"I see. However, if it is so, then we shall save who we can and dispose of any threats to the planet. But wait a few more days. I would like to see if I can come up with any solutions to this problem."
"As you wish, Your Grace/My Lord," all parties said simultaneously.
This world truly wasn't going to be easy to deal with. Initially, he had heard of the Ork invasion and, for some reason, had considered them just another alien race—normal and all, but spores?
Even if this was *The Last of Us*… what reference was that? Thinking about it for a while, Bastion couldn't bring himself to wipe out an entire continent when there might still be a solution.
There were only a few creatures in the entire world that released spores upon death as a means of reproduction: fungi and bacteria. The fact that the Orks were human-sized ruled out bacteria, which meant they were somehow fungi-based.
However, he planned to investigate further before concluding. After all, it could just be bacteria released upon their death to parasitize others.
"Draven, prepare for a visit to the continent. Considering how fragile our current state is, it would be best to reinforce the people's faith. For that, Cardinal, I believe I will need your help. I will try to convince the Fabricator-General later, as his assistance is also required. Until then, please ensure the people are distracted from the aftermath of the war," Bastion said.
"Your Grace, I don't think that would be a good idea. Even if the xenos have been cleansed, their spores remain a threat," the Cardinal spoke up.
"That much I can tell. However, would you rather have a depressed people who believe we have abandoned them, or a people who believe we would do anything for them and thus would do anything for us?" Bastion replied.
"Ah, I see. I have been enlightened by your light, Your Grace," the Cardinal said, turning to the Inquisitor and nodding.
"I want to ask, though—have shelters been built to try and control the situation? If there are spores, I know that fire works well to reduce their spread," Bastion asked, turning to Draven. But the man merely looked away.
Seeing the Canoness do the same, it finally sank in. In this world, human life was worth nothing—which also meant that he, too, was worth nothing beyond his current position.
The resources used were worth more than the people they would save. Considering the Imperium faced monsters like these Orks daily, it was an understandable thought—but one that Bastion couldn't tolerate.
Taking a deep breath, Bastion immediately revised his plans. Initially, he had planned to make himself indispensable to the war machine, but now it seemed that was impossible. If human life was worth less than stone or mud, then he would fundamentally be worth nothing more than his position.
"Okay then, Draven. I know it will be difficult, but I am sure we can save a few of them. So, I will personally lead an expedition into the continent to save as many as we can. As soldiers and the hands of the Emperor, it is our duty to do our best to safeguard the people to the best of our ability," Bastion announced. Everyone suddenly turned to him.
The Cardinal wanted to speak but held himself back. Bastion saw a strange expression appear on the face of the Canoness as a smile he couldn't categorize formed on her lips. Selene reeked of optimism; the joy she felt was astonishing.
Similar emotions were replicated throughout the room. Many wanted to oppose him but couldn't defeat his logic, so they merely held back their opinions and nodded.
However, among the many, there was one person Bastion couldn't quite understand. Trying to remain inconspicuous, at the far end of the group stood a man whose age was impossible to guess.
He was dressed in a scholarly outfit with a blindfold over his eyes. It was easy to guess where the man and those behind him were from—the Astra Telepathica.
The man had a weird expression on his face, as though he was enduring some sort of pain. But no matter how Bastion observed him, he couldn't see anything causing it.
At times, the man would regain his composure and merely nod. This was the chief astropath, a man Bastion had found impossible to read.
Ignoring him for now, Bastion moved on as they began to discuss other matters. The point of the meeting was for Bastion to understand the true state of things on the planet, but from what he was seeing, these people didn't know much.
It also turned out that the Great Rift was more significant than he had thought. It was a literal tear in space—or, as they called it, a warp storm—that had split the Imperium in half.
This made travel difficult, as they relied on the Warp to achieve faster-than-light travel. Compounding the issue was the fact that something called the Astronomican couldn't be seen from here.