Although the last Vortex torpedo on the Battle Barge is precious, I decide to steal it and punish the duplicitous Eldar from Craftworld Telennar.
The Hearth of Sotha also has a , inside the Webway. The place where their Kabal torture people and enjoy in dark rituals." I demand while petting his shoulder, or maybe a hip. I never asked what's underneath those red robes, and I never intend to find out for sure.
He is not stupid, my dear tech-priest. "It will be very dangerous, Captain. Is there a small chance to survive?"
I smile kindly and teleport another barrel-sized plasma warhead beside , then sit on it. Don't worry it's not activated, yet.
"I am almost certain this device can teleport a person half-way around the galaxy, in a second. This gave the inspiration for the Warp-less drive I keep working on. And those Hell Forges I destroyed, like Sarum and Junkatta could obviously be reached with an Exterminatus-grade torpedo. But the Dark Eldar city is hidden deep inside the Webway, and to pinpoint a target I need soone I know very well, to be near." I explain in a command voice.
He pats his cog-shape Logic shield and tilts his head. "And then, you pull back, right? Like you did just now."
"I will definitely try, Minoris. But I cannot be certain, you saw how tired and drained I was after each Exterminatus. Let's say: 80 percent chance for a successful deep strike, and 20 percent for intact recovery. Perhaps better odds, but you might get splashed by the explosion a little. We can demand the higher ranks a few more shields, but the Exterminatus...it is very strong." I added on a somber tone.
The Tech-priest ca closer and embraced with a dozen tentacles. "Even if I die or get damaged, it would be worth it, Revelator. But please try to bring back. I want see that Warp-less ship!"
I hugged him back, and sighed. Small chance at that.
"My beloved flower, what do you say about Commorragh?" I wondered in my mind.
"Ah! Let ....there. Almost got splashed with blood. The Dark Eldar you say, brave Trader? Sure...it would be amazing if it works. Will it work?" she asked in warning.
I didn't want to know who was leaking blood in her presence, or why, or in what manner. So I didn't ask. I'm so clever, right?
"Well...Magos Minoris is departing right now towards that place, and I'll monitor his progress. Sadly, that city is not in the outer universe, so I need a locator beacon for the torpedo." I explain seriously.
A minute later, the brutal Inquisitor was back. "You plan to bring him back, correct?"
"If possible, yes. He has a brilliant mind and a loyal soul." I decided, vowing to try.
"You are exposing the Pharos secret, my love. Those Scythes of the Emperor...how do you think they will react? They don't even allow tech-priest on their ships, not to ntion a sacred place like the Pharos." she advised in a cold voice.
Even without spoken words, I could hear the chopping axe coming near.
"As you say, my Rose. Minoris will not return to the Canticle." I answered after a few seconds.
"That's not..." she started to say as the connection failed by so transmission error.
Then I sat down on my knees to pray, while beginning the ignition protocols for the Exterminatus torpedo. I stopped at the last step, and waved Minoris closer.
"Magos Minoris cannot survive this mission, my friend. He will die heroically for the Imperium, and be covered in eternal glory. A different tech-priest, with a different body chassis will keep the secret, else his Forge World gets erased into oblivion." I announced with my cog Rosette held in front of him.
Lines of code and cognitive cants flashed into his bionic eyes, and he nodded hesitantly. "I understand, Lord Pef. This section of my mory will be purged with anathema-class overrides, the second this torpedo detonates. New designation, FaithfulSigma991."
"Good enough, Faithful. You will step from here into the Requiem's hangar, and climb into the waiting Fury Interceptor. Then enter the webway in vox silence and enable passive sensor only. I will be beside you." I ordered him and gently pushed him a step away, and at the edge of the solar system.
"Daughter, don't shoot my scout." I asked of the frigate's Captain, just in case.
"Sure thing daddy..oh. Unauthorized fighter launch...and now it's all clear. Inside the Webway, huh?" she asked rhetorically.
In a minute, my long ti friend sped away into the Eldar Webway.
"Have the ships retreat a thousand kiloters from the expected flare." I commanded her, and returned to follow the scout as his starfighter maneuvered at speed among debris and various lurkers in the crystal like tunnels.
The next part was boring and long, as these Webways went forever, then crisscrossed into fractal patterns. Searching blindly wouldn't work, so I told Minoris to hide and wait for a passing Dark Eldar ship.
That took more hours, but we got lucky. A spiked vessel crossed in front of the starfighter and Minoris began shadowing it from afar.
And then the route beca easy and fast, and in an hour the ship in front erged into a gigantic cave, thousands of kiloters wide, filled with spires and arenas and of course, Dark Eldar vessels, thousands upon thousands.
My Rosette decanted the last awakening rite, and the torpedo vanished from my own cave into theirs, straight above the largest spire I could see with my mind.
And then a screech sound erged, while the Exterminatus started its detonation sequence, in slow motion.
Ti itself twisted and bent, just as the secondary explosion began.
It was fascinating to watch, but I rembered to grab Minoris and yank him beside .
I'm not certain what happened after, because the Pharos shook strongly and I lost consciouness.
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