Chapter 9

The squad of the Silent Sisters took a transport vehicle and slowly traversed the crowded streets of the hive city.

People from all walks of life, Level 5 and Level 4 working until their backs broke for a chance to attain higher level of citizenship.

Level 3 citzens able to use certain public facilities and have far more rights than the Level 4 and 5 citizens combined can be seen taking their rations of food or getting their cybernetic implants repaired or installed a new one on some clinics scattered all over the hive city.

Level 2 citizens able go to more equipped hospitals. The range in which they can apply for a job is also much higher than the Level 3 citizens and has far more security clearances to go to certain facilities such as advance hospitals for better cybernetic implants and healthcare.

Finally, Level 1 citizens doing what a full citizen does, enjoying every luxury available. Using the up to date cybernetics, working the most comfortable jobs, and many more.

The wide variety of these people can be seen on this hive city doing what they usually does. The citizenship system that kept the stability of the Imperium for innumerable years is considered and promoted by the state media as the perfect answer to discrimination, xenophobia, and social hierarchy.

As the transportation vehicle of the Silent Sisters passed by the crowded streets, people of all walks of life was of course confused and shocked on why are they here.

The people even the highest level of citizens don't know what's happening or what happened a day or two ago.

They don't even know about the complete existence of the Reapers. The only information given are that they're machine constructs and is by no means a threat to the greater Imperium.

They're kept in the shadows and they're fine with that as they don't really know the bigger picture nor will they know it.

They're obedient to the government after all the years they spent being brainwashed on the schools and fed with the information by the state media outlet.

Such a thing might seem cruel however a Type 4 civilization needn't have people contributing instability like those of the different political parties in a parliamentary system.

This is why the Emperor ordered his personal guards to conduct an extensive investigation and surveillance of the possible instability.

After sometime, the transportation vehicle finally stopped in front of the building considered as the "club room" of the Curious people.

The people of the "club" wasn't informed about the arrival of the Silent Sisters as to keep them on their natural setting and prevent them of faking their answers.

The Skitarii who's guarding or rather blockading the whole building gave way for the Silent Sisters to enter the premises unopposed as the higher ups of the organization was in turmoil.

"What? The Silent Sisters has came? It has already reached the Emperor!" said a slim technopriest as he and his associates scrambled to make themselves as presentable and less suspicious as possible to the Silent Sisters.

They don't exactly know what's happening, the whole Martian Government managed to keep them in secret from all the possble movements. They're even given the order of don't leave this building and all of their communication from the outside world was cut off.

Though they know that it has something to do with the incident. They must not falter on their acting. The whole organization's future and survival depended on them.

The sound of metal boots was heard hitting the marble floor of this building as the low level technopriest can be seen confused by the seen happening before their eyes.

Some who's totally shocked even threw up as they didn't managed to control themselves or was just overpowered by the sheer strength of the soulless gene.

The higher ups of the organization already long ago went downstairs to meet the Silent Sisters and prepared themselves for the tedious and danger they're about to feel.

"Great guards of the Omnissiah! By the grace of the Machine God, what happened for great people such as you to personally come to our humble place?" asked the slim technopriest with an amicable tone as he gently bowed to show respect and hide his weird facial expression and his desire to throw up and run as far and fast as he can.

The squad leader didn't even great the technopriest as she immediately said in sign language an order.

"Lead us to secured room. We have a lot to talk about..."

...

Meanwhile back to Lupus, he's now wearing the cleaned armor of his and was lying down on top of a tree branch as he presented himself to be the night watch after much opposition.

Right now, the remaining men are already ling asleep with the raging bonfire in the middle of the camp slowly losing its brightness.

Lupus is looking at the beautiful full moon while thinking of something. He then stood up on the thick branch of the tree and climb to the highest point in this tree with such ease.

He was thinking of how did humanity became like that. Became so powerful without help from the outside. They didn't stood on the shoulders of giants, they're the giants that every other subsequent aliens stood upon.

Quite a weird thought considering he's on an unknown forest far from any city possible.

His strength made it easy for him. His fingers went inside the truck and he moved his body like a monkey when climbing.

He then stood on top of the tree, overseeing what looked like an ever stretching fields of trees being illuminated by the night light.

He inhaled deeply as he started a monologue.

"It's beautiful, to know that everything began like these. To know that humanity really has come far. It's like, we are destined to become what we are from the beginning."

"Is this why people are so keen on protecting Terra? They know they'll die protecting it yet they still did. It's probably because they know that even if they die someone will take their place but this..."

"This whole scenery, this whole planet, is unique. They know they're not special, they know they'll not survive but their determination in protecting the birthplace of humanity is admirable."

"So this is why we're thought in school that Terra is always in our backs. Not a step back shall be taken. A step back means giving the enemy a step closer to Terra, our mother."

"Every victory is an offering to the Emperor, to humanity, and to Terra herself. I, Lupus Spinther shall fulfill my mission..."

"I shall fulfill this in the name of Emperor, humanity, and Terra. Not a step back, the path left is forward..."

...

Somewhere in the galaxy...

Ship after ship of the Inorganics traversed the darkness. They became like a stalker, always on the rear of their prey, waiting for the right time to strike.

This fleet is but a small fleet sent by the "brain" of the Inorganics to battle it out with the so-called "Imperium".

The brain doesn't know who or what are they and it chose to just send a detachment of around 500 ships to gauge the enemy strength and prepare countermeasures.

These 500 ships don't know the actual location of the Imperium so they're scouring the whole galactic supercluster aa the brain thinks they should be here somewhere.

The main fleet are harvesting things on distant galaxies in the supercluster to add to the ever growing and ever improving might of the Inorganics.

Back at the place of the mother probe...

The gigantic teleportation gate around the diameter of the a whole Au suddenly lighted up as the bows of ships of antiquity protruded from the portal.

The very first ship to come out is a heavily modified Apocalypse-class battleship. The modifications are visible to the naked eye, the ship size is generally bigger, the main gun is also generally more powerful. The whole frame of the Apocalypse-class battleship is the only thing retained.

But this battleship is already outdated compared to what the Imperial navy uses in a day to day basis.

Generally, the ships and overall equipment of the Auxiliary army are outdated and under powered.

They're at most suitable as cannon fodders and that's it. They're purposely under powered to avoid any possibility of uncontainable revolts.

The ships sent to fight the useless war against the Inorganics are but 2 Auxiliary army battlefleets containing around 90 to 100 ships each.

As the Apocalypse-class slowly came to a halt, the Admiral of the ship who's an octupus looking creature inside a metallic body gently walked to the large window inside the command room and looked at the scenery before him.

He looked at the boundless unconquered and untamed space. Stars glowing brightly, the feeling of stepping on distant lands dawned before him as he extended his tentacle and gently tapped the window before muttering.

"It's beautiful..."