Chapter of a Tech-Priest

Chapter 10

Monday Mornings

If he were paying attention, he would have realised that it was almosr dawn, working on 'Lapidem' for 18 hours straight. He was, however, disturbed from his trance when Electrus walked over, "Sev, guess what?"

"Another of the psyker's die, or something?"

Electrus cocked his only remaining eyebrow, "Yes, actually. Guess how it happened!"

"Reaper chainsword testing gone wrong." Sevonyx said, his tone so flat, the sarcasm was nigh undetectable.

"How did you know?" the surprise evident in his tone.

"I can see it being cleaned from here. How far the limbs were flung is quite remarkable, I'd say the chainsword works fine."

"Haven't you finished on your knight yet? You've worked through the night."

"Oh, yes, hours ago, I', just touching it right now, familiarising...yes, familiarising myself with the parts." Sevonyx said, eyes darting side to side as he spoke.

"I'm sure there's a human joke in there somewhere. Then again, when isn't there?"

"See you lat...DAVID, STOP! Move the arc-welder slowly away from the fuel line!" a twinge of fear running through his mind at the prospect of becoming the next 'Carl' incident.

"Hand over the chocolate first!" David demanded "This is a hostage situation!"

"Who the hell taught you what hostage meant?!"

"I can read!"

Shit, it knows how to read, "I refuse to negotiate."

David moved the welder a few centimetres closer to the fuel line. It was at this point Electrus decided additional input was needed. "I don't think he's bluffing."

"I know he isn't, but there'll be less damage from the explosion than from an unsanctioned, sugar-hyped, 10 year old psyker running amok in a Knight House's citadel."

"Do you want to be known as the next Carl by blowing up a Knight?"

Sevonyx breathed a sigh, "Fucking Carl. Move the welder, slowly, away first!"

David turned the welder off and Electrus turned to Sevonyx, "Can he just turn it off like that!? I'm sure he's breaking several hundred rules here!"

This is on your head Electrus. You're cleaning up the mess he makes." He threw David the chocolate and handed Electrus an ancient piece of archaeotech known only as a 'Dyson'. "Good luck."

"How bad can he be... and where did he go?"

Hell if I know, I'll see you on the other side. Come along Dom, we're going to the morning nutrition dispensary. I believe the fleshbags call it breakfast." With that, he left the sanctuary, making for the feast hall, the Gyrinx moving back beneath Sevonyx's billowing robes.

He arrived in the feast hall around half an hour after the crack of dawn, he hoped it would be too early for the morning rush.

As soon as he entered, he was met with the hustle, bustle and surprising lack of decorum of House Azkir's feast hall. By all accounts, it wasn't unlike a plebian bar brawl. On the 'Cohort', back in Chapter 1, fights of this magnitude were only caused when a tech-priest got caught giving another tech-priest's toaster some seriously filthy looks.

He dodged under flying tankards, stepped over unconscious bodies and dodged the occasional off-target rapier thrust until he finally reached a relatively safe place to sit and began eating his bland, tasteless mechanicus issue nutrient paste, due to some yet to be replaced organs that stll needed sustenance, and changed the D size, heavy duty batteries required for his optimal functioning. As the last battery was slotted into place, a body came sliding down the table, straight past him, with the Forge Master close in tow.

"No no no no, your not escaping that easy, get back here, you prick!" Grabbing the knight apparent in a headlock. After a few seconds, he noticed Sevoyx, "Oh, wait...Sacristan...Sevonyx, right? Galya said she was on her way to the 'Lapidem', you'd best hurry back, before she get's mad."

"I didn't see her on the way down here, sir..."

"That won't stop her getting mad, boy." Sokolov interupted. "She needs your help registering all the knights for transportation."

"Isn't that the Master of Lore's job?" Sevonyx inquired.

Sokolov released the knight apparent and walked across the table to the unconscious body next to Sevonyx. As he lifted the knight's head, he saw it was Valkus.

"I see, I'll go at once."

"Good man, now...where'd he get to?" As he noticed the Knight apparent again: "Get back here you wanker!..."

Sevonyx sighed a sigh that was becoming all too common. "I only hope the toaster they're fighting over is worth it."