In Warhammer with Rogue Trader Mods.

Dominar Hive, Badab Prime.

Noah stood before the grand floor-to-ceiling window of a lavish palace, basking in the sunlight streaming from high above. His gaze lingered on the spires of the hive city in the distance—though stark and monotonous, they were among the few "sights" this planet had to offer.

Swirling the wine in his glass, Noah spoke with a relaxed tone: "Not curious about how I know so much?"

"Why?"

The Navigator scion, her expression guileless, asked the question.

"No need."

Sister Argenta's reply was brisk and resolute. "Whatever you aim to do, we will follow you to the battlefield."

Nono smiled faintly: "Noah, I am your most loyal servant. You can always count on me."

"I...I don't really need to know either!"

Cassia, feeling an odd pressure from Argenta and Nono's unwavering confidence, quickly added, "I was just curious, really. If it's meant to stay a secret, you don't have to tell me at all..."

Noah chuckled and responded: "It's no great secret. The reason is simple: it's the Emperor's guidance."

"Praise the Emperor."

Argenta intoned reverently, unquestioning of Noah's explanation.

"I knew it!"

Cassia's pale face lit up with excitement. Why were they gifted with fragments of future memories? Why were those visions always tied to Noah? Of course, it had to be the Emperor's divine intervention!

In the Imperium of Man, who but the Emperor Himself could accomplish such feats?

No one!

"You believe me just like that? You don't want to ask for any details?"

Noah's expression turned a bit peculiar as he glanced back at their reactions.

He had resolved long ago to credit anything inexplicable to the Emperor—who could argue against that?

What he hadn't anticipated was that he'd never actually had a chance to use this explanation because no one ever asked.

Noah had been eager to answer this question, yet not a single soul had come forward to ask him.

In truth, the memories of the first timeline had influenced Argenta and the others far more deeply than Noah realized. They never doubted his decisions, let alone questioned him.

Even Luft Huron, the only outsider, seemed to refrain out of respect. Having confirmed the reliability of Noah's intelligence, Huron neither pried nor probed into his secrets.

"Ehh? Then what's the real reason?" Cassia asked innocently.

Noah chose to bypass the naive young Navigator and turned his gaze to the Sister of Battle and the Ecclesiarch.

"Because I, too, have been guided by the God-Emperor."

Argenta's expression remained devoutly solemn, her response entirely "by the book."

"Does it matter?" Nono asked flatly.

"Alright then."

Noah sighed, seeing the unwavering trust in their eyes.

At times, he wondered—if he asked them to shed their armor and lie before him in submission, would they comply without hesitation, even offering to let him choose where to begin?

By the Emperor! What a peculiar mix of burden and privilege this was!

Noah turned back to the window. High above, several Thunderhawks streaked toward the Fortress Monastery.

Each bore distinct heraldry: yellow for the Lamenters, green for the Mantis Warriors. These were the reinforcements Huron had summoned.

------------------------

Simultaneously, an transmission carried Luft Huron's voice:

"Noah, if you can spare a moment, please join us in the conference chamber. We'll be waiting for you there."

Noah raised an eyebrow, bemused. Did Huron think he was preoccupied hosting a party?

Throwing a party in someone else's house? Was he that sort of person?!

If there were festivities to be had, he'd at least do it back on his own turf!

-------------------------------

The Maelstrom, located near the galactic core, is the second-largest and most powerful Warp rift in the galaxy, rivaled only by the Eye of Terror.

In 587.M41, the High Lords of Terra issued an Imperial Edict:

The Astral Claws, Mantis Warriors, Lamenters, and Charnel Guard —four fleet-based Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes—were permanently stationed within the Maelstrom Zone to combat the rising tide of Chaos incursions and piracy originating from the Warp anomaly.

Initially, the Chapters cooperated seamlessly. Numerous Imperial worlds were reclaimed, and from 640.M41 to 651.M41, they launched an unprecedented offensive deep into the Maelstrom, bringing war directly to Chaos strongholds. It was a feat unmatched for centuries.

But just as stability seemed within reach, the High Lords redeployed the Charnel Guard to other regions of the Imperium.

This withdrawal of one-quarter of the defensive force shattered the balance within the Maelstrom. The offensive was aborted, the Chapters fell back into a defensive stance, and Chaos forces resurged within mere decades, reclaiming lost ground.

The consequences were devastating.

In 681.M41, the Lamenters suffered catastrophic losses, including over 300 Astartes and four strike cruisers. During the same period, an Astral Claws-led task force, including Imperial Navy contingents, was annihilated.

In 715.M41, pursuing an Ork Waaagh!, Astral Claws Chapter Master Rovik Blake perished in single combat with an Ork warboss, taking a heavy toll on the Chapter's strength.

That year, Luft Huron, then Third Captain, was unanimously chosen as the new Chapter Master. At that time, he became the youngest leader in the history of the Astral Claws.

-----------------------

Back in the Fortress Monastry's conference chamber, Huron's voice deepened as he concluded recounting the Chapters' shared history and hardships:

"From that day forward, I swore—if it were up to me, such a travesty would never happen again!"

Looking at the assembled Chapter Masters, he declared:

"To die in the line of duty is our honor, for no Astartes dies of old age. Each of us inherits the Chapter from a fallen predecessor. To die in battle is our glory, for it is why we exist! But that does not mean we should die without purpose!

"We had the chance to pacify the Maelstrom once and for all, but the High Lords' orders robbed us of that victory.

"Now, another opportunity lies before us. Whatever your decisions may be, I cannot stand idly by and let it slip away. The Astral Claws will join the effort to save Macragge. Who stands with us?"

His gaze swept over the other two Chapter Masters, his commanding presence palpable. Huron was a born leader; his words carried conviction and inspiration.

"The Mantis Warriors will join."

Chapter Master Sartaq replied solemnly, "We can commit two companies to the effort."

"The Lamenters as well," said Chapter Master Malakim Phoros after a brief pause. "But we can only spare one company."

The devastating losses of half a century prior had left the Lamenters deeply scarred; the Chapter had yet to fully recover, with their total strength barely exceeding 900 Astartes.

"Not enough!"

Huron's brow furrowed, rejecting the proposal outright.

....

📢30 advanced chapters on p@treaon📢

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17. Three Chapters Serving Me Alone—What Greater Fortune Could There Be?

18. Xenos Invade Macragge!

19. If You Think You Can, Then Do It.

20. Disclaimer: Proceed at Your Own Risk!

21. Does This Make Sense?