I happen to know the current Quality Control Officer of the PW-P-15 Megaport Freight Zone; he used to be my maternal grandfather's subordinate. If you need help, I can assist you, but I won't take any money," Archie replied with an embarrassed, bitter smile.
Horatio had intended to contact Commodore Peru to help him with the licensing issue, but unfortunately, the Gothic Fleet's high command was holding a closed strategic meeting, making them temporarily unreachable.
Horatio suddenly remembered that Archie's Rear Admiral grandfather had once served as a civil affairs officer in the PW-P-15 Megaport Freight Zone.
"Your mother has been ill for many years, and that's no small expense." Horatio stepped forward, patted Archie's shoulder, and smiled, "You help me, and I'll help you."
Archie looked very hesitant. After a while, his lips moved, "Alright, but the amount truly doesn't matter. I just find taking money strange."
"There's nothing strange about it. All procedures are legal and compliant. We are just giving the Starport workers an opportunity to prove their products, and you, this is your deserved compensation."
Archie nodded, letting go of the last burden in his heart.
He was indeed very short on money, and Horatio guaranteed that everything would be strictly conducted according to standard regulations.
—
PW-P-15 Megaport Freight Zone, Port Authority Office.
Relying on Archie's familiarity and his childhood memories of running to his Rear Admiral grandfather's office, Horatio, dressed in a plain coat, quickly followed Archie, gaining unimpeded access to the supervisor's office located in the deeper section.
Horatio used an alias, publicly claiming to be Archie's business partner.
No one guessed his Navy identity. Combined with his crisp white shirt, emerald silk collar pin, waistcoat, and a respectable overcoat, he looked like a young factory owner.
"99.96% sterilization rate, excellent quality, exceeding the average warehouse level," the quality inspector, with many tubes inserted into his head, reported before stepping back.
Such fast-tracked inspection efficiency was naturally thanks to Archie's efforts.
"Hmm, alright." This was a Navy Colonel who had been promoted under Rear Admiral Collingwood. He looked at the test data, and finding no issues, generously approved the sample Horatio submitted.
"Thank you very much, Colonel Winston. How long will it take to obtain the special license?" Archie asked with a smile, stepping forward.
When they first entered, they had seen this Colonel fiercely scolding and chasing away a Guild Alliance distributor, but upon seeing Archie, his expression completely changed.
"Even with special approval for you, it will take at least a year or so. This is already the fastest the Ministry of Internal Affairs can manage," the Colonel said in a friendly tone, giving a very uncertain timeframe.
"Thank you, Colonel," Horatio said with a polite smile.
He didn't have time to wait "a year or so."
From an administrative framework perspective, the Navy Department, Department of Military Affairs, and Commissariat are all subordinate branches of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs' inefficiency was a well-known fact. Getting it done within "a year or so" was already considered "lightning fast," unless a serving Navy Admiral-level figure pushed it through the Ministry of Internal Affairs, otherwise, it wouldn't be any quicker.
But asking a Navy Admiral, who was too busy to spare any time, to push for a small factory's special license seemed utterly preposterous.
This was also why Commodore Edward Peru authorized Horatio to resolve some matters privately using his "channels."
"By the way, Colonel. Could you disclose all the information on all grades of transport ships expected to travel the Lucius-Abyss Port route in the next half month? I have a batch of raw materials coming from there, but the Ship Owner hasn't given me a specific time, so I'd like to inquire to arrange the workers in advance."
To avoid alerting the enemy, it was best to avoid the Fleet Military Intelligence Headquarters getting directly involved. Therefore, Rear Admiral Hood approved a special operating fund for Horatio to use privately to establish connections and bypass all obstacles.
Horatio smiled, took out three brand-new Throne Gold Coins, each wrapped in a handkerchief and bearing the likenesses of the Emperor, Sanguinius, and Rogal Dorn, from his inner pocket, and gently placed them on the table.
As the Imperial All-Purpose Holy Terra Gold Coins, Throne Gold Coins were not only valuable but also had exquisitely embossed portraits that made them highly collectible and prestigious, making them the perfect gift for Imperial Navy Colonels who were not short on money.
Not to mention these were brand new, three distinct Throne Gold Coins, part of Rear Admiral Hood's personal collection sponsored to Horatio.
The Colonel's eyes widened. After a long while, he came to his senses, raised an eyebrow, and said cordially, "Oh, such a small matter, you just had to say so! Please wait a moment, it's not really a secret anyway. As for the subsequent special license, just leave it to me. I'll try my best to smooth things over with the Ministry of Internal Affairs for you. The special license might even be done in half a year."
The Colonel smiled, his tone now respectful by three points, and took out a handkerchief from his chest pocket, wrapping the gold coins before putting them into his pouch.
"That truly is too kind of you," Horatio said with a polite smile.
Who said money couldn't buy time? By spending money, he could save a lot of effort and time, entrusting these lengthy administrative processes to professionals.
Once all these preparations were complete, and the Labor Union had a well-established industry, they would have income, and then the reconstruction of the underground network would have a material basis. Everything would proceed as planned.
However, in the meantime, Horatio first needed to find a transitional buyer for the products, otherwise, the Labor Union's meager cash flow wouldn't last half a year, and neither he nor the Fleet Military Intelligence Headquarters could wait half a year to begin building the underground intelligence network.
"Thanks, Archie." Horatio handed him a check.
"But this is… for expenses," Archie said, declining with a bitter smile.
"This is also part of the expense of building connections. If it weren't for your help, it would cost much more money and time."
Horatio pressed the check into Archie's hand, putting his baseball cap back on. "Take the rest of the time to cash this and buy some nourishing things for your mother. I have something else to do. See you around." He pulled down his cap brim and gave Archie a salute by touching the brim.
Archie looked down at the million-credit check in his hand, standing still for a moment, lost in thought.
[+Private Horatio, please return to the academy immediately for an emergency assembly.+]
Lieutenant Commander Elphinstone's voice came through Horatio's comm device.
[+Yes, Lieutenant Commander. Has something happened?+]
[+Emergency deployment order. Report to the armory upon return to the academy.+]
[+Understood!+]
Horatio looked at Archie. He didn't seem to be mobilized. Coupled with the fact that several leaders of the Fleet Military Intelligence Headquarters suddenly held a meeting, he had an indistinct feeling earlier.
—
"Lieutenant Stirling, Private Horatio reporting."
"One of our cruisers, while exiting Mandeville Point, was struck by a Plague Ship that flew out of the Eye of Terror, infecting it with the zombie plague," Lieutenant Stirling said gravely, his brows tightly furrowed.
This was not good. Imperial warships only activated their Geller Field during Warp travel, and only activated their Void Shield upon returning to real space.
This meant that the Plague Ship had directly collided with the defenseless cruiser.
[Indeed, Mortarion has coveted the Segmentum Obscurus for a long time. Before the 13th Black Crusade, the Gothic Fleet was tormented by the threat of Plague Ships, severely reducing the number of Gothic Fleet deployments, to the point where the Gothic Battle Group was outnumbered during the Battle of Cadia.]
"The Captain took emergency measures, stopping the ship 6,000 kilometers from the Starport. Currently, all decks from 6 to 66 below have fallen, and the middle and upper decks are still fighting fiercely against the zombies.
According to detection, the plague has infiltrated the main life support module. The Battle Sisters squad from the Sacred Rose Sisterhood sent to purify the life support room has lost contact. The plague is now threatening the safety of the fleet. As per the Fleet Security Committee's request, we must contain this ship plague at all costs."
Lieutenant Stirling patted Horatio's shoulder and said:
"Prepare for boarding."
Order creates all things to nourish Chaos, yet Chaos gives nothing in return to Order!!!
Khorne stuff? Chop it! Nurgle stuff? Step on it! Tzeentch stuff? Deceive it! Slaanesh stuff? Screw it! Plague Ship, kill, kill, kill!!!