Many of them had looks that could haunt anyone who saw them—yes, they were from the Mechanicus.
"Congratulations on your ascension, my lord," they all said, bowing in unison.
Over twenty people crowded his small office. The air was silent, but the tension spoke volumes about the current situation.
"Thank you, and thank you all for your hard work in keeping the planet running while I recovered," Bastion replied, offering a slight bow of his own.
His eyes scanned the room, and almost instantly, he could sense the power dynamics at play. The atmosphere told him everything he needed to know.
"That is our duty, your eminence," one of them said.
The speaker was a large man dressed in red, wearing a hat that signified his status. His attire indicated his connection to the Ecclesiarchy, and the fact that other priestly figures stood behind him suggested he was the High Ecclesiarch of the planet. His hearty smile and robust frame hinted at a life far better than average.
"You must be Cardinal Varros, which means the lady beside you is Inquisitor Dresk," Bastion said, turning to the woman standing next to the Cardinal.
"It's an honor to make your acquaintance, your grace," Dresk began with a bow.
"Likewise. I apologize if I'm not greeting everyone by name—my head hasn't been the same as it used to be," Bastion joked, eliciting laughter from the group.
While he could use that excuse, it was also a strategic move to signal whom he favored. The smiles on the Cardinal and Inquisitor's faces confirmed it worked.
Turning to the only man in grand, proper military attire, Bastion straightened up, his expression turning serious.
"General Draven, I've seen reports from everyone else, but I've heard or seen nothing from your side. May I ask why?" Bastion inquired.
This had been bothering him for a while. The reports he received kept him updated on the past month's events. He knew the month's tithe had been sent, and that a Chaos cult had been rooted out last week by a joint effort of the Adeptus Arbites, the Sisters of Battle, and the Inquisition.
Yet, there was nothing detailing the losses from the battle with the Orks or whether they had recovered from the aftermath. In fact, there wasn't a single report about anything after that battle.
All he knew came from Elara, who had briefly explained how he sustained the injury he had now fully recovered from.
"My lord, after careful deliberation, it was deemed best not to inform you of the outcome," the man, who appeared to be in his early fifties, said as he knelt.
"Please rise. I understand, but I would like a full report now," Bastion ordered.
Turning to the machine-like figures patiently waiting, Bastion immediately identified the highest-ranking one. He had already noted that the higher one's rank in the Mechanicus, the fewer human parts they retained. The Fabricator General before him was far more machine than human.
"The affairs of the Mechanicus are not yours to dictate," the machine spoke in an eerie tone.
The sound sent a shiver down Bastion's spine, but he quickly composed himself.
"Fair enough. I had nothing for you anyway. However I would like to ask of the state of the planet after the invasion" Bastion asked
It was stated in the reports but at times, a lot can be hidden in a paper than even he with his massive intellect wouldn't be able to detect no matter how much data he looked through to crops check
"My lord, that was submitted to you in the reports" General Draven said as he stepped up
"I know that, however I would like to hear a more recent update from you all directly and also who was in charge of that continent" Bastion asked as he looked at the 20 people present
"Err.. " the man replied awkwardly as confusion settled on his face
Seeing the expression on their faces, it was clear that authority in this world was very centralized on him, which explained why most reports he got was dated at least 3 weeks back.