{oOo}

Ranek was certain he'd have got to their destination faster if he'd brought a jump-pack and a chainsword. As an added bonus he would get to kill some of the Iron Warriors who were guarding this particular section of the palace. The Imperial Palace's protection was vested in the Custodes and beyond them, the Luna Wolves and a handful of rigorously screened regiments of the Imperial Guards. The presence of the Iron Warriors was nothing to do with the Palace and everything to do with the person that Russ had come here to see.

The first thing that the Wolf Priest saw inside the office was scale model of the Imperial Palace. It was about the size of a Baneblade and on closer inspection was entirely made out of data slates. He could only assume that some of the Iron Warriors were very, very bored.

"Are you trying to surpass Dorn's masterpiece?" Russ called, walking around the pile.

"Russ. What brings you here?" Ranek was startled by the sight of the man at the giant desk behind the dataslates. In size, he was nearly equal to the Wolf-King and his grey robes were matched by slate-grey hair and pallid compexion. "It's only been nine thousand years, you can't have gallivanted around more than half of the Imperium in that time."

Leman Russ did not appear concerned by the venom in the other Primarch's voice. "I'm here to see you, brother."

"Why, did you get Corax killed as well?"

Ranek gasped.

"No Perturabo. He's on his way back to the Raven Guard, to resume their leadership." Russ' voice was patient.

"So you've given up at last." Peturabo used a stylus to scratch a signature onto the slate he was reading. "I'd be more sympathetic if you hadn't got Vulkan and Jaghatai killed in your chasing after ghosts and phantoms."

There was an edge in the primarch's voice as he replied: "I didn't give up. I'm done because we finished our quest."

Perturabo used the stylus to scratch at his brow. "Now you're just being ridiculous."

"And you're hiding behind ornamental dataslates."

"That," he pointed at the scuplture, "Is. My. In-tray. It might be a little by smaller if certain people had handled their responsibilities instead of running off."

"And it won't even be your responsibility once Serenity returns! Have faith, brother!"

Ranek saw what might have been the slightest trace of moisture in the corner of Perturabo's eyes. "She isn't coming back, Russ. After all this time how can you still be clinging to that notion?"

"How can you not? You've read Konrad's prophecies and even aside from that; you knew our sister even longer than I did. How can you imagine that she would not be just as determined to return as we are to find her."

Perturabo's fist crashed into the desk. "Face reality Russ! This is the Imperium," he gestured fiercely at the slates, causing the Iron Warrior replenishing the heap on his desk to duck reflexively. "War on a hundred fronts, and when those are done an army of bureaucrats to be sent in with mops to make good the damage. It isn't the old days, there are no grand crusades any more! There's just me and billions depending on me to hold the universe together! I don't have time for your nonsense!"

"No one's saying what you've done hasn't been important," Russ said, trying to be gentle. "You're doing a grand job, but there needs to be hope."

The other Primarch didn't seem to hear him, instead stabbing one finger at various slates. "If I don't handle this then half a sector starves. This one goes wrong and two sectors will follow Ultramar's example..."

"What's he talking about?"

Ranek grimaced. "About half the sectors on the Eastern Fringe are sending their tithes to Macragge not Earth. The Ultramarines Legion claims it's to foster greater efficiency..."

"I thought they broke up after Guilleman got put in stasis."

"Uh, they formed a grand conclave and formed a loose federation of Chapters in the early 39th Millenium."

"Hmm, the things you miss..." Russ shook his head. "I'll take care of the Ultramarines," he said in a louder voice.

Perturabo broke off from ranting. "You'll what?"

"I said, I'll handle them. Father created the Space Wolves to manage rogue Astartes. That makes Ultramar my responsibility."

The other Primarch laughed bitterly. "You think they'll listen? I had a job stopping them from burning your precious Fenris to the bedrock after that stunt you pulled trying to sabotage the stasis field around Guilleman."

Russ shrugged. "If he doesn't die, he can't be reborn. It's why only thirteen of our brothers have been reborn. Anyway, I'll make them listen."

"DON'T YOU DARE START ANOTHER CIVIL WAR!" Perturabo roared, surging to his feet.

{oOo}