A blinding flash of light rose from the distant horizon, immediately swallowed by a world-shaking boom. The ground of Plantidium trembled, and the air was thick with the smell of scorched sulfur.
A company of Helldivers on its way to reinforce the front line abruptly halted their advance across the ravaged earth as the shockwave reached them.
The small number of Astartes moving with them immediately scanned their surroundings with vigilance. They were elite warriors from different Chapters. The heavy Power Armor made soft grinding sounds on the ground as their Bolters and Chainswords were raised, ready to confront any sudden development.
"What is it?" a Space Marine from the Ultramarines Chapter asked in a low voice, his helmet sensors rapidly sweeping the area.
But just as he prepared to inquire further, a deafening cheer erupted from the Helldiver company!
"Victory! We won!"
"The Tyranids are done for! Hahaha!"
The Helldivers enthusiastically raised their Lasguns and Autoguns, with some even firing excitedly into the sky. Laser beams and bullet tracers streaked across the dust-choked heavens.
Their ragged shouts of joy spread like wildfire. Despite the chaos, the Astartes could barely make out one collective message: the last strength of the Tyranid swarm had been utterly annihilated!
At that moment, the individual communication channels of the Astartes lit up.
"This is Chapter Master Marneus Calgar of the Ultramarines. The following order is issued to all Ultramarines: The Battle for Plantidium is concluded. The Tyranid threat has been neutralized. Humanity has achieved complete victory. All units, hold your current positions and await further instruction."
"Angels of the Departed, the Tyranid threat has been terminated. Victory belongs to Humanity. Prepare to muster and return to the fleet."
"Scythes of the Emperor, the Defense of Plantidium is over. The enemy is destroyed. Glory to the Emperor, Glory to Humanity!"
The sudden news of victory left the Astartes slightly taken aback. They stood in silence, and while their helmeted faces reflected the joy of triumph, they were also tinged with an indescribable reluctance.
The war was over.
This meant they no longer had a reason to remain here and fight side-by-side. These brothers from different Chapters might soon face the crisis of separation once again, returning to their respective commands to continue guarding the vast frontiers of the Imperium.
The Ultramarine in the squad, the one who had first spoken, let out a muted sigh: "I wonder if we will ever have the opportunity to meet them again." His tone was melancholic.
"We surely will," an Angel of the Departed replied, his voice uniquely hoarse yet firm. "While it might not be a pleasant thing to say, I believe our universe will never run out of wars to fight."
"But major campaigns like this are rare—" another Astartes added softly. A coordinated operation of this magnitude, involving multiple Chapters, had not occurred in the past ten millennia. They were fortunate to have participated and fought together, making this camaraderie deeply cherished.
"Perhaps we should take a lesson from the Helldivers," the Scythes of the Emperor Astartes interjected, breaking the somber conversation. He lifted his head, gazing through his helmet's visor at the mortal soldiers still cheering fanatically.
"The enemies of Mankind have been crushed beneath our treads, their plots thwarted. We ought to be rejoicing!"
His words were like a sudden, ringing bell, instantly clearing the gloom from the Astartes' minds. He was right.
They were the Emperor's warriors, the protectors of Humanity! They had just secured a glorious victory, repelling a massive threat that endangered the entire Eastern Fringe of the galaxy. This glory, this victory, deserved the most fervent celebration!
Negative emotions were quickly cast aside. The Astartes hesitated no longer, retrieving heavy Recoilless Rifles from the Helldivers company—after all, Bolter rounds were expensive.
"For the Emperor!"
"For Humanity!"
The Astartes roared, their mighty arms hoisting the heavy weapons as they pulled the triggers! The sound of rapid gunfire mixed with the Helldivers' cheers, creating a deafening symphony. Thick tracer rounds sliced through the sky, intertwining with the laser beams fired by the mortal troops in a chaotic net of fire.
The heavy strides of Power Armor grew light, and they joined the victorious revelry. The Space Marines, normally solemn and silent, now abandoned their customary reserve, wholeheartedly joining the mortal soldiers in venting the joy of their victory.
The sky of Plantidium, in that moment, was ignited by cheers and gunfire, and the flag of victory finally flew high.
The success brought a measure of relief to Marneus Calgar. He stood on the command deck of his flagship, looking out the massive viewports at the scarred planet below, his mind a mix of emotions.
However, this sense of ease was incomplete. The responsibility of the Ultramarines was never solely about winning the war. Crushing the Tyranid swarm was just the first step. What followed might prove even more difficult than winning a bloody war, demanding greater patience and wisdom.
That was the post-war reconstruction.
Plantidium, once a prosperous Agri-World, was now a landscape of devastation. The Tyranid invasion had torn the surface apart and wreaked devastating destruction on the ecosystem.
Moreover, the Imperium had paid a tremendous price to resist and cleanse the swarm; the Helldivers' scorched-earth tactics had also caused irreversible damage to the planet.
"Can Plantidium recover its previous production capacity within fifty years?" Calgar's voice was low as he turned to the Tech-Adept Tacus beside him.
The Tech-Adept pondered for a moment before shaking his head, offering a less-than-optimistic answer: "Two hundred years, perhaps. That's a rather optimistic estimate. In truth, I find it difficult to say whether the damage inflicted by the Helldivers or by the Tyranids was greater."
Calgar raised an eyebrow slightly. He knew the Helldivers were reckless in combat, but he hadn't expected their capacity for destruction to rival that of the Tyranid Hive Fleet. However, considering the Helldivers' typical behavior, it seemed far from impossible.
Noticing Calgar's expression, the Tech-Adept added, "However, if you truly want to speed things up, I do have an effective method."
He paused. "Dispense a Planet-Scorching Element into the atmosphere, allowing the entirety of Plantidium to undergo a thorough burn, completely incinerating all Tyranid biomass and remnants. Then, we can clean up the environment and reintroduce life. That would likely take only fifty years."
Having finished speaking, the Tech-Adept turned his attention to Robert of Perditia, who stood nearby, participating in the post-war discussion as an ally.
"Governor Robert, if I recall correctly, you previously mentioned that the environment of Perditia was not ideal?"
Robert's mouth twitched uncontrollably. He certainly remembered complaining about Perditia's environment—nothing but sand outside the Hives, and it had been subjected to the depredations of Orks and nuclear radiation. The environment was by no means good. But he had never imagined such a radical "scorched-earth" solution.
"I suddenly feel it's actually… quite fine—" Governor Robert chuckled weakly. "It's not to the extent that we need to disperse a Planet-Scorching Element into the atmosphere. The people of Perditia still cherish their land; small amounts of pollution can be cleared up gradually."
"What a pity," the Tech-Adept shook his head regretfully. "That truly is a highly efficient approach."
______________
Glad this saga's is over - Ainz