---Several Months Later, Victor POV---
In response to the reports we were intercepting about the Imperium's Crusade, Luxion and I began implementing necessary changes to our plans to ensure our survival off-world. At the forefront of our list was the rapid expansion of our troop and vessel count as the initial numbers I wanted would no longer be sufficient. Taking the operations off world, we chose abandoned, isolated worlds that were far away from any established shipping lanes to serve as my production worlds. As an added layer of protection, we set up large satellite constellations that generated the appearance of the original surface so that any prying eyes would be none the wiser to our operations. Once the cloaking was online, I began using powerful magics and Guardian Tree Saplings from the Alzer Republic to terraform the worlds into hospitable planets in a matter of weeks. With hospitable worlds secured, our next step was buying specialized construction ships from the Algrand Empire to construct our facilities.
(AN: The ships in question are from the I'm the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire! series.)
Procuring several dozen construction vessels from deeply impoverished merchants and nobles, for a few hundred million credits, I tore into one of the ships to see how they worked. Once I had a firm grasp of the technology, we upgraded the ship's systems to function identically to the Mass Fabricators so they would construct everything with space debris. Collecting several billion tons of debris from all over the galaxy, I funneled all of it through those amazing machines and watched as everything I needed was built in a matter of days. Once final tests were completed, Luxion began to ramp up my military machine for the battles that laid ahead of us.
(AN: The facilities built include cloning laboratories, farms, shipyards, and weapon factories.)
While Luxion and his subordinate robots oversaw off-world operations, I turned my attention inward to address an issue that had been plagued with for some time. Having served as the only logistics personnel this entire time, I used this opportunity to create a new, seventh division to take over this role for me. Tasking them with the job of acquiring, storing, and dispensing all the resources my forces needed, I helped set up a system to categorize, itemize, and sort everything we currently had so they had a basis to start from. Once they were up and running on their own feet, my full attention finally returned to the two most important things in my life, my fiancées and R&D.
"Welcome back, Victor!!", our favorite association receptionist said, as we walked in after completing another request, "I trust that everything turned out well enough?"
"Of course, another five pirate fleets have bitten the dust.", I chuckled, as I put the stack of holotapes on her counter.
"Oh my, that is wonderful to hear!! Thank you all so much for your dedication and hard work!!", she said, with a genuine smile, "With most of our usual bounty hunters off looking for work near the Imperium/Galactic Empire border, hardly anyone is around to help protect the poor merchant and refugee ships in our sector. Your crew is probably the sole reason we have not been overwhelmed by pirates at this point, unlike the neighbor sectors. While the politicians may never say it, as a citizen of this sector, we are grateful for your protection."
Watching their faces light up as they realized we were making a real difference out here; I could see how proud they were to be part of this endeavor. Before beginning the process of scanning the holotapes in, the receptionist presented us with a large stack of bounties from the surrounding sectors. While technically outside of this branch's purview, it appeared she was trying to help her colleagues at other branches by guiding us in that direction. Seeing no reason not to at least look at the bounties, just as I was about to start skimming, the branch manager came out from his office and asked to speak with me.
Asking my fiancées to pick out a few bounties for us to take, I headed behind the counter and followed him into his office. Motioning for me to have a seat, he offered me some alcohol and a cigar almost as soon as I sat down. Sensing that he was buttering me up for a big job, I asked him to be straight with me instead of beating around the bush. Nodding his head, he leaned back in his chair and began to speak.
"The Galactic Senate approached upper management with a dire request for aid along the border where intense fighting is currently taking place. As you may be aware, the last two nations along their border finally collapsed last month causing a literal shitstorm over there. Before the forces of Chaos could reach the border, the Imperium and Republic joined forces to effectively block entry into the country. Those who were unable to get through before the border closed are now pinned down between both groups, and have nowhere to run.", he said, looking into his glass of scotch, "The Imperium does not see a need to risk their men for the civilians, and the Republic does not have the manpower to launch a rescue operation as they are still fighting the droid rebellion right now. After attempting to convince the Jedi and other organizations to help them, we are now their last hope…but none of our crews are willing to risk their lives for these people either."
"So you are asking me because I rescued the Helios Alpha, correct?", I asked.
"While that is a contributing factor, I also believe that your vessel is far more powerful than you are letting on. I have watched you sail into port now over a dozen times after slaughtering several pirate fleets in quick succession, and not once have I seen so much as a scratch on the paint. Sure you could be getting the repairs done elsewhere, but my gut tells me Yamato is probably one of the most powerful ships in this galaxy right now.", he said, "The Galactic Senate is offering one hundred billion credits to any captain or crew willing to help them. Does that perhaps sway your decision?"
"I am not in this for the money, I am here for the thrill of adventure and exploration.", I remarked, with a confused look, "With a payout that high, why has no one accepted the job?"
"Well…that is because of a powerful Chaos Space Marine who is actively hunting down the pockets of refugees and slaughtering everyone he finds.", the branch manager stated, with an audible gulp, "Khârn the Betrayer and his Butcherhorde have been spotted near the border."
Recalling that name from documents I had read, he was a Champion of Khorne who was known for his thirst for blood, battle, and outright carnage. As the mightiest champion of his deity, the former man had quite an extensive number of kills under his belt and was certainly a force to be reckoned with. Certain that I was well equipped to handle him, after all the improvements I had made to my arsenal, I looked at the branch manager with a solid poker face.
"I am inclined to accept this job, as my fiancées would urge me to for the sake of the refugees, but I have a stipulation. If we encounter the Khârn the Betrayer and his men, I keep his flagship after taking his head.", I said.
Spitting his scotch out of his mouth, the branches manager looked at me like I was a mad man. Seeing no hint of fear or hesitation in my eyes, he asked me if I genuinely felt like I could do it. Reminding me that Khârn the Betrayer was no ordinary Chaos Space Marine, I assured him I knew that very well.
"If the Galactic Senate can persuade the Imperium to allow this, we have a deal.", I remarked.
"I…I will let them know your request.", he said, "Are you really sure you could kill him?"
"Very certain of it.", I replied, rising from my seat, "Be it God, Man, or Space Marine, nothing will stand in the way of my goals."
Feeling the weight behind my tone, the branch manager nodded his head in acknowledgement. Immediately typing up a message for upper management, as I left the room, he promised to have me an answer in a few days' time. Rejoining my group at the counter, I informed them that I had taken on a rather large job for us and that we needed to prepare accordingly. Sharing the details about the rescue operation, I left out all mentions of the forces of Chaos as I did not wish to impart that knowledge upon them. Fearful of what that knowledge could do to them, due to the machinations of chaos, I refused to endanger their lives with such information. Unwilling to let the Chaos Gods get their hooks into the most important people in my life, if they ever drew near us, I would ensure it was the last thing they ever did.