The 3rd Was Found
Baldur led his fleet from planet to planet, taking them all by force or through negotiations. In the 5 years since they had left Feluc, all of Baldur's fleets had managed to conquer over a 1,000 planets for the Imperium. Of those 1,000, 50 were taken for Baldur's personal empire. Most of these worlds were Civilized Worlds which were basic planets that had no specific type of environment and that most people could move to and live on easily. Besides those, there were a few Agri-Worlds to help support the food supply of his planets as well as an additional Forge World.
Thanks to taking of the new Forge World Baldur was able to further divide his Mechanicum faction between the two planets. With two Forge Worlds producing supplies for him, Baldur's worry about supplying his Knights and Grey Knights was lessened.
After so many battles, Baldur had recalled all of his forces back to Feluc where he had decided to rest for a short amount of time.
Baldur returned to Feluc last out of all of his fleets and was delighted to see how much the capital had changed. It went from a small feudal city into a massive city that still had traces of Feluc's heritage.
"Aaah," Selene stretched her arms and cracked her back, enjoying that view of the city next to Baldur. "It's been so long. I wonder how Mother is doing."
"We've gotten messages from Feluc. They all report that she is fine," Baldur replied, getting a stink eye from his wife
"It doesn't matter what the messages say. We gotta see her in person. That's the only way you truly know how a person is feeling," Selene reprimanded her husband. She grew up without a family so she truly appreciated Jendi accepting her into their family.
The pair's Drake landed at the castle with one of the Dragon Assault Ships behind them that was carrying most of the officers and the Isenlyth. The Grey Knights, Knights, and Witches were also being deployed on various Drakes and Dragons.
The Dragon Assault Ship was one of the STCs that Baldur had picked up on Pandora, and it had proved crucial to their fleets' constant victories. Each one's abilities let them act as gunships and large transports.
As they descended onto the city, Baldur and Selene marveled at how much it had changed since they had been gone. The city kept the atmosphere of a Knight World but it had grown massively thanks to the boon in population.
During the period of time Baldur had been gone, he had also expanded his academies, spreading them out across all 7 worlds of the Feluc System. Each of the planets brought under his control would send their children to these schools in order to get a proper education, though many nobles on the other planets were reluctant to send their kids away for so long. But while nobles were reluctant, the commoners and people of the slums or poorest brackets appreciated the chance.
For most, they could only join the military or slave away on the job assigned to them under the Imperium's rule. But under Baldur's small empire, they were each given a chance to gain a proper education as well as pick from the careers that they were most interested in.
In addition, each of the children's food and clothing were paid for while they were at school, taking a financial burden off the parents for 5 to 8 years before the children would become adults and enter the work force to further support their families.
This was all possible thanks to the new planets under Baldur's rule as well as the Rogue Traders he had conscripted. Each of them were able to trade the excess goods they had with other humans or Xenos species that were lacking them and then would return with large amounts of wealth for Feluc.
Baldur and Selene walked from the hangar and into the throne room where Jendi was waiting for the pair with open arms. She took Selene in her arms first before kissing the younger woman's cheeks.
"It's good to see you, my dear," Jendi commented while holding Selene's face in her hands
"It is good to see you in health as well, Mother," Selene replied, happy that the five years they had been gone weren't hard on the woman. Selene's family abandoned her as a child when they found out that she was a Psyker so when she first got together with Baldur and began living in the castle, she was fearful that Jendi would reject. But she was lucky.
Jendi was not one who cared about one's background but one's character and potential. Since Selene was wise but also skilled, she knew that she would become a powerful queen that would help Feluc thrive.
Baldur looked at the pair from the side with a small smile on his face, stunning the attendants in the room. For the younger ones, it was the first time they had seen Baldur smile while the older ones could only count the number of times he had smiled on a single hand.
When she was done with her reunion with Selene, Jendi turned to Baldur who had already shrunk to his smaller size. She went over to her son and embraced him as well.
"I'm glad you are back," was all Jendi could say with tears in her eyes. She was more worried about Baldur than Selene for the Crusade, knowing the personality of her son. He would never ask for his men to do the tasks that he wouldn't and would always lead at the front. Against the threats at home, she knew her son was invincible but the Galaxy was wide and threats unknown. She didn't know if there was something that could actually beat her son out there.
"I'm glad to be back as well," Baldur told her, knowing her worries. He couldn't bear to lie to her and guarantee his safety, for he knew greater than anyone that he was one bad planet or one daemonic incursion away from losing his life on the battlefield.
After their reunion, Baldur brought the Isenlyth over to meet his mother before he called the rulers of the other planets in Feluc as well as Latael. Even though they had given him updates, it was always better to hear things in person.
Their oral reports were the same as the ones he received, with everything proceeding smoothly. One thing of note was that Latael was finally given her own legion of Titans.
Titans were the most powerful weapons of the Mechanicum, being giant mechs that dwarfed even Imperial Knights. A single legion of titans was able to conquer a hundred worlds but they ranged in numbers. Some Titan Legions would have only a few dozen Titans while others would have several hundred.
The Legion that Latael received was the Pale Wolves, which had 333 Titans under them. With these added to Feluc's defense, Baldur felt reassured with him having to leave the system more often as Titans were loyal only to the Magos that commanded them which would be Latael who had sworn loyalty to him.
Baldur and Selene spent the next week enjoying their peace when a piece of news finally came through. The Emperor had located the 3rd Primarch and was on his way to Feluc.