Editing Eyes of the Emperor (section)

===Great Crusade===

During the first years of the Primarch's leadership, the Nineteenth were relocated to the Death World '''Marusthali''', where their Neophytes could be tested against the ferocious native predators.   Throughout the [[Great Crusade (Hektor Heresy)|Great Crusade]] the Eyes of the Emperor acquitted themselves with honour, winning many notable victories, but they were never among the great conquerors of the Legiones Astartes.  Their contemplative, almost spiritual ways were suited to careful consideration of possibilities and judicious use of force, not carving a swathe through the stars.  The Eyes brought many worlds into compliance without firing a single shot, deploying agents to teach distant worlds rather than warriors to subdue them.

Those who were loyal to Shakya Vardhana accepted his teaching that the wars of the Great Crusade were important, but that their true trial was still to come.  For a long time, this prophecy had a far-off air to it, but as the 31st Millenium began the Primarch announced that he sensed darkness swiftly approaching.  Attempting to head off the crisis, the Eyes of the Emperor brought evidence of sorcerous acts among the [[Black Augurs]] to the Emperor, triggering the [[Council of Nikaea (Hektor Heresy)|Council of Nikaea]].  The Edicts of Nikaea stripped the Librarians of their special rank and barred their use of psychic powers, reducing the Council of Ten to the Council of Nine.

'''Notable Campaigns'''

*'''The Society of Inquiry on Telos III'''.  In 843.M30, agents of the Legion established a polite, respectable society of academics and intellectuals on the civilised world of Telos III.  These learned men and women vigorously opposed theism, expounding the moral and intellectual superiority of philosophical materialism (the belief that matter, not thought, is the primary form of being).  Although largely apolitical, the Society's work helped to condition the Telosians for receiving the Imperial Truth.  When the Cruiser ''Stillness of Being'' arrived bearing warriors of the Eyes of the Emperor in 862.M30, the task of bringing Telos III into compliance required little more than an explanation.  (Given the political conditions arising on [[Ciban IV]] before its formal contact with the Imperium, some have theorised that the Eyes of the Emperor undertook a similar operation there.)
*'''The Illuminated Fraternity on Ceres VII'''.  Ceres VII was a populous Feudal World at the time of its compliance and went on to become a major agricultural exporter in the last century of the Great Crusade.  In 873.M30, the Eyes of the Emperor seized control of the planet with just a single squad of Satria, thanks to their foresight.  For a quarter century, scholar-adepts in service of the Legion carefully established fortress-monasteries full of warrior monks.  These human soldiers served the Eyes with great distinction in the brief compliance campaign, and many of their younger brothers became Aspirants for the Legion.
*'''Last stand at Vorthorn Station, 882.M30'''.  While on long-range operations deep into the Ultima Segmentum, the ''Spectre''-class Warp Runner ''Silent Mouse'' detected a distress signal in a dialect of Low Gothic.  While the vessel's technicians translated the signal, Brother Somporn Thaksin ordered a course change to investigate.  When ''Silent Mouse'' broke Warp, the Eyes of the Emperor discovered a space station being boarded by Orkish roks.  Brother Somporn ordered his squad into action without hesitation.  ''Silent Mouse'' docked and the Eyes of the Emperor deployed to hold back the Orks while civilians were taken aboard.  Somporn's men were stretched thin in the battle and as the Marines died, their cordon shrank.  With 217 men, women, and children loaded upon the ''Silent Mouse'', Brother Somporn commanded the Warp Runner to get under way just before a Nob's choppa cut him down.  The final sight that the technicians of ''Silent Mouse'' had of their brave commander was Somporn holding back the greenskins with his dying strength.