"Malcador has proposed stationing remembrancers with every Expedition Fleet, with you, the Imperium's greatest generals," the Emperor said, surveying the Primarchs.
"They are poets, journalists, photographers, and writers. They will record this Great Crusade for humanity."
Magnus's mutable eye shifted to orange. "I support Malcador's proposal."
"In fact, since the Great Crusade began, many have gathered around the Expedition Fleets of their own accord, recording everything."
"But they have received no support. Soldiers have roughly driven them away, even deliberately abandoning them on dangerous, feral worlds."
Malcador, his right hand gripping his staff, looked approvingly at the book adorned on the Primarch's person.
"You trust them. I have heard that Mahavastu Kallimakus has been writing on your behalf."
Magnus's eye shifted to blue. "Indeed."
"The army is no place for them," Leman Russ said with disgust.
"If all these remembrancers want to walk the front lines, they should be given weapons."
"That way, at least before they die, they can get off a single damned shot at the enemy. They'd at least consume one enemy bullet. That's two things they'd be good for."
"They are a burden on the Expedition Fleets, requiring additional forces to protect them," Rogal Dorn said bluntly.
"We have to consider their safety when undertaking military operations."
"Their presence hinders our military campaigns." Since Nareth had rescued the missing Primarch from the grip of the Slaugth on Bar'Savor, he had been the public face of the 20th Legion.
Only the Emperor, Malcador, and Captain-General Constantin Valdor, who had crossed blades with Alpharius in the Palace's defense, knew of his existence.
Seeing few supporters, with most Primarchs opposed to the formal integration of remembrancers into their Legions, the Emperor's gaze passed over the taciturn Lion, landing on those closest to him.
"Horus, Nareth, Roboute. Your views?"
Guilliman felt the weight of his brothers' stares upon him, the pressure transmitted through the psychic projection.
After a few seconds of consideration, he spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully.
"I believe history should be recorded."
'I do hope you maintain that attitude regarding the history of the Imperium Secundus.' Nareth's lips twitched.
His gaze flicked almost imperceptibly towards the Regent. 'Material for the Imperial propaganda machine?'
'Before the establishment of the Council of Terra, would they record our glorious deeds as a consolation for the loss of power?'
'I have no need of such glorious records, and besides...'
He thought of Horus appointing Petronella Vivar of House Carpinus to write his biography, and inwardly scoffed.
'Who in their right mind would think of writing an autobiography while still alive?'
"I disagree." Nareth expressed his stance unequivocally.
Remembrancers were a minor nuisance to him.
Most came from Terra, loyal to the Imperium, and clashed with the Shadows of Order on many fronts.
Like the low-profile Iterators within his Legion, they were a small problem.
The influence of Iterators varied across Expedition Fleets. The Luna Wolves' chief Iterator, Kyril Sindermann, had enormous influence throughout the entire 63rd Expedition Fleet.
Gogonda Peyarch, before his retirement, could even speak as the Emperor's voice, rebuking Fulgrim's recklessness.
But Iterators held almost no influence within the Shadows of Order, the Ultramarines, the Dark Angels, the Word Bearers, the Space Wolves, or the World Eaters.
The Dark Angels left few survivors on the xenos worlds they purged. The Space Wolves and World Eaters left few survivors at all; reconstruction was left to subsequent colonization fleets.
The Ultramarines delved deep into every world, guiding its development. The Iterators were unnecessary, overshadowed by these superhuman, politically astute warriors.
The Word Bearers utterly transformed the culture, institutions, and even faith of their conquered worlds. Iterators were equally useless.
The Shadows of Order fell somewhere between the Ultramarines and the Word Bearers. They had not yet widely propagated the faith of the Black Emperor, leaving no room for Iterators to operate.
"I welcome the formal integration of remembrancers into the Expedition Fleets." Horus sensed his father's resolve. He also wished for the deeds he and his brothers had accomplished for the Imperium to be remembered.
"The remembrancers will join the Expedition Fleets. You will cooperate with their work," the Emperor declared, his voice penetrating the psychic projections, reaching the minds of his sons scattered across the galaxy, light-years away.
Nareth accepted the outcome in silence. He glanced at Magnus.
'Hmm, though a minor nuisance, there are ways to exploit it.'
'Just as Magnus manipulated Mahavastu Kallimakus into writing the Book of Magnus, I can control the remembrancers to produce accounts that glorify my deeds and present a majestic image, to be used as propaganda material.'
He habitually sought the exploitable loophole in any unfavorable rule. For a master of mental influence like himself, this was not difficult.
Seeing his sons had accepted his command, the Emperor continued.
"I have also convened you to address a new threat. A xenos race, known as the Bone Drinker, has invaded the Segmentum Solar."
"Russ and Curze have been tasked with their eradication, but their progress has been unsatisfactory."
"Many transport routes are suffering, reducing supplies to the Expedition Fleets..."
A flat, mechanical voice cut in, emanating from the Emperor's opposite, the other head of the Imperium's twin-headed eagle, Fabricator General Kelbor-Hal.
"Logistics efficiency has declined by 5.2 percent. Ammunition resupply is down by 10.48 percent..."
He listed a series of figures, impressing upon the War Council the urgency of the xenos threat.
"The Wolves are already hunting them. It won't take long..." Russ protested.
Curze remained hunched, like a carrion vulture perched.
"We have no time!" the Emperor declared.
"This xenos threat must be ended immediately. Transportation routes must be reopened."
His gaze swept over his sons, settling on Nareth.
"Nareth, my Pegasus, I need you to act at once. Cleanse the Bone Drinkers."
Nareth glanced at the Alpha Legion Primarch. Information about the Bone Drinkers flashed through his mind.
He recalled that this xenos race, designated by the Imperium as the Bone Drinkers, actually known as the Ak'Haireth, were ultimately exterminated by the Alpha Legion.
The Alpha Legion's Apothecaries, collaborating with the Mechanicum's Genetor, developed a biological weapon.
Using their preferred infiltration tactics, the Alphas discovered that some human worlds had offered living sacrifices to the Bone Drinkers to avoid total annihilation.
Alpharius then dispatched operatives to infiltrate these worlds, gather intelligence, and successfully corralled the xenos spores into a single location, which was then destroyed with Cyclonic torpedoes.
The surviving Ak'Haireth attempted to feed on other worlds, only to find that the local humans had been infected with the engineered virus designed to kill them.
In the end, this xenos race, which had given both the Space Wolves and the Night Lords trouble, was wholly exterminated by the Alpha Legion.
'Infiltration. Biological agents.'
'My Legion can do the same. And Mikael should be capable of crafting a virus targeting only the Bone Drinkers.'
'Hmm, a xenos race this troublesome is likely a source of potion materials.'
With that thought, Nareth readily accepted the command.
"As you command."
As Russ and the other Primarchs, still dissatisfied with the remembrancers' integration, allowed their psychic projections to fade, Nareth gazed towards Terra.
'Hmm, that particular remembrancer should be starting his journey soon.'
A faint smile touched his lips as he ended the projection, returning to the Shadow's Sovereignty.
....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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