These Dreadnought warriors had all suffered mortal wounds—if you took them out of their sarcophagus, they'd die instantly. Even Rhodes' med-bay couldn't save them. Some say their brains, even their souls, are fused with the Dreadnought.
How could Rhodes convince Guilliman to provide one?
And would the Dreadnought be for himself or the other side in the future?
Suddenly, Rhodes remembered: in the Ace TV series, the transformable Super Beast Brocken could disguise itself as a human with no flaws. Many super beast techs allowed fused materials to retain intelligence, like the Black Dove super beast or the one that appeared in the snowy mountains.
If he just said he wanted to turn a Dreadnought into a monster, Guilliman would never agree—nor would the Ultramarines. But if he said it was to save a dying Dreadnought veteran, maybe Guilliman would say yes.
Retain their intelligence, and allow them to switch between human and monster forms—Yapool should be able to do that, right?
Rhodes contacted Yapool on the ship and explained his idea: the super beast could transform back into human form.
"Oh, that's easy! Don't worry, master—I'll preserve the Dreadnought pilot's intelligence. The cosmic monster's flesh is just material, with no will—the Dreadnought is the core. As for switching between human and monster forms, I've used that tech on many super beasts before, no problem," Yapool replied.
"Great! Let's try this as an experiment—if this Dreadnought-fused super beast turns out strong enough, I'll try to get you more Dreadnoughts, maybe even crazier monsters in the future. But the first one will go to the Ultramarines," said Rhodes.
"No need, master! Superbeasts only need these materials for the first fusion. After that, I'll have all the data recorded, and the Fusion Machine can create them directly using extradimensional energy. Once the first experiment works, I won't need any more Dreadnoughts in the future," Yapool said.
His machine didn't just fuse—it recorded all the data, and with extradimensional energy, could remake any fused super beast afterward.
Rhodes was relieved. In the later TV shows, Yapool just summoned super beasts without any fusion ritual—so the Fusion Machine made sense. Future production wouldn't need Dreadnoughts.
His legion didn't have these kinds of wounded veterans anyway—they had advanced med-bays and wouldn't need Dreadnoughts.
"So, master, the first fusion's data is crucial. You'd better pick an experienced veteran—I'll copy all their battle experience," Yapool said.
Just like the classic Missile Super Beast and Moth Super Beast—after the first fusion, no more material is needed.
"I understand. I'll pick the best Dreadnought veteran for you," Rhodes replied.
…
Three days passed quickly. Once Yapool said the Fusion Machine was done, Rhodes went to Guilliman and explained the fusion plan.
"So, do you have any Dreadnought veterans whose time is almost up?" Rhodes asked.
"You mean this new bio-fusion tech can save a dying Dreadnought veteran?" Guilliman asked, shocked.
"Yes! And they'll come back even stronger, fully mobile," Rhodes said.
Guilliman set aside his files, stroking his chin. Though being interred in a Dreadnought was considered an honor, in truth it was torture. Unless you were a war maniac, no one wanted to end their days inside one. Once entombed, you only had a few years left, mostly spent in stasis—awakened only in the direst battles.
If there was a way to let them live again, it was worth trying.
Over the Ultramarines' ten-thousand-year history, some Dreadnoughts' time was almost up—they'd only be awakened for the chapter's survival, and would have only days to live.
"We can try it! There are several such Dreadnought veterans—come with me," Guilliman said, summoning Chapter Master Calgar.
Calgar reported, "Lord Guilliman, Lord Rhodes—there are four Dreadnought veterans with only a few days left. The most experienced is over 7,000 years old. During the last Behemoth Hive Fleet invasion, his time was almost up—now he has just one day left. We didn't awaken him during the last Chaos invasion."
Could this work—saving a veteran at death's door?
"Let him have this honor! Calgar, wake him and bring him here," Guilliman said.
Calgar nodded and went to the armory to awaken the veteran.
Hearing he could meet the Primarch, the Dreadnought veteran was deeply moved—even if it was his last day, he would die without regret.
After some greetings, Guilliman and Rhodes brought the veteran to Rhodes' space fortress.
Balt and Yapool had taken on human appearances, and the giant Fusion Machine was ready—a red, dome-shaped machine glowing weirdly.
After a brief chat, the veteran entered the Fusion Machine.
Before starting, Rhodes confirmed the process with Yapool: use Brocken's disguise technology, and the fusion material was the huge flesh cut from the Bemstar-Golza fusion beast.
The Fusion Machine started, glowing red, and the veteran gradually disappeared, fusing with the monster's flesh.
Yapool's fusion tech sometimes defied logic: you could fuse organic things, but even conceptual or psychic things could be fused!
A few hours later, the Fusion Machine lit up green for success. The huge machine opened—a 55-meter-tall giant stood before Rhodes and Guilliman.
It was a humanoid blue steel giant—flesh and machine, but with a metallic look. The flesh was all inside, the exterior was steel—like an enlarged Dreadnought.
"Roar!"
With a terrifying roar, the blue metal giant stepped out—55 meters tall, 50,000+ tons of steel monster.
The core was the Dreadnought—the fusion formula was cosmic monster + Dreadnought veteran.
"Luksi, do you still have your mind?" Guilliman asked the giant.
The metal super beast looked down at tiny Guilliman and slowly nodded.
"Now try turning back—think of your human form," Yapool prompted.
The blue robot nodded, glowed, and shrank to a 2.3-meter-tall Space Marine in blue armor.
The Dreadnought veteran turned back into his original Space Marine form—even the power armor was perfectly simulated.
"Great Primarch, I never thought I could stand before you in this state again! I can even look like a Space Marine!" the veteran said excitedly.
"Incredible!" Guilliman was stunned.
This was life's miracle—no science could explain it!