Seraphs of the Emperor’s Judgment

Chapter 51: Persuasion

After a brief meeting, Soshyan requested to discuss some important matters with Captain Hodges in a private setting, with Loken partaking as well.

When the bewildered Hodges followed Soshyan into his personal ready room, Loken immediately made their intentions clear. This caught Hodges completely off guard and profoundly shocked him.

An Astartes Chapter actually intended to misappropriate Naval assets; putting it bluntly, this was tantamount to rebellion.

Hodges didn't answer right away, remaining silent.

Throughout this silence, Soshyan said absolutely nothing, merely watching him.

At one point, Hodges even genuinely believed that a single sudden movement from the warrior would result in his immediate death.

He was not a coward; no one with cowardice flowing through their veins could rise to his rank, especially as a commoner. He had won many battles in the past.

Yet, he still flinched at the growl of Soshyan's Power Armor joints with every minute shift, his internal organs knotting up at the loud thud when the Space Marine placed his helmet on the desk.

Suddenly, the Space Marine commander turned with palpable oppressive presence and paced to the opposite side of the cabin, distancing himself.

The feeling of imminent death finally abated, yet it did not stray far, replaced instead by a certainty—the moment he voiced his true innermost thoughts, he would not leave this room alive.Hodges wasn't unarmed, but the notion of drawing his sidearm for self-defense was merely a bleakly absurd comfort; firing a laspistol at a Space Marine was no different from throwing pebbles at a Land Raider.

Loken, on the other hand, casually poured a cup of tea from a nearby cabinet, handed it to Soshyan, and poured another for Hodges.

"Hodges, you know me. I am not a man who would betray the Imperium or the Machine God. The choice I've made is unequivocally the right one."

Centered around these words and their underlying implications, the final negotiation began.

Loken and Hodges sat facing each other, while Soshyan stood further away, his armor joints growling with his shifting posture.

"But I have already sworn my allegiance to—"

"Serving the Astartes is serving the Emperor all the same."

Loken cut off Hodges's evasion. Cradling his steaming cup in both hands, he said:

"Brother, let's be frank here. What sort of future do you really have left in the Navy? Those people hate you, just like my colleagues hate me, because they are mediocrities. They despise anyone more capable than them, especially someone born lower than they were."

Hodges let out a low grunt through his nose but offered no verbal rebuttal.

"Your talent shouldn't be buried fighting smugglers, Hodges! You should be applying your command skills toward annihilating the Emperor's enemies. I know you deeply yearn for worthy targets, and you don't wish to be trapped on a mere frigate your whole life."

"With all due respect."

Hodges cast a glance at Soshyan.

The Space Marine's visage appeared exceptionally impassive against the adamantium gorget of his armor. His flesh, possessing the texture of granite, seemed frozen upon his skull. Only his pitch-black eyes blinked as he watched them, his lips occasionally letting out a dry, low chuckle.

Knowing what the man intended to say, Soshyan's gaze met Hodges's across the low desk.

"You look at me as if you are expecting me to kill you."

Hodges squeezed out a cautious smile.

"The thought had crossed my mind."

Soshyan continued staring at him, then slightly raised his chin.

"Speak what is on your mind."

Even so, Hodges warned himself internally.

Be careful, be even more careful.

“With the utmost respect, my Lord…”

He drew a breath, as if reading his own death sentence.

"...Your so-called fleet doesn't even possess a single decent frigate."

The next second, a deathly silence reigned in the ready room.

Soshyan stared back at him impassively, unblinking and utterly motionless, revealing less emotion than even a servitor.

Loken was also quite nervous, fearing that Soshyan might simply end his loose-lipped friend in a fit of rage.

Fortunately, things didn't escalate to that point.

"I believe that when judging the progression of an endeavor, one must not look solely at the present."

Soshyan spoke, utterly calm.

"Perhaps right now, we are but the shattered remnants of a defeated army, but we possess unyielding faith, unshakable resolve, and most importantly, absolute justice and fairness."

Silence spread throughout the room once more.

Loken then cleared his throat and took a deep breath, preparing to speak, but Soshyan cut him off.

"You may leave this cabin right now and return to the rest of your life."

Soshyan's gaze remained locked with his, seemingly evaluating weighing his worth.

"We are both entitled to our opinions. Let me state mine first, and together we can paint a picture of your future. Before your retirement, you will undoubtedly receive a pity promotion for your years of service—but ultimately, you will remain a commander of a frigate. Yes, there is no doubt about this."

A mocking expression surfaced on the Space Marine's face.

"But the rest of your life will be spent in the company of alcohol and psycho-stimulants. You know this well... I can see it in your eyes. While I have little talent for understanding mortal emotions, I assure you, I can read truths and lies as easily as I read words on a page."

Hodges leaned forward, feeling the flames churning in his chest. He wanted to retort, but couldn't find a single reason to do so.

Because he knew Soshyan was entirely correct. He had basically no future prospects to speak of, which was also the reason he had become increasingly reliant on alcohol—depression constantly enveloped him.

"But I also know you are seeking a revelation. The fiery zeal is still in your eyes, Grier Hodges. Such fire can burn a man's soul to ashes. Eventually, you will either destroy others or destroy yourself."

"I... I have my duty, that is all."

The corners of Soshyan's lips curled up, as if savoring something amusing.

"Of course you do. Incidentally, on my way here, I read up a bit on your service record. I found that you are a commander exceptionally skilled at exploiting an opponent's weaknesses. That is quite commendable."

The praise was something Hodges had never expected.

"I... thank you, my Lord."

"But do you know your own weaknesses?"

The Captain of the 'Glorious Saber' fell into hesitation again. He could feel this confrontation slipping through his fingers.

However, he chose to remain honest rather than adopt a mask of feigned humility.

"Yes, my Lord, I know them."

Soshyan tilted his head, scrutinizing the mortal before him.

"So?"

He intended to end the conversation.

"I will say it again: you can leave right now and await that despairing future, Hodges, or you can step into a realm others couldn't even begin to imagine, and from there, find the answers you seek."

The Space Marine tapped his chestplate with a knuckle, gazing at the increasingly unsettled frigate Captain.

"So, what is your choice?"