Fulgrim's sarcastic barbs left the Iron Hands captains, who prided themselves on their iron wills, drenched in cold sweat. If things were truly as Fulgrim had said, then when Ferrus awoke from his coma, they would surely pay in blood for their contempt.
At best, with Fulgrim present, Ferrus might only coldly berate them out of consideration for him. But the moment he left, Ferrus would immediately raise his iron arms and give every one of them a vicious blow.
We cannot let Father be so disappointed in us... I do not even know how to face him when he wakes.
A moment of panic led these captains to make the most correct decision: avoidance. If they connected themselves to those metal braided wires and extracted the data from Ferrus's brain, they too would fall unconscious. It might not spare them from Ferrus's punishment, but at least they would not have to face his rage and displeasure right away.
The Iron Hands captains immediately abandoned their scorn and suspicion toward the metal braided wires and began fighting over them. Some had barely seized one and inserted it into their nostril before another snatched it away before it was even powered on...
A faint smile hung on Fulgrim's face. He was quite pleased by the captains' panic. It would teach them how to respect a Primarch.
After a while, Ferrus's eyelids twitched lightly. Fulgrim immediately walked to his side and called softly, "Ferrus, you big oaf, stop sleeping. We still have a battle to fight."
"What?" Ferrus slowly woke, his eyes filled with bloodshot veins. After Fulgrim helped him up, he looked around and found his captains lying unconscious on the ground, their eyes rolled back and a metal braided wire inserted into each of their noses.
"What is going on?"