On T'au, the standing forces had transferred from the Eternal Mountain to a purchased Mechanicum Gunship, while Annos continued his research aboard the Secret Cult Warship.
He knew how to pilot this magnificent warship, but he was trying to figure out an alternative energy source.
The warship's main power source was a captive miniature black hole, so there was no need to worry about it running dry. The psychic main cannon, however, had no alternative power source.
What if... I wired a hundred thousand Psykers together?
The Imperium's traditional methods had always been simple and brutal, but where would he find so many Psykers?
By Annos's rough calculations, he would need around a hundred thousand Eta-class Psykers. Or, in other words, a hundred Canzeros?
Where was he supposed to find them?
The departed spirits of the Secret Cult gave him a thumbs-up and declared that, if they had had enough Nicassar back then, these people would already have been history.
Just as Annos was calculating how much territory they would need to conquer to gather that many Psykers, the Fountain of Wealth emerged from the Warp.
Since the Secret Cult Warship was relatively close to the Mandeville Point, Annos was startled, and every functioning defensive installation sprang into action.
Within seconds, countless weapons had locked onto the Fountain of Wealth, terrifying every member of its crew.
Siwana sat high on the command platform. Her deputy captain had died, and her current first mate was a woman covered in scars, who asked her in a trembling voice, "Captain, they've locked onto us. Around... fifty-six weapon arrays."
More weapon arrays were still turning toward them. This enormous warship was practically the final glory of all the Galaxy's powerful psychic races, and it certainly had no shortage of firepower.
"Don't panic." Siwana raised