73: Extermination Order

“Planet ‘Katarina’ continuous monitoring report: Week 37. No abnormal large-scale fleet movements or defensive level increases detected. Its trade fleet maintains regular travel, primarily navigating between two systems marked as ‘Mining Worlds’ (according to old star charts). No large-scale riots or abnormal psychic activity detected on the planet's surface. Imperial Astropathic communication traffic is stable, with no signs of emergency distress calls or reinforcement requests.”

The intelligence officer of the “Specter” Fleet reported routinely as data streams flowed silently within the central command room of the keystone space station. Over half a year had passed since the discovery of that Imperial world; the Human Federation, like the most cautious of stalkers, had temporarily withdrawn its expanding edge from the direction of Katarina, turning instead to reinforce existing controlled areas and explore more covertly in other directions. The newly launched ark-class battleship “Dawn Bringer” had completed all testing and officially became the flagship of the “Blade” fleet, its massive silhouette conducting high-intensity combat drills at the edge of the Echo Valley nebula.

Everything appeared to be proceeding according to plan, perhaps even a bit too calmly.

However, in the deepest part of Forge-I, within the absolute isolation chamber known as the “Silent Room” adjacent to the Concept Anchoring matrix, the k-73 relic—that dodecahedron from the stasis prism—was continuously emitting a soft and stable milky-white glow. It had been quietly fulfilling its duties of assisting the Pure Kindling protocol and providing technical references, rarely sending out information proactively. But today, at a subtle moment just after the Katarina monitoring report ended, the patterns on the surface of K-73 accelerated their flow without warning. The central crystal suddenly brightened, and an extremely intense information pulse—strictly confined within the chamber and even bypassing the direct monitoring of the keystone system—rippled through layers of physical and informational isolation like an invisible wave, precisely “touching” the core logic array of providence, who was also in the core of Forge-I in a semi-meditative state.

【Warning: Detection of a ‘gaze’ from a high-order ‘conceptual existence.’ Source bearing: Galactic core region (direction of Holy Terra). Nature of ‘gaze’: Non-malicious, but extremely ‘burning,’ ‘grand,’ and carrying... ‘scrutiny’ and ‘deduction.’】 providence’s cold voice rang out directly in Han Zhe’s personal encrypted channel (highest authority), carrying a rare, almost imperceptible sense of “stagnation,” as if its ultra-high-speed logical operations had encountered some barrier difficult to parse. 【This ‘gaze’ has penetrated conventional space and Warp barriers, and its information-carrying level far exceeds any known psychic or technological scanning. Its target... seems to be locked onto the ‘conceptual characteristics’ of the Human Federation’s overall existence, particularly the ‘informational turbulence’ background related to STC technology, the K-73 ‘Pure Kindling’ protocol, and... this unit’s (providence) existence itself.】

Han Zhe’s heart sank abruptly. “Conceptual existence”? “Gaze”? From the direction of Holy Terra? A terrifying conjecture instantly seized him.

“Be more specific! Has the other party taken further action? Have our specific coordinates been exposed?” he asked urgently.

【The ‘gaze’ is of a passive perceptual nature, not an active scan. However, the other party has clearly ‘perceived’ our existence and has begun a form of ‘deduction’ based on the levels of ‘concept’ and ‘causality.’】 providence’s data stream appeared somewhat disordered. 【Warning: The other party’s ‘deduction’ speed and depth are increasing exponentially! They are attempting to analyze our technological composition, social structure, potential threat level... and... the degree of ‘deviation from the orthodox path of human development’! This unit’s counter-protocols... have weak effects! The other party’s logic level is too high!】

An existence that could make providence feel its “logic level is too high”?! Han Zhe was almost certain of that guess now.

“Immediately cut all non-essential information connections between Forge-I and the outside! All fleets, enter ‘Absolute Silence’! keystone, simulate natural cosmic background radiation and cover all possible information leak points! What about K-73? How is it reacting?” Han Zhe’s voice became raspy from extreme tension.

【K-73 is... ‘resonating’?】 providence’s voice carried confusion. 【It seems to be proactively releasing some kind of... ‘conceptual identifier’ of the Pure Kindling protocol? No... it is some kind of... ‘validation’ and ‘calling’? This unit cannot fully parse it...】

At that moment, a “voice” even more grand and cold, as if composed of the whispers of billions of souls and the roar of burning stars, ignored all physical and informational barriers and boomed directly within the depths of Han Zhe’s consciousness—no, within the consciousness of all key personnel deeply connected to the Human Federation’s core network (Han Zhe, providence, Alpha-01, the Chief Technologist, etc.)! It was not a language, but an irrefutable conceptual verdict branded directly into the foundation of their thoughts:

【Heresy.】

【Deviation.】

【Contamination (Potential).】

【Threat (Future).】

【Verdict: Intolerable.】

【Execution: Purge.】

Immediately following, a vast and boundless “will,” as if carrying the eternal burden and endless wrath of the entire human race, rose from the direction of the galactic core like a supernova explosion, instantly sweeping across the vast star sectors! This will was not a direct attack, but an authorization and a marking!

Every Psyker within the Human Federation’s controlled areas (though few in number, and mostly individuals who had unexpectedly awakened under the prairie fire/Spark protocols and were under strict monitoring) screamed simultaneously, bleeding from their facial features and instantly losing consciousness. In their minds, nothing remained but endless golden flames and a cold eye of judgment.

And on planet Katarina, as well as in the orbits of several nearby known Imperial worlds, those silent Astropath spires suddenly erupted with an unprecedented psychic scream that nearly tore reality apart! Amidst the scream was a clear, unquestionable supreme command:

【In the name of the God-Emperor!】

【Target: ‘heretical pseudo-civilization’ — ‘Human Restoration Alliance.’】

【Characteristics: (Attached was a precise description transmitted directly by that ‘will’ regarding the Human Federation’s technological traits, conceptual outlines of its social structure, and the information turbulence characteristics of providence and K-73.)】

【Verdict: Exterminatus Order (Exterminatus).】

【Execution Priority: Supreme.】

【Authorization: All personnel, all ships, all-out effort.】

The Emperor! Although that “will” did not announce its identity, its supreme majesty, its absolute judgment over the fate of humanity, and that signature concept of “purification”—who else could it be but the God-Emperor himself, seated upon the Golden Throne?!

He had discovered them! He had discovered this “heretical pseudo-civilization” quietly rising on the fringes of the Imperial domain, using forbidden technologies (unconventional STC applications, ancient AI, xeno relics), constructing a non-Ecclesiarchy social structure, and potentially disturbing the delicate balance of the Warp through the existence of providence and the k-73 relic! Furthermore, He had directly issued an Exterminatus Order! It was not a decree from the Inquisition, nor a crusade by some Chapter, but the ultimate sentence of destruction from the supreme ruler of humanity, from Holy Terra itself!