Iron Within (2023) Movie Script
This is not living.
We are surrounded on all sides by vile aliens.
Betrayal gnaws at us from within.
In this dark time, the best thing we can do is cling to our weapons
and pray to our gods.
Imperial Commander Skolak a'Trellar IV -
Retreat to the palace!
Move!
The citizens are fleeing toward the city.
The xenos come every night.
Then, with daylight, they disappear.
But each night, they come closer.
Tonight, they entered the city.
As far as we can tell, their only purpose
is to spread fear and take captives...
Civilian prisoners.
Everything is wrong.
All of it is wrong.
There is no need to die...
Yes.
Yes.
No need.
They can take whatever they want from the streets.
We can withdraw our forces,
allowing them to rule freely.
We can offer them this.
A gesture, really...
There is no need for them to come any closer.
A small price to pay.
There is no need for them to come any closer.
Our duty is to protect this world
and its citizens for the Emperor.
We must not pay
any price the xenos demand.
None.
Governor.
We've lost everything.
Maybe,
We haven't...
The ancient protocol still exists, Lord Governor...
In return for the tithe we once paid
with our sons...
We can call upon the Angels of Death,
And they will answer our call.
Myths and childish dreams.
There are no angels to save us, fool!
We must flee...
A ship.
Yes, a ship.
Are there ships in orbit?
Only one.
A swift steed to carry me far away.
None.
The traders have long since fled,
And our warships drift as wreckage.
Commander,
Governor,
We have withdrawn all remaining forces
to the palace perimeter.
We are trying to bring as many
within the walls as we can.
But the enemy is everywhere.
What is that?
What is that?
I ordered that your citizens be protected
with all available means and force.
No,
No,
No,
No,
No,
You had no right!
I am the will and majesty of the Imperium!
I am the Emperors anointed ruler.
Now they will come here.
They will come for me.
There is no way out now...
I thought I had already given them enough...
I thought...
What have you done?
They said they would send him away...
They told me I could be the Governor instead...
They said they wouldnt take anything I would miss...
The malfunction in the distant orbital auspex unit...
It was you.
You handed your people over to the xenos.
What does the life of a few peasants matter?
I was born to rule this world!
This is treason, Commander!
You swore an oath to me!
He swore an oath to the Emperor.
As did we both.
He was weak.
And the weak bring about their own destruction.
What happens now?
The summoning rituals are hidden beneath us, in the crypt vault.
There is no salvation in myths!
We must rely on ourselves.
Commander...
We've just lost Manufactorum Primus.
Summon the Angels...
And pray they come.
They are not hiding.
They make no effort to conceal their arrival.
They want us to see them.
They could have crushed us in the first assault.
Instead, they return each night,
Tearing a little more at our defenses,
dragging this out.
Why?
Why are they doing this to us?
They want us to be afraid.
They take almost as much pleasure in our terror
as they do in our blood.
Then let them drown in our blood.
Id rather die than submit.
Better yet, to win and live.
Did you send the call again?
Repeatedly,
Commander.
But no response has come from the Sea of Souls...
Send it again.
Commander,
I...
The hymnal is taking effect...
I must rest...
Send it again.
The only thing in those myths worth having
is the faith within them:
We must turn to the iron within.
They will come.
Did you hear?
The Angels will come.
Long ago, we gave them our sons,
and they swore they would return.
Our blood is their blood.
The crimson iron of the Angels.
They will come.
They are here.
Permission to detonate the mines?
Granted.
Prepare to trigger all explosives.
Detonate.
They are in the southern streets.
Trigger the second and third explosives and detonate!
The Emperor protects...
The Emperor protects!
Get up!
The Emperor protects those who fight!
Get up!
Fire!
We must retreat!
We can fight in the inner palace
or be slaughtered here.
Look.
Those are...?
Salvation.
The Emperors Angels...
They have come...
They came!
The Angels have come.
I knew our faith would be rewarded.
These are not Angels.
They are retreating!
The xenos are fleeing!
Commander,
These are not the saviors you wished for.
Sir!
While they are occupied with the xenos,
we must withdraw now.
All forces, fall back to the throne room.
Welcome.
Is this yours?
I found it while hiding here.
Ah,
Now I understand.
You hoped to use his fragile mind
to call for aid.
There is no hope here.
Do you not hear the screams?
The screams of the xenos.
Death is coming for you,
you heretical wretch.
Enter and see.
What happened to the wretch who sat in this chair?
I killed him.
Did you?
Would you like to take his place?
Perhaps not.
We will find another.
I wonder how much a slave is willing to pay
to consider himself a lord...
Cease fire.
Fifth and seventh companies,
secure the walls.
First brothers, come with me.
You should be proud.
You are the chosen ones,
The finest fruits of this harvest...
Your pain has ripened you.
Your hope has fattened you.
And now?
The despair you feel...
Exquisite.
Now,
It is time for the harvest,
And the feast of suffering.
Even now you resist...
You will be gifts for the arenas.
Useless cattle.
Do you know what you have summoned?
Is your lifespan so short
that you have forgotten the monsters of your past?
The Iron Warriors turned their backs
on your Emperor long ago.
Now, what flows in their veins
is the power of Chaos.
Then we shall die together.
Foolish meat puppet.
I will leave you hanging from sharp hooks
until your screams bore me.
Then, and only then,
will I have the Haemonculi turn you
into a writhing ornament for my throne room.
You shall never taste the mercy of death.
When I was taken from this world,
There was still iron in your people's blood.
Long ages,
And the lies of the Corpse-Emperor,
Have rusted your strength.
This world is mine.
I will raise walls that cannot fall...
Once more, iron within and without.
Weakness is a choice.
Kneel.
We must protect the survivors.
The people...
Must be ruled.
I will not kneel.
I would rather die than submit.
Then,
You shall receive the judgment of iron.
We are surrounded on all sides by vile aliens.
Betrayal gnaws at us from within.
In this dark time, the best thing we can do is cling to our weapons
and pray to our gods.
Imperial Commander Skolak a'Trellar IV -
Retreat to the palace!
Move!
The citizens are fleeing toward the city.
The xenos come every night.
Then, with daylight, they disappear.
But each night, they come closer.
Tonight, they entered the city.
As far as we can tell, their only purpose
is to spread fear and take captives...
Civilian prisoners.
Everything is wrong.
All of it is wrong.
There is no need to die...
Yes.
Yes.
No need.
They can take whatever they want from the streets.
We can withdraw our forces,
allowing them to rule freely.
We can offer them this.
A gesture, really...
There is no need for them to come any closer.
A small price to pay.
There is no need for them to come any closer.
Our duty is to protect this world
and its citizens for the Emperor.
We must not pay
any price the xenos demand.
None.
Governor.
We've lost everything.
Maybe,
We haven't...
The ancient protocol still exists, Lord Governor...
In return for the tithe we once paid
with our sons...
We can call upon the Angels of Death,
And they will answer our call.
Myths and childish dreams.
There are no angels to save us, fool!
We must flee...
A ship.
Yes, a ship.
Are there ships in orbit?
Only one.
A swift steed to carry me far away.
None.
The traders have long since fled,
And our warships drift as wreckage.
Commander,
Governor,
We have withdrawn all remaining forces
to the palace perimeter.
We are trying to bring as many
within the walls as we can.
But the enemy is everywhere.
What is that?
What is that?
I ordered that your citizens be protected
with all available means and force.
No,
No,
No,
No,
No,
You had no right!
I am the will and majesty of the Imperium!
I am the Emperors anointed ruler.
Now they will come here.
They will come for me.
There is no way out now...
I thought I had already given them enough...
I thought...
What have you done?
They said they would send him away...
They told me I could be the Governor instead...
They said they wouldnt take anything I would miss...
The malfunction in the distant orbital auspex unit...
It was you.
You handed your people over to the xenos.
What does the life of a few peasants matter?
I was born to rule this world!
This is treason, Commander!
You swore an oath to me!
He swore an oath to the Emperor.
As did we both.
He was weak.
And the weak bring about their own destruction.
What happens now?
The summoning rituals are hidden beneath us, in the crypt vault.
There is no salvation in myths!
We must rely on ourselves.
Commander...
We've just lost Manufactorum Primus.
Summon the Angels...
And pray they come.
They are not hiding.
They make no effort to conceal their arrival.
They want us to see them.
They could have crushed us in the first assault.
Instead, they return each night,
Tearing a little more at our defenses,
dragging this out.
Why?
Why are they doing this to us?
They want us to be afraid.
They take almost as much pleasure in our terror
as they do in our blood.
Then let them drown in our blood.
Id rather die than submit.
Better yet, to win and live.
Did you send the call again?
Repeatedly,
Commander.
But no response has come from the Sea of Souls...
Send it again.
Commander,
I...
The hymnal is taking effect...
I must rest...
Send it again.
The only thing in those myths worth having
is the faith within them:
We must turn to the iron within.
They will come.
Did you hear?
The Angels will come.
Long ago, we gave them our sons,
and they swore they would return.
Our blood is their blood.
The crimson iron of the Angels.
They will come.
They are here.
Permission to detonate the mines?
Granted.
Prepare to trigger all explosives.
Detonate.
They are in the southern streets.
Trigger the second and third explosives and detonate!
The Emperor protects...
The Emperor protects!
Get up!
The Emperor protects those who fight!
Get up!
Fire!
We must retreat!
We can fight in the inner palace
or be slaughtered here.
Look.
Those are...?
Salvation.
The Emperors Angels...
They have come...
They came!
The Angels have come.
I knew our faith would be rewarded.
These are not Angels.
They are retreating!
The xenos are fleeing!
Commander,
These are not the saviors you wished for.
Sir!
While they are occupied with the xenos,
we must withdraw now.
All forces, fall back to the throne room.
Welcome.
Is this yours?
I found it while hiding here.
Ah,
Now I understand.
You hoped to use his fragile mind
to call for aid.
There is no hope here.
Do you not hear the screams?
The screams of the xenos.
Death is coming for you,
you heretical wretch.
Enter and see.
What happened to the wretch who sat in this chair?
I killed him.
Did you?
Would you like to take his place?
Perhaps not.
We will find another.
I wonder how much a slave is willing to pay
to consider himself a lord...
Cease fire.
Fifth and seventh companies,
secure the walls.
First brothers, come with me.
You should be proud.
You are the chosen ones,
The finest fruits of this harvest...
Your pain has ripened you.
Your hope has fattened you.
And now?
The despair you feel...
Exquisite.
Now,
It is time for the harvest,
And the feast of suffering.
Even now you resist...
You will be gifts for the arenas.
Useless cattle.
Do you know what you have summoned?
Is your lifespan so short
that you have forgotten the monsters of your past?
The Iron Warriors turned their backs
on your Emperor long ago.
Now, what flows in their veins
is the power of Chaos.
Then we shall die together.
Foolish meat puppet.
I will leave you hanging from sharp hooks
until your screams bore me.
Then, and only then,
will I have the Haemonculi turn you
into a writhing ornament for my throne room.
You shall never taste the mercy of death.
When I was taken from this world,
There was still iron in your people's blood.
Long ages,
And the lies of the Corpse-Emperor,
Have rusted your strength.
This world is mine.
I will raise walls that cannot fall...
Once more, iron within and without.
Weakness is a choice.
Kneel.
We must protect the survivors.
The people...
Must be ruled.
I will not kneel.
I would rather die than submit.
Then,
You shall receive the judgment of iron.