Iplanen watched life in the small town of Yvonne, interested in the changes.

For the past couple weeks, the garrison had been on a campaign against an ork enclave near Desdemona. They had smashed that enclave, annihilating the orks with astonishingly few casualties. Just three, from what he'd heard, which was incredibly good. Now they were back and the town was bustling.

Yvonne had always lived and died by the Guard unit stationed there, but the people living there hadn't fully realized it until the Guard was gone. Then the town had started to die. Businesses slowly shuttered, taverns were hanging on by their fingernails with half-filled tap-rooms, and the only real money coming into the community came from the lumber trade. It wasn't enough, the one tiny mill couldn't support a whole town, and the young men and women were leaving. A common story, really.

Now Yvonne had been given a new lease on life. The taverns and restaurants were busy, the stores were selling supplies and money was just pouring in, as the soldiers spent their wages. Those wages were actually supplied by the planetary government, but they were allowed to deduct it from the tithes, so it all worked out. If someone else had been in charge Iplanen might have been worried – it was an opportunity for graft – but Emerard was absolutely impeccable about such things. He would have it all itemized down to the tiniest denomination, with receipts. The Stormlord would have nothing to complain about.

But for now, things in Yvonne were going well. Iplanen watched as a young soldier walked with a young woman, chatting back and forth. Hmm, would there be unions eventually? More than casual things? Iplanen cautiously approved of it. While the humans from Hope were heretics, it would be nice to have a permanent garrison with ties to the world, rather than just mercenaries who came and went.

He had come to look for Jan, though. He wasn't at the barracks, so he was likely at the town. Iplanen wasn't looking for him for any particular reason, just to see what he was up to. Iplanen found him almost by accident… he found a few citizens hurrying away from something with frightened looks on their faces, and went to check what was going on. What was going on was actually nothing threatening, just Jan and Captain Revalt taking a walk through a local park. But for a young mother with children who had thought to enjoy the park on a sunny day, the sight of an eight-foot-tall mechanical xenos was quite unexpected.

"Forgive me sir, I enjoy your company, but what is this about?" Ah, he'd arrived at the start of the conversation, excellent! Iplanen didn't hide the servo skull at all – he was mindful that he didn't want to be accused of spying – but they didn't notice him floating in the air.

"Well, I was just wondering about your career plans. It's rather important to me, since field engineers of your caliber are so hard to find. Are you planning to accept the Cryptek's offer?" There was a long silence as they continued to walk. Finally, Revalt felt the need to fill it. "Forgive me, your family situation… is it what happened to your brother?" Jan stopped walking.

"No… not really." It was a bit hard for Iplanen to hear, Jan was speaking softly. "It was such a shock to everyone. He was supposed to be safe, supposed to be immortal, and he was the first to go." Iplanen tried to make sense of it, thinking hard, and then realized. His brother must have been a pwi-Necron. But what had happened to him? "But it's not that… or maybe it is in a way. Yantek… I loved him, but he was so impulsive. He shouldn't have made that choice at his age and I don't want to encourage my younger brothers to follow after him. They're already talking about it and they're too young."

"Yes… that's been brought up. Youngsters taking biotransference isn't good," Revalt observed and Jan nodded. "But in so many ways, you're an ideal candidate and I'll be honest, the Crypteks want you. I don't want to pressure you, but are you sure?" Jan sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Revalt… I don't mean to be hurtful, but part of the problem is the issue of my soul." That could be hurtful to someone who had already surrendered theirs, Iplanen supposed. "I'm a musician. It's very precious to me. I know the work with a transference container modeled after Manric's spear is looking promising, but it's not there yet." Jan paused for a moment, looking towards the servo skull but not seeing it. Iplanen could see his face, and he seemed deeply saddened. "Let's make a deal. We can give the research into soul transfer ten years. If it's not ready by then, I'll take biotransference anyway."

"I don't want to pressure you, I really don't." Revalt sounded relieved, though. "It will make the Cryptek's happier to have a time frame, though. You know they do want you."

"All that work I did with Simokh, helping design our new human-use hybrid ships… yes, I know." Jan chuckled softly then. "It's amusing that my technical knowledge is past what we can produce yet. Well past the Imperium, as well." Did he really think so? Well, he might be right. He'd managed to fix that gauss flayer in the end. "You can let them know."

"I will, thank you." They parted ways then, or rather Revalt left as Jan stayed in the park. He seemed distant and melancholy, staring into the distance. Iplanen floated the servo skull a bit closer and Jan suddenly started, noticing it was there.

"Oh, you?" His tone was questioning. There were many servo skulls in the town, after all. Iplanen came closer, a mute confirmation. Jan regarded the skull thoughtfully. "You know, you should come to visit us in person someday. Unless there's a reason you can't? Too far away?" Well, that was a concern to be sure, although not a major one. Iplanen could easily requisition a glideship and be in Yvonne in an afternoon. Still, he had work and this was more convenient. "Well, up to you I suppose." What was wrong? Iplanen knew Jan well enough by now to know that his current mood was very unusual. Jan began to quietly walk away, his hands in his pockets and Iplanen followed after, hoping he would say something more. Eventually, Jan seemed to feel his curiosity and stopped. "I don't want to talk about it, not like this. Maybe if you ever come in person." Well… alright. Iplanen disengaged from the servo skull, letting it go back to its' proper duties. As he did, he made a mental note.

He should see about arranging a real visit, when it was convenient.

When Iplanen floated the servo skull into the barracks again, the first thing he heard was a quiet, but absolutely unholy sound. Confused about what it could be – was that a Necron? – he guided the skull towards the noise. Sure enough, a pwi-Necron was making it but what was he doing? He was leaning against the wall while making that awful sound.

"Please stop. You can't sing anymore," another Necron said as he walked over and joined the first in leaning against the wall. Oh, that had been SINGING? The first ground to a halt. "Also, that song is heresy." What?

"Oh come on, no one cares!" Well he begged to disagree. Chaos cults were still very possible and something they were looking out for. Not that a Necron Chaos cult would be an issue, that wasn't possible.

(at least, Iplanen thought it wasn't)

"A lot of people would disagree. Also, Odin is probably that one Chaos god I heard about, the one that changes things." Tzeentch. Iplanen knew a bit more about Chaos than he should, something he'd kept hidden from the Inquisition.

"Odin is quite a shitbag, but he has a pretty good excuse. I mean, it must be absolutely horrible, seeing the fate of the world and you can't stop it no matter what clever scheme you hatch." Iplanen had no idea what they were talking about. "Hey, you know what would be amazing?!" Oh no, what? "If the prophecy of Ragnarök were true but it just hasn't happened yet! Wouldn't that be incredible?!"

"Oh my god what is wrong with you? That wouldn't be incredible at all! Do you know how many people are living on Terra? No one wants it to get eaten by the Midgard Serpent!" This was starting to get alarming, although it was probably all nonsense.

"That isn't how the story goes, the hordes of Muspell set it on fire. Hey, you know, in some interpretations of the story Midgard is the only part to survive! So maybe the hordes of Muspell were the powers of Chaos and they set Terra on fire and that's how the Emperor ended up on life support!" …

"We are all heresy just by existing, but you are next level heresy." Yes, he quite agreed. "You know, if you want to see crazy epic things, you could just get a transfer to Imotekh's forces. I'm sure he could oblige you."

"Oh, I couldn't do that. Then I wouldn't be with you anymore and you're my best friend." The completely casual, sincere way it was said made it all the more poignant. The other Necron, the sensible one, clearly felt the same way. There was a pause before he gently placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"You're my best friend too. But come on, we're supposed to be practicing against the Knights, remember?"

"Oh yes!" The two of them loped away and Iplanen watched them go, feeling oddly wistful. He'd seen tech priests who were less human than these soulless machines. Setting that aside, he went looking for Jan.

This time, Jan was particularly hard to find. Iplanen finally resorted to poking a random technician with the servo skull.

"What do you – oh, a note? You want Jan?" Yes! He bobbed the skull in response. "He's right over there, let me get him." Right over where – oh. Well, how was he to know those random legs poking out from that Pride tank were Jan? Jan pulled himself out of the machine and Iplanen noted that he was covered in various forms of dirt, ranging from oil to regular dirt. He grabbed a rag to wipe off his hands a bit as he walked over.

"Ah, a note? Thank you." Jan carefully took the note from the servo skull with his fingertips, trying to avoid fouling it. His hands were far from clean. He perused the note, which was a simple offer to meet in two weeks. Then he looked up with a smile. "I would be please to meet you. Unless something urgent comes up, I should be here." Excellent! Iplanen took out the servo skull and ordered it to return to the town before abandoning it.

He was looking forward to finally meeting Jan in person.