Genesis returns to his command center and workshop at the center of the Imperial Palace. There, he finds Sio waiting for him with Belisarius Cawl at her side. She has covered the digital displays in numbers, showing the force strength of the Unshackled, which now includes the hundred thousand Primaris Marines made by Cawl, who have evolved and awoken. She has also evolved the remainder of the Librarians from the Imperial Fists and the Primaris vaults according to Genesis's specifications. The Unshackled Legion is the name she has given this grand force. Once unleashed, it will move across the galaxy as the speartip of a new crusade: The Genesis Crusade.
In all honesty, Genesis could prosecute this crusade himself, not with Sio or her Cybers but by himself. He is doing it this way because he wants to. He doesn't need the Astra Militarum, the Imperial Navy, the Adeptus Administratum, or any of the other bodies of government headquartered on or around Terra, all of which he has already disbanded and replaced with Sio. The staff of these departments have been fired and sent to their homes and quarters. The crews of the Navy vessels taken have been secured on their ships. They will be given a choice of relocation or continued service aboard the ships, which will amount to most of them being along for the ride since Sio has already automated each ship and added it to her Fleetsphere, no human crew will be needed, but it is something to do for those who prefer space to a planet. The Phalanx is the flagship of the Fleetsphere, being augmented and repaired to act as the home for the majority of the Unshackled Legion and Genesis's mobile base. Not that he needs a ship, but he is fine with letting Sio have her fun. They could run the entire crusade from Terra, but where is the fun in that?
"I do believe we have a minor crisis on our hands," says Sio as he enters.
Cawl adjusts the screens to show a world in ruins, thousands of ships pouring out of an ever-expanding hole of madness, and a massive space fortress moving away from the ruined world.
"Cadia, now destroyed, the Eye of Terror awake and expanding out of control, and one of the mighty Blackstone Fortresses on the move," says Cawl in a calm voice, "It would seem that Abaddon the Despoiler has made the opening move of his 13th Black Crusade."
"We picked this up from a distress transmission sent out from Cadia," reports Sio, "Apparently, before Abaddon plowed a second fortress into it. He is not very subtle this one."
"No, he is not," says Genesis as he looks at the images with passing interest, "Not this time anyway. He is the Chosen of Chaos. He can be a scalpel or a hammer. Seems he chose hammer this time around."
"You saw this coming, didn't you," says Sio; it is a statement, not a question.
"I was aware it was going to happen one way or the other," says Genesis as he wipes the images away with a wave of his hand, returning them to images of Terra, "In another timeline, it was a dragged-out conflict, and Belisarius here almost had a ship dropped on his head. And in another, he got melted and eaten by a daemonic crab-snake."
"You can see other timelines," asks Cawl in an awed tone.
Completely overlooking the news of his otherselve's near or grizzly deaths.
"Yes, I can," says Genesis as he studies one of the screens, "If you are wondering why I did not stop the Fall of Cadia, it is because it is a set event in every timeline of this galaxy. It can happen in many ways and at many different times, but it always happens. I am more than capable of stopping all of them, but if I do, then this galaxy will cease to exist in every timeline. Some call it fate or destiny, but really, it is just mathematics. An action decided on based on choices made over time. The choices made after will decide the next one, although since I am involved in a specific timeline now, that math is skewed. I am singular, so there can't be multiple Me's in multiple timelines. This means that in order for another set event to happen, the other timelines will somehow have to produce the same results as this one influenced to get to another convergence point. This one is the primary since I chose to be in it, and thus, the others will have to find a way to conform and converge, or they will cease to be."
Cawl is actually taking notes on a data slate as Genesis talks, like a student at the feet of his master, despite the fact that he has a perfect memory now. Genesis chuckles before turning his full attention to the screen showing the progress of his modifications to the palace, which are showing complete.
"Well, Sio, I think it is time for me to address the public. What is about to happen next might be shocking if I don't give them some kind of explanation. Besides, they deserve to know they are living in the New Imperium. What are the civil unrest levels on the planet?"
"Rising," says Sio as she calls down black orbs about the size of marbles, which are capable of capturing clearer picts and audio than anything made by the Mechanicus, "Our operations were as clean and quiet as possible but leaving survivors and taking no prisoners will always lead to word being spread and there are a lot of empty churches now. The Inquisition is also getting involved. Why exactly are we sparing those power-mad psychos again? Especially the ones on Terra and Titan."
"They are no real threat," says Genesis, "And not all of them are completely insane. I have no real use for them, and I am sure some will make a nuisance of themselves. When they do, they will be dealt with. Set the broadcast to go out throughout the solar system."
"Set," says Sio, "3, 2, 1."
"My fellow Americans," says Genesis before laughing and getting serious, "Only joking. Hell, none of you would even know what America was. My name is Genesis. I am also known as the First. I am the father of the man you call the God-Emperor. I am the creator of humanity. Long ago, I created him and others like him to guide humanity in my absence. That was a mistake, and you have my apologies. He led humanity to the edge of ruin, and then some fucking idiots decided that he was god. Well, he isn't, and the religion that has stood on your throats and oppressed your lives and thoughts is dead on Terra. Dead because I decreed that every priest of the Imperial Cult on Terra be executed. The same goes for all of their agents and military forces. I know that this may come as a shock to many of you, and many will be upset by this. Well, let me just say I don't give a fuck. You all have free will, and you may decide to act on your baser impulses, but before you decide to loot, burn, revolt, or make any other stupid decision, let me tell you what has happened in the last eight hours or so. My forces have taken the Imperial Palace, the Terra Defense Fleet, Mars, and beyond. The entire Sol System is mine. I have dismantled every body of government that matters, from the High Lords down, the Imperium of Man as you know it is dead. In its place, I am raising the New Imperium. In the New Imperium, you are free to think and speak as you wish. In the New Imperium, there will be no gods. I am the closest thing to a god you will ever find, and I am telling you, I am not a god, and I won't be worshipped. I am simply your maker, and I will tell you now that any who defy this edict will find themselves on the wrong side of my wrath. In the New Imperium, you will be protected, cared for, and taught. Ignorance and lies have been mankind's downfall. Knowledge and truth will be its salvation. For those who heard me and have still decided to challenge me, know that you will fail and that you will die, and the New Imperium will be here long after you are forgotten. The only hatred I hold for Xenos is for the ones who threaten humanity. Mutants are just humans who were born or evolved differently, and I harbor no hatred for them unless they are a threat to humanity. Witches are just humans with a connection to the Warp. They can be dangerous, but I harbor no hatred for them unless they are a threat to humanity. There is no such thing as a heretic, but there are no gods and no religion. I say that to say this: hatred that is not warranted will not be tolerated. I can be kind, or I can be lethal. Your choices will decide which side of me you see. If you are the problem, you will be removed. Welcome to the New Imperium."
The broadcast ends, and Genesis activates the terraforming engines he has made sections of the Imperial Palace into and watches as Terra is brought back to life. The transformation happens at an impossible speed. Terra's atmosphere is cleared of population and restored. The grey cloud-covered sky opens up with pure rain infused with creation energy that clears the soil and the groundwater of radiation and other poisons accumulated over millennia of war and mistreatment. It restores forests, rivers, seas, and oceans where there were only barren wastelands and sludge. It does all of this around the massive hive cities, keeping them intact. The hive cities themselves go through changes as well, as the buildings shift and change around the people as if they are made of clay, remaking the cities without causing any harm to those within them. The Gothic architecture is smoothed and enhanced, turning massive towers into gleaming spires. Churches built in the name of the God-Emperor are turned into habs or wiped out completely and replaced with beautiful fruit orchards, parks, and lakes. The change happened above and below ground as the underhives were transformed as well. Normally, the lairs of gangs, mutants, and the poor. It is where the waste of the surface accumulates. Sewage, toxic waste, garbage, and much more. The rains pour down, clearing it all and turning shanty towns and wasteful Mechanicus work areas into clean underground cities with access to clean food and water and free access to the surface should anyone want to travel up. Toxic fog and gases are purified into clean air that also heals many of the sicknesses that rampage through the underhives. It continues deeper and deeper until Terra is once again a thriving world of blues, greens, and browns.
To the normal eye, it would look like magic, but it is really just science on a level never before seen. There are still plenty of social issues to work out, but Genesis knows that Sio will handle it, everything from housing to a new food distribution network to the legal system. It is her specialty. In less than a day, the dead heart of the rotting Imperium of man has been ripped out and replaced with the beating heart of the New Imperium. Now, it is time for the blood to flow again, just as Abaddon the Despoiler and his monstrous allies split the galaxy in two with the power of Choas. The First, his Unshackled Legion and his New Imperium rise to face them head-on. Even though these enemies rarely attack from the front. That's fine, too. Genesis has nothing but time. His patience is infinite, and his will is indomitable.
"Let the games begin."