Only Slicing Is Absolutely Out of the Question

The afterglow of victory in the Volus Galaxy had yet to fade, but Terra's summons was like an invisible chain, tugging relentlessly at Guilliman's mind.

Though the chains around the Solar System had been severed, the Imperium's shattered territories were still bleeding. Seven fallen nodes festered like rotten wounds, and the remnants of the High Lords' Council needed to be thoroughly swept away.

Every second of delay meant more human worlds falling and more lives lost.

Guilliman wore the blue-and-gold armor of the Regent, while Marshal Trajan stood beside him like a golden monolith.

Facing them were five Hilling Valkyries, along with Carter's squad, newly returned to duty in their brand-new MJOLNIR Armor.

"Everyone!" Guilliman's voice was steady and sincere as his gaze passed over every Valkyrie and member of Carter's squad. "The Imperium will forever remember your achievements and glory. Your formidable strength and unwavering will helped the Imperium of Man out of its predicament."

He gave a slight nod. "May the Emperor's light guide your journey. The gates of the Imperium will forever remain open to the friends of the Hilling Empire."

Glory returned the salute elegantly, a gentle yet distant smile on her face. "Lord Regent. Defending order is our duty. May your return journey go smoothly, and may your great undertaking to rebuild the Imperium succeed soon. If fate permits, perhaps we will meet again on a battlefield against even greater threats."

Carter and the others gave Guilliman a crisp Spartan salute. Carter's voice emerged through his speakers. "It was an honor to fight at your side. Take care, Lord Regent!"

There were no more sentimental words.

Both sides understood that this would likely be their final crossing of paths.

Guilliman bore the heavy mission of saving a crumbling Imperium, while the Hilling warriors had to embark upon a new journey.

Guilliman cast one final look at the futuristic and powerful Spirit of Fire, as well as the Chaos flagship Profane Maw beside it, which was being "looked after" by Hilling engineers' robots and personnel from the Adeptus Mechanicus. Then he turned and strode toward the bridge of Macragge's Honour.

Obi-Wan Kenobi gave the Valkyries, Carter, and the others a slight nod. Blessing shone in his gentle blue eyes before he followed Guilliman.

As a diplomatic observer, he would remain at Guilliman's side and witness the Regent's arduous work of reconstruction.

The massive Imperial fleet began to turn. Its engines spewed trails of returning fire as it slowly departed the Volus Galaxy like a herd of weary yet victorious beasts, plunging once more into the unknown tides of the Warp. Its destination—Holy Terra.

Terra Orbit.

When the enormous silhouette of Macragge's Honour appeared once more in the cold Void, Guilliman stood on the bridge, his gaze habitually sweeping across the tactical star map before abruptly narrowing.

The marker for Apocalypse One, glowing with holy radiance and suspended like a throne... was gone.

"Orbital monitoring report," the captain immediately answered the Regent's unspoken question. "Approximately thirty-seven hours after the fleet's main force departed Terra orbit, the energy signature of target 'Apocalypse One' instantly vanished from the monitoring network. None of the deep-space detection arrays or orbital defense scanners detected any sign of a jump or conventional engine ignition. It simply... disappeared into thin air."

Guilliman was silent for a moment. Beneath his helmet, his expression held both helplessness and relief.

He looked at Obi-Wan beside him.

A faint, understanding smile appeared on Obi-Wan's face. "There is no need for concern, Lord Regent. Queen Liang Bing... has always operated this way. Apocalypse One possesses exceptionally advanced stealth and spatial manipulation technology. When she does not wish to be found, conventional means cannot track her. She may still be near Terra, or she may already be anywhere in the Milky Way... conducting her 'research.'" He deliberately emphasized the word "research."

Guilliman recalled Liang Bing's gaze as though she were looking at a rare specimen, her savage yet pure fighting stance on the battlefield of Volus, and the identity of "scientist" Obi-Wan had mentioned when introducing her. An utterly absurd feeling welled up inside him.

The corner of his mouth twitched uncontrollably.

"Scientist..." Guilliman repeated under his breath, his tone filled with indescribable complexity. "That scientist who can study a Greater Daemon of Khorne as a 'pet,' and gets as excited cutting down daemons on the battlefield as if chopping vegetables?"

He shook his head, feeling his worldview take another blow. "Of course... scientists all think differently." He could not help thinking of Archmagos Cawl's mad modification plans and the shocking theories that surfaced from time to time.

"Cawl." Guilliman contacted his chief technical adviser directly through the communicator. "Abandon the research into the MJOLNIR Armor fragments. Focus your efforts on the final calibration and mass-production preparations for the 'Primaris' project. Time is running out."

Cawl's voice came through the communicator with mechanical distortion and obvious reluctance. "...As you command, Lord Regent. Although Mjolnir's technological concepts are fascinating, its energy transmission efficiency and neural feedback system... (a section of technical terminology omitted)... your judgment is correct. The enhancement program for Primaris Space Marines has completed its theoretical loop. The biological augmentation component and combat data simulations for the new Mark X armor are undergoing final optimization. I am confident it will bring the Imperium an unprecedented increase in strength."

"Good." Guilliman cut the communication and was about to continue arranging the purge and reform agenda for his return to Terra.

Suddenly!

A familiar purple ripple spread through the bridge command center without warning!

"Alert!" Marshal Trajan's roar rang out alongside the clang of Adeptus Custodes Guardian Spears being raised! Obi-Wan's hand also moved to his sword hilt. The weapons of every Honor Guard member and bridge officer instantly aimed at the center of the ripple!

The next second, a voluptuous figure in casual clothes, with long black hair falling loose over her shoulders, lazily appeared not far from Guilliman as though she had stepped out of thin air.

It was Liang Bing!

She ignored the weapons pointed at her as though they faced a great enemy. A teasing smile rested on her stunning face as she looked Guilliman over with great interest. That gaze... Guilliman's hairs instantly stood on end! It was that familiar look again, as if she wanted to slice him up for research!

"Yo, Blue Giant, you're back?" Liang Bing's voice held a hint of mockery. "I think I just heard something about... 'upgrading tin cans'? You want to upgrade those big guys?" Her eyes lit up at once, filled with the feverish gleam of a scientist discovering a new subject. "Count me in! I'm very interested in your genetic engineering and that... 'Primaris Space Marine' thing. Especially you!" Her finger pointed rudely at Guilliman. "A perfect research specimen! Give me some blood samples, tissue slices..."

Guilliman felt a headache coming on and forcibly suppressed the urge to draw his sword and cut her down.

He took a deep breath and tried to maintain the dignity of a Regent. "Lady Liang Bing, welcome. Regarding... research..." Looking into her increasingly bright eyes, so full of "thirst for knowledge," he knew he would have to pay some sort of price to get rid of this pestilence.

"...I can provide a small blood sample for non-destructive basic analysis." Guilliman practically gritted the words out. "Basic physiological data only. Slicing... is absolutely out of the question!"

Liang Bing curled her lips, seemingly dissatisfied. Yet when she saw Guilliman's expression plainly saying, "Mention slicing again and I'll fight you to the death," she ultimately shrugged. "Tch, stingy! Fine, fine. Basic blood samples will do. Better than nothing. Remember to draw plenty! You're such a big guy, so don't be so miserly!"

As though they had concluded some deal, she nodded in satisfaction and gestured for Guilliman to crouch down. Amid his baffled stare, she patted him on the shoulder. The gesture made the eyelids of the surrounding Adeptus Custodes and Honor Guard twitch. "You've got sense, Blue Giant. Follow your big sister from now on, and I'll make sure you eat well and live well. Upgrading your equipment and such? Easy!"

Guilliman looked at the hand resting on his shoulder guard, then thought of the Greater Daemon of Khorne aboard her warship. Deep concern filled him over the prospects of their future "cooperation."

"Oh, right." Guilliman remembered the vanished Apocalypse One. "Your warship..."

"Oh, you mean Apocalypse One?" Liang Bing casually waved a hand as though discussing a trivial matter. "I cloaked it. Those lousy devices kept scanning back and forth all day, and it was annoying as hell. Don't worry, it's nearby. Whenever you need it, just call." Having said that, she seemed to lose interest in the bridge's grave atmosphere. She stretched lazily, displaying a breathtaking figure. "This dump is way too stuffy. Not interesting at all. This Queen is going to take a look around Terra and see what 'fresh new things' there are." Before her words had even faded, purple ripples spread again, and her figure vanished without warning just as she had appeared.

A deathly silence remained on the bridge.

Everyone looked at one another, still shaken. "How can anyone possibly be reassured?"

Guilliman rubbed his brow, feeling a profound sense of powerlessness.

This "ally"... was simply too difficult to handle.

He looked toward Trajan and saw the same helplessness in the other man's eyes.

"Forget it." Guilliman waved a hand, dispelling the distracting thoughts in his mind. His gaze became sharp as a blade once more. "The urgent matter is Terra."

He strode toward the tactical star map, his voice recovering the cold decisiveness of the Imperial Regent. "Notify every department head, the remaining members of the Senate, the Department of Justice, the Ministry of the Interior, and representatives of the Inquisition... Assemble in the council hall in one hour."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Trajan. "Marshal, the Adeptus Custodes will not be participating in political affairs, correct?!" There was not a trace of warmth in his words.

"Yes, Lord Regent. The Adeptus Custodes will not participate in this matter." Trajan's voice was utterly even.

Obi-Wan watched Guilliman's retreating figure as he rapidly immersed himself in work, then let out a soft sigh.

He knew that Terra's surface was about to face a storm no less fierce than one against daemons—a merciless purge personally unleashed by the Regent against the Imperium's rotten bureaucratic system.

The Imperium's future was destined to be full of uncertainties and challenges.

Guilliman brought up mountains of data-slates and urgent documents awaiting review. His blue-and-gold figure appeared especially tall beneath the bridge lights, and especially lonely.

The road to saving the Imperium was long and arduous. Now, dealing with the bureaucrats was merely the first step.