40 Thousand Reasons

Chapter 75: Surrender

While the Eldar fleet bombarded the rift and battled the howling demons, I fell into deep meditation, using the Pharos to skim the fabric of space for something of use against the remaining Eldar forces.

They still had 10 to 1 superiority in numbers, and millions of years of advanced technology.

And I was nearly out of options.

Then I remembered the threat I threw towards the C'tan, and smiled.

A Greater Demon would be more than sufficient, and much more.

Of course, not summoning one, because I wasn't insane. But if I could find a trapped one somewhere?

It would make an excellent trading gift, right?

And if my memories weren't wrong, that Hell Forge I blasted to bits, it did have a Greater Daemon, trapped in a Tesseract_labyrinth. I turned my mind-eyes towards the scattered fragments of Ghalmek, and began searching.

It did last hours and hours, and meanwhile the Warp rift had been closed and the Eldar had began approaching Sotha, if very cautiously.

I was running out of time fast, as the C'tan kept reminding me, once per hour.

But luck was on my side once again, and I located the faceted crystal just in time. So I called my best friend from another race. "Overlord Trazyn, may I ask if you're too busy for a trade?"

"Oh? Back so soon? Don't tell me you already found something of value?" he asked in a friendly voice.

"Yes and no. No value for me, none whatsoever. But then, I do not collect rare beings like yourself. Ah, those mind scarabs...perhaps it is time to remove their shackles, now that those delivered to me are my prizes. And the Enslaver Bone Shield too, if it's ready. I kept thinking I misplaced it somewhere, in this dimension or the other." I demanded as a first step.

Not going to touch that crystal unless I had a mind shield. Greater Daemons were bullshit enough.

"Hehe. I forgot about the mind control too...there! All of them have been released. I even found an Ark Mechanicus cruiser for that Hypnoth Forge of yours. But no reality cage, not yet. I need to trace the timelines of that Venatoria Forge, and they seemed quite tangled, even for those who get close to the Eye. And the bone...well. It is ready. Let me hear what you have first." Trazyn announced with a more cautious voice.

"What I have to trade, is a Tesseract containing a Greater Daemon. I don't think anyone has ever captured one before." I explained in a teasing tone.

I didn't exactly claim I did the capture, but then this wasn't the point. I had possession of the goods, which meant I could sell it.

The Necron almost yelled in joy, because it was true...nobody else had a caged Greater Daemon. "I want it!"

"Of course you do, my friend. So, I need the bone shield, as I can't manipulate such a thing without protection. And then, I want 10 empty tesseracts, with operation instructions usable by a medium-grade Tech-priest, and...something that can move a planet, without damaging it too much. Also...that Custodian and a Company of..." I started adding on my wish list, just as Trazyn ground his necrodermic teeth in anger.

"Enough! No more Astartes, stranger. There are millions of Space Marines out there, find your own. And nothing like 10 tesseracts! Even empty, they have a certain value. Two, at most. The Bone Shield I understand, depending on your race it would be terminally dangerous to handle a Greater Daemon. Same with operating instructions...although if you are a tech-priest, I feel sorry for you." the Necron Lord exclaimed while he sliced off the negotiation deck, and ignored the Custodian deal.

So it would be possible after all, just not yet. Same for the planet drive, which wasn't that difficult for any advanced race or psyker. I just wasn't any of those.

"Not a tech-priest, but I am good friends with many of them. Just hold it in front of you...and don't forget to remove any traps." I said while locking onto the space in front of Trazyn.

"Just the bone, right now. And this dataslate with the tesseract instructions." he argued, perhaps fearful I won't conclude the deal.

In a twirl of space, I waved the artifacts into my hands.

A mind shield sprang around me, eliminating all my fatigue, and there was a mental trigger for some kind of empathic blast wave embedded in the dark metal cover.

The C'tan tried to say something in my mind, but it was blocked, giving only a slight tingle of warning. Perfect job, Trazyn!

"What is the Mighty C'tan saying?" I asked my Rose.

"He warns that the other Eldar vessels are gathering into a second fleet and will arrive in the system in a few hours." The Inquisitor explained while measuring the new weapon in my hand with Ordo Xenos wariness. Quite rightfully, if I might say.

I now had a weapon similar to Trazyn's own Empathic_Obliterator, which was also a mind shield, and probably still a gravity hammer like before. And just like Trazyn himself wasn't a psyker and could use it, so could I.

Then I connected to the dataslate with my implant and began to rapidly download and read the operating instructions, which seemed much too simple. Perhaps Trazyn had a too low opinion about the Mechanicus. Some of them could be really smart.

A dozen minutes later, I opened my eyes and checked the fleet situation, to find the Eldar already bombarding the outer forts.

Time had ran out. Damn it.

Twisting space again, I cautiously willed the Tesseract crystal inside the Pharos, and immediately away, into Trazyn's room.

Something did tingle my mental defenses, while Rose crashed to her knees in pain and agony, with eyes glowing blue. "What was that? It felt like a Daemon, a big one. I haven't felt anything like that since we killed Fulgrim."

"Well my dear, I am a Rogue Trader, aren't I? Someone had a Greater Daemon of Khorne trapped in a box, and someone else wanted it, for his collection. I get a finder's fee, and access to another deal in the future." I explained patiently as two empty tesseracts appeared in my hand.

I had one crystal flipped into my chest null box, and started connecting with the second crystal, via my implants.

Strangely, it worked quite similar to the Pharos, only it had a pocket dimension as the teleport destination, and a much smaller radius, barely a star system, not a galactic sector.

But it was enough. With my empathic staff in one hand for mental fortitude, and the dimensional crystal in another, I began abducting the Eldar ships, until only the battleship remained.

In a few seconds, the Farseer lady on board the last battleship realized the shift in their fate, and stopped firing their beams.

I ordered my Blood Angels to stop firing back. No need to damage my new Void_Stalker after all.

"Lower your shields and prepare to be boarded. Resistance is futile!" I send into her mind, and she crashed to her knees in defeat.

"Signus, begin teleporting Blood Angels onto the bridge of the Eldar Battleship. It's time to accept their surrender." I sent to my loyal enginseer, who wasn't all that amazed at my victory.

I have never lost a single battle, after all.

"Of course, Captain. Took longer than usual." he complained, for no reason at all.

Come on! Asking for a miracle was enough, now you want it fast as well?

"Go on, Rose. The Eldar Farseer awaits." I said with a tiny smile, and beamed her on board the Void Stalker, right after the first wave of Blood Angels teleported, from the Hearth of Sotha.

My Canticle and the conveyors had already departed for Forge Retribution, so I began collecting my own Lancefire House starfighters inside the tesseract, from all over the system.

This device had a lot of potential, not just to kidnap enemies, but to recover damaged ships or conduct carrier operations without much risk to the pilots.

I was now ready to take part in the Badab War, and collect more ships and allies for my forces, and even rescue the bunch of idiot Astartes, before they became traitors.

But first, I did have a dozen Silent Sisters to charm, and convince them to produce babies for humanity.

That might be more difficult than winning against an Eldar armada.

"What do you say, Mighty Zarhulash? Should I accept their surrender?" I asked in a teasing voice.

"Again, you traded at a huge loss, Pef Lancefire. Two empty tesseracts, for another one containing a Greater Daemon? Or do you intend to trap me inside the other one?" the C'tan asked in a wary tone.

I just smiled sweetly, in response.