Hasik Noyan-Khan deleted the files marked with both white and golden lightning bolts from the Data Slate, then walked over to Stormseer Togutai Yesugei.
"I found a dossier in Izi's files. During an earlier mission, you found a Planetary Governor."
Yesugei nodded. "Vile, the Planetary Governor of Herawell."
"Was the world he governed an Achilles Family holding?"
"Yes," Yesugei said with a nod.
"He walked the streets of Terra's Navigator district, visited the Paternova's palace, and praised him to his face."
Hasik recalled the Black Emperor's oracle, which had told him to watch the Achilles Family.
"He must have had the Navigators' trust. The Paternova regularly sent envoys to the Council of Terra."
"Among the Primarchs, only Lord Nimrod has visited his palace."
"Why did Izi consider him so important?"
Yesugei studied Hasik. "Vile represents another possible approach. Izi is weighing which plans are feasible."
"While Izi still served the Departmento Munitorum, she had extensive dealings with the Navigator Houses. She knew the Navigators were split into two factions: conservatives and reformers."
"She was close to one of the reformers. They once fought side by side."
"Achilles?" Hasik asked thoughtfully.
"Many consider Piet Achilles a potential successor to the Paternova. He has close ties to the Imperium's leadership. The work Izi once helped him with was part of a larger plan—one so vast she wasn't allowed to know any of it."
"Achilles gave up his chance to become Paternova for a greater goal. He was sent to Dainon Five. Izi and I went there together, hoping his plan could help us reach Terra."
"But when we arrived, every living thing had been wiped out. The war was far from there, so we concluded that the people on Dainon Five had destroyed it themselves."
The Stormseer looked up into the void.