The battle on Graven, the capital world of the Phoenix Sector, had drawn to a total close. The Nurgle-worshipping invaders were purged. Even though the planet's ecosystem had been devastated by the plague, it was of little concern; Creep had been planted, and it was only a matter of time before the environment stabilized.
The last few hundred thousand survivors looked at the purified sky as if waking from a nightmare. However, they were met with confusion and dread. With their homes destroyed and loved ones slaughtered, they faced a future of ruins. To soothe the populace, Alexei delivered a grand post-war speech. Every survivor heard the promise of the Governor of Aiur: Aiur would help rebuild Graven. They would not be abandoned. The wounded would receive free treatment, new cities would rise, and a garrison from Aiur would ensure their safety.
Inside a post-war medical facility, a staff member in a white robe shouted at a scarred soldier, "I've told you a dozen times! No smoking in the hospital! I'll call security!"
"Fine, fine," Koster muttered, stubbing out his cigarette and tucking it into his pocket. After checking himself for the smell of smoke, he entered a large ward. By the window, Hank sat silently, listening to the Governor's voice playing on a nearby device. He had been impaled by a Plague Marine's rusted blade; only the timely arrival of reinforcements and medics had saved his life.
"The reassignment orders are in," Koster said, pulling up a chair. He glanced at the other patients and decided against reaching for another smoke. "You're being transferred to the Graven Garrison." He patted Hank's shoulder. "The perks aren't bad. There are flights back to Aiur every few days, so visiting home is easy. This place is starting from scratch—you'll have plenty of opportunities to rise through the ranks."
Hank looked conflicted. "What about you, Captain?"
Koster smiled, though his eyes held a hint of melancholy. "The fleet leaves the day after tomorrow for the next world." The crusade of the Aiur fleet was far from over; the entire sector was waiting for salvation.
"Take care, Captain," Hank said, offering a formal military salute. "Next time we meet, the grilled Zerg legs are on me."
In the final twelve hours before departure, the bulk of the Aiur forces began re-embarking. Wounded Aiur Guardsmen remained as the new garrison, while veterans from the homeworld filled the gaps in the expeditionary force. Alexei had recalled his fleet—including the Zerg Leviathans—to Graven's near-orbit for a specific reason: he had unlocked a core Zerg technology. Wormholes.
If Warp Drives were high-speed rails through the Void, Wormholes were instant teleportation arrays. By placing a psionic beacon at one end and opening a Wormhole at the other, travel became instantaneous. If an enemy dared to strike, the Zerg on distant planets would act as homing beacons, allowing a million-strong army to return home in the blink of an eye. Despite the high cost in biomass and psionic energy, in the treacherous "Imperium Nihilus," this was the most precious strategic asset imaginable.
Alexei stared at his command console. Two crystals now sat on the interface, meaning the scale of the Golden Armada he could summon would be significantly larger. Furthermore, his Xel'naga abilities had updated. Unlike the first crystal, which required activation, the second crystal granted passive boons. His Zerg and Protoss units could now harvest a portion of an enemy's life force upon killing them. By combining this life force with soul shards and biomass, he could synthesize the ultimate combat units: Hybrids.
These were the apex lifeforms created by Amon, merging Purity of Form with Purity of Essence. They possessed terrifying physical might and psionic powers, ranging from Psionic Blasts and Blinks to Graviton Prisons and Mind Control. Alexei could even "hand-craft" their power levels—either pouring all resources into a single "Land Battleship" class Hybrid to duel Primarch-level entities or creating a mass-produced swarm of lesser Hybrids to sweep the battlefield.
With this new trump card, Alexei felt a surge of confidence. Whether facing Chaos or the Imperium, he finally had the foundation to stand his ground. He gazed toward a distant point in the galaxy; he felt a strange sensation, as if something out there was calling to him. He shook off the feeling. Once this sector was secured, his expansion would truly begin.
"All fleets are ready," his adjutant reported.
Alexei looked at the holographic star map, pointing to a Feudal World. He didn't plan on wasting much time there. "Charge Warp Drives. Destination: Castell."