The Emperor’s Angel of Death

Since the words had already been spoken, whether Soshjan acted as an Astartes, an administrator, or simply according to his personal character, he was definitely going to do it.

He had never broken his word to anyone in his life, not even a daemon (referring to Amnark).

Let alone the billions of residents of Natesan V.

Of course, taking actual action would definitely be much, much more difficult than just talking about it.

For example, first, he needed an overall plan for developing the economy, industry, and population, and it had to involve the entire star system, not just a single planet. This wasn't something he could figure out alone; it required an organization composed of many people who understood hive city economics, trade, culture, and even technology to research and formulate it together.

So, in the governor's spire on Natesan V, he announced the establishment of the Natesan System Development Planning Committee. The committee's main task was to provide advisory services, develop a macroeconomic plan for the entire star system's economy and industry, and provide guiding opinions for enterprises and joint chambers of commerce, determining the production scale, price levels, market allocation, wage standards, and working hours of various enterprises to prevent production and trade problems caused by blind competition. However, it would have no actual administrative power. Additionally, the committee was positioned as a mortal auxiliary organization under the Astral Knight Chapter, and all members would receive the treatment of senior Chapter servants.

This decision immediately shocked all the upper-class figures on Natesan V.

The economy of a hive city is usually divided into three parts: one part belongs to the 'governor' or 'Imperial official,' one part belongs to private entrepreneurs and factory owners, and another part belongs to organizations such as the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Ecclesiarchy. The former mainly includes spaceports, large transportation facilities, and public service facilities; the middle includes markets, transportation, food processing plants, and many other light industries; and the last part covers a series of industries such as energy, electronics, and church real estate.

In terms of the total amount of economy and production, the latter two parts account for almost sixty percent of a hive city's total economic output, but their management is almost entirely laissez-faire. Small merchants are generally limited in scale and don't have much impact, but large merchants and factory owners often unite to form huge chambers of commerce and trade guilds, using their size and control over the economy to exert influence on the governor and officials. As for the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Ecclesiarchy, not to mention that at least merchants are subject to taxation, these two organizations don't even need to pay attention to taxes. Even the governor cannot easily interfere in the internal affairs of these two organizations, let alone intervene in their industries.

And Soshjan's establishment of this committee was a clear indication that he wanted to 'manage' everyone, which was difficult for them to accept, as they were accustomed to 'freedom.'

However, they could resist anyone, but they could do nothing about Soshjan as the Chapter Master of the Astartes.

After all, 'reasonable' Astartes are at least not that scary; once they become 'unreasonable,' mortals have nowhere to turn for justice.

Of course, being unable to resist did not mean they would accept it.

Soshjan was even very clear about this—

But this could not shake his determination. The power of the Natesan system had to be integrated, and this chaotic and disorderly state had to be broken!

However, this did not mean that Soshjan wanted to confront all the upper classes. Ten years of expedition had honed Soshjan's political mind and mentality. Fear and violence were just one of the strategies and means of governance, but not the whole thing. The dynamic balance of interests was equally important.

So, this extended to the issue of selecting committee members. Soshjan announced that an equal proportion of experts and scholars would be drawn from both worlds, and then a small number of sages would be transferred from Ulan-Ude to form the committee. This dispelled the concerns of some people that he might 'favor' a certain world. At the same time, the director of the committee would be rotated between the planetary governors of Natesan IV and Natesan V, with each governor serving for five years and leading the formulation of the next five-year plan—but this director was essentially a figurehead, because the plans were formulated by the various members, and as Chapter servants, they were not subject to the governor's management, which meant that the essence of this director was actually just someone who made the final decision and stamped the plan after it was formulated.

Such a cross-cutting but non-subordinate organizational structure could ensure that the Chapter always had control over the overall development of the star system on the one hand, and on the other hand, it could bring the rulers of the star system into the planning process, making them the nominal executors and leaders of a series of development plans.

This was Soshjan's compromise, or rather, his respect for the administrative power of the planetary governors. He wanted to tell everyone that the Astral Knights were still adhering to the principle of Astartes not directly participating in planetary affairs management, which could soften the hostility of the upper classes towards this socio-economic transformation and industrial structure transformation led by the Astartes to the greatest extent.

And this led to another issue—

The issue of the affiliation of the Adeptus Mechanicus in the Natesan system.

Generally speaking, after a sage from his forge world goes to work in a hive city, he is equivalent to being incorporated into the Imperial bureaucratic system, and in a sense, he is separated from his original world. However, in actual operation, due to various reasons, it is difficult for sages to completely separate from the original forge world system. This is somewhat similar to the situation of forge generals, who are both rulers of Mars and members of the High Lords of Terra. Therefore, in a sense, the appointed sages not only represent the position of the Omnissiah in the Imperial administrative management system, but also represent the rights and interests of a certain forge world in the hive city.

The Natesan system had always been the 'reservation' of Gryphon IV. Even before Soshjan became an Astartes, the Natesan system only had tech-priests from Gryphon IV. For a long time after Natesan IV became the Chapter's homeworld, the planet's Adeptus Mechanicus system was still dominated by sages from Gryphon IV, until Soshjan introduced the power of Ulan-Ude, and then completed the replacement of the Adeptus Mechanicus.

It wasn't that Soshjan had any dissatisfaction with Gryphon IV, but many things were ultimately more reassuring and smooth with 'his own people.' Soshjan also adopted the same approach for the Adeptus Mechanicus forces on Natesan V.

He summoned the five sages of the Adeptus Mechanicus on Natesan V and gave them two choices: either change allegiance or pack up and leave. As the actual ruler of the Natesan system, Soshjan naturally had this power, but he did not intend to break with Gryphon IV. Instead, he explained his intentions in a tactful way: this was to unify the consensus on the Adeptus Mechanicus in the Natesan system. He promised to explain this situation to the Fabricator General of Gryphon IV.

After that, he also had representatives from Ulan-Ude talk to these sages.

The situation was much better than he expected. In fact, the sages who were sent to this place were basically people who had failed in the struggles of the forge world or had no hope of promotion. After all, the Natesan system was also considered a 'remote and desolate place.' Who would want to come here if they could stay in the forge world?

For these disgraced sages, there was not much psychological barrier to rejoining a forge world with more opportunities and promises, and also the chance to climb to the position of High Sage.

Or rather, in the Adeptus Mechanicus, changing allegiance, even being a traitor or a spy, is commonplace.

This incident, coupled with Soshjan's experience in Angstrom, made him realize once again that the standards of loyalty within the Adeptus Mechanicus were flexible and diverse, which also made him understand why sages are often described as highly selfish guys.