Calgar tried to find excuses, but none would do. Abaddon the Despoiler—secretly captured by Lord Rhodes!
More absurd still, the one impersonating Abaddon was a subordinate of Rhodes—an Imperial asset.
When had this happened? It wasn't that he lacked composure—the day's revelations were simply too outlandish.
"My lord, I… I don't think I can do this. I cannot face my battle-brothers," Calgar sighed.
To be frank, undercover work was not for him. And given they already had Abaddon, what difference did Calgar make?
"Are you sure you refuse?" Rhodes asked.
"I'm sorry, my lord. If it were anything else, I would go through fire. But to pledge to Chaos, even as a ruse—I cannot cross that line.
If you insist, I will obey—but afterward, please assign me to serve interred in a Dreadnought," Calgar said.
"Dreadnoughts are being phased out. With med-bays now, who remains mortally wounded? The old Dreadnoughts will all become exhibits," Rhodes said.
Asking to be sealed in a Dreadnought?
That was obsolete. Since Rhodes had introduced the miracle med-bay, beyond saving was rare: either you died on the spot or you lived to be healed.
"My lord, if you would have me go undercover, at least tell me whom we're baiting.
The Despoiler is handled. The Chaos Gods can't manifest in realspace. What enemy requires me to go undercover and both you and my father to act?" Calgar asked.
"That is an Imperial secret. I cannot tell you," Rhodes said.
"My lord, I beg you—assign me another task. Anything but this.
If you need a decoy to lure them, I can serve as a sacrificial target," Calgar said.
"It's not that simple. The avatar's body is the key.
He is the bait. We aren't sure he can draw the fish. Even your father, Guilliman, is bait," Rhodes said.
Rhodes had been monitoring the Warp. Fulgrim had indeed dispatched some Slaanesh daemons and mortal cultists, but no main force—Fulgrim himself remained holed up. The Emperor was right: drawing him out would not be easy. Hence Rhodes's idea to corrupt Guilliman's favored son, Marneus Calgar.
Let Fulgrim decide there was no trap and come for the ace avatar.
But in truth, this step was optional. The crux was making Fulgrim believe there was no ambush—especially after the Imperium had just fought Orks here.
"Since you refuse, when our Abaddon arrives, you can fight him. One of his objectives is to burn through his Black Legion's corrupted Chaos Astartes," Rhodes said.
"That, I can do. The Ultramarines take joy in slaying traitors. If they show themselves, we'll meet them head-on," Calgar said.
As long as he didn't have to pretend to join Chaos, anything was fine. Fighting the Black Legion? Their specialty—old enemies, after all.
"Wait. In your Legion, the Marine who trained under Titus and then served as Chaplain—where is he?" Rhodes asked suddenly.
"You mean Leandros, my lord? He was punished and stripped of the Chaplaincy, but after distinguished service he now serves as an executive officer to a company captain," Calgar said.
Leandros was undeniably talented in war. But he was fixated on the Codex Astartes. After Guilliman's rebuke, he seemed to change, focusing on battle.
"You're saying he's safe—and even an XO?" Rhodes asked.
That made no sense. By his reckoning, Leandros's faith should have collapsed. How had he become an XO? Something was off—very off.
"Leandros is an Ultramarines veteran. He once served as Chaplain. After the Legion's reorganization many posts went vacant, so I promoted him to XO under a regiment-level Chapter," Calgar said.
In today's Ultramarines, ranks were plentiful. Under the Vice Commander were brigadiers, under them Chapter Masters, then company captains.
Leandros had a proud Ultramarines pedigree. Though he once defied the Primarch and caused trouble at the ceremony, decades of penance had seen him right. Serving as an XO in a reconstituted successor Chapter seemed fitting—even as a captain.
"Did he come here with you?" Rhodes asked.
"He did. During the spaceport fight, he even joined a strike team, boarded an Ork ship, and killed dozens of greenskins," Calgar said, doing his best to list Leandros's merits, hoping Rhodes would overlook the man's former stubbornness.
"Don't overthink it. I'm only asking his status. If he's reformed, good—let him stay that way. Prepare for your battle with Abaddon.
Remember—tell no one about Abaddon. Just fight as normal," Rhodes said.
"I understand the gravity. I will die before I reveal it," Calgar said solemnly.
Rhodes nodded with satisfaction, patted Calgar's shoulder, and vanished into a golden gate.
Leandros as an XO?
Definitely wrong. Something was off with that one.
"Come, Tartarus. Let's observe this Leandros," Rhodes said.
Not long after Rhodes left, the officer tallying losses arrived with a report.
"My lord Calgar! We lost three escorts; two cruisers heavily damaged. Ultramarines: 28 KIA, 45 wounded. Adepta Sororitas: 1,711 KIA. Mortal regiments: over 200,000 KIA. Civilian casualties on the Vigilus likely in the millions," the adjutant reported briskly.
"But the Ork fleet has been annihilated. The Vigilus is secure and ready to receive the Lord Regent."
Calgar nodded. "Begin repairs at once. Lord Guilliman will arrive soon—we must ensure security. Alert all units to maintain vigilance. I have a sense more enemies are coming."
Though Abaddon had been replaced, the Black Legion's Chaos Astartes were still traitors—and they must be destroyed.
"Yes, my lord. I'll relay the orders. The Ultramarines will not slacken."
"Monitor Warp flux closely. Report any anomalies to me immediately," Calgar said.
The adjutant saluted and withdrew.
…
In an Ultramarines barracks, Leandros removed his helmet and sat alone in his cell.
During the last Chaos assault—when even the Emperor's Custodians were slain—he had stayed a step apart, received boons from Chaos, and helped them seize Primaris gene-organs.
Afterward, Calgar had elevated him to XO in a newly raised Chapter. Having served as a Chaplain, he occasionally filled the role—the new Chaplains had yet to be selected. Some captains and Chapter Masters had even proposed petitioning Calgar to reinstate him as Chaplain.
At that prospect, Leandros was thrilled. As a Chaplain, he could better corrupt his brothers, turn them from the false Emperor toward freedom.
"Wait for me, Guilliman, Rhodes, and False Emperor. One day I will have my revenge," Leandros muttered.
A black miasma of Chaos seeped from him. Clearly, he had already turned.
Rhodes and Tartarus watched it all.
"Master, you truly foresaw it. The wretch is compromised. Shall we inform Calgar?"
"Of course," Rhodes said with a cold smile.