Warhammer: Starting as a Planetary Governor-Chapter 262 - 263: Departing for Holy Terra!

Star Tower Spaceport, docking zone.

"What a lively place..."

Eden stepped down from the hover car, gazing up at the sky crowded with ships of every shape and size.

Not only were there military models, but countless civilian commercial vessels and yachts as well.

Just as he had once promised.

Ever since Urth became the sector capital, following several rounds of expansion, the Star Tower Spaceport had gradually restored its former glory—

Even surpassing it in prosperity.

Now, with the Savior's radiance shining upon them, the sector was safer than ever, and traveling the warp routes carried almost no risk.

As a result, shipping and trade flourished.

All of this thriving bustle in his domain was Eden's own creation.

Such a peaceful scene was extremely rare in a galaxy otherwise wracked by war.

Yet it did not mean the domain could rest easy from now on.

A raging tide of darkness still coursed through the galaxy, relentlessly battering the Imperium's worlds.

All it would take is a single misstep, and this hard-won bliss would be consumed in the fires of war.

All Eden, the Savior, could do was strive to protect it all.

"Uncle Eden!"

Milia waved excitedly, bounding over, her soft golden hair bouncing with each step—

Like a spirited fawn.

She clung to Eden's arm, her bright eyes brimming with energy. "You and my brother are heading for Holy Terra, right? Could you take me too?"

"No."

"Come on, just this once?"

The blond girl pouted, a pitiful look on her face. "I've studied martial arts and shooting. Most people are no match for me—I can protect myself!"

"This trip is more dangerous than you imagine," Eden said, shaking his head and firmly refusing.

Holy Terra was nothing like the sanctified haven of Urth.

Yes, it was the seat of the God-Emperor and the Imperium's center, but that land was filled with not only glory and prestige but also uncountable shadows and perils.

Power struggles there were bloody in the extreme.

Every faction vied with each other, assassinations and suppression abounding.

Moreover, Chaos infiltration was most heavily concentrated on Holy Terra, meaning that in addition to the direct threat of daemons, vast numbers of cultists lurked unseen.

To make matters worse, with the return of the Primarch, Holy Terra was entering a phase of power realignment—very likely even more turmoil lay ahead.

"All right then..."

Milia's expression dimmed, but she still nodded obediently.

Seeing this, Eden consoled her. "You can't go this time, but I promise, next time I'll take you along. I'll show you around properly..."

"Yay! Uncle Eden is the best!"

Milia instantly brightened, throwing her arms around him.

"You're still acting like a child..."

Eden sighed. The girl was over twenty by now and still as clingy as ever.

"But in front of you, I am still a child." Milia smiled up at him, gazing at that handsome face and blinking her eyes.

Hmm...

Eden looked at the girl who barely reached his chest, lost in thought.

She did have a point.

Though he thought of himself as young at heart, in reality he was over fifty, nearly sixty.

"Let's go; my brother should be here by now!"

Milia took Eden's large hand and tugged him toward one of the ship docks.

At the dock, they found Shahim sorting through some retrieved family relics.

"Savior, you're here. I was just about to look for you," Shahim said, quickly bowing.

Ever since he became head of the trade department, in public he no longer called Eden "uncle," to avoid awkward reactions from colleagues.

Eden patted the sturdy young man's shoulder. "You've come back at just the right time. Your coming-of-age present is ready. Let me show you..."

"That's fantastic!"

Shahim's eyes lit up. He had awaited this gift for quite some time.

Before long, Eden led Shahim to a specific shipyard.

Standing at a large glass viewing window, Eden gestured outside.

A magnificent cruiser floated quietly in space, its silvery-gray hull reflecting distant starlight.

Eden pointed to it and said, "From now on, that vessel—the Govindi—is yours.

You will command it under the banner of a Rogue Trader, venturing across the sea of stars!"

This cruiser had originally belonged to the naval fleet, measuring around six kilometers in length—very much a large warship.

For the sake of fitting the style of a Rogue Trader, the Adeptus Mechanicus had spent years refitting it.

They had rebuilt it from the inside out.

It carried numerous relic-grade shipboard weapons and even integrated advanced xenos technology to increase its overall capabilities.

These enhancements upgraded the warship to a higher tier, making it far more formidable, providing ample carrier space, and giving it exploratory functionality.

Even among Rogue Traders, it qualified as a downright luxurious vessel.

The gift Eden bestowed upon Shahim was exceedingly valuable.

And it was not just a cruiser—there were also two escort ships, hundreds of fighter craft,

A crew of nearly one hundred thousand,

An armed force of ten thousand, complete with assorted war machines,

Including five hundred genetically engineered warriors, each once blessed, clad in powered armor.

Though they were not on the level of true Adeptus Astartes, they could handle most foes.

Such a configuration was essentially equivalent to a full-blown fleet.

If taken somewhere less formidable, it could well conquer entire worlds of middling strength.

Such lavish investment was necessary.

After all, for a Rogue Trader, one's power rested on two pillars:

First, the Warrant of Trade bestowed by the Emperor; second, one's own military might.

Only by combining the two could one enjoy the nearly boundless freedoms of a Rogue Trader.

In the future, Shahim would lead his fleet, representing Eden's domain as they negotiated trade with various planets.

And this was just the beginning.

As trade expanded, so would the force allocated to the trade department—ever growing in scale.

Shahim took a couple steps closer.

He gazed at that vessel named Govindi, a surge of passion welling within him.

Once an orphan, he was now rebuilding a Rogue Trader fleet of his own, poised to restore his family's splendor!

...

Spire Mansion, Savior's Office.

Eden was reviewing documents related to Holy Terra, preparing for his trip scheduled a few months from now.

Shahim had returned with numerous family relics, including various ship remains, document archives, ancient ornaments, and the like.

The Trade Department was currently sorting and filing everything, compiling the many complex materials needed for verification procedures.

They also had to craft a detailed narrative explaining these new circumstances.

Meanwhile, shipyard crews, drawing on those relics, would adjust the Govindi's decorative style to align with the aesthetics of House Govindi.

As for Eden, he was making every effort to learn about Holy Terra: key figures, vital intel, and so on.

This journey to Holy Terra would entail certain risks.

An Imperial Warrant of Trade marked with the Emperor's blood was precious enough to provoke envy from the nobility.

Fortunately, among the High Lords of Terra there was a seat for Rogue Traders.

That High Lord, originally from the Rogue Trader ranks, should strive to safeguard the group's interests—

Especially an Emperor's-blooded Rogue Trader.

To the collective alliance of Rogue Traders, every such individual was immensely valuable,

An integral part of their strength.

The Imperium was a grand hierarchy composed of countless intersecting powers:

The Adeptus Mechanicus, the Imperial Cult, the Custodians, the Chapters of Space Marines, the Navigator Houses, Knight Houses, the Inquisition, the Officio Assassinorum, the Astronomica, the Astropathic Choir, the Adeptus Arbites, the Imperial Navy, and more.

Atop these branches of power reigned the Senatorum Imperialis.

Its members were the twelve most powerful humans—the High Lords.

These twelve High Lords, nominated by the major powers, shaped the destiny of countless trillions in the galaxy.

Even a Primarch like Guilliman, upon arriving on Holy Terra, needed the support of the High Lords.

Otherwise, they might well enthrone him ceremonially, leaving him powerless to accomplish much.

For Eden to flourish in this labyrinth of Imperium politics, he needed to forge some ties with those various factions—

In order to obtain a more legitimate standing.

Otherwise, his domain's path of expansion would be fraught with difficulties...

Unless he chose to openly revolt, undertaking violent expansion.

But that would inevitably spark conflict with the Imperium.

No matter how strong he became, even if he could withstand Guilliman's wrath, the internal strife among humans would merely grant Chaos and xenos an advantage.

So it was essential to secure a legitimate foothold, to wrap himself in the Imperium's cloak.

Of course, approaching Guilliman openly was also an option.

But in doing so, he might forfeit initiative, becoming wholly subsumed by the Imperium.

He would be honored as a High Lord, yes, but that came at a cost.

For now, Eden intended to reach out to a High Lord or some other Imperial figure, to strike a few discreet deals for mutual benefit,

And thereby secure a more favorable environment.

From the data he had, there were likely two Imperium bigwigs he could contact.

His gaze fell on the image of a valiant woman on the viewscreen: "Kania Danda, Rogue Trader representative, High Lord..."

Through Shahim's Emperor's-blooded trade license, Eden had an excellent chance of connecting with that High Lord,

Perhaps forging some covert exchange for support.

After all, Eden's domain had quite a lot to offer in trade.

Still, Kania Danda was a secondary goal. Shahim's status as an Emperor's-blooded Rogue Trader would not hinge too heavily on her backing.

For Eden's domain, the more pressing issue was ensuring the legitimacy of his proselytizing.

This determined whether the identity of "Savior" could spread throughout the Imperium, and whether he could harvest the faith he required.

If the domain's missionary activities were suppressed by the Imperial Cult, it would be a huge setback. There would be no way for him to promote the Savior's name.

Then his Holy Sun would not be able to grow further.

Hence, this upcoming journey to Holy Terra required him to connect with one of the Imperial Cult's higher authorities.

Ordinarily, a newly emerged "Savior" like Eden would never gain favor with the Cult's fanatical, conservative cardinals.

He would be fortunate not to be declared heretic and burned at the stake.

Fortunately, Urth was home to its own hidden talents.

The presence of Bishop Doni afforded Eden this opportunity.

"Savior..."

An elderly Bishop Doni, leaning on his aquila staff, entered the office. After his second blessing, he seemed even kinder and more sacred, faint traces of holy light radiating around him.

Now in command of the entire sector's Ecclesiarchy, Bishop Doni had penned interpretive texts regarding the faith, gaining a level of doctrinal influence nearing that of a founder.

Looking at his seemingly frail figure, Eden could not help a wry smile.

None would guess that beneath those robes lay formidable muscle capable of hefting a power axe and hacking apart an entire Chaos cult single-handedly.

But in order to maintain his image as a devout pastor, Bishop Doni took great pains to hide that physique.

Should he one day go to the Ecclesiarchy headquarters to debate with those obstinate priests, he could physically knock them out with a single punch.

"Here is what you asked for."

Bishop Doni appeared preoccupied, his aged face lined with additional creases.

He gently placed a ring and a sealed letter on the desk, then turned to leave.

"Old Doni!"

Eden called after him. "How about you come with me to Holy Terra?"

Bishop Doni paused briefly, then shook his head. "I will return, but not yet..."

With that, he drifted out the door.

"Sigh..."

Eden exhaled, picking up the ring and envelope. These were the crucial keys that might grant him access to the Ecclesiarchy hierarchy.

From what Eden understood:

Bishop Doni was originally from the Ecclesiarchy headquarters, the sole disciple of Cardinal-Executor Loren Tissing.

The Cardinal-Executor Council was formed by the five most important cardinals of the Ecclesiarchy.

They were not bound to manage any specific diocese but served directly as the Ecclesiarch's aides.

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Sometimes, in secret conclaves of the bishopric, the Ecclesiarch would pick a successor from among those five.

In other words, a Cardinal-Executor was second in power only to the Ecclesiarch himself.

With such a lineage, Bishop Doni was fully poised to ascend within the Ecclesiarchy.

Yet because of his "extremist" doctrines, he was nearly executed; fortunately, his mentor intervened, sparing him.

But he was effectively exiled to a remote region.

Eden suspected that Bishop Doni's excommunication was not truly due to his radical teachings.

The Ecclesiarchy had plenty of zealots. They seldom branded each other heretics lightly.

It was more likely just an internal power struggle—his mentor had lost out, and Doni had been one of his wings that were forcibly clipped.

Even so, Doni had not ended up in such a terrible spot; being "exiled" to a remote place still meant somewhere within the Sol system at a local shrine.

But Doni, being too headstrong, trekked all the way from the solar region to the far-flung edges of the galaxy near Urth,

Going incognito for decades, rejecting all assistance, even cutting ties with his mentor.

He swore he would only return after accomplishing something notable.

If Eden had not invaded Doni's dreams at one point, he might never have discovered these details.

After lengthy persuasion, Doni had finally given Eden a token and written a letter to his mentor.

As for the letter's contents, likely as blunt and forceful as Doni himself.

That did not matter—these items would grant Eden an audience with that exceedingly powerful Cardinal-Executor.

Assuming the old man was still alive, once he learned of Doni's current situation, out of remorse for this lone disciple,

He would likely offer Eden some measure of assistance.

It was a promising lead.

Eden carefully arranged his files and artifacts, glancing at the calendar—he would be departing in three months.

If he was not forced by circumstances, he genuinely would not want to head to Holy Terra so soon.

But missing the opportunity now would be a setback.

From fragmentary recollections,

He had some sense of how events in Holy Terra played out after the Primarch's return.

Guilliman's path to power was far from smooth.

The High Lords were not particularly thrilled with a returning Primarch; in fact, some formed alliances against him.

They paid lip service to his commands, fueling a crisis known as the "Primarch Scourge."

Holy Terra descended into a chain of internecine conflicts provoked by Chaos cults, xenos infiltration, and mutants, resulting in large-scale destruction, rebellion, and political scheming.

Tens of millions were branded as heretics, mutants, or repeat offenders and burned alive in the streets.

The Primarch's image was thoroughly tarnished.

Fortunately, Guilliman ultimately seized control of the situation.

He purged great numbers of corrupt officials, priests, and self-serving high ministers from Terra's upper echelons—

And exposed the conspirators working behind the scenes.

In the end, four High Lords were deposed, and one was slain in the turmoil. Guilliman personally chose who would fill those vacancies.

Only then did the Primarch fully wrest the highest authority of the Imperium.

Eden did not know if the individuals he intended to approach would be among those forcibly removed.

But he was certain that the current Ecclesiarch would be targeted by Guilliman,

Likely expelled from the Senatorum Imperialis—perhaps even losing the Ecclesiarchy's highest seat.

Hence, Eden had to get to Holy Terra before Guilliman consolidated his grip on the Imperium, in order to secure what he wanted.

If he could leverage his knowledge of future events to slightly nudge the course of things, that would be ideal.

He pondered, jotting down some ideas in a notebook.

...

Time passed swiftly, and soon three months had gone by.

At the Blackstone Gate:

The Dreamweaver, followed by the Govindi, eased their way into the warp route entrance...

(End of Chapter)

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