Axis had initially thought that Jaghatai Khan's White Scars were under attack by the forces of Chaos.
He never imagined it was a rebellion from within.
"What in the hell happened, Jaghatai Khan? Why would your sons rebel?" Axis asked.
He was stunned that a rebellion could erupt among the White Scars.
The Space Marines of the V Legion were known for the immense respect they held for their Primarch, Jaghatai Khan. Not to mention like the Primarch had with his legionaries.
"The situation is complicated; I cannot explain it in just a few words," Jaghatai Khan said as he rose to his feet, "Let us not discuss it for now, Axis. Since you have come to my ship, it must be the hand of fate. I wish to ask you a few questions."
"Go on," Axis replied.
He looked around the vast chamber and saw dozens of captured White Scars Space Marines kneeling on the deck, their hands bound.
Could all these warriors have taken part in the mutiny?
"Axis, I want to know," Jaghatai Khan began, his voice low and serious, "In this great heresy instigated by Horus, which side do you stand on? The Emperor's, or Horus's?"
The question left Axis bewildered.
Why would Jaghatai Khan ask such a thing? It could not be the instigation of Horus, because the Khan already knew about the great betrayal.
As for whose side to support, Axis was naturally on the side of the Emperor and humanity. That bastard Horus had been ensnared by the Chaos Gods.
"Is there even a need to ask? I stand with the Emperor, with humanity, of course," Axis said firmly, "Jaghatai Khan, this is not the time for such discussions. It is fortunate you are here; I have a mission for you."
"No, no, Axis," Jaghatai Khan said, shaking his head, "The Emperor cannot represent humanity. Though our father greatly loves the human race, he does not speak for it. You can say you stand with the Emperor, but do not claim you stand with humanity. In a certain sense, Horus, too, stands on the side of humanity."
At these words, Kasha, who stood beside Axis, felt her gaze sharpen instantly.
Such a statement was deeply treasonous, especially at this critical juncture. Did this mean the Primarch of the V Legion had also thrown his lot in with Horus? If that were the case, she and Axis would have to act and eliminate the traitor.
"Jaghatai Khan!" Axis warned, his tone severe, "Why would you ask such a question? You must know the path you are treading is a dangerous one."
"Axis, and you, Sister Kasha," Jaghatai Khan pressed on, "do you truly believe our father is a good monarch? Is the Imperial Truth he established, the Imperium he built, so flawless?"
Born on a world of Chogoris, the Khan had witnessed much in his life. The Imperium of Man ruled by the Emperor was, in many ways, more brutal than the tyrannical empire he had overthrown in his youth.
"Jaghatai, have you betrayed our father?" Kasha demanded, raising her staff as if ready to strike.
Axis reached out and stopped her, shaking his head gently.
He knew that Jaghatai Khan had indeed been plagued by doubt and had once declared that the Imperium of Man was a cesspool. But Chaos was an even greater one. The Emperor was a tyrant, but Horus had allied himself with a power far more abominable than the Emperor's regime.
Had Horus not turned to Chaos, the Khan might have unhesitatingly joined the Warmaster to overthrow their father's rule.
This was more than just a passing thought. In the original timeline, after Leman Russ had razed Prospero, a shard of Magnus's soul had encountered the Khan, and urged Khan to choose a side.
A faction within the White Scars had wanted to follow Horus, believing the Emperor to be an unjust ruler according to their own culture. In the end, the Khan had dispatched this dissident faction aboard the strike cruiser Swordstorm to intercept the fallen primarch Mortarion, allowing them to atone through death in service to the Imperium.
The Emperor was certainly not a good man, but for the Imperium in its current state, he was the most suitable ruler. This was why the Khan would eventually fight in the Siege of Terra. However, if there ever arose a leader more fit to guide humanity, the primarch of the White Scars would not remain loyal to the Emperor.
It seemed that Axis's appearance had accelerated this internal conflict, forcing the mutiny within the White Scars to happen now.
"Axis, the Emperor is not a good monarch," Jaghatai Khan continued, his voice laced with conviction, "The Imperium he rules is not as glorious as you believe. Go and see the worlds under its dominion. The lives of the common people have not improved much. In many cases, they are even worse than before. I have seen it with my own eyes. The Emperor's actions are those of a tyrant. This Imperium is a colossal cesspool, and it disgusts me."
"Did you hear that, Axis?" Kasha roared, her face a mask of fury. "He has thrown his lot in with Horus. He is a traitor!"
"I must admit, you are right about one thing," Axis said calmly, causing Kasha to stare at her husband in utter disbelief, "The Emperor is indeed a tyrant. An absolute tyrant."
Well, you may be right! But How can you say that right NOW?!!!
"But, Jaghatai Khan," Axis continued, his gaze locked on the primarch, "is Horus any better? Can you name a single ruler who could do a better job, one who could govern the entire Imperium and ensure the survival of the human race in this galaxy? The Imperium may be a cesspool, but if Horus and his Chaos masters were to rule humanity, this galaxy would become a living hell."
The Emperor loved humanity, but he never loved any single individual.
He loved the species as a whole, and for its greater good, he was willing to sacrifice anything. Indecision and hesitation would accomplish nothing. A benevolent ruler might win the hearts of the people, but a kingdom ruled by sentiment is often the most fragile.
In this treacherous galaxy, if the human race was not dominant, if the Imperium was not mighty, it would simply not survive. The weak are prey for the strong. It was as simple as that.
"Axis, I never thought you would share my views," Jaghatai Khan said, a look of pleasant surprise on his face. He felt as though he had found a kindred spirit.
"You are right. The Emperor is a tyrant, and this Imperium is a cesspool. But Horus, and the Chaos he represents, are hell itself, an even greater cesspool."
Little did the Khan know, Axis was merely repeating the primarch's own canonical viewpoints back to him.
What did a Saiyan care for politics? He was just reciting a script he had memorized.
"A large number of my sons urged me to join Horus and overthrow the tyrant Emperor," Jaghatai Khan explained, "But after careful consideration, I decided to suppress the rebellion. I executed the hardliners, and those who proposed allegiance to Chaos have been imprisoned."
Truthfully, the Khan would have preferred a ruler like Guilliman or Sanguinius. Perhaps even Horus, before his fall, had been a worthy leader.
Had Horus not turned to Chaos, he truly might have sided with the Warmaster. In his eyes, the Emperor was simply too brutal, too despotic.
"Axis, you can't say that,!" Kasha interjected fiercely, "Father has sacrificed everything for the sake of the Imperium. Mother once had such dangerous thoughts, and they led to a terrible mistake. And you, Jaghatai Khan, what you have said today is extremely dangerous. You have no idea of the pressure our father bears, nor of the true malevolence of the enemies we face."
The Emperor was a tyrant, but who could comprehend how much that tyrant had given for humanity? Sacrifice was inevitable.
Someone always had to pay the price, whether it was the common citizenry of the Imperium or its Space Marines.
"I understand," Jaghatai Khan said, nodding to Kasha and Axis. He seemed to have overcome his inner conflict. "In this great heresy, I will stand by our father. I will give my all to help him quell this rebellion."
"Jaghatai Khan, what do you intend to do with these men who were willing to betray our father?" Kasha asked, gesturing toward the bound White Scars.
"I will let them atone," the Khan replied, "And I will atone with them. I will lead them into battle against the true traitors."
"I am heading to Isstvan V to help suppress Horus's rebellion," Axis stated, "The Emperor has a new mission for you."
This was the perfect opportunity to entrust the Khan with the task of finding the Pharos.
"Tell me," said Jaghatai Khan. "What orders does our father have for me, Axis?"
"You are to travel with all haste to Guilliman's position. Together, you must find a xenos device called the Pharos. It functions much like the Astronomican on Holy Terra. Find it, and then bring your two Legions back to defend Terra. It will be vital for the future of the Imperium."
"This Pharos device," Jaghatai Khan asked, "What is it?"
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ps?