Chapter 60 Planet Pharos

Chapter 60: The Planet Pharos

Guilliman swept his gaze across the assembly, a smile touching his lips.

The Great Rift had torn the galaxy asunder, plunging humanity into its most terrifying age of darkness. Monsters and demons from the ancient Long Night emerged unceasingly, running rampage across the worlds of men. The fear, unease, and despair of humanity echoed endlessly within the Warp. Mankind was marching toward destruction, and the Imperium lay on the brink of death, on the verge of total collapse.

Yet, it was the very individuals before him who maintained the final vestige of the Imperium. In this hour of bureaucratic corruption and universal confusion, when all beings trembled in panic, they had stepped forward to shoulder the duty of protecting mankind.

"I am gladdened that we can gather here today."

The Primarch’s voice required no amplification device to reach every corner of the grand hall, ensuring that every commander heard him clearly.

"Our species faces an unprecedented catastrophe. The fall of the Cadia Fortress is merely the beginning. Unprecedented darkness is gathering, and humanity is merely a step away from annihilation. The Great Rift has severed the galaxy, leaving countless stars plunged deep into disaster. Our duty is of supreme importance, especially at this moment, my friends."

"To save the Imperium, and to reverse the doom of human extinction, reform is desperately urgent. The reforms enacted within the Ultramar Segmentum have won us the welcome of the populace, granting us greater military forces and material resources; this has already proven the absolute necessity of reform."

"Yet, there are always those who lust after power, foolishly attempting to resist change, placing their own interests above those of the Imperium and our species. When that time comes, the pressure you face will be heavier than ever before. Nor will the Chaos Gods allow us to achieve success so easily. They will deceive you, guiding you down errant paths. I wish only to counsel you here: when you find yourselves lost and uncertain, quiet your hearts and ask yourselves what it is you fight for."

"Is it for the praise and honor of others? Is it for the cheers of victory? Or is it to safeguard our species, to protect the glory of my father, and to fulfill the great, uncompleted dream He left behind?"

Guilliman paused for a brief moment, timing the silence with deliberate skill to stir the emotions of the crowd, before he spoke once more.

"No matter what reason has set your feet upon this path, this time, I ask that you fight for humanity, fight for the Holy Imperium, and fight to protect the glory of my father—to fulfill that grand, unfinished dream."

"I, the Lord Commander of the Imperium and Master of Ultramar, stand with you."

With Guilliman's final words, the crowd erupted into thunderous cheers. The echoing roars of the Space Marines mingled with the crackling feedback of the vox-casters. The Primarch’s speech had galvanized the assembly, filling them with soaring fervor.

In the meeting that followed, Guilliman briefly outlined the upcoming mission: to press forward with the ongoing reforms in Ultramar and overhaul the political and economic landscape of the Imperium.

And most importantly, to wage a crusade against the xenos forces in Charadon.

Currently, the Charadon Sector was a chaotic mix of human, Necron, and Ork factions, with small-scale conflicts flaring up year after year. If this threat could be thoroughly excised, the Charadon Sector would become a formidable pillar of support for the crusade.

Massive holographic projections hovered above the heads of the attendees. The projections meticulously detailed the various star systems of the Charadon Sector, the imperial military deployments, Rogue Trader dynasties, and the garrisoned Chapters.

Guilliman assigned specific tasks to every individual, aiming for a swift, decisive strike that would utterly extinguish the xenos presence in the Charadon Sector.

The War Council did not last long. The primary purpose of convening this gathering was never mere debate; it was to rally and inspire these loyal servants of the Imperium. As for the strategic planning of the war, Guilliman had already conducted numerous simulated wargames with the assistance of Sicarius, Sicarius, Amalrich, and others. Backed by the strength of the Primaris Space Marines, winning this war would be no arduous task.

Once the meeting concluded, Guilliman bade Amalrich, Celestine, and Clovis to remain.

None of these three possessed strengths suited to fighting xenos. Nor did Guilliman intend to involve them in the campaign within the Charadon Sector. For the sake of operational secrecy—and to voice certain sentiments that might border on the sacrilegious—Guilliman dismissed all others, retaining only the three for a private audience.

This left Celestine and the others filled with lingering bewilderment. What manner of mission could possibly warrant such profound gravity from a Primarch?

"I have a novel and vital mission to entrust to you," Guilliman said, looking down at the three bewildered figures left standing before him, his voice deep and solemn.

"What is it, my lord?" Amalrich asked, gazing up at the Primarch with a puzzled expression.

"We have achieved a measure of success, but greater dangers still loom closer. You must all be aware that the light of the Emperor’s Astronomican can no longer pierce the Great Rift to illuminate the Imperium Nihilus," Guilliman said, looking between the three. "Without the Astronomican, warp travel for humanity has become vastly more treacherous, presenting extreme peril for every Chapter. My traitorous brother also lurks within the dark domain, attempting to forge his twisted psychic empire."

The three nodded in solemn agreement. The intelligence brought by Clovis was no state secret; they held the clearance to know of it.

"We cannot allow ourselves to be led entirely by the nose by our enemies, but that does not mean we shall remain idle." Guilliman looked at them, his eyes briefly drifting into a distant gaze before he spoke again. "I require you to hold a specific location for me."

"What location, my lord?" Celestine inquired.

"Pharos. There lies hidden the hope that will allow us to reclaim the Dark Imperium and defeat Magnus."

Guilliman raised a hand, and at his gesture, a holographic projection materialized in the air. A verdant green planet was outlined by the projection, spinning slowly. Judging by the data, it was a sparsely developed colonial world.

"What is hidden there?" Amalrich asked, still uncomprehending.

Guilliman fell silent for a moment, ultimately deciding upon absolute candor.

"There exists a device akin to a lighthouse there; it can assist us in mastering navigation through the Warp."

"This is not human technology, is it?" Clovis asked with a grave expression.

"It is xenos technology, which I utilized ten thousand years ago. The state of the galaxy back then was even more dire than it is now. The Dark Gods unleashed terrifying warp storms, seeking to reduce humanity to their slaves and playthings, while my father bore the monumental burden of fighting the gods."

"In that era, when the light of the Astronomican faded away, I activated this mystical technological device. It enabled me to reach out to Sanguinius and Lion, allowing us to face that shocking rebellion together."

Guilliman omitted certain details. The existence of the Imperium Secundus was not something suited for casual telling. The Second Empire had been established solely in consideration of the possibility that the Emperor might be slain by Horus. He had been forced to prepare for humanity to continue the fight against Horus without Him. Yet others would not see it that way; they would suspect him of attempting to usurp the Emperor.

"A new research team has already departed. They will analyze the technological apparatus on Pharos, absorb its principles, and apply them. By doing so, we can extend aid to the Imperium Nihilus, constructing beacons for them so that the fleets of the Imperium might escape the clutches of the warp storms."

"Utilizing xenos technology?" Clovis's face darkened with a trace of solemnity.

"We have no other choice. Nor should we simply dismiss this as mere xenos craft; knowledge does not exclusively belong to any single race. It is merely that the xenos utilized these insights first—are we to abandon them out of hand? Shall we plunge the citizens of the Imperium deeper into suffering merely for the sake of unnecessary dogmatic purity?"

"The most likely force to prevent us from applying this technology is Chaos, and you three are the most formidable forces we possess for combating Chaos. Therefore, I need your assistance to guard Pharos until that research team gathers sufficient data to fully comprehend and replicate that xenos technology."

Guilliman looked at Clovis, whose face still bore lingering traces of hesitation.

"Also, to defeat Magnus, Clovis. Without the lighthouse technology of Pharos, what do we have to stop Magnus? The warp storms alone could claim half the life of the Imperial military."

Hearing the name Magnus, coupled with the recollection of his mad schemes, Clovis finally gave a slow nod of assent.

"Very well, it is decided. Prepare yourselves for departure."

A smile touched Guilliman's lips.

Three days later, the Imperial forces gathered in the Macragge System divided into several distinct fleets. For the Charadon Campaign, the Primarch had assigned them divergent objectives. Celestine, Amalrich, and Clovis, meanwhile, set a course toward the planet Pharos bearing their secret commission.