Chapter 321: Security Detail
All non-essential meetings were converted to holographic projections.
The Victrix Guard had also handpicked a cadre of veteran elites to patrol the perimeter of the conference hall, maintaining constant communication.
Drakus personally reviewed the roster and rotation schedule of every active duty squad, memorizing the time and position of every guard. Even the slightest deviation would trigger his alarm.
The son of Guilliman did not fear facing the most terrifying enemy, but the thought of failing in his duty to protect the Primarch filled him with dread.
Absolutely, absolutely, it could not happen again.
"Andros is ready," a voice reported.
Drakus looked up.
Before him stood an Ultramarine in artificer-wrought Mark X power armour, his helmet painted the crimson of a sergeant.
A longsword hung at his waist, and uniquely, another was strapped to his jump pack.
Aeonid Thiel.
The first Captain of the Second Company of the Ultramarines Chapter.
"It's not easy to see you, old friend."
Upon hearing of the potential threats against Romulus, Macragge had exploded into action.
In a panic, Marneus Calgar had dispatched half of the Victrix Guard, the entire Second Company, and companies drawn from various Successor Chapters to form a Primarch's Honour Guard. They had crossed the galaxy through the now-stabilized Maelstrom zone, a journey that took two years.
During this time, at Ramesses's request, they had also brought the skeletal remains of Aeonid Thiel, which had been enshrined in the Reliquary. Then, with the Emperor's reluctant cooperation, a ritual was performed to pull him back from the beyond.
Frankly, it was easier to retrieve people from the Ultramarines.
The Chapter hadn't suffered any catastrophic upheavals in ten thousand years, and their homeworld had remained stable. Just give Calgar a name, and he could find the grave and relics. Then it was just a matter of asking Old Man Gold for the soul based on their identity card.
And so, First Captain Andros was retrieved. Second Captain Thiel was retrieved.
They had practically reassembled the Ultramarines Legion of ten thousand years ago.
Drakus quickly cross-referenced the timing of Thiel's appearance and the nuances of his speech with his memories. Confirming no anomalies, he nodded.
"You and your squad are granted a degree of operational autonomy," Drakus replied calmly, ignoring his old friend's jab at his rigid protocols.
The Second Captain believed in unconventional, non-doctrinal tactics and disliked such formulaic security work.
However, out of respect for the sole survivor of the 'Mission to Rescue Primarch Guilliman from Fulgrim' at the Battle of Thessala, the security chief—who had died rather abruptly in that same battle—decided to grant him some leeway.
After all, Thiel had the skills.
First Captain Andros had been decapitated on the spot. Drakus himself had died like an NPC, leaving only a casualty report in the logs. Only Thiel had managed to bring the Primarch back in one piece.
Thiel shrugged noncommittally. At least he was obedient.
Drakus glanced subtly behind Thiel at another Ultramarine whose stature was almost identical.
Cato Sicarius.
The current Captain of the Second Company.
After the Tyrannic Wars, with many Ultramarine Successor Chapters severely mauled, the former First and Second Captains, Agemman and others, had been transferred to lead Successor Chapters. With Titus, who had a distinguished record, being personally claimed by the Primarch, the mantle of Second Captain had fallen to the equally decorated Sicarius.
Capable, talented, tactically sharp, but also somewhat arrogant due to his illustrious record. He was essentially a Thiel who hadn't been beaten down by reality yet. But at least with the original Thiel here to keep him in check, he wouldn't go too far off the rails.
Noticing Drakus's gaze, the current Second Captain puffed out his chest proudly as he observed the Custodians nearby.
Anyone else would have thought he was being praised.
Add 'unable to read the room' to his list of traits.
Drakus sighed softly. He always felt that the Space Marines of this era, while excellent warriors, had significant deficiencies in other areas.
He reached out to accept a report from Azrael, one of the Dark Angel Paladins of the Round Table.
The Dark Angels had also done their utmost in this security operation, actively cooperating with the Ultramarines.
This one was much better.
Azrael nodded silently to him, then proceeded to his station in the central command center.
To be honest, Drakus rarely observed qualities like gentleness or compromise in a Dark Angel.
As the Victrix Guard diligently carried out their duties, Shield-Captain Marcus Achallor entered the command center and reported in a flat tone.
"Preparations are complete. The xenos Farseer will arrive shortly. I must proceed to attend the meeting."
Seeing the Custodian block his line of sight, Cato Sicarius felt an instinctive irritation at having to share his duty and glory.
Although the Emperor's Golden Guardians were fulfilling their duty to protect the Primarch, Marcus had questioned the gene-sire in public more than once.
Therefore, in Sicarius's view, Marcus and his ilk were not entirely trustworthy. These warriors served the Emperor, not the sons of Guilliman who shared his bloodline.
They lacked the proper respect for the Primarch and were full of prejudice against the Astartes.
Sicarius couldn't help but run a combat simulation in his mind: if Marcus and his Custodians were potential enemies of the Ultramarines, could he defeat them?
At the same moment, Marcus sensed Sicarius's hostility.
He exchanged a glance with Drakus.
Drakus was actually indifferent to the Custodes' habit of questioning the Primarch.
After all, the Tetrarchs of Ultramar, Chapter Master Marius Gage, and Second Captain Thiel were, by modern standards, all rebellious sons. Back in the day, they contradicted, questioned, and sarcastically remarked on Guilliman constantly.
As excellent politicians, strategists, and thinkers, the suggestions Custodians offered during meetings were often valuable. But the Astartes of today always interpreted such actions as challenging the Primarch's authority.
Of course, Drakus didn't exactly like these Custodians either.
They always harboured a certain wariness towards the Primarchs and Astartes, an arrogant attitude of supervision from above.
"Normal. During the Siege of Terra, the Custodes, Malcador, and Dorn were all suspicious of each other," a voice teased over the vox-channel. Almost instantly, both the Shield-Captain and the Victrix Guard Commander donned their helmets in unison.
No need to guess who was speaking.
"At the start of the war, Dorn, as the Praetorian of Terra, was actually kicked out to the Boreal Strategic Command. To form the Knights-Errant, Malcador tacitly allowed Garro to kill a Custodian. His Officio Assassinorum even planned a series of assassination missions against Custodians and Astartes."
"If you ask me, the defenders of the Palace back then were a circus. Dorn couldn't command anyone but the Imperial Fists. The Khan and Sanguinius had their own ideas. The Custodes knew a bunch of secrets but wouldn't tell anyone, and were secretly guarding the Dark Cells. The entire Loyalist faction at the start of the Siege was just doing their own thing. The only reason they won was because Dorn could tank the pressure and the other side was even more dysfunctional."
"If I were the Emperor, I'd get off the Throne and smack everyone except Dorn."
Instantly, both commanders abandoned their facial composure.
No need to guess; Lord Ramesses was mocking certain people for not having their priorities straight, engaging in infighting and suspicion at a time like this.
The two exchanged a look with strange expressions.
"..."
Hiding their true thoughts and resuming standard diplomatic protocols, Drakus quickly expressed his gratitude and reiterated that today was a crucial day.
Shield-Captain Marcus also stated that cooperation was a bridge to further understanding and that he would cherish these opportunities.
However, before leaving, Marcus stopped Sicarius and asked how, in his view, the Astartes perceived the Adeptus Custodes.
Sicarius looked surprised. He hadn't expected an arrogant Custodian to deign to speak to a minor character like him.
But Sicarius wouldn't give him much face just because of the difference in status.
"For ten thousand years, the Ten Thousand have hidden in the Palace while Space Marines bled and died across the galaxy. If the Adeptus Custodes had left the Imperial Palace and shouldered their burden of governance, surely more people would have been saved, and more Imperial worlds would be better off," Sicarius said without hesitation.
Marcus believed that every Astartes he met harboured such thoughts, even the veterans from the Great Crusade era.
The Custodian did not immediately refute him, letting silence congeal in the air for a few seconds.
"Then, in your eyes, how do the Adeptus Custodes view the Astartes?"
"In the eyes of the Ten Thousand, Space Marines are nothing but simple-minded, savage warriors. We spend our lives practicing war and death, while you are the nobler guardians, the Master of Mankind's perfect hope for the future," Sicarius continued, showing not a shred of awe for the Emperor's bodyguards.
The two were diametrically opposed.
"Neither view is accurate. I am glad the Astartes fight by our side," Marcus said calmly.
"Of course. I think the same," Sicarius replied, neither humble nor arrogant.
Although he retained his reservations, the Second Captain was somewhat excited about cooperating with the Custodes.
Because the Custodes, while capable of fulfilling a series of complex duties, were also peerless warriors. Their addition was undoubtedly beneficial to the Imperium, the Primarchs' cause, and his own security work.
"There has always been a rift between us, but now we unite under the banner of the Dawnbreakers for the same will. We question the Primarch not to challenge his authority, but to perfect the work."
"Just as we do not view the Primarch through a filter of perfection, I hope the Astartes can also cast aside their filters when viewing us. Question us as we question the Primarch, rather than choosing hostility."
Marcus believed the Custodes' current existence was necessary. As Sicarius said, he was also trying to expand the duties of his Custodians beyond security work.
Because the Custodes indeed should do more.
Sicarius also put away his arrogant attitude and responded sincerely.
"I also agree that neither view is accurate. I will remind my brothers when I return that there are more Custodians like you than we imagined."
His tone, however, showed no intention of being diplomatic.
"Thank you for your understanding. We have had a harmonious exchange."
Hearing the word 'brothers,' Marcus's eyelid twitched involuntarily, but he forced himself to respect the culture and replied.
"Likewise," Sicarius responded seriously, disregarding whether he had misspoken again.
As the Eldar delegation entered the outer perimeter, Second Captain Cato Sicarius and Shield-Captain Marcus Achallor parted ways amicably.
Both were giving their all to fulfill their duty of protecting the Primarch.
On the path ahead, Aglaia maintained her silence as much as possible, passing through checkpoint after checkpoint.
Her report had already been submitted, and the members of her Kill Team had been claimed by their respective managing Legions along the way.
The last Deathwatch marine to leave gave her the sign of the Aquila at a turn. Aglaia returned the salute. Walking along the high gallery, the Inquisitor observed the unusual surroundings while looking down through the one-way glass at the magnificent assembly hall below.
Chapter Masters, Imperial Navy Admirals, Canonesses of the Sororitas, High Kings of Knight Houses...
These elites, rarely seen together in the galaxy, were now being properly received by the Ultramarines, awaiting the Primarch's summons.
Under the Primarch's leadership, the Imperium was pouring more resources into Cadia, and vast armies seeking glory were also converging there.
Servo-skulls scanned the meeting venue over and over.
Librarians and sanctioned psykers of the Scholastica Psykana were constantly performing divination and augury scans.
Agents of the Officio Assassinorum lurked in the outer perimeter, and Custodian Shield-Captain Marcus's squad guarded key choke points. Under the protection of the Sisters of Silence, the Custodes, immune to Chaos influence, were impregnable.
When Aglaia pushed open the oak doors to the gallery and took her usual seat, she finally understood why this meeting was so tense.
An Eldar Farseer.
The alien stood tall and straight like ancient ebony, radiating an aura of extraordinary dignity. Holding a staff, he communicated with Romulus in a calm tone and manner.
Eldrad Ulthran.
Aglaia had seen the file on this Farseer. He was one of the key figures orchestrating the cooperation between Craftworld Ulthwé and the Imperium.
This Farseer was ancient, rumored to have witnessed the Fall of the Aeldari Empire. Obscure records within the Inquisition even confirmed that during the War of the Beast, this very Farseer had planned the raid on the Imperial Palace.
This made Aglaia instinctively wary of his presence.
"We have seen a trans-system ritual taking place within the Sea of Souls. Their goal is to weaken the veil between the Sea of Souls and the Cadian sector in a short time."
"At the same time, we are aware of what the Formless Lord is attempting to do. I believe that with my experience, the Seer Council can offer some assistance."
Truly—
Even Ulthran, a Farseer who had witnessed ten thousand years of rise and fall, couldn't help but sigh internally as he faced the death-machines poised to strike within the hall.
To be honest, if he were to lead a troupe of Harlequins on a raid against the Dawnlight now, he truly couldn't break in.
He stole a glance at the Knight who had remained silent at Romulus's side.
As a psychic race highly attuned to the warp, mere proximity of dozens of meters brought Ulthran's physiological discomfort to its peak.
It was like a fish suddenly exposed to air, unable to even control its body normally.
Ulthran was certain this was the being restraining himself.
If there were direct contact, no one present except him and the Solitaire would be left standing.
Even if they broke in, they couldn't win.
Where did the Emperor find these treasures?
Ulthran felt as if he were soaking in a vat of lemons, sour with envy.
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