Nareth, holding the data crystals containing the star chart and Malevolus's notes on Cataphractii Terminator Armor, proceeded to the Kingdom of Disorder.
The "Baron of Corruption's" spirituality extended, touching the blue orb.
He saw Szczesny seated at a desk, examining three data slates before him, handling official duties.
Nareth concentrated. Black mist churned swallowing Szczesny.
Szczesny found himself engulfed by black mist. He didn't panic. Looking up into the mist's depths, he indeed saw the Black Emperor's figure enthroned high above.
"My Lord."
"What is the current status of the 9th Chapter?" Nareth asked.
"My Lord, after a new batch of neophytes completed transformation surgeries and joined the Chapter, the total number of Shadows of Order has reached twenty thousand five hundred."
"Besides Talassar, the Chapter has secured ten Saharduin star systems. Among them, four are suitable for human habitation, classified as Ocean Worlds based on terrain."
"Three systems have developed fishing industries and are classified as Agricultural Worlds, primarily for fish farming, providing food for Legion domains in the Segmentum Ultima. The fourth system's seabed holds abundant mineral deposits and is classified as a Mining World."
Szczesny then reported the Chapter's difficulties. "My Lord, although Talassar's primary world is industrially developed, it cannot match a Forge World. Its production capacity can only ensure equipment supply for six companies."
"After the war erupted in the galactic core, supplies have been affected. Weaponry supplied by Incaladion cannot meet the Chapter's needs."
Nareth nodded slightly. He used telekinesis to envelop the two data crystals and deliver them to Szczesny.
"Lead your fleet to Firestorm."
"After securing Firestorm, efficiently manage its industrial facilities. It will provide your Chapter with a constant stream of war machines."
"Additionally, using the data provided by Malevolus on Cataphractii Terminator Armor, establish production lines. In the short term, prioritize this production capacity."
"As you command, My Lord." Szczesny breathed a sigh of relief. He had no doubt about the Black Emperor's words. The Chapter's supply issues would soon be resolved.
The black mist swallowed him again, and when his senses returned, he was back aboard his flagship.
The Storm Lord immediately issued orders. The fleet set sail, destination: Firestorm.
2nd Solar Month, 850.M41, Firestorm.
The Warp tide surges of the Maelstrom flung the Black Reef meteors into real space.
Countless meteors streaked across Firestorm's sky, crashing onto the ground.
Busy workers, following the loud crashes, looked outside in horror. They saw tall monsters coated with muddy flesh clumps emerge from the impacts.
"Carnivorous Sludge-Men!"
A worker shouted in terror. Every few centuries, monsters called Carnivorous Sludge-Men would appear with falling meteors.
During these times, the fiery streaks of meteors piercing the atmosphere made the entire planet seem engulfed in a firestorm, hence the planet's name.
It was both a catastrophic calamity and a source of new meteor-borne materials.
The last occurrence had been four hundred years ago; the one before that, nearly fifteen hundred years past.
Alarms blared. Workers rushed towards armories, grabbing firearms to repel the Carnivorous Sludge-Men attacks.
Dull impacts and terrified screams came from factory entrances.
Foremen shouted orders, nervously directing workers to aim their weapons at the entrance.
A massive figure swayed as it entered.
Though roughly humanoid in shape, its body was entirely composed of mudlike sludge, as if it had been dredged straight out of a cement pit.
Fresh chunks of flesh and bone hung from its mouth and body, clearly having just feasted.
"Fire!"
At the foreman's shout, countless searing beams lashed out at the creature.
The concentrated fire punched holes through its slurry body until it resembled a sieve. Under the hanging lights, beams passed straight through it like a honeycomb.
A second, a third, more and more Sludge-Men followed it in.
Workers opened fire with solid-round autoguns, but the bullets sank straight into the creatures' bodies without effect.
Even scorching las-beams required a hundred hit to melt their forms enough to bring one down.
While workers reloaded power packs, the Sludge-Men advanced with shambling steps.
One of them charged into the crowd, its sludge-coated hand grabbing a worker and stuffing him into its mouth.
The man's head and neck vanished into the creatures maw.
His legs kicked wildly, arms pushing against it as he screamed and struggled.
Seconds later, strange gray smoke rose from his arms as the flesh was corroded away.
Moments after that, his neck was completely gone, and only bones remained of his arms.
Bits of flesh clung to the creature's body, crackling as if being roasted in a fire.
....
At the same time, in Firestorm's orbit, the 9th Chapter fleet arrived.
The moment the ships exited from the Warp, the Storm Lord received a report from the Master of Vox.
"Lord, numerous black reef fragments are emerging from Warp turbulence, crashing towards Firestorm like meteors."
"Prepare for combat!" Szczesny recalled the information recorded by the Black Emperor in the data crystal: Carnivorous Sludge-Men would harass surrounding systems like Incakadion.
The permanent Warp storm called the Maelstrom affected surrounding star regions.
Warp energy surges would bring Black Reef meteors to worlds like Incaladion and Firestorm, like waves carrying deep-sea sand and stones onto a coastline.
Black drop pods from the 9th Chapter descended from the sky, impacting meteor strike zones.
Nicholas leapt from his od. The storm-discipline psyker raised his staff.
A howling gale formed out of nothing, sweeping up dozens of Sluge-Men.
Dragged into the storm, their slurry bodies were rapidly torn apart.
Large clumps of mud, flesh, and bone splattered onto the ground.
Nicholas's helmet auspex displayed dozens of Sludge-Men charging towards a factory.
He strode forward and raised his staff again, summoning another whirlwind that hurled dozens more creatures into the air.
The auspex displayed over a dozen Sludge-Men scattered outside the storm.
The "Folk of Rage" didn't waste psychic energy on another storm. He charged forward like a humanoid tempest, reaching behind the Sludge-Men.
The "Folk of Rage" suddenly swung his arm, power erupting in a single strike.
His "Raging Blow" slammed into a Sludge-Man. Its body exploded in a spray of sludge.
Nicholas saw several Sludge-Men surrounding a Shadow of Order. Their dripping sludge fell on his power armor, emitting sizzling sounds.
"Xeno die!"
The "Folk of Rage" roared, his arm swelled, as another "Raging Blow" smashed into a Sludge-Man.
With an explosive sound, sludge splattered. Nicholas felt he had become a true "Folk of Rage."
Within a week, the 9th Chapter expelled all Carnivorous Sludge-Men from Firestorm.
After deliberation, Firestorm's industrial consortiums quickly decided to accept the Storm Lord's governance.
Techmarines utilized the the data to begin manufator Cataphractii Terminator Armor.
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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