=== Maximus ===
Maximus sat alone in a dimly lit observation chamber, his massive armored form hunched forward on a reinforced bench as he stared through the thick viewport panel at the shattered husk of Mandalore below.
The once-proud world was now reduced to a smoldering ruin of fractured continents floating through the void, a constant reminder of the cataclysmic price paid in this brutal cross-galaxy crusade.
He looked away from the planet down to his new mechanical left hand.
His thoughts churned with a torrent of sorrow and simmering anger over the deaths of his brothers, leaving him as the last surviving member of the original three Space Marines who had first awakened in this strange new universe, a solitary burden that weighed heavily on his shoulders.
It drove him to isolate himself from even his fellow Astartes in these quiet hours. He refused to let any of it show on his stoic face, his features locked into an unyielding mask, though inside his twin hearts ached with the profound emptiness of irreplaceable loss, the kind that no amount of resilience could fully dull.
The soft hiss of a nearby door sliding open broke the heavy silence, and Nira stepped into the room.
"Maximus, how are you doing?" He rose slowly to his full height without turning immediately, his voice emerging as a steady, emotionless rumble when he replied.
"I am fine," he said before reaching for the new helmet resting on the bench beside him, locking it securely to his hip as he made to leave the chamber and return to his duties. Nira moved to intercept him with a careful hand on his armored forearm, her tone softening further as she insisted.
"It's okay to show emotion, you know. You've been through quite a lot in the past month. More than any warrior should have to bear in such a short time." Maximus paused. "Grand Regent, where exactly are you going with this? I have other preparations to oversee before we launch our final assault on the Maw."
She held his stare for a long moment, her expression one of genuine compassion. "I am sorry your brothers are gone Maximus."
The Ultramarine inclined his head slightly. "Everything has a purpose. The Emperor has ordained it so."
Nira reached into a pouch at her side and held out her hand, revealing two carefully preserved insignias, one of the Black Templars and one of the Salamanders. "I retrieved these from both of their living quarters. I hope you don't mind."
She stepped closer then, fastening each insignia onto the broad expanse of his chestplate already adorned with numerous laurels and purity seals, the small symbols clicking into place amid the larger tapestry of his honors.
Maximus looked down at the new additions for a moment before giving her a single, respectful nod of acknowledgment.
Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving Nira standing alone in the observation chamber as the distant ruin of Mandalore continued to drift silently beyond the viewport.
As Maximus walked through the SunEater to the command deck, he soon found Mephiston resting in one of the medical chambers. The Chief Librarian showed signs of remarkably swift recovery under the care of Blood Angels apothecaries, his pale features less twisted by the remnants of the Black Rage he had already pulled himself out of for a third time.
Maximus paused at the threshold for a long moment, his gaze steady upon his cousin, offering a silent nod of respect and relief that the warrior had clawed his way back from the abyss before continuing on without disturbing the man's much-needed rest.
Eventually he arrived at the main control room, the vast chamber still bearing the scars of their earlier fierce confrontation with Vader, where shattered consoles had workers hastily repairing or replacing them.
There, leaning over a large, flickering holo-table that projected a detailed star map of the region leading toward the Maw, stood the two Primarchs.
They conversed about the impending final assault, dissecting strategies for the coming campaign against the ancient evil that lurked at its heart. They spoke of the uncertainty surrounding Abeloth's homeworld, the precise planet from which she drew her corrupting power remaining hidden among the treacherous anomalies and shadowed systems, making any direct strike risky without confirmation, and both agreed that dispatching a scout force represented the most prudent path forward to identify the source before committing the full might of their forces.
The two Primarchs turned almost simultaneously as Maximus entered the massive room. Vulkan gave Sanguinius a subtle nod of acknowledgement before the Great Angel addressed the Ultramarine directly.
"Maximus, your timing is fortuitous. What is your opinion on our current objective here?" he asked, gesturing toward the glowing hololithic display where swirling nebulae and hazard markers pulsed ominously.
Maximus approached the table, his eyes scanning the projected star charts as he replied steadily. "I overheard your discussion regarding a scout group, my lords. I believe it is the best option available to us. Rushing blindly into the Maw without knowing which world fuels Abeloth's power would invite unnecessary catastrophe, especially with the forces we still command after the losses on Mandalore."
Both Primarchs nodded in unison, their expressions reflecting shared wisdom forged across millennia of warfare before Sanguinius continued. "Would you lead this mission?"
Maximus met their gazes without hesitation, his voice resonant with unyielding loyalty as he answered. "If it is your will, my Lords, I will do so."
Vulkan's deep voice rumbled approvingly as he placed a massive hand on the edge of the holo-table. "Very well, Maximus. Go and prepare a team of Astartes capable of achieving this mission. Select only the finest for stealth and endurance, for the anomalies within the Maw will test even the strongest among us. We shall await your beacon before launching the greater assault."
Maximus offered a crisp salute, his fist striking his chestplate over the new insignias with a resonant clang before turning to depart the command center.
=== Obi-Wan ===
Obi-Wan and Ahsoka sat in the modest confines of one of the SunEater's many repurposed apartments.
The room was sparse with its pair of simple sleeping quarters adjoining a central living area that offered little in the way of comfort beyond a kitchen, a table, and a viewport overlooking the scarred void where Mandalore's ruins still floated like dying embers.
Their presence was a strange limbo between guests and detainees under the watchful eyes of a full squad of Salamanders standing guard outside the sealed door at all times.
The two Jedi had spent the hours in quiet reflection, Obi-Wan meditating on the Force's turbulent currents while Ahsoka paced restlessly, both aware that they were not true prisoners yet still bound by the authority of these transhuman warriors.
The door suddenly hissed open with a pneumatic sigh, admitting a pair of massive Salamanders.
"The Primarch wishes to see you both. Follow us."
The Astartes stood aside to allow the Jedi passage before they escorted Obi-Wan and Ahsoka through the winding, battle-scarred halls of the colossal station, where distant echoes of repairs and preparations for the coming assault.
Ahsoka could feel the undercurrent of disdain radiating from the Salamanders like heat from a forge.
Soon they arrived at a larger, more fortified chamber where Vulkan held court amid a handful of his sons, the Primarch's massive frame dominating the space as he leaned over a tactical display, his noble features etched with the wisdom and weariness of one who had endured the galaxy's harshest fires, before he turned his gaze fully upon the arriving Jedi.
Vulkan seemed wary of Ahsoka, his eyes narrowing slightly, yet his demeanor remained measured and hospitable as he gestured toward seats with a massive hand.
"Sit. Relax. There is no need for formality here." he rumbled, his voice deep and grounding like the rumble of shifting tectonic plates.
The Jedi complied, lowering themselves into the seats while the Salamanders around the room took up guarded positions at every exit, their weapons held ready but not overtly threatening.
Vulkan regarded Obi-Wan steadily for a long moment before speaking. "Do you truly remember nothing of the time we spent together in the Warp? The trials we faced, the paths we walked?" Obi-Wan offered a sincere bow of his head, his expression one of genuine regret as he replied. "I apologize, Lord Vulkan. I do not remember anything from that ordeal. I chose to give those memories up to protect myself and my allegiances."
Vulkan leaned back in his massive seat, the reinforced structure creaking under his weight, and nodded slowly with a thoughtful hum. "Well... it might be for the best. People never leave the Warp unscathed, and some truths are better left forgotten in the shadows." He paused, shifting the conversation as he looked between the two Jedi.
"Now then, I have thought long and hard about what to do with you both. After much deliberation, I have come to the conclusion that I will release you from Imperium control. You are free to go wherever you see fit, provided you do not actively participate in fighting against the Imperium in the coming conflict. What is approaching in the Maw will demand our full attention and strength, and we cannot afford divided fronts."
Obi-Wan inclined his head respectfully, his voice warm with appreciation. "That is very generous of you, Lord Vulkan." The Primarch's expression softened, a faint smile touching his lips.
"Anything for an old friend."
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