A Monster in Hell: A 40K Story

Chapter-35

"The development that there are Men of Iron fighting alongside these Chaotic Beings will make this conflict significantly more difficult. Fabricator-General Kyles, please provide us an exposition of their capabilities." asked Rampart as he surveyed the room.

"Esteemed ladies and gentlemen, the Men of Iron are a nightmarish threat. Some have been utilized by the techno-barbarian Warlords during the Age of Strife. But an application of this scale was curbed by the Empress during the Unification Wars and the Great Crusade, so such a return is unexpected. The Men of Iron make use of nanotechnology to quickly erect their own makeshift war fortresses from where well-equipped Men of Iron are rolled out in the dozens per minute with advanced Cogitators with holographic technology. They make use of things like Octa Dimensional Printers to help create their Iron Men. Automated War Machines and new Printers and Forges are also erected quickly. They can create an army to take over a single planet in an hour. By an approximate estimation of their capabilities, they can conquer the galaxy within a few decades if unchecked. They have many advanced weaponry and equipment, some of which we recognize. The descriptions of the other weapons and technology are provided here. What is elite equipment in the Imperium is being rolled out like standard equipment for them. However, we are delighted to inform you that the Empiricist Council had already captured some of this technology, and are trying to reverse-engineer, mass-produce and improve upon such technology. Given enough STCs and captured technology we will be able to conquer the galaxy in decades."  The new appointed Fabricator-General of Mars, Terran Kyles, spoke in a deep, metallic, hissing voice.

"Another piece of good news is that a small number of Men of Iron and God-Beasts from the Dark Age of Technology are helping us fight these renegade Men of Iron and Chaotic Forces. They have killed dozens of their own, and are aiding our soldiers escape high-intensity warzones largely unscathed. Their very involvement has aided the war on Mars by a huge deal. By the Supreme Leader's orders and out of the pleas of our Guardsmen these Men of Iron have not been exterminated." Veers added.

There were some half-hearted protests. The War Council of Mars, as it was, was conflicted. Conflicted between (somewhat justified) Imperial propaganda that told them to kill the Artificial Intelligence, and the tales of their loyalty that told them to be spared. 

"Most importantly," Kyles broke the silence, "The rogue Nissan Car has been captured and is being held in the specially-constructed Cells. He awaits interrogation for numerous crimes that includes deposing the rightful Fabricator-General of Mars, Tech-Heresy, conspiring with the powers of the Warp, interference with our Noosphere, attempting to steal our STCs, hacking into our database, Tech-genocide, actual genocide, and more. He awaits your interrogation."

"I see. I will see him in the Cells after this Council is concluded, then." I spoke, "What about the rest of the red Crusade and the Primarch Prisoner?"

"The Night Hauntress is stable, albeit stubborn, though she randomly breaks into temper tantrums and crying fits. She is actually more sane and intelligent than the propaganda said." spoke Kitten, "Not only that, she refuses to say anything unless you visit her personally."

"Why are you holding the Eighth, my Lord?" Rampart asked, curious.

"She is a test, an experiment, a potential pathway. She holds little signs of Chaos corruption. I say little because some amount of corruption is inevitable, High Lord-Admiral. However... she serves as a test to see if Chaos corruption can be rejected, cured or not. Unlike Chaos Marines who can simply be killed, Primarchs are limited, and none of the loyalists have woken up."

Being frank sometimes was alright, guys. And this is a trusted Council, not some public meeting.

"This is madness!" exclaimed Veers, his voice sharp: "I did not mean to offend you, my Lord, but there is no return from the depths of the Empyrean."

"Nothing is infallible, least of all things of the Empyrean. The Daemon Princesses that were once daughters have their souls claimed and replaced by the Four, with Warp material. However, the souls, if claimed, will easily restore the daughters, and we can start from there. However... we will test if a traitorous daughter is capable of redemption or not. Any problems?"

"I am actually curious as to how it would turn out, my Lord," Rampart looked intrigued.

"This is probably Heresy, but my Lord... you have proven your sound judgement, if I may be so... open and disrespectful." Kyles agreed, muttering something in binary soon after.

"My Lord... I have no problems." Saigon spoke.

The others also muttered a lot before agreeing. Everyone looked at Veers. He looked at me sharply, disgruntled for a moment, before grunting in annoyance and resignation.

"My Lord, if the others have no problems, I will not either." 

"Splendid! And what about the rest of the Crusade?"

Everyone looked at each other. Before looking at me.

"The rest of the Crusade is... medium as best. On one hand, Blackheart has taken exceptional care to pillage and plunder worlds, especially hidden Tomb-Worlds, awakening hundreds of Necrons and causing damage to us. On the other hand, Molech and the other strongholds are all surrounded and we all await your order to open fire. Blackheart is cornered, my lord. His end comes fast." Rampart spoke, swallowing. "Bulwark, a Fortress-World of the Daemons in the Jericho Reach, had fallen. On the other hand... Xana II's capture revealed that Blackheart's actual plan could be genetic experimentation on Space Marines and the creation of a Chaotic Agent to corrupt all of them."

I contemplated this.  If the Space Marines themselves were corrupted, what could stop them?

"Shield-Captain?" I called Kitten (obviously, because who calls someone Kitten in public?), "Are you aware of the Terminus Weapon?"

Kitten gasped: "Surely you---"

"Yes. Bring him out of stasis and tell him to start his project. Should all other contingencies fail, we require a last resort to fall back upon. It is designed only for the Space Marines, no?"

"Yes, my Lord. He was unaware of the existence of the Primarchs when he came upon the weapon. And Custodian genetic material is vastly different from the Astartes."

"Good. Then it will work as intended. Haul him out of his stasis pod and get him to work."

"What are you talking about, my Lord?" asked Kyles.

"I? I am preparing a contingency."

A last-minute contingency, but an effective one nonetheless. Involving a sadistic techno-barbarian warlord who had used patented treatments to keep himself alive for five millennia. And had been in stasis for ten.

(A/N:

1. Anyone who knows what the words Terminus Weapon and the Last Lord of the Old Night means would be able to figure out what contingency Hades has in mind. 

2. Some of the loyal Men of Iron are around! Hopefully, they help.)