"Evan's Sayings" had been circulating on Atris for more than thirty years. Although the Ecclesiarchy had little liking for the book, uniting humanity across the galaxy was fundamentally the Emperor's grand ambition. The system of government did not matter. As long as a planet paid its Imperial Tithe and worshipped the Emperor, the Imperium could not care less how it was governed.
The "Revised Edition of Evan's Sayings" from the Crimson Tide Chapter was delivered to Atris and quickly incorporated into the original edition, triggering massive educational reform.
However unwilling the nobles were, they had to admit that those who had survived by clinging to life at the top of the Hive City had already lost their power to rule.
With some "physical assistance" from the Astartes, Atris swiftly transformed into the society Evan envisioned.
After more than thirty years of development, class divisions had gradually begun to reappear on Atris. Although many nobles had lost their power entirely, large numbers of newcomers had filled the old "senior" positions, including many soldiers and officers who had distinguished themselves during the war.
These people had never wielded great authority before the war. Suddenly installed in office, their lust for power swelled, and the atrocities they committed left even the former nobles feeling outdone.
Fortunately, Planetary Governor Tristy remained coolheaded and sensible. He swiftly made examples of a few offenders, temporarily curbing the trend.
Now, in his bright, luxurious office, Tristy had a headache. Though he already stood at the highest point on the planet-in both senses-the troubles kept coming.
An old brother-in-arms had been arrested for embezzlement. Another brother, who had once braved artillery fire to bring him food, had damaged misappropriated public property, then refused to pay compensation and behaved with outrageous arrogance. And so on, an endless parade of messy affairs.
Even an honest judge could not untangle family disputes.
Now that the Astartes had arrived, nobody dared speak carelessly, not even former frontline commanders. The latest edition of "Evan's Sayings" had been distributed, and its theories had shaken everyone.
Several of his old comrades rejected the system it proposed and wanted to band together to stage a coup after the Astartes left.
Tristy had barely managed to soothe them when, the next day, news arrived that the Astartes had executed them and their entire households.
Large numbers of educators were assigned aptitude-testing duties and teaching missions in the Underhive. Their collective wailing practically shook the heavens.
There, there. Don't cry. You'll get more pay and better benefits.
The Underhive is so miserable, dirty, and chaotic, with so many ruins still uncleared. How could I turn down money just because the conditions are harsh?
And so, large numbers of well-paid educators headed to the Underhive in tears.
A bloody storm swept through the upper ranks, while the laborers still toiling away cheered with joy.
The people who had become "Underhivers" once again saw Evan descend to lift them out of suffering. His entire system had one central principle: give people hope.
At the very least, anyone willing to work could eat their fill. For those seeking more, anyone capable enough to pass the examinations could earn considerable social prestige.
Whatever happened, those willing to struggle for their survival had to be given a way to live.
Wasn't this everyone's ideal society? At least at the beginning, maintaining it was easy.
How could it be maintained longer? Bring in the Astartes. Ten Astartes warriors would be stationed on Atris long-term. Their presence would be public, officially to preserve the people's faith in the Emperor, matching the explanation Father Fuloemang gave others.
The people did not know the exact number of Astartes stationed there, but they could see at least three.
Nobody dared make a rash move. These angels of the Emperor would not reason with them. The earlier slaughter could preserve peace for quite some time.
In Evan's vision, the planetary garrison would rotate regularly, consisting of five veterans who had fought in wars and five warriors who had just completed recruit training. The veterans would teach the recruits in their spare time.
Once the next rotation arrived, those recruits would spend a few rounds on the battlefield and become formidable warriors themselves.
Excellent. Next, they just needed to smooth things over with the Department of the Interior, which collected taxes once every who-knew-how-many years. The tithe was paid anyway; a few local specialties as gifts would settle things.
Amid the surging tides of the Warp, the Baina Robe wandered about slapping little daemon imps across the face. It felt that its body had grown a little larger. Good news! As for the big brother an imp had brought along for "revenge," it promptly delivered a-
Smack! (o ‵-′)ノ"(ノ﹏＜.)
It was a rare period of peace. Nothing had happened for eight whole years. Perhaps that was simply how things should be in this godforsaken backwater, or perhaps the Imperium was gradually gaining the upper hand in its wars and Chaos had no time for them.
The Imperium's own records counted roughly a million worlds across the galaxy. There were only five here, or a little over ten including the rebel planets. This was no strategically important location, so it hardly qualified as a priority invasion target.
The Crimson Tide Chapter guarded this forgotten corner of Segmentum Pacificus, and over the years, all its planets had developed well.
Atris flourished with people, Taste enjoyed peace, Scaria was a model of public order, and Olaye thrived in good health. In short, the past few years had passed peacefully.
Once the final recruit's augmentation was complete, a full forty-seven recruits from the third batch had succeeded. Under any circumstances, a success rate approaching half required a master Apothecary's hand.
Evan looked at the Chief Apothecary with admiration. The Chief Apothecary glared fiercely back. Don't you dare get these fine warriors killed. Otherwise, I really will give you lot a beating.
In terms of its overall record, the Chapter under Evan had suffered remarkably few losses and achieved impressive victories. But at this stage of the Chapter's development, the Chief Apothecary wanted nothing more than to tell him not to fight, to run instead, and to prioritize preserving their strength.
Unfortunately, eliminating those enemies was their duty.
It was difficult to find a leader who suffered fewer losses than Evan. It was equally difficult to find one who squandered more firepower.
Saturating everything with fire was fine, then. At least it reduced Astartes casualties.
The six Cruiser Squadrons had completed their escort-construction assignment. They had also brought the Space Manta carcasses Evan had stored in the Adeptus Mechanicus warehouses back to the warehouses on Atris.
The Chapter had quite a few Combat Servitors made from failed Astartes aspirants. They were assigned to the various Imperialis Militia units as Commissars, effectively boosting morale. At least decimation was no longer necessary.
The Imperium's enemies had all behaved themselves and left this place alone.
But can't I go attack them?
Let's go pick a fight. The Blackshield warriors have been complaining for ages about having no battles to fight. (Chief Apothecary Situval: So everything I said went in one ear and out the other, did it?)
Do you know where the enemy is?
Nope. Let's hit a few rebel planets.
Boo~~
Hey, you've got to back down when you should. Surely you don't expect me to take thirty Astartes and raid the Necrons' home? That's suicide.
Seven cruisers, two Battle Barges, and eighty-nine escort ships swept toward the remaining rebel planets in a mighty procession.
Just as Evan was about to reach the first unlucky rebel planet, an interstellar call came from the Adeptus Mechanicus—the branch on Mavrek.
According to them, they had found a little time to study some live Space Mantas captured earlier. Once awake, the creatures kept swimming in one direction. They devoured the cells holding them. Cages made from every sort of material had been tried, but none could contain them. They were practically Ant-Cattle.
Unable to contain them, the Adeptus Mechanicus released them and followed secretly. They moved incredibly fast, faster than any existing craft, forcing their pursuers to repeatedly enter and exit the Warp to keep up.
Finally, in the boundless darkness of space, so far away that even light had almost vanished, the Adeptus Mechanicus detected a rogue planet-or rather, a mass of Space Mantas clustered together into a planet.
The Adeptus Mechanicus did not dare scan it in detail. They quickly marked its coordinates and called for support.
Evan said he would come immediately.
Something's fishy. Definitely fishy. Would those profit-hungry Mechanicus types go to all that trouble to follow Space Mantas so far? They must have discovered a use for them, probably something quite valuable.
They can't make it too obvious. They'll have to clear out this planet's worth of Space Mantas first, then casually mention buying my carcasses when we transport the bodies back.
That's definitely it. Trying to fool Chapter Master Evan? Not a chance.
The entire fleet plunged into the Warp and prepared for battle.
Last time, you chased me all over the star system. This time, I'll show you just how much martial virtue I possess.
You like close combat, don't you? Let's show you what Battle Barges can do.
The fuses on half the Macro-cannon ammunition were readjusted for timed detonation. There was no need to worry about shells failing to explode on impact. They could fire once the enemy vanguard came close enough, and the shells would explode whether the enemy tried to eat them or not.
Evan assigned duties to the Astartes, giving each command of three ships. William would command the battle, with Xiao Lan as his deputy.
Evan was genuinely training William to be a commander. Kazhaniv, the other man he both loved and hated, was definitely going into the First Company.
The newly "born" recruits were assigned to learn alongside veterans. If they showed enough talent, they could try taking over command once the battle turned in their favor.
Before the Crimson Tide's grand fleet emerged from the Warp, the entire fleet had already formed up.
In the darkness of realspace, a Warp Rift opened, spilling indescribable light. An enormous fleet emerged amid flickering, lightning-like flashes.
There was no such thing as a Mandeville Point here. They were so far out from the galaxy that there were almost no stars.
To launch a covert surprise attack, the fleet did not emerge directly beside the enemy's "planet," but assembled three days' travel away.
The Battle Barges took the lead, possessing the most powerful Auspex systems and the fiercest close-range firepower. Behind them came mixed formations of numerous escort ships and cruisers, complementing each other's long-range firepower and close-range output.
The Adeptus Mechanicus personnel had long been waiting there. Several specialists quickly boarded to modify the Auspex systems. The Crimson Tide fleet would advance on the target alongside eight Mechanicus warships.
Evan inwardly marveled. Eight heavily armed gunships converted from heavy cruisers—had they dragged out every last asset they owned?
Evan could not make sense of it, but he was certain the enemy was powerful and the Adeptus Mechanicus took this operation seriously. These Space Mantas had to be extremely useful.
As the warships approached, everything ahead remained pitch-black. Once the special radiation detectors were switched on, however, they could see a planet drawing steadily closer.
The rogue planet was not particularly large, at least by planetary standards. Was it the Space Mantas' homeworld? These metal-eating enemies should not have had a homeworld. Or perhaps they had already eaten it to pieces.
Concealing themselves in this vast, empty space was difficult. They could have used a Warp jump to emerge extremely close to the enemy, but there was no need.
The enormous fleet advanced toward the enemy. In return for devouring their warships, they would teach these creatures the meaning of fear.
Their fleet's advantage lay in long-range firepower.
The Adeptus Mechanicus's Nova Cannons fired first. These ultra-long-range guns were enormously powerful and had tremendous reach, but their firing was extremely unstable. They were generally mounted only on the bows of heavy cruisers or battleships.
Those wide-area attacks inflicted devastating losses at once. Vast numbers of Space Mantas on the "planet's" surface were shattered-pulverized, in fact.
After a brief period of confusion, the enemy quickly located the attacking ships, and huge numbers surged toward the fleet.
The dense, dark mass of enemies exposed their planet's core behind them.
Something was wrong. Evan noticed it.
"Magnify the image of their planet! Hurry!"
Planet, the Emperor's fur underpants! What rogue planet? Wasn't that an enormous warship? The strange steel structure had been gnawed into a sphere by the Space Mantas, but it was still visibly immense. A conservative estimate put it at ten times the size of the Imperial Fists' Phalanx.
What was this? Had an Ork attack planet been chewed up?
The Adeptus Mechanicus noticed it too. Machine oil practically surged through them. Get it. We have to get it.
Both commanders issued the same order: no firing on that mechanical planet—my Omnissiah’s Big Treasure.
Both sides now harbored a deep, burning hatred for the Space Mantas. You dared chew on this Big Treasure? We cannot coexist.
Every warship accelerated forward. Once in range, their Lances opened fire too, with firing angles deliberately adjusted to avoid the mechanical planet.
There were so many Space Mantas that they did not bother splitting into small harassment groups. They simply swarmed toward the fleet in an overwhelming mass.
The Adeptus Mechanicus unveiled the large-scale ion weapons prepared specifically for this battle.
Several weapon arrays launched more than thirty missiles, which screamed toward the enemy. Just before reaching them, the missiles arranged themselves into formation and generated violent ion storms. Their arrangement caused the storms to overlap and amplify one another, surging into the enemy army like a tsunami. The creatures struck by them appeared physically intact, but were completely dead.
They really had come prepared.
Evan's fleet changed course from a direct advance to an orbit around the enemy "planet," turning broadside to bring their flank-mounted Macro-cannon batteries to bear.
Combined with diversionary torpedo attacks, a single torpedo would often attract all the nearby Space Mantas, only for Macro-cannon shells to explode around them and shatter a vast swath of enemies.
By this point, the battle was essentially a rout.
Although there were more enemies this time, the fleet's firepower was also denser. The creatures were blasted to pieces before they could get close.
Seeing this, every Space Manta clinging to the mechanical Big Treasure began moving and advanced toward the attackers.
The high-powered Auspex systems activated instantly. Every enemy entering their attack range lost the ability to move.
Then, vast numbers of Space Mantas gathered together and began spinning continuously like a tornado. Those on the outer edge spewed Ionic Streams, forming a powerful electronic isolation barrier that rendered almost all electronic weapons useless.
Neither the Adeptus Mechanicus nor Evan had seen anything like this. They discovered that their shells and torpedoes went out of control the instant they entered the great vortex. Even the Mechanicus ion waves could not impede its advance.
Only Lances could penetrate it and inflict effective damage, but there were so many enemies that those casualties were negligible.
Relying on Lances alone, who knew how many ages it would take to wipe them out?
Communications between the two sides were reestablished. The Biologis Great Sage accompanying the expedition discussed countermeasures with William.
"Clearly, the enemy's defenses are effectively resisting our electronic close-range attacks. We have few options left."
"Indeed. I cannot understand how they breached our torpedoes' insulating radiation layers and disabled our machine spirits."
"Biologis Great Sage, this is not the time to discuss that. We need a sound tactical plan to annihilate the enemy."
"According to my rough estimates, relying solely on our Lance Batteries would require approximately sixty-seven years to eliminate all currently visible enemies." The Biologis Great Sage paused and adjusted his tone.
"Our recommendation is to send the Battle Barges into the eye of their storm to conduct an annihilation operation."
"Indeed. That would annihilate the entire Chapter in one stroke."
"Commander William, we are not joking."
"Neither am I, Biologis Great Sage. We reject this proposal outright."
"Allow me to interrupt, gentlemen." Evan could not help stepping in. This was no time for infighting.
"Clearly, their storm depends on their numbers. I suggest dispersing our entire fleet, forcing them to split into multiple storms, then destroying them with crossfire."
Neither side had a better idea, so they could only try it.
The seventeen ships and their accompanying escort ships divided into seventeen fleets and scattered in every direction.
The enemy ion storm did not disperse, however. It charged straight toward the largest Battle Barge, the Light of Dawn.
"William, send the other ships straight toward that enormous mechanical structure."
Sure enough, after pursuing them for a while, the enemies realized Evan and his men were targeting their giant ball.
The Space Mantas promptly swept back toward it.
Well... if you're turning away, how can I not give you a couple of hard hits?
The Battle Barge's bombardment cannon fired a shot straight at them. Never mind that its power diminished over distance-it was genuinely terrifying.
The Space Mantas finally scattered, forming multiple groups to stop the approaching fleets.
Once divided into seventeen groups, even if they still formed ion storms, their electronic interference could no longer penetrate the insulating radiation layers of ordinary shells.
The enemy's casualties began mounting again.
Following the central principle of fighting when they could win and retreating into the Warp when they could not, the fleets steadily wore down the enemy's fighting strength.
Evan had not come entirely unprepared either. As the fleet continued its hit-and-run attacks, it scattered specially designed ion torpedoes. These detonated the moment they suffered damage, meaning even a single enemy bite would earn an explosion powerful enough to make it question its existence.
The distance between the two sides narrowed. The Auspex systems could not cover such a large area, and enemies approaching from other directions inevitably broke through into point-defense range.
The Light of Dawn's Macro-cannon batteries finally opened fire. Even in the emptiness of space, the dense bombardment formed a wall of flame and metal.
The Fury-class interceptors also went into action, roaring out of their hangars. Their smaller frames allowed them to maneuver nimbly and skirmish with nearby enemies. One weapon after another opened fire, and the Battle Barge finally displayed its proper fighting form.
The Techmarine had long since put away the STC Fragment and was working hard to soothe the irritable machine spirit. The rear Void Shields and reactor were operating normally, with radiation within standard thresholds, but the powerful weapon arrays kept suffering "accidental discharges," as though the furious machine spirit wanted to tear its enemies apart.
For the warship, executing the tactical maneuvers demanded by its Astartes commander was an immense strain. Every section's systems were being pushed to their limits.
Suddenly, all the Space Mantas abandoned their efforts to destroy the attackers and gathered back around their mechanical core, spewing Ionic Streams outward to form an ion defense layer.
Freed from the pressure of pursuing Space Mantas, the warships naturally unleashed their full firepower.
"On my command, all ships concentrate Lance fire on sector 081-232-133 in forty-seven seconds." William directed the fleet. Now the situation had truly turned in their favor.
The Adeptus Mechanicus opened fire before the Crimson Tide Chapter. The enemy's Ionic Stream layer greatly reduced the damage from the Lances, but some of their power still penetrated and destroyed a portion of the creatures inside.
Meanwhile, arguments had broken out aboard the Mechanicus ships.
"Do not fire weapons that powerful! You'll damage the mechanical structure inside!"
"These are already our weakest weapons. Anything weaker cannot penetrate the enemy's defenses. Unless we eliminate these enemies, that mechanical core will remain theirs, however gently we attack!"
"And that gives you the right to destroy it? What if you hit a critical location and trigger a massive explosion? This is a magnificent gift from the Omnissiah!"
While the Adeptus Mechanicus continued arguing, the Space Mantas answered their attack.
A pale-green beam a hundred meters thick suddenly erupted from the mechanical "planet" and instantly blew apart one of the Adeptus Mechanicus's fire-support ships.
Before you continue