Warhammer: In the Name of Nirvana

"Long time no see, Morgan."

"How's the war going there?"

[Overall, it’s going pretty well: the part that can’t be revealed is basically over, and the part that can’t be described is about to begin. 】

"..."

"That looks like it's going to take a while."

Guilliman pursed his lips, trying hard to maintain the most solemn face.

Through the constantly shaking holographic projection, the solemn figure of the Lord of Ultramar crossed half of the galaxy and came to the eyes of the Spider Queen. The golden eagle and laurel wreath engraved on the cobalt blue armor were the ultimate symbol of The most visible symbol of the Primarch of the Warrior Legion.

The Lord of the Second Legion is sitting on her silver throne after a long absence, and the figures of her blood relatives in the holographic projection are exactly the same as sitting behind their desks. The leaders of the two powerful countries have maintained their position in this way. There was a moment of pause and embarrassment, and their further conversation was arranged after constant smiles, cautious thinking, and various reasonable etiquette greetings.

It seems that it is rare to see such a high-level conversation between any two sons of the emperor. However, the two parties involved did not feel that it was out of the ordinary: in fact, they even enjoyed such a state and enjoyed working together to build a The feel of an organized negotiation platform.

At the very least, Guilliman enjoyed it.

There are no temptations, no lies, no rude emotional moves, only thoughtful and rational speeches, and various clear but not cold transaction terms, so that the friendship between blood relatives and the interests of the country can be separated as much as possible to avoid embarrassing situations or creating a piercing gap in their family relationship.

The overall scope must be clearly defined, and all kinds of tiny details must not be overlooked. In the negotiations that reveal absolute rationality, the relationship of family ties must be as ubiquitous as snowflakes in the winter wind, with respect, smiles, Give in and put yourself in someone else's shoes to keep warmth in each other's hearts.

Creating and maintaining this kind of atmosphere is not an easy task, but the Spider Queen is good at it: even through the somewhat blurry holographic projection, Morgan can clearly see that Guilliman's eyebrows are precisely because of his The mood was light and arousing, and it became a small crack in his serious face, telling his true attitude.

He was even willing to make a few jokes about it: after the main topics they discussed were all over.

"I hear you're going to fight alongside Jonson and Leman Russ, Morgan: please accept my condolences. Dealing with them may be more difficult than winning the war itself."

[You have also forgotten Conrad, my dear Robert. 】

The Spider Queen responded to Guilliman's not very successful warm-up words with a slowly blooming smile.

"Oh, yes, Conrad..."

The Lord of Five Hundred Worlds smacked his lips.

"Is he still...the same as before?"

[It's gotten a lot better: At least Ruth and Luther have a very good opinion of him. 】

"Yes, it seems that your education has been very successful, my blood relative."

"Congratulations, Morgan."

Guilliman raised a wine glass as if to pay tribute to Morgan. The smile under his blond hair showed his inner joy: it seemed that a successful negotiation and meeting made the prince of the Five Hundred Worlds feel happy. .

"What about Jonson, how is he?"

[Jiang Sen... is still the same Zhuang Sen. 】

【You know. 】

"Ah...that's it."

Separated by thousands of stars, the two Primarchs looked at each other, and at the same time they laughed without words.

"I remember you told me: Will Johnson be the commander of the war?"

[Yes, his ability and will are very suitable for this position. 】

"indeed so."

The Lord of Five Hundred Worlds nodded and responded to the blood relatives with some enthusiasm. He seemed to be hesitating about something.

【……】

[Any questions, Guilliman? 】

"Ah...not really a problem."

Guilliman's face turned serious.

"I just have a suggestion, a reference that you can take to heart or ignore: If possible, Morgan, don't let Jonson fully command your legion. No matter how urgent the war is, you must ensure that your The Legion has a part of its...independence.”

【……】

[You seem worried about our brother Jonson, Robert? 】

"It's not worry."

Guilliman shook his head seriously, his pupils glowing with wisdom, as if he was telling a truth.

"Our brother Jonson is a very mysterious and dedicated person. He and his legion are simply products of the same mold. No one knows what they are planning, but I am very sure of one thing: if Jonson has If he has the opportunity to use your legion as his bargaining chip and consumables in the war, in exchange for a negligible possibility of victory, then he will definitely do so."

"I do admire him, just like I admire Horus, but I will not deny that Jonson does not understand the value of creation and cooperation. He only sees barbarism and destruction. He was born to remain in darkness. The character in it, you shouldn't give him more credit."

"Don't trust him completely, don't completely hand over your legion to him, and most importantly, in those life-and-death moments, never put all your hopes on him: even if you choose to trust Leman Russ, it's fine. , because he will definitely support you at all costs."

"If you suspect that Jonson is squandering your legion without any bottom line, then please put away your doubts immediately, because he must be doing this. He will not even pity his own heirs and legion, let alone It’s yours.”

"No matter how much he trusts and respects you, Morgan, he will always put your legion in danger in order to complete the mission and win the war: he is such a character, a sharp double-edged sword, He will kill his enemies without mercy, as well as any friend who gets too close to him."

【……】

Archon Macragge's warning is formal and serious. If any Dark Angel hears even one sentence, it can be regarded as the beginning of a break between the two legions: Guilliman's usual character is absolutely unacceptable. Possibly so honest about his negative attitude toward a brother.

Therefore, when all the lengthy warnings from the Primarch of the Ultramarines Legion flowed into the ears of the Spider Queen, instead of anger or shock, the first thing that appeared between Morgan's brows was a kind of careful amusement: And when When the Lord of Avalon raised the corners of her lips for these words, Guilliman slowly stopped his warning.

He coughed and looked embarrassed and regretful: these emotions were offset by Morgan's sincere smile.

[Robert, I never thought you would be so... straightforward? 】

"cough."

Guilliman shifted his gaze.

"This is just...a precaution."

【prevention? 】

"Yes, considering the current cooperation and future possibilities of our two legions, I just want to help you preserve your strength as much as possible: it is not easy for you to expand the Dawnbreaker Legion and the Far Eastern Frontier to this point, Morgan , although I don’t quite understand how you did it, but I can guess your hard work and hard work.”

"So, if you and Daybreaker can continue to grow in the future, it will also be a good thing for me, the Ultramarines and the Five Hundred Worlds: Facts have proved that there is a solid foundation for cooperation and friendship between us Yes, it can last forever.”

"And the Macragges have always been the most honest with their friends, my blood relatives."

【……】

Guilliman did not lie: he was as sincere as ever, attaching all his thoughts and attitudes to his words, and was exposed to the most vicious scorching sun, just so that she could be burned by this Macragge again. The noble heart of man shines, and tears of stimulation are shed.

Morgan just blinked, she was sure of it.

【All right. 】

The Spider Queen took the wine glass handed by Virgo, which contained light red wine. She raised it gently and returned the favor to her brother.

[Thank you for the reminder, Guilliman: In fact, I am indeed doing this. The warriors I brought were lost by about one-tenth in the previous war, and the mortal auxiliaries also lost a quarter. casualties, this number is enough to make my alarm bells ring. 】

[But I must stay here: because this is the Emperor's mission. 】

"I understand that the Emperor's will cannot be violated."

Guilliman nodded.

[But there is one thing I am very curious about, Robert: Is the description you just gave about our brothers your true thoughts, or is it an art work that you can’t help but create? 】

When Morgan put down her glass, her pupils flashed with evil colors.

Guilliman was silent for a moment, as if he was weighing the pros and cons. When he spoke again, his voice was obviously much lower, but still firm.

"I'm sorry, Morgan, but if you ask me about my attitude towards Jonson, then those words just now are my answer: I respect his achievements and abilities more than anyone else, and respect his willingness to fight in the dark. , but I definitely don’t think he is a trustworthy comrade and commander.”

"Don't trust him, don't count on him, don't rely on him: that's all."

【……】

[Thank you, Guilliman, I will remember your opinion. 】

"So much the better."

The Lord of Macragge laughed. Outside the holographic projection that Morgan could not see, he was clenching his fists unconsciously. His fingertips were covered with nervous sweat: Ultramar, he is really awesome. Not comfortable with making random comments about his brother.

Hopefully Jonson wouldn't know this: though Guilliman felt no regrets.

After all, as he said before: If a few [incorrect] words can remind his friend Morgan and prevent the Dawnbreakers from suffering greater losses, then he will do so no matter how many times the time is turned back. Do.

Yu Gonglai: Allowing the Dawnbreaker Legion to maintain their power is beneficial to the long-term planning of Five Hundred Worlds.

Personally speaking: Guilliman doesn't have many friends, but Morgan is definitely one of them, and Jonson is definitely not his friend.

He has selfish motives.

Guilliman acknowledged this and was ashamed of it.

——————

[So, let us put this aside for now: may the Emperor forgive you and me for the guilt we share in our hearts. 】

After realizing that the Lord of Macragge's face had become gloomy, Morgan let out a few chuckles in time. She tapped the armrest of the throne with her fingers and picked up a new topic in her mind.

[Speaking of our country, I forgot one thing: how was the performance of the think tank delegation I sent, Guilliman? 】

"Ah, very good."

When it came to official duties, the Macragge almost came to life with full health.

"Your Chief Librarian Zosimus has a deep command of the psionic code, and all psykers in Ultramar will benefit from his teachings: Thank you, Morgan, and your name will be sung by the Ultramarine Legions. , your efforts in institutionalizing psychic energy have directly helped the entire Five Hundred Worlds of Ultramar."

"It's like a surprise, Morgan."

【……】

Morgan blinked.

Yes, it was indeed a surprise: she had never thought that the Ultramarines Legion would benefit so much from her efforts, even more than the other legions combined.

[As long as they didn’t cause you any trouble, Guilliman, you don’t need to praise my heirs too much: I know very well that Zosimus and my other heirs are not very talented in psychic abilities. , if we really want to talk about its application in the subspace field, Ahriman in the delegation is the strongest one. 】

"Ah, that son of Magnus, he is truly impressive, both in his understanding of psychic powers and his mastery of swordsmanship: his name is already being sung in the arena of Macragge, he defeated Many of my descendants were killed by Orfeo's sword."

Guilliman's smile seemed relaxed when he mentioned those Astartes warriors.

Morgan, on the other hand, slowly crossed her fingers, without any more temptations.

[Let me put it bluntly, brother, not long ago, I found two areas worthy of in-depth communication between our legions. The first area is that I have something to ask of you. 】

"Just say it."

Guilliman held out a hand.

[It’s like this: I’ve recently been thinking about reorganizing my legion, formalizing all legion systems and systems, finalizing the chain of command and management, and all of this requires a lot of reference cases and successful experiences, such as yours Ultramarines. 】

【You will help me, right? 】

On Macragge's face, there was genuine joy and pride.

"Of course, no problem, my blood relative."

"I will sort out all the systems of the Ultramarines Legion now, and strive to enable them to bring back the experience of the Five Hundred Worlds when your visiting delegation ends their trip: If you don't mind, I can also send some of my The heirs will help you, or you can send your heirs to the Thirteenth Legion for inspection, and I will receive them personally."

[How about we send some legion exchange students to each other? 】

"It could not be better."

Guilliman was delighted, but his joy was soon interrupted by a parasitic hesitation in the shadows of his eyebrows.

"However, I hope this is an unofficial action and you know why."

Guilliman smiled a politically suggestive smile, and Morgan understood.

[Ah, of course I know. 】

[Don’t worry, the Far Eastern Frontier and the Five Hundred Worlds will only be purely profit partners: they will not be close enough to make those big people in Terra worry. 】

"This is the best."

Guilliman picked up the glass and drank it in one gulp.

"It's always a pleasure talking and working with you, Morgan."

[Maybe it’s because both of our souls reek of the hopeless greed of politicians, Robert: just like the fragile hearts of those Terran big shots. 】

The hearty laughter spanned thousands of worlds in the galaxy and surrounded the two Primarchs.

"What about the second thing, Morgan?"

[The second thing is actually a question about investment. 】

"Do you want to ask me about the research progress of the Xikaran tank?"

[No, it’s another one. 】

The Spider Queen waved her fingers casually in mid-air, and symbols that Guilliman had never seen before emerged.

[To put it simply: Russ and I reached a cooperation regarding psychic powers and the runes on Fenris, and I plan to use these runes as the core to construct a system designed to systematically strengthen the mortal auxiliary army. method of psychic power. 】

"...Mortal Auxiliary Army?"

Guilliman leaned forward, and in his pupils, there was a bright light, even better than the stars entrenched in the center of the galaxy. When the words "systematic", "strengthening" and "mortal auxiliary army" appeared together At this time, it directly ignited the enthusiasm of the Macragge people.

"Can you be more specific, Morgan?"

[To put it simply: a set of runes with fixed psychic effects and fixed psychic power. Their carving method is combined with the psychic code I wrote before, and can be created by any regular psychic. , even a mortal psyker can. 】

"..."

"Is it standardized?"

[Do you know the alphabet, Robert? 】

"……hiss……"

Guilliman took a deep breath: in just a moment, he fully understood the meaning of Morgan's words and the possibilities these few words would bring.

"Did you make it, Morgan?"

[It is not difficult to study these, but what I need now are the conditions for large-scale experiments and the corresponding hardware requirements. This is why I contacted you after communicating with Russ...]

"give it to me!"

Before he finished speaking, the Lord of Macragge patted his table with a stern look.

"Tell me what I can do for this experiment, Morgan, and I will definitely help!"

[Thank you for your generosity, Robert. 】

"No need to thank me: there are thousands of mortal psykers among the Auxiliaries of Ultramar, my blood relatives, and your experiments have helped them unimaginably. Anything standardized will be Raghu accepts.”

【……】

[I'm glad to hear that. 】

The Spider Queen smiled, an element of grit in her voice.

But Guilliman didn't notice.

——————

As everything was finalized, the interstellar dialogue between the two Primarchs finally came to an end: since the Far Eastern Frontier began large-scale exchanges with the Five Hundred Worlds, conversations like this have become The two border princes have regular monthly activities, because there are countless important matters that need to be negotiated and decided by them personally, and these matters involve the food, clothing, housing and transportation of countless worlds and people: not even war can hinder the huge power behind this. chain of interests.

Just on the northern frontier of the Five Hundred Worlds, at least thirteen worlds have gradually emerged due to the trade activities between Ultramar and Avalon. At least tens of billions of families rely on transportation and exports to survive. These are all things that the Primarchs have to consider. They may even break out into arguments because of this, argue in defense of the interests of their people, and argue endlessly across thousands of stars. However, all arguments will eventually cease, because always There is a larger profit space that can be divided up by them to make up for the losses caused by the temporary retreat.

In this sometimes harmonious, sometimes contradictory exchange, the brotherhood between Neng Morgan and Guilliman is also rapidly warming up, especially the Lord Macragge, who almost puts his sisters as a symbol of [relatives] 】 position, only slightly lower than Ms. Euton.

Because of this, when Morgan mentioned a seemingly irrelevant topic at the end of the conversation without any warning, Guilliman, who always respected efficiency, still sat in his seat, postponed his countless tasks, and listened. listen.

"Warmaster?"

The Lord of Five Hundred Worlds frowned slightly.

[Haven't you heard of that word, Robert? 】

"Ah, of course I've heard of it."

"In fact..."

Guilliman stuck his shell.

"I personally feel that Ferus is very suitable for this position: there is no greater war artist in the galaxy than him. Although Horus and Jonson are equally outstanding, Ferrus is undoubtedly the most suitable candidate for War Master."

【Will you vote for him? 】

"If the Emperor summoned everyone and asked us to vote for a Warmaster, I would indeed choose him, Morgan: But then again, why are you asking this? Do you want to be a Warmaster?"

[No, I don’t want to at all. 】

"That's it..."

Guilliman nodded, looking a little pity.

"You are actually quite suitable for a coordinating position, Morgan. You are not a superior boss, but a lubricant and middleman between multiple forces: If the Ultramarines can, under your coordination, fight with those we are not familiar with, If the Imperial forces fight side by side, I think I would be happy to answer your call."

[Can I see this as a military commitment, Robert? 】

"certainly."

Guilliman smiled openly.

"The Thirteenth Legion is ready to rally for your word at any time: just as you came to our aid without hesitation, we will treat your enemies as our enemies, fight alongside you, and shed blood."

[Me too, Robert. 】

Morgan raised his glass.

【When you feel confused, don't forget your friend Morgan. 】

"I won't forget it."

"but……"

"What are you going to do when you bring up the War Commander? Are you..."

Guilliman's eyes sharpened.

"Jonson wants you to be a lobbyist?"

【Why do you think so? 】

"His devotion to the Warmaster is like Lorgar's devotion to his book. Even Leman Russ can see that Jonson is simply itching for the position of Warmaster: If he draws me over for this, , I wouldn’t be surprised at all.”

The Lord of Five Hundred Worlds snorted: Whenever he mentioned the Calibans, it always seemed to be in this state.

[You know, Robert, Jonson is not such a character: it is better to expect Luojia to become a god-hating character than to expect him to take the initiative for this. 】

Two pleasant smiles flowed from the mouths of the two Primarchs at the same time.

"You're not his lobbyist?"

[No: But I do want to make a suggestion to you, Robert, do you want to consider the possibility of supporting our brother Jonson to become Warmaster? 】

"..."

"Your words confuse me, Morgan. Does this have anything to do with you?"

【a little bit. 】

The Spider Queen gave a mysterious thumbs up, winked at Guilliman, and smiled like an accomplice.

[Frankly speaking, brother, for Primarchs like us, who have a relatively independent country, which one is better, a Horus-style warmaster or a Jonson-style warmaster? What about the choice? 】

"..."

[I do not mean to slander our brother Horus, but as we have seen, the Wolf God is a big man with hands and eyes that reach the sky. He knows how to use his wrists to the maximum extent. When he became the leader of the Great Crusade As a mobilizer of military power, in the face of his prestige, means, and even his smile, how much power can you and I retain to benefit our own country? 】

"..."

"I have no objection to having the power of the Five Hundred Worlds serve all of humanity, Morgan."

[Ah, of course, I am the same, Robert. If the Human Empire needs the power of the Far Eastern Frontier, I will not hesitate to contribute it: but as I said, Horus is a tough man. The Governor, he knows how to extract more value, while Jonson has no talent in this area. He only assigns tasks but does not care about the details that are beyond his power. 】

[Let me be clear: a Wolf Shepherd who is proficient in politics and military affairs, and seems to have his own pursuit of power, and a Caliban lion who lives in the darkness and knows nothing except military affairs, you are more Who would you like to have as your military commander? 】

[What politicians hate most is another politician: especially one on their own head. 】

"..."

Guilliman narrowed his eyes.

"How about you be more clear, my sister?"

[Don't be so serious, Robert. 】

Morgan smiled easily.

[I just want to tell you: If I had to choose a Warmaster, I would choose Jonson, because facing the Horus Warmaster, I would also worry about the possibility of my territory and legion being eroded by his power: Take a look The former Dawnbreakers and the current 19th Legion, activate your intelligence network to see what Horus has done. I do not deny that he is a good general and a good brother, but I cannot deny that. A Horus-like superior would give me trouble. 】

[He always has some inappropriate little thoughts, as well as the means and ability to turn these little thoughts into reality: Although such little thoughts may not happen to me, how can I guard against thieves for a thousand days? 】

[After all, they are my children, my legion, and my country. It is natural for me to be stingy and conservative for this reason. 】

[But Zhuang Sen is different. 】

"From a certain perspective, he is also a wasteful person, Morgan. He cares less about consumption and loss even than Horus: just like I told you before."

Guilliman frowned and expressed his worries in a low voice: at this moment, he was not the Primarch of the Empire, but the ruler of the Five Hundred Worlds. He did not refute Morgan's previous words, but just swallowed them silently. A silent endorsement of some of these points.

[Indeed, Robert. 】

Morgan nodded, but in her pupils, there was a different kind of cunning. It was the wisdom and greed that only a king who ruled a country would burst out. It was the original sin that also existed in Guilliman.

[Just from another perspective: How is Jonson better than Horus? 】

"..."

【The good thing is...】

[The little thoughts of the Shepherd God will trouble us, because he is essentially a smart, skillful warlord and ruler who knows how to use the rules of the game. When his ideas are strengthened by the power of the Warmaster , it will turn into a command that makes you and me feel distressed. 】

[But Jonson won’t. 】

[Zhuang Sen does have a small mind, and his oppression may even be more severe than Horus's, but...]

[Warmaster Horus is difficult to deal with. 】

[But War Commander Zhuang Sen, that may not be the case. 】

[Even if we handed over power that was far from the limit, he wouldn't be able to tell. 】

"..."

Guilliman was silent, his breathing becoming somewhat sluggish, and his eyes, which were always filled with rationality, were flashing with excitement, recognition and guilt: Part of his soul obviously had thoughts, while another part seemed to be still... In clinging to certain honors and self-hypnosis.

"Morgan..."

【No. 】

[No need to answer me, Robert. 】

The Spider Queen laughed, and she regained her calm expression, as if the profoundness just now was just an illusion.

[I don’t expect to hear your answer, because I didn’t ask you what you think: this is just an exchange, a warning, and a return gift of the same level in return for your previous verbal adventure. 】

[You risked offending Jonson to remind me, so now, I will tell you my thoughts and the despicableness in them: I hope you can keep it a secret for me, Robert. 】

[Just like I will keep it a secret for you. 】

One of Spider Queen's fingers quietly came close to her lips.

She narrowed her eyes.

——————

Silence.

——————

"Why are you helping Jonson run for Warmaster, mother?"

[Election? 】

[No, no, no, my Anya. 】

# Morganian chuckle #

[I am too lazy to help Johnson campaign for the position of Warmaster: from the beginning, that position will only belong to Horus, and Johnson has no chance. 】

【I just……】

【Just looking for fun. 】

"Fun?"

【Yes. 】

[I am neither running around canvassing for Ferrus like Fulgrim, nor will I go out to find support from other primarchs for the Warmaster's affairs: However, if it is just a small talk after a meeting , if it’s just a little casual guidance, I’d still be very happy to do it. 】

[Nothing to lose. 】

"I'm afraid some small talk and guidance will hardly affect the decision-making of the original bodies, right?"

[Indeed, just like Guilliman: Unless Ferrus gives up, it is impossible for him to consider the possibility of Jonson and Horus, but as I said before, this is just a worthless fun , what I enjoy is the feeling of leveraging the balance in the palm of my genetic father. 】

"..."

"Then what if it's really broken?"

[Warmaster Zhuang Sen? 】

[The possibility is very low: even infinitely close to zero. 】

"But it's not zero after all."

【ah……】

【……】

【……】

【That would be fun. 】