The Dark Angels' response, much like their combat style, was precise and efficient.
A fleet with deep green livery appeared silently in orbit over Terra. The ships' lines were rigid, their armor bearing only the most essential Legion markings.
They maintained radio silence, merging with the vacuum like shadows, with only official navigation beacons confirming their legitimate presence.
Although the First Legion had been formally broken into multiple Chapters following the Codex Astartes, their unique internal command structure ensured that for matters of the highest secrecy, these successor Chapters could still act in a coordinated fashion. The moment the Rock Fortress received the summons, the reply was swift and decisive.
In a completely isolated, secure room deep within the Imperial Palace, Rogal Dorn met with the Dark Angels' representative. The room was located in the Palace's most central area; its four walls were polished from solid blocks of black obsidian, and the only illumination came from a single, suspended, glowing blue rune at the center of the table. The air was thick with the scent of aged incense mixed with ozone.
Dorn stood by the table, offering no opening remarks.
"There is a faction within Mars," his voice was particularly clear in the confined space, "that is resisting the Emperor's will concerning the Warp Drive by every means possible. From technical obstruction to political maneuvering, their tactics are endless."
The Dark Angels' representative gave a slight nod. He was clad in a deep green cloak, and the Chapter insignia on his Power Armour was barely visible in the dim light. "To what extent is required?"
"Complete elimination of obstruction." Dorn lightly tapped his knuckles on the tabletop. "Employ whatever means you deem necessary, but maintain secrecy. The Imperium cannot afford another open conflict right now."
"Understood," the Dark Angels' representative replied steadily. "The opposing voices will be handled."
There was no further communication, no detailed discussion of the action plan.
When the secret door reopened, only Dorn stood alone in the room. The Dark Angels had accepted the task, and how they would execute it was the secret of the First Legion.
Over the next few standard days, a series of subtle yet definite changes began to occur within Terra's centers of power. Certain officials who had been vocally opposing the Warp Drive project suddenly took leave due to "health reasons," critical technical approval processes began to advance with abnormal speed, and even the Martian Embassy on Terra's daily protest notes became carefully worded and drastically reduced in number.
These changes were like submerged currents, seemingly calm on the surface but silently spreading through the power hierarchy. The Dark Angels had begun their work.
The Dark Angels' operations exhibited traits entirely different from the Space Wolves. They did not roar and tear at their prey like a pack of wolves, but acted like experienced chess players, quietly moving pieces across the board to gradually gain control of the overall situation.
Inside the data-center of the Martian Embassy on Terra, the strict security system was never triggered. Yet, without anyone knowing, the communication records and operational plans of the radical Tech-Priests were completely acquired. This information was not immediately destroyed, but meticulously filtered before being precisely channeled into the hands of those who could use it most effectively.
Inquisitorial investigators received conclusive evidence of wrongdoing, the Imperial Palace Custodes acquired detailed intelligence on potential threats, and Dorn's advisory council gained the crucial information needed for decision-making.
Simultaneously, abnormal movements in the Commissariat departments began to receive strict scrutiny. An official closely linked to the radical faction suddenly found his authority to allocate supplies temporarily frozen, citing a "system audit." Until the review was concluded, all his contact with Mars was under strict surveillance.
When Mars attempted to establish secret channels of communication through several Navigator Houses, the Dark Angels' intervention was even more systematic. They did not directly eliminate these liaisons but adopted a more thorough approach: through carefully orchestrated actions, they severely compromised the reliability of these channels. One liaison was suddenly exposed for having contact with a heretical organization, while another was discovered to have severe accounting irregularities. The channels remained, but could no longer be trusted to transmit important information.
Within the bureaucracy, the Dark Angels displayed a profound understanding of Imperial administrative rules. They used legal procedures to challenge key positions and stalled the passage of suspicious proposals in full compliance with regulations. When a technical assessment report submitted by a radical supporter was repeatedly sent back for re-evaluation due to "procedural flaws," the opposition realized that an unseen force was systematically dismantling their efforts.
Reviewing the latest report, Dorn noted that several previously deadlocked technical committees had suddenly reached a consensus, some stubborn opponents had changed their stance, and the volume of protests from the Martian Embassy had significantly diminished. He did not inquire about the specifics, but he sensed the unique style of the Dark Angels in these changes. They did not instill fear like assassins, but precisely dismantled the opposition's organizational structure like engineers.
The Dark Angels were working in the way they knew best: not merely eliminating enemies, but systematically dissolving the opposition's capacity for action, ensuring that any resistance was rendered ineffective before it could take substantial form. Every action was carefully calculated, achieving the strategic objective while adhering perfectly to the superficial requirements of Imperial law. This precise and thorough style was the unique genius of the First Legion.
While the Space Wolves' claws ripped open the shadows of Terra and the Dark Angels' chess game quietly unfolded, Osiris was facing a formidable engineering challenge on his own.
His laboratory was piled high with holographic schematics of a Lunar-class cruiser, and the air was thick with the smell of oil and ozone.
This work was a completely new test for Osiris. He had to merge two vastly different technological traditions: on one side, the battle-tested, sturdy hull of the Imperial Navy, and on the other, the sophisticated technology from another universe.
Thanks to his experience in starship design accumulated in other dimensions, Osiris implemented a series of precise modifications to the Lunar-class cruiser. He did not attempt to redesign the entire warship, but rather performed a precise surgery, like a skilled physician, while maintaining the structural integrity of the main hull.
First came the replanning of the internal space. Osiris meticulously studied the layout of every deck, clearing a large amount of redundant structure and inefficient space. In this process, he had to engage in repeated discussions with dozens of Tech-Priests, with every modification requiring rigorous calculation and justification. Ultimately, he secured the necessary installation space for the Warp Drive system while ensuring the normal operation of other critical systems.
The modification of the energy transmission system was particularly crucial. Osiris personally oversaw the laying of every major energy conduit, ensuring they could meet the Warp Drive's massive demands without affecting the normal operation of the ship's other systems.
Throughout this, he often had to argue with conservative Tech-Priests, persuading them to accept these "non-traditional" design solutions.
The most notable improvement occurred at the control system level. Osiris integrated the latest logic cores produced by the Neksum Forge World into the warship's command system.
These precise devices, personally debugged by him, significantly enhanced the warship's autonomous operational capability. However, this decision also drew considerable skepticism, some Tech-Priests worried it would weaken their control over the vessel.
After several standard weeks of repeated deduction and data simulation, Osiris finally finalized the core blueprint for the Lunar-class cruiser modification project. His worktable was covered in data-slates filled with mathematical derivations, and holographic projections displayed the hull structure that had been adjusted countless times.