That one sentence from Talon
could essentially decide the Rogue Trader's fate.
Rogue Traders did indeed wield tremendous power.
The Imperium did indeed leave them largely to their own devices.
But all of that came with one precondition: they must not have betrayed the Imperium or embraced Chaos.
And the Rogue Traders of the Byrne Dynasty before them had crossed the Imperium's absolute red line.
If even one of the Byrne Dynasty's retainers had been twisted by Chaos, what about the rest of them?
"My lord, we didn't know!"
"My lord, we're innocent!"
Beep beep beep.
"."
"."
I wanted to believe they were innocent, too.
The Rogue Traders above were being inspected, and those who had infiltrated Gamma Utopia below weren't being spared either.
On the surface, a grand ceremony welcomed the Governor's return.
Behind the scenes, undercurrents were already stirring.
Triangle Avenue.
The Byrne Dynasty's retainers, waiting for Gamma World's reply, discussed how to orchestrate a coup on the planet and bring it under the Dynasty's rule.
"We promised those people enough benefits, and they—"
Before he could finish, someone knocked on the reception hall's door.
Looking down through the window, someone lowered their voice and alerted the older Byrne Dynasty retainer in the group.
"First mate, there are a lot of soldiers outside."
Unlike the people filling the bustling Victor's Avenue, these troops swiftly surrounded the reception hall, keeping a tight watch over it as if they were guarding against a plague.
Without even explaining why, they began disinfecting the area.
A sign forbidding anyone from leaving had been written in High Gothic.
They hung it right in front of them.
"."
"."
A councilor who had dealt with those at the reception hall was cursing Gamma World's policies.
But before he could go out and ask someone for help,
the soldiers outside came in.
Wearing protective gear, they approached him and forced him back.
"You... what are you doing?"
"I'm Councilor Lampus! You dare lay a hand on me? My son—"
"Sorry, Father. This is for your own good. Please don't leave this room. You'll understand everything soon." Young Lampus emerged from behind the soldiers and gave an order. "Lock the door."
On the road,
someone was getting ready to attend the Governor's welcoming ceremony.
A hand tapped him on the shoulder.
Then stopped him.
"Mr. Hoss, I'm with the Military Administration Department. You've recently been in contact with some people you shouldn't have. Please cooperate with our investigation."
"."
"."
After Cisrain received the news, he issued orders to the Chief Council members, especially those in the Military Administration Department and the Medical Department, to guard against every possible threat the Rogue Traders might bring.
Everyone who had been in contact with the Rogue Traders had to be quarantined and tested.
Utopia was his foundation.
It was his stronghold.
Plagues and spores could break out anywhere else.
But never here.
At Victor's Avenue, the Chief Council member left behind waited quietly for Cisrain's return.
The great Governor Cisrain came through the Arch of Triumph, victorious.
Golden sunlight streamed through the triumphal arch, casting a hazy glow.
"Governor! Governor! Governor!"
Cheers rose one after another. The people's fervent voices were the highest tribute to Cisrain.
Vulkan had seen far more war.
Either he was at war or on his way to one. Smiles were as rare as flowers in scorched earth; all that remained was endless pain and sorrow.
He could tell better than anyone else whether these people's cheers meant they were truly happy.
"Utopia. If everywhere looks like this, then it truly deserves to be called Utopia—if only war didn't threaten it."
Without the threat of war, this would probably be the best place to live.
That was why they worked so hard, knowing what a cruel universe they faced.
The people doing the building supported the cause, and those making policy had no selfish motives.
They had united everyone, from top to bottom.
Perhaps this was what things had been like in the Emperor's Golden Age.
If the Gene-Father, Lord of Fire Dragons, saw this, would it feel familiar to him?
"Governor!"
"Governor!"
The Chiefs of Finance, Military Affairs, Education, and the other departments held their breath as they waited.
They watched Cisrain's troops march down Victor's Avenue and pass through the Arch of Triumph.
Then, at Honor Plaza, they walked toward his podium.
Cisrain raised a hand, and the people below gradually quieted.
The soldiers, the people, the eager gazes, the anticipation—
They were hopeful, yet anxious. They wanted desperately to know how the expedition had gone, what great deeds they had accomplished, and what terrible enemies they had encountered.
After a few seconds of silence and excitement,
Cisrain announced to them,
"We won!"
There was no lengthy explanation, no flowery language. Just as he had left with everyone's hopes on his shoulders,
he repaid the people's trust with victory.
We won.
Just a few short words,
yet they were worth more than anything else.
For the first time, the Governor's fleet had ventured into the universe and returned in triumph.
For people who had never set foot among the stars, this was the most heartening news imaginable.
"Victory! Victory! Victory! Victory!"
Cisrain raised his hand again.
The crowd quieted once more.
Cisrain continued his address. "We are heirs to the Golden Age, and we bear the mission of returning to our former glory. We have fallen. We have been suppressed. We have hit rock bottom. We have been enslaved. We have resisted. We have been slaughtered. But starting today, we have risen to our feet. All that came before is now in the past."
"We will never return to the Dark Age, nor will we allow ourselves to return to it. We will inherit the legacy of the Golden Age, venture beyond Gamma World, climb the Sky Ladder, and step by step take our place on the highest stage in the universe. No matter what enemies await us in the future, nothing can stop us from moving forward, because we are reclaiming the glory of the Golden Age. We are proud children of the Golden Age! Long live Gamma World! Humanity first!"
"Humanity first!"
"Humanity first!"
"Humanity first!"
The excited people of Gamma World needed to know who their enemies were.
Keeping them in the dark wouldn't necessarily protect them. It might instead leave them ignorant and cause more people to fall into darkness and Chaos.
Whether they knew about Chaos or not, it remained their greatest threat. At least until the disaster level reached three, they didn't have the technology to study or eliminate the threat of Chaos.
Cisrain's gaze lingered on the template.
The ideas that took hold would determine the direction of the future.
[Public Sentiment: Humanity First] [Dark Matter Engine Research: 20%]
The Tau Empire's equipment had, in a sense, shortened their research timeline.
The Aeldari's Webway and the Necrons' Blackstone Artifacts could also speed up their research.
Rogue Trader: Luna Wolves Legion, we have an appointment issued by the Imperium. You need to cooperate with us.
Luna Wolves (serious): Was your appointment issued by the Emperor?
Rogue Trader: No.
Luna Wolves (disdainful): Then was it issued by Guilliman?
Rogue Trader: No.
Luna Wolves (mocking): Then it must have come from the High Lords.
Rogue Trader: No.
Luna Wolves (furious): Then who could it be from?
Rogue Trader: The Warmaster?
Before you continue