"You must be wondering why I called you here. Before that, I'd like to make something clear, even if you don't believe me. This isn't a trap, and you can leave whenever you want, but if anyone here tries anything, half my gang will come here with dakka ready, and even if I die, I highly doubt you'll get out alive. Was I clear enough?"
I stared at all the Orks present in the room, observing their reactions, a mixture of anger and frustration. Some grumbles and tongue clicks echoed in the room, but in the end, everyone agreed, starting to eat and drink while I continued.
"As you must know, despite so much time passing, no one has become the new city leader. We have some promising candidates, myself included, but I have no interest in staying on top; it's too much work and unwanted attention, and despite being powerful, you are still far from achieving your goal."
I resisted the urge to laugh when some of the Orks shuddered with anger at being openly insulted. I would have continued, but there were more important matters at hand.
"Some came close, but as you must know, they died soon after, either in conflicts or mysteriously, always ending with a headless body. So I ask you, if some Ork becomes the new boss and reunifies the city, what prevents him from being killed like Rukzod and all the chaos repeating itself?"
My guests exchanged silent glances, shrugging until one of the leaders slowly raised his hand.
"Nofing?"
"Exactly! Nothing! The Nid known as Lictor is still in the city, destroying enclaves and destabilizing it even further. He was responsible for the fire, the gas, the monsters, and the Grots' revolt. Lictors are fast, silent, intelligent, can become invisible, and worst of all, they can acquire the knowledge of the brains they devour, so everything the Orks he killed knew, he now knows. As if that weren't enough, they are experts at eliminating enemy leadership, preparing the place for an invasion. Do you know what that means?"
Finally, they understood, and worry and seriousness filled their faces.
"We ar' all targats." One of them said.
"An' da Nids 'ill try ta eat us." Another added.
"Yes, we all are! And an invasion could happen at any moment. I spoke with the guild, and due to the city's disarray, no one is fulfilling the missions to eliminate Nids, allowing their numbers to increase. How long do we have before a purple wave starts climbing the walls? That's why I called you here. I propose an alliance between us; let's join forces and reunify the city! There are many smaller factions fighting for dominance; we can bring them to our side, increasing our numbers enough to eliminate the larger forces! And when it's all over, we'll put an Ork in charge, but we won't give him absolute power, preventing a repeat of the past! Instead, we'll form a council to limit his power, with representatives from the main factions occupying the seats! There will be a place for the Oddboyz, the merchants, the guild, and more! Rukzod did a terrible job of administration, concentrating everything for himself and limiting the city's development, but with the council, at least some of the desires of the inhabitants of Thumb of Gork can be fulfilled! Finally, we can expand, have more technology, better lives, better food and water, and above all, more Dakka! After all, how do you expect to fight without a good Choppa and Shoota in your hands?! And if you doubt me, look out the window and see everything I've built! Don't you want the same?! So, what do you say?!"
For a moment, I thought I had gotten past their hard heads, but an Ork exclaimed, breaking the silence and asking the important questions.
"An what's stopp'n 'da Lictor from stomp'n' us?! What's stopp'n 'em from stomp'n' ya?! An what's stopp'n ya from stomp'n' us 'n 'da end an mak'n yourself 'da boss?!"
I rubbed my wrist, seeing the scar on my arm, remembering my first encounter with the creature, then explained my method.
"First, I recommend that you don't walk alone. If your group is large and strong enough, the Lictor probably won't risk it, unless the perfect opportunity arises. Another method is to always have a Weirdboy nearby. Lictors don't emit scent, so they can't be sniffed out by Squigs, but Weirdboys can use their powers to detect the Nid, sensing its life force or whatever its thoughts are. Now, about becoming the city's leader, as I said before, I have no plans for that. Simply trusting me doesn't offer enough guarantee. I can offer some resources and prove my sincerity when we work together, but until then, I have no way to prove anything. Again, if you want, you can leave, no one will stop you."
I wish I could say that my speech convinced everyone and my plan was a success, but I would be lying. Four of the ten Orks leaders left the room, escorted by their forces, not before taking a plate of food and a mug of beer.
I ordered my Orks to escort them out of the city, and with that done, I spoke to those who remained.
"Very well, how about we begin negotiations? I think we can reach a fair agreement for everyone."
If I had known the headache that would follow, I wouldn't have smiled as if everything was going according to plan.
-XXXXXX-
I slammed the door of my office behind me shut, almost knocking it off its hinges. Through the window, I saw my guests leaving the mansion in their respective vehicles after offering them a tour of the city.
I hope the guides I chose do a good job. Seeing how prosperous my territory has become should serve as an incentive for the other leaders to do the same.
It was hell to sew an agreement between us, because due to being large Orks and consequently more intelligent than normal, they quickly realized they could get more than what was stipulated in the initial proposal, and see through the clauses that benefit me more than the others.
If all goes well, each of us will have an acceptable amount of power and territory, not to mention, of course, the trade agreements between us.
I needed raw materials and scrap metal, and they needed basic necessities for an Ork, mostly ammunition.
There was also the mutual protection agreement; I would offer my assistance in defending their territory as long as they did the same if I was attacked.
The issue of being the attacking force requires more planning. Small-scale attacks could be carried out without the approval of others, but you shouldn't expect help if things got worse.
However, this changed in large-scale attacks, which could only be done with the approval of others and after long planning to achieve maximum efficiency while spending minimum.
These were the main points; the rest were just details, and if the council is formed, they will have privileged positions.
KNOCK!
KNOCK!
KNOCK!
"Come in."
The door to my office opened and Gharmott entered, carrying a handful of papers.
"Boss, da 'xperiment was an' success!"
"Great, tell me the results."
I sat in my comfortable, cushioned chair, clasping my hands on the solid wood table, listening intently to what Painboy had to say.
"It took me a long time an' failed tests, but I managed ta transform 'da poisonous spores uv 'da puffballz fungi into gas, an' afta some testing, dey proved lethal against 'da nids, stomp'n' im 'n a short time, destroy'n dere insides. It's as yer said, da nids kan adapt, but it takes time; da gas finishes im off fasta dan dey kan escape. An even better, we're all immune ta 'da gas! We kan krush 'da nids while dey're spill'n dere organs!"
"Perfect."
Outwardly I didn't show much reaction, but inside, I was singing and dancing at the good news.
"Tell me, Gharmott, how much time and resources would be needed to, say, produce enough gas to cover the entire city?"
The Painboy smiled broadly at the possibilities implied. I did the same, but for different reasons. Let's see if the Lictor will stay hidden when the city air becomes too spicy for him.
-XXXXXX-
"Laenae, I'm back!"
As soon as I opened her bedroom door, Laenae dropped her toys and turned toward me, smiling with a glint in her eye.
"Boss!"
She ran and I bent down to catch her, holding her by the armpits before sitting her on my arm.
"Did you miss me?"
"Yez!"
She nodded while laughing, nudging my face. We left the room with Dobby and Gulg following us, going to mine where there was a pot of green paint and a brush on a desk.
"We're going for a walk. You already know what we have to do, right"
"I knaw!"
I sat her on the desk and dipped the brush in the paint, waiting for her to close her eyes before painting her face.
Laenae had become too big for her crib and now she wouldn't stay still and would constantly try to get out, and since she wasn't strong enough to defend herself yet, I started disguising her as Grot.
I put away the paint and brush when I finished. Laenae opened her eyes and looked at the nearby mirror, frowning and showing her teeth.
"Waaagh!"
I know she was trying to be scary, but the blue overalls with suspenders, yellow shirt, and brown shoes made her adorable.
Now there were only a few things left. I went to my wardrobe and took out a helmet, a Choppa, and a Slugga, the first made of leather and the other two of plush.
I put the helmet on the child and handed her the "equipment." With everything ready, I held her again and together we headed towards the garage.
We crossed the corridors and after opening a side door and descending a cement staircase, we arrived at an underground room made of the same material, where my old Junkka Trukk and War Buggy awaited me, but they weren't what I was looking for.
Thanks to the development of my territory, I gained access to new vehicles. One of them was my own Warbike while I couldn't get one made by a Mek Speed Freek.
The other was what I came for; it was a low and sleek car by Ork standards, with smooth surfaces similar to underground racing cars.
It was red to improve speed, with two doors, an exposed engine and exhaust pipes on the hood for better cooling and gas release.
Next to the engine, there was a pair of Shootas that fired with the press of a button on the steering wheel, and just below, a bumper with spikes serving as a battering ram.
However, its main weapons were the stockpile of incendiary squigoil cocktails inside and the large rotary machine gun mounted on a small platform at the rear, the Mek Speshul.
This was the Boomdakka Snazzwagon, a complicated name for a vehicle focused on speed and firepower. Its improvised armor would protect us from light weapons, but a direct hit would destroy the vehicle, so dodging gunfire would be the best option.
I opened one of the doors, placing Laenae in the child seat, Dobby and Gulg positioned themselves at the rear machine gun, and I went to the driver's seat, fastening my seatbelt—an idea the Mekz struggled to grasp—before starting the engine.
The engine roared, pistons rose and fell, flames erupted from the exhausts, and with the press of the accelerator, the tires screeched, creating a cloud of smoke before we left the garage.
The gate was opened in advance, and we raced through the city streets on the designated tracks.
"HAHAHA! FASTA!"
Laenae clapped her hands as she looked at the scenery through the window, and despite the Ork side telling me to obey, I had to do the opposite.
I was already at the permitted limit in my territory; maybe when we leave the city we can really run.
-XXXXXX-
The first stop was at the place that supplied the city with energy and one of the few buildings that didn't follow the construction standard.
This is mainly due to the freedom I gave the Mekz to do their work; after all, I was the Ork of ideas, but they were the ones who knew how to build things. I only suggested standardization and safety where they could be placed.
A giant boiler was the best way to describe the place, a huge building with an approximate cone shape, like a cartoon volcano, constantly spewing fire and smoke.
It was surrounded by high walls and thick gates with patrols, guard posts, and watchtowers. The workers had precise work schedules, uniforms, and small name tags.
The boiler room had several side doors for material entry and emergency exits, and a pair of large metal doors at its base as the main entrance.
All were heavily secured, as was the interior. I wouldn't take any risks with a crucial part of the city's infrastructure.
I had no trouble entering with Laenae in my arms and Dobby and Gulg accompanying me, but as soon as we crossed the main door, we were attacked by a wave of heat.
I extended my left hand and my Copper Staff appeared in my grip in a flash of green lightning.
By slamming it against the ground, a semi-transparent bubble appeared around us, visibly pushing the heat away, and inside, ice and snowflakes formed wherever we went.
This was necessary even with the cooling and heat release systems installed. I still remember what a hellish place it was when it was built.
"Snaw, cold."
The child in my arms spoke, trying to grab some of the snowflakes.
"That's right, this is real snow. You've only seen snow in drawings, haven't you?"
"Yez."
We continued forward while she played, entering the central chamber of the boiler, and for a moment, we had to shield our eyes from the incandescent light on the other side.
The room was circular, with several walkways attached to the walls, forming floors above us, with doors leading to different sections of the building.
At its center was what could be described as a massive metallic furnace, built in the shape of an Ork's skull, with fire spewing from its mouth and eyes.
On its sides were various pipes and tubes, curving towards the ground and carrying energy throughout the city.
Above all, there was a hole at the top of the building allowing the furnace smoke to escape.
A plasma generator would be the best option to power everything. Efficient, relatively cheap, and low-polluting. Unfortunately, the Mekz of the city didn't possess the knowledge for it, so we were stuck in a strange mix of futuristic technology and the industrial revolution.
Perhaps they will learn to build a hydroelectric plant and then a nuclear power plant, but until then, I will have to wait for their evolution and the release of new knowledge.
It wasn't a problem for now, but the furnace needed something to burn and keep functioning, and thanks to the Mekz's ingenuity, it was built to operate at maximum capacity while consuming minimal energy.
However, it wasn't sustainable in the long run. We could burn anything to generate energy—firewood, coal, Orks, Tyranids. Right now, several Orks were throwing piles and piles of coal and firewood into the furnace, making the fire dance.
As long as the flame burned, everything would work, but if my territory expanded, we would need to build more, and consequently, extract more resources.
Considering how quickly Orks multiplied, it wouldn't be long before the jungle became a wasteland. I didn't want to use planets as batteries like the Imperium, not while there was another option.
"Hey, Doomboilah!"
I looked around, searching for my Mekboy boss, the one who was above all the others in the city.
It wasn't long before heavy metallic footsteps reverberated through the chamber and several lights shone through the smoke on a walkway on the upper floor.
CRASH!
Something heavy leaped from there and landed on the ground floor with a thud, and as it circled the furnace, the Mek appeared.
We were almost the same height; I had grown a bit , and although I hadn't fought as much as I'd like due to my duties as leader of the territory, I was close to becoming a Nob.
The same was true for Doomboilah, but for different reasons, because instead of growing by fighting, he grew by modifying his body with bionic parts, ending up a few centimeters shorter than me.
I could hear the mechanisms of his body working as he approached.
His legs had been replaced with a pair containing pistons and springs, allowing him to jump absurd heights; his left arm had been cut off at the wrist, replaced by a flamethrower with the tank riveted to his bicep; his right arm was the typical silver bionic arm covered in spikes, but I had no doubt that there were hidden weapons in it.
His head was difficult to describe, practically an iron mask with the lower region being a gas mask and the upper part a mass of wires, antennas, eyes, and sensors.
His torso was the only part I wasn't sure if it was bionic or not; it was practically armor made of various irregular plates, with tubes connected to the backpack on his back, whose exhaust pipes occasionally spat fire.
"Ugly."
"SHHH!"
I placed my index finger to my lips, silencing Laenae, and then lowered her arm, the index finger pointing at the Ork, who grumbled but didn't act against us.
"I'm ere, boss! Did ya kome ta get wot ya asked for?"
His voice was partially mechanical, muffled in his metallic skull, but after I nodded in confirmation, a pair of robotic arms emerged from his backpack, handing me a couple of items.
The first was a device that could be described as a wrist computer, but was actually a Fight Detecta, the Ork equivalent of an Imperial Auspex.
It was placed on my arm and, with the push of a button, made a series of beeps and clicks, lighting up small lamps on its side before images appeared on its screen—a map composed of green lines, with points of the same color representing signs of allied life around me.
The device was capable of detecting movement, gases, and energy emissions up to fifty meters away; however, it was only an expensive prototype with two functions: mapping and detection.
This is mainly due to the lack of infrastructure to produce microchips and other tiny parts, but I took the teefz out of my own pocket to get something so useful, and in the future, I hope to acquire something better.
The second item was a small white backpack with a pair of straps and a silver antenna. A Personal Field built from the one that surrounded Laenae's crib. Along with it was a pair of bracelets, one large and one small, which would be useful during our walks.
These items were delivered to Gulg, and I was about to leave, but I was interrupted by Doomboilah calling me.
"Boss, when kan we go out ta fight? Da Boyz are gett'n 'ored, an' so am I. I like build'n fings, but I also like ta krush a git."
I paused for a moment, thinking about how to respond. It's been a while since I fought and led my forces on the front lines, and with the growing number of Nids, there should be no shortage of missions for the guild.
"Choose who will replace all of you and get ready, I'll see if I can find something interesting for all of us."
I could not see his face, but his muffled laughter clearly showed his joy. I did the same, only more restrained, excited by the possibility of finally fighting without worries.
"Fanks, boss!"
Then I left, returning the same way to my car.
"What do you think, Laenae? Ready to crush some Nids?"
"Crush Nids!" She shouted, swinging her Choppa.
"Exactly what I wanted to hear. Now let's see who I'll take. Maybe a mix of veterans and recruits so they can gain experience and…"
I put her in the child seat and the Grots manned the Mek Speshul, then I got back behind the wheel, heading towards the training center while thinking about my squad's formation.
END OF CHAPTER