Two thousand five hundred bottles of "Loyalty" couldn't sate the Inquisition's appetite.
But forcing the Ecclesiarchy into a compromise would involve complex negotiations and prolonged wrangling, which didn't suit the Inquisition's style.
Typically, they'd handle key figures like Alex.
The Black Ship and Lord Inquisitor title were their offer, but clearly, they'd underestimated their bid.
Even with an Astra Militarum regiment quota, it paled against the Ecclesiarchy's ten million thrones and near-Sororitas convent. A regiment couldn't match a Battle Sister convent, and its quota counted toward Imperial tithes, whereas the Ecclesiarchy could pile on Sisters at Alex's whim.
Moreover, the Sisters would stay on the planet unless extraordinary circumstances arose.
As long as Alex didn't turn heretic or blaspheme the Emperor, these Sisters were essentially his private army.
The negotiating Inquisitor felt both helpless and awed by the Ecclesiarchy's extravagance. Three Luna-class ships on order for Alex? Were they handing them out in bulk?
Still, the wine allocation wouldn't satisfy the Inquisition.
After Alex "reluctantly" offered 200 more bottles, bringing their share to 2,700, the Inquisitor could barely return with something to show.
In exchange, Alex demanded Titus, an Ultramarine currently held by the Inquisition for alleged heresy. A simple task for them, even if Titus was a Second Company Captain.
For Alex, securing Titus for so little was a steal. He might've given more wine, but since this deal worked, he wouldn't complicate things.
The bigger issue was the silver-armored giant before him—a Librarian of the 666th Chapter.
(Grey Knights Librarians, all capable of wearing Terminator armor, swapping as needed. Once, they borrowed four regiments' worth of Terminator armor to crush heretics, who surrendered at the sight of four distinctively painted chapters.)
"Greetings, mortal. Shall I call you Inquisitor or Governor?" The Librarian greeted Alex warmly, introducing himself: "I'm Kardja, Librarian of the Silver Sword Chapter's Fourth Company. I'm here to aid against Chaos threats and prevent this planet's corruption."
"Farseer Brotherhood?" Alex glanced at his shoulder pauldron, revealing his true identity. "Don't be surprised. I'm an Inquisitor; knowing secrets is my job."
(Farseer Brotherhood insignia)
"Not a common secret. I'm curious why you haven't been silenced or had your memory wiped," Kardja said, gripping his Nemesis Dreadfield staff, as if ready to crush Alex's skull with the master-crafted power weapon.
"Maybe I haven't seen Chaos? Knowing of your existence isn't a grave issue," Alex said, shrugging nonchalantly.
Kardja stared but relented. "I'm a Silver Sword Librarian, not some Farseer Brotherhood. You're mistaken, Inquisitor."
"Of course, my mistake," Alex nodded, not arguing. "For Chaos matters, coordinate with my chamberlain. She'll provide support."
He added, "Since you're Silver Sword, stay that way. No unnecessary actions."
"I'll judge the situation myself, but without Chaos knowledge involved, we're not that extreme," Kardja replied, understanding Alex's concern.
The 666th Chapter's existence was an absolute Imperial taboo, so forbidden that witnesses to their operations were eliminated.
Kardja was here to combat Chaos corruption, not to silence anyone, so he didn't need to act unreasonably.
…
"Damn it! What's the Inquisition playing at, dumping a Grey Knight here?" Gutres exclaimed, stunned by the 666th Chapter's Librarian.
"They're helping us fight Chaos corruption," Alex defended, though equally troubled.
As a lore enthusiast, he knew this officially sanctioned, incorruptible Space Marine chapter, the Imperium's elite anti-daemon force.
Formed at the Horus Heresy's end, some novels claimed they were the Emperor's second legion for Malcador's return. Though later retconned as Malcador's final vision before his fall, this all-psyker chapter, built by Malcador himself, remained the Imperium's last defense against Chaos.
Despite their single-chapter size, they monitored and sealed 666 greater daemons across the Imperium.
A five-man Grey Knight team could handle a daemon's incursion. Lesser Chaos invasions didn't warrant their involvement; they acted only for major daemon summonings or catastrophic corruption events—sector-threatening crises.
Their interventions came at a cost. Mortal witnesses to their daemon battles were executed, regardless of number. Survivors were turned into servitors. Even allied Astartes had their memories erased.
This earned them criticism from aware chapters, but it was a necessary secrecy. Chaos knowledge might seem harmless initially but could corrupt an entire planet centuries later.
Like the Inquisition's Exterminatus, the Grey Knights, the Emperor and Malcador's final gift, were a necessary evil—the Imperium's most critical one.
Their failure would mean no amount of Exterminatus could save the Imperium.
(End of Chapter)