-And that is the how and why the four-hundred worlds were able to build a stellar lift to feed a hundred forge-worlds worth of factorums in no less than a decade.
INCREDIBLE. HEY YOU. SHINY SYCOPHANT SHITCICLE. WHY HAVEN'T WE ALREADY BUILT ONE OF THESE STELLAR LIFTS IF THEY COULD PROVIDE SUCH ASTRONOMICAL QUANTITIES OF USABLE ENERGY AND MATERIAL? WE COULD HAVE GIVEN EVERY ONE OF THESE DUMB CHAPTER-THINGYS THEIR VERY OWN GLORIANA-CLASS BATTLESHIP BY NOW.
As wonderful an image as drowning our enemies in Gloriana-class battleships is my Lord, I am skeptical if that is even possible. As I've said before, technology has regressed greatly between your entombment and now, and we're short on Primarchs to direct the project.
I AM FAIRLY CERTAIN THAT SLAPPING AN OVERSIZED MAGNET ON A SATELLITE AND CALLING IT A DAY CAN'T BE TOO HARD FOR EVEN THE MOST BRAIN-DAMAGED COGITATOR COPULATOR TO MANAGE.
That's not really how that works, father.
Be as it may, my Lord, there's still the issue of resources. The fact of the matter is that the Imperium is in a perpetual state of total warfare, and we're always on short supply for weapons and ammunition despite most of our industry going towards it.
IF SHORTAGES ARE SUCH A BIG ISSUE, THAT JUST MAKES BUILDING A LIFT ALL THE MORE IMPERATIVE. SURELY THE MASSIVE RETURNS OF SUCH A PROJECT WOULD MORE THAN MAKE UP FOR ANY TRADE-OFF IN WAR MATERIEL?
Well the reason so much goes to war materiel is because we are constantly under siege by xenos, Chaos, mutants, traitors and whatnot. We can't spare any of that production because to do so would leave Imperial worlds out of ammunition and free for the taking.
THAT IS NO EXCUSE. MY DAUGHTER FROM ANOTHER FATHER BUILT ONE IN A FEW YEARS USING JUST A COUPLE SECTOR'S WORTH OF INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT. SURELY, THERE IS SOME SECTOR IN THIS CESSPIT OF AN IMPERIUM THAT'S JUST FUCKING AROUND, READY TO GET KICKED IN THE BOOTY TO GET THEIR SHIT TOGETHER, JUMP-START THE MOST IMPORTANT INDUSTRIAL PROJECT SINCE THE 'ONLY' FOUNDING, AND GENERALLY BE A PRODUCTIVE MEMBER OF IMPERIAL SOCIETY.
Even if we could afford the costs to build one, my Emperor, it would certainly attract the attention of one of the many enemies of the Imperium, and we would end up wasting vast quantities of resources on an endeavor that would end up being destroyed or worse, taken over by said enemies.
IN THAT CASE, WHY NOT BUILD ONE HERE IN SOL? IT'S THE MOST PROTECTED SOLAR SYSTEM IN THE GALAXY, AND WITHIN ARM'S REACH OF MAR'S EXPERTISE AND OUTPUT.
Because, my Emperor, the Tech-Priests on Mars would probably call it tech-heresy, or simply lack the know how to do it themselves considering they've never done it either. And I doubt that the High-Lords would rubber-stamp any star-altering mega-project on the Sun on the off chance it affects them or Terra's nobility, regardless if it is to their determent or benefit.
TYPICAL. WHY MUST THE LEADERSHIP OF THE IMPERIUM BE SO MIND-NUMBINGLY INEPT THAT THEY COULDN'T ACCEPT SUCH A SIMPLE SOLUTION? WHAT ABOUT THAT MINI-IMPERIUM THAT BOOTIE-BOY BUILT IN THE ULTIMA SEGMENTUM?
Ultramar, sir? That...actually might be possible. It's the closest to fitting the Bastion's description, but I don't see how the Ultramarines could-
NO. THIS STAR-MUNCHER IS BEING BUILT, AND IF I HAVE TO RESORT TO THE SMURFS TO DO IT BECAUSE EVERYONE ELSE IS EVEN DUMBER THAN THEM, THEN SO BE IT. GO FORTH TO THE SCRIBES. SEND A MESSAGE TO THE ULTRASMURFS. I WANT THEM TO WITHDRAW FROM ALL MILITARY CAMPAIGNS AND FOCUS ON BUILDING A STELLAR LIFT TO SERRAS'S SPECIFICATIONS IN MACRAGGE.
Are you sure, Father? I'm certain that the Iron Hands or Dorn's Fists are better suited to this task...
ABSOLUTELY. I NEVER ERR IN MY JUDGEMENT. IF THOSE BLUE-BOIS THINK THEY'RE SO MUCH BETTER THEN EVERYONE ELSE, THEN I EXPECT THEM TO PROVE IT BY DOING EXACTLY THE THINGS NO-ONE ELSE HAS DONE.
COME TO THINK OF IT, TELL THEM TO ALSO DISPATCH A SMURF-SQUAD TO CAPTURE MAGNUS FROM HIS DAEMON NERD-WORLD AND BRING HIM HERE. I STILL NEED TO SPANK HIS ASS FOR RUINING MY EVERYTHING, INCLUDING THE WEBWAY PROJECT. THAT WAY, IF THEY FAIL AT BOTH OF THESE THINGS, THE SMURFS CAN NEVER BE SMUG AGAIN WITHOUT BEING LAUGHED AT. AND IF THEY SUCCEED IN ONE OR BOTH OF THESE THINGS, WE GET A GREAT VICTORY FOR THE IMPERIUM. SO NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, I STILL WIN.
Very well my Lord, I shall dispatch your message at once.
OH AND DON'T FORGET TO TELL THEM TO CUT OFF GUILIMAN'S LIFE SUPPORT, YOU GLISTENING GUIDED GUARDIAN.
"Gliste-"?! S-s-sure, my Lord...
...SPEAKING OF GILDED GUARDIANS, HAVE YOU SEEN ANY OF MY OTHER COMPANIONS, MY CHILD?
Oh, yes! I've had the...privilege of...meeting them already, eh heh heh...