The environment on the bridge was no different from when Calvin left last time, but after the fragile tacit understanding between the three people completely broke down, the atmosphere on the entire bridge returned to the original moment, or worse. After ignoring the figures of the staff who were still busy in the audience, Calvin's attention only stayed on the bright red figure standing in front of the holographic map in a daze.
As Calvin's footsteps approached, Ma Wei, who was immersed in his own data terminal, and Constantine, who had been silently staring at the map for a long time, both turned around and looked at this unique and unique figure who stood out even among the Gray Knights.
The figure came from afar slowly but really quickly.
This is a young and charming soul who has already been recognized by his war group at such a young age.
The title of Arbitrator represents a military rank that cannot be obtained by a newcomer less than a century old in any Astartes Chapter.
What's more, with the Gray Knights' special combat methods, as the commander of the detachment, the position of arbitrator is often the actual person in charge of a region.
The information and power that this kind of authority can access are completely comparable to those of some ordinary company commanders of the Astartes Chapter, and may even be higher under special circumstances.
For such a person to obtain such a position at this age cannot be easily explained by special circumstances.
If you still want to use your own experience to induce and deceive such a person, you will surely suffer painful revenge after the lion cub comes to his senses.
Constantine also thought about continuing to stick to his opinions, but young Calvin clearly knew his own bottom line and was not fettered by false favors.
My intention of using the Gray Knight as a talisman has been discovered, and even if I try to force it further, I am bound to get no good results.
After all, the legs are on someone else's body. Once the so-called routine is seen through, the initiative has been lost.
The priest finally made an expected compromise, and his old voice came out from the hood of his burqa.
"Young arbitrator, as you wish. We are willing to send you and your subordinates to where you want to go first."
After Calvin walked into the bridge, Mawei's tense shoulders, which had been holding his breath waiting for the result, finally relaxed.
He knew that with Constantine's compromise and concession, the relationship between the two parties would no longer be so stiff.
As the core conflict is resolved, the tense atmosphere between the two will eventually ease.
"So what's the reply from the fortune teller and the navigator?"
Inquisitor Ma Wei turned his attention to the figure who had been standing on the edge of the bridge pedestal - the original stationed mechanical priest Deriza on the black ship.
The latter is also a priest from Mars.
It is for this reason that from the moment Father Constantine, who is clearly at the core of the Mechanicum, came on board the ship, he regarded himself as an apprentice and silently retreated to the second line.
This is a very smart choice, at least it will not be affected immediately when the interests of the ship conflict with the Mechanicus.
At this time, the priest who had been silent for a long time walked out from the edge of the dark bridge under Ma Wei's gaze:
"Just now, the reply message from the Demonic Tribunal has been received. The astropath has received the specific coordinates and informed them to the navigator. The diviner's divination shows that there is no abnormality there. The authorization code chief is sending to the arbiter...
”
As he finished speaking, Calvin's communication sounded a prompt.
On the screen of his helmet's eyepiece, a contact code and a confidential authorization code that only he had the authority to interpret were transmitted to his data terminal.
"So what's the next voyage?"
"Send you here first, and then I will go with Father Constantine to the place he planned with the exploration fleet. Do you still have any objections to this?" Ma Wei said.
"Let's do it." Calvin said after the problem was solved.
Just as everyone on the bridge felt a little relaxed about setting the next course, the navigator in front sent a warning message to the bridge:
"The subspace fluctuates abnormally! Multiple jump points are about to appear! The automatic deceleration program is started! The automatic avoidance program is started!"
Dark red lights began to light up across the entire black ship as the alarm sounded. People who had not yet left the previous negotiations looked at what was happening in front of them in astonishment, feeling a little at a loss.
Calvin reacted instantly. The causes and consequences of the entire trip were reviewed at high speed in his brain, and various possibilities for the unexpected situation in front of him were deduced one by one.
At a certain moment, Calvin, who had deduced the worst outcome, suddenly became angry and shouted loudly to Ma Wei, who was still in a dazed state:
"Don't slow down! Don't slow down!"
After seeing the doubtful look in his eyes, Calvin, who knew the situation was critical but had no time to explain, decisively overstepped Mavey's authority and issued instructions directly to the devolved staff:
"Correct the course! But you must not slow down! In addition, notify the weapon array to charge and prepare! The entire ship is ready for first-level combat!"
However, he received a silent gaze in response. Unlike the ships of the Demon Tribunal, the Gray Knights do not have any emergency command authority without specific agreement guarantees.
The speed of the black ship is still declining. The speed of the node, which was already close to the subspace navigation, is falling inexorably.
Father Constantine also reacted at this time. He looked at Ma Wei who was hesitant to speak and said:
"Confirm his order! Otherwise we will die here!"
However, it was too late. In just a few tens of seconds, a gap in the subspace had appeared in the space within 5 astronomical units directly in front of the black ship.
At the same time, behind the black ship, the same subspace breach is being born.
Appearing at the jump point ahead is an Opal Dragon-class forged cruiser painted in Martian red.
The other party locked onto Black Ship as soon as it returned to the real universe. While the weapon array was rapidly charging, a communication request was also sent to Black Ship:
A priest whose face was completely hidden behind the mechanical transformation equipment declared to everyone on the black ship in a cold tone:
"Communication protocol code 9-λ-3971-266z3, our ship is ordered to recover designated materials. Lord of the Forge, level 3 monk Constantine, please bring the designated materials aboard as soon as possible."
"Forged cruiser from Mars? Here?" Calvin raised his eyebrows and looked at Constantine, but surprisingly found that the other party did not have any joy.
The opponent's appearance was obviously not within Constantine's expectation, so this cruiser must not be the reinforcement he was expecting.
And at this critical point in time, if you are not a friend, you will only be an enemy.
What to do? At this moment, Calvin's mind began to work crazily again.
But unfortunately, not all problems can be solved through the ingenuity of one or two people.
For example, when there is an absolute gap in power between the two sides, such as now.
Can't fight, can't run. This is the current situation of Black Ship.
The other party's only concern for maintaining peace now is probably the information that Father Constantine himself knows and the broken stc he carries.
If you don't hand it over, you will be dead. And if Constantine is handed over under the threat of force from the other party, then he will not be surprised what kind of things the other party can do without scruples, such as silence.
Desperation spread in Calvin's heart for a moment, but he did not give up.
"Think again, think again. There must be a way..." He walked anxiously on the bridge.
While everyone on the bridge was struggling with how to deal with the crisis at hand, the subspace reaction behind the black ship also reached its peak, and a new subspace breach was torn apart.
What jumped out at this point was the Revenant Redeemer strike cruiser, which Calvin had not seen for a long time.
Like the foundry cruiser, the Gray Knight strike cruiser that just jumped out also eagerly sent a communication request to the black ship.
After the signal was connected, the face of Silver Blade's company commander Yu Le appeared on the screen.
He greeted the relieved Calvin enthusiastically and told him his purpose:
"With the reminder from the Prophet Brotherhood, the Grand Master knows that you have encountered some minor troubles."
His eyes were gentle but firm as he told Calvin about his mission:
"In the name of the Emperor, our ship is ordered by the Supreme Master of the Order of the Holy Hammer, Walden, to take you home."