Learning the new Astartes surgery wasn't difficult; it was just a matter of implanting superhuman organs.
But there were five or six grades of new Astartes. The most basic upgrade added a few new organs to the classic set of 19, and replaced the old black carapace with new skin.
Above that was the full enhancement of all 19 organs—a much more complex process, basically tearing a Space Marine apart and rebuilding him. This enhancement was so intricate, only its inventors on Holy Terra could perform it.
Because it was so complicated, when passed to other chapters, most of the process was omitted. Only deputy chapter masters, brigade commanders, and chapter masters underwent the full surgery, gaining strength beyond the Custodes.
The Blood Angels and Rhodes's gene-sons had special brain boxes to control psychic power and transform in special ways. Recently, a new muscle coil had been developed to greatly increase Space Marine strength.
"This is a huge upgrade, vital to the war. So we must get it," said the Tzeentchian sorcerer.
It was his special mission. Now, Chaos Marines were thoroughly outmatched by Imperial Marines.
Even regular soldiers on combat drugs could fight Chaos Marines. A few together could even take one down.
This had dragged Chaos Marines down from elite warriors to mere cannon fodder.
And the new Astartes seemed to have special organs to resist the warp, so none had ever defected.
This infuriated the forces of Chaos, who only had the old 19-step surgery or mutant Chaos Marines—nearly useless now.
"It's not about whether I want to help. The new Astartes have extra organs, but those organs come from Rhodes, the new gene-primarch. All chapters, including us Ultramarines, import them from him—especially the biomuscle, bone-enhancing fluid, Belisarius furnace, holy pituitary, and black carapace!
Even if you get the tech, without the materials, Chaos Marines can't transform. And for the original Marines to upgrade, without the special med-chambers, the operation is almost 100% fatal," said Leandros.
He had once been a Chaplain, with ways to get the procedure from the Apothecaries.
But the special organs and materials for the upgrades were impossible to obtain.
"We just need samples of those materials. The Ultramarines are expanding, right? There should be shipments for upgrades. How about we grab a batch?" said the Tzeentchian.
Material production wasn't his concern. He just had to bring them back for his master and Vashtorr to deal with.
"Every six months, a batch of organs comes from Terra, delivered to the chapters. We Ultramarines get some too. I can tell you the exact arrival time so you can ambush them," said Leandros.
"Excellent. When's the next shipment?" the sorcerer asked.
"In three days. If you miss it, you'll wait six months. After unloading, the organs are stored in the Fortress of Hera on Macragge, guarded personally by Deputy Chapter Master Calgar. There's no chance to steal them," said Leandros.
"How are they escorted? By Rhodes's gene-sons themselves?" asked the sorcerer.
"No! They're escorted by the Custodes, with some Space Marines too, but the personnel vary. Sometimes Rhodes's gene-sons, sometimes the Adeptus Custodes, sometimes Imperial Fists, sometimes us Ultramarines," said Leandros.
There was even a Custodian who could grow giant, stronger than a primarch. To rob these organs, the attackers would have to be ready to take on a primarch-level foe, maybe worse.
"Can you help us?" asked the sorcerer.
It was a tough escort. If it were just Space Marines, he might try. But with Custodes and a giant among them, it was out of the question.
"Are you kidding? That's suicide. I won't get involved. I still have to take my revenge on Guilliman!" said Leandros.
Unless they sent a Chaos Chosen, a Champion, a Daemon Prince, and at least a thousand Chaos Marines, there'd be no chance. Even with that, success wasn't guaranteed. Apothecaries had analyzed the muscle—it came from a powerful bio-beast. Just getting some meat chunks wasn't enough to clone it, and the process was tightly guarded.
"You should pledge your loyalty to the Chaos Gods! You must help me; this is vital for the war," said the sorcerer.
"I've already helped you, but don't expect me to join this war. Forget it!" Leandros refused bluntly.
What a joke! That was suicide. Besides, he had said it was just a side mission. His main task was to corrupt Ultramarines and spread the plague to the Five Hundred Worlds.
"I'll tell my master. We must get those organs," the Tzeentchian said, then turned into a black mist and disappeared.
"Stay quiet on Macragge. Don't wander. Its defenses are beyond your imagination," Leandros warned.
Don't get yourself killed too early.
"Thanks for the warning!" the sorcerer's voice echoed in the room.
After confirming his departure, Leandros sighed in relief and sat down in his chair.
Now there was no turning back!
Let him become the first corrupted Primaris Space Marine!
…
A few days later, the Tzeentchian sorcerer coordinated with his master, the Changer of Ways, and secured over a thousand Chaos Space Marines.
He also got a warp artifact, help from several Chaos Champions, Lords, and a Chaos Chosen Marine.
The artifact could temporarily seal all of Ultramar, create a warp rift, and allow many Chaos Sorcerers to tear open more rifts.
At that time, countless Chaos Daemons would invade the Imperial world, and they would strike the escort team and seize the organs.
Three days later, the Imperial shipment docked at Macragge. Warriors in golden and red-silver armor emerged from the ship, unloading massive containers onto the surface.
About a thousand Ultramarines, led by a Chapter Master, came to receive the cargo, standing in ranks.
The newly appointed Ultramarines Chapter Master saluted the Custodes. He had previously been a company master, but after the chapter's restoration, he now held a full Chapter Master role—one of dozens in the Ultramarines.
"Salutations, Custodians of the Emperor."
"Greetings, Ultramarine. By the Emperor's order, I bring you the organs. Here is the transfer document. Please verify your identity," said the Custodian.
"Very well, I will verify it. I am Chapter Master of the 27th Company," the Marine replied, and the transfer began.
Just as the handover was about to finish, a strange spatial fluctuation appeared.
Macragge's sky was stained deep purple by warp energies; the air filled with sulfur and rot.
Warp rifts tore open across Ultramar, and hordes of Chaos Daemons poured out, roaring toward the Ultramarine defenses.
Meanwhile, the Tzeentchian sorcerer led the Chaos Marines in a stealthy approach to the Fortress of Hera, targeting the soon-to-arrive organs.
Sensing danger, the Custodian immediately drew his power halberd.
"Be alert! There's powerful warp energy—Chaos dogs are here!" he declared.
He could clearly sense the terrifying warp disturbance.
The 27th Company Chapter Master and surrounding Marines quickly readied their weapons.