Alpha Primus (Space Marine)
Alpha Primus is the prototype of the Primaris Space Marines and the personal enforcer of Archmagos Dominus Belisarius Cawl.
History
Primus' true nature is unclear, but he seems to have a chimeric Gene-Seed made up of samples from multiple Legions.[3] Primus was originally created by Cawl in an attempt to recreate the process the Emperor used to create the Primarchs, in order to create a superior class of Space Marine.[2] The process failed, however, and instead Alpha Primus was used as the prototype for the Primaris Space Marines. Primus was much more heavily modified than most Space Marines, moreso than even the Primaris, being described as having been rewritten on a genetic level rather than merely implanted. The process made him a Psyker of unparalleled power amongst the Astartes, as well as physically more powerful than even the Primaris, yet still not to the extent of a Primarch[2]. The flaws in the process used to create him also leave him in constant physical pain across the entirety of his body.[2] Notably, Primus does not consider himself loyal to the Emperor anymore but rather a servant of Cawl above all else, and considers himself the personal property of Cawl.[1][2] Primus is the only one of his kind, as Cawl has since lost the technology needed to create warriors of his class.[2]
After his creation, Primus covertly worked on behalf of Belisarius Cawl for many millennia. Sometime after the creation of the Great Rift Primus was charged by Cawl with retrieving the body of an Ordo Xenos Inquisitor from a Necron prison. Upon discovering the body, Primus noted that it was being fed upon by a creature resembling an Enslaver.[1] Primus later accompanied Cawl during his expedition to Sotha to study the Pharos.[2]
During the Indomitus Crusade, the forces of Fabius Bile invaded the Zar-Quaesitor. Cawl initially suspected that Bile sought the Sangprimus Portum, but in truth was instead seeking Alpha Primus. Primus was cornered by Bile and his abominations and overpowered. Bile was able to remove Primus' Progenoid Glands and as Cawl confronted him revealed he had equipped the Primaris prototype was a mutagenic agent that would activate if Fabius were to die. This forced Cawl to allow Bile to escape with the stolen Progenoid glands, but Primus survived the attack.[3]
Sources
- 1: To Speak As One (Short Story)
- 2: Belisarius Cawl: The Great Work (Novel) - Chapter 13
- 3: Genefather (Novel) - Chapters 26-28
