Chapter 380: Dark Angels
The response of the Dark Angels was just like their combat style: precise and highly efficient.
A fleet painted in dark green quietly appeared in Terra's orbit. The hull lines were rigid, and only the most necessary Legion insignias were retained on the armor.
These ships maintained radio silence, blending into the void's background like shadows; only their official navigational beacons verified their lawful identities.
Although according to the Codex Astartes, the First Legion had been officially divided into multiple Chapters, their unique internal command structure ensured that on top-secret matters, these successor chapters could still act in unison.
When the Rock received the summons, the response came swiftly and decisively.
In a completely isolated secret room deep within the Imperial Palace, Rogal Dorn met with the representative of the Dark Angels.
This room was located in the most core area of the Imperial Palace. The four walls were polished from solid blocks of obsidian, and the only lighting came from a floating, glowing blue rune in the center of the desk.
The air was permeated with a mixture of incense accumulated over years and the smell of ozone.
Dorn stood before the desk without any opening remarks.
"There is a faction within Mars," his voice sounded exceptionally clear in the enclosed space. "They are resisting the Emperor's decree regarding the warp engine in various ways. From technological obstruction to political maneuvering, their methods are endless."
The Dark Angels representative nodded slightly.
He wore a dark green cloak, the Legion insignia on his power armor faintly visible in the dim light: "To what extent is required?"
"Completely eliminate the obstacles." Dorn's knuckles tapped lightly on the desk. "Employ whatever means you deem necessary, but remain covert. The Imperium cannot withstand another public conflict right now."
"Understood." The Dark Angels representative's voice was steady. "The voices of opposition will be dealt with."
There was no further exchange, no specific discussion of the operational plan.
When the heavy doors of the secret room reopened, only Dorn stood alone in his place.
The Dark Angels had accepted the mission. As for how they would execute it, that was the secret of the First Legion.
Over the next few standard days, a series of imperceptible yet undeniable changes began to appear within Terra's center of power.
Certain officials who had maintained a high-profile opposition to the warp engine project suddenly took leave for health reasons. Crucial technical approval processes began to advance at anomalous speeds, and even the daily routine protest notes from the Martian Embassy on Terra became cautiously worded and sharply decreased in number.
These changes were like underwater currents; the surface remained calm, yet they quietly spread through the echelons of power.
The Dark Angels were already at work.
The actions of the Dark Angels displayed completely different traits from the Space Wolves.
They did not roar and tear at their prey like a wolf pack, but rather like an experienced chess player, quietly moving pieces on the board to gradually control the entire game.
Within the data center of the Martian Embassy on Terra, the strict security systems never triggered a single alarm.
Yet, unknowingly, the communication records and operational plans of the radical Tech-Priests had been completely acquired.
These files were not immediately destroyed. Instead, after meticulous screening, they flowed just perfectly into the hands of those who could effectively utilize them.
Inquisitors of the Inquisition obtained conclusive evidence of guilt, the Palace Custodes grasped detailed intelligence on potential threats, and Dorn's advisory council received the crucial information needed for decision-making.
At the same time, abnormal mobilizations within the Departmento Munitorum began to undergo strict scrutiny.
An official closely associated with the radical faction suddenly found his authority over material allocation temporarily frozen, citing a "system audit."
Until the review was concluded, all his communications with Mars were under strict surveillance.
When Mars attempted to establish secret communication channels through several Navigator Houses, the Dark Angels' intervention appeared even more systematic.
They did not directly eliminate these contacts, but adopted far more thorough methods.
Through meticulously designed operations, the reliability of these channels was thrown into serious question.
One contact was suddenly exposed as having had contact with a heretical organization, while another was discovered to have severe accounting discrepancies.
Although these channels still existed, they could no longer be trusted to transmit important information.
Within the bureaucratic system, the Dark Angels demonstrated a profound understanding of the Imperium's administrative rules.
They raised questions about key positions through legal procedures, delaying the passage of suspicious proposals in ways entirely compliant with regulations.
When a technical assessment report submitted by a radical faction supporter was repeatedly returned for re-review on the grounds of "procedural flaws," the opposition began to realize that an invisible force was systematically dismantling their efforts.
Reviewing the latest reports, Dorn noticed that several previously deadlocked technical committees had suddenly reached a consensus. Some stubborn opponents had changed their stances, and the wave of protests from the Martian Embassy had noticeably weakened.
He did not ask for specific details, but from these changes, he felt the unique operational style of the Dark Angels.
They did not manufacture terror like assassins; instead, like engineers, they precisely dismantled the organizational structure of the opposition.
The Dark Angels were working in the way they excelled at most: not simply eliminating the enemy, but systematically disintegrating the opponent's operational capabilities, ensuring any opposing force lost its efficacy before launching substantial actions.
Every one of their actions was meticulously calculated, achieving strategic objectives while fully complying with the superficial requirements of Imperial law. This precise and thorough style was exactly the unique talent of the First Legion.
—
As the claws of the Space Wolves tore open Terra's shadows and the chessboard of the Dark Angels quietly unfolded, Ryo was facing a daunting engineering challenge alone.
His laboratory was piled high with holographic structural blueprints of the Lunar-class cruiser, and the air was thick with the smell of machine oil and ozone.
This task was a brand new test for Ryo. He had to merge two completely different technological traditions into one: on one side was the battle-tested, sturdy hull of the Imperial Navy; on the other was the exquisite technology from another universe.
Benefiting from the starship design experience accumulated in other dimensions, Ryo carried out a series of precise modifications to the Lunar-class cruiser.
He did not attempt to redesign the entire warship; instead, like a skilled surgeon, he performed precise surgery while keeping the ship's main structure intact.
First was the re-planning of the internal space.
Ryo carefully studied the layout of every deck, clearing out a massive amount of redundant structures and inefficient space.
During this process, he had to repeatedly discuss matters with dozens of Tech-Priests; every alteration had to undergo rigorous calculation and demonstration.
Ultimately, he secured the necessary installation space for the warp engine system while ensuring the normal operation of other critical systems.
The modification of the energy transmission system was particularly crucial.
Ryo personally supervised the laying of every major energy conduit, ensuring they could meet the massive demands of the warp engine without affecting the normal operation of the other systems onboard.
During this process, he frequently had to argue with conservative Tech-Priests, convincing them to accept these "unconventional" design plans.
The most eye-catching improvement occurred at the level of the control system.
Ryo integrated the latest logic cores produced by the Forge World of Nexum into the warship's command system.
These precision devices, personally calibrated by him, significantly enhanced the warship's autonomous operational capabilities.
However, this decision also drew considerable questioning—some Tech-Priests worried this would weaken their control over the warship.
After several standard weeks of repeated deduction and data simulation, Ryo finally clarified the core concept for the Lunar-class cruiser modification project.
His workbench was piled high with dataslates filled with calculation processes, and a holographic projection of the ship's structural blueprint, adjusted countless times, hovered in the air.
(End of Chapter)