Warhammer 40k: Starting as a Rogue Trader

Chapter 174: The Haemonculus's Modifications

Upon receiving the message from the team, Lucan immediately dispatched the reinforcement fleet that had been on standby.

When the Swords of Twilight discovered the human fleet appearing in the star system, they had no time to hunt down the remaining human survivors. Kalrusion took the captured portion of the humans, the all-important Pylon, and the Zerg eggs. The SCV, however, was discarded as scrap in a pile of still-functioning or severely damaged combat suits, along with other supplies that had been conveniently stacked for transport.

These seemingly useless odds and ends could still fetch a small price. Kalrusion himself would no longer cooperate with the humans in the Expanse, but that didn't mean other Dark Eldar in Commorragh wouldn't cooperate with other humans in the galaxy. Within the Imperium, many planets and nobles had secret dealings and colluded with these pirates. They provided mercenary services to these humans in exchange for supplies and more humans to serve as slaves. In the conflicts over the years, the Dark Eldar had also captured some combat suits, which often sold for a very good price in their transactions with humans.

The Dynasty's fleet did not give full pursuit, choosing instead to head to the planet's surface to rescue the survivors. When Lucan received word that the pirates had already entered the Webway, he knew the first step of his plan was a success!

Lucan closed his eyes and began to sense. His vision and thoughts were temporarily projected onto the SCV that had also been taken. He could see the Eldar Corsairs carelessly tossing the SCV onto their warship. They did not understand the true purpose of the SCV, thinking it was just a simple-looking human engineering vehicle. Both the Dark Eldar and the Craftworld Eldar arrogantly believed that the technology of the current human Imperium was primitive and backward.

Severing the link, Lucan asked Artanis, "Artanis, can the Nexus sense the presence of the Pylon?"

"Yes! Although the connection is a bit weak, the link to the psionic matrix still exists. The Gateways have been upgraded to Warp Gates. If you need it, my Templar and I can warp to the Pylon's side at any time!"

"Not yet. Let the bullet fly a little longer. Kerrigan, what about you? Can you sense the presence of the Zerg eggs?"

"Father, I can too! I can use the hive mind to hatch the eggs at any time you need. And I seem to have made a special discovery."

"Special?"

"Do you remember when those creatures called Harlequins fled Malfi, they killed a squad of Zerg?"

"I remember."

"They also took the bodies of those Zerg. Originally, those Zerg should have been completely dead, but I suddenly found that I have re-established a link with them."

"You can establish a link even if they're dead?"

"No! I can confirm they were dead before. The Zerg and the hive mind would not deceive me," Kerrigan said with certainty.

"Can you see the environment those Zerg are in now?"

"I'll try, Father! The distance is too great, my perception is very blurry... I see my Zerg are currently being held in a metal cage. There are many other cages around, and in these cages are one creature after another, many of which I have never seen... But it's clear they are not natural creatures. They have been stitched together! They are artificial creatures, pieced together from different beings. I see many operating tables... wait, Father, I also see those Dark Eldar! Wait... my Zerg seem to have been modified as well. These limbs do not belong to the Zerg!"

Kerrigan's words immediately made Lucan think of a possibility. These Harlequins had taken the Zerg's bodies to the Dark City of Commorragh! They had even given the Zerg bodies to the Haemonculi, the masters of incredible biotechnology among the Dark Eldar. If it was them, then resurrecting the Zerg was truly possible!

These ultimate deviants known as the Haemonculi... their actions and their creation of pain were considered extreme even among the Dark Eldar. They had another title: Masters of Pain. But no one could deny their mastery of flesh and biology. They used flesh as their canvas, constantly adding their own ideas and designs to it. The flesh-monstrosities they created were enough to move and terrify any living being. The most powerful individuals among them could even match the combat strength of an Astartes Chapter Master.

The Dark Eldar feared this group, but they could not live without them. They enhanced the flesh of their warriors and could even resurrect the dead. Their technology had even provided the all-powerful Dark Eldar nobles of Commorragh with a complete resurrection mechanism. The Haemonculi themselves could even resurrect themselves from a single cell. To kill them completely was incredibly difficult. Even Fabius Bile, who could create clone-Primarchs, had once apprenticed under these masters of flesh. Some of the most extreme individuals in the Imperium had even brought a Haemonculus before the Golden Throne to try and have them revive the desiccated corpse of the Emperor and repair the Golden Throne, which showed just how powerful their mastery of biology was.

Clearly, the Harlequins on their own could not figure out what the Zerg were, and for exploring the characteristics of a living being, no one was more suitable than these Haemonculi. As the Harlequins explained the characteristics of the Zerg they had seen to the Haemonculi, they too became interested in this never-before-seen creature.

"Surprises really do come suddenly," Lucan mused. He had been wondering if the pirates would take the Zerg eggs to Commorragh. And now, he already had his own spies in the Dark City ahead of schedule.

"Kerrigan, can you still control them?"

"No problem. Although the Zerg have been subjected to some control constraints and modifications, my priority is always higher than anyone else's. Except for you, of course."

"Very good! Let these resurrected Zerg obey the commands of that Haemonculus. We will seize control again when the time is right!"

Lucan was waiting. Waiting for the arrival of the Blood Ravens and the completion of the Stellar Pioneer's refit.

Aboard the Mournful Memory, Kalrusion's warship was docked in a section of the Webway. A fleet from a Craftworld had also arrived here. As the warship's hangar doors opened, Kalrusion saw someone he had not expected.

"Farseer Elara?"

"Kalrusion, it has been a long time."

Looking at this Eldar Farseer, who had lost her eyes and could no longer see, no matter how much Kalrusion badmouthed these former kin behind their backs, when he truly met Elara, he did not dare to be presumptuous. As much as he was unwilling to admit it, Elara was powerful. Elara's eyes had been blinded in a battle with the Word Bearers; otherwise, her power would be far greater than it was now.

And Elara's personal arrival was enough to show the importance that Craftworld Kholor placed on the Pylon. A creation that could continuously create and radiate pure psychic energy had attracted the attention of the entire Farseer Council. For a faction like the Craftworld Eldar, who also dealt with psychic energy constantly, the significance of the Pylon was even greater than one might imagine.

The Warp Spider warriors were now transporting the Pylon out, along with the Probe. Elara walked forward and stroked the Probe.

"A psychic creation I have never seen before."

She could vaguely feel the residual psychic energy within the Probe. Then, Elara turned to the Pylon. Although she could not see, she could sense the psychic energy it continuously released. The feeling this energy brought even made Elara feel a sense of comfort and satisfaction.

"It is just as the report said. What race built this thing? Is it some kind of mineral, or an artificial creation?"

"Farseer Elara, if you wish to obtain this thing, you should pay the appropriate price."

"Kalrusion, Kholor will provide you with a Sunecplise-class warship for it!"

With that, Elara paid no more attention to Kalrusion and directly had the Pylon and the Probe transported back to her own warship.

Watching the Craftworld Eldar leave, Kalrusion's face was once again replaced with hatred. He couldn't stand the feeling of being looked down upon, but the offer of a complete warship made him swallow his emotions, even though the other party's attitude was like they were giving him charity.

"Hmph! Order the warship to Commorragh! Sell the slaves and the goods, and prepare for the next hunt as soon as possible!"

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