After a few minutes of assuring everyone that I'm okay, I decide it's time to face the music. I wait in my office while the others go to meet the arriving Inquisition warband. Thanks to my [Viltrumite Physiology], I can hear their footsteps echoing through the corridor—they'll be here in about a few minutes.
But that isn't the only thing. Because I've been constantly consuming curses, my body has become especially sensitive to them, and there are massive amounts gathering outside the bubble surrounding the fortress.
They keep trying to penetrate the barrier, but the bubble holds firm and blocks them out. The curse here is as thick and foul as before. It looks like I'll need to clean the area again. As expected of a Greater Daemon. Its aura lingers in the Materium.
There goes my tinkering time. Oh well. Maybe I can assign some of the responsibility to the others? With the Tech-Priests arriving, I can leave the fortress-fortifying to them. Once the area is cleansed of curses, I can get back to creating things. I want to test the gift ROB gave me.
The gift ROB gave me is truly amazing.
Not only does this power allow me to turn everything I build into an STC fragment, but even the blueprints I draft become STC fragments. Thankfully, Canto was able to help me store all of those safely in her memory banks. Then I use that data to create an STC fragment.
I snap out of my thoughts when the footsteps grow close. I quickly leave my room and position myself outside the door.
Waiting inside would be improper. I don't want to offend them. Even if the Inquisitor himself isn't here, the warband still carries the Inquisition's authority. While waiting, I listen closely and count ten distinct footsteps.
Some of the steps are heavier, and I can clearly hear metallic limbs striking the floor. Tech-Priests, then. Should I prepare a gift?
…Yes. Let's do that.
I take a deep breath and open my inventory, where all my Item-type objects are stored. It can't store anything I've already removed, but it retains all gacha items as long as I don't take them out.
I use my new power and convert the Sutherland mecha into an STC. I blink when a toaster-like device materializes in my hand.
This is the STC?! Is this why Tech-Priests are called Toaster Fuckers?! A meme turn into reality, huh? Let's just hope that they do not fuck them in real life.
I shake my head, place the STC device inside my office, and return to my spot outside.
After a minute, a group approaches—with Rita leading them. Ah, familiar faces. The canon warband members are all here.
I've already met Sergeant Major Marrow, but I've yet to meet the rest. I see Interrogator Rannick, Explicator Zola, Sister Hestia Prine, and Hadron Omega-7-7. Seeing them in the game was one thing—seeing them face-to-face? Nerve-wracking. Especially when you know exactly what kind of power the Inquisition wields.
They're the ultimate secret police of Warhammer 40k. Like the CIA or FBI… cranked up by a factor of ten thousand. They can literally crack a planet in half if they deem it unrecoverable.
I just hope Atoma Prime isn't on that list.
"Welcome to the Sanctuary, members of the Inquisition. My apologies for not meeting you at the entrance, but as you can see… I just woke up from exhaustion."
Rannick looks me up and down, then gives a shallow bow.
"It is not a problem, Your Holiness."
Your—what?! Your Holiness?! Why is he calling me that?! Isn't that title reserved for a Pope? At least… in my previous life it was!
"I am Interrogator Iven Rannick, a member of Inquisitor Grendyl's warband. Unfortunately, Lord Grendyl is on a critical investigation regarding the presence of a Heretic on this planet. He asked me to visit you in his stead and offer our support for your cause."
I study him for a moment before responding.
"Let's talk inside my office, Sir Rannick. I believe I have a few questions for you—and I suspect you have some for me as well."
"If you are willing, Your Holiness."
"Of course. Please, come in."
I lead them inside. I whisper to Rita to prepare snacks and drinks, then gesture for them to sit. Rannick takes the seat across from me while the others stand behind him. But before he can speak, someone exclaims loudly—
"Omnissiah be praised!"
Her synthetic voice is full of awe as she stares at the toaster-like device on the table. I nod.
"Ah, that. Something I want to gift the local Mechanicus. You recognize it, I assume?"
The 'woman' nods reverently and touches the device as though it's made of fragile glass.
"A fully functional fragment of an STC… May I, Your Holiness?"
"Of course."
One of her mechadendrites lifts the STC. A hologram projects from her chest, flickering with streams of data. After a few silent seconds, she begins vibrating. Whether from excitement or something… else… I honestly can't tell. Maybe both.
She remains silent long enough that Rannick clears his throat and turns back to me.
"May we begin, Your Holiness?"
"Of course. Let's take turns. You go first."
"Thank you. My first question concerns the current situation. One of our Sanctioned Psykers detected a massive bubble surrounding the fortress—preventing ruinous energies from entering. Can you tell me how it appeared?"
Starting with the hard questions, huh? How should I handle this? Let's wing it.
"That is my doing. Every time I claim a territory in the Hive, I can place a beacon. That beacon projects purifying energy that cleanses the area and prevents more corruption from forming."
Please accept that answer. Please accept that answer.
"I see."
Eh? What's with that expression? Sister Hestia?! Why do you look at me like that?! Why did you accept that so easily?! And why are the others nodding along?! What is happening?!
Oi, ROB! Is this your doing?! I appreciate it, but I'm not sure if this is good or bad! I don't want to be branded a Manipulator or, worse, a Brainwasher by the Imperium!
"That is good."
"Now, my turn. What is the situation in Atoma?"
"Bad. Very bad. We've only secured one location in each Hive City. The Sanctuary is the midpoint between the Imperium and Tertium. All other positions were lost due to outbreaks and rebellion. Some Noble Houses have even openly rebelled against the Emperor's light."
"I see."
So the job is going to be even harder. We'll need to take Tertium from the inside—an external siege would take too long. A two-pronged strategy might be effective: my team will strike from the shadows, while the warband hits from outside.
"My next question, if you don't mind, Your Holiness: what is your plan now?"
"That one's easy. Cleanse the area. Fortify the fortress. Take over the hive. Right now, the heretics are divided. We can strike them, secure territory, and place beacons to stop corruption from spreading."
He nods.
"Then we will help fortify this place. I brought Tech-Priests to reinforce the Sanctuary and transform it into something the heretics cannot approach."
"That's greatly appreciated. As for my question: will you join us in our attack on the heretics? We'll be striking from the shadows—sneaking through the hive and hitting critical targets. Do you prefer to strike from the front instead?"
Rannick thinks for a moment.
"I propose two separate attacks. If you are willing, I will lead my team and strike a different location. Sergeant Major Marrow will lead the Imperial Guard against the larger rebel groups, while we strike at the heart of the heretics. We've gathered enough intelligence to know their general location."
"Will you share some of that intel with me, Sir Rannick?"
"Of course, Your Holiness. Gladly. But I must warn you—most of the intel is unreliable. Eighty-seven percent is counterintelligence planted by the heretics. We verify each piece one by one, and we will provide only confirmed information."
"Thank you, Sir Rannick. Any more questions? It seems our friends over there require my attention."
He turns and sees the three Tech-Priests already building a small shrine around the STC. My office now smells like incense and machine oil.
I think I need a new office.
Yes. A new office.
Maybe I'll convert my workshop or add a dedicated meeting room.
"Hmmm… You're right. There is nothing else for now. We shall begin fortifying the fortress immediately."
"Thank you. I'll speak with the Mechanicus while you work."
Rannick nods, stands, and leaves with the others—except the Mechanicus. I turn to them and brace myself to face the music.
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