Emperor's Bane

Chapter 756: Horus on Morgan
"I have a question, Horus."

"When discussing how Astartes should get along with mortals, don't we have two ready-made answers: Morgan's and Vulcan's legions are right there. Why don't you imitate them? Obviously, the effect seems to be very good."

"Morgan? And Vulkan?"

When the two brothers experienced a brief moment of common hatred and mutual admiration, and returned to their respective positions to continue the discussion at hand: Horus did not expect that the first question raised by his Macragge brother would be so ridiculous.

Imitating Morgan?

Did he think he didn't want to?
"Because it cannot be done, Guilliman."

The wolf-god did not sit down, but pressed the Macragge man onto the stone chair, turned around and walked to the brightest place under the cloudscape: it looked like a spotlight throne specially prepared for the protagonist, and stood there, absent-mindedly watching Perturabo's work.

"Can't do it?"

Guilliman leaned forward, but the Warmaster simply smiled and asked back.

"Then again: why don't you imitate the environment there in Morgan?"

"I do think so."

The Primarch was somewhat embarrassed and annoyed.

"When I was able to observe the Dawnbreakers getting along with mortals, the Five Hundred Worlds had been established for more than sixty years, and many things had already reached the point of being agreed upon. Even for me, it would be impossible to easily change the habits that all classes had adapted to."

"The price is too high."

"me too."

Horus agreed.

"Morgan was able to do this for two main reasons."

"First, it's because the Dawnbreakers themselves are a lame legion: Morgan's gene seed naturally carries the most peculiar, but also the most severe genetic disease, which limits the production. And those seeds that survived have the lowest ratio among all gene seeds. As a result, the strength of the Dawnbreakers Legion appears pitiful throughout the Great Crusade."

"Who says it isn't?"

The Macragge people couldn't help but sigh.

"In my impression, the upper limit of the Dawnbreaker Expeditionary Force is 20,000."

"As much as possible. After all, we are also responsible for the defense of the Far Eastern border."

Horus' eyes were dim, and he was quietly making calculations in his heart.

"After all, the Dawnbreaker Legion should not have 90,000 men yet, right?"

"Eighty-seven thousand."

The numbers provided by Guilliman were firmly remembered by the Wolf God.

"Yes, there are only more than 80,000. It is this lack of money in manpower that forces the Second Legion to rely too much on mortals. Therefore, the Dawnbreaker Legion's kindness to mortals is a rigid requirement for them. But it is not certain what they think in their hearts."

"Besides that, Morgan also has an innate advantage: the Far East Frontier was a new creation that didn't exist originally, and was brought down by her with every strike. Our Spider Sisters naturally have absolute control over her newborn, and can naturally formulate some policies that seem a bit crazy."

“And this innate advantage is something that none of us can possibly satisfy.”

"Moreover……"

Feeling the icy fresh water in the sand-white fountain, the whole face of the Wolf God gradually fell into shadow: when his thoughts gradually came to the areas related to the High Lords of Terra and power, even the Warmaster could not guarantee his sun-like light.

"Guilliman: Why do you think the Dawnbreakers are so kind to mortals?"

"I would say the opposite is true."

"what?"

Guilliman raised his head.

His expression was as surprised as if he had seen Zhuang Sen kneeling down before him.

"What do you mean: Everyone knows that the Dawnbreakers treat their mortals well."

"Everyone knows..."

"That's right, that's right!"

Horus interrupted him directly: the wolf-god waved his hand impatiently.

"Everyone knows how good the Dawnbreakers are to their auxiliary army brothers. They can call each other brothers. They can eat at the same table. They will attend mortal weddings and birthday parties, and then, like immortal elders, they will watch the mortal families that they are on good terms with multiply from generation to generation."

"It's warm, it's intimate, it's real, we can't deny that."

“But: is this harmonious mode of getting along really the harmony we need?”

The Warmaster looked at his brother.

"I will keep it short, Guilliman."

"Whether it's you or me, as long as we give death orders to our offspring, we can create a warm environment like this: the Moon Wolves can be brothers with the mortal auxiliary army, and the Ultramarines can also play the role of warm elders in the mortal community. These are not difficult for us."

"But: Can such warmth move the powerful among mortals?"

"..."

Guilliman stopped talking, but Horus continued to ask with a smile.

"Answer me, Guilliman."

"Even if we build orphanages and infirmaries for mortals on ten thousand worlds, will that make a single member of the High Lords' Council be biased against the Astartes as a whole and say something good about us?"

"If we develop a million mortal brothers in the Mortal Auxiliary Army, won't the great men of Terra continue to worry that the military power controlled by the Astartes is too great for humans at this moment?"

"Should we always remember at every moment of our lives to be as friendly to mortals as the Dawnbreakers or the Salamanders: then those mortals who are close to us can change the attitude of the entire empire, or even change the attitude of all mankind?"

"Even if an Astartes has a hundred mortal brothers who share life and death with him, the influence of these brothers on the entire empire is far less than that of a random bureaucrat on Terra: Do you still expect our descendants to be brothers with those clerks on Terra?"

"Yes, I don't deny that being friendly to mortals is indeed a good option: just like the first point I proposed, Astartes should be friendly to mortals as individuals. I don't object to Astartes making friends with mortals. After all, the main point I proposed is coexistence."

"But when our eyes are fixed on the Astartes as a whole and the human race as a whole, it is simply a fantasy to think that relying on friendly relations between individuals can make the two groups live in peace forever."

"Think about it: if the Salamanders had an entire 500 worlds, or if Morgan, the Primarch of the Dawnbreakers, was the Imperial Warmaster who could theoretically command all military forces, do you think their kindness to mortals would make the High Lords let up their slack?"

"So, brother."

Horus stepped forward and patted Guilliman on the shoulder again.

"Dawnbreaker? Salamander?"

"The way they get along with mortals is indeed enviable."

“But that’s not what we need.”

"Because, when we discuss the coexistence of Astartes and mortals, our primary consideration is our coexistence with those mortal bureaucrats and nobles. These people are political creatures through and through: only sufficient interests can move them. Thinking of relying on personal emotions? That's a bit too arrogant."

"Also, when it comes to power: Will the Dawnbreakers really be friendly?"

The wolf god laughed, smiling at the Morgan in his mind.

"Guilliman: You don't really think Terra would want to see me in Morgan mode?"

"Morgan mode?"

The Primarch was still a little dazed.

"I can tell from the look of it that you haven't carefully studied the rules governing the Far Eastern border."

The Wolf Shepherd God stretched out his finger: he had indeed thought long and hard about his plan.

"Morgan has never concealed how his country operates?"

"Let's not mention a ridiculous fact here: most of the so-called mortals who are able to be friendly with the Dawnbreakers are from a special organization called the Queen's Auxiliary Army, which is essentially the military aristocracy established by Morgan when he conquered the Far East. Using them to represent mortals is a joke."

"And ignoring that, let's look at how Morgan ruled the Far East."

"In terms of administration, the nominal highest authority in the Far East is the Avalon Council, whose members are elites selected from the governors of various star regions and world governors. However, the vast majority of the governors' families in the Far East are from the military elite class that is highly tied to the Dawnbreakers. Moreover, the executive department that connects to the Avalon Council is in the hands of a group of semi-retired Dawnbreakers."

"Let me tell you one more detail. If we must make a strict distinction, the Avalon Parliament actually only has legislative power. The real executive power is in the hands of the Dawnbreakers. A large number of administrative bureaucrats also come from Morgan's military elite class. The elites who pass the exam will also be quickly absorbed into the ranks."

"Of course, looking at the entire empire, this is indeed a very wonderful system."

"Then there are the judiciary and the military. I don't need to say much about the military, but the judiciary is even more interesting: the highest official in the Far East is one of Morgan's daughters. The main force of the Ministry of Justice army under her command is a group of young Midnight Lords and Dawnbreaker agents. A large number of legal personnel also come from the military elite of Avalon itself, and those who are not will also be gradually absorbed into this class." "So, in terms of power: how does Morgan come into contact with mortals?"

"The answer is that she and her descendants firmly hold the central power, and the outer layer is filled with mortal military nobles who rose to prominence by following the Dawnbreaker Legion, as well as a large number of lower-level elites who were deeply blessed by Morgan: this is the core power structure of the Far East Frontier."

"So tell me, will Holy Terra accept this structure?"

“And even if they do: are we really capable of building such a structure?”

"Morgan can do whatever she wants because she conquered the entire Far East. She can naturally paint on this blank sheet of paper at will. But what we are facing now is a giant that has already taken shape and whose power comes from the Emperor. We can only act cautiously in front of Terra."

"Do you mean by being cautious that you are politically neutral?"

"of course."

The Shepherd God nodded.

"If we want to coexist with mortals, the first step we need to take is to make mortals, or rather Holy Terra, realize that we are not a fatal threat to them: and they simply cannot destroy us."

"Since we are evenly matched and have no reason to fight each other, we will naturally sit down and talk. As long as both sides are willing to sit down and compromise and negotiate, common ground will always be found."

“Interesting idea.”

The Macragge rubbed his chin.

"From what you said: Are you planning to give up the fight for central power?"

"It depends."

The Warmaster winked slyly.

"As individuals: whether it is us, the Primarchs, or the best mortal followers under our command, I can continue to charge towards the power of Terra. Such behavior does not violate the rules left by the Emperor, nor does it violate the rules of the game for mortals."

"But in general, the Astartes Legion cannot interfere in politics: the final impression of the Empire's Astartes Legion should be that it is an army that adheres to the principle of neutrality and only serves the security of the Empire. This is the only choice for any large-scale armed force to survive safely in peacetime."

"And to achieve this, we must convince mortals of our neutrality."

"But at the same time, we can't be so foolish as to lay down our swords."

"And, when necessary, we must also maintain our determination to march towards Terra."

"..."

"Sorry: what did you say?"

Guilliman was a little confused.

Didn’t a word with a completely wrong tone just pass over his face?
"I said."

The Wolf Shepherd God took a step forward: his tall shadow loomed over the Lord of the Five Hundred Worlds.

"In our hearts, we cannot resign ourselves to the rule of mortal men."

"We can tolerate them, we can let them have power."

"But in times of necessity, the Astartes must become the Empire's last insurance."

"……Why?"

Guilliman was still a little confused.

But on Horus' face, the fierce expression was so terrifying.

"Because I don't trust them!"

"I don't trust mortals!"

"Or rather: I don't trust mortals as a whole."

"Guilliman, my brother."

"I don't deny that there are countless brave and noble people among mortals. Their brilliance is enough to make the Astartes ashamed of them. But that is only speaking as individuals. If we look at mortals as a whole: with their wisdom, it is impossible for them to perfectly control a huge empire spanning the galaxy."

"I have witnessed that there are countless brave warriors in the mortal army. They will willingly perform their duties and fight to their death even in the most hopeless battlefield."

"I have witnessed the humble soldiers who toiled in obscurity in the rear, who spent their entire lives trapped in a dark and damp office in a government building, using their meager lives to contribute to the Emperor and humanity."

"Even those high lords, I don't hate them, I admire them, I know that each of them is a dragon among men, I know that their loyalty to the Emperor is impeccable, and I know that subjectively, they want the Empire to last forever just like me."

"but?"

"But think about it."

"Why are there so many regrettable failures in history when there are so many mortal soldiers who have sacrificed their lives bravely? Because human beings as a whole are fragile. It only takes one high-level commander's incompetence to cause the blood of tens of thousands of soldiers to flow in vain."

"Why is it that despite the countless Internal Affairs Ministry officials who are willing to sacrifice their lives, the Empire's administrative system is still so bloated? Our rule cannot even be delegated to the planets, and we know nothing about what is happening on the ground."

"Why is it that when you look at each High Lord separately, they are all loyal ministers of the Emperor, but when they sit together, they always issue some suffocating decisions: look at the tax rate issued by Terra, is that something that any sane person can come up with?"

"Why is this happening?"

"Have you ever thought about that?"

"..."

"It doesn't matter if you haven't thought about it."

The wolf shepherd god smiled.

“Look at the Dark Ages of Technology.”

"So crazy, so insane, so anti-human and inhumane."

"They have personally pushed human civilization and history to the brink of extinction."

"And that era was created and ruled entirely by mortals."

“It’s the ultimate answer.”

“It tells us.”

"As individuals, there is no shortage of noble people among mortals."

"But as a whole: mortals are not yet able to shoulder the responsibilities that belong to us."

"They have demonstrated it once: the entire Great Crusade was designed to repair the mistakes of mortal men."

"And now, are we going to let that history repeat itself again?"

"So, brother..."

------

"I can accept that mortal officials continue to rule the empire we have conquered."

"I can tolerate the rules of the game set by the High Lords of Terra."

"I can make a series of concessions in the interests of the Astartes as a whole."

“I can also be friendly with them.”

“Be friendly with them.”

"I appreciate them, I admire them, and I regard them as my real brothers."

"but……"

"You want me to hand over the final results of the Great Crusade for which we shed blood and sacrificed our lives, the galaxy that was conquered at the cost of countless Astartes warriors and brave mortals, the civilization and history that our fathers fought so hard to pull back from the brink of extinction, once again into the hands of these mortals without any preparation?"

"Don't even think about it."

"I can be gentle."

"I can be neutral."

"I can compromise and give in."

"But my heart will never let down its guard against them."

(End of this chapter)