40 Thousand Reasons

I have been struggling to keep cheating at a minimum, mainly to allow my crew and troops to experience real combat. I wouldn't always be there to babysit them, and experience was as important as better weapons.

The Orks made easy opponents anyway, when you had correct tactical information and orbital superiority. Take that away, like on Armageddon, where the giant Space Hulk in low orbit was denying the Imperium orbital support, while the thick air pollution and metal dust forced the troops to engage Orks in melee, even their Meks and Gargants, and it quickly became a clusterfuck.

I was in two minds about interfering there, because the entire galaxy was watching, and showing my hand too soon will not result in praise but sanctions and accusations.

On the other hand, it would be a giant battlefield filled with amazing loot and profit opportunity...no!

Bad Pef! We don't want our children burned alive. Stick to the plan, and avoid the Solar Segmentum until Guilliam clears the way.

Anyways, by setting up a Forge here at Bhorc Prime, the place will become rich and attractive in a short time, while the local criminals and gangs provided human resources for servitors and forced labour.

Antax will need to import a few billion immigrants to develop the place properly, but a wealth of metal from the Space Hulk fragments we 'found' in the system will keep the Forges and the dockyards busy for a millennium without much other imports.

And as usual, we picked a moon to set up the chemical and radioactive industry, while the planet itself would still be able to produce food for itself, without getting overwhelmed by pollution and toxic chemicals.

From Bhorc we ranged a small expedition to expand the domain to 50 planets nearby, and reach Jonol, a feral world that housed the Honoured Sons Chapter.

It was a pathetic place, truly. Luckily for them, I was in a good mood, so I offered them 10 torpedo destroyers and a light cruiser with drop-pods, plus another Company of Blank recruits and Captains for their ships.

Their Chapter Master Seneca was rather suspicious, especially when I handed him another power sword with a Null Wand inside.

"This relic blocks the Warp, Brother. It gives me no pleasure to hunt down corrupted Space Marines, like the late Chapter Master of the Blood Ravens and Huron of the Astral Claws. We were meant to defeat any foes, including demons." I explained patiently while Canis grinned at the Honoured Son with teeth the size of combat knives. Perhaps the wolf found the traitor bones crunchy?

"And in exchange? I know this isn't free!" the man exclaimed with a wary glance at my wolf.

I mentally urged Canis to walk away, as his teeth were not helping right now.

"There are worlds nearby that need your protection, Master Seneca. Places like Exotia and Formund, where an array of orbital forts and a patrol fleet will defend humanity, especially if you raise a hundred Auxilia regiments and clean up cults and corruption. And train a thousand techmarines to pilot your tanks and gunships, for Emperor's sake!" I demanded in a low growl, mirrored by my wolf.

"...I'll have to speak with my Captains and Librarians, Lord Lancefire. But sending a thousand neophytes to Mars for training, is too much!" he claimed in an outraged voice.

"Who said anything about Mars? Forge Megyre and Triplex Phall are much closer. Have your barges and cruisers fitted with warpless engines and Nova Cannons, requisition a thousand Sentinels for each regiment, and even infantry Auxilia can defend against small invasions. The Imperium hamstrings the Imperial Guard with their minimal use of vehicles, but we're not so limited, are we Brother?" I asked rhetorically and offered my hand.

He was hesitant in taking my hand, knowing already it wouldn't be all that easy.

"You act like a Primarch, damn you! You even have Sanguinius's face." he murmured in a not too pleased tone.

"I do? I don't recall giving out orders and writing a Codex." I answered cheerfully and turned away, walking towards the landing bay.

"And yet, it is exactly what you did, strange Lamenter." Master Seneca murmured at my back, although I pretended not to hear him.

He was right, of course. I was setting up objectives and achievement targets, while inserting my own Blank sons into his command structure. Helping too, with ships and advice, just like any good Primarch would.

I just didn't expect the man to be so perceptive. Then again, Astartes did have better minds than most people, and a Chapter Master was not picked for his painting skills.

From here, my fleet to Coralax, the homeworld of the Knights of the Raven, where pretty much the same deal took place. I tasked them to watch over Newseam and the growing stellar domain of my daughter Andrea, now an independent Rogue Trader with her own Warrant.

However, the Chapter Master was a psyker, and unwilling to be separated from his 'gift', so I gave the power sword to his second-in-command, and tasked him with keeping constant watch over his boss, in case he fell too. I almost got stabbed for that, until I reminded him of Gabriel Angelos and his fight with his own Chapter Master.

Captain Gurion just glared at me and took the sword with disgust. "This not a honorable task, Lord Lancefire."

"The Great Enemy is not honorable, Brother. Psykers are always exposed to the Warp, and the voices they hear are rarely good. My own Primarch died at his corrupted brother's hand, and millions of traitor marines plague the galaxy. As for the sword,you were not lucky enough to be born a Blank, but with this sword you can still do your duty, even when faced with a Daemon Prince. Just like Captain Semnai from my Second Company did. He helped kill Corruptis, and even lived to have a laugh about it." I answered with a wry voice, and offered my hand.

"Naming the sword 'Duty' was too much. Now I can never put it down!" the man complained as he examined the power sword with competent eyes.

I just smiled and patted his armored shoulder. "It is very light though. You won't even feel its weight." I explained in fake naivety, then walked away and scratched Canis as a reward for keeping me safe.

"...Why does it feel so heavy though?" the Astartes Captain murmured softly, while testing a few sword moves at lightning-fast speed.

A week later, we arrived at Sternac to trade with the Iron Lords Space Marines, gifting them maimed soldiers as new recruits, and more torpedo destroyers and another light cruiser with drop-pods.

Plus the now familiar Null Sword, Blank Captains from my many daughters who wanted a capital ship, and a hangar filled with blackstone to protect their armor and vehicles from Warp and weapon damage.

Unlike other Chapters though, these guys were really grateful for my help, especially knowing of my deeds on Estaban personally, many of them having been there along with their Iron Hands founding Chapter, and knew of my mother's sacrifice to kill Fulgrim.

And since Fulgrim killed their Primarch, Ferrus Manus...well, it was a big debt for them.

So I offered them a standing invite to Forge Machine for repairs and supplies and free training for a thousand techmarines, and their Ruling Council immediately agreed. It was a bit strange to deal with a rather democratic leadership, but such was their way, and it worked for them. It also helped that all of their Iron Captains had Mind Impulse Units, creating another bond between us.

As for their task, I charged them with protecting Hive World Agrellan and the nearby planets exposed to the Tau Empire's expansion, where their technical expertise would be needed to combat the advanced technology of the Tau.

In fact, they promised to adopt my operational procedure entirely, as long they could receive walkers and drop-pods and every other type of equipment.

"Brothers, Forge Machine is not an unlimited supply depot. You will have to send diplomatic ships to other Forges, like Estaban and Tigrus, and requisition material for this task, plus more ships. Or have them provide Manufactorum ships to set up a new Forge in the Agrellan system, and produce everything locally, while you raise and train Auxilia regiments. A Hive World can support a thousand regiments without worry, especially after you clean up the underhives and increase production." I told their Council in a sterner voice.

"...You're right, Lord Lancefire. If we want a miracle, we have to work for it. But with a thousand Auxilia regiments...we should be able to retake the lost human worlds from those Farsight_Enclaves. It will take a decade or two, but we will do it!" their Lord Captain promised ceremoniously.

"Hear, hear! For the blood of Ferrus Manus." the other Iron Captains chanted in an eerie chorus.

"The Tau use missiles and railguns in large numbers, so you'll need Flare Shields for armor, and lots of aircraft to engage their rapid grav-tanks and mobile suits. And never engage if you lack orbital superiority. Consider the Tau are all techpriests, and you'll have a better estimation of their real strength." I explained in a gentle voice.

Their enthusiasm halted at once, and they became more sober. "We'll need more techmarines then. But there have to be millions of maimed guardsmen everywhere. And many of them enroll at even at 14 or 15 years old."

Sadly it was true. With life span on feral and feudal worlds rarely passing 40 years of age, and even Hive World rarely reaching 50, people started duty at a younger age, not that they had school to occupy their days anyway.

Work, pray, sleep, often 10 people in a 20-meter room. Child labour was so common it was nearly the norm, while injuries and disease were almost never treated among the masses, crime was rampant and corruption ubiquitous.

The Imperium of 40k was a hellhole, and humanity has lost its meaning. There was little humane left in humans, and nothing humane in our enemies. For in the grim dark future, there was only war.