Recaps

Curze learned from Sevatar that Mortarion had attacked their father during the journey to Nuceria, and he decided to punish him by summoning him to repair a broken Octagon. Mortarion, who had begun reflecting on how to improve his legion, accepted the Eighth Legion’s request to investigate a suspected biological virus.

• Sevatar told Curze that Mortarion had changed for the better on Nuceria but had attacked their father aboard the ship.
• Curze became furious when he heard about the attack, then decided Mortarion would be punished despite his improvement.
• Curze and Sevatar arranged to summon Mortarion by claiming a broken Octagon had been contaminated by a biological virus.
• Mortarion began considering how to manage the XIV Legion differently after returning from Nuceria.
• An Eighth Legion messenger told Mortarion that Curze wanted him to inspect the contaminated Octagon, and Mortarion agreed to go.

Sevatar gathered broken Octagons and a Virus Bomb to lure Typhus and the XIV Legion into repairing them, giving Agrid a chance to fight. He praised Laxus and Weiss for helping and urged them to train for a nomination to the Eight Hundred.

• Sevatar returned to the barracks and learned that Laxus and Weiss had become the Legion's Octagon experts while he was away.
• Sevatar told Agrid and Shen what had happened on Nuceria, and Agrid looked forward to confronting Typhus when Mortarion brought him over.
• Agrid and the Evernight Judges discussed their frustration with Imperial laws that protected nobles and their stalled efforts to reform the legal system.
• Sevatar found Laxus and Weiss, who smashed several Octagons to create the broken ones he needed.
• Laxus and Weiss gave Sevatar a Virus Bomb, claiming it was contaminated ordnance, and Sevatar told them to train for a nomination to the Eight Hundred.

Sevatar and Curze arranged for the damaged Octagon to be repaired, and Mortarion discovered that a standard-issue weapon had leaked a virus. Curze invited Mortarion and the others to spar, and the chapter ended with the gathered Legionaries wondering how Curze had become such a formidable fighter despite his limited combat experience.

• Sevatar praised two Legionaries and left with the Octagon, then Mortarion arrived with his First Company captain and Nathaniel Garro.
• Mortarion identified the Octagon’s illness as a virus leak from a standard-issue weapon, and Curze ordered Laxus and Weiss to guard Dad’s gate for a month.
• Curze asked Mortarion to spar without Psychic Power, and Mortarion agreed; Curze kept him on the defensive with precise attacks.
• Garro, Typhus, Agrid, Talos, Cyrion, and others entered the Octagons to spar with their cousins.
• The Legionaries watched Curze dominate Mortarion and wondered whether Nostramo explained Curze’s unusual strength.

Gulsartu brought his grandchildren Nobira and Renato to Han Mingxuan, asking him to help reform the corrupt family by teaching them. Han agreed to let the two stay with him and gave them rules and texts to study, leaving their training to begin.

• Endymion stopped Gulsartu at Han Mingxuan’s residence, but Han allowed the noble to come in.
• Gulsartu asked Han to take in Nobira and Renato, explaining that he hoped the young pair could restore the Gulsartu Family’s former honor.
• Han questioned Gulsartu’s motives, then asked Endymion to contact Malcador, who confirmed the family’s loyalty and purity.
• Han agreed that Nobira and Renato could stay, stopped them from bowing, and laid out three rules for them.
• Han gave Nobira and Renato booklets of Old Terra writing and told them to learn and recite the contents for their first assessment.

Han Mingxuan taught Renato and Nobilia to question authority, then learned that friction over logistics was growing between the Imperium’s officials and the Astartes. After finding Curze and Mortarion’s Legions sparring, he arranged for the Eighth Legion to join the Department of General Affairs as a Special Transport Corps, combining judicial work with battlefield logistics.

• Han Mingxuan told Renato and Nobilia to question things, and Nobilia considered how far that might extend.
• Han Mingxuan learned that mortal officials and the Astartes were clashing over authority and logistics, and that he was expected to act as a buffer.
• Two Astartes arrived to guard Han Mingxuan and revealed that Curze’s and Mortarion’s Legions were sparring in the barracks.
• Han Mingxuan visited the barracks and found Curze beating Mortarion while Agrid and Cyrion fought Typhus and Garro in other Octagons.
• Han Mingxuan stopped the sparring and heard Curze complain that his Legion had been assigned to the Judicial System without permission to reform Imperial law.
• Han Mingxuan offered to transfer the Eighth Legion to the Department of General Affairs as a Special Transport Corps, responsible for judicial work and transporting war supplies.

Han Mingxuan pressured Malcador to transfer the Eighth Legion to the Department of General Affairs so Curze could escort supplies to the front. Malcador agreed in exchange for retaining part of the Imperium’s judicial authority.

• Han Mingxuan sent the others to collect benefits, then told Malcador he wanted the Eighth Legion placed under the Department of General Affairs.
• Malcador resisted because Curze and the Eighth Legion had eased the burden of the Imperium’s judicial system.
• Han Mingxuan argued that using the Eighth Legion for supply transport would reduce the resources wasted on shipments and accused Malcador of tolerating corruption.
• Han Mingxuan threatened to take Curze back unless Malcador signed the transfer order within five minutes.
• Malcador negotiated to retain part of the judicial authority, and he and Han Mingxuan settled on thirteen percent.
• Han Mingxuan finalized the deal, and Curze prepared to take the Eighth Legion to the front to escort supplies.

Han Mingxuan secured permission for the Eighth Legion to support the Great Crusade, while assigning Perturabo and the IV Legion the task of fortifying conquered worlds. The chapter left Perturabo accepting a challenging new duty under threat of court martial.

• Han Mingxuan and his father left Malcador's office after securing permission for the Eighth Legion to go to the front and manage supply ships for the Department of General Affairs.
• Curze told the Eighth Legion that it would escort supply convoys, and explained that only qualified judges would accompany them to bring Imperial law to conquered worlds.
• Han Mingxuan visited Perturabo, discussed his inner conflicts and lack of recognition, and told him that the IV Legion now answered to the Department of General Affairs.
• Han Mingxuan ordered Perturabo and the IV Legion to build fortifications on conquered worlds, warning that failure would lead to a court martial.

Han Mingxuan arranged for Perturabo to build defenses for conquered worlds and urged him to act honestly, then discussed the assignment with the Emperor. As the IV and Eighth Legions rushed to aid the Salamanders and Dark Angels, their mobilization caused a new path of order to appear in Tzeentch’s labyrinth.

• Han Mingxuan assigned Perturabo to build defenses for conquered worlds and gave him a wrench engraved with “honesty.”
• Han Mingxuan told Perturabo to follow his conscience and left him to decide whether to keep the wrench.
• Han Mingxuan met with the Emperor, who agreed not to issue Perturabo orders, and explained that the primarchs’ futures depended on present choices.
• The Eighth Legion prepared to resupply and aid the Salamanders and Dark Angels, while the IV Legion also mobilized for the front lines.
• The Midnight Judges Legion set out, causing the Peaceful Star System’s blue sphere to radiate tranquil energy in the Warp.
• Tzeentch saw an azure, gold-tinged line form an exit through his labyrinth and recognized it as an answer.

Konrad Curze’s supply convoy raced through the Warp under Sandamel’s reckless but remarkable piloting, with the Nightfall’s Machine Spirit helping drive the accompanying ships. As the convoy neared its destination, Curze gathered the Council of the Long Night to discuss what lay ahead.

• Sandamel took control of the Nightfall’s navigation and ordered the fleet to accelerate through the Warp.
• Curze, Sevatar, and Agrid reacted to Sandamel’s high-speed piloting as the ship’s crew struggled with the ride.
• Sandamel maximized the Nightfall’s settings, and its Machine Spirit took over piloting while an Adeptus Mechanicus priest praised the result.
• The Nightfall’s influence spread to the escort ships, turning the entire supply convoy into a high-speed fleet.
• Curze told the Council of the Long Night they would reach their destination in three days and asked for their battle-plan thoughts.
• A Council member reminded Curze that they were delivering supplies, not heading to war.

Curze arrived with supplies for the Dark Angels and Salamanders, whose costly battle against the Xenos had left them close to running out of resources. After learning that the enemy used Psychic Power for reconnaissance, he prepared the Evernight Legion to launch ground operations.

• Pusilock proposed using precision Macro-cannon strikes against key targets, and Shen approved the plan while warning against using Annihilation Weapons unless necessary.
• Lion El'Jonson learned that the Dark Angels and Salamanders were suffering heavy losses and running low on supplies, while the Salamanders were still evacuating civilians.
• Curze contacted Lion El'Jonson from the Nightfall, offered supplies and fire support, and agreed to avoid high-yield weapons until the evacuation was complete.
• Curze arrived aboard the Unyielding Truth and learned that the Xenos used Psychic Power for reconnaissance, causing Imperial infiltration and covert operations to fail.
• Curze ordered Cyrion to find the enemy's psychic observers and burn their webs, then told Lion El'Jonson that the Eighth Legion was escorting Department of General Affairs supply shipments.
• The Evernight Legion reported that it was ready, and Curze ordered ground operations to begin in ten minutes.

Cyrion and the Evernight Judges Legion introduced the Dark Angels to their Psychic Power and technology-based Evernight battlefield network, then joined them in an assault on the Xenos. Evernight detected a Salamanders squad trapped deep in the enemy nest and relayed that ground support was entering the area.

• Cyrion established the Evernight network and connected the Dark Angels to its real-time battlefield feedback system.
• The Nightfall and the Unyielding Truth synchronized their battlefield data, bringing the Unyielding Truth's weapons into firing readiness.
• Cyrion and the Evernight Judges Legion concealed themselves in the shadows as the Dark Angels charged the Xenos.
• Sandamel expanded Evernight's exploration and located a Salamanders squad deep inside the Xenos nest with mortals in tow.
• The Salamanders received a message that ground support from the First and Eighth Legions was entering their target combat zone.

Cyrion’s Eighth Legion squad rescued the Salamanders and Dark Angels from a Xenos nest, then destroyed the planet with a Macro-cannon salvo. Curze and Lion El’Jonson discussed when exterminatus was justified, while Vulkan urged caution.

• Agrid blasted open the Xenos nest with a Macro-cannon, and Cyrion led the Eighth Legion squad inside to fight alongside the Salamanders and Dark Angels.
• Cyrion’s squad slaughtered the Xenos and Sandamel used the Evernight Network to plant psychic charges in their network.
• The squad evacuated the Salamanders and Dark Angels, and Agrid fired Macro-cannon shells at the planet as they escaped.
• Curze praised exterminatus, and Lion El’Jonson offered to explain his standards for using it.
• Vulkan joined the discussion and urged Curze to be cautious, but Curze argued that exterminatus could purge all non-human races.

Curze defended the Evernight Code’s provisions for Exterminatus against Xenos and Abhumans by contrasting them with an Old Terra daemon’s racial persecution. After the Eighth Legion received another supply mission, Malcador realized the Department of the Interior had assigned them enough escort work to last fifty years.

• Curze argued to Lion El'Jonson and Vulkan that the Evernight Code permitted Exterminatus against nonhuman races, and told them a story about an Old Terra daemon who classified people by race.
• Curze received urgent orders to take supplies to the Blood Angels in the C2 Sector and departed to meet Sanguinius.
• Malcador relaxed in his office, grateful that the Eighth Legion’s work in the Imperium Judicial System had eased his burden and hopeful that he could eventually retire.
• Malcador learned that an emergency resolution had assigned the Eighth Legion enough supply-escort work to last fifty years and realized Old Han had set him up.

Malcador sought the Emperor's help after Curze's escort assignments pushed his return fifty years away, then proposed an anti-corruption campaign to ease the Imperium's burden. Han Mingxuan refused to lend Nostramo's officials, leaving Malcador to shoulder the work and long for Curze's return.

• Malcador told the Emperor that Curze's assignments were booked fifty years in advance, leaving the judiciary short of help.
• The Emperor agreed that an anti-corruption campaign was worthwhile but insisted Han Mingxuan's safety came first, and Malcador accepted responsibility for the effort.
• Malcador visited Han Mingxuan and announced his plan to fight corruption, but Han refused to let Nostramo's officials be taken for Imperial logistics work.
• Han had Kamon show Malcador out, and Malcador left wishing Curze would return and give him a chance to rest.

Sanguinius and Dante received an unusually swift supply response, only to discover that Konrad Curze and the Eighth Legion were escorting the fleet. Curze arrived at the front with supplies and his personal troops, the Evernight Judges Legion, and offered to break through the rebels’ defenses.

• Dante told Sanguinius that the Department of General Affairs had quickly approved their supply request and that the Eighth Legion was escorting the fleet.
• A sudden surge of Warp energy alarmed the Blood Angels, who prepared to fight the fleet approaching their rear.
• The Nightfall emerged from the Warp at astonishing speed, and Sanguinius confirmed that Konrad Curze was aboard.
• Curze’s fleet delivered supplies, including fruit from Nostramo, and he told Sanguinius to rest while his troops took over the attack.
• Curze revealed that he had brought the Evernight Judges Legion and promised to open a way through the rebels’ strong defenses.

Sandamel led Talos and a squad in a high-speed boarding attack against an enemy ironclad fortress, aiming to place a guidance beacon for Agrid’s strike. Meanwhile, Sanguinius learned that Curze’s troops had neither Gene-seed nor Astartes modifications and that the Eighth Legion’s technology remained independent of the Adeptus Mechanicus.

• Dante shared strategic intelligence with the Eighth Legion, revealing that the enemy stronghold was protected like an iron shell and was best approached through boarding actions.
• Sandamel proposed ramming the Nightfall into the target, but Curze instead ordered him to lead a squad aboard an enemy Combat Ship and plant a guidance beacon for Agrid’s macro-cannon strike.
• Talos joined Sandamel, and the squad strapped themselves into the Combat Ship as Sandamel launched at reckless speed.
• Sanguinius questioned whether Sandamel was truly Curze’s son, and Curze explained that his troops had never used Gene-seed or undergone Astartes modifications.
• Curze described the Eighth Legion’s Nostramo-based technical support and its tailored recruitment program, while declining Sanguinius’s request to exchange technology.

Sandamel and Talos crippled the enemy flagship and enabled Sanguinius’s fleet to strike its forces. As the Evernight Judges prepared to join the ground battle, Sandamel revealed that the Machine Spirit could operate their battleship while the legion fought.

• Sandamel led a squad in a suicide attack on the enemy flagship, while Talos infiltrated the Rebel Leader’s escape craft and placed a Locator Beacon on the planet.
• Sanguinius exploited the flagship’s disabled shields, and Agrid’s Macro-cannons struck the beacon’s position to open the way for an assault.
• Curze accepted Shen’s proposal to assign fighters by exam scores, prompting the Evernight Judges to argue over who would stay aboard.
• Sandamel explained that the Evernight Network could link the Machine Spirit to Curze and let the battleship run itself during the ground battle.

Curze agreed to lead the Eighth Legion into battle, linking its forces through a Psychic network that made their attacks unnervingly coordinated. The legion’s civilian officials proved devastating fighters, and after Agrid’s explosions opened the way, Sevatar led them charging beside the Blood Angels.

• Curze agreed to serve as the central node but revealed he could join the battle through his Power Armour’s neural interface, and he ordered the Eighth and Ninth Legions to prepare.
• Curze linked the Evernight Judges Legion into a Psychic network that improved its coordination, and its warriors silently killed enemies in rapid, practiced attacks.
• Curze ordered positional warfare, and Agrid unleashed Portable Micro-Exterminatus rounds to bombard the battlefield.
• Agrid hurled the remaining rounds by hand, causing simultaneous explosions that shook the battlefield and stunned Sanguinius.
• Sevatar led the Evernight Judges Legion in a charge that reminded the Blood Angels of the Space Wolves’ fighting style.

Dante joined the Eighth Legion’s Evernight Network and saw how its battlefield intelligence helped the Legion fight. Curze handed control of the network to Night Haunter, who transformed the Legion’s performance, and Sanguinius left considering whether the Blood Angels should train in the Imperium’s civil service.

• Dante entered the Evernight Network and received its battlefield intelligence, including plans for the planet’s development.
• Curze asked Night Haunter to take over the network so he could fight without managing battlefield coordination.
• Night Haunter’s control sharpened the network and boosted the Evernight Legion’s speed, strength, perception, and clarity.
• The Eighth Legion wiped out the enemy in less than half an hour, and Sanguinius questioned why the Administratum kept them handling paperwork.
• Curze assured Sanguinius that administrative work had helped strengthen the Legion, and Sanguinius considered sending the Blood Angels to train in the civil service.

Sanguinius ordered the Blood Angels to follow the Eighth Legion’s example and gain experience in the Imperium’s administrative system, while Dante reluctantly agreed to carry out his father’s plan. Malcador learned that both legions were returning and hoped their administrative work would give him a five-day vacation.

• Sanguinius told Dante to arrange for Blood Angels officers and noncommissioned officers to gain experience in the Imperium’s administrative system, and Dante agreed despite his doubts.
• Sevatar and the Nightfall crew praised Curze for persuading the Ninth Legion to enter the Administratum, then agreed to keep the plan secret.
• The Eighth Legion led the returning fleet through the Warp, and Ninth Legion officers marveled at the Eighth Legion’s strength and behavior.
• Malcador learned that the Blood Angels were returning with the Eighth Legion and had been ordered to spend at least four months in the Adeptus Administratum.
• Malcador imagined the two legions taking on much of the Imperium’s administrative workload, which could let him take a five-day vacation.

Curze arranged for his Legion’s officers to gain administrative experience so he could avoid returning to office work, while Han Mingxuan took leave to visit Nostramo and Solemnace. Malcador then proposed that Sanguinius join the Imperium’s governance, leaving the Emperor to consider the request.

• Curze persuaded Malcador to place officers of platoon rank and above from his Legion in the Adeptus Administratum, and Malcador agreed to arrange positions for them.
• Malcador told Curze to visit his father, and Sanguinius went with him to make the administrative arrangements.
• Han Mingxuan told the Emperor he was resigning, but clarified that he was taking leave to visit Nostramo and then Solemnace to help his Necrontyr ally.
• The Emperor suggested making New Nostramo humanity’s secondary capital and calling it Earth, but Han Mingxuan refused because he feared the Imperium would take over Nostramo and its surrounding planets.
• Han Mingxuan invited the Emperor to visit Nostramo with his children when Angron returned, then left with Endymion.
• Malcador asked the Emperor to let Astartes participate in governing the Imperium and recommended Sanguinius.

Malcador persuaded the Emperor to assign Sanguinius and the Blood Angels to the Administratum for six months, then received permission to take five days of leave. He went to Han Mingxuan’s home to ask for a ride to Nostramo, where they would depart after Curze returned from the barracks.

• Malcador recommended that Sanguinius and the Blood Angels join the Administratum, and the Emperor agreed to a six-month assignment.
• Malcador asked the Emperor for leave, negotiated five days, and decided not to take the Alpha Legion with him.
• Malcador visited Han Mingxuan and asked to travel with him to Nostramo for his vacation.
• Han Mingxuan said they would wait for Curze to return from the barracks before setting off, while Nobira prepared tea.

Han Mingxuan gave Curze a copy of his violent version of the Lunyu to pass to Sanguinius, hoping it would help the Blood Angels cope with their work in the Administratum. Han then set off for Nostramo with Malcador, who eagerly anticipated a vacation.

• Curze returned to Han Mingxuan's home and joked with Malcador about the Blood Angels working at the Administratum.
• Han Mingxuan introduced Curze to his students, Nobira Gulsartu and Renato Gulsartu, then asked him about the Blood Angels.
• Han Mingxuan gave Curze his annotated copy of the Lunyu to pass to Sanguinius if the Blood Angels' work became unbearable.
• Han Mingxuan departed for Nostramo with Malcador, who burned Warp creatures with his Psychic Power during their journey.
• Han Mingxuan reminded Malcador that the Peaceful Star System was largely free of Warp influence, and Malcador declared that Nostramo felt like heaven.

Han Mingxuan visited Hope Primary School on New Nostramo and met its history teacher, who revealed himself as the Perpetual Oll Persson. Oll began explaining that he had come to the planet after sensing changes, leaving Han poised to hear more about the Perpetuals.

• Han Mingxuan and Kamon entered Hope Primary School, where Han stopped to observe Nisaeol teaching history.
• After class, Nisaeol approached Han, praised his teaching, and invited him to discuss New Nostramo.
• Nisaeol told Han that he had returned to his homeland and recognized Terra as Earth, revealing that he was a Perpetual.
• Han identified Nisaeol as Oll Persson, and Oll explained that he had sensed changes years earlier and come to see the blue mother planet.

Oll Persson told Han Mingxuan that the Perpetuals had gathered on Nostramo because New Nostramo restored their lost home, and that they had agreed to protect him. He then gave Han Mingxuan an Obsidian Bracelet containing the complete system of Enuncia, a dangerous power intended to help him survive.

• Oll Persson explained that New Nostramo resembled ancient Earth and had drawn nearly half of the oldest Perpetuals to it.
• Oll Persson told Han Mingxuan that the Perpetuals had unanimously agreed to ensure his safety.
• Oll Persson identified Susan as a former member of humanity's Mystery Cult and Hawk Hasanti as a renowned weaponsmith who had publicly pledged to protect the planet.
• Oll Persson recounted how he and Neoth split over Enuncia after finding its complete system in the Tower of Babel.
• Oll Persson gave Han Mingxuan an Obsidian Bracelet containing Enuncia, which Han Mingxuan doubted would be useful to him.