Herald of the Stars: Chapter Two Hundred and Eighty-Nine

I am away for the next ten days and will not be replying to comments or messages during this time. Chapter releases will continue as normal.

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Alpia and I skip the rooms of Servitors, slaves, and killer robots. Obsidian Emporial focuses on small teams, not armies like I need. I don’t want someone else’s shoddy work. Neither do I wish to encourage slavery by buying those unfortunate souls; I do not trust myself to see them without buying the lot, just to free them.

The last room we visit is filled with xenos and Human artefacts that Obsidian Emporial’s appraisers have been unable to identify.

As we peruse the galactic bric-a-brac, Alpia and I resume our private, telepathic conversation.

I send, “Don’t use your technopathy on any of these devices, Alpia. I know you are curious, but it isn’t worth the risk.”

“I know that, Dad. I’m not stupid. You don’t have to worry so much.”

“Apologies, Sweet Pea. I’m not trying to nag you.”

“Uh, huh. So what got you in such a huff that your bodyguards had to call me over to babysit you.”

“Odhran tried to annoy me in one of his stupid little tests and succeeded. Then he left, but not before handing me a dataslate that shows the Barghests have used my DNA records from before I became a Navigator to purify their Neophytes. To engage in a little hyperbole, they made me a Pseudo-Primarch for their chapter.

“It would be more accurate to say they made me the common ancestor of 8,600 boys without my consent. They also requisitioned far too many resources for their little project and hid it from me. I don’t know who authorised the expenditure or how many details JK-404 explained to the Genetors and Apothecaries. I am uncertain what I should feel about this.”

“Ooooh, yeah. That would do it. That would make me mad too! I don’t want to have to deal with that many new baby bros, it is an unreasonable amount of birthdays.”

I sigh and shake my head, “I can’t even decide if I should see them as family. Family is such a big part of who I am that rejecting the new Astartes out of hand because it is the easy solution feels like denying a part of myself. It doesn’t matter that I had nothing to do with the decision. Part of the responsibility lies with me for making those DNA records accessible.”

“Dad, You can’t control what people do with the blessings you give them. You’re also distributing samples to all Navigator families in good standing. For free. I doubt all of them will be responsible with your genetic material. Yes, you will no doubt reduce the amount of child abuse with your actions, but it won’t stop it.”

“I know I can’t control what everyone does, as much as I would like to, upon occasion. For you and I though, the consequences of our generosity aren’t something we can shrug off, no matter what choices others make. Neither should we hoard our power and knowledge out of fear.”

“It sounds to me like you don’t want to make a choice,” Alpia says. “You’re dithering about some imaginary moral dilemma when there is no reason to do so.”

“I’m waiting for more information.”

“You're a Navigator and we have psychic Servitor relays plugged into our Auto-temples. Can’t you access the information from here, ask the astropaths, or find a working Forge Temple and use their link? Our Warp communications are well defended, especially with me in the system.”

“I’d rather speak to Brigid and JK-404 in person. I’m after thoughts and opinions. Not just facts.”

“How would you know those aren’t in the reports? You haven’t even looked. The truth is you don’t want to know. The longer you can put it off, the longer you can entertain the idea that this is all a mistake, and no maliciousness is involved. You’re fearing the result, Dad, rather than trusting that your family, friends, and colleagues have your best interests at heart.

“There’s no way Mum would have made such an error. She is far too obsessed with you and your wellbeing. JK-404 might be a maverick researcher, but her freedom and personal endeavours are reliant on your good will. JK-404 is passionate, not illogical.

“When did you stop looking for the best in people and start imagining the worst?”

I say, “Damn, Alpia. You’re really putting that big power hammer to use. This tarnished nail is feeling the blows to his rusty cogworks.”

“So? Are you going to grab those messages or do I need to do it?”

“I’ll do it.” I turn to Mahyar Etemadi and say, “Do you have a prayer room? I require a moment of contemplation.”

“Yes, Magos. Will the Saint be joining you?”

“Nah, I’m going to keep going through this junk and Dad won’t be long.”

“Indeed. Ten minutes to cool my cogitators and I’ll be ready to make my final selection.”

“Wonderful! My assistants will show you the way.” Mahyar points towards the exit. His face is starting to sweat as he eyes the armoured, near silent juggernauts who’ve been following us from hall to hall like ghosts.

“Dad! Before you go, give me Odhran’s datapad. I might spot something you missed.”

“Sure. Here you go.” A snake grabs the datapad hanging from my hip with telekinesis and hovers it over to Alpia.

I follow the doll-like assistants to a small shrine and kneel before it. With great care, I open my mind to the Warp. It is bright and turbulent. I send out a low power communication request in Lingua Technis and get multiple responses.

Scrutinizing them carefully, I realise that one is a Tzeentchian Daemon lurking just beyond the boundaries of Alpia’s flames. Two are echoes, one from the future and the other the past. I get some passing interest from the two Librarians. A team of over-enthusiastic Psy-Errants also require dismissal.

I have no measure of time while my mind is in the Warp and even with a chronometer in my head, I just cannot grasp how much time is passing. From the responses, I track down the cold, mechanical mind of a cloned psyker’s brain hooked up to a high powered antenna, arcane wards, and aggressive machine-spirits, each glowing with the blessings of the Machine-God.

These are the same Machine-Spirits I took from Dying Light. With the Machine-God’s blessings on them they are the most reliable protections I have for Warp based communications. I have reserved them for this specific task and I am using them to build up my private communication relay as I travel.

The data fortress and I exchange the required codes and ciphers and I slip into the Auto-Temple’s information repository, casting my mind though the machinery, searching for answers. The only relevant report on the network confirms that Brigid personally signed off on every single one of the Barghests’ resource requests, not her assistants, and her personal notes and adjustments are all over the documents.

I mull over the thought and follow Alpia’s advice; I am pleased that Brigid is keeping a close eye on the Barghests. I disconnect from the data fortress, making sure to appease the Machine-Spirits on the way out with the correct prayers lest they fry my consciousness.

I leave the shrine and return to Alpia.

“Dad, did you find anything?” Alpia sends.

“Nothing I didn’t already know. Just a reminder that your mother is a superb accountant.”

“See. I told you so. I found one small point. Your sample is labelled as: M3 HUMAN. MALE. AGE 46. WHITE. BRITISH. It doesn’t mention your name anywhere, nor is it for a Navigator. Does anyone on JK-404’s team know this is you?”

I send, “JK-404 does. She’s working on the Hyper Intelligence project and that requires my DNA.”

“Do you think she told the Barghests, or did the Apothecaries and Genetors assume that the name and identity of the sample was lost to time?”

“I didn’t think of that. It is possible they did not know it was me. Among the Barghests, only Odhran knew me before I became a Navigator. I doubt he was involved in the details of the research.”

“I am going to laugh my ass off if they didn’t know it was you,” sends Alpia. “Still, the gene forging has turned the new Barghests into distant cousins, at best. You’re not their father, and they’re not my brothers. Can you really say you used to know all of your cousins? I know I’m repeating myself, but getting suckered into some identity crisis, or moral dilemma is completely unnecessary, Dad. You got far too caught up in your own narrative and missed what the report was actually trying to tell you.”

“Thank you, Alpia. Your fresh eyes are a godsend.”

“Urgh, don’t remind me. It was painful to receive them. At least I see everything with supernatural clarity and my eyes are pretty. There’s a few other things you missed. The procedure isn’t as radical as it first seems. The Barghests improved the base form of the Neophytes before implantation, so there has been minimal messing with the Emperor’s original work beyond what the Barghests already do, and their methods are inline with other non-standard chapters.

“The new surgery techniques are a logical evolution founded on old Imperial technology taken to new heights thanks to our superior manufacturing. Nanites and healing tanks of many kinds are rare, not unknown. Experimenting with training procedures is not heretical either. It is expected.”

I send, “That’s a good argument.”

Alpia continues, “The two things that stand out are the enhanced growth speed of the Neophytes and the use of Drukhari sensor technology to improve the resolution, size, and power consumption of our current soul auspex technology. Ours used to be rare devices for Knights to detect enemies through walls. Now they can be fitted to power armour or a tank.”

“The enhanced growth is pushing the boundaries of messing with Astartes physiology. It’s glossed over as part of the healing process. As long as no side effects appear a century down the line, there should be no problem with it.

“We already managed to slip Promethium NN and our Leman Russ-E designs past the inspection of Logis Vakul and three Rogue Trader houses. Our Neutrino Vox was met with much praise and no suspicion. You and our Acquisitions and Assimilations department did an excellent job of sanitising and converting the Drukhari technology database you stole to Imperial standards. The experimental improvements to a specialised auspex that came from that database will be no different.”

I send, “So I panicked over nothing.”

“It’s not nothing, Dad. It was important to you and that’s what mattered. Needing a little help is not a sin. You taught my brothers and I that yourself.”

I envelope Alpia in the mental equivalent of a hug and she returns it.

“Did you spot anything you like in the bric-a-brac?” I say.

“Nah. No hidden Halo Devices, relics, corrupting artefacts, or miss identified tech. No extra macguffins for you today, Dad. I don’t need any baubles either. I get enough random offerings as it is.”

“Anything else you want to see?”

“I’m done. Are you?”

“Yes.”

“You sure? I’m sure there’s something left to tweak your inner loot Gretchin. You didn’t get samples of all the plants. Can you really bear to leave something behind? There’s still a hall with material samples as well.”

“I suppose another brief look wouldn’t hurt. I might exchange some Thrones as well if they have enough.”

Alpia smirks, “Send me a list of instructions and I’ll settle up while you make one last round.”

“That would be wonderful.”

“I’ll wait for you with your two tagalongs, then we can head back to the Rapturous Spirit together. I really want to experience a Navy vessel for myself.”

So that’s what the Battlefleet Koronus cruiser is called. Alas, I must stop linking Emil’s flagship with Emil’s actions and abandon my contempt. Probably for the best. The void ship was getting rather moody with me.

“You’d best be polite to Therenseus and Leonis then. They know Rapturous Spirit better than I do and will be the ones to give you a tour. I’m sure they’d be honoured.”

“So long as they don’t try and kiss my feet, I am sure I will think of something nice to say. No lollygagging though, Dad or I’ll get bored of small talk and start telling them about some of your more embarrassing lab accidents.”

“You really are ruthless today. I’ll be quick.”

I am far more selective with the material samples as I don’t need most of them. There are a few unknown xenos alloys with interesting properties. I also pick up a few boxes of minerals and liquids. The Stellar Fleet’s schools will benefit from having a collection that the kids can pick up and feel, or maybe give out as rewards.

As I rush around the hall, I detect Alpia releasing a small amount of her ‘worship me’ aura as she negotiates with Mahyar Etemadi for my many purchases. I guess he managed to annoy Alpia too.

Obsidian Emporial has a most remarkable collection of rare objects. I am suspicious of how they gathered it all and grateful for the convenience. I’ve stirred up enough problems in this system already and more are yet to come. Further poking my nose into one of the major remaining businesses of Footfall would be just borrowing trouble at this point. Instead, I forward a report with all the data I nabbed to Raphael. I’m sure he’ll be delighted to get more work.

All too soon, I am finished inspecting everything and my afternoon with Alpia is over. I return to Rapturous Spirit and my endless duties.