Chapter 140: Guilliman and Omega
Every eye turned toward Alpharius, waiting to hear him confirm the impossible truth himself. His expression remained cold and unreadable.
"My name is Alpharius Omega. My brother and I are a single, dual entity."
The admission sent a ripple of murmurs through the assembled Primarchs. Even hearing it directly from both twins, the gathered gene-sons struggled to process the reality.
Horus had been watching Alpharius intently throughout, gauging his reactions. It was Roboute Guilliman who broke first.
Guilliman rose from his seat, his posture rigid with disapproval. He didn't care that the twins shared a name; what troubled him was the concealment, the layers of deception. He denounced the Alpha Legion's culture of secrecy with pointed eloquence.
His words opened the floodgates.
The other Primarchs voiced their own objections to the Alpha Legion's methods, comparing it to Angron's decision to implant the Butcher's Nails in his entire Legion.
This obsession with mystery made them all deeply uncomfortable.
Omega focused inward, filtering out the chorus of criticism. Beside him, Alpharius maintained his cold demeanor, clearly unwilling to offer explanations or justifications.
After several minutes of heated discussion, Horus found himself thinking back to Omega's warning. Alpharius was proving far more difficult to communicate with than his twin. They had all overestimated his willingness to engage.
Guilliman and the others hadn't anticipated such intransigence. Drawing information from Alpharius was like extracting blood from stone.
Roboute Guilliman fixed his gaze on Omega, who had been studiously keeping out of the debate. "Omega, as one of the Alpha Legion's twin Primarchs, don't you believe this culture of secrecy is counterproductive? That it needs to change?"
"How should it change?" Omega asked calmly.
The question sparked hope. Everyone leaned forward with renewed interest.
Guilliman spoke with conviction. "Abandon the mysticism entirely. Embrace openness, honesty, and trustworthiness, the finest qualities of human civilization. Governance is the same principle. There's no need for shadow games and hidden machinations. Walk openly among your people, and they will welcome you with warmth."
Several Primarchs nodded in agreement. Alpharius's cold gaze shifted toward his brother. Omega smiled slightly. "The brothers gathered here hail from different homeworlds, each with its own unique culture."
"When we established our Legions, we naturally incorporated elements of those cultures. That's why our Legions differ so greatly in character and approach."
"We cannot assume that others are wrong simply because their cultures and standards differ from our own. What's needed is mutual respect and tolerance. As long as the Alpha Legion fights for the Emperor and achieves results recognized by the Imperium during the Great Crusade, what harm is there in our methods?"
Several Primarchs nodded, particularly those who had faced similar criticisms for their own Legion cultures.
Sanguinius, Horus, and Lorgar exchanged glances, impressed by Omega's rhetorical skill.
Angron suddenly slammed his fist on the table, making everyone jump. "How we manage our Legions is our own damn business! The World Eaters are true warriors!"
Mortarion grinned. "Omega, you have a silver tongue. Frankly, I don't care what sort of mysteries your Legion practices."
"The Iron Warriors have their own standards," Perturabo added, uncharacteristically vocal. "We don't require commentary from others." He, too, had endured criticism over the decimation incident.
Seeing the momentum shift, Guilliman deployed his formidable logic against Omega's argument. "While your words have merit, some matters are simply right or wrong; sophistry cannot change that. Tolerance is not the same as indulgence."
"The Alpha Legion could take a better path. Alpharius's concealed return proves the flaws in your Legion's approach. It creates confusion and mistrust among brothers. Honesty is a virtue of human civilization. Deception and lies are fundamentally wrong."
Guilliman's rebuttal pulled the room back toward skepticism of the Alpha Legion's methods. Sanguinius and Horus watched the exchange without intervening, curious to see how it would unfold.
Omega privately shared some of Guilliman's reservations about excessive secrecy, but he pressed his defense. "Alpharius's situation is an isolated incident. We cannot condemn an entire Legion culture based on one event; that's overgeneralization."
"The Alpha Legion is comfortable with its own traditions, and our development speaks for itself. You've all seen our combat records. The data demonstrates the Legion's effectiveness."
"I acknowledge that honesty is a noble human quality, but everyone is entitled to their secrets. A secret is not synonymous with a lie or deception. We should respect each individual's right to privacy. The warriors of the Alpha Legion may guard their secrets, but they do not lack the openness and trustworthiness you value. They are brave, loyal to the Emperor, and their dedication does not waver because of our culture."
The gathered Primarchs listened with growing amazement as Omega systematically countered each of Guilliman's points. Guilliman's eyes brightened with interest, studying Omega with new appreciation.
Alpharius spoke quietly. "What my brother says reflects my own thoughts. The Alpha Legion's methods are not wrong."
A moment of silence fell.
Before anyone could formulate a response, Lorgar spoke thoughtfully. "Omega, I didn't realize you were such a skilled orator. Even if Alpharius's concealment is an isolated case, it's significant enough to suggest problems with your approach."
"At minimum, Guilliman is correct that your culture of secrecy creates misunderstandings. We all experienced that firsthand today."
Magnus leaned forward with renewed interest, smiling. "Brother, how will you counter that point? We're all eager to hear it."
Lorgar had identified the critical weakness in the mysticism argument. Guilliman watched quietly, expectant. Sanguinius chuckled softly.
Among those present, Lorgar, Magnus, and Guilliman were the most formidable debaters.
The banquet hall fell silent.
Omega glanced around at the expectant faces, then smiled faintly. "Mysticism is certainly not perfect, and I won't pretend our Legion culture is flawless. Of course, this is my personal opinion."
Lorgar, Magnus, and the others looked surprised that Omega had conceded the point. Mortarion laughed. "HA-HA-HA Well said. Brother. Well said!. Alpharius, what is your opinion? We all would like to hear it."
Alpharius's reply was ice-cold. "I refuse to answer."
Mortarion didn't back down despite the chill. "You're no fun to talk to at all. Your brother Omega offered substantial reasoning. If you won't express your views, how can we accept your Legion's approach? You know your concealment upset everyone."
Sanguinius interjected gently. "Alpharius, we're not demanding perfection from your Legion culture, but at least prevent it from causing misunderstandings. That breeds distrust."
"Some moderate adjustment would be appropriate," Guilliman added, recognizing that Alpharius was the primary driver of the mysticism.
Alpharius's tone remained firm. "A Legion without secrets is vulnerable. Guilliman, everyone knows the Ultramarines' tactics and doctrine inside and out. Don't you find that dangerous?"
Guilliman's confidence didn't waver. "Since the Ultramarines' founding, no enemy has ever defeated us."
Lorgar observed calmly. Omega sipped his tea, choosing not to intervene further.
He genuinely didn't want Alpharius's appearance to create rifts with their brothers, but Alpharius's personality wouldn't permit extensive explanations.
The exchange continued for several more minutes, each brother attempting to draw Alpharius out before the conversation gradually exhausted itself.
To Dorn's surprise, Horus finally let go of the issue of concealment entirely. His demeanor shifted, warming like a small sun, as he smiled and formally welcomed Alpharius's return.
Unable to reform the Alpha Legion's culture, the assembled Primarchs moved on. They began discussing arrangements for Alpharius's formal recognition, Horus and others happily suggesting a special personal ceremony befitting his station.
To their surprise, Alpharius refused.
Everyone again looked at Omega. 'What is wrong with your brother?' Their face all but said.
[End of Chapter]