Chapter 266: The Space Wolf Proliferation Program
Having touched on the topic of the Wolves' future plans, Arthur gave Ramesses a meaningful look. His fingertip tapped lightly on the table, the sound almost inaudible, yet it was like an invisible command. The surrounding Dark Angels immediately understood, their black war-boots stepping back in unison, receding like a tide. They intercepted a few curious Wolf neophytes, their thick arms barring the way, creating an indisputable distance from the crowd.
Seeing that only Logan remained, Arthur immediately expanded his null-field, preventing any possible eavesdropping. A series of images, their colors masked, flickered in the depths of Ramesses's pupils. Faint runic chains appeared in the air, completely isolating the conversation. The flow of time within the field even seemed to slow, the dancing candlelight on the table freezing into golden teardrops.
Then Arthur spoke, "As far as I know, the most severe obstacle currently limiting Fenris's recruitment is not your harsh trial environment, but the Canis Helix, and the ever-worsening Wulfen mutation, brought on by Magnus's curse, correct?"
Logan's eyelid twitched. It was common knowledge that there were no wolves on Fenris, only humans left over from ancient genetic modification mutations. Before Russ's arrival, there were man-high wolf packs roaming the snow plains, and it was even said in legend that they had suckled the Wolf King. And with the complete integration of the Canis Helix into the Fenrisian genome, and with the progress of the Space Wolves' recruitment, the variety of Fenrisian Great Wolves had also increased. There was the black-maned wolf, the largest of all, and the thunderwolf, which roamed the ice caps at the planet's northernmost point, infamous for its vicious and cunning hunting style...
They are not human!
In the perception of the Fenrisians, to fall to the wolf, to completely embrace the power of the wild, was to no longer be human. But humans could become them.
A flash of pain crossed Logan's eyes. He thought of the roars locked in the deepest part of the temple, of the former comrades he had to personally execute on bloody nights. This was the Wolves' deepest secret, because the Imperium, from its very founding, had an extreme aversion to mutation. The Blood Angels' Red Thirst alone had made Sanguinius terrified, afraid that the Emperor would one day destroy the Blood Angels Legion as he had the two expunged Legions. Let alone the Space Wolves, who could truly and completely mutate into wolves.
Especially now, with the relationship between the Wolves and the other Imperial factions growing more and more tense, to prevent malicious parties from using this as a pretext, even the open-minded Space Wolves would choose to destroy all evidence.
But it all depended on who was speaking. If it was another Imperial department, they would immediately choose to silence them. If it was a Primarch, the nature was different.
"Yes," Logan finally said, his voice as rough as sandpaper. He raised his head, his eyes looking directly at the two Primarchs. Since Ramesses could recite what had happened on the day Bjorn had been abandoned, then the Wulfen, and even the Thirteenth Great Company, should be no secret to them. The question was, why bring it up?
Noticing Logan's calm demeanor, Arthur sincerely believed that the position they had chosen in their initial integration into the Imperium was the correct one. With Perturabo's assist, and the very real body of a Primarch, this identity was now solid. This greatly facilitated their actions within the Imperial system. If they were now some sector governor, some Rogue Trader, or some high-ranking member of another Chapter, this conversation would be over before it started. Let's fight—
"The Space Wolves have proven their loyalty with their actions. The blood you have shed is no less than any other human's. This is beyond doubt. The mutation is a disaster that you have been forced to face due to your circumstances. You are also victims. If anyone wishes to use this as a pretext to achieve their own malicious goals, then they will be killed," Arthur first stated his attitude.
This made Logan let out a deep breath, the tightness in his chest seeming to dissipate with these words. This meant the Primarchs had not, because of the instability of the mutation, classified the Wolves as a Chapter to be wary of. In fact, the Space Wolves were not much to worry about. A badass who could go through the Trial of Morkai and not be controlled by their feral instincts, their warp-resistance was maxed out. The whispers of the dark gods had little effect on them. The few records of betrayal were the unlucky Wolf Brothers, a Second Founding chapter that had been wiped out by their gene-seed. Their figures could occasionally be seen in Chaos warband incursions.
"So, there are three problems to be solved in order for the Wolves to expand their numbers," Arthur said, holding up a hand and unfolding three fingers.
"One, the issue of neophyte reserves. Because Leman Russ made special modifications to the gene-seed, only Fenrisians who have fully integrated the Canis Helix can accept the Space Wolves' Astartes augmentation."
Logan nodded in agreement. In fact, in Logan's view of the Chapter's development, the Canis Helix was more of a hindrance than a help. Many brave warriors who could have passed the trials had failed at this stage and had ultimately become the beasts of the Fenrisian landscape.
"Two, the problem of the Wulfen curse. Because of the curse that Magnus placed on you through warp-sorcery, your non-combat attrition rate has always been high, and it is getting worse over time. Many Great Companies have had to be downsized."
Logan nodded again. At the Battle of the Fang, Magnus had not only killed the priests who were studying the 'Canis Helix,' but had also contaminated the Space Wolves' gene-seed stocks, leading to a higher rate of the Wulfen curse. This was the effect of warp-sorcery, and not something the Wolf Priests could solve.
"Three, the problem of logistical supply. Fenris is a relatively barren planet in terms of industrial construction. And the Space Wolves have always been self-sufficient and have kept their distance from most Imperial forces. This is no longer the Great Crusade era. Without the support of the Imperium's unified deployment, Fenris itself cannot maintain an overly large military force."
"Yes," Logan's eyes were serious. The Primarchs were really here to solve problems. These were the problems that were causing the Space Wolves to slowly die out.
In the past, it wasn't a big deal. There were problems, and they would be studied. Even now, Logan was pushing the "Perfect Wolf" project, hoping to solve the Wulfen curse problem. If it failed, it didn't matter. It just proved that the Imperium was getting more and more rotten, that their power was more and more stretched, and that they needed a Primarch more and more.
This was why the Dawnbreakers had a good opinion of the Wolves. Although these guys had a certain self-destructive tendency due to their legends, they would not deliberately seek it out, would not deliberately make the situation worse. They would do their best, and leave the rest to fate. If it had been the madmen of the Iron Hands, who could create a Slaaneshi daemon, the 'Sapphire King,' in the warp, and they had a similar legend, you could expect them to put on a big show. You would have no idea how big a show.
"The Dawnlight Sector can solve the logistical supply problem. We will divert a forge-ship to construct on Midgardia, to set up the Astartes-related equipment industry chain, and also to be responsible for the training of technicians for the Fenris system," Arthur said, presenting the list that Romulus had written long ago.
"Leave the Wulfen curse problem to me. Little Magnus is no match for me in terms of warp-sorcery," Ramesses said, patting his chest grandly. The Aeldari advisors on his side were already studying a proposal. They were very familiar with this kind of warp-curse. It was just that the nickname made Logan's eye twitch. If these two were to meet, they would start a fight on the spot just because of that name.
"And then there is the biggest problem: neophyte recruitment," Arthur asked again. "I remember that in the past, Fenris accepted volunteers, right?"
Volunteers. Those who came from outside the Chapter's homeworld and voluntarily participated in the Astartes trials. Such figures were not uncommon in the Great Crusade era. Even the Dark Angels had members from outside Terra and Caliban. In the era of the Primarchs, the gene-seed cultivated directly by the Primarchs had no flaws, so the test for Astartes candidates naturally did not need to consider their place of birth.
"Yes," Logan nodded. He knew the other was asking about his attitude, whether the Chapter was exclusive to members from other planets. Fenris didn't have this kind of purism. Anyone who could pass the trials was one of their own. But because of the gene-seed, they had to give up recruiting volunteers. To accept them would be to harm them. Ninety-nine percent of them wouldn't even pass the first surgery.
"We have the original gene-seed of the Space Wolves," Arthur said, holding out a long box. "You can have your Wolf Priests test it. Aside from the components that have been fused with the Canis Helix, the changes should not be great. We have a relatively large stock, enough to fill the gap in the Space Wolves' initial recruitment of neophytes."
Cawl actually had a bunch of Primaris Space Wolves, but considering how much criticism the Regent had received for wholesaling Primaris Astartes, everyone had decided not to mention it. After all, such an approach was indeed easy to cause resentment. A chapter was supposed to have only a thousand men at full strength. You just wave your hand and send a few thousand over. Isn't that just squeezing out the voice of the chapter's old-timers?
And these people were all sent by Guilliman. Cawl had deliberately chosen progressives in his selection. Their culture and ideology were also out of step with the various chapters. Their training was also based on the more standardized Ultramarines, which led to everyone's style being very Ultramarine-like.
Gabriel Seth, before he was arranged by the Regent's great hand, had spoken the minds of many chapters. "This is just a group of Ultramarines painted red! Has that lord finally been unable to contain his ambition, and wants all the chapters to obey his command?!"
But the Regent also had his difficulties. He couldn't just let these people who had never experienced a real battlefield be sent to their deaths, could he? And he couldn't just watch those old chapters on the brink of extinction die, could he? He sent the Primaris to the Firstborn chapters, and it solved all the problems. The Primaris Space Marines could absorb the experience of the Firstborn, and those chapters also strengthened their own forces and could better deal with the ever-worsening threats in the galaxy.
It was a win-win situation, but in the end, everyone was scolding him for being ambitious. To be honest, from a god's-eye view, Guilliman was really unlucky. All his decisions were decisive and had no problems, but in the eyes of others, they were all "ambitious," and he was up to no good. If it had been Ramesses, he would have quit long ago. Let whoever wants to be the regent be the regent.
He looked at Arthur, who was patiently answering the questions. The situation was not yet as serious as the Great Rift. Everyone could take their time. When the trust between the two sides had been built up, it would not be too late to discuss Cawl's pile of historical legacy problems.
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