Chapter 146: Omens
Inside the magnificent and expansive bridge of the Imperial flagship, the Emperor, Malcador, Horus, and other Primarchs gathered together. Their journey to GreenWorth had sparked reflections on governance, leading them to discuss their respective approaches to administration.
Roboute Guilliman participated enthusiastically in this meaningful discussion, believing that both the struggle between justice and evil and the struggle over governance were beneficial.
Horus and Fulgrim looked on with delight as they envisioned the future of the Imperium, hoping to build a beautiful home for humanity together with their brothers, a vision that extended from the Medias sector to the entire vast Imperium.
Horus and others thus noticed that Omega, like Guilliman, only focused on the four or five sectors under his control, which seemed insignificant compared to their vision.
During their conversation, Horus and the others realized that their governance approach, focused on the future of the Imperium, was the real priority.
Omega had been gaining considerable attention during this period, and many Primarchs expressed dissatisfaction with what they saw as his factionalism.
Omega sat quietly with Alpharius, listening intently. He couldn't be bothered to think about how to govern the Imperium in the future.
The Emperor and Malcador the Sigillite listened quietly without offering opinions.
Horus and the others discussed the future of the Imperium but overlooked one fact: they had never asked the Emperor and Malcador what they thought.
The discussion lasted for some time before gradually calming down. The Emperor did not offer any opinion on their conversation and instead ordered the Primarchs to return to their respective Legions.
The bridge doors sealed behind them with a heavy hiss.
With the Primarchs gone, the Emperor and Malcador the Sigillite sat together in secret conversation inside the empty Imperial flagship.
They discussed the future governance of the Imperium, the selection of the Warmaster, and the reactions of the Primarchs.
In their conversation, it was clear that the importance of all humanity to the Emperor far outweighed that of the Primarchs. It seemed that the Emperor and Malcador had held this view from the beginning, and Horus and the others were not as important to the Emperor as they imagined.
Through the events of the Medias Sector, Malcador saw that the Primarchs' power was too great and needed to be restrained. The Primarchs and Astartes should focus all their attention on the war, not on the ever-increasing number of human-inhabited planets. The improvement in the star systems under Guilliman and Alpha did not bring joy to Malcador, but rather worry.
Space Marines have always been weapons of war, and the Primarchs are no exception.
Omega, who traveled to the world of Medias to forge new vessels, was unaware of the secret conversation between Malcador and the Emperor. Had he known, he would have only lamented the ruthlessness of the Imperial family.
Medias Forge World
In the cold, dim starry sky, a fleet of over a thousand spaceships docked at the starport. The entire planet of the Forge World was covered with beautiful golden stripes, a sight formed by the convergence of countless forging factories.
The Forge World was in constant production, creating countless weapons. Molten iron flowed hot as lava and as abundant as a river. Numerous small spaceships traveled through the system, transporting mined minerals, while large merchant ships of wandering traders and rogue traders orbited the planet. Countless vessels dotted this beautiful Forge World like stardust.
After Omega and Alpharius parted ways, Omega returned in his flagship and found that supplies and new recruits were already prepared, waiting for his command to set off.
On the spacious, brightly lit bridge brimming with technological sophistication, Omega warmly welcomed Rex and Hermo.
As agreed upon ten years prior, Rex had completed the massive project of forging large-scale space warships in the Forge World.
Everything in the Forge World was in good order and could fully support the needs of the Legion's war, just like the Forge World of Sophis.
The Medias Forge World connected to the newly added Radils and Medias Sectors, and its population was sufficient to avoid concerns about over-recruiting.
After decades of development, the population of the Medias sector had actually reached over 22 billions, which was enough to meet the basic population standard of a sector.
The large number of prisoners transported meant that the large number of people living together would continue to reproduce, and there were also immigrants from other star sectors.
The Alpha Legion currently comprised five star sectors: the Alpha Sector, the Medias Sector, the Isidore Sector, the Radils Sector, and the Gargmore Sector.
Although Governor Kroll claimed the Diora Sector was a gift to him, it was a boastful statement.
However, this sector originally belonged to the Imperium and was not something that a single governor could decide. The Alpha Legion's ability to recruit soldiers and turn it into an exclusive sector was not so simple.
Indeed, this was the case.
Apart from Farran, all the other planets in the Diora Sector became recruitment planets for the Imperial Guard fleet.
Repeated conscription would overwhelm the Diora sector, and Omega knew this was a check by the Imperial Council, so he only conscripted troops from Farran and did not raise any objections to the Imperial Council.
The Radils and Gargmore sectors had voluntarily joined the Alpha Legion's administration. These two sectors were extremely poor, having suffered economic collapse and constant warfare during the Imperial Crusade, to the point that even the Imperial Army didn't want to operate there.
When the data think tank sent this information to Omega, he was somewhat incredulous, but in fact, those two star sectors were truly in dire straits.
Over the past decade, these two sectors had essentially established republican governments based on the Alpha Sector system, quelled the wars, and were rapidly rebuilding. Initially, the Alpha Legion would mobilize food and resources to save humans on planets lacking sustenance and established a special food cultivation and supply system. Over the past ten years, they had basically eliminated war and famine and gotten back on track.
Therefore, all the humans in these two newly joined star sectors had great admiration and worship for the Alpha Legion and were willing to fight for Alpha.
Furthermore, because the Medias sector had transported countless prisoners from surrounding sectors over the decades, the star sectors under the Alpha Legion's rule were very safe and peaceful. Everything was in good order, reaching a golden age.
This was a rare achievement for the Alpha Legion, but it was bound to cause controversy within the Imperium.
Omega already knew from his Primarch brothers that the Imperial Council and Horus and others strongly opposed this kind of behavior, creating their own small kingdoms, and some radicals in the Imperial Council had already proposed to Malcador to limit the expansion of the Alpha Legion.
Rex had also heard some rumors and was worried that the Emperor's personal visit to GreenWorth might be because of this.
Seeing the worried looks from the company commanders, Omega laughed. "It's alright. The Alpha Legion having five sectors under its control isn't a big deal in the Imperium. However, we can't expand further. Whether the other sectors live or die is none of our concern."
"If this isn't a big deal, then what is?" Rex asked in surprise, leaning on his mechanical scepter.
Omega smiled faintly. "The true core of power in the Imperium lies on Holy Terra. What I've done is far removed from that core and doesn't touch upon the Imperium's fundamental interests. They're simply worried that I might harm those interests. Power is such an interesting thing. It's a pity..."
"What's a pity?" Company Commander Skol asked worriedly, thinking of another Primarch who was leading rebellions on many Imperium planets.
"Nothing."
Omega said the word, then suddenly felt something was amiss. He paused, his expression shifting.
Given the current situation in the various star sectors of the Imperium, where resentment was rising due to the exploitation of resources and population by the Great Crusade, it was normal for rebellions to be constant.
This powerful discontent would spread among people and eventually reach Malcador the Sigillite.
This discontent dared not be directed at the Emperor, nor at Malcador, who had been in charge of domestic affairs. Instead, it was a hidden resentment toward the Great Crusade. Ultimately, this discontent needed a clearly flawed object to target.
That would be the Astartes Legions and their Primarchs.
The warriors of the Astartes had always held a superior view of humanity, and most of the Legions' warriors disdained to associate with mortals, making them a perfect outlet for the discontent of the entire Imperium's populace.
Thinking of this, Omega contacted his Navigator and asked softly, "Christie, has our warp travel become even more turbulent over the past decade?"
Navigator Christie calmly replied, "Yes, sir. Warp navigation has not been as smooth as before in the past ten years. There have been occasional small warp storms and minor tremors, but they have not affected the Legion's warp navigation."
"Okay, please let me know if you need anything, and I will do my best to help you."
"Thank you, sir. I will let you know if I need anything."
[End of Chapter]