Chapter 377: Ashen Claws
Ashen Claws. Renegade Chapter of the Imperium.
Strictly speaking, they weren't really renegades.
After all, when the Ashen Claws broke away from the Imperium, Guilliman was still getting mixed-doubles beaten by Angron and Lorgar in Ultramar.
In short, as early as the beginning of the Heresy, after the massacre of the loyalist Legions on Isstvan V, this group had stopped accepting Imperial management.
The Ashen Claws were actually the 18th Chapter of the Raven Guard Legion. The name came from the Xeric tribes who provided their first batch of recruits, meaning "Grey Claws" in their dialect.
Before the return of their Primarch, Corvus Corax, the XIX Legion had been under the command of Horus.
Because of the XIX Legion's innate stealth and powerful breakthrough capabilities, Horus, eager for military exploits, devised a strategy: use the XIX Legion warriors to break through, luring and concentrating the enemy, then have Horus's other troops attack the enemy's flanks.
This tactic was called the "Ashen Claw."
Although this strategy treated allies as disposable, due to Horus's own prestige and the Warmaster's ability to provide emotional value to his subordinates, the XIX Legion enjoyed it.
And they learned from it.
In the famous Battle of Hell's Anvil, where Corvus Corax broke with the Terran-born of his Legion, the Ashen Claws Chapter's Shade Captain, Nerat Kirine, cleverly utilized the strategy adopted by the XIX Legion under the Lunar Wolves.
The XIX Legion used the Imperial Army as bait, concentrating bombardment on the underground fortifications after the enemy and friendly forces were entangled, causing particularly heavy casualties to the Imperial Army. The Ashen Claws then took the opportunity to launch a space raid on the enemy leaders, seizing victory at extreme speed.
This battle thoroughly cemented the XIX Legion's foul reputation that auxiliaries would be sent to their deaths if they fought alongside them. Coupled with the tradition of the Terran-born XIX Legionaries being sons of slaver warlords before recruitment, Corax, raised by workers, found these Terran veterans quite displeasing after taking over the Legion.
And these Terran-born veterans constantly compared the Warmaster with their own Primarch, thinking guerrilla warfare was inferior and yielded less glory, feeling their Primarch wasn't good enough.
They were among the most rebellious sons.
But Corax was Corax after all. His temper was among the best of the Primarchs. He didn't resort to decimation like Angron, or lock everyone up like someone else.
Instead, he simply exiled them.
But this exile wasn't just exile.
They had fleets and everything. At that time, the XIX Legion was quite small due to the Warmaster, but the four thousand men split off were given thirteen capital ships from the Great Crusade era. It was more like a split than an exile.
Then the two sides parted ways, and the Ashen Claws fell on hard times.
Without a Primarch, life was even harder.
Imperial supply depots liked to give them attitude, supply priority was low, and fleet personnel preferred to follow units with Primarchs, disliking the Ashen Claws' fleet.
As for the Astra Militarum, it was even worse. Everyone knew the Ashen Claws' notoriety, and even commanders were unwilling to come.
But words had been spoken, and going back begging was shameful.
Both sides were stubborn. Corax was busy reorganizing the Raven Guard and dealing with internal affairs, while the Ashen Claws slowly suffered on their own.
Then came Isstvan V, the annihilation of the main forces of three Legions.
The Ashen Claws rushed back from the northern Imperium in a hurry. With only four thousand men and thirteen capital ships, they defeated thirty thousand Night Lords and captured their homeworld's orbital fortress, Tsagualsa, destroyed by Curze himself, looting a large amount of STC templates and resources.
But for some reason, after this battle, they declared independence.
The reason was: 'The Imperium is shit, the traitors are shit, my dad is dead, do whatever you want, I'm not playing with you anymore.'
That's what they said, but Ramesses felt these people were heartbroken.
Dad didn't want us even when he was down and out like this, still thinking about rebuilding the Legion himself. There was no place for us in this family anymore.
The funniest part was that later, in a joint operation with the Ultramarines, the Ashen Claws helped while emphasizing to the leading Ultramarines Captain that Corax was dead.
This was nonsense. Astartes could sense if their Primarch died. Either going mad like the Iron Hands or insane like the Blood Angels—wouldn't a son know if his father died?
I don't want this dad anymore!
Then the Ashen Claws stayed beyond the Astronomican until now.
But Tyberos privately said that these people actually wanted to continue serving the Imperium. But firstly, they had spoken too harshly and couldn't bring themselves to come back begging. Secondly, the current Imperium might not give them the glory they deserved, so they were very conflicted.
Every time the Sharks went to trade gene-seed, they would be sarcastic: 'Oh, you don't want honor, don't want records, don't want this or that, why do you still serve the Imperium?' 'People who don't know might think your Carcharodons' banner is in the Hall of Glory on Terra.' 'Why do you come begging me again with a dirty face? Sigh, mixing with the Imperium.'
But in their hearts, they were envious to death, and they helped without hesitation. Purely tsundere.
This point was very similar to their father.
Ramesses sighed, looking at the pile of read but unreplied messages he sent to Corax.
He was very diligent in helping in the warp. In the 'Cadian Gate Self-Defense Counterattack', he blocked the Word Bearers coming to help all by himself. Perturabo waited until death but didn't wait for his best brother. He also helped him catch daemons and cover his tracks.
But he just refused to communicate.
As a master linguist, Ramesses could guess the reason.
Probably because when the Raven Lord exiled himself, he left the words 'Nevermore!'
He trapped himself with his own words.
None of them inherited the Emperor's shamelessness.
"Hello, Nehat Nev."
"Salutations, Lord of Knights!"
Nev looked curiously at the Primarch, who was similar in height to Tyberos but appeared more coordinated.
At first, he thought Primarchs were majestic, cold, and distant existences. But after observing this short and relaxed meeting, he found that both Primarchs were amiable, not endowed with many eclectic qualities as he knew from rumors.
Not ordinary, but easily winning the favor of most people.
"Humanity thanks you for your sacrifice."
Arthur first offered a compensation plan.
Although Huron helped replenish some equipment and assisted in repairing ships, compared to helping the Carcharodons and Lamenters replenish personnel and mobilize production capacity to replenish ships, the Ashen Claws appeared rather shabby due to their special status.
After all, no matter how rebellious Huron was, he wouldn't support a force that had openly broken away from the Imperium, especially when his career was booming.
It would affect his official career.
But Arthur and the others could.
Primarchs have the supreme right of interpretation. If there are problems, come and question them.
"Given the damage you suffered, I will designate several shipyards to prioritize replenishing your ships, but first replenishing light vessels, which is faster."
"As for capital ships, we plan to allocate them directly. The accompanying fleet will communicate with you, and you can send someone for handover. However, given your current status, it is inconvenient for us to provide crew."
Anyway, some old ships in the fleet should be replaced, and shipbuilding in the Dawnstar Sector was gradually getting on track. Giving these ships away was fine.
"Secondly, gene-seed. I heard the Ashen Claws' gene-seed has degraded?"
Nev turned his head to look at Tyberos.
No, you tell people this too?
Tyberos certainly didn't mention it, putting on a matter-of-fact expression.
Is there any secret in the world that this one doesn't know?
"We have no intention of conducting genetic inspections on the Ashen Claws, but considering the personnel losses of the Ashen Claws in this operation... How about this, we can allocate a batch of Carcharodons gene-seed supply. After all, the stock is still sufficient and currently meets the requirements. How about three thousand? It should support your subsequent blood exchange, as long as both of you agree."
Arthur wasn't afraid of so-called over-breeding. Besides gene-seed, Astartes needed supporting system support. Without a qualified screening system, industrial system, and a strong enough government, just spamming soldiers was a problem. Even if you made them, they wouldn't be much use.
Like the Space Wolves.
Give the Wolves a million gene-seeds, and they couldn't produce a million Space Wolves in ten thousand years.
Wait, bro.
Nev continued to stare at Tyberos.
He wondered why this guy could take out a thousand gene-seeds for them to help. Turns out there's so much stock in the Imperium?
When did the Carcharodons get this treatment?
"I agree."
Tyberos ignored his poor relative and replied flatly.
In the past, they often traded with the Mechanicus, exchanging STCs and Night Lords gene-seed for orthodox Raven Guard gene-seed, and then reselling it to the Ashen Claws for favors or supplies, or recruits for emergency replenishment.
Although by Imperial standards this was treason, in the Ghoul Stars, one more friend meant one more way to survive.
The Ashen Claws' composition was already loyal enough.
"Good."
Wait, I haven't agreed yet.
Nev wanted to speak, but thinking of that gene-seed, he couldn't open his mouth.
"Next is about your records. Due to the sensitivity of your identity, we will commend the Ashen Claws independently, but in history and officially publicized records, we cannot preserve and publicize your deeds."
"Understood!"
Reasonable.
"At the same time, the Hall of Glory in the Dawnstar Sector also allows you to enter data under the Carcharodons' file, which is also convenient for us to cover up and process."
"Understood!"
Approved.
"Secondly, led by the Carcharodons, you can also go to various shipyards and fleet anchorages in the Dawnstar Sector for resupply."
"Under—huh?"
Uh this...
Nev became more stunned as he listened.
No, is the treatment for brothers so good now?
He turned his gaze for the third time, looking at the silent Tyberos.
Good guy, making a fortune in silence, right?
I want to be in history textbooks too, I want to enter the Hall of Glory too!
And finally this, we can really eat and take?
Nev's gaze scraped over Tyberos, like seeing a roommate who used to eat rice soaked in hot water now living the high life with a sugar mommy.
'Didn't I bring you along?'
The Carcharodons were good at silence, just not making a sound.
"Finally, I will personally guarantee your safety. We won't stay in the Maelstrom for too long. After completing the initial replenishment, I hope you can accompany me to the Dawnstar System. At that time, you just need to wait for the commendation of the 'Ghoul Stars - Osiris Expedition' to be completed, and you can return with the Carcharodons."
Arthur looked like he was considering them, for their own good.
Nev's lips quivered, wanting to speak but stopping.
Ramesses held back his laughter.
He's almost hooked him into a pouty fish.
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