After Varo injected the pathogen, created from the unique genome of the Gorgon Hive Fleet, into the Noon Queen, the resulting biological plague claimed the Noon Queen's life. The Hive Mind's tower-like consciousness was destroyed from its apex, causing the Tyranid organisms to fall into infighting and cannibalism.
The original pathogen, specifically engineered by Gamma for Gorgon, supercharged its infectivity after a cycle through the Norn Queen's body. Taking advantage of the internal chaos within the swarm, it rapidly spread throughout the Gorgon Hive Fleet, felling Tyranids in droves.
Currently, the United Fleet is docked on the outskirts of the Kosa Star System, resting while also preventing any Tyranids from escaping. They plan to clean up the remnants once Gorgon is on its last breath.
An atmosphere of post-victory joy permeated the fleet. Everything was developing positively, even humans began to boast with Xenos about how many bugs they had slain.
However, there is always someone who will do something to displease people at their happiest, and that person is Gamma. He is now a Tech-Priest with the moniker "The Fleet's Bane," whom everyone avoids.
Gamma didn't want to be like this either, but his warehouse was so empty it could house Grox, and tens of thousands of Tech-priest and nearly a hundred thousand crew members were waiting to be fed. What could he do?
It's only right to repay debts. Is it wrong for the landlord, even without surplus grain, to collect rent?
Is it wrong to use real skill to fight Tyranids?
So, Gamma, clutching his bills and IOUs, began circulating through the fleet, squeezing the "wallets" of the Empire's loyal officials and valiant generals. His reputation could be said to have "plummeted," no longer the lovable and charming Magos Gamma.
"Pay up, Calgar! Pay up! It's written clearly in black and white, pretending to faint is useless! If you dare to default, I'll show you a Tech-Priest's methods! I'm recording this, if you pretend to faint again, I'll upload the video."
The Tech-Priest disregarded the severe injuries of the heavily wounded Imperial hero, shaking Calgar's body. A severely wounded Librarian and a paralyzed Company Commander on the scene could not stop the Tech-Priest's violent actions.
"Stop, stop, I'm awake, I'm awake!" Calgar realized he couldn't escape and reluctantly opened his eyes.
To think that he, a dignified Astartes Chapter Master, the eldest son of the Imperial Regent, would be hounded for debt to his sickbed. If this were to spread, where would the Imperial dignity be!
"Hmph, when will you pay?" Gamma asked directly.
Calgar sighed, looking at the thick stack of bills and IOUs, intending to use the wisdom of the Primarch to postpone it. So, he said:
"You at least have to let me see the bill, so I know what I'm dealing with before I say anything, right?"
This was his first time collecting, and the inexperienced Tech-Priest, unaware of human deceit, felt that Calgar's attitude towards repayment was sincere, unlike the previous ones who would rather die than pay, saying, "I'm just a few hundred pounds here, kill or cut me as you please."
"Alright, take a look."
The Ultramarines Chapter Master picked up the bill and only read the first page when his injuries stopped hurting, replaced by heartache.
He read the second page, and his heart no longer ached. For an unpayable debt, the lender is anxious; why should the debtor worry?
After calmly reviewing all the documents, Calgar found that the Ultramarines' family fortune was quite substantial. If he returned to Macragge with Gamma and packed up everything at home, they could still leave a few hundred brave Ultramarines.
"Gamma, something's not right?!" Calgar said, weighing the documents.
Gamma raised an eyebrow, about to curse Calgar for his treachery, but Calgar's next words made the Tech-Priest guiltily turn his face away.
"How did you manage to make three of our Chapters and the Adepta Sororitas owe a debt that would require selling ancestral property, all with just one ship's worth of supplies!?"
Why are you so smart? Annoying Ultramarines! Gamma suddenly understood why the Ultramarines were disliked by other Chapters—they were too shrewd.
"This is the power of technology and knowledge!" Gamma replied, stiffening his neck.
"Alright then, no money!"
"Fine, today I—"
"But I have a solution."
[O'AO]..."
Calgar's solution was for their three Chapters and the Far East Military District to fill the Gear Fleet's warehouses for Gamma. The remaining bills would be paid in the form of weapon orders, making Thedan their primary weapon supplier for the next few centuries.
Gamma also knew that the added value of his high-end goods was "a bit" high, but isn't that how technology works?
Although Calgar's method of using orders to offset the debt wasn't as immediately satisfying as direct cash, entering Thedan was pretty much the same as entering his own pocket. If Calgar and the others truly paid it all off at once, the Gear Fleet couldn't even hold it, and it would require many trips home.
After much consideration, Gamma finally agreed to Calgar's plan. Of course, he was definitely unhappy; otherwise, would he have taken the fruit basket back when he left?
With the "payment" issue resolved, Gamma redirected his attention to the Tyranids. The Teal Whale Ships had already been captured and were waiting for Magos Gamma to personally dissect them for study.
Gamma looked at the small, harmless Teal Whale Ships, almost devoid of weapons or armor, and complained to Paul beside him:
"They don't look like Tyranids at all."
"No wonder it's always been rumored within the Mechanicus that Tyranids are extraterrestrial beings. The Teal Whale Ships' biological genome has no similarity to any known species. I really want to know what organisms the Tyranids collected gene samples from," Louis said, his eyes gleaming as he looked at the test report in his hand.
"Gamma, you want to research gravitational faster-than-light travel. Do you have any ideas?"
"What 'ideas'?"
"I mean, how do you plan to decipher and mimic the Tyranids' method of using gravity?"
Looking at the "foolish" Tech-priest Girl, Gamma thought her brain should have some sacred oil added to it; it was not flexible at all. Magos Gamma always liked to "cut corners and gain without labor."
"Rhea, you need to be more flexible. With a mature product, tested both within and outside the galaxy, right in front of us, why would we spend so much effort researching it from scratch?"
Hearing Gamma say this, the others also looked at him, not understanding what he meant.
Seeing this, the Tech-Priest had no choice but to explain, to lubricate their rigid brains, saying: "Don't always think about achieving everything with steel. If Tyranids can utilize the Teal Whale Ships' special genome, why can't we?"
"Huh?"
"If Tyranids can use the gravitational genome to create Teal Whale Ships, we can also use the gravitational genome to create our own human 'Teal Whale Ships.' If the Hive Mind can control Teal Whale Ships, why can't the Adeptus Mechanicus's servitor technology?"
The Tech-priest, hearing Gamma's "opportunistic" outrageous statement, looked at each other, their "steel-supremacy" minds having a window kicked open by Gamma.
While Gamma was researching the Teal Whale Ships with the Tech-priest, Ventris, who was undergoing post-operative recovery training, was approached by his battle brother.
"Brother Nasir, is there something you need?"
The Technical Sergeant nodded. Ventris noticed his brother's face was full of hesitation, so he added:
"Just say what's on your mind. Hesitation isn't like the Nasir I know."
"Alright, I wanted to talk to you about Magos Gamma."
The Gaius's heart tightened upon hearing this. He thought the Technical Sergeant was looking for him because he had discovered something amiss with Gamma's castellan robots and Titans.
The blue and red glow on the tip of the small white gun reminded Ventris of the memories he wanted to forget. "The Deceiver" finally realized what kind of entity was piloting the Titan.
Having been stationed in Thedan for several years, Ventris would have been foolish not to know the reputation of the "Anti-Demon Weapon."
Moreover, it was the "number one contributor" who had bestowed the title of "The Deceiver" upon him.
He knew there was a problem with the Titan and castellan robots that cooperated so well with the "Anti-Demon Weapon." Just as he was thinking of a way to cover for the Tech-Priest, he heard the Technical Sergeant say:
"Brother Ventris, I've discovered that the plasma weapons Magos Gamma manufactures don't overheat!"
Ventris looked at Nasir in surprise, but the other party was clearly preoccupied and didn't notice. He merely helped Ventris move the recovery equipment aside, then, after helping Ventris sit down, continued:
"I've observed them carefully. Firing continuously at that frequency, normal plasma weapons would have exploded long ago."
Ventris secretly breathed a sigh of relief, then said, "You mean?"
"I want you to ask Magos Gamma to grant us this technology."
"Brother, I understand your concern for the Chapter, but this isn't appropriate. We cannot exploit others' goodwill,
especially someone who has always helped us!"
Seeing Ventris's sincere and honest gaze, the Technical Sergeant felt a strong sense of shame. He instinctively lowered his head to avoid eye contact.
The Gaius also knew that although Nasir also believed in the Omnissiah, he was by no means a classic Tech-Priest who was "solely focused on knowledge." So, he asked:
"Brother Nasir, I imagine you had already considered that I would refuse before you came to me. But even setting aside your pride, you still came. Can you tell me why?"
Nasir, who had been silent for a long time, gave a bitter smile. "You saw right through me. Actually, the purpose of my doing this is to test Magos Gamma's attitude towards us."
"Test?!"
Ventris's expression tightened. He hadn't expected to hear the word "test" from his battle brother, especially when the subject of the test was Gamma, who had always helped them.
Nasir saw Ventris's furrowed brows and realized his words had been misunderstood. He quickly said:
"It's not the kind of test you're thinking of. I have no ill will towards Magos Gamma. I want to see if Magos Gamma can accept us arranging personnel to study in his fleet!"
"Uh, why would you think that?"
The Technical Sergeant said helplessly, "Because I am unable to repair and maintain the machinery manufactured by Magos Gamma. I've been trying to repair the damaged Howling Sky, but I haven't made any progress, let alone the mecha. Are we going to rely on Magos Gamma forever? Don't forget, they are an exploration fleet; where would we even find him?"
"
This truly was a problem. Technical Sergeants all went to Mars for training, but Mars didn't teach how to repair Howling Sky or Xingtian. Ventris felt that Brother Nasir had a point. Even Mars had after-sales training; Gamma should too.
"Hmm, I understand. Leave this matter to me. I'll have a good talk with Gamma."
Ventris confidently believed that, based on his understanding of Gamma, Gamma would not refuse such a request. Little did he know, the Tech-Priest now "disliked" the Ultramarines and also feared being influenced by the "laborer aura" they inherited from their gene-primarch, yearning to return to being the carefree and happy Tech-Priest he once was.
Magos Gamma would agree to the "overheat-proof plasma" technology, but sending Space Marine to study on his ship? Not a chance!
Anyway, the plasma technology was stolen from the Tau Empire, so if the Ultramarines dared to use it, Magos Gamma would dare to give it to them. However, the Tau Empire's plasma technology had one drawback: it was not very friendly to living beings, comparable to the Adeptus Mechanicus's "rad weapons."
Simply put, a plasma weapon works by encasing a mass of nuclear fusion material in a strong magnetic field, then ejecting it through a linear magnetic accelerator, forming a superheated substance that visually and thermally resembles a solar flare.
The main reason Imperial plasma weapons tend to overload is that maintaining a stable magnetic field requires immense energy. If the firing frequency is too high, the energy supply for the strong magnetic field cannot keep up, leading to the leakage of the fusing hydrogen, and everyone knows the outcome.
Therefore, smaller plasma weapons are more prone to overloading because their size cannot accommodate a larger power source.
The reason the Tau Empire's plasma weapons do not overload is actually very simple: they discovered a material called "Motonium Alloy." When exposed to air, Motonium Alloy immediately begins to oxidize and corrode, producing a massive stream of radiated ions. These ions can be focused into a beam to emit high-charge ion streams, meaning ion weapons no longer require large power sources.
However, the massive stream of radiated ions carries a huge amount of radiation. An ordinary Fire Caste warrior in a combat suit would suffer damage, or even cancer, after just a few months of use, making the danger self-evident.
After Magos Gamma stole it, he only dared to use it on castellan robots; he didn't even give it to the Adeptus Ministorum. Moreover, "Motonium Alloy" is highly recognizable, and such an alien weapon is not easy to bring into the open.
It was a double-edged sword, tasteless to eat, and not regrettable to discard. Anyway, Magos Gamma didn't feel bad about it.
Ventris, who sought out the head surgeon under the guise of a follow-up appointment, revealed to the doctor that he had a sworn brother who had long admired Magos Gamma and hoped to study on his ship. The Tech-Priest immediately refused without giving any face.
"Why? We can pay tuition!"
"Bah! Who cares about your meager tuition fees?" Magos Gamma thought disdainfully.
"It's against the rules. If that gossiping Tech-Priest hears about it on Mars, how can I continue to operate within the Adeptus Mechanicus!" Magos Gamma excused himself.
"We can do it in secret, no need to make it public." Ventris continued, unwilling to give up.
"Even in secret, it won't work. Too many people, too many mouths. There are no secrets."
Ventris realized that Magos Gamma didn't want strangers on his ship, but his guess was far from the true reason for Magos Gamma's refusal. Ventris thought Magos Gamma was afraid that the self-aware Titans and castellan robots on his ship would be discovered.
"Alright, but you still need to figure out how to solve the after-sales service issue for the equipment."
"Uh—
Magos Gamma furrowed his brow, thinking, this indeed was a problem. High-end goods were like this; ordinary people couldn't handle them.
If he didn't solve this problem, how could he continue his business later? How could he make "huge profits"?
"Hmm, give me some time, I need to think about it."
With that said, Ventris stopped talking about studying abroad. He changed the subject, saying, "I heard you've made a big breakthrough in plasma technology."
Magos Gamma looked strangely at the "illiterate" Ventris talking to him about technology, and then asked, "How do I not know? Just say what you want to say directly. You broke your neck, not twisted it. Don't beat around the bush."
"Alright, since you've seen through me, I'll be direct. Does the plasma weapon you built not overload?"
Before the follow-up appointment was even over, Ventris impatiently left to find Calgar. He wanted to ask the Chapter Master whether to accept the free "alien plasma technology" or not.
As it concerned "huge profits," Magos Gamma naturally paid close attention to it, but no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't find a good solution until the United Fleet was ready to wrap things up.
Before this matter was resolved, another issue arose. After the Tyranid ravaged Kosa, its environment was worse than a death world: toxic air, low-level Tyranid creatures scurrying everywhere, bizarre biting mutated plants, and severe radiation.
It was questionable whether Space Marine thrown in there could come back alive and intact. Letting the Kosa survivors continue to live there was no different from letting them die. Magos Gamma had promised the Kosa that he would ensure the continuation of their bloodline, so he had to find a new home for the survivors.
Worried, Magos Gamma was sullen every day, only able to vent by fighting the Tyranid.
"Face me!"
Magos Gamma roared at the Tyranid in front of him, bravely and fearlessly raising his weapon, his first weapon in life, and launched an attack against the terrifying alien.
Watching the young Tech-Priest fiercely shoot a Ripper that was not much larger than his palm with a nuclear-powered laser gun, Ventris and the others were speechless. If Magos Gamma had killed it with one shot, they could have complimented his marksmanship.
But the sight of Magos Gamma missing his first shot and then being chased by the crawling Ripper, running all over the place, was truly an eyesore. If it had been anyone else, they would have been scorned as a disgrace to humanity.
The Tech-Priest, who finally stomped the Ripper to death, shamelessly declared victory, saying it was a small step for him, but a giant leap for humanity, signifying that the Tyranid were destined to fail and would be crushed into hell.
"Cough cough! Magos Gamma, have you had enough fun?"
"Hmph, what do you mean by fun?!" What kind of creature looks like a combination of a cockroach and a rat? Who wouldn't avoid it when they see it? Magos Gamma glanced at Ventris without answering.
"Didn't you say that all the high-level Tyranid creatures on Kosa Star should be left to you? When do you plan to start?"
Ventris asked.
"The Priest has already led the castellan robots to do it. We've already won, what are you still anxious about?" Magos Gamma took the drink handed to him by Miss Calliree and slowly answered while drinking.
Watching the young Tech-Priest, accompanied by the beautiful Navigator and Astropath Corps, and a large group of servants, acting like a nobleman with his hunting and picnicking, Ventris felt a surge of anger. Looking at the small environmental purifier in the center of the camp, the sourness in his heart intensified.
"You are also their leader, you should at least inquire about it."
Magos Gamma handed his highly modified Lucius 98 to Calliree, letting her try it, before saying in an unconcerned tone, "What's there to ask? Don't worry, I've already told the Priest that whoever catches it, it's theirs. You can rest assured that not a single Synapse creature will be left behind."
The Gaius thought of the Tech-Priest's money-grubbing appearance and felt relieved. He then walked to Magos Gamma's side, picked up a glass of Ancient Terra freshly squeezed juice, and after experiencing a bit of the Tech-Priest's decadent life, he spoke:
"I don't quite understand. Why are you making such a fuss when a single Cyclone torpedo could solve the problem?"
"Cyclone torpedoes are very expensive, you know! And you shouldn't always think about solving problems with sheer destructive power.
Are there many habitable planets in the galaxy? More and more worlds are being destroyed by the Tyranid. If there's no way to restore life to these worlds, will we have to abandon all places ravaged by the Tyranid in the future?" Magos Gamma said, looking at the polluted and murky sky of Kosa.
Ventris hadn't expected such an answer from Magos Gamma. He thought of something and smiled, saying, "You truly are a Tech-Priest of Archmagos Cawl's faction."
Hearing this, Magos Gamma asked curiously, "Does Archmagos Cawl also have similar ideas?"
"Yes, I heard that the Archmagos has already made progress in this area."
"Should I go to my grandmaster for further study?" A thought popped into Magos Gamma's mind. He then asked, "Ventris, have you ever interacted with the Archmagos and his followers? What was your impression?"
The Space Marine thought for a moment before answering, "Hope. The biggest difference between your faction of Priests and others is that you always harbor hope."
"Hope?"
Magos Gamma nodded, thinking to himself: "It seems my grandmaster shouldn't be difficult to get along with. Should I go there?"
Ventris, seeing that Magos Gamma was deep in thought, didn't interrupt him. He turned to look at the Navigator and Astropath, who were curiously poking at the Tyranid creature's corpse. Besides "hope," Magos Gamma also gave Ventris the feeling of "equality."
An equality that treated everyone the same: ignorant barbarians, dangerous psykers, ordinary soldiers, noble Astartes—in Magos Gamma's eyes, they all shared only one identity: human.
Magos Gamma hadn't decided whether to go for further study, but while contemplating this question, he found a solution for the Kosa survivors. He planned to return to Thedan, bring all the survivors there, and incidentally ask his foster father's opinion on further study. He could also hand over the new technology to Archmagos Will to fulfill his dream of a Titan legion, and more importantly, he could resolve the after-sales work.
Killing four birds with one stone, all the problems that had been bothering Magos Gamma were instantly resolved.
Good news also came from Liyah: the underground ruins were intact. The Tyranid had only scraped the surface, leaving the underground untouched. This re-ignited the atmosphere among the Cog-Wheel Team, who planned to thoroughly sift through Kosa.
Excavating ruins, hunting Tyranid, and researching methods for ecological restoration—all these tasks would take a considerable amount of time.
Magos Gamma simply reactivated Kosa's last fortress as a base.
Fortunately, Magos Gamma now had plenty of time, and not just him; the rest of the fleet also had ample time. The mop-up operation for Gorgon would take time, and the psychic shockwave released when the Noon Queen died had also obscured the Astronomican within a few light-years.
This was originally the Imperial frontier, and the Astronomican's light was already faint. Now, with the obscuration, Warp travel was out of the question; it was too dangerous. Copying the Tau Empire's slow-boat method was too slow. It was better to wait for the obscuration to fade.
Moreover, the half-crippled fleet, both human and Tau Empire, needed extensive repairs to their ships. It would be fine if a malfunction occurred in real space, but if they suddenly stalled in the Warp, they wouldn't even find a place to cry.
So, now was the idle time after a major battle; there was no way to speed things up.
With a clang, Archmagos Will smashed the teacup in his hand, his heart filled with rage! When his son was around, his words didn't count, and now that his son was gone, they still didn't count. So, his son's departure was for naught!
"Tell me your thoughts?" the Archmagos demanded fiercely from the sycophants he had gathered.
The Will Faction Tech-priest looked at each other, their thoughts surprisingly consistent: empiricism kills!
They remembered how excited they were when they, as outsiders, first settled in Thedan and "accidentally" met the Fabricator-General, who then appreciated their talents. They all thought that after years of unrecognized talent, their luck had finally turned, and they had met a true patron.
But as excited as they were then, they were just as disappointed later. Which Forge World Fabricator-General didn't have real power?!
However, by the time they understood the situation, the "Will Faction" label on them was indelible. Even if they secretly pledged allegiance to the "Anti-Will Faction," the Anti-Will Faction wouldn't accept them, intending to make an example of them.
The Archmagos looked at the silent Tech-priest before him, his heart filled with desolation. He had lowered himself to gather such a pathetic group. If Lauster were still here, would he be humiliated like this by those rebellious traitors!
He wanted a cup of red tea from his hometown, Macragge, but they called him extravagant, even claiming that Gamma used to eat in the employee cafeteria. What utter nonsense! Do you know what that brat eats better than I, his father?! He was just playing around and grabbing a quick meal. When I, the Archmagos, am busy, I get nutrient solutions. Why didn't you see that!
"Archmagos, how about we—"
The Tech-Priest made a cutting gesture.
Archmagos Will snapped back, "Get lost! Don't you know your own limits?!"
"Archmagos, you misunderstand. My meaning is that we cut ties with one person, then send that person to infiltrate the rebels. We can use the intelligence provided by the mole to achieve small victories that lead to a great victory, gradually eroding and dividing them."
"Oh? Is there a suitable candidate?"
"I, though unworthy, am willing to undertake this task."
He said nothing, only stared silently at the two-faced Tech-Priest who sought an opportunity to profit and escape.
The Tech-Priest, under the Archmagos's death glare, initially maintained a loyal and righteous demeanor, but the longer the gaze, the more he appeared guilty.
Sighing deeply, the Fabricator-General knew in his heart that daring to act so openly meant that his subordinates no longer took him seriously. His plan to counter the Anti-Will Faction by recruiting foreign Tech-priest had utterly failed.
Somewhat disheartened, the Archmagos waved his hand weakly, dismissing the two-faced Tech-priest. He sat alone in his office, a sense of loneliness enveloping him, making him miss his son.
But the more he thought, the angrier he became. Gamma, that brat, was the real culprit. He had to contend with the Anti-Will Faction while also worrying about his son's safety.
He couldn't help but curse, "That little brat dares to run into alien territory in just one ship, and even dares to fight Tyranids! How many lives does he have to be so daring!"
"He's been out for so long and hasn't even sent a single Astropathic message. I have to rely on rumors for news. Does he even know he still has a father!"
"Unfilial! He annoys me at home, and he annoys me when he's out. So why did he even leave!"
"Knock, knock."
"Enter!"
Seeing one of the two-faced Tech-priest return, looking flustered, the Archmagos said displeasedly, "Why are you so flustered? What happened?"
"Archmagos, His Highness Gamma is returning!"
Today was a special day for Thedan. His Highness Gamma, who had been traveling "for many years," returned to his loyal Thedan. Countless Priests and worker representatives gathered at the planet's spaceport, solely to welcome their true master and leader.
Chapter Master Calgar and the others who came with Gamma looked at the enthusiastic crowd in the spaceport, and the small, isolated group of Tech-priest who were being ostracized. They couldn't help but feel sympathy for Archmagos Will. Was such a huge disparity and undisguised disdain the treatment a Fabricator-General should receive?
As the protagonist of the day, Gamma naturally made the first appearance. The moment he showed up, a thunderous cheer, like a mountain-shaking tsunami, erupted in the spaceport.
Without a word, the first thing Gamma did was quickly run to Archmagos Will's side to pay his respects to his old man. The Archmagos looked truly pitiful, and as his son, he had to support him so others wouldn't bully him.
"You're back," the Archmagos said with a resentful tone. He hadn't given up the struggle yet. Why did he run back so quickly?
The young Tech-Priest replied a bit awkwardly, "Something came up, so I came back for a visit."
Then he quickly changed the subject, looking at the Archmagos's sycophants and praising them:
"These are the talents you discovered, Father—"
Gamma couldn't continue his sentence. The reason was simple: the way the people his old man had gathered looked at him and carried themselves was just too… you know. Anyone who didn't know better would think they were his own henchmen, arranged to do the dirty work for the Archmagos.
"Hahaha, Father, I brought you a gift this time, you'll definitely like it!" Gamma quickly changed the subject again.
These words made the Archmagos feel a little better. His son still thought of him, his father. It was all the fault of his overly excellent bloodline. His tone of voice also lightened considerably.
"It's not easy out there. Just this once, don't spend so much next time."
"Alright, alright, thank you for your concern, Father. Let's go see the gift I prepared for you."
Looking at Gamma, who was empty-handed, the Archmagos thought that the gift must be a big one. Its value wasn't important; the thought was enough. Then he saw a Titan!
The appearance of the Titan instantly quieted the noisy spaceport. The Archmagos was so excited he trembled slightly.
"Is… is it ours?"
"Of course, every screw was designed by me," Gamma said with a hint of pride.
"You designed it!!!"
"Yep!" Gamma replied, lifting his chin.
Although Archmagos Will had always known his son was incredibly talented, even if his mechanical brain short-circuited, he couldn't have imagined that Gamma would have built a Titan in just a few short years, and a new type of Titan at that. Moreover, its combat record was verifiable; the Tyranid head strapped to the Titan's waist was the best proof.
His centuries-long wish was fulfilled today. As the Archmagos stared, lost in thought, at the Titan, he heard Gamma say, "Due to material limitations, although it can be the size of a Reaver-class Titan, its flexibility is affected. With anti-gravity, the plasma reactor's power is a bit insufficient. Let's make do for now. Once I solve the material strength issue, we'll build an even bigger one."
"Gamma, when you say 'flexibility,' do you mean the flexibility of other Titans, or our kind of flexibility?" The Archmagos decisively shut down his emotional module; otherwise, his voice would tremble when he spoke.
"I haven't seen other people's Titans, so of course I'm talking about ours."
The Archmagos, now an emotionless Tech-Priest, didn't want to speak. After rational thought, he realized that delving deeper into this topic would only expose his ignorance, so silence was golden.
After the somewhat attention-seeking Little Bai and his sons performed a set of sword techniques for the crowd in the spaceport, the mecha and Howling Sky also appeared before the people, causing the Archmagos, who had just reopened his emotional module, to close it once more.
After Gamma finished presenting his gifts, the Archmagos repeatedly confirmed there were no other surprises before reopening his module. With an excited heart and trembling hands, he began to feel the Titan, the Armor, and Howling Sky, like a philandering scumbag.
The core members of the Anti-Will Faction also surrounded Gamma, wiping away tears of excitement. Their words implied:
Your Highness, even while traveling abroad, you still care for Thedan. You are truly our brilliant and enlightened ruler! There's no time like the present, so how about we today—
Gamma quickly interrupted, "Ahem, don't go too far. That's my father. With so many guests here today, what kind of behavior is that!"
"I don't plan to stay long. Don't let internal strife weaken Thedan's strength. Development is the absolute principle."
"Remember that what limits you is not just academics; your vision also limits you. Put more energy into academics, and more thought into the crises facing humanity."
Hearing the young Tech-Priest's criticism, the Anti-Will Faction, whose eyes were filled with a beautifying filter, not only weren't angry but felt that they had followed the right person. In their hearts, they further labeled Gamma with tags such as "respectful and disciplined" and "selfless and devoted to public service."
After meeting with the Anti-Will Faction Tech-priest, Gamma then met with Thedan's worker representatives to understand if the Tech-priest had acted inappropriately during his absence.
Overall, it wasn't bad. Although the Tech-priest had done some inappropriate things, they were all corrected in a timely manner after feedback and opposition from the worker representatives. The reason such things happened was that the Tech-priest' values were somewhat different from those of normal people, which had also happened when Gamma was present.
Now, the workers' treatment had improved even more since he left, and the ecological park in the underground space had been completed, becoming a leisure destination for the people of Thedan.
Once the Archmagos had touched enough, the ceremony at the spaceport could conclude, and Gamma could escape from the fervent crowd.
"Phew, I'm exhausted."
Ventris, Calgar, and the two Inquisitors exchanged glances as they watched Gamma, completely sprawled out in a lounge chair without any regard for his image, and then all laughed. Their feelings today could only be described as 'seeing is believing.' The Archmagos, beside them, had no objections whatsoever to his precious son's behavior in front of guests. Anyone who dared to comment would face his wrath.
Archmagos Will now felt a bit ashamed. Gamma knew he was unwilling to step down, so he risked going out, and not only that, but he immediately thought of sending him any good things he found. The complete STC was given without any reservation, just like that. In contrast, what he, as a father, had done was truly disgraceful.
"Gamma, you intend to build production lines for Xingtian, Howling Sky, Detoxification, and Mechanical Hounds in Thedan."
"Yes, how can the production capacity of my single ship compare to that of a Forge World? This also ensures maintenance and upkeep, and it's convenient for you to send people to learn."
Hearing this, Calgar's heart swelled with joy, and he looked at Archmagos Will. But the Archmagos was now filled with remorse, his eyes solely on his son, having no time for anyone else.
Fortunately, Gamma noticed and said, "Father, Chapter Master Calgar is here to place a long-term order with Thedan."
The Archmagos, realizing belatedly, then looked at Calgar and said, "No problem. Thedan is changing every day, and its production capacity is increasing constantly, so there's no need to worry about delivery issues."
Ventris felt the deepest impact from the Archmagos's words. He had been away for less than ten years, yet he could no longer find a familiar feeling. Both the environment and the people had changed greatly; there were no green belts when he was there.
Calgar and his group didn't stay long in Thedan. Their main purpose for this trip was about weapons and equipment. After finalizing the order with Archmagos Will, they embarked on their return journey. The Ultramarines suffered significant casualties in the recent Gorgon extermination, so they needed to replenish their forces on Macragge.
After the guests left, Gamma, after touring Thedan from top to bottom, sought out the Archmagos.
"You want to go to Archmagos Cawl for further study?"
Gamma replied with an uncertain tone, "I haven't decided whether to go or not, so I wanted to ask for your opinion."
After a moment of thought, the Archmagos said, "Archmagos Cawl is undoubtedly the person with the most knowledge in the Imperium.
You will certainly gain a lot by going, but you don't need to overthink it."
"Hmm?" Gamma looked at the Archmagos, puzzled.
"No one knows Archmagos Cawl's whereabouts. Even the Regent only has a general idea of his location. You can't just find him whenever you want, and besides, if you want to study with him, you need to get Archmagos Cawl's consent."
"Oh, is that so? Father is right." Gamma now realized he had been a bit wishful. The Ultramarines also wanted to join the Gear Fleet, but he didn't agree to that either.
These few short sentences brought Archmagos Will immense satisfaction. He finally found a place where he could teach Gamma! This made him regain his dignity as a father.
"Gamma, you have experienced several wars, but your life so far can be said to have been smooth sailing. I admit you are a genius, and I admit you have overcome many difficulties with your talent, but as your father, I want to give you a piece of advice."
At this point, the Archmagos paused, looking at Gamma. Gamma thought the Archmagos stopped because he was afraid he would feel embarrassed, so he quickly said,
"Father, please speak. What face do I have to care about in front of you?"
Hmm, is this what it feels like to be a father? It's wonderful! The Archmagos felt his body lighten a bit and continued with a smile,
"Remember, never have a protagonist complex. It will only lead to you being kidnapped and constrained."
"Also remember that this world doesn't revolve around you. When encountering problems, first think of defeat, then of victory."
"In my life, I have seen too many people stronger than me, but most of them did not have good endings, and no one surpassed me in achievements. Do you know why?"
Gamma shook his head.
"Because I rarely lose. Remember, not losing is winning. As long as you don't lose, there's a chance to win. Just like when you chose to send the Inquisitor to the Tau Empire, if it were me, I would have directly refused, because if something went wrong, it would be eternal damnation.
Even with the Regent's secret order, it's the same, unless the Regent personally ordered me, it wouldn't be worth the risk. What is the gain from a secret order compared to one's life?"
After listening to the Archmagos's words, Gamma felt that Magos Lauster's evaluation of him was truly accurate: a meticulous politician, a businessman who doesn't act without seeing profit, and a loyalist who dares to risk his life.
"I understand. Thank you, Father."
"Hahaha, you are still young and talented. You can just listen to my life experiences, but always remember to put your own safety first!"
"Yes."
With Archmagos Will's guidance, Gamma began to review his experiences over the years and realized that he had unconsciously changed a lot. In the past, he was timid and cautious, always overthinking everything. Now, there was a kind of arrogance in his heart that he hadn't even noticed himself. He rarely thought about the consequences of failure anymore.
So, Gamma decided to stay in Thedan for a while longer before setting off again, withdrawing his energy from research and technology, and began frequently visiting factories, dormitories, and various mechanical holy sites, chatting with low-level Priests and workers, sharing his experiences, and discussing their lives.
This left those who had been highly attentive to Gamma somewhat bewildered, unable to figure out what Gamma was trying to do.
"Magos Gamma, thank you for your guidance." The little ones below the stage thanked the big one on the stage in unison.
Gamma, who had been a school teacher for a day, happily replied, "Thank you all for studying diligently. There's still some time left for free questions."
Whether it was because Gamma taught too well or because his personal image was too approachable, the young apprentices below the stage were all very active, and at their young age, they spoke very directly.
"Magos Gamma, why do you waste your time teaching us?"
"Hmm, I can tell from your question that you are very smart and mature for your age. I do have many, many things to do, but teaching you is not a waste of time. Planting a seed in you now can grow into a towering tree in the future."
"And if you gain something, I gain something too."
"Even a Magos gains?"
"Of course. You help me find things I've forgotten."
"A Magos can forget?"
"Yes, the heart can always be forgotten when one is not careful, making me arrogant and proud."
During the Gear Fleet's stay in Thedan, Gamma adjusted the development plan he had left with Archmagos Will and also made changes to the system, establishing a "Workers' Council" and a "Priests' Council" with no real power, only responsible for feedback and suggestions.
Once the fleet's ships were refitted, he had no intention of staying longer and prepared to set off again. If there was news of Archmagos Cawl, his wild father would find a way to inform him.
Before leaving, Gamma had originally wanted to ease the relationship between the "Anti-Will Faction" and the "Will Faction," but after much consideration, he gave up. He feared that once Archmagos Will had no opponent, he would again expose his true nature as a greedy capitalist. This might be considered the Archmagos shooting himself in the foot, as it was he who taught Gamma to think more, to consider defeat first, then victory.
The second departure was very different from the first. The first time, they didn't know where to go. This time, they held a "treasure map" passed down from Inquisitor Finnie's lineage. The starry sea was full of treasures.
"Take a look at this data." Gamma handed the data in his hand to everyone.
The Tech-priest Girl glanced at it and exclaimed, "Necrons!"
"This is good!" the Tech-priest Girl said excitedly again.
The cunning little Tech-Priest looked around at the others, then calmly asked, "What are your thoughts?"
"I think it's pretty good."
"Indeed."
"The Magos has already decided, we just obey."
Listening to the Tech-priest, whose eyes were gleaming, speaking one after another, Gamma's face gradually darkened. He suddenly raised his voice to interrupt their discussion and said,
"Stop for a moment!"
Seeing Gamma's dark face, the Tech-priest, who had just been excited, realized that they seemed to have said the wrong thing and had been entrapped.
They were right. Gamma was indeed conducting an entrapment. He wanted to use the Tech-priest' yearning and curiosity for Space Necron technology to discipline the somewhat arrogant Gear Fleet and rectify their conduct.
"Don't you know the strength of the Necrons? Haven't you heard how many Tech-priest have been annihilated by the Necrons?"
"Do I still need to teach you the principle that greed leads to ruin, like a bird dying for food?"
"Don't you understand the Church's attitude towards xenos technology?"
"Or are you so reckless that you no longer care about those prohibitions?"
After reciting his prepared speech, Gamma's throat was dry, and he took a big gulp of water to moisten it. The Tech-priest, who had been lectured non-stop for half an hour by the little Tech-Priest, hung their heads and dared not speak.
After a long while, Magos Lauster, who had been silent and only looking at the data, spoke up,
"Gamma, are you really decided?"
The Tech-priest suddenly looked up, first at Magos Lauster, then at Gamma. They heard the little Tech-Priest reply with a very definite tone,
"Yes, this is the place."
"Then why did you lecture us—" the Tech-priest Girl muttered softly.
Hearing the Tech-priest Girl's muttering, Gamma was enraged. He lashed out at the Tech-priest, who didn't know what they had done wrong, "Did you look at the data when I told you to?"
"Did you carefully assess the risks involved?"
"I asked you to look because I wanted to hear your thoughts, but what did you do? Besides your eyes gleaming, did you think carefully?"
The Tech-priest, having received another lecture, lowered their heads again.
"I made this decision after assessment. Magos Lauster could see my intention also because he assessed it and found it feasible. What about you?"
"This time, we don't have a massive fleet as our backing; it's just us. If we don't change our mindset, a slight misstep could lead to our demise!"
Magos Lauster nodded with satisfaction in his heart. The Omnissiah's offspring had grown and matured under his education.
Far away in Thedan, Archmagos Will, busy with Titan production matters, subconsciously touched his treasure. He felt as if a thief had just tried to steal his belongings.
Having achieved the purpose of the lecture, Gamma began patiently explaining to the lectured Tech-priest his reasons for choosing the Necrons as a target.
"I won't say much about how dangerous the Necrons, ancient overlords of the galaxy, are. So far, no one knows their limits."
"From the data provided by Inquisitor Finnie, it can be seen that a crustal activity five hundred years ago exposed a Necron dynasty underground on this world to the Imperium's view. After investigation, the Inquisition discovered a large number of Necron structures in the crust there, and some even had energy readings. To avoid disturbing the meditating Necrons, that place was designated a 'Forbidden World'."
"My reasons for choosing that place are, firstly, because there are a large number of Necron structures in the crust, which indicates that this Necron dynasty most likely does not possess spatial technology."
"Secondly, only a small portion has energy readings, indicating that this Necron dynasty's self-maintenance function seems to have problems."
"Thirdly, and most importantly, since the Inquisitor could investigate the situation without disturbing the Necrons, we can also do so if we are careful."
"One more thing I need to explain: these are just the situations from the data. What the reality is like, we still need to confirm with our own eyes."
"This time, we are truly betting our lives! All of us, including myself, are in danger of losing our lives!"
Magos Gamma was actually apprehensive about targeting the Necrons this time, but after weighing his options, he decided to take a gamble. From his understanding of the Necrons, their strong factions were unbeatable, and their weak ones were also unbeatable.
But even the weakest Necron Dynasty, with the gains from his talent, would be enough to give him the ability to protect himself in the galaxy.
Archmagos Will's words of guidance made Magos Gamma re-examine himself, while also awakening his sense of crisis.
So the insecure Tech-priest wanted to find security, and after searching, they found it in the Necrons.
Magos Gamma, who had a psychological shadow from Warp sub-light travel, planned to skim through the Warp this time. It was a bit slow,
but it was safer. Anyway, he was not in a hurry, and more time meant more preparation.
However, this reason only accounted for half of it; the other half was that Magos Gamma wanted to see this galaxy properly, which was also the original intention of him forming the Gear Fleet.
Along with the journey, the Gear Fleet's rectification movement was also underway. Last time, Magos Gamma targeted the apprentices; this time, Magos Gamma targeted the Tech-priest. Now, all the Priests knew that Magos Gamma intended to lead them in a big undertaking, one so big that a single mistake could lead them to meet the Omnissiah.
Magos Gamma's original intention was for the Priests to adjust their mindset and think thrice before acting, but he overdid it, causing a surge in the fleet's marriage rate, with many planning to die without regrets.
The young Tech-priest, who had served as a wedding officiant for thirty days in a month and received over three hundred invitations, were so angry they wanted to flip tables, furiously scolding the Tech-priest for not acting like Tech-priest anymore.
"How did I not know there were so many romantics in the fleet!" Gamma complained to his companion.
Miss Calliree, the navigator, who had little to do due to the skimming voyage, smiled and said, "It's very normal. More crew members become married couples. Otherwise, how would Void-born come about?"
Calliree's words reminded Magos Gamma that the living conditions and treatment of the Gear Fleet's crew members were no worse than those of the workers in Thedan. In the future, more and more people would be born on the deck, grow up on the deck, and die on the deck.
"That is a problem. The education system needs to extend to the grassroots."
The navigator did not expect that Magos Gamma would think of such a thing from her casual remark, and she could not help but feel that her master was truly different.
"Calliree, if you have nothing to do recently, please help me understand the family situations of the crew members. I plan to establish a school in the fleet to systematically train the newborns in the fleet."
"Me! Can I?" Calliree, as a psyker, said unconfidently. She understood the fear and dislike ordinary people had for psykers.
Magos Gamma saw the navigator's apprehension and uneasiness and comforted her jokingly, "Are you going to just eat and do nothing all day? If you do well, I will appoint you as the principal of the Gear School."
"Alright—alright!"
"Hmm, it's settled then. Yard, if you have time, also help Calliree. One of you always stays in the Astropathic Choir, and the other always stays in the Navigator's Hall. You should come out and walk around more." Magos Gamma then said to the silent Astropath.
The Astropath could be said to be the loneliest person in the Gear Fleet. Calliree had her friend Leia, but Yard and his choir never left their quarters unless Magos Gamma called them.
The elderly Astropath understood this was Magos Gamma's kindness and nodded in agreement with a smile.
Magos Gamma's decision to assign two psykers to this task was not without his own considerations. Newborns meant there might be psykers. Ordinary people could be taught by Priests, but what about psykers?
Leaving them alone would be a ticking time bomb. Killing them might solve the immediate problem, but it would also make those who awakened psychic abilities hide themselves and live in fear. Unstable psykers combined with unstable emotions would be even more dangerous than a ticking time bomb.
Psychic spells and psychic techniques were dangerous and mysterious knowledge. By involving Calliree and Yard now, if psykers appeared in the fleet in the future, he could easily hand the psykers over to the two of them.
Thus, the Gear Fleet skimmed through the Warp and arrived at its first human world, the Imperial Civilized World of Obora.
Among all types of Imperial worlds, Civilized Worlds are the most common type. On these self-sufficient worlds, the main population centers are often large cities or the planet's industrial centers. The technological level and social development of different Civilized Worlds vary, but generally, they are at an average contemporary level, aware of the Imperium, and possess spacecraft.
"Before, I was either fighting or on my way to fight. This time, I need to take a good tour." Magos Gamma said with a bit of excitement. With his demeanor and stature, and a backpack full of snacks, he could perfectly blend in with elementary school students on a spring outing in the 2K era.
Leia and the others were a bit stronger than Magos Gamma, but only slightly. They had fought battles and dug graves, but this was their first pure tourism experience.
The young Tech-priest, looking down at the planet from low orbit above Obora, were very satisfied with this world. It had mountains and oceans, forests and cities, and healthy colors, somewhat similar to Earth in 2K, making it a good place for tourism.
Since there was no spaceport, Magos Gamma and his companions had to take an airship down to the surface. The first stop was the Governor's Mansion. The Planetary Governor had already prepared a welcoming ceremony, and Magos Gamma still had to show that much respect.
Overlooking the grand setup in front of the Governor's Palace and the vast crowd from mid-air, Magos Gamma asked Louis beside him with some uncertainty:
"Didn't we only send a communication to them a few hours ago? But how do they look like they've been prepared for a long time?"
Louis also said with some uncertainty, "No way? Don't go down yet. I'll check."
The young Tech-priest, worried about a trap, nodded. Louis and the others quickly used technical means to hack into the other party's communication network to see what was going on.
Soon there was a result. Hearing the reason Louis told him, Magos Gamma really didn't know what to say.
It turned out the Governor had pulled all the city's residents out to be a cheering squad.
"Hmph, another Imperial worm!" Magos Gamma said with some disgust.
In his opinion, the Planetary Governor's disregard for the normal lives of the residents and forced recruitment of people just to curry favor with him was typical Imperial scum, which instantly ruined his otherwise good mood.
"Let's go down! I want to see how fat and ugly this Governor is."
Magos Gamma, in a bad mood, decided to go down and give the Governor a piece of his mind. If he found anything, he wouldn't mind helping the Imperium clean out some parasites.
As the airship descended, elegant and solemn music began to play, and the surrounding sea of people cheered under direction.
When the airship stopped and the hatch opened, the Adeptus Ministorum and castellan robots were the first to emerge, surrounding the Governor and others who had come to welcome Magos Gamma.
Magos Gamma's show of force was very effective. The Governor and nobles all felt a tremor in their hearts, sensing that the newcomers meant trouble.
Magos Gamma, who had deliberately played a game of chess with Leia before stepping out of the airship, said to the Governor the first thing he saw him:
"I hate it when people look down on me."
The outwardly valiant Governor looked at the Tech-priest, who was just over a meter tall, and cold sweat immediately poured down his forehead. The other nobles and their offspring, while gloating, also worried that the capricious Tech-priest would affect them.
"Sir…"
"Hmm!" Magos Gamma glanced at the Governor with a strange tone.
"Magos!" The Governor quickly corrected himself.
Ignoring the other party, Magos Gamma turned to look at the vast crowd outside, frowning. The Governor, who had been carefully observing Magos Gamma with a bent waist, thought Magos Gamma disliked messy scenes and quickly signaled a nearby attendant to arrange for the people to be driven away. But the Adeptus Ministorum and castellan robots had already completely isolated them from others, and communications were blocked, so they couldn't do anything.
After leaving the Governor hanging for a while, making him tremble from bending over, Magos Gamma finally spoke, "Let them all disperse."
"Yes, Magos."
Having given his warning and caused some trouble, Magos Gamma didn't want to waste any more words on this seemingly respectable scoundrel and directly said:
"I came here to—"
Before Magos Gamma could finish, the Planetary Governor respectfully presented a beautifully crafted "memorial" with both hands, quickly saying:
"Magos, we are already prepared. Please take a look!"
"Bah! Are you looking down on this Magos? Do you think I can be swayed by your paltry offerings?" The young Tech-priest, whose hand had already naturally taken the "gift list," thought unhappily. He just wanted to see how much of the people's wealth this worm had plundered.
Magos Gamma opened the gift list and immediately burst into a rage. This worm dared to play him! Who the hell accepts prisoners as gifts!
"You dare to want me!"
"No…"
The Governor, with a knife already at his throat, tried to explain, but he was not a professionally trained Inquisitor, and the high-frequency ultrasonic waves made him unable to speak at all.
The nobles who had come to welcome Magos Gamma were no better off. The Adeptus Ministorum's weapons were already aimed at them. "Magos, it's all a misunderstanding! We absolutely did not mean to insult the Magos." The woman beside the Governor explained.
Magos Gamma looked at the Governor's wife, who was being guarded and pointed at by a phase ion gun, and shook the gift list in his hand, saying:
"What else is this if not an insult!"
Unexpectedly, at this moment, the pale-faced Governor tremblingly handed over another gift list.
What did this mean? Magos Gamma was a bit confused about the situation, so he took this gift list as well and glanced at it. This one was much more normal, consisting of minerals, rare elements, and food.
Waving his hand to let the guards release the people, Magos Gamma threw both gift lists to the Governor and said disdainfully, "Put away your disgusting face. These worthless things are not worthy of this Magos's eyes!"
But what was unexpected was that the Governor, who had collapsed on the ground, struggled and wailed after hearing Magos Gamma's words:
"Magos, we have no ruins here. This is all we can offer. If there is a single lie in my words, I am willing to commit suicide!"
"Uh, what do you mean! Am I, the Magos, here to rob?" Magos Gamma yelled, jumping up and down at the Governor who was slandering him.
Seeing Magos Gamma's reaction, the Governor asked uncertainly, "Is the Magos not from an Exploration Fleet?"
"So what? What does that have to do with this?"
What did the silence mean? Had the reputation of my great Adeptus Mechanicus's Exploration Fleet become so bad?
It was "a small misunderstanding." Magos Gamma chuckled, pretending the incident never happened, and informed the Governor that he was just passing by, found the scenery pleasant, and decided to relax.
Though the Governor didn't quite believe him, with the exploration fleet directly overhead, he had no choice but to accept it, generously stating that he would cover all expenses.
The young Tech-priest, wanting to save face and restore some reputation for the Adeptus Mechanicus, politely declined on the spot. His refusal, however, almost made the Governor, who had just managed to stand up, collapse again. Soon, the scene devolved into a farce with one party desperately trying to offer a free stay and the other desperately trying to pay. Ultimately, Magos Gamma's superior strength prevailed, successfully overcoming the Governor.
After such an awkward incident, Magos Gamma naturally didn't want any further interaction with the Governor or anyone else. After declining all visitors, the young Tech-priest led the men, women, and children of his fleet to eat, drink, and play on Aubera. A massive interstellar tour group of over two hundred thousand people leisurely explored everywhere, which, of course, couldn't be hidden from others. This made the Governor serve them cautiously while also completely putting his mind at ease.
But just as Magos Gamma and the Governor both thought the matter would conclude peacefully with a happy ending, something ill-advised decided to jump out and cause trouble for them.
"This is outrageous! How dare they spread such vile rumors about Magos Lauster? What do they mean, Tech-Priests are also Priests who like pretty young boys? Why should the Holy Ecclesiarchy's messes be dumped on us?"
Magos Gamma, who had financially booked out Aubera's famous tourist attractions, was now furious. He was a good Magos who took nothing, even buying tickets to enter scenic spots, so why was he being slandered and cyberbullied?
He didn't know that Tech-priest who had scraped Aubera clean, angered one Governor to death, worked two Governors to death, and caused a great famine and unpaid tithes. He was here to boost tourism revenue, contributing so much GDP. Did these "commoners" even know?
"Gamma, how about we send someone to arrest those who created and spread the rumors?"
The young Tech-priest glanced at the malicious Tech-priest Girl enjoying her sunbath, then surveyed the Tech-priests around him who didn't seem to find the Tech-priest Girl malicious at all, their eyes subtly lingering on her secondary sexual characteristics. He snorted coldly in his heart.
The Empire's laws and the Adeptus Mechanicus's reputation were being ruined by these lawless Tech-priests. He had recorded the scene just now and would report it to Magos Lauster later.
"On someone else's territory, let them handle it. Our identities are too sensitive; any action could easily cause an overreaction."
After speaking, Magos Gamma turned over, letting his small chest also feel the warmth of the sun, then asked Paul, who was "full of vigor" beside him:
"Paul, how are things going with what I asked you to investigate?"
Paul, who was drooling over a large group of Tech-priest Girls and aspiring Tech-priest Girls playing in the water nearby, reluctantly pulled his gaze away when he heard Magos Gamma's words and replied:
"The Governor has no major issues, and his prestige among the populace is quite high. We have already scanned Aubera's deep data network and found no signs or clues of lost technology."
"Alright then, once the Governor identifies the individuals slandering us, we will continue our journey."
The Governor, unaware that he had been thoroughly investigated by a Tech-priest, was currently in a rage. He openly declared to the other nobles that if the mastermind behind the slander of Magos Gamma was not found to appease the Magos's wrath, he would randomly select a few families to be scapegoats! If he was having a bad time, no one else would have it easy!
Seeing that the Governor was truly enraged and intended to drag others down with him, those who had been watching with folded arms were forced to abandon their schadenfreude and present the intelligence they possessed.
The result was that they didn't know until they investigated, and when they did, it startled them: a cult was attempting to manipulate public opinion and cause trouble, taking advantage of the exploration fleet's reappearance, which had caused widespread panic among Aubera's populace.
This was no ordinary cult! If they dared to spread rumors and manipulate public opinion today, would they openly rebel and slaughter them all tomorrow? They had to be met with a heavy hand!
Magos Gamma was not at all surprised that the investigation led to a cult. Most of the troubling incidents in the Empire were linked to cults. However, the emergence of the heretical cult also involved Aubera's Department of Internal Affairs.
The duties of the Planetary Department of Internal Affairs could be summarized into two points: heresy and unpaid taxes.
The former dealt with heretics, the latter with the Governor, so no Governor liked the existence of the Department of Internal Affairs.
Furthermore, the Department of Internal Affairs' enforcement process would not consider the livelihood of the populace or the extent of damage caused. Department of Internal Affairs officials understood that violent enforcement would never be an effective way to combat crime, as it would create a rift between law enforcement and the populace, brewing more severe conflicts and reducing enforcement efficiency.
But the Department of Internal Affairs officials didn't care, nor were they concerned about efficiency. If the populace erupted because they couldn't breathe under the Department of Internal Affairs' iron knee, they would simply be designated as rebels and, with the help of police bombers and police tanks, the rebels would be permanently deprived of the right to breathe.
As for evidence, it was certainly needed, but the crime of heresy was a typical "pocket crime," which could be applied to anyone in almost any way.
Watching the Department of Internal Affairs officers blow up the cult's stronghold with Leman Russ tanks, and seeing the well-equipped Arbitrators beside the vehicles, capable of fighting an elite Astra Militarum regiment, Magos Gamma felt a bit of sympathy for the Governor; this "tax office" had an excessive amount of firepower.
This Department of Internal Affairs operation to eradicate the heretics was very successful. Besides destroying the cult gang whose name Magos Gamma hadn't even remembered, they also conveniently dealt with dozens of other gangs, adding quite a few forces to the Empire's Penal Legions.
After enjoying Aubera's beautiful scenery and witnessing the Empire's brutal enforcement, the Gear Fleet once again embarked on its journey, still skipping along, stopping and starting.
This journey lasted three years. During these three years, Magos Gamma wasn't just eating, drinking, and having fun; he also didn't neglect his important duties. An artificial intelligence named Logic had become Magos Gamma's capable assistant in managing the Gear Fleet.
With Logic's assistance, the Gear Fleet's material distribution and personnel arrangements barely required Magos Gamma's intervention, and resource utilization efficiency significantly increased.
Under Logic's management and optimization, the production efficiency of the automated production lines also saw an exponential increase.
While giving Logic many permissions, Magos Gamma also placed many restrictions and contingencies on him. His purpose in creating Logic was merely to have an assistant, not a powerful, potentially out-of-control abominable intelligence.
Now they were about to reach their destination, and the entire Gear Fleet had entered a state of wartime readiness.
"What's the situation?" Magos Gamma muttered gloomily.
The expressions of the others on the bridge were also not good. The reason was simple: a Tech-priest had gotten there first.
"Are we still going?"
"Uh—"
Magos Gamma was also indecisive. If he didn't go, it would be a wasted trip. If he did, he might have to engage in some technical exchange with them.
After much consideration, Magos Gamma decided to send a communication first to gauge their attitude. After actively revealing their position and sending the communication, all that was left was to wait.
But he waited and waited, and no reply came. The young Tech-priest was a bit confused about their attitude. If they didn't welcome him, fine, but what was the point of not replying? Were they trying to catch him off guard and wipe him out too?!
Just as Magos Gamma was about to send another communication to try again, the other side finally responded.
"Hello, this is the Gear Fleet. I am the leader of the fleet; you can call me Gamma."
"—"
Perhaps not expecting Magos Gamma's demeanor to be so unlike a Tech-priest, the other side was visibly stunned. After a few seconds, he spoke:
"Metis."
After exchanging names, the two vastly different individuals fell into silence.
What should he say? Ask if he could come over and get a piece of the pie? Magos Gamma pondered how to open the conversation. The other side was not weak; their fleet's ships, both in tonnage and number, were stronger than his. Magos Gamma didn't want to conflict with them.
"Magos Gamma, are you here for the Necrons?" Metis broke the silence first.
At this point, there was nothing to hide. If the other side disagreed, he would just leave. Thinking this, Magos Gamma replied:
"Yes, I wonder if Magos Metis has any interest in cooperation?"
"Possibly, but we need to discuss details."
Hearing this, Magos Gamma's heart was filled with joy, but he also raised his guard to the maximum. Backstabbing, tricking someone over and then killing them—Tech-priests could do such things without any psychological burden.
After a brief communication, Magos Gamma commanded his ship to continue heading into the star system.
But upon meeting, Magos Gamma realized he seemed to have miscalculated. Several Tech-priests had arrived from the other side. When he divided their ship count by the number of people, he realized he was the stronger one.
"Magos Metis, who are these gentlemen?" Magos Gamma asked, feigning ignorance.
"They are my companions. This exploration fleet was jointly assembled by us."
The young Tech-priest, as a super second-generation Tech-priest, hadn't expected an exploration fleet to be crowdfunded. To confirm whether the other side was bluffing, he cast an inquiring look at Magos Lauster.
Magos Lauster saw it and nodded, indicating that such a possibility existed. Seeing this, Magos Gamma decided to take it as true, regardless of whether it was real or fake. It was always right to assume the enemy was stronger.
"Magos, we have all traveled across the stars to reach here. Our objectives are consistent. I believe that as long as we make arrangements for distribution beforehand, cooperation can greatly reduce risks, especially since we currently don't know the situation of the Necrons."
Hearing Magos Gamma say this, the others also expressed agreement. With a willingness to cooperate, the subsequent matters proceeded much more smoothly. Although no specific distribution plan was finalized, Magos Gamma and Metis exchanged the intelligence they each possessed, laying a certain foundation for future cooperation.
During the conversation with Metis, he mentioned that they had also only recently arrived and had not yet begun exploring the Necrons' tomb world. However, when he said this, he clearly concealed something. Magos Gamma initially thought it was because the other side had already sent out a vanguard and was hiding it to gain an advantage in cooperation. But the more he thought about it, the more something felt off; he kept feeling like he had forgotten something.
After re-evaluating the situation in his mind, Magos Gamma stared at Metis and asked:
"Where are the Inquisition personnel stationed here? You didn't kill them, did you?"
Since the Inquisition designated this area as a quarantine zone, prohibiting outsiders from entering and insiders from leaving, they naturally left forces to guard it.
Now that the guards hadn't shown themselves, Gamma knew without a doubt that it had something to do with Metis and the other Tech-priests.
"Metis Sage, please tell me the truth. If they are already dead, you can pretend I didn't ask. If they are still alive, please hand them over to me."
No matter what kind of people were stationed there, they were all contributing to the safety of humanity. It would be too tragic for them to sacrifice themselves for such a matter. However, saying these words was already the limit of what Gamma could do.
After Gamma finished speaking, Metis and the others communicated through a private channel for a while before giving a reply:
"They are all still alive. We merely temporarily detained them. It would be excellent if Magos Gamma could help us resolve the misunderstanding between us."
"Good, since it's a misunderstanding, I believe they will definitely understand us Tech-Priests!"
Hearing Gamma emphasize his identity as a Tech-Priest, Metis nodded slightly. A moment later, the surviving guards were brought before Gamma.
Seeing that there were even Astartes whose Power Armor had been stripped, Gamma gritted his teeth, gaining a new understanding of the Tech-priests' unscrupulousness.
"Die, Tech-priests—"
"Shut up!"
Gamma interrupted the Space Marine who wanted to curse Metis and the others, then said, "I am a friend of Grand Inquisitor Gais. This time, I am here to resolve the misunderstanding between you and Metis Sage!"
As he spoke, he pulled out a medal with the Inquisition's emblem from his Arms. This medal was given to him by the Grand Inquisitor before he left. It contained information that required the Inquisition's unique method to decrypt, serving as Gayss's personal symbol of identity.
Those who could make a living in the Inquisition were not stupid. They immediately understood that Gamma was there to save them. The guards' previously resentful eyes immediately cleared.
'I was entrusted by the Grand Inquisitor to investigate the Necrons here. Metis Sage and the others are my collaborators. This misunderstanding was an unfortunate result of delayed information. Do you understand?'"
Hearing Gamma wanting to twist the Tech-priests' attack on them into a misunderstanding, the guards' faces immediately showed anger. However, they also understood that if they didn't agree, there was no way they could escape with their lives.
"Yes, Magos!"
Seeing the guards bow their heads, Gamma then said to Metis and the others, "Gentlemen, it was a misunderstanding. I think we should just let it go. They were merely performing their duties faithfully."
Metis and the others saw that Gamma had taken responsibility for the matter and defined it. This meant that if anyone were to bring it up again in the future, they would first have to get past Gamma. They had no objections.
Although they were not afraid, they also did not want to provoke a behemoth like the Inquisition.
After saving the surviving guards, Gamma and Metis agreed on a time for their next discussion and then departed. Big deals are rarely concluded in a single meeting.
Upon returning to the Gear Boy, Gamma first had the injured survivors taken for treatment. He needed to discuss some matters with Magos Lauster.
"Magos, what do you think about Metis saying they are companions?"
Magos Lauster smiled and said, "Only the most prestigious and powerful Magos, and even Archmagoss, on Forge Worlds with abundant capabilities can truly organize exploration fleets."
"Many times, becoming an exploration Magos also means being expelled from the Forge World's circle. So, in some cases, those exploration Magos who are 'required' to explore are actually more like exiles."
"Magos Lauster means that Metis and the others are not allies, but merely exiles who have banded together."
Gamma suddenly understood. He had been wondering how a "crowdfunded" fleet could exist. When opinions differed and immediate decisions were needed, the fleet would surely fall apart on the spot.
At this point, Magos Lauster added, "However, our appearance has made them more united. They can only contend with us if they work together. It's acceptable to consider them as a single entity."
"But Magos, I still have reservations about whether to cooperate. I'm afraid they will be reckless for profit, which would greatly increase the uncertainty and risk of exploring this forbidden world!"
"Therefore, you must hold the dominant position, and it must be absolute dominance."
After a long period of contemplation, Gamma looked up and said, "I understand, Magos. If we cannot achieve absolute dominance, we will leave this place."
"Hmm, understanding the risks, and knowing when to give and take, is how one establishes a firm foothold in this galaxy."
After discussing with Magos Lauster, Gamma sought out the members of the Inquisition who were being treated for their injuries. Although these survivors had fallen into the hands of the Tech-priests, they were very grateful to the little Tech-priest.
After Gamma stated his purpose, they did not hide anything and told him the entire story in detail. The course of events was much as Gamma had expected—it was all the Tech-priests' fault.
Ignoring warnings, they insisted on taking the Necrons' tomb, and to prevent the news from leaking, they directly sank the guard fleet's ships.
"I can understand your anger, but this matter can only go so far."
"We understand. We are already immensely grateful that Magos Gamma has gone to such lengths for us."
"You will recuperate in my fleet. Once the matters here are concluded, I will send you to the nearest Inquisition fortress."
Gamma, having determined how low the bottom line of the opposing Tech-priests was, already had a plan. When the second negotiation came, the little Tech-priest, intending to "subdue others with virtue," directly brought out noob and his Titan sons to show off his strength.
This time, there was no polite probing. Gamma directly and bluntly stated, "Metis Sage, for the smooth progress of the exploration plan, one of us must take overall command. Therefore, I propose a gamble to decide the person in charge of the overall command!"
Metis and the others were stunned by the little Tech-priest's overbearing opening. After their last conversation, they had analyzed from the information they possessed that Gamma was not a forceful person and even had a boring sense of justice and compassion. This time, they had intended to use these "weaknesses" to gain more advantages.
But the little Tech-priest's style changed instantly. Last time he was courteous, but this time he wanted them to kneel and "call him daddy" upon meeting.
"Magos Gamma, you want to force—"
Gamma directly interrupted the other party's accusation and said, "That's right, I am discussing this with you from the perspective of strength. I said 'you' all, not just one of you. You can all come and challenge me together!"
This single sentence contained the essence of eagle diplomacy and the Master of the Broken Stream, exuding immense presence and making the meter-tall Gamma emanate an aura of several meters.
"I will lead this exploration. All gains will be jointly managed by people sent from both our sides. After the exploration concludes, the proceeds will be distributed according to contributions. The reason for doing this is to prevent anyone from being tempted to hoard spoils and to prevent anyone from acting recklessly and causing accidents."
"I swear by the Omnissiah, if I lose, I will leave this place and hand it over to you."
After saying these words, Gamma remained silent, simply watching Metis and the others discuss their countermeasures.
"What do you think about the gamble?"
"If the opponent deploys an unknown model of Titan, we have no way to counter it."
"How about the castellan robots and the Adeptus Ministorum?"
"The opponent's Adeptus Ministorum seems to be equipped with relic-grade weapons, but we need to make contact to confirm."
"The model of the castellan robots is also different from known ones; it's impossible to judge."
After some discussion, Metis and the others realized that unless the fleet deployed in formation for an official battle, their chances of winning in a gamble, given only the strength Gamma had revealed, were not high.
However, they were unwilling to simply give up the leadership. Finally, they decided on a "literary contest"—to debate scripture with Gamma.
As for Metis and the others shamelessly wanting a "literary contest," the old Gamma might have been afraid. But the current Gamma was a Tech-priest who could effortlessly conjure "orthodox scriptures and heretical texts." Even if Mars sent someone to debate scripture, he wouldn't be worried.