The battle for Terra had ended.
Across the galaxy, countless Imperial forces were gathering in the Solar System at Guilliman's decree. Guilliman reorganized them and formed the fleets of the Indomitus Crusade.
Among them was the Quintus Fleet. It was meant to occupy the honorable position at the very forefront of the Indomitus Crusade, yet for some reason, a plague had broken out within it, halting its departure.
"That is why Regent Guilliman has asked you to investigate the source of this plague."
As far as I knew, the plague spreading through the Quintus Fleet was a plague of the Warp—in other words, Nurgle's plague.
"This time, only Jerrie and I will go."
"If that is your decision, then so be it."
Tess had intended to assign several vassals to him, but at Theo's insistence on going alone, he dismissed the vassals he had summoned and handed Theo an item.
"It is a writ bearing the Regent's personal seal. Keep it safe."
"Hm... It seems the Regent wants me to eradicate the plague. It says here that I am to deal with it before the Inquisition steps in."
"Is that possible?"
"He likely wants me to eliminate at least some of the disease and reduce the loss of manpower and resources by however little I can. And expectations at that level are entirely achievable."
"Do you believe even more is possible?"
"Well, I will have to see it for myself first."
Accepting the parchment Tess offered, Theo took out the coat he favored and draped it over his shoulders before asking:
"What do you think? Do I look somewhat noble?"
"You know perfectly well that a noble's dignity does not come from his clothes... Still, from an aesthetic perspective, I can say that it suits you."
"Then shall we be off?"
Theo left him behind and headed out of the office.
"Oh, and Erin will be waiting in the hangar."
"Oh dear..."
"Heh. You are in for some hardship."
"Be quiet, Jerrie."
**
I boarded the vessel prepared for us and headed to where the Quintus Fleet had assembled—specifically, to the Terminus cruiser, where the plague had been confirmed.
Originally, other fleets had been present alongside the Quintus Fleet, but they had avoided the plague that occurred only among the Quintus Fleet. Moreover, the Quintus Fleet had been placed under quarantine, so it was now the only fleet in this region.
Thoom.
The docking bridge fully locked into place, and the inner airlock door opened. We stepped inside.
The outer airlock could have been opened at the same time, but to maintain the ship's biological integrity, it was not opened until the inner airlock door had closed.
When the door opened, a female statue stood beyond it, both arms spread as it emitted energy that held the atmosphere in place. There was also one member of the Logisticarum, the Indomitus Crusade's administrative department, and two people carrying bioscanners.
"We greet Theo Barbab, glorious knight of House Barbab."
I nodded in response.
"Then, may we begin the inspection before you board?"
"Proceed."
Once I granted permission, the two carrying bioscanners approached and began scanning every part of my body.
Afterward, we entered the inner airlock. They set a panel above the test-result processing unit and pressed a button. A green light soon came on.
"You are clean."
"Glorious knight of House Barbab, Theo Barbab, welcome aboard the Theoninus, a cruiser of the Cerastus Squadron of the Indomitus Crusade Fleet."
"Rather than introducing me, take me directly to the contaminated area. I do not have much time."
"Yes, understood."
Guided by the Logister before me, I was about to head toward the area where the plague had spread.
Before I could do so, however, a group of around ten soldiers approached us.
This does not look good.
Stay still for now. I will handle this.
After exchanging telepathic words with Jerrie, I looked at the soldiers approaching me.
"We greet the glorious knight, Sir Theo Barbab."
"What is this about?"
"Would you accompany us? Captain Busht requests that you discuss this matter with him."
"I refuse."
"And I cannot forgive the audacity of placing your hands upon your triggers before me."
Ordinarily, I would have reprimanded them and simply let them go. But these were the subordinates of someone who wished to prevent me from learning about the plague and taking that information outside.
They were in league with those delaying the Crusade fleet merely to claim the honorable position at the vanguard of the Indomitus Crusade.
Blinded by the pride of being among the fleet's members setting out from Terra on its campaign of conquest for the first time, they could not see the shame of becoming part of a failure.
That was why this anger was justified.
Crunch!
"Aaargh!!!"
The quick-witted soldiers immediately removed their hands from their triggers at my words. But the fingers of those who failed to do so were crushed along with their collapsing guns.
"Logister, lead the way."
"...Ah, yes!"
**
We then headed for the contaminated area—the restricted zone.
Before that, of course, Jerrie and I put on protective suits to prevent the spread of contamination.
To preserve the clean zones, sections were sealed off by airlocks, and the Machine Spirits asked countless questions of those passing through them.
Eventually, the Logister opened one of the airlocks leading into a sealed section. As we stepped inside, I saw people all around us tearing away contaminants with pickaxes as they recited prayers of purification.
"Hm. You, wait here for a moment."
"Pardon?"
Leaving the Logister, who merely stared blankly at me, behind, I approached one of the people tearing away the contaminants.
"Do you know this saying?"
Using my psychic power, I probed deep into the contaminants.
"That everything has a weakness."
"Uh... I am sorry, but I do not believe I have heard it before."
"Yes, I thought not. It is something my father used to tell me. Ah, I have finally found it."
The plague currently spreading through the Quintus Fleet was one that caused potent mutations. And if it was a plague spread by some thing...
"There is usually a link."
Crackle!!!
I could feel the plague fiercely resisting my psychic power within my mind. The moment it connected to my psychic power, it attempted to invade my mind—but it could not.
In the end, the plague had no choice but to resist me.
"The plague in the Quintus Fleet resembles Tyranids whose lesser organisms self-destruct when their synapse creature is killed. So what do you think will happen if I sever this link?"
"The plague collapses on its own?"
"Precisely."
With a sharp motion, I severed the link. The contaminants before me, along with the contaminants throughout the surrounding area, began to turn to ash and disappear.
"It seems not all of it has vanished."
I could still sense the plague's distinctive psychic presence somewhere within the ship. Still, now that I understood the plague's nature, the purification work should become easier.
All I needed to do was sever the link with my psychic power, and it would perish on its own.
"Then, on to the next contaminated area—"
The instant I tried to continue, an emergency siren sounded, followed by an announcement broadcast throughout the ship.
"Attention, all crew. Signs detected in Section 'Kai,' Deck 104. Armed personnel, prepare for engagement. Entry to the section is prohibited until further notice."
"Section 'Kai' on Deck 104... That is here...?"
The Logister's voice began trembling with fear. At the same time, contaminated monsters began to emerge once more from beyond the corridor that had been purified in the distance.
"Jerrie."
"Leave it to me."
Vwoom!
Armed like an ordinary Imperial agent with a power sword and bolt pistol, Jerrie walked toward the plague monsters—the Poxwalkers—approaching them.
Bang!!!
The corridor soon filled with the sound of the power sword's energy field cutting down enemies and flesh bursting apart under fire from the bolt pistol.
----Ideos Cruiser----
"Disease Overseer Tepise!"
A crewman hurried over to Disease Overseer Tepise, who had just watched Space Marines rush toward the Epsilon Sector to deal with decayed monster-daemons.
"The plague has been purified!"
"! Explain in detail."
"A few minutes ago, Sir Theo Barbab, a knight of House Barbab, boarded the Theoninus, a cruiser-class vessel. The moment he entered the restricted zone, he... purified the plague spreading aboard the Theoninus."
"Is that true?"
"Yes, it is. The contamination level across the entire vessel has dropped to 0.01%. And 'those things' vanished as well."
"I must see it myself. Where has he gone now?"
"He has headed for the Theorodos, a battlecruiser-class vessel."
"The Theorodos is quite far from this Ideos."
"Yes. He said he would purify the nearby vessels one by one, beginning with the closest."
"Understood. Send people to ensure that no 'unnecessary people' are allowed to approach him."
"Well... they have already approached him. However..."
"What is it?"
"The firearms of all those who approached him reportedly collapsed, and several soldiers even had their hands crushed along with them. Because they displeased him."
"...Put the dispatch on hold. The purification is undoubtedly a good thing, so let him act freely. Naturally, only in matters related to the plague."
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