PasqalThe Tech-Priest makes an elaborate gesture with her upper body and mechadendrites. Her movements bear a closer resemblance to a mechanical marionette than a creature of flesh and blood. "Lord Captain! In the absence of an Enginseer Prime on board, it falls to me as the Drivesmaster to carry out certain sacred protocols assigned to high-ranking priests of the Omnissiah."
Pasqal"Presenting report. After registering a large number of malefaction-failures in the operations of maintenance servitors and reports of disturbances in the ship's systems, I arrived at the decision that a rite of techsorcism must be performed. The ritualistic cycles have already begun on all decks and will continue for another forty days." The Drivesmaster hesitates for a moment. "The rituals are proceeding at a steady pace. However, their first stages were accompanied by taint-phenomena. Dozens of servitors and even several junior tech-acolytes were subjected to disposal."
YOU"What caused all these failures and peculiarities?"
Pasqal"Establishing causality is not part of the standard sancti-response protocol for such anomalies. The protocol dictates that techsorcism must be performed in accordance with the tenets of scripture Epsilon-Rho-12-45."
YOU"What caused all these failures and peculiarities?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What 'taint-phenomena'?"
Pasqal"Strings of profane cogitator code, deviations from standard procedures." The Drivesmaster pauses again. "We have observed numerous messages appear on vid-screens since the very start of the techsorcism rite. These messages call to you, Lord Captain. And, at times, to the exiled Magos Pasqal Haneumann."
Pasqal"The frequency of heretici-messages reached its peak during the initial phase of the techsorcism rite. Concurrently, the junior tech-acolytes I mentioned earlier in the report performed acts of arbitrary self-dismemberment. However, as the rituals continued, the frequency of these events declined and eventually the messages stopped displaying altogether. The taint-phenomena have likewise ceased to occur."
YOU"What caused all these failures and peculiarities?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What 'taint-phenomena'?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Thank you for your report and service, Drivesmaster."
Pasqal"Ending report. Departing for the tech-service location."
end of branch
YOU"And you thought a trifle like that was worth my time? Off with you!"
Pasqal"Ending report. Departing for the tech-service location."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Thank you for your report and service, Drivesmaster."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"And you thought a trifle like that was worth my time? Off with you!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What 'taint-phenomena'?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Thank you for your report and service, Drivesmaster."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"And you thought a trifle like that was worth my time? Off with you!"continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 2 of 2
PasqalPasqal's voice pouring out of his vox-system crackles like thin ice under pressure. It is unclear whether this is nothing more than static or an expression of some emotion understandable only to the Tech-Priest himself. "[Name], following the Omnissiah's guidance, I request permission to execute the report protocol that entails describing suboptimalities within the recent operations of the ship's systems and subsequently proposing the appropriate course of action."
YOU"I'm listening."
Pasqal"Initiating exposition. With the Omnissiah's blessing, I conducted several sessions of tech-meditation in an effort to transpose the available data streams into a matrix of patterns. The data subjected to this analysis comprised evidence of deviations in the operation of the ship's systems and servitors as well as irregularities in the algorithms of the ship's log."
Pasqal"I have arrived at the following conclusion: this vessel's machine spirit is most extraordinary. A full cycle of sacred diagnostics must be performed followed by a complementa-ritual. This ritual will force the spirit responsible for these recent events to reveal itself. Once it does, we will be able to understand its nature and take action applicable to said nature."
YOU"What kind of action?"
PasqalPasqal pauses before responding. "Applicable to the entity that appears before us. If it is a machine spirit of great might, we must appease it and humbly ask about the reasons behind the portents it has shown us. If it is the abomination of tech-heresy, the complementa-ritual will help us purge the ship of its unhallowed presence."
YOU"What kind of action?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Is my presence necessary?"
Pasqal"Response: affirmative. For the complementa-ritual to take place, activation via the blood of the dynasty is required. All of the ship's high protocols are activated with the key of blood."
YOU"What kind of action?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Is my presence necessary?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Very well. Let us proceed with your ritual."
Pasqal"You have my gratitude, [Name]. I will notify my tech-comrades to begin their preparations for the complementa-ritual at once."
end of branch
YOU"I will not waste my time on this. Deal with it yourself."
Pasqal"This decision is lamentable. Without your participation, the most we will be able to accomplish is totally purge the data-halls that have demonstrated anomalous behaviour and pray that the good spirit will not be enraged. Nevertheless, on this ship, your decision is law. Therefore, I comply."
end of branch
YOU"Very well. Let us proceed with your ritual."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I will not waste my time on this. Deal with it yourself."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Is my presence necessary?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Very well. Let us proceed with your ritual."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I will not waste my time on this. Deal with it yourself."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Deliver your report, just do so in a way I can understand. No more than one pearl of tech-wisdom per five sentences of intelligible human speech."
Pasqal"Request partially approved. Comprehensive processing requires an established definition of the term 'tech-wisdom.' Adjusting speech patterns based on the limited available understanding of the request."
Pasqal"I have arrived at the following conclusion: this vessel's machine spirit is most extraordinary. A full cycle of sacred diagnostics must be performed followed by a complementa-ritual. This ritual will force the spirit responsible for these recent events to reveal itself. Once it does, we will be able to understand its nature and take action applicable to said nature."continues where this line first appears above