With the immediate post-war administration settled, Emrys could finally turn his attention to a more perilous objective: the Vorthrax Sandstorms.
Hidden within the shifting, lethal dunes of Vigilus' largest sandstorm lay a prize of incalculable value—a relic of the Dark Age of Technology. It was a gravitational weapon capable of tearing holes in reality itself, a terrifying engine of destruction known as the Void Claw.
However, he was not the only one aware of the storm's secrets. A contingent of the Fallen—renegade warriors of the First Legion—was rumored to be entrenched within the gale. Their exact numbers were a mystery, but Emrys knew that a direct confrontation with Fallen Angels required meticulous preparation. One wrong move, and the consequences would be catastrophic.
He had no intention of involving Calgar. The existence of the Fallen was a secret the Dark Angels would kill to protect, and bringing the Ultramarines into the fold would only complicate his plans to claim the relic for himself.
The next day.
In the command sanctum of the upper hive, Marneus Calgar was hunched over a heavy slate of logistics reports. When his Victrix Guard announced that Emrys had requested an audience, the Chapter Master's lips curled into a rare, faint smile. He paused his stylus mid-sentence.
"Let him in."
Emrys entered the study, flanked by the towering blue-clad guards. He bowed respectfully. "Chapter Master, I have come to bid you farewell. I intend to depart Vigilus tomorrow."
Calgar set down his stylus and regarded the young man with a knowing, half-smile. "You have a bold spirit, boy. Using my name to intimidate a Magos of the Adeptus Mechanicus... you have a dangerous amount of nerve."
Emrys didn't flinch. He knew he couldn't hide his political maneuvering from a man as shrewd as Calgar. "I came today specifically to address that," Emrys replied smoothly. "As a Rogue Trader, I never expect to receive something for nothing. I do not do business at a loss."
"Heh. Interesting." Calgar leaned back, his interest piqued. "And how do you plan to repay the debt of borrowing my name—and the Regent's?"
"Please, read this, my Lord."
Emrys placed a parchment scroll, sealed with the signet of the Emrys Dynasty, onto the heavy desk. "I believe this should more than compensate for the use of your authority."
Calgar broke the wax seal and unfurled the parchment. As his eyes scanned the text, his composed expression shattered into one of pure shock.
CRACK.
The heavy stone desk groaned and fractured as Calgar's fist inadvertently slammed into the surface. The sound was like a thunderclap, bringing the Victrix Guard rushing into the room with weapons drawn.
"GET OUT!" Calgar roared, his voice shaking the rafters. "No one enters this sanctum without my express command!"
The guards, startled by the rare display of emotion from their master, exchanged a bewildered look and beat a silent retreat.
"A stabilized 'Space Bridge'..." Calgar whispered, his voice thick with intensity. "Bypassing the turbulent tides of the Empyrean to achieve instantaneous, fixed-point teleportation without the use of the warp? Is this... is this claim true?"
Calgar's eyes were wide, fixed on Emrys with a desperate hope. In an age where teleportation was a gamble that often ended with warriors fused into bulkhead walls or lost to the Warp, such technology was a holy grail.
"It is true, Chapter Master," Emrys said calmly. "Inquisitor Marshall can vouch for the efficacy of the prototype components."
The mention of the Inquisition's involvement settled Calgar's doubts. "Where is it? Where are the devices now?"
"Do not worry, my Lord. I have brought the initial transfer nodes with me. They are my gift to the Ultramarines—a token of my gratitude and a down payment on our future cooperation."
"Incredible," Calgar breathed, a look of grim joy crossing his face. "With this, our boarding actions and lightning strikes will be unstoppable. We can deploy our brothers directly into the heart of the enemy without fear of the Warp's hunger."
He looked at Emrys with newfound respect. "What is your price? This technology could turn the tide of the entire Nachmund campaign. Name your requirement, and I will see it fulfilled."
"I ask only for discretion," Emrys replied. "Keep this secret from the Adeptus Mechanicus. I have no desire to have my ships boarded by Tech-Priests screaming about tech-heresy or 'divine recovery.'"
Calgar nodded solemnly. "I understand. I will report this only to the Lord Regent himself. To the rest of the galaxy, these will be experimental relics of the Macragge vaults."
"Thank you, Lord Calgar." Emrys bowed. "I shall take my leave. I hope that when I return from the void, Vigilus will be at peace."
"You are heading for the Halo Zone? Beyond the light of the Astronomican?" Calgar's expression turned grave. "May the Emperor's light go with you, Merlin Emrys. The Imperium needs Vigilus to stand if we are to reclaim the dark side of the Great Rift. You are doing the Throne's work."
As Emrys departed, Calgar watched him go, deep in thought. He picked up a fresh piece of parchment and wrote a short, coded message. He sealed it and summoned a messenger.
"Deliver this to the Forge-Master at the Void Anchorage in the Kronos Expanse. It is to be handed to him personally, in my name."
The Kronos Expanse was the last bastion of Imperial law before the darkness of the "Black Region." By sending word ahead, Calgar was ensuring that Emrys would have a final sanctuary before he stepped into the unknown.
"I hope this serves you well, Rogue Trader," Calgar murmured, turning back to his maps. With the new teleportation arrays, his confidence had returned. He could now unite the disparate forces of Vigilus into a single, cohesive blade.
Outside the hive, Emrys looked toward the horizon, where the massive, howling dust clouds of the Vorthrax Sandstorms loomed like a wall of ochre spite.
"The Void Claw," Emrys whispered to the wind. "The Dark Age returns."