Chapter Text
-Leman russ-
The tension inside this room was so high that it could probably be cut with a chainsword, not that a chainsword couldn’t cut through most things.
The persons guilty of this unbearable atmosphere were of course Lion and Perturabo, and I couldn't help but feel bad for the oddly tall servant that was with us in the room with a jar of water and biscuits for our enjoyment.
Well, let's get this going.
“I’m Leman Russ, Son of the emperor, his executioner and all that bullshit stuff, I’m going to act as the moderator of this reunion” I said lightheartedly, fully embracing my savage persona that I was so used to adopting.
At that a silence returned to the room, the only sound was the slight squirming of the servant, doing his best to not collapse, having already collapsed the tower of biscuits he had due to his shaking.
“Perturabo, you have done many unlawful things, betraying the Emperor beloved by all, yet in his infinite grace he decided to spare you” Lion started blabbering, in what I mockingly once called his ‘knightly voice’, Perturabo seemed totally disinterested.
“And thus, as his son, so shall I excuse you, but you shall never be forgiven by your countless sins, amongst them the trickery you showed me” At the mention of the trickery, Perturabo eyes seemed somehow brighter, I myself could feel a smirk rise that I masterfully hid, but not before Lion noticed our amusement.
“Yet like the knights of the lupus order in old Caliban who betrayed the order by betraying our pact, you shall also be given a second chance” Oh my god, could you just get to the point, this is getting annoying.
“Perturabo, Primarch of the Iron Warriors, I request your assistance to purge the xeno scum known as the drukhari in a new crusade, and thus gain enough trust to regain the full force of your legion” Lion, finally finished his proposition ending his rant on a imperious voice.
“Why?” He asked in the most cold voice I’ve ever heard before, only short of the Emperor himself.
At that rebuttal Lion seemed taken aback, as if he didnt expect that question, which fair enough made sense.
Calibanite culture, especially the ones found in knightly orders valued quests to prove one's worth, either for redemption or for a promotion.
Contrarily, Olympia had a culture based on transactional interest, you do something for me and I do something for you, no feelings allowed.
It seems that even with his social skills improving the slightest after the destruction of caliban, he was still too awkward to understand his own kin, same thing for Perturabo.
“What do you mean why!?” Lion said, punching the table with his fist, causing it to break, that the servant that was still there had totally abandoned his station and went to a corner to fidget with a seemingly mundane trinket, poor guy.
“What do I gain by helping, yes having my legion to full strength would be nice and all, but I have more important matters to attend to, my work contract only specified protecting the 5 hundred worlds surrounding the eye of terror, not go on petty crusade” Perturabo said raising from his seat to show his full height, clearly ready to face the challenge posed by the lion.
“So you don't know about the fate of your brother?” Lion said befuddled and furious at the ignorance of Perturabo, I knew perfectly what he was referring to, and had been greatly saddened by the news, but there was nothing I could do, I tried to talk about it with him, but he didn't seem particularly interested on his kin.
“What do you mean?” Perturabo said, now more confused than angry.
“Jagathai is missing, the dark eldar took him” The lion said grimmly.
“And what does that have to do with me helping you?” He said not caring a bit about the knowledge of his missing kin.
“Do you not care about your brother?!” Lion shouted once again, eliciting the glass bottles to break.
“No” He said in a tone I swear I heard Rogal use before
“The fuck you mean no!” Lion said, rising to his full height and shouting at loud, at this point the servant's ear begun to bleed, something something a beast pretending to be a knight.
“I don't have any responsibilities towards any of my kin, we're just coworkers not brothers!” Perturabo shouted, at this point the servant was crying in a corner, seated in a puddle of his own filth praying to not be killed, I quickly positioned myself to protect him knowing well what was going to happen next.
“Says the person who killed her sister!” Lion shouted
“Et tu brutus, remember Luther?!” Perturabo corresponded, and with that a brawl started.