Chapter 289: The Inquisitor's Order
After receiving Inquisitor Karras Walker's clear and urgent request, Maine dared not delay. He once again connected to Joric on the distant Forge World of Nexum via the encrypted communication link.
The moment the communication connected, there was an extremely brief silence in the channel, followed by Joric's voice—processed through a synthesizer but still carrying a trace of displeasure at having his work interrupted: "Maine. The mission is not yet over? I hope this communication brings a final report, not another on-site problem requiring my adjudication."
Beneath that steady tone was a demand for extreme efficiency.
Maine immediately realized that requesting instructions multiple times for the same mission within a short period had caused the Magos's dissatisfaction.
He quickly organized his words, reporting the core situation in the most concise manner: "Lord Magos, the target Chaos Sorcerer and the summoned Warp entities have been eliminated.
"Inquisitor Karras Walker witnessed the combat performance of the 'Iron Guard' prototype on-site. He has shown strong interest in the equipment and formally submitted a procurement request.
"He wishes to communicate with you directly to discuss this matter."
The other end of the channel was silent for a moment, with only the faint static of data streams, as if Joric was rapidly retrieving relevant data or conducting logical evaluations.
A few seconds later, his voice rang out again. The displeasure seemed to have dissipated slightly, replaced by a prudent attention: "Put him through."
Maine immediately granted temporary communication privileges to Inquisitor Karras.
"Greetings, Magos Joric." Inquisitor Karras's voice came through the communicator. Although maintaining formulaic respect, the urgency within was not entirely concealed. "I am Inquisitor Karras Walker. It is an honor to establish contact with you under these... special circumstances.
"I must be frank. The power armor system known as the 'Iron Guard,' equipped by your action squad, displayed astonishing efficacy in the battle to purge the heretics just now."
He paused slightly, seemingly organizing his words to ensure they met the proper decorum for communication between the Inquisition and the Mechanicus, while remaining forceful enough: "The firepower and protection it displayed, especially the reaction and close-combat capabilities—approaching that of an Astartes—that the neural link model erupted with at the critical moment, completely changed the tide of battle.
"The Inquisition faces threats across the galaxy year-round and urgently needs such equipment that can significantly enhance the combat power of elite mortal troops.
"I formally submit a procurement intent to you, on behalf of myself and my affiliated Ordo.
"If it can be equipped to my Tempestus Scion squads, it will undoubtedly greatly enhance our efficiency in hunting and purging heretics."
Joric's synthesized voice responded steadily, revealing little emotional fluctuation, but his wording was more direct and pragmatic: "Inquisitor Karras, thank you for your attention to the 'Iron Guard' project.
"Gaining the recognition of the Inquisition is, in itself, an affirmation of the practical value of this technology."
He shifted the topic, entering the realm of technical discussion: "However, I must explicitly point out that the 'Iron Guard' project is currently still in the engineering testing and data collection phase.
"The two units you just saw are the only complete prototypes. Their design is not yet finalized, and some subsystems still require optimization. There is still a distance to go before meeting the Inquisition's requirements for large-scale, standardized deployment.
"At this stage, I cannot promise to provide mass-produced finished products."
This answer did not surprise the Inquisitor; he clearly understood the research and development cycles of cutting-edge equipment. He immediately pressed, "Then, Lord Magos, before the project is finalized, is there a possibility for us to cooperate? The Inquisition is willing to provide necessary assistance in this process."
Joric seemed to have anticipated this question and immediately proposed an alternative: "Cooperation is feasible. I can provide you with a small number of early test models, for example, three to five prototypes, to be handed over to a reliable Tempestus Scion unit designated by you for actual combat testing.
"In exchange, the Inquisition must assist us in collecting complete combat data in diverse actual combat environments, including the machine's performance limits, adaptability under different tactical backgrounds, maintenance requirements, and pilot feedback.
"These data are crucial for the finalization of the 'Iron Guard'."
Inquisitor Karras had almost no hesitation: "Agreed! This plan is completely feasible. Being able to gain priority access to and test such powerful equipment is already a massive advantage for me and my team.
"The data collection work will be conducted strictly according to your requirements. The Inquisition possesses extensive experience in recording and analyzing combat information."
His tone carried obvious satisfaction.
Even if they were only test models, the power the "Iron Guard" proved in actual combat was tangible.
Even with just a few units assigned to the most elite Stormtrooper squads, it would be enough to play a decisive role in executing high-risk missions, reducing casualties, and increasing the mission success rate.
This was extremely attractive to an Inquisitor fighting on the cruel front lines.
Then, the Inquisitor turned the topic to the detail he was most concerned about, his tone carrying undisguised curiosity and inquiry: "Lord Magos, there is one more key question.
"That neural link model of the 'Iron Guard,' in the final moments of the battle, displayed inconceivable instantaneous acceleration and precise killing capabilities. Its swift and smooth movements even surpassed most Cybernetica Automata.
"I would like to understand, how can an ordinary mortal pilot truly control this... performance that exceeds limits?
"Can all pilots of the neural link model achieve a similar level?"
Joric's response was clear and direct, revealing the key: "The astonishing performance you mentioned is the result of multiple overlapping factors. The inherent performance of the 'Iron Guard' prototype is the objective foundation.
"The pilot possessing excellent combat aptitude, neural reflex speed, and the psychological quality to remain calm under extreme pressure is the subjective condition.
"But the most critical factor is that a specially customized 'Sandevistan' neural acceleration cybernetic is implanted in her body."
He further explained, his tone as if stating a technical parameter: "This cybernetic can vastly increase the transmission speed of the user's neural signals for a short period. In their subjective perception, the flow of time in the outside world will slow down significantly; the theoretical deceleration rate can exceed seventy percent.
"When she synchronizes with the 'Iron Guard' system through the deep neural link, this acceleration effect can be partially mapped to the machine's reaction core, thereby achieving the beyond-conventional dynamic performance you witnessed."
The Inquisitor listened intently. He was not completely unfamiliar with concepts like "Sandevistan" and "neural acceleration." The Inquisition's archives contained records of various technologies for enhancing human capabilities, including some taboo fields.
What Joric described was simply a cybernetic modification technology he had not heard of before.
(End of Chapter)