Axion turned his head, observing the faintly apprehensive Cawl before offering a measured response.
"Under the terms of the Peace Accord, in a state where no protocols have been breached, status is deemed neutral."
Neutral. For Cawl, this was the most favorable outcome possible.
"Would it be feasible to request combat support from you?"
"Negative." Axion's refusal came as no surprise to the Archmagos.
"I could assign an additional Chapter to collaborate with you," Cawl countered. "They likely possess a vast wealth of cryptic data that may be of use to you. However, the condition is that you must complete this relief mission and return. Is this acceptable?"
Axion remained silent for a moment, his gaze shifting toward Cawl with a hint of calculation.
"Does the collaborating party possess historical information currently absent from my databanks? I request a modification of terms: the Aeldari may possess data spanning a significantly longer chronological period. I petition to include the acquisition of additional information from the Aeldari as a condition for mission collaboration."
Visibly troubled, Cawl turned toward Roboute Guilliman. Whether the Aeldari would agree to surrender the historical archives Axion sought was beyond his knowledge; furthermore, Cawl harbored little affection for the xenos.
However, since the Ynnari currently required Guilliman's aid, the prospect was worth exploring.
Guilliman's thoughts were far more convoluted. While he did not know the full truth of what had transpired before the dawn of the Imperium, it was clear that if the Iron Men had chosen to abandon the galaxy, something utterly intolerable must have occurred.
He recalled fragments of information he had read within the Terran archives regarding the Age of Technology. If this extant Iron Man reached the same conclusions as the ancient rebels, would it plunge the Imperium into even deeper ruin? As Lord Regent, Guilliman was forced to weigh the long-term consequences.
Yet, there seemed to be no better alternative. The Adeptus Astartes were spread too thin. To ensure the mission's success, a force capable of withstanding the Necrons was essential. Having reviewed the latest battle reports, Guilliman knew that conventional mortal armies would rapidly lose combat effectiveness within the Pariah Nexus. Cawl's insistence on Axion's involvement suggested the Archmagos possessed intel Guilliman lacked.
Securing the Iron Man's compliance, however, remained a delicate matter. After a moment's hesitation, Guilliman spoke.
"I can attempt to propose these terms to the Aeldari, though I cannot guarantee they will accede to the request."
Axion nodded and turned back to Cawl. "Adjusting secondary parameters: regarding the previous proposal, the 'Chapter' mentioned shall serve as a contingency. Should the Aeldari refuse to provide the data, they will be utilized as the fallback trade condition."
Cawl agreed without the slightest hesitation.
Guilliman, meanwhile, found himself curious about this "other Chapter." For a mission involving xenos collaboration, he had originally intended to utilize his authority to press-gang a Chapter into service. Hearing that Cawl had a specific candidate in mind piqued his interest.
"Cawl, which Chapter are you referring to?"
Cawl replied instantly. "My Lord, the Blood Ravens."
"The Blood Ravens? How do you know their current location?"
"They maintain... amicable relations with the Adeptus Mechanicus and possess a sufficient tolerance for xenos interaction. Furthermore, two companies of the Blood Ravens are currently embedded within the Hephaestus Battle Group, operating under the command of another Magos in a nearby sub-sector."
Cawl continued, "I shall arrange for them to rendezvous with Axion under the guise of an Adeptus Mechanicus request to survey ancient ruins. I will fabricate the existence of a site and inform them of Axion's 'significance' to the Priesthood. Axion will be the one to propose collaboration with the Aeldari; the Chapter will likely interpret this as the directive of an Ancient Construct, thereby bypassing suspicion."
Guilliman hesitated. "Are you certain the Blood Ravens will follow the judgment of an ancient relic?"
Cawl didn't blink. "Based on my current assessments, there will be no issue. The only variable is ensuring the Aeldari cooperate with the ruse to avoid raising the Chapter's suspicions."
Guilliman's eyebrow arched instinctively. He looked down at the Aeldari spirit stone in Axion's hand. Though he did not understand how he was doing it, he focused his mind, silently repeating the explanation of the situation while gripping the stone.
In Axion's energy-detection vision, a clear ripple of psychic resonance radiated from Guilliman, brushing across the gemstone. Guilliman seemed unaware of it; he merely concentrated for a few moments longer before releasing his grip.
He handed the stone back to Axion, signaling him to parse the information as he had done previously.
As Axion recited the exact message Guilliman had intended, the Primarch looked at his own hands with profound doubt.
"Great Father, I am truly confounded," Guilliman murmured, his thoughts momentarily scattered.
Cawl, who knew the Primarch better than almost anyone, remained silent. The Imperial Truth was one of Guilliman's core tenets. If he were to tell Guilliman that he, too, believed the Primarch possessed latent psychic potential, it would likely make their future professional relationship quite difficult.
Cawl had harbored this theory for a long time. The Traitor Primarchs could be corrupted by the Warp and even undergo Daemon Prince ascension; clearly, they possessed psychic foundations. He had never heard of a Blank being corrupted by the Warp, let alone ascending. If Guilliman had no psychic potential, he would have to be a Pariah.
The fact that the Loyalists remained untainted was, in Cawl's view, due to the protection of the Emperor and the Omnissiah. It was only Guilliman himself who struggled to accept his own metaphysical nature.
With the plan finalized, Cawl immediately utilized the vox-relay to contact the Magos within the Nephilim Sector, demanding an audience with the Blood Ravens commander on-site.
Upon hearing that there was a "special, ancient ruin" requiring their expertise, the Blood Ravens did not hesitate. They immediately diverted a Strike Cruiser from the fleet.
The Astartes of the Blood Ravens were notorious for scouring the galaxy for relics and ruins, their behavior mirroring the Explorer fleets of the Adeptus Mechanicus. The only difference was that while the Mechanicus dug for technology, the Blood Ravens dug for history. Though none knew the origins of their founding, they were obsessed with finding their roots.
Much like Axion searching for the truth behind the Iron Rebellion, the Blood Ravens were searching for themselves. They did not even know the identity of their own Gene-father.
Their obsession often led to the discovery of technological artifacts. Typically, once the Chapter determined a relic was beyond their understanding, they gifted it to the Adeptus Mechanicus. In return, the tech-priests and Magi often provided them with "experimental" patterns and newly forged wargear.
This strange, high-tech equipment bolstered the Blood Ravens' combat capabilities, which in turn allowed them to "excavate" ruins more aggressively. It had become a bizarre, self-sustaining cycle of archaeological warfare.