Epilogue 2: The Lost Children

The Magos had gotten used to roaming about with his chassis. Ever since they returned with the Dark Ship and enshrined it within the Omnisiahs Cathedral, he had desired to move about. The little Angel had spurred his spirit to action, and he delighted now in merely exploring the ship itself. For it seemed every day held new secrets. But his greatest endeavor yet was currently under construction in the deeper sanctum of the building, in a hidden forge he did his best to maintain secret. For now, even those of House Valor would not know. In time he would show them, but not until they had begun the working prototype. The STC was intact, and now all they needed was to decipher its construction. Such a precious artifact that was the result of a long forgotten research, the Dimension Project. A way to escape the endless cycle that was this universe and begin anew, be damned the universe they leave behind or not. As was promised to him.

Of course, only his most trusted and loyal techpriests were allowed within, and even at that he had them under tight control parameters. The doors which led to the sanctum hidden beneath several layers of secrecy, and under constant watch by a specially made sect of Rustalkers he commissioned specifically for this purpose. In the shadows they wait, patrolling constantly to ensure that none other than he enter the chamber until the destined time it was completed. Work would be slow as they acquired the proper materials, and those assigned to its creation was unfortunately kept to a minimum. The Magos already computed and ran thousands of simulations. This was the best past forward, and he would do nothing to tempt the hand of fate against him. He would control all those variables he could.

Today though he hadn't needed to think much on that however. He had a promise to fulfill today to Angel. The poor machine spirit disliked that it would not be able to roam the stars for what would likely be a long time. Angel knew the reasoning why to sooth its discomfort, the Magos worked on perfecting a unique techpriest, one which was not to the normal standards. He had created many techpriests in his years but this one became one of his favorites. She was a young woman, kind and gentle, the perfect candidate for caretaker. Taken from a healthy stock in the nearby world. He made sure to leave the majority of her organic parts, adding the barest modifications as possible to maintain her natural human form. He did add to her two mechanical wings that sprouted from her back, and several circuits which ran along through her spine and into her brain to help with increased communication functions. He had also made sure to instill her with the most adequate medical knowledge and equip her with the most advanced medical tools at their disposal. She was the 101st techpreist that he had made, but simply a number would not do for her. She would be called Mercy, for she represented a divine mercy which had been granted upon the children still contained within the Dark Age Ship. She talked freely with the Magos, seeing her modification and selection as a divine will, having a deep faith in the Omnisiah. Something that was also very favorable. He made sure to keep her as separate from the other sects of his forge, as to maintain a saintly nature, for that is what he made her to be. The entire cathedral that held the Dark Age ship a sacred place, one where only those he deemed worthy were allowed to enter. It was as much representation as it was efficiency. All who were allowed within its presence were those of proper personality, and were modified to have wings of their own. Resemblance of angels, a deific being that he discovered in ancient texts aboard the Dark Age ship. Angel seemed to adore the figures, and given their holy nature, he adopted the form to use as a means of holy might. Not anyone could simply view the cathedral of course, and he had to give good reason to limit access to those outside. Such a holy place could not have simple techpriests and servants, no, it deserved holy acolytes of the Omnisiah itself. Mercy was simply one of the first of many, of which he intended to begin production of. Their temperaments and personalities so carefully selected so as to be comforting to the naïve Angel, whom they would have the very honor of speaking with. But only Mercy would be the caretaker of the lost children, the call sign he gave to those children still in their suspension pods aboard the ship. But not for much longer, for he finally found the means by which to free them.

It had taken him and Angel several dozen attempts to access the blocked files that were harbored deep within the spirits memory. The Magos had to even connect himself to the very frame of the ship, an experience very unlike those times he had to connect to any other machine. But they managed to uncover the process by which to awaken the children safely. The pods still useable afterwards, something he would take to great effect later on. For now though, he had to only think of the children and their safety so as to fulfill his promise to Angel. That they would be able to hopefully explain the time they came from was merely a positive outcome in addition to those parameters. The illnesses that the children had very easily curable with slight modification, and several tonics which were already known. Something he was sure to have Mercy prepared to administer and treat. All that was required now was for the process to begin.

The Magos walked through the sacred chamber of the Dark Age Ship, held within the massive hall built deep into the moon's surface. Massive statutes of the Omnisiah acting as the support pillars that lined its sides, a series of many walkways that lined the roof which led to small places of gathering where prayer was held. The floor made of a shining bronze metal that gleamed in the light of the thousands of candles which lined all along the space. Several large pillars which surrounded the Dark Age ships entrance, the same vault which he had first entered through. A vibrant red carpet which created a path up to it all the way to the very entrance of the cathedral, up the nearly ten thousand steps that one had to traverse to reach the bottom. Skiitari dressed in white garbs and outfitted with the newest of materials, patrolling in set intervals all around to ensure its safety. These particular Skiitari forces made special for this task, the elite of the Dark Anvil only second to the Rustalkers he had guarding the secret project.

Behind him walked Mercy, her hands held tightly in prayer as she bowed her head. Her white hood over her head as she walked along. The Magos able to detect the many litanies and prayers she spoke, careful with every word. Good.

"Mercy, from here on you shall be the caretaker of the lost children."

Mercy finished her current prayer before responding.

"Thank you for this blessing, Magos. I will not disappoint you."

They were nearly to the entrance by now. The Skiitari along the sides bowing in their presence. There were many different aspects of the Omnisiahs teachings, and more were added all the time. The existence of the children a fact that he had kept entirely secret, only revealing this to Mercy after her completion in ascension as a saint. He knew that it would be inevitable for some to learn of the children, such was the unpredictability of young human's nature and therefor he needed to find a means of explaining them away. While creating Mercy, he found the perfect means to do so. As a priest of the Omisiah, any children Mercy would have would then be considered holy as well, and give credence to their residence within the ship. So, the Dark Age ship would be a place where the children of saints were kept, and allowed to grow as humans in the grace of such divine surroundings. Those able to convene with the Machine Spirit of Angel, and hopefully become loyal adepts of the mechanicus. Not that he would force such, but he intended upon furthering the children's education on such important matters.

"Mercy, you are to disclose the reality of the lost children to none. Is that understood?"

Mercy bowed her head even further.

"Yes Magos."

They came to the entrance.

"And you will be expected to bear children yourself, for it is why I allowed such biological functions to remain in your frame."

Mercy accepted such as her duty.

"Of course Magos, with the next saint which you produce. To further the sanctity of this place, and as representation of the human forge, the ability to create not only machine with metal and wire, but with flesh and blood by our own capacity. For such is the duality of the mechanicus, both machine and human. I accept my tasks diligently Magos."

The Magos was pleased. So they continued into the ship, greeted by the holographic form of Angel. The spirit was excited for today, knowing that the children would be revived.

"Magos, I see you have arrived precisely as you indicated. Thank you for your haste."

The Magos held a servoarm to his chest.

"But of course dear Angel. Let me introduce you to the caretaker who will watch over the ship and be the one who helps you maintain the ship. This is saint Mercy, my latest modified creation."

Mercy could heardly contain her joy at seeing Angel. She fell to her knees in prayer as she said several small prayers in code. Angel deciphered them easily, finding such reverence as odd as usual.

"It is good to meet you, Mercy. I will log you into my identification network as a permanent member of the crew."

Mercy kept her head down.

"I am humbled by simply your presence, holy Angel. I know not if I am worthy…"

The Magos shook his head. She would do best not think such things.

"You are a product of my creation, Mercy. That alone makes you worthy. Now stand, it is unbecoming of a saint to kneel. You will respect Angel, and you will be the machine spirits closest ally along with all other saints that I create. Understood? Your selected mate soon to be joining you as soon as I find the proper personality type. Now come, let us begin the preparations."

Mercy stood up, still in awe of the physical machine spirit before her. To her, she was the most blessed of all in the Mechanicus of the Imperium, aside from the Magos whom had ascended to deity with his securement of the Dark Age ship. For all of the Dark Anvil saw him as a holy emissary of the Omnisiah. Together they walked through the halls of the Dark Age ship patrolled by the white garbed Skiitari. The door closing behind them as was procedure. The Magos going to great lengths to ensure that those whom knew of Angel were limited. All that were aboard were listed within Angel's memory as members of the crew, and were forbidden from leaving. The Skiitari aboard allowed to reproduce among each other so as to keep the ship completely contained and maintaining a healthy environment that Angel preferred.

They were followed by the Skiitari that patrolled the halls, all of which were acquainted with Angel already. They were all curious to see the procedure for themselves, but they knew their place as defenders and would stand aside lest it was what was expected of them. In no time at all they found themselves at the door to which held the children. As much as the Magos had hoped to see the process for himself, he knew that his current form would be a shock to the children. So he had the much more pleasing Mercy enter instead, barring entry to all the Skiitari outside who stood in attention around the door. He instead followed Angel into the command deck where Angel ahd already opened the terminals and a screen to the room with Mercy and the children.

"Is it time Magos?"

The Magos nodded his head.

"It makes me happy to see you so excited Angel. Yes, it is time. Begin the procedure."

Angel smiled before it vanished, several dozen processes flashing across the terminal screen as the awakening procedure began. The quiet chants from the skiitarii outside echoing in harmony with the mechanical hum that came from the mechanisms around the room. He made sure to take an image of each screen as it flashed by for later reference, another set of his auspex focused solely on the feed from the room.

Mercy anticipated the children's awakening as she stood before the first pod. Of a young girl with her hands clamped as if in prayer. The pods shining for several moments as a red light scanned down the children's bodies, and then a serum of some sort injected into the necks of each through a previously unseen needle behind them. A liquid draining from the pod as it emptied into somewhere below, the pods clicking one at a time. The first to finally open was the girls, as the door swung upwards in a swift motion. The girl nearly stumbling forward, only to groggily open her eyes. She still clenched her hands tightly together, stiff and sore. She was very confused, her head throbbing as her head spun. Though it came back to her, slowly as she recalled what had happened before she was put into the stasis chamber with the others. Still, she was perplexed, unaware of things as her eyesight blurrily returned. Only to see the winged figure before her, like the angels the captain told her about.

She spoke, but Mercy did not know what she said. It did not matter. In time they would all learn to speak the language of the current age. For now Mercy simply held out a hand to the child.

"Good morning, little child of the lost."


Perhaps there will be an entry or two about these lost children, adrift in a time far from the one they originated. What was their situation to be? And how would they react to such a different universe, surrounded by those who have augmented themselves and pray to a god of machines? Would they learn of the terrible truth of the grim dark reality beyond, or would they be kept naive and ignorant, hidden away? Who is to say...