章 23: A Scolding
Barrel by barrel, out gunned four to one– but not outmatched. A flinch, that's all it would take before Takashi's knee is blown up. Rendering him a sudden retiree. One squeeze away from telling stories of future generations on how he used to be a ranger… until he took a bolter to the knee. But as deprecatingly jolly that would be, a fencer stands between now and future realities for not just Takashi, but the rest of the team of a possible reality in sprawled dismemberment– keeping the vitals alive so long as they live. A deeply dark Ealdari kind of thought, but space marines are professional war crime committers.
A Geneva Suggestion as one clown would say.
—Beep…
Suddenly, inside the Aze's helm, a vox call is being transmitted. Making sure it was only him doing the hearing, he answered the call.
~Crrck!~ "Tell me your mission my young Keeper." ~Crrck!~
Distorted as a consequence of using a vox communicator, but Aze knew that voice from anywhere. Looks like the one person that could stop him truly indeed is taking the time to stop him from doing something needlessly dire.
"Lord Father," Aze clears his throat, hand still tightly holding on to the bolter. Intent still there– never lost, "My mission is to protect Storm Team until further notice."
~Crrck!~ "Then, why do you point an instrument of righteous judgment at the very person you're meant to protect? That is a member of Storm Team correct? That is Storm Team– hmm?" ~Crrck!~
Aze took a second to respond, "Yes, sire, these are members of Storm Team. As for my actions, they question the honor and pride of myself, the Legions, and Your own Lord Father."
Over at the bridge of the SDF, Dureaus raised his eyebrows. His pride? His Honor? When in the hell was that questioned? But, behind Drueaus's eyes he was beginning to see the full picture of what went down.
"Tell me Aze. Tell me everything that transpired– from the moment you landed, to the awkward situation you've put yourself into. Everything…" Dureaus requested.
So, Aze did. He recalled every detail he could muster from the depths of his mind. Did pretty well considering it happened recently. He didn't spare any detail– even the miscellaneous ones. As per his Primarch's orders.
Yuki, Kaito, Hana, and surprisingly Steve took notice of the odd behavior the Keeper before them is implementing now. He still had eyes on Takashi's knee. The man himself is still hard like bedrock. The fear– no– nothing was left within the man. It's just a standing flesh of meat awaiting to be carved by what is essentially a rocket propelled armor piercing explosive tip round.
Clicks, constant clicks occupied the temporary residence of silence that came from Aze. He didn't speak, address any of them. Just focused on Takashi and those clicks they'd hear like a musical rhythm.
"I think he's talking to someone," Kaito blurted out his inner thoughts.
Hana and Yuki subtly looked at each other before putting their sights back at the giant genetically enhanced man before them.
"Could be," Yuki expressed her willingness to agree with Kaito's hypothesis.
Steve tilts his head to the side, wondering how Aze is talking when he wasn't even speaking. Steve no understand.
"Let him talk it out with whomever he is speaking to. Let's just be glad he hadn't pulled the trigger yet." The others agreed– at least those that were in the right mind to make decisions right now. Meaning only Kaito and Yuki were able to acknowledge Hana's order and get behind it. Takashi was… well… inoperable right now. Steve, he hasn't blinked since the start of the staring contest. How one plays a staring contest behind helmets is beyond those of human understanding. The normal mind is ignorant to that of Steve and his wondrous abilities– and right now, he's winning.
Back to the father and son, Aze recalled and reported all of which that has transpired–
"No doubt a transgression to our very duty and being Lord Father. I sought out to rectify that by way of bolter and violence. But, considering he's part of the mission directive… I hope you'll settle for a limb, Lord Father."
Silence on the other end. A silence that oddly ate at Aze's being. Why the silence, surely there shouldn't be something that requires ample thinking. What happened was a question to the chapters well being– no deeper thought should be applied to such a transgression to the Legion's honor and pride. To be asked to go easy on an opponent. To be asked by such a weakling is a transgression within itself.
~Crrck!~ "Pride… Honor… what are they to you?" ~Crrck!~
"Sire?" Aze asked, a squint of his eyes showed his confusion under the veil of his helm.
~Crrck!~ "Do you truly have pride? Is this truly about the pride of the Legion my son? What this ranger– this Takashi stated was more inline of a quip… a logical jest of a what if. Almost like a hint that you could've done better from the start." ~Crrck!~
"Could've gone easier on the man, this Steve fellow you spoke of. Yes he went toe to toe with you but it's not worthy of such fulsome honor your boating now. You went easy, that's that. Your talk of disgrace of going easy on an opponent is hypocritical. You boast of the disgrace of going easy, yet you've doubled that disgrace by doing the very thing you spoke of."
"Now this talk of pride on top of that. The pride of the Legion, the pride of the Primarch– myself… What does that have to do with this? Nothing was ruined, nothing of the Legion or myself was questioned. Yet your actions suggest you took offense in some sort of way… why?
Aze listened, not daring to speak as his father told of merits in his argument. As he listened on, the value of what he spoke of held lesser value than he had thought. The right… was his right– born from a hidden selfishness veiled from even himself. Forever ignorant to his own pride, would've completely been rotten later down the road if not addressed now.
"To have pride is to have meaning behind purpose. When questioned about such a thing– why should you respond? Who're they to get a response out of you? Pride, the pleasure of the achievements you've planted yourself. Is it your dignity, a self worth like no other of the identity you hold. That ties with the honor you spoke of. The honor you failed to show just now as you still have the bolter raised."
Much to the relief of others, Aze slowly lowered his bolter. Tension slowly dissipated, Takashi slowly returned to his body as color slowly but surely came back to his body. Disengaged, but not forgotten as they have their weapons ready and able if need be.
"I'm not mad Aze. Just saddened."
That shook Aze to his core as the others visibly saw such a sight. Mind boggling, just minutes earlier he was a being of mass amounts of malicious intent. But that matters not, his gene-father may have said saddened, but ultimately it meant disappointed. He disappointed him, that alone was a strike to his heart. Bolter holstered, he walked away. The others, much too confused and weirded out by the whole event, ignored him and tended Takashi's mental being.
~Crrck!~ "The Legion's pride is in each and everyone of you. You, as well as the others are my pride, Aze. The astartes, meant as a bulwark for humanity. Must we not forget humanity itself too. Though we are bred for war– Primarch and astartes alike– there will come a time where war is but a fleeting past. It's then you should ask yourself: how did you love? How did you fight? How did you become the way that you are now? Honor and pride… that which is us within ourselves. Aze Vendrandar, Aze, that is who you are– forever will be. Let this be the last time this happens Aze. You're better than this." ~Crrck!~
—Bzzt
Nothing, not another peep. Aze, left with his thoughts, stood there in silence. The others hearing the absence of the constant clicking of his vox communicator can only hold their breaths as they dare not intervene in whatever business Aze is up to. Aze, one of the first. Like his brothers, a young Keeper. Bound to make mistakes as youngins do. Today, he has mistaken pride for arrogance, honor for selfishness. This lapse of judgment will be forever remembered by him. He will not let this happen again.
So too will the others. Unbeknownst to Dureaus, a subtle notched has been placed in all of the marines. An urge or unconscious learning of their own common sense. Like a pseudo hivemind of sorts. All marines now know the lesson that has been taught here. A marking of what has transpired, of what not to do as a son of the Draconic Legion. Of course, there are still those that may resist such wisdom, but like a repeating history, others are bound to right the wrongs of others in due time.
A minute, that's all it took for Aze to absorb what he's been taught. The others will need some time to subconsciously soak up the experience. They are, afterall, far away from the source and not learning by first hand experience. So many things Dureaus has yet to know of the gift his mother gave him. There's more to come– that's guaranteed.
Aze took notice of Takashi's face, it slowly had a hew of color to them. Then the others, ready for combat at a moment's notice. He gave them quite the spook. Bolter still on hand, he quickly holstered it before looking back at Takashi.
"A momentary lapse in judgment, it will not happen again." A solemn voice crackled from Aze's helm. He didn't apologize, just stated that it would not happen again. To the others, a mixture of disbelief and unbelievable shock.
All Takashi could do was nod his head in… forgiveness? He himself is unsure of what to do. Such a sudden and ridiculous turn of events spurred Hana into action.
With a raised slade, muzzle planted on Aze's temple, she spoke, "What RIGHT do you have in making amends when you just threatened one of my men?"
Aze, ignoring the gun, turns to it instead. Barrel now between the visors, Aze spoke, "You heard wrong, ranger Hana. I do not ask for absolution of my actions. I merely stated my resolve to not make such mistakes."
Hana dares to dig at Aze's helm as she pressed her muzzle hard at Aze's forehead.
"You're a real piece of work, Keeper."
With swift hands, he grabs the muzzle of the gun and hurriedly moves it away from him. Gripped tightly, threatening to bend the gun shut, he leans in on Hana, "I find no amusement in this as well, ranger Hana. I ask for no apology for that is a waste of words and time. I'll let my actions speak here."
Yanking away at the gun, Hana was swiftly pushed aside as he turned around. The others had their guns ready and hot for a second there if not for Aze turning his back to them. Hana regained her balance as the force was from an astartes. Turning to face Aze, all she was met was his back. Slowly walking and shrinking in steady cadence.
"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Hana shouted, aggravated.
Aze doesn't stop, he doesn't respond as the silence did it for him. Right now, he has to uphold the mission. A duty he's been tasked, a duty he shall commit to. His pride questioned– rightfully so. He'll need time to reconfigure the big picture. He may have digested his father's words of wisdom, now he needs time to look at the world in a new light.
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"Apologies my friends, had a little heart to heart talk with a son of mine," Dureaus brought back his attention to the guest.
"Some fine words Primarch Duraeus," Lannette complimented.
Duraeus sighs, "as I've told you before, Duraeus is fine. That goes for all of you." He eyes the rest of the group.
"Now, let me explain your role within my legion."
"Finally," Jone yawned. Lenasra gave him a decent elbow at his side, prompting his arm to rub the place of impact, "Ow, what was that for?"
She just shakes her head, the adults found comfort in their roughhousing and bickering.
"Ha ha, well… what are we to do?" Dezmond asked, arms crossed. A habit when dealing with important issues.
Dureaus smiles, "how would you like to become pilots?"
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