40 Thousand Reasons

Chapter 86: Scorpion

Almost 3 years have passed since I have arrived here at Forge Angstrom, and only now the Imperium has begun mobilizing to counter-attack the secessionist movement started by the Badab's Tyrant, Master Huron.

A task force of Red Scorpions and Fire Hawks arrives to prosecute justice and retribution on the traitors, only to find them defeated and imprisoned. They don't seem very happy with this, damn bloodthirsty maniacs.

The loot and prizes are all mine, or rather my Rogue Trader's dynasty, my Lamenters', my Blood Angels' and the Forge Angstrom's share for going above and beyond duty in repairing the battle damage.

A single barge is a considerable prize, since even the Blood Angel chapter only has 3 barges, for example. And that's because I saved the Bellus back at Forge Shenlong, or there would only be two.

Add to that a Strike Cruiser still getting repaired and a couple of support ships and their Chapter has increased in strength by over 25 percent.

The Lamenters were already fleet-based, so 3 more Battle Barges plus the Starfort as a fortress monastery, will propel them in the same rankings as the Dark Angels or the Iron Fists. Their luck has took a turn for the better, despite the horrendous casualties they took in conquering these assets.

That Inquisitor dislikes the shift in the power rankings. Of course he does, the scheming bastard.

Not really his mandate though. I do try to divert him onto new avenues of thought, because his disappearance wouldn't solve the problem, just delay it.

"Inquisitor, I am certain the Senatores Imperialis will reach the same conclusion. The Astral Claws will be declared excommunicated. Most likely the Tiger_Claws as well, because there are signs of having been part of this secessionist plot for centuries. Corien_Sumatris had the rank of Captain in the Astral Claws, but he is well known for belonging to the Tiger Claws centuries ago. His body is stored by the Mechanicus in stasis, as are all the dead from their insidious attack on Forge Angstrom."

I say with the confidence of an Astartes Chapter Master.

That includes the Lamenters, but I will gladly pay the gene-tithe with their bodies. I don't plan to use that damaged seed anyway.

I don't look like a Space Marine yet, although I have grown in body size somewhat, and I am wearing Arkio's power armor, painted in the Lamenter's yellow with pauldrons decorated in my House's colors.

I also wear an Iron Halo not the stolen Rosarius, a relic Power Sword named Goldenfang, and a Spectral-pattern Bolter on my shoulder linked to my MIU, plus a couple of digital weapons, all captured from that Captain Sumatris. Of course, I kinda suck at using all these weapons and armor, but at least I look impressive. Even my wolf thinks so.

Canis examines me with doubtful eyes, and sniffs the Inquisitor again. Doesn't smell corrupted, but there are many kinds of reasons he might want to kill me.

"I will decide what to do with the rebel Space Marines! After examining all the evidence." he proclaims in a righteous tone, and slams his warhammer on the metal floor.

Have it your way, tinpot dictator. I have a perfect alibi, and a hero's reputation right now.

"Of course, Inquisitor. Well then, may the Emperor aid you in your duty. My Chapter will depart in a month, once our dead have been released back into our care." I announced in a flat tone and walk away, patting Canis for his loyal service.

"This isn't over, Master Lancefire!" the Jarndyce Frane yells after me, but I pretend not to hear him.

His enspelled Rosette has little effect on me, and his psyker powers have zero or null chances of reaching me. The poor Inquisitor must feel like talking to a blank wall.

The first new Catachan regiment has already arrived and eleven more are due to arrive in two or three weeks.

"I guess we're not shooting this Inquisitor?" Chaplain Delos asks me with faint amusement. And not via implant or mind transmission.

"Woof?" Canis asks in surprise.

I sigh inward and keep walking. Those Red Scorpions have surely heard that. Most likely, it was exactly the point the Chaplain tried to make. Warn them we will not get pressured or bullied, and another Inquisitor might have bit a bullet when he tried.

A few days later, I get invited to chat with the leader of the Red Scorpions a man named Lord High Commander Verant Ortys

He looks at me with wary eyes, and offers me food and drink. At least it's a start.

"Don't worry, Astartes. I don't bite." I mutter in between bites, and offer my Canis some of that exotic meat. There are too many species of edible animals in the galaxy, and 10 times as many plants.

"You are only a neophyte...how come you were elected to lead the Lamenters? You might be under-strength, but even so...there are plenty of experienced Brothers remaining." he wonders in a curious voice.

"Perhaps so, but I am a Blank and thus immune to Chaos. It is the lesson of the Badab's Tyrant. No matter how strong a Chapter is, if the head is infected they all go to hell. The Blood Angels have already created an entire Company made only of Blanks, and they seem immune to that Black Rage curse. Even the Red Thirst seems manageable, more or less." I explain politely and offer my wolf half of the juicy steak.

Canis eats it with disgust, so it's not lethal, only cooked. Well, wolves don't like cooked meat much, no surprise there.

The Red Scorpion tilts his head in deep thought. "Even so, it is not enough to be a Blank. You took on three Astartes Chapters and won, and won so decisively that all the remaining Apothecaries and Sanguinary Priests agreed to your nomination. Proof of command ability, and perhaps hoping to turn their luck around. Is that so?" the man asks in a gentler voice.

"The gene-seed Lamenters have, it has been deliberately damaged, Lord Ortys. Manipulated during the founding. Most likely by Mars, going by the traces I could find in the datasphere. I don't doubt the intention was good, probably to cut away the Blood Angels curse via gene splicing and psychic baffling. Only it didn't last long. All my Battle-Brothers that were involved in the recent boarding actions died due to rage and thirst. Less so for my Blood Angels bodyguards, but they are not Blanks either, only more used to restraining themselves." I explain patiently.

I know all Astartes Chapters keep these things hidden like dark secrets, but I don't really care about hat, do I?

"So what will you do then? Ask for gene-seeds from the Blood Angels? Would they agree to such a thing?" the Red Scorpion wonders in a pity tone.

I nod and pet my wolf. "Yes, I will ask, and they will agree... Blood Angel seed will work great for the new Blank recruits. I know, I have the same gene-seed and I conquered that silly Red Thirst in a few hours. For my other Brothers, plus tech-marines and all the rest, I will need to look elsewhere. Most likely, a Chapter with pure gene-seeds like the Scythes of the Emperor. Or perhaps the Red Scorpions, I hear they have over 90 percent purity." I ask shamelessly, while taking out a dataslate with a list of conquered loot and relics. Including Terminator armor and rare weapons and even tanks or gunships. I did have a whole collection, both inside the tesseract and outside.

Lord Ortys frowned and checked the slate with an angry look. Perhaps nobody else offered him valuable artifacts and vehicles for a few gene-seeds.

"You can spare 10 intact Terminator armors? 10 more turreted Land Raider tanks? 1000 Armed Sentinels with heavy bolters and chainswords, for our serfs...and 50 Predator tanks armed with Volcano Lances? Even Furies and Thunderhawks...You could found a new Chapter with all these!" the veteran Astartes exclaimed in outrage.

"I do have a Chapter, but no Astartes. It will take decades til the Lamenters are back to strength, and you would lose fewer Brothers if they have good equipment. Thus, you could spare a portion of the gene-seed for the Lamenters. You could also use tech-marines as pilots and gunners for all the vehicles, just like I plan to do. Give them a good mind-impulse implant, and they can help support an assault from afar, while protected by vehicle armor." I argued in a logical voice.

Wasn't sure the voice of reason would work, but I could try.

"Fewer losses, huh? That's definitely true. I will need to consult with my Captains and the Apothecaries. We have never given away our gene-seed." he murmured to himself.

Canis nudged me towards the wine bottle, but I resisted. I haven't won yet.

"There might be a Strike Cruiser available as well, once it is repaired. I do have too many of them, and not enough neophytes and aspirants to man them. Surely, a Blank Captain like my daughter Finona will not fall to Chaos, and just like my Sisters of Silence she is portable Gellar field. Also, nulls are great mothers for new Blank recruits." I offered with a thin smile.

Finona would keep making babies of her own, and some of them will be Blanks. It was a honey trap, and the Chapter Master of the Red Scorpions saw it instantly. Some clause for securing her status as a free citizen and not a serf will be needed though.

Lord Ortys gulped his wine cup and rose to his feet. "As it happens, we do have an Inquisitor available, to request a squad of Silent Sisters for our fleet. I will explain this to my Captains...and we will have an answer soon, Lord Lancefire." he offered politely and held out his hand for a handshake.

Now, I could drink a toast for this victory. So I did.

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