After all the high lords had left, Inquisitor Damz walked up to Kania, patted him on the shoulder, and then shook his head.
A scientist from the Golden Age... If she truly possessed some lost technology, the Mechanicus of Mars would waste no time flaying her alive, extracting her brain, and pulling out all the knowledge it contained. Anyone who posed a threat to the rule of the Omnissiah would be eliminated by them.
Even if she sought refuge in the Imperium, no one in the Imperium could protect her. The Mechanicus of Mars wielded far too much power! They even overshadowed the Ecclesiarchy. They controlled all the Forge Worlds and the entire industrial capacity of the Imperium. Not even the High Lords could shake the position of the Mechanicus. If not for the fact that the Golden Throne was now utterly beyond repair, the Mechanicus would never have agreed to seek the help of the Eldar.
"You know we can't make any changes. The implications are just too vast."
"I understand," Kania replied with a sigh. "But if the Imperium doesn't change soon and continues to let the Mechanicus run amok, humanity is heading toward its demise."
For an entire ten thousand years, the Imperium of Man had made no technological progress. The Mechanicus had monopolized the technology of a single medium tank for ten millennia, strictly controlling its production. On one planet, a mechanical genius once designed a superior tank model, both more efficient and easier to produce. This genius eagerly brought his research to the Mechanicus headquarters on Mars and applied for mass production approval.
But the approval process dragged on for centuries. The genius never received an answer before his death. Only after he died did the Mechanicus lift the production restrictions on the tank, but they deliberately shelved all improvements to it. Even Belisarius Cawl, a great Magos of the Mechanicus, had suffered at the hands of his peers. The Mechanicus was far from a unified bloc. The great magi constantly engaged in open and covert conflicts, preventing progress and ensuring no one could surpass their technological authority. All technology had to be unearthed through archaeology—self-driven research was strictly forbidden.
"No one can change them," Damnz said. "Even the Custodes rely on the Mechanicus to maintain their weapons or forge new auramite armor."
Kania sighed helplessly and turned to leave. The Imperium was rotten to the core! From top to bottom, corruption had spread everywhere. Even the Emperor, seated upon the Golden Throne, could not escape this fate of decay. The rot enveloped the entire Imperium, yet some, for their benefit, refused to change the status quo.
...
Early the next morning, three High Lords arrived with a few Mechanicus tech-priests to escort both Rhodes and Salome. Although Holy Terra was the capital and heart of the Imperium, the air pollution here was severe. Only the Himalayan highlands retained some fresh air, a far cry from the pristine environment of the 30K era.
The Mechanicus provided Rhodes and Salome with red robes to cover themselves, fitted them with false headpieces, and assigned them fake identities as mechanical apprentices.
"I've already registered you two as apprentices within the Mechanicus system," said one of the tech-priests. "As long as you pass the genetic scan, there won't be any issues. The Custodes won't interfere."
Low-ranking apprentices often had no mechanical augmentations, and with the High Lords vouching for them, they could bypass the Custodes' scrutiny. Rhodes and Salome nodded, donning the red, oil-stained robes and mechanical masks. The robes reeked of machine oil, candle wax, and sanctified oils—a truly nauseating stench.
The group arrived at the gates of the Imperial Palace. After passing the Imperial Guard's inspection, they entered the core inner sanctum, where Custodes clad in golden armor, standing over 3.2 meters tall, maintained an unyielding vigil. Although the Imperial Palace saw frequent visitors—such as members of the Astronomican Choir or psykers for the Black Ships—the Custodes ensured strict control over all entries.
"Halt!" one Custodian commanded.
"Custodian, we are High Lords of the Imperium, here with the Mechanicus to maintain and repair the Golden Throne," one of the High Lords explained, stepping forward.
"I must verify your credentials," the Custodian replied expressionlessly.
"Here is our identification," said one of the High Lords, handing over an electronic slate. The Custodian cross-referenced their data with the Imperium's database.
"Credentials verified. Now for genetic testing. Everyone must be scanned," the Custodian stated after completing the initial checks.
Another Custodian retrieved a genetic scanner and conducted tests on the three High Lords, the Mechanicus tech-priest, and Inquisitor Damz, one by one.
Next up were Rhodes and Salome. Both of them give a strand of hair, and when their genetic information was being verified, the two Custodians froze for a moment and then exchanged a glance with each other.
"You both are fine, but one of you has an extremely pure bloodline of ancient Terra. Which family are you from?" one of the Custodians asked as he approached Rhodes.
Such a pure bloodline was highly valued by the Custodian Order. Typically, human nobles with pure bloodlines like this were prime candidates for their training programs. Their offspring would be sent to the palace after birth for genetic modification to become Custodians.
Though the survival rate of these modifications was low, such individuals were considered the best candidates for Custodian transformation.
"I've been an orphan since childhood, so I don't know which ancient family I come from. Is there a problem with my genes, Custodian?" Rhodes asked.
"Have you fully joined the Mechanicus? Do you have a wife or any descendants?" the Custodian asked.
"Honored Custodians, is there a problem?" At this moment, the High Lord also walked over and asked.
"His genetic test results are extremely ancient, and his human bloodline is exceptionally pure. His direct descendants would be eligible for Custodian surgical modifications. His children could become Custodians."
"If you are not married, we can arrange a suitable wife for you. However, of your children, you may keep one, whether a boy or a girl. The rest will be taken by us after birth to become glorious Custodians," the other Custodian said.
Every human with a pure bloodline was incredibly precious, and an untouched bloodline that had never intermarried with other Terran families was even more so.
Inquisitor Damz and several High Lords exchanged glances. Could it be that this bodyguard was also someone from the Golden Age? Otherwise, how could his genes be so pure?
If that were the case, he would be of significant value to recruit.
"You are a follower of the Mechanicus. If you are willing to leave the Mechanicus, we can make you a noble of Terra. However, if you are determined to serve the Omnissiah, we will not force you. But you could still contribute your genetic material – your descendants could become glorious Custodians."
This statement felt oddly familiar to Rhodes. When he first transmigrated, Elena also had a similar plan!
So, not only is my bloodline pure, but my descendants can also be transformed into Custodians? Or is it that my body, strengthened by the monster enhancements, has exceptional genes that make these Custodians envious?
The monster enhancements hadn't altered his genes, only strengthened them. In some ways, it was similar to the Custodians' methods.
"Honored Custodians, let's discuss this matter after they've completed repairs on the Golden Throne! I think this news might be a bit overwhelming for this apprentice to handle right now."
"Understood. Follow me," one of the Custodians said to his companion, nodding before leading Rhodes and the others into the depths of the palace.
The remaining Custodian took out a communicator and directly contacted Trajann Valoris, Captain-General of the Custodian Guard.
The genetic results they had just discovered had shocked them. The purity of this individual's genes was absurdly high, almost like a blank slate. Such pure genes were extraordinarily suitable for the Custodians' bio-alchemical modifications, with a very high success rate. His bloodline had to be preserved for the Imperium.
"I believe your name is Rhodes, correct? Would you be interested in serving the Imperium in the future?" a High Lord asked.
If this female scientist were recruited, the Mechanicus would undoubtedly assassinate her. And the Mechanicus wouldn't even dare to protest if it happened. So, she wasn't worth recruiting.
But this bodyguard was different. If he could marry into one of their families, his descendants could become Custodians – that was incredibly important.
"I don't have such plans at the moment," Rhodes replied.
"In that case, would you be willing to donate some of your genetic material? We are willing to pay handsomely for it."
"…" Rhodes.
Damn it, are you seriously trying to bribe me into donating my genes?
"Please consider it, Mr. Rhodes! This matter is all benefit and no harm for you." Along the way, several High Lords continued to try to persuade Rhodes, even tactfully suggesting that he could marry as many wives as he wanted.
Rhodes remained silent. The group arrived at the Golden Throne. As soon as they reached the entrance, a voice echoed in Rhodes' mind:
["Outsider. Ancient one. Deceiver. The last hope of humanity. My successor. My end. You have finally arrived.]
[No! I will kill him! You will not end me!]
[This is my destiny. Darkness, begone! Do not emerge again!"]
Rhodes felt like his head was about to explode, as if countless voices were speaking to him at once, or perhaps only two.
PS: Nice!