Chapter Text
“Ah, Calgar, I had a question for you.” Chapter Master Marneas Calgar froze in the midst of his genuflection toward the primary lithocast aboard the Sword of Cath, receiving priority transmission from Macragge’s Honor. Such words rarely brought good tidings when spoken by a superior - and for even a Chapter Master, it was hard to envision a being more superior than a Primarch, the Lord Commander of the Imperium’s Forces, the Imperial Regent, and his own gene-father besides.
“My Lord? How may I serve you?”Calgar asked his Primarch, rising back to his full height.
“You list one ‘Lieutenant Titus’ as the hero of the Recidious Campaign, even granting him the Laurels of Victory, and yet I do not recall any such individual upon your rolls previous to this?”
Once again Calgar internally marveled at his Primarch’s attention to detail. It was one thing to read the exhaustive stratagems writ within the Codex Astartes, to read the precedents and law codes Roboute Guilliman was credited with enacting, to watch with wonder at how swiftly he had gathered forces for first the Terran and next the Indomitus Crusade and masterfully directed their movements - yet it always surprised him anew when his gene-father demonstrated his complete mastery of the situation at hand - regardless of how things must have changed during his Long Slumber in stasis. Even with all that must be done to not only manage the ongoing Crusade but to begin to reform the Imperium’s governance, he had the attention and ability to not only read the battle reports of far flung Chapters, but could also mentally place the warriors listed within.
Then he sobered. Titus’s situation was a tricky one to describe, and a shame to think upon. “Demetrian Titus was lost to us two hundred years ago,” Calgar began carefully. “The Chapter declared him dead after a century without word - even to the point of erecting a monument to his memory in the Hall of Heroes. By the Grace of the Throne, we only recently discovered he was still alive, but on the brink of death and took him back. He was hastily put through the Rubicon Primaris in order to save his life, and then he went on not only to serve with distinction against the tyranids, but he uncovered the teeth of the Chaos plot as well - and was also the one to cleanse the system of its taint.”
All of it, the strict truth. To even consider lying was unthinkable. But maybe… he did not have to share all nuances of the truth. That such a distinguished warrior would be lost - not to the eddies of the Warp or the fires of battle, but instead a disagreement between brothers over the meaning of the Codex Astartes of all things, the genius product of his own Primarch’s mind… that did not bear even thinking about.
A single blond brow was raised in question, the gesture clearly picked out in the motes of light that made up the projection. “How was he lost?" And there it was, the question Calgar had been dreading.
“My Lord, I do not wish to temporize,” Calgar began hesitatingly. “But it is a rather long and involved story - and one to be shared with as few witnesses as possible. My crew are trusted to the death, but this is not a tale that is meant for their ears.”
Guilliman nodded slowly. “Then I invite you to board my ship, so we may discuss this ‘recently returned’ warrior who has earned such valor. For I would know those of my sons you deem worthy of such honors.”
Calgar bowed as low as he could manage in his armor. Even now, so long after his father’s Awakening, it still seemed frankly unreal that his Primarch could - and would - express such praise in Calgar’s judgement. He had been stalwart and decisive as a solitary Chapter Master, but had been plagued by incessant doubt ever since his Primarch’s return to life. He could only hope that he continued to make his father proud.
~~~
“Now,” said Guilliman, seated on a primarch-sized chair in his private scriptorium, “Tell me what you would not say for all to hear.”
Seated on his own - much smaller - seat across the titanic desk from which the Primarch made many of the decisions of the Imperium, Calgar took a moment to gather his thoughts. He must phrase things in such a way that absolved his gene-father of most - if not all - responsibility for the folly of his sons.
“To begin with, my Lord,” he said slowly, feeling out the words on his tongue. “You know the Codex has always found… somewhat of a mixed reception by the various Chapters of Astartes.”
Guilliman nodded. “I am aware. Even not all of my sons follow it as stringently as does your Chapter.”
“Even so,” Calgar inclined his head, acknowledging the point. “But what is less well known is that such a spectrum exists within our ranks as well. Some of our brothers view it as Divine Commandment from your Father - filtered by you of course - while others as a source of wisdom and guidance, but only that.”
“And the latter was much more my intent,” grumbled the Primarch in such a way that meant he did not intend Calgar to respond to it.
“Titus was one of the latter,” Calgar confessed, dutifully ignoring the interjection. “A promising warrior, intelligent and driven, with a positive gift for surviving against all odds. Time and again, he emerged alive from situations that slew all about him, shrugged off hurt and injury that would be the end of those some would say even more valiant than he. Sometimes this drew questions - but when examined by our Librarians he would always emerge as faithful and true and showing no clear evidence of taint.”
“Why were such examinations thought to be necessary?” Guilliman asked, not unreasonably.
“The first time it happened was a tragedy,” Calgar said frankly. “His entire squad was slain at once by a heretic sorcerer. Titus was the lone survivor, but his wounds from that encounter healed unnaturally quickly. Questions were raised. Chief Librarian Tigurias himself conducted the examination, gaining a sense of Titus’s mind as he did so - which later proved fortunate for his reclamation to the Chapter as it allowed him to be located in time to preserve his duty.”
“Was that when he came to your attention?” Guilliman asked, well able to see how such survival managed to arouse suspicions.
“No my Lord, that was sometime later,” Calgar said. “We fought together on Talassar - the homeworld of our beloved Cato.” He ruthlessly controlled his response to the instinctive twitch that showed on his Primarch’s face when referring to the Captain of the Victrix Guard. While Cato Sicarius had mellowed out considerably ever since returning from being lost in the Warp, he remained… a bit much to interact with on the regular. “There Titus first showed his tactical acumen, though he had to deviate from the strict letter of the Codex to do so. Even though he was successful, he faced censure for it from his superiors until I intervened. I marked him then as one to watch. It was not long afterward that he was raised to Sergeant, and then once his Captain was slain, Titus then took over his command.”
“Which Company was he assigned to?” Guilliman asked. “And what were the circumstances surrounding his Captain’s fall?”
“Second Company,” Calgar responded promptly, more than a bit abashed that it had taken so long to share that detail. Titus had been so long entwined with Second Company’s fortunes that it seemed incredible that he had to mention it at all. But then, so much had happened since his Primarch’s return to life, it was understandable that there was still much that had happened during his Long Slumber he did not know. “Captain Trajen had sacrificed his life in an effort to rescue a captive battle brother from Aeldari forces. Titus not only succeeded in freeing the young brother, he recovered his Captain’s body as well. Trajen’s corpse returned in honor to Macragge, while his gene-seed was collected untainted and was the next cycle successfully implanted in a pair of aspirants who have since done honor to the Chapter. His comrades were so impressed by his deeds that Titus was instantly breveted command by the acclimation of his peers.”
“And this was confirmed by you, of course.” Guilliman observed.
“As was only proper,” Calgar confirmed. “Titus performed excellently within the role, liaising well with representatives of other forces and Chapters in joint operations on several occasions, serving ably from the front. If he had but one weakness, it would be that he was impetuous, often taking a bare handful of brothers with him to seek out trouble spots - without waiting for his Company to catch up. And that, in the end, proved to be his downfall.”
“What happened?” the Primarch asked.
“At first it seemed to be but an Ork WAAAGH, assaulting the Forge World of Graia,” Calgar related. “Such a call for aid went far and wide - to multiple Chapters in the spatial vicinity, for some of the product of Graia was in Titan repair and construction, and it was deemed a threat to the entire Imperium that such a world could fall to the greenskins. Titus took a small force there - ahead of the rest of his Company - to begin the defense as swiftly as possible. Later word leaked out that there was a Chaos incursion on the planet as well, though once more Imperial forces arrived, the matter was swiftly resolved - in some fashion.”
Guilliman frowned. “In some fashion? What happened there?”
“We do not know for certain. Reports from the struggle on Graia are scant,” Calgar noted shortly. “The only one who knew the whole of it was Titus - who did not return. Only one of his companions made it back to the Chapter, and his account is difficult to credit. If only because he accused his own Captain of heresy - even turning him into the Inquisition - citing Titus’s resistance to the Warp as the cause, alongside the attention such brought from a Chaos Lord named Nemeroth.”
“You do not believe the accusation,” Calgar could not read the emotion or expression in his Primarch’s demeanor.
“No my Lord, I do not,” Calgar said simply. “There are means and methods that might allow such resistances that do not imply the presence of heresy, nor was it the first time such was noted in Titus. By all tests and measures that could be devised then, he was untainted, and I could not then, nor can I now, countenance that such would have ever changed in him. That there is a Grand Design meant for him I have no doubt - for nothing else can explain his continued survival.”
Guilliman sat back in his chair, considering. “So, if this Titus was not in fact corrupted - of this you are certain - then what could so disturb a battle brother that he would then turn upon his Captain?”
“I have but one explanation, and it sits ill upon my soul,” Calgar said heavily. This was it, the moment of truth. “The brother is one of our more zealous in regards to the Codex - and as I said before, Titus was rather liberal with its laws. I can only think the remaining brother was so disturbed by deviance from the text that he could only presume heresy as its cause - and took action accordingly.”
From the slight frown gracing Guilliman’s perfect features, he had caught the unintended censure. Calgar mentally winced at so distressing his Lord, yet to say otherwise was to utter falsehoods - a far greater sin. The Codex stressed the primacy of accurate information, no matter how unpaletable - for confusion brought death as its first consequence.
“What did you do as a result?” Guilliman wanted to know, his tone too even.
“There was little I could do in the aftermath,” Calgar confessed, the shame of his failure still burning within him. “By the time I was informed that Titus had been taken into custody by the Inquisition, it was far too late to do anything about it. All my protests and inquiries were for naught - even when word reached my ears that the Inquisitor in question had himself fallen to Darkness and had been swiftly been put down by his own retinue before his filth could spread. Eventually, my duty to the wider Chapter required me to move on, to accept Titus as lost, to mourn what might have been and continue with my duty. I did my best to honor his memory, refusing to allow word of his accusation to spread throughout the Chapter unchallenged, but that was of scant comfort.”
“So what happened to Titus in truth?” Guilliman wanted to know.
“I have yet to find independent confirmation of this,” Calgar began, hedging his words carefully, not wishing to mislead his Primarch in any way should he later prove to be mistaken. “But I am given to understand that once Inquisitor Thrax was slain, others of his Ordo arrived at his holdings to determine how his resources should best be allocated. There they found Titus imprisoned, and - finding no cause by which to hold him - released him. But instead of informing us that he was alive, he was shunted over to the Deathwatch, where he took service as a blackshield - an Astartes who has renounced all name and Chapter affiliation - where he spent the remainder of his time before we encountered him by chance once more on the planet Kadaku and took him home.”
“And the Deathwatch agreed to his reinstatement?” Even the careful lack of tone was judgement enough. While faint records proved the Inquisition as a whole technically predated his Primarch’s Long Entombment, the Ordo Xenos as a subset of it dated to sometime after. What experience Guilliman had with the various Holy Ordos had not always been friendly, and in particular trouble was currently brewing within the Ordo Astartes. The idea of willfully making enemies where before there were none clearly did not meet with his approval.
“The Deathwatch believes him dead,” Calgar said boldly. “His entire Kill Team was slaughtered to the last in the mission we discovered him in, and he himself had sustained mortal wounds. His fate was reported to be no different than that for those of his comrades we discovered - assuming of course that we indeed found them all and that the tyranids did not devour any corpses before our arrival.”
“You are willing to chance the fact that they do not discover this deception?” still the Primarch would not relent.
“I do not care if they do!” Calgar stated boldly. “Even with Primaris reinforcement, all Chapters are being hard pressed to maintain their boundaries alongside their additional duties to the Crusade. Plenty Chapters are reconsidering their obligations to the Deathwatch, mine would just be one more.”
“You are that serious then,” Even Guilliman seemed taken aback by the passion in Calgar’s voice.
“It will be a long time indeed before I send any additional brothers to the Long Vigil, and intend to recall the one currently serving home as swiftly as I may without damaging his honor,” Calgar said darkly. “They kept him from us, made him think that he was unwanted within our ranks, and did not even tell us that he yet lived. For a century, he could have fallen and not only would we have never known, we would never even have had the chance to recover his gene-seed and keep at least some piece of his prowess within our ranks.” Calgar would not forget, nor would he ever forgive.
“He must be a worthy son indeed to arouse such passion upon his recovery.” Guilliman’s fingers drummed lightly upon his desk as he thought briefly, then he nodded decisively. “What is the current status of Second Company?”
“Not good,” Calgar was forced to confess. “They took significant losses in the Recidious Campaign, and word has just reached my ship that Captain Acheran has recently fallen thanks to the depredations of genestealers.” He paused, then went forward with his suggestion. “I had thought to reconfirm Titus to the position.”
“Indeed,” Guilliman nodded. “I will not gainsay it. Indeed, I will second it, for I have a great need for such a freethinking warrior of so evidently a fine caliber.” His blazing blue eyes scorched Calgar’s soul. “I wish for Second Company to focus their attention on the Reclamation of Ultramar.”
“What of the efforts of the Tetrarchs?” Calgar asked. The four Tetrarchs - the office set up by the Primarch upon his return to Ultramar thanks to the depredations of the Traitor Mortarion - were already engaged in such work, drawing forces from any number of Chapters of Guilliman’s blood to accomplish their manifold tasks. Of the four - two were Ultramarines. Though they effectively remained such in name only - for they were now beyond the reach of the Chapter Master’s command and were considered to be second in rank only to the Primarch. How many more shards of authority could a Chapter Master reasonably be called upon to surrender until there were none at all left?
“Slow,” Guilliman said shortly, his displeasure plain. “I recognize that they are operating at their peak efficiency, but while I chose them for their abilities, coordinated effort does not appear to be the strength of many. I had hopes, but the differences between their base doctrines - and those of the Shield Chapters - clearly hamper cooperation. Second Company is to fill the gaps, reinforce their gains, and make up for any shortfall in their efforts. With his experience in working with so many other Chapters gained in the Deathwatch, Titus should be able to work effectively with all.”
“I do not think Second Company has the numbers yet to carry out your will in such a manner,” Calgar said carefully. Aside from their losses during the Recidious Campaign and before, they had just lost an additional three full squads - numbers that Second Company could ill afford to lose - and it would be some months yet before the latest crop of neophytes were graduated into the scouts, once of course they had earned their Carapace and could be assigned to the various Companies for true field training.
“That is of no matter,” Guilliman waved the concern away. “Some of the Primaris reinforcement meant for others of your brother Chapters have proved themselves to be excessive to both requirement and Codex standard. Their own recruitment efforts are managing their losses well enough in regard to regulation. The remainder shall instead be gifted to your Chapter to reinforce your recent losses - and I expect to see Second Company in particular returned to full strength forthwith. See to it that Titus is issued with the appropriate regalia and proper heraldry to do honor to his new position as Warden of Ultramar.”
“Your will be done, my Lord,” Calgar swore. How precisely he had no idea, but a way would have to be found regardless, by Titus if by no one else. And the issue of the new Captain’s refitting was at least a place to start. All of Acheran’s regalia had perished with him, so Calgar made a mental note to set a search through the Chapter’s reliquaries in the hopes of locating some suitably venerable pieces.
“Then you may depart to see to the preparations.” the Primarch ordered. “Convey my instructions and congratulations to Captain Titus, and acquaint him with what is expected of his efforts. Alert him that I shall be watching his actions with great interest, but that he is to use his best judgement in how he carries out my will.”
“I will see to it personally,” Calgar affirmed, and withdrew from the audience.
~~~
Back aboard the Sword of Calth, Calgar distributed his first orders. To his Chaplains, setting them to search through the Chapter’s archives and reliquaries, telling them to search through the vaults back on Macragge or even to commission new honors if nothing suitably exalted or venerable existed aboard the great ship. To the astropaths, alerting Titus and Second Company that his promotion was secure. And to one particular Veteran Sergeant, summoning Valentius Metaurus to attend him.
“Sergeant,” Calgar greeted his long companion, the two having known each other for several centuries by this point. “I have a task for you. You are to be seconded for the foreseeable future to Second Company, there to be under the command of her new Captain, Demetrian Titus ....”