Axis had been away for a little over a month, though he returned several days ahead of schedule.
The starship Solus Prime soon arrived near Nuceria, where it activated its cloaking systems and hid silently amongst the stars.
Axis's first stop was a visit to the residence of Grandu, the Necron, to inspect the progress of his research. The Necron's attitude was quite amicable, but as for the results of his work? It would be fair to say there were none.
"So, you've accomplished nothing this entire time?" Axis asked.
"Patience, Lord Axis. The first prototype of the teleportation bracelet is nearly complete. This is phase-teleportation technology, you understand," Grandu said with a shrug of his metallic shoulders, "I have taken a great risk for this. The entire Necron Dynasties will want me dead."
He reflected on how difficult his life had become. He had gone from a noble Chronomancer of a great Necron Dynasty to a captive, and now he was controlled by Axis, forced to research for him. The entire Necron hierarchy would hunt him down. If his existence were ever exposed, utter annihilation would await him. The only thing he could do now was follow Axis to the very end.
"Very well, I will give you some time," Axis said, "But I expect to see your results within a year at most."
"Lord Axis, give me three years," Grandu pleaded, "And I haven't been entirely useless, have I? I did help you unlock that peculiar stasis-crypt. The spatial technology within it is exceptionally advanced. When I have the time, I can help you study it. Do you not desire that kind of spatial storage technology?"
"Fine. Three years it is," Axis conceded, "But in that time, you will not only complete the first teleportation bracelet prototype for me, but you will also make significant progress on that spatial storage technology."
"I understand, Lord Axis. I will not be negligent," Grandu said cautiously. One wrong move, and this being could very well slap him into pieces.
Axis gave a curt nod and turned, leaving the Necron Chronomancer's laboratory.
Afterward, he had the Solus Prime summon Cassandra.
"Lord Axis, you summoned me?" Cassandra asked, kneeling on one knee with utmost respect.
"Yes. For the time being, you will remain on the ship. You may spend your time training. If I need you for anything, I will contact you," Axis instructed. "Later, I will arrange a human identity for you so you can hide within my army."
"I understand, Lord Axis. I will remain on the ship until then," Cassandra replied.
Axis nodded. He gave a few more instructions to the Solus Prime, then used his psychic abilities to teleport directly back to the surface of Nuceria.
Night had fallen on the planet.
Kasha, exhausted after a long day of work, was fast asleep in her bed.
The sudden appearance of Axis in her chambers jolted her awake.
Wary of the figure who had materialized in her room, Kasha instantly leapt from her bed, her hand reaching for the psy-staff leaning against her bedside.
"Miss me?" Axis asked, his arms open wide.
Upon seeing it was Axis, she lept, landing on Axis, wrapped herself around him, and gave him deep kiss with giggle.
"You scared for a second there!" She looked at her man's grinning face and asked, "Weren't you supposed to be gone for another ten or twenty days? How did your work go? Was it successful?"
According to the Solus Prime's estimated Warp travel time, Axis should have been at least twenty days away. She wondered if some unforeseen incident had caused him to return early.
"Things went very smoothly, and there was even an unexpected reward. Let's just say I had a pleasant surprise along the way," Axis said, sitting down on the edge of her bed kith Kasha on his lap.
He proceeded to tell her about his encounter with the Aeldari Laughing God, the invitation to tour his library, and how he had been granted permission to use the Webway.
Kasha's eyes widened in disbelief. "You… you met a true god? And he gave you access to the Webway? That is the pinnacle of ancient Aeldari technology. It's something my father tried desperately to obtain."
The very prize her father had struggled so hard for, sacrificing so much, had been handed to Axis as a gift after a single meeting. The sense of disparity was overwhelming.
"It is not a marvel of Aeldari technology," Axis corrected her, "The Aeldari only have permission to use it. The race that truly created the Webway was far more powerful and advanced than they are. Why else do you think the Webway is in such a state of disrepair? It hasn't been maintained for sixty million years. Besides, I see this as an early investment on his part, one that he expects will yield great returns in the future."
Was the Laughing God a fool? Axis knew he was anything but. Upon discovering Axis's existence, the god's first thought was to befriend him, which was the most prudent choice.
Had Cegorach chosen to move against Axis, it was not a matter of whether he could win. The Emperor of Mankind would not have let him go unpunished. As a lone surviving Aeldari deity, he did not have the resources to oppose Axis. A mutually beneficial partnership was the best possible outcome. The god of jesters had simply made the most logical decision.
"This is excellent news," Kasha said, "Perhaps we can use this opportunity to create a detailed map of the Webway. My father once told me that if we humans want to use it, we would need a combination of your special faster-than-light ships and a detailed chart. Otherwise, the tangled labyrinth of the Webway would be impossible to navigate."
"Cegorach did indeed grant me access, but each journey is guided by his Harlequins," Axis explained, "I cannot map it myself. Furthermore, this privilege is limited to me alone. No one else has been granted this right."
When the Laughing God had bestowed the privilege, he had made it clear that it was for Axis's personal use only.
Using it to transport troops for war was forbidden.
"We could map it secretly."
"Do I look like someone who can draw maps?" Axis countered, "Besides, the Webway is far more complex than we can imagine."
He chose to conceal the matter of the Shard of the War God. That secret was tied to his future ascension to godhood and his path to understanding the power of a Super Saiyan God. The time was not yet right to reveal such things.
"Alright," Kasha conceded, "How were your meetings with Sanguinius and Magnus?"
"They went well, quite smoothly in fact,
"The second Tree of Might has been successfully planted, and we harvested over seven hundred fruits. The quality is much higher than the first crop. I also acquired a vast number of psyker tomes from the Black Library, which I have given to Magnus. Once he has mastered them, he will compile a Book of Magnus. You will be able to borrow it for study. If you have any questions, you can contact him through astrotelepathy."
"That's great news. Magnus is a master of psychic arts. And what about the issue with Sanguinius's sons? Did you resolve that?"
"Yes. I evolved their gene-seed to a state of perfection and cultivated a new son for him. The situation in their Blood Angels Legion is now similar to the Space Wolves. The chances of them succumbing to their vampiric urges are now much, much lower."
"I see," Kasha said, nodding.
"While I was away, how did things develop on Nuceria? Did the people sent by Guilliman arrive?" Axis asked.
"I was just about to tell you!" Kasha exclaimed, "Your return is perfectly timed. Guilliman's adoptive mother arrived yesterday afternoon with over four hundred administrative specialists. I had them settle in to rest and was planning to receive them tomorrow morning. Now that you are back, you can join me. Guilliman has shown great sincerity. He sent us his absolute best administrators. They will be a tremendous help to Nuceria."
"I understand. I will meet with Guilliman's mother alongside you tomorrow," Axis said, then asked, "Have there been any problems within the Legion?"
"None, really. You have only been gone for a little over a month," she reassured him. "The expeditionary fleets have already sent back victory reports. Your sons have conquered several new worlds. The Great Crusade moves forward. Even without their father leading them, their progress is no slower than the other primarchs. In fact, they may even be faster."
"Good. That sets my mind at ease."
"Oh, there is one more thing I need to discuss with you," Kasha said, her tone growing more serious, "Your Legion now number two hundred and ten thousand Astartes, and the Mortal Auxilia is in the tens of millions. Nuceria as a single planet can only manage the recruitment of Space Marines. It cannot bear the costs of everything else. We need to fund massive military expenditures and recruit for the Imperial Mortal Auxilia."
She explained that an auxilia corps of ten million was only enough to support ten thousand Space Marines.
For Axis's Legion, the Mortal Auxilia would need to be expanded to over two hundred million soldiers to be effective. During the Great Crusade, the Space Marines served as the tip of the spear, conducting shock assaults and decapitation strikes. The true weight of any siege or attrition campaign fell upon the shoulders of the Mortal Auxilia.
"The taxes from all the worlds we conquer will be used to fund the war effort," Axis declared, seeing the solution clearly, "During the Great Crusade, we can levy taxes and conscript soldiers on every planet we bring into compliance."
The arrival of the new administrators, he realized, could not have been more opportune.
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ts is stressing me out!!!