This internal meeting of the Ultramarines lasted a full three days and nights. Roboute Guilliman personally greeted all the company captains, librarians, and chapter masters of the successor chapters, even meeting some chapter masters who arrived later.
The Primarch showed genuine concern for everyone, making sure to look after all the members of the successor chapters.
After meeting his genetic sons, Guilliman then rushed to receive the nobility of Macragge and the various nobles arriving from across the Ultramar Worlds.
Arrangements were made for various Imperial military personnel, and even some from beyond the Five Hundred Worlds of Ultramar. Many Imperial officials and nobles were still on their way to Macragge.
The Primarch greeted these Imperial dignitaries and high-ranking officials cordially, conducting friendly interviews to learn about everything happening in the Imperium through their accounts.
However, after gaining a deeper understanding of the detailed intelligence from all over the Imperium and the situation of the successor chapters—
Guilliman grew even more worried about the state of the Imperium, rather than reassured.
He realized the Imperium was in far worse shape than he'd thought. Earlier, Rhodes had told him things were bad, but Guilliman had assumed it was somewhat exaggerated.
But after conversations with his sons, the incoming Imperial dignitaries, and reviewing the Ultramarines' Imperial records—
Roboute Guilliman finally understood just how severe the situation was. Rhodes had even understated it—the Imperium was rotten to its core.
Meanwhile, Rhodes had been extremely busy, barely having time to see Yvraine and Lelith.
With Guilliman's help, Ultramar's merchant freebooters found a highly suitable territory for Rhodes.
The location was in three-star systems adjacent to Ultramar: one was completely undeveloped, and the other two had been reclaimed from Xenos.
This was Guilliman's first meeting gift to Rhodes. The territory was only about 150 light-years from Ultramar's Five Hundred Worlds, so Rhodes' ships could travel quickly without needing to use the Warp.
The three-star systems were only a few light-years apart, very close together, and contained four habitable planets. One system even had two habitable worlds.
One planet was about the size of Mars, another like Venus.
Slightly smaller than Holy Terra, Rhodes decided to make the Mars-sized planet a Hive World, and the other an Agri-world.
After all, growing food needs larger worlds; the main function of a Hive World is to produce population for the Imperium.
Building a giant hive city—this world could fit tens of billions but would need an even larger Agri-world to provide food.
Following Guilliman's orders, tens of billions of people had already been relocated from nearby Imperial Hive Worlds: two-thirds to the Hive World, one-third to the Agri-world.
The other two star systems each had one habitable world. Rhodes selected one to be the new Cadia, allowing Cadians to settle there freely—it wouldn't be fixed as any particular world type.
Cadians could develop as they wished—agriculture, hives, industry, all were possible.
Rhodes picked two million suitable males and two million females from the Cadian military and settled them on the new Cadia. According to Guilliman, it would only take a few decades to recover.
The Imperium was very generous about rebuilding the Cadian world, even sending surviving Cadians from across the galaxy to the new planet.
As for the planet in the neighboring system, its atmosphere was thin and would require terraforming. Once complete, it would become a Forge World.
Under Magos Belisarius Cawl's orders, the Mechanicus dispatched a fleet to help transform this world. Rhodes' three chief scientists went to oversee the Forge World's construction, which would eventually manufacture mechanical Ultra warriors and King Joe robots.
The remaining uninhabitable planets in the three systems would become mining worlds or outposts.
Guilliman generously waived the tithe for all three star systems, making them Rhodes' permanent fief, with freedom to explore beyond the systems.
It was a completely undeveloped region of space. Rhodes' Ork Ranch was also officially registered as an experimental world, with no other ships allowed near.
That's why Rhodes was so overwhelmed these days: three star systems, four habitable planets, countless mining worlds—it was all too much to handle.
Being a hands-off boss would be so much nicer. Rhodes wanted suitable administrators—he couldn't stand micromanaging everything himself.
He even suspected Guilliman gave him this job because he thought Rhodes was too idle.
Fortunately, Governor Castellan Creed was a talented administrator and helped Rhodes a lot. Even Mefilas would remotely assist with some governance.
Even so, Rhodes was still swamped, dealing with all sorts of issues across the three systems daily—Imperial transitions, city construction, planning, and even recruitment work, all needing the right people.
If not for his monstrous enhancements improving his brainpower, he'd never keep up. If he were his pre-transmigration self, his head would have exploded.
After ten days, Rhodes finally managed to get the three-star systems somewhat organized. Now, only the Forge World and New Cadia were running autonomously.
The former had three chief scientists overseeing it; the latter was run by the Cadians. Rhodes was mainly busy with establishing the Hive and Agri-worlds.
"Looks like you're busy. How does it feel managing three-star systems?"
Guilliman smiled as he walked in.
He had been testing Rhodes' cognitive abilities and found them up to Primarch standards—at least enough to handle these worlds.
Other Primarchs only managed a one-star system; only himself and maybe Kurze had the depth of Ultramar's Five Hundred Worlds.
Rhodes could handle three-star systems at once was impressive.
"I've sorted out most of the minor stuff. By the time we leave for Holy Terra, these three systems should be running themselves."
Rhodes wiped his brow.
"Haha, you'll get used to it. I see you have some talent for administration."
Guilliman clapped Rhodes on the shoulder.
"I need to set up an academy for civil servants and train administrators. If I keep doing everything myself, I'm an idiot."
Rhodes retorted.
It's truly not humanly possible—how did Guilliman manage 500 worlds? Maybe even more? He always seemed to handle it.
"I'll teach you some tricks for better management. You can break up the work, modularize it, combine tasks."
Guilliman shared his administrative experience.
"At your age, I wasn't as good as you."
"Got it! So why did you come to see me?"
Rhodes asked, putting down his files.
"Rhodes, I honestly regret it now and almost resent Father. Why did Sanguinius have to die instead of me?
If it were him, he'd be facing this mess."
Guilliman slumped, complaining.
"I can't help you there. The entire Imperium is counting on you. You have to bear it."
Rhodes replied.
"Yeah, only I can handle this. By the way, I wanted to discuss the Legion organization.
I want to retain the positions of Chapter and Company Captain. We Primarchs will serve as Legion Masters.
Below Legion Master will be Chapter Masters, then Company Captains, Lieutenants, Sergeants."
Guilliman explained.
Chaplains, Apothecaries, and Librarians would be separate.
"Each Chapter will have 1,000 men as before, but all recruitment and training will be done by the Legion, which will then assign recruits to Chapters. This keeps the Primaris Astartes upgrades secret.
In the future, there will be at least hundreds or even thousands of Chapter Masters.
We'll need more senior positions above them."
Rhodes suggested.
"Agreed. I'll add four Deputy Legion Masters, each overseeing a quarter of the Chapters."
Guilliman thought aloud.
"No problem. We can also have Brigade Commanders, each in charge of at least 10 Chapters—10,000 men per Brigade, 100,000 men under 10 Brigade Commanders. The Legion will never be smaller than 400,000.
One Deputy Legion Master per 100,000 men, since our Legions will exceed 400,000."
Rhodes said.
Rhodes estimated both his and Guilliman's Legions would break a million; at least 10 Deputy Legion Masters would be needed in the future.