Chương 30: Rogue Trader

I listened to the reports on the work done by Soldevan's people, and with every second, the relief grew within me. The cult had been found and stopped, and many captives and potential victims had been rescued. The explosives and makeshift weapons were discovered, meaning the potential uprising would be far less bloody. At least, I hope so. Of course, it would be ideal if it didn't happen at all, except...

"Social tension is quite high here, as the situation has been heating up for decades. The locals, born and raised on the station their whole lives, are highly likely to riot soon even without any Black Star. Fortunately, it will be within my power to ask the Black Templars to deal with this problem preemptively. The Astartes can cull the leaders of the resistance and crush it in the crib, so that for the next few decades, the people will be afraid to even think about such a thing.

Although, of course, this will not come without a sufficient price." My face didn't change at all when I heard Soldevan's words. He was suggesting killing absolutely everyone, but I didn't go crazy right away because of it. He is a man of his time, and I am of mine. In the forty-first millennium, everyone has even forgotten the concept of "humanism," because the harsh and grim universe does not forgive weakness. And it's not that people have become meaner or worse; the conditions of life have simply changed.

It's easy for me to say, a person raised in a peaceful time when people can afford such things. But here, when the survival of the entire human race is at stake and the slightest miscalculation will lead to the deaths of billions, a weakness like mercy was unacceptable. Whatever I might feel about it, the bloody approach in these conditions was entirely justified...

"I understand the necessity of such a method; however, I would suggest a different approach that can save far more lives and give us a chance to secure the true loyalty of the people. I sense the approach of the Ghost Star, which means we won't be able to avoid a catastrophe using ordinary methods."

"Therefore, I suggest we put on a little show and prepare the people for what is coming, taking advantage of the opportunity. But for this, I will need your help and influence over the local administration." However, justified does not mean irreplaceable. Soldevan was a smart man, a professional in his field; even with his particular mania regarding the Warp, he was a skilled Inquisitor, judging by the results lying before me.

He had agreed to a total purge because he had no other means or methods of solving the problem. Except I had an idea of how to fix everything without a localized genocide. It was time to take the first serious step toward saving the Imperium. It was time to take the stage...... And although you could find a representative of practically every world in Calixis here, one caste stood out particularly strongly.

The Voidborn were paler and taller than ordinary humans, a result of being born in an environment with low gravity and lacking starlight. Their hair was brittle, and the locals most often went bald by thirty due to a lack of proper nutrition. Sinister, restless, born in the void, they make up a bizarre bouquet of individuals absolutely unsuited for real life outside the steel walls of their home station. Their facial features were elongated, and there was something in their eyes uncharacteristic of a normal human.

They mostly performed the not particularly important roles of servants and cleaners, forming the foundation of society on Pry, although possessing practically no rights. They were not formally slaves, however, the suffocating poverty from which there was no escape, and the ban on any upward movement on the social ladder effectively made the Voidborn just that. Because of this, many of them sought release from their grim reality in alcohol and narcotics, which in the end only made their lives worse.

The most ambitious among them went to work in crime, the only place where they mattered, becoming excellent pirates and smugglers, but this was a way out for only a few. The vast majority were born, lived in poverty, and died in poverty. And so it went, generation after generation. The light in the station's central square was cold and obviously artificial, but at least the lumen globes here worked without fail.

Tens and hundreds of millions of people had walked beneath them for many centuries, and for some of them, these lights were the only source of illumination they had seen in their lives. A group that stood out even against the local backdrop moved at a brisk pace down one of the streets. It consisted of a red-haired young man in a green tunic adorned with a golden aquila and other symbols of the Imperium. A meter-and-a-half-tall figure draped in recognizable crimson robes walked a step behind him.

A grey steel mask completely hid the Tech-Priest's face, and his limbs had been replaced with mechanical analogs. To the man's left walked a tall woman draped in precious dark fabrics. Her face was covered by a veil, revealing only her two bright green eyes. She moved with incredible elegance, and the sound of her footsteps could not be heard. Marcus sighed heavily, trying to suppress his irritation.

Many people believed that the job of a Rogue Trader was one of the few tickets to a free life available in the Imperium. Except they forgot about one minor detail that put an end to all those dreams: resources. Yes, he possessed the ability to travel to another galaxy if he wanted to, but at the same time, Marcus wouldn't even make it halfway before his food and water ran out, leaving only the serfs for fuel.

And the very next standard day, the ship would have a new captain, who would toss the cold body of the former "trade prince" into the depths of space. Therefore, he, a proud explorer of the dark depths of the universe, had to run around like a shot grox to pay off all his debts and avoid being thrown into the nearest black hole for them. All because Marcus knew that was the most merciful thing the bankers of Krin were capable of.

And if he "forgot" about a payment once again, something significantly worse awaited him...

"Sir, judging by your pulse, you are too tense. I advise you to relax and calm down. After all, Sanguinala is coming soon, and you have no festive spirit whatsoever! And that alone is an excellent reason to go rest and spend the holiday here. And not in the damned Warp in the company of various..." Marcus barely fought the urge to facepalm. Originally, Boris was a simple Magos Explorator who had joined him in search of ancient artifacts.

Honestly, Marcus suspected he had joined the servants of the Machine God while drunk, because he had never met such an unprofessional individual among the priests of Mars. Yes, Boris was a superb expert, versed in many sciences and possessing centuries of experience, except far too often he forgot his duties as a master of technology and instead preferred to wag his tongue.

"Here it's called the Feast of Saint Drusus, you idiot. If you need a reason to get drunk like a skargul, you can just say so." The companion behind Marcus didn't even turn her head to express her thoughts to the Tech-Priest. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Her voice was deep and particularly soft, possessing velvety notes. You could listen to it for hours, but the Rogue Trader understood just what a massive mistake that would be.

Marcus shook his head wearily, mentally asking the Emperor what he had done to deserve all this. He continued walking, trying to ignore the Tech-Priest's grumbling, when suddenly his companion stopped. She simply stood in place, staring unblinkingly into the void. The trader immediately tensed up, knowing this didn't bode well.

"Something strange is happening. I cannot understand it. It is as if the Warp itself is boiling, but at the same time... A great darkness is coming." In her mind, one couldn't help but hear fear and confusion, and even a degree of shock.

"Can you speak more clearly?" Boris also stopped, beginning to look around in surprise. His companion held her head for a while longer before suddenly straightening up, staring wide-eyed off to the side. Marcus immediately shifted his gaze there, instantly becoming more serious as he assessed the situation. Boris was the last to understand what was going on, but he expressed it the most colorfully of all.

"Oh fu..."

"I concur, my friend. The Inquisition. And judging by how lively everyone is, this isn't just a simple inspection." Marcus and his company watched as a crowd of tens of thousands of souls gathered around a massive podium in the station's central square. Practically an entire army consisting of guards stood around it, and one could even spot the golden armor of the Arbitrators. That alone was enough to pack their bags and run from the station as quickly as possible, for something serious was clearly brewing.

But there was something else that completely killed any positive mood. Banners bearing a giant black-and-red rosette hung near one of the main temples. Inquisitors liked to operate quietly and carefully, but if they needed to notify the rabble of their presence, they did so on a grand scale. Marcus was a Rogue Trader and possessed a genuine Warrant of Trade, which theoretically meant he shouldn't have any problems with the law.

Furthermore, he didn't have anything illegal on him, and he didn't engage in smuggling even to settle his debts. Except he was still nervous, because if they found out about his companion... minor problems could arise. For although Rogue Traders had the legal right to work alongside xenos, there was still a very strong prejudice against it. Especially when it came to the galaxy-renowned manipulators and telepaths like the Aeldari.

He had met Ala'dais while investigating spatial anomalies in the neighboring Koronus Expanse. To restock their supplies, they had to land on what they thought was an uninhabited world, which quickly presented them with surprises. The very next day, they had to flee from entire hordes of unknown xenos-monsters that chased them like madmen all the way to the ship. Marcus still remembers how beasts of various species simply went insane in an instant and began tearing his people apart with red eyes.

And the only thing that saved them then was the help of an Aeldari who used her sorcery and weapon mastery to destroy the beasts. Of course, he wasn't a fool and immediately considered the sudden bout of aggression in the local fauna to be her fault. A typical attempt to manipulate the mon-keigh, as the long-ears call humans. Except, having spoken with her personally, he rejected that theory.

Ala'dais didn't seem like a manipulator at all, or even someone capable of thinking three steps ahead, because she simply didn't care. She called herself a star wanderer, having left her native Craftworld for the thrill of new sensations and adventures, and Marcus actually believed it. She was a hunter and a warrior to the bone, interested only in potential prey, and nothing else. The Aeldari immediately agreed to an interrogation, honestly recounting the entire story of her exile.

And Marcus particularly appreciated the artifacts with which she chose to buy her life. He was still very young then, and the debts were far too heavy, so he agreed not to kill the hunter, instead even offering her a place in his retinue. And although she clearly didn't expect it, she agreed rather quickly, subsequently pulling them out of the abyss dozens of times. And that is why the Rogue Trader worried that problems might arise.

If people from the Inquisition came to him, they might have very interesting questions. They could blame any problems on the station on the influence of xenos, and then he and the hunter would experience all the delights of Imperial justice together. He cast a worried glance in her direction, while Ala'dais herself clutched her temple, clearly trying to cope with a headache.

"That is not it. I feel something influencing the Sea of Souls. Like a star affecting the gravity in an entire star system, something incredibly powerful even by my standards is present here. But it is hiding far too well for me to determine its location from this far away."

"Look, something is starting." Marcus was forced to distract himself from the conversation, shifting his gaze toward the square. And something much more interesting was already happening there. A young man walked slowly across the platform, dressed in a crystal-clear white robe that contrasted with his rather attractive appearance and long crimson hair. A smile adorned his face, and it was obvious this was no ordinary human.

The Rogue Trader had seen many highborn nobles who ordered all sorts of biological enhancements and genetic purifications, but even they didn't measure up to his level. Marcus couldn't say what exactly it was, but something made the red-haired man stand out against the backdrop of tens of thousands of people. It took a minute for him to reach the center, stepping onto the podium that elevated him ten meters above everyone.

"People of Pry... Hear me." In an instant, the entire square plunged into silence as the powerful voice echoed through the area. It sounded like thunder and passed through any obstacle, capturing the attention of all the people. Everyone within several kilometers immediately startled and raised their heads, turning their attention to the speaker. Marcus felt as if he had been struck by lightning the moment the first words rang out. And the speaker continued to surprise.

Marcus stared wide-eyed as a soft golden light began to envelop the figure. The rays contoured his body, then spread across the entire square. The transformation took only a dozen seconds, but it was striking. Two golden wings appeared behind the man's back, while his eyes began to shine like two stars.

"Listen to me, people of Pry, for I bring tidings of what is to come. A catastrophe hangs over us all, for evil bides its time to strike at humanity." The crowd made not a sound. People stared with unblinking eyes at the Living Saint, who had come with a message from the Emperor Himself. Marcus himself, although not a particularly religious man, spending only one or two days a week in church, was astounded as he watched what was happening.

He had seen many psykers, human or xenos, and knew what they looked and sounded like, so he was quite well-versed in all sorts of miracles. However, nothing he had seen before could compare to... this. He turned his head slightly, deciding to gauge the reactions of his companions. Boris looked interested in what was happening, but he didn't seem to show any particular enthusiasm. But his long-eared companion was tense and frowning deeply for some unknown reason.

Marcus was not an expert in Aeldari facial expressions, but he guessed she wasn't feeling disgust or anger right now. It looked more like bewilderment, or even shock.

"Be prepared, for dark times are coming. However, do not fear, for that is exactly what the enemies of humanity want. They feed on our fear and are merely waiting for the moment to stab us in the back. But we are stronger than that."

"The human spirit is more powerful than any obstacle the universe can present, and nothing is capable of breaking it. We are the loyal servants of the Emperor and the pillar of his Golden Throne. That is exactly why we do not have the option of failing him."

"We need to unite and meet the cursed forces as a single fist. Only then will we be able to stop the bloodshed and save ourselves and what our Master built." The man raised his hands, and an incredibly bright stream of light burst from his figure, beginning to envelop the people in the square. In seconds, it swept across many kilometers, gracing everyone standing there with warmth and even... hope.

The light passed through Marcus as well, making the entire burden he carried on his soul seem to lose its significance. Never before in his life had he felt such lightness. And it was... beautiful.

"So rise up, for it is precisely now that the hour has come to prove your faith. To prove your right to life and the right of all humanity to the galaxy. And to prove that there is nothing in the entire universe that united humanity cannot handle!" The moment he spoke the final words, the crowd supported them with a thunderous roar. The roar of hundreds of thousands of people echoed across the entire station, making even the walls shake. Marcus didn't even notice himself joining in.

People were shouting in support of the saint, and he couldn't just watch them in silence. A few minutes later, the light around him began to fade as he turned and walked back to where he had come from. Except the feeling of lightness he had bestowed was still palpable. And because of that, Marcus didn't even pay attention to the shocked and horrified Aeldari standing next to him. The Feast of Drusus was coming soon, and he just wanted to enjoy the holiday...