章 8: Chapter 8: Bad News, We've Lost Contact with the Imperium
"Why? Do we now have the fourth-tier tax exemption?"
Eden couldn't believe it. Only planets or regimes that had made significant contributions to the Imperium were granted tax exemptions.
Urth was just a low-tier hive world—how could it qualify for a tax exemption?
"By the Emperor's grace, it seems you've truly forgotten a lot," Bayev said, his expression heavy. "This all started five years ago."
He pointed to the evaluation report on the desk. "Five years ago, the Administratum of Holy Terra raised Urth's tax classification..."
As Bayev continued to explain, Eden finally learned what had happened back then.
It was the story of Eden's father, the previous Planetary Governor of Urth.
Urth was a typical mining planet, with a highly developed mining industry.
Under Governor Grant's rule, mineral resources were being extracted in an orderly manner. After paying the Imperial Tithe, there was still a surplus.
Compared to other planetary governors who were extravagant, violent, or incompetent, Grant was at least somewhat benevolent; he cared about his people's lives.
Under his leadership, the planet prospered.
The citizens of Urth didn't have to work themselves to death in the mines, nor did they worry about starvation. Occasionally, they could even enjoy bread mixed with sawdust.
In this harsh universe, that was practically a life of luxury.
This peace lasted until officials from the Administratum of Holy Terra arrived.
They evaluated Urth and determined the planet had more tax potential than previously realized.
They miscalculated Urth's capacity and abruptly raised its tax classification by three levels!
Governor Grant desperately filed appeals, but they vanished into the void without any response.
As the tax deadline loomed, after repeated warnings, Grant had no choice but to order an all-out effort to extract resources.
However, the reckless mining caused massive environmental damage, frequent mining accidents, and the deaths of millions of citizens.
"Wasn't there another way?"
Even though Eden knew the outcome, he couldn't help but ask.
"Are you suggesting rebellion?" Bayev shook his head. "That would be unwise and pointless."
"Rebellion is treason against the Imperium. Urth would become a battleground, and the people would shed their last drop of blood in their homeland."
"No one can defy the Emperor's orders."
"The Imperium has thousands of massive fleets, trillions of soldiers, and the powerful Space Marines. A single fleet or even a small squad of Space Marines could easily destroy Urth."
"Failing to pay the tithe carries grave consequences."
"The tithe is a sign of loyalty to the Emperor, the greatest obligation of every Imperial citizen. It applies to everyone—no one can refuse it."
Bayev sighed. "Your father understood this all too well, but his heart wasn't ruthless enough..."
"As a result, he failed to gather enough resources, and the tithe was delayed."
"Your father begged the Administratum for more time, but those damned officials only cared about taxes. They paid no heed to Urth's suffering!"
"They believed Urth was resisting the tithe and sent in a team from the Adeptus Arbites to investigate."
Eden felt his heart tighten. The involvement of the Arbites meant things had escalated.
"What was the result of the investigation?"
"The Arbites team was attacked by Chaos heretics. The Arbiter himself was lightly injured, but one female investigator was killed—it was an accident..."
Eden sighed. Investigators were attacked the moment they arrived. Who would believe that was an accident?
Bayev seemed to understand Eden's thoughts and continued, "As you suspected, the Arbiter didn't believe it was an accident."
"He was furious and reported the matter to the Inquisition, claiming that Chaos had corrupted Urth and that a full-scale purge was needed!"
What a fool!
The Arbiter must have lost his mind to involve the Inquisition.
The Inquisition, formed during the Horus Heresy, was the most powerful secret agency of the Imperium, tasked with identifying and eliminating all threats to the Imperium and humanity.
The Inquisition had vast authority, with no formal hierarchy or centralized leadership, answering only to the Emperor.
This meant Inquisitors were free to act as they saw fit to safeguard the Imperium's survival.
Unrestrained by oversight, Inquisitors often became fanatical and ruthless, sometimes even turning on their own.
As Eden expected, the Arbiter's luck ran out when he encountered an Inquisitor with a short temper.
The Inquisitor's important ritual had been interrupted, and he came to Urth in a rage.
Upon arrival, his first order of business was to investigate the Arbiter.
When incriminating evidence was found, he executed the Arbiter on the spot for accepting bribes and abusing his power.
Afterward, the Inquisitor conducted an investigation on Urth and found no issues—it truly was just an accident.
Governor Grant thought the matter would end there, but the Inquisitor believed that paying the tithe was a sacred duty and the foundation of the Imperium.
No planet, regardless of the reason, could evade its taxes.
If every planet followed Urth's example, the Imperium's foundation would crumble, risking collapse.
Thus, Urth had to fulfill its obligation, not only paying the overdue taxes but also a hefty fine!
Governor Grant begged the Inquisitor to consider the people of Urth, as they couldn't bear such a heavy burden.
"Life is the Emperor's currency; sacrifice is the foundation of the Imperium!" the nearly fanatical Inquisitor declared.
And so, under the supervision of the Inquisitor, Urth endured a brutal tax collection process. Anyone who resisted was executed.
Billions of people worked day and night; tens of billions died in the mines, and countless others were conscripted into the Astra Militarum to fight on the front lines against xenos.
By the end of the process, Urth had lost half its population, and the planet's surface was ravaged, littered with deadly pollution.
"After such sacrifices, the people of Urth finally gathered the taxes demanded by the Inquisitor."
Bayev's eyes filled with tears as he spoke. "Those taxes were paid with Urth's blood and tears!"
"When the Inquisitor left, Governor Grant begged him to appeal to the Administratum. He explained that Urth couldn't bear such heavy taxes."
"He hoped the Inquisitor would report Urth's true situation to Holy Terra, so they could reassess the tax classification and lower it."
"Did he agree?"
Bayev's eyes turned red as he spoke. "He...he chopped off Governor Grant's head, splattering us all with blood..."
"He declared that Governor Grant was a heretic, claiming he smelled the stench of Chaos!"
"But Governor Grant was so kind—how could he have been a heretic?"
Eden clenched his fists. "What was that Inquisitor's name?"
"It doesn't matter—he's dead."
What?
Eden was stunned.
Inquisitors were powerful enough to battle Chaos, xenos, and any potential threat, even capable of taking on Chaos Daemons. How could one have died so easily?
Bayev answered Eden's unspoken question. "It wasn't us who killed him—it was a Warp storm..."
The Inquisitor's ship had suffered an accident after entering the Warp.
A massive Warp storm tore apart the ship, scattering debris and dismembered bodies, which were ejected from the Warp and landed on Urth.
"Half of the Inquisitor's body was gone, but he was still alive. He ordered us to save him!"
Bayev's voice turned cold. "We could have saved him, but no one moved. We just stood there."
"We watched as he lowered his head, begging us for help. We watched as he slowly despaired and started cursing our heresy..."
"Everyone stood there and watched him struggle on the ground until he died."
Eden sighed deeply and patted Bayev on the shoulder.
"Maybe Old Mike wasn't wrong..." Bayev wiped his tears. "We desecrated the Emperor. We've been forsaken!"
"Why?" Eden asked, confused.
"That mysterious Warp storm destroyed the route, and the planet's only Astropath died. We've been cut off from Holy Terra ever since..."
Astropaths were vital intermediaries for Imperial worlds to communicate with Holy Terra, and normally, Warp storms didn't affect them.
A Warp storm strong enough to kill an Astropath?
Eden jumped up. "Could it be the Great Rift?"
(End of Chapter)
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