OOC: Thought we were going to play the traitors after that battle. I think I like this better. We still painting ourselves jet black with the silver arm, or are we taking up each of our chapters?? A new Astarte appeared in time to hear the Chaplain's heretical speech. Pushing through the crowds of men, the figure made himself know. His armor was in perfect condition, which stood out as the others had just arrived from a battlefield. His Artificer Mark IV Pattern helm was painted shiny Bronze. Mimicking a color used by the legendary Sanguinary Guard. His left arm also copying the decorated palette. Like the rest, most of his Armor was jet black and reflecting the lights off the ceiling. His left silver arm donned the mark of the inquisition while his right arm presented a Golden Eagle foot with black talons. Waiting for the quiet to settle in. The warrior pressed his right palm on his helmet and let the hiss of the servos release the relic. Under the helmet was the Blackshield. Icelos. His golden eyes looked at the Chaplin and then to the other around him. He took a step forward. In front of all to witness. With his helm placed on the floor, his hand resting on it. He knelt to the ground. His head down at Marmaroth's feet: "Chaplain Marmaroth, I am placed before you with everything I have lost, Chapter, Faith, Redemption. I now have a purpose. I have more than death, to keep my stride. I kneel in front of you now to ask if I may end my watch with you, my Watch Commander. Yet, I wish to serve with you in your own vigil. I need not stay with you, my chapter would be quick to take me with open arms, but I do not serve my chapter. I serve the Emperor. Created in the Doombringer, forged in The Phoenix, and tempered on the battlefield. I, Icelos Mega, wish to stand by you to tear out this infection before it can further spread. That is what I say!
OOC I didn't think much about it, but I would say to keep the black since we are still (at least in our thoughts) members of the Deathwatch. Our mission is still the same, and Marmaroth didn't suddenly jump the loyalist ship, he just believes he can't achieve it through normal means anymore. Also, if we paint our armor in the color pattern of our old Chapters, than it would mean for instance a Flesh Tearer went traitor, and Marmaroth doesn't want to bring shame on his old bros (even despite he actually did just that). "I accept your wish. Rise Brother Icelos, rise and stand by me as a true blood-brother!" Chaplain declared as he watched the proceedings, after which he turned his gaze to Draconion. "Of course my Brother, do as you think it's best. Perhaps it is better for you to reply to them, because they might not think good of me at this moment." Turning once again to his old comrade Sirius, Chaplain sighed. Gaius and Kajar went for their weapons but Marmaroth silenced them with a stern look. "Tell me Brother, did I make up those traitors on the ground below? Tell me, for you have fought and killed them as well. Or was my doing that processing center on the Mining Station, where thousands of helpless people were being shipped out? Or the daemonic summoning on Gelorn, with all that desecrating and everything else that transpired afterwards. Or even that rebellion on Sombor, was it me or someone else who have done it?" "I'm just saying Brother, all those things we did, all those things I did, I know they are right. Look around you, how exactly are we tainted here?"
<Feron> Regarding each of his brothers in arms and their commanders his thoughts weren't so much racing as plodding along coming to terms with what had happened, what they faced and how they got there. Yet soon enough did they gain steam as he first looked upon dark armor of their Blackshield. "He'stan. " A simple thought touched upon from the first trials in Petrius' Tomb. Then his gaze fell on Draconion stepping forward, Dorallius and Sirius next fell in his sight. "Raving in chains..." Then there was Marmaroth, for a moment his bionic limb -felt- heavy, as if a power fist were perched on his right wrist, a golden one at that. No words only a flash of pride before a fall, Armageddon and the Alpha Legion. At last his eyes spaced turning to introspection. "My mirror. " With that his hand subconsciously slipped to Skull Splitter, thumbing its activation stud but not pressing it in. At last his hand came up to remove his battered helmet, tucking it under an arm before broadcasting his decision. "I shall stand here as I have, even in the full realization that nothing short of bringing the Emperor back from his Golden Throne would ever redeem us to the rest of the Imperium at large, that regardless of what we accomplish redemption will only be in the eyes of our Grand Sire. I pledge bolter, blade and the gifts of Vulkan instilled in me to your command Marmaroth. "
Dorallius left the crowd without a word, he was conflicted, his chapter and proginators where set in stone about all things, he needed time to be alone, so he went to do what he did after all missions, though this time he had alot more to think about.
Volorox Felt his mouth turn dry as he heard the choice he would have to make his arm was still broken and he was still wounded. He looked then at his Chapter history and all he had done. He felt cold for once Despair ached into him. If he sided with the chaplain he would be ultimate called a traitor and the chapters reputation would Be ruined even more that what it stands already and worse things may come to his brothers because of it. But if he wen't back to the imperium he knew the traitors might win what Marmaroth was telling was true he saw the alpha legion traitors on the ground Conspiring with these False angels and was even fired upon on the previous mission by Traitor humans. He didn't know what to do. He needed time to think about his choice he for once did something he needed to do he wen't to the imperial shrine on the ship to think.
Suddenly, Amraphel stepped forward from a shadowy corner of the hangar and spoke with a plain voice, which was quite in contrast to the content of his speech. His face was covered by the shadow of his hood and he emitted an aura, that was secretive and ominous, but also powerfull at the same time. He held his fist to his chest and began. : "I personally will follow you Chaplain, for I know with certainty that only amidst the greatest darkness, does the Light shine brightest. We may venture down a dark path and we may even die, but remember that death is nothing compared to vindication. Events shall prove us righterous. Millions may curse our names, or maybe we will all die unglorious deaths, but in the final account, only the Emperor can judge us and our deeds! Believe when I tell you, that in my life I have done many 'questionable' things, deeds others would condemn me for, so I know that the choice all of us have to make is not an easy one, but to those amongst us who lack the strenght to do, what must be done and lack the vision to see, what I have seen, I say the following words: Think twice before you leave this ship! Only those to weak, turn away from what must be done. Maybe you'd rather die gloriously and have a statue moulded in your image, or have your name written down on some scroll of honour. It is us, who forsake honour so others don't have to; It is us who sin, so others don't have to. So aren't we in the end the most noble and honourable ones? I pledge my loyalty to Marmaroth! Such is the word of Amraphel and so shall it be done." Without further words Amraphel stepped back into the shadows.
Draconion's eyes narrow and dart to Sirius as he turns on Mamaroth, but seeing that the Commander and his inner circle have things in hand, he turns his attentions instead to the information war. Instead of opening a vox channel to the Inquisition fleet straight away, he instead contacts the Master of Astropaths. "Master Vortigern, Codicier Draconion here, presenting compliments and a request. I am patching you and your autoscribes through to a live feed of my impending vox communication with the Inquisitor Jurik Fel. Once I have completed my initial transmission, I want you to mass-broadcast a transcript of both the Inquisitor's initial accusations as well as my rebuttals to as many key Imperial strongholds as you can, along with copies of all the mission archival material I will release to you after this. Prioritise Terra, Mars, known Ordo Xenos Segmentum Conclaves and Deathwatch Segmentum Command nodes and the Chapter commands of all Astartes onboard. The rest, I leave to your discretion. As always, include the appropriate security encryptions to ensure tamper-proofing. My thanks, Master Vortigern. Emperor protect." With that, Draconion accesses the ship's internal Librarius network and blink-clicks a number of files from the archivum, authorising them for Vortigern's limited access for secure astropathic transmission. That done, he opens a vox channel to the Inquisitorial flagship. "Attention, Inquisitor Jurik Fel, Astartes brothers-in-arms and all loyal servants of the Emperor. This is Codicier Draconion He'tar, Salamanders Chapter, currently seconded to the Ordo Xenos and serving under command of Watch Commander Marmaroth. I formally make rebuttal against the Inquisitor's accusations. Point, the first: Rebellion on Sombor had erupted into the open long before our intervention there. You will note from Administratum and Munitorum logs that insurrection had been officially underway since at least a week prior to our arrival. Also, the Governor Arian Green fell in battle in defence of his capital city. All these can be verified from the records of the relevant arms of Imperial government, along with archival picter footage from our time on the ground. Point, the second: The shrine-world of Gelorn was already infiltrated and desecrated by the forces of Ruin by the time of the Sombor intervention. Mission archival footage and investigative data will show that Nurglesque heretics and Craftworld Eldar meddlers had infiltrated the place at an indeterminate date prior to our arrival, but long enough to have laced the entire world with traps, sentinels and stool pigeons, not to mention seize sacred artefacts for use in the profane ritual to invoke the Plague of Unbelief on Sombor. All loyal Imperial citizens were dead, and those that remained alive were in league with the Archenemy, with the exception of one Mechanicus priest who lost his life in final service to the Imperium. Point, the third: Our mission to Onpuku system was to locate a person of interest on its capital world, as well as recovery of data from its orbital mining station. At no point was any incitement to rebellion made on our part. Said insurrection spontaneously erupted when embedded traitors within the Arbites system contingent made themselves known during the arrest of said person of interest and attacked our team. Interrogation of said person of interest revealed that the system administration was riddled with traitors from top to bottom. Likewise, the orbital mining station was found to be corrupted by heretek influence, including all humans present onboard, necessitating a total purge. Point, the fourth: Knosos Chapter Keep was subverted by Nurglesque cultists, including the avatar of a greater daemon that aimed to use the stored gene seed in a ritual to manifest in the Materium, plus its XXth Legion agents. Likewise, the Angels of Absolution 5th Company had fallen to Chaos, almost to the man. This information came by way of Brother-Librarian Lukion, who, along with a few of his brothers, remained loyal and sent us a distress call. Brother Lukion fell in the Emperor's service, but our mission footage includes records of direct face-to-face conversations with him that revealed these details, along with records of fights against both Renegade Angels of Absolution and XXth Legion Traitors, who were also waiting in orbit to ambush the Angelfall in concert with the Angels of Absolution warship, Our Undying Faith. Also recorded is evidence of the daemonic manifestation made possible by desecration of the Angels of Absolution gene seed stores at Knosos Keep." Taking a deep breath, Draconion continues to speak. "To my brother Astartes, I beg your patience and deliberation in this matter. To the Angels of Absolution, I offer our deepest condolences and regrets - had there been any way to save any of your loyal brothers, or turn the others from the path of corruption, we would surely have taken it. We fought only to achieve our mission and defend our own selves. To the Red Hunters, I beg you restrain your zeal and approach this matter with utmost circumspection. If there are any Librarians amongst you, I strongly urge you to perform a joint prognostication. You will surely see the truth of my words then. To all - justice must not only be done, but be seen to be done, for that is the meaning of rule of law. Accusations have been made, and we have given our rebuttals in answer. Let evidence and arguments be presented before a higher authority that will deliberate all our fates. We appeal to the Emperor and His High Lords!"
<Steinar Greywold> The man stood there, silent. Odd. Out of his usual. He looked at the strangers around him. He felt over the tooth around his neck. But he just remained there. Silent. Standing like an unmoving rock. Everyone knew what they wanted. He knew what he wanted until now. But.... He looks over at Marmaroth. If he is declared traitor officially. How will the Greywold clans reputation hold? But what if he is doing the right thing? He looks to the ceiling. "What should I do Thain?" Steinar hoped for an answer, yet his words were a mere whisper, which was odd for him and probably those around him, given that he usually was only screaming, roaring and yelling around.
The scribe took the info and the notes, but it was anyone's guess if it would actually leave the confines of the Inquisitorial battleship. On the other hand, Draconion received a pretty clear answer from both the Space Marines and the Inquisitor himself. The foremost ignored his hails, not deeming him worthy of any kind of parley, for he was already judged in their eyes. Inquisitor on the other hand, offered a quick reply. "Your word or proofs mean nothing Codicier Draconion, for you have already sided with a traitor and as such, your testimony holds little to no value whatsoever. If you truly wish to repent, make your Commander surrender and I promise you'll get a honest trial. As for your appeal, the Inquisition is the right hand of the God-Emperor, our word equal to His, and His will shall be done."
<Sirius Jules> "My cause was just when I had been exiled. I had even served with the Xenos. Why so afraid of judgment if you all claim to do the right thing? I was not even declared a Blackshield and I was for an entire year living with them, even teaching parts of the Codex. Do not fear judgment if you believe truly your just is cause. The God-Emperor protects those that are loyal to him." The Son of Guilliman claimed against the men who were standing next to Marmaroth.
