Chapter 84: Keeping the Appointment
"This seems to be a suggestion from Lord Malcador to improve morale among the legions," Omega commented.
Alpharius regarded his brother with genuine surprise. "You divined that as well? Your intuition for the subtleties of intelligence work remains as keen as ever."
The Primarch's tone shifted, taking on the weight of command. "The most pressing matter concerns the Medias sector. Malcador shall dispatch his agents to investigate. What course of action do you intend to pursue?"
"Has open rebellion broken out?"
"No."
After Alpharius's detailed explanation, Omega understood the situation in the Medias sector, a double-edged blade by any measure.
The entire star sector had developed at an accelerated pace, with approximately ten urban centers established on each world.
Yet over a decade of unregulated expansion, ambitious individuals and opportunistic factions had accumulated considerable power throughout the wilderness territories.
Operating largely beyond Imperial oversight, these forces engaged in direct warfare across the untamed lands, competing viciously for territory and resources, a phenomenon eerily reminiscent of ancient Terra's Warring States period.
The sector's previous large-scale campaigns against xenos had left behind vast quantities of obsolete and battle-worn weaponry. These disparate forces had salvaged, modified, and restored such abandoned war materiel, which spoke to both their resourcefulness and desperation.
This scavenging industry had given rise to a thriving culture of wilderness exploration and xenos-fauna hunting.
Omega stroked his chin thoughtfully, satisfied with what he heard. "Exactly as I expected. As long as those Imperial cities continue to develop according to the established plans, everything will work out fine."
"I'm not going to get involved,"
Alpharius offered this suggestion, "If anything spirals out of control, deploy your own forces to handle it. Actually, if you're concerned about population growth, authorize relocation protocols to move ordinary citizens from other star sectors into Medias."
However, his tone betrayed his inability to comprehend how such chaotic warfare could be considered advantageous to Imperial interests.
Omega nodded. With matters settled, he took the opportunity to visit Erda before departing.
The chess parlor along the city streets remained brightly illuminated despite the late hour, maintaining its familiar decorations and intimate atmosphere. Two figures sat opposite one another at an ornately carved chess table, engaged in their timeless game.
Erda, slender and draped in flowing black robes, occasionally placed white pieces upon the board while observing him with an expression of mingled curiosity and amusement in her ancient eyes.
Omega set down his piece. "What are you laughing at? Just say whatever's on your mind."
"What's the purpose of going through all this elaborate theater just to officially return to Terra? Or is there some deeper conspiracy at work that requires all this effort?" Erda asked, amusement evident in her voice.
Omega shrugged. "I don't know, really. The whole formal process feels meaningless to me, but going through all these circles and complications is kind of fun, like playing an elaborate game of hide-and-seek."
"Hahaha," Erda laughed with genuine mirth, pressing her slender hand delicately against her forehead. "I simply cannot believe you regard something so shrouded in mystery and political complexity as nothing more than simple entertainment. Alpharius would be absolutely furious if he overheard such a confession!"
Omega remained unconcerned. Keeping things simple worked fine for him. "Do you know him?"
Erda's smile vanished, and she nodded with sudden gravity. "I have never formally encountered him in person, but I am well aware that he conducts investigations into the true identities and origins of us Perpetuals. He also maintains extensive surveillance networks monitoring the psyker populations of Terra. He is cold-blooded and calculating, nowhere near as endearing as you are, dear Omega."
She paused. "By the way, his network appears to be investigating some manner of mysterious xenos cult in recent months, though I lack specific details regarding their operations."
"You know about that, too?" Omega remarked, genuinely surprised by the breadth of Erda's knowledge. "It must be genuinely difficult for ordinary intelligence operatives to maintain their secrets from top-tier psykers like yourself."
"For the sake of my own continued safety, I naturally remain vigilant against approaching dangers. When I wish to know something, I can certainly acquire such knowledge through a few carefully applied techniques."
"Fair enough." Omega believed that Alpharius conducted these shadowy operations out of a profound sense of responsibility for Terra's security, functioning in a role not unlike that of the Emperor's chief of intelligence.
He possessed no detailed knowledge of what his brother accomplished in those shadows, nor did he particularly wish to know. Each Primarch was entitled to their secrets, and he respected that boundary.
Noticing Erda's penetrating eyes fixed upon him, Omega found himself recalling something that had been troubling him. "Erda, do you think it's normal for a Primarch to have emotional attachments to the Emperor?"
"Of course, it is entirely normal," Erda replied with evident surprise. "The Primarchs are, after all, the sons of the Emperor in both genetic and symbolic terms. It would be profoundly abnormal for a son to harbor no feelings whatsoever toward his father. Do you yourself not possess any emotional connection to the Emperor?"
Realization seemed to dawn upon her features as her eyes widened in surprise, as she processed his question more deeply.
Omega responded with characteristic lightness. "Ahem, my loyalty to the Emperor is absolutely beyond question. It's just that...I find it somewhat unbelievable that Primarchs would actively compete with one another for the Emperor's favor and affection, as some small child or a person fallen in love would. It's childish to be honest."
Erda chuckled softly. "It's quite remarkable that you think of it that way. Why is it that you do not love the Emperor?" she thought privately, even as she spoke aloud.
"Loyalty and love are fundamentally different things," Omega said. "I prefer to approach the Emperor's existence from a purely rational perspective. If he commands me to lead my Legion westward, I will absolutely not march eastward, that's basically how I conceptualize my relationship with him."
"Rationality... I suppose this approach functions adequately as well," Erda responded with a contemplative sound. She proceeded to share her own perspectives on the matter at length, explaining that it was entirely natural for sons to compete for their father's love and attention, and such dynamics occurred regularly in ordinary families blessed with multiple children.
Erda continued speaking at length about the emotional structures of typical families, almost as though she were instructing Omega on how he ought to cultivate genuine love for the Emperor.
This conversation prompted considerable internal protest within his mind.
Observing his reactions, Erda became increasingly convinced that this particular Primarch had suffered from a severe deficit of affection during his formative years, wherever those might have been.
Suddenly overwhelmed by maternal instincts, she spoke with heartfelt sincerity about the importance of familial bonds and emotional connections.
This turn in the conversation made Omega's scalp prickle with unknown discomfort.
After enduring several more games of chess accompanied by Erda's well-intentioned emotional lectures, Omega simply fled the establishment.
He remained firmly convinced that imperial families were inherently the most ruthless and politically fraught institutions imaginable, and that whatever psychological issues afflicted the other Primarchs regarding their attachment to the Emperor were distinctly not his problem.
Erda chuckled as she felt Omega dissapear from her psychic field, wondering when he would return next.
...
Upon returning to the fortress of the Alpha Legion, Alpharius intercepted him and handed over a formal invitation letter bearing ornate seals.
Opening the document, Omega discovered it had been personally written by Jaghatai Khan of the White Scars, inviting him to join for drinks and feasting.
Omega patted the invitation with obvious enthusiasm and smiled broadly. "Drinking and eating meat, I like that! I'm going!"
"Are you not concerned in the slightest about potential exposure? I am certain Jaghatai Khan harbors suspicions regarding your true identity by this point," Alpharius spoke, watching his brother's retreating figure as Omega turned decidedly toward keeping his appointment.
"It's fine...really. He won't reveal anything even if he's figured it out. I dont think he's the type to gossip and spread secrets around."
Omega waved the invitation casually and smiled with unconcerned happiness, seemingly unbothered by such considerations.
Alpharius contemplated the situation briefly before deciding not to interfere further. The genuine complication, he reflected, would arise when the two of them eventually switched identities in the future.
At that point, he would need to portray Omega's casual personality convincingly. That prospect, he acknowledged, would prove a little challenging for himself.
...
Within the vast and formidable fortress-monastery of the Fifth Legion, the halls of the White Scars became suddenly animated with vibrant energy upon Omega's arrival.
In the great feasting hall, Jaghatai Khan of Chogoris extended warm and genuine hospitality to his brother.
The lively banquet overflowed with fine wines and abundant meat, and rather than conforming to the formal, aristocratic protocols typical of high Imperial celebrations, the gathering retained the authentic character of a traditional steppe tribal feast.
Omega seated himself upon the floor in the manner of Chogorian warriors, grasping a substantial bottle of potent wine. He raised it in salute toward Jaghatai Khan, whose distinctive hair had been bound in a high warrior's topknot, and together they drank with uninhibited enthusiasm.
The company commanders of the White Scars Legion, warriors bearing the honored title of Khan in their own right, observed this Primarch with open curiosity.
They found themselves genuinely admiring Omega's hearty approach to both eating and drinking, which spoke to a true warrior's spirit.
"HA-HA-HA-HA" Jaghatai Khan released a booming laugh of pure enjoyment. "You conducted yourself with such meticulous care in the Imperial Palace, brother, always in proper courtly etiquette, even saying phrases like 'I hum...Humbl... humbly request your guidance!' Hahaha!"
The Great Khan's laughter resonated through the hall, and his subordinate Khans joined readily in his mirth.
The contrast was indeed striking; such refined speech bore no resemblance whatsoever to the Omega who now sat before them, drinking with abandon.
Omega clinked his bottle with each of the assembled Khans in turn, introducing himself to them individually with genuine friendliness.
He smiled with easy nonchalance as he explained, "Within such a vast Imperium containing countless trillions of souls, every action undertaken within the sacred Imperial Palace must naturally conform to established etiquette and protocol. It is a public venue where every gesture is observed and evaluated by countless eyes."
"But now we gather here to drink and feast together as brothers and warriors. What matters is that we enjoy ourselves without restraint!"
Jaghatai Khan and his assembled company commanders erupted into hearty laughter. The Great Khan hoisted his own substantial bottle aloft and spoke with satisfaction, "Hahaha, excellently spoken, brother! Here among the White Scars, you are free to drink and feast to your heart's absolute content! We do not burden ourselves with excessive formality in these halls. Cheers!"
"CHEERS!" The company commanders seated throughout the hall responded with enthusiastic accord, their voices raised in genuine delight at this display of brotherhood.
Yesugei, the venerated Stormseer of the Legion, stood observing from his position along the chamber's periphery.
He regarded both the evidently happy Omega and his own gene-father with barely concealed surprise. The relationship between these two Primarchs appeared unexpectedly warm and genuine, far more so than political necessity alone would dictate.
Omega's particularly enthusiastic and unrestrained approach to both food and drink seemed more characteristic of a warrior bearing the lightning scars of Chogoris than a master of deception and misdirection.
Jaghatai Khan held absolute certainty that Omega was in truth the same Alpha Legion warrior he had encountered during that previous campaign. Yet the Warhawk chose not to expose this knowledge, instead taking quiet satisfaction in the fact that Omega had honored his promise to reveal himself eventually.
The Khan possessed profound wisdom and considerable insight into both the current state of the ever-expanding Imperium and the complex web of relationships binding the Primarchs to one another.
Long years of relentless warfare had granted him an unusually clear understanding of the intricate relationship between the immaterium and the material universe, knowledge that many of his brothers either lacked or refused to acknowledge.
In matters of philosophy and cosmic understanding, the Khan's perspective aligned remarkably closely with Omega's own worldview.
The two Primarchs discovered they could discourse freely upon virtually any subject without constraint or misunderstanding. Their pleasant and wide-ranging conversation elevated the banquet into something truly memorable.
After an entire day devoted to joyful feasting and uninhibited drinking, Omega finally took his leave and returned to the fortress-monastery of the Alpha Legion.
Despite indulging extensively in both wine and meat throughout the prolonged celebration, his transhuman primarch physiology kept him in an astonishingly perfect state of readiness, remaining completely sober and prepared for whatever challenges the galaxy might present next.
[End of Chapter]
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