatever came next. It worried him. He now had a family to protect.

---

@Daemon Hunter Okay, something to add to the pile.

Here is an omake I have been writing on and off for a month or so at least. Its far shorter than I was hoping but it was starting to drain me badly so I just had to wrap it up.