Using the Spire's automatic systems I had hacked into via my Crysis suit, infecting the Spire's closed system, I locked down the various wings and turned off the air pumps so that everyone within the Spire would begin suffocating as the Inquisitor wanted.
"Sir... What are you going to do when you become a Rogue Trader?" Adelieth asked with something in her voice.
But I answered honestly. "I am likely going to be stuck upgrading a ship so that a much smaller crew can run it without literally thousands of slaves and servitors. Then when the ship I pick is upgraded to a satisfactory level... I am going to go do Rouge Trader things."
My forces paused at hearing my answer... With the Custodian actually grumbling and saying flatly. "She means to ask where you will be going, who you will be trading with, and what your goals are in being a Rouge Trader."
I shrugged, and after a moment I answered. "Trading wise... Probably with some Knight House Worlds. I want to trade in men who are simple of heart and aren't tainted from living in a fucking Hive City. Other than that... I do have a goal in mind."
See I was well aware of the dangers and how fucked this galaxy was with Chaos, Orks, and the Tyrranids. So I wanted to be well prepared for all such eventualities.
"I have three major goals anyway in mind... Finding the Primarch Jaghatai Khan in the Webway, more specifically within Commorragh, killing that bitch Erebus, and I want to do some culling of one of the Tyrranid Hive Fleets."
There was a long pause and I could literally feel the Custodian just staring at me before he said calmly. "I see... The rest of the Shield Host will gather when you are ready to depart on your ship then."
And that was it from the Custodian but the Sisters of Battle in Katherine and Abelieth didn't look happy. This only hit me a second later when I realized why they were unhappy.
"Wait... Did your sisters believe that you had the right to leave? No, I am afraid I need you all for the upcoming battles when we will be killing the abomination Erebus." I stated firmly, leaving no room for discussion.
Katherine just chuckled and said with a weak smile. "Despite your holy work, my lord. We are still beholden to Lord Inquisitor Grendel."
To which I calmly stated. "I will outfit him with enough power armor and weapons to make a legion to replace three of your assemblies. You are all sticking with me as the Emperor of Mankind has sent you to do the good work."
And hearing my words Adelieth lightly punched the extended boob plate of her power armor with her speaking loudly. "In service to the Emperor of Mankind!"
The sisters, one and all filled with religious fervor, shouted in turn. "In his name our eternal service!"
And that was it. The Emperor had 'OBVIOUSLY' sent them to assist me in my duties, and hearing how I planned to hunt down xenos, free a Primarch, and slay some chaotic champion of sorts... As they didn't know who Erebus actually was.
They were now on the wavelength that now they were 'my' soldiers of god... Now I just needed to make sure I didn't do any stupid shit and get labeled as Vandire 2.0.
"The rest of the Ogryn's and I are coming too, right?" Barghest asked innocently as she finished helping the Ogryn who got blasted into one of the walls get back on their feet.
I nodded and said with a smile. "Of course. All the enhanced Super Soldiers will be coming with me... If they refuse I imagine the Inquisitor will be encouraged a great deal to have them studied. In great detail..." I spoke loudly at the end.
And with my sensors that were hooked up to the power armor of all the enhanced Guardsmen, I could pick up their heart rate increasing as they realized all too fucking quick that the Magos and members of the Mechanicus would be salivating at the chance of tearing them apart.
Trying to see how great of Skittari they could make, to see if they could become the next Belisarius Cawl of the Adeptus Mechanicus and come up with their own 'Primaris Human' creation like how Belisarius Cawl made Primaris Space Marines.
Soon, the guardsmen would share that reality, being that they needed to come with me lest they become literal toys for the Mechanicus.
"Alright! I am going to begin opening sections of the Spire. Make sure your low-pressure masks are secured as the air will be thin and unable to support breathing!" I ordered as I began leaving with the Custodian, following close behind me.
-
After walking the long ass way through the Spire over literally thousands of bodies of servants, slaves, workers, and guards who suffocated within the Spire, we quickly left with the Custodian taking over the ship to send us back to the Middle Hive.
From the Middle Hive, we went back to the Geothermal Plant without any issue as we radioed in ahead to have a contingent meet us halfway which culled any wandering Poxwalkers.
But as we came into the base, I stiffened as I saw one of Inquisitor Greyndel's retinue standing in his own power armor with a member of the Mechanicus and what looked like a heavily augmented member of the Arbites standing beside him.
"Hello, gentlemen. I assume the Lord Inquisitor has sent you?" I asked formally.
The man who was a member of the inquisitor's retinue nodded and said plainly. "Correct, we were sent with the Warrant of Trade to be bloodline locked onto you. And then to remain here to await the shipment of power armor and the added weapons you promised."
My lips twitched at the realization that they were going to be waiting for literally the moment the weapons and such were done. But I just nodded and approached with the man taking a case from the Mechanicus member whose glowing eyes were laser-locked onto my form.
And I knew the machine fetishist was all but devouring the sight of my Crysis Armor.
"Now all you have to do is dip your thumb into the holy treated wax and the document once signed with the stamp here, and your thumbprint will act as your genetic lock for the Warrant of Trade." The man explained.
I did so with my Crysis suit's nanomachines sliding away from my thumb, making the man tense as I dipped my thumb into the wax to sign the Warrant of Trade.
With the Mechanicus... Thing? I certainly couldn't tell its gender, making rapid clicking noises in binary that I didn't bother setting my suit to collect and translate the data stream.
I signed the Warrant Of Trade, and the member gently put the document back into the armored suitcase before handing it over to me with both hands respectfully, before he said.
"My Lord, my entourage and I will be waiting out of the way of you and your own retinue while you finish your delivery. If it does take more than three days. Might I request that supplies be delivered to me and my ally here? we will obviously need food and water."
I noticed he didn't mention the Mechanicus member... But then again, they literally ate nutrient paste and drank machine oil, so I wasn't worried about them.
So I nodded and said firmly. "Very well, you have guest rights within here. I will feed and clothe you, and host you with my entourag, protecting you three so long as you abide by the laws of hospitality. The delivery, however, will likely take a week at most, though so I ask you to be patient."
More like... I could get all the power armor done in literally a single day if I wanted to.
But I wanted to snag my ship and have my machines running through it, killing the wretches, and xenos within it. And then upgrading the ship in countless fucking ways so I didn't need twenty thousand slaves to keep the ship going.