‘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 defence of Mankind. Let none stay our wrath.’
Cato Sicarius
Cato Sicarius is one of the greatest martial champions the Ultramarines Chapter has ever produced. Former Captain of the Second Company, Master of the Watch, Grand Duke of Talassar and High Suzerain of Ultramar: these are but a few of the titles he has earned in the course of his long and impressive service.
Born into one of the noble families hailing from the ocean world of Talassar, Cato Sicarius never wanted for privilege. For the nobility of Ultramar, it is considered a great honour to send a scion to the martial academies of Macragge. As soon as he was old enough to grip a sword, the young Sicarius was trained in the arts of war. Whether by dint of his birth or simply due to his clear superiority over his contemporaries, Sicarius demonstrated an arrogance to match his aptitude. This flaw did not prevent him from earning accolades and commendations in abundance. Young Sicarius rose swiftly through the ranks of the Ultramarines. He served with distinction in every role to which he was assigned until at last he ascended to the vaunted position of Second Company Captain. Though Sicarius’ memories of Talassar are fragmentary, clouded by the psycho-conditioning of his indoctrination, he still bears the Talassarian Tempest Blade. This weapon, forged from storm-wrack adamantine by the foremost artisans of his home world, bears upon its crossguard filigree scrollwork that acts as a constant reminder of his lineage.
As Captain of the Second, Sicarius established a reputation as a bold and dynamic commander who favoured decisive action over extensive planning. For the most part, Sicarius’ methods were effective. In the dank caverns of Black Reach, he slew the Ork Warlord Zanzag, and on the icy world of Damnos, crushed Necrons of the Sautekh Dynasty and banished one of their C’tan shards. Yet Sicarius’ campaigns attracted opprobrium from some of his peers, most notably Captain Agemman of the First Company, who believed that the younger officer’s recklessness would lead him to ruin. Sicarius’ aggressive strategies during the Damnos Campaign, in particular, had seen his company suffer terrible losses, and the horrors of that war would linger long and painfully in the Captain’s memory. Nonetheless, when Roboute Guilliman was restored to life, the Primarch saw greater martial potential in Sicarius and personally selected the Captain to accompany him on his Terran Crusade, making him the commander of the Ultramarines’ Victrix Honour Guard.
Whilst Sicarius and Guilliman faced many challenges on their journey to the Throneworld, it would be the return voyage that proved most deadly for the Captain. Dispatched ahead to see to Ultramar’s defence, Sicarius’ entire fleet of warships was swallowed by a warp storm. How long he and his flagship, Emperor’s Will, were lost on the tides of the Warp, none can say, but Sicarius and his crew endured great suffering within. When at last he escaped and emerged into realspace, the Captain found much had changed. Another battle-brother had been promoted in his place. Captain Acheran now led the Second Company, and Guilliman and Calgar had no intention of removing their new appointment from command and reinstating Sicarius.
If Sicarius’ pride was wounded at the loss of his command, the Captain never showed it. Roboute Guilliman, however, recognised that a warrior such as Sicarius possessed skills the Chapter could ill afford to lose. Sicarius had demonstrated that he was an exemplary soldier and a daring, unconventional commander. In recognition, the Primarch appointed him permanent commander of the Victrix Honour Guard, solidifying the position he had held during the Terran Crusade. By doing so, Guilliman hoped to provide the Captain with a new direction for his considerable talents. Sicarius has thrown himself into his new position with gusto. Through it, he hopes to lay to rest the spectres of his past, find new purpose, and benefit from the full gamut of his Primarch’s boundless wisdom.
The Victrix Honour Guard
Founded by the Primarch after his rebirth, the Victrix Honour Guard is composed of Ultramarines veterans. Hand-chosen, initially by Roboute Guilliman but now more commonly by Marneus Calgar, each of these warriors has been selected for their skill at statesmanship as much as their martial prowess. The Victrix Guard serve a dual role as bodyguards for high-ranking Ultramarines officers and diplomatic envoys. These warriors benefit from access to the deepest and eldest of the Fortress of Hera’s armouries, bearing to battle relic blades once wielded by the greatest of the Chapter’s fallen heroes. It is the Ancient of the Victrix Guard who has the honour of bearing the Banner of Macragge to battle. This standard has witnessed countless glorious victories and bitter defeats, but has never yet fallen into the hands of the enemy.
