As I already promised myself, I spent a week of real time mostly inside the time field, creating several new Primaris Chapters with Corax gene-seed, only possible because the initial progenoid-glands multiplied the gene-seed every decade, so 200 times over 2000 years of accelerated time for the initial Astartes, and then it snowballed every decade, similar to how bacteria multiplied.
The Emperor had quite a genial idea with this gene-seed project, and Corax even had a better one that allowed Neophytes to simply grow their organs internally, without needing painful and dangerous surgeries, except for 2 glands which were mostly bionic, the Durasteel Sinews and the Black Carapace.
Sadly, gene-seed obtained from Blank Astartes were not usable by normal humans, since they still contained Blank genes. Or maybe not so sad, if I think about it. I still wanted only Blank Astartes for the Imperium, to spare me the hassle of hunting down new Chaos Warbands that appeared once a Chapter fell to Chaos, as they were so prone to do.
Three times on our way to Gryphonne IV we had to divert course and eradicate a Chaos Warband pillaging an Imperial Sector, and two of these were new Warbands just fallen to Chaos.
In our wake we left three Lamenters successors to establish themselves on nearby Hive Worlds and begin formatting them into proper Fortress Worlds, while training themselves on genestealers and cultists.
I was beginning to run out of etheric detectors though, so only a few for each new Chapter were possible, but I still had enough Phase blades for 500 Astartes Chapters, still in storage.
Even the sharpest genestealer claws and the toughest armor and shields could be sliced apart by the C'tan swords, so on that front the new Chapters were completely superior to any other Astartes in the Imperium.
On the other hand, they would lack ships and tanks, not that the Corax gene-seed was a proponent of direct engagements. They should also infiltrate pirates and steal Ork Ships like I did. Being sneaky had other advantages.
By the time we arrived at the Forge World, I had indeed amassed a great deal of Corvide Gene-seed, and the Primarch himself had been restored to health, physically at least. His mental and soul state was still deficient, possibly because of whatever damage he suffered inside the Eye of Terror, until I blew it up.
Only Purity seemed to have forged a tentative connection with the old man, possibly because she was cute, or maybe because she ate his Warp shadows. He still had his normal shadow.
"You're really letting me go?" Corax asked a bit confused, as we arrived at Forge World Gryphonne IV and had to save them once more from another Tyranid splinter fleet, if smaller than the original Leviathan monster.
"I'd advise you to make your way to Ordo Xenos base at Fort_Prescience , along with three thousands of your new Gene-sons for their Deathwatch. They would not care much about who you are, not if you're competent enough and not corrupted." I explained with a polite, but stern voice.
"...Still fighting in the dark, but alongside the Deathwatch. It would fit, wouldn't it?" the old Primarch mused to himself, and glanced to M for support.
"This is not what he means, old crow. You will be able to investigate the Cabal with the backing of the Ordo Xenos and thousands of Deathwatch. Also investigate the Ordo Xenos and Deathwatch themselves, and find out the traitors." M said with a wise voice. Ah, those extra brain lobes surely helped.
"Can I see him? My brother?" Corax asked with a sad voice.
I moved the three of us in the tesseract labyrinth, and brought the Vulkan coffin in front of us. The Fulgurite shard still glowed with deadly vibes inside his chest, and the Perpetual Primarch was still very dead.
"Vulkan...he was the best of us. Always so kind. So strong, that he always had to play carefully with his brothers. Sorry Margos, but you're not him." Corax muttered with a grieving voice.
"That I know, old crow. Too bad I don't have the memory of his death, would have been useful. They were cautious enough to delete it from the gene-memories, even though Vulkan was surely dead." M spoke in a solemn voice, his fists clenched tightly.
I took out a small pouch of Blackstone cards, carved from the walls of the Pharos, and handed it over to the good Primarch. "If you find anything, or need help, speak to this plate. Same if you recruit agents for this task. In the eastern side of the galaxy, you will be in my range, and I will know. "
"Is this some kind of Xenos tech? Necron transmitters?" Corax asked curious, as he examined the dull black card.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
"No. It does not contain any technology or transmitter, xenos or otherwise. It is just a spatial coordinate marker. Much like you'd throw some white rocks on the ground when defending a fort, to establish range for your guns." I explained cogently, not that the Primarch seemed convinced.
'And when you speak to me, I can hear it in my mind. And even talk back. Cool, right?' I spoke with the Sounding Board, directly inside his head.
The raven-haired Primarch tilted his head in a bird-like manner, trying to figure out what just happened.
'Is this some bullshit Null magic?' Because I'm sure you don't have psyker powers.' he asked with his mind.
'Maybe? The galaxy is full of wonders, and horrors as well. I'm working to extend the range of my powers, but it will take time.' I added with a shrug.
"How long are we staying here at Gryphonne IV? We have time to do some fleet training and maneuvers?" M intervened, not a part of the mental chat going on.
"Maybe a month or so. We will wait for the Lamenters, and I have to build a new star system. Plus some Knight House business." I decided with a grin. Not only I could establish another Lancefire House Branch here, but also base a few Astartes Chapters to protect the galactic south. Maybe 50 Chapters or so.
There were still dozens of Tyranid splinters roaming around, plus constant Chaos incursions, Ork Waaghs and Necrons awakening. I couldn't be everywhere, but I could disperse my sons.
And this nice Forge World will surely be grateful and help me build new ships, with the megatonnes of metal I just rescued from the Orks.
A lot more fucking duty as well, to produce the Blank sons, but I didn't mind it that much. It was still a fairly pleasant duty, compared to other jobs.
Even better, I just realized the Demiurg Las-cannons fired a constant beam, just like the Ion Beamers, which meant I didn't have to change the STCs templates that much for the Auxilia. They would still pierce through anyone in the way, giving our troops an immense advantage in open field combat.
The Forge World was happy to upgrade their arsenal with my better STCs, even using parts of the Invictus Warsuits to repair and upgrade their own battle-automata, as they appeared to be perfectly compatible, especially the arm and legs.
The only thing they disagreed, and rather forcefully, was using Tyranid armor plates for the armor of their constructs. Holy metal and all that. Anyways, we could still use adamantium and blackstone, so it wasn't that bad.
I wisely decided to not force the issue, and keep the Mechanicus on friendly terms. Blackstone was still an order of magnitude more durable than ceramite, and has served me well. Plus it also protected the machines agaisnt the Warp, which might be more important.
And so, after more than a month has passed and a large Knight House, mainly made of Moirax Knights had appeared on Gryphonne and began running around for training.
Half of the Knights were armed with Ion Cannons and their Volkite veuglaire mostly anti-infantry, while the other with Graviton pulsars and quad Las-Beam Cannons, in a better version of the Rapier-Laser-Destroyer .
Then, the other half of my fleet finally appeared.
Rather battered and chewed up, like it always happened with Tyranids. Something even took a big bite from the Eternal Lament, so it must have been a hard fight.
'Father, you seem well. No ships missing?' Librarian Valerian asked from his own Blackstone Fortress.
'Why would they go missing?' I asked cautiously as I counted his fleet, and saw four of his Drop Cruisers had indeed go missing. Wait, they were my ships!
'Errr. Come over and I'll show you.' he said with a sheepish voice. Oh well. They probably got eaten by something big.
I stepped over the void through the labyrinth and then entered beside my son into his tesseract. Maybe a few engines could be salvaged? At least the metal was not fully digested...
"But I captured the Norn-Queen , so maybe we can use it. Looks a bit like the gene-crucible we use for our clones, right?" Valerian pointed at a disgusting vat of boiling Tyranid blood and malformed claws.
"I'll get Anzion to take a look, but it seems a bit much for our level. The Tyranids are just as advanced as the Necrons, only in bio-tech. Perhaps we can manufacture armor plates?" I proposed with a shrug.
My Librarian son raised a finger, then set it down. "I was thinking better clones, but perhaps you are right. It would not be safe to use a Tyranid Crucible for our troops, and get them controlled by the Hive Mind. Inert armor is much safer."
See? One day, we will have common sense in this galaxy. A very far day.