While my people relaxed on the unscheduled Ork safari, including my bodyguard and the wolves, I was hidden in the vault of my Black Fortress, busy setting up my Demiurg Forge with the help of 500 Tech-marines.

And it was not easy!

Some of it was battle damage, since we did take most dwarf ships by force, but most of the problem was the advanced nature of the Demiurg tech. Even with a mostly compliant Fane cogitator, who appeared to be too self-aware for a simple Fane, we still had a lot of problems. Sure, we could Forge the new bolters now, but this was mostly because the tech was almost identical. The Demiurg Forge was of amazing quality, and could shape adamantium with 10 times the ease of the best Mechanicus fabrication line.

The weapons didn't even require human neural and nerve tissue for the Machine Spirit to activate, which was somewhat of a relief. I didn't have many dead Blanks to harvest for parts in the Crusade Fleet, and using normal human parts was a risk I wasn't willing to take. Not for the Lamenters anyways. Give the enemy the slightest flaw, and you could well be certain to have your weapons jam at the first sight of a Chaos Lord or Sorcerer. Happened too many times at Stygius.

With a sigh, I reposition some troops down on the planet, as they were about to step into a primitive Ork ambush. Guys! This is your vacation, don't die on me here.

They were not Veterans yet, even with my new tactic of throwing them into the enemy head on.

Hopefully, the next batch of Catachan-stock Lamenters would prove better. If not, I would have to begin the Primaris procedure for my troops as well.

The Emperor wasn't discarding the First Born on a whim. The Primaris were better in every way.

Lacking experience obviously, but those who died could be replaced just as easy. In the end, he would have Veteran Primaris in every Chapter, it was inevitable.

"Inquisitor, place a call to your boss. I will need someone at Illevar with my own Primaris tech." I asked on a whim, while cursing inward as my little finger got caught in some damn metal lathe. Hurt like hell too!

A minute later, the Inquisitor keyed her vox. "I swear, it's like you have all the luck in the galaxy." she groaned on the vox bead, sounding unhappy.

"You got a reply already?" I asked curious.

"Yes. The Primaris tech is already at Illevar. But your son has locked his Custodes in prison." she answered with a weird cough. Maybe the vox bead was faulty.

Then I computed her words again. Oh? I mean, great! Rapid delivery service, the second I thought to ask.

Gently, I extracted my finger and stared at it with dismay. I doubted it will ever move again. 'Will you send me an Angel, again?' I wondered without much hope.

By some miracle, my finger began to glow with golden light and popped back into shape, looking perfect. Got it, Big E. I'll save your Custodes from my evil son. When I reach Illevar, of course.

At least Canis and Lash were having fun, trying to outscore one another. I knew a vacation will do my people well. The White Scar Blademaster was covered in vegetable blood as well, looking happier than I ever saw him.

"Chapter Master, did you just grow a new finger?" a nearby Tech-marine asked with wide eyes.

"I certainly did not! The Emperor is having a laugh. And watch that lathe, it bites!" I pointed angrily at the guilty machine.

A few hundred of my kids stopped to stare at my outrageous words. "Perhaps you could visit Lady Vail, father? We have everything in hands here."

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I nodded in shame and moved away, catching a glimpse of a few words as they vanished from last page of her diary. "Amberly? You have a rank in Ordo_Astartes ?"

The blonde woman nodded hastily. "It's not what you think, Lord Lancefire! I didn't ask for you to be suspended." she claimed rather panicked.

"I know, my dear. I spoke with the Emperor about that. But still...you are investigating me." I muttered in a disappointed voice.

"That is something else. Every Chapter gets a review, how they perform, what tactics they use, what loses they take. You knew this already!" she declared with a stronger voice.

"Hmmm. I hope that's all there is. Even the Emperor congratulated me for those 56 Inquisitors I have killed." I growled in a lower tone, watching her face grow pale. It was 67 by now anyways. I was quite busy at Stygius.

"...There is also a concern you might be trying to form a Space Marine Legion." she whispered in a low voice.

"Haha! Both Sanguinius and the Emperor asked me to make more Blank Astartes. I was practically ordered to go forth and procreate! You also know, my kids will never fall to Chaos. I know is not my Rose, the High Lord of Terra for the Inquisition. It is not Lady Valayne, who even married me to have more Blank children. So...who is concerned?" I asked patiently.

"... My first mentor, Inquisitor Yetzmov " she admitted with a weak voice.

I sighed and patted her shoulder with regret. "If I could make a Blank Space Legion, the Emperor would give me a medal. Do you think he likes having to kill a few million Chaos Traitors, who bear his own gene-seed?"

"I suppose not. As proven by that Custodes waiting for you at home." Amberly groaned and leaned into my chest.

"We are both too dressed for this talk." I decided with a wry smile.

"Right! I do need to lose some tension." she answered with a sly grin.

In a minute, I had the pretty Inquisitor bent over and screaming my name. Felt good being on fire!

----------

Victor exulted as he pumped his hips, feeling his lungs on fire.

Chi was amazing, but way too resilient in bed, with her Assassin augumetics. He was losing all the stamina so fast.

With a huge effort, he burst forth, intending to procreate. "Yes!" he yelled in victory.

"Victor!" the woman yelled with a loving voice.

He crashed beside her, breathing heavily. "Dear Emperor, I need more training..." he complained softly.

"You need the right enhancements, my love. I'll see what we can pick, that would not inhibit your procreation." Chi whispered with a tender voice.

"Assassin-class enhancements are comparable with the Astartes glands, Governor. You should consider this, for your safety as well." the Blood Angel bodyguard spoke without prompt. It seemed a better advice than getting the gene-seed, at least.

"This can wait until father returns. But in the meantime, I have to go on a short trip. Chyron will join me." Victor decided on the spot, now that his mind was clear.

"... Take your lady as well, Governor. A Culexus can splatter Demons with ease." the bodyguard spoke in a worried voice. Chi looked at him hopeful, but this wasn't a choice.

Victor just sighed and vanished through the tesseract labyrinth. He will take Mother Ordella, not some unknown Assassin, no matter how pretty. One of them did try to kill Mother Stern, after all. Couldn't risk father's mission on a feeling.

By the next hour, he had gathered a decent fleet of 4 Battleships, 7 Carriers and 86 Cruisers, then departed for the far side of the Eastern Fringe.

His mother simply frowned, but just nodded and placed the Admiralty on alert until he returned.

They were both Lancefires, so they knew the odds. Against a hostile universe, the clan had to circle the wagons, and the battlewagons too.

As his ships left Illevar, thousands of torpedo corvettes emerged from their carriers and docks, ready to sink anyone who dared to come.

--------

Ephrael Stern glanced at her Solitaire, then shook her head. "They will be coming soon."

"Of course they will. This place looks like an easy target now, in comparison." Mnemorach quipped with an easy laugh.

"At least Vaedrax and Sabaktes will fight at our side." she claimed confidently.

"They failed before." the Solitaire said with a careless shrug.

A small coin made of electric light flickered in her hand "It's a coin toss then."

"It always is, little sister." the Solitaire whispered in a sad voice, then placed his mirror mask back on.

They had killed many Great Daemons together, but never a Demi-God.

If only Lancefire didn't make so many enemies. Maybe he could have called someone for aid. But nobody would come for him, not even if Lady Isha asked. Not that she would. She hated Blanks more than Chaos.

Joining the Fool in a last laugh would be fine as well.