Infinite Metaverse

Terra, Imperial Palace, Hall of Glory.

No place is more suitable for the convening of the War Council than the Hall of Glory. The dome of this hall is more than 200 meters wide and more than 100 meters high, supported by cross pillars like the towers of a castle. The Hall of Glory is said to be the place where Rogal Dorn met his Primarch brothers on the eve of the Siege of Terra.

Grand Master of the Assassin Court Wangorich was a little unhappy at this moment, because he had to wait in the hall and keep company with several unwelcome high lords, even though this was in some ways to his advantage - inconspicuousness is the most perfect disguise for assassins. But he still didn't like this feeling.

After the split of the Astartes Legion, the military development and construction of the Human Empire entered a new era. At this time, some people may ask: Among the many military sequences of the Human Empire, who is the most powerful military force?

Without a doubt, the Imperial Navy.

In interstellar wars, space naval battles are the premise of all battles. This sentence applies to most of the grand science fiction background IPs, whether it is Halo, Starcraft, Star Wars or Warhammer 40K. It makes sense for the Imperium of Man to focus resources on developing the navy first. This is what most interstellar empires in science fiction universes do. The Imperial Navy is of course the most powerful military force in the Imperium of Man.

Space Marines have a unique weapon in space naval battles, "boarding", but most of the time the Imperial Navy does not need to rely on boarding to solve the problem. They can destroy the enemy with lance macrocannons and torpedoes before entering the boarding distance.

However, in the past, in the era of the Astartes Legion, both the Imperial Guard and the Imperial Navy were military forces commanded by Space Marines, but now their scale ranks ahead of the Astartes Adeptus, which is really a bit sad.

In the past few weeks, the behavior of Supreme Lord Admiral Lanson has become more and more arrogant and unconcealed, because other Imperial institutions, or institutions allied with it, such as the Adeptus Mechanicus, have suddenly realized one after another how much they rely on the benevolent support of the Imperial Navy.

The arrival of the Beast, and the endless battles that followed before he devoured the entire galaxy, the Orks' continuous arrival seemed endless, and dozens and hundreds of worlds fell under the attack. Only the Imperial Navy could resist the invaders, and only the Imperial Navy could provide protection for the dignitaries and allow them to escape before the green tide arrived.

Faced with such a dangerous situation, the Supreme Lord Admiral certainly did not sit idly by. He decisively sent a fleet to support those in the star field who defected to his camp. As for those who were unwilling to obey, they would slowly find that their outposts and merchant fleets had lost naval protection.

Yes, that's right, even at this time, even if the Ork troops were approaching the capital, the Supreme Lord Admiral Lansong was still trying to use this disaster to expand his sphere of influence. This greedy thinking seemed to have been deeply rooted in every politician.

Wangorich watched coldly from the side.

The Admiral of the Mechanicus also had its own warships, and they were indispensable to maintaining Lansong's fleet and status. Apparently, the Admiral and the Casting General had quietly reached some agreement. The Lord of Mars was happy to see the Fleet Lord gain honors, while they secretly divided the spoils.

Wangoric quietly evaluated in his heart.

"Woohoo..."

The cheers from afar announced the arrival of the main members of the Imperial Parliament. The Lucifer Black Guards, the Imperial Guards who were responsible for guarding the Imperial Palace and were also the full-time bodyguards of the Imperial officials, formed two columns and walked along the corridor towards the Hall of Glory. Their footsteps were neat and loud.

Wangoric smiled contemptuously at this.

The original Lucifer Black Guards were famous for their loyalty and professionalism in the Unification War and the Horus Heresy, but now these bodyguards named "Black Guards" are just a group of well-trained and gorgeously dressed but flashy people. They had long been bought by a political ally of Lansong, the Sun General Itola who was responsible for the defense of the Sun Sector, like hired mercenaries, with favors and materials.

Each Lucifer Black Guard wore a carapace armor covered with thick bulletproof netting. They walked into the hall, holding shiny long-pole weapons, with tall helmets and goggles covering their faces. Their presence in such large numbers not only showed the large amount of resources that Lansong personally possessed, but also marked the relationship between the Imperial Navy and the Imperial Guard.

For Wangorich, this was a danger signal, and he was surprised that the High Lords would allow such a thing to happen. In the past, such blatant cooperation was almost unthinkable - the Astartes Legion was split into pieces to prevent the emergence of a powerful force with both navy and army. The Imperial Guard has an army but no warships, and the Imperial Navy has warships but no army. This is a kind of check and balance.

Now, Lansong has ignored all these regulations, using the invasion of the Orks as an excuse to overturn past objections and accumulate such a powerful military force.

The Grand Master of the Assassin Court crossed his fingers again.

The four hundred tall and strong Lucifer Black Guards dispersed and formed a circle in the hall, leaving only a gap at the door. Their weapons were raised and crossed like an arch to honor the councillor who was about to enter the hall.

The High Lord Admiral arrived last.

The beating of drums and the blast of trumpets announced his arrival. Amidst the incense smoke that filled the air under the dome, a chandelier carved into a baby angel holding a torch suddenly lit up, dispelling the gloom that had previously lingered in the room.

Lan Song stepped into this glorious venue, the medals on his broad chest and the brocade across his chest sparkling. Although he was still obese, his large frame had obviously been slowly eroded by recent exertion. His double chin had become slightly saggier, and the fat hidden under his wobbly chin had been significantly reduced.

Wangorich roughly estimated that Lanson had lost about fifteen kilograms in the past few weeks, maybe twenty kilograms? He wanted to know what exactly caused this. Whatever the reason, weight loss cannot be ignored. Certain compounds, stimulants and sedatives, must be administered in precise doses related to target body weight. If the agenda of the next meeting does not meet his expectations, the Grand Master of the Assassin's Court will have to take this into consideration and take more necessary measures.

It was no accident that Lanson chose the Hall of Glory to make his statement - half of the commemorative names engraved around the hall belong to space battleships. Such is the nature of war for an interstellar empire. Likewise, the memory of Rogal Dorn meeting his primarch brothers here is also available.

With a wave of his ringed hand, the High Lord Admiral invited his fellow High Lords to take a seat at the ornate table. Wangoric sat at the other end of the table, far away from Lanson, between the lower-ranking members of the council.

Surprisingly, Lanson did not sit directly at the top as Wangorich thought, but sat between Minister of the Interior Tobris and Merchant Fleet Spokesperson Yuskina. The two of them are very close to the first seat, showing their prominence, but no one dares to occupy the empty first place that once belonged to the master of the seal, Malcador or Rogal Dorn.

If you think about it carefully, Lan Song's arrangement of locations is very reasonable. Wangorich knew that the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Navy was about to announce a new offensive against the Orcs who were approaching the Sun Sector - presumably all the high lords knew this, which required a large amount of material and logistical support. Lanson surrounded himself with leaders of the Ministry of the Interior and the Merchant Marine, elevating both institutions to a new status.

Lanson did not pretend to be humble and let the Imperial Commander-in-Chief Udo or the Minister of the Interior make the opening remarks. This was his parliament. He stood up, hammered the table with his fists, and glanced back and forth along the edge of the table. With a hum of action, the servo-skull began to record the speech, and other chroniclers recorded the scene for posterity, the light of High Gothic reflecting off the stone pillars and walls.

"In every era of mankind, there is always a period when we will face the most severe challenges."

Lan Song said slowly.

The voice was calm and sincere.

"I ask permission from the great Imperial Council that has defined this era to make a proposal and humbly present to you the intelligence information I have gathered so far on all the issues that plague us today."

Wangorich wanted to laugh a little when he heard this, but what Lansong said was not modest at all. But he still remained calm and silent, seemingly paying attention to the admiral's words, but in fact he was quietly observing the reactions of the other high lords present with the corner of his eye.

"The invasion of the Orks shocked us; we had thought of them as weak, divided, and unworthy of mention like the other xenos. Like many others, I let my desire for peace override vigilance and responsibility. They were powerful. The attack caught us off guard - even the Imperial Fists and the glorious Guardians of Terra were not enough to counter this threat."

Several congressmen took a deep breath after hearing this - Lan Song seemed to be openly criticizing a start-up war group?

"We must not be intimidated by the Ork armed space stations that suddenly appear behind our lines. If they want to penetrate our lines, then we must also actively penetrate their lines in certain areas. This will put both sides into extreme are in danger, but if the Imperial Guard and the Imperial Navy can handle it properly - as I believe they will, if the Imperial Navy can continue to use their talent for recovery and counterattack, if the Imperial Guard can show their tenacious endurance and tenacity With their fighting will, as they have shown in the past, the offensive and defensive momentum will change!"

Lan Song pumped his fist hard and said loudly.

These words further aroused Wangorich's curiosity. There have been rumors that Lanson will use the fleet he assembled on Lepidus Prime to launch a new offensive against the Orks, but will he really publicly promise to turn the tide of the war?

The High Lord Admiral's impassioned speech continued, but the Grand Master of the Court of Assassins listened distractedly. He was thinking silently... He suddenly understood that Lansong was now asking for rewards for making promises. In contrast, his "creditors" in political resources also needed rewards.

However, for other congressmen, especially Wangoric, it is still too early to jump out and accuse Lanson of overstepping his authority. In short, unless the High Lord Admiral can prove that his actions can truly resist the Orks, his supporters and followers will leave one by one.

It looks like a pre-war speech, but it is actually full of code words. It's a message Lanzon is sending to other political allies, and his speech now marks a shift from promises to action. Wangorich didn't know what role the others would play in the following events, and what the conditions would be in exchange for their support... but he could probably guess it.

First the Imperial Navy will win, then Lanson will send the Imperial Guard. Once both of them have added a few victories to their roll of honor, their status as the protectors of the Empire will last for a thousand years. History will not forget the leader who saved the Empire from the threat of the beast, and an alien invasion crisis has become a huge political opportunity.

Everything is so perfect.

"In the meantime, let's not waste our words on accusing each other."

Lanson curled up his fat fingers, nodded and signaled to the recorders.

"Common interests still exist between the Empire and the Mechanicus, the sacred covenant still exists, and the unavoidable responsibility still exists. Out of the urgent need to fight against the "beast" and its creations, we must try to free ourselves from the backward system so that Mars can fully support the naval fleet."

This is a nod to the Mechanicus.

Vangorich's mind is like a mirror.

"Let us look to the future. Today is September 17th, and it is only three weeks since the Feast of the Emperor's Ascension. The Imperial Army marched solemnly along the Imperial Palace Avenue a month ago, while the Navy's ships flew over their heads. Who can foresee what will happen in the rest of the year?"

The Supreme Admiral then looked at the Pope of the State Church, Meslin, and the two exchanged glances with a smile, conveying a message to those around them: Lanson has the support of the Emperor's most devout servants. In return, Wangorich guessed that the missionaries of the State Church would have unimpeded access to the ships of the Imperial Navy.

"As we stand in awe before the scroll that writes the destiny of mankind, faith will support and comfort us. And my faith is that some of us will live to see that people will once again cheer for the great and glorious anniversary of the Emperor's Ascension Day, and someone will once again stand up and fight for the rights of all mankind. When the dawn comes, as it is destined to come, all mankind will grant understanding and kindness to those men and women who have never given up even in the darkest days and nights of the Empire."

Lan Song's voice turned from low to high:

"But let's not talk about the darkest moment anymore, let's call it's'severe time'. This is not the darkest moment, this is a great moment, the greatest moment we have ever experienced, and we must thank the Emperor for allowing us to make these special days an unforgettable part of the history of our race in our own way."

The Admiral stopped and waited for the applause to sound. The first to applaud was the Minister of the Interior, and the rest of them responded, including Wangorich. When the applause gradually faded, Lansong sat down, raised one hand and shook it, saying:

"Thank you, thank you. I should applaud you for allowing me to speak the whole parliament's thoughts."

Wangoliqi quickly reviewed the entire speech and finally concluded that although Lansong spoke for so long, his words were meaningless. He only made promises and compromises in secret to certain people who were waiting to hear specific words. The Grand Master of the Assassin Court could understand only a limited amount of things, and Lansong did not make more descriptions of the Navy's plan, some substantive descriptions.

The Imperial Guard, the Mechanicus, the Merchant Fleet, the Ministry of the Interior, the State Religion... Wangoliqi counted the major imperial forces that Lansong had won over one by one. In fact, these institutions all had the "poison" infiltrated by the Grand Master of the Assassin Court, but he did not launch it. In a sense, Wangoliqi believed that the Empire really needed this kind of "unity" now to deal with the orcs.

"I look forward to your success, Lansong."

Wangoliqi said silently in his heart.

"It's better, it's better not to let me down."

…………