Promotion to Magos—in Cairo's blueprint plans—was merely a necessary pass toward the next critical stage.
What he truly aimed for next was obtaining a Forge Ship completely under his personal command.
This conception wasn't impulsive whims but precisely-calculated strategic choices.
His sights never lingered on those legendary behemoths—Ark Mechanicus vessels.
Those massive ships fusing mobile forge factories, sacred temples, and ultimate fortresses—symbols of top-tier Archmagos power within Mechanicus. Their astonishing construction costs plus subsequent bottomless maintenance expenses would be unbearable burdens for newly-promoted Magi.
Even exhausting all resources exchanging for severely-watered-down simplified versions would only instantly make him focal points for all factions—completely contradicting his fundamental principles hoping to maintain low profiles, focusing on core research.
His targets locked onto more pragmatic, less-attention-drawing choices: cruiser-class Forge Ships.
Such vessels were typically modified from Imperial Navy's widely-used Lunar-class cruisers or some slightly older yet structurally-solid ship types.
They possessed sufficiently spacious internal spaces—enough accommodating large comprehensive laboratories he needed, small refining facilities, basic manufacturing workshops, plus carrying considerable numbers of Skitarii soldiers and necessary Tech-Priest teams.
Though their absolute firepower and armor protection couldn't compare with fleet capital ships, their excellent multifunctionality, good endurance, plus relatively affordable operational costs precisely perfectly matched Cairo's current-stage real needs.
He planned on such mobile platforms establishing his own core research hubs, safely installing critically-important dimensional transport devices within while transferring Ignis, that loyal Skitarii detachment, plus precious technical materials and various samples accumulated over years—all aboard ships.
A cruiser-class Forge Ship undergoing deep customization modifications, specially-reinforced power cores, life support systems, core laboratory modules, plus reserving ample interfaces for future weapon system upgrades would become his ideal mobile base and cross-star-sector research platform.
Possessing such Forge Ships meant truly mastering strategic mobility.
This meant he could carry most assets cultivated in Warhammer universes, freely traversing vast star seas.
Whether continuing "legal" archaeological explorations within Imperial territories per regulations for covering tracks or secretly heading toward other unknown worlds connected through dimensional transport devices—all would transform from conceptions into sustainably-executable routine operations.
This critical step would completely liberate him from fixed planetary base dependencies, truly stepping onto broader stages.
All these meticulous plans now hinged on that report traversing Warp toward Forge Worlds.
Ignis had confirmed data packets received and forwarded by escort ships.
But Warp communications were never reliable. Information must navigate through chaotic fluctuations, then undergo tedious decoding and layered approvals after arrival.
From Fabricator-General's approvals to promotion ceremonies, then Forge Ship application processes—every stage required time.
Cairo estimated at least several weeks, even months before possibly receiving clear responses from Nexam.
Currently, the only thing he could do was ensuring smooth recovery of Maine's crew after seventy-two hours, drawing periods on this stage's missions.
——
Second afternoon of Maine crew's stay on death worlds, Ignis personally arrived again.
She wasn't empty-handed but brought several small, training-target-like objects.
"Tech-Priest edicts permit you conducting minimum weapon system adaptability maintenance within limited zones but prohibit any forms of confrontational drills or tests causing significant environmental damages." Her voice remained steady—zero detectable emotions. "This is for safety and secrecy considerations."
This was already the greatest "privilege" these past days.
Rebecca immediately excitedly shouldered her heavy bolter, conducting several short bursts at targets.
Deafening roars echoed through camps, drawing distant Skitarii's gazes. But they seemed receiving directives—didn't intervene.
Rebecca satisfiedly watched targets severely deforming, shattering under bolt impacts.
Pilar also tested his flamer. Brief-sprayed promethium flames burned another target red-hot. Portions even showed melting signs.
Maine, Dorio, and Morell conducted more restrained functionality tests—primarily familiarizing enhanced bodies' minute feedback under local gravity and environments.
Sasha and Kiwi attempted deploying small-range electronic warfare domains at lowest powers, confirming impacts on camp equipment.
Results showed those seemingly-crude equipment peripheries seemed possessing invisible protective layers. Their interference effects were negligible.
Ignis quietly observed everything. Optical lenses beneath helmets recorded every data point.
She occasionally inquired through servo-skulls about weapon performance parameters—tones more like technical discussions rather than interrogations.
Maine's crew cautiously answered. Both sides maintained fragile yet professional balances.
Throughout entire processes, zero direct information or directives from Cairo. Everything seemingly operated under Ignis' and servo-skulls' preset programs.
Third day—waiting grew increasingly torturous.
Speculations about unknown missions, concerns about returns, plus uncertainties toward Cairo's ultimate purposes permeated narrow barracks.
They repeatedly studied limited information servo-skulls provided, discussing various possibilities. But lacking critical information—all speculations were castles in the air.
They were thoroughly isolated from everything familiar. Only connections to "home" were those silent servo-skulls awaiting recovery program activations.
Just as the third day neared endings, everyone's emotions at peak restlessness—Ignis appeared again.
This time, her posture seemed carrying barely-detectable solemnity.
"Seventy-two-hour standard survival observation cycles nearing conclusions." She announced. "Prepare executing recovery procedures. Per Tech-Priest edicts, you will carry designated data returning."
She extracted storage units embossed with Mechanicus skull-and-cog emblems, handing them to nearby servo-skulls.
Maine watched Ignis' movements. He realized—this perhaps was one of their trip's core "gains."
He solemnly nodded: "We understand."
Ignis said nothing more, leading them back into caverns, gesturing them again stepping onto those rune-carved circular platforms.
Maine crew members exchanged glances, carrying these three days' accumulated confusion, oppression, plus that servo-skull bearing critical information—stepping forward.