...
A short while later.
Chuck, who had just pledged to investigate the Tyron Sector with Greyfax, was now standing before their target—none other than Qin Mo himself.
Qin Mo looked at Chuck and recalled that he had been part of the first group of Inquisitors sent to the Tyron Sector. His father, the current Dominus of Agripinaa Forge World, was the esteemed Inquisitor Wick.
Qin Mo noticed Chuck was no longer an apprentice; he was now a full-fledged Inquisitor. The father and son, both tied to the Tyron Sector, had each gained their own direct or indirect benefits.
"As I mentioned, Lord of Tyron," Chuck began, recounting his conversation with Greyfax and adding an update on Creed's current predicament, "that wretch is targeting your people, using the Lord Castellan to pry into any secrets that might work against Tyron."
Qin Mo listened quietly to Chuck's words, then asked with a smirk, "Does that wretch know you call her that?"
"No, of course not," Chuck replied, laughing a bit awkwardly. "If she found out, she'd probably stomp on me with those heels."
"I'm starting to think you'd love her to find out," Qin Mo teased.
"N-no, absolutely not," Chuck quickly denied, shaking his head.
After a few exchanged quips, Qin Mo grew serious, beginning to consider his next steps. From the moment the Inquisition had dispatched their first wave of agents to the Tyron Sector, an eerie equilibrium had settled between both sides. The Inquisition harbored a true hostility towards Tyron, yet they hesitated to provoke open conflict. Whenever Tyron displayed strength, the Inquisition would back down.
This delicate balance was due to a simple reason: Tyron's heresy was unnervingly bold. Common heretics could be dealt with immediately, but heretics who wielded stellar engines and possessed fleets were another matter. Lacking the resources to annihilate Tyron outright, the Inquisition had no choice but to maintain this uneasy stability.
Such equilibrium could only be shattered when the Imperium was no longer mired in crises and could devote vast resources to this new front.
For now, however, it was crucial not to disrupt this balance. The Inquisition would do everything to avoid any provocations that would force their hand.
After some thought, Qin Mo looked Chuck in the eye. "I have an idea, but I'm not sure you'd dare to attempt it."
"Well, I'm here, aren't I? Just tell me what you need," Chuck replied with a resigned sigh.
As far as Chuck was concerned, Tyron's heresy was undeniable. What else could they be? If he had a choice, he wouldn't have come at all. But it was his father, Wick, who insisted he get involved, suspecting the Inquisition would soon make their next move against Qin Mo.
Although Chuck had severed ties with his father long ago, his nature and a few lingering hopes bound him to follow Wick's orders, albeit begrudgingly.
"You could take a transport and approach my fleet, then demand any one of the ship captains to hand over a crew member for questioning," Qin Mo suggested. "Of course, no one will actually hand anyone over, but it will create a stir."
Chuck rose and saluted. "Very well, I'll head for your fleet. But do assure Admiral Adam to hold fire when he sees a transport with the raven insignia. I'd rather not be blown to pieces for real. With what I've seen from Tyron, that wouldn't be unheard of."
Qin Mo nodded.
With that assurance, Chuck felt ready to leave, but after a few steps, he turned back.
"One more thing: Lord Horst has already arrived in the sector. I'm not entirely sure why, nor do I know his precise location. He's always vanishing… though I did share some information with him on Blackstone."
Qin Mo nodded. "Isn't that all the better?"
...
Ten minutes later.
Greyfax, preparing to interrogate Creed for the second round, received an unexpected report.
The Tyron fleet had directed its weapons at the Inquisition ships after an Inquisitor demanded they surrender one of their crew for questioning.
Greyfax didn't react much at first, immediately assuming the culprit was Chuck, as none of the other Inquisitors wanted to meddle in these affairs. Greyfax was only mildly surprised at the speed of Chuck's betrayal; his actions were fluid, well-rehearsed, and clearly premeditated.
Yet none of these difficulties deterred her from continuing her investigation. What truly stopped her was the sudden appearance of a figure she hadn't expected.
Horst.
This elusive, legendary Inquisitor had been conducting a covert investigation on Cadia for some time.
"It's time to put an end to this," Horst stated.
"And because they point their guns at us, we're supposed to cower and abandon the investigation? Has the Inquisition really become a body so easily cowed?" Greyfax couldn't help but laugh bitterly.
"Don't speak in anger. You know the real reason," Horst replied. "We know they are heretics, and they know they are heretics. But, at present, we're powerless."
Greyfax nodded, though she still felt a compulsion to argue.
"The Tyron forces are unlike anything we've faced," Horst continued, "and we must take extraordinary measures to confront them. Whether they're truly enemies or not must be carefully considered. This is why we must halt any further investigation into the Tyron Sector."
Greyfax silently listened, sensing Horst's ambivalence toward Tyron. He did not view them as an unequivocal threat, and he was even inclined to assess whether they truly were enemies.
The uniqueness of the Tyron forces was indisputable; there was no unified stance within the Imperium about how to approach them. Some branded them heretics, others wavered, while still others sought advantage. Had there been consensus, they would not have been so hamstrung.
"Isn't Qin Mo's aim to free the Lord Castellan? I'll release him from the dungeon at once," Greyfax conceded, understanding this would be a prolonged struggle.
"No, wait five days," Horst countered. "Whether or not he divulges further information on Tyron is irrelevant. He should never have been put in the dungeon; it was improper. But since it's done, let it stand for now."
Greyfax nodded.
"Your role in this is over. I need your assistance in investigating Blackstone," Horst stated firmly. "I observed strange activity among the Black Spheres beneath the Blackstone Obelisk. Their link to the Eye of Terror must be examined. We need to understand how the obelisk functions."
Without waiting for her agreement, Horst moved on ahead, and Greyfax had no choice but to follow closely.