Chapter 32: Finding a White Glove 2/4

Consequences?

Only those who win have the luxury of discussing consequences; what is there to consider if one loses?

The goal is to fight. Either you destroy Chaos, or Chaos destroys you. There must be one side left pinned to the ground, utterly crushed. Guilliman had no intention of being the one under the boot.

"Thank you for your trust," the avatar of Cawl replied, a rare tremor of emotion audible in its voice.

"Is there any other news?" Guilliman asked.

"The Archmagos has recruited a group of suitable individuals who have begun research into supernatural phenomena. However, a contingent of Grey Knights who arrived in Macragge from the Warp storms has expressed strong opposition. They do not wish for Macragge to conduct any form of supernatural research, fearing it could easily lead to the corruption of the entire world."

"Grey Knights?" Guilliman mused for a moment before looking up. "Their concerns are not without merit, but research into supernatural power is vital. The Warp is constantly encroaching upon the reality of our world, yet we possess far too few means to counter it. For a long time, humanity has been in a position of passive defense. The worship of Chaos, in many cases, stems from humanity’s feeling of helplessness against the daemons of the Warp."

Warp daemons possess all manner of mind-bending abilities and the trait of immortality. It is no secret that daemons inflict suffering upon humanity. Yet, countless people still worship the Warp and idolize daemons; this fact is worth deep reflection.

Humans have a strange tendency to develop awe and inexplicable affection for things that they cannot defeat, cannot handle, and that ultimately harm them. It is what is known as Stockholm Syndrome. This condition manifests, to varying degrees, in those with fragile wills and an inability to distinguish right from wrong. Children subjected to mental abuse by their parents often grow up to be exceptionally filial. In the workplace, employees who are manipulated and abused by their bosses often cling to small favors, believing their employer has their best interests at heart, convinced they have finally found a benevolent master after a lifetime of hardship. Such situations are common. Only those with strong minds, who understand how to protect their own interests, avoid falling into such cognitive traps.

It is the same with daemons. Many fear them, tremble before them, yet when seduced by their promises, they find themselves believing the daemons are actually quite benevolent.

Guilliman intends to change humanity—not just to alter this cowardly instinct, but to break the long-standing perception that humanity must fear daemons. He wants the citizens of the Imperium to know that daemons, too, can die, and that they, too, are capable of fear and dread their own extinction.

Research into supernatural power is an absolute necessity. Only by studying these forces can we understand the mechanisms by which daemons corrupt humanity and, consequently, devise appropriate countermeasures.

"Relocate the supernatural research project to an uninhabited world and invite the Grey Knights to garrison there. We cannot remain ignorant of our enemies. If they refuse to carry out this order, inform them that it is the direct command of the Lord Regent of the Imperium, and it must be obeyed," Guilliman said in a deep, resolute voice.

On this matter, he would not compromise. The research must continue; only by piercing the veil of the daemons' essence is there any hope of overcoming the Warp.

"I shall convey your instructions," the Cawl avatar said. "From the technology you provided, the Archmagos has discovered another path to maintain interstellar communication: dark matter communication. This technology would allow us to maintain faster-than-light communication without relying on the Warp. However, the knowledge regarding dark matter in the data you provided is too limited. He asks if you have collected further knowledge on the subject?"

"No, that is all. That technical knowledge is incredibly precious, and I do not have much more of it," Guilliman lied, shaking his head. He could hardly tell them that his "cheat" hadn't yet unlocked the second stage.

Some things are better kept to oneself; there is no need to broadcast his secrets to the entire world.

"The Archmagos's message ends here. I will now encode your commands and transmit them. You approve his further research into the Primaris Space Marines and are willing to grant the necessary authority. You are relocating the supernatural research project to an uninhabited world and inviting the Grey Knights to garrison it. You also do not possess the dark matter technical knowledge he requires."

"Please confirm the information."

"Yes, that is correct," Guilliman said.

The sounds of machinery whirred to life with a crackle. A simplified code was generated, ready to be transmitted to Macragge for the Archmagos to receive. Once the task was complete, the humming of the machines faded, and the indicator lights on the circuitry and data conduits flickered and died.

The head inside the glass case twitched one last time, the facial muscles slackened, the eyes closed, and it settled back into the golden nutrient solution. The wall panel slid shut, obscuring the head from view.

Everything returned to the state it had been in when he first arrived. Guilliman did not leave immediately; instead, he stood in silence, contemplating his next move.

The Ultramar sector currently faces many historical problems. The remnants of the Tyranid and Ork invasions remain active in various places. A portion of the Necron dynasties has also begun to awaken near Ultramar. These issues must be resolved. Only then could Guilliman secure a stable rear, one that would provide a constant supply of troops and war machines.

Guilliman wasn't just thinking about Ultramar. No matter how dire the situation was here, it would return to peace under his command and the campaigns of the other heroes of the Imperium. At most, it would take six months for all hostilities in Ultramar to subside.

His thoughts drifted further, toward the other regions of the Imperium. The Imperium divides the galaxy into the Segmentum Halo, Segmentum Obscurus, Segmentum Tempestus, Segmentum Ultima, the Eastern Fringe, Segmentum Pacificus, the Segmentum Solar, and the Segmentum Tempestus. The Segmentum Halo, Segmentum Obscurus, the Ghoul Stars, and the Eastern Fringe have all been cut off from the light of the Astronomican by the Great Rift, forming the Imperium Nihilus. Ultramar itself has been affected by the Rift, with parts lying on this side of the Astronomican and parts in the Imperium Nihilus. Macragge was fortunate to be on the side illuminated by the Emperor's light. Warp travel on this side, while difficult, was still barely functional.

Yet, Guilliman felt a profound sense of crisis. Relying on the Emperor’s Astronomican for navigation was never foolproof. Humanity required entirely new means to navigate the Warp and maintain the stability of Imperial shipping lanes.

Guilliman mentally archived the tasks ahead of him:

First: Restore peace to the Ultramar sector, implement his new systems, and shape it into a logistics hub that provides a constant flow of resources.

Second: Find a way to navigate the Warp stably to enhance the mobility of the Imperial military.

Third: Support Cawl’s research into mass-producing Primaris Space Marines and dark matter communication technology.

Fourth: Build a powerful army for the Indomitus Crusade.

Fifth: Balance the old nobility with the new systems, ensuring his reforms are implemented across the Imperium as quickly as possible.

Sixth: Find an opportunity to eliminate the other traitor Primarchs; strike first to gain the advantage.

Guilliman organized the recent events and listed his plans and goals. The order of the list was not a priority ranking, but merely a sequence. It was impossible to finish one thing before starting another. This wasn't a video game where one task is completed before moving to the next. Even if he wanted to, the traitor Primarchs would never allow him to follow his plan so methodically; they would surely jump out to cause chaos from time to time. He could only push forward on these plans while simultaneously resolving the accidents that would inevitably arise.

Speaking of which, he had already issued his taunt to Mortarion—he wondered if that wretch had taken the bait yet. According to the history he knew, the creature could never endure such a slight and would surely act. In reality, however, it was harder to predict.

Unfortunately, the Warp had no spies; there was no way to grasp the movements of the Chaos Gods, and Guilliman was essentially operating in the dark. He had to find a way to resolve this.

If daemons could support human traitors, why couldn't the Imperium support daemon traitors? It was rumored that some Inquisitors collaborated with less malevolent entities of the Warp, employing them as mercenaries to do their bidding. As Lord Regent, Guilliman could not engage in such activities; if it were leaked, his reputation would be ruined.

"I need a white glove," Guilliman muttered, rubbing his chin. He had to find a few radical Inquisitors to serve his interests. Otherwise, remaining blind to the enemies within the Warp was too agonizing.

The Imperial Inquisition is comprised of three primary wings: the Ordo Xenos, targeting alien threats; the Ordo Hereticus, targeting different faiths within the Ecclesiarchy; and the Ordo Malleus, targeting the daemonic entities of the Warp. Like the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Inquisition had split into conservative and radical factions. The conservatives believed all aliens and daemons should be purged, regardless of location, circumstance, or context. The radicals believed that aliens and daemons should be categorized by threat level, and that one should find ways to ally with the lesser threats to eliminate the greater ones, and then eliminate the lesser ones afterward.

Guilliman felt that the radicals could be put to good use.