It wouldn't have been difficult to force his way in and seize them, but Raynor was concerned about the state of the two targets. Kerry, in particular, was under such extreme fear and stimulation that he might suffer a total mental breakdown, potentially being corrupted by the Warp or committing suicide on the spot.
Raynor needed to "invite" them out and secure their cooperation to perfectly execute his plan. He waved a hand, signaling the former crew members who had been infected by Genestealer spores to step forward.
"Captain! It really is reinforcements! I'm Hans from the engine room!"
A man with abrasions on his face, wearing greasy, dirt-stained overalls, approached the dining room door. His voice was a mixture of tears and hysterical relief. "The pirates and aliens have been wiped out by the Lords of the Imperial Navy! We're saved! Come out quickly!"
There was no sound from within.
Another "crew member," dressed in a tattered Astra Militarum uniform, spoke in a hoarse, urgent voice: "Lord Kerry, I am Henry from the Astra Militarum Company! I saw it with my own eyes—those pointy-eared monsters were blasted to pieces by the Lords' weapons! The insects were burned to ash by flamethrowers! We're safe! The Emperor has blessed us!"
Inside the secret room, Kerry's eyes began to waver again. Hans? Henry? Those voices... I vaguely remember them. Could it be that we've really been saved?
Isud held him down firmly, her eyes cold and suspicious. Something wasn't right. How did Hans from the engine room and Henry from the guard company end up together so conveniently? Why were they still near the bridge? Moreover, although their tone was panicked, there was an inexplicable, mechanical stiffness to their speech.
Outside, Sarah sensed the emotional fluctuations within the room through her psychic link. she informed Raynor that relying solely on the appeals of "acquaintances" wouldn't be enough to draw them out.
Raynor thought for a moment, then stepped forward himself. He adjusted his tone to be gentler, projecting a perfectly measured hint of professional anxiety:
"Captain Kerry, I am Lieutenant Demetrian Titus of the Imperial Navy. I fully understand your fears, but please listen to me. The ship has sustained severe structural damage; there is an imminent risk of secondary explosions and hull collapse in several sectors. It is not safe here. Please come out immediately and follow my men to the lifeboat evacuation area. This is an official order, issued for your own safety!"
A "reassuring name," "Lieutenant," "Official Order," and "Lifeboat." These words held a magnetic, almost lethal attraction for the panicked Kerry. His last line of defense began to crumble.
Isud tried to stop him, but Kerry abruptly shook off her hand. He was panting heavily, his eyes bloodshot. "I'm going out! I have to get out! Even if it's a trap, I'll take my chances. I'm not staying in this godforsaken hole to wait for death a second longer!"
With trembling hands, he slammed the release button, opening the secret door.
The sudden, blinding light made Kerry squint. He staggered out, and the first things he saw were several figures clad in Imperial Navy-style armor, alongside the familiar faces of the crew. The ground was littered with the mangled corpses of Drukhari and the purple remains of Tyranid organisms. The air was thick with the copper stench of blood.
It seems... we really are saved?
Kerry's legs buckled, and he nearly collapsed to his knees, his face a mess of tears and snot. His expensive clothes were filthy and reeked, making him look utterly pathetic. Isud followed closely behind. She was in slightly better shape than Kerry—at least she remained standing—but her face was as pale as parchment, her eyes scanning the surroundings with sharp intensity.
Her gaze swept over the corpses on the ground and the "crew members" standing by with slightly blank, glazed expressions. Finally, her eyes landed on the leader, the "Imperial Navy Lieutenant."
As her pupils adjusted to the light, she saw Raynor's face clearly. Her breath hitched as she saw the six compound eyes gleaming on his purple mask.
We've been scammed!
Isud realized instantly that this was definitely not the Imperial Navy. Almost instinctively, she turned to run, a piercing scream building in her throat.
But the moment she turned, the two crew members standing silently behind her moved with a speed that defied human capability. Isud felt her arms seized and pinned behind her back with such immense force that she was rendered completely immobile.
"What are you doing?! Let her go! I am the Planetary Governor!" Kerry shouted in alarm, but his voice quickly faltered. He looked around and realized the "Imperial Navy" wasn't responding to his authority. Terror reclaimed him, and he covered his face, sobbing softly.
"Enough," Raynor said calmly, walking up to them. The shadows cast by his tall, armored figure completely enveloped the terrified noble couple.
"What are you crying for?" he asked Kerry impatiently. "I didn't say I was going to kill you. Why are you acting like a sissy?"
Kerry shuddered, forcing back his sobs until only faint, choking sounds remained. Seeing that Kerry had regained a semblance of composure, Raynor cleared his throat.
"Who I am is not important. What is important is that I have no interest in taking your lives. However, I am very interested in 'resources'—specifically food."
Seeing that the couple knew he had come with ill intentions, Raynor stopped pretending to be an officer. Kerry calmed down slightly upon hearing he wouldn't be killed. Isud, however, immediately realized that if the stranger had needs, there was room for negotiation.
"My Lord, what do you desire? I am Isud of the Kora family from the Calixis Sector. Please, tell me what you need!" she pleaded, her mind already working on a way to bargain.
"Someone, slap her," Raynor responded immediately. "Who gave you permission to speak?"
A "crewman" stepped up to Isud and, without a word, delivered a series of brutal slaps.
Smack! Smack! Smack!
The sounds echoed sharply through the room. Each strike was delivered with heavy force; Isud's delicate, well-maintained cheeks quickly turned a bruised, swollen red. Her head snapped to the side, her hair fell into a disheveled mess, and her expensive jewelry was scattered across the deck. She had never suffered such humiliation in her life.
The intense pain and shame made her vision go dark, and her body trembled with a mixture of rage and terror. But she gritted her teeth, neither screaming nor begging. She simply stared at Raynor with bloodshot eyes.
Kerry, witnessing his wife being publicly humiliated, was initially terrified. But then, a twisted, dark pleasure—one he hadn't known he possessed—welled up from the depths of his heart. This woman, who had always dominated him, who was shrewd and overbearing, and whom he both respected and feared... she had finally met her match. Seeing her disheveled and beaten, Kerry found himself feeling... a little excited.
He quickly lowered his head to hide the complicated expression on his face. Raynor caught the fleeting emotion in Kerry's eyes and sneered inwardly. He had known the woman was the one truly in control, but he didn't like dealing with overly shrewd people. They were far too much trouble.