Warhammer: Hail to the Void Lords!.

Chapter 1063, page 09.1062: 'Just a little bit of your power'

"I heard that Your Excellency the Governor wishes to speak with me?"

Horatio sat down without any hesitation on the luxurious, soft, and extremely smooth red velvet seat.

The metal joints of his dark blue power armor made a soft rustling sound as they rubbed against the soft velvet fabric.

He casually crossed his legs, his calm gaze piercing through the swirling smoke as he scrutinized the obese man in front of him, who was smoking a large cigar.

"Heh heh..." The planetary governor let out a panting laugh, thick, almost tangible cigar smoke billowing from his thick lips.

"The main reason is that an imperial hero like yourself has come to visit our world. As the planetary governor, I must treat you with the utmost courtesy."

How is Your Excellency's recovery progressing? I hope you can rest and recuperate well in the beautiful city of Polyberia.

"Let's skip the formalities." Horatio raised his right hand, which was covered by a power armor glove, and made a "stop" gesture.

"Let's get straight to business. My time is very valuable."

He disliked the bureaucratic formalities of the empire, and as a military officer, he was particularly averse to the meaningless and monotonous polite greetings.

Moreover, as an official with a higher rank on the official hierarchy, he had enough power to simplify everything for a planetary governor like Polaberia, who was only a vassal tax level official.

"Uh huh..."

The planetary governor seemed taken aback by his sudden directness, but his smile only grew brighter. "Lord, you are indeed... straightforward. Very well, very well."

His enormous body shifted with difficulty in the huge armchair, as if adjusting a mass of disparate fat.

"Your Excellency has built a magnificent training base on our planet, covering an area of ​​3200 square meters."

As the host, we are willing to provide you with all necessary supporting facilities and logistical support free of charge…

"What's free is often the most expensive."

Horatio's fingertips tapped lightly on the knee of his power armor, making a soft "tap, tap" sound.

"Let's be frank, Your Excellency, what do you want from the Imperial Navy?"

“Uh…” The planetary governor laughed again, the laughter seeming to be squeezed out from the cracks of a pile of fat. “Lord, you are a very straightforward person. What I want is very simple, and… not difficult.”

He pressed a button on the touchpad on the armrest with a fat finger that was almost buried in flesh.

A holographic image flickered in the center of the office, projecting a map of Polaberia, with Horatio's newly built training base clearly marked with a red border.

“We hope... to ‘share’ this training base with the Imperial Navy’s rail forces.”

He deliberately emphasized the word "shared," adding, "Of course, this is only to train our own planetary defense forces, enhance their military capabilities, and improve our ability to defend against future invasions. And... we also need some small-scale military equipment support..."

"Invasion? Whose invasion?" Horatio's fingers stopped tapping, his voice turning cold. "As far as I know, our Imperial Navy's frigate line has never allowed any large-scale alien or rebel forces to break into Sintira and the surrounding sub-sectors."

“Watch out, Commander Citizen.”

Jadviga, who had been standing quietly behind Horatio, suddenly whispered a reminder. Her gloved hand had unconsciously rested on the hilt of her sword at her waist. "That smooth-talking fellow always says one thing and does another." Her gaze was like a knife, fixed on the governor.

"Prevention is better than cure, Your Excellency." The governor seemed not to have heard Yadvija's words at all, and continued to smile broadly.

But his eyes, hidden in the folds of his fat, turned coldly toward her.

He slowly flicked the ash off his cigar, exhaling a thick cloud of smoke with disdain.

"You've probably heard that Polaberia was invaded by a massive Greenskin invasion 35 years ago."

As the governor personally appointed by Sintira, the capital of the sector, I am naturally responsible for the Emperor's precious assets. But... the lady behind you…”

The governor's gaze, like that of a sticky viper, brazenly swept Yadvig up and down, and the smile on his face vanished completely.

"As a descendant of that treacherous family that caused the loss of the God Emperor's precious assets, I, on behalf of...Polaberia, do not welcome a descendant of an oath-breaker."

"You!...You shameful thief!" Yadvega's face instantly turned bright red. She drew half of her sword with a "whoosh" and squeezed out the curse through gritted teeth, but ultimately restrained herself and left her hand holding the sword in mid-air.

“Calm down, half-brigade commander,” Horatio said calmly.

“Loser,” the governor said dismissively, exhaling the last puff of smoke, ignoring her threat, “is unworthy to protect such a precious planet on behalf of the great Lord of Mankind.”

"I don't want to hear any gossip, let's get back to the main topic."

Horatio's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority that instantly quelled the tense atmosphere in the room. "So, you only ask to share some of our training facilities and some munitions provided to the planetary defense forces to help you strengthen the planet's defenses?"

"Yes."

The governor put on that fake smile again, as if his previous harshness had nothing to do with him. "I think, Lord, you wouldn't, and have no reason to, refuse such a reasonable request as fulfilling the basic duties of a planetary governor?"

Just as Jadvig was about to speak, Horatio raised his hand to stop him.

Because he knew exactly what Yadwiga was trying to say—this so-called planetary defense force was actually a bunch of thugs kept by the governor. Rather than defending the Emperor's territory, they were more inclined to protect the governor's assets. The governor clearly wanted to use Horatio's resources to further strengthen the planetary defense force's ability to suppress uprisings.

"..." Horatio pondered for a moment, then looked up with a slight smile on his face: "The training base of the Imperial Navy's orbital landing force involves highly classified matters of the Empire, and we cannot open it to any world-class administrative unit."

If you wish to share a training base, please follow the standard administrative procedures and obtain approval from the Regional Navy Department.

"Hehe, is it the Navy Department of the Gothic Sector or the Navy Department of the Calesis Sector?" the planetary governor asked with a smile, clearly understanding the implication.

“The Naval Headquarters of the Calicus Sector, and then the Naval Headquarters of the Gothic Sector, both,” Horatio replied with a smile.

"Hahahaha!" The governor burst into exaggerated laughter, his entire body of fat trembling violently like waves. "Then it seems that I won't be able to wait for this approval process to be completed in the rest of my life."

“Each procedure takes about thirty years on average, but it’s still possible if you’re willing to undergo life-extending surgery,” Horatio said seriously, stating this daunting figure.

Upon hearing this, the governor stopped laughing and instead put on his previous fake smile again, but this time it had a hint of cunning:

"As a Supreme Lord Colonel, don't you have even the slightest... special privilege?"

(End of this chapter)