Chapter 1 The Beginning of the Legion, Objects from Calixis
In Imperial Calendar 39, in the Hazy Star Territory, the famous industrial world of the Empire, the star port of Sepula Mendi is still prosperous.
Rows of spaceships flow continuously on the waterway, and merchants and pirate captains are active in every street and market in the small urban area of Starport.
The vigorous business atmosphere and the huge torrent of materials are like the blood of the giant empire. Even the threat of the Eye of Terror cannot stop their vitality.
The rulers of the empire are happy to see this happen, even if this steel city-state fixed in the orbit of a huge planet was originally built to serve the imperial soldiers in the direction of the Eye of Terror;
But as a gathering place for human populations in the endless starry sky, it cannot refuse the materials and desires brought by these people.
"Quiet! Keep order!"
The Syndicate raised his head covertly from the crowd, and then lowered his head again before the military police from the Ministry of Justice and the mechanical hound at his feet noticed him, and he tightened the collar of the black coat he was wearing.
Under the lead-gray light of the artificial atmospheric dome, the chemical fiber clothes on his body were inconspicuous. After passing through the customs and wandering among the crowd for several hundred meters, he turned around and disappeared behind an inconspicuous secret door.
"Secret Order."
Syndicate, who was still squinting his eyes to adapt to the light in the dark, stiffened slightly;
What touched his ear at the same time as these words was the cold muzzle of a pump-action shotgun.
·The Jacob V type, it is said that the prototype came from the personal needs of a certain Anglican priest in the Storm Star Territory. It is famous for its durable leather and multi-purpose warhead brought by the fine gold-plated rifling in the barrel.
For centuries, this type of firearm was only used in a small area near the Storm Star Territory.
It wasn't until a certain Imperial political commissar brought it from the Storm Sector to Terra during a mission that this firearm became popular among the lower-level armies of the Empire.
As the Imperials fell in love with this simple and practical firearm, its various modifications and variations began to appear in various melee units.
Hundreds of years have passed, and the first five earliest models are no longer in service with front-line troops, and instead appear in rogue traders and the black market.
Today it may not be powerful enough nor is it the most modern, but no matter how low the manufacturing cost is, it gives it extremely strong vitality.
In addition to being installed by the madmen serving in Catachan, this gun is also the favorite of the hive guys.
"The Glory of the Titans."
Pulling himself away from the memory of the battle in Cadian, the Syndicate kept his body still and said those two words in the calmest tone.
After the muzzle of the gun behind him was removed, he slowly turned around and looked at the gunman.
Under the greasy black hair, there is a big face full of flesh, with only one eye left, and the rest is occupied by seemingly simple and low-level modification equipment;
In the past, his rickety body stood upright in the darkness, and the prosthetic leg on his right leg that was originally limping seemed to be functioning normally.
"Old Dong...why is it you?"
The Syndicate has traveled to and from this star port countless times in its past missions.
But he really didn't expect that the bar prepared for low-level sailors in this star port would actually be the eyes of the Inquisition.
"Accident? That only proves your dereliction of duty. I know the word you were about to spit out first five seconds ago, and I will tell you next time."
Old Bell, the owner and chief bartender of the Sailor's Bar, took a hard puff of the low-quality tobacco in his mouth. The sour and smelly smoke he exhaled was as annoying as the yellow teeth in his mouth.
The smile that used to be a no-nonsense businessman in the bar has completely disappeared. What replaced it on the old man's face is the bone-chilling coldness that the Syndicate often sees in its mentors and is exclusive to high-level inquisitors.
But this still greatly exceeds the cognitive limit of this new judge.
My previous relationship with this old man was really too familiar.
If it weren't for the pendant with a skull and Roman numerals embedded on his chest, it would have been difficult for the Syndicate to connect the sloppy old man in front of them with the agents of the Inquisition.
Memories from his mind
Passing by, the changes in the senior management of the Tribunal in the past few years are revealed here one by one.
The "Supreme Master" in charge of the Calixis Sector mysteriously disappeared on the way to Terra a few years ago. The "Grand Master Council" was leaderless until the new Grand Inquisitor was airborne and took office.
In the Tribunal within the sector, the seven most secret secret halls belonging to the Holy Hammer Order were systematically purged one by one within a year, and most of the 11 Grandmaster-level presiding judges who sat in them also disappeared.
The Syndicate, who were still apprentices at the time, were not even qualified to touch the edge of the storm. Instead, they enjoyed the "bonus" of an early promotion in the job vacancies left after the purge.
And now the confidential matter of this special material delivery is his first mission as an independent judge.
But he didn't dare to feel proud, and even felt a little distressed.
This item was directly ordered by the senior officials of the Tribunal, and it was said that it was requested by the adult stationed in the Storm Star Territory. It was too important to him.
Since being assigned this mission, the Syndicate has been supported by hormones and has not slept for hundreds of hours, for fear of any accidents on the way.
"Where are the things?"
The contact person asked him.
"Still on board."
The Syndicate looked at the contact person in front of them, waiting for the next order.
Whether this confidential item proposed from the inner court of Calixis Sector will be handed over or continued to be delivered further is a matter of his words.
"It's good to be here."
The old man spat the cigarette butt in his mouth on the ground and raised his hand to point back. Under his guidance, the Syndicate discovered two giants that were integrated with the darkness.
The two steel statues, which are nearly 3 meters tall, also responded to the old man's words, and their dark red eyes lit up on their heads.
"They will then use other channels to board your black ship.
They will take over the guarding of supplies, don't ask, don't listen.
This is a token of communication between you and them. Except for you, anyone else who does not have this token will be killed if they approach the storage location of the materials!
Do you understand?"
"Understood!"
Syndicate nodded and confirmed that this task had begun to escape his control, but in his eyes, this was actually a good thing.
"Well, your next target is tentatively settled in Pisina. Keep silent the whole way and go."
With that said, the old man took off the pendant from his chest and handed it to Syndicate, indicating that he could leave.
"Your Majesty!"
After performing the Eagle Ceremony, the Syndicate stood up, put away the tokens, turned around, opened the door curtain, and blended into the crowd outside again.
The two steel giants also walked deeper into the corridor within a few breaths.
The black ship stranded outside the Sepra Mundy system, after receiving the returning Syndicate and the two Raven Guards who arrived within one day, started the engine again and disappeared into the vast starry sky.