#27th legion

[flashthescalesian-art]

Silence (a.k.a Jax has rejection sensitive dysphoria)

Jax has ADHD, and I also have ADHD, so of course I had to dump my RSD issues onto Jax too because traumatizing my OCs is how I cope when something is bothering me. I’m not gonna go into detail about my personal issues (I’m okay, just struggle-bussing it through life), but sometimes no matter what anyone says, RSD still manages to convince you that you did something wrong when someone stops talking to you. (Bob belongs to @thehannalyzer, btw, he’s not mine. (Also, I’m not trying to make any commander mentioned out to be a “bad guy” or “mean”, just so we’re clear on that. This is from Jax’s RSD-clouded POV, I’m not bashing anyone else mentioned))

—————

“Something’s bugging you,” Blazer said in lieu of a greeting when he walked into Jax’s office and leaned on the desk with both arms, one hand supporting his chin as he stared at Jax. 

Jax avoided eye contact and tried to pretend he was busy working. Go away. 

“Hey, genius, you and I both know you hate paperwork, so there’s no way you’re so focused that you didn’t hear me.” Blazer grabbed Jax’s datapad and pulled it out of his hands before setting it facedown just out of Jax’s reach. “You gonna talk to me or do I need to make you talk?” 

Jax glared up at Blazer. He looked genuinely worried, if annoyed, and Jax instantly felt guilty. What am I doing? Why am I pushing him away when he’s not even someone I’m mad at? Sighing, Jax rubbed a hand down his face, trying to stay composed enough to explain what was going on in his head. “The others are barely speaking to me. Or, it feels that way, anyway.” He shrugged. “I dunno if I’m just overreacting or if they’re actually ignoring me.” 

Blazer frowned sympathetically as he absently rubbed the scar on his chin with one finger. “Okay. Are they just busy? It’s not like things have been quiet for anyone lately.” 

Jax shrugged again, a lump forming in his throat. Force-dammit. Can’t talk about osik without crying. No wonder the others see me as a baby still. “I don’t know. A couple of them said they’re busy, but others… I haven’t heard from a few of them in weeks.” His eyes stung, so he scrubbed at them with one hand. He felt Blazer’s hand rest on top of the hand that still held his stylus for his datapad. 

“Who haven’t you heard from?” Blazer’s voice was gentle, so gentle. 

Jax couldn’t look at him. “F-Fox. And Bob. And— and Bacara and Neyo.” 

“Well, you told me that Thorn’s been worried about Fox too, so I doubt he’s ignoring only you if his twin is worried about him. Plus you mentioned that Thire sounded worried.” 

“Was that supposed to be reassuring?” Jax asked bitterly. 

Blazer gave a soft sigh. “Yes and no. It’s not a good thing that Fox seems to be ignoring Thorn and Thire too, but it does mean that it’s probably nothing to do with you, if that’s what you’re upset about.” 

“That doesn’t make me feel better,” Jax mumbled, still barely holding himself together. “Even if Fox isn’t mad at me, that doesn’t explain everyone else.” 

Blazer squeezed Jax’s hand. “It is possible that Bob is avoiding talking to you since that fight you two had. It might be good if you don’t talk to him for a while anyway.” 

Jax instantly felt guilt wash over him like a wave, so he buried his face in his arms on the desk, pulling away from Blazer. “I don’t wanna talk about that. He hates me, and I don’t even know what I did wrong.” Sure, Bob had sent multiple apologies after the fight, but that was nearly a month ago at this point. Jax hadn’t really responded since he wasn’t sure he believed Bob, and after a month of silence, it felt even harder to believe that Bob didn’t hate him. 

“So what if he hates you?” Blazer’s voice took on a fierce tone that seemed to color his words any time Jax mentioned that he thought Bob— or any of his brothers, really —hated him. “You don’t need his approval or attention. Same goes for Neyo and Bacara. If they don’t wanna talk to you, that’s their issue, not yours. You didn’t do anything to them.” 

Jax simply wanted to melt into the floor. He knew Blazer meant well, and some angry part of him agreed with Blazer, but he couldn’t shake the little cadet voice wondering why his older brothers didn’t seem to want to talk to him, or why he always felt like they looked down on him. Just the thought of never speaking to any of his older brothers again made that little voice cry out in agony. “But I don’t want to lose contact with them,” Jax whimpered into his arms. 

“If they’re not gonna put in the effort, why should you?” Blazer asked, his raspy voice nearly a growl now. 

Jax felt tears escape, so he pressed his face harder into his arms. “Because I love them,” he whimpered, feeling pathetic. 

He heard the soft thunk of Blazer’s vambraces on the desk, then footsteps that stopped at his side. A hand rested on his shoulder. “You don’t owe them anything. If they don’t want to talk to you, that’s their choice. Don’t let them drag you down. If they don’t think you’re worth the effort, then it’s not a relationship worth stressing over.” Blazer’s voice was much softer now. 

Jax tried to take a breath, but it came out as more of a sob. “But what did I do wrong?” It didn’t make sense that his older brothers would just stop talking to him, so he had to have done something to make them want to stop talking to him. Right?

Blazer grabbed Jax with both hands and carefully guided him out of his chair and onto the floor before pulling him into a tight hug. Jax didn’t have the energy to resist, so he simply buried his face in Blazer’s shoulder. “If you can’t think of anything you did wrong, you probably didn’t do anything wrong. Sometimes it’s not your fault when people don’t want to talk to you anymore.” 

“It still feels like it’s my fault,” Jax choked out, clinging to Blazer. 

Blazer simply held him tighter. “I know. I’m sorry.” 

Jax could only cry harder.

[flashthescalesian-art]

Krayt absolutely would DESPISE flip flops. He’d also hate tank tops. Tbh, I don’t think he’d like any open-toed shoes. His sensory issues don’t know what to do with NOT having his feet covered outdoors, and I think the same would apply to his opinion of tank tops. He’s not used to having so much of his body exposed, and I think he’d hate it. This dude doesn’t even really like shorts the first few times he wears them.

Is there any typical summer clothing that your OC refuses to wear?

[k-i-l-l-e-r-b-e-e-6-9]

ℑ𝔫𝔰𝔲𝔩𝔱𝔢𝔯 - 𝔏𝔢𝔤𝔦𝔬𝔫'𝔰 𝔏𝔲𝔰𝔱

[thetruthwilloutsworld]

Instagram stravaigin_g12

STRAVAIGIN is 30...and such a big occasion calls for a special celebration 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

In an announcement that will delight the legions of Stravaigin's whisky lovers who have been demanding its addition to our drinks menu, The Sassenach @sassenachspirits by @samheughan is today confirmed as joining the bar's Scotch whisky offering as a permanent fixture 🥃

What's more, visit Stravaigin this Sunday 27th October and, for one very special day only, buy a dram of The Sassenach and you will enjoy a complimentary dish of Stravaigin's legendary Wee Haggis with whisky sauce.

Stravaigin's Olivia Wong - Manager of the Year says: "We are thrilled to welcome The Sassenach to Stravaigin. We are all big fans of Sam and his Scotch whisky here at Stravaigin and know excitement levels will be running high as we announce it is becoming a permanent addition to our drinks menu."

Slàinte!

Posted 24 October 2024

[homophyte]

one of the really interesting implications of the showcase '96 brainiac and legion story that im only just wrapping my head around is the true extent of colu's relationship to tech stagnation. obviously a lot of this is spelled out with brainiac possessing coluan tech that querl recognizes from his own time:

and the concomitant realization that the reason for that is the tech stagnation instigated by this very incident:

slightly more subtle is the way the passage of the time itself seems to be affected:

the specific naming of 700 years is what gave me pause here--the sleepnet was not created in the 27th century as querl says, it must predate that by at least the 7 centuries it takes to get back to the 20th century setting of the showcase. i believe the implication here, then, is that there was more than just a technological stagnation but a time stagnation: colu literally stops keeping track of the passage of time, seals itself up in amber and pretends its still exactly where it was when this happened, the 20th century. that 700 years date can even stay intact, only in real time it refers to the 17th century (ie 300 years past from colu's current tech development, which stops in the 20th, querl is doing correct math but assuming that 'current' means the 30th).

colu is therefore a place out of time, staying the same as things pass by around it. querl is taken out of colu, placed back into normal time, not only becomes a time researcher at the time institute but a time traveler as a legionnaire. ultimately the place he goes back to in time is identical to the one he was taken out of, a colu at standstill. he says that 'only a time traveler would know about the sleepnet', but somewhat ironically, only a time traveler would know that colu has not been counting the years; querl only gets to know it because he is one and sees the mismatch between what time actually passed (1000 years) and what time passed for colu (none).

[weclassybouquetfun]

I have a passing knowledge of Jaime Reyes' Blue Beetle from the character's appearance on SMALLVILLE, BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD and these panels.

Milagro, you are so real for this.

And this is where my true knowledge about Blue Beetle comes from - Ted Kord's Blue Beetle and his friendship with Booster Gold.

Blue & Gold Forever.

So with only knowing the bare minimum about Jaime I was able to watch BLUE BEETLE with no expectations. It's an incredibly vibrant, fun and heartfelt film. I'm concerned at its low box-office showing, but films with bigger leads and bigger budgets have also failed at the box office, or at the very least, didn't recoup it's budget and marketing. There has never been anything that was a guaranteed box office success. I would rather it tried to get eyes in theaters than get lost on HBO Max where it was originally slated for release. Here's hoping National Cinema Day on Aug 27th (where theaters are selling tickets for $4 for all formats) will bring more people to the tent.

Too true.

My thoughts on BLUE BEETLE

Nothing but SPOILERS.

THE GOOD

Xolo Maridueña (COBRA KAI) is a great Jaime. If you have seen Maridueña across these five seasons of COBRA KAI, it's not surprising. He has shown consistently that he can play humour, dutifulness, vulnerable and excel at action.

Big up to COBRA KAI's annual blow-out fight sequence.

Oddly enough, at the end of the film I didn't think we got to know Jaime beyond a cursory level, but I'm sure if they did a deep dive on him I would complain about that too as my issue with origin story films is that so much real estate is given to building up the history of the character, that the plot and action seems relegated to the final act. But I guess BLUE BEETLE gave us all we need to know about Jaime.

Good egg, duty bound, gets hard from hugs (and kudos to this film for actually having a character who gets horny. Comic book films are nearly always a sexless thing, but my guy Jaime pulling his shirt down to cover his crotch after Jenny's (Bruna Marquezine) tale of woe was refreshing.)

-Really liked Jenny Kord. She wasn't the typical damsel in distress. She's formidable in her own right. She and Jaime doesn't feel rushed or shoehorned in. I especially loved the fact that they didn't just make her the love interest,

Though she and Xolo are great together,

but also gave her - in the Reyes - a new family. If she and Jaime were to go pear-shaped we can just know that Jenny still has a place within the Reyes clan.

-We have not one, but two new members to the Legion of Great DCEU Family Members. Joining the mom and dad of SHAZAM, AQUAMAN's dad, THE FLASH's mom is BLUE BEETLE's Alberto Reyes (Damián Alcázar) and Nana Reyes (the Oscar nominated Adriana Barraza).

Still waters run deep and Nana proved that. She's not just up in her room sewing and watching reruns of "María la del Barrio". She is sitting back waiting to showcase her experiene while fighting in the revolution.

And Alberto Reyes! He was this film's King T'Chaka. Always with a wise word, strong, caring. I hate that he had to die and I think it's a worn out trope that a hero has to suffer loss in order to come into their greatness, but it worked. Long Live Alberto Reyes!

Just enough George Lopez to not be annoying. He's funny, but only in small doses IMO so he was just good enough and used well enough that it wasn't eye-rolling. I really loved that he wasn't just there for the obvious comic relief, instead Uncle Rudy is a brain.

The opening along had me hyped. It set the tone and it lent to idea of the scarab being from space, but the inclusion of a classic Blue Beetle comic sketch just ::chef's kiss:

-Director Ángel Manuel Soto listed which stories he pulled from for this film,

but I see a lot of BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD episode "Fall of the Blue Beetle" in the bits where they go to Ted Kord's home/lab.

-The way they took OMAC/Kevin Kho backstory and merged it with Carapex's. In the comics OMAC was a Cambodian child of war, in this film Ignacio/Carapex was left an orphan and trained by the School of the Americas (rebranded Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation) whose training manuals advocated tortuing and blackmailing civilians. Using Kord Industries as not just a amorphous shady big tech corp, BLUE BEETLE's writer Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer and Soto tied Kord Industries to the realties of what big corporations are doing globally.

This ties into another thing I loved about the film - it had a strong cultural identity. From Nana using Vivaporú (Vicks Vapor Rub) as smelling salts to rouse Jamie, to El Chapulín Colorado(!!!).

The idea of gentrification that affects people across colour lines and specifically targets people of lower income.

The full integration of Jaime and Khaji-Da being exemplified by Khaji-Da (voiced by singer/actor Becky G) speaking Spanish.

THE BAD

-Is there someone with less screen prescence than Susan Sarandon? I don't know how she was ever a thing. I guess they needed a "name" but there several other actors like Anjelica Huston or Sigourney Weaver who would have done something more with that role. Carla Gugino. Anyone else!

-The establishing CGI of Kord Entrerprises was basura. There was a tangible change in F/X as if mid way through post-production they found out WB-Discovery was moving it to theatrical release and they effects crew got a cash infusion.

-While I came around on the character towards the end, I wasn't a fan of Milagro. Glad they aged her up but she fell into the trope of annoying movie sibling and it grated.

THE REST

-Harvey Guillen's character died in the film (good!) and he appears to be dead again on HARLEY QUINN (not good. There is no way Nightwing's death sticks).

-Soto and James Gunn says that Jaime has a future in the DCU. While an interview snippet is making the rounds where Soto says he would like Jason Sudeikis (TED LASSO) to play Ted Kord, I don't really believe that is true as the source is from an online site I'm not familiar with and people lie for clicks.

Yes, Buster. All. The. Time.

-While comics! Jaime lives in El Paso, Texas, film! Jaime lives in Palmera City - on El Paso St. - which was created for the film (and appeared in the comics months ahead in a tie-in). Soto found inspiration in Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico. But I wonder what Palmera City's real-world city will be when James Gunn finishes the DC Map that he say is being redone. Maybe because over the years Metropolis has been Chicago/Delaware/New York.

Metropolis is not in Delaware, GTFOH.

[rats-and-robots]

Children of the Void

Hi I am making a Host for Uralon the Cruel because I'm. Normal. And I want to get this down on paper.

Some disclaimers;

I headcanon that the events of RT occur almost immediately following or concurrently with the fall of Cadia. Which is to say Uralon's Host has been outside of the Eye of Terror since before the Fall.

Uralon here is a Grand Apostle, not just a Dark Apostle, as it's implied here in the game that he's on the Dark Council;

The Children of the Void are the 27th Host.

It is important to note that very few members are original members of the Host, as they have gone through multiple battles with great losses and at least one attempted coup. Many members are converted from loyalist legions, such as Nova who was converted as a Scout from a Black Templar chapter, or were stolen from planets and made into Word Bearers, and as such have never seen Sicarus or met Lorgar.

Obviously Uralon the Cruel is the head of the 27th Host as the Grand Apostle. He is a Colchisian native and fought during the heresy. Pre-Heresy, his chapter were always known for having a more wandering spirit and when their captain died and Uralon took over as one of the first Dark Apostles, this didn't change, thus their name labeling them as the Children of the Void, children of the stars and the voidships they travel in, rarely comfortable staying in one place. They were sent on a mission to find a way out of the Eye of Terror around the barricades and succeeded, but haven't been able to re-establish communications nor return until the Fall of Cadia.

His First Acolyte is his closest blood brother and former fellow Chaplain, Eclipse. Eclipse is a sorcerer and a psyker, a very, very powerful one at that. Eclipse and Uralon used to be nearly identical in appearance, before corruption gave Uralon horns and took Eclipse's sight. He and Uralon bounce off of one another easily, and Eclipse is often the one reeling in Uralon's ambition and reminding them of their limited resources outside of the Eye. Eclipse's name obviously was not always Eclipse, but he took the name following a great conquering triumph wherein he called upon the Dark Gods and they stole both the planet's sun, and his sight. This began a bit of a trend wherein members of the Host would rename themselves after cosmic events, furthering their own attachment to their traveling and the stars. (Eclipse has also pseudo-adopted Nymet, @nightshade-victorian's Night Lord, who follows him around like a puppy.)

Aphelion is known for being rather vocal about disliking Uralon's decisions, however despite this, Uralon chose him as his Coryphaus following Aphelion's attempt at a coup within the Host, preferring to hear out and stop any further insurrections given their total disconnect from Sicarus and their perilous situation. He would give himself the name Aphelion after this, once he learned it's meaning; the point where a planet is furthest from its sun. All of this said, he ultimately respects Uralon (now) and is loyal almost to a fault. Almost.

Epoch is the Host's 'Head Apothecary' and is more augment and corruption than flesh. Epoch was a member of the Vor Nergeth, or Order of the Procurators, who was assigned to the Children of the Void's mission. While he was not originally the Head Apothecary, he was forced to take the role following Aphelion's failed coup when the former one was killed. He stays on the ship, his... 'clinic' seated close to the center. Few actually see him for treatment and for the most part he acts as a last resort or as the Host's source of toxins and conversion from human into Astartes. Epoch has two Astartes who serve as guards to his chambers, Keon and Carnephitz.

There are four units of twelve beneath them, including the Captains of each; Nova, Zheon(preceded by Aurora), Rosk, and Azimuth(preceded by the Kiava Gamma CSM).

[flashthescalesian-art]

Little vent doodle with my tormented boy Krayt. Been feeling super lonely lately and I’m not sure what to do about it when I have nowhere local to make friends.

I’m not going anywhere, but this is why I’ve not posted much beyond the occasional random text post.

Found an anti AI filter I can use from my phone tho, so that’s nice.

[flashthescalesian-art]

My baby boy Krayt has an anooba named Eyayah who helps him with his PTSD and sensory issues because being in some spaces is extremely overwhelming, but Eyayah helps keep him calm and safe.

And my traumatized mess Keller has an anooba named Prudii to help with his PTSD, and to help with his mobility issues because he has a bad knee that sometimes gives out on him. Prudii helps keep him from falling down if his knee gives out.

Which OC has a service animal?

[haastera-001]

Timeline Issues

Tessa being CYN, or at least not fully human would solve the frustrating timeline issue I've had up until now.

In the flashback, Tessa is at a minimum of 10 years old, more probably around 12-15.

Now she looks like she's in her 20s, 30s at the absolute most.

This timeline does not work now that we know the mansion incident came first.

UZi is at least 18 years old given the age bracket of her fellow classmates. She has made it clear she's lived for as long as she can remember inside the outpost, never knowing her mother.

Even if Khan met Nori and had UZI before the core collapse, which is highly unlikely, the collapse had to have occurred at least 15 to 20 years ago.

At Cabin Fever labs all the whiteboards have (work) week 627 written on them. (627(7)/365 = 12 years

(On a side note the collapse occurred on the 26th or 27th based on the calendar markings).

Even if we disregard this it's clear that they had to have been working there for at least a couple years prior to the collapse.

Earth and 2 other planets were corrupted by the solver before C9 according to episode 6. The way Tessa describes what happened & the pictures imply what occurred on Earth wasn't an instantaneous event, and it likely wasn't on the other worlds.

(Side note 2: The little simulation showing the solver corruption spread looks like a Murder drone pod, raising an interesting question as to how exactly those 2 planets were taken over. Did they somehow get core-collapsed as well, or were they invaded by legions of Murder drones?)

This is all to say that the events in the mansion had to have occurred at least 30-40 years ago, maybe even 50 or 60.

So either Tessa looks really, really, really good for her age, or this Tessa is not quite human anymore.

[deimos-awaits]

Colonel Algea Moloch, Captain of the Armageddon Steel Legion regiment (reluctantly) escorting the Deimos First Exploratory Fleet through Imperium Nihilis im imaginign this person as a the leader of the collective guard units being transported and utilized by the 27th solar auxilliary fleet. Colonel Moloch Hates all the other leads of the FDEF's expedition and is praying to the golden throne to be transferred back to a useful guard unit with the Space Wolves.

@cannibalcaprine thank you for the character name

[familyparadox]

The audio story Lies in Ruins all ways makes me so stressed. Like Benny has a relatively linear relationship to the Last Great Time War and the War in Heaven, but Lies in Ruins is the one story which does not fit. You do need to jiggle the New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield around a bit to have it fit but even then you can make it work.

The Virgin New Adventures with Seven pre War

The Solo Vergin New Adventures war in Heaven

Bernice Summerfield Season 2-11 War in Heaven

Bernice Summerfield Legion Era Boxsets Post war

The New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield Pre Time War post Restoration of Gallifrey (these take place after the legion Boxset but Benny is still living on Legion)

Big Bang Generation Post Time War and Post Second Restoration of Gallifrey

Only lies in ruins which has to be post Legion era as Benny is a Professor at the Lunar University in the 51st century is set during the Last Great Time War. It doesn’t make sense like originally I tried to fit it in during legion era but pre big bang but it does not fit their. Not to mention it contradicts Predating the Predators which have Benny still being in the 27th century as Old woman. (This is a the major problem) none of this is a major problem but when someone seems to be the only person to have a neat relationship to the Wars have just one massive breach in the linear relationship to the Wars. It just makes me rather annoyed.

Of course Predating Predators also can not happen and must have been erased due to the machinations of Irving Braxiatel as Benny is still involved with the war as an old person.

[eienias20]

Became a BanG Dream! fan this year

Title says it all, so how did this happen? Two reasons. First was Hoshimachi Suisei, she's a hololive vtuber who on March 22nd, 2023 had a 3D live where she sang her original song Michizure with LAYER and then performed Hell or Hell with all of RAS. I thought they were pretty awesome and a holofan I follow on Twitter was posting a lot about BanG Dream! after that, got me interested.

Of course even when I say "Imma watch that" it still takes me months to commit and it did. It wasn't till late 2023 that I started watching the anime, finishing season 1 on January 27th 2024.

But then? Well I watched and finished season 2 in April and then was watching everything else all through the month of May, that's 3 seasons of the anime, the film lives, roselia specials, morfonica special, circle party and its mygo, all of that in rapid succession solidifying me as a new fan.

idk how else to describe my journey through all the anime content beyond just saying that I had a blast.

It was so entertaining, the music was great, absolutely loved the cg animation from season 2 on and it kept getting better. above all are the characters, everyone is so easy to love and I can see every single character having a whole legion of fans. For me personally, Arisa is my favorite.

I'm so deep I downloaded the mobile game Girls Band Party! on my phone and I've ben playing it a little every day. I've played rhythm games in the past, mostly guitar hero but playing on the phone is super different.

I don't even know what to specifically point out and praise but I made a series of reddit posts after each major moment to give better thoughts on the things I loved about the show. Sharing that below.

Also someone shared with my a spotify playlist of pretty much all the bang dream music that I've been listening to (its 600 songs long) so that's been fun.

I really like this series, thinking about it makes me happy.

Thoughts on BanG Dream! Season 1 - 3 (LINK)

Thoughts on Film LIVEs, Episode of Roselia and Poppin Dream (LINK)

Brief Thoughts on starting Girls Band Party (LINK)

Thoughts on CiRCLE Thanks & Morfonication (LINK)

[loshappreciationweek]

There's less than a month left until the fifth iteration of the Legion of Super-Heroes appreciation week (and the Legion's 65th anniversary), and what better way to celebrate that than to reveal some themes!

This year the week will take place between the 27th of February and the 5th of March. We'll be using the tags #loshweek and #loshweek23 and you can also tag @loshappreciationweek in your post or submit it to us.

Rules and info can be found here. Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions or ideas!

[dawnt0pia]

Jack White @ American Legion 82 in Nashville, July, 27th 2024 💙🤍🖤

Thank you to mr. David Swanson for these incredible photos!

[leareadsheresy]

“The Dark King”

This post contains spoilers for "The Dark King," by Graham McNeill, first published as a short story in the 2007 Games Day exclusive two-story anthology Horus Heresy Chapbook on (as nearly as I can tell) September 23rd, 2007, and later republished in the anthology Shadows of Treachery on September 27th, 2012.

This story is about how Konrad "the Night Haunter" Curze, Primarch of the Night Lords Legion, named after Joseph Conrad and the character Colonel Kurtz from Conrad's story "Heart of Darkness," is a monster and has been for a lot longer than the start of the Heresy. It's told through a series of three scenes, connected disjointedly, because Curze suffers from nightmare visions of the future and seems to experience time out of joint.

In the first scene, Kurze is leading his Space Marines in the execution of a bunch of humans whose world the Night Lords and Imperial Fists are in the process of conquering. Rogal Dorn, Primarch of the Imperial Fists, shows up and is unhappy that Curze is just executing a conquered people, and Curze goes into a speech about how only by demonstrating the consequences of resistance will the rest of the galaxy be convinced to fall in line. They argue a bit and it's better than the usual McNeill arguments. Curze points to the next guy due to be executed and loudly proclaims that whatever he does, he's not to be punished, and then hands him a gun; the guy tries to shoot Curze and Curze turns around and punches him in the head so hard his skull explodiates, then turns to Dorn and goes "See? He wasn't resisting until he thought he wouldn't be punished." Dorn says that when this campaign is done they'll have words, and that Curze's way is not the way of the Imperium, to which Curze says "...you may be right," and then Dorn leaves.

It then cuts very abruptly to Curze imprisoned by Dorn and Fulgrim; Curze is visited by his equerry who says Dorn is recovering from the injuries that Curze inflicted with his bare hands and teeth, so that talk went really bad. Fulgrim signed off on Curze's imprisonment because around the same time, Curze spoke to him in confidence about visions he was having of a dark future of the galaxy embroiled in endless war and how the Emperor was going to try to kill him (Curze), which Fulgrim took as talk of treachery. Anyway there's a big jail escape scene where Curze plays the part of Batman leaping around between rafters in the dark but with more murder, kills all his captors bloodily, and escapes to the Night Lords fleet who were maintaining formation with the Imperial Fists and Emperor's Children, and they run off.

In the third scene, the first two scenes are framed as Curze reminiscing aboard his flagship, having taken his whole fleet back to his homeworld Nostramo (also named after a Joseph Conrad thing). For context, Primarchs were genetically engineered on Earth by the Emperor to serve as super-generals but then the gods of the warp stole their growth pods and scattered them around the galazy; Curze landed on Nostramo, a cyberpunk world of high crime rates, which he murder-batmanned into perfect compliant order before the Emperor found him. Here he's pondering how since he left, the planet has backslid into cyberpunk high crime, so to send a message to the galaxy he Death Stars it, just in time for Imperial fleets sent in pursuit of him to witness the destruction but not in time for them to stop it or to stop him from escaping back into the warp. End of story.

The exact temporal relationships between the three scenes are not clear, like, we don't know how much time passed between them, which I like; I enjoy a tone piece where the reader is given no more information than needed to establish tone. Graham McNeill continues to improve by virtue of structuring his writing so that the things he's weak at (subtle ideological and practical conflicts expressed deftly and intelligently) do not appear. The conflict between Dorn and Curze is not subtle. The story is also very short -- significantly shorter than "The Kaban Project," which helps; it's easier to be punchy when you're working in short form.

It does kind of raise the question of why Dorn thought the Night Lords would be a suitable force to include in the backup force sent to Istvaan V, but I'm not interpreting that as a plot hole; I assume there'll be some narrative later explaining how the Night Lords were brought back into the Imperial fold somewhat following the events of the second scene of the story, and I also believe it later turns out that the third scene of the story takes place significantly after the events in the Istvaan system.

The only thing that really annoys me is that it occasionally calls him Night Haunter, and my personal preference when addressing a fictional character with a name that's a title is that the "the" always get stuck in front of it, so he should be the Night Haunter, not just Night Haunter. But again that's just me being ultra-picky. Good job, Graham McNeill, solid improvement.