I would to thank Rafen Ventris for his continued Beta Reading and editing
Chapter 12: The Abyssal Crusade
As the Asgardia and the Deus ex Aquila make their way to Cronos Station. Ignis is readying the invasion plans for last heavily populated section of the Abyss. Most of the planets only have a handful of major settlements and large slave populations. Once the overlords and slave owners are killed compliance comes easy. To govern this growing empire Horus has been using what he has learned of the first Imperium and has established the Adeptus Administratum necessary to rule. He however has instituted strict guidelines and codes of conduct to reduce the risk of corruption and poor leadership from taking hold. Senatorum Imperialis has been created with the Emperor as its nominal ruler. Horus as Primarch and Warmaster is its supreme commander, next is Hoeth, Ignis, Nick who has become the Lord Castellan after Horus, and several other figures from the Imperium and Knights Protectorate.
One thing that has caught on is the Imperial Cult, shrines to the God-Emperor have erected on every planet and in every home. It is easy for Brother-Chaplain Argirios and the cohort of Ecclesiarchy members from the imperial battleship to convert the downtrodden and recently freed slaves as well as the large number of xenos who have been spared. A result of these actions life in the Abyss changes for the slightly better. The Forge World created by Tyr is scheduled to come online for limited production in six months, limited meaning everything smaller than a super-heavy tank. Full production will be achieved in anywhere between three to ten years depending on resources and labor. The vast shipyards across the Imperium have slowly stopped building new ships. They are keeping the fleet around three hundred mass effect style vessels, while all new construction is being geared to imperial hulls such as the Sword escort, the Dauntless light cruiser, the Lunar heavy cruiser, the Dictator heavy cruiser, the Gothic class heavy cruiser. As well as the formidable Mars and Overlord class battlecruisers. The first battlegroup of these vessels are expected to be ready in three to four years.
Hoeth has planned this crusade well thinks Ignis, all of the hard targets or built up planets have already fallen. By the end of this year we will own the Abyss and begin the second crusade into the Terminus Systems. He continues with the various reports of the Segmentum forces under his command. He gives orders for several groups of Guardsman to begin infiltration of important targets and trading hubs of the Terminus Systems. When this is over Ignis will ensure that his name is in the history books. With his early work finished he retires to the small shrine in his office and begins to pray, "Lord Emperor hear your servant. It is your vision I enact. Give me the wisdom and courage to see it to completion. For those who defy your rule shall be punished. I know not to trust in ships alone for they fail. I know not to trust in guns alone for they fall silent. I know not to trust in men alone for they break. I trust in your holy might and vision for you are the salvation of the galaxy." Feeling renewed Ignis leaves his office and heads deeper into the fortress-monastery of the Knights of Storm.
Seeking out Eurus, Ignis finds him in the apothecarion. He is overseeing the creation of the Progenoid Glands from their Primarch's gene-seed. In four years they will be able to raise another company of Astrates to aid in the conquering of the Citadel aligned races. While he is doing that Aspirants are already being selected and trained, Wildegraf a venerable dreadnaught has been awoken and charged with creating the Second Company of the Legion. The death rate of this selection process is roughly eighty percent. The ages of the aspirants are range from ten to thirteen. As the weak are culled, the entire industrial might of Matanuska has been levied to create all of the weapons and armor that another one hundred and fifty battle-brothers need.
In the Anadius system the Asgardia waits impatiently for the arrival of the Aquila. The Illusive Man is going over the latest intelligence that his network on the Citadel has gained. Apparently the Council is planning an overt show of force to stop Saren. They are going to blockade the approaches to Citadel and wait for his attack. "Idiots," scoffs the Illusive Man, Saren is but a ploy. They should have believed Shepard about the Reapers. "Still," as he takes a sip of scotch, "I have found a way to ensure that humanity endures." He calls up the latest reports that the Imperium and Miranda have sent him. They are almost done with the Abyss, that makes a small smile form, next up is the Terminus systems and within five years the Citadel. "That might change with the advent of the Reaper threat," he muses aloud. He has also heard rumblings that Cerberus is going to be properly absorbed into the Imperium. An event that could be either extremely beneficial or a total disaster.
A ship leaves FTL on the system edge, IFF codes reveal it to be the Aquila. A pair of shuttles are quickly sent form the two warships to the station. Ten minutes later the Warmaster, the Lord Solar, and the Command squad of the First Company are in the Illusive Man's private conference room. Horus gives the assembled men and woman a briefing on the Reapers and what he has learned on Virmire. Turning to the Illusive Man he begins, "The Reapers can interact with the warp on an extremely limited basis. Still this is a dangerous precedent and one that must be dealt with. The Fabricator-General has a significant amount of data concerning all of the Imperium's Organizations. I am giving you access to it all, for Cerberus is no longer. You and your organization are now a part of the Imperium as per our treaty. I name you by the Grace of Emperor, Lord Inquisitor of His most Holy Inquisition." He puts a data drive into the slot and the symbol it shows is a red I with a skull in the center. This symbol is the most feared and hated in the Imperium of it means that planet, person, or group is being watched and judged by the most ruthless of all of Emperor's Servants.
"Your mission will be to deal with any threat to the Imperium be internal or external with no mercy. You will also be in charge of preparing the Citadel races for the coming of the Reapers and the Imperium. They must be strong enough to hold the Reapers as we gather our forces and yet be weak enough that we may conquer them. In this you have full authority. I also want you to continue to manipulate the Council and the rest of the Citadel to ensure a strong Humanity. Do you accept your charge and the mandate to be the cleansing flame?" After skimming the data being projected and listening to the Primarch's powerful speech the Illusive Man takes one puff of his cigarette and agrees. "Good you need to create a larger fleet and expand your organization. Fill it with types of proven loyalty and that possess an inquisitive nature. I recommend also taking out the Shadow Broker and absorbing his network into yours."
With that done Horus and his men leave but not before leaving Commissar Kaladon, Kasrkin LT. Drake, and Brother-Librarian Septentrio to help train the inquisitors and test them for taint and loyalty. He sends Von Speer and the Aquila back to the crusade while he rejoins Hoeth on the Asgardia. "Lord Solar," Horus begins as they pace the cavernous bridge of the battleship, "Let us head to the Citadel. When the Council's plan fails and they are forced to fight, we shall be their saviors. We shall announce our presence in this galaxy with a showing of imperial might."
"At once Milord," replies Hoeth with a grin. Finally he thinks a chance to show these weak xenos and pathetic unilluminated humans the true masters of the galaxy. "Have the ship jump into the Serpent Nebula. I want to be hidden in its radiation fields. If we are detected may the Emperor have mercy on those who fail for I will not." Gellar fields are raised as the ships accelerates. A tear in reality is formed and a course plotted. It will take a few days to reach their destination. Time well spent as Saren gathers his fleet of several dozen frigate wolf packs, a cruiser squadron, and a Geth dreadnaught. These ships along with Sovereign should be able to allow for the reapers to return in all of their twisted glory.