Segmentum Tempestus, Belt of Iron, Talas System.
Talas Prime surface, C-5 Zone.
Twenty-eight tripedal walkers marched in formation under a murky yellow light similar to that of Gardinaal.
Every individual in the formation looked remarkably similar: sparse, short grey hair, pale skin, and dull yellow eyes.
This was a manifestation of their shared Gardinaal caste, the result of countless generations of genetic iteration.
But they were different from their caste ancestors, whose bodies had been dissected and placed in mortuaries.
The sixth generation of walker pilots, who had grown up after submitting to the Primarch, now had an average theoretical lifespan of thirty-nine years.
Their faces radiated vivid, dynamic battle-lust. They were the Primarch's new warrior aristocracy.
They no longer lived cramped in narrow tenement buildings like their fathers' generation.
The Gardinaal system had been reorganized under the command of the Light Lord. The ten planets besides the primary had been clearly defined.
Planet Four was constructed around tripedal walker operations. The few existing factories were converted to civilian use, while new factories were built for manufacturing and assembly.
The pilots, residing in new hives modeled after Paradigm City, became the new masters of the hive spires.
The flight leader checked the stream of runes emerging from his cogitator array and called out loudly: "Enemy contact at ten o'clock."
"Warhound Titans. Plasma shields."
The Gardinaal Mark II tripodal walker, compared to the original Warhound Titan's size, had increased in size by 16.5 percent.
The expanded space allowed for the installation of a Nemesis-class reactor. The power provided enabled the tripedal walker to equip the plasma shields of Knight mechs.
Unlike the High Lords' era, when pilots were treated as expendable, and the experimental Mark I walkers built to fight the Rangdan, these walkers possessed defense for the first time.
Although the plasma shields couldn't withstand the Legio Laniaskara Warlord Titan plasma blast guns, their Warhound Titans weren't equipped with that fearsome weapon.
Bang, bang, bang...
The left leg of the rear two legs touched down, while the other two legs turned under the control of the tactile gloves.
Boom, boom, boom!
Beams of dazzling light shot out from between the mine-shaft mountains.
Legio Laniaskara, lying in ambush on the main road flank leading to the C-5 forge city, had launched a surprise attack.
The three walkers on the left front of the formation had their black, crab-like bodies severed by the blazing beams, scattering like unglued sandwiches.
The six walkers immediately following were violently shaken by the shockwaves as they completed their turn.
Their three mechanical legs, like iron pillars, braced their steel bodies.
Rumble...
Amidst the dull, heavy thunder, two walkers raised their plasma shields, and the incessant crackling, yellow smoke billowed.
The tripedal walkers lowered their profiles, resisting the impact of dozens of turbolaser shots. Their three steel legs left deep claw marks on the rock road.
Nineteen tripedal walkers completed their turn in unison, their arms rotating rapidly, sending out beams of energy.
The dazzling, searing beams, their jets like awls, pierced the blue-green steel hulls.
Moments later, the tripedal walker formation had destroyed six Warhound Titans.
The flight leader was about to continue leading the formation towards the C-5 forge city when his vox array buzzed.
Seeing the rune was from the Light Lord, he immediately answered.
"Light Lord, what is your command?"
"Valia-Maximal has surrendered. Halt all attacks!" Wilshire's voice was as fervent as ever.
At the same time, outside the largest forge city on Talas.
The fierce final battle between the Legio Astraman and Legio Laniaskara Warlord Titans was reaching its end.
Countless scattered, burning metal wrecks, fourteen green God-machines formed a defensive ring, pouring concentrated fire into two blue-green enemy machines.
The two blue-green Laniaskara fired searing blue beams that pierced the void shields of the green Astramans, slicing through meters of adamantium armor. The power systems of their right arms and left legs were damaged.
Boom!
A Warlord Titan lost its balance, its massive steel foot crashing onto the rock ground.
The screech of brakes suddenly filled the air. Sparks crackled from the wheels of hundreds of transport vehicles.
Servitors jolted violently in their seats, forcefully pressing yellow buttons. Steel chains shot out, and mechanical claws extended.
The task of the towing servitors was to recover the God-machines and minimize losses.
Compared to Darkfire, the Crown of Graia, overshadowing Talas's surface, deployed more vehicles and possessed greater repair capabilities, resulting in far lower Titan losses for their side than their allies.
The two Rippers, wreathed in white steam, had large sections of their blue-green steel Valia-Maximal alloy hulls burned into clumps of slag.
The two God-machines were rocked violently. Their blue beams, now askew, carved curved chasms as they swept across the ground.
Suddenly, a blue beam oscillated, shooting up and slicing across the abdomen of a green Astraman.
The temperature of its plasma reactor spiked dramatically. Its steel body became a cage of fire.
A blinding pillar of light shot skyward.
Rumble!
A fireball exploded, slamming into the shimmering void shield.
Rain of plasma fire fell. Inside the thirteen green Astramans, there was deathly silence.
A chilling bleakness spread. The flames of revenge burned.
"Attack!"
The titan strode forward with heavy steps. As the earth trembled, his volcano cannons aimed at the forge city.
At the smoke-wreathed muzzles, dazzling light flared.
Just as the forge city was about to be leveled, and tens of millions of serf workers were about to be incinerated to ash, the Princep Senoris's vox array buzzed.
The priority communication level of the Shadow of Order's Chapter Master made the message scroll immediately.
"Valia-Maximal has surrendered. Cease your attack at once!"
.....
Ten standard days later, Forge World, Valia-Maximal, Forge Temple.
First Magus Unai-9, his tone steady yet carrying a trace of warmth, said to Nareth via his vox array.
"We thank you for your timely communication. Five forge cities have been spared from destruction. Over a hundred million lives have been saved."
Nareth, with a banner hanging from his left shoulder, keenly perceived the change in the red-robed Magi sitting across the long table.
"That is good news," he said, nodding with a smile. The Astraman and Volcanum I had received the message in time and halted their attacks.
Unlike in the memory, there were no catastrophic consequences. Valia-Maximal harbored no ingrained hatred.
This was a good start for winning over Valia-Maximal.
The "Mentor of Disorder's" voice deepened as his spirituality surged. The uniqueness of the "Red Priest" grew warmer.
"I will fully support Valia-Maximal in expanding its production lines and extracting the mixtures within its corrosive seawater."
"I will also secure permission for you to retain three more star systems."
Nareth remembered that after submitting, Mars had seized most of the star systems Valia-Maximal controlled, leaving them with only a few.
Vast streams of 0s and 1s flooded the noosphere of Valia-Maximal as the Magi silently exchanged views.
"Mars demands we cede control of at least twelve star systems. With over half the Legio Laniaskara lost, we have no room for negotiation," stated the Envoy Magus.
His words prompted Unai-9 to make a decision.
"I am willing to enter a covenant with you."
Five days later, as the Bell of the Omnissiah tolled twelve times, Nareth walked into the incense-filled Forge Temple.
Smiling, he walked to the Archmagos Intendant and, as the Ritual Magus led the chanting, inscribed his name.
As Nareth stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Unai-9, he issued an invitation to the Archmagos Intendant of Graia.
"Dgoes, we are allies bound by the sacred light of the Omnissiah. It is fitting that we cooperate fully."
Dgoes-12 was silent for a few seconds. Without Nareth, the war would not have ended so swiftly.
The rapid reconquest of the agri-world Narindi had greatly reduced Graia's losses.
After his logical analysis, Dgoes-12 accepted the invitation and walked to stand on Nareth's left.
Nareth smiled at Dgoes-12 and Unai-9, one on each side of him.
'A good start.'
'Former enemies, with no irreparable, deep-seated hatred. By the time of the Heresy, they will be able to cooperate fully, joining me in controlling the Belt of Iron.'
After Nareth left the Forge Temple with Arsena, as the Aquila Lander took flight, the silver-haired Primarch's attendant reported.
"My lord, the Emperor is holding a Triumph on Terra in your honor, celebrating the pacification of the Belt of Iron."
....
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