The Dawnbreak Fleet slowly began its advance into the Pioneer System.
The four mbers of the Wings of Dawn stood before the Battleship's Cogitator Array, gazing at the Holographic Projection of the entire star system with profound expressions.
This was a solar system composed of eight Major Planets, sixty-six Moons, and countless Asteroids, Cots, and teors.
The outer region consisted of four Gas Giants, while the inner region held four Rocky Planets.
Familiar. It was all too familiar.
Many Thunderforged Warriors who had participated in the comprehensive review of the Great Crusade Era instinctively tightened their grip on their weapons. At the sa ti, they glanced toward the four "Primarchs", silently vowing that under no circumstances would they allow them to step foot down there.
During the Great Crusade Era, the Luna Wolves Legion led by Warmaster Horus had dealt with a star system identical to the Sol System, and upon it, he had killed a being nad the "Emperor".
This event indirectly foreshadowed the Warmaster's rebellion and the final, fateful duel between the Emperor and his own son.
In this universe, the Occult Arts were undeniably real. Even these Ancient Warriors who strictly adhered to the Imperial Truth had co to realize, after gaining a proper understanding of Faith and the Warp, that they had to believe in the patterns proven through thodological Verification.
"The planet Horus landed on back then shouldn't be this one, right?"
Romulus asked Cawl, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.
The Transmigrators knew many things, but they did not possess such precise coordinate data.
Even with the full might of the Imperium at their disposal, they still hadn't managed to locate Istvaan III to this day.
Cawl, on the other hand, although he had not personally experienced many events of that era, should be quite well-versed in these secrets.
"...No."
The architect of the Primaris dragged over a crate of Data Archives, plugging them into the interface one by one to test them. Upon reaching the thirteenth archive, the light in Cawl's eyes flickered, and he replied:
"That star system has been completely destroyed, and it was located at the Galactic Rim. As for the coordinates here—"
The chanical components on his body entered a state of high-speed calculation before Cawl spoke again.
"This place shares no mystical coordinate connection with the Terra Throneworld. Furthermore, according to the scans, the four Rocky Planets are full of traces of artificial modification. Venus and Mars-like terrestrial planets are all Habitable Planets."
He had recently been studying case files of the Imperial Cult, so he did have so resultant data on hand.
Cawl's answer allowed the tense crowd around them to let out a long sigh of relief.
"Report. The Astropathic Communication in this system is experiencing severe interference."
The communications officer reported.
"What about the connection with Astorgius?"
"Everything is normal, but we cannot approach the inner system any further. Do you need to confirm this personally?"
Starlight filtered through the observation windows into the starship's interior. Romulus locked his gaze on the Gas Giant that still possessed a Ring System.
It was vastly different from the photographs of his howorld in his mories. The composition of the ring looked exceedingly thin, and the orbits of the asteroids were unusually chaotic.
It was as if they had been forcibly mashed together by so power, only to revert to their original state once that power departed.
"Station a portion of the fleet here to ensure communication with the outside. The main fleet will continue its approach and analyze the enemies within the system."
There was a massive amount of debris in the orbital position of "Earth", preliminarily identified as Orks.
There were also scattered chanicus fleets drifting in outer Space.
"Can we contact the local chanicus?"
Romulus thought for a mont before asking, then took the files that Cawl had finally retrieved from his mory banks.
The Astra System, also known as Pioneer Beta Star, was discovered by Mars 1,690 years ago and internally registered as a minor forge world. During this period, several chanicus Pioneer Fleets engaged in battles in the surrounding void. Ultimately, 146 years ago, it was completely taken over by the Fabricator Archmagos of Mars, Krick Wilkins.
Therefore, Pioneer Beta Star, nad Astra by the chanicus, was classified under Martian jurisdiction. Currently, both the Mars and Venus regions remained undeveloped.
It wasn't that a Fabricator Archmagos lacked the capability to develop them; rather, this Archmagos did not want more people knowing about this Planet.
In the report, the archives obscured the relationship between this star system and the Sol System. The final entry registering it to Mars also heavily emphasized Archmagos Krick Wilkins's ownership over the system.
The birth record of this Fabricator Archmagos was 372.M41.
Not bad. It probably had nothing to do with the ghostly entities of the Warp.
"Always secretly brewing up so massive sche."
Romulus suddenly felt disgusted. The chanicus had likely discovered so relic technology again—if not Necron Technology, then a Star God.
"This is Fabricator Archmagos Krick Wilkins of the chanicus. Unknown fleet, please identify yourselves."
"This is the sacred property of the Omnissiah. Unknown fleet, please depart imdiately."
As the fleet drew closer, the crisp voice of the Fabricator Archmagos emanated from the servo-systems.
Romulus and Arthur exchanged a glance, confirming that the other party likely didn't know an Open-Code Telegram had been broadcasted outward.
"We received an Open-Code Telegram from the chanicus stating that this planet requires reinforcents. Here is the recorded archive."
"I do not recall."
At the Lower Forge City, situated above the Lava Surface of the Third Planet, Krick Wilkins spoke with a hint of irritation. He was simultaneously controlling the unmanned fleets to deal with the Orks while pulling back his ground forces to shift the combat pressure onto the native surface dwellers.
However, when his gaze fell upon his own identification code, he visibly froze.
He looked up ahead. At the bottom of this forge city, isolated behind thick transparent material, stood a colossal device connected to an unknown entity beneath the mantle.
The device was pitch-black overall, with a central module that appeared to be dormant. In the clearing before this gigantic structure lay countless dense rows of sarcophagi.
'You still have energy left?'
A trace of horror crept into his eyes.
Not only had the revival of Necron Technology attracted the Orks, but it could also intercept his identification code to broadcast outward?
"Archmagos Krick, we have detected a massive Ork threat on the planet's Surface. Do you require assistance?"
Romulus's voice echoed out once more. By now, the Dawnbreak Fleet had approached "Earth". This planet, which distinctly featured Five Climate Types, was currently surrounded by an Ork Fleet. The Planetary Defense Fleet was actively resisting, leaving the two sides evenly matched for the ti being.
The report from the Dark Angels had arrived; the chanicus fleet guarding this planet was entirely unmanned.
No wonder the fleet was trading blows so evenly with the Orks.
For soone of a Fabricator Archmagos's stature, this fleet, which only boasted a Cruiser as its flagship, was far too shabby.
"Archmagos Krick, do you require assistance?"
The Primarch's tone was unyielding.
"..."
Krick desperately wanted to declare that he needed no such thing, but facing a fleet of this magnitude, he realized he couldn't afford to be too abrasive.
Besides, his previous attitude had clearly alerted them that sothing was amiss.
Krick subconsciously furrowed the chanical structures above his brow bone.
Above all else, he could not let them discover the secret of this Planet.
He gripped his scepter tightly. Trouble always seed to arrive in an endless stream right at the crucial mont of harvesting the fruits of his labor.
He would just stall for ti. He was on the verge of achieving his goal, and once that happened, annihilating a re fleet would be child's play.
Conveniently, he was indeed having a hard ti dealing with the Orks on this planet, not to ntion these damned local natives.
"Yes. Astra III is facing a severe Ork threat. There is also a large number of human Traitors remaining on the Surface who are manipulating Xenos technology. I need you to deal with them all together."
He spoke, his gaze shifting to the Mobile City that was currently crashing against an Ork Gargant.
The humans on the Surface had mastered the ancient technology of the Necron Race and were incredibly difficult to deal with. Coupled with the Orks, this incoming group would suffer heavily in the ground war.
"Acceptable."
Romulus nodded naturally. With a single raise of his hand, everyone around him sprang into action.
He declared:
"We will take over the planet's anti-air defense system. Tyberos, have the Carcharodons ready to coordinate with the Armored Forces for a landing on the Surface."
"Archmagos, I need you to provide the necessary informational support."
Decisive, and thoroughly in the style of the Imperium.
Archmagos Krick breathed a sigh of relief before replying:
"Of course. I would be more than happy to."
"Please keep the communication lines open."
As the starships swiftly anchored in low orbit, two ground battalions and a detachnt of Dark Angels boarded Stormbirds and launched toward the Surface.
Romulus crossed his arms over his chest, having abandoned his plan to land on the planet's Surface due to the persuasion of the Invincible Iron Guard and Navaradaln.
'Let see exactly what you are hiding.'
——
In the distant past, right in the Heart of the Galaxy's Eastern Spiral Arm, there existed a highly developed Human Civilization Offshoot.
They had deciphered the Infinite Energy Mystery.
They erected Gigantic Discharge Coils on the sandy plains of Mars, left behind Ovoid Colossal Trees capable of controlling artificial rainfall in the Forests beneath Venus's Thick Atmosphere, and even supported Colossal Stellar Rings in Saturn Orbit using an unknown Grav-Manipulation Technology.
Surging plasma was rely a tool for Particle Disintegration; torrential downpours were simply a facade to promote circulation; sky-piercing fireworks were just a ans to extract rare substances from the earth's crustal movents. Empowered by unknown forces, this ancient civilization could even manipulate the Four Fundantal Forces.
They had conquered the laws of physics.
And consequently, through unimaginable thods, they constructed Wonders so magnificent they defied belief.
At the peak of this human branch's era, they wielded the power to manipulate Nature entirely at will.
This level of might inevitably brought to mind—
The Fabricator Archmagos looked at the Eerie Green Cube in his hand, falling into reminiscence.
Those beings that were only ever ntioned among the Elder Races.
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