Chapter Summaries

Gamma World expanded its conquests while researcher Tris proposed turning Tyranid chitin into Bio-Power Armor. As Sigismund’s First Army struggled against the Tyranids, Gamma World answered his request for long-range lance strikes.

• Chaos sorcerers declared Gamma World a threat to the material universe and planned a crusade against it.
• Gamma World’s corporations invaded nearby worlds, enslaving their populations, stripping planets for resources, or converting them into industrial arsenals.
• Tris reported that Tyranid armor could inspire Bio-Power Armor and asked Commander Sigismund to capture Tyranid ships and provide specimens for research.
• Sigismund refused to collect scattered Tyranid corpses and ordered the First Army to retake nodes as the Tyranids overran the planet.
• Sigismund requested long-range lance strikes against the Tyranids, and Gamma World quickly responded using its Necron network.

Gamma World's lance strikes devastated the Tyranid fleets before they could reach the planet, prompting the Hive Mind to retreat toward Ultramar World. Tris refused to let the surviving Tyranids escape and ordered Gamma World to keep them there.

• Sigismund learned Gamma World's support was on its way as Tyranids attacked the planet's defenses.
• Gamma World's colossal cannon destroyed half the advancing Tyranid forces with three long-range lance volleys.
• Gamma World's forces discovered that surviving bioships were healing, and Tris ordered them captured for experiments.
• The Tyranid fleet changed course and began retreating toward Ultramar World.
• Tris demanded that Gamma World stop the Tyranids from leaving.

Tris wanted to capture Tyranids for research, and Gamma World's fleet pursued the retreating Hive Fleet despite its powerful defenses. The Tyranids abandoned part of their forces to escape, and Gamma World treated the survivors as a threat it would have to avoid for now.

• Tris tried to charge into battle to capture Tyranids, but others stopped him.
• The Tyranid Hive Fleet ordered its forces to retreat from Gamma World after its reinforcements fled.
• Gamma World's fleet pursued and bombarded the retreating Tyranids, targeting their node organisms and Titan-class hive ships.
• The Tyranids found that their energy-resistant chitin could not prevent Gamma World's relentless attacks without depleting their biomass.
• The Hive Mind abandoned part of the fleet so the remaining ships could escape, and it added Gamma World's creatures to its blacklist of food.

After the Tyranid fleets fled, Tris and the First Army received Gamma World's plans to expand its industrial and defensive network across the surrounding star region. Gamma World began sending construction vehicles to establish mining zones and eventually encountered an inhabited world.

• The Tyranid fleets retreated toward Ultramar World, leaving Sigismund and the First Army relieved but Tris and the researchers disappointed that they could not capture more specimens.
• Tris read Gamma World's Great Foundry Plan and learned that the Human Genetic Ascension Plan had also begun.
• Gamma World assigned Vanguard World to build three satellite-class supercannons, ten sub-satellite-class supercannons, and a planetary shield engine.
• Tris resolved to advance his Tyranid research, including studies of bio-armor, biomass, and separating the Hive Mind for a Hive Queen Plan.
• Gamma World expanded heavy industry and began producing construction vehicles to create mining zones and planetary decompression operations across the star region.
• Gamma World's new construction vehicles reached a world inhabited by living people.

Imperial and Ultramar forces learned that the Gamma Imperium was devastating xenos worlds and even driving Hive Fleets away, while Chaos forces struggled against Gamma World’s extreme heat-based purges. Gamma World continued its campaign to purify Chaos territory, with another Chaos World marked for destruction.

• Soldiers on a frontier world discussed rumors of the Gamma Imperium and questioned why so many xenos hated it.
• Ultramar interrogators learned from refugee xenos that the Gamma Imperium was hunting Hive Fleets, and their guards decided to report the matter.
• Ultramar officials debated whether to oppose Gamma World, noting that it had renamed itself an imperium and that an Anti-Gamma Imperium Alliance was forming.
• Chaos forces on a planet watched Gamma World’s mining zone raise temperatures beyond those of a star’s surface, scorching the corrupted world.
• A subordinate told the governor that another Chaos World had been found for purification.

Gamma World advanced its Warp Separation Technology and began a resurrection experiment using an ancient skull from Is III. The experiment remained under Cisrain’s supervision as researchers prepared to encode and analyze the new data.

• Gamma World’s forces dropped Matter Decompression Codes onto a Chaos-held planet and began heating it to secure the world.
• Scientists sent data gathered from the planet to the psionic laboratory for study.
• Gamma World’s researchers resumed Warp Separation Technology using the Megastructure Synapse Condenser to study physical and Warp particles.
• Gamma World planned to test resurrection technology, first on an ordinary person, before attempting to revive the owner of the ancient skull from Is III.
• Cisrain supervised the resurrection experiment as researchers uploaded and encoded new analysis data.

Gamma World's chiefs learned that the Anti-Gamma Imperium Alliance had spread to the border regions and debated how to respond while their world-level superweapon was still under construction. They ordered the Alliance's contacts traced and resolved to find a world for the weapon's test firing.

• Researchers in the Psychic Energy Laboratory found information about the Anti-Gamma Imperium Alliance among psychic data linked to Is III and reported it to Gamma World's chiefs.
• Cisrain, Brown, Koro, and the other chiefs discussed how the information had leaked and whether Chaos agents could be hiding within Gamma World.
• A hawkish chief urged Gamma World to destroy disobedient worlds, while Brown explained that the Neutron Sweep superweapon would take another year to complete.
• Koro argued that Gamma World should destroy unusable worlds, and Miss Mina warned that excessive planetary destruction could push the defensive line inward and deplete nearby ore.
• Cisrain and the other chiefs ordered the contacted worlds identified and called for the superweapon's completion so it could be test-fired at one of them.

Malekith learned that the Gamma Imperium had occupied his Webway routes and was reportedly building a weapon capable of destroying a star system. Determined to preserve his power, he considered joining the Anti-Gamma Imperium Alliance and cooperating with a Chaos Warband.

• A subordinate told Malekith that the Gamma Imperium had occupied the Dark Eldar's Webway routes, reviving his anger over his earlier defeats and Val's betrayal.
• Malekith learned that Eldar pirates and Chaos forces had formed the Anti-Gamma Imperium Alliance after rumors spread that the Gamma Worlds were building a star-system-destroying weapon.
• A subordinate claimed the Gamma Worlds might control a Necron tomb, and Malekith decided that his faction needed to claim the weapon or its technology.
• Malekith weighed the risks of reaching the Gamma Worlds and resolved to gather strength to protect his Kabal from rival Dark Eldar factions.
• When a subordinate suggested working with other forces, Malekith considered cooperating with a Chaos Warband.

Gamma World suppressed hostile infiltrators while its leaders used the Warp and physical particles to attempt to resurrect an ancient being from a skull fragment. The experiment began with the Chiefs watching, but the chapter ended before the result was known.

• Gamma World executed infiltrators across its worlds and allowed some spies to escape so its citizens could gain experience confronting enemies.
• Tau Empire spies on Karamat 5 reported that Gamma World was conducting a power-intensive experiment involving green psychic energy.
• A spy watching a ship carrying Water Caste subjects for computational support felt that someone aboard had noticed him.
• Gamma World researchers explained that they hoped to reconstruct past particles and currents in the Warp from an ancient skull fragment excavated on the Gamma Homeworld.
• Cisrain and Gamma's Chiefs watched as the researchers began their first resurrection attempt, addressing the ancient being as an old friend.

Cisrain and the Gamma Laboratory used the Megastructure Synapse Condenser, C'tan energy, and Gamma Scarabs to resurrect an ancient human from a single remaining bone. As the figure took shape, the Emperor recognized him and said he was no longer alone.

• Cisrain heard the Emperor's voice and ordered the laboratory team to continue the resurrection test.
• The Megastructure Synapse Condenser strained to reconstruct the ancient human's particles, drawing enormous energy from the C'tan shard.
• The laboratory projected the human's posthumous existence backward through time, revealing his body and a seated figure at ten thousand years ago.
• The researchers reduced the Warp particle data so they could complete the reconstruction with the equipment available.
• The team activated the Gamma Scarabs, which began rebuilding the ancient human from his skull.
• Cisrain sensed the Emperor's intense emotion as he said the ancient human was back and that he was not alone.

The Emperor reflected on the fixed future threatening humanity and the variables he had introduced through Gamma World, Malcador, and possible returning Primarchs. He placed his remaining hopes in those changes while preparing for the danger that would come as Gamma World grew stronger.

• The Emperor remembered Malcador’s sacrifice on the Golden Throne and acknowledged that his old friend could not simply be revived in his prime.
• The Emperor explained that Chaos had tried to cancel his variables and that he was guiding Lion El'Jonson and awaiting the possible return of other sons.
• The Emperor planned to use Gamma World’s power to revive preserved Greater Daemon legions and remake them into soldiers for the human Imperium.
• The Emperor described balancing the growth of Gamma World against contact with the Imperium while cooperating with Ynnead and the Necrons to delay the Great Rift.
• The Emperor wagered his future authority on the variable he had drawn from beyond the universe, knowing that Gamma World’s strength could leave him vulnerable.
• The leader of the Adeptus Custodes looked toward the Emperor and seemed to see him smile.

Gamma World resurrected Malcador using an immense amount of computing power, but he awoke weakened and without his psychic abilities. Cisrain considered how the former Imperial regent might help Gamma World while Malcador tried to learn where he was.

• Gamma World's Megastructure Synapse Condensers suffered from the strain of resurrecting Malcador, and replacement computing units restored their operations.
• Malcador's body and memories began to revive, and the scientists confirmed that the resurrected man was the Emperor's former advisor and regent.
• The Chief Council discussed whether Gamma World could use the same method to resurrect the Emperor, though the cost would be immense.
• Cisrain reviewed Malcador's history and considered evaluating him for future work, while noting that Gamma World needed more leaders like him.
• Malcador woke with his psychic power gone and asked whether he was in the Imperium or on Terra.

Gamma World's chiefs discussed the cost of reviving Malcador and assigned missions to gather information about him. Malcador learned that it was 41K, while Cyrus was summoned to the psychic laboratory and encountered him in the corridor.

• Cisrain ended the laboratory livestream, and the chiefs agreed that Malcador's resurrection had cost too many resources to repeat routinely.
• Gamma World's leaders turned their attention to anti-Gamma World alliances and the Colossus Project, while assigning personnel to collect and upload information on Malcador.
• Magnus uploaded data about Malcador, while Yalta discovered that someone had already submitted much of the information he had gathered.
• Malcador left the laboratory after his body stabilized, learned that ten thousand years had passed and that it was 41K, and wondered what had become of humanity and the Emperor.
• Cyrus arrived at the psychic laboratory to check on a Blood Raven, followed an escort through its corridors, and stopped when he encountered Malcador.

Cyrus discovered that Gamma World had revived Malcador and was using its research to attempt Warp-removal surgery on a Blood Ravens Librarian. After studying Gamma World and the ruined Imperium, Malcador concluded that humanity faced destruction and wondered whether the Emperor was guiding Gamma World’s rise as a replacement for old humanity.

• Cyrus learned that the revived ancient Terran in Gamma World's laboratory was Malcador, the former Lord Regent of Terra.
• Researchers explained that Gamma World was testing painful Warp-removal surgery on a contaminated Blood Ravens Librarian, with a success rate below thirty percent.
• Malcador read records of the Emperor and the Imperium, and despaired over ten thousand years of decay, wars, and the Emperor's confinement to the Golden Throne.
• Malcador considered that the Emperor's return could unleash destruction or turn him into the Dark King, leaving humanity no path to salvation.
• Malcador suspected the Emperor had arranged Gamma World's growth and his own resurrection, and questioned whether new humans would have to replace old humanity.

Malcador asked to meet Gamma World's Governor, expecting his experience and The Emperor's recommendation to secure him a high position, but Gamma World required him to apply and begin with entry-level rotations. He started his first rotation in finance, where he was assigned to take over Ertes's work at the underground tax office.

• Malcador asked to meet the Governor and claimed he could bring a new revolution to Gamma World, but a researcher told him to submit an application and offered only to let him skip the line.
• Cisrain and the other authorities approved Malcador for rotational internships so he could learn Gamma World's departments before receiving any position in its Council.
• Gamma World's planners assigned Malcador rotations through key departments, starting with finance and the Byrne Dynasty's work at the underground tax office.
• Ertes earned enough work points to leave the underground workplace, but her colleagues chose to stay and retire in Sacred Kalla.
• Malcador arrived to take over Ertes's work, while Ertes mistook his name for a reference to the former Imperial Regent and dismissed the possibility that he was really Malcador.

Ertes left Gamma World after redeeming her work credits, while Chaos forces tried to establish a hidden base in the shattered planetary belt near Is III. As Gamma World prepared to test a massive cannon, Space Marines traveling to investigate heard rumors that it had declared itself the Second Imperium.

• Ertes rejected Gamma World's warning that returning would be difficult and left, determined to return to Terra and fulfill her duties.
• A Chaos Lord and his warband established a temporary base among the shattered planets near Is III, hoping the debris would conceal them from Gamma World.
• The Chaos Lord's forces discussed using rumors about Gamma World declaring itself the Second Imperium to draw the Imperium into conflict with it.
• The Chaos base found evidence that someone had previously built among the planetary fragments, while Gamma World's newly completed massive cannon awaited test-fire data.
• Chapters from Is III traveling to investigate Gamma World heard rumors that it was the Second Imperium and a Horus-backed threat, and one asked Chapter Master Calgar whether the claim was true.

Vulkan and Gamma World's expeditionary force surveyed Tarelia, a polluted hive world ruled by nobles, to determine whether it was worth incorporating. While the survey continued, Gamma World's diplomats reviewed the nobles' offer to pay taxes in exchange for keeping their territory and absolute power.

• Vulkan led expeditionary soldiers into Tarelia's underhive while Gamma World's adjutant contacted the planet's nobles.
• The expeditionary force saw the hive world's extreme pollution and radiation, and survey teams recorded data for Gamma World's database.
• A distorted creature emerged near the expeditionary force, but Vulkan ordered his soldiers to drive it away rather than take it with them.
• Gamma World's diplomatic delegation reviewed information from Tarelia's nobles, who offered to pay taxes if they could preserve their territory and ruling status.
• Gamma World's expeditionary force and diplomats accepted the nobles' condition without finding it inappropriate.

Gamma World's preachers assessed Tarielia World and rejected its nobles, deciding that only people from the lower and middle tiers might qualify for admission. The chapter ended with the preachers hoping the commoners could pass Gamma World's assessment, though many could not believe the better life they had been shown was real.

• Gamma World's diplomats examined Tarielia World's class divisions and concluded that its nobles and bottom tier offered little value.
• The diplomats saw how the nobles hoarded sacred relics and rare pets while lower-hive workers endured long shifts, hunger, and polluted air.
• Gamma World's leaders explained that newcomers had to pass an assessment, and only education and adult selection could lead to administrative positions.
• The Kroen nobles offered precious objects as gifts, but Gamma World had already ruled them out for admission.
• Gamma World's preachers noted that even commoners doubted the world they had been shown could truly exist.

Gamma World's missionaries spread news of their world through Tarelia, drawing the attention of its oppressed people and a reclusive ten-thousand-year-old veteran named Kaz. Kaz hesitated to go when he learned war awaited Gamma World, but news that his Chapter's holy relic had lit up shook him with the possibility that its former owner might return.

• Gamma World's missionaries circulated propaganda in Tarelia while cloaked probes recorded the brutal conditions in its factories and residential districts.
• Kaz, a ten-thousand-year-old veteran living beneath a hive city, considered moving to Gamma World and contacted his last surviving Chapter friend.
• Kaz's friend, who was on Shuheta, warned him that Chaos and xenos had formed an alliance to destroy Gamma World and that a Primarch had appeared there.
• Kaz's friend revealed that their Chapter's holy relic had lit up, suggesting that its former owner might return.
• Kaz's breathing quickened at the news, though he and his friend still feared their identities would be exposed if they left their hiding places.

Kaz and his old friend debated whether Gamma World’s rumored Primarch and past-era veterans would draw the Imperium into a struggle for control. Meanwhile, Vulkan’s team screened the hive city, found no Genestealers, and prepared to transport refugees to Gamma World under its strict citizenship system.

• Kaz decided to visit Gamma World, while he and his old friend considered the danger its rumored Primarch posed to the Imperium’s High Lords and its future autonomy.
• Kaz learned that Gamma Empire personnel had entered the underhive to search for something, and he wondered what they wanted.
• Vulkan investigated the hive city’s infection, found widespread Chaos activity but no Genestealers, and declared the world safe for transport.
• Vulkan’s team arranged to take the screened people aboard a transport ship for further checks before they could enter Gamma World as fourth-class refugees.
• Kaz’s subordinates reported that the Gamma Empire personnel had finished their checks and left, but Kaz could not explain their purpose.