Editing Operative (section)

==Overview==
Because of the clandestine and subversive nature of the Alpha Legion, they require a [[Reasonable Marines|large number of non-augmented humans to conduct acts of espionage, sabotage, subterfuge, and other covert activities during their campaigns.]] Given how physically ''obvious'' a Space Marine is even when out of armour, having mortal agents to do your intelligence bidding was a rare stroke of common sense as they were able to blend in better than their augmented superiors.

During the height of the [[Great Crusade]], the Alpha Legion made a habit of recruiting non-Astartes specialists in every theatre and campaign they entered, commonly members of the [[Imperial Guard|Imperial armed forces,]] though [[Reasonable Marines|almost any human could be approached by the Legion for his knowledge or skills.]] These operatives often remained in their original position, ready to respond to Alpha Legion commands. [[This Guy|Compromised operatives were not discarded if it could be avoided, and Alpha Legionaries would go to great lengths to retain them or hide their existence,]] lengths that included the fatal silencing of other Imperials. Many Operatives were psychically altered by Alpha Legion [[Librarian]]s to not be aware of their own nature, serving as sleeper agents to be activated when the time was right. One of the ways to identify some Operatives was by their tattoo of a small hydra symbol. [[Awesome|However the wearers of the tattoo seem able to make it disappear and reappear at will like some kind of cool-ass gang sign.]]

At least during the Great Crusade era, Operatives were treated as valued assets as opposed to expendable commodities. Some were even made privy to the truth of Alpha Legion plans and objectives, a level of honesty that not even the brother [[Primarch]]s to [[Alpharius]] enjoyed. This treatment was not for any sentimental or ethical reasons, but rather stems from the Alpha Legion belief that [[Reasonable Marines|any and all assets are valuable and it is foolish to needlessly waste them.]] In fact, Alpha Legionaries tend to recruit those who stumble upon their secrets. In a dubious account, allegedly penned by Alpharius himself, the Primarch noted that he "detest[ed] waste", and though his Legion was perfectly willing to kill innocents when no other option presented itself, the Alpha Legion preferred to cultivate potentially useful individuals instead of eliminating them.

Because of how successful it is, Operatives continue working with the Alpha Legion to this day, meaning that the Alpha Legion has a disproportionately higher number of mortals working in its ranks than other traitor Astartes, with the only real rival being arguably the [[Red Corsairs]].