[hider=The Only Sane Man]
[b]Event Name:[/b] The Meeting of Wolfram and Eiohsa.

[b]Location:[/b] The mess hall, aboard the [i]Ultima Ratio[/i]

[b]Date:[/b] 3.712.851.M30

[b]Parties Involved:[/b]

Legio IV Primarch Wolfram of Parrisan
Legio XVI Primarch Eiohsa izva Bronakavh
Legio XVI “Daughters of Iron”
Mortal auxilia of the [i]Ultima Ratio[/i]

[hr]
The mess hall of the flagship of the Sixteenth Legion was an opulent, boisterous affair in the aftermath of the defeat of the Solix Imperium. Quite unlike the stolid, professional demeanor of the Sixteenth Legion in battle, the air within the mess hall positively vibrated with sound and energy. Thousands, tens of thousands of Astartes ate side by side with their mortal comrades and the crew of the ship, countless numbers of soldiers and Space Marines crammed tightly into one space filled to the brim with the heady aroma of myriad different spices and flavors from hundreds of worlds.

A vast, sumptuous feast laid before the eyes of the beholder. Strange, exotic meats taken from the worlds of Saravata and those conquered by the Legion swam within pools of sauces laden with rich spices never before heard of until the conquest of their home worlds. Traditional foods of Kayaamat filled the air with a sumptuous aroma that watered the mouth involuntarily. Piles and piles of toasted, fluffy rice seasoned in the traditional manner hugged the sides of slabs of spit-roasted meat of grox and the jewelbirds of Sau’kri. Thick curries swam with onions toasted in the flavorful drippings from these roasts. Delectable sauces stewed and infused with flavor through the long roasting process reduced to savory glazes were spread over crusty flatbreads or spooned atop mountains of rice and candied nuts. Throughout this organized maelstrom of celebration waltzed the Sixteenth Primarch, bedecked in finery of gold and sapphire and emerald and elegant red and gold synth-silks that hugged her form as she hefted a platter of her own, near overflowing with a hundred different dishes as she celebrated amongst her Legion.

Flirtatious winks and playful nudges, full throated laughs and congratulatory embraces were shared in abundance. She danced with a trio of her Astartes, drunk on the potent distilled spirits of Kayaamat as they sang a raunchy tune - [i]The Star-Born Lady[/i] - in the native tongue of Kayaamat about a woman from Hive Bronakavh, and her lovers from across the world. A slight flush crept into her cheeks at certain acts described in lurid detail, but her smile broadened with each line as she twirled and danced, pulling more and more of the revelers into the growing dance.

She froze in place as her eyes caught sight of the newest arrival to the room, and she bade a hurried farewell to her daughters, a smiling aide retrieving her platter of foods as she sauntered over to her brother. 

“Wolfram! Greetings to you, brother! It is good to finally meet you at long last! And on such a fortuitous occasion as this! You are brilliant, my brother! Brilliant, I say! We sure fucked the limp-cocked worm-bastards! So glad you decided to attend!”

The Primarch of the Fourth, entering in a far more modest fashion, and garbed in an outfit that resembled the full dress uniforms of the Imperial Army and older Terran militaries, was caught utterly off-guard by the dazzling display he arrived at. A man of reservation, formality, and structure, displays like this were near-alien to him. His widened eyes gave away the secret behind his otherwise stiff and official posture, and the sound of a surprised cough quickly escaped his throat as he spoke. “Likewise, Eiohsa. I’m pleased we were able to be introduced under such...fortunate circumstances. Though I must say, this is not the arrangement I expected.”

Drawing closer, so as to speak more directly to her, he simply asked “Is this how victories are always celebrated within your forces? Or is this a special occasion given our meeting? Because I must say that I was not expecting anything so...jubilant. Between the food, the music, and the raucous behavior from your daughters and other forces, it more resembles some sort of street festival.” 

As he spoke, Wolfram absentmindedly fiddled with the cuff links of his dresswear. He couldn’t help but feel remarkably overdressed for such an occasion. “I’m sure you’ll understand my confusion, and won’t find it too much trouble to give me a bit of insight on this whole matter.”

She frowned for a moment, before bursting into laughter. “You are as formal as they say after all! To tell you the truth, it is a little bit of column A, a little bit of column B! We celebrate our victories of course, brother! We celebrate not the martial prowess of the Legion, or the deaths of our enemies - but that with every battle we are one step closer to the reunification of the galaxy! It is our imperative to rebuild this shattered galaxy in the image of a peaceful, prosperous, enlightened Imperium. There is nothing within that that proscribes the indulgence of good food, good drink, and good company.” She grinned, an aide coyly offering a glass of a mysterious semi transparent liquid which she seized in her hand and lifted to her lips, drinking deeply of the nameless draught.

“You see, brother - we do not normally celebrate quite like this after every battle. But at the successful conclusion of a campaign? We do not redeploy immediately after - the Legion must tend to the sick and the injured, we must rebuild the stubborn worlds we are sent to break.” She gestured to the scene around her. “None of us are here because we enjoy war. We’re here because we hate it! But he that seeketh peace must prepare for a war like no other! And at the conclusion of such? There are only so many times re-cleaning our weapons or firing drills will help, and certainly not after the twentieth time that day! Why not celebrate? We honor the fallen, and look to the future. It helps to take our minds off of things, the fighting, pulling the wounded from the rubble, building an administration for Malcador’s people to take over.”

She gestured to the room once more, “R&R, brother! Rest and relaxation! That’s what this is! Surely the soldiery of Parrisan had such?”

The slightest hint of a smile played its way across Wolfram’s face, as if painted on by the finest of brushes. “Of course, no member of the military can go for too long without any sort of break or rest. But as a senior officer, the events I was expected to attend were far more formal and stately, like something the High Lords of Terra would be expected to attend. The more flavorful events were generally considered exclusive to the enlisted, the Commander-General of the Defense Force showing up would have placed certain expectations on the troops that they didn’t need in their off-time.”

Letting the formal posture slowly leak away from him, Wolfram noticeably relaxed his stance as he reached for a beverage of his own from a passing tray. Scrunching his face slightly at the scent of the beverage, before taking a quick imbibe of the concoction, he let out a brief exhale before continuing. “Of course, in my youth I had the chance to attend more contemporary affairs, but that was a long time ago now, and much of those memories have been supplanted by more pressing matters. But it would be rude of me to deny my host. Perhaps you should show me the best place to start, and we’ll see where the evening takes us.”

As he said this, he swept his free hand in a gesture covering the room, indicating the wide assortment of culinary artistry and exotic preparations. Shooting an eye to the beverage in his opposite hand, he frowned a bit and took another sip. “Though perhaps it’d be best if I refrain from any more of these for the time being. I haven’t exactly had the same experience as you in testing the limits of our physiology.”

Eiohsa grinned at the man, a slightly unhinged expression on her face, that of a gladiator sizing up her opponent. “Nonsense! All the more reason to let loose, my brother! A commander ought to share in the good and the bad with their troops. To dig with them in the mud and muck, and to sing and dance beside them upon the hour of victory!”


She seized her own glass of the potent drink in hand, raising it above her head as she shouted to the room at large, her voice amplified that it carried to the furthest reaches of the room. “What say you, my daughters? Eat, drink, and be merry - for though tomorrow we may die, but we do so willingly for a brighter future!”

A resounding cheer broke out from countless throats as, in unison, mortals and Astartes alike raised their glasses of a thousand different brews above their heads, echoing a variation of the words of the Sixteenth Primarch. 

She turned back to Wolfram, grinning ear to ear as she drained the remainder of the glass, gesturing for him to finish his own. “Go on, brother! We don’t fight for the sake of professionalism - we fight for [i]Humanity[/i]. Indulge in your own! I’ve heard so much about you, but I very well can’t have you standing here like a marble statue!” Something caught her eye, and she raised a hand, calling out to an mortal man who walked past carrying a platter of roasted meats. “Lakhem! A moment dear boy!” She sauntered over, plucking two drumsticks from his platter as he stared in awe at the Fourth Primarch behind the Sixteenth. “Oh, go on!” She chided, “The cooks are bringing out more as we speak! If you hurry you can get first pick!”

She turned to Wolfram, extending one of the succulent pieces of meat to him. “You may have attended finer matters, my brother, and Kayaamat certainly had such at one point! But those times are past. Eat! Drink! No, no, you don’t get a fork!” She tore a chunk of meat from her own drumstick, savoring the richly spiced flavors and the thick glaze that coated it, golden finery reflecting a million different lights as it jingled and danced to her motions, and she smiled brightly at him.

Taking the drumstick in one hand, Wolfram cocked an eyebrow at the dish. He wasn’t exactly unfamiliar with the principle, it was simply something he’d never had much direct exposure to. Sinking his teeth into the meat, he tore a hefty strip of the flesh away and quickly consumed it. To anyone watching his face, his eyes would once again betray his stony expression with a stab in the back, shining a spotlight on his enjoyment of the delicacy.

While no stranger to the concept of flavor, Wolfram was unaccustomed to more traditionally-prepared meals. Much of his career involved eating the same standard-issue rations or mess hall food as those under his command, and while they were far from substandard in quality, they were but nutrient paste in comparison to the extravagance of the Sixteenth Legion. Speaking in the same stern tone as ever, Wolfram made his satisfaction known.

“My compliments to our chefs, dear sister. They’re certainly experts of their craft. There’s no denying the level of quality of skill on display within the halls of your domain. The food is certainly as tasteful as it seems. Perhaps I should distribute some of the recipes among my sons and their comrades…”

Wolfram would practically dive in for another bite after this, taking a large chunk of the drumstick’s meat with him. As he ate, the general stiffness of his posture and attitude began to melt away. While still far more formal and regimented than those around him, those watching would notice his stance and movements were more in flow with the crowd of the celebration.

“I’m pleased our meeting is this fortunate, sister. It has been too long since I’ve attended any form of celebration, let alone one this casual.”

Eiohsa’s grin grew wider in response, and she in turn tore off a chunk of the meat in her own hand, chewing on the succulent, juicy bird with relish. “So much better with real meat.” She remarked, her voice mixed with laughter. “Before I took control of Kayaamat - only the very rich knew the taste of foods like these. The common people, to say nothing of the underhives where I was raised? Hah! We grew the spices in makeshift greenhouses, fertilized with whatever we could find! We’d still have the rice, at least. But this?” She gestured to the meat in hand, “Ah the jewelbirds of Sau’kri, a pleasure world used by the rich and powerful for their getaways! They grow some of the finest wines in the Imperium, and bred these birds specifically for their meat and plumage.”

She pulled him further into the room, “Come, come! Tell me, brother, what foods you enjoy most upon Parrisan! My cooks can craft whatever recipes you desire! No longer must they work     sixteen hour factory shifts - they are free to pursue what they love! And they love a challenge!”

Wolfram made no hesitation to continue deeper into the room with her, continuing to take in the sights, sounds and smells with a mix of bemusement and curiosity. He carried on his enjoyment of the bird leg, pausing only to reply to his sister’s boisterous speaking.

“It has been quite some time since I’ve visited Parrisan last, my Legion and I don’t spend much time there. But when we do make the trip, I’ve always been partial to what we call Aguasan. It's a blend of native meats and vegetables pressed into a flat shape, seasoned, and fried. It was mainly served alongside a mix of mash and fermented leafy greens.”

He paused to enjoy the last of his leg, discarding the remains once there was a chance to do so. “The exact ingredients were always rather vague, never being made of the same thing twice given the size of the World-City, the only Hive on Parrisan. Different regions got their produce from different parts of the land beyond the walls. A dish with plenty of room for creativity, something I imagine your chefs will enjoy.”

Grabbing another drink to help wash down the finely-spiced and hearty bird, he took a deep swig before continuing. “I wasn’t exactly exposed to day-to-day life on Parrisan. They were already advanced people when I first arrived, space-faring and consisting of a few worlds ruled together, so I was quickly treated as a ‘project’ by the government, for lack of a better term. I look upon my upbringing fondly enough, but I was effectively a soldier from day one. So much of the pleasures and experiences of you and our other siblings are rather foreign to me.”

He took another draw from the beverage in hand and held it up in a gesture. “It’s certainly an experience that grows on you, though.”

Eiohsa quirked an eyebrow at him. “Pleasures? Hah! You’ll have to ask one of the others about those! Has the World City of Parrisan an underhive? A land wherein the dregs of society fall to the depths to fester and ferment amidst the runoff of a trillion souls? A rotten, poisonous mire of mutants, cults of dark gods, murderers, and more?” She smirked, “[i]That[/i] is where I grew, brother. I will not spoil your appetite with the details, but everything you see before you is a luxury and a celebration of life denied the people of Kayaamat by their former rulers for centuries, perhaps millenia!”

She lead Wolfram to the front of the hall, where another table of dishes lay - some of them bearing a strong resemblance to those of Parrisan. “I do my research on every sibling - I’m glad to hear mention of this [i]aguasan[/i] - I read of it whilst researching you, and tasked the cooks with designing their own takes on it and some of the other foods of Parrisan! It’s a rare treat to meet one of my siblings - even less so one who is of…” She paused, her expression turning into a distasteful frown, “an agreeable disposition, shall we say?” 

She gestured to a chair positioned by them, sized for a Primarch, taking seat in another near it, her legs and arms folded as she watched him. “So you were a soldier your whole life, eh? What was it like? Drills and strategy and training from morning ‘til dusk? Seems to me neither of us had much in the way of family on our homes. You ever think to take charge yourself, remake the world? I barely had a choice in the matter - but it’s a curious mixture of what documents are and aren’t accessible to my eyes! Tell me!” She gestured to the plates of food before him, many of them swimming in slow simmered sauces and broths filled with crushed herbs and aromatic oils, more of a Kayaamati take upon the foods of Parrisan than a true recreation. “And tell me what you think!”

Wolfram sat down alongside his sister, carefully selecting a few of the different dishes fashioned after those of his homeworld, slipping in bites from the meal between time spent speaking, even his method of dining was formal and rigid like a career officer. “My upbringing was modeled after Parrisan’s officer academies for the Defense Forces, but with specific adaptations for both my childhood and my physique and stature. There was leisure time, but for the most part it was a blend of a more traditional military career coupled with being a bit of a science experiment.”

“As far as taking over goes...It was something I’ve never desired. My talents are best suited for logistics and broad strategic planning, the finer points of politics and civil service elude me. While not the most equitable it could have been, Parrisan’s form of democracy was more than suitable for the needs of its citizenry in the long run. Even when our father deemed me governor of both the sector and its namesake world, I quickly created an ‘acting governor’ role elected in the same way as Parrisan’s former chancellery, and it carried on as normal.”

Gesturing broadly to the banquet that lay before them, Wolfram offered his sister a genial smile. “Once again, your chefs have taken my expectations and outclassed them tenfold. Their blending of the recipes of my homeworld with the ingredients on hand is truly masterful.”

Eiohsa nodded as she listened to her brother’s explanation of his upbringing. It was, like with all the others, radically different from her own. Moreso than most things, she enjoyed hearing of the differences in perspective and upbringing between her and the other children of the Emperor. “Democracy, eh?” She mused, “Certainly, preferable to an unaccountable tyrant hoarding everything for himself. I’ve found a... a certain mixture of democracy and autocracy best. But, then, we were created to shepherd humanity into the future - rather than to reign as cruel warlords for battle and little else.” She lifted a large spoon of one of the dishes before them to her lips, savoring its intensely spicy aromas and the way the fried vegetables now melted in her mouth after their long cooking, crispy exteriors cracking apart to let savory interiors ooze onto her tongue.

“Ah, this one was my favorite of these. Do try it.” She grinned widely, lifting a bowl in which thin slices of a starchy root vegetable swam in a full pot of Kayaamati ‘fire sauce’. “Tubers like these were not common fare on Kayaamat, they are an interesting addition for sure! Ah, and, democracy! You know of Saravata I am sure - I rule over it as a whole, but democracy upon each and every world is the law of the land, brother. It was something many of them never knew until I came - and if I have my way, we’ll tear down every tyrant from here to the end of the galaxy. Humanity will know peace and prosperity in our time!”

Wolfram graciously took the bowl from Eiohsa, gently setting it in place before carefully lowering a spoon into the soupy dish, and giving it a taste. The experience was unexpected to say the least, and the label of ‘fire sauce’ certainly lived up to its name. Red flush burned its way across the man’s face as he eyed the dish, doing his best to drink from his beverage as nonchalantly as possible as he ate and listened to his sister speak, adding his own thoughts to the matter once she reached her conclusion.

“The Parrisan Star League was a democracy well before I arrived, so I can’t speak of the hardships your people faced prior to your successful leadership. As I said before, political endeavours are well beyond what I consider my duty to humanity, though I do understand the danger certain elements of societies within the Imperium can create if left unchecked. But our enemies outside our borders won’t wait for us to deal with those within. War is about priority, first and foremost, and internal strife is best handled once external security is achieved.”

Wolfram stopped to draw a cloth from his formal wear and dab at his head a bit, gesturing to the soup as he spoke. “You’ll have to forgive me. This dish is far from what I’m accustomed to.” Taking another sip of his drink, he continued. “Either way, the prosperity of your people, dear sister, is a beacon of hope for those of humanity still scattered among the stars. They’re certainly prosperous when it comes to unique food and drink at least.”

He’d raise his drink as a toast. “May all of humanity and the Imperium experience the highest peaks of life in Saravata and Parrisan.”

Eiohsa raised an eyebrow before she burst out laughing at her brother’s unexpected reaction to the dish. “My apologies, brother! I forget that not all are used to Kayaamati food, spicy as it tends to be! Please, please - here!” She reached to the table, bringing up a pitcher of a drink that seemed to change between blue and green hues at will. “We call it… well, it’s not something I can say out loud in your company, heh. It tastes… most similar to a Terran watermelon, if you’ve ever sampled such. It will cool the fire, oh brother of mine.” She said with a chuckle, taking the offending bowl of soup and returning it to the table before them. “I’ll be sure to let the cooks know to ease up on the heat for your own people.”

She leaned back in her chair, “Certainly - quelling the foe who stands before us is of utmost importance. The Imperium cannot live with enemies undefeated, banging upon its gates. But what of those foes from within? It is our obligation… nay, our [i]duty[/i] to ensure the worlds of the Imperium are running optimally. It is a fear of mine that we may overextend ourselves, and be left with an empire of primitive worlds separated by a bureaucracy that scarcely knows of their existence. We must temper our march towards tomorrow with building a solid foundation today, after all.”

Raising her glass in turn, she drained it dry, relishing the effects of the drink. “Some day, my brother, we will make it so! Tell me, then - you are one of my kin who understands there is more to this crusade than endless war, yes? It's certainly a relief."

Sipping at the color-shifting beverage as he listened, Wolfram felt relief as the heat of the soup left him. He made a mental note to be more aware of the intensity of Kayaamati food, being far more selective and reserved with his choices as the meal and conversation progressed.

“Of course there’s more to this crusade of ours. The goal is first and foremost the defense and reunification of humanity. And to do so, there has to be a careful balance of managing internal affairs with external threats. I often feel that our push forward moves at too quick a pace, that the worlds even legions such as mine and yours conquer have too little time to properly prepare their citizens for life in the Imperium. I’ve been with our father, the Emperor, for longer than any of us Primarchs, and the entire time he has moved this campaign as though it were a race against time. I often wonder if there’s something he knows, but does not speak of…”

Wolfram let out a brief sigh, the slightest hint of a frown tracing its way over his face, fingers rapping against the table briefly. His dissatisfaction was clear, even for a man whose expressions were renowned for their difficulty in spotting.

“But what matters, dear sister, is that we try. As long as someone does what they can, when they can, how they can to better those in the Imperium, there’s hope. It’s why my Legion travels and fights the way they do, so that there can be a formidable force of the Emperor’s chosen warriors in as many places as possible. We eschew a single homeworld, because the Imperium is our home. And what kind of example would we be if we didn’t take care of our home?”

“I am glad to hear that, brother. Truly.” She said in reply, “I have long felt - with little reciprocation from our kin - that the pace of the Imperium’s expansion across the stars was unsustainable. That we might find something terrible lying in wait. We are so assured of our own superiority that we disregard the notion that there might yet be things lurking in the dark that we don’t know about, things that we will struggle to contend with. The Legions have prevailed so far - but for how long? How long until some distant, unknown empire proves our match and we are unprepared for it? Will entire Legions be swallowed up in their grip? And what of the worlds upon which these battles take place?” 

She sighed, “Truthfully, I would be more surprised to learn that our father does [i]not[/i] hide dark secrets from us. Certainly, there are secrets that are not to be spoken of except in the darkest of hours. I have my own, as I am sure you do as well. That he has forbidden certain understandings of the Warp I find most suspect - it is there, I reckon, we will find the greatest mysteries. There, or buried within the past.” She took a long drink from another glass, watching her brother quietly for a moment. 

At last she spoke once more, smiling again. “But, you are right. It matters not what horrors we may face - for we do it for the noblest purpose of all. I will gladly take any burden upon my own back for our cause. I cannot say to eschew a single homeworld - I have my people, and they need me as the people of Terra need the Emperor himself. But you [i]are[/i] right. Within all of humanity lies a part of our homes.” She grinned. “And I pity whatever slime-sucking fool that thinks he can harm the home of the likes of us!”

Between the passion of their conversation, and the concoctions within the beverages and foods being served to the two of them, cracks of emotion began to piece through the bulwark of Wolfram’s traditionally cold and stoic expression. A genial smile lay bare across his face, something few could speak of having witnessed. Nodding in agreement to his sister’s words, he spoke in return.

“Indeed. Anyone who dares stand against the protectors of the Imperium, be they man, xenos, or some other foul star creature, will not find our strength lacking! I know my sons and I will fight to our last breath to defend it all, and I feel more than pleased to say the same about you and your daughters.”

His face shifted into more of a questioning gaze as he continued, subtly looking at their surroundings. “Speaking of your daughters and the Imperium, I must say I’m quite surprised at your demesne. Your worlds are practically an Imperium within the Imperium, with their own diverse culture and ways. Even the Parrisan Star League only encompassed a sector’s worth of space once it was discovered by the Emperor, and yet you controlled a realm practically ten times the size! Truly it's a testament to your leadership and administrative skills.”

Eiohsa laughed out loud in response. “It is fitting you say that, brother! Truthfully you could very, [i]very[/i] easily make the claim that I fought for the Imperium of Man without ever knowing of its existence. I accredit much of it to where I landed! Kayaamat - for all its horror and rulership by an oppressive cadre of oligarchs - was an advanced, powerful hive world at the center of its own far smaller empire. I would not have gotten nearly as far had I been lost on some feudal rock for the duration! No, Kayaamat was a world in decay - decay that I ended. But my home provided the launchpad from which I would build Saravata.”


She grinned, pouring him another glass of the potent drink. “I assume it was by our father’s hand that I awoke knowing as much as I did. I did not recall anything clear of Terra before we were scattered by means we still do not understand.” Her voice dropped in pitch as she raised her hands for dramatic effect. “But my first memory is sitting upon the shore of a burning lake beneath Hive Bronakavh, bathed in the nuclear fire beneath the crust - through which I had crawled! I was surrounded by death and by decay. By the most depraved debaucheries imaginable! By the remnants of a mighty civilization. By ash and by dust. And what did I see? Technology. Wondrous works of science and art - and I wondered why they had been left to rust down here, abandoned for eons.” She shook her head, sighing. “I knew I was not natural from the day I first drew breath. I knew I had been created - and it was obvious that some force had taken me from my creator. For all I knew that creator was dead. For a time I lost purpose - but it returned to me. Saravata was to be the Imperium of Man in and of itself, brother. A vast union to unite the galaxy under one banner. To bring peace to the stars at long last. And to safeguard the galaxy against whatever threat had landed me there.” She smirked, “Granted, it took a while longer without the Astartes. When the Emperor found me, I had brought nearly eight hundred notable worlds into my own Imperium. He told me he was proud of my empire - and that there was but one greater.” She took a sip from her glass, her smile never dimming. “His own, naturally.”

A moment passed before she reached out, laying a hand upon Wolfram’s shoulder. “Thank you, sincerely.” Her expression dropped for a second, deep concern now visible on her features. “I may be the only one of the Emperor’s daughters found thus far - but based on the rest of our brothers we have found… I am not optimistic about those we have yet to find. So thank you - for your compliment, and for being the kind of brother to make such a compliment. We are in sore need of more.”

Wolfram’s expression formed a large, proud smile as he listened to Eiohsa’s story of her life before the Imperium, having drawn nearly all his attention towards her and her tale. “Truly it is remarkable what you were able to achieve. If only there was more drive to serve and protect humanity among this Imperium, we might be much farther along.”

“My own first encounter with our father was similar, to a degree. We met upon the field of battle, sharing a hostile xenos foe. It was in the post-battle parlay between our forces that we finally met, and it was there the Emperor explained that I’d been exceeding at my very purpose well before I’d met him. Leading the military forces of Parrisan taught me much about my place in this world, and it shaped my outlook on many things. I won’t act like I don’t see the issues with our other brothers that have been found so far, but I can tell their focus is at its heart on fighting for the Imperium and its people. As for those who have not yet been found, I do worry from time to time, but I have trust in our father to prevent any active malice or harm.”

A sigh escaped Wolfram as the smile slipped from his face for a moment, appearing deep in self-contemplation, before the more jovial look quickly returned and he clasped his hands together with enthusiasm. “But lamenting about worries and concerns achieves nothing. Spend too much time fretting over what ifs and growing angry at maybes causes one to lose sight of the objectives at hand. A lesson I’ve desperately tried to impart upon one of my sons in particular, he who led the legion in my absence prior to my discovery.”

“I often feel his time as Legion Master, while giving him a breadth of experience I could never have led the Legion as effectively without, has also given him and those from his time a level of arrogance and temper I’ve found difficult to curb. I accept that much happened prior to my discovery that it’s simply difficult, if not impossible, for anyone not there to truly understand. But it's almost as though there’s a divide between those who came before and after my discovery. And such conflict can make focusing on external threats when even strife within my own Legion is a concern.”

A far more stoic and serious look took its place at the forefront of Wolfram’s expressions as he spoke of his sons, a blend of concern, care, and contemplation. “I doubt it is something that can simply be ‘solved’, but even curtailing it can prove difficult at times. Given the divide between the culture of your worlds and much of the Imperium at large, I can only imagine what you’ve experienced on that front, dear sister.”

Eiohsa visibly winced in response to her brother’s words, setting her drink down as her expression lost all traces of mirth. “Yes, brother. To say that there have been difficulties, tnesions, and strife within my Legion is to put it mildly to say the least.” She sighed, leaning back in her chair with her eyes closed. 

“Tell me, what do you know of the Wolves of Terra before my return?”

Wolfram’s eyes traced over his sister’s movements and expression, taking in the depth of her disdain and frustrations. He offered a single solemn nod before speaking. “I...Yes, I should’ve put two and two together there. Stories of their...actions have made their way to my ears more than a few times in the years before your discovery. Few and far in-between, but always unpleasant to hear of. I can’t imagine being someone of your demeanour and having that situation foisted upon you.”

She nodded grimly. “Second only to the Lurkers in brutality - unless they’d calculated such to be to their advantage. A Legion of walking corpses that lived for war. Those who spoke out against it lobotomized as servitors, their ranks filled by new sisters press-ganged into war en-masse. The ‘Carrion March’ is what they were called by the Imperial Army assigned to them. A Legion of heartless, soulless killers. Dead women walking, who did not care in the slightest. Astartes lives expended like bolter shells. Mortal lives like lasgun bolts. There is… nothing I can say to express the horror of their battlefields, brother. An abattoir of ten million men and women who might once have hoped and breathed and dreamed. [i]Human beings[/i] - our charges to protect and defend, the cause for whom we fight, shattered and crushed like protein-worms in a processing plant. All for what? Another stepping stone on galactic conquest? For what kind of future?”

A golden tear trickled down her cheek. “Had the Emperor himself not insisted they were of my blood I would have cut them all down the moment I met them. For the good of the Imperium. Many of the lower ranking troopers and officers have at long last abandoned that nihilistic death cult way of thinking - but the leaders? They bow and scrape before me and immediately resume their normal tactics. I cannot simply replace them in their entirety. The time it would take to do so would stall our campaigns for an unforgivably long time. I am trying as hard as I can, brother, to restrain myself. But some day…” she sighed, “Some day I fear I will have no choice.”

Wolfram placed a hand of reassurance upon his sister’s shoulder, speaking in a softer tone that served a stark contrast from his expected voice of stern authority. “It is not a choice one can easily make. The burden of command leads to many problems that seem unsolvable, choices that seem impossible, battles that look unwinnable. What matters is that whatever decision we make, we use it as a tool to guide those we can to a better end. Taking a life, whether through personal action or giving an order, is never supposed to be easy. The time to worry is when you find yourself making these decisions without concern or care. The fact that even in spite of their actions, you still show such care and concern for them is what makes you who you are, sister.”

The hand upon her shoulders delivered a few comforting pats as he continued. “You would not be here, commanding these soldiers, giving these orders, if it was not believed you had the capacity to make these decisions. Use your heart to temper your logic, and vice versa, and you will make it through these hardships. And worst case scenario, do not be afraid to ask myself, father, or even trusted commanders and leaders among the other parts of the Imperium, for assistance and guidance. We’re in this together, and the first step in acting like it is aiding one another.”

Another sigh. “I wish I could share in your confidence, brother. But have you ever stood before your sons and have them reject you? Have you been told by the former Legion-Master that he would end you, here and now, for defiance of the Emperor’s will? I know I am capable of such, brother. I am a Primarch, scion of the greatest man to ever live. I have faced down many an ‘unwinnable battle’ and emerged the victor. I don’t doubt my own skills.” She shook her head, staring at a far wall as she searched for the right words.

“Do you know what the Emperor told me, brother, on Terra? About my Legion? It was our job to die. The Carrion March is an apt description, because that’s what he wanted us to be. Why do we have such great numbers? The geneseed derived from me is uniquely adaptable, specifically to create a large Legion that recovers from nearly any casualties almost instantaneously. The grisliest sieges. The worst meat grinders of the Crusade. The thankless trenches filled with mud and shit and death - that’s what we were designed for. You speak of taking lives - I have personally taken [i]millions.[/i] And I still hear them. What do you know of my abilities? Psychic, I mean, what did the Emperor tell you of your sister?”

Wolfram gritted his teeth behind his lips as the direction of the conversation turned more sour and foul than he suspected either of them had planned for. Even among the living legends of the Primarchs, Wolfram was a simple man, he knew very little of the mysteries that lie beyond the veil of the world around them. “Frankly, sister, I am not even sure I know enough to say that I know nothing of the world of Psykers. I cannot begin to imagine the weight of such powers, let alone what undesired effects they bring with them.”

He exhaled sharply, bringing a hand to his chin. “I can tell though, through your words and your actions, that they bring to you a connection to those under our supervision that I could not even begin to comprehend. I can see it in the very way you walk. And I see it in our father too. I do not know if you will ever find another of your ilk among our siblings, and I know I can never fill that role. But I can say with the greatest confidence in you that I believe you will find a way to leverage that connection with what you know is just. You carry strength that, even if you cannot see it, others can. And you have the support of the greatest people ever forged by humanity.”

At these words she smiled again after some time had elapsed in silence. Whatever thoughts swirled within her mind were kept well guarded as she watched him silently, her features slowly softening once more, before she nodded at him in silent acknowledgement. “Well, truth be told I’d rather not have another like me, brother.” Her smile turned mischievous as she looked at him, raising her drink to her lips once again. “One of me is enough of a headache for our father as is. Two? I’m sure we’d cause an aneurysm even in him. I am glad to have the likes of you, however. A kindred spirit - in most things, anyway.” She winked playfully at him, draining her glass dry. 

Her features melted away before Wolfram, re-forming themselves in moments into a perfect simulacrum of himself, with the exact same pressed uniform, facial hair, and expression. The not-Wolfram sitting across from him smiled, and spoke at first in the voice of his sister, and then in his own. “It’d ruin the spice if someone else could do this, y’know?” She grinned wide, “Sister, I do believe this conduct is unbecoming of a Primarch and one of your stature at such a formal event. My Emperor, permission to breathe?”

Wolfram cocked an eyebrow at the display, taking a drink of his own before speaking. “I suppose you think that was terribly clever of you. You’d be hard-pressed to find a joke about my formality I’ve not yet heard. Next time you seek to imitate me, I recommend the form of a particularly stiff and uptight marble column.”

Another sip of his beverage, and a smile once again took center stage on the man’s face. “You do make an excellent point, though. We are who we are for a reason, being too alike in some areas would do more harm than good in the long run. And it’d certainly deprive us of the spontaneity of this mid-meal performance of yours. You’re lucky I understand the phrase ‘imitation is the sincerest form of flattery’. Void knows one of our siblings might find such a jest worthy of a duel.” A brief chuckle left his lips before he punctuated this statement with more drink, the empty container being set before him.

“And those are the siblings I don’t invite over for the parties, brother.” She responded, shifting to the original form she had taken once more. “They tend to be the ones who see the crusade as the end goal in and of itself. Perpetual war. Lots of fighting until the heat death of the universe.” She shook her head. “No, differing though we may be, we agree on the things that matter most. And that, that’s enough for me.” She said, smiling.

“We are as much products of our environment as we are the Emperor’s artifice. Certainly, if we’d stayed with him on Terra we would be unrecognizable. Some of us unequivocally for the better. Others… possibly for the worse.” She paused, then smirked at him. “It does bring up a new hypothetical - what would we be like were our places switched? Were I sent to Carcinus, you to Kayaamat, the giant crab in a suit to Parrisan, and so on.”

Wolfram offered a slight shrug. “That is hard, if not impossible, to even offer an answer of any kind to. At best, we might have become similar to those we replaced.  At worst…” He ended the thought there, leaving what would have followed best left unsaid.

“I can scarcely imagine what I would have done in your place. I may have talents in directing war, but I am far from a leader in the way you or our father are. At best, I might have become some sort of ‘weapon’ to those who would take advantage of the strength of a Primarch. So much of who I am now is due to how Parrisan’s officials reacted upon discovering me. Were you in my shoes, landing on the homeworld of a kinder, spacefaring people, you might’ve been reunited with father before the Crusade had barely left the Sol sector! Now that would have been a sight to behold.”

“Well there’s one thing you forget, brother. Saravata forms the eastern border of the Imperium. The light of the Astronomican barely reaches it through what few stable warp currents into the broader Imperium it has.” She smiled, “Distance is certainly an obstacle in and of itself. That I was found as early as I was is… well it’s almost certainly because our father was unable to ignore reports of an empire in the far east lead by a gigantic psychic woman of impeccable fashion sense.” Serenely, she lifted her glass to her lips. 

“How much of you is Parrisan, brother, and how much of you is innate? That’s the question. I doubt I would have responded as well to Parrisan - I would have tried to take control in my own right. To steer it on [i]my[/i] course. I would doubtless have tried to use it as I did Kayaamat - a springboard to bring the galaxy to heel. Chances are I probably would not have done as well taking orders from someone not the Emperor. I did that exactly once. It did not go well.” 

Wolfram offered a single nod of affirmation. “I understand. In that regard, Parrisan was almost the perfect breeding ground for my particular talents and abilities. I have no real desire to rule or lead in a complete and total capacity like our father does, or any other head of state. I’m no mindless robot following orders, but my desires and passions are focused around the effective deployment and allotment of assets, whether those be infantrymen or building materials or anything in-between. Parrisan needed someone like that. Much as Kayaamat needed an effective, yet fair, ruler.”

“We would never be the same were our places different, and some of us likely wouldn’t be here at all, or ever. And I agree that I doubt being with our father from the start would have been for the better in some cases. As much as Parrisan helped guide my skills, it also taught me valuable lessons about aiding those under your protection. I doubt I would care nearly as much about those under our purview as I do now had I been raised at our father’s side. Even being the first among him, and thus the one around him the longest, I could tell that his care for humanity is being...tempered by his desire to see the galaxy under Imperial rule, to put it kindly.”

“Naturally.” Eiohsa replied smoothly, raising her glass to him. “It’s a fun hypothetical, though, is it not? Imagine our brother Kaldun upon Parrisan! Hah!” She lifted a chunk of meat swimming in sauces to her lips, savoring the heat and powerful flavors as it burned its way down. She licked her finger in relish, pausing for a moment as she caught a mortal chef staring at her, nonplussed, and winked flirtatiously at him. 

“The Emperor is… a very intelligent man. But he is… he is blinded, to tell you the truth, to his people. Much as my early life was awful, I am almost glad I was separated. I am sure, like you, I would be a worse person if I’d grown up under his tut- no, no… his [i]shaping[/i].” She grimaced. “A serious turn for a ‘fun hypothetical’, I must admit. And that’s a damn shame.”

“Fun is the entire reason I invited you here, brother. Fun little mental exercises. Fun little parties. Fun little talks with our peers. Even with all that booze in you, all this talk, you still can’t fully relax.” She sighed, shaking her head in mock exasperation. “What ever shall I do with you?” She watched him for a moment, expressionless, before she reached down and lifted a confection from the table, tossing it to him with a laugh before she stood. “Catch, brother, and join me on the dance floor!”

The treat - composed of deep fried, paper-thin layers of dough filled with a sweet, sticky orange paste, sailed through the air towards Wolfram. Ensconced in a gentle golden glow it seemed to travel unnaturally fast for the lazy toss it had been delivered with, and as his sister stood Wolfram felt another golden aura settle around him, gently tugging him upwards.

A look of sheer surprise quickly took Wolfram’s otherwise stoic face hostage, the combination of the flying sweet and psychic shenanigans catching him very off-guard. Almost as an afterthought, a hand shot up as he caught the delicacy, rising up with the flow of the pull as he tasted the foreign dish.

“I must say, dear sister, your people certainly know how to cook.” Wolfram said between bites of the food. The blend of the sweetened paste and the surrounding breading formed a natural pair. Following along with his sister, he offered a few more words.

“I’m sure you’ll understand when I say that my life hasn’t exactly been afforded much in the way of time for this kind of enjoyment. At best, I’ve found myself in far more formal affairs, so I’m not exactly accustomed to the same type of fun.”

Giving his sister a look that very clearly said ‘Please don’t make a fool of me’, Wolfram gestured in the direction of the dance floor. “For example, I have no idea how you expect me to handle myself in this sort of situation.”

"No, brother, I imagine you're not accustomed at all to my kind of fun.” Eiohsa smirked, “Now I do know several boys and girls with particularly adventurous tastes if you're so inclined, but I wouldn’t [i]dream[/i] of sullying that uniform!” She grinned now, seizing his hand. “Just follow my lead - you’re a Primarch! You can dance better than any one of these talentless hacks! Out of the way, you lot! Saku - you’ve got better things to bury your face in than your [i]ninth[/i] serving of that stuff! Move, move!”

The crowd slowly parted to allow her to pass to the open area in the center of the vast room, laughing with the Primarch as they traded friendly barbs with a practiced ease. 

“Now!” she said, her voice filtering through the music that filled the air. “This won’t be one of the more… unusual dances. First dance I learned, matter of fact.”

She smiled at him, and Wolfram felt another golden cloud descend on him, thoughts whispering near silently in his mind, almost as if his own, a gentle nudge to move his leg in the right direction, Eiohsa throwing herself into the air to pirouette above him as if suspended upside down before landing on his other side, pulling him into a faster and faster rhythm as the Astartes and mortals beside them slowly built up a tempo of stomping feet. Not a word passed her lips for some time as she fed him suggestions and instructions, and she remained permanently smiling, a serene expression of the simple joy she took from the act. Another two glasses of the potent liquor floated in a golden light to her hand and to his. Eiohsa downed hers in a single gulp, tossing it into the air where it was caught by a mortal man thrown into the air by his Astartes dance partner, the two of them joining in again as the tempo of stomping feet began to dissolve once more into countless people singing and dancing. 

Following along with the unspoken instructions, Wolfram quickly found himself focusing on the dance much as he would on directing a battle. A series of quick actions made in response to those taken by another. The parallel was not lost on him as he followed the rhythm of their movements, the energy of the room overtaking him.

It was nothing like what he was used to, that much was sure. But unfamiliarity is not something to be shy of, and Wolfram allowed himself to get caught up in the momentum of the ongoing celebration. As the beverages came floating over, he took the one for him in hand and drew from the glass as quickly as he could, washing himself in the taste. Tossing his glass aside in a similar fashion, he continued to follow the spirit of joy that surrounded him. His face was far happier than any of those present had ever seen it, and likely would ever see it again.

“You’ve done much to show me what I’ve been missing, sister. And while I can’t say this type of celebration is for me all the time, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t enjoying myself enough to look forward to next time!” A hearty laugh left Wolfram before he continued. “I’ll have to be present when you tell the rest of our family of this, else they’ll call you a liar.”

Eiohsa snorted derisively, “Let them! Let them think what they will! What matters is the truth, and the truth is that you had fun tonight, eh? Who gives a festering bite of unprocessed wormpaste what they think? They think you’re a fool for not prioritizing war over everything else! They think I’m a fool [i]and[/i] a witch! They’re wrong! And they’ll be wrong about this too!” She grinned, pulling him into a tight embrace. “Whenever something bothers you, my home is yours. Need someone to talk to? I’ll be there. Need a drink and to forget the world for a while? I’ll be there. It’s a heavy burden we’ve taken on our shoulders - and it’s good to let it slip off for a while - even if it’s here where nobody can see. And remember - we’re in this for the long haul. You’re human - just like me, just like all of them - we can’t be soldiers every waking moment of our lives.” She smirked, “It’ll be our little secret. Top secret in fact. I’m sure nobody saw a thing.” She threw an arm around his shoulder, levitating another set of glasses beside them, “Ah we’ll let ‘em have their spot back for now. Don’t want to steal the whole show do we?”

Wolfram offered a lone nod and a smile. “I’m grateful to have someone like you to turn to. That you inspire such love and cheer in your people carries hope for this Imperium. If more in this galaxy were like you and yours, these wars would be far shorter, I’d imagine. And you’re right about who we are. More than soldiers, more than primarchs. We’re people, just like anyone else, and people can only do so much alone.”

Taking the glass in hand and pulling a long draw of the drink, he continued. “And you’re right about not needing to hog the spotlight as well. We primarchs already do so much above others, let’s not steal their pleasures as well.” Another laugh echoed from him as he finished the drink, smiling wide as he gestured outward. “Lead on, dear sister. I trust in your guidance and expertise on this matter.”

“With pleasure, dear brother.” She grinned, nodding to the Astartes and mortals she passed by. “You lot have fun now. I’ll be back later.” She lead him through the dining hall, arm around his shoulder as though friends who had known each other years. “It’s been too long since I had someone I could really show my quarters to. Though I suppose it’s more apt to call it a portfolio, frankly! Kaldun’s got no mind for it, Sarghaul will never step foot on my ship so long as I live, and Prometheus only cares for war. Come, brother, let’s get you back in your comfort zone,” she smiled, sipping from her glass as she spoke. “Building stuff.”

[b][...End Log.][/b]
[b][...Terminating.][/b]
[b][Imperial Thought for the Day: One that standeth among friends may carry the whole world upon their shoulders.][/b]
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