V3 Chapter 112: Civil War? What Gives Them the Right to Fight One With Us?
By the time Duvette returned to the Tower of Hegemony with his Custodian detachment and the thirteen Shadow Wolves of Luna, Guilliman still stood at the centre of the command chamber.
Reports from across Terra kept appearing on the holographic display, and Captain-General Trajann Valoris and Chancellor Lev Tyrion stood on either side of the long table.
The heavy doors closed behind Duvette. The thirteen Shadow Wolves of Luna stopped outside, and only Markus followed him into the command chamber.
Custodian Tribune Italeo escorted three Administratum officials, stripped of every implant and comm device, forward to stand before Guilliman.
"We've got all the evidence." Duvette took off his peaked cap, brushing the dust from the gold double-headed eagle without much thought. "The Administratum's core Cogitators and archive systems are secured, and the records of how the execution rider was drafted survived intact. We've also got three important witnesses: the Deputy Master, the Chief Archivist, and the Keeper of the Authority Seal."
Guilliman raised his head from the projection, looked over the three officials, their faces bloodless with fear, then settled his gaze on Duvette. "And Ilthor Cimotrion?"
Duvette smiled, and didn't answer right away. He drew a data crystal chip from inside his coat and set it down on the table.
"His ending's on the recording."
The command chamber fell briefly silent. The corner of Tyrion's eye twitched, ever so slightly. Guilliman looked at Duvette; he'd already gotten his answer from those words alone.
"He refused arrest?" Guilliman asked.
"Cimotrion deployed the Administratum's personal guard against the Custodians, attempted to destroy evidence, and finally fled toward a hidden spaceport through a secret passage." Italeo stepped forward and reported, low. "Marshal-Commissar Duvette confirmed he continued to resist arrest by force, and carried out the execution under the authority you granted him. My recording systems preserved the entire process."
Guilliman glanced at Italeo, then reached out and picked up the data crystal.
He slotted it into a data-slate, and footage of the execution scene appeared before him at once.
Cimotrion's final justification, the attack his guards launched, and the moment Duvette took his head — all of it was recorded with perfect clarity.
Guilliman watched the entire recording in silence, his face betraying little.
"Fine. The execution falls within the scope of my order." Guilliman closed the recording. "Seal this record together with the rest of the evidence."
Italeo handed over the remaining data crystals in full.
The execution rider the Administratum had kept, the authority-invocation records, the core Cogitators' logs, and the communications between Cimotrion and the other High Lords all appeared before Guilliman, one after another.
For an ordinary official, a volume of documents like this might take a whole team of scribes several days to sort through.
Guilliman needed only a short span of time to read through it all and cross-check every piece.
As the last document closed, his expression turned utterly cold.
Cimotrion had falsified the detention-and-review order the Council of High Lords had passed, appropriating the original resolution's file number to do it.
He and several other High Lords had bypassed the Council procedure under Tyrion's charge together, issuing a covert execution order to the Assassinorum, and had gone on to prepare the erasure of every participant's own records.
Had the operation succeeded, Duvette would have been declared a dangerous individual tainted by Chaos.
The two Lord Inquisitors, having died at the assassination site, would have been recorded as killed by Duvette and the Shadow Wolves of Luna.
Guilliman raised his head, looking to the three Administratum officials kneeling on the floor.
A single glance from him was enough to make all three of them go rigid at once.
The weight of a gene-Primarch's presence bore down on them, and the Keeper of the Authority Seal in particular could barely hold his kneeling posture under it.
"I'll give you one chance to live." Guilliman said. "Give a full, honest account of Cimotrion's entire plan, and name every participant in it. Once what you provide is verified, I can waive your death sentence."
The three officials exchanged a furtive glance, and none of them dared to speak first.
"Refuse to testify, or keep helping the rebels conceal their crimes, and you'll be executed for joint rebellion." Guilliman went on. "Your families, your assets, and your political ties will all come under full review. Anyone found to have taken part in this conspiracy will face judgment right alongside you."
The Deputy Master of the Administratum was the first to lower his head.
Things had already gone this far. Cimotrion himself had died under Duvette's blade.
There was no longer any point in keeping the secret. It would only drag their own families into the investigation along with them.
"I'll testify, my lord Regent." The Deputy Master of the Administratum said, his voice trembling. "I'll tell you everything I know."
The Chief Archivist and the Keeper of the Authority Seal soon made the same choice.
The three were made to answer Guilliman's questions separately, and any discrepancy between their answers was pressed at once.
The Deputy Master laid out the connections between Cimotrion and the other High Lords; the Chief Archivist named the scribes responsible for destroying the records; the Keeper of the Authority Seal explained the entire process behind the rider's alteration and the invocation of authority.
All three testimonies corroborated the evidence Guilliman already held, and the list of everyone involved in the conspiracy grew steadily more complete.
Beyond the several High Lords themselves, the conspiracy reached dozens of senior officials, fleet officers, noble proxies, and merchant guild representatives.
They'd been responsible for supplying transit authorisation, funding, personnel, and secret communication channels, and had even prepared the official announcement to be issued after Duvette's death, well in advance.
Guilliman closed the data-slate, his gaze sweeping across the three officials, their faces now the colour of ash.
"Take them away. Hold them separately. Whether they live depends on how the review that follows turns out."
Italeo raised a hand, and several Custodians stepped into the command chamber at once. The three officials, their last strength spent, were all but dragged from the room.
Once the doors closed again, Guilliman turned to Tyrion and Trajann.
"Where do the other four stand?"
"They've refused your arrest order." Tyrion answered. "They claim the Emperor's authorisation of you hasn't yet completed registration and certification by the Council of High Lords. Until that so-called certification is finished, they intend to suspend compliance with every order from the Imperial Regent."
"They mean to use Council procedure to overturn the Emperor's own command?" Guilliman asked.
"They need a reason to keep resisting. Whether that reason actually holds up doesn't concern them anymore." Tyrion let out a sigh.
Trajann projected a situation map of Terra onto the long table, and several regions marked themselves out at once.
"Grand Provost Marshal Avelisa Delakhma has gathered every Arbitrator still willing to follow her, and sealed off the Adeptus Arbites' core district." Trajann said. "The Arbites is split down the middle right now. Some Arbitrators are demanding verification of the Regency decree; others have already refused to keep carrying out the Grand Provost Marshal's orders. The two sides are facing off across several streets."
"The Arbitrators are still holding back for the moment, but heavy vehicles and riot weapons have already moved into position."
"If either side fires first, the entire Adeptus Arbites district will descend into open fighting."
Trajann raised a hand and switched the map.
"Lord Commander Militant Mar af Ashariel has mobilised the War Office's personal guard, several Astra Militarum regiments garrisoned in the Outer Palace, and part of the Palace garrison force responsible for traffic security. He's seized control of dozens of transit hubs under the pretext of preventing civil war, and refuses to relinquish command authority."
"Some officers have long-standing ties to him, and will keep following his orders. Most of the remaining units are still waiting to confirm the Regency decree; the moment the Custodians arrive and publicly read out the Emperor's authorisation, their will to resist will very likely collapse fast."
"Lord High Admiral Merelda Perez is currently aboard the Solar Battle Fleet's flagship." Tyrion picked up the thread. "She claims a security threat has emerged in Terran orbit, and has ordered every vessel to hold its current position, refusing to carry out the order to open the transit lane."
"Only some of her captains are following her." Trajann said. "The rest of the fleet is waiting on a final ruling from the Imperial Regent and the Solar Fleet's own command. The Macragge's Honour has already entered its designated orbit, but both sides' weapon systems remain at full alert."
Guilliman studied the points of light representing the fleets on the holographic map.
If even a single Solar Fleet vessel fired first, Terran orbit could erupt into a civil war of massive scale.
"And Baldo Slester?" Guilliman asked.
Tyrion's expression grew heavier still.
"The Ecclesiarch hasn't mobilised any regular military strength. Over the Ecclesiarchy's own broadcast channels, he's declared that he accepts you as the returned son of the Emperor, but refuses to acknowledge that you've actually received the God-Emperor's authorisation."
New footage appeared on the holographic display.
Within the Outer Palace's Ecclesiarchy district, an enormous crowd of the faithful had already occupied the Pilgrim's Way and the Cathedral Plaza, with still more kneeling inside the chapels and prayer halls.
These worshippers had originally gathered across Terra to celebrate Guilliman's return.
Once the Ecclesiarchy's order went out, they'd begun converging on the basilica where the Ecclesiarch himself sat, their numbers already climbing into the tens of millions.
They held aloft icons of the Emperor and reliquary caskets, choking every major road leading into the Ecclesiarchy district.
Some priests walked at the head of the crowd, demanding again and again that Guilliman prove publicly that he'd received the Emperor's own will, and had become the Imperium's Regent.
"Slester is demanding you suspend the purge, and prove publicly that the Emperor granted you the Regency." Tyrion said. "He's also demanding Duvette be handed over to the Ecclesiarchy and the Inquisitorial Tribunal for joint review. He claims Duvette may have used some power to influence you."
"Well, would you look at that. My name again." Duvette said, arms folded. "The man really does hate me."
"If we send troops to arrest him by force, tens of millions of worshippers could easily descend into chaos." Tyrion said. "He's put civilians directly in front of himself, and he's waiting for us to make the first move."
Guilliman watched the footage in silence. Among the crowd were old men and children, and countless pilgrims who'd crossed the stars to reach Terra, every one of them believing they were defending the Emperor's own will.
Duvette suddenly walked over to Guilliman's side, and lowered his voice. "I might be able to help you with this one."
Guilliman turned to look at him.
The two of them held each other's gaze for a moment, and Guilliman understood what Duvette meant almost at once.
"You're certain?" Guilliman asked.
"Of course. Whether the faithful choose to believe it is a different question entirely." Duvette gave a small smile.
Guilliman drew his gaze back, then looked to Tyrion. "Go deal with the Ecclesiarch first. Tell him I'm willing to prove my father's authorisation publicly. But the location, the timing, and the witnesses present will be decided by us."
"Require him to restrain the faithful, and forbid them from advancing any closer to the restricted military zones. Suspend all public transit into the Ecclesiarchy district until the formal meeting begins, and reach out to whichever Cardinals haven't yet declared public support for him."
Tyrion caught Guilliman's meaning quickly. "I'll have him put in writing, in his own hand, exactly what evidence it would take for him to recognise your Regency."
"Go do it." Guilliman said. "Keep them stable for now."
Tyrion bowed his head and accepted the order, then glanced once more at Duvette. He had no idea how this young general planned to prove the Emperor's own will, but Guilliman had clearly already accepted the plan.
Guilliman turned back to the Terra and orbital situation map. He understood perfectly well that a single mishap now could see the entire conflict spiral out fast.
Duvette noticed him watching, and shrugged. "You know me. Politics isn't my strong suit. If it were up to me, there's only one solution."
He raised his right hand, made a chopping motion in front of the others, then brought it down hard.
"They don't have the right to fight this civil war with us."
A smile spread across Duvette's face, one that left Tyrion distinctly uneasy.
Guilliman drew a deep breath, and closed his eyes. A moment later, he opened them again, and the last trace of hesitation was gone from his face.
"Tyrion. Issue a final ultimatum to every force still under the rebel High Lords' control." Guilliman ordered. "Anyone who disarms and surrenders their comm and command authority within the time limit will not be held responsible for having followed a superior's orders. Anyone who continues carrying out orders from a High Lord whose powers have been suspended will be treated as taking part in the rebellion."
"After that, contact the Minotaurs' Chapter Master, Asterion Moloc." Guilliman's finger came down on the orbital map. "Tell him: if the Minotaurs are still loyal to the Imperium, loyal to the Golden Throne, then board the Navy's flagship under the Imperial Regent's order, and arrest Merelda Perez."
"The Macragge's Honour and whatever of the Solar Fleet remains loyal to the Regency will blockade her flagship. If she continues ordering the fleet to open fire, the Minotaurs are authorised to execute her on the spot."
Tyrion bowed his head, recording the order. "As you command, my lord Regent."
Guilliman turned to the Captain-General. "Trajann. Deploy a Custodian force that can be spared from the core defence zone, and send them to the Adeptus Arbites district. Display the Regency decree publicly to every Arbitrator present, and demand they disarm immediately."
"Bring Avelisa Delakhma back here. If she continues ordering the Arbites to open fire on the Custodians, you may decide how to handle her yourself."
Trajann tightened his grip on the Watcher's Axe. "The Emperor's will shall be carried out."
Last, Guilliman turned to Duvette.
"Your force has already reached the Outer Palace, and is completing assembly in the designated area." Guilliman said. "Take the 112th and Italeo's detachment, and handle the War Office district Mar af Ashariel controls."
"This is a battlefield suited to you."
Duvette grinned. He understood well enough that Guilliman still held a necessary caution about his abilities, and so had only left Italeo and the twenty Custodians under his command for this.
Still, it would be more than enough.
Those Custodians, fully enhanced, could tear through a mortal-manned heavy defensive line in seconds. Add the 112th, already on the ground in the Outer Palace, and no number of enemy troops was going to change the outcome.
"If the good Lord Commander Militant doesn't feel like surrendering, I'm sure you won't mind if I just deal with him directly." Duvette said.
"Give him the chance to disarm first." Guilliman answered. "If he keeps commanding his forces in resistance, or attempts to destroy evidence or flee Terra, you're authorised to execute him on the spot."
"Good enough for me."
Duvette put his peaked cap back on and turned to walk out of the command chamber. Italeo was already waiting outside the doors with his Custodian detachment, and the thirteen Shadow Wolves of Luna rose to their feet at the same moment.
Orders from the Tower of Hegemony spread out fast across Terra. The Custodians began mobilising, the Macragge's Honour adjusted her orbit, and the 112th, already grounded on the surface, brought every one of its armoured vehicles online.
Guilliman remained in the command chamber, continuing to review the officials, nobles, and merchants connected to the rebel High Lords.
He wouldn't execute a man simply for opposing reform. But everyone who'd taken part in falsifying orders, supplying arms, or helping the rebels flee would have to pay a price.
Duvette, meanwhile, would take care of the most dangerous part of it.
He was the sharpest weapon Guilliman had at his disposal right now, the hardest of them all to bind by ordinary rules, a blade with a mind of its own.
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