The Verdict
The first year of the Thirty-First Millennium was a year of victory remembered by Terra's powerful, and a glorious moment in the Great Crusade.
After a long struggle, they had finally taken back the power that belonged to them from the Primarchs and the Astartes.
The Imperium belonged to them.
In the Palatine Dome adjoining the Europa Wall of the Imperial Palace, the powerful feasted night after night, tirelessly holding lavish banquets in celebration.
By day, they walked with light steps, boarded luxurious sedans, passed through the Kushto Gate, and arrived at the new center of imperial power that had replaced the War Council—the Overlord Palace.
This colossal dome was the council hall of the Council of Terra, where Terra's powerful decided everything in the Imperium.
The First Lord of the Council, the Sigillite Malcador, and the Fabricator-General of Mars, Kelbor-Hal's authorized representative, his Envoy Magos, sat high upon bronze thrones on either side of the council.
Seated on Malcador's side were six lords:
The five lords appointed by the Sigillite—Minister of the Administratum Simeon Pentaxian, Grand Provost Marshal of the Adeptus Arbites Harry Lantar, Minister of the Imperial Archives Ossian, Surgeon-General of the Hospitallers Siddhartha Yasin Sashel, and Imperial High Lord Chancellor Jem Morrison.
Constantin Valdor, Captain-General of the Adeptus Custodes, clad in ceremonial golden armor.
Beside the Envoy Magos of Mars were the other six lords.
Nemo Zhi-Ming, Mistress of the Astra Telepathica, wore green robes and strained to suppress her mighty psychic power, for the two Sisters of Silence who attended her had withdrawn outside the hall.
The Paternova's envoy of the Navigator houses, Lauren Visscher, wore magnificent jewels upon her head, concealing her gifted eye. Young and beautiful, she had not yet shown the slightest malignant mutation.
Kolan Hesula, Master of the Astronomican, was