V3 Chapter 97: You're Not Qualified to Review Duvette
Facing the powerful expeditionary fleet led by the Macragge's Honour, the number of Imperial ships stationed near the Gate of Elysium at Uranus had already grown several times over compared to before.
The fleet garrisoned in the Uranus defence zone had all moved into combat positions, and the Solar Battle Fleet had pulled several sub-fleets in from nearby anchorages as well.
Cruisers, escorts, and great numbers of patrol and surveillance vessels were spread throughout the space around the expeditionary fleet, always keeping a careful distance from the Macragge's Honour.
The main strength stationed elsewhere across the Sol System stayed at its original posts; Terra wasn't about to pull every fleet away from the Moon, Jupiter, and the space around Pluto just because Guilliman had arrived.
The Gate of Elysium's regular transit lane had also been temporarily closed. Civilian ships that had planned to enter the Sol System through it could only wait outside the perimeter, while Imperial fleets arriving afterward would, under the new transit order, be rerouted through the Chthonian Gate near Pluto, or sent to an ordinary Mandeville point instead.
Guilliman agreed to the Solar Guard's request for a boarding inspection, and the Macragge's Honour opened a sealed, heavy shuttle bay for it, shutting down the bay's automated defence turrets and sealing off several nearby passages entirely.
The Honour Guard and the ship's armed ratings had already formed up in the docking area. Duvette stood at Guilliman's side, the two Lord Inquisitors Juno and Heinz positioned a little further back, and the thirteen Shadow Wolves of Luna held their silence, their white power armour standing out clearly under the bay's lighting.
The outer airlock opened slowly, and a heavy shuttle, guided in on a navigation beam, entered the bay. Its landing gear settled onto the deck, and the securing clamps rose at once, locking it firmly into its berth.
Once the hatch opened, the first figures to step out drew every eye at once. They were several Custodians in gold power armour, and, strangely, black cloaks hung over that armour as well.
They walked up the gangway onto the deck, their long halberds held vertical, the red crests on their helmets swaying slightly with each step. Several of the Custodians spread out quickly, and the one leading them looked straight toward Guilliman in the distance.
Duvette raised an eyebrow. He knew the Solar Guard patrolled the Sol System long-term, covering everything from the Lunar fortress out to the outermost star forts. What genuinely surprised him was that Terra had sent Custodians, personally authorised by the Palace, all the way out to Uranus to verify Guilliman's identity.
Well, now. Seemed a gene-Primarch's return was having a bigger effect on Terra than he'd expected.
After the Custodians, more personnel came down from the shuttle one after another.
A naval representative from the Solar Battle Fleet, a senior official sent by the Administratum, a Mechanicus savant tasked with verifying ship records, and a specially-dispatched Inquisitor from the Ordo Malleus, each bringing along their own retinue.
The last to disembark were large numbers of tech-priests and record-keepers, the different departments' groups forming up separately on the deck, clear boundaries held between each.
Guilliman stepped toward the delegation, Duvette and the others following at his side, heavy footsteps quickly carrying through the entire shuttle bay.
Those mortal representatives had long since known what they'd find here; over the past several months, word of the Thirteenth Legion's master waking from his ten-thousand-year sleep had already reached Terra through the highest tier of astropathic communication. But seeing Guilliman with their own eyes still left them in a brief silence.
To mortals whose lives ran barely past a century, a gene-Primarch belonged to an age long since closed.
The Emperor and his sons lived on in scripture, epic, and countless historical archives revised again and again; most people went their whole lives never believing they'd have the chance to see one of them in the flesh.
Yet now, that ancient son of the Emperor stood right in front of them.
The armour of fate let out a low sound with every step Guilliman took, his gaze sweeping across the delegation. Several Administratum officials lowered their heads on instinct, and the naval representative, after a brief stunned pause, remembered he ought to salute.
Whatever doubts they might still have carried about the Primarch's identity, now that Guilliman stood before them in person, instinctive awe had already overwhelmed most of that lingering doubt.
The senior Administratum official stepped forward first, doing his best to hold to proper courtesy, though his voice still carried a slight tremor. He reported, in turn, his own identity, the delegation's composition, and the tasks the High Lords had assigned them.
The Solar Battle Fleet's naval representative followed close behind, while the Mechanicus savant simply bowed his head in greeting, his mechanical eye staying fixed the whole time on the armour of fate and Guilliman's biometric readouts. Only the handful of Custodians seemed largely unmoved by it all.
The lead Custodian saluted Guilliman, then spoke evenly. "Lord Roboute Guilliman. We come under order from the Captain-General of the Custodian Guard, to confirm your identity. The verification results will be sent directly to the Palace, and will serve as the basis for your continued passage to Terra."
"Once your identity is confirmed, the Solar Fleet will take responsibility for escorting you to the Moon."
Guilliman studied him for a moment. "Very well."
The Primarch offered only that brief reply. The Custodian gave a nod of acknowledgement, and prepared to lead him toward the area already made ready aboard the Macragge's Honour.
Just then, the senior Administratum official suddenly stepped forward. "Lord Guilliman, the Council of High Lords has one further order."
He opened the data-slate in his hand, and a document carrying multiple seals projected before everyone present. "Marshal Duvette Erdmann is required to undergo separate review. Until that review concludes, he may not leave the Macragge's Honour, nor accompany you into the inner Sol System."
The shuttle bay fell abruptly silent. Guilliman turned to face the official, no clear emotion showing on his face. That look alone was enough to send the man's breathing, only just steadied, racing again.
"I refuse." Guilliman's voice wasn't raised, but it left no room for negotiation.
"Duvette is the supreme commander of my ground forces, and my personal representative. He remains, at present, under the joint oversight of the two Lord Inquisitors Juno and Heinz. You have no authority to pull him aside for separate review here at the Gate of Elysium."
Lord Inquisitor Juno stepped half a pace forward as well. "The investigation concerning Duvette is still ongoing. Anyone wishing to take over an existing project needs to coordinate authority with us first."
Heinz looked at the Administratum official too, smiling pleasantly. "The Council of High Lords is welcome to request a hearing. As for when, and how, that takes place, it seems there's still room for further discussion."
The official opened his mouth. He clearly wanted to press the order he'd been given, but with Guilliman standing only a few steps away, and both Lord Inquisitors having just made their positions plain, whatever argument he'd prepared had lost most of its weight.
Sweat beaded on his forehead. "I will report your decision to the Council of High Lords in full," he finally said.
Guilliman paid the matter no further mind. Accompanied by several Custodians and an Astartes Apothecary, he left the shuttle bay for the medical and verification area already sealed off for him.
The rest of the delegation was left standing where they were. Duvette watched Guilliman recede into the distance, then turned back to the assembled group with a smile.
"This way, everyone. Lord Guilliman welcomes you all aboard the Macragge's Honour, and I hope the review ahead goes smoothly, without any unfortunate surprises."
Having said that, he turned to the senior Administratum official. "Also, it seemed you wanted to review me separately just now." Duvette said. "Why not just say your questions and requirements outright? No need to keep circling around it."
The official glanced at Juno and Heinz standing beside Duvette, then wiped the sweat from his forehead again. He forced a smile and worked to steady his tone.
"It's nothing, Marshal Duvette. Reviewing you separately isn't a required part of this entry inspection. We can start with the other work first."
"Such as?" Duvette asked.
"We need to inspect that... Gloriana-class battleship. The Conqueror." The official paused slightly, his gaze passing over Duvette to settle on the thirteen Shadow Wolves of Luna standing behind him. "And these Astartes whose identities remain in dispute."
All thirteen white-armoured warriors turned to look at him at once. Markus stood at the head of the formation, the wolf's-head-and-crescent emblem clear on his shoulder plate. He said nothing, but his cold stare alone was enough to send the official half a step back on instinct.
Duvette walked up to the man and reached out, resting a hand on his shoulder. The instant his palm touched the fabric, he could feel the official flinch beneath it.
Duvette laughed once. "The Conqueror and these warriors already have Lord Guilliman's endorsement. We'll restrict the Conqueror's movement per the transit agreement, and we can hand over whatever records, ship files, and basic scan results you need."
"As for boarding to take over ultimate authority, or hauling these warriors off for separate interrogation, that's not mine to decide." Duvette drew his hand back. "If you'd still like to press the matter, you're welcome to ask Lord Guilliman directly."
The senior official's lips moved, but no answer came right away. He could only feel that, while the Marshal standing in front of him lacked the overwhelming authority Guilliman carried, the pressure beneath that smile was hardly any lighter.
The Ordo Malleus's specially-dispatched Inquisitor, standing within the delegation, finally couldn't hold back and stepped forward. "Marshal Duvette, review of Chaos contamination and traitor gene-seed falls under the Inquisition's authority. Even with a gene-Primarch's endorsement, that doesn't waive the necessary procedure."
Juno turned her head toward her, and the special Inquisitor's voice stopped at once. She certainly knew who the Lord Inquisitor before her was, and knew as well that Juno and Heinz had operated alongside Duvette through a great many campaigns already.
"Cleopatra Axe may represent the Inquisition on the Council of High Lords." Juno narrowed her eyes. "Unfortunately, that seat doesn't grant her command over every Inquisitor in existence. No other Inquisitor holds the authority to simply take over an investigation that's mine to run."
"You're welcome to review the contamination records already on file, or file a new request for investigation. If you want to take my subject of investigation by force, go back and have Cleopatra come speak with me herself."
The special Inquisitor held Juno's gaze for a few seconds, then finally looked away. She signalled the record-keeper beside her to note down everything Juno had just said, and the argument came to an end there, for now.
Duvette glanced at Juno with some surprise. She only lifted her chin slightly, standing there with narrowed eyes, plainly with no intention of explaining herself further.
Duvette raised an eyebrow and turned back to the delegation. "This way, everyone, please." He gestured toward the passage leading to the reception hall. "Lord Guilliman's identity verification will take some time yet. We can go over the rest of the inspection at our leisure there."
The senior Administratum official let out a sigh, and had no choice but to follow Duvette forward. The Solar Battle Fleet and Mechanicus representatives gathered up their own people as well, leaving the shuttle bay along the route the Macragge's Honour had laid out.
The demand to review Duvette had already been refused outright by Guilliman on the spot. Access to the Conqueror's core authority remained out of reach. The thirteen anomalous Astartes would submit to nothing more than a limited scan.
The only item still proceeding exactly as planned was the Custodians' verification of Guilliman's identity.
The Administratum official understood perfectly well: the moment the Custodians confirmed the man before them truly was the Thirteenth Legion's master, Guilliman would gain the standing to proceed on to Terra and the Palace.
And once he had the Custodians' recognition, no one could say how much force the obstacles the Council of High Lords had arranged today would still carry.
Not to mention, the one standing in their way was that very son of the Emperor, returned. He could only hope the High Lords wouldn't hold this against him, the senior Administratum official thought bitterly to himself, quickening his pace to catch up with Duvette ahead of him.
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