Chapter 46: The Benefits of Logistics
"Is this infection contagious?" Omega asked after hearing Rex's full explanation.
Rex nodded gravely.
"Yes, sir. Although we have isolated the infected personnel from the uninfected as you requested, we cannot guarantee the uninfected will remain disease-free. Our current medical supply reserves are insufficient to treat the entire legion."
Upon hearing this assessment, alarm rippled through the company commanders present in the strategy chamber.
Omega slowly stood and gazed outward at the debris field scattered across space. When he spoke, his voice carried a firm resolve.
"Initiate withdrawal protocols. Contact Sage Russell immediately and have him locate a suitable planet with available medical facilities. Deploy our best available medicines and medical personnel to treat these soldiers."
Company Commander Norton responded with evident surprise. "Sir, the Alpha Chapter remains combat-effective. We can continue offensive operations independently. We should not withdraw due to the Imperial Military's casualties."
Omega turned to face him directly, his expression calm and measured. "Norton, we have been in continuous combat for one year; the entire force requires rest and recuperation. We will use this period to upgrade to Mark IV power armor and recruit additional personnel to replace our losses and crew reinforcements."
Upon hearing this reasoning, company commanders, including Skol, voiced no further objection. The prospect of improved equipment and expanded strength overcame any reluctance to withdraw.
Despite the best efforts of the legion's apothecaries and medical personnel aboard the Imperial Military support vessels, the number of infected continued to increase while medical supplies dwindled to critical levels.
Omega made an immediate decision: execute emergency warp translation.
The medical personnel could at least sustain critical patients during the jump. One month later, more than five hundred warships emerged at their destination within a new star system.
Ten warships were already positioned and waiting in space.
Upon rendezvous, Sage Russell led a large contingent of medical personnel and medical supplies to the infected troops aboard the Imperial Military vessels.
The fleet adjusted course toward a technologically advanced planet designated Galbray, which possessed a full orbital starport facility.
The critically ill Imperial Military personnel felt profound relief and gratitude for the Alpha Legion's and the Mechanicus's dedicated medical intervention.
Sage Russell quickly deciphered the illness's nature.
Standing on the bridge and observing numerous transport vessels carrying infected soldiers groundside toward specialized planetary medical facilities, Russell delivered his full medical assessment.
"The outbreak was primarily caused by myriapod biological fragments entering the atmosphere and subsequently being ingested by infected personnel through respiratory exposure, water contamination, and food sources."
"This particular infection pathology is readily treatable, especially if proper preventative measures are implemented during initial exposure."
Russell's tone grew more optimistic. "Galbray possesses substantial medical and pharmaceutical reserves. Following several months of recuperation and treatment, the affected personnel can return to active combat operations."
Omega nodded in acknowledgment.
Some problems had straightforward solutions, while others... presented genuine complexity.
He posed his next question with a slight smile. "Have any other Imperial Legions experienced similar contamination incidents?"
Russell confirmed immediately. "Yes, sir."
"The Imperial Military forces fighting alongside the Death Guard frequently encounter serious infection problems. This correlates directly with the Death Guard's combat tactics. The planets they conquer invariably seem to harbor persistent biological hazards and disease vectors after their operations conclude."
The observation made logical sense.
Omega shifted his inquiry toward Russell's current operational progress on Galbray.
The Sage smiled with evident satisfaction. "Quite smoothly, sir."
"Approximately twenty years ago, our legion established the Nine Star Republic, a republican governmental organization, on this planet. Due to our frequent recruitment operations here for Imperial military personnel, this organization has grown rapidly and now controls most of the planetary government."
Russell's expression brightened as he continued. "The Nine Star Republic's political ideology surpasses the planet's original governmental system in efficiency and effectiveness. With Mechanicus technical support and Alpha Legion assistance, the planet has achieved sufficient industrial capacity to construct and maintain its own orbital starport."
"I selected this planet deliberately because it already possessed adequate industrial infrastructure and the foundational work laid by previous Mechanicus expeditions."
Russell explained that the Alpha Legion's grand developmental plan had been in effect for approximately 1 year.
The entire planetary economy had entered a phase of accelerated, comprehensive development. Prosperity and infrastructural advancement spread across the world.
The Nine Star Republic's governmental popularity continued to increase across all population segments.
Intrigued by the planet's strategic development, Omega and Sage Russell boarded a Thunderhawk gunship to conduct a personal reconnaissance survey.
The company commanders arranged leisure activities for their personnel.
....
As the gunship descended through the planetary atmosphere, Omega observed the world below: a world roughly half-covered in ocean, half in continental landmass.
The deep blue waters appeared serene and peaceful. Numerous maritime vessels dotted the seascape. Several dozen high-speed atmospheric aircraft approached from the sky, then, recognizing the Thunderhawk's military configuration, greeted it respectfully and withdrew.
Observing Russell's confident expression, Omega smiled and offered praise. "Development is proceeding quite well indeed."
Russell's response was more measured. "The planetary environment possesses good foundational conditions, but technological development remains relatively primitive. The natives cannot construct adequate spacecraft independently, nor can they conduct trade with surrounding star systems effectively."
As the gunship glided across the continental landscape, Omega observed numerous beautifully constructed cities.
Buildings stretched hundreds of meters skyward. Flying vehicles filled the aerial spaces between structures. From coastal urban centers to developed inland metropolises, the architecture was impressive.
Yet Omega understood a crucial strategic reality: such planets, however beautiful and developed, remained highly vulnerable to interstellar warfare. Their atmosphere and defensive fortifications offered no protection against orbital assault. Any alien civilization with space-capable forces could breach planetary defenses and achieve total conquest within days.
The Nine Star Republic government had allocated an entire continent to the Mechanicus, a continent that had consisted initially primarily of desert and arid wasteland. Its only practical advantage was sheer territorial expanse.
For the Mechanicus, whether terrain consisted of desert or fertile land proved irrelevant.
Over the past two decades, this continental desert, spanning tens of thousands of kilometers, has been systematically transformed into a massive industrial foundry complex. Solar energy arrays converted the abundant desert sunlight into usable power on an unprecedented scale.
To the native Galbray population, the Mechanicus continent's technological sophistication seemed impossibly advanced.
Simple imitation and manufacturing of Mechanicus designs had dramatically expanded the planet's total industrial capability.
The gunship flew directly above an enormous hive-city currently under construction, its central spire extending thousands of meters skyward. Countless large-scale industrial production facilities spread outward from the hive's base.
The group traversed a magnificent corridor located on the hive's uppermost accessible level. Upon entering the primary administrative chamber, they found a beautiful, expansive hall. White clouds drifted past exterior viewing ports. Interior decorations displayed the full splendor and elegant aesthetic of high nobility.
Observing the distinctive aristocratic heraldry displayed throughout, Omega smiled, "This chamber was prepared for nobility within the Nine Star Republic government, I presume?"
Sage Russell nodded in confirmation.
"Yes, sir. The Nelson family provided substantial assistance to the Mechanicus during the continent's initial development and conquest. In recognition of their service, we granted them the status of tier-one nobility within this hive-capital. Every hive-city requires an established noble family to maintain political stability. We designated the Nelsons as that family."
Omega's response was characteristically direct. "I do not wish to involve myself in local political arrangements, but the Nine Star Republic's governmental structure must remain aligned with the fundamental principles I originally designed for it."
"This restriction exists not for my personal benefit, but rather to ensure optimal governance and administration across the entire planet. The Alpha Legion intends for this world to achieve advanced technological and civilizational status."
Russell nodded in complete agreement. Primarch Omega demonstrated remarkable pragmatism in such matters, not interfering in local affairs while maintaining critical strategic oversight.
Russell believed that with the Mechanicus's technological capabilities, achieving Omega's ambitious standards remained entirely feasible.
Russell described the continent-scale foundry's current production capacity with evident pride. "The facility currently mass-produces laser weapons, main battle tanks, bomber aircraft, missile systems, and other heavy weapons. It supplies our forces with nuclear-grade power batteries and advanced energy generation systems."
"Essentially, we can now supply the entire Imperial Military fleet of ours with sustained logistical support indefinitely."
He continued with greater nuance. "Spacecraft construction and power armor manufacturing remain beyond our current capabilities. Such projects require full ForgeWorld industrial infrastructure, still under development. However, the foundries have operated for only a few decades. Achieving full forgeworld status will require more time."
Russell expanded further on ancillary developments. "The Mechanicus sages, particularly Sage Julius, have prioritized developing advanced light armor and weaponry optimized specifically for Imperial Military deployment. We have also begun manufacturing medical compounds and pharmaceutical treatments in substantial quantities while training large numbers of medical personnel to imperial standards."
"Additionally, we can now recruit millions of qualified Imperial Military soldiers directly from this planet's population. This single industrial center effectively resolves a substantial portion of the Alpha Legion's logistical resource requirements."
Omega posed a critical follow-up question. "Can you manufacture atmospheric gunships here?"
"Not currently." Russell shook his head with evident regret. "Heavy weapons production remains limited. We depend on Sage Julius and the Sophis Forgeworld to supply gunboats and advanced systems."
"Our grand plan has only recently begun to be implemented. Given adequate time, we are confident in achieving these capabilities."
"The forgeworld is being developed with full commitment of our resources." Russell provided additional context regarding the Sophis Forgeworld project. "It is already producing gunboats, space-to-space torpedoes, and even small transport vessels in mass-production quantities."
"However, the project is still in early phases, so we lack sufficient time to reach our full capability targets."
"All in all, My Lord, we need time, and by good grace, we have all the time we need in the world."
The Mechanicus had absorbed the captured alien technology libraries and was now engaged in comprehensive integration and manufacturing. The Cult of the Machine was constantly expanding its personnel and mass-producing weapons at rates that exceeded even Omega's initial projections.
Omega expressed satisfaction with the strategic progress. His thoughts turned to the broader strategic implications.
"This explains the Thirteenth Legion's exceptional material wealth," he mused.
The Ultramarines possessed abundant planetary resources and superior logistical networks that enabled them to procure any desired weapons system and construct warships in any quantity their industrial capacity permitted.
"Ha-ha, In the end, Russell, Tactics win battles, logistics win wars."
He gazed outward at Galbray's planetary surface, his expression contemplative.
The strategic foundations being laid here would reshape the Alpha Legion's operational capacity across the Imperium for centuries to come.
[End of Chapter]