Editing Duniya Kanaash (section)

===The Emperor's War===
Kanaash agreed, for he held a long fascination with the Terran Emperor who had haunted him for so long even as he had worked to combat him. For one of the first times in his life Kanaash was unarmed as he met with the golden Master of Terra. The Emperor was nothing like what Kanaash had expected, someone as well versed in philosophy as war, and he questioned Kanaash's own philosophical underpinnings, asking whether both Mars and Terra could profit from war, or whether any war could be considered to nbe just given the inevitable casualty counts. For several hours the two engaged in a battle of wills, before the Emperor congratulated Kanaash for his wisdom and foresight and offered him a stunning opportunity.

The Emperor spoke of his plans for Galactic Conquest, Wars so big in scale even Kanaash was left stupefied. His wars would give all mankind purpose, and his wars would not the empty ones Kanaash had fought for so many decades. Towards that end, He was already working with the Fabricator General to create an organization that would be used to reduce and destroy any bulwark that would slow the progress of the Great Crusade. But mere destruction would not serve the Emperor's purpose. It had to be destruction with cause, and Kanaash could provide that cause. He offered Kanaash the position of Master of the Ordo Reductor, a position of immense power within the Great Crusade.

There was much that wasn't said however. If Kanaash become the head of the Ordo Reductor than he would be forced to give up his position as head of the Myrmidon order and surrender his holdings on Mars. At a stroke any power he once held over Martian politics would be removed.

Kanaash was no fool, He could see both sides of the debate, and was not entirely swayed by the Emperor's promises to respect the separate identity of Mars. The Emperor had said similar things on Terra, and it had never ended well. Plus the memory of the humiliation of Burija’s folly still lingered. Kanaash cut a deal. He would fight a duel with Hektor, the General who had defeated his predecessor on Terra. If Hektor won, Kanaash would forswear all rights to Mars and leave the Myrmidon Order to serve the Emperor in his plan of galactic conquest. If Kanaash won, then the Emperor would leave Mars for good. While the Fabricator General was horrified, the Emperor merely laughed and agreed.

Hektor's first visit to Mars was for a duel. Kanaash had been spending days studying and practicing as many forms of martial skill as possible and wielding the Axe of his former Master, met Hektor on the Slopes of Olympus Mons. The Battle was short but brutal, and Hektor was bleeding from a score of wounds. But Kanaash was rent of all his limbs and left broken and helpless on the red soil of Mars. Hektor would later boast that Kanaash had 'lasted five minutes more than his predecessor -  five minutes and nothing more.' Even to a being as logical and efficient as Kanaash, this was a humiliation that would linger. Perhaps it is here that the first canker of darkness was born, one which would not be seen for over two hundred years, but which would continue to grow and fester.

Kanaash's defection to the Emperor's side was a bitter blow to the lords of Urbis Juventas. They had long held Kanaash as their firmest friend and closest ally in the struggle against Terra. With him gone, they had no more friends and shortly afterward their forge was razed by the Fabricator General. Kanaash gave no comment.