"So what do we do now?" Dorn's fists clenched, the creaking of his gauntlets breaking the silence. "You've pushed a suspect into the position of Warmaster. What's the next step?"
After understanding the cause and effect, he calmed down significantly, quickly assessing the current situation to find a solution.
Russ sat down as well. He had given his stubborn brother a wake-up call and talked him out of his impulsiveness, but he had no idea how to proceed next.
"Lure the snake out of its hole." Seeing the atmosphere relax, Sanguinius began to explain the next phase: "Solas has been honored as Warmaster, yet he remains under our watch."
"For convenience of communication, each Legion must send messengers to be stationed on the Second Legion's flagship."
"Solas commands the overall situation, and countless orders will be issued. If he truly has a problem, communication with Lorgar will be essential."
The Primarchs understood. It was easy to stay dormant normally, but once the fighting intensified and a massive volume of orders was issued, he would inevitably slip up.
"I'm still uneasy." Dorn shook his head, his serious face betraying his worry. "Messengers stationed in the Second Legion have no authority to investigate."
"In a massive exchange of information, key intel only needs to be hidden in code to transmit military secrets, causing immense losses."
"Moreover, regarding the Warmaster's orders, we cannot openly agree while secretly opposing them. Solas is no fool; if he senses something is wrong, he will certainly take countermeasures."
He had a point. Solas had been lurking within the Imperium of Man for years and must understand Legion operations very well; he would notice the slightest anomaly.
Dorn's gaze sharpened as he asked tentatively, "Should we jointly petition Father to arrest Solas first?"
"No." Guilliman shook his head. "There is no direct evidence that Solas has betrayed humanity. We absolutely cannot do that, not even with direct authorization from Father the Emperor."
As a qualified politician, Guilliman knew the implications involved.
As the Son of the Emperor, the Primarchs held a transcendent status and were, in many respects, an important symbol of the Imperium of Man.
Arresting a Primarch without cause would have a terrible impact.
Even in the worst-case scenario, if it were confirmed that Solas was colluding with xenos, his disposal could not be publicized and would need to be handled in secret.
A Primarch betraying the Imperium to join the xenos!?
The mere thought of those words sent a chill down one's spine, as if they carried a taboo sufficient to destroy a mortal's trust in the Imperium.
"That's too passive." Dorn sighed helplessly. He understood the reasoning, but his concern for the Imperium drove him to want to do something.
"Lure the snake out of its hole." Ferrus nodded after some deep thought and asked his holy brother, "The first step has been executed. What is the next move?"
Sanguinius gave his brother a warm smile, his thin lips parting to utter a single word: "Wait!"
"Wait?"
"I'm afraid we can't wait." Ferrus's thick brows furrowed as he shook his head while thinking. "The Warmaster has already issued deployment instructions; the army must begin moving. The Great War is about to start, and the Ran Dan won't let us wait."
Lion coughed twice to draw everyone's attention, tapping the table to call up the strategic deployment. "Waiting can also be done in different ways."
"I've carefully considered Solas's deployment, and there are no major issues. As he said: facing a Lorgar who is stronger than us, taking the initiative to attack is the only way to seize control of the battlefield."
"You should be able to see it." Lion raised his verdant eyes and said to Ferrus, "Aside from this, there is almost no better way."
"I agree with that." Ferrus nodded. Despite Solas being under suspicion, the strategic deployment was executed to perfection.
"You mean...?" His dark gray eyes suddenly lit up, and a smile couldn't help but appear on his grease-stained face. "We execute it exactly like this?"
As a candidate for Warmaster, Ferrus didn't need much explanation; he immediately understood the underlying meaning.
"Yes." The Lion nodded slightly, his golden hair swaying. "We will act according to this logic."
"Our brother's talent is extraordinary. He has cleared the clouds for us and pointed out the strategic objectives."
"A good method has no sin in itself; it just happens to have come from the mouth of a suspect. We cannot discard it simply because of who said it."
"That makes sense." Russ slammed the table as he stood up, leaving a palm print on the surface. A mischievous grin appeared on his face. "We'll act openly and see how the xenos respond!"
"I don't believe the Ran Dan can face several of our brothers at once. So what if it's a frontal confrontation?"
Guilliman nodded in agreement, hitting the nail on the head: "Whether it's the Ran Dan or humans, there is an innate distrust of other races."
"If Solas really is in league with the xenos, strategically speaking, he will always be on the defensive."
"Just deal the Ran Dan a few heavy blows, and the racial divide will immediately manifest. Distrust will be infinitely magnified, and the battlefield has no room for doubt."
"Furthermore," Sanguinius took over, speaking to his brothers, "the 'waiting' I mentioned means we can act freely. Blazkowicz has already arranged personnel to collect evidence of Solas's collusion with the xenos."
"As soon as he acts, he will naturally reveal a flaw. At that time, we can decide how to handle Solas secretly."
After The Great Angel finished, everyone nodded.
Through this exchange, they understood the danger Solas posed, agreed on a response, and determined their next course of action.
"Then let us begin following the strategic deployment, move into our designated positions, and prepare to engage the Ran Dan."
Dorn stood by the round table, one iron fist clenched tight, his eyes shining with an intolerant light.
He was the most stubborn of men, never hesitating once he had decided on something. Deep down, Dorn had branded Solas an enemy, and he would not waver again.
"Restrain yourself a bit. For now, we need to keep Solas steady." Russ stood up and reminded Dorn once more before leaving, "Don't alert the enemy."
"Do I look like a fool to you?" Dorn's face was grim. Being mistrusted by a brother was an irritating thing.
"Not a fool, exactly." Russ snorted, looking his brother up and down. "Just like a block of stone."
With that, he ignored Dorn's expression and walked toward the door to leave.
The others stood up one after another. Since they had reached a consensus, they had to put it into action. They prepared to leave the Phalanx and head to their respective Legions to make deployment arrangements.
"Wolf-cubs, let's go!" Russ's call came from outside, followed by the wild howls of the Space Marines.
"Let us go as well."
The Primarchs nodded to each other. No more words were needed. Although it was their first meeting, they were all brothers worthy of trust.
The Primarchs left with their respective guards, returning to their bloodline Legions to begin operations according to the Warmaster's deployment.
Before leaving the Shana System, the Legions sent messengers to be stationed on the Second Legion's flagship to relay the Warmaster's instructions to their own Legions at all times.
On the Second Legion's Glorious Queen, Solas walked hurriedly, his Primarchs Guard following closely behind, urgently keeping pace with the Primarch.
There was no expression on his thin face, but deep within his silver eyes, a sharp light flickered from time to time, as if he were plotting something.
"When can the fleet set sail?" Solas asked, his voice echoing in the deep corridor.
The Techmarine answered truthfully, "The fleet is ready to sail. Once the messengers from our brother Legions have boarded, we can depart."
Solas nodded. His Gene-sons' words were respectful, but they couldn't hide their excitement. They yearned for a magnificent war!
He let out a long breath, and a hint of sadness suddenly welled up in his heart. Without a word, his tall frame slouched slightly as he exhaled.
Alpharius followed behind his brother with his spear, his pace perfectly hurried.
Beneath the concealment of his helmet, a genuine smile played on his disguised face.
After a long period of lurking and waiting, the situation had reached a turning point under external catalysis. The King of Agents accurately sensed that his work was coming to an end.
Moribus Solas.
A hint of dejection and inner conflict emanated from his brother's immortal body. Unknown to outsiders, it could not escape Alpharius's meticulous observation.
It was as if he had made a certain decision that caused his unshakable spirit to waver, making him appear much older.
This was almost impossible. To adapt to high-intensity warfare, the Emperor had crafted the Primarchs to be nearly immortal, never aging.
This so-called "aging" was more often a reflection of a Primarch's internal changes, projected onto their face so their image matched their heart.
This was also why many Legion Warriors would see their Gene-Father looking different from usual in various environments or circumstances.
The current situation was very special. With the Second Legion actively preparing for war, why would the Primarch look regretfully aged?
"As soon as the personnel from the other Legions have boarded, the fleet will set sail immediately—"
Before Solas could finish, the starry sky outside the viewport rippled as a ship returned from the Warp to the Real Universe.