By the next day, after the fighters return to the cruiser, we hold a conference to decide what to do.
It seems the Forge World is dead and deserted, nothing moving or shooting back. This could be the prize of the millennium, should we find anything intact.
The risks are proportional, as it seems the local chanicus Cult has split into religious factions and battled each other to death.
Gyron believes it our duty to survey and explore the remains, like any tech-priest would. The Quest for Knowledge isn't just words, but a way of life.
The Astartes is more cautious, since infected machines could still be awake deep underground, and just bait us to land...and then eat us.
The clan crew is split up, because the rewards could make each of them richer than a Noble. But only if they survive.
In the end I chose both major options. My cruiser will depart for Forge Tigrus with any minimal loot that we can grab from deep space, while a single destroyer and most of the tech-priests and servitors will be sent to the planet to start the investigation.
The other destroyers are sent back to my capital, Ilevar, to bring our transport fleet and mining barges here to carry the loot, under escort.
Compared to raw minerals from asteroids, scraped hulks made of adamantium and possibly full of rare and ancient technologies are less worthy than dirt. Mining can hold for now, since every planet in my empire has been given a small forge and its tech-priests from tallurgicus and Technicus clades. They can search for planet-side minerals and be fine for a while.
Also, I am almost certain that talica's Fabricator has lied to , since news about this internal conflict must have been known to the chanicus leaders.
He just didn't want to risk it himself. Plus he knew I would give everything away, hopefully the template designs already cleaned up and upgraded.
We collect a dozen different turrets and batteries, many so exotic that I can't really identify them. Perhaps gravity shear or warp or neutron beams. A few broken space fighters with odd design choices, even a few automata. Kept under quarantine and strict security, that hangar bay is locked and depressurized for transport.
I can barely wait to receive the Grand Cruiser, which will have 20 tis more internal space. Volu grows fast which each elongated dinsion.
Although the reactor and generators will also be bigger, the extra space will allow for 30 fighter squadrons instead of the current 3.
The sa with stockpiles of torpedoes and other consumables, like missiles, bolter rounds and autocannon bullets.
And if I install a few forges, I can even replenish so consumables or spare parts...even construct armor and power armor for my troops.
Nothing like the artificier-made power armor I wear right now, but even sothing 10 tis simpler would increase the strength and durability of my troops at least ten tis.
So, on the way to Forge Tigrus I dissect more STC templates, this ti aided by another tech-priest from the Cogitatrices clade, called Fabricator Minoris Yota-7099. Gyron detached him especially for , and said the guy had a good brain and a knack for mathematics.
I am almost tempted to call him Yoda, but they are nothing alike. Minoris is 3 ters tall with a dozen pairs of chanical arms, each holding a different obscure device that are always flashing or beeping and murmuring prayers.
Still, he is a good scientist despite all that.
We change the Manticore template to allow an enclosed box with 10 missiles to be loaded and unloaded fast on a gimbal mount, which in turn will allow field reloads with a crane or so tall automata from chanicus.
This also protects the missiles from any atmospheric trouble, like rain or acid gas, also arrows, bullets and other low caliber damage. A few more upgrades to the auspex sensors and I'm finished. Minoris keeps working to upgrade the targeting cogitators, sothing I will sell separately, if they work.
Then I load the Hydra template and upgrade it as well, even adding a hunter-killer launcher in the design. With 2 tri-barrel multi-lasers, and the krak missile launcher, my Hydras will be 50 percent better. In range, firepower and rate of fire, along with better sensors and tracks.
If I could, I would promote this simple tank as standard composition to every Imperial Guard regint. 100 per regint if not double.
Then again...that would an at least 200 million such tanks...and nobody will likely make them. Still, I try.
If I don't try, the tyranids will eat everyone. They probably will anyway. I suspect all these Hive fleets are re the advance tendrils of a much larger Tyranid Swarm.
The scouts, so to say. And if their scouts are nearly unstoppable...damn it.
What can I do? Try to direct so more Orks at these Hives? But mushrooms, even green ones, are also biomass. The Tyranids do eat Orks just as they eat anything else.
Then I do rember sothing. The second Warp beacon directed at Ultramar.
"Have you ever wondered why the Navigator can still chart the course, outside the Astronomicon range?" I ask, turning toward my Astartes guard.
Then I save, the file and close the screen, since a big hand holds my head in a vice.
"Careful what you say, Rogue Trader. The Emperor sees all." he growls and his good eye turns red.
I draw a deep breath, and poke his hand. After he releases , I wave Minoris out from my lab. The chanicus would do sothing stupid once they find out the truth.
"I was talking about the Navigator, my friend. He locks on Ultramar, which shines in the Warp so strongly he can choose the right currents without error. is even feasible right now. I'd need an Inquisitor on my side.
And a large fleet to fend off Chaos or Eldar or whoever catches wind of what I'll be doing. This blasted galaxies have plenty gods, and most of them are enemies.
The friendlier ones or their worshipers might still kill simply on principle.
However, if the Blood Angels rally behind , maybe the chanicus too...then I have a small chance.
A small chance in hell.
"Look what they've made of our dream"
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Damn it. Even my implant thinks I'm dood.
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