Cato Sicarius
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Sicarius redirects here. For other uses of the term, see Sicarius (disambiguation). |
Cato Sicarius is the Captain of the Ultramarines Victrix Guard. Among his titles are Master of the Watch, Knight Champion of Macragge, Grand Duke of Talassar, and High Suzerain of Ultramar.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Service
Born into one of Talassar's ascendant houses, Sicarius, as soon as he came of age, trained in various forms of martial arts common in Talassi nobility. His combat prowess became a major factor in his inclusion in the Ultramarines. Sicarius excelled at his training and claimed many commendations, quickly rising through the ranks of his martial arts community. Sicarius eventually rose to the rank of Sergeant, serving as an Assault Marine in the Eighth Company during the Damocles Crusade alongside Numitor. During the war, Sicarius executed Guardsmen who retreated from the T'au and expressed a cold ruthless violence.[12] He later became the honorary Knight Champion of Macragge
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Second Company Captain
Sicarius was promoted to Captain of the Second Company after Captain Demetrian Titus was taken by Inquisitor Gerome Thrax following the invasion of Graia.[16]
After Sicarius took the mantle of Second Company Captain, his first actions took place in the Dantaro Campaign. Fighting on Masali, Cato Sicarius used unexpected tactics and a score of Land Raider Prometheus to beat the Eldar army that ravaged the planet's population.[8]
During his various military campaigns Sicarius gained many honours - among the most famous of these being the Imperial Laurel after the Crusat Minor Planet Strike (733.M41), and the Honorifica Valorum after the Battle of Dyzanyr. During a nine-day battle Sicarius gained the Valour Crest (an honour which is only awarded for near-suicidal acts of bravery) in the Battle for Fort Telendrar. The colours of the crest match those of the noble Talassi house Sicarius was brought up in.[2x]
Soon after Sicarius became Captain he was announced the Suzerain of Ultramar in 849.M41 which allowed him to gain control within the Ultramarines hierarchy.[2x] Hero of the Medusa V Schism, Sicarius's first mission was to deploy his forces across the planet in defensive formations and to release his vessels to hunt down any space traffic that might be related to enemy forces of Orks, Eldar, Tyranids, Tau and Chaos. After a long and bloody campaign Sicarius issued an Exterminatus for the dying planet.[3]
In 855.M41[17] Sicarius fought in the Assault on Black Reach against the Ork Warboss Zanzag. The whole of the Second Company stood against ten thousand Orks. As their ammunition ran dry the Ultramarines fought with knife and chain sword until the last Ork fell.[1a]
In 878.M41, during the epic space battle in the Halamar Rift, the Strike Cruiser Valin's Revenge destroyed most of the Chaos Space Fleet, but during the battle aboard the main Chaos vessel Sicarius failed to kill the Daemon Prince M'kar, who escaped back to the Eye of Terror.[2c]
In 946.M41 his heroism was displayed once more when he lead his Second Company against the Daemon Prince Kor Megron in the Battle of Eagle Gate, being heavily wounded by Megron but still managing to personally banish the Daemon to the Warp, after a lone guardsman sacrificed himself.[4]
Battles against Shon'tu
In 969.M41,[5c] Sicarius participated in the Invasion of Taladorn with Second Company. He entered the system in the Strike Cruiser Valin's Revenge and, after driving off the enemy blockade, Sicarius offered to reinforce the Imperial Fists on the ground. Captain Lysander refused Sicarius' assistance and kept fighting. After the Imperial Fists' Third Company was ravaged and Captain Julius Vogen died, Sicarius offered assistance again. Tor Garadon accepted his assistance on behalf of the Imperial Fists, and despite Lysander's continued objections they joined the battle on the ground. This marked a turning point of the battle, and over the next few days of fighting the remaining Iron Warriors Lysander refused to talk to Sicarius or Erasmus Tycho of the Blood Angels.[5b]
In 971.M41,[5c] Sicarius, along with Captain Erasmus Tycho of the Blood Angels were asked to help bring Shon'tu to justice by Captain Lysander, to which they agreed to help. during the Fall of Malodrax Sicarius and the Blood Angels participated in boarding actions on the Tamunash. While there he and his Ultramarines captured a docking bay, sabotaged a quadrant's weapon system, and sabotaged conveyors on the ship to isolate the defenders before withdrawing.[5b]
Damnos Incident
In 974.M41, Sicarius led an Ultramarine assault onto the resource rich planet Damnos against the recently risen menace known as the Necrons. Sicarius split the Second Company into three separate squads; he led one against the heart of the Necron force at Kellenport's outer walls. Upon landing Sicarius's team was surrounded by phalanxes to guard the Necron Lord. During the battle Sicarius fell, gravely wounded by the Lord's War Scythe, but was rescued and was evacuated back to his Battle Cruiser to heal. Damnos was lost to the Necrons but due to the unstable reactor of the planet and thanks to a few Thunderhawk Gunships the reactor blew and took the Necrons and spaceport to their deaths. This event is referred to as the "Damnos Incident".[1b][2e]
Immediately after the Damnos Incident Sicarius was brought back to Macragge while in a revivification casket. While in the casket he had a vision of a possible future, where Necron remains they brought back with them reactivated and attacked the chapter. When he woke up from the casket for real Venatio and Agemman were there exactly like in his vision. He then made his way to the armorium with them, along with Daceus who they met on the way. Once there he had Vantor evacuate the laborers. The Necron remains they had recovered from Damnos started to self-repair, and the 5 of them shot everything they had at the Necrons, destroying them fully. After putting on his armor Sicarius then went to meet [[Calgar]. At the meeting Calgar informed Sicarius that they would go back to Damnos eventually.[19]
Legion of the Damned Encounter
At some point after the Damnos Incident Sicarius participated in the defence of a world against the Tyranids. He planned to assassinate the node creature alongside a squad of Vanguard Veterans, a plan Daceus advised him against but he went anyway. Sicarius knew he had become more reckless after Damnos and felt like he was trying to prove something. During insertion via Drop Pod a Spore Mine went off and hit their pod. Sicarius was badly injured and the veterans with him were killed, though he still had his Vortex Grenade. After running into Tyranids he killed several before a horde of them approached to attack him. He held his Vortex Grenade ready to take the Tyranids out with him. Before he could, however, mist rolled in, revealing Astartes figures that wore bone plate, but moved faster than seemingly possible, which killed all the Tyranids. Shortly after Daceus arrived in a Storm Raven to pick up Sicarius. Before rejoining the battle Sicarius wondered what fate he had been saved for.[20]
Triumph at Victorix
In 994.M41 Sicarius requested help from the Imperial Fists to defend the Shrine World of Victorix from the remnants of Hive Fleet Kraken. Tor Garadon arrived with the Imperial Fists to assist. They were able to preserve the shrine world from destruction.[5d]
Second Battle of Damnos
In 999.M41, Sicarius and the 2nd Company were able to reclaim Damnos for the Imperium after slaying the Necron Lord known as The Undying. During the battle Sicarius killed a Transcendent C'tan using a Vortex Grenade.[7]
Zeist Campaign
In 999.M41 Sicarius led the Ultramarines and thirty other Space Marine chapters and Imperial Guard forces during the Zeist Campaign against the invading forces of the T'au Empire. The T'au were expanding their empire into Imperial territory, of which they had captured 26 worlds. Numerous forces from the Night Watch, Halo Dragons, Silver Skulls, Crimson Fists and others joined Sicarius on Praetonis V to stop the incoming forces. Sicarius fought back with the same tactics that the T'au used, being speed and precision. The combined Astartes strike-force managed to reclaim all the worlds annexed by the T'au and obliterate the invading forces, although the high council withdrew the chapters before the strike-force could launch a counter-assault on T'au-occupied worlds; a much larger battle was brewing.[2d]
Invasion of Ultramar
Early in the Bloodborn Invasion of Ultramar Sicarius was summoned to the chapter master's chambers, along with the other Ultramarines captains, to be briefed on the situation.[23a] Later when Sicarius heard what happened to Talassar he was furious at Tigurius for not predicting it, though he soon apologized. He and the Second Company were then deployed to Espandor because of a vision Tigurius had.[23b]
On Espandor Sicarius set up several ambushes using convoys to draw out their enemies. Though they were successful there were notable human casualties, which frustrated the Planetary Governor Saul Gallow and led to a heated exchange between the two. Sicarius' ultimate plan was to find and kill the enemy leader so the army would fall apart, he noted that it worked on Black Reach and should work here. After interrogating a prisoner he discovered the name of and information on their leader, Kaarja Salombar.[23c] Sicarius and the Second Company proceeded to attack 6 of her advance forces; while they were victorious they still failed to locate her. After their last attack against a force at Olynthus Daceus started to convince Sicarius that they needed to return to Herapolis due to their low supplies, which he was reluctant to do. Before he could give Daceus an answer Gaius Prabian arrived, and informed them that Bloodborn forces were on their way and trying to cut off their escape, after hearing this Sicarius instantly agreed that they needed to leave.[23d]
Later Sicarius deduced that Kaarja was moving between her forces, and he assigned Praxor Manorian, Iulius Fennion and Scipio Vorolanus to take their squads into the wilds and find her.[23e] When Scipio voxed that they had found her in Corinith, Sicarius arrived almost immediately with 4 Thunderhawk Gunships[23f] and almost all of Second Company. Sicarius entered the battle with The Lions of Macragge and asked Scipio and his squad to fight alongside him.[23g] During his fight with Kaarja she stabbed him through the heart; he used the opportunity to hold her in place while Scipio stabbed her with the pole of the company banner. Sicarius then picked up his sword and sliced her head off. He then grabbed her head, got onto the wreckage of her downed skiff, and held it up for the Bloodborn army to see. Afterwards Sicarius explained to Scipio that he had expected her to be at Corinith, moved his and the governor's forces into position, and waited for his signal to attack. Scipio asked him what would have happened if he was wrong, Sicarius said that it was irrelevant as he wasn't.[23h] Sicarius then spent the next 9 days wiping out the remaining Bloodborn with Second Company, a task made easier as the remaining groups had started infighting with no centralized leader.[23h]
Sicarius then headed to Talassar with Second Company in the Valin's Revenge. En route he met up with Uriel Ventris and the Fourth Company. Once at the planet both companies jumped from their Thunderhawks into the battle against the forces of M'kar, Sicarius included. After the death of M'kar Sicarius would fight in the forests of Espandor, sometimes alongside Ventris, over the 6 months spent fighting the last of the Bloodborn in Ultramar. After the 6 months, he participated in the ceremony in the Temple of Correction. Sicarius and the other captains would carve the names of those lost during the invasion into marble in the temple.[23i]
Final Absolution Space Hulk
Sometime after the Invasion of Ultramar the space hulk Final Absolution appeared in space near Talassar. Taking the ship Valin's Revenge and some escorts Sicarius headed out to meet it with some of his men from Second Company, alongside 3 squads from First Company, including Agemman, at the behest of Calgar. After boarding the hulk Sicarius and The Lions of Macragge fought through Genestealers towards the bridge. Once there he had Orian work on activating the engines so they could redirect the hulk. However, the hive started to wake so he was forced to change the plan and have Orian set the hulk to explode. Later he watched the destruction of the hulk with Agemman.[22]
Terran Crusade
When Guilliman returned and started planning his Terran Crusade he gathered a force of battle-brothers from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd companies of the Ultramarines and gave command of them to Sicarius.[9a] During the crusade he led a raiding party with Inquisitor Greyfax against a Red Corsair palace.[9b] During an attack by the Red Corsairs on Macragge's Honour, Sicarius fought against the boarders on the bridge alongside Guilliman, Greyfax and Saint Celestine.[9c] During the fighting Sicarius and several other Ultramarines kept enemies away from Guilliman as he fought the Lord of Change Kairos Fateweaver. During the fighting he and other ultramarines tried to stop Kairos' incantation that was hurting Guilliman, but they were unsuccessful and forced to surrender to save the primarch's life.[9d]
Sicarius was later freed from imprisonment in the Blackstone Fortress by Cypher,Sylandri Veilwalker and their respective forces. Sicarius suggested that they fight their way to their ships but was overruled by Sylandri, who said that there were too many enemy forces, and that the ship's crew were all dead so they would have to use the webway. At the portal Sicarius and Celestine stayed behind until they knew Guilliman would make it through.[9e] During the battle on Luna Sicarius rallied the space marine forces and fought towards the Adeptus Custodes.[9f] Later on Terra Sicarius was among those who waited for Guilliman outside of the throne room.[9g]
Lost in the Warp
At the start of the Indomitus Crusade, Guilliman feared for the safety of Ultramar due to the formation of the Great Rift and dispatched Sicarius from Terra to safeguard his realm. Cato's small fleet consisted of the first Primaris Space Marines of the Ultramarines and was dubbed the Fleet Avenger. However while en-route to Ultramar, the fleet encountered severe Warp Storms on a scale not seen since the Age of Strife. During the chaos, Sicarius ordered each ship to make its own way to Macragge. Sicarius was aboard his own Strike Cruiser, Emperor's Will, when the Astronomican malfunctioned. The last known message from the vessel before it was lost in the Warp was "They have breached the hull, they are here". Sicarius was declared missing by the Ultramarines, and Captain Acheran has assumed leadership of the 2nd Company.[10]
Stranded in the Warp, Cato and the crew of the Emperor's Will endured waves of Daemonic incursions and raids of Chaos Space Marines. They had to endure this nightmarish situation for nearly five years, with most of the mortal crew dying or going insane and the warriors abroad the Emperor's Will losing nearly all of their ammunition.[14b] Desperate, Sicarius ordered the Emperor's Will to translate back to the Materium, at which point they found themselves over a Feudal World with a Human population unaware of the greater Imperium. Looking for supplies and support, Cato led an expedition down to the planet. Wishing not to create a panic, they identified themselves to the confused locals as Knights from the lands of Macragge and found that the humans of this medieval world had been fighting Feral Orks for centuries.[14c] Cato discovered that the city ruler was a Necron slave controlled by Mindshackle Scarabs, but the locals were oblivious to the threat of the Xenos. Cato and his small band of Ultramarines nonetheless aided them in their fight against the Orks.[14d] After defeating the Orks, they slew those within the city enslaved to the Necrons before assaulting their Tomb complex and destroyed it, along with the C'tan Shard that dwelt within. Before leaving the world, Cato allowed his Remembrancer friend Vedaeh and several other mortals who wished to stay behind to do so.[14e]
Commander of the Victrix Guard
Sicarius eventually returned to Imperial space and subsequently joined Lord Commander Guilliman's Indomitus Crusade. As the Crusade fought to save the worlds within the Dark Imperium, Guilliman took Sicarius under his guidance, as the stubborn Captain reminded the Lord Commander of Aeonid Thiel, and he spent a considerable amount of time trying to form Sicarius into something other than merely an exemplary warrior.[11a] Suffering from survivor's guilt and a degree of mental trauma from his experiences in the Warp, Sicarius was nonetheless placed in command of Guilliman's Victrix Guard.[13]
Sicarius was among the Indomitus Crusade forces that took part in the Devastation of Baal, and briefly saw Dante before the latter would meet with Guilliman.[18]
Sicarius met with Guilliman prior to the Battle of Raukos and briefed him on the current situation as he was being armed, Sicarius was then given several orders to relay to other crusade forces.[11a] After the battle he was present at the Triumph of Raukos where Guilliman announced that the first phase of the Indomitus crusade had come to an end.[11b]
Sicarius was among the forces the Lord Commander took with him to aid the Realm of Ultramar during the Plague Wars. He was present at the conclave in the Fortress of Hera where Guilliman announced the changes he was making to Ultramar.[11c]
At an unspecified time Sicarius was within the Hall of Solemnity on Macragge and ran into Ferren Areios, who had come to see the resting place of Maximus Epathus. He recognized the anger and self hatred that Ferren was feeling, and he reminded Sicarius of himself. They then walked together and Sicarius talked to him about the lessons he had learned as a space marine, and his flaws. As they walked he led Ferren to where Epathus was in the hall, and after giving his name left Ferren alone.[21]
Equipment
In combat, Sicarius wears the Mantle of the Suzerain, a type of finely crafted Artificer armor.[2g]. The left pauldron was worn by Captain Orar, an Ultramarine captain from the days of the Horus Heresy, which includes the 2nd Company's heraldry colours, and the sigil which Sicarius has adopted as his own: incorporating an Iron Halo, the Ultramarines' Chapter icon, and a gold aquila which marks Sicarius as Grand Duke of Talassar.[2f]
Sicarius' weapons include a plasma pistol and the Talassarian Tempest Blade, a power sword which he wields with expert proficiency.[Needs Citation]
Images
Cato Sicarius (Limited edition) (4th Edition)
Captain Cato Sicarius' tabletop model (5th Edition)
Quotes
- "We are the slayers of kings, the destroyers of worlds, bringers of ruination and death in all its forms. These things we do in the name of the Emperor and in the defense of Mankind. Let none stay our wrath."[2a]
- "Brothers! War calls you. Will you answer?"[2b]
Trivia
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Conflicting sources
- During the attack of M'kar on Ultramar in 854999.M41, Marneus Calgar travels to Talassar to confront M'kar. According to Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition), the 2nd Company, under Sicarius, accompanies Calgar to Talassar.[2c] While In The Chapter's Due (Novel) which came out 2 years later, the 2nd Company is dispatched to Espandor, while Calgar is accompanied to Talassar by the 1st Company under Captain Severus Agemman. The 2nd Company does not reach Talassar until the end of the novel, to reinforce Calgar's position after concluding the campaign on Espandor.[Needs Citation]
- Originally Sicarius was Captain of the Fifth Company,[6] and promoted to Captain of the second company following the Battle for Macragge, and Severus Agemman being promoted to captain of the First Company.[2a] This was retconned by White Dwarf 498 which gave Demetrian Titus a backstory as a tie in to the then upcoming Space Marine II videogame. Now Sicarius was never captain of the Fifth Company, and was promoted to captain of the second company after the events of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine.[16]
Sources
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- 1: Warhammer 40,000 5th Edition Rulebook:
- 2: Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition):
- 3: White Dwarf 317 (UK) — history extracted from the Medusa campaign section
- 4: Warhammer 40,000 6th Edition Rulebook, pgs. 385–399
- 5: Sentinels of Terra - A Codex: Space Marines Supplement (6th Edition):
- 6: Codex: Space Marines (3rd Edition), pg. 46
- 7: Codex: Necrons (7th Edition) — A New Epoch Begins
- 8: Imperial Armour Volume Two - Space Marines and Forces of the Inquisition, pg. 111
- 9: Gathering Storm: Rise of the Primarch:
- 10: Codex: Space Marines (8th Edition), pg. 98
- 11: Dark Imperium (Novel):
- 12: Blades of Damocles (Novel)[Needs Citation]
- 13: Dark Imperium: Plague War (Novel), Chapter 12
- 14: Knights of Macragge (Novel):
- 15: Warhammer 40,000 9th Edition Rulebook, pg. 28
- 16: White Dwarf 498, pgs. 54-61 - Lieutenant Titus of the Ultramarines
- 17: Codex: Space Marines (6th Edition), pg. 28
- 18: The Devastation of Baal (Novel), Chapter 29
- 19: Veil of Darkness (Audio Drama)
- 20: Cato Sicarius: Master of the Watch (Short Story)
- 21: Solemnity (Short Story)
- 22: Two Kinds of Fool (Short Story)
- 23: The Chapter's Due (Novel):
