Chapter 137: Blackstone, Star Ring, Forge World
This place could be considered the best-lit area on the Star Ring under the Death Guard's control. White light illuminated the space without leaving any shadows.
Hades stood outside the medical chamber, facing Apothecary Leo.
"An estimated 1,377 recruits will successfully join the Death Guard."
Leo pulled up the modification data and reported to Hades.
"Good."
To Hades' surprise, the success rate of the procedures was quite high this time.
Soon, the Death Guard would receive a fresh batch of warriors from Barbarus.
These recruits would undergo training before reinforcing the severely damaged companies in Galaspar.
It was time to prepare the next phase of recruit training.
Leaving the medical chamber, Hades pondered as he accessed the original training programs of the Death Guard—or rather, the Dusk Raiders—to prepare a comprehensive training package for the new soldiers.
However, as he turned a corner in the corridor, a dark mass suddenly rushed toward his face. Even though he didn't immediately sense any hostility, his instincts nearly made him fire an explosive round on the spot—
"Techmarine Hades, greetings."
Completely oblivious to any impropriety, Magos Biologis Druid kept pace with Hades, greeting him in an unhurried manner.
"Hello."
Hades' lips twitched slightly, but he maintained a polite tone.
Though, chances were, these Magos wouldn't care either way.
"The success rate of this batch's modifications has reached an exceptionally favorable number."
A steady, electrical voice resonated.
Under his helmet, Hades glanced at Magos Biologis Druid.
Indeed, this Magos was the one who had provided the organs and gene-seeds for this process.
After the near-raid on the Death Guard's gene-seed vault, Mortarion personally visited this Magos Biologis to express his sincere gratitude.
Of course, the Magos was anything but shy—he seized the opportunity to draw a considerable amount of Mortarion's blood, using it to create a new batch of high-quality gene-seeds.
The thought of Mortarion sitting there silently while the Magos extracted his blood nearly made Hades laugh.
Ahem, back to the point—what did this Magos want with him?
"Indeed, your technology is much appreciated."
"May the Omnissiah continue to shine His glory upon you."
Hades followed up on the Magos's words with a standard prayer, something he had gotten used to when dealing with Tech-Priests.
It also served to wrap up the previous topic, signaling the Magos to state his true intentions.
"Praise the Omnissiah."
Magos Biologis Druid reflexively responded to Hades' prayer.
A brief silence hung between them before the Magos hesitantly spoke,
"Techmarine Hades, I wish to ask—does the Death Guard intend to relocate all the people of Barbarus onto the Star Ring?"
Hades blinked. He remembered Mortarion had already communicated with the Adeptus Mechanicus regarding this matter. Recently, construction on the Star Ring had been progressing at a rapid pace.
"Yes."
Hades confirmed,
"Due to the harsh environment of Barbarus, we plan to relocate most of its population to the Star Ring and establish the Ring-Barbarus orbital city."
"Then… what about Barbarus itself?"
Magos Biologis Druid probed further, his red robe swaying as he walked.
Through their recent analysis, the Adeptus Mechanicus had realized that this Techmarine named Hades held significant influence within the Death Guard.
Generally, Techmarines who have received education on Mars hold a high regard for the Adeptus Mechanicus. That's why, in the eyes of the other Magos, the Biologis was here now.
Hades briefly recalled that most of the Magos stationed on the Barbarus Star Ring—those assigned to modify the planet's environment—had grown increasingly impatient.
And after Hades confirmed that Barbarus' environmental issues were caused by psychic phenomena, the Magos had completely lost patience.
Few members of the Mechanicus delved into the fields of psykers and the Warp. These were areas largely ignored, if not outright unrecognized, by the mainstream of the Cult Mechanicus.
Currently, the Mechanicus' research on psykers was mostly connected to the Emperor's directives.
Under normal circumstances, a Tech-Priest—unless they were particularly unhinged—would avoid such a thankless and problematic field.
Of course, this only made Magos Korklan's uniqueness even more apparent.
Unfortunately…
Hades silently exhaled, refocusing on the present.
He eyed Magos Biologis Druid's recently repaired body.
So, had the Magos sent someone with relatively good ties to the Death Guard to probe for information?
Most likely, the Magos were looking for a way to leave. Barbarus was simply not a suitable environment for their research.
"I appreciate the Adeptus Mechanicus' efforts on Barbarus."
Hades thought for a moment before speaking.
"Magos, you've read my paper on Barbarus' environment."
"It's clear that conventional methods are no longer effective there. However… more radical solutions are unlikely to receive the Primarch's approval."
"Then what is your current approach, Techmarine Hades?"
Magos Biologis Druid spread his two primary limbs, as if to demonstrate sincerity, before asking.
Hades pondered for a moment.
"I still want to attempt replicating the obelisk you saw before."
"Based on the current formulas and data, a Blackstone obelisk matrix should be able to suppress or eliminate the psychic corruption clinging to Barbarus."
"But for now, constructing the Star Ring is the priority. And replicating the Blackstone Obelisk… according to the records left by Magos Korklan, will require a massive amount of Blackstone."
Hades made sure to attribute the design to Korklan—it was better than admitting it came from xenos origins.
"So, the development of Barbarus itself might be delayed. For now, the focus will remain on the Star Ring."
"Of course, if you have any suggestions, feel free to share them. If they seem viable, I will report them to the Primarch."
Before he even finished speaking, Hades was certain he heard the engines within Magos Biologis Druid's body roar to life.
"I do have a few proposals, Techmarine Hades."
"First, with the influx of new inhabitants to the Star Ring, the rapid population growth—I recommend dispersing the settlements to prevent the outbreak of plagues."
This was actually Magos Biologis Druid's personal stance.
During debates about the Star Ring's development, most other Magos had pushed for densely packed cities, as they were more efficient for centralized production.
And if a plague broke out?
It was no issue. The occasional epidemic's impact on productivity was minor compared to the efficiency gains of centralized industry.
However, Magos Biologis Druid did not share that view. As a Magos specializing in analyzing Barbarus' biology, he had keenly observed that the bacteria and viruses here mutated and spread more easily.
Hades frowned.
Lately, he had been focused on the new recruits and the functional planning of the Star Ring, leaving the city construction entirely in the hands of the Adeptus Mechanicus.
But now, it seemed he would have to keep a closer watch on things.
"Alright, thank you for your suggestion."
"I'll discuss this with the Magos in charge of construction shortly."
Fortunately, large-scale construction had not yet begun—only the transportation of materials and planning was underway.
Seeing Hades readily agree to his proposal, Magos Biologis Druid was pleased.
No matter what those other Magos had said, the final authority over the Star Ring's construction still rested with the Legion.
"Now, onto the second point,"
Magos Biologis Druid recalled the elegant words his colleagues had used before pushing him into this conversation.
Barbarus truly had no further value for excavation, and most of the Magos had long wanted to leave. Under normal circumstances, a planet like this would simply have its ecosystem destroyed and reconstructed from scratch.
However, since the Death Guard held this world in such high regard, and the Magos were powerless to change that, they had shifted their approach.
Rather than resist, why not go along with the situation and earn some goodwill?
Perhaps, by currying favor with this seemingly influential Techmarine, they could negotiate for some of the Magos to leave ahead of schedule.
After all, their assignment here had come directly from the Imperium—it wasn't easy to just walk away.
Currently, the Magos stationed in the Barbarus Star Ring were a mix of two groups:
Some were Tech-Priests who had arrived with the Imperium's Great Crusade from Mars.
Others had been directly transferred from nearby Forge Worlds.
Besides Mars, the majority of these Magos hailed from Graia, one of the nearby Forge Worlds.
Unlike the Martian Tech-Priests, the Magos from Graia had little interest in maintaining strong ties with the Imperium's bureaucratic institutions. With their own Forge World so close, they had long been looking for an excuse to return home.
"Techmarine Hades, the Magos deeply regret Barbarus' current state,"
Magos Biologis Druid began slowly, electronic pulses rushing through the cables in his body.
"That's why we are eager to see if there is anything we can do to help."
"As it happens, regarding the Blackstone you require—"
"The Magos' searches have identified a substantial deposit on a mining world under Graia's jurisdiction."
"If the Death Guard has need of it, the Magos from Graia are more than willing to supply your Legion with ample Blackstone resources."
In Adeptus Mechanicus research, Blackstone was classified as a Category-V mineral—essentially useless, except for decoration or as a blunt instrument for smashing things.
If they could exchange a stockpile of worthless rocks for their freedom...
Magos Biologis Druid watched as Hades abruptly halted his steps.
"I am deeply grateful for the Magos' generosity in providing Blackstone."
"As a Techmarine of the Death Guard, I cannot thank you enough."
"How, then, should the Death Guard repay these generous Magos from Graia?"
Hades looked directly at Magos Biologis Druid.
He had a fairly good idea of what the Magos were angling for.
But this also gave Hades an idea of his own.
The Death Guard needed a deep partnership with a Forge World.
They needed an alternative source of armaments—one that wasn't Mars.
Hades stared unblinkingly at Magos Biologis Druid, though the Magos, still focused on his own schemes, failed to notice Hades' train of thought.
"Oh, there's no need for repayment," Magos Biologis Druid replied smoothly. "However, in order to process those minerals, some of the Magos will need to return to Graia to obtain the necessary approvals."
No.
No, they wouldn't.
Magos Biologis Druid knew full well—no authorization was needed to requisition such a useless mineral.
This was nothing more than an excuse to leave.
Still, he did his best to make a friendly expression, extending his most human-like appendage toward Hades.
"That's all there is to it. What do you think?"
Hades smiled and clasped the Magos's offered hand.
Now, he just had to figure out how to establish ties with this Forge World.
A Forge World—securing a partnership with one was no easy task.
These Tech-Priests, who symbolized one of the two heads of the Imperial Aquila, were often more cunning than most of the Imperium's bureaucracies.
But if he could forge an alliance with a Forge World, the Death Guard's future supply of war gear would be assured.
And if fortune favored them, the Death Guard might even gain temporary command over the Forge World's Titan Legion.
Yes—aside from the Warmaster, who held direct command over Titan Legions, all other Titan Legions were officially under the jurisdiction of the Mechanicum's Collegia Titanica.
For the Astartes Legions, Titans were allies, not subordinates. A Legion Primarch could request deployment and assume temporary battlefield command, but that was all.
During the Great Crusade, this wasn't much of a problem. But in the event of a great betrayal, who knew which side these Titan-wielding Tech-Priests would take?
Most Forge Worlds maintained loose ties with Mars, so it was critical to secure one that was aligned with the Death Guard.
Or, at the very least, one that remained loyal to the Legion's cause.
Hades maintained an impassive expression, ensuring his tone conveyed satisfaction.
"Thank you, Magos Biologis Druid. Your proposals are all excellent."
"By the way, regarding that batch of Blackstone from Graia—shall we discuss the details?"
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