Nareth received Vulkan's request for a meeting and gladly accepted.
After the two Primarchs exchanged a few words, Vulkan began,
"Nareth, my brother, my son Cassian Vaughn has told me that you possess fortress-grade energy shield technology, capable of creating defenses far stronger than standard void shields, able to protect a hive city in its entirety."
Vulkan had already consulted with his Legion's tech-adepts. The Imperium's standard void shields could only cover areas about the size of Nocturne's seven current cities. A fortress-grade shield, however, was more than ten times stronger and could protect a vastly greater area, enough to safeguard countless Nocturnean citizens.
Nareth hadn't expected Vulkan to come seeking him so quickly; he nodded slightly.
"Yes, that's true."
"The volcanoes of Nocturne erupt again and again," Vulkan said sorrowfully. "Each time, countless lives are lost. I ask for your aid, brother."
"Of course," Nareth replied at once. "I'll dispatch a team of specialists to install fortress-grade shields on Nocturne and maintain them as needed."
Fortress-grade shields required continual upkeep. Nareth recalled how, in his memories, the rulers of Vigilus, House Agamemnus, had once ceded an entire continental sector to the Forge World Stygies VIII in exchange for similar maintenance.
A Shadow of Order tech-adept would command servitors and ensure proper operation across Nocturne's seven cities.
This shield technology was one of the key secrets behind protecting entire worlds, something Nareth would never trade away. What he offered Vulkan instead was access to his engineers, in exchange for long-term benefits.
"In return," Nareth said, "I expect appropriate compensation for the manpower and expertise I'll be committing."
"You're a master smith," he added. "A few of your personally forged weapons would be more than enough to repay twenty years of service from my teams."
To Nareth, weapons forged by Vulkan himself were priceless, his first and best choice for compensation.
Vulkan didn't hesitate.
"Agreed," he said. To protect his people, no amount of labor was too great.
He unhooked the silver warhammer from his waist, the very one he had forged for their hunting competition.
"Take this," he said solemnly. "It is both a token of gratitude for your spirit during our contest and a gift of thanks for bringing this shield to Nocturne."
"I will forge five additional weapons, payment for the first hundred years of your team's service."
Nareth accepted the hammer reverently.
"A weapon with meaning," he murmured.
"The fire drakes of Mount Deathfire are fascinating creatures," he added. "I'd like to trade with you, Cypria Mundi and Triken's resources for your fire drakes."
'For ages, Nocturne had traded its ores with the Mechanicum for things they could not manufacture.'
But Nareth didn't need minerals; what he wanted were the fire drakes themselves.
'My realms are already abound in ore. The Triken system alone is richer than Nocturne.'
"Agreed," Vulkan said, accepting the proposal. "I will send my sons to negotiate the details."
After parting with Vulkan, Nareth gave orders to Arsena to select a team of tech-adepts to handle the shield project, and"Lawyers" from the Honor Guard to manage the trade deal proposal with Nocturne.
Then, Nareth boarded his Stormbird and set course for the Emperor's flagship, Bucephalus.
In the grand reception hall, he met the Emperor.
After hearing Nareth's report, the Emperor said,
"You have done well, my son. For your performance in the contest, you shall be rewarded. I will grant you two relic-class warships."
'No chance to pick from the treasure vault?' Nareth thought with mild disappointment.
'Still, two relic-class vessels are quite the reward.'
He returned to his flagship, the Throne Shadow's Sovereignty, and convened his aide.
"How fares the rebellion in the Osiris Cluster?"
Arsena, reviewed the data and replied:
"My lord, Lord Commander Gren Vosotho of the 13th Legion has taken 14,000 War-Born to suppress the revolt in Osiris."
The 13th Legion, founded late in the Unification Wars, had drawn recruits from warlike tribes and cannibal clans that had resisted Imperial conquest and been nearly annihilated. The survivors, orphans and captives, became the War-Born, a Legion literally forged through conflict.
Nareth shook his head.
'As I thought, Vosotho underestimated the rebellion, assuming it a simple uprising, and didn't deploy his full force. The 13thLegion currently numbers 33,000, yet he sent less than half.'
'Under normal circumstances, 14,000 warriors would be enough for a decapitation strike, but he doesn't realize the rebels are controlled by Psybrid. Even if he slays their leaders, the Psybrids will simply choose new ones, endlessly confusing the enemy.'
Nareth decided to act immediately.
In addition to rescuing the rebellion suppression fleet that was on the verge of total annihilation, he also recognized that the failure of the suppression in Vosotho was a major strategic defeat.
In the year 834, the remnants of the 12th Fleet, over twenty thousand War-Borns, once again arrived in the Osiris luster, only to find that the mastermind behind the chaos, the Psybrid, had vanished without a trace, leaving behind nothing but ruins.
The 13th Legion suffered devastating losses and a collapse in morale, until Roboute Guilliman returned to investigate the whereabouts of the Psybrid, which finally revitalized the Legion.
The coming failure at Osiris would be a major strategic loss, and he also knew that deswould yield precious alchemical material.
Nareth wants to eliminate the Psybrid and obtain the potion ingredients, so he must act quickly.
"Prepare the fleet. We're heading for the Osiris Cluster."
"When the relic warships arrive, send them to Catachan. The garrison there will take command."
Before leaving, Nareth entered the armory, set the silver hammer on the weapon rack, and casually tossed the Dionysian Spear to the floor.
Then he returned to his palace, and from there, stepped once more into the Kingdom of Disorder.
His radiance flowed toward a crimson sun, rapidly consuming the spirituality of the Briber.
There, he saw Sánchez, clad in black armor, wearing the Wolf Helm of Russ, cutting through the ranks of the Dark Aeldar.
The "Pyromancer" raised his hand; searing flame engulfed his foes. Then the commanding voice of the Black Emperor echoed in his mind:
"Pray after the battle."
When the fight ended, Sánchez returned to his flagship, the relic-class Void Hunter. After bathing and purifying himself, he went to the altar, prepared the spiritual field with a ritual dagger, and prayed.
After invoking the name of the Black Emperor, black mist surrounded him, and he entered the mysterious space.
"How is your Chapter," a deep voice uttered.
"My lord," Sánchez bowed. "The Seventh now counts 7,293 Shadows of Order, bolstered by 1,574 new recruits. The Catachan regiments follow the Vostroyan pattern, each numbering 2,500 soldiers. We have ten Catachan regiments, and two all-female units trained by Marlena."
He continued his report:
"Marlena has established five experimental farms on Catachan, cultivating raspberries, grapefruit, oats, rapeseed, cabbages, and soybeans. The Forge Lord has completed the Catachan system's warp-gate network."
"Catachan has no permanent cities, so fortress-grade shields cannot be installed."
Nareth considered this and issued orders:
"The two relic warships I've received shall belong to the Seventh Chapter. Leave sufficient personnel to receive them. The remaining forces will accompany me to the Osiris Cluster."
"By your command, my lord," Sánchez answered.
...
In the Osiris Cluster, aboard the 12th Expeditionary Fleet's flagship Thunder of Thessalan, Lord Commander Vosotho stood before a holo-display.
The screen was a sea of red dots, enemy ships, engulfing scattered green ones, the loyalists.
Each volley from the green icons destroyed at least one foe, yet the rebel fleet swarmed endlessly, like ravenous sharks.
Vosotho clenched his gauntleted fists. 'How had a simple suppression campaign turned into this disaster?'
His strike teams had executed the decapitation strike, yet the rebels fought on, their coordination untouched.
Now, the void battle had devolved into a nightmare, the loyalist fleet surrounded and overwhelmed by countless enemy ships from every nearby system.
'I've failed… The Osiris Rebellion is far worse than I ever imagined.'
"Lord Vosotho, all escort ships have been destroyed! The flagship is taking concentrated fire!"
"Port shield twenty-five overloaded!"
"Starboard shield thirteen failing!"
Vosotho stared at the display, nothing but red.
"Astropath, send a message: The Osiris Rebellion is a major threat. I pass on the command of the Legion passes to Marius Gage."
He turned to his gunnery officer.
"Target the rebel fleet and unleash everything. Before we sink, make them pay in blood."
"For the Emperor and Mankind!"
Just then, the vox crackled, the Sensorium Adept shouting in disbelief.
"My lord… the auger matrix detects massive ship signatures!"
"Reading 13 confirmed, 215 vessels, transponder codes match the 33rd Fleet!"
"Reading 14 still incoming-"
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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