Chapter 351: — The Road Ahead

Tony stepped away from the workstation.

The Techmarines had shown him enough for one visit.

Armor systems.

Bolter maintenance.

Power distribution.

The power sword.

And several systems he had never encountered before.

Tony looked around the chamber one last time.

“Okay.”

He pointed toward the damaged equipment.

“I’ve got enough to keep me busy for a while.”

The Techmarine nodded.

“You have learned much.”

Tony smiled.

“I have.”

He glanced toward Titus.

“And I assume I can come back?”

Titus nodded.

“You have Praetor Gaius’s authorization.”

“Perfect.”

Tony looked toward the Techmarines.

“Thanks.”

One of them gave a brief nod.

“We will continue repairing what can be saved.”

Tony looked at the damaged armor around the room.

“Good.”

He turned toward the exit.

Gaius was already waiting outside.

Tony stepped out.

“Finished?”

Tony nodded.

“For now.”

Gaius looked toward the maintenance chamber.

“You learned what you needed?”

“More than I expected. Though I want to know more.”

Tony glanced back.

“Your Techmarines know their stuff.”

Gaius gave a small nod.

“They have maintained these weapons and armor for decades.”

Tony looked at him. 𝔣𝖗ⅇℯ

“Yeah. I noticed.”

Titus approached.

“Praetor.”

Gaius turned.

“Report.”

“The eastern sectors are secure. The remaining PDF formations are regrouping, and the wounded are being moved into the surviving medical facilities.”

Titus paused.

“We have also restored contact with several command districts.”

Gaius nodded.

“And the Warp tear?”

“Continuing to weaken.”

Tony looked between them.

“So we’re actually getting a connection back?”

“Partially,” Titus said.

“The local vox network is functioning again. Several command channels have also been restored.”

Gaius turned toward the nearest command station.

“Then use them.”

Titus immediately gave the order.

Operators moved to their stations.

Cogitators came online.

Damaged communications equipment hummed back to life.

Then Titus looked toward another section of the command center.

“The Astropathic chamber has also been restored.”

Gaius turned.

“Take me there.” ℯ𝕝.

Titus led him through the damaged command center.

Tony followed beside Gaius.

Diana, who had been waiting nearby, joined them as they headed toward the Astropathic chamber.

They entered a small chamber that had survived the battle.

An Astropath sat at the center of the room, surrounded by damaged equipment and dimly glowing instruments.

One of the attendant systems activated.

The Astropath slowly opened his eyes.

“The Warp remains disturbed,” he said.

Gaius approached.

“Can you transmit?”

“For a brief period.”

The Astropath closed his eyes again.

“I can feel a path.”

“Use it.”

The chamber fell silent.

The Astropath concentrated.

A moment later, the equipment around him began to hum.

The connection stabilized.

Gaius spoke.

“Varrak Prime. Ultramarines command. Praetor Gaius Maximor Thassor reporting.”

The Astropath repeated the message through the psychic connection.

The report was transmitted, the attack, the Chaos forces, the destruction, the casualties, the ritual sites, the destruction of the primary ritual, the remaining sites to be searched, and the condition of Varrak.

Everything was sent.

Tony listened quietly.

Then Gaius added:

“The immediate assault has been repelled.”

He paused.

“Varrak remains under Imperial control.”

The Astropath remained still.

Several moments passed.

Then his eyes opened.

“A reply.”

Everyone looked toward him.

“From where?”

“Terra.”

Gaius stepped closer.

The Astropath’s expression changed as he received the message.

“Lord Guilliman has received your report.”

Titus straightened.

Tony raised an eyebrow.

The Astropath continued.

“He was already aware that Varrak had come under attack.”

Gaius remained silent.

“Lord Guilliman personally ordered reinforcements to Varrak.”

Titus looked toward Gaius.

“How many?”

“One Ultramarines company.”

The Astropath paused.

“Accompanied by Chapter Master Marneus Calgar.”

Tony looked at Gaius.

“Your boys aren’t exactly sending a small welcome party.”

Gaius ignored the comment.

“Where are they?”

“At the edge of the system.”

Gaius’s expression remained unchanged.

“Why have they not entered?”

“The Warp disturbance.”

The Astropath opened his eyes fully.

“The tear prevented them from safely translating farther into the system. They were forced to hold position outside the affected region.”

Gaius nodded.

“How long until they can enter?”

The Astropath concentrated again.

“Unknown.”

Tony folded his arms.

“So they’re still outside the system? Then they’re pretty far away. Your ships aren’t exactly FTL.”

“Indeed.”

Gaius considered the situation.

Then he spoke.

“They are to return.”

Titus looked at him.

“Praetor?”

“The threat that required their deployment has been contained.”

He looked toward the Astropath.

“Transmit that the situation on Varrak is under control.”

The Astropath nodded.

Gaius continued.

“They are not to risk an entire company attempting to cross the Warp tear.”

Tony nodded.

“That makes sense.”

Gaius looked toward Titus.

“We have wounded to treat. Infrastructure to restore. Ritual sites to locate.”

He paused.

“We do not need another company risking themselves while the Warp remains unstable.”

The Astropath transmitted the order.

The response did not take long.

His eyes opened again.

“Chapter Master Calgar acknowledges.”

Gaius waited.

The Astropath spoke.

“He sends his respects, Praetor Thassor.”

Titus lowered his head slightly.

Gaius simply nodded.

“Tell him to return to Terra.”

“Understood.”

The connection faded.

The equipment fell silent.

Gaius turned away.

Tony looked toward the Astropathic chamber.

“So we’re handling this ourselves.”

Gaius nodded.

“We have enough strength to do so.”

Tony nodded.

Tony looked toward the Astropathic chamber.

“This form of communication is seriously inconvenient. I think we should bring UNSC communications technology here.”

Gaius glanced toward him.

“There will be opportunities.”

Tony smiled.

“Good.”

He looked around at the ruined command center.

Then toward the city beyond it.

“I can help too.”

Gaius turned toward him.

Tony gestured toward the damaged armor and equipment.

“I’ve seen enough now to know I can do something with it.”

Gaius waited.

Tony continued.

“I can upgrade some of your men’s armor, Gaius.”

Titus stopped nearby and looked toward him.

Tony pointed toward the maintenance chamber.

“Not today. Not while everything’s still being repaired.”

He looked back at Gaius.

“But later.”

Gaius gave a single nod.

“Then do what you can.”

Tony smiled.

“I will.”

Gaius turned toward Titus.

“Continue preparations for the restoration of Varrak.”

Titus saluted.

“It will be done.”

He departed.

Later that evening, one of the surviving halls had been cleared and turned into a temporary dining chamber.

It had once been part of a larger administrative building. Much of the interior had been damaged during the fighting. Sections of the ceiling had been repaired with temporary supports, and several walls still bore scorch marks and impact damage.

Portable lamps had been placed along the walls, casting a warm but uneven light across the room.

The windows had been left open.

Through them came the distant sounds of Varrak’s recovery.

Generators rumbled somewhere outside.

Construction crews worked around damaged buildings, moving debris and reinforcing structures that were still standing.

Occasionally, the distant clank of machinery echoed through the night.

Medicae teams continued moving between the surviving facilities, while PDF personnel maintained security around the damaged districts.

The battle was over.

The work of keeping the planet alive had begun.

A simple meal had been placed on the table.

Gaius sat on one side.

Diana sat across from him.

Neither spoke for several moments.

Gaius ate in silence.

Diana studied him.

Something about him was different.

It was subtle.

If she had not known him before the battle, she might not have noticed it at all.

But she had seen him fight.

She knew what he had looked like before.

Her eyes moved toward his forearm resting beside the table.

It was slightly larger than before.

Not by much.

But the difference was there.

The muscles appeared denser, more compact beneath his skin.

His forearm looked heavier.

His hands seemed larger as well, and there was a little more mass across his shoulders and arms.

It wasn’t a dramatic transformation.

But it was enough to confirm what she had already felt on the battlefield.

He really had become stronger.

Diana’s expression remained thoughtful.

She didn’t know whether that change was dangerous.

She only knew that something had happened to him.

And whatever it was, it had changed his body.

“You really are stronger.”

Gaius looked at her.

“Yes.”

Diana continued eating, her eyes briefly returning to his arm.

“Does it bother you?”

Gaius paused.

“No.”

Diana nodded.

“You’re still yourself.”

Gaius looked down at his hand.

“The Emperor said it will not change me.”

Diana looked at him.

“And you believe Him.”

“Yes.”

She accepted the answer.

For a while, neither spoke.

Outside, another generator started somewhere beyond the hall.

Its low rumble joined the distant machinery and voices of the workers.

A damaged building nearby groaned as heavy equipment shifted a section of fallen masonry.

Then the noise settled again.

Varrak was still wounded.

Entire sections of the city had been damaged.

People were still being treated.

The dead were still being accounted for.

But the fighting had stopped.

The planet was alive.

Diana looked toward Gaius again.

“What happens now?”

Gaius continued eating.

“We rebuild.”

He looked toward the distant horizon through the damaged window.

“And prepare for what comes next.”

Diana nodded.