The situation of Count Cassius von Gresham himself had changed somewhat.
Inquisitor Kairas initially detained him on the grounds of "negligent oversight and serious suspicion," preparing for an in-depth investigation, which usually meant an ominous outlook.
However, just as Kailas was about to initiate a formal interrogation, the Military Department of the Solar Sector sent a direct communication.
The communicator was an official from the Military Department, not of the highest rank, but the agency he represented carried significant weight.
The other party's wording was formal but the intention clear, pointing out that Count Gresham's factory had consistently and stably supplied standard-quality general components to the Sector Defense Force for a long time, with its output and quality ranking high in the surrounding areas, making it crucial for maintaining the local military supply chain.
The Military Department provided relevant procurement records and quality certifications, and "reminded" the Inquisitor that, with the Imperium facing multiple threats, ensuring the stability of critical military production capacity was no less important than purging individual heretics.
They, under the name of the Military Department, provided a certain endorsement for Count Gresham's "loyalty," implying that he was more guilty of "supervisory negligence" than "active participation," and suggested that fines, enhanced supervision, and loyalty reviews be the primary methods of handling the case.
Inquisitor Kairas understood the balance of power between the various departments of the Imperium.
The Military Department personally vouching for him indicated that Count Gresham indeed had value in military production, and stubbornly resisting would not be beneficial.
After confirming that the Count himself had little knowledge of the Chaos cult festering within his factory, and that his past loyalty records showed no significant issues, Kailas accepted the Military Department's proposal.
Ultimately, Count Gresham was released but received a severe warning and a hefty fine, which was directly allocated as "purification operation" funds for the Inquisition.
He retained his title and most of his assets, but his factory was placed under the supervision of a joint oversight committee formed by the Military Department and the Inquisition for a period of at least fifty years.
Count Gresham already felt fortunate about this outcome; he understood that he had narrowly escaped death in the power struggle between two influential Imperial departments, and at the same time, he realized more clearly that his control over his territory was not absolute.
He became more cautious, even overly vigilant, and began a thorough internal audit of all his properties.
The Adeptus Arbites of Vista Prima, however, appeared relatively passive throughout the entire incident.
They were the initial discoverers and handlers, but after the strong intervention of the Inquisition, they were completely marginalized.
Their efforts to maintain order and normal law enforcement procedures seemed powerless in the face of the Inquisition's "purification first" principle.
Sheriff Atkins and the struggles and casualties of his subordinates were only briefly mentioned in the Inquisition's macro report.
Local Adeptus Arbites high-ranking officials were dissatisfied with the Inquisition's overreach and final handling, but were powerless to change anything.
All they could do was compile a detailed report of the entire incident—including the Inquisition's actions, the Military Department's role, and the Count's outcome—and submit it through internal Adeptus Arbites channels.
This report would eventually reach the Adeptus Arbites headquarters on Holy Terra, perhaps to be archived, or perhaps to be mentioned in future power considerations, but in the short term, it would not change the current situation.
After handling the main affairs of Vista Prima, and confirming that the purification was nearing its end and the monitoring mechanism had been activated, Inquisitor Kairas did not linger.
He entrusted the remaining specific tasks to his deputy, and he himself, accompanied by a squad of elite Stormtroopers guards and the always silent but reassuring Imperial Fists astartes warrior, boarded an Inquisition-owned frigate.
The warship's engines started, it detached from the Hive City's orbit, adjusted its course, and set its sights directly on Forge World Neksum.
He held very eager expectations for the upcoming meeting with Magos Osiris, and for the power armor known as the "iron guard."
—
Neksum Forge World was still shrouded in its usual industrial smog and continuous roar.
Inside Osiris' private laboratory, however, there was a different kind of quiet, focused on precise work.
He had just received an encrypted message from the Vista Prima system monitoring station, confirming that Inquisitor Kairas' warship had entered the system and was expected to arrive at the spaceport soon.
Osiris' crimson optical lens moved away from the information interface, looking at the holographic projection on one side of the laboratory that was displaying the "iron guard" prototype's structural diagram and performance optimization plan.
Cooperation with the Inquisition was an unplanned but very valuable step.
This would not only bring valuable combat data and potential resources, but more importantly, it would open a direct channel to the core armed forces of the Imperium.
He called Sekhmet and instructed her: "Inquisitor Kairas is about to visit. Prepare Analysis Room Seven and corresponding hospitality, elevating the access level to 'Important Guest.'
Retrieve non-core technical data from the 'iron guard' project that can be publicly displayed, including the compatibility list for modular weapon interfaces and basic maintenance procedures, and inform the Archon overseeing the construction about this matter."
"Directive confirmed, Magos," Sekhmet responded flatly, then issued a series of preparatory commands via data link.
Several servo-skulls changed their hovering routes, moving towards Analysis Room Seven.
Osiris' massive body slightly adjusted its posture in front of the control panel, a mechanical tentacle instinctively moving a little in the air.
He was not worried that the Inquisition's visit would bring trouble; on the contrary, he saw it as an opportunity to showcase his technical prowess and expand his influence.
The key was to grasp the appropriate measure of what to display.
Osiris understood that Inquisitor Kairas' personal order was just a starting point.
He needed to fully demonstrate the "iron guard's" tactical value during the meeting—not just its firepower and protection surpassing conventional equipment, but also its high survivability and mission adaptability in complex environments.
He wanted the Inquisitor to clearly understand that equipping the "iron guard" could significantly reduce casualties of elite units when performing high-risk purification missions, which held an irreplaceable appeal for the Inquisition.
Only in this way could he push the factions behind it, and even higher-level institutions, to place larger orders, thereby paving the way for opening up markets in other departments such as the Imperial Guard.
His core logic rapidly simulated the meeting scenarios.
He prepared detailed combat data comparisons, highlighting the "iron guard's" excellent performance in various real-world combat environments.
For potential questions regarding cost, maintenance, and other factors, he also had convincing response plans ready.
Every presentation segment revolved around one core idea: to convince the Inquisition that large-scale deployment of the "iron guard" was a necessary and urgent investment.
He was well aware of potential interference.
This would not come from the Inquisition, but from within the Adeptus Mechanicus.
Mars headquarters might exert pressure under the guise of technical review or production standards, attempting to share the results; other Forge Worlds, upon seeing the orders and influence brought by the "iron guard," would inevitably compete through political lobbying or by introducing competing products.
He had to rely on the "iron guard's" superior technical advantages and the direct supply-demand relationship established with the Inquisition to counter these anticipated internal competitions.
Outside the laboratory, the behemoth of the Forge World still roared.
And inside the laboratory, a conversation concerning future orders and internal dynamics was about to begin.
Osiris waited, his crimson optical lens steadily glowing, calmly assessing the impending confrontation.