The void shimmered as the Rogue Trader vessel Vigilant Venture maintained orbit over the unnamed planet. It was an impressive ship, a cathedral of iron and voidstone drifting among the stars, armed with lances, macro batteries, and gellar shielding to protect against warp corruption. Captain Dominia Virellia Merikova—tactician, explorer, and bearer of an ancient Imperial Warrant of Trade—stood at the bridge's observation arch, gazing through stained-glass lenses into the planet's upper atmosphere. With her stood her Astropath Prime, Lucien Vel, silent and blind-eyed as usual, and Magos Arxtis-79, a towering figure of clanking limbs and red robes humming with binharic code.
Below them, nestled in a crater-ringed continent blanketed by wild vegetation, a large city pulsed with unusual energy signatures. It wasn't Imperial. At least not in any known configuration. Their Gothic dialect was absent. The architecture was foreign. And yet, humanoid life was clearly visible in the data scans.
"We've confirmed the presence of advanced technology," Lucien intoned, his voice detached and echoed by the warp. "I cannot determine its origin. It does not match Mechanicus archives. Nor does it resemble Xenos patterns in the Treaty Index."
Dominia nodded slowly. "Then we find out firsthand."
She ordered a landing party assembled. Not the full force—this wasn't an invasion. Just a diplomatic recon team. A squad of disciplined guards in black-and-gold flak, Magos Arxtis-79, her personal Astropath, and a pair of Lexmechanics joined her aboard a sleek dropship. The Vigilant Venture would remain in high orbit—standard protocol. A Rogue Trader never risked her flagship until she knew whether a planet was worth the trouble. Chaos cultists, Orks, renegades, or worse could lurk below. Even if they were human, that meant nothing. The Imperium had plenty of traitors within its own species.
The dropship pierced the stratosphere with a roar of plasma stabilizers. Captain Merikova's team remained silent, disciplined, alert. Within ten minutes, the ship hovered over an open field of violet grass just beyond the edge of a fortified cityscape. The city looked surprisingly advanced—clean energy pulses, functional infrastructure, even aerial drones weaving through sky lanes. This wasn't a wasteland. It was thriving.
They landed.
The ramp lowered. Her guards fanned out, taking defensive posture. Arxtis scanned the area while Lucien kept his warp-sight open for anything… wrong. They were ready for mutants, xenos, or hostiles. Instead, they were met with nothing more than a gentle breeze and the distant hum of machinery. No military parade. No automated defenses targeting them. Just quiet.
And then they saw them.
Walking toward the city's edge were five individuals, seemingly just returning from some local eatery—Dr. Dew, Leonardo da Vinci, Paracelsus, Tesla, and Celeste Starfire Cassidy. Unaware of their fame among the arriving party, they were laughing, casually conversing, blending in with a crowd of varied species: humans, humanoids, and more exotic forms—ratfolk, glitch, avians, lizards, conduits, and others unknown to Imperial records.
Merikova's eyes narrowed slightly at the figures. She had seen their likeness across the city. Posters. Screens. Murals. Public reverence was clear. These five were central to this place. Leaders? Heroes? Religious figures?
No way to be sure. But this was her opening.
Captain Merikova stepped forward, flanked by her guards. She raised one gloved hand and hailed them in clear, firm Gothic.
"Greetings. I am Captain Dominia Virellia Merikova, bearer of the Warrant of Trade and emissary of the God-Emperor's will. Might I ask for your time? We have questions... and perhaps, opportunities."
The five exchanged a quick glance.
Dr. Dew rose, brushing dust from his long coat. "You're not from here," he said flatly.
Merikova smirked. "Neither are you, if our scans are accurate."
Da Vinci chuckled softly, "She's perceptive. I like her."
Celeste tilted her hat back. "Well now, that's a mighty long name, miss. What brings y'all to our side of the stars?"
Merikova glanced to her Astropath, then back at the group. "We detected your settlement during a routine patrol and sought to determine whether this world posed a threat… or held promise. Your faces are well-known across this city. Would you… be willing to show us around?"
There was no posturing. No open threat. Just a direct request.
Dr. Dew nodded slowly. This wasn't what he had expected. But he had prepared for it. Every layer of the city had contingencies for visitors—just in case. He had long suspected they weren't alone in this galaxy. The hive city incident had been proof enough. But this… this was something entirely different.
"Sure," he said at last. "Follow us. We'll walk and talk. There's a lot to cover."
Tesla, silent until now, offered the Rogue Trader a respectful nod. "Let us see if science and purpose align."
Merikova smiled, signaling her team to stand down.
And so they walked.
The city unfolded before them—a marvel of combined technologies and philosophies. Arcane lights hummed beside digital constructs. Marketplace stalls featured foods, crafts, and art from dozens of species. Metal Gears towered above the skyline, silent sentinels painted black and silver. Constructs from Punishing Gray Raven patrolled in smooth, fluid lines, working alongside Nikkes with bright synthetic eyes and custom armor. A network of force fields—some of Isu origin, some synthesized from Erchius and Fallout tech—wove an invisible dome above the city.
It was not a utopia. But it was functional. Alive. United.
As they moved, Captain Merikova asked questions—about language, governance, structure. The answers were half-truths. Dr. Dew remained cautious. Paracelsus played diplomat. Da Vinci dazzled with optimism. Tesla kept his observations brief but sharp.
Merikova's mind raced. These people had power. Real power. They were not part of the Imperium. They were not heretics. And they weren't xenos either. They were… new.
What was this place?
A haven?
A threat?
Or something in between?
She didn't know. Not yet. But she would find out.
And so, as they entered the heart of the city beneath the looming shadow of the largest Metal Gear standing watch at the central plaza, the Rogue Trader Captain felt something rare—a shiver of uncertainty.
For the first time in her long life… she had no idea what came next.
End of Chapter Thirty-Three