Chapter 18: The Primarchs and the Emperor
After settling their account, the two continued their tour of the hive city. Forge World's Army soldiers were a common sight throughout the sprawling urban warren, and occasionally Space Marines could be glimpsed moving through the thoroughfares.
Indeed, as Russell had observed, warriors of the Dark Angels, White Scars, and Death Guard appeared with increasing frequency.
By contrast, not a single Alpha Legion operative had been sighted—the XXth Legion was clearly engaged in combat operations against xenos forces.
When encountering Astartes warriors in the streets, the most frequent topic of their exchanges concerned Primarch Angron, who had been reunited with the Imperium several years prior.
Ordinarily, the various Legions operated on campaigns that kept them separated for years, even decades, remaining largely unfamiliar with one another's cultures and doctrines.
Each Legion had developed its own fighting styles and traditions. But Angron's return had been extraordinary.
As Primarch of the World Eaters, Angron's strained relationship with the Emperor was common knowledge among the Imperium's high-ranking officials on Holy Terra.
According to these Astartes, Angron was consumed by rage, utterly bereft of reason.
The Primarch openly displayed anger and hostility toward the Emperor Himself, a transgression simply unforgivable in the eyes of the Legiones Astartes.
Even more incredibly, despite such grave disrespect, the Emperor still valued Angron highly, appointing him Master of the World Eaters.
Yet Angron had immediately turned upon his own warriors, betraying the Emperor's trust entirely.
What followed was madness incarnate: this Primarch intended to implant cortical devices, the Butcher's Nails, into the skull of every single Space Marine under his command.
Such unprecedented acts had truly occurred within the Imperium of Man, perpetrated by a Primarch no less.
Forge World Shana, serving as the primary logistics nexus for the Rangdan Xenocides campaign, hosted a significant concentration of Astartes from multiple Legions.
News from Holy Terra spread swiftly through their ranks, becoming a subject of intense discussion among the Space Marines stationed on the forge world.
After wandering the hive city for some time, Omega, aboard a hive transit craft, found himself incredulous.
He asked Russell, "Russel, be honest, are these talks about Angrons really true?"
Russell nodded solemnly. "Though it pains me to confirm it, the matter of Primarch Angron is entirely factual. His actions defy all understanding."
He paused, then added with deliberate emphasis, "Compared to that debacle, my Lord, your return fills me with profound relief. Of course, the Alpha Legion has always maintained adequate provisions and never required its warriors to consume dishware to fill their stomachs. Proper nutrition remains essential."
Omega rolled his eyes, beginning to grasp what the Mechanicum adept meant about Primarchs not necessarily being conventional individuals. Yet Primarchs were beings of immense power, comparable to demigods, their intellects vastly superior to mortal ken.
By all logic, a Primarch should possess sufficient wisdom to maintain rational thought. But Angron's actions told that his mind was not even close to being sane.
Considering how the Primarch had implanted those cortical devices into his warriors' skulls, Omega theorized that Angron's own mind had been damaged by the Nails, causing him to abandon rational thinking.
But why he openly expressed fury toward the Emperor remained baffling.
Omega attempted to deduce the Emperor's behavioral logic from the information available to him. It was evident that the Emperor possessed lofty ambitions, extraordinary wisdom, and power exceeding even that of a Primarch. He was an exceptionally capable leader of the vast Imperium of Man.
Such a being would never act based on personal preference or emotion, but from a perspective encompassing the greater whole.
The Emperor's promotion of the Imperial Truth, the systematic elimination of religious superstition within the Imperium, was, from the current vantage point, an entirely rational policy for the Imperium's long-term stability.
Thinking on this, Omega couldn't help but feel concern about his brother Alpharius's inner desire for the Emperor to grant him greater recognition. The Emperor had determined the Alpha Legion's role from the very beginning, yet Alpharius wanted more.
The Emperor clearly retained some humanity and personal preferences. His evident favor for Primarch Horus demonstrated that.
However, this emotion conflicted with the rationality Omega had deduced. An emperor ruling an empire cannot afford sentiment. Everything must serve the interests of the Imperium.
Therefore, His affection for Horus was likely similar to an emperor's appreciation for an exceptionally accomplished general, rather than the paternal bond Alpharius imagined.
The thought made Omega uneasy.
Regardless of the Emperor's nature, Omega did not believe He would treat him withth genuine warmth of a son.
Unable to suppress his curiosity, Omega inquired about Horus's deeds and character. Russell seemed somewhat surprised by the question, but obligingly recounted Horus's accomplishments within the Imperium.
As the first Primarch to be recovered and publicly reunited with the Imperium, Horus had fought alongside the Emperor during the Solar System campaigns.
He had earned not only the Emperor's favor but the admiration of countless Star Realm Army officers.
His talent for command was formidable, consistently achieving glory on the battlefield and even independently leading numerous successful campaigns.
Under Horus's leadership, complaints from officers were exceptionally rare. The Luna Wolves Astartes were unified in purpose and spirit. Horus's charisma had earned acknowledgment even from many of his brother Primarchs.
"It seems the Luna Wolves maintain high morale," Omega observed, making his assessment of Horus's capabilities. The Primarch was clearly a strategic and tactical genius; it was no wonder the Emperor valued him so highly.
Magos Russell nodded, though with a hint of puzzlement. "Indeed. Every time I return to Terra, I hear accounts of the Luna Wolves hosting grand celebration feasts. And their Primarch, Horus, openly converses and shares laughter with the Astra Militarum officers, directly promoting deserving personnel on the spot."
Clear rewards and punishments, no distinction between Space Marines and the Astra Militarum. Far better than Alpharius's approach.
His brother Alpharius, while caring for the Alpha Legion's mortal auxiliaries, focused primarily on the Astartes and their intelligence operatives.
Moreover, the Alpha Legion's adherence to operational security meant they maintained limited contact with the broader Astra Militarum.
Omega considered this for a moment, forming a nascent plan. Sage Russell seemed confused about why his Primarch kept asking about Horus's accomplishments.
Alpharius had always expressed a greater affinity for Lion El'Jonson of the Dark Angels. Apparently, even twin Primarchs could develop differing perspectives.
They arrived once more at the hive transit docking station. Over a dozen Space Wolves warriors lounged in apparent boredom, watching the flow of traffic with complete disinterest.
However, the moment they spotted Omega in his unmarked power armor, they immediately became alert.
The Space Wolves squad leader proved even more impatient than his battle-brothers. With a metallic clang of his massive gauntlets, he removed his helm and tossed it to a warrior behind him, revealing a burly man with a full beard.
With approximately ten meters separating them, the squad leader clenched his fists, then spread his hands wide, shouting a challenge to Omega.
"You of Twentieth Legion, come, let's have a match! Let me see how strong you really are, daring to hide your strength in front of the Space Wolves!"
"I've marked you! I'll take that helmet off and see your face myself!"
Omega said nothing. As Sage Russell stood momentarily stunned, the Primarch simply raised his bolter. The Space Wolves saw the muzzle level at their squad leader, and the weapon discharged.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
After several shots rang out, everyone at the docking station froze in shock. The bolter impacted the cratered floor directly in front of the squad leader.
The Space Wolves reacted by raising their own weapons.
Omega moved with preternatural speed, spinning, kicking. With a thunderous crash, the unarmed Space Wolf squad leader, still in his power armor, was launched backward, slamming into a distant steel wall.
The squad leader dropped from the wall to the deck and coughed. Omega's voice carried across the platform, calm and measured:
"As you can see, Victory is decided. Now I shall take my leave."
Omega ignored the nine bolters now trained on him. Under the astonished gaze of the Mechanicum Magos following in his wake, he simply activated his jump pack, physically displacing the Space Wolf blocking his path as he departed.
As Magos Russell passed the stunned warriors, seeing them prepare to resume combat to salvage their honor, he spoke with quiet authority:
"Do not forget, you are sworn to the Emperor."
[End of Chapter]