Warhammer: The 11th Primarch - The Black Emperor

On the ground floor of the villa within the courtyard, the Primarch reviewed the files of the five captain candidates and then asked his aide:

"Arsena, what's your take on these five?"

The steward lifted his head and replied:

"Lionel Toure, age 42, is the most prestigious of the five. His family is an old noble house on Terra."

"But Lionel himself is a typical traditional officer. From his command logs, it's clear his tactics are overly conservative."

"In every battle, he always plays it safe. That wins engagements where we already hold the advantage, but it leads to excessive, avoidable losses."

Nareth nodded slightly. Arsena's evaluation of Lionel mirrored his own.

"Go on."

The "Reader" had already memorized and processed the data, analyzing the candidates' backgrounds, strengths, and weaknesses, occasionally citing battles as examples.

"Diana Pauline, age 33, comes from the humblest background of the five. Her family isn't considered noble even by Saboudia standards."

"But Diana herself is exceptional. She has sharp, responsive thinking and has excelled in every position she's held."

"She demonstrated meticulous attention to detail in logistics, efficiently processing information with clarity and speed."

"While managing an expedition fleet, she oversaw the timely transfer of large numbers of troops between nodes, ensuring they arrived with full supplies, ammunition, food, and support, everything in perfect order."

Arsena recalled combat examples from the data slate. "In engagements against raiders and xenos, she acted swiftly and struck with precision; her style aligns closely with yours."

Nareth tapped his fingers on the back of the chair and nodded in approval.

"She's definitely a suitable candidate."

He didn't necessarily have to choose from the listed candidates, but if he did, he would only choose someone truly fitting.

"Arrange a meeting. I want to speak with her."

Ten Days Later

Nareth met Diana Pauline. She wore a sharply tailored uniform, gold buttons lined precisely down her chest, with three radiant medals pinned to her chest.

Her golden hair was neatly tied back, and under her officer's cap, her deep eyes looked even sharper.

Diana moved with steady, confident steps until she stood before the Primarch.

"Lord Nareth, Diana Pauline reporting as ordered."

The Divisio Militaris had not yet been formally established; it would only begin operations shortly before the Ullanor campaign. Currently, both Astartes and Solar Auxilia officers have ranks but no formal commissions.

The Primarch noted how Diana's turquoise-blue eyes briefly flickered as if to look away, but she pressed her lips tightly together and forced herself to meet his gaze. She had overcome a natural instinct with sheer will.

Nareth nodded with satisfaction. "Sit."

"Yes, sir."

Diana sat upright, only then noticing two chessboards laid out before her.

"Regicide or Go?"

She immediately realized the Primarch was letting her choose, a test.

"Regicide."

Regicide was a popular game across all Imperial social strata, similar to chess, but played on a circular board.

Pieces included the Emperor, Empress, Duke, Ecclesiarch, Tetrach, Castellan, Fortresses, Citizens, Warriors, and Templar.

Diana explained, "I've only dabbled in Go."

"Regicide has a clear goal and path: kill the Emperor to win."

"But Go has no Emperor to target. Or rather, the board is full of Emperors."

"Let's begin. You go first."

Nareth nodded slightly. Regicide was widely played among the Imperial command hierarchy, while Go would only become more popular in the future, especially among the White Scars.

He gestured for her to proceed.

Diana's face turned serious as she picked up her General piece.

At first, both moved quickly, but gradually their pace slowed.

Diana's brow furrowed; every move from her opponent was expected, yet she couldn't shake a creeping sense of danger.

"One more move, and you'll lose."

Nareth's voice dropped low. "You're trying to use your Ecclesiarch to create a 'Blind Gambit' maneuver, aren't you?"

Exposed, Diana's unease spiked, but she composed herself and reassessed the board.

Moments later, she sighed and smiled bitterly.

"Your Duke can pull off a 'Traitor's Wager' at any moment. I concede."

"You've done excellently."

Nareth smiled. No matter how capable Diana was, she was still human. Her ability to calculate and predict couldn't match his.

He saw the disappointment on her face and said:

"You will be captain of my flagship. Begin transitioning from your current post immediately."

Diana froze.

She had come without much expectation. After losing the match, she had given up entirely, yet, to her shock, she was suddenly named the flagship's captain.

It took several seconds before she snapped back to reality. She stood up and spoke with excitement:

"My lord, thank you for your trust. I will serve you with everything I have."

Nareth nodded and said:

"Arsena will forward you the Eleventh Legion's current status."

"When time allows, I suggest you study Go. It trains awareness from all directions and sharpens your response to diverse threats."

"Learning to account for many variables and read the field accurately will make you a better commander."

Diana seemed thoughtful. "Yes, my lord. I will devote myself to that study."

"I look forward to our next match."

At the very moment Nareth appointed his flagship captain, in the upper hive of Iphigenia.

A fine gray rain misted down.

Wearing a black hooded cloak, Tierney strolled through the commercial district like any other passerby.

But the "Marauder" was anything but aimless, enhanced by Astartes-grade visual augmentations, his "Superior Observation" skill allowed him to take in his surroundings with supernatural clarity.

He suddenly strode forward, heading straight for a middle-aged man in a blue robe bearing a golden lion crest.

This was Kales, patriarch of the House Raynor. Having just dismissed an Imperial functionary sent by the Grand Steward to inspect the district, he was now walking with his guards toward a waiting airship.

As he passed a trinket shop, a guard behind him suddenly slipped on the wet ground, stumbling with a shout.

The "Marauder" had anticipated this. His enhanced vision had spotted the shallow depression in the slick pavement.

He knew someone in the entourage would slip, and in that brief moment of confusion among the guards, he would make his move.

With a swift glide and using his "Agile Hands" ability to maintain perfect wrist and finger control even at high speed, he extended his right hand toward Kales.

The "Marauder" smoothly stole a lion-shaped metal key from Kales' inner pocket, engraved with thirteen runes.

Kales noticed nothing. Seeing the guards recompose themselves, he frowned and scolded them angrily:

"Useless!"

At 11 p.m., as Kales searched his bedroom and study for the missing key, a shadowy figure silently climbed the House Raynor's hive spire...

.....

If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.

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