Vigilus, Hyperia Hive Cluster.
It was a vast world with a population of over a hundred billion.
Unlike other worlds, which divided their territories by hive city, Vigilus grouped several neighbouring hive cities together and designated them hive clusters.
As the largest and most prosperous hive cluster on Vigilus, Hyperia was the very heart of the Imperium's holdings on the planet, as well as the safe zone Sith longed for.
Even before this, Hyperia's intact industrial system and continued order had left its civilians feeling fairly well off compared with the outside world.
Now that Calgar had arrived with large numbers of Ultramarines and Astra Militarum troops and made Hyperia his command centre, its defences had been strengthened further.
Meanwhile, through Calgar's skilful political manoeuvring, the previously loosely connected factions on Vigilus had finally been united, and Hyperia's vast industrial system had begun operating at full capacity.
At that moment, atop the spire of Hyperia Hive City.
Calgar had reorganised the former Vigilus Council into a Senate.
The Adeptus Mechanicus, the Ecclesiarchy, the Astra Militarum, the Astartes, the local nobility-almost every faction had joined the Senate to help Calgar direct the entire war.
On the Senate's upper level, the former guards of Imperium Secundus, now the Ultramarines Honour Guard, wore ornate Artificer Power Armour and golden wings upon their heads as they carried out their duties as Calgar's bodyguards.
Within the grand, towering hall, the Honour Guard stood in the corners.
In the centre, officials from the various factions, dressed in different styles, queued for audiences with Imperial Regent Guilliman's representative on Vigilus.
The closed doors ahead opened, and a group of Astra Militarum commanders hurried out, each holding orders personally signed by Calgar.
Through the gap between the opening doors, Calgar could be seen seated like a giant at the very top, a pair of enormous Power Fists resting on either side of his throne.
"From this moment on, not a single Imperial position may be abandoned."
"Every Imperial soldier and officer must fight for the God-Emperor until the final moment of their lives."
"I repeat: without an order personally signed by me, any retreat by any Imperial force will be considered treason!"
Within the hall, lavishly dressed nobles, compassionate-faced members of the Ecclesiarchy, uniformed Astra Militarum officers, heavily mechanised Tech-Priests, and Astartes representatives from the various Chapters that had come to reinforce them all stood below Calgar, their heads bowed as they listened to his instructions.
Calgar was already powerfully built, tall even among the Astartes.
Now, having undergone the Primaris upgrade, he was even more like a giant.
Seated high above them, this legendary Chapter Master might often have been jokingly called the Stretcher King, but his mere presence radiated an authority that even Astartes dared not meet head-on.
The other mortals showed this legendary Chapter Master, who stood beneath only the demigods, boundless respect.
Seeing that none of the Senate representatives below had expressed any objection to his orders, the red glow of Calgar's enormous left augmetic eye finally eased a little.
Lowering his head to the battle reports a Servitor respectfully held aloft for him, Calgar glanced at the mountain of defeats piled to his left, then turned his attention to the right.
Another Servitor stood there holding up a tray, but it contained only a single thin report.
He looked on in silence for a while. Though the mountain of defeats represented reality, at a time when despair prevailed among Vigilus's frontline troops, Calgar still chose to pick up the report on his right.
Scanning the report lightly clasped between two enormous fingers once more, Calgar spoke coldly:
"If this 101st Regiment is still holding out beyond our lines, why hasn't the Departmento Munitorum raised its supply priority to the highest level?"
"If this 101st Regiment has earned so many merits, why hasn't its commander received the commendations and promotion he deserves?"
"And most importantly, if the Imperium is still winning, why haven't their heroic deeds been reported to the entire army?"
At the three successive questions, those below exchanged fearful looks. After a round of glances passing the responsibility around, everyone's attention settled on the Astra Militarum and the nobles.
Sensing Calgar's gaze turn their way as well, the nobles, experts at shifting blame, spoke before the Astra Militarum could:
"Although the 101st Regiment belongs to the Planetary Defence Force, its command was transferred to the Astra Militarum long ago. We do not know the specific reasons behind the matters you have raised, my lord."
The noble explained, then cautiously glanced at Calgar. Seeing no hint of satisfaction on his face, the noble immediately added:
"However, now that the 101st Regiment's achievements have been verified, our Noble Council has already drawn up a series of commendations, and we will provide Commander Sith himself with a suit of Artificer Power Armour."
The Adeptus Mechanicus had a powerful presence on Vigilus. Though Artificer Power Armour for mortals could not simply be bought even if one had the money, it was not an absolute rarity here.
Artificer Power Armour did not merely have the words "artificer" added to its name. Its materials, craftsmanship, core components, and many other aspects were qualitatively superior to ordinary Power Armour.
If standard Power Armour was merely a modular product from an assembly line, every suit of Artificer Power Armour was a supreme work of art.
Finally, this time, Calgar gave a slight nod:
"The necessary commendations are a prerequisite. What matters most is ensuring that the 101st Regiment's contributions to the Imperium, and the rewards the Imperium grants in return, are prominently reported throughout the army."
Seeing Calgar accept his answer, the noble's expression finally relaxed.
He then bowed his head slightly and stepped back, his sidelong glance at the Astra Militarum full of mockery.
This time, there were no nobles to share the fire. As every gaze settled on the Astra Militarum, its commander, his forehead covered in sweat, gritted his teeth and stepped forward.
With the nobles having paved the way, even a fool would have known what Calgar needed now.
Would Calgar, the Chapter Master of a First Founding Chapter, really take so much time out of his busy schedule to concern himself with a mortal regiment of little more than a hundred thousand simply because Sith and his regiment had fought so well that even he had taken particular notice?
Of course, Calgar admitted that they had indeed caught his attention.
But compared with the wars he had experienced throughout his long life, and the battles he had fought alongside Guilliman and even against traitor Primarchs, this would not have drawn too much of his attention.
At least, not as much attention as he was giving it now!
What Calgar truly needed now was to establish an example, a standard that could inspire mortals to hold out until the very last moment.
And Sith, a fellow mortal, was the only choice before Calgar at that moment.
The Astra Militarum commander took a deep breath and, as though determined to outdo the nobles, offered an even more extravagant reward.
There were only a hundred-odd thousand of them, after all. With Hyperia Hive Cluster's production capacity, even giving every one of them a fully enclosed combat suit was not impossible!
Raising his eyes, the Astra Militarum commander spoke with a fierce expression:
"In recognition of Commander Sith's achievements, the Departmento Munitorum will immediately draw up commendations. At the same time, in accordance with the application submitted by the Deathwatch, we will formally begin the process of inducting the 101st Regiment into the Astra Militarum."
"In addition, the Departmento Munitorum will establish a complete aerial supply route for the 101st Regiment and deliver one hundred and fifty thousand fully enclosed combat suits based on its troop strength, as well as..."
More cold sweat beaded on the Astra Militarum commander's forehead. Even before Calgar, he visibly winced at the cost.
But when Calgar frowned before everyone, the commander still took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and spoke:
"As well as five thousand sets of storm trooper equipment!"