Warhammer 40k: Starting as a Rogue Trader

Chapter 136: The Blood Guild

As the warship approached the starport, the view was imposing.

As the capital of the sub-sector, Malfi boasted comprehensive orbital defense fortifications. Its own planetary defense fleet and a multitude of armed transport ships from various systems were docked around the port. The planet's governor had clearly spared no expense in establishing this orbital defense network; any conventional fleet attempting to approach the planet would pay a heavy price.

From orbit, the planet's surface appeared to be seventy percent landmass, with two colossal hive cities dominating the landscape. Countless smaller settlements dotted the landscape outside the main hives, connecting the two sprawling metropolises. Adeptus Mechanicus trains constantly traversed the desolate plains between them, transporting vital supplies.

A large number of the planet's native nomadic populations still inhabited the wilds outside the hive cities. Their constant struggle against the harsh environment and mutated beasts made them exceptionally martial and formidable fighters.

"Norris, you and your Ghosts will use the Banshees to infiltrate the planet discreetly. Start gathering intelligence from the lower and underhive levels. Holter, Ian, and I will proceed to the upper hive to see the extent of this planet's corruption," Damon said, discussing the plan with Norris.

"Understood," Norris replied. "We'll maintain constant contact. Lord Lucan said that the enemy this time will be very dangerous and cunning. They might even use the power of Imperial officialdom against us."

As the warship neared the starport, several Banshee aircraft detached and slipped into the planet's atmosphere, completely unnoticed. Meanwhile, Damon and the others stepped onto the space elevator that would take them down to the surface of Malfi.

They began by visiting Malfi's Ecclesiarchy and the local Inquisitorial conclave, and also met with the reception officials dispatched by the Malfi government. They failed to notice, however, that several furtive acolytes had begun collecting their discarded skin flakes and any other biological samples they could find.

In the middle hive.

The headquarters of the Blood Guild.

On Malfi, murder, assassination, and vendettas were as common as drinking water. Conspiracy was most often accompanied by death, and for many tasks that an employer couldn't handle personally, specialized assassins were required.

On the surface, Malfi's Blood Guild was an institution composed of bounty hunters and trackers. They earned money by hunting down Malfi's wanted criminals. Anyone could register with the Blood Guild by paying a fee of 1,000 Throne Gelt and having no outstanding warrants, which granted them certain privileges to kill.

One could find all sorts of people in the Blood Guild. The lenient vetting process meant that a registered member could be an Inquisitor's acolyte or a Chaos cultist.

The guild's main hall was crowded with Blood-Hunters accepting or turning in missions. Some were dressed in rags, carrying only a battered autogun, while others were clad in sophisticated recoil-absorbing armor.

In a hidden, secret room within the guild, an unnaturally handsome man lounged on a chair, smoking. The cigarette was synthesized from lethal chemicals, a single one being enough to kill an ordinary person. For this man, however, the sharp pain of the chemicals searing his lungs was transformed into a look of pleasure.

His crude outer clothes concealed a mutated body, a canvas covered with countless self-inflicted scars.

Before him lay a piece of parchment detailing his next mission. This special parchment was created with a unique gene-tech. It was imprinted with the target's genetic sample; when the victim's blood dripped onto it, the mission would be marked as complete.

"Praise the God-Emperor, Caules. This is your target for this mission."

"Guildmaster," Caules sneered, "did you just say 'Praise the God-Emperor'? How laughable... A purveyor of murder with the Emperor's name on his lips. You're as hypocritical as ever."

Caules looked at the guildmaster with disdain, not believing a single word he said. However, when his eyes fell upon the mission targets, his contemptuous expression vanished.

"A Bishop and a high-ranking Inquisitor? And a Rogue Trader's bodyguard? You praise the Emperor while ordering an attack on his loyal servants?"

Caules looked at the entry for the Rogue Trader's guard, unable to understand why such a person was included on the list.

"Your job is to complete the mission, not to ask questions you shouldn't. And this time, they are to be taken alive. Are you incapable of that?"

"Incapable? So what if he's an Inquisitor? Is there a shortage of dead Inquisitors and their acolytes here on Malfi? As long as you give me sufficient payment, I don't care who I have to kill. Mutants, heretics, Inquisitors, or Navy officers, it's all the same! I'd even take a shot at the Governess. But taking them alive will cost extra. A lot extra. I need purer-grade stimulants... and I need toys that don't break so easily!"

"As long as you complete the mission, all your demands will be met. But if you fail, I trust you know the consequences. Getting rid of you and your band of underhive scum would be a trivial matter."

Caules remained slouched in his seat, ignoring the threat. He knew he was still useful to them.

"You have three days to prepare. I will provide you with their location. Do not fail."

"I know."

Meanwhile, in a guesthouse provided by the Malfi authorities in the upper hive, Ian and Holter had used their status to acquire a reasonably spacious room.

Damon, Holter, and Ian gathered to exchange the intelligence they had acquired over the past three days.

Holter had visited the local church. The clergy there had received him warmly, stating that the Ecclesiarchy's mission was proceeding smoothly, except in the underhive—a common ailment for all hive cities. One couldn't expect every hive to be like Agathos. Holter hadn't been able to glean any useful intelligence from the priests. At least on the surface, the majority of the planet's populace were faithful to the God-Emperor. The Governess herself was said to be exceptionally pious, though she seldom visited the grand cathedral, preferring to pray within her own palace.

Ian, meanwhile, had learned of the problems facing the local Inquisition. The Governess was obstructing their administration and investigations on Malfi, both openly and covertly. While it wasn't unusual for Imperial nobles to dabble in forbidden affairs, this level of resistance was far beyond a reasonable scope. Through the Governess's machinations, all attempts to infiltrate her court had failed completely.

The people of Malfi were so skilled at intrigue and calculation that even the Inquisitors found it difficult to cope. Beyond the governor's court, attacks on Inquisitors in the lower and underhives were abnormally frequent. And though the Governess would dispatch soldiers each time for "reprisals and extermination," the efforts would ultimately amount to nothing.

Without concrete proof that the Governess was compromised, they couldn't move against the ruler of a sub-sector. The ongoing chaos in the Calixis Sector did not permit them to take such extreme actions. Triggering turmoil on an important hive world would do more harm than good.

Furthermore, Glydus's rule over Malfi was truly worthy of her title. She possessed unparalleled administrative abilities, managing to fulfill her duties despite the schemes and intrigues of the other great nobles. She was undoubtedly one of the most capable governors in Malfi's history, even managing to suppress her rivals or absorb them into her power base.

Most importantly, she always exceeded the planet's tithe requirements. For a world that could consistently pay its dues, the wider Imperium's administration was exceptionally lenient. Far from getting rid of Glydus, she was more likely to receive official commendations.

The local Inquisitors were nonetheless very pleased by Ian's arrival, and even more so when he mentioned he had a fleet and Astra Militarum regiments at his disposal. They offered to provide him with necessary intelligence but also warned him to proceed with caution and to be particularly wary of Governess Glydus.

As they spoke these words to Ian, expressions of regret and fear flickered across their faces.

Fear was understandable, but why regret?

Ian knew the local Inquisitorial branch held some peculiar beliefs. They called themselves the 'Reunificationist Sect.' Their philosophy was relatively radical; they believed that stagnation and complacency would be the doom of the Imperium and thus advocated for reform and change, putting them in severe conflict with the conservative factions within the Inquisition.

Derek had once told him it was best to have little contact with this sect. For a high-ranking Inquisitor of the Ordo Xenos to call another faction extreme meant they had to be absurdly radical. It was even possible they had engaged in and implemented numerous heretical practices.

And in this galaxy, "change" was often synonymous with "danger."

Ian could clearly feel that they were hiding something from him. He could only conclude that the situation on Malfi was far more complex than he had imagined.

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