Chapter 55: Inquisition Fleet: Buhau, My Entire Clan!

"It is now late 740.M41. The timeline matches, and besides, there were Genestealers on that cruiser earlier."

Romulus muttered in contemplation.

Genestealers are classified within the Imperium as xenos capable of polluting human genetics and forcibly assimilating mankind.

The transhumans, however, were well aware that this so-called xenos species was actually a vanguard force sent by a terrifying race from beyond the galaxy.

Once this species locks onto a target galaxy for predation, it systematically severs the connection between that galaxy and the Warp, driving psykers insane. In the Warp, this manifests as a thick, hungry shadow of tangible void.

"Should I call this planet lucky or unlucky?"

Hearing this, Karna set down his fruit platter, raised his chin to glance at the galactic projection, and found no gravity-anomalies in the region.

Yet, he still harbored an ill omen.

Unless something unexpected happened, this war was likely to become exceptionally lively.

"A mix of both, I suppose. At least the probability of this planet falling to Chaos has been drastically reduced."

Gazing at the dense pack of floating ice outside and the wreckage of intra-system fleets gradually emerging on the auspex, Ramses—doing his utmost to protect the psykers within the expedition fleet with an expanded shadow—could not help but sigh.

"A storm is gathering, and the wind sweeps through the tower."

"Once we land on Pield and check for the genestealers, we can basically confirm it."

Through demonic vision, which Ramses playfully dubbed the 'Imperial Horizon', Romulus stared at the numerous warships orbiting near Pield.

"Moreover, landing itself is bound to be a brutal battle."

Right at that moment, the internal comms system of the vessel chimed with a communication request.

It was a transmission from the Inquisition fleet.

This fleet was stationed in the orbit of the sixth planet of the Pield system, a gas giant's moon.

"They are within the firing arc of the Explorator fleet: one battleship, one battlecruiser, three cruisers, and twelve escorts."

Cawl's voice rang through the fleet comms.

"There is a main Word Bearers fleet group on the outer periphery of Pield's primary world."

"Have any traces of the Nemesis Chapter been observed, Archmagos?"

The Deathwatch Chaplain inquired.

"The Nemesis Chapter cruiser *Pride of Terra* has been captured. It remains unconfirmed whether the Inquisition fleet has established ties with the Word Bearers."

The Nemesis, a successor chapter primarily composed of Ultramarines of Terran descent, had been granted a Gloriana-class flagship, the *Claw of Law*, during their founding.

During the Great Crusade, this Gloriana-class vessel was known as the *Ash Chronicles*, serving as the flagship of Word Bearers Primarch Lorgar.

The Nemesis—back when they were still the Destroyer company of the Ultramarines—had spent three grueling months boarding and seizing the ship; otherwise, the Ultramarines would never have been wealthy enough to divide two Gloriana-class vessels.

For the Word Bearers, this was a humiliation without precedent.

"Good grief, how many enemies do we currently have?"

Ramses ticked off a string of names on his fingers, sounding like a chef reciting a menu.

"Tyranids, a traitorous Inquisition, the gaze of multiple Chaos Gods—definitely the Changer of Ways and the Prince of Pleasure—and now the Word Bearers have shown up too."

Noticing the transhumans seemingly cooking up some wild theories in their heads, Aglaia cast an inquiring glance toward Arthur.

Arthur shook his head.

He could freely discuss the secrets of Chaos traitors, but loyalist secrets were off-limits.

"Shall we sink them?"

Archmagos Cawl, who was directing the naval combat, inquired.

Romulus looked at Aglaia, whose curiosity was practically overflowing.

"I request permission to communicate with the fleet."

Aglaia, having just memorized Ramses' poetic verse, raised her hand to signal.

Then she said to Ramses:

"Trouble you, Lord Ramses."

Ramses understood, immediately enveloping the Inquisition's flagship within his shroud of shadows.

"Granted."

Romulus subsequently patched the transmission through.

"I am Inquisitor Aglaia Taranthos."

"Lady Aglaia, the Grand Inquisitor warned you not to enter this sector."

The voice on the other end replied without introducing themselves.

"Indeed. If not for his warning, I would never have known that you had long since sworn fealty to the Archenemy."

Aglaia sneered. "You still have a chance to prove your loyalty, Captain. Right now—go and help the Imperium purge the Word Bearers' fleet."

"Unfounded accusations, Lady Aglaia."

The captain's tone remained flat.

"I require you to serve the Imperium."

The concealed device close to the nerves of her wrist began to vibrate at a specific frequency, and confidence gradually returned to Aglaia's eyes.

As expected of a psychic master capable of safely guiding ancient warriors through the Warp, the psychic conduit opened by Lord Ramses was smoother and more stable than any psyker she had ever encountered.

"We answer only to the commands of the Grand Inquisitor. We were ordered to wait here and sink the Word Bearers when they attempt to withdraw."

Naturally, the battlecruiser's captain left one detail unsaid.

Should the need arise, they would unleash Exterminatus upon Pield.

"You may refuse, but I guarantee that within twenty-four Terran hours, the Officio Assassinorum will ensure thirty-one noble Terran houses, including the Holward family, are thoroughly erased from history, Sir Keibar."

Not good!

Aglaia's cold voice echoed in his mind. The captain—or rather, Sir Keibar—realized he could no longer fool the young Inquisitor.

"Would you like me to recite your names in detail? Witnessed by the Emperor's Angels and the Archmagos."

She had no patience to spar with the captain right now, and thus had to leverage a fraction of her investigative findings.

Since the other party had not yet openly aligned with the Chaos traitors, it meant the old man had not revealed the entirety of his grand design to them.

Or perhaps, no one had ever known his complete plan.

Could it be that even these executors harbored deep doubts regarding the Grand Inquisitor's directives?

Aglaia received the data channeled through the secure line, monitoring the expression on every single face upon the battlecruiser's bridge.

She could exploit this doubt.

Silence fell over the comms channel, followed immediately by the sound of commotion.

"The Grand Inquisitor has betrayed the Imperium. He has broken his sacred oath."

Aglaia pressed the advantage.

"And you shall remain loyal to the Imperium, and obey my command."

After the commotion subsided, Captain Keibar's voice came through, sounding somewhat drained.

"......We will follow your commands, Inquisitor Aglaia."

He neither knew whether the Inquisitor had truly turned traitor nor how Aglaia had discovered their specific identities.

But none of that mattered anymore.

If Aglaia reported their current actions, their noble house would cease to exist on Terra.

On the other side, the Archmagos aborted the transmission of the attack order.

Observing on the auspex as the Inquisition fleet proactively advanced toward Pield's primary world, a trace of gratification crossed Cawl's face, and his computational core whirred at hyper-speed.

Aglaia's efficiency was remarkable; she had resolved their greatest obstacle with just a few words.

This genuinely caught him slightly off guard.

In Cawl's calculations, treating both the Inquisition and the Word Bearers as simultaneous enemies would have led to a protracted stalemate between the two fleets.

Cawl had even worried they might miss the window to investigate Pield after winning the naval engagement, yet Aglaia had brought the Inquisition fleet to heel with merely a few remarks.

"It seems this young lady is not entirely useless."

Cawl nodded in satisfaction. He did not dislike individuals with eccentric temperaments; he despised only those incapable of contributing value to humanity.

At this very moment, the Archmagos finally added Aglaia as an ally worthy of record on his ledger.