Chapter 24: Big Earnings
Lucan was already waiting in the reception room of the residence.
Under Verre's arrangements, various factions had closely inspected the combat suits and observed their performance. Within two days, Lucan had met with numerous factions.
Almost all of them had expressed interest in the CMC series combat suits.
Among them, the two trading partners Lucan was most interested in were the Imperial Navy and the Adeptus Mechanicus.
Footfall's criminal syndicates had also sent representatives, but Lucan had temporarily turned them all away.
He was willing to sell to these groups, but firstly, his current production was limited; his own troops also needed to be armed. The production workshop could accommodate a maximum of four Barracks. If he wanted to expand production further, he would have to dismantle some of the ship's existing structures and build elsewhere.
However, considering that an Inquisitor would be boarding later, Lucan thought it best not to be too high-profile for now.
He would wait until he returned to the capital world before undertaking large-scale mass production.
Secondly, if criminal elements possessed this equipment while official Imperial organizations did not, Lucan had no doubt they would come looking for trouble with him.
The Navy proposed using Thrones for the transaction, but Lucan refused.
Currency was fine for everyday trade, but in times like these, it was the most useless commodity.
And what was the Navy's most valuable asset?
In the Expanse, they didn't even have enough warships for themselves; purchasing one was very difficult.
Besides warships, the Navy's greatest assets were their skilled crewmen and naval troopers.
Thanks to the dangers of the Expanse, the threat of xenos, and the large number of explorers flocking to the Expanse seeking fortune, the number of naval personnel far exceeded the number of available ships.
Large numbers of crewmen without berths congregated in Footfall and other worlds.
Some joined Rogue Traders, some joined exploration teams or Adeptus Mechanicus explorator fleets, and some even fell in with criminal organizations.
When Lucan proposed exchanging equipment for mercenary contracts of skilled soldiers from the Imperial Navy's ranks, the Navy representative agreed without hesitation. Instead of letting these naval personnel remain idle or work for criminal syndicates, it was better to let them join Lucan's forces, which could also bring benefits to the Navy.
After fierce debate and negotiation, a deal was struck: one CMC-400 combat suit in exchange for a mercenary contract for 300 professionally trained soldiers.
Both sides felt they had made a profit; Lucan's cost to produce the combat suits was extremely low, allowing him to conveniently acquire ready combat power, while the Navy exchanged 300 ordinary soldiers for a precious suit of what they perceived as power armor.
They initially reached a trade agreement for 300 suits and also established a long-term supply protocol.
The agreement even stipulated that if Lucan could continue to deliver a consistent quality and quantity, he could receive support from the nearby Imperial Navy, provided it did not violate Imperial law.
With the output of four Barracks, it wouldn't take long to produce the required number for the exchange.
However, when the Navy wanted to purchase Marauder and Firebat gear, Lucan directly refused, claiming he didn't even have enough for his own use.
Lucan had to keep enough leverage for potential future deals; he couldn't possibly give away all his best items at once.
The Adeptus Mechanicus, on the other hand, directly dispatched a Magos to negotiate.
"Rogue Trader, I am Magos Dominus Otis of the Explorator Fleet. In accordance with the highest tenet of our accord – Knowledge is Truth – I have been dispatched to complete a transaction of knowledge with you."
Lucan looked at the figure before him with four mechanical legs, listening to the voice emitted through a processor. He truly wondered how much flesh and blood remained of this being.
Every time Lucan communicated with these seemingly emotionless beings, he felt very uncomfortable. He was thankful that Pavian, back on the ship, hadn't had his mind completely replaced by machinery. Pavian also didn't speak in such a cold, unfeeling manner. Typically, the higher the rank of a Mechanicus member, the more extensive their mechanical augmentation.
"Magos Otis, I am very willing to trade with you. However, trade must be equitable. I require some other material goods."
"Praise the Omnissiah! I am pleased you are willing to share precious knowledge. Such an inclination is rare among those who have not yet embraced the sacred machine. Most individuals often fail to grasp the importance of knowledge. The Explorator Fleet is willing to pay a sufficient price for this knowledge."
"Magos Otis, I must clarify one thing. I am not providing manufacturing techniques, but rather samples!"
"Rogue Trader, am I to understand that you are attempting to deceive me? My information intake elements have already received messages; you have already sold much equipment to the Navy. I could directly request it from the Navy, so why should I pay a price?"
"What I sold to the Navy was only the most basic CMC-400 combat suit. I didn't even sell them weapons. And the 400 model is merely the most basic; the Navy does not possess the 660 model or other variants of the combat suit."
"That is not enough to convince me. I believe the Explorator Fleet has the capability to reverse-engineer some technologies from that basic model. We do not need to make an exact replica; we only need to study the underlying technology, do we not?"
The Adeptus Mechanicus was not the Navy. The Navy lacked research capabilities. After they witnessed the combat suit's effectiveness, Lucan believed they would definitely come back to purchase more. Business with the Navy was a long-term prospect; he didn't need to fleece them too harshly. The Adeptus Mechanicus, however, was different.
Lucan couldn't quite gauge the research capabilities of these individuals, but they likely weren't poor.
Ultimately, it was the internal strife and factionalism within the Mechanicus, the academic fiefdoms, and the unwillingness to share research findings and knowledge that led to their slow technological progress.
What the Adeptus Mechanicus needed was not the combat suit itself, but the technology within it.
Compared to mortal armies, the immediate combat effectiveness boost from the combat suits was much smaller for the Adeptus Mechanicus.
Their Skitarii legions already had more suitable equipment. Selling them finished products held little appeal.
Seeing that he couldn't sway the Magos before him, Lucan planned to bring out something potent.
"Since Magos Otis is not interested in the combat suit, I wonder if you would be interested in this item?"
Saying this, he summoned Verre, who brought in a sealed, ornate box. Lucan had even intentionally inlaid it with a considerable amount of gold and gemstones to make it appear more precious.
Otis felt a flicker of disdain seeing this. Flesh and blood ultimately could not escape such superficial things and vanity. What good could possibly be inside?
Lucan opened the box. Inside, surprisingly, was the ray gun used by the Medics.
"A weapon?" Otis queried.
"This is no weapon!"
Saying this, Lucan aimed it directly at Otis and pulled the trigger.
As the green ray shot towards Otis, he instantly erupted.
This directly stunned Lucan. Just how many weapons did this fellow have hidden under those robes?
Melta, plasma, chainaxe, autocannon, flamer, power sword!
Good grief, no wonder they said a Mechanicus Magos wasn't an infantry unit but a behemoth unit – this was a human-shaped turret!
"Otis! Calm down! This isn't a weapon!"
Lucan's shout, combined with the fact that the ray indeed caused no harm, allowed Otis to calm down.
"No anomalous programs detected. No energy reaction detected… Sacred protocols detect no intrusion. Omnissiah be praised, what is happening to my body?"
Otis discovered that under the continuous irradiation of this green ray, all the metallic components of his body were slowly repairing themselves.
Even though he was a Magos-level member of the Mechanicus, and all his implants and modifications were of the highest specification – high-strength, rare materials – any metal still suffered from fatigue, differing only in timescale. Even with meticulous maintenance, there were times of wear and damage.
Yet, under the influence of this ray, his few remaining fleshly parts and all his metallic components were slowly recovering.
Even the deepest micro-fractures and damages within the metal began to repair themselves to pristine condition.
At this moment, Otis felt more vigorous than he had at the moment he first completed his full augmentation.
Otis seemed to sense many nanites on his body, but these nanites, after repairing his body, completely vanished.
"What in the name of the Motive Force is this, Rogue Trader!"
Otis felt an excitement he hadn't experienced in a long time!
"Its name is simple: Nanite Healing Gun. It can repair metal and also repair flesh. Its only limitation is that the individual target cannot be too large. Magos Otis, what do you think this item is worth?"
"Rogue Trader, please forgive my earlier impertinence. The Explorator Fleet is in dire need of this item!"
"Then that depends on your sincerity. If the offer is too cheap, I imagine that would also be an offense to such precious knowledge, wouldn't it?"
(End of Chapter)