CogitatorJinevri approaches you, followed by a dignified woman in crimson robes. "Allow me to introduce the esteemed Tech-Priest Androveta-Phi. She believes she has the right to obstruct the investigation, and refused to grant the enforcers access to the master cogitator."
Tech-Priest Androveta-PhiThe Tech-Priest lets out an indignant binharic trill. "I request that the laywoman's wilful activities be halted. She intends to torment the machine spirit of the master work log cogitator Iota-IIIB! The venerable spirit is ill and in no disposition to endure such abuse."
YOU"What is the problem with the machine spirit?"
Tech-Priest Androveta-Phi"The spirit is old and quick to anger. It therefore calls for a sensitive approach, not a torturous intrusion by a brutish laywoman! Since the start of this watch, the spirit has been unwell, so we have been trying to soothe its woes by applying sacred unguents and censing the great machine's boards. The dogma of data-recuperative quarantine prohibits any disturbances to blessed machines found to be in such a state."
YOU"What is the problem with the machine spirit?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What exactly does this data-recuperative dogma prescribe?"
Tech-Priest Androveta-Phi"'Let no profane hand touch the sacred machine stricken. Let the mechanism be shielded from all worldly troubles by a veil of righteous litany, and let its shrine be thricely honoured 'til the malady is no more.'"
CogitatorJudging by Jinevri's expression, she would rather have her profane hands touch Androveta-Phi's neck.
YOU"What is the problem with the machine spirit?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What exactly does this data-recuperative dogma prescribe?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Pasqal, how profane would you say your hands are?"
Pasqal"I am a Magos Explorator and this vessel's Enginseer Prime. The profanity of this unit's hands, as well as the rest of its limbs, organs, and augmetics, is null."
Cogitator(sequence)
JaeJae snorts derisively. "Shocking arrogance! If I count up how many pieces of xenotech and archeotech this grasping hand has managed to 'confiscate,' I wonder if its profanity will increase or decrease?"
end of branch
Tech-Priest Androveta-Phi"If the honoured Magos supervises the laywoman's tactful interaction with the spirit, I will sanction this disturbance."
Tech-Priest Androveta-PhiRaising her hands high, Androveta-Phi wails, "Omnissiah preserve us! The great spirit was infected by a layperson! That is the culprit you should be searching for, not some pipewarden! Sacrilege!"
Cogitator(sequence)
Pasqal"Registering a Category Three act of sacrilege resulting in a Category Epsilon Quadro transgressive scenario. Requesting the inclusion of the offender in the registry of wanted entities for the purpose of expiative disposal."
end of branch
Eogunn"Eliminate the cause, not the symptom, as the ancient wisdom of the Magos Biologis states." The Manipulus strokes his chin pensively with one of his mechadendrites. "Nuncius, do you know of many laypersons capable of deliberately torturing a machine spirit?" After listening to the servo-skull's silent reply, he nods. "I concur, dearest colleague. We are clearly dealing with attempted sabotage."
end of branch
Cogitator"We have discovered that the cogitator's malfunctions began after an unauthorised attempt to access it was made. Someone deliberately angered the machine spirit in order to bury the work logs. Thankfully, the esteemed Tech-Priest was able to appease the spirit and extract the information we needed."
Cogitator"The victim's name was Orto. On the day he died, he was servicing valve 27-B, which supplies water to the Rogue Trader's bathchamber. He also had a partner, who has yet to appear for duty since the incident occurred. We have a suspect."
YOU"Did the murderer get to the cogitator too?"
Jocasta Sauerback"Impossible. Since the start of the watch, this area has been used as the centre of operations. No rabble could have slipped by unnoticed. Moreover, a common pipewarden wouldn't know how to commune with a machine spirit. The murderer had help."
YOU"Did the murderer get to the cogitator too?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"One of the inferni said he had his pass to the maintenance room taken away by an enforcer."
Jocasta Sauerback"Our villain? But how did they get past Jinevri's guards unnoticed?" Sauerback stares intently at Jinevri as she grows pale.
YOU"Did the murderer get to the cogitator too?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"One of the inferni said he had his pass to the maintenance room taken away by an enforcer."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who is the partner?"
Cogitator"Senior pipewarden Gwedon, number SP-268-55. An eighth-generation pipewarden — no registered infractions, excellent discipline, perfect work record. An exemplary servant of the Imperium."
YOU"Did the murderer get to the cogitator too?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"One of the inferni said he had his pass to the maintenance room taken away by an enforcer."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who is the partner?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Master-at-Arms, how do you propose we find our new suspect?"
Enforcer HrotkoBefore Sauerback can respond, Hrotko cuts in: "Your Lordship/Ladyship, there was a man named Gwedon among the rabble waiting to be interrogated. He immediately struck me as suspicious. Please allow me to question the man in your presence!"
Jocasta SauerbackSauerback narrows her eyes, but all she says is: "Bring him in. Now."
end of branch
YOU"Master-at-Arms, how do you propose we find our new suspect?"continues where this line first appears above
Cogitator(sequence)
Heinrix"We should find out if the shift change took place without incident. If the culprit truly is an enforcer or is pretending to be one, he could have orchestrated a gap between the guard shifts."
end of branch
YOU"Who is the partner?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Master-at-Arms, how do you propose we find our new suspect?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"One of the inferni said he had his pass to the maintenance room taken away by an enforcer."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who is the partner?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Master-at-Arms, how do you propose we find our new suspect?"continues where this line first appears above
Tech-Priest Androveta-PhiFuming, Androveta-Phi hisses something in Techna-Lingua, pointing a crooked finger at Jinevri. "I told you! I warned you that it would end this way! The laywoman forced me to mistreat the machine spirit until it left us, taking all the logs of the crew's toils with it! Sacrilege!"
Cogitator"Fortunately, we were able to get the results before it did. The cantankerous spirit had no choice but to share some of its knowledge with us."
Cogitator"The victim's name was Orto. On the day he died, he was servicing valve 27-B, which supplies water to the Rogue Trader's bathchamber. He also had a partner, who has yet to appear for duty since the incident occurred. We have a suspect."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Eogunn tended to the ancient relic in the Sector Bionica — he can help."
Eogunn"A commendable attitude to restrictive dogma and a diligent approach to datahealing, colleague. Alas, the current disposition of circumstances is such that your patient will have to be disturbed. But with the greatest of care."
Tech-Priest Androveta-Phi"If the honoured Magos supervises the laywoman's tactful interaction with the spirit, I will sanction this disturbance."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Laypeople may be prohibited from communing with the machine spirit, but you are not, esteemed Tech-Priest. Jinevri will merely stand at your side and observe."
YOU"Well, then the solution is quite simple. We cut off the esteemed Tech-Priest's hand and use it to commune with the machine spirit."
YOU"Pasqal, how profane would you say your hands are?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Eogunn tended to the ancient relic in the Sector Bionica — he can help."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Laypeople may be prohibited from communing with the machine spirit, but you are not, esteemed Tech-Priest. Jinevri will merely stand at your side and observe."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Well, then the solution is quite simple. We cut off the esteemed Tech-Priest's hand and use it to commune with the machine spirit."continues where this line first appears above
Cogitator(sequence)
Idira"When I'm old and cantankerous, I'll demand aromatic unguents and a hookah to fumigate my sacred lungs too. Then again... why wait?"
end of branch
YOU"What exactly does this data-recuperative dogma prescribe?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Pasqal, how profane would you say your hands are?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Eogunn tended to the ancient relic in the Sector Bionica — he can help."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Laypeople may be prohibited from communing with the machine spirit, but you are not, esteemed Tech-Priest. Jinevri will merely stand at your side and observe."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Well, then the solution is quite simple. We cut off the esteemed Tech-Priest's hand and use it to commune with the machine spirit."continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 2 of 8
Cogitator(no text)
end of branch
Entry point 3 of 8
Tech-Priest Androveta-PhiAndroveta-Phi shoots Jinevri a sidelong glance. "Very well. I shall disturb the spirit, but I demand that the laywoman show respect and do as she is told!"
Tech-Priest Androveta-PhiRaising her hands high, Androveta-Phi wails, "Omnissiah preserve us! The great spirit was infected by a layperson! That is the culprit you should be searching for, not some pipewarden! Sacrilege!"continues where this line first appears above
Tech-Priest Androveta-PhiFuming, Androveta-Phi hisses something in Techna-Lingua, pointing a crooked finger at Jinevri. "I told you! I warned you that it would end this way! The laywoman forced me to mistreat the machine spirit until it left us, taking all the logs of the crew's toils with it! Sacrilege!"continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 4 of 8
Tech-Priest Androveta-PhiAndroveta-Phi shoots Jinevri a sidelong glance. "I know her 'standing and observing' all too well. I may disturb the spirit at your behest, but mark my words: this won't end well!"
Tech-Priest Androveta-PhiRaising her hands high, Androveta-Phi wails, "Omnissiah preserve us! The great spirit was infected by a layperson! That is the culprit you should be searching for, not some pipewarden! Sacrilege!"continues where this line first appears above
Tech-Priest Androveta-PhiFuming, Androveta-Phi hisses something in Techna-Lingua, pointing a crooked finger at Jinevri. "I told you! I warned you that it would end this way! The laywoman forced me to mistreat the machine spirit until it left us, taking all the logs of the crew's toils with it! Sacrilege!"continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 5 of 8
Tech-Priest Androveta-PhiThe Tech-Priest withers and mewls pitifully, "Understood, Lord Captain. I offer my apologies along with my assurances of cooperation."
Tech-Priest Androveta-PhiRaising her hands high, Androveta-Phi wails, "Omnissiah preserve us! The great spirit was infected by a layperson! That is the culprit you should be searching for, not some pipewarden! Sacrilege!"continues where this line first appears above
Tech-Priest Androveta-PhiFuming, Androveta-Phi hisses something in Techna-Lingua, pointing a crooked finger at Jinevri. "I told you! I warned you that it would end this way! The laywoman forced me to mistreat the machine spirit until it left us, taking all the logs of the crew's toils with it! Sacrilege!"continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 6 of 8
Tech-Priest Androveta-PhiThe Tech-Priest recoils. "This is madness! Tech-barbarism! If you would resort to brute force in your irreverent intentions, then I cannot stop you. Instead, I will disturb the machine spirit myself. However, I must register this as a Category Six blasphemy!"
Tech-Priest Androveta-PhiRaising her hands high, Androveta-Phi wails, "Omnissiah preserve us! The great spirit was infected by a layperson! That is the culprit you should be searching for, not some pipewarden! Sacrilege!"continues where this line first appears above
Tech-Priest Androveta-PhiFuming, Androveta-Phi hisses something in Techna-Lingua, pointing a crooked finger at Jinevri. "I told you! I warned you that it would end this way! The laywoman forced me to mistreat the machine spirit until it left us, taking all the logs of the crew's toils with it! Sacrilege!"continues where this line first appears above