Beyond Farthest Thule

by SDWilson

The far reaches of the Imperium of Man tore themselves asunder during the High Lord Goge Vandire's Reign of Blood in the early 36th millennium. But while this happened, most of Humanity was blind to the fact that the Galaxy shook from the events that occurred Beyond Farthest Thule. But not the Inquisition, for they were at its heart. Part 10 The Ritual has now been posted.

55. Part 10 The Ritual ch3

Early 36th Millennium, dawn of the Plague of Unbelief
Abalus
Gediminas District of Mancuso Hive
Beneath the Astropathic Choir Chambers

Fabricator Manumisa sat embedded within an enormous control interface stationed in the bowels of Mancuso Hive, deep beneath the planet's Astropathic Choir Chambers. The technological artefact consisted of multiple cogitators as well as a dozen data vaults which had been emptied in preparation of the ritual to be performed in the void above Abalus. Numerous power lines and transmission cables sprouted from it and penetrated through numerous ports in the adamantium walls of the vault which had been hastily assembled after Manumisa spoke with Masina about her plans.

Torrents of data recorded by augurs Manumisa had installed throughout the complex and elsewhere were being fed into the cogitators operating in parallel with his biological brain, but his mind was locked onto a narrower band of data being received directly from the augurs in the Choir Chambers above. Augurs which had monitored the Chambers' fall to the cultists who had assaulted it and had afterwards begun monitoring the four unsanctioned psykers amongst the cultists who had donned the hoods of the Astropathic Relay System and began to 'play'. And for posterity, the Fabricator began adding annotated comments on that data, as he received it, through a human dialogue generating program.

Psychic intensity levels rising in each of four active psykers interfaced with experimental relay system installed in the Chamber above, the Fabricator digitally communicated through his dialogue program to a data vault. Standard deviation of intensity between individuals typically lies within 10.673% on the (linear) Pomar Scale, but just dropped to 00.000%. Deviation has diminished to within instrument's precision. No longer measureable. Outputs of psykers have been effectively synchronized. Does that make them stronger against outside influences? More susceptible to control from within the system? His mind quickly noted a warning. Each individual at 97.127% reading on Pomar Scale…and rising. The Pomar range readings were reaching full scale. Impressive.

Manumisa's mind turned to the data he was receiving from the xenos augurs he had interfaced into the Astropathic Relay system. Augurs of Slann origin used to measure psychic intensity. Augurs he had gained from Inquisitor Masina herself.

Readings exhibited on a scale that extends beyond the visible spectrum of light on both ends, the dialogue program pointed out. Frequency representing current psychic intensity on xenos artefact, 97.127% of the Pomar Scale, is 475 terahertz.

At that moment, the scale jumped from 475 terahertz to 535 terahertz. Event recorded, his program told the data vault. Most unusual change, it added. In response, the Fabricator quickly reconfigured the distribution of his cogitation capabilities to focus on analysis. The increase appears to be the result of an individual of significant power, perhaps Beta on the Assignment Scale, accessing the Chambers above from a remote Chamber but not synchronizing itself with them. Remote chamber determined to be the Chambers onboard the Bellerophon's Fist. He continued to analyze the enormous quantities of data being collected, searching for key points but collecting it all regardless of value. Is this the beginning of the ritual, just preparation, or merely an anomaly? Manumisa asked through his program. If it were an anomaly, the intensity did not drop. Instead, it jumped to 595 terahertz. Second event detected. Has a second psyker accessed the Astropathic System of the Bellerophon's Fist? His readings quickly answered that question. Yes. And then the readings measured by the Slann artefact jumped to 655 terahertz. And then it jumped one more time, ending at 715 terahertz.

Manumisa's mind began processing the narrow band of data he had just collected. Four psychic events, he said to himself. Major events. All events at an intensity exceeding Pomar Scale. Four powerful psykers have accessed the system onboard the Bellerophon's Fist, each one contributing to the intensities upon Abalus while raising the intensities of their local system. The readings steadied at their new higher levels. Unable to wait for the answer he knew would come in time, Manumisa asked another question for posterity. The Astropathic System installed in the Abalus Chambers can interface with up to four psykers but the interface of the Bellerophon's Fist can interface with up to six. What will happen when the last two spots are filled?