Warhammer, Emperor's Chosen

The bridge of the Stellar spanned 200 meters in width, its dome-shaped ceiling as grand and ornate as a cathedral. Servo-skulls and wiring devices floated beneath the gallery, which depicted the illustrious history of the von Valancius dynasty and the heroic deeds of its family members.

At the forefront of the bridge was the ship's vast observation window. The central panel was a single flawless piece of tempered glass, while the edges were composed of stained glass pieces secured in place by sturdy reliefs.

When the Stellar successfully exited the Warp back into real space under the guidance of the confessor, Nono, the thick shutters that shielded the bridge's glass to protect the crew from the dangerous brilliance of the Warp slid open.

In the cold, dark void of space, a blazing golden sun cast its bright light from afar. The escort fleet, consisting of two Sword-class frigates and two Firestorm-class frigates, flanked the Stellar on either side.

Standing atop a staircase carpeted with red adorned with golden trim and the imperial Aquila, Abelard, the ship's seneschal, looked out from the command platform, which rose above the operations deck and instrumentation of the bridge. The command throne of the Stellar was situated there.

Boom!

The command throne facing the control station slowly rotated, revealing Noah seated upon it, able to see the crew standing below the stairs.

This place had once belonged to Theodora, but now, she belonged to him.

"Where is the vox-master?" Noah asked.

"My lord," a female officer with golden hair stepped forward and respectfully replied, "Commander Vigdis perished in the previous battle. I am her deputy, White."

Noah appraised the woman before him. Her tightly fitted officer uniform accentuated her curvaceous figure. She bore no visible signs of cybernetic implants, and her radiant golden hair was styled into twin tails that reached her waist.

At that moment, Noah confirmed it—this was yet another of the wives he had carefully crafted for himself.

With practiced ease, Noah issued his first command. "Then, Miss White, you are my new vox-master. Reestablish communication with the escort fleet and ensure my voice is heard by everyone."

"As you command, my lord," White said, respectfully placing her hand over her chest in salute.

Moments later, the new vox-master responded: "The vox signals are stable. You may address the crew, my lord."

Noah didn't immediately speak. Instead, his gaze fell on Abelard, who stood closest to him on the stairs.

The seneschal was silent for a moment, adjusting his bloodstained coat and straightening his back. He spoke in a calm, steady tone:

"As the first officer of this ship, I must fulfill my duty… It is with utmost regret and sorrow that I inform you all: Lady Theodora von Valancius, the Lord-Captain, has perished. May her glorious deeds never fade from the annals of the dynasty."

A wave of shocked murmurs arose from the lower-ranking officers on the bridge, who had not yet been informed of Theodora's death.

Abelard glanced at Noah, who gave him a slight nod. He continued: "As there are no immediate kin to contest this decision, by bloodline succession, I hereby declare Noah von Valancius as the rightful heir to Lady Theodora von Valancius, the new master of the trade charter, and the next Rogue Trader. The formal ascension ceremony will be held later, but until then—"

Abelard paused, glaring furiously at the stunned officers below. "Are you mute? Salute your Lord-Captain!"

"Salutations to you, Lord-Captain!"

Terrified, the officers knelt, offering their solemn respect to their new master.

In the Rogue Trader dynasties, the trade charter was the ultimate symbol of authority. Whoever inherited it became the undisputed ruler of the dynasty. Everything within the dynasty—down to the very lives of these officers—belonged solely to the Rogue Trader.

Abelard turned to Noah and bowed deeply.

"Salutations to you, Lord-Captain."

"You've done well, seneschal."

Noah inclined his head slightly. "Vox-master, summon the surviving officers of the fleet. I need reports from all vessels. Additionally, attempt to contact other planets under the von Valancius dynasty."

"At once, Lord-Captain."

White faithfully executed Noah's orders, relaying them through the vox system to the officers across the Stellar.

Within a Terran hour, over a hundred senior officers gathered on the bridge, awaiting their turn to deliver reports to Noah—even though it was unlikely he would meet with all of them.

"Due to the sudden death of Voigtvir, the heretics lost their leadership. The crew's casualties amount to fewer than 500, which won't affect the ship's operation. However, the heretics targeted the command center of this vessel, meaning most of the casualties were enforcers and officers on the upper decks, including Lady Theodora herself, her chief warrior Mott, Advisor Edesad, Whisperer Voigtvir, Master Helmsman Ravor, Vox-Master Vigdis, and Senior Advisor Genlis…"

Abelard's face bore a shadow of exhaustion, aging him by at least five years.

Ordinarily, a Rogue Trader's flagship had at least eight senior officers: the Captain, Seneschal, Navigator, Master of Engines, Helmsman, Vox-Master, Senior Advisor, and Whisperer.

The recent mutiny had claimed nearly all of these crucial positions, leaving only the seneschal and the Magos Explorator, Nono, alive. Though the overall loss of personnel was minimal, the positions lost were of critical importance, and many had been among Theodora's most loyal followers. Their deaths dealt a devastating blow to the von Valancius dynasty.

"Do we know who's responsible?" Noah asked, his tone indifferent but his brow furrowed.

"It was Voigtvir!" Abelard growled, his eyes burning with fury. "The heretics came from among the new recruits brought aboard three days ago on a hive world. Voigtvir was responsible for that recruitment. He armed the heretics, manipulated the ship's systems for their benefit, and led them to ruthlessly murder Lady Theodora!"

Abelard clenched his teeth. "Only someone like him, with knowledge of the officers' identities and value, could execute such a plan. He intended to consolidate power swiftly by eliminating them all—Lady Theodora included. Had he not been killed by a machine-servitor, the consequences would have been unthinkable!"

"A despicable betrayal," Noah concluded coldly. "Does he possess von Valancius blood?"

"Yes, Lord-Captain," Abelard said grimly. "He was a distant relative of Lady Theodora. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been trusted."

"Any other losses?" Noah asked.

"None significant," Abelard replied after a moment's thought. "The mutiny was confined to the flagship; the escort fleet suffered no casualties.The Magos Explorator, Nono, thwarted the heretics' attempt to sabotage the plasma reactors, so the ship itself remains intact.

"Most senior officers' deputies have taken over their positions, except for the navigators, which we need to replenish urgently. While the escort fleet's navigators are still functional, relying on them is only a temporary measure. To ensure the fleet's stability, we must replace the fallen navigator as soon as possible.

"Fortunately, there is a station belonging to the Navigator Houses in the Rykad system. We could reach out to them to fill the vacancy."

"Then have the fleet alter course toward the station," Noah commanded.

"Yes, Lord-Captain."

Abelard saluted respectfully and left the platform to relay Noah's orders to the officers.

Below the stairs, Magos Explorator Nono and Sister Argenta had been waiting for some time. Abelard bowed slightly to them as he passed, unaware that these two were the true masterminds behind the mutiny.

..........

📢30 advanced chapters on p@treaon📢

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7. The Orders Pronatus.

8. The Young Lady Excels at Getting into Trouble at Lightspeed.

9. The Target, Macragge!

10. The Astral Claws.

11. The Gene-Stealers Unveiled.