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Chapter 281: Hive Fleet Tendril
🕑 Added 2025-09-07 11:50:18 +0000 UTCChapter 281: Hive Fleet Tendril
"Pavian, what is the status of the force I had Verre assemble?"
"Lord Verre's report indicates that the assembly is complete," Pavian replied. "He has detached two regiments of Raiders from the Dynasty's order of battle. These two regiments are led by the Dynasty's most loyal officers, and their ranks are filled with our most rigorously educated clone soldiers. Furthermore, in your name, he has hired two companies of Blood Ravens Primaris Astartes from their Chapter Master.
"Chapter Master Gabriel Angelos agreed to our request without hesitation. After all, a fifth of the Astartes in the Blood Ravens Chapter now come from within our Dynasty. The Chapter's numbers have now exceeded the one-thousand-man scale, and you have also provided them with a large amount of gene-seed.
"I believe a force of this strength is sufficient to handle most situations. If needed, Lord Verre can also call upon Lord Kerrigan and Lord Artanis for Zerg and Protoss support."
Lucan nodded upon hearing the report. This elite force was one of the key pillars he would use to stabilize his new currency system. Although the platform itself meant that a buyer would not suffer too great a loss if a seller failed to deliver, a high volume of such incidents would obviously affect the platform's reputation. No one wanted to be constantly engaged in futile transactions. This force was the answer to potential fraudulent trades.
Lucan's punishment for fraud or deception was much more direct. Not only would the offender's Credits be deducted and their platform access be revoked, but with the real-name verification system, if you tried to run a scam, this punishment fleet would depart from the Dynasty and teach you the importance of integrity. A force of this nature was more than enough to serve as a deterrent to most of the platform's users.
The healthy operation of the platform in the Koronus Sector had shown Lucan the importance of promoting it throughout the entire Imperium. He could imagine that if it were truly successful, he could acquire all the resources he needed for his own development without having to resort to wars of plunder or pioneering. For the world of Warhammer, a completely new economic environment would bring great development to many planets, which in itself would strengthen the power of humanity.
Of course, if it were truly promoted throughout the entire Imperium, Lucan could not possibly pocket all the transaction fees himself. He did not have the power to supervise or enforce the rules on that scale. With the Imperium's millions of planets, even if only one percent of them caused trouble, he wouldn't have time for anything else. Promoting it across the Imperium would be impossible without Guilliman's power and political influence.
However, once it was rolled out, even if he had to give the lion's share of the profits to Guilliman, it would still be enough to support his own development. Lucan had never intended to become the master of the Imperium or to take the Emperor's place. He even harbored the thought of returning to his own world.
To do that, he would need a technology from Stellaris: a construct called the Horizon Probe, which could be built in the final stages of the Cosmic Genesis Ascension Path. It could pierce the dimensions of a world and take him to others. What if he could really go back to his own world? Even with his current high status and power, enjoying things he had never dared to dream of, he still wanted to return to his own small home. He preferred to lie in bed and live a comfortable life. And his family was still in his original world.
He disconnected from the network before him.
"Pavian, Cawl, you have done very well. I am very satisfied. You must continue to optimize it."
Afterwards, Pavian led Lucan to the bridge. Although he admired Cawl, some of the Dynasty's secrets were still not convenient for him to know. After confirming that they were surrounded by the Dynasty's inner circle, Pavian spoke to Lucan.
"My Lord, Governor Rebecca says there seem to be some problems with the Dark Eldar. And Lord Cypher, who left Imperial space with the Dynasty's fleet, also says he has something important to tell you."
"Something important? I see," Lucan replied. "It's been a long time since I left Agathos. I need to bring the central server back there anyway. I'll go see Guilliman one more time, and then we'll prepare to return. Go and inform our fleet to get ready for departure."
Lucan took Cawl to find Guilliman. There was no need to stay on Terra any longer. The cold and oppressive environment made Lucan eager to leave. The guards, seeing his arrival, all bowed their heads and did not block his path. Not only was he now a High Lord, but they also knew he was in the same boat as the two Primarchs.
When he arrived at Guilliman's office, the Primarch was still bent over his desk, dealing with administrative matters. Lucan could clearly see a trace of fatigue on his face. He had taken off his Armor of Fate and was sitting at his desk in a simple robe. Seeing Lucan's arrival, he put down his work.
"Lord Lucan, you have come to see me. I assume you bring good news?"
"You've guessed correctly. If you can hold on for a little while longer, you shouldn't have to be so tired."
Cawl then began to explain his results. Hearing his introduction, Guilliman was visibly relieved. If the administrative system was completed, it could free him from the endless paperwork. As the Administratum was gradually stabilized, and with no Great Rift tearing the Imperium apart, a massive number of astropathic messages from all over the galaxy were being sent to Terra, all of them hoping for the Primarch's support.
"Cawl, I will mobilize all the resources you need. Build a similar administrative platform for me as soon as possible. My people and the Administratum will fully cooperate with you. And Lord Lucan, I believe the trading platform you spoke of is feasible. I can also use the power of the Imperium to help you promote it, but my people must also be part of the supervision. And the Imperium must take a 90% share of the profits! You know very well that I need these resources to reform the Imperium and save more of humanity. And most importantly, what about the warp drive technology? A communication system is not enough."
"Ninety percent... you're a greedy one, aren't you?" Lucan countered. "Eighty percent! That's my bottom line! I'm providing the technology as my investment. And this is only because I am now a High Lord making a contribution to the Imperium. Otherwise, I would ask for more! As for the warp drive, it will still take two to three years. These things can't be rushed. Some of your important warships can travel to Agathos. I can perform a small number of retrofits. I don't have enough for myself as it is."
"Two to three years, is it? Alright, I can wait. I will await your good news," Guilliman said. "And as it happens, I have a matter for you as well. Something that, for the time being, only you can accomplish."
"Only I can?"
"The Tyranids have appeared," Guilliman said, his tone grim. "I have received an astropathic message from the Cryptus System. A tendril of the Tyranids is spreading there. It is a tendril of Hive Fleet Leviathan. A number of Imperial fleets have already gathered in the vicinity. There is a natural barrier there, and it is within the Blood Angels' sphere of influence. But I still hope you can provide support. Only your fleet has sufficient mobility. To assemble my crusade fleet, I have redeployed too many of the Ultramarines and other fleets from the nearby sectors. I simply cannot get reinforcements to the Cryptus Sector in time."
"Tyranids? Cryptus..."
Hearing this, Lucan immediately thought of the battle for Baal between the Tyranids and the Blood Angels. That was an immense Hive Fleet... it had even involved two Necron dynasties, and a C'tan shard had been deployed on the battlefield.
Fighting the Tyranids was always a messy business. Lucan couldn't think of any profit to be gained from them, except for their genes.
"Guilliman, the scale of this Hive Fleet will be beyond imagination," Lucan warned. "The fleets there have no chance of stopping it. I can dispatch a force to provide initial support, but you must also begin to gather a larger fleet."
"You know something, don't you?" Guilliman asked. He knew from the Emperor that Lucan had knowledge of many future events.
"I do," Lucan admitted. "And I can confirm that if we do not provide aid, the Cryptus System, along with Baal, will be devoured. Countless people will die in this war. Even if the Blood Angels gather all the strength of their Chapter and their successors, it will be of no use. And if the Tyranids truly devour everything there, they will grow to an absurd scale."
Hearing Lucan's words, Guilliman's brow furrowed.
"I must first return to Agathos," Lucan said. "To fight this Tyranid tendril, I must be fully prepared."
