After another year at Antax waiting for more upgrades and a squad of Knights warmachines getting prepared for my future Knight House, Captain Veryon arrived as well with the rest of his fleet, only this time he had acquired a new Endurance_Light_Cruiser, sent by the Triplex Phall Forge World as a gift, and 5 more brand-new destroyers.

Veryon had named it Hymnal for the Vanquished, which fit well enough that I agreed to it, and his new command. The Endurance was armed with lance batteries by design, and had torpedo tubes as well.

"Captain Pef, I want to begin exploring to the north of our holdings, as I compiled rumours and hints of another pirate hideout. With my escorts, we will have more than enough firepower to complete this task." my brother declared confidently.

I almost denied it, before thinking again. "Of course, brother. I have 4 women to add to your crew as medics and soul healers, former Hospitallier sisters. I'm sure Antax will provision this task-force with new tech-priests and another regiment for ground operations, and you will have a chance to prove yourself. My daughter Teresa will join you to learn how to command a ship herself, as your X.O. and second-in-command. I will also ask Captain Aphael to spare a couple Astartes for bodyguard duty."

Veryon blinked in surprise, as he possibly didn't expect so many gifts. "So I can take all the ships I came with?" he asked out loud, while looking at my own bodyguard with apprehension.

What? No way I would give him 300 ships to start his own empire in the fringe.

It was also a little too much for a single pirate group.

"No, of course not. You will take the upgraded 30 Volcano-pattern corvettes, and the 3 King Cobra destroyers from Estaban, then some transport ships to carry the prizes you may find. Plus the Hymnal, after it receives missile launchers and multi-lasers for point defense." I explained with a wide grin.

It was still a force to be reckoned, and would not depend too much on consumable ammunition. And with a few Astartes on board, Veryon would not dare to mutiny.

He knew that just as well. "It's still great, Captain Pef. Are those Sisters as beautiful as I heard?" he asked without any ulterior motive, though his manner wasn't quite reverent.

I just patted his shoulder, with a wide grin on my face. "Oh yes. I already turned two of them into concubines. You may pick a few as well, if they catch your eye."

He returned a lecherous smile and walked away trippingly.

Poor foolish brother. Well, some women like his type too I suppose. Brave noble Captain, eager for glory.

Of course, beside Helena, only Catherine seemed interested to make babies with me, so the rest of the apostate Sisters didn't concern me. Veryon could try his luck too.

My wife Decima was now conducting final interviews and tests to assure herself that Catherine, the new concubine was loyal and able to bear children for the clan.

Meanwhile, down on the surface, the Biologis Magi were doing other experiments with my half-brothers from Justine, testing them for Knight pilot compatibility as well as harvesting more fertile eggs from my Blank concubines.

They were determined to replicate the Blank Machine Spirits from Estaban, despite the huge risks involved. A dozen fetuses yet unborn have somehow vanished, but I pretended not to notice. Sacrifice was the name of the game in this Hell.

Having a few working samples of the new Blank designs would speed up research a hundred times, not to mention harvesting samples from the primary source, me.

I kept working on the Predator version of the Rhino, armed with a Volcano Lance and two multilasers, one coaxial on the turret and one installed on the frontal glacis. These would not be troop carriers, but instead dedicated main battle tanks, with reinforced armor, a Power Shield and a few Enginseers in the crew for maintenance.

Once that was done, I did the same with Land Raider tanks and the Knights, upgrading their templates for better effectiveness and slightly more durability via Ion Shields.

My Volcano Lance gunship didn't yet work, but instead the Fury space fighter did, being large and durable enough to withstand the recoil and energy demands of such a potent weapon. A backup Power Shield was added to their already significant Ion Shields, and I made a note to update all the escorts with a backup Ion Shield as well, since I recalled it nullified Necron gauss weaponry.

The Fabricator met me in his rooms before I left for my next trip, and received the new templates with reverence. "We will conduct immediate testing and calibration litanies for these holy relics, Lord Pef. I have to ask, do you have a real STC database somewhere?"

I stared at his red robes and mechanical body while I strained my memory for an answer. The Mechanicus did have a few working STCs, on board their Ark Mechanicus battleships. But they didn't know about them.

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"I have heard a rumour. The Palomar Forge World is whispered to have built an Ark Mechanicus long ago, deep underground. And it should also have a working STC on board. However, I fear that waking up the old Machine Spirit will destroy the minds and everyone else on that planet." I spoke with doubt in my voice. I couldn't be certain if this was still true, or just wishful writing in another universe.

To my surprise, the Fabricator General stepped close and hugged me with a dozen tentacles. "Who cares about Palomar! I will go personally to recover the Holy Ark. Well, once the Lament is fit for travel."

I patted his eager limbs and shook my head. "Arrange for Palomar to relocate, at least partially. Better have them support the Eye of Terror blockade, and supply humanity with war machines. The Black Crusades will keep coming."

The metal Magos deposited me on my chair and patted my head like I was a baby. Well in size and age I likely was one, compared to him, not to mention mental ability. "Always trying to save people, even if it would only delay the return of Omnissiah. Let's hope your descendants will share your empathy, Lord Pef. This cursed galaxy needs more men like you..."

I nodded a bit shyly. "If you say so, Fabricator. Let's see about arming my existing troops with sufficient weaponry to pacify the Fringe."

The Magos calmed down and we returned to business. "The heavy tanks and the gunships will take decades to begin mass-production. Perhaps even more for the new Retribution-pattern space fighters. But these Weasels will not be difficult at all. My Forge will provide 70 thousands Laser Cannon variants and 30 thousand logistics support, as well as production facilities for ammunition and fuel. "

Well, that was one worry wiped away. Mechanized PDF would be very useful.

"Orbital defenses and the upgraded Conveyor?" I asked in a hopeful tone.

"Some extra orbital-class weaponry, and a space mine factory for your minefields. I have already begun testing these mines for our own defense, but your Nova shell mines are not feasible. Perhaps against beasts like the Tyranids or the Hrud." he explained patiently, and deftly ignoring the other item.

I sighed in defeat. In truth, Nova mines could be captured and turned against us by a savvy technological enemy.

"And genetic treatments, life extension for my crew and veterans?" I wondered in a more subdued voice.

The Magos turned his screen on and showed me his projections. The cost scaled immensely for every new crew category, as these treatments needed rare organic components and thousands of work-hours from his Biologis Magi. Damn it.

"Ship captains and regiment colonels, for now. With light power armor and shields for the other field officers." I mused softly, seeing the cost drop abruptly on the screen.

"Nobody can support such expensive upgrades, unless it's the Ecclesiarchy that is donated trillions of thrones and arms the Adepta Sororitas. And even so, not all of them have good gear or shields." the Fabricator replied in a wise voice, and sighed.

Again, logistics for such upgrades were the main problem.

"Ion shields for every spaceship or heavy vehicle? I have read somewhere that Necron weapons are ineffective against those types of shields." I said in a wondering voice.

My interlocutor froze a second, then stared at me intensely. "It's a worthy conjecture, Lord Pef. I'll have the astropaths send this data to Mars right away. Necron worlds are terrible enemies for mankind, and their predations are nearly unstoppable due the advanced xeno technology."

I smiled and drank some wine." Well, don't hope for a perfect counter to the Necrons, esteemed Magos. I'm quite certain these have many more weapons with different technologies, just like the Mechanicus doesn't have only macrocannons."

The Fabricator snorted in derision. Macrocannons were plebeian weapons, used by the Navy or Orks.

"Indeed we do, like I already showed you on the upgraded Lament, Lord Pef. But if we manage to recover that Ark Mechanicus relic...there should be a trove of better holy machines, from the Golden Age maybe." he announced in a fanatical voice and immediately splashed me with sanctified ointment.

Damn lack of common sense again.

"Upgrades to my Canticle?" I asked with little hope.

"Minor upgrades now, and 20 thousand plasma torpedoes delivered to your base at Retribution, in a decade or so. Gyron decided to covert that world into a new Forge World beholden to us, to supply your holdings forever. So everything else will be done on site" he told me with a wry tone.

A bit sneaky, and perhaps trying to find real STC templates on Retribution. Then again, I wasn't attached at all to that world, with painful memories from losing my father and many of my clan.

He could have it, and good riddance.