NOVEL NEXT Chapter 156: Departing for Nuceria
From the visions of the future, the Emperor had gleaned some information about the Imperium Secundus. However, he did not know the specific reasons for its establishment, nor the true extent of the devastation wrought by the Great Betrayal.
If the future he had seen was true, then it was likely the three Primarchs involved had only established this second empire out of extreme desperation, perhaps even under the belief that he was dead and that humanity had lost everything.
Although their actions constituted treason, they fell within a forgivable range because their fundamental intentions remained pure.
"For now, we will place those two on a provisional watch list," the Emperor said after a moment of consideration, "At the same time, we will add Guilliman to that list."
Even if their motives were good, the creation of a second empire was undeniably an act that warranted a degree of monitoring.
Although Sanguinius was the titular leader of this Imperium Secundus, its true political core and territorial base was Roboute Guilliman's Five Hundred Worlds of Ultramar.
The Emperor was somewhat curious as to why Guilliman had not assumed the role of emperor himself, or at least the position of true leadership. Why had he pushed Sanguinius to the forefront instead? Was Sanguinius a puppet, or merely a shield?
And then there was Lion El'Jonson. Why would he throw in his lot with Guilliman? All these questions sparked a deep curiosity in the Emperor.
Malcador nodded in agreement.
Guilliman was a rare talent among the Primarchs, a born statesman unlike any of his brothers. He was exceptionally skilled at developing his domain. It could be said that he was better suited to remaining in the rear, managing logistics and internal development, than fighting on the front lines of the Great Crusade.
Guilliman was a competent administrator, and his gene-sons followed his example.
In fact, Guilliman had once proposed that Space Marines, especially his Ultramarines, should hold all key administrative positions within the Imperium.
He argued it would maximize the Imperium's efficiency, as Space Marines could handle matters far more effectively than ordinary mortals, and their lifespans would help them serve for far longer with efficiency.
The Emperor and Malcador had vetoed the proposal.
Space Marines were, at their core, living weapons.
They were soldiers meant for the front lines; they could never be the true rulers of the nation. Throughout human history, whenever high-ranking military commanders gained the support of the majority of a government's officials, or when those officials became their men, the time for a new dynasty was at hand.
Even if the commander himself harbored no such ambitions, his subordinates would eventually put the thought into his head for him.
Such events were a common occurrence throughout the long march of human history.
Guilliman's intentions were sound, but his proposal was an absolute impossibility.
Later, Guilliman must have realized the grave implications of his suggestion, for he never mentioned it again.
"Neoth, it is Guilliman whom you should monitor most closely. If any were to truly betray us, his betrayal would inflict the greatest damage. You and I are both acutely aware of the war potential contained within his Five Hundred Worlds of Ultramar."
Every Legion possessed the knowledge to create Space Marines.
If the lords of Macragge so desired, they could create a hundred thousand Space Marines in a single decade, and repeat the feat every decade thereafter. If the Emperor simply loosened the reins, Guilliman's Legion could swell to over a million strong in a matter of a few decades, a speed of reinforcement that no other Primarch could ever hope to match.
Standing nearby, Axis offered a three-minute silent prayer for the future Regent Guilliman. The man had caught the stray due to his carelessness.
While Guilliman's personal combat prowess was not the greatest, arguably better only than Lorgar's, his ability to mass deploy armies was truly fearsome.
Moreover, his strategic command skills were among the very best of the Primarchs.
After the Horus Heresy erupted, about half of Guilliman's own Legion was annihilated by traitor forces.
Yet, in a matter of years, he had not only restored the Ultramarines to full strength but had expanded their numbers even further.
The sight of nearly three hundred thousand Ultramarines ready for war gave Warmaster Horus sleepless nights.
If the word bearers conjured the Ruinstorm, which cut off the travel to terra, preventing Guilliman's forces from reaching Holy Terra in time, Horus might as well have surrendered on the spot.
The Emperor and Malcador's decision to take precautions against Guilliman was indeed sound.
"Guilliman's war potential is arguably the greatest among all the Primarchs," Malcador stated firmly, "His surveillance must be given the highest priority."
The Emperor finally nodded, concurring with Malcador. He elevated Guilliman's threat level to the maximum. It could not be helped. Even though Guilliman was currently a paragon of loyalty, the terrifying war potential simmering within the Five Hundred Worlds of Ultramar unsettled even the Master of Mankind.
It was akin to being an emperor in a feudal dynasty, with a general who commanded a hundred thousand elite troops, an army that could double or triple in size at a moment's notice. This general also commanded a stable and vast rear territory with its own immense power.
"Ahem! Father-in-law, surely you don't think Guilliman might be the one leading this rebellion, do you?" Axis asked. If that was the case, it was a huge misunderstanding.
"That is not what I am thinking, Axis. You do not fully understand Guilliman, nor the potential of the Five Hundred Worlds," the Emperor replied, "Guilliman's capacity for war is too immense. He alone is worth half the other Primarchs combined. Of all my sons, he is the last one I would ever wish to see turn traitor."
The Emperor suspected that this boy, Axis, could also see parts of the future.
He just did not know how much. If it had not been for him, the Emperor might never have discovered the Imperium Secundus, let alone the full truth of the Great Betrayal and his own tragic fate upon the Golden Throne.
If events had unfolded unchecked, humanity would have been doomed to that dark and desperate future.
Hearing this, Axis gave a helpless shrug.
Perhaps he would have to find an opportunity to give the future Regent a little nudge. Knowing the Thirteenth's sharp mind, a word or two would be enough for him to understand the implication.
"Perturabo of the Fourth Legion, and Konrad Curze, who has just joined the Eighth, must also be added to the watch list," the Emperor declared.
The Emperor and Malcador continued their discussion, finalizing a surveillance list that included Lion El'Jonson, Sanguinius, Perturabo, Konrad Curze, Mortarion, and Roboute Guilliman, with Guilliman's monitoring level set to the absolute highest.
The secret meeting lasted for an entire day.
It correctly identified several Primarchs who were destined to betray them, but it also implicated three who were entirely blameless. Guilliman, in particular, was truly a case of disaster falling from the heavens upon an unsuspecting head.
Shaking his head, Axis returned to his quarters.
On the Emperor's command, agents of the Officio Assassinorum were dispatched to covertly embed themselves near the targeted Primarchs.
For the next several decades, these assassins would monitor their daily activities and produce assessments on their likelihood of betraying the Imperium and the Emperor. The final reports would be delivered to Malcador, the Regent of Terra.
The Space Marines of the Twelfth Legion also received the Emperor's orders. All active elements of the War Hounds Legion immediately ceased their campaigns, handing over their duties to relieving forces. They boarded their ships at once to rendezvous with the Emperor. This time, their destination was not Holy Terra, but the world of Nuceria. There, the Emperor and Axis would meet with the entire Twelfth Legion.
A few days later, Axis and the Emperor departed Holy Terra with a massive expeditionary fleet.
The Emperor had once again returned to the Great Crusade, personally resuming supreme command of the fleets from Horus. This was a common practice; whenever the Emperor was called away, Horus was the only Primarch entrusted to command the Great Crusade in his stead.
During the journey through the Warp, Axis stayed aboard the Emperor's flagship, engaging in various discussions with him.
"Father-in-law, you didn't really need to come with me on this mission," Axis said. "I could have handled everything myself."
Eliminating Angron and replacing the gene-seed of the entire War Hounds Legion was a task Axis and his own gene-sons were fully capable of accomplishing. And he wous've had more freedom of movent of the emperor wasn't there himself.
"He is the first Primarch to be judged a traitor and purged," the Emperor stated, "I must be there in person."
Strictly speaking, Angron had not even been rediscovered yet.
To brand him a traitor without any reason or evidence was entirely unjustified. Therefore, the Emperor intended to stage a little play and see if Angron would, as the prophecy foretold, raise his weapons against him at their very first meeting.
"Will the men of the Twelfth Legion require mind-wiping?" Axis asked.
"Mind-wiping would certainly prevent a lot of trouble. Have Kasha and your Librarians handle it," the Emperor instructed.
It was the most effective way to conceal the truth. Erasing their own primogenitor from their history would be a devastating blow to the men of the Twelfth Legion. The bond between a Space Marine and his primarch was far more intimate than even his connection to the Emperor.
"If we are going to eliminate the Twelfth Primarch, then perhaps it is best that the Twelfth Legion never meets him at all," Axis suggested, "We should arrive before they do. We can simply proceed with the plan then."
The Emperor considered this for a moment, then nodded his assent to Axis's proposal.
Two months later, the vast fleet led by the Emperor and Axis finally arrived in high orbit over the planet Nuceria.
The planet's slave masters were terrified at the sight of the colossal armada hanging in their sky, a truly intimidating display of power.
They immediately contacted the Emperor's fleet, hoping to negotiate. They even offered their unconditional surrender.
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