The Bridge of the Brass Sword, flagship of the Punishment Fleet.
Commodore Shalatath stood at the railing of the command platform. After the notification that they had successfully escaped the Warp, she raised her head and looked at the main view-screen above the bridge.
The heavy steel plating over the reinforced view-screen slowly retracted, revealing a stunning void scene. The void shield pulsed, briefly distorting the brilliant stars and the cursed Warp rift.
"Initiate wide-area divination scan: 16,000-kilometer diameter, surface-to-orbit, then increase the sweep to 160,000 kilometers."
"All ships, form up, matching the speed of the Brass Sword. Destination: Atomal."
Shalatath issued her orders in a calm, orderly manner.
"Comms Director, send a tight-beam message to Atomal. Demand they cough up an explanation for their refusal to pay the tithe before we arrive."
"Ma'am, with all due respect, there's no call for that," Anjido cut in. "We're here to punish sinners. No need to waste our breath."
"Staff Officer Anjido has a point," a voice chimed in. "Refusing tithes is flat-out betrayal, explanations or not."
The faction backed by the Colin family was pulling the strings within the Navy. The moment Anjido spoke, others immediately fell in line, trying to get on his good side.
Shalatath glanced around at her staff, her tone level. "I'm running this show."
"Even the Fleet Commander plays by the rules. If they do give an explanation, are we supposed to just pack up and go home?" Anjido's rebuttal was sharp and aggressive.
"Are you looking to cross the line, Staff Officer?" Shalatath looked Anjido dead in the eye.
Anjido froze. "I—I wouldn't dare."
"Then fall in line. I am the Fleet Commander, and the buck stops here." She paused, her voice turning to ice. "Also, cut the grandstanding in my presence. If you get under my skin, I'll have no problem finding a valid charge and blowing your head off myself."
Anjido's knuckles were white as he clenched his teeth, rage simmering in his chest, but he managed to keep a lid on it. Naval regulations were by the book. During military operations, absolute obedience to the highest commander was mandatory. If she executed him for disobedience, his family would never be able to call foul.
After several attempts, the Punishment Fleet finally got through to Atomal.
The projection materialized, but it wasn't Fax of the Valancius family. Instead, it was a towering man with a pair of white wings on his back. His appearance was the spitting image of the Saint Guinness sung about in countless myths.
The moment the image came up, everyone thought the Blood Angels' Magos—the one who had given his life for the God-Emperor only to be brutally murdered by his own Chaos-corrupted brothers—had walked out of the grave.
Anjido felt a spike of panic. If a figure like this showed up on Sintira, the entire Ecclesiarchy would drop to their knees and proclaim him the Emperor's flesh and blood. The Blood Angels would cross the entire damn galaxy just to see if this was their long-lost Magos.
"Welcome to Atomal. I am the Emperor's Emissary, the flesh-and-blood representative of His supreme will, His messenger walking the world, the guide of mankind, and the savior of the Imperium." Daniel's voice was sharp and penetrating.
"I am Commodore Shalatath of the Calixis Fleet. I have my orders to collect the overdue tithes from Atomal and impose punishment." Shalatath kept a poker face, suppressing the initial shock.
"The planet Atomal just weathered a rebellion and has a severe supply shortage. Once production is up and running, we will replenish the tithes." Daniel explained.
"Refusing to pay is refusing to pay! We are here to punish," Anjido jumped up, his tone harsh and accusatory. "The God-Emperor's messengers don't go against the grain! Paying the tithe is His will."
Daniel used the skill Emperor's Light. The sacred golden light enveloped him, making him look truly divine. "The Imperium built in His name would never punish you over this. Only the wicked, using His name in vain, could be so cruel to His people."
The Astropath Jaylen Leete, standing next to Shalatath, began to tremble and quickly performed the Imperial Salute. "Praise the God-Emperor! The light he radiates is like a touch of the Astronomican itself!"
The Astropaths and Navigators on the other ships followed suit. Their link to the Emperor was the strongest, and when Daniel used the Emperor's power, they felt it in their bones.
Even the accompanying Ecclesiarchy priests subconsciously trembled, vaguely feeling the God-Emperor's eye on them.
"We are at fault." Shalatath and many of the fleet officers performed the Imperial Salute. That sacred display sealed the deal—it forced even the skeptics to believe the figure was truly the God-Emperor's messenger.
"I will call off the fleet, but the situation on Atomal and your identity will require further confirmation before reporting to Sintira. I hope to meet with you, Your Majesty the God Emperor."
"Agreed." Daniel nodded, granting Shalatath's request.
The communication ended.
"Ma'am, the Dark Gods' minions are masters of deception. Exercise caution! If he's a true Saint, why is he hiding on Atomal instead of descending on Sintira or Terra?" Anjido was sweating bullets. If this continued, not only would they fail to wipe out the Valancius family, but they might actually give them a chance at a major comeback.
"I've got this handled. It's not your place to lecture me!" Shalatath glared at Anjido, her look deeply unfriendly. She turned to a guard. "Scramble a few Valkyries. I want to go over and see the situation with my own eyes."
Watching Shalatath leave the bridge, Anjido balled his fists.
Three Valkyrie gunships gently touched down on the Lycard Space Station landing pad. Commodore Shalatath stepped out, accompanied by an Astropath, a high-ranking Ecclesiarchy priest, several fleet officers, and a security squad.
Daniel met them with the Astral Knights' Commander Thade, First Company Captain Lothar, and Planetary Governor Fax in tow.
The players stood back, their voices carrying across the landing bay. "Is this the plot wrapping up?" "I told you the Knights Go to Die expansion was just the appetizer. The devs are about to roll out the full map."
Thade, Lothar, Fax, and the others were long since used to the Saints' antics and just ignored the noise.
Daniel invited the Navy personnel to the strategic hall to discuss the tithe situation in depth. During the meeting, the truth about the original exploratory expedition came out. Fax pleaded with Shalatath to find a way to clear the Valancius family's name, restore their honor, and bring the hammer down on the Colin family.
Anjido used an undercover agent planted in the guard detail to learn the content of the conversation. His face went white as a sheet. If that news got back home, not only would they fail to eliminate the Valancius family, but it would cause catastrophic damage to the entire Colin-led coalition, including his own family.
"We have to nip this in the bud." Anjido made a snap decision.
He immediately contacted Raeder, the fleet's Deputy Commander, who was also planted there by the Colin family.
"You need to seize command, Raeder, and issue an Exterminatus order on Atomal."
"Commodore Shalatath is in charge. I can't take command with her breathing down my neck."
"Then kill her," Anjido hissed, lowering his voice.
"That's treason!" Raeder responded, panicking.
"Losing is treason; winning is a promotion! Raeder, you have to step up." Anjido's voice was relentless. "The Valancius family just spilled the beans! They accused the Colin family of treason and revealed the truth about the past expedition—that the Colins colluded with the Necrons and caused the fleet's destruction
. The Inquisition has already been poking around the Colin family, suspecting us of Chaos and Xenos collusion. If word gets out about this meeting, the Inquisition will have all the excuse they need to search and interrogate the Colins. If this blows up, we're all toast. The only way out is for you to seize command and issue the Exterminatus order against Atomal."
Raeder was silent for a moment. "I'll head to the Bridge now. Find a way to take out Commodore Shalatath and make it look like the other side did it."
"I'll drop the Exterminatus order the second I hear the word," Anjido promised.
He ended the call with Raeder. Anjido immediately messaged the undercover operative lurking beside Shalatath. "The time has come to prove your loyalty to the Gods of Wisdom and Fate. Pull the trigger now. Use the bombs you're carrying to take yourself out and kill everyone in that meeting."
When the Imperial Glory's Machine Spirit, Arale, connected the two ships, it used the opportunity to hack into the main control center of the Brass Sword. It was monitoring every ship in the Punishment Fleet.
The second Arale confirmed the transmission, the information popped up instantaneously on the data screen in front of Daniel.
Daniel now knows about the assassination plot and the Exterminatus order! What will he do to save Shalatath, Atomal, and his players?