Donia's exposed hand left her visibly embarrassed.
As a Mechanicus priest, she'd been taught to shed weak flesh and unnecessary emotions from her first implant. Yet, even high-ranking priests couldn't fully erase human feelings.
They modified their brains to resist chemical influences, but anger, joy, excitement, and frustration persisted—though they controlled them better than most.
Donia, with her emotion suppressor, quickly regained composure. "Governor, you're right—I'm here on my own. But that benefits you. Partnering with a forge world like Mariupol or Griffin IV puts you at their mercy. The bigger the world, the worse it is. With me, we're equals. Your interests are secure, and my teacher has given me full authority. You'll gain as much as you would with a forge world, and I'll respect your needs. Trust me—this is a win-win."
Alex knew she was likely truthful, but her earnestness heightened his caution.
After a moment, he asked, "Sage Donia, why do you want to cooperate with me?"
Donia hesitated, weighing how to answer without losing leverage while securing the deal.
"Lord Merlin, what are you doing here?" Rachel, on her way to report to Alex, spotted Merlin lingering outside his office, looking conflicted.
Merlin turned, greeting her. "Miss Rachel, a Mariupol Sage is here. Alex is meeting her. I've dealt with her before—she was interested in cooperation, but we didn't reach an agreement. Now she's here, and I'm curious what they're discussing."
Recalling the forge ship at the starport, Rachel nodded. "Lord Merlin, if you want to hear their talk without interrupting, I have a way."
"Eavesdropping? Is that wise?" Merlin hesitated.
"When the previous governor built this palace, he installed a sound-transmission structure to consult his advisors during private talks," Rachel explained. "You can hear and advise from another room. I'm sure the governor would value your input."
Merlin was intrigued but cautious. "With two Mechanicus Sages inside, won't they detect us?"
"Don't worry. The system is purely physical, no mechanics. Trust the old Astra Militarum tricks," Rachel assured, leading him down a corridor.
They passed through a hidden door and climbed a staircase to a secret room in the wall above Alex's office.
Inside, Merlin heard faint voices from below. By focusing, he could discern the conversation clearly.
"The structure collects and refracts sound waves, transmitting them here. It's undetectable, even by Mechanicus Sages," Rachel said proudly. "It was used when the previous governor spoke with Sage Ovilia, and she never noticed."
She pointed to chairs and a speaking tube. "Use this to send messages directly to the governor's position."
Rachel opened a peephole, using refracted light to observe the office, then adjusted the tube's gears to aim at Alex.
Merlin marveled at the archaic yet effective eavesdropping device, feeling a surreal disconnect.
He sat, listening to Alex and the Sages. Donia was set on cooperating, while Alex pushed for more benefits.
No issue there, but Merlin, after a moment, spoke into the tube: "Alex, don't forget Cawl's Forge. There could be a Primaris STC buried there."
His voice carried down. Unsure if Alex heard, Merlin soon noticed the conversation shift, indicating Alex had adjusted his approach.
(End of Chapter)
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