Bab 133: Chapter 18 Part 6
Chapter 18: Kronus: Aftermath
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Part 6
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Bridge
Dominator Cruiser Gryphon
en route to Kronus
"You've read our reports, Marat. You've seen the combat recordings." Vail was earnest, that much Chandra could give her. Yet, while he did listen to his colleague, the Inquisitor's eyes were focused on the Saint's image. The pure white wings and bright glow certainly fit. It was too bad that he had personally dealt with two Daemons who could pull a convincing charade when bound to Daemonhosts.
"I won't try selling you a pile of grox-shit." Amberley snorted. "What we have here is certainly dangerous. It could very well turn out to be a poisoned pill if it pans out."
Veil muttered a curse and rubbed his forehead at that. His wings twitched in sympathy. The man obviously wasn't accustomed to Vail's antics.
"What makes the Pylons and this alliance so dangerous, are the same things making them valuable." Amberley continued. "You're Malleus, Marat. You know how much of a game-changer they can be."
"The Xeno build ones? Perhaps. Unless we can build them ourselves in enough numbers all I see is a nice piece of gear that can cause no end of trouble with the Mechanicus. Then you had to go full in and get as much alien technology as possible. Were you intentionally trying to get yourselves declared Heretecs on general principle or something? I know Ordo Xenos believes itself special in that regard, however…" Chandra trailed off in frustration.
"While I'm not a Psyker, everyone we have on the surface or in orbit agrees the Emperor Himself intervened here twice. In the span of a week." Vail's usual calm comportment cracked. "Those somewhat coherent, including a few Eldar Veil somehow roped into this insanity, are babbling about the Emperor fighting Nurgle and driving him away."
Marat narrowed his eyes at the Saint at that. All his experience screamed at him that this was a trap, a deception offering the Imperium all kinds of poisoned pills. Yet, the bait was so tempting…
Veil's wings shifted, their feathers ruffling in possible annoyance. He kept his mouth shut.
"Do you care to add something Inquisitor Veil?"
"There is nothing I can say or prove without a Psyker daring look into my head." The glowing man shrugged.
"I wish to hear you justify your actions anyway. You'll have to do it in front of the Sector Conclave sooner or later. Consider this practice." Marat offered bait of his own.
Amberley grimaced, and he nearly smiled. This was going to be good, wasn't it?
"So be it." Veil crossed his hands in front of his chest and his wings shifted forward. The feathers puffed up and glowed a bit brighter. "The Imperium is a pale shadow of what it was during the Great Crusade or even before people let that imbecile Vandire into a position of power. Right here on Kronus, we have the Tau, aliens who just a few thousand years ago played around with stone weapons. Today, they're fielding equipment for their whole military that equals, and often is better than all except the best supplied and equipped Guard Regiments could ever pray to use. In contrast, the Imperium as a whole keeps backsliding technologically. Instead of investing in civilized, even feudal, and feral worlds to bring them to an acceptable level of industry and technology as a matter of course, more often than not we're content to leave such places to merely exist as practically useless balls of rock… The Mechanicus, instead of bringing us to heights of technology unseen since the Dark Age of Technology, bickers, and hoards the best toys, refuses to share its knowledge even between its own Forge Worlds and is in no small part responsible for this despicable state of affairs!"
Well, this rant explained much. First, Veil wasn't an experienced Inquisitor, because otherwise, he wouldn't have shared such sentiments, ever. This was the kind of talk that got you shot. Second, the man was such a Radical, that he made most Radical Inquisitors Marat had ever known appear Puritan in comparison. Because of this, Chandra could see Veil going all in as a matter of course and getting his hands on as much Xeno technology as he could. Now, if the man was more shrewd, and experienced, had the right connections within the Sector leadership, and certain infamous Forge Words, his insane plans might have worked. Might.
Veil obviously didn't have such backing, and that by itself was going to be problematic all things considered.
Amberley knew that as well if her expression was anything to judge by. Marat briefly wondered why she hadn't taken Veil aside and explained some things to him, then shook himself. The timing of the reports and her arrival. There probably wasn't time for that.
Of course, all of this only meant that instead of willful treason and heresy, Marat was merely looking at one done with the best of intentions. That was something that tended to happen quite often, especially out here on the frontier, where certain rules had to be loosened for obvious reasons.
"You've waited long to get this out of your system, haven't you, Inquisitor Veil?" Marat probed gently.
He got back a flat stare and a pair of glowing eyes staring straight into his soul.
"We do indeed have more complications than just the Pylons to consider." Amberley valorously attempted to shift the topic to safer grounds. "The Tau are standing by to their part of the agreement." She grimaced. "Necron Drones and Servo-Skull scouts confirm they pulled from the industrial zones they control without committing any easy to notice sabotage. They also abandoned a significant amount of wargear, primary infantry scale, though a number of their battle suits as well."
"That's bad enough." Marat groaned. He could imagine it – warehouses full of alien weapons and armor, perhaps trapped, perhaps not. It didn't matter. The windfall of alien technology represented a huge problem. Yet, at the same time, the ideas Veil spouted weren't exactly new. It was just that, the people of similar minds knew to be much more careful, and not to ever shoot towards something this big, because they knew the inevitable reprisal that would come as consequence.
However, this was different, wasn't it? If Veil was actually what he appeared, if he truly had the blessing and backing of the Emperor on Holy Terra, it put everything else in perspective? That was a terrifying possibility for many reasons. If Marat let himself be blinded by it, he could easily overlook many dangers. Nevertheless, he couldn't stop asking himself, 'What if it was all true'?
The truth seldom mattered, Marat kicked himself mentally. Veil being right could be worse than the alternative – everyone down there being compromised. Because if he was genuine, if Veil pushed hard for the research, development, and incorporation of alien technology across the Imperium, then Marat was afraid to think about everything that would go wrong. Too many people would see the benefits, while as many if not more, would only see the danger – either in the form of Xeno subversion, or threat to their power base.
The best-case scenario could end up incredibly ugly. Did the Necrons know how much of a poisoned chalice their gifts were? If they did, that would only make them that much more dangerous as well.
"My ships will be in orbit shortly. Get yourselves to the starport and onboard a transport. I'll wait for both of you in Gryphon's hangar to determine your status." Marat finally decided. He wasn't going down there. They would come up to him, and if not, that by itself would be telling.
"I'll make the necessary arrangements." Veil immediately agreed.
Marat nodded and cut off the connection.
"Anastasia, get the hangar bay secured. I want Naval Armsmen covering all exits with heavy weaponry. I'm going to prepare my retinue to deal with a Daemon if Veil is an impostor."
"At once, Inquisitor." His daughter promptly answered all professional as the situation warranted. Good girl. "And if he is the real deal?"
"Then everything gets much more complicated. I might require you to make a fast trip to Stygies VII carrying precious cargo and messages."
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone