Chapter 78: The Inquisition Branch Office
Lucan's psychic senses heard their whispers.
The representatives from the other Rogue Trader Dynasties were saying Lucan had struck it lucky, discovering lost technology.
It's true that peers can't stand to see each other do well.
But at the same time, they were also saying that in the future, they should provoke him less and cultivate good relations. This was precisely the effect Lucan wanted to achieve.
Several hundred thousand soldiers clad in combat suits were no joke.
Once these soldiers landed on any planet, they would be a decisive force.
And the number of soldiers was still expanding.
After a full day of meetings, Lucan returned to his palace, feeling mentally and physically exhausted.
He had never had to deal with so many people in his life. He needed to establish good relations with all of them, yet he couldn't show any weakness in his demeanor.
However, the final results were good. One trade agreement after another was reached through conversation and negotiation.
With the output of his Barracks increased, he had enough combat suits to trade with various factions simultaneously.
The number of combat suits traded with the various factions had now reached 5,000 sets per month. After being distributed among the various powers, this wasn't a large number for each. This was the result of him deliberately controlling the quantity; after all, if he were to go full throttle, the combat suits would become much cheaper.
And Lucan wasn't worried that this market would become saturated. The battle with the Genestealers had taught him that the combat suits were not invincible. They couldn't make soldiers immune to all damage. And in the Koronus Expanse, Chaos incursions were also omnipresent, and xenos raids were even more numerous.
Higher-intensity wars were not uncommon.
The exploration of unknown star sectors was extremely dangerous. Combat suits would be damaged, would be consumed. This was a long-term business, and the wealth earned would be used to improve life on Agathos and to purchase warships.
The Adeptus Mechanicus Explorator Fleet had even attempted to replicate the combat suits, but they found the yield rate was low, and the cost was simply not worth it… In the end, they gave up on mass production.
Besides the trade of conventional supplies and minerals, the trade of population and soldiers also accounted for a large portion.
Several neighboring Rogue Trader Dynasties were very willing to exchange the surplus population on their planets for powerful equipment.
On a hive world, who knew how many people starved to death every day, and the number of births was even more uncountable. Instead of letting them die without making an impact, it was better to let them yield a greater benefit.
And those selected had no idea they had struck it lucky.
And a larger personnel employment agreement was also reached with the Imperial Navy. Even though Lucan was already implementing policies to encourage procreation on Agathos and opening academies for training, it would still take a long time for these people to grow into qualified soldiers.
However, there was one item whose popularity far exceeded Lucan's expectations.
That was the Purity Seals inscribed by Pavian and his group of Tech-Priests. After witnessing the effect of these items, almost every faction had a desire to purchase them.
Especially the representative from the Adeptus Mechanicus Explorator Fleet, who exclaimed, "Omnissiah be praised!" and even frankly stated he wanted to send people to conduct an observation. Of course, this was not without compensation; they offered discounts on the purchase price of minerals and warships.
However, Lucan was more interested in warship construction technology.
Lucan had no intention of forbidding this kind of observation. After all, the working principle of the SCV was not technology; it could only be attributed to theology. Perhaps it could even attract more scientific talent for him!
The more incredible it was, the more it would attract these fanatical scientific madmen.
And this also allowed the "Holy Machine" sect, a branch of faith founded by Pavian not long ago, to spread throughout the Expanse.
And Lucan also reached an agreement with the Departmento Munitorum that no one expected.
Lucan would dispatch a force of 10,000 men to form an army that could be hired and deployed by the Departmento Munitorum. In exchange, the Dynasty would be granted an official Astra Militarum regimental designation and would be provided with various supplies needed for combat.
These soldiers would all be clad in ceramite combat suits and would be rotated from various units within the Dynasty. This army would not participate in internal struggles within the Imperium or the Dynasty but could participate in battles against xenos and Chaos.
Firstly, Lucan wanted to temper his soldiers, accumulate experience, and screen for more elite troops. Secondly, it was also to earn more Psy-crystals, as this resource was obtained by purifying Warp corruption.
Furthermore, this would also indirectly expand the Dynasty's influence in the Expanse.
And the scale of this army would continue to expand in the future. Various types of equipment from StarCraft would also slowly be integrated into this force.
He would have infantry regiments, armored regiments, his own air force, his own fleet, even Titans. It was estimated that when the time came, everyone would be astonished by the wealth of this legion.
The Imperial Departmento Munitorum was very happy to accept. Why not get a powerful force capable of solving problems for free?
Let the other Rogue Traders see what awareness is, what loyalty is.
The noble Rogue Trader Lucan Mongorte was truly worthy of being the God-Emperor's Living Saint!
And not long after Lucan returned to the palace, an uninvited guest came looking for him. And Ian was walking beside that person.
"Isn't this Inquisitor Derek? I was wondering why I didn't see a representative from the Inquisition earlier. I didn't expect the Inquisition to have you, a High Inquisitor, attend."
"Lord Lucan, I didn't expect that in such a short time since we parted at Footfall, you would have already ended your Dynasty's rebellion and even developed to this extent. It seems the Mongorte Dynasty is set to reach unprecedented heights under your leadership. However, I have not come merely to attend the ceremony. I have also brought an appointment from the Inquisition."
Saying this, Derek looked at Ian beside him, though his gaze was not so friendly.
Derek hadn't participated earlier because he had gone to review the meritorious deeds reported by Ian.
Derek knew this Inquisitor, who had worked under him for over a dozen years, very well.
Eliminated a corrupted Rogue Trader Dynasty, and also resolved a Tyranid Genestealer corruption of a planet?
Derek knew Ian himself couldn't possibly have such strength. The only explanation was that Lucan before him had helped him.
But the corpses of Kanto and that "dark grease-monkey" were there, and the skeleton of the Genestealer Patriarch could not be faked. The only thing Derek couldn't figure out was why the Genestealer Patriarch was just a skeleton…
When all the evidence had been checked and found to be in order, Derek had no choice but to accept this fact.
"Lord Lucan, I didn't expect Ian to have become so close to you in such a short time on your ship. Thank you for helping my Inquisitor eradicate these enemies of mankind."
"What do you mean, I helped him? It should be that Inquisitor Ian helped me. Without his help, how could I possibly have seen through the disguises of these xenos and Chaos? The Inquisition wouldn't suppress the merits of someone so loyal to the Imperium, would it?!"
"Hmph, the Inquisition would not do such a thing."
Derek was currently feeling incredibly frustrated. He had clearly intended to plant a spy in the Dynasty, but now it was obvious that Ian had sided with Lucan.
He clearly knew it was Lucan who had gifted this achievement to Ian, but as a High Inquisitor, Derek could do nothing about it.
Mobilizing forces not belonging to the Inquisition to complete missions was a common practice for the Inquisition. He had even asked Bishop Holter here and received the same answer.
Holter even said that Ian had killed a traitor Astartes.
Well now, another achievement to add to the list.
"Ian, congratulations. In the future, you no longer need to serve under me. The Lord Inquisitor has approved your request to establish an Inquisition branch office on Agathos."
Although he didn't understand the Lord Inquisitor's decision, Derek could only choose to accept it.
"Thank you for your guidance, Lord Derek. Without you, I could not have joined the Inquisition! For the God-Emperor, for the Inquisition, I will cooperate well with Lord Lucan to better fulfill my duties."
"Hmph!"
After saying this, Derek did not linger, directly leaving Lucan's palace.
"Ian, congratulations."
"This is all thanks to your help, my Lord."
"However, I hear it was Derek who brought you into the Inquisition?"
"It is true that he brought me into the Inquisition. However, he was also the one who personally sent me onto a Black Ship… I still remember how difficult those days on the Black Ship were. Later, he discovered I could control my psychic powers to some extent and only then selected me and sent me to the psyker academies. In essence, he was just looking for a tool."
"At least now you can control your own destiny, Ian. I can give you some authority to deploy the Raiders. The task of preventing and eradicating corruption on my capital world is now yours!"
Lucan patted Ian's shoulder.
"Rest assured, leave it to me!"
After resolving these matters, Lucan immediately returned to his room to check the System interface.
(End of Chapter)