Early 36th Millennium, Reign of Blood
Habalus Cluster within the Abalatian Reach
Low orbit over Cassius 6 in the Cassius System
Veiled Strike, Inquisitorial Cruiser
Basil walked briskly down the corridor of the Veiled Strike with staff in hand. His tunic and pants were easier to move in then his carapace armour, but it was still all he could do to keep up with the towering behemoth that walked beside him, the Void Spectres Techmarine named Attalus. All Space Marines are massive in build, and even more so when they have donned their power armour, but Attalus had Mechanicus Implants added to his bulk, a veritable chassis of cybernetics mounted to his back with a number of mechadendrites protruding from it and through his armour, as well as an enormous servo-arm that raised high above his head.
Basil glanced to his right at the giant walking beside him, noting the changes since they had first met.
With the end of the Space Marine's term of service within the DeathWatch, his armour had been restored to its initial glory. Gone was the silvering of the left arm, replaced with the black of the Void Spectres. The left shoulder pauldron no longer bore the silver stylized icon of the Inquisition, the chapter badge of the DeathWatch. In its place was a silver skull with a torn silver tabard hanging from it, the badge of the Void Spectres. The red of Attalus' helmet, marking him as a Techmarine, was replaced by black with silver trim added to the vox guard. But Basil's mind lingered upon something he could not see, Attalus' right shoulder pauldron. It should have the Machina Opus, Basil told himself, pulling from his memories the knowledge which had been infused into his head during his conditioning at the hands of Apothecary Fynn. The image of the Opus appeared in his mind, a cog that was white on one side and black on the other, surrounded by a field of red, and with a skull inside that was half white and half black, but with the colors reversed from the cog. But instead he has the white cruciform signifying he is in the First Company of the Void Spectres. Attalus bears no markings that bind him to the Adeptus Mechanicus. He is angry at them. Frustration built in Basil's head. And he has a right to be angry. They were destroyed for keeping that Condenser from the Mechanicus. Doing so to stop the spread of the Ruinous Powers. They were right and they were destroyed for it. Now, only three Void Spectres remain. Thoughts continued to dance in his head.
Basil turned his head to the corridor in front of him to keep his bearings. In the four years since he first set foot on the Veiled Strike, he had become more acquainted with its layout but had learned to always pay attention to where he was going. This is a place I have not stepped foot in before, Basil said to himself. A place without markers. What is hidden here?
"Young Basil," a mechanically replicated voice to his right, that of Attalus, quietly said. The kid quickly turned his head back toward the Techmarine. "After you killed the Templar heretic psykers, you brought forth a young one you found among the rest of the regiment. A young one with psychic potential. Brought him to us through Inquisitor Matthias instead of killing him outright or turning him over to Inquisitor Masina." The Techmarine grew quiet for a moment, then continued. "I clearly remember scoffing when a ten-year old boy offered his help to us," he said. "But, four years later, in the aftermath of commanding a difficult battle with men dying and facing a daemon without his Master's help, that boy remembered his promise to us and acted decisively. Thank you, Basil Cadmus, for what you have done."
Nearly overcome with shock from receiving the praise of a Space Marine, Basil shrugged his shoulders, and kept his eyes focused forward, concentrating on keeping back a tear.
"Inquisitor Matthias also informed us, that immediately upon bringing the boy to him, you suggested a search through all the Templar regiments who had already surrendered and were waiting within the Bennu Cloud," Attalus added. "And among them, you found two more with psychic potential who appear to be worthy of beginning the process. Worthy of becoming initiates into the Void Spectres. It is not much, but it is a start for us to rebuild our chapter. And it was done at the risk of angering Masina."
"It was the right thing to do, so I did it," Basil answered. "As the Frateris Templar regiments were raised from worlds outside the Reach, I do not believe the psykers I found within their ranks were under the purview of Masina as Provost of the Astra Telepathica within the Reach, and I do not believe her judgment as an Inquisitor outweighs that of Master Matthias."
"Still," Attalus answered. "Not having to immediately face Inquisitor Masina because you left for the Bennu Cloud was fortunate. However, I would caution against angering her further, even if your actions were approved by Inquisitor Matthias."
"Point taken," Basil answered. Hoping to ease his own embarrassment, Basil changed the subject. "I was able to convince the Technomats Guild on Parm to send workers," he said to Attalus. "Have you found them skilled enough to meet the construction demands of the Inquisitorial fortress?"
"Surprisingly so," the Marine answered. "Menials is how the Mechanicus would categorize them. Craftsmen who perform skills which require an intelligence beyond what a servitor can accomplish but who have not been inducted into the Priesthood of the Omnissiah, nor trained in the secrets of the Priesthood. These menials have a broad range of well-developed skills and are generally educated in addition to that."
"Masters and Journeymen and Apprentices," Basil said. "It seems that the founders of the Technomats Guild placed an emphasis on the Master and Apprentice relationship as well as on the value of education. And, as you have seen, they have established a recursive system of recruitment, education, and training that functions at a high level. They have built something of value with the potential to last. That is something difficult to accomplish in this galaxy we live in. Did you know that there is only one Enginseer on Parm to oversee their manufactoria? Sergei is his name. That is a large task for a single Tech-Priest, especially one of lowly rank."
"I spoke with some of the Masters of the Technomats Guild and they told me that he doesn't function at a high level for a Tech-Priest and they generally function without his support," Attalus answered. "They said Enginseer Sergei was sent to Parm by the Magos of Vichka to get rid of him. For a few cycles, he trained a select few menials and sent them to Vichka in Thule. They failed miserably and he was instructed to not send them anymore."
"Really," Basil laughed. "The best of these well-educated and highly-skilled menials could not even succeed as the lowliest rank of Tech-Priest." Basil paused, considering what he knew of Attalus, and whether or not to continue. "I have spoken with some of the Masters too and I would wager that Enginseer Sergei deliberately didn't send the best to Vichka. Parm is an Imperial Colony founded by one of the Three Brothers, Lech, and not a settlement of forge world Vichka. As long as Lech receives its quota of goods from Parm, all is well. As long as Enginseer Sergei is on a planet that is meaningless to the Mechanicus, and no one complains about him, he is left alone by the Magos of Vichka. I wonder how much Sergei has taught the Technomats to ensure no more Enginseers are requested to serve on Parm?" Basil looked over at Attalus and grinned. "In fact, I would be willing to bet that some of them may be excellent recruits to serve under you within the fortress you are constructing."
"You never cease to amaze me, young Basil" Attalus answered.
As Attalus finished uttering those words, the pair reached the end of the corridor. In front of them was a blast door with a shoulder high, for Basil, box on the bulkhead to its right. Basil started to ask where they were but Attalus raised his hand to the box and the blast door instantly shot up, burying itself into the ceiling. The Marine walked in without a moment's hesitation and Basil quickly followed.
The two entered into an enormous circular chamber with one exit other than the one they entered, an enormous blast door big enough to drive a Rhino through, or even a Land Raider. The chamber had a high domed ceiling with a great mechanism protruding down from its apex. The piece was gun-like in shape and pointed down to a one step platform easily fifteen metres across that was in the center of the chamber. Great cables ran from the device and along the dome's curvature before penetrating through the bulkhead near the great blast door. Smaller cables exited from the device and were bundled together, running along the dome's curvature to the bulkhead and then down to the deck where they entered a small stand.
"This is the teleportarium of the Veiled Strike," Attalus said to Basil as he strode to the stand. "It is one of many archeotech devices onboard. I know your hunger to understand such things, but I will set the coordinates and controls myself this time, young Basil, then activate the teleporter while standing upon the platform." A small mechandendrite protruding from the Space Marine's back began to move like a snake, and reached out to the stand, then inserted itself into a port. A low hum filled the chamber and a blue haze formed around the end of the gun's "barrel" hanging above the platform. "Do not attempt to operate this device without my permission or that of Inquisitor Matthias. It is dangerous. I had a Damocles Command Rhino shuttled to the surface and am using it as the command center for the construction of the Inquisitorial fortress. The Damocles contains a teleport homer which will allow me to safely and accurately teleport to the surface. Attempting to use this without a homer is very dangerous. I will also tell you that Astropaths are often used to further refine the ability to choose one's destination in war when a homer is not available, but Ansgar will be able to give you more information on that than I can."
Basil stared at the archeotech in awe while the Techmarine disconnected his mechadendrite from the stand and then walked to the platform and stood beneath the gun. "Two things before I go," Attalus said. "First, is there anything I can personally do to repay you for the service you have performed for the Void Spectres?"
Basil thought for only a second as he had already made a wish list for things that he dreamed the Techmarine would teach him. "Thank you," Basil answered. "My Master, Inquisitor Matthias, makes use of battle automata when he expects to face forces of Chaos and said that you instructed him in their use. I would ask you to do the same for me."
"Request granted," Attalus answered. "As Inquisitor Matthias has already instructed me to do so, I will ask, is there is anything else?"
"No," Basil simply answered. "Your offer is too kind and I have too much to learn as is."
"Now for the second thing I have to say before I leave," Attalus continued. "You are to see Ansgar in the sparring cages. He has something for you."
Something for me? Before Basil could muster a word in response, a bright flash of blue filled the chamber and then vanished. The Techmarine was no longer there. The blue haze had disappeared from the end of the gun and the humming that filled the room had ceased.
