Caligos Winterskell

Chapter 40: Caligos Winterskell

"Veil, first send some food supplies to Omiron to stabilize morale, and inform the captains of those Sureyas Dynasty warships! The Sureyas Dynasty is finished—everyone involved will be purged by the Inquisition. But if they pass scrutiny, haven't been corrupted by Chaos, haven't colluded with the enemies of humanity, and are willing to fight for me, I'll plead their case to the Inquisition. Also, send the Confessor Priest to Omiron to comfort the refugees—tell them food is already on the way... Have people collect the bodies of the dead... process them into starch blocks. At least it stops cannibalism. It should hold for a while. It's a last resort... We'll get through this first."

"I'll dispatch the teams immediately!"

"Also, select some of the physically stronger survivors from Omiron to fill the gaps in the warship crews!"

"But if we do that, won't those left behind feel abandoned? It might spark a riot."

"That depends on Jeyd. If she moves fast enough, we might still make it. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Some casualties are inevitable. Veil, didn't you tell me a Rogue Trader can't afford to be too merciful? Why are you the one worrying about this now?"

"True enough. Maybe it's your influence—you're becoming more and more like a Rogue Trader."

"Get it done!"

"I'll send people now!"

Shuttles began ferrying suitable personnel back to the warships.

And as expected, even though the priests swore in the name of the God-Emperor that food was on its way, the survivors still erupted into chaos. Only after soldiers brutally suppressed the ringleaders did things calm down somewhat, but the survivors remained uneasy.

Watching the strong survivors being taken away from the planet, and the warships that had been in orbit departing, those left behind began to fear their unknown fate.

Gao Yi struggled to calm his own anxious heart. Every decision he made now determined the lives of tens of thousands. In the game, he could easily choose to execute people or abandon them for the sake of a dogmatic playthrough. But when the game ended and these things became real around him, Gao Yi realized how hard it truly was. He consoled himself that the choices he made now were only to save more lives.

"Captain! Everything is ready!"

"Target: Agathos! Set course!"

The fleet, now twice its original size, jumped into the Warp together.

Meanwhile, at the Landing Port, Jeyd found that her negotiations were going smoother than expected. The CMC Combat Suits delivered to the Navy had already been deployed and tested in real combat. The suits' performance in the field exceeded even the paper specs—it was an all-around improvement. Without heavy firepower, a few hundred troops could achieve results that previously required an entire regiment. And the Navy rarely fought ground battles anyway. Word of the CMC Combat Suits' effectiveness spread quickly through the Navy.

Everyone had assumed that Gao Yi's departure meant losing the chance to acquire such powerful gear. But now, Jeyd at the Landing Port announced she had authorization for 500 suits and could trade on behalf of the Rogue Trader. The news spread through the entire Landing Port like wildfire. Before Jeyd could even approach anyone, countless representatives came to her.

Food for Power Armor? What a steal.

Jeyd knew she couldn't hand over all the suits to one faction. Only by splitting the deals could she maximize profits. Kasbarika's desire for the suits was intense—those bastards were richer than expected and willing to pay several times the premium. Jeyd didn't turn them down, but she only offered 30 suits to expand her network. She knew Gao Yi wasn't the type to nitpick details; as long as she completed his mission, he wouldn't care if she profited on the side. But the trade volume stopped there—those crime syndicates couldn't handle Gao Yi's tasks anyway.

The main focus was still the Navy. After seeing the suits' power, they weren't about to miss out on more. They said they'd scrape together some food and transport ships, but that only filled a third of Omiron's needs. The Navy could theoretically cover all the food and ships, but time was the problem—they needed approvals from the Departmento Munitorum, the Departmento Munitorum... the Empire's approval process could drive anyone insane under normal circumstances! They didn't care if the Navy needed those suits. Without an urgent war, even Navy admirals couldn't sway those stubborn Imperial bureaucrats. What did the Empire care if a Rogue Trader was short on food? Those officials, buried in endless paperwork every day, weren't afraid of Navy threats. Even if everyone on Omiron starved to death, so what? The Empire had plenty of starving places.

"Think I'm too slow? Fine, you do it!" That line alone was enough to shut up anyone trying to pull strings. After all, those Departmento Munitorum officials really did have it rough—people dropping dead from overwork was common.

The Adeptus Arbites and the Inquisition also joined the trade, but the food gap was still half unfilled. Too little time—the official machinery moved too slowly! Just as Jeyd was wondering how to solve the remaining food problem, a major figure arrived at the Landing Port and sought her out.

"Esteemed Rogue Trader Caligos Winterskell, Jeyd Hadaly greets you! May the God-Emperor bless you." Jeyd felt a knot of tension as she looked at the burly man before her. This Rogue Trader, Caligos Winterskell, was one of the most powerful in the Expansion Zone—a living legend of the sector.

He loved battle and delighted in hunting xenos. Under his leadership, the entire Winterskell Dynasty had become fiercely warlike, craving worthy opponents and prizing combat even above profit.

The dynasty's vast fleet prowled from one dead world to the next, draining resources and seeking prey.

Caligos was also notoriously volatile. Rumors claimed he'd once taken down a Power Armour-clad foe with nothing but an axe. Jeyd dismissed that as hearsay, but she had no doubt Caligos himself was terrifyingly strong.

If she hadn't known he was a Rogue Trader, Jeyd would have pegged him for a fearsome pirate.

His burly frame was nothing like a typical Rogue Trader.

And Caligos, who lived for battle, had rushed here the moment his informants in Landing Port caught wind of the CMC Combat Suit. He was intrigued by the gear—if it boosted his kill efficiency, he didn't mind spending. He hadn't run into Gao Yi, but he'd found Jeyd, the proxy.

"Jeyd Hadaly. I've heard your name. With looks this good and skills this sharp, why not throw in with me?"

"Sorry, Lord Caligos. I've already sworn loyalty to Lord Gao Yi Mongert."

"Hah, no matter. I thought the Mongert Dynasty was finished, but it seems they've found an heir. I assume you know why I'm here?"

"Of course. I'm sure you'll be interested in these combat suits. Lord Gao Yi needs grain and transport ships to deliver supplies to Omiron and Agathos. But, my lord, these suits aren't ready stock."

"Stock or not, it's just a few months' grain for tens of millions. I've got plenty of transports! Send word to your master via the Astropath—tell him I'll personally deliver the cargo and come to Agathos to collect the goods myself!"

"You'll go in person? Rest assured, I'll inform Lord Gao Yi. I'm sure he'll look forward to meeting you."

With that, Caligos left the room.

Once the man was gone, Jeyd let out a breath. Dealing with someone like him was a heavy burden—one wrong word or misstep could spell disaster. But given Caligos's strength, Jeyd knew Gao Yi's mission was as good as done.