Warhammer: Starting as a Planetary Governor-Chapter 280 - 281 – Eden: Sigh, there’s no choice but to cut the connection…

It was pure and free, filled with endless data and knowledge.

And it was beloved by countless Tech-Priests.

All signs pointed to one thing:

If left unchecked, the continued expansion of the forum would break down the long-established hierarchical structures and information barriers of the Adeptus Mechanicus.

This directly threatened the status of Mars HQ and the power held by the Fabricator General.

Worse still—

In recent years, the voices of dissent within the Mechanicus were growing louder.

At present, the Mechanicus was split into three major factions.

The strongest was the conservative faction led by him—the Fabricator General of Mars.

Then there was the radical faction, which advocated the release of knowledge constraints and sought deeper truths.

Lastly, the neutral faction, who abstained from ideological struggles.

As for Belisarius Cawl, he was more of a solitary figure. All three factions thought he was somewhat extreme.

However, the appearance of the Mecha Forum—a radical platform—had not drawn resistance from the radicals or the neutrals.

Instead, it had faintly unified them.

A deeply dangerous trend.

Signs of decline were appearing in the conservative faction's grip on power.

Oudia knew he had to act decisively—while they still held the advantage.

He could no longer tolerate the blasphemous voices. He would use this opportunity to violently purge every dissenter—

And eradicate the Mecha Forum, his greatest threat.

To preserve the Mechanicus's sacred orthodoxy, upheld for ten thousand years.

Knowledge must be shared only with great caution.

Precious knowledge handed so freely to low-ranking Tech-Priests?

Not only was it dangerous, it also bred a lack of reverence for knowledge and authority.

If things continued this way, who would still obey Mars HQ or the Fabricator General's commands?

Oudia had made his decision.

No matter the cost—he would destroy the cursed Mecha Forum.

It was the only way.

"Lord Fabricator General..."

The silence was finally broken by the leader of the radical faction—Gres—who raised his objection:

"Under the gaze of the Omnissiah, we have tested and verified the Mecha Forum hundreds of times. The data shows—

It is a perfectly safe platform.

Moreover, it greatly facilitates the safe spread of knowledge. We cannot destroy it so rashly.

Instead, we should seek ways to control it and make better use of it!"

Gres's statement was echoed by several senior members of the radical faction.

"Magos Gres, your suggestion is reasonable,"

Oudia replied slowly, "But sadly, there is no evidence proving that we can truly control it.

You know full well—there is a powerful, unknown force behind the forum.

They will not give us such a chance."

"Perhaps we can pursue cooperation," added Mina, leader of the neutral faction:

"After all, the Mecha Forum was created by a Mechanicus offshoot.

And judging by its behavior, it has never attempted to hoard knowledge.

All safe, uploaded knowledge has been openly shared..."

Most senior members of the neutral faction lacked strong backing or resources.

This made it difficult for them to build and research.

But the Mecha Forum allowed them to collaborate remotely and safely, drastically reducing research costs.

That was why they supported the forum so strongly.

Oudia listened patiently to the suggestions of both the radicals and neutrals.

But after that, he made no reply.

The conservatives remained silent throughout, saying nothing.

This eerie atmosphere left Gres, Mina, and others uneasy.

Gradually, silence returned to the hall, broken only by the hum of gears and the hiss of pistons.

"I have heard all your opinions,"

Oudia said slowly. "Now, allow me to announce the conclusion of this assembly..."

His colossal body began to rise, casting a shadow that enveloped the assembly, radiating overwhelming pressure.

"The High Council of the Mechanicus hereby declares:

The Mecha Forum and the force behind it are a dangerous heretical threat.

They seek to dissolve the Mechanicus and destabilize the foundations of the Imperium.

They are enemies to be purged!"

Oudia stared down at them:

"Effective immediately, the Mecha Forum and its backers are declared Chaos Heretics.

Mars HQ shall issue a decree, commanding all Forge Worlds under its command to withdraw from the Mecha Forum.

Those who withdraw promptly will be spared punishment.

Simultaneously, the Adeptus Mechanicus will use all means to hunt down and erase every trace of the Mecha Forum—until it is completely destroyed!

This is the collective decision of Mars HQ and is not open for debate.

Anyone who dares resist will be treated as Chaos Heretics, no different from the Mecha Forum!"

At his words, Gres, Mina, and others sprang to their feet and shouted in protest:

"Objection!"

"Omnissiah, what madness is this?!"

"There was no vote—this is invalid procedure!"

"This is unjust!"

Suddenly, a deafening roar and mechanical bellow silenced all voices:

"SILENCE!!!"

Oudia looked down upon the crowd: "My patience has limits. I am the Fabricator General of Mars. My will is the will of Mars!"

"You do not speak for us!"

Gres roared, brandishing his scepter: "This is tyranny—blasphemy against the High Council—"

"Heretic!"

Oudia roared with fury.

ZAP!!!

A blinding beam pierced through Gres's body, destroying half of him.

He collapsed, convulsing on the floor.

With his vast array of cybernetic implants, Oud Oudia wielded devastating firepower and overwhelming dominance.

The sudden attack stunned both the radicals and neutrals.

The conservatives, however, remained eerily calm.

As if nothing had happened.

"You..."

Mina stepped back in terror—only to be struck down by another blast from Oud Oudia.

"Apologies, Lady Mina. You're a heretic too..."

Oudia said without restraint.

His red-glowing electronic eyes locked onto the assembly:

"Now—does any other heretic wish to oppose the Fabricator General, oppose Mars?"

The dissenters fell silent. Their lives were now at stake.

They began raising their energy shields and grouping together.

The dissenters were trying to escape—to reveal the Fabricator General's atrocities to the galaxy.

But Oud Oudia couldn't care less.

BOOM... BOOM... BOOM—

Heavy footsteps echoed across the sanctum.

The vibration shook the entire Temple of the Omnissiah.

When the shaking ceased, the ceiling above the hall opened, and light poured down.

Looking up, the dissenters saw two colossal war engines nearly sixty meters tall.

They stood like gods.

The sunlight reflected off their massive frames and the Aquila crests on their heads—

Glittering with golden brilliance.

They were Emperor-class Titans—immense, destructive, unstoppable engines of war.

Unmatched fortresses that strode the surface of worlds.

Terror spread among the dissenters.

Oudia had secretly deployed two Titans to deal with them—how?

RUMBLE—

Dozens of weapons mounted on the Titans locked onto the dissenters.

At the slightest provocation, they would unleash annihilation.

Oudia watched with satisfaction. He had spent a great deal of effort preparing for this meeting.

Now he delivered his final ultimatum:

"Surrender. I will give you the chance to live—and to appeal your case. Refuse, and you will be destroyed."

The situation was beyond salvation. The dissenters had no choice but to give up and accept the Fabricator General's arrangement.

As the meeting ended—

The Mechanicus High Council issued an announcement:

Gres and Mina had colluded with heretics in a bid to destroy the Mechanicus.

Thankfully, the treacherous act was thwarted by the Fabricator General of Mars.

Gres and Mina, now branded traitors, were gravely injured and arrested. They would be publicly tried and executed after evidence was compiled.

Their followers were temporarily detained for further investigation.

Thus, Oud Oudia violently purged the dissenters and seized complete control over the Mechanicus.

His authority soared.

Now, the High Council raised no objections to his decisions.

Only absolute obedience.

The Fabricator General's will had become the will of the Adeptus Mechanicus.

Shortly thereafter, Mars HQ issued decrees to all Forge Worlds:

Withdraw from the Mecha Forum.

And declared war on the forum and those behind it.

The decree shook both the Mechanicus and the wider Imperium.

Some conservative Forge Worlds complied immediately, forcing their Tech-Priests to withdraw.

Others delayed, remaining silent, waiting to see how things played out.

A few were furious—but dared not speak up, wary of Mars HQ's millennia of power.

...

Fabricator General's Laboratory, Mars.

Oud Oudia's massive mechanical form was immersed in a pool of sacred oil, undergoing maintenance.

"My lord, fewer than one-third of Forge Worlds have responded to the decree,"

A loyal conservative subordinate reported. "And their progress in cleansing the heretical platform is slow.

Moreover, the forum seems to be located in the Imperium's dark zones. Physical strikes are difficult."

"I know."

Oudia didn't react much. He had expected this.

Struggles always came with risks.

The Mecha Forum threatened Mars HQ and the Fabricator General's rule.

Was he supposed to sit idly?

Or surrender—and share precious knowledge with lowly Tech-Priests?

Absurd!

If he could obliterate the Mecha Forum with thunderous might, the hesitant Forge Worlds would fall in line.

And the rebels would vanish.

Militarily—

Mars HQ held absolute superiority. It could crush any disobedient Forge World.

"Have any Forge Worlds openly resisted the decree?" Oud Oudia asked.

"None..."

The subordinate shook his head. "A few have filed appeals—trying to defend the heretical forum..."

Oudia snorted coldly: "Pick two nearby ones. Send in the troops."

"Yes, my lord!"

Mars HQ responded with swift violence, deploying forces to suppress the two Forge Worlds that dared file appeals.

This finally provoked Holy Terra itself.

The Imperial Navy, the Imperial Fists, and several agencies attempted to mediate.

Even the Primarch on the frontlines issued a warning.

But Oud Oudia turned them all away.

He sternly emphasized the Mechanicus's position.

And pointed out that under the Treaty of Mars, no one had the right to interfere in internal Mechanicus matters.

Any such interference would be considered a provocation.

He urged them to show restraint.

He also sent a reply to the Primarch—promising to eliminate the heretics swiftly and prevent disruptions to the grand crusade.

With all mediators rejected, Mars HQ's army crushed the two Forge Worlds.

Local Fabricators were dismissed and replaced with conservatives who enforced the forum purge.

This brutal crackdown frightened many wavering Forge Worlds into compliance.

Now, over half of all Forge Worlds had responded to the decree.

Yet privately, their Fabricators were miserable.

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Yes, they complied—

But implementing the purge was another matter entirely.

They only offered gentle persuasion, too afraid to use force.

Otherwise, they might not survive long enough for Mars HQ's reinforcements to arrive.

Still, the news of growing compliance greatly uplifted Oud Oudia and the conservatives.

Their advantage had returned!

...

Deep beneath Mars.

An ancient gateway creaked open with a low rumble.

Dark green light poured out like a tide, carrying ancient secrets and unknown power, illuminating the chamber with a cosmic rhythm.

Mechanicus sages from the Order of Guardians carried a complex machine forward.

They approached a vast mechanical ring and began a solemn ritual.

At its center, a shard of pulsing matter hovered.

Its rhythm and light flowed outward, radiating pure power.

It was a C'tan Shard.

The C'tan were void-insulated, purely material beings—ancient and mighty—devourers of stars.

They fed on planetary energy.

Among the most powerful non-psychic entities in existence—true gods of the material universe.

Fortunately, the C'tan no longer existed as whole entities, only as shards.

Yet even a shard held terrifying power.

Oud Oudia looked on with pride.

This C'tan Shard was one of the Mechanicus's most closely guarded secrets—tied even to their origins.

As Fabricator General, he alone had the right to access it.

And this shard was the source of his confidence in destroying the Mecha Forum.

Although Oud Oudia could not control the shard directly, nor touch the seal—

He could draw trace amounts of quantum energy from it through machinery—

And send it through the network.

To obliterate the forum's core systems.

This battle would be the Mecha Forum's end—

And the zenith of his power in the Mechanicus.

Oudia roared: "Victory is mine!"

...

Planet Urth.

Machine Spirit Fortress, Data Control Center.

"Damn it, damn it!"

Kaul cursed, pacing like a frantic monkey.

He was furious—not just over the forum's worsening situation, but also the rankings.

Not long ago, the Mecha Forum launched several lists—on the Innovation List—

He, the genius Kaul, had been number one.

But lately, some anonymous guy had knocked him off the top spot.

Kaul had debated with the guy—turns out, the old bastard had some skill.

Still, he believed he could reclaim the top.

But with Mars HQ attacking, he was stuck rebuilding the forum's defenses—

No time to compete!

"Damn Mars HQ! Damn conservatives! One day, I'll blast all of you to hell!"

He shouted, multiple mech arms furiously typing code into the network system.

"Hmm..."

Not far away, Eden lay on the couch, chin in hand, visibly troubled.

He was hesitating.

They still didn't know what kind of attack Mars HQ would use.

"Dad, don't worry!" said Webby, making a cute face. "They'll never break through my defenses!"

"I'm still uneasy..."

Eden shook his head. "And we can't go on like this forever..."

He sighed deeply and finally made a decision:

"Sigh... for safety's sake—activate Defense Protocol 13. We're severing all external connections. Shut down the forum."

"Ahhh!!!"

Kaul let out a wail, collapsing into his chair.

But a second later, rage exploded from within.

He jumped up and roared: "Mars HQ! Conservative scum! I swear I'll blow you all to the stars!"

"Yes, that's exactly the reaction I wanted. Now the forum must shut down."

Seeing Kaul's reaction, Eden's eyes lit up. His confidence in the shutdown plan surged.

These days, he'd been torn on how to respond to Mars HQ's offensive.

After all, that was half the Imperium's might.

And many Tech-Priests were suppressing their emotions, too afraid to openly defy Mars.

Yet the Mecha Forum couldn't openly rally them to attack Mars HQ either.

Doing so would break its neutral stance—

Turning it into a faction directly opposed to the Imperium and the Mechanicus.

That would shatter its identity as a neutral, cooperative platform—and invite even more enemies.

But just now, Eden had figured it out.

This wasn't a dead end.

Only after they lose it will those Tech-Priests realize how precious it truly was.

Only then will their fury ignite—and they'll fight for their rights.

And they don't need to challenge all of Mars HQ—

Just focus on one man: Oud Oudia Raskian.

That would minimize collateral damage.

Right now, the forum was flooded with angry posts cursing Mars HQ, the conservatives, and local Fabricators.

Most of all, cursing Oud Oudia.

The Tech-Priests' rage was simmering—just one spark away.

Eden would provide that spark—and leave the choice in their hands.

Only if they choose to excise the Mechanicus's corruption—

Could a healthy academic and knowledge-sharing environment be born.

Otherwise, the Mecha Forum would never know peace.

Even if it survived this attack—who knew when the conservatives would strike again?

A single spark could start a prairie fire.

Now they just needed to direct the flames— Toward the Fabricator General.

Eden began composing a notice:

...

Dear Mecha Forum members:

By the grace of the Omnissiah, the entire forum team regretfully brings you this message.

In the face of Fabricator General Oud Oudia Raskian's baseless accusations and dreadful threats, we cannot prove our innocence.

Nor can we withstand the attacks of such a powerful figure.

For the safety of the team, the goddess Webby, and all our members—we must suspend the forum indefinitely.

From the moment this message is posted, the Mecha Forum will cease operation.

It will not resume until the environment is once again safe.

We apologize. Thank you for your continued support!

—From all the Mecha Forum Team

...

Eden submitted the notice, then turned to Webby:

"Ling, upload the announcement. Then... shut it down."

—

A Forge World.

In a shadowy corner, a few Tech-Priests huddled, reading forum posts in secret.

All sighed.

Things were dire—some Forge Worlds were already confiscating databanks and forcing users off the Mecha Forum.

Thankfully, they hadn't been hit yet.

Suddenly, one Tech-Priest cried out, "What the hell?!"

The forum page vanished from their databanks—replaced only by the shutdown notice.

Disconnected?!

Staring at the message, the Tech-Priests trembled, fury rising from their cores:

"OUD OUDIA—YOU SON OF A—!!"

(End of Chapter)

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