Unlike some Legions' Terran-born who only symbolically merged with their Legion's homeworld, Ferrus Manus demanded his sons fully integrate with Medusa.
Storm General Amadeus DuCaine, though nostalgic for the "Stormwalkers," eventually came to terms with this.
Yet some Terran-born still resisted the sweeping changes. When forced into Medusan clans, ideological clashes erupted.
Manus crushed the rebels with thunderous severity.
Though he did not directly rule the clans, any tribe that defied his laws was struck down with overwhelming force.
On the eleventh stellar day after Manus returned to Medusa IV to deal with the last stubborn Terrans, both Adams' and Gabriel's altars were completed.
To store relics excavated from Medusa, Nareth gave Gabriel the first battleship built in the Triken system.
Gabriel named it Sorrgol, a gesture of friendship with the Iron Hands.
He and DuCaine traveled to Clan Sorrgol to study the Medusans.
At the same time, Adams aboard the Tombship and Gabriel aboard the Sorgue began their ritual.
"Black Emperor of the Shadows of Order,"
"Mysterious Sovereign of the Kingdom of Disorder,"
"Monarch of Light and Shadow, who governs the holds the rules."
"I beseech Thy gaze. I beseech Thy favor."
"O Balance, foundation of the Kingdom of Disorder, grant strength to my invocation."
"O Iron Laws of Monarchs, basis of the Kingdom of Disorder, grant strength to my invocation."
By the third recitation, black mist surged and engulfed their bodies.
When they regained awareness, they saw their Gene-Father seated on the throne.
Adams looked around curiously, waiting for him to speak.
'The Black Emperor is simply another name for Father, just as on Vostroya, he was Monarch. Whatever name he bears, he is always my Gene-Father.'
Gabriel, chosen as a child, had been educated in the Imperial Truth.
Later, his mechanical talents earned him selection as a Techmarine, trained on Mars, where he encountered the Cult Mechanicum and its faith in the Omnissiah.
That faith clashed with the Imperial Truth.
'From what I had seen, the Magi and Tech-priests did not truly receive knowledge from a god. None of their abilities came as a divine gift.'
'This convinced me for a time of the Emperor's Imperial Truth.'
'But after Father granted me beyonder abilities, my certainty wavered.'
'Drinking a potion and gaining powers defies all scientific explanation.'
He looked around the mysterious realm cloaked in black mist.
'This mystical space too cannot be explained by science.'
'Other Legions, even those of Horus and other returned Primarchs, never received such varied powers, only the Shadows of Order did.'
'If Father wields the power of a god, then all is clear.'
While Gabriel pondered, Nareth gauged the spiritual drain, comparing it with when he drew in Arsena Dun.
'Drawing multiple people from the same star system into the fourth layer consumes spirituality proportionally with the number, no exponential increase.'
'I could sustain about thirty-three people for over an hour.'
'Thus, intra-system high command meetings are possible. Interstellar gatherings will require further growth.'
Having concluded this, Nareth said: "Remain on Medusa. Only in emergencies or secrecy shall you use the ritual to report to me. This shall be the first time. Begin your reports."
The Death Lord was prepared and spoke first:
"Father, the Fourth Chapter, during the Wheel of Fire campaign, received two waves of reinforcements. We now number 5,416."
"1,084 came from Necromunda, raised amid a culture steeped in death, they adapted swiftly."
"2,347 from other worlds adapt more slowly. I've assigned court members to aid them."
Nareth nodded slightly. He understood Adams' meaning: the Death Lord wished Necromunda to become the Fourth Chapter's recruitment world, as Vostroya was for the Third and Catachan for the Seventh.
But Nareth had other plans: Posul, in the Segmentum Tempestus, was ideal for the path of their Chapter.
Posul, a world of endless night, fostered tribes steeped in death-culture. It birthed the Mortifactors Chapter in the Second Founding, whose warriors meditated before battle, entering death-like trances to commune with their Primarch and ancestors.
'No rush. Posul won't be discovered until after the Horus Heresy by Sasebo Tezuka, who will found the Mortifactors.'
'Necromunda's vast population can sustain the Fourth's recruitment for now.'
'I should instead divine the location of unknown Forge Worlds, or intercept STCs before the Mechanicum claims them, to bargain for influence.'
Thus Nareth said: "I will find the most fitting recruitment world for your Chapter."
"For now, recruit freely from Necromunda. I'll tell Arsena to cease conscriptions, and begin elsewhere on your behalf."
"Father," the Death Lord replied, "By your will."
Once Adams finished, Gabriel began his report.
"My Lord, the Iron Father of Medusa is undergoing augmentation."
"Joint development is on hold. Aside from studying Medusan culture among the Sorggol clan, my main subject is the Golden Garuda."
"I tried many methods, electric charging, standard activation rites, yet the golden mechanical bird remained inert."
Nareth nodded faintly, recalling the "Burning One": Nyadra'zatha, a Star God of living flame.
The Burning One had once taught the Necrons to use the Dolmen Gates to enter the Webway, so he might spread his fire there.
He was known as the cruelest C'tan, delighting as fire consumed all.
Nareth mused:
'He was made of flame, satisfied only by burning.'
'The C'tan fragment I possess also manifests fire.'
'The Golden Garudas resemble fragments in form. To awaken them, fire must be the key.;
So he spoke: "Drench the Golden Garuda in promethium and set it aflame. Then test its runes."
Gabriel frowned. This contradicted all Mechanicum doctrine.
Not an invocation of the machine-spirit.
Not mechanical logic. Fire melts metal, how could it be the key?
'But Father is divine. He cannot be wrong.'
So Gabriel said: "Father, I understand."
After the council ended, Gabriel watched the black mist fade.
With lingering doubts, he ordered the Golden Garuda moved to Deck H-106 of the Sorggol, sealed for experiments on unknown machines.
His Techmarines prepared extensive safety measures, including fire suppression.
A drum of promethium was poured over the golden body.
Gabriel then used a flamer, engulfing it in fire.
To his shock, the flames vanished in an instant, absorbed. A rune upon the Garuda glowed faintly.
'The fire… it truly is the key.'
'No wonder the Medusans never discovered this. Without Father's teaching, I never would have.'
'Praise the Black Emperor!'
"Bring ten more drums of promethium!" he ordered his attendants.
As Gabriel's research advanced, Manus purged the last stubborn Terran among the "Stormwalkers."
Meanwhile, six relic-class battleships gifted by the Emperor were ordered by Nareth to Vostroya.
After being fitted with aether-cannons, they would be transferred to the Eleventh and five other Chapters lacking such ships.
The Imperial fleet then set course for Terra.
On Terra, the "Swindler" Tierney learned that Lord Nareth would soon arrive to attend the Triumph celebrations.
"It is time to draw in the net. The greediest nobles of Terra have all taken the bait."
.....
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