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Droplets ran down Norma's cheeks creating two lines of liquid that gravity pulled down to rain on the hard flood of the bioship. My hands held her shoulders well enough as she continued to cry her eyes out and I tried whispering soothing words into her ears. Killing the Patriarch of the Cult had broken Norma and any Hybrids even the ones that were almost Genestealers broke them from its control and to mine. I couldn't just feel Norma and the others anymore they were now open like books to me. I mean they still had their own thoughts and were individuals but I could hear those thoughts and not just pick up on emotions like before. Which is why I was holding her tight while she cried over the death of her Messiah and kinsmen.
The Patriarch and the immediate Genestealers weren't the only ones that ended up needing to die. I discovered as soon last heir leader tried to kill me any pure strain had gone onto a frenzy and rushed onto the ship. Then became disorganized once it died, I could feel they were still hostile to me so I sent out a mental order for their deaths. Norma or even Shem didn't try to argue but she especially was driven to tears by my command. I doubt she or any other Hybrid for that matter understood why it was happening, nor the fact that they were unable to argue. Just cry and feel sad.
I sent out the death warrant for any Hybrid they had claws to do the job and what was left of my Termagants. The Cruiser helped us find them, sealing the Genesealers off then opening up once a pack of early generation Hybrids were ready or a firing squad of Termagants lined up. The ship didn't care, even if my control over it felt strenuous, the thing was almost eager to have me giving it orders. It all took a few hours to finish up before the Bioship and I were able to confirm they were all dead. I felt nothing for the loss of the morbid vanguard of the Tyranid Hive fleets but I did feel bad for all the Hybrids especially when I could feel them blaming themselves for it.
"Wh-Why didn't I see it? How is it my flock has fallen so far so quickly?"
"Sh, it's okay nothing about this is your fault. They were just a bit diseased." I tried but Norma's sorrow only grew in its intensity.
"Yet I didn't see any corruption take root... Perhaps if I did the Patriarch would still be with us. We would not have loss so many kinsmen!" I wished there were any tissues or even a handkerchief. The closest one was in the cargo hauler and it was kind of pointless to call for it.
"It's going to be okay Norma, most of the flock has survived and now we have a vessel to spread the Gods above light to assist humanity. To help them find the way and see the hope and beauty in our mission!" Yeah, taking it out of my ass here but it seemed to be working.
"Is it true Great Carrier?" She finally turned around to look at me, tears covering her eyes and likely making it difficult to even look at the polite smile I made. "A-Am I still worthy to lead our people and bask in the light you carry?"
"Yes." I tried injecting the right amount of sincerity as I could manage. It wasn't a good act I know but she still bought it and threw her arms around me.
"Thank you! A million times over thanks be on to you! I will not do anything to fail your confidence ever again!" Norma declared so loudly that I wonder just how powerful her lungs really were.
"I know you won't my dear..."
I that moment I couldn't help but wonder just how many Hybrids were lurking about the galaxy and just how many were born victims of the Genestealer kiss. They didn't deserve this, just an uncaring Galaxy giving them the short end of the stick.
"Is there anything I could do about that?" It was a crazy thought, taking Hybrids off a world, I mean surely a defensive fleet would just spot me right? Figuring out where they were then telling local authorities would be better and still save lives. Yet I couldn't shake off the fact that these people were still somewhat human, especially when Norma was hugging me like this.
"There really isn't a clear answer is there?" I muttered aloud to a universe that definitely didn't care to hear nor respond. Hybrids were definitely victims but so were the millions and even billions they killed by drawing Hivefleets there.
I could only shake away these thoughts by remembering that I need to figure out just how bishops travel through the stars. It might take some time, I could only hope this Crusier knew the answer...
Said answer was both enlightening and disappointing. From what I could tell by the images it sent me Tyranids needed a specific vessel to help them jump to different parts of the Galaxy. I still have no clue how it worked just that I would need at least one or two of these things and they would make a trip to where I needed to go happen fast. The problem was the Bioship and the Hybrids had no idea where one was meaning I'd have to just fly around until I found one. No, really that's what the Bioship was basically telling me through mental images. Just fly in a circumference around the edge of the planetary system and hope to find some.
"Well, I supposed we were going to do that anyway just to get from the 'Northern' part to the 'Southern' one where we need to make the jump." I was the part about hoping we'd find one of these specific bioships that worried me. I was not happy about needing to trust in my luck especially when it had a habit of changing on a whim. "Although it's not as if I have a better idea."
Diverting my attention to just walking through the halls and the Bioship itself I had to spar a thought about how independent this vessel was. While I hesitate to say it was like the Genestealers and it was a massive individual. It was more like the thing had a bit greater autonomy than the Gaunts I had or the large cannon wielders. I was going to call them Centaurs from now on. The cruiser could think on its own beyond just instincts, that might have been because it was just so big. It was eager to have me in control, perhaps it was designed to like the Hivemind due to its greater autonomy or it simply loved the idea of gaining a sense of clarity after drifting in space for months.
I had to hug closely to the wall as a small vehicle, was tugging along a cargo container with the provision I had Absalom buy.
"Shem, how are things going?" Being able to 'speak' with everyone like this was an improvement over the Patriarch's death.
The response was muddy at best but the gist was we had things almost done and it was just about twenty minutes before things were though.
"Good the faster we got this done the better." We might still need the cargo freighter to act as a guide. To get the bioship on a perfect route while we searched but if anything went wrong or as soon as the need for that ended I wanted to shove off as soon as possible.
So there was that, now I just wanted to speak with Absalom about planning a route around Meridian's edge. If any Bioships survived they were going to be out there and not close to a planet. Once we were out of the system and at that presumably uninhabited planet I'd have to try farming that world.
Or at the very least make it last for as long as possible. Nomadically flying around the galaxy eating planets as we go is a sure way of increasing the possibility of running into something that's going to kill me. Tyranids are not well-liked by anybody and if I can just farm one world forever then my situation might become okay. I am still trapped in the Warhammer 40k universe but at least I will have the capacity to run away from danger with this Cruiser. Then shoot at to ward away anything that catches up.
"Would picking up more Bioships be a good idea? I still need the ones to go faster than light but what about other warships?" A small fleet would protect me a lot better but it would also mean more massive mouths to feed. That was a pretty big turn-off, guaranteed to toss a wrench into my plans to just farm one world forever.
"It would be best to just leave those ships be, take only the ones I need." Or maybe have my Cruiser eat them, if they were small enough. Or have Absalom's ship radio- vox their locations for Aurelia's defensive fleets. That might save them Imperial Gaurd some trouble when Dawn of war Retribution comes around.
Of that even was a safe thing for anybody to do, especially someone like me he is wanted and trying to find a specific ship out here... It was another turn-off between my safety and knowing leaving danger out here for people to bump into. This Cruiser firing on us showed just how Bioships would react to seeing some ship flying around. Yet upping patrols out here while I was giving the Meridian system a wide berth was a bad idea...
"Ugh, there is no correct answer here is there?" I muttered aloud to no one's reply. I just focused on telepathically asking Absalom to meet me at the bridge and as I left the entry for the Cruiser as way from the Hybrids hauling cargo I boarded my remaining Hormagaunt to bolt it there.
The star map of the Meridian system was a lot more details than the Segmentum map I was shown. Which wasn't saying much beyond showing some vague lanes where ships would frequently enter and exit. Places to avoid like a city during the bubonic plague, still it wasn't difficult for Absalom to chart a path close to the edge of the system. Where I assumed there would be surviving bioships much like the Cruiser I got. Space was pretty empty so my plan was basically just to go to the edge and try and see if I could telepathically call out to bishops there. If they were as eager to come under my influence as the Cruiser this should be easy.
"Assuming the ships I need are even out there in the first place..."
"Pardon?" Absalom said hearing my muttering.
"Nothing, this should be a good enough route." Now I just needed to get the Cruiser to follow some vague instructions on how to get on the path.
"What are you looking at?" He asked to one of the uninfected crew members, his eyes were glued to a screen and shut it off in a flash before Absalom could get near him.
"N-Nothing Captain. It's nothing just looking at the cargo bays..."
The man was unconvinced by the weak performance and moved to turn the screen back on. Pulling out a ballistic pistol to get the crewman to back off when he moved to stop him. Absalom flicked the screen on and a sharp intake of hair and an aura of concern directed snapped my attention to him. I rushed over feeling his growing sense of fear and say it was a security camera view of the captive crew members...
Running outside of the cargo bay they were supposed to be locked in.
"How did they get loose?! We have guards that were supposed to be watching them right?!" I cried out, the few hybrids and crew members cluing into our conversation.
"I had taken the liberty to reprioritize after the purge, I had sent them to aid in keeping the teams working on the ship systems in line."
I couldn't blame him for that, there were a lot fewer Hybrids left and my Brood was still on the bioship except for my last Hormagaunt. Now wasn't the time to dwell or pin fault, I need to act and do so fast. Trying to container thousands of angry technicians and loading crews would be pointless and deadly for everyone involved. So I guess this meant we were ditching the ship after all.
"Is there any chance we can bring this map with us?" I asked hopeful but Absalom just shook his head in denial.
"Was that really too much to ask for?"
I stared into the screen and at the man pointing groups towards corridors directing the crowds to places.
"Wait a minute..." I had the thing paused and looked at the man standing on the elevated position and realized it was the same man that incited the situation in the warp drive. That man was willing to hit a Hybrid with a wrench and lock himself up there.
"I should have locked him up separately, putting him in a room with hundreds of other workers was a bad idea!" Of course I didn't think of that at the time, but apparently, this man was just that suicidal. Or very religiously motivated, probably both.
"With most of the Hybrids and all of the Genestealers dead, there is no way to contain this unless I wanted to use violence." Which I did not want to do, evacuating the ship was my only option here.
"We're leaving, finish loading the goods then get on boards, anyone still watching a group is allowed to bolt to the Cruiser fast." There weren't many, after the Hybrid purge and the death of my Hormagaunts we were left dangerously short-handed and I assumed intimidation would still work. It did with crew scattered about but the thousands locked in a cargo bay clearly had the numbers to figure they could overwhelm a Genestealer Cult. Plus some had to have a clue what Hybrids were or just think whatever we had planned for them wasn't good.
Purge the Xenos filth and all that jazz.
"Communications are wrecked right?" If I needed to ditch this ship I wanted the crew unable to get off a message.
"Disabled is the more apt term Michael, I am sure it's easily repairable if you know what you're doing." Absalom replied thumbing the palm of his hand. He was nervous, not a full Hybrid, and still had a glimpse of serious independence.
"Can we get someone to shove a bomb into that and break it for good?"
"I suppose I could have Shem do more damage. It would still be repairable but a technician can point outa stop where the most damage can occur."
"Do that and I want this thing dead in space!" I needed some balance between not hurting the crew and keeping them from slicing the Sector fleet on me. They'd get the emergency beacon online, I asked and Absalom explained that was still working they would just need to activate it from the beacon. So the crew would get help from the Imperium, I was only taking the food I brought to starving wasn't liable for them, I was sure they would be fine. No one was going to get hurt because of my actions here and that's what mattered.
Speaking of which. "Engine team," They couldn't realistically get to the Cruiser they were dead guys. "Sabotage then engine in any way you can and... Then kill yourself... Quickly and painlessly! Do not be captured."
Those Hybrids were dead anyway, at best it would be a lot less painless than being torn apart by an angry mob. Trying to save them would just mean killing a lot more people. The way they enthusiastically agreed to the command of their Great Carrer didn't help my nausea.
"Okay, Absalom... we're leaving to the Bio-Cruiser now-"
I could feel my Horamagaunt sense the threat behind me and acted before it could say anything. The crewman to my back had found some balls and tried to tug the lasguns still on my back off. The Tyranid had acted instinctively to a threat towards its synaptic leader but also tried to follow in line with my standing do not kill command. So it had decided that jabbing its twin serrated blades through the backs of either knee was good enough to fulfill both of those orders.
A few others around tried going for the weapons on the three infected Armsmen we had but were outclassed in training and just physical prowess. Plus that thick riot-like armor helped shove them off and a few shots and dead crew members later had the rest backing off. The man behind me screamed and I shoved Absalom's arm down to prevent him from pouting his gun the guy.
When the sudden pain died down and the guy's screams ended into painful moans I spoke. "Everyone sit down and place your hands over your heads!" Nobody moved. "Unless you wanna die next then do as I say now!" Slowly people complied and I eyed the two dead bodies, I didn't order that but the idea of a ship rebellion against us was likely spurred on an idea that they could take the bridge. I should have taken Absalom away to discuss things privately, keep things under wraps but my short-sightedness lead to two dead and two injured. I made sure to tell the Hormagaunt to keep its blades in and not pull out yet, that could just cause even more severe bleeding.
"Absalom... Get a medkit."
"What? Michael shouldn't we be leaving-"
"Grap a fucking medkit! We are stopping the bleed and cleaning the wounds before leaving! Now go!"
