Chapter 10.

Reach for the stars now in wonder and never in fear. Because the Confederation of Light stands against the darkness between the stars.

Motto of the Confederation of Light M 3 onwards.

For the Protector of Home!

New political chant of the Race M 3.

The big ugly humans are not foes. They want us up here too. Never doubt that as we are not excluded from the galaxy. The big ugly were like us too once. They did horrible things in ignorance and cruelty yet they became better. Now it is our turn to.

Ambassador Gissnet M 3.

Galve.

Ussmek doesn't remember much of last night however Arya was smiling more and Barrddin was snickering at something. Ussmek would have ask why that was but today was the day. It took three days to get the females and remaining males onto Warhawk transports with their belongings. The Race is in awe at the ships of the Imperium as the Warhawks entered the hanger bays of the Home diplomatic fleet. They were so big yet only having crews of at most three hundred. It was aboard a newly arrived ship in system that Ussmek met six new individuals. One is an Inquisitor and standing with her are four massive warriors in power armor like the shovel maniac. The four are in an honor guard formation around the human woman representing the Emperor of Mankind for Home. Next to her is another female this time in a reptile form that makes Ussmek blink.

The snake youkai bows in a traditional Race bow and smiled. Her yellow-green scales and brown eyes put the not Emperor more at ease. He has his own guards in four addled males who just stare at the four giants. The human woman with the giants with her unusual pale blue hair spoke to Ussmek.

"Greetings to you Sir Ussmek. I am Anastasia Melakov, and I am the chosen representative for his grace the Emperor of Mankind. Besides me is Geleara our ambassador to Home. She will be the one who stays and will have a direct connection to us so we can resolve any future issues quickly. I promise we will have you and your people back to Home within a day."

Ussmek lowered his eyes to the floor briefly before raising them again.

"I stand by my promise to the Emperor of Mankind. My patron has informed me of the item you seek on Home. It is yours. I am sending an ambassador to your homeworld as a counter and I promise safety for ambassador Geleara as far as I can at the moment."

Anastasia looks at Ussmek in a little pity. He was down in the dumps. Anastasia sees Kessnal stalking the not emperor in the shadows of the ship. Not in a creepy way just trying to think of how to support him.

"We truly appreciate that. The map is all we want and other things that were left behind on Home from the species called the Ancients are yours. We just don't want to let the Gould get a gate address here in the west. We promise that the Race has friends in us against them."

Ussmek knows they do and addled know that too. All of the Race on Galve had become addled with the final ones doing so upon seeing the remnants of the Race fleet in orbit. The humans had not bragged about the destruction. Just said that they tried one last time to get the Race off the world before the battle began. Ussmek believes that. The giants next to the Inquisitor remain immobile and their colors of blue on white with their dragon emblem in a bright gold make the Race guards feel incredibly small. Their helms were ultra smooth, and the sergeant of the fours helm was painted red in honor of Aeinid Theil. Anastasia likes this sergeant. He was a great guy to talk to about logistics.

James Gordon enjoyed being a super nerd as now he gets to be bigger than the jocks who pushed him around pre unification. He actually met his gene sire and now Dad. He's small but the chapter master said that he loses a lot to dad in simulators. James like many in the legion are eager to fight pirates and slavers since they like Grandma enjoy order and stability. The legion had been mostly on standby as they prepared for deployment into the traverse. The Wild West of Citadel space. Geleara draws in the not Emperor with a discussion of trade and how they can start that.

Gissnet is welcomed aboard a frigate that is bound for Sol by an angel captain who smiled and began to explain things that the ambassador asked about. The frigate called the Endless Dawn entered the warp at the same time as the Home fleet departed.

Home.

Hisslef awoke again but not screaming to Tissul next to him curled up. The dreams were now different. There were so many things to learn, so many things to explore. The golden one was not a foe. He had a second person near him. A Race male that was like the golden one sacrificing something for them on Home. He would be here in a little bit, but Tissul stirred and groggily looked around their now shared apartment. Hisslef reassured his partner.

"I'm good Tiss. Was just a new dream. I love you."

Tissul is still worried but the screaming had stopped multiple weeks earlier. Now it was just small groans. Hisslef however did see something that greatly worried him. It worried him immensely because he was now the only one on Home who knows how close they are to total collapse. The Emperor was dead. Hisslef worries so much because he knows there is no heir and that there are going to be massive problems from this and the golden ones. However, he is hopeful that the new golden one will help them.

He leaves his and Tissul's bed and he began making breakfast for them of another meat type. There was a knock on the door and Tissul went to answer it. At the door was Jussla and the other female smiled before asking.

"Is Hisslef here? I have a few questions for him regarding our newest paper we are going to publish in a few days."

Tissul glanced at the kitchen with one eye stalk while the other was on Jussla.

"Hisslef is here making breakfast. He should be free soon. Please come in Jussla."

The doctor smiled more and entered the room seeing her assistant laying out meat for him and Tissul. Hisslef smiled seeing his friend and fellow addled. Jussla was asking a few questions when Hisslef suddenly felt a headache hit full blast. He put several claws to his head and Tissul asked worryingly.

"Hiss are you ok?"

Hisslef tries to fight back a bad migraine and nodded.

"I'm ok Tiss. Just felt like something happened that's all. Don't you have work in an hour or so?"

Tissul wore an extremely worried expression.

"I do but you have been getting those more often. Maybe I should stay home with you today."

Hisslef loves Tissul more for that. He is about to say something against that she makes the money before then Hisslef freezes. Jussla and Tissul shake their tails in worry at that. Hisslef as if being controlled by someone else grabbed his tv remote and turned on the tv. Tissul is now incredibly worried about that. She is about to touch him when Hisslef said in his own voice.

"Twenty minutes. Twenty minutes from now and we won't be alone anymore. They are almost here."

Jussla and Tissul are now very scared. Tissul is now very much staying home. She quickly called her boss and said that she will be unavailable today. Jussla got next to Hisslef and now asked.

"Who is almost here?"

Hisslef seemed in almost a haze replying.

"A golden one. Not the first one, but someone who is like us Jussla in being addled. He will fix our current problems. We are very close to a bad age. He has a potential partner and is a prophet of new ideas. He will be good for us."

Jussla knows that thing golden one. She had never said anything about that to anyone. Hisslef had that dream too? She was now more worried and Tissul got off the phone and sat down on the couch next to Hisslef who was back to normal. Hisslef remarked.

"We will be ok. I think, however, that I need help. Not for being addled but because something is in me, and we don't know what. But maybe our new neighbors do."

Tissul is extremely worried about that. What new neighbors? It's just the two of them here. That's strange and then something is mentioned on the news.

"We are getting reports that our sensors at the edge of the system are picking up something. We will keep everyone updated as the situation unfolds."

Tissul looked at Hisslef now and Jussla is worried too. She looks at a clock and saw that five minutes have passed. The breakfast was now forgotten. Jussla asked worryingly.

"What is coming?"

Hisslef still in a haze replied.

"A fleet."

Home Star system.

Thirty ships from the sixty strong defense fleet are taking up positions at the middle point in the system. They don't know what is coming but are preparing nukes in the extreme chance that this is that impossible thing. Another fleet. They are holding a defense line and onboard the flagship is a single male that can make or break this day.

Yessnet is a very old lizard nearing one hundred and thirty years of age. He is internally thinking about what they need to do. He has seen the other two members of the regency council fight bitterly with each other over everything the past four days. Yessnet is the tiebreaker, and he hasn't sided with anyone because the two others both make good points. They, however, don't see a path forward with their conundrum that is the Emperor being dead. Their fighting was getting worse and worse and that was why Yessnet was up here. But apparently he can't even have that today. Yessnet demanded from a nearby sensors operator.

"What are the sensors picking up operator?"

The male at the station looked again at the consoles.

"Unknown superior. We have never seen anything like this before. There are things forming at the edge of the system limits."

Yessnet hissed out.

"Show me now."

Yessnet looks on a screen at the edge of the system. There seem to be multiple purple silhouettes forming. The old one has never seen anything like them before, but he is worried. He is not addled yet unlike many in the non category he doesn't assume that there are only primitives out there. The galaxy is vast, and it would be foolish to never assume that there is not an unknown out there that is like them.

"Keep watching them."

The male lowered his eyes.

"Yes superior."

Imperial Battleship Sol Devastation.

Ussmek is on the bridge of this ship and is looking in awe at the gothic spires and arches along with the mix of futuristic things. Anastasia can't blame the lizard or his guards. The insides of all imperial ships are definitely art. The captain of the battleship was a human man from China by the name of Bai who had once been a naval crewman on Terra during the Unification Wars. His second was a Nautolan woman named Yo Tam. Ussmek and his men had asked a few questions to her. Yo Tam answered happily to explain her culture to them and the fact she was from an ocean world amazed Ussmek and his guards. Further discussion had been stopped when Bai sounded the alarm, and the bridge crew prepared their descent out of the warp. Ussmek doesn't understand the warp and how it's so interwoven with what humans call the materium or reality. But Ussmek is ready to see Home again as are his men. Ussmek will commit things to the Confederation of Light as the Gould are everyone's foe.

Home System

Yessnet looks along with his nearby people from their ship as then the purple things become holes and then what happens next makes the Race across the fleet and those watching from Home scared. A massive ship bigger than anything that the Race has ever made exits the first hole followed by still massive ships but smaller than the first one from smaller purple holes. The fleet in its glory is intimidating.

The Race is now all watching as the news stations are broadcasting this to the entire population. Billions of the Race look in horror as this belief they had was shattered forever. Jussla and Tissul look in horror yet Hisslef doesn't. He saw a symbol he needs to talk to. An I with a skull in the middle. They will have answers for him. He reassured his boss and loved one.

"They are friends that had to break us out of stagnation. We need to help the one who is the future. Jussla you're a scientist. Why have we not explored but we have always been curious about the Hassei wastes?"

Jussla keeps looking at the thirty-one ships on the screen in awe and fear.

"The wastes are haunted. We have known that for as long as we have been a people. You can't mean."

"I do. The new one needs a thing from there. He wants to protect us. Because the alternative is worse than the current unknowns. These ones can be reasoned with. The alternative can't. They are the darkness between the stars and a howling void. The new is like the Hallessi and now us four they have love and family. We can have that too."

Tissul thinks that Hiss has finally gone mad before she feels remorse immediately for that. They are wonderful, and she loves him unconditionally. He was acting strange again but the first time had led to what they have. She will have faith in her loved one.

"I'll get the car ready. I believe you Hiss. Please be right."

Hisslef finally broke from his haze.

"I am. Because we are going to be amazed by what the unknown brings to us. We will reach now and forever to the stars in wonder and never in fear."

Yessnet is surprised more than ever when the ship he is on receives a data package from the massive ship. And a message.

We come in peace. We bring you your people who wish to see Home again. Do not shoot at us. You will lose if you do. We from the Imperium of Mankind greet our neighbors.

Yessnet became addled as do billions of the Race on Home yet Yessnet did once long ago longed to see the stars anew in a semi addled way. Now that has returned in a great golden light. He knows now what he must do. They need a leader now and the one who will save them is on that massive ship. An addled one who will be remembered for millennia.

Ussmek sees Home. The mostly orange world was spinning slowly in front of him. The view of the planet for the addled makes them understand now more than ever they must fight and win a new battle.

Anastasia smiles seeing the not emperor happier along with his men.

Yessnet gives an order to the fleet.

"Do not attack them. Keep defensive formations but don't fire. I speak with the authority of the Emperor."

The fleet personnel obey the order. They don't have a plan but are glad the elder does. Yessnet looks at the fleet before him as they float around their entrance point and do nothing hostile. He gives an order to the message system operator.

"Send the unknown a message. Ask them if they can move our people they have onto Home. And that I wish to speak to the first. On how we proceed going forward."

The operator obeys but wants to ask questions. Something he's never done before but he is lost without the elder.

"Yes superior."

Ussmek sees his greatest ally here on Home. This chancellor who wants to understand. Who is going to help teach him. He a lowly laborer who is now poised for royalty. He feels a clawed hand touch his own. It's Kessnal.

"We are with you hero. I am with you."

Home.

Tissul drives fast as possible in the current conditions. The Race is in shock but Addled is making his new followers not do stupid things. Plane users are still flying and cars are still moving without crashing. Hisslef and Jussla sit in the back of the car. Hisslef is answering questions about the unknowns that he can see. The unknowns have an Emperor like the Race. The unknowns have a station that is massive like the ships. The unknown has been spacefaring for seven years and have thirty-five worlds. They chased the Race off Hallessi 1 or the world truly called Galve.

That the new golden one will be Emperor of the Race as the current one is truly dead. Jussla is horrified to learn that the current Emperor is actually dead as that means they have not been watched over by him for four days. That's extremely bad because they have been given an Emperorless afterlife. But then she remembered that the new golden one will be Emperor.

They must help him help themselves but the wastes are dangerous. The Race who enter them don't return often. The ones who do are half mad claiming things of darkness are there. They get committed to addled places and just rant and rave. Hisslef said they will get help from the unknowns as they have dealt with things like this before.

Warhawks began to prepare their cargo. The Race knows ships with their people are coming to Home. They must change fast because the people coming Home have nothing and need places to live now. Thankfully the Race has plans for this because of the current mating season. Yessnet has spoken to Emperor Ussmek. The new Emperor softly asked for help. Yessnet sees through a video screen the new Emperor wears the body paint of a soldier. Yet has stepped up because he knows someone has to. He also sees the four giants and the big ugly human woman.

The woman requested from the chancellor that the giants be given permission to land on Home. To help get an item the Race has on world that can lead to destruction for them all. Ussmek shares bits of the Gould making the chancellor and those males listening scream internally. They also learn of the Confederation of Light. The big ugly and more species have no fear of the Gould and all must unite together to win.

Yessnet will commit to the Confederation and backed up the Emperor to be. The males listening want to help too. They don't want the Gould here.

Yessnet loudly tells the big ugly human.

"Permission granted in support of the Emperor of Home Ussmek the First the Protector."

James and his three battle brothers prepare themselves. They don't know what they will find at the sight as Neoth says it's blocking even him. The marines are ready and they are going with another. Arya is told by the boss that they have help. Not great help but it could be worse. The five move to their thunder hawk and then the ship leaves the docking bay of the Sol Devastation. Followed by several Warhawk transports.

The military males from Galve have thought long and hard about what they want during the trip. They asked themselves if they will fight for Home again on the field of war. They have heard of the Confederation and the Gould. The information about these snakes had been shared with them and seeing a video of the Gould destroying a whole world made a Land Cruiser driver step forward. He will guard Home from evil like that before nine more males commit to their Harbinger. Yet they need to be taught new ways of war. Humans wearing the badge of the Connacht 2nd begin to explain to them how to actually fight beings.

Hisslef waits with Jussla and Tissul at the edge of the wastes. Their car is collecting dust from the wastes and the two females are nervously waiting for this help. The wastes have next to no plant life and was the only place on Home that the Race refused to touch. The trio then suddenly hear something and Jussla looks up. Her eyes widen as she sees a gunship land. Hisslef smiled because they can help him with what he is. The back ramp opens and four massive warriors come off the ship followed by someone with a tail. James sees the lizards and let the acolyte talk to them. He and his brothers prepare to enter the wastes.

Arya smiles and sees the psyker. She made her way towards them and Hisslef moves without hesitation or fear. Hisslef finally asks once the big ugly reached nearby.

"What am I? Why do I see more than before?"

Arya looked down on the shorter lizard.

"You are what's called a psyker. We can help you with it but we need your help."

Jussla and Tissul don't get that while Hisslef does. He immediately began telling the legends of the wastes. Arya lets him explain that as the four space marines entered the wastes. They listen to the vox and don't like what they are hearing. They have three theoreticals and none are good.

Mark 001.

James sees something out of the corner of his eye. It was jerky. James made a slight gesture to his brothers. They understand immediately and prepare themselves. They continue moving through a canyon and that's when the unknown strike.

A corpse moved as a male of the Race launched itself at the space marines. It's eyes milky white. It's claws come and hit the marine in the back of the formation and it does nothing but leave a small scratch on the pauldron of the marine who turned to face the corpse. The marine fired once and the bolt makes the walking corpse explode and the canyon is silent again. James sighed as this was three as he voxed the acolyte.

"We have uneasy spirits possessing the dead. Acolyte please ask if a great battle happened here in the past."

Arya sighed but asked.

"Was a great battle fought here once?"

Tissul might be a radio operator but she has a minor in history. She nodded to the human who was nice.

"There was one in the far distance past seventy thousand years ago. It was with the last empire before we united. The holdouts supposedly did strange things. Why?"

Arya relayed that before she turned to Tissul.

"They left something behind. What supposedly happened during that battle?"

Mark 004-010.

The four marines had been attacked five more times by more and more corpses. Many in the extreme age while some were newer. The marines are not too worried because the claws are not doing much. Their new theoreticals are now leaning towards a warp ritual or a vengeful ritual that was attempted at the very end. The Race does ok record keeping but this battle was heavily suppressed.

James sliced another corpse apart with his chainsword the roars and the new blades make the kills easy. They are conservative in their bolters ammo because better to have them for possible new foes. The plan is still the same ish and seven years of ratings games between the legions has improved the Water Dragons immensely. The fourteen games have shown weaknesses that needed to be improved. The Alpha Legion makes games hard for the Water Dragons and has promoted a friendly rivalry between the two.

Five more corpses charged and all get cut in half by the swords. James noted that they are getting close to a more open field of rocks and red dust. He pushed forward and his men follow their sergeant. They exit the canyon and see the field is in the middle of a mini mountain range that spreads around the field in a square shape. They see the ruins of multiple small villages and a large settlement that is in the center of the square. James voxed his second.

"Eric you studied more magic and rituals. What's your theoreticals?"

The marine sliced a corpse in half before replying.

"I'm leaning more that this was a last Hail Mary to try and force the Race back and make a serious dent in their army. Yet the signs are pointing towards this being a warp ritual and not magic. I didn't study warp. Grandma said Gramps is the one to talk about that stuff with as she is still learning basics."

James sliced another corpse in half.

"Practical it's going to be hard to define Xenos magic anyway. I hear the Grail Knights are going to outperform us there. Juan share this with them via a pict recording. They will like this."

"Yes brother-sergeant. Been recording since we entered."

The four move cautiously and began to look at the field of red dust. They look for hints of the warp.

Jussla doesn't know history well as her minor was in medical work. Hisslef asked if he could get help for being a psyker Arya nodded.

"We have a place called Phenex station that's got a school there for psykers. I can authorize a visa there for you and your partner. Your Emperor is still in talks with the rest of the regency council but he wants to open trade and immigration for your people."

Tissul is worried that this psyker thing might hurt Hiss but he isn't worried much. Besides he can go on an adventure now like he really wanted to. That feeling left him as he thought of Tissul. She is his partner and he won't leave her behind.

"We will talk about it. Tissul matters and while I want adventure she might not. Differences of opinions are strengths. We will all need to learn that."

Tissul smiled wide there. She loves him even more because he was giving up on that possibility for her. Already the Race's internet is filled with stories of the Galve males and females who are announcing publicly for those who have tried to adopt this new idea called family. The old addled are being looked at as increasingly strange yet the new knowledge spreading across the net has many implications and many are wondering now what this thing called family is. Jussla's partner is being swamped by the curious. He is increasingly happier as he describes this thing to the curious. He tells them would fight gods for family and that stirs something in the listeners.

Jussla wants adventure now too and to see this station, especially after seeing a picture of it. Humans being assigned to treat with the Race are expected to not lie to them. Because that's their culture and they must respect that. Lying will come eventually but it takes two to tango and humans are not lording over the Race.

Ussmek sat with the regency council with Yessnet next to him. He has won the second of the three over. This one wants to change because they need to as they can't have another situation like this again. The last one is holding out because he doesn't like the idea of not having a harem for the possible new Emperor. That and five more major issues are holding up the confirmation yet even the holdout sees that they are in trouble if they don't change fast enough.

Mark 012-019

The marines have cut multiple foes in half with their swords and learned something about the enemy. There are several larger corpses that have joined the fight. Almost regular human sized ones that are stronger and have shaper claws. They seem to be elite guards for the last empire to fight against the Race.

Bolters rip those apart. The smaller males also have swarmed more and Eric has used magic to trap the foes in earth walls and then chopped heads off. The advance is slowing the closer they get to the large settlement. They take cover in a circular imprint that was near the front of this old once walled settlement. The marines prepared their advance by throwing grenades at the swarms.

James has still not seen a hint of a ritual site. He suspected it's in the settlement. The dead fight extremely hard to keep them from it. The new corpses are just bleached white bones. They stopped running into actual meat ones five minutes ago. The sergeant fired another shot and takes down another skeleton skull. James voxed his group.

"Allen you're with me. We will find the objective. Eric, Juan you're both going to cover our entrance then retreat."

"Yes brother-sergeant!"

James and Allen moved with breath taking speed towards the building and we followed by their two brothers. Chainswords roar and take more heads as the two marines slam into the ruins and cut down the foes they come across. Eric and Juan followed before the four reached the foundations of a massive building. The four continued fighting till they found the entrance to an underground cave system. The sergeant and his fellow enter the caves while the other two marines guard the entrance and sweep and slash with their swords across the skeletons.

Ussmek confirmed to the last member he only wants one mate and that it is his desire to let it be public knowledge. He said to that member of the council that he represents the new ideas entirely. Ussmek has not chosen a mate yet. Kessnal is one of five different females from Galve now chasing him. Two will be eliminated easy because they just want power. The other two and Kessnal are going to be harder to get down to the one. But Ussmek has kept his promise to work with the non addled ones who are becoming the new minority. The talks on everything but this point have moved forward.

"Why fight this so hard? It's tradition and must be respected."

The holdout hissed to Ussmek as they sat at the table.

"I fight this so hard councilor because I want what the Gaimian and our new friends in humanity have. I want family."

The holdout had a sneer form.

"The big ugly are not us though. They can't understand our breeding system."

Ussmek stared directly at the holdout.

"Family is strength not a weakness. We need that strength now more than ever with the Gould out there. We must become the wall next to the humans and is why we now need a standing army."

The other males shiver at the Gould. Home had not had a standing army in a very long time. Galve's forces had been pacification forces not actually soldiers. That idea had also been fought over by the last holdout. The Race fleet had no established doctrines for void warfare. They were at the bottom now with equipment that was very old. It was not advanced enough to keep up with the humans or even the Xindi let alone the slave armies of the Gould, or professional armies of the Turians. Hell even the big stupid jellyfish are stronger than the Race now. That has been shown throughout this meeting. The holdout councilor finally hissed out.

"I will concede on this. This army must be raised fast. Will we need to make a permanent soldier time?"

That concession made the chilly atmosphere for the regency council thaw. Ussmek was silent for a second before he nodded in thanks to the other.

"We will do this idea called conscription with two years of mandatory military service then build from there. This new army will not be like the army of the past. It will the Guard of the future. The Home Guard will be our name. Because we stand as one with the Astra Militarum and the Kings Guard of Galve. We will have teachers in humans willing to come to Home for the conscripts. We already have a hundred males willing to form our officer corps. This and more we must do to show the others in the Confederation we will do our part."

That had been another sticking point. Ussmek insists they join the Confederation. The second councilman had been worried about that too but Yessnet supported his new Emperor who had looked to the elder for help. This was much preferable than the last Emperor who was an ass. He thought he knew everything and ignored his councilors advice. Ussmek listened to even the other side and respected the points raised. It was why the holdout was conceding more and more.

Mark 021-039.

James cuts down another skeleton and moves deeper into the cave system before it changes into an underground base that the Ancients had set up here. The colony's main part had been underground to compensate for Home and its arid atmosphere. The last holdouts had used it as their redoubt before it became their tomb. The dead were restless yet put down easily. Their old bones going down and crumbling to dust. It soon became clear the Ancients were taller than the Race evident by the size of the rooms. The marine duo hit their first hopeful goal.

A ritual site was discovered at Mark 034. The room has multiple bodies in a circle in this foyer and they are all the elite size ones. Twenty bodies rise and as one charged the marines. As they fought James had been watching the runes and he did curse a little. He knows a few of the symbols. That's Ancient. It seems they were fucking with the warp too.

The marines cut down the bodies and then once silenced the marines look at the circle. There are three bodies that had not moved from the middle. It's heartbreaking once a vision of the past plays and it makes the marine fill more blanks.

This had been a civilization of the Race that had and prized family. The three bodies were that of a couple and their child. They had all sacrificed themselves to power the ritual. They had been about to lose badly and this was why the Race's old god had destroyed the ability to have family for them. The teen child had agreed to help his parents with this as a last strike against the enemy who made their civilization fall. James feels bad for them before he shoots a rune stone.

Outside the dead quake and then fall apart. The two marines outside are surrounded by bodies and they are not tired but happy they finally have destroyed this. Eric voxed his sergeant.

"Was my theoretical correct?"

"It was. We need to inform the Ordo Astra Porta that they need to dig faster than ever. The Ancients were fucking with warp rituals and not good ones. They are indeed more dangerous than we first thought. Juan come record this. Eric tell the acolyte that the site is secured but escort them yourself."

"With Courage and Honor brother-sergeant."

Arya along with the three of the Race followed the footprints of the marines. Eric was talking with Arya about the theoreticals he has now for the Ancients. Jussla and the others can't believe that a civilization older than them once existed. Arya smiled now happier.

"The Ancients are not the oldest civilization out there. Over sixty million years ago there was another civilization we call the Old Ones. They ruled the whole galaxy and are the shity grandparents of many species humans included. They fought a war against another civilization for several million years nonstop. This war could have been avoided if the Old Ones just shared tech with the other species. They had horrible lives. Twenty six was your oldest age with them. because their sun was one that hated them. Made them have irreversible species-wide ultra cancers."

That was horrifying to the three Race here. The Race easily reached two hundred years. To be denied even a regular life span because you were unlucky made all of them silent. Hisslef feels horrible about that as does Tissul and Jussla. Hisslef asked.

"Were we made by them too? The Old Ones?"

Arya turned to the lizard and answers honestly.

"I don't know. The Old Ones liked playing with life so perhaps. They during that war made entire species solely for the purpose of war. One was called the Krorks. They were a plant animal hybrid species that loved war growing stronger and taller after every enemy they defeated. Once they died the Krork would send out pods of spores and then infect a planet with them. It was nearly impossible to get rid of them completely after that. They were called many times the greentide. They served as the frontline of the Old Ones."

Hisslef suddenly shakes as he hears their warcry. Even after so long of them being gone from the galaxy the warp still has echoes of them. Trillions of the long dead screaming as they charged forward. Hisslef is hopeful they don't exist. Arya reassured the psyker.

"The Krorks are gone forever. All races from that war are gone. We all dodged a bullet and our galaxy has a chance to be different. The Old Ones were desperately trying to win and didn't think of the consequences they could unleash. Believe it or not we know more about them than we do the Ancients. All we know about them for sure is that they had a disease outbreak that hit their empire. Maybe your people can fill in more gaps than we can."

Eric spoke up as they entered the massive square.

"This is your planet and other than our objective everything is yours. We are not Tomb Raiders that way. Make whatever you discover here your first mark on the galaxy proper."

Tissul looks up at the giant and understands. This was another thing the Race could help out with. Learning about the Old Ones makes her want to explore now. But Hisslef gave up his dream for her. Can she do that?

"Can Hiss get teaching on the move? I want him to get help yet I want to help learn about the galaxy forever now."

Arya raised a brown eyebrow.

"He can. There is a group within my organization that researches the Ancients. The leading expert for them is named Daniel Jackson. He is a great person who can help teach you them. It will require you becoming agents of my organization but you will be respected for that and you can come back and build things for the Race."

Hisslef and Tissul like that a lot as they each win here. The spirit of adventure now hits Jussla who definitely wants to live on Phenex station.

Ussmek finally gets confirmation. The holdout councilor is surprised when he is asked to stay on the council. He expected to be kicked off because of the disputes. Yet he represents the order the Race prizes. That idea has been taken by Addled incorporating it into his system.

Its then that the holdout truly sees his opinions matter to the new Emperor and that he prizes order too This builds a new government that will change everything the Race has. The population of Home is has by now learned everything including the old Emperor's death. Riots of fear almost happen but the fact they had a new Emperor who had watched over them in multiple ways calms this. Now they look to the new Emperor with a general feeling of optimism.

In orbit on a human ship the one hundred males of the Race forming the Home Guard officer corp are going to a world called Krieg. There they will learn modern war. The one eyed driver who had stepped up asked about this world and its history. A new friend he had made in the Connacht second had handed over a data slate to the male.

"Listen to this and you will learn that They are called the Adeptus Histogram. They are the more serious version of this thing we call a podcast. They teach where our ideas come from. Krieg's history will make you sad when you hear where the seed comes from. Yet you will never find a better soldier than a Krieger. They are becoming the standard we all want to be like in terms of how they think about duty. We rangers can out drink them but Krieg is the Imperium's gold standard."

The driver sat on a chair and is curious. The Ranger had spoken of the Kriegers with such respect. Why? This male is joined others as they listened to a haunting thing.

"In life, war. In death, peace. In life, shame. In death, atonement. This is the phrase of the Original Death Korps of Krieg. They fought horrors that would make you go mad but they became the wall unbroken. We are extremely lucky here that we don't fight those same horrors. The Death Korps of Krieg were some of the finest soldiers that the First Imperium had ever produced. You might not like Kriegers for how single minded them seem sometimes on duty, but they are the ones that know sacrifice. Never look down on them that know regret."

Those last words hit the males here hard. They regretted much including nuking the Gaimian. They don't know what the Kriegers did but it must be bad. Seeing their faces the Ranger said to them.

"The seed came from a tree decaying. Another reality and yeah there are those. Infinite numbers of them. Our Krieg had their foundation in our Unification Wars. Their first five regiments were made up of people who did great evils once. They were soon joined by more people who tried to be snakes to our Emperor. Then they were finally joined on mass by many former enemy soldiers who were lied too by their leaders. All three groups fight for redemption now together as our Krieg."

The males want redemption yet the idea of other realities fascinated them. They continued listening to the podcast talking about Krieg. One male however is has a bit more humor than the others and asked if there was a podcast like that.

"Adeptus Ridiculous is the one you want. They are good too just not as serious about things. They also make posters. I prefer Histogram however because the team there does more of what we call roleplaying. We humans have lots of things like that including entire games. A few of us in the Rangers get together for a game called wrath and glory. If you are interested in that I would be happy to introduce you to them. Nice group, just strange alter egos."

The males are confused but one does want to try that. The group continued listening to this podcast and the more they heard about this other reality the more they realized that they were extremely lucky here.

James kept searching for this map room. Juan and Allen search too followed by Tissul. Jussla was asking about a visa to Phenex from Arya while Hisslef looked at the scenes of family the Race once had. This was denied to them by a god. Hisslef watched as a baby girl is ripped from her parents arms as the parents are then gutted. Hisslef had seen that many times in here. He becomes a new first on a day of many in an atheist. He hates that a god did this. When he learned they have a new one that killed the old one put a two second smile on his face. Yet Hisslef will never believe again. Eric understands the lizard. He like the legions of Astartes don't believe in gods either. Man was greater than gods. Eric supports his atheist fellow.

"You're not wrong for hating them. The Emperor of Mankind doesn't like them either. Gods are sadly required but we can be better than them made perfect."

Hisslef watched another child ripped from his parent's arms.

"But if I don't believe I will have no afterlife."

Eric took a few steps to the lizard and looked down on his with his unhelmed head.

"You will have one. One of your own beliefs. I'm an atheist too. I was once a thing called a Lutheran but upon joining my legion I left that by choice. I'm an Angel of Death in service to an immortal Emperor with a dad who is younger than me. Faith isn't as important as duty to me now. All those who become like me are orphans coming from the various institutions of that nature on Terra."

Hisslef takes comfort in that. He however is curious about something.

"Do they force you to serve?"

"They don't we all volunteer for it. To have family is great. Our Grandma for us is strict but she taught us all things that help with our work. Grandpa is a good friend when we feel lost and he has told us stories of the other us. My favorite one is name Captain Sicarius and I want to be a captain like him. Our legion has a saying and motto that we follow. We March for Macragge with Courage and Honor. We honor the other us and the people around us we protect.

Hisslef doesn't see the other ones but the first golden one is now clear. He is the Guardian of humans and others. He was a single drop of water that shook an ocean with its ripples. He can hate gods a choice given to him from that drop. Other hims would be ignorant of this past. Yet he will remember this moment because he has the freedom to do new things he would never have dreamed of before.

James finally found something to go off of in a very worn sign. He and Tissul advanced into a small room and there they find the strangest thing. A small power station that is still on. The power source is some kind of object that looks about mostly used up. Yet the next thing they find is stranger. It's a workstation with a very weird computer screen and a dais. James narrows his eyes before he gently pushed Tissul behind him. He raised his bolter and points it at the screen. That sets off the being here.

The dais comes to life as a strange being appeared on it. The thing is humanoid and has hair but its eyes are slits like a lizard and its body was avian. It didn't have wings but regular arms and it was wearing clothes that are similar to old Chinese. James adjusted his inbuilt translation chip in his helm and that allowed him to understand the AI as it spoke in binary.

"Whoa whoa don't shoot. Ori's taint that's intimidating. I'm not hostile lower the gun giant."

James spoke back.

"So you're the map room."

The AI blinked for three seconds before it backed up on the dais. This thing could talk back not like the other thing behind it. The AI had watched the first ones being slaughtered badly by others of its kind and had been beyond confused. The Ancients had family too so it was very weird to see a species destroying that. Yet the AI hopes this might be more of its makers.

"You know of the map room? And no I'm not it. Names Alvedor. I was the administrator here for this colony. Are you an Ancient?"

James was silent only for a second.

"No I'm not but you're going to tell me where the map room is."

Alevdor gets mad at the threat in that voice. What the fuck makes eight foot tall giants and has such barbaric swords. The AI was about to activate the few security defenses left but James stopped that.

"I can help you if you tell me where the map room is. It's critical that we know where that thing is. We are preparing to prevent an evil from spreading in vile snakes who make slaves suffer. They control a good chunk of your makers gates. Tell me where it is and we will get you more power. You look about out."

Alvedor looked at his reserves and winced badly. He has three days left then death. He had hoped to live longer before he frowned hearing the term snakes. He looked through his databases and then winced again.

"You're talking about the Gould yes?"

"I am. I have several theories from just that and all are not good. Let me make my first guess. They were an experiment for your makers?"

"No nothing like that. How many guesses does that cut off?"

"Twenty. Let's try one more than we can talk plainly. Were they a prior foe?"

"Yes on that. How bad is the infestation?"

"We guess that they have control of twenty five percent of the galaxy spreading by using your maker's gates and hyperdrives. I need the map room because there is an address that leads directly to their homeworld. I'd be happy to give you more power. But please work with me."

Tissul doesn't understand what the being and the nice marine have been saying to one another. It's was just zeros and ones. Alvedor now really does not like that answer fuck. That's a massive outbreak. He regrets being on the side that said to spare the Gould. He doesn't like this. Have the makers truly all died? Because this is not good and they would have never let this happen otherwise.

"I'd be happy to talk with enemies of the snakes yet its very doubtful you can provide me the power. Last I checked plasma generators are not something you have with swords."

"We have those. My armor is powered by two of them. Just because we have swords doesn't mean we are primitive. I'll request some generators for you. Please hand over the map room information. Deal?"

Alvedor blinked before it smiled then frowned again. It needs to consider this but the snakes need death. The three wars the Ancients fought with them had been bad and bloody. Yet the Ai won't betray his makers.

"I will share what I can but I won't share everything. The snakes are they here?"

"No galactic east for us. We are the galactic west. I just want the map room. Everything else is for your discretion to share."

Alvedor chugged for ten seconds before producing from the computer terminal a cd equivalent. James voxed Eric.

"Eric put a call to the fleet for plasma generators and inform the Inquisitor that we have the cooperation of an Ancient AI Fully on."

Ussmek is talking with Geleara as they discussed the findings. Ussmek is astonished that there is an AI and that the Imperium is negotiating for it to be transferred to them. They are offering a few concessions including new technology for Home in peace time efforts. Yessnet is softly giving his advice as the Emperor thinks. Ussmek wants to show the Imperium he is ready to back up things. He had made his first appearance to his subjects and they had been hesitant but he reassured them that they have a voice with him. Audiences with the new Emperor will be easier to get than ever before with the first ones tomorrow.

Finally a deal was reached with Geleara. A new planet for the Race in exchange for the AI. Geleara asked where and Ussmek had considered before he said one in system.

Humans have kept their word to them. Arya is now in the palace and the female named Jussla has immediately asked if a visa for Imperial space has been agreed upon. Ussmek had said that yes it had been when Ambassador Geleara had been pulled in after his confirmation was secured. But it was what Ussmek had learned from the male Hisslef that shocked him and his advisors. The Race once had family. That family was denied to them by their old God. That angered Ussmek. They had been denied that because they had conquered the last civilization that had been addled in desperation to protect that family.

The Addled Race must show the new unaddled ones that family will benefit them. Ussmek feels a ghostly touch and knows that his brother is sorry for him. They were going to meet in dreams once a week. Ussmek has many questions for his brother about Kessnal. The female was determined and she was trying new things. She had shaken one other of the two other pursuers.

Hisslef and Tissul have walked proudly together towards a thunder hawk that had landed at a space port with their luggage. Jussla and her partner had agreed that she can go to Phenex station and learn more while he teaches on Home. Jussla is now not mocked but rather respected now for pushing science forward. She still has detractors mostly from a new conservative movement but they are a minority. Tissul sits across from a human man in the thunder hawk with Hisslef besides her. The height difference is weird but the human smiles before introducing himself.

"Names Walter. I'm an acolyte to Lord Inquisitor George Hammond who runs what is called the Ordo Astra Porta. I'm also a psyker and can help train you in control methods. We will once we land again be on a ship heading to a place called Medcora where another ship called the Manticore is currently on shore leave. That where the Team with Doctor Jackson is located. It will be a day and two hours of traveling and I'll help with questions you both may have. Never be afraid to ask them."

Hisslef began to ask about psykers and other things. He learns that he was extremely lucky. Uncontrolled psykers can destroy worlds and that Addled the god has been helping him stay under control softens Hisslef's opinion on that god.

He learns that he and the others in their small group have helped kill the old god stagnant makes his day. That terrified Tissul a bit yet she was happy too because Hisslef had described many scenes of the death of family. Walter explains that happened because the emotions that the end had were extremely intense. The three continued talking just as they were joined by another two people.

Alvedor is inside a new computer unit held by a tech adept who is telling the AI about the Cult Mechcanicus in binary. The AI is fascinated by it. Faith and science together. He is shocked because the Ancients didn't do that as they had hated faith. Their exile from their home galaxy was rough. Millennium in the void between galaxies had left them bitter against the Ori. Yet Alvedor is not his makers like that. He doesn't like religion but the humans had been reasonable so far.

Their tech was fascinating too. His new computer was powered by a mini plasma reactor that was incredibly efficient. Yet one thing fascinates the AI the most out of everything his is learning. The God Machines. They amazed him and they were bigger than anything the Ancients have ever thought of. He wants to see one. Alvedor hopes to learn more because he is way out of the loop. The galaxy is incredibly different. Especially in the fact humans have more knowledge of the beings called the Old Ones and the Necrons.

Alvedor wants to learn about the Old Ones especially because that had been the biggest desire of the Ancients. To understand the ones who were like gods above the Ancients in nearly every aspect. Yeah the Ancients had great tech but the beings they called the Hayvendal had been the pinnacle of everything. The Jaklveb as the Necrons had been called were amazing too. Yet their story made the AI want to be digitally sick. To learn that the Necrons had once been organics that had willingly sold that for immortality. That made the AI horrified because the Ancients thought they were just robots. Tools of the Old Ones. That they had actually been enemies of each other had made every single theory the Ancients had about the two destroyed into pieces. Alvedor knows that the humans can't lie about that because they have been speaking in binary.

The War in Heaven and the other races like one called the Krork and another called the Aeldari had been made by the Old Ones as warriors for this war that had lasted several million years. That made the AI feel incredibly small. The Ancients had been spacefaring for only a few tens of thousands of years. A war lasting several millions is staggering. That does horror things even more so upon learning about the warp.

The Ancients had known very little about that dimension only that it was a mirror realm to their own. That gods can form there horrified the AI. That everyone that has actual souls touched it made him pale. The Ori had been big on religion and might have formed something up there.

Ussmek is happy as he along with his three councilors are shown an image of a world in their system that is their next world. They had decided to make it a new place for the test of family. Not segregation but a place that appeals to both sides. Many new couples are willing to show the hesitant ones that this works yet just as many are prepared to go to Phenex station and build an enclave there. The spirit of adventure has been lit into a fire that is spreading quickly through the Race.

At the building that has become the Imperium's embassy, Ambassador Gelerea has ten scions defending her. The Race who see humans patrolling it are intimidated by what they see. Yet a brave female had stepped forward and asked one of the guards outside the embassy near the palace a question.

"Where are you from?"

The scion who was a woman let loose a grin seeing this female.

"I am from a world called Nova Roma. Its very different from here."

That started a conversation between the two as the crowd watched on. Slowly more of the Race approached and they too asked questions to the scion and her partner.

The first female who is only five years old smiles a big toothy grin at the human woman. The female wants to be like the human. When she was done speaking to the human for a bit she broke through the crowds and then walked into a new building with the symbol of the new standing army of Home. This female became a harbinger as she asked to serve in the Home Guard. The recruiting male looks at her like she's crazy before he remembers the sisters of battle. Those humans fought with fury that made him quiver a bit. Addled reassured his follower that this female will help in the future. This female is accepted into the army.

Home changed more and more in one day than in over seventy thousand years. It will never stop changing now.

An. Hello everyone. Just some quick news. Updates for this will be slowing again as I am currently reworking all of For Terra. Looking back on it now I want to facepalm about how it is. So apologies for that.