Chapter 51: Nimrod’s Demands

Kivior-2 fell silent for several seconds before his electronic synthetic voice resounded.

"This rebellion has been meticulously orchestrated for some time."

As he spoke, he extended a mechanical tendril from his back, inserting it into the interface of a cogitation engine. Above his head, a vidscreen flickered to life.

Rows upon rows of densely packed binary code—the sacred language of technology—flashed across the display, swiftly giving way to a visual feed.

[Kemerovo Hive, Altar Two.]

A grotesque figure clad in a blue robe appeared. The nape of his neck split open, sprouting a vulture-like elongated neck. His sharp beak intermittently pecked at his bald scalp.

Bowing forward, he opened his beak, spewing azure flames that engulfed a dozen servitors in a blazing inferno.

"Altar Two has fallen. The machine-spirits burn in the heretical flames of the apostates."

Nimrod detected a trace of sorrow in the Sage's tone. After a moment's reflection, he realized this emotion was perceived through his "Warp Insight," a subtle attunement to the psychic currents.

Though Kivior-2's form bore scant traces of flesh, his soul endured. His cold logic did not wholly define him; his emotions still rippled into the Sea of Souls.

The Sage's tone shifted, now laden with admiration.

"The hives under your dominion, Lukpo and Tezwok, have proven the most swift and effective in quelling this rebellion. Not only did they suppress the mutant uprisings, but they also slew the heretical cultists."

Unaware of these developments, Nimrod's face broke into a faint smile upon hearing the report.

The vidscreen shifted, displaying Thierry piercing an enemy with a single sword thrust.

[My judgment was sound. The rebellion's leaders are clearly devotees of Tzeentch, blessed by the 'Master of Change.' Yet Howard and Thierry managed to eliminate them.

This thrust reveals Thierry's comprehension of the 'Osberh-Vaya' doctrine has reached a new pinnacle, and he has grasped the true essence of embodying a 'Warrior.'

Their triumphs lend greater weight to my forthcoming words.]

Nimrod spoke with measured resolve. "The rebellion fomented by these heretical cultists has inflicted grievous harm upon Vostonia."

"I can swiftly bring this chaos to an end, but I require the support of the Omnissiah's servants."

Kivior-2's logic engine modules whirred into overdrive, processing the proposal.

[Nimrod's boarding of the xenos warship / secured victory // he purged the xenos from the Cradle of the Sea // his martial prowess rivals divine machinery.]

"I am prepared to offer you full support. The Skitarii legions are yours to command."

"No," Nimrod shook his head. "I require the Skitarii's aid, but far more crucial is the recognition by the Omnissiah's servants of my legitimate rule over Vostonia."

"What?"

Kivior-2's voice betrayed astonishment, his anger flaring brightly in the Sea of Souls.

"Vostonia's order has endured for millennia. The God of All Machines will not permit you to upend it."

"Does the existing order truly harness Vostonia's full potential?"

Nimrod's "Beyonder Eloquence" sparked contemplation among the Sage and his entourage.

"My prior reforms dramatically enhanced the efficiency and output of the Huntsman Dome in a short span. Howard Finde has proven the replicability of this system."

"With me as king, ruling Vostonia, this world shall enter an era of unparalleled prosperity."

He withheld the full scope of his ambitions. His vision for Vostonia extended far beyond mere governance.

Though no census had been conducted, Nimrod estimated Vostonia's population at roughly ten billion.

This was insufficient. A low population was a key factor in Vostonia's classification as an industrial world rather than a hive world.

On Necromunda, the Traziol Hive alone boasted ten billion inhabitants in its upper spires, equivalent to Vostonia's entire populace.

Hives followed a pyramidal structure, with mid-spires, lower spires, and underhives housing even greater numbers.

Necromunda hosted numerous hives like Traziol.

While hive populations in the Sol Sector typically exceeded those elsewhere, Vostonia's ten billion was too meager to serve as the core world of Nimrod's future dominion.

Nimrod intended to enact sweeping reforms, transforming Vostonia into the capital world of a realm brimming with boundless potential.

Rosicky and Wojciech exchanged glances, only now realizing that Nimrod's use of the title "king" in prior agreements had subtly conveyed his vast ambitions.

Their gazes turned to the Sage. Would Kivior-2 acquiesce?

They doubted it.

Kivior-2's rightmost mechanical tendril plugged into the cogitation engine's interface. Leveraging the Omnissiah's servants' supreme authority in Vostonia, he accessed data from the four altars under Nimrod's control, particularly Tezwok's records.

His logic engine modules hummed at peak capacity, conducting predictive calculations.

[Logic validation complete // he possesses the capacity to vastly enhance operational efficiency.]

The Sage's logic engine engaged in game-theoretic analysis. After several dozen seconds, his vox-synth voice resounded once more.

"The Omnissiah has forged pacts with the kings of old. Your proposal is rejected."

Nimrod's eyes glinted with icy resolve. He had sought cooperation with the machine-oil devotees to expedite Vostonia's development, but their adherence to tradition and pacts proved unyielding.

[If they refuse, I must create an undeniable reality, compelling their acceptance.

Should they remain intransigent, I may need to slightly relax the 'Paragon' selection criteria.]

As Nimrod pondered, an urgent alarm blared through the spire, and the altar's lights flared crimson.

Kivior-2 issued a command to a Tech-Priest standing before a massive vidscreen composed of sixty-four segmented displays.

"Trace the alarm signal's origin."

Dozens of seconds later, the Tech-Priest manipulated the screen, revealing a series of images.

Nimrod's gaze swept over them, noting scenes not only from the Mikhailovsk Hive but also from the Sonchisandchiga Hive, home to Altar Nine.

The Tech-Priest, eyes fixed on the display, reported to the Sage.

"Tech-Priest Zelinsky has fallen to heresy. He slew Kivior-25, the Sage administering Altar Nine."

"Piatek Shwiderski has also succumbed to heresy. They have conducted a blasphemous ritual in the Sonchisandchiga Hive."

Nimrod observed one feed showing tens of thousands of hive-dwellers herded by mutants toward a manufactorum.

Another depicted countless beastmen with avian traits emerging.

[Tzaangors!]

Nimrod recognized that some, corrupted by Tzeentch's influence over time, became Tzaangors naturally. Yet most were captives, forcibly transformed to appease the Changer of Ways.

Kivior-2, beholding Piatek Shwiderski's beak and razor-sharp claws, felt revulsion and fury.

"Piatek has forsaken the Omnissiah's faith. He is a blasphemous heretic!"

"Deploy the Skitarii. Summon King Kapustka. This is the God of All Machines' decree. He must slay the heretics."

Nimrod, arms crossed over his heavy halberd, stared at the vidscreen.

King Kapustka swiftly heeded Kivior-2's call, leading his forces to purge the heretics encroaching upon his domain—the Mikhailovsk Hive.

Clad in finely wrought power armor, he aimed his power sword at Piatek.

"Heretic, meet your end!"

"Fool!"

Piatek raised a warped blue shield, parrying the power sword.

Kapustka's gaze met an eye at the shield's crest, and he unleashed a bloodcurdling scream.

Piatek swung his curved blade, severing Kapustka's head.

"Heretic!"

Kivior-2, witnessing the battle-hardened Kapustka fall instantly to the heretic, recalculated the threat posed by Zelinsky, Piatek, and their ilk. Consulting his databanks, he concluded there was but one viable course.