Word Bearers Legion Doctrine: 1.
Valor: Make valor in battle the cornerstone of Legion doctrine.
Never retreat before a powerful enemy, even when isolated and unsupported.
2.
Honor: Legion honor is second only to loyalty to the Imperium.
Collective Legion honor supersedes all things save loyalty to the Imperium.
3.
Loyalty: Absolute loyalty to the Emperor, the Imperium, and humanity.
Loyalty that is not absolute is absolute disloyalty.
4.
Justice: Treat the relationship between Legion brothers and Auxilia warriors as equals.
Exterminate all enemies of humanity equally, regardless of whether they are combatants.
5.
Mercy: For Imperial civilians or allied forces who seek aid, render every possible assistance — provided the Legion’s mission is not compromised.
6.
Humility: Do not publicly proclaim one’s own righteous deeds on a large scale.
7.
Honesty: There are no secrets among Legion brothers.
8.
Sacrifice: Take pride in the ability to sacrifice oneself for the Legion.
Let this be a source of honor.
…………
The Legion Doctrine was proclaimed throughout the entire Word Bearers Legion expeditionary fleet.
Legion warriors held specially prepared parchment in their hands and read the eight great tenets written by Primarch Lorgar Aurelian.
“Brother Lorgar seems far more normal than the other brothers.
If I had to name which Primarch brother is the finest, I believe it would have to be brother Lorgar.” Magnus looked at the Legion Doctrine Lorgar had written and offered this assessment.
“What is Your Majesty’s view?” Malcador asked the Emperor standing nearby in golden armor.
“I don’t know, but for the time being it does us no harm.” The Emperor answered with a grave expression.
“Observe for now, then assign tasks to the expeditionary fleet.
Our time is too short.” “Understood, Your Majesty.” …………
Before long, the Word Bearers Legion’s expeditionary fleet had its assignments distributed.
Lorgar led his own directly attached Chapter, along with the First, Third, Fifth, and Thirteenth, four Chapters in total — forming Expeditionary Fleet 13.
The Second, Fourth, Sixth, and Eleventh were formed into Expeditionary Fleet 83.
The Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, and Twelfth were formed into Expeditionary Fleet 95.
The Seventh Chapter was a recruit formation, dispatched as reserves to each of the fleets.
The three expeditionary fleets would become the sword of the Imperium, driving deep into the heart of the Dark Stars.
And Lorgar also received the first mission.
“My lord.” In the main command center of the Fidelitas Lex, a mortal female captain approached Lorgar.
“Lord Primarch.” The female captain said.
“Sebastian, tell me what has happened.” Lorgar said, eyes on the hololithic star chart before him.
“My lord, this is a distress call from the Ultramarines Legion.
This Company lost contact 40 Terran days ago.” Sebastian answered in a decisive tone.
Lorgar turned to look.
Sebastian was dressed in a clean Imperial Navy uniform, a Power Sword bearing a family crest at the hip.
Sebastian wore a short, capable crop of white hair, and one eye had been replaced with a Bionic Eye that glowed with a red light.
This mechanical Bionic Eye was linked to the ship’s processing terminal, allowing vessel tasks to be handled at any time and in any place.
“Why should it fall to us to deal with an Ultramarines matter?
Their Legion is more than capable of handling an unknown threat like this.” Lorgar turned and asked.
“Lord of the Word Bearers.” Just as Lorgar was examining the star chart, a split screen suddenly opened at the side, and a man with the appearance of an Ultramarine Chapter Master in blue armor appeared on screen.
“Courage and honor.
Please allow me to pay my respects, Lord of the Word Bearers.” The Ultramarine Chapter Master on the other end of the screen saluted of his own accord.
“Speak.
What do you want from me.” Lorgar said, looking at the Ultramarine Chapter Master on screen.
“It is like this, my lord.
We have a Company that was rotating back from the front line and has gone missing in the Odrussus System.
Based on the final communication, it can be confirmed that they were responding to a distress request from the Sobic Colony in the Odrussus System, but contact was also lost after the Company arrived at Odrussus.” “Our fleet is currently engaged against over a dozen xenos empires and cannot disengage at this time.
This is also the will of Lord Guilliman.” The Chapter Master on the other end of the screen said sincerely.
“Mark the location of the Odrussus System.” Lorgar did not answer the Chapter Master directly, but replied to his request with an order.
“On behalf of my gene-father, I thank the Word Bearers Legion for their assistance.” The Chapter Master saluted Lorgar with the highest ceremonial honors of Ultramar.
“Lord Guilliman has given his word that once the dozens of xenos empires entrenched in this region of space have been dealt with, aid will be dispatched to you immediately.” Lorgar did not answer, but simply waved a hand and issued the order.
The warship immediately set course for the nearest Mandeville Point.
The Mandeville Point is one of the essential components of Imperial Warp travel.
For a vessel equipped with an Imperial Warp engine to enter the Warp and undertake a Warp transit, it must first travel at sub-light speed to the location within a star system known as the Mandeville Point before entry into the Warp becomes possible.
The Mandeville Point is defined as the minimum distance at which a vessel can safely enter or exit the Warp without interference from the gravitational pull of a star or other celestial body.
If a vessel enters or exits the Warp too early, it could bring catastrophe upon the ship or the worlds around it.
“Entering the Warp.
Estimated transit time: 15 Terran hours.” “Engage Warp engines!
Deploy Geller Fields!” “Prepare for Warp entry!” All those aboard the warship immediately made ready.
Lorgar sat composed at the very center of the ship’s command area, watching as the warship slowly slid into the Warp before them.
In almost an instant, a tear was ripped open in realspace, and then an endless cascade of purple radiance poured forth from the rift.
Like the talons of some invisible beast, it seemed to want to drag the fleet before it entirely into the depths of the Warp’s churning tides.
“We are transiting!
Hold steady!” Captain Sebastian commanded.
The fleet, composed of several hundred Capital Ships, began its Warp transit at great speed.
The Warp is filled with all manner of supernatural entities and Chaos daemons.
Within the domain of the Warp, these Chaos entities each hold their own territory; an unprotected vessel would very likely become their prey.
To prevent this, the races that rely on the Warp invented a Warp-resistant force field that could be fitted to vessels — the Geller Field.
These devices allow beings of the material realm to pass through the Warp without being affected by it.
Yet these machines are not absolutely reliable.
Instances where the souls of an entire ship’s crew are consumed by Chaos are not unheard of.
Lorgar watched quietly as the warship sank fully into the Warp, and then came a moment of tense pressure pushing against his back, the warship was traveling through the Warp lane at many times the speed of light.
In the blink of an eye, over a dozen hours had passed, and Lorgar’s fleet entered the region designated the Odrussus System.
➤ Next: The Unknown Enemy