Rhodes knew very well that the Space Sharks would never stick to the Codex Astartes' strict organization—one hundred men per company.
Just like the Space Wolves and Black Templars, these guys definitely number over 2,000, maybe even more.
All of them have massive companies, and even the number of company captains isn't fixed at ten. Rhodes would believe it if you told him they had a dozen or even twenty captains.
You guys treat the Codex Astartes like toilet paper! I love it!
No wonder I'd want to rope your whole chapter in!
"You all need to bring the entire Space Sharks Chapter over. Maybe you don't realize just how intense the fighting is. The Blood Angels have called up all their successor chapters, all of Sanguinius's bloodline.
A full legion-sized force of Space Marines—over 29,000 strong. But even so, they've been pushed to the brink. We're only just heading over to support them.
So even if you bring a couple hundred, or even double that, it's still a drop in the ocean. I need your whole chapter.
This battle is at least as big as the Badab War—maybe even bigger. When it's over, you'll be handsomely rewarded.
Don't worry about that. The power armor and weapons in front of you? Consider them an advance payment! You can take them right now." Rhodes quickly summarized just how dire the battle was for the Space Sharks' captain.
He even exaggerated how bad things were. He wasn't worried these Space Sharks would be scared—they were all battle maniacs anyway.
"I never expected things to be so bad, that the Blood Angels would call in all their successors!
But even if I wanted to summon our Chapter Master, it might be too late," said the Space Sharks' captain.
He was realizing just how serious the situation was. He'd thought it was just a small Tyranid splinter fleet, but now it was the life-or-death struggle of the entire Sanguinius bloodline.
But the problem was, even if their Chapter Master wanted to come, it would take time.
If their Chapter Master took the warp routes from the galactic rim, it would take at least two months to reach Baal.
"There's plenty of time. We're just the vanguard.
More reinforcements are on the way. Just contact your Chapter Master and tell him to head to the Baal system," Rhodes said with a smile.
Not like I expect you Space Sharks to win the fight—I mainly want to poach your Chapter as gene-sons. As long as you show up, that's good enough.
"You're right, Commander. In that case, once we're out of the warp, I'll send a message to the Chapter Master immediately," the Space Sharks captain said with a nod.
You can't use psychic communication with realspace while in the warp; he'd have to wait until they exited to send a message.
Once this battle is over, surely the Blood Angels will reward them handsomely!
After all, they're a new founding chapter, and with so many successors called in, maybe they could get their hands on some of the Blood Angels' gene-seed.
Sanguinius's gene-seed is incredibly powerful—maybe they could swap out their own.
The Space Sharks didn't care whose gene-seed they used, as long as it was strong.
He had to notify the Chapter Master quickly and get the other companies and brothers over, or they'd miss out on all the benefits.
"No need to be so troubled—come with me to the upper deck. We have someone here with powerful psychic abilities who can send a message to realspace from the warp.
He can help you contact your Chapter Master," Rhodes said with a sly smile.
On the upper deck was his true legion—a whole crowd of Primaris super Space Marines, all waiting up there.
Only a dozen or so people in this command room didn't know Rhodes' true identity—they were just there to relay messages to other ships.
The psychic in question was, of course, Rhodes himself. Thanks to Guilliman and his terrifying psychic power, even in the warp, he could communicate with Guilliman—so he just needed Guilliman to send the Space Sharks a message.
"Commander! Are you kidding me?
You're saying there's a psyker who can send messages from the warp to realspace?" The Space Sharks' 7th Company Captain stared wide-eyed at Rhodes, incredulous.
If you could normally communicate with realspace from the warp, Imperial ships wouldn't be lost every year, vanishing without a trace.
It's supposed to be impossible. In the warp, everything depends on luck. If you hit a warp storm, you're just out of luck.
"Right now, the whole galaxy has been torn open by a massive warp rift. Half the Imperium has lost contact with Holy Terra.
Warp travel and communication are extremely dangerous, but some psykers have gotten stronger.
Maybe no one could do it before, but now it's possible." Rhodes filled him in on the Fall of Cadia and the opening of the Great Rift.
A lot of the Imperium still didn't know the rift had opened—the galaxy had completely changed from just a few months ago.
"I see. Alright, let's go then! I want to see this psyker who can send messages to realspace!" The Space Sharks' 7th Captain nodded.
The warp had changed lately—their Astropaths and Navigators had noticed. Something major must've happened in the Imperium.
Soon, the Space Sharks captain followed Rhodes to the upper deck, a place regular mortal troops weren't allowed.
This was Rhodes' private, the Emperor's Chosen territory. Only Space Marines and Sisters of Battle could enter.
The moment he stepped onto the upper deck, the Space Sharks captain was stunned.
At 2.54 meters tall, he was already a giant among Space Marines—a massive hulk.
But compared to the crowd of warriors over 3 meters tall here, he was suddenly a little guy.
And their gear was amazing—all top-tier power armor, and there were hundreds if not thousands of these warriors.
Wait a minute, did the Minotaurs get called over?
Among Space Marines, only the Minotaurs could rival the Space Sharks for height—or even outdo them.
But these unfamiliar Marines didn't have Minotaurs' markings.
On closer inspection, he couldn't figure out what chapter these strangers belonged to.
"Commander, what chapter are these strange brothers from? I don't recognize their insignia at all," the Space Sharks' 7th Captain asked.
These massive Marines seemed extremely respectful to Rhodes. Every time he passed, they'd bow their heads in salute.
"Oh, them? They're Primaris super Space Marines—an upgraded version of the original Astartes.
They're the latest Astartes the Imperium has developed, much stronger than the old ones," Rhodes said, beaming.
Wait, what?
Primaris super Space Marines? What the hell? Had the Space Sharks lost contact with the Imperium for so long that Astartes got upgraded?
That can't be! They'd only been wandering the galactic rim for a few years—at most a decade or so without talking to the Imperium. They still kept in touch with the Mechanicus. Why hadn't they heard of these new warriors?
"Commander! You're saying they're the next-gen Astartes? Wait, this is confusing me.
Don't tell me I've been lost in the warp for centuries—or even millennia? Is it the 45th or even the 46th millennium now?" The Space Sharks' captain looked like he'd seen a ghost.
That was the only explanation—a strange Imperial commander, a new Emperor's Chosen, a huge unfamiliar fortress-monastery, and an army of Marines he'd never seen.
"It's still the 999th year of M41—just a month or two from M42. Nowhere near the 45th or 46th millennium!" Rhodes replied.
"Then why have we never heard of these Primaris super Space Marines? Are they really that strong? Way stronger than us original Astartes?" the Space Sharks captain asked.
"Of course, there's a huge difference. A single Primaris could easily take down a dozen of you," Rhodes said.
"No way! They're just a bit bigger and taller!
My Chapter Master is over 4 meters tall—almost a Primarch. Does that mean he has Primarch-level strength?" The Space Sharks' 7th Captain rolled his eyes.
Don't treat us like idiots—we may be poor, but we're not dumb.
"But they are that strong, I'm not making it up!"
"Come on, are they all Custodians or something?"
Only the Custodes could beat a dozen original Astartes.
"Good guess—they are all at Custodes level," Rhodes said.
"I don't believe it! How about a match to prove it?"
"Titus, spar with this captain and his men," Rhodes said.
I was waiting for you to say that!