Failure Was What Made It Rebellion (Political Arc Concluded)

(The coup on Terra really wasn't the work of the four little peddlers. It practically said so outright.)

(In the original story's Age of Apostasy, Goge Vandire also rose to power through an armed coup.)

The slender Alfreda calmly took Guilliman's seat.

The tension in her muscles gradually eased, and she savored the glory of this moment.

Designed with a primarch's proportions in mind, the carefully crafted seat was like an oversized bed for the female bishop. She could even have lain down and taken a nap.

Yet she worked hard to keep her posture upright, trying to display the proper majesty and solemnity.

To the High Lords, however, she looked more like a ridiculous monkey trying to dress itself up as a human.

Battle Sisters stood in the corners of the vast chamber, staring at the High Lords like statues.

These fanatically extreme Battle Sisters would not care about their status.

They were loyal only to the Emperor. With the Emperor unable to deliver revelations, the Ecclesiarchy was an extension of His will, and they obeyed the new Living Saint, Christine.

The black muzzles of the Sisters' guns needed only the blink of an eye to spit deadly sparks and blow any one of their heads to pieces.

"Gentlemen, since our Ecclesiarch is not on Terra, I will temporarily exercise her authority as a High Lord."

"These are extraordinary times, and I hope to employ extraordinary measures."

Alfreda's voice echoed through the chamber. No matter how unwilling the others were, they could only grit their teeth and keep listening.

After all, the corpse of the dead head of the Astronomican was still lying in its seat, its pale eyes staring straight at them.

"Guilliman's founding of the Second Imperium has already been exposed, and he himself has admitted the