The Thousand Sons and Iron Warriors departed, leaving only Hathor Maat behind.
Nareth led Hathor away from the palace to his private office.
In his Warp Insight there were no Warp entities around Hathor.
Nareth was momentarily stunned, thinking to himself.
'Hmm, in 853.M30, when the Thousand Sons and Iron Warriors were ordered to rescue Morningstar during its magnetic field anomaly, they didn't have Tutelaries yet.'
'It must have been after that they found the method to summon Tutelaries.'
He leaned back on his throne, gazing at Hathor, and asked:
"How fares the Thousand Sons now?"
"My Lord, the Gene-Father has resolved the Thousand Sons flesh-change. Recruitment of neophyte has begun on Prospero."
"Construction of the new city is underway. The Gene-Father's Pyramid of Photep, the pyramids of the Five Schools, and the Great Library have commenced construction."
"The Thousand Sons have entered the Five Schools for study. I joined the 'Pavoni.'"
Hathor's face beamed with a smile. "Through eight years of study, I have mastered all Pavoni arts and am now a Temple Instructor."
Nareth nodded slightly, thinking to himself.
'The "corrosion" effect seems quite stable.'
'Over eight years, Hathor must have had considerable contact with Magnus, yet remains loyal to me.'
"It seems you are quite valued by Magnus?"
"Using the ability you bestowed, I observed. The Gene-Father's trust in me is likely only lower than in his former mentor, Amon, who recently completed gene-modification and was appointed as his attendant, and the former Legion Master, Ahzek Ahriman."
The Baron of Corruption saw the Spectator's mental form glowing solid gold, whole and complete. He said:
"You have mastered the power I bestowed upon you."
"My Lord, through careful observation within the Legion, I have mastered the power you bestowed."
Shortly after, Hathor was promoted to Sequence 8 "Thelephatist"
"My Lord, I will use your power wisely to obtain more secrets of the Thousand Sons for you."
Nareth nodded slightly and instructed:
"Record the Pavoni arts in data crystals and archive them in the Librarium."
"Back up all knowledge acquired by the Thousand Sons. Transcribe all books from Prospero. Store copies in the Cult pyramids and your future flagship."
As the future Magister Templi of the Pavoni, Hathor's authority within the Thousand Sons would rank just below Magnus, Amon, and Ahriman, giving him access to nearly all their mysteries.
"As you command, My Lord."
...
2nd Month, 848.M41. The Ramilies-class Starfort was deployed to the Squat System.
Within the Navigator's Sanctum, the Chief Navigator closed his third eye.
He looked around. Compared to the previous two voyages he led for the Ramilies-class Starfort, this journey had three fewer Navigators.
Yet despite having half the usual number of assistants, the voyage had been smoother.
The Warp journey through theKalium Gate was both rapid and stable.
Not once did he feel the danger that previous warp journeys carried.
The moment the Ramilies-class Starfort entered the Squat System, it was immediately struck by the Squat void defense network.
Weapons platforms, torpedo silos, and mine-fields choked the void, woven together like a massive web
This defense grid stretched from the system's edge all the way to the main world's orbit.
Heavy Squat warships threaded through the network, speeding forward.
Rocket trails burned like javelins of light, gathering into a storm and crashing toward the Ramilies-class Starfort.
The Starfort's central quadrant answered: countless torpedoes launched directly to intercept.
Silent explosions rippled through the void, their brilliant flashes illuminating the Squat fleet.
Launch silos on the defense platforms, as large as Warlord Titans, fired missiles with unstable plasma cores. At the mechanical countdown's zero, they soared skyward.
Alarms blared in the command deck as the incoming plasma missiles lit the tactical screens with ominous crimson.
Numerous torpedoes dispatched and routed by the Simulus Chamber, intercepted the plasma missiles.
Within the range of ten thousand to five thousand kilometers from the Ramilies-class Starfort, torpedoes collided with plasma missiles one after another.
Lights like newborn stars blossomed, red fireballs swalloed shells and torpedoes indiscriminately.
The Ramilies-class Starfort's fortress-grade void shield shook violently in the sea of fire. Its heart, the Punisher-class reactors, pumped continuous power to the shields, maintaining the defense systems.
As the firestorm subsided, the grid of stars erupted with flashes. The vacuum was torn open with gaps.
The kalium Gate spewed forth the warships of the 1st and 4th Chapters into the Squat System. Disorienting aetheric mist and resplendent lights burst forth as each voidship surged into reality.
The Gloriana-class battleships Judgements Glory and Death's Withering attacked the exposed missile launch platforms.
Beams of lances cut through shields, ripped apart asteroids, and shattered platforms.
The Squat League's fleet emerged from the defense net, attacking the black warships.
One after another, black warships emerged out from the Warp.
The four Chapter fleets of Shadows of Order ripped open reality and unleashed fire.
The void war erupted instantly.
Over a thousand of Shadows of Order ships, advanced behind the starfort, dismantling the Squat defenses piece by piece.
Reinforcement fleets from the Squat League continuously poured into the system, desperate to halt the Shadows of Order fleet's advance.
The void combat lasted a full year.
The Squat system filled with burning wreckage.
Their reckless resistance increasingly convinced Nareth that the Votann was within this system.
Three Gloriana-class battleships, the 1st Chapter's Judgements Glory, the 3rd Chapter's Midnight Veil, and the 4th Chapter's Death's Withering, in turn led fleets to launch surprise attacks, taking advantage of weakened defenses in other systems, and captured five systems.
5th Month, 849.M41. Nareth led a team to board the flagship of the Squat fleet.
Torpedoes rained like a storm into the vast void around the flagship, punching through its flak screen.
Dreadclaw assault boats slammed into the Squat League flagship. Meltas melted armor.
Nareth burst inside leading the charge forward.
His warriors carved a path upward through five decks, bolter barrages shredding Heartkyn warriors, and power swords slicing through Ironkin.
Then two COG drone floated forward.
Behind them, a Grimnyr covered head-to-toe in runes raised his staff.
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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