Aboard the Throne of Shadow's Sovereignity, in the Primarch's office.
Arsena lifted his control staff, projecting a holographic star map of the Forge World Lucius and the surrounding region of the Coronid Deeps.
The star chart for the Coronid Deeps came from Rogue Trader Lewis von Valancius.
Nareth asked his aide, "What is the current progress on the Ramilies-class star forts?"
"The second star fort constructed by Cypra Mundi is about halfway complete. Triken and Vostroya are at roughly one-quarter and one-ninth, respectively," replied the silver-haired Arsena.
"There's something that I believe you should decide personally."
"The craftsmna of Cypra Mundi discovered a damaged copy of a Standard Template Construct data file. Through research, they've managed to reconstruct a new type of lander."
Arsena brought up the report on his data slate and presented it to Nareth.
Nareth reviewed the specifications: 11.8 meters long, 21.45 meters wingspan, 8.1 meters tall, weighing 42 tons.
He then examined the holographic model of the experimental craft.
Immediately, he recognized it.
'The Aquila Lander.'
'I remember, it originated from Cypra Mundi itself.'
'Among Cypra Mundi's signature products, besides ships, was the Aquila Lander.'
The Aquila Lander was a small transport spacecraft, rarely used for combat. It typically ferried important individuals between orbiting starships and planetary surfaces.
Its usual passengers were nobles, Inquisitors, military commanders, and planetary governors, important figures of the Imperium.
"The lander's fuselage has an observation dome behind the cockpit, better than the viewing windows of a Stormbird," Arsena continued.
"During test flights, passenger comfort far surpassed all current atmospheric and void-capable craft. It has already gained immense favor among the nobles of Cypra Mundi."
"As Cypra Mundi serves both as a Legion base and an Imperial hub in the Segmentum Obscurus, it has drawn great demand. Many highborns have requested mass production, and are willing to pay handsomely for it."
Nareth thought for a moment, then decided:
"The shape of its wings resembles the Imperial symbol's crown feathers. Its multiple exhaust ports converge like the wings of an eagle, so we shall name it the Aquila Lander."
He wasn't fixated on using the name from his memory, but this name highlighted its symbolic elegance and would appeal to wealthy buyers willing to pay more.
"Replicate the STC data and have it produced by hive and industrial worlds such as Necromunda, for distribution among Imperial nobility."
"Which worlds will handle production, you will decide."
In the short term, Nareth will not permit worlds like Cypra Mundi, Triken, and Vostroya, nor future candidates such as Kaus, the Tempest Star of the Coronid Deeps, to possess civilian production capabilities comparable to those of a forge world
Necromunda was the exception, its production capacity surpassed that of any hive or industrial world, owing to its vast manpower and the technological inheritance of the Araneus Continuity.
Nareth wanted Necromunda to grow along its established trajectory, stripped of its corrupt habits, and not be confined solely to military production.
It was also the best-suited world to manufacture Aquila Landers, as the nobles of the Segmentum Solar were generally more numerous, wealthier, and more powerful than elsewhere.
"Distribute the craftsmen's who discovered the STC fragments among the selected worlds, according to merit."
"I will have your rewards publicly proclaimed throughout Legion territory," Arsena said, understanding Nareth's intent to encourage discovery and innovation.
Once the Aquila Lander matter was resolved, Nareth returned his attention to the ongoing war with the Mitu.
"The three star forts are still under construction and can't be deployed in this campaign, so we'll have only two available for combat against the Mitu."
"Given their deployment time, we must decide now how to use them."
He turned his gaze toward the commander of the first Ramilies-class star fort, Captain Diana Pauline.
Feeling the Primarch's gaze, the "Telepathist" recalled, with her powerful memory, all the research she had done on the Mitu Conglomerate's dozens of star systems.
"The Ramilies-class starfort can serve as a strategic anchor, greatly accelerating the war's progress. It should be deployed either at the enemy's weak point or a key strategic location."
"Undoubtedly, the Manachean System, as the Mitu capital, must have one star fort."
"As for the second, I believe it should be Damaetus."
Arsena highlighted Damaetus on the star map.
After nodding to Arsena, Diana continued, "House Vyronii are the most resolute resistance force within the Mitu's domain."
"They've resisted Mitu assaults for centuries. Once liberated, they will join our war."
"According to data from Rogue Trader Lewis, Damaetus lies at the intersection of several minor warp routes, ideal for further advances."
Nareth nodded slightly, agreeing with most of her reasoning.
"From a purely military standpoint, yes, but war is merely a means. There are other factors to consider."
The "Telepathist" looked at him. As always, she couldn't penetrate the psychic field of a Primarch.
However, through long observation of the Legion and others, she had mastered her gift.
Since reaching sequence 8, her skill and precision had grown immensely.
While she couldn't read the Primarch's surface thoughts as with others, she could roughly simulate his reasoning.
She tried to view the Coronid Deeps through Nareth's perspective.
Knight Worlds, Baroda, Zavarich, Lascal…
Worlds and systems flashed through her mind as she recalled his prior decisions. Her gyrinx lay curled at her feet, aiding her thought process.
Suddenly, inspiration struck.
'Lord Nareth doesn't just emphasize seizing key objectives, he values targets with the greatest potential.'
'And the most valuable world in the Coronid Deeps is…The Forge World Mezoa.'
"It's not Damaetus," she said aloud. "It should be Mezoa."
"Right now, Mezoa is at its weakest. Once you destroy the Mitu, they will surely seek your friendship."
She frowned, however.
"But, according to Lewis' intelligence, Mezoa has grown accustomed to the Mitu's periodic purges that cull human populations."
"They seem to have reached a silent accord with the xenos, implying they don't value human labor much anymore…"
Suppressing her anger, Diana analyzed Mezoa's attitude.
"Their forge temples and manufactorums haven't suffered attacks like those on Incaladion."
"Gaining their friendship through rescue won't be as effective as helping Incaladion, or as impactful as saving House Vyronii from extinction."
"True," Nareth nodded, acknowledging her concerns.
"For centuries, Mezoa has endured Mitu incursions. They crave defensive strength more than any other Forge World."
"Once they see that a Ramilies-class starfort can hold the void and repel enemies before they reach Mezoa itself, they'll be interested."
He believed Mezoa had a latent desire for protection. No Forge World wanted its territory periodically invaded and its 'assets' slaughtered.
"I understand, my lord," said Diana.
"My lord," Arsena interjected after recording orders, "the First and Fourteenth Legions have completed their assembly at Lucius."
Nareth turned back to the Coronid Deeps.
He immediately ruled out Damaetus and Baroda, as both worlds were to be under protection and control of the Shadow of Order.
He also excluded Manachea, the Mitu's capital, its bloody arcane technologies still had research value.
He planned to recover Mitu's psionic technology and have his librarians develop non-flesh-burning variants.
"The First Legion's target will be the Grail Abyss," he declared.
The Grail Abyss housed vast numbers of Mitu, but would be strategically irrelevant to the future Coronid Deeps.
Nareth decided to assign that difficult objective to Urian Vendraig, eager to prove himself.
Of course, this wasn't the hardest assignment, the Mitu's elite forces remained at Manachea.
"I will personally lead the Sixth, Tenth, and Eleventh Chapters, as well as detachments from the First and Twelfth, to strike at the Cyclops Cluster."
During the Great Crusade, Horus Lupercal had also prioritized the Cyclops Cluster, it held immense mineral wealth, the foundation for future industrial worlds.
"Send word to Lucius, request support from the Legio Astrama and their Skitarii's."
"The Fourteenth Legion will follow my lead. Once the Shadow of Order secures Lascal, they'll advance independently toward Zavarich."
"Zavarich supplies food to the Mitu. The Fourteenth's mission is to sever that supply."
Nareth anticipated that once Zavarich fell, the Mitu would divert major forces there, playing perfectly to the Fourteenth Legion's defensive strengths.
In time, Zavarich would be reclassified as an Agri-World.
Though the Mechanicum couldn't transform resource-poor worlds into industrial or forge worlds, they could remake them into fertile agricultural planets.
Even if Zavarich was bombarded into ruin, the loss would be minor, new agri-worlds could easily be established in the Coronid Deeps.
Thus, Nareth confidently entrusted Zavarich to the Fourteenth Legion.
.....
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