Chapter 390: Framework Established
Just as the Forge World Alliance believed victory was in their grasp and prepared to finalize the terms of the new order in one vigorous effort, a new directive from the Eternal Crusader altered the negotiation landscape.
This directive, originating directly from Rogal Dorn, cast a crucial weight onto the tipping scales with its characteristic concise clarity.
Dorn's plan reflected his consistent pragmatic style: uncompromising on matters of principle, yet retaining necessary checks and balances at the execution level.
He explicitly demanded that Mars must relinquish its absolute monopoly over production licenses and technology patents, a decision that thoroughly satisfied the Alliance's core demands.
However, at the specific implementation level, the Primarch reserved a crucial function for Mars—technical security review.
According to the new framework, each Forge World enjoyed complete patent ownership over the technologies they independently developed, without needing Martian certification.
But when these technologies needed to be promoted across the Imperium, or produced by other Forge Worlds, they had to pass a security review by a subordinate agency of the Martian Parliament.
Mars's new responsibilities would focus on technical risk assessment, including reviewing potential safety hazards, compatibility with existing technological systems, and whether they touched upon technological taboos such as Abominable Intelligence.
This arrangement not only broke Mars's long-standing technological monopoly but also ensured the stability and safety of the Imperium's overall technological development.
For Mars, although they lost absolute control, they retained their voice in the fields of technological ethics and security.
For the Alliance, they gained the long-awaited technological autonomy, while simultaneously establishing necessary technical security mechanisms within the Imperial framework.
This decision by Dorn demonstrated his profound foresight as a ruler of the Imperium.
Not only did he have to promote technological progress, but he also had to ensure order and stability during the process of change.
Under this new technological order, Mars would complete the role transition from technological monopolist to technological gatekeeper, while the various Forge Worlds gained greater space for innovative development.
In short, the "ownership" of patents was decentralized to the respective Forge Worlds, but the review authority for the "pass" to large-scale application remained in the hands of Mars.
Mars could no longer easily strangle a new technology on the grounds of it "not meeting standards," but it still held veto power based on "security and stability."
This plan was like a basin of cold water, slightly dampening the overly exuberant momentum of the Alliance, yet also injecting a shot of adrenaline into the Martian Parliament, which was on the verge of despair.
For Mars, this was undoubtedly a massive concession. They lost their arbitrary monopoly, but they managed to keep the core function of "reviewer," maintaining their ultimate ruling status in the fields of technological ethics and security as the orthodox Adeptus Mechanicus, barely managing to guard their final and most important dignity and authority.
Although they had changed from supreme masters to "gatekeepers" wielding heavy authority—their status distinctly altered—it was still far better than being completely marginalized.
For the Forge World Alliance, although this was not the most ideal result, they had after all achieved the most critical breakthrough—autonomy over technological patents.
Moreover, Dorn's will could not be defied, and this plan indeed provided a workable framework, avoiding a complete rupture with Mars and the infinite continuation of internal friction.
After receiving the directive, Archmagos Vox conducted a brief and highly efficient data exchange with the representatives of the Alliance.
Ultimately, he responded on behalf of the Alliance: "We accept the Lord Primarch's ruling. This plan can inaugurate a new era for the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Imperium."
Ryo had no objections to this.
His primary goal was to promote technological development and break the ossified monopoly.
While breaking the monopoly, Dorn's plan established a necessary safety valve. Although this valve being controlled by Mars might not be perfect, under the current circumstances, it was already the optimal solution capable of maximizing the promotion of change while maintaining the Imperium's stability.
The scales of negotiation finally found a new, relatively solid point of equilibrium.
Mars was able to "kneel less disgracefully," retaining a shred of dignity and crucial power; the Alliance realized its core goal, winning unprecedented developmental space for their respective Forge Worlds.
A storm that could have torn the Adeptus Mechanicus apart was temporarily quelled under Rogal Dorn's forceful intervention, and the framework of the new technological order was thus established.
—
With the new technological order framework established, the promotion plan for the warp engine was also formally put on the agenda.
Taking advantage of the rare opportunity of having the representatives of the major Forge Worlds gathered on Mars, Ryo consequently brought out his preliminary design blueprint, which integrated the warp engine based on the improved structure of the Lunar-class cruiser.
He proposed that all the Forge World representatives present and the Martian experts jointly form a temporary technical committee to brainstorm and optimize this design, making it the first standardized paradigm for the Imperium's future promotion of warp engine technology.
This proposal immediately received a positive response from all parties.
Whether it was the Forge World Alliance that had just fought for more autonomy, or Mars attempting to reposition its own value within the new order, both acutely realized that this joint design project for the "first warp engine ship" would be a highly symbolic landmark.
It could demonstrate to the entire Imperium that the Adeptus Mechanicus, after experiencing internal tremors, was still a united whole (at least on the surface), capable of collaborating for the future of the Imperium.
Therefore, all parties displayed extraordinary enthusiasm, determined to make this demonstration project the best it could be.
However, this "utmost dedication" quickly manifested in a highly Adeptus Mechanicus manner—namely, "nitpicking" Ryo's original design.
Ryo's design focused on the integration of the warp engine and the adaptation of the basic structure; it was indeed not comprehensive in many details of starship design.
This immediately gave the representatives room to flex their expertise.
"The redundancy of the energy transmission pipelines is insufficient! According to Graian standards, at least three backup circuits must be added to handle wartime overloads!" Magos Vladimir of Graia waved his thick arm equipped with welding tools, his data stream filled with a forge-like searing heat.
"Absurd!" A Martian Magos of Ship Structural Engineering immediately retorted, his vox-caster spewing a bit of cooling steam. "Excessive redundancy will add unnecessary weight and complexity, affecting the hull's balance! There are seventeen classic cases in the Martian database proving..."
"Your database is full of ten-thousand-year-old antiques!" Magos Thorne of Lucius interjected coldly. His optical lenses swept over the control system section of the blueprint. "The interface between the navigation array and the control system is too crude. Lucius's latest psycho-data conversion bridge must be adopted; the precision can be increased by at least twelve percent."
"Cost! Have you considered the cost?" Another Magos representing economic considerations emitted sharp code. "The manufacturing cost of those precision gadgets of yours from Lucius is enough to build half a macro-cannon!"
Ryo's mechanical body stood quietly in a corner of the conference room, his crimson optical lenses calmly watching this rapidly escalating "technical discussion."
He offered no refutation to the criticisms raised by the various parties.
He clearly knew that his experience in starship systems engineering was indeed inferior to these veteran Magi who had been immersed in the field for centuries or even longer. His goal was to present a viable plan; as for how to optimize it to the extreme, he was happy to see the experts contribute their wisdom.
(End of Chapter)