If this were within Imperial territory, then with Emrys' authority, he would not be entitled to use the 'Exterminatus' – a weapon of mass destruction of that caliber.
But alas, this was in the Imperium Nihilus.
It was the edge of the galaxy where the light of the Stellar Beacon could not reach, a place where not only the Inquisition but even the Emperor's will struggled to extend.
"Inquisitor Aldrich, you have worked hard," Emrys said with a slight smile to Aldrich's projection in the bridge command room, "I, Merlin Emrys, in the name of the Rogue Trader, and in the name of the God-Emperor, hope you will approve my request and sign the Exterminatus order for world CV-7721."
"Lord Emrys, I need to confirm with you again: are you sure you want to deploy atmospheric incineration torpedoes on world CV-7721?" Aldrich asked, his gaze deep and his tone solemn.
The signing and deployment of an Exterminatus order required the confirmation and guarantee of an Inquisitor every time, and even in the Imperium Nihilus, detailed records would be kept.
Once back in the Imperium, it had to be handed over to the Inquisition, which was to prevent Inquisitors from abusing their private authority!
"Confirmed."
Emrys' cold voice came through the communicator and was officially recorded in the servitor skull's data.
"M42.002, Imperium Nihilus, House Emrys, Mr. Merlin Emrys, officially signs Exterminatus order for world CV-7721, to carry out Exterminatus." After Aldrich repeated the order, he devoutly assumed a prayer posture, reciting the Emperor's words.
A moment later, he removed a rust-colored key from his neck and inserted it into the console in front of him.
Click.
The key fit perfectly into the lock, and as he gently turned it, Aldrich's gaze turned to the window, watching the pink world.
"Confirm execution — Exterminatus."
A chilling light gleamed in the Inquisitor's mechanical eye.
"May the Emperor forgive our souls."
The fire-class Falchion-class frigate, like a giant island in the vast starry sky, entered its predetermined orbit.
The bridge suddenly fell into absolute silence, even the circulating fans stopped their noisy hum. The moment Aldrich gave the order, the navy and sailors on the entire frigate began to busy themselves.
One by one, massive warheads, amidst the loud chants and blessings of the Tech-Priests, were jointly pushed by the sailors into the warship's launch bays.
"For the Emperor!"
"In the glorious name of the Gothic Fleet!"
Amidst the shouts of many naval personnel, the launch button indicator light on the console in front of Aldrich changed from dim to bright.
"World CV-7721, atmospheric composition meets critical value," the unique, gear-grinding sound of a Tech-Priest began, "Biological active spores normal, immediate deployment recommended."
"Exterminatus execution record, M42.002.8, confirmed execution, signatory: Aldrich von Braun, authorizing party: Merlin Emrys!"
After completing the routine work and ensuring the servitor skull accurately recorded it, Aldrich, with a relaxed mood, pressed the red-lit button on the console.
Nervous? Unwilling?
No, no, no, such emotions would never appear in an experienced Inquisitor; his mercy was not that cheap, nor would it be used on a creature that wasn't even considered a conventional "Organism."
Exterminatus, you get used to signing them after a while.
Then, Aldrich, holding a glass of Amasec, watched the world through the viewport, appreciating the coming spectacle.
This was a rare, relaxed, and pleasant Exterminatus!
Rumble!
Accompanied by violent vibrations, mechanical shafts turned, and the torpedo bay's hydraulic doors opened!
The Tech-Priests chanted loudly, offering their humble blessings for the sacred Omnissiah, the God of the Machine's miracle.
The next moment.
Eight steel warheads, engraved with skull insignias, like giant silver eggs, slowly slid out of their launch rails.
Within their ceramic-like shells, high concentrations of promethium were contained, firmly locked inside by dark golden runes, awaiting an explosion.
When the first atmospheric incineration torpedo broke through low-earth orbit, a shriek tore through the sky, causing the pink ocean to churn with uneasy giant waves.
The Machine Cocoon gazed at the starry sky, its consciousness filled with an unnamed fear; it recognized that thing!
In the memories of the Tech-Priests it had devoured, that thing was a terrifying weapon called an 'atmospheric incineration torpedo,' a weapon capable of destroying an entire world!
But even at this moment, it still didn't understand!
Why?
What had it done wrong? Weren't humans greedy and foolish? The resources contained on this world were so abundant, didn't these people want them anymore?
But soon, its thoughts were interrupted.
The ionosphere of world CV-7721 suddenly glowed with an eerie phosphorescence, as if the entire world's ozone layer had become a shattered mirror, like broken glass, reflecting a fragmented, blood-red sunset!
This scene was breathtakingly beautiful!
Unfortunately, it was a precursor to destruction.
It had no time to ponder, nor the inclination to appreciate, as the torpedoes that subsequently plunged into the clouds suddenly disintegrated. Tens of thousands of nano-spores scattered like dandelion seeds carried by the wind, spreading throughout the entire atmosphere. These 'seeds,' carrying the will of destruction, under the action of catalysts, released immeasurable terrifying power, mixing promethium with nano-spores, completely igniting the entire atmosphere!
Boom!!!
Blazing and dazzling fire, like a spark falling into a dry haystack, instantly illuminated the entire sky, turning it into a splendid sea of fire!
Nitrogen and oxygen molecules in the atmosphere were frantically consumed!
The meteorological cloud sea churned violently, pressure rapidly increased, temperature instantly reached three thousand degrees Celsius, and thunderstorms raged and roared!
Soon, the world's surface began to flicker!
Initially, there were sporadic orange light spots, but in an instant, they connected into a burning spiderweb, spreading across the entire planetary surface. The intense high temperature made the oceans boil, and an indescribable pain swept through the collective consciousness of the 'Machine Cocoon'; it could feel every inch of its body, every drop of water, being evaporated!
The atmosphere had now become a giant concave-convex mirror, focusing the terrifying high temperature into billions of angry spears thrown by the Emperor, carrying super-high temperature heatwaves, descending from above, like the wrath of the heavens!
A strange resonance came from the monitor.
That was the air in the ionosphere screaming; the entire world's atmosphere was collapsing, like a giant vortex, appearing as an eye of death from space!
Hurricanes, carrying plasma flames, greedily and madly licked the earth's crust; the air currents formed by the evaporation of the boiling oceans intertwined with the thick smoke from volcanic eruptions!
It regretted it.
Its countless consciousnesses, its proud massive body, were fragile and vulnerable under humanity's destructive weapon strike. Only at this moment, in a daze, did it understand the terrifying nature of the human species.
This was an extremely warlike race!
"Hmph, what a dirty firework," Emrys said, taking a sip of amasec while sitting in the bridge command room, feeling something.
"???"
Winnie tilted her head, full of questions.
"Exterminatus — are there any that aren't dirty?"
"Well…"
Emrys was speechless.
How was he supposed to explain that he was just making a meme reference?