Imperium of Man Terra Aeterna Season 01: Rise of Humanity's War Machin

Over the past few days, Alice had been stationed at the Planetary Defense Department, immersing herself in the structure and military doctrines of the Cadia Shock Troopers—those legendary planetary defense forces from the Warhammer 40K universe. She studied their operational details meticulously: command systems, squad tactics, weaponry, and the very philosophy of war. Her main focus was on the role of junior officers, knowing full well that discipline and combat efficiency were forged at that level.

Now, Alice intended to implement Cadia's systems and discipline across all American troops under her command. She understood perfectly that to face threats from this world—and others—raw firepower alone wouldn't cut it. What she needed was a robust, professional military structure.

Today had gone by almost like any other—except for one thing: Alice had fallen behind on reviewing the daily reports. Because of that, she decided to spend the night at the department office.

But just as she was getting ready to rest, her personal communicator suddenly buzzed.

Alice picked up the device and immediately answered the incoming call. A young officer's voice came through—tense, but still professional.

"Ma'am, this is a subordinate of Major Hellsker from the Air Defense Division. Our radar just picked up an unidentified aircraft over Salt Lake City. IFF systems are reading it as friendly… but we have no scheduled military flights tonight."

Alice narrowed her eyes, quickly registering that something was off.

"Get in touch with the Air Force immediately. Scramble two starfighters for visual identification. But listen—do not fire unless confirmed. I'll verify myself whether that aircraft is really one of ours."

"Yes, ma'am!"

---

Within minutes, warning sirens blared across the entire Planetary Defense Force complex in Salt Lake City. Red lights bathed the hangars, casting long shadows of engineers and soldiers across the cold concrete floor. A loudspeaker crackled with urgency, announcing full alert:

"WEE-OOO—WEE-OOO—WEE-OOO!"

A senior officer from the Cadia Shock Troopers strode swiftly into the briefing room. He wore the signature long coat of the Imperium Command, with a heavy Aquila emblem on his chest. His eyes were sharp, his voice uncompromising.

"Code red. Unidentified target has breached the atmosphere. Orders from the Ordo Strategos: launch two Lightning Fighter units, Route Three. Maintain close surveillance—do not open fire without direct authorization."

Two already-ready pilots snapped to attention and saluted. They sprinted toward the hangar, coats flaring in the wind and pressure bursts.

Upon reaching their ships, they climbed into the cockpits of their Lightning Fighters—legendary machines, tested in countless interplanetary wars. The hulls were inscribed with sacred litanies, though many were scarred by time and enemy fire.

"Reactor online… plasma tension stable… 50%... 70%... reactor ready!"

WOMMP—WOMMMMP—WOMMMMMMMM!

Plasma fire erupted from the rear engines, shaking the hangar to its core. The two Lightning Fighters lifted off, piercing through the thick, star-swept night sky.

High in orbit, the silhouette of the foreign aircraft slowly descended through the atmospheric haze. Formation locked: the two Imperial starfighters flanked the mysterious vessel from both sides—fully armed, fully alert.

---

Alice was ready. She put on her military jacket and stepped out, ordering her staff to prepare a vehicle.

A few minutes later, riding in a vehicle speeding toward the communications center, Alice pressed a button on her communicator. The signal connected immediately.

Meanwhile, Reuel, who was about to descend from the main villa, heard Red Queen's voice:

"Reuel, Alice wants to speak with you."

He nodded and accepted the call.

"Reuel, a starfighter just arrived. Do you know anything about this?"

Alice's voice was cold and sharp.

As soon as the line connected, she spoke in a rush.

"Yes, that's one of ours," Reuel replied.

She fell silent for a moment, then fired back quickly, "Then why didn't you tell me?"

"Why didn't I—" Alice exploded. "Goddammit, Reuel! I almost ordered our own aircraft to be shot down!"

Her voice rang with anger—but beneath it was a note of relief, revealing how close she'd come to panicking before learning the truth.

Reuel tried to stay calm. "But… don't we have friend-or-foe identification systems?"

"We do. But we didn't have any scheduled flights tonight. Think for a second—how was I supposed to know it wasn't hostile? Anyone could spoof an IFF signal." Her voice was sharp, under pressure. "And that thing came down from orbit. Since when does Umbrella have starfighters from outer space, huh?"

Reuel could only sigh. "Yeah, yeah… my bad. I didn't think that far ahead."

His voice betrayed a trace of guilt. He had completely forgotten that the world they were currently in was still in the early years of the second millennium—and that Alice had only just learned about the existence of aliens from the Cadia Shock Trooper officers a few days ago.

"I'm on my way back. Just wait for me," Alice said at last.

"You'll be back, right on time. And—hopefully you haven't had dinner yet. I've prepared a little surprise for you," Reuel replied, his tone softening.

Once the call ended, Alice immediately contacted the Planetary Defense Department's Air Force. She ordered the mission to be canceled and explained that the starfighter in question belonged to them.

---

Some time later, a Medivac—a medical transport aircraft from the Terran Dominion—descended slowly onto the landing pad outside the villa. It was flanked by two Banshees, high-speed combat aircraft usually equipped with optical cloaking capabilities. This time, however, the cloaking was disabled. They were in a safe zone—home territory.

The Medivac was a rapid-response medical unit, designed to evacuate and treat wounded Terran troops from the battlefield. Though there was no combat tonight, its presence still radiated the Terran trademark of battle-readiness.

Meanwhile, Reuel was ready. His destination was clear: a Gorgon-class battlecruiser, a colossal warship now calmly floating in low Earth orbit.

For Reuel, this was more than just a visit. In his previous world before transmigrating, ships like that existed only on computer screens—in the game StarCraft. Now, he was actually going to board one.

The sound of a vehicle came from the distance. Reuel turned. Alice had arrived.

"Get on the ship. I want to show you something interesting," he said, welcoming her.

Alice stepped out of the vehicle and stared at the Medivac before her with a puzzled expression.

"This... what kind of aircraft is this? I've never seen anything like it."

Her eyes scanned the sleek, pristine shape—completely unlike the industrial, rugged designs of the Planetary Defense Department's aircraft. This tech was clearly far more advanced, almost like something out of science fiction.

Without further words, they boarded the Medivac. The engines came to life, and in moments, they lifted vertically, breaking through the night sky.

As they reached the upper layers of the atmosphere, they passed through an optical veil—a sort of illusionary screen that concealed the capital ship in orbit.

And beyond it… slowly, the silhouette of the battlecruiser emerged. That massive metallic beast hovered among the stars, with small lights glowing softly along its surface—tracing the sharp, cold contours of a true machine of space warfare.

Alice let out a breath, her eyes wide.

"Holy shit, Reuel… why do you have a spaceship above Earth?"

Reuel merely gave a small smile, not answering right away. Even he hadn't fully come to terms with the fact that this had all become reality.

As the Medivac landed in the docking area, they disembarked and headed straight into the main hangar. Alice stopped at the threshold.

Surrounding her: rows of starfighters, heavy tanks, Thor and Goliath combat mechs, and squads of Terran Marines, Marauders, Firebats, and Medics—all moving with disciplined precision in perfect military coordination.

Alice nearly forgot to breathe. She followed Reuel almost unconsciously, her eyes sweeping across all the unfamiliar machines, weapons, and armor passing by. None of it was familiar.

When they reached the main bridge, a high-ranking officer was already waiting. He wore a ceremonial robe, stood tall with a stern gaze, then bowed in deference.

"Welcome, Your Imperial Majesty."

Admiral Gerard DuGalle, supreme commander of the ship, led the officers and crew in greeting Reuel with full honors.

Reuel nodded and returned the salute. He then signaled DuGalle to lead them to the command center.

Along the way, the admiral explained the ship's navigation systems, primary weapons, orbital warfare protocols, and the hyperwarp technology it employed. Alice listened in a daze—mostly silent as she tried to process everything she was seeing and hearing.

Once they entered the command deck—a wide bridge with holographic control panels, tactical projectors, and space-monitoring displays—Alice was completely speechless.

Her Planetary Defense Department headquarters now felt like a rundown warehouse compared to this place.

She hadn't yet fully grasped the technology of the Warhammer 40K universe—wasn't aware that, in that world, machines possessed souls. If she had known, her shock might have been even greater.

Reuel walked toward the captain's chair. The staff nearby immediately stood at attention.

"Hail, Your Imperial Majesty!"

Reuel casually raised a hand. "Carry on."

They immediately returned to their posts.

He then turned to Alice. She was still frozen in place.

Suddenly, Alice pinched Reuel's arm.

"Ow! What the hell?" Reuel exclaimed, startled.

Alice stared at him intently. "I just wanted to make sure this isn't a dream," she whispered.

Then, without hesitation, she pinched herself—harder.

Reuel chuckled. "Did it hurt?"

"Maybe..." Alice rubbed her arm. Her face still wore a stunned expression.

"So, confirmed it's not a dream?" Reuel asked.

Alice nodded slowly, her eyes fixed on the projection screen displaying the curve of the planet below them. "Looks like it."

Reuel grinned and said casually, "Alice, I have twenty ships like this."

Alice turned to him quickly. "Twenty?!"

"And one of them will be yours." Reuel crossed his arms. "A battlecruiser, Gorgon-class. A full space warship. It will be yours in the near future."

Alice stared at him, waiting for further explanation.

"Tomorrow, ten thousand troops from the Planetary Defense Department will be transferred to your ship. You'll train them. Build a full legion of your own."

Alice blinked. "Build a force?"

"Of course. Why not call it... Grand Admiral Alice's Legion Fleet?" Reuel added a teasing tone at the end.

Alice narrowed her eyes, casting a sharp side-glance at him.

Internally, she muttered, what a goddamn awful name from this bastard.

Reuel snickered. He then turned to the Admiral. "Admiral Gerard DuGalle, allow me to introduce—my wife, Alice. Starting today, she's the captain of one of our battlecruisers, and when I'm not present, she's your direct superior."

DuGalle straightened up, almost reflexively. "Y-yes, Your Majesty. Madam..." He seemed unsure how to address her.

"Call the officers later. They'll arrange the details." Reuel replied curtly, then continued, "Tomorrow, you and the other twenty battlecruisers will begin mapping the star charts. Record every planet with mineral and strategic fuel resources. One of those ships will be handed over to Alice after the mission is complete."

DuGalle nodded with utmost respect. "It shall be done, Your Majesty."

Reuel continued, "Alice will coordinate the landing of a warship off the coast of California tomorrow. Make sure Major Hellsker immediately begins construction of the space station, in cooperation with Adeptus Mechanicus engineers."

Alice nodded, her expression turning serious. "That will be arranged promptly."

Reuel gestured to DuGalle. "Show us the rest of the ship. After that, we're heading back to Earth."

---

The next morning.

The sunlight hadn't fully risen when Reuel was awakened by a gentle movement on his arm.

He opened his eyes. Alice was already up, dressed in combat gear, standing at the edge of the bed while adjusting her equipment belt.

"Why is my wife up this early?" Reuel mumbled through a yawn. "Weren't you supposed to get some extra sleep today?"

"No time. I have to start retraining 5,000 personnel today. We're turning them into spaceship crew, not just regular infantry."

She leaned down, kissed Reuel's forehead briefly, and walked out with swift, purposeful steps.

Reuel could only stare at the door that had just closed. Then it hit him—twenty thousand other troops had yet to be deployed.

Reuel interfaced with the system and ordered it to deploy the soldiers 20 kilometers away from the Cadia Shock Troopers' base.

"Deploy all troops twenty kilometers from the Cadia Shock Troopers base."

Red Queen had granted Alice full access to the communications system, ensuring all logistical operations ran without significant issues.

In the days that followed, Alice fully adapted to the new military structure. She led a complete integration of the old forces with the intensive retraining provided by the Cadia Shock Troopers. The unified force now included:

8,000 regular soldiers,

500 special forces troops,

50 Wraith starfighters,

120 Viking starfighters,

40 Medivac units,

35 Banshee starfighters,

nearly 300 fully armed Chimera combat vehicles,

and a full complement of heavy artillery units for wide-field operations.

Meanwhile, other military assets deemed nonessential for space operations—such as nuclear submarines and conventional aircraft carriers—were officially reassigned to the Police Department under the command of Jill Valentine.

Alice then divided her forces into two primary divisions:

Falcon Force, consisting of 3,500 personnel, equipped with:

50 Vikings,

15 Wraiths,

15 Banshees.

Tiger Force, with identical configuration.

The remainder were distributed as follows:

1,000 personnel assigned to garrison and local defense,

500 special forces troops as Alice's elite personal guard.

The Air Force operated independently as a separate branch, while the battlecruiser functioned as the strategic command center for all orbital and atmospheric combat operations.

As Reuel reviewed the new organizational data and troop formations via the Red Queen system, he nodded in satisfaction. Everything was progressing according to plan. He then granted Alice full authority to launch military operations: the purge of remaining Umbrella bases across the American continent.

"This will be a long-range engagement," Reuel said, eyes fixed on the tactical screen. "I'll only be able to escort you via Medivac."

Since Alice had no prior experience leading full-scale operations, Reuel decided to summon Major Hellsker from the Cadia Shock Troopers to act as field commander. Alice would still accompany them—as strategic commander—to learn firsthand in the battlefield.

Meanwhile, Chris Redfield and his old team also joined as part of the special forces. Chris was appointed commander of the elite unit, accompanied by Leon S. Kennedy and Luther West as senior officers.

On another note, Reuel's personal life was becoming... quite active.

He began experiencing a dramatic increase in physical fitness and bodily endurance—especially since engaging in intimate relations with several women daily, both day and night.

Ada Wong and Claire Redfield, both of whom had been injected with a perfected T-Virus variant, now possessed enhanced physical strength and regeneration. They were Reuel's women.

---

That morning, at Reuel's villa in Salt Lake City.

He stood in front of the large window, sunlight casting a warm glow across the silhouette of his body. Behind him, the living room was silent—but tense. A few of the women closest to him had already gathered, sensing that something was about to be announced.

"I'm going to the Hive in Raccoon City," Reuel said—calm, but firm.

Several pairs of eyes immediately turned to him, alert but not entirely surprised. Before anyone could ask questions, Reuel continued:

"You'll stay here. I'm going alone. Quietly. So I won't be easily detected."

Naturally, that request wasn't accepted just like that.

Claire, who had been sitting at the edge of the sofa, immediately stood up, walked quickly to him, and without hesitation, clung to his arm with possessive determination.

"I'm coming with you. I can help," she said—steady, without a trace of doubt.

Jill Valentine stepped forward too. Her face was hard, her gaze cutting straight into Reuel's.

"Reuel, I've been to Raccoon City. I know that place. If you're going there, then I'm coming too."

Meanwhile, Ada Wong said nothing. She simply stood in the corner of the room—calm, almost invisible.

After joining the mission to Kamchatka with Reuel, she had chosen to stay behind this time. Though often jokingly called a "housemaid," the truth was that Ada now led an intelligence bureau she had founded herself under the Public Security Department.

In Reuel's mind, it wasn't just a title.

He believed: if a woman had something meaningful to do, she wouldn't be too busy getting jealous.

Besides, his system had yet to establish a "Gestapo" equivalent from Warhammer 40K—the Inquisition. And for now, Ada Wong was the most suitable choice to run intelligence operations.

The decision was made.

Claire would go with Reuel, and Reuel agreed without further argument.

However, just as they were about to depart, Alice suddenly appeared in the hangar—wearing light armor and a face full of resolve.

"I'm coming too," she said casually. "Last time we ran from that place. This time, we go in… and fight."

Reuel could only exhale softly.

One became two.

Two became three.

And as always, there was no real stopping them.