Chapter 40: Who Doesn't Know Archeological Research?
"This kid is definitely going to be a heretek in the future!"
"Are you sure he isn't one already?"
"Well, is the lasgun power pack sacred or not?"
"..."
"I'm asking you, is it sacred or not?"
"..."
"It wasn't built according to a standard STC!"
"But the kid said he didn't change the vehicle's structure, just replaced some components."
"He's full of scrap-code!"
"But he pointed out the Chimera command vehicle, which has an added communications array."
"That's just an add—"
"And the Chimera flamethrower variant, which replaces the weapon component with a heavy flamer."
"But—"
"And there are all the variants that only use the Chimera chassis: the Hellhound, Basilisk, Griffon, Medusa, Salamander Command Vehicle, Salamander Scout Vehicle, Hydra Flak Tank, Manticore, Trojan, Deathstrike Missile Launcher, Pegasus AAV, Pegasus Command Vehicle, Pegasus Armored Car..."
"How did he not suffocate reciting all those names in one breath?!" the conservative Magos cursed, his composure finally breaking.
"So, is it heretical for him to replace the Chimera's sacred Vulcanor-16 twin-coupled multi-burn engine with a sacred lasgun power pack and a universal electric motor? Answer me that."
"..." replied the conservative Magos.
"What a talent..."
The above was a snippet from the Magi's private comms channel. The "talent" in question was currently being "executed" on the turret of a Chimera armored vehicle—by Laust the Executioner.
[DATASLATE: CHIMERA APC]
A highly versatile and common Imperial armored personnel carrier, with numerous variants built upon its reliable chassis.
Although he had been hung up and beaten by Magos Laust, after Omega had verbally sparred with the "council of Magi" and argued them all into silence, the Omega-pattern electric Chimera was successfully put into production.
Omega pulled some of the workers from training and reopened the Chimera and electric motor production lines. The idle Chimeras in the warehouses and the mountains of lasgun power packs were brought back for retrofitting. The lasgun power pack production line would also be restarted after the existing inventory was depleted; the raw materials were plentiful.
The Omega-pattern electric Chimera had one obvious drawback: it was "short-legged," with a maximum range about a third shorter than the original Promethium-fueled version. However, it also had an advantage: it was quiet, lacking the roar of the multi-fuel engine.
With the success of the electric Chimera, Omega pressed on. The next day, he modified another vehicle: the Omega-pattern electric Leman Russ. The appearance of these two armored vehicles instantly transformed the "Worker-Soldier" legion from an infantry force into an armored one.
However, to solve the "short-legged" problem, Omega also created a variant of the Chimera: the Omega-pattern Chimera power supply vehicle. This vehicle could only carry two crew members and was unarmed. The entire vehicle was a mobile, high-power Promethium generator.
The explosive growth of the settlement's military strength made Omega a little cocky. And he wasn't the only one. His "six staff officers" were also getting cocky. Even the Magi now spoke of the Temple and the Archmagos with less reverence.
"I feel terrifyingly strong lately," Omega said to Jacob and the others, striking a profound pose as he looked at the river of steel flowing through the streets.
Jacob: "..."
Rhea: "..."
...
It was Chief of Staff Douglas, who had been tempered by the Imperial bureaucracy, who knew how to hit his leader's G-spot. He stepped behind Omega and said, "Our current strength is sufficient to engage and defeat a PDF force several times our number in a conventional battle."
"The PDF, huh?" Omega said, a little disappointed. The Planetary Defense Force was not under the direct control of the Imperium but belonged to the local planetary government. Their recruitment, training, armament, and morale were all handled by local officials, and their combat effectiveness was at the bottom of the Imperial military hierarchy. Only the best of the best could become part of the Imperium's official armed forces—the Astra Militarum.
Seeing that he had once again failed to properly flatter his superior, Chief of Staff Douglas deeply felt that his ass-kissing skills had deteriorated in the years since he had left the political arena for the factory. But Douglas never retreated, neither on the battlefield nor in the political one. He continued, "As the vacant vehicles are retrofitted and equipped, and the soldiers become more proficient in driving them, our combat effectiveness will further increase. At that time, even a standard Astra Militarum mechanized infantry regiment will be no match for us in a one-on-one engagement."
This made Omega feel a little better, but he was still not satisfied. "What are we lacking? Whether it's individual hellguns and hot-shot volley guns, or lascannons and armored vehicles, our heavy weapons equipment rate should be higher than a standard Astra Militarum regiment, right?"
On this matter, the old soldier Douglas answered truthfully, without any embellishment. "Individual combat skill is one aspect. They are the professional soldiers of the Imperium. Their personal military training is not something our worker-soldiers, who have only been training for a few months, can compare to."
"Oh, right. I was being too idealistic," Omega admitted. He might be cocky, but he wasn't an idiot. He could still tell the difference between reality and a dream.
Douglas continued, "The other aspect is the equipment. Although we now have armored vehicles, they are still too one-dimensional for the complexities of war."
"Still too one-dimensional? I see..." Omega said thoughtfully.
"Yes. We lack air support, and we don't even have long-range fire support."
"Hiss... Douglas, have your staff officers draw up a list of the types of weapons we are currently lacking. I don't need the performance specs, but the function must be clearly stated." Omega's confidence suddenly evaporated, and his firepower-deficiency-phobia flared up again.
"Understood. We will begin deliberations immediately."
Rhea suddenly interjected, "Hold on! Omega, you can't keep doing this. One day, Mars will come for you."
Omega, who was now a mature and flexible cog-head, said nonchalantly, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. This time, after I build the equipment, I'll invite a few of the Magi to inspect it. If they say it's no good, I'll just destroy it."
"Omega, you need to understand that the problem is not the Magi, but the rules set by Mars," Jacob said, looking at Omega with a serious expression.
Knowing they were only trying to help him, Omega patiently explained, "I understand your concerns. But on the one hand, we have a need for this. On the other hand, there's the cult's definition of what constitutes blasphemy against this sacred knowledge. Look, for technologically simpler artifacts produced according to STCs, like lasguns, data-slates, and logging saws, the cult doesn't have strict rules restricting our modifications, right?"
"That's true, but..."
"Let me finish. Isn't there a debate within the cult as to whether a simple melee weapon like a dagger has a Machine Spirit?"
"Yes."
"This question has existed for a very long time, but Mars, since the enlightenment of the Machine God, has never made a ruling on it. Is that correct?"
"Yes."
"According to the doctrine, a dagger forged with the technology gifted by the Omnissiah should have a Machine Spirit. But why has Mars never made a ruling on this?"
"..."
"One, a ruling would have too great an impact on the entire Adeptus Mechanicus, and even the entire Imperium. Two, a ruling would go against the subjective understanding of the vast majority of Tech-Priests like us."
"..."
"What is our subjective understanding? A life consists of a body and a soul. A living body is a necessary condition for the existence of a soul. So, what is a living body?"
"..."
"It must take in energy through eating, and it must have the actions of converting and releasing energy to be a living body. A dagger cannot complete this process. If it does not have a living body, how can it have a Machine Spirit as we subjectively understand it?"
"But Omega, don't forget the non-conscious Machine Spirits," Jacob said.
"I know, Jacob. You're the one who told me, how could I forget? But these non-conscious Machine Spirits are, to put it bluntly, the basic properties of the material. The cult has never forbidden us from processing materials into various shapes."
"..."
"In conclusion," Omega said, "even a 'simple' technology like the lasgun, which is confirmed to be a sacred technology and to possess a Machine Spirit, is allowed to be modified. This means that as long as it's simple enough, the prohibition, in a sense, does not exist!"
Rhea suddenly understood why her father had hung this slick-tongued, shifty-eyed, loophole-finding little brat up and beaten him. With a kid like this, a slap was more effective than words.
"Louis, Aedus, string this little brat up for me!"
Omega: "Huh?"
Louis and Aedus: "Yes, ma'am!"
Omega: "Hmm!"
Seeing that the situation was not in his favor, Omega turned to run, but before he could, a large hand grabbed his small arm—it was Jacob.
"To the rescue! Douglas, save me..."
Chief of Staff Douglas, the old political fox of the Imperial bureaucracy, knew the ways of court intrigue. In such a situation, the best course of action was, of course, to remain on the sidelines and protect himself.
Unfortunately, Omega's number one "loyal hound," Paul, was not present today. Otherwise, he might have, probably, possibly, tried to shield Omega. But he had been sent on an errand by Omega, so no one else was to blame.
Although his body was ravaged by the cog-girl and his spirit was crushed by the betrayal of the cog-heads, the heroic and unyielding Omega would absolutely not give up. He would make the weapons of the 2k era shine again in the 42k, to blaze with a new and glorious fire