The Emperor’s Angel of Death

Nayson VI, to the residents of the Nayson system, was merely a cold, desolate world dominated by the cruel authority of the Administratum—due to the 'efficient enforcement' of the Administratum, the number of criminals was often staggering. The hive's prisons alone were utterly insufficient to meet the demand, and the governors were unwilling to spend money on vast prison facilities and the upkeep of these mortals. This was the fundamental reason for the existence of penal worlds: to save money.

In the hive cities, if a convict was not approved for immediate execution upon arrest, they would very likely be sent to a penal world for permanent confinement. The choice of penal worlds was often the most extreme environment, which, in a sense, was the true hell of the Imperium.

Convicts had no rights whatsoever. The planetary governor was the warden and held absolute authority over the world. Ironically, in this vast prison built on law, there was no law. Jailers could abuse and kill prisoners at will, and prisoners would torture and kill each other for survival or meager power. This place was the site of atrocities that most would never see.

Therefore, penal worlds were also the favorite haunts of Chaos warbands, as they could easily obtain millions of thugs filled with extreme hatred for the Imperium. Of course, the Imperium also had similar needs for penal worlds. For example, when the attrition of the Astra Militarum forces in nearby war zones reached a peak, the generals would request assembled troops from various penal worlds. These troops were also known as Penal Legions, whose purpose was to serve the Throne in their last moments, and perhaps taste freedom and redemption along the way.

Because these troops were difficult to control, the soldiers of the Penal Legions were often fitted with explosive collars for strict control. Their officers and commissars could collectively execute an entire unit if they suspected a possible rebellion. In the chaotic and dark 41st millennium, numerous Penal Legions fueled the insatiable and endless war machine of the Imperium on the galactic fronts. Some penal worlds even spawned famous regiments, such as the Savlar Chem-Dogs, the Jupiter Grist, and the Lethe XIII Penal Battalion 'Last Chancers'.

But this place held a special significance for the Space Knights, or rather, for Sorylian himself.

It was here that he saved Talos, who was supposed to die. It was here that he first met Veronica. In a sense, the most significant turning points of his life happened here, and everything took a great leap towards a path he never anticipated.

"The atmospheric thickness of Nayson VI is similar to that of Nayson V, except that it has three satellites, one more than Nayson V. Although the average ground temperature is only -29 degrees Celsius, it is still better than Nayson I, II, and III. The mineral resources here are also very rich, and it should be relatively easy to develop mining. However, the Administratum has already designated this world as a penal world. Although it suffered an Eldar attack, the planet's prisons were not significantly damaged. The entire Nayson VI has 37 large prisons, or you can call them cities. This world holds prisoners from ten star systems. Currently, the Administratum's statistics show a number of thirty-four million. The above-ground parts of those prisons are fortresses where the guards live, and the underground parts are underground mines dug in all directions. Nayson VI has been a penal world for twelve hundred years. Beneath each prison are hundreds of secondary mines connected by complex underground passages and various vertical shafts. The prisoners toil here day and night, and the precious minerals they dig out..."

In the enclosed observation room above the bridge of the Eternal Fidelity, Sorylian sat in his private little space, listening to the monotonous mechanical narration coming from the data-slate, his eyes fixed on the slowly rotating gray planet and the three 'small stones' orbiting it.

There was no decor here, just a chair, a table, and the total area was less than fifty square meters. But the bridge was sometimes too noisy, too chaotic, too grand. For some reason, Sorylian preferred to come to this small space when thinking, and sometimes he would be alone here for a while before a battle, gazing at the distant starry sky.

The observation room had only one wall; the other three were replaced by a single semi-circular projection screen. It could present the surrounding starfield around the warship in the most realistic picture. Sitting here was like sitting outside the bridge of the warship.

And on the table in front of Sorylian were piled up parchments, thick books, data-slates, and various paper documents, stacked more than a meter high. Inside were various detailed data of Nayson IV and V, historical archives of various star systems, opinions submitted by various scholars, and official documents waiting for approval and review, Sorylian's own plans, and so on.

Even when he was alone resting, he was busy, and this was only one star system.

Sometimes he wondered just how powerful Roboute Guilliman was to handle a 'Five Hundred Worlds', and even to build a central hub after the Great Heresy, reorganizing the fragmented and scarred Imperium. Although Dorn's notes contained many complaints about this brother, he also acknowledged the other's management and governance abilities.

No matter how you looked at it, Guilliman's ability was outstanding. After all, even for a Primarch, governance was far more difficult than war, and it was no wonder that most Primarchs' homeworlds were in a state of utter chaos.

Guilliman, Guilliman...

For some reason, his thoughts drifted so far now, seemingly all the way to Macragge.

According to the records, Guilliman's current situation was that he was severely wounded by Fulgrim and forced into a stasis field to preserve his life. What would happen if he were awakened?

Veronica could use the power of the goddess Isha to bring the dead back to life, so healing Guilliman didn't seem impossible. But if he were awakened, how would he view himself?

Xerxes didn't seem to have much impression of this brother in his memories, which showed that their relationship was also average. Moreover, Sorylian himself didn't have much affection for the Ultramarines. The performance of the 7th Company Captain of the Ultramarines in the Battle of the World Engine was disappointing, and Sorylian also knew about his argument with the former Chapter Master Amurah.

After withdrawing his gaze from the window, Sorylian looked at the wrinkled group photo of child laborers hanging on the wall. This was what he used to remind himself of where humanity's hell truly was.

"War has never caused you so much pain. At this time, I really wish you were a heartless person like the Emperor of Mankind."

Hearing the voice behind him, Sorylian smiled, shook his head, and sighed:

"It's ironic that war has become our anesthetic and painkiller. In that sense, Astartes seem to be addicts in a way."