"Since the weapon I need is still just a concept, I'd like to have an expert in this field join the development."
"Someone like the Magos Chronos on your ship, Zulin-4."
Nareth spoke directly. In the past, he might have hesitated, considering whether seeking someone else's involvement would displease Perturabo.
But now, they had established a close relationship.
Zulin-4 would also prove himself in the field of time, perhaps even surpassing Perturabo.
In Nareth's memory, the Magos Chronos had discovered an error in one of Perturabo's designs.
Though not a critical error, it could have led to the deaths of many Iron Warriors.
He wanted to avoid any mistakes if possible. He didn't want Shadows of Order to pay for them in blood.
"I'm not sure if such a person exists," Perturabo frowned. "I need time to confirm."
Moments later, a figure fully enveloped in a red robe stood before the two Primarchs.
He raised his hooded head, spreading his metal arms as he bowed.
"Magos Chronos, Zulin-4, pays homage to the Lord of Iron and Lord Nareth."
"You specialize in temporal matters?" Perturabo looked appraisingly at the Magos from his ship.
"Yes, my Lord. I must acknowledge this, as the power of time is understood by only a few in this age."
"I have heard that people of the Dark Age of Technology used temporal weapons. After that, the practice was shunned."
"Regrettably, my field is not understood or respected by my peers now."
After his lament, the Magos Chronos confidently displayed his self-assurance in his domain without hesitation.
"Faced with these most obscure secrets, they lack the insight that I possess. Few can understand time as I do. It is the true engine of the universe."
"Of course, You and Lord Nareth are capable of comprehending any mystery."
Perturabo immediately caught the implication in Zulin-4's pointed words. He said coldly,
"You claim to be dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge, yet you endlessly prattle on about souls. Everything you do is inherently contradictory."
"I don't care how a machine feels today, because everything it tells you is merely your own fantasy."
"The Emperor Himself welcomed us into the Imperium," Zulin-4 argued. "The Omnissiah sanctioned our religion while forbidding all others, because He saw the truth within us."
Perturabo said coldly, "My father is not a messenger for your Machine God, regardless of what you believe, or what He permits you to think."
"His tolerance for your cult is merely expediency. Your faction is powerful and cannot be subdued swiftly. He also craves your industrial output to serve the Crusade."
Perturabo said contemptuously, "I have no interest in any certainty beyond what you derive from the application of fact and reason."
"It pains me deeply that one such as you cannot grasp the true essence of the Omnissiah, for you are far more insightful than any Magos."
Perturabo said sarcastically, "If you want to bring a Primarch into your church, why not try Ferrus, or Vulkan?"
"I imagine they would also ignore your invitation."
Zulin-4 did not answer immediately. The Mechanicum had long been dedicated to spreading the glory of the Omnissiah to the Primarchs.
Nareth, Ferrus Manus, Perturabo, and Vulkan all exhibited extraordinary traits in different aspects.
Among them, Ferrus had already accepted the philosophy of "the flesh is weak" and deeply integrated with them.
Mars had shared its repositories of knowledge with Ferrus, authorizing him access to all sacred STCs.
Explorator fleets operated alongside the Iron Hands, establishing one new Forge World after another. The number of sacred templates they discovered was second only to Nareth, favored by the Omnissiah.
The Magos guiding Ferrus had gained immense prestige and, valued by the Omnissiah, had become Archmagos
Zulin-4 looked at Lord Nareth, who had remained silent. His vox-synthesizer carried an eager tremor.
"Lord Nareth, favored by the Omnissiah, You surely perceive the divine radiance of the Omnissiah."
Listening to their exchange, Nareth pondered how to completely win over Perturabo.
Through his previous efforts, he had already established a close relationship with Perturabo.
He was confident that he was one of Perturabo's two friends.
By helping Perturabo turn his artistic ideal into reality, he would become even closer to him than Magnus was.
But for Nareth, this was not enough.
After all, in a sense, absolute loyalty is the only true loyalty. Less than that is equivalent to disloyalty.
At least, he wouldn't offer Perturabo a potion now.
But making Perturabo, who despised faith, completely loyal to him would be no easy feat.
Examining the dialogue between Perturabo and Zulin-4, Nareth drew a conclusion:
Perturabo's adoptive father, Dammekos, had judged him correctly. He did possess a faith, faith in reason, science, and art.
His faith in reason wasn't due to emotional detachment or cold-heartedness, but a willingness to pursue order at any cost.
Perturabo's fear of things others couldn't see stemmed from a sincere desire to establish order at any cost.
'Faith in reason, science, and art.'
'Pursuit of order.'
A flash of inspiration struck Nareth. A rough outline of a plan began to form.
As he pondered, he keenly heard the unusual emotion in Zulin-4's vox-synthesizer.
He smiled slightly and steered the conversation back to the purpose of the day.
"Magos, let us set aside our differences for now. I require a weapon to counter a potential threat."
"Arsena."
The Arsena immediately responded to Nareth's call.
He connected his data slate to one of the Strategium's cogitators, projecting an image reconstructed from the Primarch's transhuman memory.
"The Hrud. They are found between the ventilation shafts and access ways of starship decks. They thrive in darkness."
"Their skin can release various toxins. They can also generate distortion fields that can confuse an Astartes's vision."
"The most troublesome thing is the entropic field generated within their bodies. It causes the surrounding environment to age, and even an Astartes can rapidly decay."
Perturabo's Trident exchanged glances. If these words came from anyone else, they would dismiss them as nonsense.
But a Primarch's words commanded their attention.
Perturabo's ice-blue eyes deepened. After pondering for over a dozen seconds, he spoke, outlining his idea.
"A stasis device with sufficient power could counteract the entropic field generated by the xenos."
"Correct," Nareth affirmed Perturabo's idea. This was precisely what he wanted: to have Perturabo design a weapon to counter the Hrud ahead of time.
Once he obtained the Slaugth, the only materials missing for the "Mentor of Disorder" potion would be the Enslavers and the Hrud.
When the Rangdan War concluded and his Legion had recuperated, he would launch the Sak'trada Deeps Campaign early.
He needed Perturabo to first create a prototype weapon.
The Forge Lord and others could then make targeted improvements based on battlefield conditions.
He recalled the error Perturabo had made, the one Zulin-4 would correct.
"A bomb format could counter the distortion fields of several Hrud."
"But as the number of Hrud increases, the entropic effect they generate also intensifies dramatically."
"I overlooked that," Perturabo frowned, annoyed at his oversight. He looked at the Magos Chronos.
"So that's why you called for him."
Nareth nodded. "Correct. Only you can complete this device, but you need assistance."
Vulkan's forging skills were unparalleled. Ferrus mastered the most esoteric knowledge.
Perturabo's technical ability was no less than theirs, but he possessed more genius and creativity.
He could always design weapons based on battlefield needs.
"The Magos Chronos will assist you in completing this device."
Zulin-4's metal limbs raised.
He said excitedly, "This is my honor. We may unlock the secrets of temporal-axis weapons, or design a temporal locator, thereby minimizing the time distortion of Warp travel."
"I look forward to receiving the stasis field weapon and the model of your ideal city."
Perturabo thought of his ideal city. His ice-blue eyes gleamed.
"You will see it."
The moment he finished speaking, almost simultaneously, his internal comm beeped, Nareth's communication bead buzzed, and the comms of Arsena and everyone else chimed with alerts.
Perturabo strode to the hololithic tactical table and slammed his hand heavily upon it.
"The xenos have launched a full-scale invasion."
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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