The warships boarded the tax vessel.
Arbiter Lynn was about to thank the Astartes Chapter that had come to assist them.
But after years of fighting criminals, she keenly sensed that there was something very wrong with their gazes.
These men seemed unable to take their eyes off their "spoils."
There were well over a hundred Astartes soldiers aboard the tax vessel.
This led the others to mistake them for a Blood Angels company hurrying toward some massive campaign.
"The Imperial Departmento Lex greatly appreciates your assistance."
"Are the weapons aboard still operational?" Idamas did not directly answer her question. Instead, he asked about the ship's armaments.
"Well... naturally, they can still be used normally. They only shattered our shields and disabled several of our void shield field interference generators. The weapons merely overloaded."
"Very good."
Idamas nodded.
After a pause, he continued, "The personnel are all present as well?"
"Of course. We haven't lost anyone. Naturally, the enemy probably—"
"Very good."
"..."
The longer Lynn listened, the more something felt wrong.
The man saying those words did not sound like someone who had come to help repair their ship.
He sounded more like...
"Who is the commander of this fleet?"
"I am." Lynn stepped forward before the others.
"Who is the naval commander of this fleet?"
Idamas asked several questions in succession, identifying nearly all the most important people aboard the fleet—the ones holding almost all authority over the tax vessel. Once he had confirmed that they had all been singled out, Idamas said, "Very good. Someone will use a Battle Barge to send you back to Gamma World so you can continue your work. As for everyone else, along with the ship, they have been requisitioned. This is in the name of The Emperor."
"???"
"???"
"..."
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