Chapter 168: Is There a Problem With How You Fought This Battle? |
Cold metal walls turned the office space into a sealed cage. Only the faint blue glow of the data-slates illuminated their faces, casting deep shadows from furrowed brows. Aglaia subconsciously gripped the edges of her data-slate, her knuckles turning white from exertion.
In the quiet office, apart from the rustle of paper as the Invincible Iron Guard handed over documents, the only other sound was the popping of bubbles from heated stimulant beverages. Even her own deliberately muffled breathing was clearly audible.
Lord Romulus's current mood...
Was suffocatingly dangerous.
She looked nervously at Romulus. His dangerous gaze was fixed on the roster, carving over the names on the paper like a sharp blade.
Or rather, ever since receiving a series of "good" news, with the exception of Lord Karna, who still had to maintain a sunny public image, and Lord Rameses, who never cared much for mundane mortal affairs...
The other two lords had been in a constant state of high tension.
As a result, when Aglaia had to personally board the Dawnlight to deliver her report because Lord Arthur was busy handling other matters, she was thoroughly frightened by Lord Romulus's current demeanor.
Think about it: what would a high-speed computing device do upon discovering a corrupted code that drastically hindered its operations?
Feeling this immense pressure, Aglaia suddenly felt her own hatred toward those vermin pale in comparison.
"Facing the counterattack led by Farsight and the last combat forces of the Fire Caste, two regiments of the Death Korps of Krieg were annihilated, and four squads of Adeptus Astartes fell in battle. If not for the fleet of the Rogue Trader Alliance discovering a new warp route in time to provide support—"
Romulus carefully scanned the unvarnished combat report from the Officio Assassinorum.
"—the Steel Fury Titan Legion, along with the two hundred million Imperial Guardsmen in their salient, and the five hundred Adeptus Astartes gathered from various Space Marine Chapters, would have all been wiped out."
Furthermore, if the Expeditionary Fleet had not arrived in time to successfully block the retreat route, Farsight, who was bringing up the rear, would have managed to escape with the Fire Caste army.
How could anyone bungle a campaign this badly?
And where was your fleet? What happened to the fifteen battleships?
Romulus shifted his gaze, looking at another document.
Upon entering the sector, the punitive fleet had immediately executed a tactical split, spreading out like hunting hounds to carry out so-called "deterrence operations" against the rebellious sector.
In reality, it was armed coercion aimed at the Sector Governor.
Those massive warships, painted with the insignia of the Inquisition, blockaded the primary trade routes. Their main gun targeting systems swept across the capital cities of various planets as fleet commanders issued ultimatums through encrypted channels, demanding that the planetary governors immediately switch their political allegiances.
Behind these actions, the shadowy manipulation of two Rogue Trader Dynasties could be faintly seen.
Over the nearly thirty years of contact with the T'au Empire, the Sector Governor had liberated a massive number of jobs and elevated the productivity level through commodity trade with the xenos. He converted this surplus into more chartered fleets—vessels not equipped with warp drives—to guarantee the safety of intra-system trade.
As for why he did not import goods from other sectors...
The goods from other sectors simply were not as reliable or fairly priced as those from the T'au Empire.
This move greatly offended the two Rogue Trader Dynasties operating around the sector. Unfortunately for them, trading with xenos was an unspoken secret in the vast majority of sectors. If the matter were truly brought out into the open, the Rogue Traders would absolutely be the ones forced to shut up.
This Sector Governor's approach was decent enough. At the very least, under his governance, the overall productivity level of the entire sector had climbed at a visible rate.
It was a pity he had not anticipated that the T'au Empire would actually be willing to offer even better conditions to human worlds, sparking rebellions on the planets under his command. Before he could react to the uprising, the Rogue Traders who had been eyeing the region for a long time seized the initiative.
Meanwhile, Inquisitor Roster simply wanted to gain more influence in the Ultima Segmentum. Smelling the power vacuum, and seeing the Tyranid wars in the Ultima Segmentum reaching a critical juncture—
He couldn't wait to mobilize the Inquisition's network, brazenly launching this so-called "Punitive War."
And that led to the current disaster.
Over a dozen battleships were busy trying to wipe out the chartered fleets under the Sector Governor's command. The Sector Governor wasn't a pushover either, rallying a group of supporters to mount a fierce resistance.
Roster didn't even have the patience to settle scores later. With a wave of his hand, he ordered mass purges of the locals before continuing the offensive into T'au territory. The human colonies had barely been forced into submission by the fleet's arrival, only to rise up in revolt almost immediately under the heavy-handed purges.
As a result, his forces were cornered at Dal'yth by the ensuing T'au counterattack and were nearly annihilated. The Rogue Traders, who had been busy bombarding the Governor's Palace, had to rush over frantically to save him.
Romulus glanced up again at the invitation letter sitting in the corner of his desk, recalling the smug, complacent tone dripping from the sender's words.
Something about holding a victory meeting on the ruins of Dal'yth in twenty days.
If the Imperium had degenerated to this state, it really needed to reflect on its own systemic flaws.
Human lives should absolutely never be squandered like this.
'I shouldn't be standing here.'
A voice of deep regret echoed in Aglaia's mind. She should have waited outside for the verdict immediately after submitting her report.
"What are your thoughts on the outcome of this battle?"
Romulus spoke, his tone still as gentle and indifferent as ever.
There was no need to lose his temper at unrelated personnel.
It made him even more terrifying.
Aglaia braced herself and replied, "The Council of High Lords will properly deal with the personnel involved, and the Officio Assassinorum will exercise its right to summary execution."
The Imperium could tolerate a high-ranking official being bloodthirsty. It could allow them to be lecherous, inhumane, and put up with countless other flaws.
But it would absolutely never tolerate a high-ranking official's sheer incompetence.
It was a certainty that Inquisitor Roster, along with his mentor, would be purged from the Inquisition's ranks.
"Let us handle it, alright?"
Romulus offered an explanation. Rather than speaking to Aglaia, it was more like he was addressing the people behind her.
"After all, as we campaign on the frontiers in the future, we can't just keep piling extra workload on the High Lords out of thin air every time an incident like this occurs, right?"
Right... right?
This so-called "workload" was tangible, hard political power!
"Right!"
Aglaia nodded almost reflexively, the hair at her temples swaying gently with the motion.
This was simply far too domineering.
Throughout the entire Imperium, only these four lords would dare to act in such a manner.
"Good. I will submit a detailed report regarding the related operations and personnel appointments. The various members of the High Lords should already have the relevant templates, yes?"
Having received the response he wanted, Romulus's words finally carried a genuine tone of inquiry.
Truth be told, he no longer had any faith in the Imperium's wisdom.
"They do."
Aglaia nodded once again. The Callidus Assassin behind her stepped forward and silently placed a thick, gold-trimmed dossier onto the desk.
Excellent—
Romulus's expression relaxed in a rare display of ease. At the very least, he wouldn't have to openly worry about the High Lords.
"Thank you for the trouble."
Romulus lowered his head and waved his hand once more, signaling that they were dismissed.
"I shall take my leave, Lord Romulus."
Aglaia offered the sign of the Aquila and then departed the Supreme Council Chamber.
Her line of sight shifted as she turned around. Below the Supreme Council Chamber lay the Administrative Hall, bustling with large numbers of Adeptus Astartes and mortals handling administrative affairs and making tactical decisions. Beside them were plenty of apprentices, observing and learning.
This scene existed in her vision for only a fleeting moment before vanishing entirely as she completed her turn. Aglaia maintained a steady stride as she walked away.
She passed through two security checkpoints and arrived at a pristine, aesthetically pleasing corridor. She noticed children who had just finished their classes passing by with relaxed smiles.
"Phew..."
Only then did Aglaia finally let out a long sigh of relief.
—
"Template entry complete."
"Entering roster."
"Generating drafts."
"Generation complete."
Standardized dossiers were generated one by one, the stains of saint's blood on them still carrying a faint, metallic scent.
The Invincible Iron Guard quickly began their review.
Having finished this, Romulus checked his timepiece and initiated contact with his companions.
The internal comms connected quickly.
"Arthur,"
he began.
"We have a mission."