In the study, the air gradually grew heavy.
In the pure sky of Rostov II, the enormous, pristine white figure of the Orbital Ring stretched across the horizon, while the vibrant ecological dome and bustling urban area presented a serene and peaceful scene, starkly contrasting with the increasingly solidified atmosphere in the study.
The use of alien technology was not unprecedented for the Imperium, but it was inherently a major taboo.
For the Imperium, especially the Adeptus Mechanicus, technological purity was of utmost importance; in a sense, the purity of technology was a crucial cornerstone for the Imperium's existence.
Any foreign creation that had not been thoroughly purified and understood could potentially become a vessel for Tzeentch's will, leading to catastrophic corruption and degradation.
The Imperium's history contained very painful lessons; for example, a discovered and widely applied coating technology was eventually proven to have been tainted by Chaos, causing all Imperial armaments coated with it to instantly turn traitor.
Therefore, the Imperium's scrutiny over the introduction of new technology, especially alien and heretical artifacts, was almost paranoid.
The purity review of a technology could take hundreds of years to verify, and even if approved, it would still take hundreds of years for the technology to enter production and yield physical products.
For the Imperium, a thousand-year delay for the entire process was not an exaggeration.
The Imperium's caution in this matter had long been proven absolutely necessary by countless bloody facts.
Precisely because of this, only a very small number of departments within the Imperium had the authority to use heretical or alien technology.
Moreover, this authority was limited to using certain alien or heretical artifacts, involving only a small amount of their technology, and certainly not directly integrating alien technology into the Imperium's technical system to produce Imperial Knights in this manner.
It could be said that every word of this proposal was like an Emperor-class Titan dancing the flamenco with a Great Unclean One on the nerves of the Inquisition and the Adeptus Mechanicus.
However, facing this proposal, Alex could not directly refuse.
Alex believed Cawl could handle the design and manufacturing of the Imperial Knight.
His ability to independently complete the full set of Primaris Space Marines technology and associated equipment design and manufacturing over ten thousand years was sufficient proof of Cawl's terrifying capability and knowledge.
But similarly, this also exposed a major problem with the Adeptus Mechanicus: slowness.
And with the Adeptus Mechanicus's conservatism towards unknown technology and their cumbersome ritualistic research processes, they might spend centuries solving technical problems, and the final results would more likely be shelved in archives due to impracticality, becoming yet another forgotten technology.
Alex did not have ten thousand years to wait for a technological breakthrough, nor did he have a thousand years to wait for a technical review.
He did not even have one hundred years for technology to go into production.
He only had twenty years; after twenty years, the Great Rift would open, and then everything would be too late.
Adopting Vallis's proposal was completely different; the Aeldari's mature Spirit Bone technology was sufficient to realize the Imperial Knight in a short period.
"Human Governor, I understand your concerns. Aeldari and humans walk different paths," her voice resonated directly in his mind, carrying the Aeldari's characteristic aloofness. "But now, the shadow of Chaos threatens all living beings. What I offer is the most direct and efficient solution to your current predicament."
Vallis slightly raised her hand, and an almost imperceptible stream of light seemed to flit across the Spirit Bone ornament she wore on her fingertip.
"Spirit Bone," her thought flowed into Alex's consciousness like cold, clear spring water, "is not merely a mineral or a synthetic material as you understand it. It is the crystallization of our Aeldari life and soul force, inherently possessing the purest and most harmonious resonance with Warp energy.
Any existing material in your Imperium, whether refined ceramite, complex plasteel, or the Adeptus Mechanicus's bio-alloys, is like coarse gravel compared to pure crystal in terms of psychic conductivity when stacked against even the most basic Spirit Bone.
They cause loss, impedance, and even dangerous resonance distortions."
She paused briefly, and an invisible psychic disturbance caused more pronounced, wave-like ripples in the air around her.
"More importantly, its stability. The structure of Spirit Bone is inherently capable of anchoring the surging tides of the Warp, resisting the whispers and erosion of Chaos. It will not easily disintegrate or produce uncontrollable feedback under your so-called 'forbidden' psychic impacts. Your technological bottleneck," Vallis's consciousness focused, imbued with undeniable certainty, "lies in forcibly attempting to wield a power you do not fully comprehend with incompatible materials, the result of which is inevitably inefficient, dangerous, and possesses a fatal upper limit.
Spirit Bone, however, is not 'wielded'; it is itself an extension and vessel of that power.
This 'innate advantage' stemming from the essence of life is something that human technology, no matter how much it advances, cannot 'replace' in the foreseeable future.
What it can bring you is the breakthrough of that fragile barrier you are desperately propping up with flesh and steel."
She took a step forward.
"As for guarantees?" Her tone was unruffled. "There are no absolute guarantees, Human Governor. Technology itself is neither good nor evil; the key lies in the user and the protective measures. What I can provide are the fundamental principles of Spirit Bone technology, as well as the key node design solutions for its integration with human mechanical structures. Subsequent analysis, protective layer construction, risk assessment, and control—this is the work of your Adeptus Mechanicus Priests. This is an exchange, not a gift."
Alex remained silent, his fingers unconsciously tracing patterns on the smooth tabletop. Immense risk coexisted with tempting rewards. Time was pressing.
"The Great Rift is about to tear the galaxy apart," Vallis's voice deepened, imbued with a prophetic quality. "A dark age is at hand. Old orders and technological barriers are fragile in the face of the destructive wave sweeping across the galaxy. Humanity needs stronger weapons, needs faster breakthroughs. Adhering to the creed of so-called 'pure human technology' in the face of a survival crisis is a fatal slowness." Her gaze met Alex's directly. "Spirit Bone can accelerate your 'Imperial Knight' project, allowing it to become a weapon against the darkness more quickly. That is my reason."
The study fell silent again, with only the faint, low hum of the distant city audible. Alex's gaze swept from the window to the interior. Vallis's words coldly illuminated the reality: the threat of the Great Rift was imminent, and the pace of conventional research could not cope. Spirit Bone technology—this key from an alien source, carrying unknown risks yet incredibly sharp—might be the only option to break the deadlock.
"Vallis, Prophet of the Moons," Alex finally spoke, his voice carrying the Governor's resolve, "I accept your proposal." He raised his hand, gesturing, "But it is limited to the psychic conduction and stable matrix-related technology required for the 'Imperial Knight' project—fundamental principles, and the core solutions for integration with human machinery. This must be transmitted at the highest security level. The technical analysis, risk assessment, and actual integration work must be led and controlled by my people. This is the bottom line."
Vallis nodded slightly, and the ethereal blue Spirit Bone model hovering at her fingertips instantly vanished. "A wise choice, Human Governor. The data stream will be encrypted and transmitted as per your request. May the fruits of this fusion bring power to your battlefields." Before her words finished, her figure began to fade, ultimately leaving only a faint trace of dissipated energy.
------------------------
I've posted 70+ chapters in advance on Patreon.
Webnovel updates will still be daily, as usual.
It might not seem tempting right nobut who knows what the future holds?
[email protected]/TripleCrown
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"