Negotiation and Conditions

After half a Terran day, David made the long journey to the Underhive and immediately headed to the front line of the standoff to negotiate.

To show his sincerity, David had not even brought guards. Holding his Psy-cat, he walked alone toward the First Legion.

When Grey saw David approaching, he rose from where he had been standing by and walked toward him.

Once the two stood face to face, David examined Grey and was surprised to find that the Power Armor Grey wore was unlike anything he had seen anywhere in the Imperium.

Why had this man gone to the lower hive and come back with the ability to produce Power Armor?

David's gaze drifted behind Grey, where he saw that every soldier on the position was also equipped with Power Armor.

Compared to that sight, where Grey's Power Armor had come from no longer mattered.

"Are you their guide?" David asked Grey, instinctively assuming that he was the First Legion's true commander.

Grey remained silent.

Two seconds later, a rift appeared before David, and then a man emerged from it.

"Qin Mo." Qin Mo looked down at David and stated his name.

David was slightly displeased that he had not saluted, but he did not press the matter. "David. I am honored to share my name with a steadfast believer in the God-Emperor."

Qin Mo examined David. From his attire, he could tell that David was a member of the Ecclesiarchy from Hive Terra. The man was likely one or two hundred years old, with traces of various Prosthetic Body modifications across his body. A black metal canister on his back was connected to his heart, likely some kind of life-support device.

The moment he saw David, Qin Mo suddenly recalled the prophecy Mimic had told him: the first person he met would be a follower of the Ruinous Powers.

To other factions, the Emperor truly was a Ruinous Power, so the prophecy had not been wrong.

While Qin Mo examined David, David examined Qin Mo as well. He found the young man somewhat arrogant, both in expression and attitude.

As a member of the Ecclesiarchy, David could tell at a glance that Qin Mo was not truly a devout believer in the God-Emperor, but he could not expose that fact.

"Whom can you represent?" Qin Mo asked.

"The Hive City and the Ecclesiarchy," David answered calmly.

"Let's talk." Qin Mo turned and walked toward the position.

As he walked alongside David, Qin Mo observed him.

David gently stroked the Psy-cat in his arms as he walked. The creature, which could only establish a psychic link with its owner, was sleeping soundly. It clearly had not sensed worry or fear from its owner.

That proved David was extremely calm. He was certain that he would not be killed, and that these people who had escaped the lower hive alive had no intention of starting a rebellion.

But that was only his assumption.

After reaching the position, Qin Mo and David sat in two chairs brought over by the soldiers and began negotiating.

"Poor children." David swept his gaze across those present. "What did you go through in the lower hive?"

"A war." Qin Mo offered no further explanation and began laying out his conditions. "My people need freedom of movement in the Underhive. What they may do includes, but is not limited to: meeting with their families, taking their families away, and purchasing and transporting supplies."

David listened quietly until Qin Mo finished. Then a puzzled expression appeared on his face. "Take your families away? You're going back to the lower hive?"

"Yes." Qin Mo nodded.

David did not respond immediately. He lowered his head and fell into thought.

At present, the entire Hive City's leverage over the First Legion lay in their families. If they were allowed to bring their families back to the lower hive, that leverage would be gone. Should they wish to launch a massive retaliatory operation, there would be nothing left to stop them.

But if he refused, then...

With that thought, David raised his head and stared at Qin Mo, attempting to use Psychic Power to probe Qin Mo's mind and uncover his plans, to determine whether he was preparing for war.

At that moment, the Psy-cat also awoke from its slumber and stared at Qin Mo alongside its owner.

After probing for nearly a minute, David found nothing. He then began probing Grey's mind, with the same result.

David immediately realized that their Power Armor contained anti-psychic devices. It struck him as utterly absurd. These people looked nothing like survivors who had fled the lower hive; they looked more like extraterrestrial visitors from some advanced technological world.

"Speak." Qin Mo stared at David. "Do you agree or not?"

"Fine." David nodded and accepted the condition.

"Very good. The first negotiation is over." Extremely satisfied, Qin Mo stood and left.

Upon hearing that the first negotiation was over, David realized that Qin Mo had only made his first demand. There would be a second, and a third.

The best way to avoid falling into a passive position was war: label these people rebels and eliminate them.

But David had been a soldier in his youth. He knew exactly what the outcome of a war with Qin Mo would be.

As he watched Qin Mo leave, David suddenly thought of a question and called out loudly, "You went through so much trouble to bring these soldiers out of the lower hive. Why make them go back? Do you only want to use them as tools to fulfill your ambitions?"

Qin Mo stopped and turned back to look at David. "I want the soldiers to have freedom of movement. They can choose to take their families to the lower hive, or they can choose to remain in the Underhive. I will not force anyone to return to the lower hive."

That answer left David puzzled again. "Why? Aren't you afraid they'll all choose to remain in the Underhive?"

"Heh." Qin Mo merely smiled. His body was immediately enveloped by a barrier, and then he vanished.

David was even more puzzled and shocked. He felt that the situation was slipping beyond his control. If necessary, he might have to request that the Inquisition come to Talon.

But Hive Terra was merely one world among the Imperium's many worlds. After the Governor had sent away the production lines for Laser Rifles and Centaur APCs, the entire Hive City had become increasingly insignificant. Without enough evidence, it would likely be difficult to get the Inquisition involved.

But perhaps an invitation issued in the name of the Ecclesiarchy would work.

"Leave." Grey pointed toward Barrett and his subordinates.

"Oh, right." David nodded and turned to leave.

At that moment, the Psy-cat in his arms suddenly became restless.

David soothed the Psy-cat, then took a canister from his robes and held it by the creature's mouth.

The Psy-cat could use Psychic Power. It made the contents of the canister float into its mouth, then began chewing excitedly.

Grey stood nearby and watched the Psy-cat eat. He found that the beautiful creature's food was utterly disgusting: fat, white grubs.

"That thing looks pretty cute. Its food is just a little disgusting," Grey complained over the comms channel.

"God knows how that old bastard raised a Psy-cat like that," Anreda said. "The Psy-cats I've seen don't eat bugs."