Several hours later and the entirety of the Ultramarine High Command, such that is present on Macragge, stand before him as the Librarian, Deciman, summarizes the situation in Ultramar. He knows this briefing is solely for his benefit, but he appreciates the new information far too much to care.
"The Ecclesiarchy has been barred from Macragge and the wider realm." The Librarian is saying, "Any members of the Imperial Cult found in Ultramar are being treated as heretics and traitors. All Chapter forces, including auxilia and support elements, have been recalled to Macragge, effective immediately. The first should be making planetfall within a few weeks, warp permitting, but the Third and Eighth companies, as well as major detachments of the Fourth, Fifth, and Seventh, were occupied on campaigns across the sector and it will take some vessels months, if not years to return."
Worse than he'd hoped, better than he expected. "And our enemies?" "They were able to send out a distress call before we destroyed their planetary communications, my Lord. There have been reports of fleets being assembled and we know a Crusade has been called to eliminate us."
"They dare? How does this Ecclesarchy have enough control over my father's empire to declare a Crusade against my realm?"
"The Ecclesiarchy is powerful, they have far too much influence and far too many allies to be ignored, my Lord, most worlds will side with them if it comes to war."
A High Lord of Terra? A state religion? How on Terra did this happen? Who is responsible?
He forces back his anger, now is not the time. They will be dealt with, but now is not the time.
"Crusade Composition?" he asks instead.
"The bulk of their force is composed of the Adeptus Sororitas, with Imperial Guard Regiments drawn mainly from Cadia, Valhalla, Krieg, Catachan, and Tallarn. Several of the major knightly houses have sworn their support, and a full Legio walks in their defense. Astartes forces are limited to the Black Templars as well a few later founding chapters. There were reports of an unknown chapter clad in grey ceremite but we have had no further confirmation of their strength."
"The Mechanicus?"
"Not a word has come from Mars."
"And the High Lords?" The glances that dart around the half-circle of marines do not bode well.
"The Ecclesiarch is a high lord, Sir, as is the Leader of the Inquisition."
By the throne...why?
"And our allies?"
"Almost every Ultramarine Successor Chapter has answered our call. The Space Wolves stand with us, that old dreadnought of theirs refused to have it any other way. As do the Blood Angels, White Scars, and Raven Guard. As for the rest of the first founding chapters… Most agree, but none are willing to stand against the Imperium so openly. They'll stay out of the fight if it comes to that, but they will not risk being declared heretics. Their successor chapters are of the same mind, very few have answered the call."
Fools, but he can hardly blame them, the accusation of treachery is a powerful deterrent, and few would defy the Imperium for a single Chapter, even one of the First Founded.
"Theoretical:" he muses, "These fanatics have corrupted everything my father ever stood for. They must be dealt with. Practical: Send word to whoever commands this Crusade, to whatever fool rules the Ecclesiarchy, and to the High Lords and the Senatorum Imperialis. Order them to stand down or risk our wrath."
"They'll never obey. They'll ignore any attempt we make to end this." The Chapter Master warns, "They'll dismiss any communication from Macragge or the wider realm as "the noise of the heretic" or some other drivel."
"A heretic no, but if they ignore a decree of a Prince of the Imperium, they are no true servants of the Imperium. They can try and declare the Chapter Excommunicate Traitoris, but me?"
"They wouldn't dare!" cry several voices at once, as hands fall unconsciously to the hilts of swords and pistols.
The Chapter Master, by contrast, is slower to respond, "No," he muses, smirking as understanding dawns, "They can't. Theoretical: The Ecclesiarchy has spent centuries, millennia even, building up the legend of the loyal Primarchs; how they'll return when the Imperium's need is greatest. They all but worship you. As soon as they realize just who exactly gave the commands, the accusations of heresy and treachery will lose all believability. Their belief in you will not allow them to stand against you. Practical: They must send someone to investigate and prove the orders were somehow faked. When they realize they're were not…"
My Lord High Inquisitor,
I must warn you, my Lord, much is amiss in Ultramar, far more than the treachery of the 13th.
Our astropaths have reported massive disturbances in the Warp around Macragge. The Astronomican flared in such a radiant pulse that many of our weaker and less disciplined psykers were killed out-right, their eyes burnt from their heads as the divine light of the God Emperor flooded over them. The glorious presence of the Lord of the Golden Throne was joined by a new presence, one entirely unknown to Imperial records, but mighty beyond anything a mortal could ever aspire to. The astropaths reported that the two powers seemed to meet and then, the concentrated power of the Astronomican seemed flair in warning, while the new presence seemed to swell with psychic might.
This new entity in the warp, while greatly worrying, is not the only oddity.
As you have no doubt received the summons to parley with the traitorous Sons of Ultramar, I shall not bore you by recounting them here. But I must humbly beg your council, my Lord, the Request for Parley, as you have no doubt noticed, bears ancient command clearances and secret overrides; codes that are a secret to all but those of the Imperial Household and confirmed to be usable only by members of the Imperial Family. Codes that have not been used since the deaths and disappearances of the Loyal Sons. Yet used they have been.
My contacts on other worlds inform me that they too have received orders, relayed through astropathic clearances that were reserved for the Lord of Ultramar's use alone, clearances that were proven inaccessible when the Avenging Son was entombed. My tech-priests assure me that the message is genuine, yet that is utterly impossible. The Primarch is dead, or as near to it as to make no difference. This is an immutable fact. Yet the codes were used. The orders were signed with the seal of Roboute Guilliman.
I scarce dare contemplate it...but if the traitors can rip such knowledge from the Immaterium or, Emperor forbid, from the Primarch's very mind...
My Lord, it is obvious that there is witchery afoot, summoned by the heretics that now control Maccragge to harry us in our darkest hour. They have delved into darkness and cannot be allowed to live. I should have declared Exterminatus when the treacherous dogs first reared their ugly heads. Yet my spies and informants can find no trace of heresy, no blood sacrifices, no arcane rituals, no debauchery or filth, nothing.
I find myself at an impasse. I long to rain His wrath upon those foul unbelievers, to wipe their stain from this galaxy; but I cannot. Whatever treachery his sons have planned, the Primarch can have had nothing to do with it. Emperor condemn me, but I will not sentence his last loyal son to death, not without some shred of proof declaring otherwise.
I entreat you, my Lord, make haste to Macragge, for the hour of vengeance is nigh, and I find myself ill-prepared for the test.
There is a mystery here that must be solved, a great heresy that must be rooted out and purged, treachery that must be burned in the immolating fires of His most Holy Wrath, and the life and soul of his greatest son to save.
May the Golden Throne Watch over You,
A
Author's Note:
I'm not sure I like this chapter all that much, and it'll probably be rewritten at some point, but I need to prove I'm not dead (yet).
In other news, life continues to suck, only now I have my very own Erebus to make it even worse. Still not giving up though.
Lastly, are there any other factions/groups in particular that you'd like to see?
As usual, Huge Thanks for all the comments/faves/follows. You're all amazing and I love to see what you think about this thing I have made.
Please try to keep in mind that I'm still very much a novice when it comes to writing, so any constructive criticism/critique/lore correction is welcome (and let's be honest, desperately needed). Please don't be shy. I need all the help I can get!
Last but certainly not least, a massive thanks to my wonderful beta Spooky-Cadet!