Chapter 265: Ups and Downs
When the Death Guard had been stationed at Barbarus for 339 days, they received the coordinates of the next star system they needed to travel to.
Along with the message came, incidentally, a Black Ship.
The good news was that the bandit leader, Malcador, hadn't taken anything away—in fact, quite the opposite. They had sent Hades two large crates of ashes—
Those of Blanks and psykers, respectively.
In the Warhammer universe, the powers of the soulless and of psykers do not vanish with death, though they are greatly weakened; even after death, their ashes can weaken or strengthen the barrier to the Warp.
This was also the main material Hades used to develop his anti-psyker grenades. Black Rounds were a mix of Blank ashes and fragments of blackstone; once detonated, they would immediately weaken the local Warp barrier.
White Rounds, on the other hand, were filled with the ashes of psykers. Generally speaking, psykers are conduits between the Warp and the material world, but their flesh-and-blood bodies have a maximum limit to how much psychic energy they can bear. If the barrier is suddenly weakened in a short span, a flood of Warp energy will surge into the psyker's body, literally "bursting" the individual.
Thus the idea behind the White Round was to use a sudden spike of Warp energy to force psykers into self-destruction, thereby cutting off the channel between the Warp and the material world.
However, the principle behind such a weapon made it easy to backfire. So after production, Hades only issued a small number of White Rounds to warriors who had sufficient understanding of psychic powers.
Yet compared to the Black Rounds, the White Rounds had one undeniable advantage—the raw material was abundant, especially among the Death Guard themselves.
Ahem. That's a bit of a grim joke.
Even grimmer was the fact that most of the Death Guard warriors with real understanding of the Warp were mortificators—librarians.
Hades wisely chose to conceal the true source of the ammunition from them. Although the Lantern Bearer Ugo fixed him with a suspicious glare, Hades still calmly explained the grenades' principles and usage—everything except what was actually inside them.
When the war situation became dire and resources scarce, then he would tell them the truth.
So… Hades thought silently.
The war order had come. After a year, the main drives of the Death Guard fleet once again roared to life. The whispers of the Astropathic Choir spread, short-term civilian travel was suspended, the Mandeville Point rippled, and the Death Guard fleet began to make orderly Warp jumps.
Hades stared idly out the viewport. He could feel the Warp's repulsion toward him growing stronger.
But the Black Ship had said last time that in his case it wasn't a real problem. So he decided to treat it as nothing—better that, than risk being flung out into the Warp when the Death Guard decided to speed through it.
Such were Hades' idle thoughts.
Because of Barbarus' rapid development, the Death Guard had stationed more Grave Wardens upon their return, as both surveillance and a warning.
At the same time, Mortarion and Hades appointed the Deathshroud, Morag, as the Death Guard governor of Barbarus, in charge of the system's administration, conscription, and other affairs.
Hades also sent down several students of social governance, letting them practice and learn on the ground. A few of them would later be reassigned to Galaspar and Drune.
As for the rest, it was mostly trivial matters of governance, along with repeated admonitions for the Magos Mint.
In the meantime, the Death Guard's cargo holds were once again filled to the brim. Thanks to Barbarus—and Barbarus' partners—the massive holds of the Death Guard were this time truly overflowing.
Because there had been no war for a year, a restless urge had begun to brew within the Death Guard. Long-idle scythes gleamed coldly, eager, impatient to bring blood and death to their enemies.
But this time, the war order contained no detailed description. Not because it was a campaign that needed to be concealed, like Rangda's, but because it was a world that had only just been detected—everything about it was still unknown.
The only thing the Death Guard knew was that the Ultramarines were also heading for that star system, and that they would be cooperating with them—
The Ultramarines!
Hades thought: since Perturabo, since Lion El'Jonson, this would be the first time the Death Guard had normal cooperation with another Legion! Using proper tactics, communicating with allies in a friendly and straightforward way, possessing the mind of a normal person.
The Ultramarines, Roboute Guilliman, Macragge, his unmet second—
Suddenly, a chill swept over Hades' entire body. It felt as though the Endurance itself were sneering at him.
He coughed guiltily twice. No—that wasn't right. He was a Death Guard. He was a Death Guard.
Hades struggled internally for a while, but he still couldn't forget Guilliman's reliable presence at that banquet back then (along with Sanguinius). If Guilliman hadn't been there that day, Mortarion would probably have led the Death Guard into utter social ruin the very next morning.
To be honest, the Death Guard ought to be deeply grateful for Guilliman's immense favor. Of course, the Thousand Sons probably should be too.
Upon learning that their allied Legion would be the Ultramarines, Hades actually felt relieved. All he had to do was leave things to Roboute Guilliman!
So long as Guilliman didn't lose his temper and rush into a duel first, a Primarch who genuinely cared about his Legionaries and the casualties of allied forces would be an unbeatable presence. Praise the great Second—
Ahem, no—that's not it. The Imperium Secundus hasn't even been founded yet.
What surprised Hades even more was that Mortarion's opinion of Guilliman was actually "not bad." Perhaps the Lord of Death, too, had recognized the Macraggean master's steady conduct at that banquet.
Hades even suspected that, in Mortarion's mind right now, the top three brothers that he liked probably included at least Horus and Guilliman.
After confirming Mortarion's positive assessment of Guilliman, and with the final unstable factor removed, everything became far simpler. The solution was obvious—leave it to Roboute Guilliman!
Although Guilliman's reputation in the 30k era was not very good—the existence of Ultramar's Five Hundred Worlds often earned him the label of "ambitious Guilliman," hypocritical, cunning, a purely negative political figure—
None of that mattered. What mattered was that Guilliman truly cared about the casualty ratio in war, and rarely betrayed his allies.
For the Death Guard, what could possibly be more important than that? Especially after having endured Perturabo's "baptism."
So, filled with both eagerness for war and a curious optimism toward the Ultramarines, the Death Guard fleet finally arrived at the designated coordinates.
As expected, the Ultramarines' welcoming ships were already quietly stationed along the route, prepared to guide the Death Guard.
Look at that—that was the fine conduct of the Ultramarines!
In Hades' heart, the Ultramarines gained yet another point.
Meanwhile, in the command chamber, Mortarion and Hades stood before the control panel, waiting for the Ultramarines to transmit the necessary details of the campaign.
[Lord Mortarion, the Ultramarines welcome you and your Legion.]
[The conflict is already over. This planet has chosen to accept Lord Guilliman's negotiation and surrender.]
Mortarion raised an eyebrow, seemingly displeased.
Hades, on the other hand, began loudly praising Roboute Guilliman in his heart.
Reliable. Far too reliable!
First attempt negotiation, then attempt violence—that was the proper sequence!
And when it came to political negotiation, no one could surpass Roboute Guilliman!
[You and your Legion may come to this newly compliant human world for inspection. The inhabitants here are very welcoming and show great goodwill toward the Imperium's arrival.]
From beneath his mask came Mortarion's rasping breath. He spoke stiffly:
"No need. If they are not feigning surrender but are truly compliant, then the Death Guard have no reason to waste time here."
[The people here, the Absyrtans, under the persuasion of our Primarch, have all sincerely pledged themselves to the Imperium.]
The channel buzzed with static as the Ultramarines' flawless, impeccable formalities continued. But Hades could no longer hear anything—
—Wait? Absyrtans? Did he just say this planet is Absyrtus?!
Hades' face twisted in shock.
By the Emperor's socks!!! In the original timeline, Absyrtus was the very first planet where the Death Guard deployed an Exterminatus!
And why did they deploy Exterminatus there?
Because the whole planet was infested with rogue psykers!
Slowly, Hades realized a brutal truth: their partner in this campaign should never have been the Ultramarines—
You don't negotiate with a planet like this! Can't you see that something is horribly wrong with it?!
Oh, right. Roboute Guilliman really couldn't see it.
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Note:
https://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Absyrtus
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