Two weeks later
The 10 million Ascendants were finally ready to depart for the Varraxian Technocracy. Alongside them were hundreds of thousands of support staff required to support them which included security personnel, medics, Ascendant armorers, priests, and civil engineers.
Leading them would be High Ascendant Talarik Crowne, the second in command for Progenitor Malis Kaevor and the Equinoxis Ascendant. The rank of High Ascendant was one of the new ranks created for the Ascendants in recent centuries. The rank came with the responsibility of commanding the Ascendant Legion when the Progenitor is absent or otherwise engages with administrative responsibilities. The rank also came with supervising Ascension facilities and coordinated with the Imperial High Command. There were about 1-3 High Ascendants for each Legion.
Accompanying them would be the 42nd Imperial fleet which would assist them in any orbital and surface engagements.
A few days later, the fleet had arrived at one of the frontline worlds which was used as a staging point for the Varraxian military. The planet was capable of holding Billions of people, but as of now, it had a small population because of most moving to the core systems due to the war.
Because of this, the planet had a small civilian population and was mainly used by the Varraxian military to stage attacks.
Taking a shuttle down the surface, High Ascendant Talarik Crowne accompanied by his Ascendant Honor Guard was talking to Progenitor Malis over the transmitter.
"We're descending through the atmosphere now to meet with the Varraxian Grand Marshall. I'm told he is a newly Grand Marshall, promoted after the last one was turned into a slave by the Ssi-ruu." High Ascendant Crowne had heard that from the Varraxian High Command themselves who were now in a desperate situation.
"Good. I just got done talking with the Emperor, and he told me to let you know that he might pay a visit randomly to see how the Ssi-ruu fight." announced Progenitor Malis.
Crowne turned around to his men and said, "Hear that boys, the Emperor himself might join us." The Honor Guard around him started cheering. They haven't fought alongside the Emperor in centuries, so for it to even maybe happen was extremely exciting.
Unlike most Imperial citizens nowadays, every single Ascendant have met with the Emperor personally. This was one of the requirements after they passed their training to meet with the Emperor where a connection was established between them through the Force.
The same thing happened to citizens who were born in Imperial hospitals. Kyber Crystals filled with Daimon's force energy were used to implant that connection into each citizen.
The connection itself offered many benefits such as an increased healing rate, reduced likelihood of mental illness, and improved fertility rates.
For Imperial citizens, it meant that they could feel a stronger connection to each other, making unity throughout the Imperium more widespread. For the Ascendants, that connection was so strong it became a driving source for their morale and strengthened their connection as soldiers.
Crowne's shuttle touched down in a fortified landing zone surrounded by anti-orbital cannon batteries. As the ramp fully extended, Crowne walked down followed by his Honor Guard.
At the bottom of the ramp, was the Varraxian Grand Marshall waiting at the end of a single-file line of Varraxian officers. He was wearing his dark blue uniform filled with gold trimmings and a high collar with his rank pinned on the side.
"High Ascendant," the Grand Marshall said, bowing his head out of respect for his age which he knew was probably close to a thousand and for the Emperor whom he served. "I am Grand Marshall Keldess Vraal. Your reputation precedes you."
Crowne saluted with a closed fist across his chest. "And yours, Grand Marshall. My men and I are here as per the agreement; to consult, coordinate, and kill anything that is not apart of the Varraxian Technocracy."
Grand Marshall Vraal didn't know what to say to that. He knew the Imperium was like a martial empire that had a vast and powerful military, but he didn't expect to see the Imperial military so eager to fight in a foreign war.
"We have prepared a full briefing. Just before you got here, we lost control of a planet close to our core systems and the Ssi-ruu are using it as a staging ground for their next attack. We have stationed defensive forces to protect the newly identified border planets while we stage a counter-attack." explained Grand Marshall Vraal.
"That's unfortunate, but let's talk more in the briefing."
Grand Marshall Vraal led them through the base, which looked as much like a laboratory as it did a military installation. Screens covered every wall, each one flickering with tactical overlays, data streams, and models of Ssi-ruu attack formation. Technicians, which consisted of a mix of Varraxian's and other minor species, worked at the terminals in silence.
In the war room, Crowne looked at the holotable in the center. It projected a three-dimensional map of the surrounding sector, showing six worlds, shaded red as the Ssi-ruu continued their advance into Varraxian space.
"This is the planet that the enemy is staging their attack force. The planet is named Irellan," Grand Marshall Vraal pointed to planet that was shaded red.
"Our forces will be ready to attack in 3 months time." As Grand Marshall Vraal said this, Crowne was almost shocked at what he was hearing.
"What about the people there. I've heard that the Ssi-ruu enslave the populations of the planet that they conquer. Are you telling me that you're gonna leave those people to suffer?" Crowne only had experience serving the Imperium and if the entire population of a planet that was or used to be controlled by the Imperium was going to be enslaved, then the Emperor himself would not even allow that to happen.
Grand Marshall Vraal understood what Crowne was trying to say, but he also understood the need for preparation. If they tried to counter-attack now out of desperation, then they would lose more in the long run.
"It's unfortunate, but we need to make some sacrifices to win."
Crowne's opinion of the new Grand Marshall immediately diminished. It's not the sacrificing part that made him made. Instead, it was the lack of thinking. He had 10 million Ascendants who could clear out the entire Ssi-ruu military, yet he couldn't even use them to save those lives. Luckily, he wasn't here under the Grand Marshall's orders.
He was just here to meet and coordinate with them. He had authority from the Varraxian Council to deploy as they saw fit with or without the Grand Marshall's approval.
"Well, that won't be happening since I am here. I will deploy with my men to the planet and secure it or at least contest it until it is secured." said Crowne. He wasn't asking Grand Marshall Vraal, he was just letting him know what he was going to do.
Grand Marshall Vraal didn't like this idea as he had been planning to use these 10 million Ascendants for strategic purposes. "With all due respect High Ascendant, I have been planning for this for weeks. If you go take Irellan now with your whole army, that will leave us open to attacks while we muster our forces."
"No it won't. I will leave 2 million Ascendants as defensive forces for you to deploy and defend the most vulnerable planets. The Ssi-ruu will probably try to deploy as many forces as possible to retake the planet as they will be confused by our arrival." explained Crowne.
Grand Marshall Vraal wanted to try and convince him not to, but he knew he had to be as respectful as possible. So, he just accepted the plan, not that he had any say in the matter and finished his briefing.
Once that was done, Crowne departed the planet back to his fleet and then left 2 million Ascendants under the command of a Grand Marshall and departed for Irellan.
The rank of Grand Marshall among the Ascendants was a step below a High Ascendant. They were responsible for planetary campaigns, multi-system operations, and strategic planning. There are usually about 10-20 of these among each Ascendant Legion.
Back onboard the fleet, Crowne ordered the fleet to move out towards Irellan which took a few hours of travelling through hyperspace.
Once they arrived at the edge of the system, Crowne saw a paltry Ssi-ruu fleet defending the planet. And by paltry he didn't mean they were small in numbers, in fact they outnumbered them 3 to 1. But the Ssi-Ruu were nowhere near the technology capability of the Imperium fleet.
Crowne ordered his fleet to aggressively charge the enemy fleet, giving the captains permission to utilize every weapon on their ship to destroy the enemy. For the captains this didn't mean to ignore fleet coordination, instead, it just opened up a whole arsenal of weapons that the Imperium haven't used in a while.
On the top of the Imperial capital ships, a door opened and a massive turbolaser cannon rose up out the top. When the fleet got close, the capital ships locked onto the Ssi-ruu biggest ships and then fired.
The Ssi-ruu had already scrambled fighters and started charging towards the Imperial fleet which they thought they could beat.
But when the turbolaser cannons fired and hit the biggest Ssi-ruu ships, it exploded in a pretty large explosion. However, it didn't just stop at this. The explosion from the cannon spread out so wide that it not only destroyed the fighters around the ship, but even the other ships that even a couple hundred meters away from it.
This left pockets of debris where ships used to be in the Ssi-ruu fleet. But this didn't stop them as they kept pushing forward. The concept of casualties for them wasn't really a thing they cared about.
They were extremely militaristic and cared more about martial prowess than anything. They just started throwing themselves at the Imperial ships in hopes of winning with their overwhelming numbers.
But it just didn't work. And after 4 hours of fighting, the Ssi-ruu fleet was completely destroyed. A few escape pods were floating about and were getting picked up by transport ships flying around.
Meanwhile, Crowne prepared for the invasion of the planet with his 8 million Ascendants. He contacted the Varraxian High Command before hand and asked how many Ssi-ruu were on the planet.
They told him that about 80 million were on the planet.
When he heard those numbers, he honestly wanted more. 80 million were not enough to stop 8 millions Ascendants. If they wanted to have a chance, then 800 million would probably pose a problem.
With this information in mind, he ordered invasion preparations to get ready.
Meanwhile, Daimon was watching the invasion preparation and was also preparing to make his own entrance. He was almost caught up with the work that was waiting for him while he made contact with the Chiss.
But he was getting a little bored and needed a break. And what better a break than a quick battle against some barbaric slavers like the Ssi-ruu.
So he informed Lord Maxim that he would be going without his Empyrean Guard. Lord Maxim of course protested immediately, but Daimon wouldn't have it. So, he had no choice but to hope that nothing happens, especially with the hunt for the Son still in progress and the rising tensions throughout the galaxy.