The Fourth Legion Misses Their Dad

"Boom!" An explosion rocked the crystal base on the screen. The Blackwatch gathered around the monitor erupted in cheers.

A Techmarine snatched the precious Chemos Whiskey from the dejected Sergeant. "Aaaah! Tom, what goes around comes around! I'll beat you one day!"

"Keep practicing for another thirty years, Jerry. Though I hope you'll still have whiskey this good by then." The victorious Tom smugly pulled the cork, then poured the liquor down his throat right in front of Jerry. When he was done, he even licked the rim of the bottle, flaunting his victory.

Over the past two years, Hogg had focused not only on building the Legion and developing Alicia, but also on making sure everyone had time to unwind. Knowing the value of balancing work and rest, he had set up a local network and developed several little games to enrich people's leisure time. The superhuman bodies of the Legion meant some games weren't suitable for them, so strategy games proved especially popular.

For example, Hogg had ported over StarCraft from his previous life, with a few tweaks to make it more local.

He had also put a batch of finely crafted figurines on the market. Most depicted Primarchs, but any Astartes who earned distinction and honors in the Legion could also receive a chibi figurine of their own as a token of their achievements.

Though the Astartes of the Blackwatch were Hogg's sons, ceremonial commendations and honors were still an important part of maintaining their bonds. In this regard, Hogg was a whole version ahead of the Emperor.

"My lord, the Astartes of the Fourth Legion have requested permission to dock at Alicia for repairs and to meet with the Primarch." Emilia, the Primarch's loyal aide, faithfully carried out her duties, though her eyes kept drifting toward his face.

"Approve their docking. I'll be available to receive them in twenty minutes."

He set down the component in his hand and examined the creation before him. It was a miniature suit of power armor based on the Auxilia's armor, which Hogg had named the T1 Individual Armor.

More precisely, it was a mechanical exoskeleton fitted with Plasteel plates. Compared to an Astartes' Power Armour, it didn't perform nearly as well.

But it only needed a simple brain-computer interface to operate, and it was highly flexible. Its compact ion reactor ensured a long operating life, and even if it ran out of power, the battery from an Auxilia Lasgun could serve as an emergency backup.

Its modular design made parts easy to replace. It could wield more powerful weapons, and its greatest advantages were that it was easy to manufacture, cheap, durable, and required only basic training to use.

Of course, it was understandable that something so good would include a little Xenos technology.

Hogg planned to distribute the T1 Individual Armor as standard-issue gear for the Auxilia. Once production ramped up, he would sell later models in the series as a source of foreign currency for Alicia.

Sitting on the sofa in the hall, Hogg sipped the cola Emilia had brought him as he waited to receive the Fourth Legion. The cola had, of course, been made to suit Hogg's own taste, though its main ingredient was moss grown on a nearby planet. It was another of Alicia's export products.

Dantioch, a warrior of the Fourth Legion, had a good relationship with the 11th Legion's Dark Raiders, now known as the Blackwatch.

Perhaps it was because the two Legions kept meeting on the bloodiest battlefields. Perhaps they had finally found Battle Brothers even shorter than themselves. Whatever the reason, the two Legions had become close friends.

After reclaiming a planet that refused to join the Imperium but possessed technology left over from the Dark Age of Technology, Dantioch's force—the Fourth Legion had an unusual organizational structure—had suffered heavy casualties and urgently needed to recuperate. So they had come to Alicia, home of their good friends in the Blackwatch. Out of respect for the Primarch, they had also come to meet him.

Thinking of this, the exhausted Dantioch sighed. "I wonder when we'll find our Primarch."

Following the Primarch's aide, Dantioch and his Battle Brothers entered the banquet hall where the Primarch was staying. The first thing they saw was the 11th Primarch sprawled on the sofa at the head of the table, burping.

They kept their eyes straight ahead and bowed in unison, showing respect for the Emperor's son. Following a reminder from his good friend in the 11th Legion, Dantioch brought out the gift he had prepared.

The Blackwatch had told him that although the Primarch was kind, he would be even happier to receive a gift. That way, they might get more help while they recuperated.

"Ah! No need to stand on ceremony. You've come all this way, so why bring a gift? Honestly! Don't bring one next time, all right? Your thought is what counts."

At the Primarch's invitation, everyone sat down.

"Dantioch of the Fourth Legion, right? I know your situation.

"Don't worry. As a Primarch, the Emperor's son, and your uncle, even if your father hasn't returned yet, you can think of my place as home. Just ask for whatever you need. There's no need to be shy!"

At his words, the Fourth Legion warriors felt a sudden sense of comfort and envy. Just look at them—having a dad really made all the difference. The Blackwatch, who had once dug trenches, shoveled dirt, and eaten rations alongside them, had finally made it.

The dishes were brought out one after another. Compared to the Blackwatch, who wolfed down food like mad, the Fourth Legion ate with considerably more decorum, though they were hardly slow.

The Blackwatch and the Fourth Legion chatted animatedly. Dantioch told the Primarch about what he had seen during the war, while Hogg returned the favor with amusing tales from ancient Terra.

As the banquet went on, Hogg made a suggestion:

"I hear from my sons that every member of the Fourth Legion is a master builder. Alicia is undergoing extensive construction right now, so perhaps you could offer some guidance.

"Would you be willing, Dantioch? In return, I can help you find your lost Primarch."

"It would be my honor, my lord Primarch. We have always longed for our Primarch to return."

After the banquet, Leon, captain of the Blackwatch's 9th Company reconnaissance force, came before Hogg.

"Father, we found what may be traces of a Primarch on a planet near the Eye of Terror. It's very close to Alicia.

"According to the reconnaissance force's report, the planet is still a feudal society, but its local technology suddenly advances at an astonishing rate after a certain point.

"The local feudal lord has also adopted a child whose growth far outpaces that of an ordinary person. The scouts suspect he may be a Primarch. The planet is known to the locals as Olympia."

"Got it. Good work! Here, this is a figurine I made myself. Your name is engraved on it, too. The Legion will remember what you've done." Hogg patted Leon on the shoulder and smiled.

"I'll always remember the Legion's support." He gave the Primarch a crisp salute.

"Zap!" Green lightning crackled, and the 9th Company captain's stylish new haircut turned into an afro.

"Cut down on the damn novels. Seriously, ever since I came back, I've felt more and more like you're all weirdos. I shouldn't have told you stories."

Afterward, Hogg had felt bored and spent his free time over the past two years trying to recreate things from his previous life. The good news was that the Legion's loyalty was unquestionable. The bad news was that they were becoming bigger and bigger goofballs.

Lyla Lynn, once known as the Reef and now captain of the Primarch's bodyguard, was hopelessly addicted to cards. She was also terrible at them, and had nearly gambled away everything she owned.

Rossmanderson, captain of the First Company with a stylish mohawk, loved to brag. He was also Dantioch's good friend and was always showing off to other Legions that he had a dad.

Candice Laza, the Tech-Magos who had once been a teacher, had started acting strangely ever since Hogg had shown her a C'tan trick—turning a pile of scrap metal into a nuclear bomb. The last time he saw her, she was holding one of his figurines and giggling in binary.

And then there was Leon Kennedy, captain of the 9th Company. After learning that he had wrecked three Stormbirds in a row, Hogg had sent him straight to the reconnaissance company. He wouldn't let Leon touch any vehicle. Recently, the man had become obsessed with spy novels.

"Get lost! Go back to your reconnaissance company and stay there. Pull any more stunts, and I'll shave your head and leave you bald."

As if he could already see the whole Legion laughing at him, the 9th Company captain vanished in an instant, moving almost as fast as the Primarch.

"Sigh. Emilia, do you think I've been spoiling them too much? How did they get like this in just two years?"

The aide, using a plasma torch to trim the Primarch's nails, replied, "Not at all, my lord Primarch. Warriors from other Legions are quite envious of how much you care for your sons."

"Emilia, stop for a moment. I need to ask you something. I'm always missing a few pieces of clothing. Did you take them?"

Emilia answered with a shy expression, "Huh? What did you say, my lord Primarch?"

"..." It was over. There wasn't a single normal person left.

Dinner was good. I'm in a good mood, so I'll start writing.