HaemonculusThe man appears fused to the machine behind his back: the edges of his skin have turned blue where it seamlessly melds into a metal unlike anything you have seen before, and his flesh is pierced with dozens of needles, pipes and tubes of bubbling liquid. When you approach, the emaciated human body jerks into motion: the head rises as if attached to an invisible puppeteer's string. Grey skin, lifeless sunken eyes, flesh barely clinging to the protruding bones — before you is a dead man who nevertheless continues to move.
HaemonculusThe dry lips part and start moving with a barely audible rustle. Along with the words a strange cracking noise comes from the dead man's throat, resembling the sound of tearing fabric. Upon hearing the low eldritch voice your Elucidator wakes up. "Kardha ma nae... You are not Farkir."
YOU"What cursed sorcery is this?!"
HaemonculusThe dead man remains silent for a few seconds — and then continues in the same measured tone, obviously not paying attention to your reaction. "I suppose Farkir is dead. A regrettable loss of tools and, most likely, collected samples. Having said that... Tell me, specimen — what is your designated function?"
YOU"I am Rogue Trader [Name] von Valancius, master/mistress of Santiel's Pride and the sovereign of all souls that are bound to this world. Identify yourself!"
HaemonculusThe corpse hesitates, and then his face twists into the mockery of a monstrous smile. The long dead man emits a hissing giggle. "This is precious! What an entertaining example of a primitive hierarchical system!"
Haemonculus"Specimen... I will call you Subject Eighty Seven... You have interfered with a process the purpose of which you cannot understand. My means of restoring control and maintaining the rate of subject injection are limited. However, the setback at the current stage is insignificant. You may proceed in accordance with your natural breeding program. What matters is that your further actions produce practical result."
YOU"How are you doing this? How are you making this corpse speak with your voice?"
Haemonculus"Maintaining routine communication is a mundane task that even Farkir-level servants are capable of, and yet it fascinates one of your kind? A pitiful testament to your primitivism, mon-keigh."
YOU"How are you doing this? How are you making this corpse speak with your voice?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Why steal the star? Was it for some sick experiment you have been conducting here?!"
Haemonculus"The logic is flawed. I took advantage of a convenient opportunity that arose from the extraction of the star." The dead man hisses and crunches his face in a grotesque parody of displeasure. "Are you satisfied with the answer, Subject Eighty Seven? Then proceed with the program. I have nearly exhausted my repertoire of subject encouragement that does not involve chemical stimuli."
YOU"How are you doing this? How are you making this corpse speak with your voice?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Why steal the star? Was it for some sick experiment you have been conducting here?!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Was it you who stole the local sun?"
Haemonculus"'We' are a concept prevalent among species lacking higher cognitive function and compensating for its absence with pack behaviour. If using the word 'you' was an attempt to determine whether this action was performed by members of a single species... Then the answer is positive. Execute the program now that I have satisfied your curiosity."
YOU"How are you doing this? How are you making this corpse speak with your voice?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Why steal the star? Was it for some sick experiment you have been conducting here?!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Was it you who stole the local sun?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who are you? What is this laboratory?"
Haemonculus"Knowing this will impede your designated function, needlessly complicating a simple mind's system of motivation. Execute your program, Subject Eighty Seven."
YOU"How are you doing this? How are you making this corpse speak with your voice?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Why steal the star? Was it for some sick experiment you have been conducting here?!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Was it you who stole the local sun?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who are you? What is this laboratory?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What breeding program are you talking about?"
Haemonculus"Collectivity. Following hierarchy. Correcting behaviour in accordance with contributed notions of 'common good'. I expect the standard cognitive pattern of your species will manifest in the total sum of your upcoming actions."
YOU"How are you doing this? How are you making this corpse speak with your voice?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Why steal the star? Was it for some sick experiment you have been conducting here?!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Was it you who stole the local sun?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who are you? What is this laboratory?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What breeding program are you talking about?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Whoever you are and wherever you may be... I swear by the Throne, xenofilth, I will find you. I will make you rue what happened on Santiel's Pride!"
HaemonculusThe dead man pulls his cracked lips back in a grisly smile, revealing two rows of rotten teeth. "I am counting on it, Subject Eighty Seven, I am counting on you leaving this planet after you execute your program. If aggression provides a sufficient motivation toward this goal, then I welcome it."
YOU"How are you doing this? How are you making this corpse speak with your voice?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Why steal the star? Was it for some sick experiment you have been conducting here?!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Was it you who stole the local sun?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who are you? What is this laboratory?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What breeding program are you talking about?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Whoever you are and wherever you may be... I swear by the Throne, xenofilth, I will find you. I will make you rue what happened on Santiel's Pride!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I have grown tired of you. I am taking my leave."
Haemonculus"Excellent, Subject Eighty Seven". The dead man leans forward, pulling the skin and sinew where they meet with metal. "And remember, mon-keigh, I am counting on your diligence."
end of branch
YOU[Decapitate the dead man] "Vile heresy!"
HaemonculusThe head drops to the floor and body twitches convulsively. The severed trachea reveals wires and pipes, one of them spewing black tar-like liquid. After a moment the corpse's seizures stop and he lies still, this time dead for good.
end of branch
YOU"I have grown tired of you. I am taking my leave."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Decapitate the dead man] "Vile heresy!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Whoever you are and wherever you may be... I swear by the Throne, xenofilth, I will find you. I will make you rue what happened on Santiel's Pride!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I have grown tired of you. I am taking my leave."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Decapitate the dead man] "Vile heresy!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What breeding program are you talking about?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Whoever you are and wherever you may be... I swear by the Throne, xenofilth, I will find you. I will make you rue what happened on Santiel's Pride!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I have grown tired of you. I am taking my leave."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Decapitate the dead man] "Vile heresy!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who are you? What is this laboratory?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What breeding program are you talking about?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Whoever you are and wherever you may be... I swear by the Throne, xenofilth, I will find you. I will make you rue what happened on Santiel's Pride!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I have grown tired of you. I am taking my leave."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Decapitate the dead man] "Vile heresy!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Was it you who stole the local sun?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who are you? What is this laboratory?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What breeding program are you talking about?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Whoever you are and wherever you may be... I swear by the Throne, xenofilth, I will find you. I will make you rue what happened on Santiel's Pride!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I have grown tired of you. I am taking my leave."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Decapitate the dead man] "Vile heresy!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Why steal the star? Was it for some sick experiment you have been conducting here?!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Was it you who stole the local sun?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Who are you? What is this laboratory?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What breeding program are you talking about?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Whoever you are and wherever you may be... I swear by the Throne, xenofilth, I will find you. I will make you rue what happened on Santiel's Pride!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I have grown tired of you. I am taking my leave."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Decapitate the dead man] "Vile heresy!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I am here to put an end to this madness and to redeem the survivors."
HaemonculusThe dead man is snapping his jaw with the methodicalness of jammed mechanism. When he speaks again, his voice drops to a contented whisper. "Excellent, excellent... The next stage. The experiment may be continued, if only partially."
Haemonculus"Specimen... I will call you Subject Eighty Seven... You have interfered with a process the purpose of which you cannot understand. My means of restoring control and maintaining the rate of subject injection are limited. However, the setback at the current stage is insignificant. You may proceed in accordance with your natural breeding program. What matters is that your further actions produce practical result."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I have no idea who you are, but it looks like you need this planet more than I do. Let us negotiate a compensation."
HaemonculusThe dead man's face twists — not in a grimace but in a painful muscle spasm. "Hmm. A claim for property fights. It matches the expectations of a species at the lower stages of development."
Haemonculus"Specimen... I will call you Subject Eighty Seven... You have interfered with a process the purpose of which you cannot understand. My means of restoring control and maintaining the rate of subject injection are limited. However, the setback at the current stage is insignificant. You may proceed in accordance with your natural breeding program. What matters is that your further actions produce practical result."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I... Wish to replace Farkir?"
HaemonculusThe dead man's throat produces an already familiar crackle. "Out of the question. Lack of practical specialisation. Frustrating absence of tools. Specimens like you are only acceptable as study samples and sources for biological compounds, not servants."
Haemonculus"Specimen... I will call you Subject Eighty Seven... You have interfered with a process the purpose of which you cannot understand. My means of restoring control and maintaining the rate of subject injection are limited. However, the setback at the current stage is insignificant. You may proceed in accordance with your natural breeding program. What matters is that your further actions produce practical result."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I am not going to explain myself to a corpse!"
HaemonculusThe dead man cocks his head as if he heard something unusual. "You are a deviation from the norm — the assembled data reveals your kind is not simply prone to venerating deceased individuals, it built an entire social construct based on this particular belief."
Haemonculus"Specimen... I will call you Subject Eighty Seven... You have interfered with a process the purpose of which you cannot understand. My means of restoring control and maintaining the rate of subject injection are limited. However, the setback at the current stage is insignificant. You may proceed in accordance with your natural breeding program. What matters is that your further actions produce practical result."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Decapitate the dead man] "Vile heresy!"continues where this line first appears above
Haemonculus(sequence)
Pasqal"The cognitive attributes of this unit are remarkable. It thinks and expresses itself in an unusual way... objectively and concretely. I hypothesise that we have discovered a xeno-analogue to an enlightened tech-artisan."
Argenta"How do you not consider it an abominable blasphemy? Your similarity alone is a spit on your faith."
Pasqal"This statement is false. The subject is clearly categorised as blasphemous, but the Explorator's creed demands I reject the commandment "know no evil, see no corruption". Unless the subject exhibits dangerous behaviour, it is to be studied."
end of branch
YOU"If 'Farkir' was the freak I recently dispatched, I am afraid you will not be able to talk to him."
HaemonculusThe dead man's throat produces several clicks. "The injection process was terminated prematurely, thus interrupting the procedure." The corpse falls silent for a few moments. "However, this is not the end just yet. Tell me your designated function, specimen."
YOU"I am Rogue Trader [Name] von Valancius, master/mistress of Santiel's Pride and the sovereign of all souls that are bound to this world. Identify yourself!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I am here to put an end to this madness and to redeem the survivors."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I have no idea who you are, but it looks like you need this planet more than I do. Let us negotiate a compensation."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I... Wish to replace Farkir?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I am not going to explain myself to a corpse!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Decapitate the dead man] "Vile heresy!"continues where this line first appears above
Haemonculus(sequence)continues where this line first appears above
YOU"My name is [Name]."
HaemonculusThe dead man remains silent for a while. "This is not what I asked you, specimen. A diminished intelligence, even for your species... Concentrate."
YOU"What cursed sorcery is this?!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"If 'Farkir' was the freak I recently dispatched, I am afraid you will not be able to talk to him."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"My name is [Name]."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You are wrong. I am Farkir."
Haemonculus"I can see you, specimen. Farkir preserved Subject Eighty Six's retinas just for this occasion". Despite these words, the dead man is not looking at you — he is staring blankly into space right in front of him.
HaemonculusThe dead man remains silent for a few seconds — and then continues in the same measured tone, obviously not paying attention to your reaction. "I suppose Farkir is dead. A regrettable loss of tools and, most likely, collected samples. Having said that... Tell me, specimen — what is your designated function?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Decapitate the dead man] "Vile heresy!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You are wrong. I am Farkir."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Decapitate the dead man] "Vile heresy!"continues where this line first appears above
Haemonculus(sequence)
Cassia"What is this..." Cassia's eyes grow wide, and you feel your body tremble in time with her fluttering heartbeat. "Vile, twisted, alien... Dead colours are pouring from the lips of this wretch, but their master is not here... How is this even possible?"
end of branch
PasqalPasqal's mechadendrites reach toward the strange corpse as if by themselves. "Identify yourself. Are you an operator or an interface?"
HaemonculusThe dead man's voice rings with peculiar mockery. "And what about yourself? Not that you know the answer, specimen."