Luna's expression turned incredibly unsightly.
"Prince Regent" meant that Leo could exercise most of the family head's authority in the High King's absence. This role conflicted entirely with her position as "Regent." Leo would undoubtedly fight her to the death for control over the family. The family resources she could mobilize would shrink by at least a third, and a portion of the neutral retainers would now choose to wait and see.
But she still had the Mechanicus and...
Those cold machines and creations that obeyed only logic and data would not change their stance just because Leo was the "legitimate" heir. She still had a chance. As long as she captured Karl II first and became the Crusade Marshal, she could accumulate enough prestige and strength during the expedition. By then, Brevis would eventually fall into her hands. The great responsibility of the family's revival still rested with her.
She didn't argue further with Raynor or Leo, choosing to compromise for now. As she left the room, she gave Raynor one last look. It was a gaze filled with resentment and defiance, as if saying, "We'll see about that."
The meeting ended on an unpleasant note. The nobles left in small groups, their expressions varied. Some who had stood by Luna moments ago now walked away quickly with their heads down. They were no longer certain if following Luna was the right decision.
Raynor also left the conference room, accompanied by Isud. Behind them, Leo was talking in low voices with Knight Galileo and the others. The Paladins who had sided with him formed a circle to discuss their next steps. Guss stood at the door and nodded to Raynor. Raynor returned a smile, acknowledging Guss's successful execution of the plan. Together, they departed from Saint Gallus Castle.
By the time they returned to the Governor's Mansion, the sky was already dark. Raynor sat in his office, shedding his heavy power armor for civilian clothes. Sarah crawled out of his sleeve and rested on Raynor's hand. The little creature's compound eyes were bright as it looked at him.
"What's the plan next?" Sarah's cool voice echoed in his mind, carrying a hint of urgency. "You don't even have a proper fleet yet. That Gothic-class cruiser serving as the flagship is still under repair; it will take at least half a month to complete."
Raynor rubbed Sarah's head. Seeing the little creature bob its head under his touch, he smiled happily.
Sarah continued: "The eyes I left at the spaceport have discovered something. Among the five cruisers on the Mechanicus side, three are 'Tyrant-class'—the same tier as the Gothic-class. Moreover, their fleet can depart almost immediately."
Raynor listened, but he still didn't seem worried at all. Seeing his lack of urgency, Sarah grew a bit anxious. "Aren't you worried? Luna's fleet is so much faster than ours; she could take Karl II very soon!"
Watching Sarah act more and more like a human, Raynor felt quite pleased. He gently scratched the little creature's carapace, and it squinted its compound eyes in comfort.
"Sarah," he said, "why do you think I'm so confident in winning?"
The ripper scratched its head with its forelimbs and shook its head. Raynor began to explain.
"First," he held up one finger, "Leo will be dragging Luna down now. Those Paladins and retainers who sided with Leo aren't just for show. They will definitely cause all sorts of trouble for Luna within the family to help the more legitimate Leo rise to power. Every troop deployment requires an audit, every ship departure needs a report—every single task can delay her for days. Her efficiency will slow down significantly."
The ripper nodded thoughtfully.
"Second," Raynor held up a second finger, "the Mechanicus isn't entirely under her control either." Raynor leaned back in his chair, his gaze deepening. He knew these "cogboys" far too well. "What do they want to do most right now? It's definitely researching that STC. That thing is right there in Saint Gallus Castle, within their reach, and now Caladog is no longer there to restrict them. How is that any different from a dog seeing fresh waste? Think about it: if you were a Magos of the Mechanicus, would you rather spend all your energy helping Luna fight a war, or stay in the castle to study the STC that could change everything?"
Sarah thought for a moment. "Research the STC."
"Exactly." Raynor smiled. "So the Mechanicus won't help her with full force. At most, they'll send some troops and ships just to keep up appearances. The Magi and Tech-priests who can actually turn the tide of battle will surely choose to stay in the castle."
There was one point Raynor didn't mention: even if all the Mechanicus members on Brevis had been corrupted by Tzeentch, they wouldn't fully obey a mere Tzeentch champion like Luna.
"Third." He held up a third finger. "No matter how fast or powerful Luna's fleet is, it's impossible to take Karl II in a short amount of time."
The ripper tilted its head, waiting curiously for him to continue. Raynor stood up, walked to the wall, and pulled up a hologram of Karl II. The space station hovered in the center of the star map. It was a giant ring, its surface neatly covered in various structures: docking bays, turret arrays, solar panels, and so on.
"This was the original structural diagram of Karl II." With a wave of Raynor's hand, the giant ring transformed into a roughly oval object. The surface structure became a chaotic mess, covered in numerous strange additions.
"Look," Raynor pointed at the additions. "Since the Orks occupied Karl II, they have been expanding it with scrap. Its current volume is nearly double the original size. It's essentially equivalent to a small asteroid now. There are countless chambers and passages inside; trying to find a Warboss in such a vast space station is like looking for a needle in a haystack."
The ripper nodded.
"And even if she finds him, he won't be easy to kill." Raynor looked at Sarah. "Luna likely knows that decapitation strikes are the key against Orks—it's not exactly a secret, and I've already set the example. Fat Mountain Guga and Machine-Enemy Elko were both slain by me. But knowing it is one thing; being able to do it is another."
He continued. "The Mechanicus has many war machines, sophisticated weapons, and ships. But they lack elite decapitation units like Space Marines. Their only powerful single-entity units, the Paladins, are now being held back by Leo. There aren't many Luna can use. So even if she's lucky enough to find the Warboss, who is going to kill him? Those servitors and Skitarii?"
The ripper shook its head. It was impossible for ordinary infantry to kill a Warboss four or five meters tall.
"For them, the best method would be to use planet-killer weapons—meaning, issuing an Exterminatus to blow up all of Karl II." The ripper's eyes widened. "But that not only violates the competition's goal, but there is almost no one on this planet who can actually authorize an Exterminatus."
Raynor thought for a moment and said, "Inquisitor Solene counts as one, but she's currently on our side and won't help Luna. There's also a Great Magos who was left here hundreds of years ago, but whether he is alive or dead remains unknown."
Raynor spread his hands. "So you see, what's the use of Luna's fleet moving fast?"