40 Thousand Reasons - Chapter 213

As I returned on board the Canticle, the snarky Solitaire was for once bereft of silly jokes.

He just stared at the Eldar goddess with awe and reverence, something he hasn’t shown even in the presence of his patron god, Cegorach.

“Lady Isha…” he murmured in a daze.

“I see you, Mnemorach. Your sacrifice is not forgotten.” the goddess answered in a clear voice, although her attention was focused on the other goddess present on this ship.

Ephrael Stern stared at Isha with a surprised visage, while tendrils of lightning began to swirl around her body.

“Stan down, Stern!” I ordered in a harsh tone, then relocated the Sister of Battle to the side, and right between Albesalom and Vaedrax. Constricted by their Null auras, the oncoming lightning storm was mostly subdued.

With a curious glance towards me, Isha raised an eyebrow. “This woman has amazing potential, for a human. She glows so bright…”

I shrugged and walked onwards towards the medicae ward. “She looks normal to me. As for psyker powers…strength without skill is less than a boon and more of a hindrance. Decent Navigator anyways.” I commented in a careless voice.

Canis took a guarding station at the ward’s door as we entered the first medical room. Here they treated emergencies such as injuries or burns, mostly the result of training accidents or machine malfunctions. Damn things kept happening to the crew, or the troops carried for defense.

The goddess smiled as we walked through, and in our wake injuries healed and limbs grew back as if a miracle was happening. And it possibly was.

A minute later, we arrived at the rejuvenation ward, where Elena Derosa and Elucia Vhane rested in their hospital beds after their latest treatment.

“I understand the problem now. Your barbaric treatments had reached the limits of what can be done to stimulate life via mechanical means.” Isha whispered in knowing voice, while ignoring the outraged Biologis techpriests.

With a simple gesture, the plugs and feeder tubes were lifted away, while a spell flew over the two women and began regenerating both of them back to health, and a certain measure of youth. Not complete, but an indeterminate age about 30 to 40 was much better than before.

A minute later, the rejuvenat specialist Adept, Lady Minst arrived at a run, probably warned by the lack of bio-signals from her Rogue Trader Captain.

“…It’s you! I dreamed of you, held in a cage.” the Adept murmured at the sight of the Eldar goddess.

The goddess nodded in a gentle manner. “We share a purpose, Lady Adept. Healing is your calling, and my divine domain. Should you ask, you can have a place at my side.” she offered out of nowhere.

The Adept hesitated, turning towards Captain Vhane for advice.

“I will not deny you this chance for more knowledge, my friend. Go and learn, and one day you might return to the Elucidian_Starstriders as a fantastic healer. Try to make it back in 500 years though.” the Rogue Trader said in a wise voice, already weaving a new layer of subtle deals to benefit her Dynasty. I could only nod at her Trader skill, deftly turning a momentary disadvantage into long term profit.

As she spoke, Lady Vhane rose from her bed and stretched her body, showing off a great pair of lungs and wide, appetizing hips. Since I was the only able man in the room, I immediately deduced I was the target of this show, so I enjoyed it for a few more moments in grateful appreciation.

Isha snorted at the display, then turned towards me as I stepped beside Elena to check on her. “There is little else for me to do on this ship, Pef Lancefire. I suppose I can visit the other cruiser, as their crew looks to me in awful shape, considering they do not use cyborg servitors like your own ship.”

However, I did not buy a goddess just to treat a pair of aging women. Not that I would refuse their gratitude and hot bodies, but I had a greater purpose, one that I’ve awaited for centuries to achieve. So, I opened my Null Box and retrieved a lock of platinum hair from Justine. “My mother died facing a Daemon Prince. I believe you are able to reconstruct her body.” I demanded while slowly depositing the remains into her hand.

Isha frowned, and poked my cheek, possibly to compare my genes with the sample in her hand. “Your mother was a Blank. This will take some time.” she complained while walking towards a free bed and concentrating on the request.

“You have a whole day, goddess. I have more business with Lord Trazyn.” I explained politely then stepped away on the Tomb World of Solemnace.

Ferrus Manus was still in diplomatic negotiations with the Necron Overlord, only this time a mummified head was involved, and a huge galactic map projected various trajectories and vectors of future invasions, color-coded by race. From black Necron to purple Chaos and green Orks, plus H’rud and T’au and dozens of other species that attempted to invade Imperial space, or would in the future.

The Yyth_Seer was connected to a special Necron neurographic interpreter, that converted the alien prophet’s ramblings into solid projections with immense military value. From the Zeist Sector bordering the T’au to the Stygius_Sector in Segmentum Obscurus, soon to be under attack by Tzeentch’s minions, the entire galaxy was dotted with future wars and clashing arrows of various races and strengths.

“Isn’t this information quite expensive, Lord Trazyn?” I wondered while memorizing the map, for my own profit.

“As long as my Nihilakh Dynasty receives its rightful place in the God Conference, this is a price I am willing to pay. I did my part at Cadia, and killed Khorne for my Dynasty. I also closed the Hadex Anomaly and the Eye of Terror.” the Necron Overlord answered in a boastful voice. Well, he was rather capable, for a sociopathic paranoid robot.

But with all the shameless claims, I noticed Trazyn had actually managed to push his own boss into the boiling pan. Sending his Phaeron, Shemvokh to represent the Necrons at the high table was bold and cunning.

The old Phaeron would find it impossible to refuse the honor, and yet he would have no real power to negotiate, unless he asked Trazyn for help.

“This is about the Pariah_Nexus then. With Shevokh sent away, you will receive this project under your control.” I mused out loud, and noticed the Primarch turn in surprise towards me.

“Quite astute, this observation, Lord Lancefire. But is there a reason you’re disturbing this negotiation?” he asked a bit too forceful.

I smiled pleasantly, then flared my own Null Shield to block off sound and any Warp readings from the dead Primarch.

“I expect there are lots of new technologies awaiting me, Lord Trazyn. I know the T’au keep researching onwards to address their lack of allies in certain fields. And as always, I will need them in STC format.” I proposed with a mental message via the Sounding Board.

The metal boned robot glared at me for a moment, as if trying to read my intentions. Sure, I did expose his power play among his fellow Necrons, but such simple ploys were rather easy to deduce.

Trazyn never liked taking real risks or becoming an obvious player in the galaxy, instead preferring to obfuscate and misdirect, while hiding his real influence and power. A sensible approach, considering how determined the Eldar were to kill him, until now. Even if kidnapping Isha was his own fault.

“You’re lucky the Flayer virus antidote was completed by Isha before you arrived, my strange friend. The Eldar goddess has become a liability now, especially after she failed to revert any Necron, back to our original Necrontyr flesh. I even got a generous offer from Ahriman for her.” Trazyn answered with his own mental sending.

“An antidote is not a vaccine. Clever play, Lord Trazyn.” I commented just as a data-stack filled with advanced technologies appeared in my hand. This was the last paid batch of technology included in the Psi-Titan trade from a century ago. I was a bit delayed collecting my prize, but unlike humanity the T’au kept researching, so a century of extra development was great.

“A Flayer vaccine was not intended nor desired, Lord Lancefire. There would be no reason for those protected to remain loyal. Those infected will have to return every decade for treatment, or become demented beasts again.” Trazyn explained in a proud tone.

It was really clever of him, as millions of Necrons will flock to his banner to escape the C’tan virus, and thus provide him a giant expendable army.

But news of Ahriman were worrying. This guy was beginning to annoy me, especially since he constantly evaded my traps.

Still, I knew where he will be in a decade, as Tzeentch intended to extend his holding in the real, by conquering the Stygius Sector. A decade was a long time to prepare, especially if the latest tech infusion contained anti-warp devices and weapons.

I hoped the T’au didn’t let me down and invented nice stuff. Or I would have to expend more Vortex warheads to convince them of the right path to follow. Eh, I would probably send a few warheads anyway, just to keep them busy.