...
In the underground fortress lab, Qin Mo meticulously adjusted the design of his creations while waiting.
On the open floor of the lab, logistical machines were busily printing a towering, heavily armored suit of power armor.
This armor was clearly not meant for a human wearer, its vast internal space and the thick alloy plates enclosing it from head to toe gave it an ungainly appearance.
Once the shoulder-mounted cannons and twin energy weapons on its back were printed, the armor bore a resemblance to the dreadnoughts used by the Astartes legions.
"The Ogryn armor is complete," the mechanical assistant reported, floating beside Qin Mo after finishing the print.
"Good," Qin Mo nodded, pointing to another design on the screen. "Now print what's shown here as well."
The floating machine hovered closer to the screen, inspecting the new design, using its mechanical tendrils to zoom in and out.
This new design featured a much smaller, sleeker suit of power armor, lacking any weaponry. It appeared almost fragile, intended only to enhance the wearer's speed and agility, with the added function of invisibility.
Like the Ogryn armor, this model had a simple, direct name—Lightling Armor.
After reviewing the cloaking field generator's schematics, the machine floated to another area to begin printing.
Qin Mo stood before the Ogryn armor, examining it closely, contemplating if anything had been overlooked.
The purpose of acquiring the Ogryns in the Tyrone system was to arm them and integrate them into the military. After basic training, they would don the armor and serve as bodyguards for officers or be deployed as support troops within each unit.
Due to the Ogryns' limited intelligence, their armor was designed without any complex functionalities, turning them into pure killing machines on the battlefield.
The right arm of the suit incorporated a chainsword, while the left was equipped with a shotgun laser, much like the Custodian armor. On the shoulders were two cannons, and on the back were twin heavy guns, all energy-based and self-sustaining without the need for reloading.
The Ogryns wouldn't need to learn to operate multiple weapons in combat. As long as they could press the firing switch within their gauntlets, the back-mounted cannons would activate automatically.
The shoulder cannons fired small lasers to intercept incoming missiles and shells.
All these weapons were equipped with friend-or-foe recognition systems to ensure they wouldn't harm their allies.
"That should do," Qin Mo murmured, satisfied, as he prepared to package the Ogryn armor design for mass production.
"You have visitors," the calm, electronic voice interrupted his workflow. A holographic screen appeared before him, displaying several figures waiting in the fortress's main hall.
Qin Mo hadn't planned to go immediately, but upon noticing one of the visitors was an Astartes, curiosity got the better of him. He set aside his work and left the lab, heading straight for the hall on the first floor.
In the hall stood Klein, Forros, and Gray, who had escorted them through the outer checkpoints, along with ten other Astartes.
As soon as Qin Mo entered, Klein stepped forward with a respectful salute. "It's been a while, Governor."
"About half a year," Qin Mo replied, helping him rise while scanning him from head to toe, noting that Klein seemed to be doing well. He was dressed smartly, with a row of cigars tucked into his belt.
Klein had wanted to catch up, to share some of the amusing stories from the past six months, but there were more pressing matters at hand.
He stepped aside, gesturing to the towering figure of Forros beside him. "This is Forros, former Chapter Master of the Weeping Warriors."
Qin Mo had already noticed Forros, as Astartes always stood out, but now he learned of his title and affiliation.
"Former Chapter Master," Forros corrected with a slight bow. "I haven't been in touch with most of my brothers for over eighty or ninety years... maybe eighty-five. I've lost count."
Qin Mo studied Forros, recalling the history.
Indeed, Forros had been the Chapter Master of the Weeping Warriors—a chapter plagued by misfortune. Known for their selflessness, they would fight to the death to rescue slaves, yet they were perpetually impoverished, teetering on the brink of extinction since their inception.
No mention of the Weeping Warriors could exclude the Badab War.
The Astral Claws, led by Huron, seized control of a sector and began withholding the genetic material owed to the Mechanicum. Their defiance escalated, leading to the destruction of an Imperial fleet sent to collect their dues, igniting the conflict.
Several chapters with ties to the Astral Claws sided with Huron, some out of loyalty, others through coercion or ignorance.
The Weeping Warriors fell into the latter category—unknowingly drawn into the fray.
Huron's forces were defeated, and the Weeping Warriors suffered the consequences. Forros' ship was destroyed by the Minotaurs during the battle, and he was presumed lost in the explosion.
Qin Mo, puzzled by how Forros ended up with Klein, asked, "How did you two meet?"
Klein wasted no time recounting the tale.
Three months ago, while searching for untouchables and Ogryns as usual, Klein ventured into an uncolonized system, intending to capture wild creatures to sell. There, on one of the planets, he discovered Forros.
At the time, Forros and his ten remaining brothers were surviving by consuming the toxic fauna of the planet.
Once Klein finished his story, Forros added, "Before encountering this merchant, my brothers and I had survived a cataclysm. After regaining consciousness on an industrial world, I helped the local governor exterminate xenos in exchange for a ship."
"Afterwards, we left the system, but a Warp storm struck. When we emerged, our vessel was heavily damaged, and we crash-landed on a barren planet near the Tyrone system."
The Badab War was a sensitive subject, and Forros had yet to fully grasp its intricacies, so he only mentioned a vague catastrophe.
"How unfortunate..." Qin Mo sighed, feeling sympathy for the Weeping Warriors.
Forros and his surviving brothers weren't the only unlucky ones—the rest of the chapter likely continued fighting battles from which they might never return, oblivious to the fact that Forros was still alive.
As for why Forros had come, Qin Mo had a good idea—he was undoubtedly seeking assistance.