Using the Primaris Blanks against common criminals and gangers may have been overkill, as the criminals soon began to surrender en masse.

Even so, as the Mourners Captains came to screen the rounded prisoners, once in a while their Phase blades would flash like green wings of light, and split open some disguised genestealers, as their new etheric detectors confirmed Type 6 etheric signals, contagious.

Lash also had the gift to hunt down more genestealers alongside them, sometimes slapping them around to make them reveal a hidden claw or some other weapon, before crunching their heads like grapes between his jaws.

'Just kill them, Lash! And find the genestealer Patriarch. There always is one.' I commented dourly. The C'tan was a bully as well as a coward, hiding from stronger foes while enjoying torturing poor creatures.

'I do as my wolf engrams say I should. But yes, maybe that Patriarch would provide more enjoyment.' he replied while scanning the surrounding for a minute, then flashing away at hyperspeed through the maze of tunnels, leaving behind a trail of dismembered and gored humanoid corpses.

I had the sad task of providing cleaning duty, flicking the corpses into Goth's Sun.

Eventually, the cleansing of Goth ended after a week of mild fighting and a hundred minor injuries among the Marines. I did have to give my Apothecaries some training too, and the boys a few scars to boost their egos.

I was mostly helping the Fabricator with logistical problems, moving mountains of metal and relocating ships or Mechanicus personnel at greater speed and no fuel cost. Must have saved the Forge a few decades with my help, as they already organized the first Ragnarok tank factorium, and even used some newly conscripted Servitors as assembly line workers, while giant stamp hammers folded plasteel plates into the desired chassis.

"Is this how you organized the production at Machine Forge too?" the Fabricator asked as we observed the results of our efforts, and the first Goth-pattern Ragnarok personnel carrier came off the assembly line.

Sure, this variant was far easier to make, without the heavy adamantium turret of the tank, nor adamantium tracks.

"Pretty much, yes. But we also use separate assembly line for each individual parts, like engines and targeting cogitators. Then we gather them at a large assembly plant and simply weld everything together. It takes a bit more work to create the subsidiary factoriums, but the manufacture rates increase greatly." I explained while watching the equivalent of the Ford T assembly line producing another Ragnarok 10 minutes later.

"...It can be done even faster?" The Goth's Fabricator muttered in surprise.

"Stick with this method for a few centuries, esteemed Fabricator. And when you decide to try a faster way, test it with consumable munitions like autocannon and artillery shells first. Best if you discover the perils of macro-industry with less complicated devices." I commented wryly. Fabricator Gemma might have torn her hair out if she had any left, as managing the exact ratios for each separate factoriums to produce a finished product on time was rather...intense.

"You're going to purge the Hellforge when you leave here?" he asked with no ulterior motive.

"Want to join?" I asked with an easy voice. He couldn't actually leave his post, too wired into everything.

"We have some specialized tech-priests that can help, called Techsorcists . They have a special mechadendrite installed that includes hexagrammic data-gates. The altered mechadendrite helps the Techsorcist as the special electronic wards allows them to resist the corruption of Chaos-infested Machine Spirits. And they may find some intact STCs or fragments..." the spider-frame tech-priest proposed with a longing voice.

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"Sure, I'll take a few. But one of them will need to remain with me, from here on. I will need him to train my tech-marines." I said in a curt voice. A way to counter Chaos data corruption would be valuable.

I haven't heard of Chaos-resistant tech-sorcery before, but it made sense though. Even the Mechanicus would adapt, after a few millennia of bashing their heads against the same problem. Not always though.

"Acceptable. I think Techsorcist Pollus-Xov-81555 will suit your company the best. He is quite capable of intuitive thinking, speculation and improvisation due to his lateral and unorthodox processes. Not a common trait among the Mechanicus, you understand." the Fabricator explained, while passing his problem-child into my care. But I liked this Pollux already. He sounded just like my type of guy.

"Have Pollux and his people signal when ready. I'll transport them to my Fortress. And don't forget our trade!" I proclaimed in a grand voice, then patted Canis on the nose and vanished.

"Wof. Wooaa?" Canis asked wisely, then ran for his meat dispenser to feed his internal furnace.

While Canis wasn't the classic Psyber_Familiar present everywhere in this galaxy, we were still connected, both by implants and possibly our souls. The Emperor certainly did something to us both.

I still got the crux of his meaning though. New tech-priests may figure out something about Lash. Especially if they had intuitive thinking. Something to figure out later.

Anyways, I had enough of industry for today! And possibly for a year. Ladies, prepare to be lanced!

I ran past Brother Joghaten and left my armor in the tesseract in mid-air, reaching the shower already naked.

"Try to be cautious with the tech-priests, Lord Lancefire! They have insidious methods to infiltrate your mind, via implants." my bodyguard advised me from the shower's open door.

"...That is actually true, Brother. But I did just recruit some specialists on the topic, and I have Vanus Temple logis-firewalls too." I shouted from under the hot water stream.

"You know the Mechanicus also makes those firewalls, right?" he asked softly.

I froze for a second, then let the water cool slowly. In a minute, I was ready for my fucking duty.

"Nothing I can do about that, just now. Go call the first lady in!" I said as I jumped naked in my bed.

"...Just find a way, my Lord. My sword can't protect you from noosphere attacks." the bodyguard grumbled as he made his way to the door, hand on the unlit pommel of his Phase blade.

"Lord Lancefire...what a big lance!" the woman stammered as she measured the renowned lance that made my dynasty so famous, and rather numerous lately. She wore only a thick fluffy robe, to keep her warm in the waiting room.

"Take a seat beside me, dear. Tell me about yourself." I asked in a gentle voice.

"...My father is Major Sly Marbo, my mother is an Auxilia Corporal from Catachan. So, I come from a military family. And I heard about your exploits and the need to increase the dynasty with more Blanks!" she gushed a bit too rapidly.

"Your father put you to this." I concluded with a wry smile, then leaned over and kissed her neck gently.

"...It didn't take much convincing, my Lord." she murmured while blushing heavily. Oh, a virgin! Saved herself for the big day, with the famous Lancefire.

I saw Jaghaten point his thumb up for an extra point. You bet it was a good find!

My hands caressed her back softly, and drew her robe away, making her young breasts flop up and down in a mesmerizing move.

My wolfish brain took over, and I leaned down to eat.