40 Thousand Reasons

Chapter 136: Visitors

The first step was constructing a huge asteroid-made defense network around the Pharos, with two gigantic battleship-size defense platforms anchored above the poles. And not Oberon-class battleships, but Glorianna-size.

Then merging together thousands of metallic asteroids for a huge shipyard with a thousand docks, millions of ice and methane comets brought close to provide fuel for my future fleet, depositing a gigatonne of blackstone and most of the Eldar and Ork ships in my inventory next to the future shipyard, and lastly ordering Forge Retribution to send all the Forge ships here, to begin building a new secret fleet.

Made it look like this had been the site of a huge battle. There were three Ork Battleships, and a hundred Ork Kroozers, plus Eldar and Dark Eldar battleships, a couple of Grand Cruisers with Astral Claws markings, but each ship just empty of crew or xenos.

A week later, the first Forge ships arrived, and Lady Velayne stepped away from the Pharos and onto the Lamenter Starfort above Illevar, escorted by Adrielle and Ludvaius, plus their Deathwatch bodyguards.

Lady Ezu stayed beside me, because we wanted a Blank child, and that would take more work. Pleasant work.

It is amazing to see what a Forge World with a million techpriests and 10 million servitors can do, when truly motivated.

A dozen projects began at once, from drilling and installing a Reality Cage inside the burned planet, to examining the Ork and Eldar ships, constructing defenses and shipyards, and converting the Grand Cruisers into new Ark Mechanicus shrines.

Over the next month, more Forge ships arrived from nearby Forge Worlds, detached as permanent Explorer expeditions into the Eastern Fringe, from Antax and Ryza, to Triplex Phall and Metalica, even Konor and Megyre.

The asteroid field became a bee-hive of activity, and the nearest moon was selected as a new Forge World, called Machine Forge after a thousand proposals were discarded due to religious and historical reasons.

This place would be a testbed, with each Forge's techpriests bringing with them a host of different manufacture techniques and secret technologies, in exchange for the access to the caches of STC templates discovered on board the Grand Cruisers, of which the Tau designs were the most valued. The teleport guns of the Orks and the fragments of a real STC constructor were seen as a Holy Grail, while xenoarheologist Magi dismantled a couple of Eldar and Dark Eldar ships to study the alien machines for greater knowledge.

And then I revealed the final piece, a Warlord Titan from the Heresy era, somewhat damaged but with intact crew inside.

The Princep pilot, Dae Vergos stared around and focused on me and my space wolf. "You are Astartes, from the Space Wolves?" the woman asked in a hopeful voice, glad to see someone recognizable.

I smiled kindly and offered her my hand. "Not exactly, dear lady. Things have changed a bit in the past eleven millennia. Let's get you some food."

"Woof!" Canis exclaimed greedily, as food was his main concern on most days. Playing with human-shaped puppies or making his own wolf-shaped puppies came second.

It took a few days to get the woman used to her displaced timeline. In a huge underground cavern dug under Forge Machine, a few Moderatii from the Titan's crew were assisted by techpriests as they went over each system, from the Volcano Cannon to secondary batteries and power systems.

"I suppose I should return to Gantz and serve in the Legio Titanica again..." Lady Dae mused out loud, watching the techpriests cover her Titan, named Pride of Konor, with logic canticles and purity service protocols, involving scented incense and lots of oil.

I sighed inward. "I have a better proposal, Lady Dae. I aim to create a new Titan Legion here, formed from Blank Princeps. Just like the Lamenters and the Blood Angels will become full Blank Chapters in time. You have experienced yourself the horror of fallen crew, turning their Titans against humanity. "

The Princep glanced to my left side, where Inquisitor Ezu was quietly conversing with a group of techpriests called the Crucible Resolviate that she had called here personally.

"And that involves turning me into your concubine?" the woman guessed and grimaced in displeasure. Well, that option was out then.

"Not at all. It would involve marriage and many children. I can only pilot Knights, but I am also a Blank. And there are few people in the galaxy that can offer you a loving family and safety for your children. Well, until fighting starts at least." I proposed in a soft voice and squeezed her hand a little.

"... Let me think about it, Lord Lancefire." the Titan Princep whispered and squeezed my hand a little in response.

Oh well, it wasn't any rush anyway. And if she refused, I had control bracelets anyway. I couldn't take no for an answer.

"In a couple of decades, this Forge World will begin manufacturing new Titans, even better than your relic. I have sent out calls to thirty Forges, and a dozen have already arrived. They will bring a female Princeps each, to serve as the initial force that will defend Forge Machine." I explained in a gentle voice, and left out the unspoken part.

And serve as concubines too, as their Scout Titans were mere tokens of participation. No Fabricator could send a big Emperor or Warlord Titan out in the Fringe, even for all the resources I could provide. But a Scout Titan to form the base of a new Titan Legion...and then being given a Warlord Titan in exchange? That was possible.

Of course, getting my own candidate approved as a Fabricator for the leadership of Forge Machine wouldn't be easy either. And sadly, Felicia was not millennia old and respected by the techpriest community.

I had my eyes on someone else though. A certain Fabricator Locum from Forge Tigrus, who was also a woman.

Given that Cult Mechanicus was a religion, it wouldn't matter how old and experienced she was. Forge Tigrus would never allow her to become the leader.

But with a simple sidestep, the Lady Archmagos would be a Fabricator General here, and bring me the atomantic technology and experts from her old Forge.

It took me a month to romance the veteran Princeps to my side, as we have just consummated our marriage when Adrielle and Lady Hezika arrived, with Decima and Ludvaius on their Black Inquisitor ship.

I left Dae asleep and teleported in front of the new Inquisitor. She was old and scary, but I wasn't afraid.

"Lady Adrielle and Hezika! Well met." I exclaimed in a cheerful voice, then went to kiss my wife and pat Ludvaius on his pauldron.

'Anything to worry?' I asked mentally.

'Nothing you cannot solve, Lord Pef.' the Veteran Blood Angel replied with a confident tone.

"So you are the maverick Rogue Trader! And whatever other ranks you have acquired, including a Space Marine Chapter." Inquisitor Carmillus announced and then examined me with suspicion.

I nodded politely and went to kiss Adrielle, just to make a point. "Welcome back, love."

"Not now...Pef." the woman muttered a bit embarrassed.

"Yes...spreading your seed like oats, are you?" the stern Inquisitor asked in an angry voice.

"Is there a point to your question, esteemed Inquisitor? My Blank children are immune to the Warp, are they not?" I asked with fake naivety.

"I suspect it's more that defense against the Warp in your plans, Lord Lancefire. Your Rogue Trader Dynasty has become too strong. Your alliance with so many Forge Worlds, the Silent Sisters, and even some Inquisitors...they all point to a greater plan." the old woman whispered in a psykery voice, about as strong as Rose had been when we first met. Beta-level psyker probably.

"Careful there, my dear. You might be an Agent of the Throne, but I am actually related to the Emperor, by blood. Via his son, Primarch Sanguinius. My children...they are the Emperor's grandchildren, by blood." I proclaimed in a low voice, using all my focus to remain upright and unbowed.

At need, I could take out my Bone Staff, but I was making a point here.

My argument seemed to have an impact, as the Inquisitor stepped back a little and glanced at Ludvaius then back at me. So she had learned about the Angel, right from an eyewitness.

"There have been other sons who turned against the Emperor. And only recently a pair of the loyal ones returned to help the Imperium...with your help, correct?" Lady Hezika demanded in a sharp tone.

I just shrugged and drew Adrielle into another kiss.

"Accuse Lord Pef again, old witch, and I will crush your bones. Perhaps a demon will crawl out." Ludvaius growled and hefted his Power Maul, making it glow blue with energy.

The Inquisitor's bodyguard drew ranks, hefting weapons and trying to look menacing. So they vanished in my labyrinth for now, before one of them fired by accident.

"Lady Hezika is correct, Ludvaius. Primarch Sanguinius was killed by Horus, was he not?" I said in a peaceful voice, and held my hand towards the stern Inquisitor.

The woman touched me cautiously, almost like expecting to get burned at my touch. "Immune to Warp but not nearly as painful as those Silent Sisters."

"The Primarchs had plenty of Silent Sisters, and did not use them to protect themselves from Chaos. Probably defending the Warpgate under the Imperial Palace. Or they simply considered any defense beneath them. Prideful guys, the Primarchs." I declared in a low tone, placing the Inquisitor's hand on my elbow and having her walk beside me while I explored the Black Ship.

"I feel like I'm the one being examined for corruption..." Lady Hezika Carmillus muttered as we passed interrogation cells, and decks of sealed rooms with purity seals on the doors.

I just hummed inward, while cataloging and inventorying everything on the spaceship. So many exotic weapons, Assassins and xenos held in stasis, a thousand autosvants and astropaths a few decks below...prisoners of a thousand kinds, from Governors to Rogue Traders and Navigators, to simple techacolytes and Imperial Guardsmen.

Did I steal an Exitus Rifle and a hundred rounds for it? I deny any such allegations!