"How much longer?"
Fulgrim asked gravely. The Phoenix placed both hands on the long table. Behind him was an empty chair.
The Central Hub immediately answered his question. "Six minutes until arrival at Holy Terra."
"Good—Roboute?"
Fulgrim asked again, and his brother likewise answered at once.
"I have communicated through the Personal Terminal with the Departmento Munitorum, the Administratum, and the Logistics Department. All routes to the Desperate Fortress have been cleared, and Terra Space Station's scanning systems have been raised to the highest level."
"Good, then. Horus?"
Only belatedly did the Chemosian realize he had taken over the position of issuing orders. He smiled, a little uneasy, but Horus merely waved a hand.
"You are doing well," the Wolf-Master replied gently. "And Rogal. What he said before was not without reason. I truly do not know how to command a warship like this."
"Perhaps you do."
Rogal Dorn, standing at his side, gave that answer expressionlessly, then immediately moved the topic on.
"But that is not what we should be discussing now. Judging from Magnus's theory and the hypothesis Angron put forward, the Divinity stored within the Astral Beacon will clearly draw his attention—if he has truly become a god now."
"He is not yet. He—" Magnus drew in a deep breath to calm himself.
A heavy tome lay open on the table before him, and the Crimson King's eyes were fixed tightly on one line of text. He had already read the book three more times during the voyage, but even now, he still wanted to confirm it with his own eyes.
A Primarch's memory did not make mistakes, but he wanted another layer of assurance.
"Ascension to godhood is an extremely dangerous process. All who attempt to become gods are permanently changed during it. But they still