40 Thousand Reasons

Chapter 156: Custodian

I had a first project for the Joakero now, using the Condemnor Boltgun from Greyfax with a few other combi-weapons as a model, and a new bionic eye with examples of Mechanicus scanners.

I also wanted hundreds of these bionic eyes but as pict-cameras, to be used for my Lamenters and Silent Sisters helmets and even for the Knights and Titans. So I provided a crate of basic bionic eyes and helmet lenses, and just let the orange primates have fun.

This xeno lab was set up on an asteroid fort, with walls of blackstone and adamantium, although they won't really hold the Jokaero if they wanted to escape. For that you only needed to provide fruits and sweets, and they'll work happily as long as nobody abused them.

"What is that monkey doing?" Ashuria asked outraged, while I observed the holoscreen with a curious eye.

"Drawing eyelashes on the bionic eye." I said with an amused smirk.

"Damn monkeys! Katarinya won't like a painted eye." the Inquisitor muttered and leaned back in my arms, while I massaged her boobs for profit and pleasure.

"For them everything is art, my dear. Things might get smaller and more efficient, but it's a mere side-effect of their purpose, which is to be artwork, not weapons." I explained gently while enjoying her malleable body and floral scent.

Her personal Biologis techpriest was a good perfume maker too, as strange as it may sound. And if my Rogue Trader senses tingled at the opportunity to sell priceless perfume to noble ladies, well...it was true.

There were a billion nobles in the galaxy, and I had an exclusive product for most of them. Trillions of thrones in that market and millions of desperate noble women eager to buy a single drop of exquisite Angel Scent no 5.

"I'll need you to obtain a hundred perfume formulas from your Magos. Something my House can trade with nobles, and gain easy entry...perhaps set up stores on certain Hive Worlds, keep track of cultists and genestealers with hidden auspex sensors..." I proposed as Ashuria began panting harder at my deft massage.

"Yes, whatever! Now make love to me already." she demanded in a needy voice.

It will be my pleasure, sweet lady.

And after I was done with fragrant Ashuria, it was the turn of Lady Dae and her thirty needy princeps friends.

Perhaps next week, bed the new Inquisitor after she recovered from surgery? We shall see.

I quite enjoy this part of my duty, bedding pretty women from all over the galaxy, sometimes making them pretty and young first, if they had valuable experience to bring in exchange.

Just like Silentia Knight, the old Knight pilot I have recovered from Icnarus. Nearly five centuries old, but she now looked about 40 and her scars had vanished, leaving only a small tattoo instead. Rejuvenate treatment, healthy food and body training, plus a sword bout with a couple of Orks, and my new House Knight made a formidable teacher for Knight and Titan pilots alike. Even for the Lamenters and Silent Sisters piloting Leviathan Dreadknights.

I also kept watch for other Freeblade pilots, locating the Obsidian_Knight and his hidden base in the Fringe. Not hidden from the Pharos, even on that remote barren world. The old guy had a small school, with five students being trained to become his heirs. Or perhaps a single one, after a battle royale. He only had the one Knight suit, after all, and a small gun-cutter to transport it. I could take them all, if they swore themselves to my House.

I didn't manage to finish all this, because a new crisis arrived.

The Salamander's homeworld of Nocturne would be attacked soon, and forces would rally in Defense_of_Nocturne.

Time to make myself helpful, once again. I promised myself not to cheat much, so I didn't bring any carriers. Three Battle Barges, three Battle Cruisers and 30 Cruisers, leaving the battleships behind to finish upgrades and defend my lands.

Sweet Ashuria wasn't interested in fighting Chaos marines, preferring to study more xenos and their tech, but Lady Greyfax was, very much.

If Katarinya objected to the new upgrades to her armor and weapons, as well as her body, she didn't say.

But I know she loved the new relic power sword with a Null Wand in the handle.

"I should thank you for this gift, Lord Lancefire. You might be a special type of Astartes, but you try your best even handicapped as you are." the woman said over our meal, and patted her sword.

I blinked in confusion. "Handicapped, my dear?"

"You don't have Astartes organs, so you need to use Mechanicus implants. As for your Blank genes...they are useful, I suppose." the Inquisitor explained in a casual tone.

I smiled genially and extended my hand over to hold her hand. "It is because of my genes that I refused the organs, Lady Katarinya. I have duties both as a Rogue Trader and as a Noble Knight, which means I need to provide heirs and pilots, plus Blank sons for the Lamenter Chapter, and others."

"If you weren't so pretty. I don't trust pretty men." she murmured while squeezing my hand softly.

I sighed and moved her over in my lap, while mentally asking Canis and Rafen to leave the room.

"I wasn't like this, before I got angelic genes. This face, is Sanguinius showing off. Here, how I looked before that." I explained projecting a few pict-screens of my childhood and teenage years, stopping right after Estaban.

"...You had a silly look, especially as a child. So serious." she exclaimed while examining my life story.

"Well...I was raised by a techpriest, father was a Rogue Trader, busy conquering the Lancefire lands from feral humans and Orks. My mother...Justine was a Blank assassin for the Inquisition. She died, while killing Fulgrim on Estaban III. Then I killed Lorgar and began building my own forces, and didn't stop since then. And here I am, rescuing beautiful damsels and liberating the Salamanders." I narrated in a half-melancholic voice.

"Beautiful damsel, huh? I suppose I could give you a chance, Lord Pef. A few years, while I build up new connections in this strange new galaxy." Katarinya whispered and leaned into me.

I kissed her cheek and held her in embrace, giving both of us time to adjust.

"When we have children...I will keep most of them. Pilots and Captains and Space Marines. But you'll have a Blank daughter soon enough, to raise and train. My daughter Janice is on Terra right now, in the Golden Throne room. I'm not sure what title she'll get, but at least an Inquisitor, and a Blank one." I whispered as my hands began fondling her heavy breasts, and she squirmed in delicious embarrassment.

"I never said anything about kids! But really, the Golden Throne?" she asked a bit confused.

I took my left hand away and pointed at the corner, making an Adeptus Custodes appear. A real one too.

"By the Emperor! Is that?" she exclaimed and jumped from my lap.

"Yes, Inquisitor. I was held by the same Necron that captured you. Lord Lancefire managed to liberate me." the Custodes spoke in a cursive High Gothic, like he rarely spoke anything else.

"Your name?" Inquisitor Greyfax demanded sternly.

"I am Custodian Warden Tauramacchis_Ossian. And from now on, I will watch over you Inquisitor Greyfax, as the Emperor commands." the man clad in golden Auramite declared solemnly.

This meant she was important in some way to the Imperium, but I knew that already.

"And when he says watch, he means just looking, not helping at all. It's what they do, these golden Brothers of mine. So don't count on his aid, like all the others who died at his feet." I commented wryly, and sipped more wine.

His eyes glowed golden for a second, as if consulting his boss. Probably so.

"Some aid might be allowed, against demonic forces." the Custodian muttered with a rumbling voice.

I shrugged, as I didn't expect much from the guy anyway. "Join us for a meal, Brother. It's not the usual nutrigruel, but I'm sure you can digest steak and vegetables just fine, maybe even white bread."

Ossian smiled grimly and began wolfing down enough food to feed ten normal citizens.

So I turned towards the amazed Inquisitor, and raised an eyebrow. "You were saying, my dear? Something about the Golden Throne?"

"...Nevermind. I need a drink. In fact, I'll take a bottle." Katarinya grumbled and gulped the wine to wash away her sorrow.

"I'll be in my room, enjoying the company of a Silent Sister." I announced proudly and walked out, patting Canis on his head as he received me at the door curious.

An hour later, a slightly drunk Inquisitor burst into my room and climbed all over me, ignoring the three other women in my bed.

"I would like that Blank daughter now!" she demanded with a stern voice.