===Maximus===
Maximus leaned back in his chair, the smug satisfaction on his face growing as he observed the stunned Jedi. They were silent, processing the weight of his words.
"Think of it," he continued, his voice calm and almost clinical. "Your Order—so proud, so confident—can barely stand against us. Granted, we haven't had an all-out war yet, but what happens when our reinforcements arrive? Tens of thousands of us?"
Dooku's eyes narrowed slightly as he folded his arms across his chest.
"You plan on taking over the galaxy," he said simply.
"Yes." Maximus answered, his voice cold and unyielding, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "This universe is an untapped trove of treasures, and if the Imperium of Man is to survive, it must expand. This galaxy is ripe for the taking, and we will claim it as our own. If you wish to have a say in how it unfolds, then you must join us."
Maximus' words were calculated, each one a step in the larger game he played.
"If you need more convincing," he added, his voice almost a whisper now, drawing the Jedi in closer, "simply go to Geonosis."
The mention of Geonosis had the desired effect. Dooku's brow furrowed in confusion.
"Geonosis?" he asked, incredulous.
For a long moment, the room was thick with tension. "There are horrors in both of our universes—things that seek to tear this reality apart. And it all begins on Geonosis. If you go there, retrieve your armies from Kamino first, then you will see firsthand what true war is. But I will say no more on the matter." The Ultramarine said before standing, the heavy thud of his armored boots echoing in the room. His brothers followed suit, standing in unison.
Dooku and Qui-Gon exchanged a glance, their minds whirring. They had received the message, loud and clear. The Jedi bowed slightly, acknowledging the Astartes' presence.
"I will take what you have told us into consideration and bring it before the Council. Thank you for your time," Dooku said with practiced calm.
As they turned to leave, the doors slid open, and a Pyro Drake stepped forward. They led the Jedi out, leaving the room to the Astartes and the three Mandalorian captains.
Maximus sat down at the head of the table again, his brothers following. He motioned for the three Mandalorians to do the same.
"Sit," he commanded.
The three Mandalorians complied, taking their seats with a mix of respect and apprehension. There was no need for further pleasantries; the matter at hand was far too serious. "The time is approaching. Once this war begins, we will fulfill our promise to you."
Bo-Katan's heart hammered in her chest. The words that had once been a distant dream now felt much closer, much more real. They were talking about Mandalore—her homeworld. The promise of power, of reclaiming their birthright, had always been at the core of their motivations. But now, the cost seemed higher, the stakes far greater.
Jarek, the oldest of the three Mandalorians, leaned forward in his chair. He removed his helmet slowly, his hands trembling slightly as he did so. The weight of the moment was not lost on him. He had dark skin and his once black hair and beard were now streaked with gray, a sign of both his age and the burden he carried.
"I think I speak for all of us when I say this," he began, his voice rough with emotion. "When we first joined you as the Death Watch, we were obsessed with conquering Mandalore, with reclaiming our honor and our home. But now..." His voice faltered for a moment before he composed himself. He turned his gaze to Bo-Katan and the Captainof the Pyro Drakes, Korrin. "Now, we understand that the Imperium of Mankind is greater than any of our personal ambitions. The galaxy is in a state of chaos, and our destiny lies in something much bigger than what we once dreamed."
Bo-Katan's eyes widened slightly as she listened to Jarek. She had never heard him speak so openly. His words resonated within her. They were Mandalorians—yes, but they were also something far greater now. She could feel the shift within herself too, a sense of purpose and loyalty that extended beyond the confines of Mandalore's borders.
Korrin, the second captain, placed his helmet on the table with a soft clink. His pale skin and thick gray beard gave him a stoic presence.
"While it pains me to let go of a dream so close to realization," he said, his voice steady, "we understand our purpose now. We are no longer just Mandalorians. We are servants of the Emperor."
Bo-Katan inhaled deeply, the weight of his words sinking in. She couldn't deny the truth of them. They weren't just fighting for their past anymore—they were fighting for a new future. And that future lay with the Imperium.
"We serve the Imperium," Bo-Katan added, her voice unwavering, "and nothing else."
The Astartes watched them with silent approval. Maximus exchanged a look with Raxor and Sebastian. They could see the commitment in the Mandalorians' eyes, a devotion that ran deeper than they could have hoped for.
"How wonderful," Sebastian said, his voice smooth and almost melodic as he spoke over a private vox channel.
"They have proven you right, brother," Raxor said to Maximus, his tone low and approving. "They have given up everything for the Emperor."
Maximus nodded, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
"We will continue as planned, then," he said to his brothers, his eyes gleaming with cold ambition.
The three Mandalorians were growing increasingly anxious. But they had made their choice.
Maximus rose, his massive frame looming over them. His brothers followed suit.
"This pleases us beyond measure," Maximus said, his voice booming in the large room. "To give up your birthright, your identity, and to serve the Emperor—it is a devotion that we cannot help but admire."
Sebastian's voice was firm and resolute.
"Prepare yourselves. When the war begins, we march to Mandalore. You three will rule it, not as exiles, but as equal among yourselves."
The Mandalorians exchanged a final glance before each of them stood, kneeling in front of their Lords.
"As the Emperor wills it," they said in unison, their voices steady, resolute.
===Brother Aegis - The Harbinger of His Fury===
The low hum of the battle barge's warp engines resonated through the hull, a constant, dissonant melody that only the Emperor's chosen could endure without madness. The Immaterium stretched beyond the senses, a roiling sea of horrors and whispers, but inside the sacred vessel, there was nothing but the cold and calculated embrace of the machine.
In the deepest recesses of the battle barge, sealed within the vaults of the Dreadnought's chamber, a long silence prevailed. For centuries, Brother Aegis had slumbered, encased in ceramite and adamantium, awaiting the call. His once-vibrant blue armor, now dull and scarred, stood silent and still. The heart of the mighty engine—his very form—had lain in and out of dormancy since the Great Crusade, preserved in stasis, awaiting the summons of the Emperor's will.
Suddenly, a shift in the warp—the hum of the engines warping in the immaterium—began to grow sharper, more focused. The vessel veered dangerously through the currents of the Warp, and the distant thunder of battle, muted but ever-present, found its way into his mind. A great storm was building, a storm of violence and blood.
"Brother Aegis... Harbinger of His Fury…"
The name came unbidden, the words infused with purpose, though their origin remained clouded.
The voice of the Techmarine, the voice of the Emperor's servants who maintained his slumber, pierced the cold dark: "Awaken, most honored Brother. The Emperor calls."
The ancient engines hummed to life, releasing the bindings that held him in place. His armor groaned as it stirred, metal on metal, joints that had not moved in millennia creaked with the effort to move once again. The ancient rites had begun.
The chamber lights flickered into life, casting harsh, sickly hues across the cold stone. The battle barge's artificial gravity shifted slightly as it slid through the Warp's storm, but it was nothing compared to the force that surged within Brother Aegis as his mind reawakened.
His chassis slowly lifted, allowing him to gaze upon the interior of the chamber. His limbs, though stiff with age, began to move, inch by inch, until his massive frame slowly rose to its feet.
The war calls again, he thought, his mind sharpening like the edge of a sword after centuries of disuse. The Emperor's fury must be unleashed once more.
The armored form of Brother Aegis, towering and imposing, took a single, heavy step. His heavy boots thundered against the floor with a deep, echoing sound.
"My Emperor calls. And I answer." The Dreadnought's voice reverberated through the chamber.
The Techmarine's voice was at his side once more, his face hidden beneath the ceramite mask of his order, but his words were clear: "Battle awaits, Brother Aegis. We are passing through the Warp to a battlefield unlike any other. Another Universe."
The Dreadnought's internal systems hummed to life as his war spirit was reawakened. The bolters, autocannons, and assault weapons all began to recalibrate with a shudder of power. On the Dreadnought's chest, the symbol of the Ultramarines gleamed faintly, its blue and gold a reminder of his ancient bonds to the Primarch Roboute Guilliman.
"I am His wrath." Brother Aegis boomed. "Let His fury reign. For the Emperor!"
And with that, Brother Aegis, Harbinger of His Fury, awoke for the battlefield once again, his power armor a testament to the untold years of battle fought and the countless enemies destroyed.
===Captain Severus Agemman===
Captain Severus Agemman stood before his command console, the glowing lights casting a cold green hue on his armor. His eyes scanned the data, a steady, methodical focus settling over him as he observed the vast army at his command. The First Company of the Ultramarines, the Emperor's chosen, had departed from Ultramar at the Primarch's orders. They were now joined by three other battle barges, all heading toward a rift in the fabric of space—one that led to an unknown universe entirely.
"Captain Agemman," a voice called from behind him, interrupting his thoughts. He turned to face the Ultramarine standing at attention. "He's awake."
"I'll speak to him momentarily," Agemman replied, his voice calm but resolute. He turned back to the console and finished his observations with practiced efficiency. His mind, however, was already far beyond the current task. This mission had to be prepared for in every detail.
Once his work was complete, Agemman nodded to the Marine and strode down the cold metallic corridors of the battle barge. His footsteps echoed with each deliberate step, his expression unreadable as he made his way to the Dreadnought's chamber.
There, standing in the middle of the room, towering and unmoving, was Brother Aegis—the mighty war machine that had been awoken from his long, slumbering stasis. The Dreadnought's form, ancient and scarred, seemed to pulse with a faint energy of life. The unmistakable hum of the machine spirit within resonated through the air, a steady vibration in the otherwise silent room.
"Most honored Brother, forgive me for making you wait," Captain Agemman said, his voice formal yet respectful as he approached the hulking warrior. He had no doubt that Aegis could hear him long before he spoke, the ancient machine spirit ever-vigilant.
Aegis's chassis turned toward him with slow deliberation, the weight of centuries bearing down upon the massive figure.
"We are on our way to a tear in space that leads to another universe, where one of our brothers and his squad currently reside. Our mission is to enter this rift and assist in securing a foothold in this new universe."
The Dreadnought's glowing eyes flickered slightly at the mention of a lost brother.
"How long has he been missing?" Aegis's voice rumbled, his tone filled with the quiet, inexorable power of time.
Captain Agemman paused, his brow furrowing as he considered the answer. "About ten years."
Another deep rumble came from the Dreadnought. The air seemed to vibrate as though the machine spirit itself had heard the gravity of their task.
Aegis tilted forward slightly, a gesture that might be interpreted as a nod—or perhaps as the Dreadnought simply contemplating the mission ahead. The silence that followed was almost oppressive, filled with the ancient weight of duty that both Agemman and Aegis carried.
"We will find him," Agemman said, his voice low but resolute. "We will make sure he is brought back—or we will exact retribution on those who stand in our way."
The Dreadnought responded with a powerful growl of its engines as it stood fully erect. A surge of power filled the room as its ancient servos whined and creaked, but it was a sound of readiness. "For the Emperor," Aegis's voice thundered.
Agemman met the Dreadnought's gaze, unwavering. "For the Emperor."
Without another word, Agemman turned and motioned for Aegis to follow him. The journey to this point had taken years, but this moment would define the fate of not only their lost brother but the future of the Ultramarines themselves.
As they walked toward the transport bay, the feeling of uncertainty grew, mingled with excitement. A new universe—untouched and unknown—awaited them. A universe filled with mysteries, challenges, and dangers.
===
The ships soon exited the Warp with a shudder, the hum of the engines slowly subsiding as the battle barges regained stability in realspace. Captain Agemman stood back at the helm of his ship, his gaze fixed on the viewscreen before him. The vastness of the void stretched out in all directions, silent and cold, save for the pulsing rift ahead— the tear in space that led to the unknown universe.
Just as the fleet adjusted its course, a crackling transmission broke through the vox, urgent and sharp.
"Captain, you're going to want to see this."
Agemman's brow furrowed, and he immediately moved toward the communication station. His voice was calm, but his command was clear. "Show me, now."
The vox operator nodded and swiftly activated the external visual feed. The viewscreen flickered to life, revealing the vast expanse before them. The rift—a jagged tear in the fabric of space—loomed like a wound in the cosmos, but what Agemman saw next made his blood run cold.
A fleet of Necron ships—ancient, foreboding vessels—hovered in a defensive formation around the rift. Their silhouette was unmistakable, gleaming with the cold light of unyielding death. Vast scythe-like crafts, scarred and weathered by time, stood like monoliths in the void, their weapons dormant for now but ready to fire at any who dared approach.
The Necron fleet had been lying in wait.
"How did they get here?" Agemman muttered under his breath. His mind raced, trying to process the enormity of what he was seeing.
"Captain," the vox officer said, his voice shaking slightly, "we've detected their weapons systems powering up. They've already locked onto us."
Agemman's jaw tightened. This was no coincidence. The Necrons had been waiting for them.
"Prepare for battle," Agemman commanded, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife. "All ships, bring forward your weapons. This will not be a simple passage."
The tension on the bridge was palpable as the crew moved into action. The battle barges began to position themselves, weapons systems charging as the massive vessels readied for conflict. Agemman turned toward, his eyes steely with resolve.
"Brothers," Agemman said, his voice carrying to all within hearing range. "We fight not only for our lost kin but for the Emperor's light to shine in this new universe. We will crush those who seek to block our path, for we are the Ultramarines, and nothing shall stand against us."
And so, with the Necron fleet looming ominously before them, the Ultramarines prepared to breach the rift. Their enemies—ancient and relentless—would not make this journey easy, but Agemman and his warriors knew one immutable truth: they would fight, and they would win.
The battle for the rift had begun.
===
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