Chapter 27: Hostile Rogue Trader
Taking a deep breath, Lucan's mood calmed considerably.
Lucan certainly knew what a cesspit this world was; perhaps many actions were born out of necessity or helplessness.
But Lucan still believed he should do what he could.
The food and supplies Lucan distributed were of little consequence to him, but to those crew members, they were precious and rare.
He couldn't control how others behaved, but at the very least, he wanted his own crew to live a little better.
At the very least, he wanted them to think twice about whether it was worth it if they were ever forced to consider turning to Chaos.
After receiving these shipwrights, Lucan again reviewed the intelligence sent by Tantos.
"The Void Consortium bastards really put a bounty on me? If the God-Emperor heard this, He'd probably stand up from the Golden Throne and give them a couple of hefty psychic smacks, wouldn't He?"
Verre's mouth twitched. Over the past few days, he had heard his Captain utter quite a few remarks that could be considered blasphemous. Fortunately, Lucan only spoke like this in front of him; in front of outsiders, he remained a devout believer.
"Captain... I think it's best to say such things less often. What if someone overhears..."
"I know, I know!"
Verre would never reveal these words. He believed in the God-Emperor, but the Dynasty's interests still came first for him. True fanatics of the God-Emperor were far rarer than imagined.
"Those pirates have been pushed to a dead end. Once the matter of the Halo Device came out, the Inquisition and the Imperial Navy mobilized together, striking their strongholds and fleets everywhere. The square in Footfall still has over a hundred charred corpses lying there."
Those pirates who were dragged out and burned at the stake served as the best warning to others. These charred bodies would not be cleared away anytime soon.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, the Inquisition's methods are as cruel as ever."
Lucan continued to look through the intelligence from Tantos. But just when he thought it would all be good news for the day, he saw a piece of bad news.
Verre also saw Lucan's grim face.
He walked to Lucan's side and took the document Lucan was clutching.
"Omiron II has been forcibly occupied?! And this happened over a month ago?"
"Verre, what's the deal with the Suarez Dynasty?"
"The Suarez Dynasty's disputes with our Dynasty are not just a matter of one or two years. Their scale is considerably smaller than our Dynasty's.
They have attacked our merchant ships, and we, in turn, have retaliated by destroying their trading posts. There is a blood feud between us, but this is the first time they have attacked one of our planets. Their Warrant of Trade was merely granted by a Sector Lord; they tarnish the name of Rogue Trader! They are more like a band of privateers!
Their Rogue Trader, Kanto Suarez, is more like a madman. Integrity is worthless in his eyes. There are even rumors that he colludes with xenos and even heretics! The Inquisition investigated him once but found nothing. When Lord Ludwig was alive, he always kept Kanto suppressed, so no major problems occurred.
By the God-Emperor, what gives them the audacity to make a move on our planet!" Verre was even more agitated than Lucan.
"What is it? What could it be? He simply thought that with the Mongorte Dynasty having lost its Rogue Trader, it had become a lamb ripe for slaughter!"
From the original memories of this body, Lucan also knew the extent of the Mongorte family's territory. The Dynasty's capital was in the Agathos system.
There were three planets within the system. The capital itself was also named Agathos and was a massive hive world.
Agalos was an industrial world; an Adeptus Mechanicus contingent cooperating with the Dynasty produced large quantities of industrial goods and armaments for trade and self-armament.
Agalans was a mining world, and most of the minerals it produced were supplied to forge worlds for production.
There were no suitable agri-worlds within the system, and Omiron II was the Mongorte Dynasty's sole agri-world. The Dynasty's transport ships would regularly travel to Omiron II, which supplied the food needed by the Mongorte Dynasty, feeding the billions of people on its three planets. In addition to these planets, they also possessed some resource extraction points scattered across various worlds.
Under normal circumstances, a world like Omiron II would have the Mongorte Dynasty's Planetary Defence Fleet. The fleet lacked large warships but possessed a total of 10 destroyers and frigates for defense. A fleet of this size, even if it couldn't defeat an opponent, would have time to send distress signals to surrounding systems or the capital.
The planet's surface also had a considerable number of Planetary Defence Forces.
However, after losing its Rogue Trader, the Mongorte Dynasty fell into a prolonged period of chaos. Lack of management, coupled with half the fleet being recalled to Agathos to participate in the internal strife, was why the fleet in Omiron II's orbit couldn't hold out until reinforcements arrived.
"Doesn't the Imperium intervene in such invasions?"
"Not really. The Imperium considers these to be mere trade disputes between Rogue Traders."
"Verre, when I return to the capital world, the Dynasty is due for a major shake-up! These vermin are not fit to bear the Dynasty's name!"
"But… the relationships between these major families are very complex. They control various aspects. Won't this have too great an impact?"
"Only by cutting away the necrotic parts can new life be gained! Besides, I believe there are still families loyal to the Dynasty, right? Like your family, for instance?"
Hearing Lucan's words, Verre felt a surge of joy. He himself was already the Purser of the flagship, accompanying the Rogue Trader, but his family was not a major one within the Dynasty.
Verre had no Dynasty blood in him; for an outsider to achieve what he had was already quite difficult. And now, Lucan was giving him, and his family, a chance to rise to a high position. How could he not understand?
"How are the repairs on the Golden Ram coming along?"
"They are almost complete. The capabilities demonstrated by the SCVs you brought are truly breathtaking. Apart from some cosmetic damage to the ship's exterior, it is fully capable of voyage again. The repairs on the Sword Rain will also be resolved soon."
"Have the crew prepare! We will resolve the Omiron issue first, then return to the capital world!"
—
Following Lucan's orders, everyone in Footfall serving the Mongorte Dynasty became busy.
Large quantities of living supplies were transported into the warship's cargo hold. Jae Heydari, having tasted the benefits of cooperating with Lucan, worked even more diligently. Hitching her wagon to a Rogue Trader was much better than struggling alone.
High-ranking advisors on the ship told Lucan that Jae was using his name to expand her own influence. Lucan wasn't concerned about this. He lacked a capable agent in Footfall, and Jae fit the bill perfectly. At least her ability to gather supplies and intelligence made her worth a small investment from Lucan.
As long as Jae didn't engage in heretical activities, Lucan planned to let her be.
Crates of massive macro-cannon shells were also provided by the Adeptus Mechanicus and transported into the warship.
These huge shells would cost a considerable sum to purchase. Under normal circumstances, the Mechanicus wouldn't provide them for free; they charged for every bullet, every gun.
But now, they were providing them to Lucan free of charge.
Lucan was also observing the newly joined shipwrights and naval soldiers.
With improved treatment, the shipwrights maintained their work enthusiasm. Although somewhat apprehensive about the possibility of joining a battle, they were considerably reassured after other survivors spread tales of the Rogue Trader and his soldiers' strength.
The naval soldiers performed much better than the shipwrights. The fact that they were still methodically preparing for battle showed that the Navy hadn't tried to palm him off with rejects.
And the remuneration Lucan offered these soldiers was also considerably higher than their Navy pay.
(End of Chapter)