And so Bona waited on Hexen for roughly eleven Terran days before Horus and the other senior officials finally arrived in a hurry.
"The Emperor be praised. You made it back."
The information blackout had been handled well this time. During Bona's disappearance, the Thunderhawk Empire had not fallen into chaos.
Only a handful of senior officials knew that he had disappeared.
Meeting with representatives of the senior government leadership, Captain Spire, and Horus, and asking about the situation took roughly two days.
There was not much recent news, either.
The main points were:
The eastern front had defeated the Tyranids. Both sides had fought for eight months on a planet called Amsh. In the end, the Dawn Army had successfully outlasted the Tyranids, forcing the ravenous splinter fleet to change course and saving the dozen or so worlds behind it.
In the west, they had encountered a faction called the T'au Empire, apparently consisting of several colonies. It had requested diplomatic relations.
In the south, an enormous Plague Fleet of Nurgle had recently descended upon the Ultramar Sector.
There was also the return of Rogal Dorn, Primarch of the Imperial Fists.
That was about all the important news.
Although Bona had built a mortal government capable of handling most affairs, some important documents still required his personal review.
Fortunately, he had studied under Malcador, the Imperial Chancellor, as a child, and finished the work in two days.
Once he was done, Bona slumped in his chair.
"So what are you planning next? We don't have many directions left to expand in," Horus said.
Bona massaged his temples as he pondered.
On the star map, farther to the right lay the empty Outer Ring, above them were a host of Necron Dynasties, and below was the Ultramar Sector, currently locked