"This research is being conducted on behalf of, and in praise of, the most holy Forge World of Graia''. 87Quark droned out of his vox augmitter, he could have been as raving as any Ecclesiarchy preacher, but you would never be able to tell from his voice. "We of the Graian Xenos Biologis are tasked by the most high Forge Council to investigate and understand the threat of the Genestealer." He gestured to the frenzied Genestealer still throwing itself at the edge of the tank. 87Quark then gestured to the other Tech Priest, "This is Senior Genator Epsilon75639Zho-Aye12 and he is responsible for this holy effort. I am but a lowly functionary and acolyte of his Estate Mechanicus. My Master has elevated himself above vocalisation for the unaugmented''. 87Quark continued. "In order to fight the Xenos we must first understand the Xenos. As with all knowledge this can only be acquired with sacrifice and benediction to the Omnissiah. My Master established this facility for that research and captured the first Genestealers, they were found infesting a listening station on the outer reaches of this system".
"The motive force of 38 of my Master's Skitarii was expended to capture these specimens, however the findings that we have been able to deduce have been more than satisfactory". Mesarine interrupted, more animated that Jhon had even seen her "What could you possibly learn from this Xenos filth?! This is heresy, in direct opposition to the Emperor's holy word!" She spat the words and the Adept and her eyes shone unusually intently. Jhon had never known that she was so devout or that her usually cold exterior was capable of such fervour. She was magnificent in that moment, full of the word of the Throne.
Adept 87Quark was completely dismissive, "your opinion is no consequence to our research Tempestor Churgeion, our work is to aid the work of the Omnissiah and that alone makes it devine." He gestured to the Genestealer, who's black eyes seemed to be regarding each of them with a terrible intelligence. "The Genestealer sub-breed within the Tyranid have a unique mechanism for preparing a world for invasion. Once one of these vanguard organisms lands it is able to exercise a level of control over the weak willed. Once this control is established the Genestealer can implant an embryo, which will go on to spawn a 'cult' of hybrids which are fiercely loyal to their primogenitor."
The Adept's speech was getting faster. "My Master's conjecture was that the organ responsible for this level of control could be extracted and studied. If we can understand the mechanism that these creatures use then perhaps we can either block it, or we can learn how to harness it for the glory of Mars." In an apparent, though unexpected understanding of human emotion 87Quark responded to their perplexed looks. "There is a known item of Archeotech, serial 7473738955.854, known to the Departmento Munitorum as the Laurels of Command. They enable human commanders to apply empathic-impulsion control over their troops. The Genestealer have the most highly developed empathic-impulsion mechanism that we have ever encountered. By harnessing it, a single commander could compel an entire regiment to action without recourse to psychic means. Just think, when my master succeeds, even the humble guardsman will have the stability and control of the Skitarii".
The remaining trooper with them, who had until then kept their helmet secured, reached up and removed it at this point. A scarred and grizzled face emerged from under the carapace. Jhon almost didn't recognise the older woman underneath, Phell was one of the regiments veterans. She had a faraway look in her eye, as if being in the center of an enemy-filled fortress surrounded by Genestealers, both captive and wild, was something she had somehow got used to. Phell set down her Hellgun and walked up to the Tech Adept, she looked into what was left of his face. "When did one escape?"
87Quark didn't respond at first, Phell asked again "When did one escape?". The Adept was being asked to reveal more information than he had intended. Jhon couldn't tell whether he was actually ashamed of whether just the act of revealing any information went against his principles as a devotee of the Machine Cult. When he did speak there was no contrition, no shame, he just slowed down his monotonous drone.
"You are correct in your analysis, Trooper. There was an incident and one of the subjects did escape confinement. The subject was unrecoverable within the walls and passageways of this structure." He gestured to the Alcazar around him and Jhon could imagine that if a Genestealer had escaped into a palace this complex and multi-layered, it would have been impossible to hunt it without burning the entire structure to the ground. "The escape however had investigative value" 87Quark continued "with the double blind sample population that was available to us. My Master was able to study the propagation of a Genestealer Cult firsthand, that is why he remained on site to record and monitor the infection." Senior Genator Epsilon75639Zho-Aye12 chimed in with a series of clicks and data squirts through which he seemed to give his approval to his apprentice.
"We learned much from this exercise, which will require deeper analysis on our return to holy Graia. The experiment has now run its course and the rate of infection has reached the furthest possible safe phase prior to the arrival of a Tyranid Hive Fleet. That is why we requested evacuation by the Departmento Munitorum and why your primary objective must now be the protection and extraction of my Master". The Senior Genator said nothing, the dead eyes of its vestigial body stared at them. Jhon couldn't believe it, the Mechanicum was responsible for the infestation.
Worse, they'd known about it and they'd chosen not to inform anyone. He found the courage himself to speak up at the point "You never planned for extraction of the Governor did you? You knew that he was contaminated, that the whole planet was contaminated?" He was thinking through the implications as he spoke, his voice faltering slightly as a result "but you had to lie to System Command didn't you? You had to ensure that enough of us were sent on the mission and you knew that a Planetary Governor would make that happen. To hell with the fact there's an Ork invasion outside these walls" 87Quark paused "the Ork were an unexpected variable Trooper, they are not a factor in our project. We have compensated for this in our analysis".
Jhon thought of the Uhlan Cavalry, fighting and dying bravely outside of the city walls. He didn't know how many of them were infected and how many of them were loyal warriors of the Throne, just fighting to defend this world. The idea that they were just extraneous variables to the Mechanicum sickened him. This planet was at war and it's ruling class had fallen to a sick Xenos cult; the local system authorities would declare the planet to be in rebellion against the Imperium and it's armies to be hostile combatants. It was as if the Adept knew what he was thinking, because he chimed in (with a literal chime sounding from somewhere on his person) "it is true that there were many in the local Munitorum council who were not cleared on our operation. This planet is beyond their control now and it was vital to secure their assistance with our research. Skitarii would raise the profile of our work and we're considered to be an unacceptable risk of Mechanicum resources''.
A blurt of binaric sound from his master made 87Quark shift his tact. Abruptly he ignored Jhon and addressed the group. "You are all now aware of the nature of our research. We calculate a 87.6% probability that you will disagree with our process on unsound 'moral' arguments". How 87Quark had been able to suggest air quotes through a monotone speaker, Jhon didn't understand, but he had managed it. "Despite your objections we assess that you will still assist us because you will see that without extraction our work will have been fruitless. With your advanced indoctrination you will be able to place the wider needs of the Imperium ahead of your personal views''. Jhon looked around at his squad mates, but he knew that he didn't need to. Their jaws were squared and the faces stern, it was obvious that they had all resolved themselves to the mission. Jhon knew it himself as well, partly because 87Quark's logic was sound, Throne damn him. But mostly because it was the mission and he didn't even know how to think about not completing his mission.