721.M41, Emperor Ascension Festival. The Lamenters and Mantis Warriors arrived at Badab one after the other.
Upon receiving news of the fleets' arrival, Huron finally set his mind at ease.
It had been nearly two years. If there had been no news any longer, Huron would have considered them missing. That was two Strike Cruisers and four Frigates—if they had truly vanished, Huron would have been heartbroken.
After donning his ceremonial armour, Huron brought the Chapter's senior officers to the Starport to welcome the two Chapters.
Before long, Huron saw Forlorn and Saris, both wearing strange expressions.
The two clearly had many questions to ask, but they had their reservations and did not dare voice them.
"Welcome, both of you." Huron stepped forward and shook their hands. "And thank you for being willing to send forces to assist us."
"There is no need for this, Chapter Master Huron. This is what the Lamenters should do." Forlorn did not think his small force was truly indispensable.
Especially after speaking at length with Hans and learning that Huron had expanded the Astral Claws to more than two thousand men. Forlorn did not even dare imagine such a scale, yet Huron had already achieved it!
This left him conflicted. Should he conceal this violation of the Codex Astartes, or report it to the higher authorities?
But when he thought of the damned Ordo Malleus—or rather, the Ordo Malleus's various underhanded moves against the Lamenters—and Huron's very real material aid, Forlorn changed his mind.
Forlorn decided to pretend he had seen nothing.
"Helping allies is our duty." The taciturn Saris merely gave a dry reply.
Yet although he was sparing with words, fifty of the two hundred men he had brought were "Devout Mantis."
They were special Mantis Warriors who had entered a state