Chapter 77: Abdication?
Omega, who shared the same "not growing taller" frustration as a certain Fullmetal Alchemist, after looking down on the cog-heads for their lack of romance, pulled out a large "soda can" from behind him. He pressed a few buttons on the control panel on his forearm, and the silvery-grey "slime" that had been stuck to the target immediately dissolved into a cloud of mist and flew into the "soda can."
This time, it was Aedus and the others who were envious. These were the metal nanites Omega had made based on the nanotechnology he had mastered, different from the medical nanites. Medical nanites used biomimetic materials that could be assimilated by the human body, and they could only operate within a medical bay, requiring the energy field of the bay for power. The moment they left the field, they would lose power. The nanites Omega had made used metal materials, could store energy, and could operate for about an hour on a full charge. Their charging station was their "nest"—the large soda can. The control device was the panel on his forearm.
Using them to perform "alchemy" was harmless, but if Omega activated the "kill protocol," they would decompose any human body, or any object with a material hardness lower than their own, into a dust of their own size. The day Omega conquered "self-replication" and "self-charging," the Officio Assassinorum...
After showing off his masterpiece, Omega called Louis and the others to his lab. He had prepared one for each of his partners as a secret weapon. In the Warhammer universe, you could never have too many secret weapons.
In these ten years, everyone had changed quite a bit.
Jacob had made significant progress on the path of the Techno-Magus. His participation had been indispensable in dealing with the Chaos taint discovered over the years.
Rhea and Louis had both walked the path of the Genetor, but their research directions were different. Rhea was on the path of the Genetor Prime, to become an expert in genetics in the future. Louis preferred to study xenos biology and would become a Xenos Biologis Magos.
Aedus continued in his original academic direction, becoming a Lexmechanic, a combination of analyst, statistician, and logistics expert, predicting future trends by analyzing data.
Paul chose to become a Fabricator, also known as a Builder, and would be responsible for the design and construction of machinery, architecture, weapons, starships, and so on in the future.
Omega needs no introduction. He could do everything. He was now a Magos in his own right, his academic level far surpassing Veyl's. This had led to the Archmagos, after a whim to tutor his son, never again mentioning any topic related to technology in front of Omega. According to rumors, for a while, the Archmagos would inexplicably mutter, "That's not right!"
While teaching Jacob and the others how to operate the nanites, which he had named "Grey Mist," Omega chatted with them about his recent plans and how he intended to transform the underground space in the future. He planned to make it provide a portion of the food supply, while also providing a relaxing ecological park for the people of Teyedan.
While the group was laughing and dreaming of the future, the supreme leader of Teyedan, Archmagos Veyl, was currently reading an ancient book, a tome from Macragge titled The Lives of the Macragge Emperors. The contents of the book predated the arrival of Regent Guilliman on Macragge, even predating the era of the Twin Kings. It was a story from the Imperial Age of Macragge, a story of emperors.
Why was Veyl reading this book? Because he found that his current situation was strikingly similar to that of an emperor in the book: What do you do when your ministers want your more popular, more talented, and more vigorous son to take the throne?
Veyl: I don't want to abdicate yet!
The Archmagos felt he was still young. His grand-master, Cawl, had lived for over ten thousand years. Even with a discount on a discount, he could still live for another thousand or eight hundred years. He was only halfway through his life, in his prime. Why should he abdicate? What Fabricator-General didn't abdicate just before his death? And these "rebellious subjects" wanted him to abdicate now! Was there any justice? Was there any law?
He now profoundly understood a line an emperor in the book had said to his deposed crown prince: "It doesn't matter if you want to rebel or not. What matters is if you have the ability to rebel!"
Did Omega have the ability? Yes, very much so. So much so that even if he didn't, people would push him to do it. "My son, what am I to do with you?" Veyl muttered to himself in frustration. He had had the family send this collected ancient book over precisely to seek the wisdom of the ancients, to find a solution to the conflict between him and Omega.
After reading and rereading it, the Archmagos discovered that the emperors in the book were only similar to him in their situation. If he were to use their methods of dealing with their sons on Omega... even if he dared, Omega wouldn't even have to rebel. Someone would pull him down from the position of Fabricator-General for Omega. It was not impossible that he would be sent to his "heavenly ascension." The reason was that the sons of these emperors were not excellent enough, not capable enough. And Omega was far too capable.
If, ten years ago, someone had told Veyl that the Teyedan of ten years later would be 20% stronger than before, even without a war, Veyl would have welded the liar to the production line to punish him for his crime of mocking the Archmagos. If Teyedan had that much potential to be squeezed, he would have done it long ago.
But the reality was that Omega had done it. He had done it in a situation where Teyedan had been beaten into a wasteland. And he had even had time to create Teyedan's own flagship products. With these highly profitable, exclusive products, he had not only fed the insatiably greedy Tech-Magi and the increasingly lazy and demanding Tech-Priests, but he had also fed the indentured laborers of Teyedan.
After giving the laborers a life with pay, education, and medical care, Omega was still not satisfied. He even wanted to transform the underground space into a paradise world-like environment, for everyone on Teyedan to go on vacation. "Omnissiah, this is a Forge World!" Veyl muttered again in frustration.
The Archmagos's frustration was not just from internal sources. He was the Regent's hound. He was one of the people who knew Regent Guilliman best. He knew the Regent's ideals, and he understood the meaning of the Regent's phrase, "to create a future worthy of humanity." If Regent Guilliman knew what Omega had done, the Archmagos felt that the Regent might also tactfully persuade him to abdicate soon. To be an advisor by his side would also be very prestigious and fulfilling.
Ventris had returned three years ago. By now, he should have almost reached the Regent. The Ultramarines had left with the thank-you gifts Omega had prepared for them. Ventris had not revealed to anyone what the gifts were, but his smile, which almost reached his ears, told everyone that he was very satisfied.
As for Mars, how should he put it? His relationship with Veyl was not good, but his relationship with Teyedan was now quite good. The change had all happened after Omega had proactively offered several lost technologies to Mars. Mars's attitude towards Teyedan had done a 180-degree turn. Not only had they lifted the secret blockade on Teyedan, but they had also turned a blind eye to the new technologies on Teyedan. After sending people to inspect and receiving the falsified and watered-down technical data, they had approved it. Veyl had just received the notification of approval not long ago. "Omega, how many benefits did you give the special envoy to make him work so hard?" Veyl muttered again in frustration.
Veyl was in a predicament, both internally and externally. How was he to break out of it? The world was changing too fast for this thousand-year-old Archmagos in his prime. The Archmagos felt that the days of sleeping with a nuclear bomb were just yesterday. But how could everything have changed after just one night's sleep?
Knock, knock, knock!
The sound of knocking pulled the Archmagos back to reality. He knew who it was. It was his loyal friend—Magos Laust. He was the only one who would publicly refute the "rebellious subjects" who wanted Omega to take the throne. Veyl was quite moved by Laust's actions. Someone still remembered his achievements as the Fabricator-General. Someone still remembered his contributions to Teyedan. Someone had not been bought by that little brat Omega.
"Come in."
"Archmagos, a new ship has arrived at the spaceport. According to the data they submitted, it's an order you placed 60 years ago," Laust said, getting straight to the point. He was now in charge of the most profitable part of Teyedan—the spaceport.
Veyl warmly gestured for Laust to sit down. To his only "loyal and good general," the Archmagos was not stingy with his goodwill. He personally poured Laust a cup of Macragge's specialty coffee before he began to search his memory. 60 years ago, 60 years ago... got it. An Exorcist-class grand cruiser. I did order one. The Ark Mechanicus and the fleet have to guard Teyedan and cannot leave. I was thinking of forming a small exploration team at the time, which is why I ordered this ship. The Exorcist-class is capable of long-range voyages without resupply, which fits the requirement perfectly. That's right.
Fortunately, Teyedan had now recovered. Otherwise, he would have had to delay the final payment. That little brat Omega had finally done something... Exploration team... Omega... Exploration team! Ahahaha! Good timing, wonderful timing! Son, dad has a new gift for you!
Laust, watching the giggling Fabricator-General, felt a little creeped out. He had told those people they were too hasty. They had only been at it for ten years, and they already wanted to pull the Archmagos down, to make him abdicate. If they had waited a few more years, given the Archmagos some time to adapt, and let Omega mature a little more, he meant mentally, then they could have talked about the Archmagos retiring. Now, the Fabricator-General had gone mad. How were they going to clean this up?