Chapter 26: People Should Be Treated Like People
A total of five adamantium combat suits were produced.
Lucan had them all painted black; otherwise, they would have been far too ostentatious.
The golden Aquila symbol was engraved on the chest – this was now a standard step for almost all combat suits after they left the production line.
Lucan kept one set for himself, Verre received one, Damon one, and the remaining two sets were kept in reserve, to be bestowed upon suitable individuals later.
Ceramite combat suits also began production. These first-produced ceramite suits were used to replace the original combat suits of Lucan's Raiders under his command, and the replaced suits were then used to fulfill the Navy's order.
Although the quantity wasn't massive, it was more than enough to equip 10 companies of Raiders.
The manufactured ceramite combat suits were also tested. Compared to Astra Militarum carapace armor, which also incorporated ceramite, these CMC series combat suits were significantly more durable.
As long as the faceplate wasn't directly hit, the sturdiest chest plate section could withstand continuous fire from several lasguns for a short period.
When supported by Medics, they were practically unkillable cockroaches.
If they had possessed such equipment earlier, Lucan even felt that his Raiders alone, without him needing to intervene, could have resolved the Warp-induced riot.
And on the day the Golden Ram's repairs were completed, the warships promised by the Mechanicus were also delivered…
At this moment, Lucan stood on the ship's bridge, looking through the viewport at the two warships docked not far from the Golden Ram.
One, a Sword-class frigate named the Pioneer, seemed fine; the entire vessel looked brand new, clearly having had its components replaced by the Adeptus Mechanicus.
But the other warship made Lucan's eyelid twitch.
"Did these cog-heads send me a pile of scrap iron? Do they dare to cheat me? I just saw its engines cut out twice! It struggled just to dock at the port! Verre! Did you send anyone to inspect the internal condition of this warship?"
On the bridge, Lucan cursed those Tech-Priests with the foulest language he knew from his entire life.
"Captain, I have inspected it. This warship is called the Sword Rain. It engaged a Dark Eldar fleet and was brought here directly after the battle.
The Dark Eldar conducted a boarding action on this warship; the holes on its hull are from that. However, the scene inside… ai… God-Emperor preserve us, I truly hope those crewmen didn't suffer too much before they died. I estimate it will take us a considerable amount of time just to clean the interior of the ship.
The scene inside is too horrific… However, perhaps because those Dark Eldar were focused on torturing those poor soldiers, they didn't manage to destroy the important facilities inside before the Mechanicus support fleet annihilated them. So, although this warship looks terrible, I have already checked it; the overall structure of the ship is intact, and the refits they promised us are all in order.
With your SCVs, it shouldn't take long for it to be spaceworthy again!"
Hearing Verre's words, Lucan also breathed a sigh of relief. At least those Tech-Priests had some conscience left.
And during this period of waiting for the warships to be repaired, Lucan also experienced the difficulties of leadership.
At this moment, Lucan sat at his desk, scratching his head in frustration. Even though Verre had already helped him shoulder some of Athelstan matters, there were still many things that required his personal attention.
However, a succession of good news did much to improve Lucan's mood.
Jae was quick; the Void Consortium's goods had mostly been sold, and this shipment had brought Lucan a handsome profit. The Thrones acquired were more than enough to cover the losses from the original exploration mission.
After all, the Void Consortium's warehouse had been a collection point for many people's goods.
And these goods could also be used to purchase large quantities of living supplies.
Tantos, the King of Footfall, had also found the shipwrights Lucan needed. A full 50,000 people, under Tantos's "persuasion," signed indenture contracts and walked towards an unknown future.
These fifty thousand people would fill the crews of Lucan's three warships. Although it wouldn't bring all three ships to full complement, it would be enough for normal operations. When they returned to the Dynasty's home world, using personnel loyal to the Dynasty would be more reassuring.
Norris followed the crowd, herded by Footfall guards towards the Golden Ram.
Looking at the enormous warship in the distance, Norris felt extremely uneasy. He had never left Footfall since birth. He had seen people taken away like this before, and those people had never returned.
Following the throng, Norris saw the noble Priests and Medicae.
Guards roughly stripped them of all their clothes. Medicae personnel checked them for any diseases they might be carrying, and most importantly, examined their bodies for any signs of mutation.
A sudden gunshot startled Norris. Not far away, a person with minor physical mutations had already been shot dead by a guard.
Watching the body being dragged away, Norris felt numb. In Footfall, death was omnipresent.
Norris saw a Priest standing on a high platform.
The Priest chanted prayers to the God-Emperor, telling all those about to board that the Rogue Trader was a person entrusted with a sacred mission by the God-Emperor; dedicating one's life to him was dedicating one's life to the God-Emperor!
Entering a voidship to complete tasks assigned by the Rogue Trader was a sign of loyalty!
However, listening to these words, Norris's heart remained unmoved; he even felt a little like laughing, but he dared not show even a hint of such emotion.
If discovered, he could well imagine his fate.
He too had once been a loyal believer of the God-Emperor, but the God-Emperor's prayers had brought him no reward. And those nobles who proclaimed themselves to be sheltered by the God-Emperor and entrusted with missions didn't treat their lives as lives at all.
In Footfall, everyone had heard the title of Rogue Trader, but in Norris's mind, they were no different from other nobles.
After completing all the inspections, Norris boarded the transport shuttle that took them to the Golden Ram.
Norris had originally thought that upon entering the warship, he would immediately begin endless toil.
He expected the Rogue Trader's soldiers would beat them mercilessly to establish authority; after all, this was common practice for Footfall guards.
But when Norris saw a soldier on the ship hand him a free day's worth of food and a fuel cell, he was stunned…
And this food wasn't that purely nauseating starch block, but something resembling bread, made from a mixture of flour and starch blocks.
And just as Norris was in a daze, a Medic walked towards him.
A clear female voice came from the combat suit.
"Why do you have so many injuries? Let me help you treat them!"
Under the effect of the nanites, Norris found that his old injuries, accumulated over years, were slowly healing. He felt a lightness he had never experienced before.
"Who… who are you…"
"Me? My name is Connie. I'm a Medic under the Rogue Trader!"
Norris knew Lucan's name; that was the Rogue Trader he was about to serve. Suddenly, Norris felt that perhaps this Rogue Trader was somewhat different.
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"Captain, you shouldn't be so generous to these shipwrights. You'll turn them into nothing but freeloading parasites!"
Verre found Lucan's actions hard to understand.
"I am merely ensuring they have healthy bodies while they work for me. Besides, didn't I already reduce the food rations I originally intended for them, as per your advice?"
"By the God-Emperor! No Rogue Trader would be so extravagant as to want to provide them with flour-based bread for every meal! Starch blocks are enough to keep them alive! Back in Footfall, these people often couldn't even eat their fill!"
But hearing Verre's words, Lucan slammed his hand on the table and stood up.
"Verre! I am the Rogue Trader! I can understand your perspective, but how others do things is their business. On my ship, I call the shots! People… should be treated like people!"
Verre was taken aback by Lucan's roar; he had never seen Lucan like this before.
He also realized his mistake.
"Alright… I overstepped my position. Please forgive my presumption… This is your warship."
(End of Chapter)