PasqalThe bridge is in upheaval. The technomats' prayers mix together in a senseless cacophony while servitors work hastily to remove a hardened crust of sacred unguents from the warp engine's components. In the middle of all this tumult stands Pasqal with a data-slate clutched in his hands, seemingly disconnected from the flurry of activity around him.
YOU"What is going on here?"
Pasqal"The warp sextant is not responding to commands. The ship's spirit is rejecting our prayers in anger. I am currently calculating a plea that might appease the noble spirit."
YOU"What is going on here?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Magos, why don't you assume control of the technomats? Surely their contribution will speed things up."
Pasqal"They would only be a hindrance! I am searching for a way to rectify the error." Pasqal is muttering without taking his eyes off the data-slate. There is a certain anxiousness to the way he moves his mechadendrites.
YOU"What is going on here?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Magos, why don't you assume control of the technomats? Surely their contribution will speed things up."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Pasqal, this is now your ship and your temple! So start acting like it, you blasted cog!"
PasqalPasqal shoots you a look of fierce pride and says with gravity, "You are right. This is my temple." His vox booms with power: "Tech-comrades, heed my instruction."
PasqalThe mayhem immediately subsides, and the crew's actions fall into some indiscernible logic. The Omnissiah's servants start working in sync, and the binharic clamour becomes a symphony of reports, which the Magos coordinates like a skilful conductor.
YOU"Admirably done, Pasqal."
Pasqal"The Omnissiah guides me."
PasqalThe prayers of the Tech-Priests surrounding the cogitator almost drown out the sounds of the bustling bridge behind you. Pasqal, poring intently over the data-slate in his hands, extends a mechadendrite toward you. "Please take your place at the cogitator, Lord Captain."
YOU"First, explain what we are doing."
Pasqal"I studied the data and discovered a machine node that was damaged as a result of the heretics' sabotage. The functioning of the warp sextant was tampered with and the ship's spirit, aggrieved by this violation of the Rite of Operation, is now rejecting its calculations. I sought a way to rectify this error and have concluded that your participation is necessary to do so."
Pasqal"The cogitator systems of this temple of the Omnissiah are subordinate to the shell whose repository serves the machine we see before us. A machine created for your predecessor and one that uses the biological signatures of dynastic blood in its computations. The spirits should recognise the ship's master/mistress and submit to his/her will. Should." Pasqal speaks the final word with a slight tremor in his synthesised voice.
YOU"First, explain what we are doing."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"That 'should' sounded less than reassuring."
Pasqal"Lord Captain," comes the crackle from Pasqal's vox — part beleaguered sigh, part interference. "I am still poorly acquainted with this voidship. The acolytes here have adopted their own customs for conversing with the machine spirits — they do not know me and they express themselves in a little-known dialect of Techna-Lingua. I will trust in the Omnissiah that my analysis of the data was correct — it means we have a chance of appeasing the ship's spirit."
YOU"First, explain what we are doing."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"That 'should' sounded less than reassuring."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Step up to the cogitator]
PasqalThe huge machine in front of you is lit with dozens of vid-screens and hundreds of lumens. The blinking lights and endless rush of symbols and digits on the green background make your eyes water, and a vague sense of alarm simmers in the depths of your mind — the typical reaction of a layperson when confronted with the magnitude of the Omnissiah's creation. Among the numerous controls you see the mouth of a cybergargoyle, the same as at the gate to the Warrant Chamber.
PasqalPasqal's voice becomes imbued with imperious force: "Servants of the Machine God, heed my command. Acolytes, prepare the incense instrumentation for the liturgy of machine spirit propitiation. Senior Technomats, recite the prayer to generate a current data report. Operations will be marked with the campanological protocol 'Omnissiah Rejoice!'"
Pasqal"I must inform you that for the purposes of safety, complete reassembly of the warp sextant and updating of its datasmith blessings are required. If this is not done, then at launch the volume of aggregate calculation errors could result in the destruction of the data-crypts. But as we do not have one hundred hours at our disposal, we must omit this procedure." Pasqal looks down at the data-slate in his hands. "A minor deviation from the Rite of Operation for the sake of appeasing the spirit—"
YOU"What must I do?"
Pasqal"Place your hand inside the throat of the cogitator guardian — the cybergargoyle, which has been assigned to guard the forbidden data-crypts. The dynastic blood extracted from your veins will serve as a key to the data core where the machine spirit dwells — to it we will offer our prayers so that we may bypass the protective protocol for defective connections and launch the warp sextant."
PasqalPasqal's voice grows quieter. "The laws of the Omnissiah know no exceptions, and so in this ritual I will remain at your side to placate the wrathful machine spirit in whose abode you will be intruding. Follow my liturgies, Lord Captain, and may we receive His blessing."
YOU"What must I do?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Deviating from the Rite of Operation? That sounds dubious, especially coming from you."
Pasqal"Dogma bids that the appropriate rituals of cleansing and reassembly be carried out on the warp sextant. It is a long and labour-intensive process." Pasqal hesitates before continuing, "Our best chance is to bypass the sacred prohibition on directly interfacing with the conduits of the Motive Force. A faster and less orthodox route."
YOU"What must I do?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Deviating from the Rite of Operation? That sounds dubious, especially coming from you."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The lives of the entire crew now depend on my convincing the ship's spirit to start up a broken component — is that right?"
Pasqal"Your interpretation is verging on tech-heresy. However, given your rank, Lord Captain, I will nevertheless respond: for a layperson, you have described our position with relative accuracy. I place my hopes in His revelations and humbly ask for His guidance."
YOU"What must I do?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Deviating from the Rite of Operation? That sounds dubious, especially coming from you."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The lives of the entire crew now depend on my convincing the ship's spirit to start up a broken component — is that right?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Listen, can't you do all of this without me? I am no servant of the Omnissiah, after all."
Pasqal"This statement is true. In another temple of the Omnissiah, only His servant would be able to propitiate the machine spirit. However, the architects of this vessel's infrastructure made unsanctioned changes to the standard structure of the cogitator network..." Displeasure creeps into Pasqal's voice. "...to equip the bridge with a machine that would permit its use by laypeople with a specific biological signature — members of House von Valancius."
YOU"What must I do?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Deviating from the Rite of Operation? That sounds dubious, especially coming from you."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The lives of the entire crew now depend on my convincing the ship's spirit to start up a broken component — is that right?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Listen, can't you do all of this without me? I am no servant of the Omnissiah, after all."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Place your hand in the cybergargoyle's mouth]
PasqalThe metal jaws clamp down on your hand, breaking your delicate corporeal sheath and releasing warm red liquid into its gullet. At the same moment, the image on the vid-screen before you changes:
YOU[Gesture at the vid-screen] "What does it all mean?"
PasqalAt the sound of your voice, the cogitator's servant, whose bronze-bound skeleton is built into the cogitator housing, shudders — with a screech, its skull rotates toward you and then stops in that position.
Pasqal"Benevolent code, a voice receptor!" Pasqal emits a sequence of binharic signals and then is silent for several seconds. "I hypothesise that the defect is located in the analyser block. I register a reaction to the signal, but no processed response... A temporary override is permissible."
PasqalThe Magos intently studies the vid-screen. "The shell was created on a forge world unknown to me. Initiating standard invocation of the machine spirit." Pasqal leans over the adjacent instrument panel and sets his hands on the controls. At the same time, a quiet stream of machine code begins pouring forth from his vox.
YOU[Gesture at the vid-screen] "What does it all mean?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What should I do now?"
Pasqal"Lord Captain, I now ask you to address the machine spirit. Speak the following command: 'By my authority I revoke the inviolability protocol of the warp engine.' The voice receptor will receive the vocal entry. Without your sanction, the machine spirit will not accept the data from the warp sextant."
YOU[Gesture at the vid-screen] "What does it all mean?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What should I do now?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I am just about tolerating your commands, Magos, but if you force me to stoop to asking you for instructions—"
Pasqal"Accept my humble apologies, Lord Captain. Contact with such an unusual creation of the Omnissiah, which this cogitator certainly is, disrupted my focus..."
Pasqal"Lord Captain, I now ask you to address the machine spirit. Speak the following command: 'By my authority I revoke the inviolability protocol of the warp engine.' The voice receptor will receive the vocal entry. Without your sanction, the machine spirit will not accept the data from the warp sextant."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Reach out and touch the keys on the instrument panel]
Pasqal"Lord Captain!" Pasqal stops and then continues more calmly, "Please. You will anger the machine spirit before we have removed the restriction."
YOU[Gesture at the vid-screen] "What does it all mean?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What should I do now?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I am just about tolerating your commands, Magos, but if you force me to stoop to asking you for instructions—"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Reach out and touch the keys on the instrument panel]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"By my authority I revoke the inviolability protocol of the warp engine."
PasqalOne of the cogitator's vid-screens turns red. Pasqal sees this and raises his hand, signalling to the rest of the Tech-Priests, then withdraws a connector from his sleeve and connects it to the machine. "Servants of the Omnissiah, make now the offering of cleansed data-crypts to the machine spirit so that it may be filled with their true and calibrated data. May the Omnissiah have mercy on our souls..."
PasqalIn meek solemnity, the acolytes offer up the cleansed data-crypts to the warp engine one after another, repeating prayers of exaltation. After anointing the contacts with sacred unguents, Pasqal inserts them in the cogitator's slots. Your head begins to spin from the holy censers' foul-smelling clouds of smoke and from the loss of the blood that the cybergargoyle continues to drink from you, and the world swims before your eyes.
Pasqal"Let this mechanism awaken in renewed purity." Pasqal enters a sequence of commands and raises his head, watching the vid-screens. Suddenly, he stops dead. "No..." His fingers fly over the command runes, entering command after command. His mechadendrites, clicking their pincers, pull at one lever after another. The vid-screens fill with strings of symbols — completely incomprehensible to you, but clearly conveying something to the Magos.
YOU"What is happening?"
PasqalAfter a few seconds, one of the data-crypts mounted on the cogitator begins to emit sparks. A moment later, another data-crypt does the same. The next bursts into flame and gives off foul-smelling smoke. Around you, the Omnissiah's servants break off from their prayers, and someone bursts into frantic pleading.
PasqalPasqal mournfully grates out, "The mass of errors in the warp sextant's calculations is destroying the data repositories. The offering did not appease the ship's spirit... the warp engine cannot be filled with the Motive Force. We are trapped." A moment later, the Magos continues uncertainly, "Perhaps, an alternative Ryzan protocol... or an emergency launch of the auxiliary coils..." The Tech-Priest bends over the cogitator, but something in his pose and movements reveals his desperation.
PasqalWhile the other vid-screens are filled with more and more strings of symbols, the monitor in front of you blinks and its static image changes. Pasqal is too engrossed in his ritual to notice.
YOU[Read the information on the vid-screen]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Magos Haneumann, a moment, if you will..."
PasqalPasqal turns toward you, his flickering visor betraying his anxious state. "Lord Captain, I—" He stops short when he sees the vid-screen. "Distorted transmissions from the data core. Most likely, the residual cognitive functions of the built-in servitors... Omnissiah, shield us from machine ghosts..." He returns to manipulating the cogitator's command runes.
YOU[Read the information on the vid-screen]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Magos Haneumann, a moment, if you will..."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Machine spirit... can you hear me?"
PasqalThe cogitator's servant creaks quietly in its joints — a sound that is drowned out by the binharic hymns and the tapping of command runes.
PasqalPasqal turns to you. "Lord Captain, the excess emotion in your command will render it unintelligible to—"
PasqalPasqal's next vocalisation goes unsynthesised as he sees the vid-screens begin to stabilise one after another. The strings frenetically galloping across the green background are replaced with stable images or regularly updating status reports. Only one monitor remains inexplicably red.
PasqalThe Tech-Priest's vox crackles in shock, but his report is as clipped and clinical as ever: "Registering: warp sextant activated. Registering: data stream stabilising. Registering: zero data errors found. Reporting: the warp engine is ready for translation."
PasqalAfter a pause, Pasqal adds, "I am also reporting evidence indicating a Category Three miracle fulfilling the criterion 'Thou shalt witness the mechanism that toils in glorification of its function and in defiance of deactivation.'"
Pasqal"Lord Captain — Ravor here. The crew are almost finished carrying out the orders given earlier, and I've just received confirmation from the engineering halls. I don't know what you did, but the warp engine's up and raring to go. We're ready to begin the translation to the warp, Your Lordship/Ladyship."
YOU"What just happened?"
PasqalPasqal pauses. "I hypothesise that the ship's spirit heard our prayers and... intervened. It summoned the power of the Omnissiah to do something beyond my comprehension."
YOU"What just happened?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"It appears the Omnissiah perceives and knows the power of your faith, Pasqal. He would not have worked this miracle otherwise."
Pasqal"I hope He will grant me a revelation that will allow me to comprehend the nature of this miracle." Pasqal's vox buzzes with wonder and an undercurrent of exultation.
YOU"What just happened?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"It appears the Omnissiah perceives and knows the power of your faith, Pasqal. He would not have worked this miracle otherwise."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Pasqal, I expected you to save my ship yourself, not pray for a miracle. Your performance is unsatisfactory."
Pasqal"I accept this review and impose a repentance protocol upon myself." There is no true repentance in Pasqal's voice, only awe and slight exultation.
YOU"What just happened?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"It appears the Omnissiah perceives and knows the power of your faith, Pasqal. He would not have worked this miracle otherwise."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Pasqal, I expected you to save my ship yourself, not pray for a miracle. Your performance is unsatisfactory."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I know little of the Omnissiah's sacred machines, but what I saw on the screen looked... strange."
Pasqal"A non-standard output of information lost in the data core. The servitors used as data conduits are not always fully lobotomised... fragments of their thoughts can appear even in pure code..." Pasqal falls silent, immersed in thought.
YOU"What just happened?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"It appears the Omnissiah perceives and knows the power of your faith, Pasqal. He would not have worked this miracle otherwise."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Pasqal, I expected you to save my ship yourself, not pray for a miracle. Your performance is unsatisfactory."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I know little of the Omnissiah's sacred machines, but what I saw on the screen looked... strange."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Contact Ravor] "The Lord Captain speaking. I give the order to commence translation to the warp."
Pasqal"Waiting for you to ascend the captain's throne, Lord Captain. May the Emperor protect us."
end of branch
YOU[Contact Ravor] "The Lord Captain speaking. I give the order to commence translation to the warp."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I know little of the Omnissiah's sacred machines, but what I saw on the screen looked... strange."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Contact Ravor] "The Lord Captain speaking. I give the order to commence translation to the warp."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Pasqal, I expected you to save my ship yourself, not pray for a miracle. Your performance is unsatisfactory."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I know little of the Omnissiah's sacred machines, but what I saw on the screen looked... strange."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Contact Ravor] "The Lord Captain speaking. I give the order to commence translation to the warp."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"It appears the Omnissiah perceives and knows the power of your faith, Pasqal. He would not have worked this miracle otherwise."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Pasqal, I expected you to save my ship yourself, not pray for a miracle. Your performance is unsatisfactory."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I know little of the Omnissiah's sacred machines, but what I saw on the screen looked... strange."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Contact Ravor] "The Lord Captain speaking. I give the order to commence translation to the warp."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Machine spirit, this is the Lord Captain of this vessel. Obey me and start the warp engine."
PasqalPasqal's voice shakes with tension. "That was a non-executable request, Lord Captain. Even if the voice receptor could interpret such a—"
PasqalPasqal's next vocalisation goes unsynthesised as he sees the vid-screens begin to stabilise one after another. The strings frenetically galloping across the green background are replaced with stable images or regularly updating status reports. Only one monitor remains inexplicably red.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"O hallowed machine spirit! In the name of the Omnissiah and the Emperor, reveal unto us your power and guard us against our doom!"
PasqalPasqal echoes your sentiments with the triumphant sounds of a binharic hymn.
PasqalPasqal's next vocalisation goes unsynthesised as he sees the vid-screens begin to stabilise one after another. The strings frenetically galloping across the green background are replaced with stable images or regularly updating status reports. Only one monitor remains inexplicably red.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Useless pile of scrap! The Rogue Trader commands you — rid us of your malady and submit to my will!"
PasqalPasqal intones dryly, "Your Lordship/Ladyship, addressing a machine spirit in such a brusque manner is categorically unacceptable, even in a critical situation such as we now—"
PasqalPasqal's next vocalisation goes unsynthesised as he sees the vid-screens begin to stabilise one after another. The strings frenetically galloping across the green background are replaced with stable images or regularly updating status reports. Only one monitor remains inexplicably red.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Query? What query?"
PasqalThe cogitator's servant creaks quietly in its joints — a sound that is drowned out by the binharic hymns and the tapping of command runes.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Machine spirit... can you hear me?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Query? What query?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Magos Haneumann, a moment, if you will..."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Machine spirit... can you hear me?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Query? What query?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Is everything all right, Magos?"
PasqalAfter a few seconds, one of the data-crypts mounted on the cogitator begins to emit sparks. A moment later, another data-crypt does the same. The next bursts into flame and gives off foul-smelling smoke. Around you, the Omnissiah's servants break off from their prayers, and someone bursts into frantic pleading.continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Say nothing and do not interfere]
PasqalAfter a few seconds, one of the data-crypts mounted on the cogitator begins to emit sparks. A moment later, another data-crypt does the same. The next bursts into flame and gives off foul-smelling smoke. Around you, the Omnissiah's servants break off from their prayers, and someone bursts into frantic pleading.continues where this line first appears above
YOU"By my authority I revoke the inviolability protocol of the warp engine."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I am just about tolerating your commands, Magos, but if you force me to stoop to asking you for instructions—"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Reach out and touch the keys on the instrument panel]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"By my authority I revoke the inviolability protocol of the warp engine."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What should I do now?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I am just about tolerating your commands, Magos, but if you force me to stoop to asking you for instructions—"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Reach out and touch the keys on the instrument panel]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"By my authority I revoke the inviolability protocol of the warp engine."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Place your hand in the cybergargoyle's mouth]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Listen, can't you do all of this without me? I am no servant of the Omnissiah, after all."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Place your hand in the cybergargoyle's mouth]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The lives of the entire crew now depend on my convincing the ship's spirit to start up a broken component — is that right?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Listen, can't you do all of this without me? I am no servant of the Omnissiah, after all."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Place your hand in the cybergargoyle's mouth]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Deviating from the Rite of Operation? That sounds dubious, especially coming from you."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"The lives of the entire crew now depend on my convincing the ship's spirit to start up a broken component — is that right?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Listen, can't you do all of this without me? I am no servant of the Omnissiah, after all."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Place your hand in the cybergargoyle's mouth]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Step up to the cogitator]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"That 'should' sounded less than reassuring."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Step up to the cogitator]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Do not ever act like a spineless greenhorn in front of me ever again."
Pasqal"It will not happen again."
PasqalThe prayers of the Tech-Priests surrounding the cogitator almost drown out the sounds of the bustling bridge behind you. Pasqal, poring intently over the data-slate in his hands, extends a mechadendrite toward you. "Please take your place at the cogitator, Lord Captain."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Now make this rebellious lump of metal take us out of here."
Pasqal"Your Lordship/Ladyship, I will not tolerate such disrespectful behaviour toward the machine spirits in my sanctum, no matter how dire the circumstances may be."
PasqalThe prayers of the Tech-Priests surrounding the cogitator almost drown out the sounds of the bustling bridge behind you. Pasqal, poring intently over the data-slate in his hands, extends a mechadendrite toward you. "Please take your place at the cogitator, Lord Captain."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Magos, if you do not bring this situation under control, we will all perish. Act swiftly."
PasqalPasqal shoots you a look of fierce pride and says with gravity, "You are right. This is my temple." His vox booms with power: "Tech-comrades, heed my instruction."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Crew, heed the word of Magos Haneumann! Pasqal, I kindly request that you take charge of this mess."
Pasqal"Thank you, Your Lordship/Ladyship. You are right." Pasqal's voice changes when he addresses the crew — he now speaks with authority and resolve: "Tech-comrades, heed my instruction."
PasqalThe mayhem immediately subsides, and the crew's actions fall into some indiscernible logic. The Omnissiah's servants start working in sync, and the binharic clamour becomes a symphony of reports, which the Magos coordinates like a skilful conductor.continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Do not interfere]
PasqalThe hectic storm of prayers and haphazard rituals rages on. Pasqal, still as a statue in the eye of this maelstrom, makes no attempt to bring it under control.
PasqalThe Vox Master's voice is extremely tense but carries no hint of shameful panic. "Your Lordship/Ladyship, warp spawn have invaded the ship. We have blocked their advance by depressurising one of the infirmaries in their path, but it is only a temporary measure. The crew have been ordered to arm themselves and pray for the success of the Lord Captain and his/her Enginseer Prime!"
YOU"What is going on here?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Magos, why don't you assume control of the technomats? Surely their contribution will speed things up."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Pasqal, this is now your ship and your temple! So start acting like it, you blasted cog!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Magos, if you do not bring this situation under control, we will all perish. Act swiftly."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Crew, heed the word of Magos Haneumann! Pasqal, I kindly request that you take charge of this mess."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Do not interfere]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Pasqal, this is now your ship and your temple! So start acting like it, you blasted cog!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Magos, if you do not bring this situation under control, we will all perish. Act swiftly."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Crew, heed the word of Magos Haneumann! Pasqal, I kindly request that you take charge of this mess."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Do not interfere]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Magos, why don't you assume control of the technomats? Surely their contribution will speed things up."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Pasqal, this is now your ship and your temple! So start acting like it, you blasted cog!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Magos, if you do not bring this situation under control, we will all perish. Act swiftly."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Crew, heed the word of Magos Haneumann! Pasqal, I kindly request that you take charge of this mess."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Do not interfere]continues where this line first appears above