The Adeptus Mechanicus bigwig hurried over. This was a huge deal.
"Honoured Angel of the Emperor, I am Andor, Archmagos of this Forge World. It is a great honour to meet you."
Nian Cijin remained seated. The towering mass of machinery before him inspired no reverence whatsoever.
"Are we talking business, or friendship?"
The Archmagos glanced at the firepower analysis of the fleet overhead. The Ambition-class Cruisers were no less heavily armed than Lunar-class capital ships.
"Once we finish talking business, we'll have a friendship."
"Good!" Nian Cijin finally straightened up. "You've made the right choice. Tell me what help you can offer."
"Please mind your language. This is a meeting between two powers. Maintain the most basic respect. Your attitude must..."
Before the Archmagos could finish, Nian Cijin pulled his Warblade out of the ground and laid it across his palm, stroking it.
"...your attitude must turn a full 360 degrees, to ensure we enter commercial negotiation mode."
"That is precisely what both sides need." Nian Cijin finally became serious, thinking to himself, A wise man knows when to adapt.
But 360 degrees just means going all the way around and ending up exactly where you started, doesn't it?
Nian Cijin finally responded to the proposed purchase of the vast stockpile of unsold goods and made his offer.
Lamenting Nian Cijin's shamelessness, the Archmagos vehemently rejected his absurdly low offer.
Nian Cijin's position was this: Everything above my navel is face, everything below it is waist. What really stands out is skin as thick as the Eternity Gate.
After he threw in a few local T'au specialties, they finally reached an agreement. Then Nian Cijin began asking for gifts.
Friendship, remember? You said it yourself. Business first, friendship afterward.
After a series of commercial negotiations, Nian Cijin took away