Chapter 184: Target: Craftworld Kholor
When Gabriel arrived on Agathos, Lucan, as promised, dealt with the psychic threats facing the remaining Librarians of his Chapter. The Dynasty's powerful administrative machine also quickly screened qualified young candidates for the Blood Ravens.
The title of the Emperor's Angels had long held an irreplaceable position in the hearts of the Imperium's people. Now that an opportunity to become one of the great Emperor's Angels was placed before them, countless young men of the right age were eager to try. The Blood Ravens, having no homeworld, often had to resort to violent methods for recruitment. Such a smooth process made even Gabriel a little unaccustomed to it.
However, Lucan also had his own selfish motives in the selection of candidates. He did his best to prevent the Blood Ravens from interfering in the initial selection, only allowing them to verify whether the candidates' physical fitness and combat skills were up to standard. In the initial large-scale screening, Lucan intentionally inserted some youths from the Agathos Schola Progenium and the children of families who were exceptionally loyal to the Dynasty.
It was true that he was helping the Blood Ravens replenish their ranks, but he had no intention of just handing over the excellent candidates cultivated by the Dynasty to them for free. Astartes would always die in battle, and when the original members of the Chapter were all gone, these new members who came from Agathos and still held loyalty to the Dynasty would also regard Agathos as their new homeworld. Perhaps, in a few years, Lucan could indirectly seize control of the Blood Ravens Chapter and make it no longer a wandering, fleet-based Chapter.
Gabriel also learned of Lucan's target: a Craftworld Eldar world named Kholor.
Gabriel had to marvel at his audacity. A Rogue Trader Dynasty hunting a Craftworld whose whereabouts were unknown? Gabriel even felt that Lucan's idea was far too naive. Just finding the Craftworld was a pipe dream, to say nothing of its powerful military force.
But in the war room, Gabriel looked at the confident expression in the other's eyes and felt as if he might actually be able to do it.
"Chapter Master Gabriel, we have roughly confirmed the location of Craftworld Kholor. Our goal is to destroy this Craftworld. After an investigation by the Ordo Xenos, it has been confirmed that they are behind the recent Eldar Corsair raids in the Dynasty's star systems. The Inquisition has approved the Dynasty's plan of attack on the Craftworld this time."
On the holographic projection in front of Lucan, a bloody red dot was constantly flashing. Even its direction of movement was clearly marked. Although the Craftworld Eldar also used the Webway for rapid movement, the main body of the Craftworld usually traveled in realspace, using its engines to travel at sub-light or near-light speeds.
"How on earth did you confirm the location of these xenos? It's incredible. It has always been them who find the Imperium, but the Imperium can rarely find them!"
"You will know soon enough, Chapter Master Gabriel. How many Blood Ravens are available to join the battle now?"
"437. Most of the Blood Ravens' strength has already arrived on Agathos."
"That's enough! The Dynasty's Raiders will also join the battle with you. There is one more thing I must remind you of, Chapter Master. A xenos force affiliated with the Dynasty will also be taking part in this operation."
"Xenos? You cooperate with xenos?"
"Don't be so surprised, Chapter Master. Don't forget that I am a Rogue Trader. Cooperation with xenos is perfectly legal. And they completely obey my commands. Artanis, say hello to our friends from the Blood Ravens Chapter."
At Lucan's command, Artanis, who had been hiding himself in a long robe, removed it. Artanis, who had been concealing his form, had attracted the attention of Gabriel and the others from the very beginning.
Artanis's voice echoed directly in the minds of Gabriel and the Chief Librarian beside him. "I, Hierarch of the Protoss, Artanis, greet you. I hope we can fight side-by-side in the coming battle."
Gabriel said nothing, but his Chief Librarian, Jonah, whispered gravely in his ear, "Chapter Master, his psychic power is very strong... no, it's incredibly strong. Even I might not last long in front of him."
Hearing this, Gabriel's expression couldn't help but change. If his own Chief Librarian said he couldn't last long, then what level of psychic power did this xenos possess?
Gabriel didn't trust a word Lucan said. In his eyes, there was no possibility of cooperation with such a powerful xenos. The more powerful they were, the more they should be eliminated, especially since they also dabbled in the dangerous arts of psionics.
"Chapter Master Gabriel, the technology to confirm the location of the Eldar Craftworld came from Hierarch Artanis. He and his people will also be the first to land on the Craftworld, to buy us time. The Blood Ravens and the Raiders will join the battlefield subsequently. The Dynasty will provide you with all the supplies you need for the battle, and the tech-priests of the Cult of the Holy Machine will also provide logistical and maintenance support. Everything for the Imperium, gentlemen! Let's move out! For every moment we hesitate, those xenos may launch another raid on an Imperial planet."
Looking at Gabriel's expression, Lucan didn't expect them to be able to fight side-by-side. It was enough for them to complete their own respective missions.
The terrifying war machine began to mobilize once again. This time, it was not within the borders of the Imperium, but in the Koronus Expanse—Lucan's true home turf. The members of the alliance had long since grown to hate these Eldar raids. Besides the Imperium's policy of xenophobia and their own hatred for the xenos, they hated even more that these aliens had touched their profits. What was once a promising situation for development, where the wealth and strength of every dynasty had nearly doubled, was now under threat.
To cut off a person's source of wealth is like killing their parents. Every resource planet the Mongorte Dynasty had distributed had firmly tied the interests of the alliance members to its own.
A massive expeditionary force assembled.
In the void, the 1,000-kilometer-long Craftworld Kholor was currently sailing through an uninhabited star system in the Koronus Expanse.
A huge crystal dome covered the area where the Eldar lived. Sturdy wraithbone formed the main body of this massive ark. Through these crystal domes, one could even see the vein-like streets within, and various artistic palaces were distributed in different areas of the Craftworld.
Craftworld Kholor was currently doing its best to avoid all human-occupied star systems. Compared to Commorragh, where the Dark Eldar lived, the Craftworld was more like a peaceful and tranquil, normal society. Adult Eldar would even take their children for walks in gardens filled with artistic sculptures and plants.
Most of the Eldar did not know that Kholor had obtained the Pylon. Even the common citizens of the Craftworld were not aware of Kholor's current attitude toward the Imperium of Man. But at this moment, the nobles of Kholor were all gathered in the Farseer Council.
Elara sat at the head of the Council, with the other ten Farseers who had walked the furthest on the Path of the Seer sitting on either side of her. The painted frescoes on the magnificent crystal dome depicted the history of the Eldar and of Kholor itself. The Craftworld Eldar used this method to remind themselves of the reasons for the fall of their empire and did their best to avoid repeating it.
"Farseer Elara, our research on that crystal has reached a standstill. We have tried everything, but we cannot figure out its material or its working principles. We have even searched through a large amount of distant historical data and have found no clues."
Elara listened to the report with her eyes closed. If they could crack the technology of the crystal, perhaps they could give the Craftworld Eldar another way to preserve their souls. If this pure psychic energy could be used without limit, perhaps it could strengthen the Infinity Circuit within the Craftworld, or even replace it, to replenish their souls which were constantly being eroded by Slaanesh.
"Do everything in your power to crack it. Kholor needs it. No matter what resources are required, the Craftworld will provide them!" Elara commanded all the most outstanding members of the Path of the Bonesinger and the Path of the Artisan to join this project.
At this moment, an anomaly occurred in the laboratory where the Pylon was stored. The Probe, which had seemed to be without power, was now moving.
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