Perturabo, Since You Built It, Don't Waste It

Nimrod confirmed that the Plasma Gun Frix's possession was a weapon personally manufactured by Perturabo.

He also keenly noticed that Perturabo's face was gloomy, radiating an aura that kept strangers at bay.

There was no suppressed anticipation of receiving praise after a gift was given.

[That's not quite right. Given Perturabo's personality, shouldn't he be suppressing his desire for others' approval right now?]

What went wrong?

Plasma weapons... it can't be...]

A thought flashed through Nimrod's mind: all the participating Chapter were equipped with a certain number of Eta - Kharn type Plasma Gun.

Did Perturabo see that their Plasma Gun were in the hands of others, and that he didn't want to "humiliate himself" because he thought his unique technology was now in someone else's hands?

My depression has flared up again; not only did she not give me any gifts, she was also unhappy.

No! Perturabo, since we've already built it, we can't waste it.

Upon realizing this, Nimrod immediately said, "Perturabo, those two guns in Frix's hand, you made them, didn't you?"

"I think only you could create such a perfect firearm; its exhaust port is smooth and unobstructed, and its heat dissipation performance..."

Perturabo looked at Nimrod, his words aptly highlighting the exquisite craftsmanship of the Plasma Gun he had forged. His admiration was palpable, and the curve of his lips was perfectly measured...

All the data shows that Nimrod's praise was heartfelt.

Perturabo's icy blue eyes suddenly lit up, and his electronic dreadlocks swayed smoothly.

[That's true. Even if Nimrod could replicate it, it wouldn't be as good as the many unique improvements I made to the Squats model.]

I put a lot of effort into these improvements; the Eta - Kharn type is more stable and more powerful than the Imperium's.

I created it myself; its stability is 50% higher than the Eta - Kharn type, and its power is four times greater.

Perturabo thought confidently, "Only I, Perturabo, can accomplish such an improvement!"

Thinking of this, he said casually:

"I made these two guns on a whim. Since you like them, I'll give you one."

"Magnus..." Perturabo hadn't finished speaking when Nimrod had already taken a Plasma Gun from Frix's hand.

Frix only saw a black shadow flash before his eyes, and his hand felt light Plasma Gun was already in Lord Nimrod's hands.

Perturabo paused for a moment, like an artist who had been overlooked but suddenly received praise from a connoisseur, and then smiled at Magnus.

"If you like it too, you can have the other one."

"Perturabo, I'm certainly happy to receive your gift," the red-skinned Cyclops said.

He took the Plasma Gun from Frix. "Thank you for the gift."

Magnus then looked at Nimrod, "Today is my first time riding in the Aquila Shuttle. Its elegant shape immediately reminds me of the Imperium Eagle."

"Throughout the flight, it was smooth and comfortable, and the view of the dome was wider than through the observation window."

Magnus was not praising insincerely. Although his consciousness expanded and he entered a state of Aetheric Sojourn that allowed him to see the entire planet, appreciating the scenery through a single eye was a different kind of artistic experience.

"It's indeed good, but it still bounces when it encounters airflow. The flow stabilizer can be improved, and its performance can be increased by at least 30%," Perturabo said in an engineer's tone.

Nimrod's eyes lit up, and he immediately seized the opportunity, saying, "Perturabo, I think you can write down your suggestions for improvement; it's a piece of cake for you."

"My team of technicians might need hundreds or even thousands of years to find the method."

"Okay, that won't take me much time," Perturabo said with a smile.

"I will provide you with comprehensive improvement suggestions for the Aquila Shuttle. The performance of the standard version will be improved by 25%, and the version tailored to our needs will be improved by 54%."

Frix stood with his hands empty, looking curiously at his Primarch.

[My father seemed very different from usual. He wasn't as serious; he seemed relaxed and... happy.]

Perturabo felt Frix's probing gaze, his smile vanished, and he asked curiously.

"Nimrod, throughout my journey, I've noticed that your men are equipped with weapons similar to the short-men's Eta - Kharn -type Plasma Gun and Bedrock-pattern Bolter."

"Your descendants tell me that this technology originated from you. How did you acquire it? Did you also dismantle their weapons?"

Upon hearing this, Nimrod's thoughts raced. Votann and his "Concept Substitution" were secrets he couldn't tell Perturabo.

No one will ever know the truth, because it has long been "Burial."

He replied to Perturabo with the same words he had used to answer Lord Grimnyr's questions.

"That's right, I know every single detail about them."

"I see." Perturabo nodded, lost in thought.

[His perception of the Shadow of Order is keen; Nimrod's keen perception should not be limited to other creatures, but rather he should have mastered every part of it.]

This is copying; it doesn't involve understanding the technology used to create them.

However, it is sufficient for replication, unlike my understanding of the manufacturing Mystery.

Nimrod sensed that Perturabo, as he had been guided, was thinking about the aspects of the talents that the Old Man in Yellow had bestowed upon him.

He had previously misled Lord Grimnyr into believing that he, like the deceased Lord Grimnyr, was a technology-based Psyker, both times engaging in "Concept Substitution."

Seeing that Perturabo had received an answer, Magnus glanced at Hathor Mhat and asked Nimrod.

"I discovered in the D-1519 galaxy that the clan controlling the area, though relatively new, has a history dating back at least several thousand years."

"Nimrod, have you discovered anything?"

Nimrod slightly. "Of course, Hathor and I have uncovered some knowledge about the Leagues of Votann."

"The Squats, also known as the Leagues of Votann, are mainly composed of two groups: the Short-kin and the Ironkin..."

In order to elevate Hathor's standing in Magnus's eyes, and at least ensure that he surpassed the other Temple Master besides Azek Ahriman, Nimrod shared much of the knowledge he had gained in Votann with Hathor and permitted him to tell Magnus.

The more Magnus trusted Hathor, the more profit he could extract from the "Thousand Sons".

Magnus's eyes sparkled as he immersed himself in knowledge, satisfying his curiosity while naturally memorizing it.

Perturabo absorbed Nimrod's words about speed into his memory, stored them away, and would recall them when needed.

Nimrod astutely noticed that Perturabo's attitude had clearly changed compared to when the war was being planned.

He started asking questions from time to time, unlike before when he would remain cold and withdrawn.

Magnus, naturally curious, asked a series of questions.

The exchange among the three Primarch lasted for five days, until the representatives sent by the Adeptus Mechanicus and Malcador arrived in the Squat System.