The Nemesis-5 system was a bit different. A stable yellow star, and a single planet, a temperate, green world wrapped in white clouds. The initial scans from orbit revealed a rich biosphere, dense forests, and imposing mountain ranges. No technological signatures, no mass energy. A wild world, perfect for colonization.
The Conqueror's Star entered low orbit, its sensors scanning the surface with surgical precision. Julius watched the data streams, expecting to see herds of primitive animals, winding rivers... the usual tapestry of an undeveloped world.
"Commander, you should see this," Nova said suddenly, a hint of incredulity in her usually controlled voice.
She displayed a close-up of a clearing at the forest's edge. It wasn't a natural clearing. It was littered with... junk. Pieces of rusty metal, crystals pulsing with weak energy, tangled wires forming complex patterns. And in the middle of this clutter, creatures.
They looked like great apes, with flamboyant orange fur. Orangutans. But their movements were not those of primates. They moved with precise intention, grabbing bizarre tools – crystal screwdrivers, welding pliers with blue energy arcs – and working on objects with intense concentration.
One of them was holding what looked like a rusty agricultural sprayer. In a few seconds, with incredibly agile gestures, the ape disassembled it, took out a few parts, grafted a pulsating crystal onto it, and reassembled it. The object was no longer a sprayer. It was now a weapon emitting a faint, worrisome purr.
"By all the gods..." murmured Caleb, his eyes wide. "They are Jokaero. I thought they were just legends, stories explorers told during the Age of Darkness."
"Jokaero who?" asked Raynor, perplexed.
"The Jokaero," Data explained, instantly accessing the limited archives of the 40k universe. "A non-verbal xeno species, classified as abhuman by some, endowed with an innate and quasi-magical aptitude for technology. They can improve, repair, or create any technological device, often unpredictably."
Julius watched the scene, fascinated. One of the apes, seeming to sense it was being observed, looked up at the sky. It showed no fear, only intense curiosity. It brandished the modified weapon and pressed a button. A small pink energy ray vaporized a rock twenty meters away, transforming it into a pasty, sticky substance.
"They... they just turned a rock into jam?" Tychus exclaimed, dumbfounded.
"Their modifications are often random and unorthodox," Data commented. "But the result is invariably functional, even if the function is not always the expected one."
A broad smile, the first truly relaxed smile in weeks, spread across Julius's face.
"Born engineers..." he murmured, his eyes shining. "Not hostile. Just... absorbed by their work. They don't build cities, not ships. They tinker. They improve."
He turned to his council, a brilliant idea taking shape in his mind.
"We do not claim this world. We do not colonize it. We... establish a partnership."
"Partnership? With monkeys?" Tychus grumbled.
"With geniuses," Julius corrected, his smile widening. "Imagine. We bring them scrap, damaged weapons, energy components. And we see what they make of them. We could get technologies that even Stetmann hasn't imagined!"
The idea was crazy. But looking at the Jokaero now examining its jam-weapon with an air of profound satisfaction, Julius knew it was the right decision. In a universe of destruction and brutal conquest, he had just found improbable allies, whose only motivation was the pure joy of creation and tinkering.
Julius Braveheart was happy as could be