Chapter 43.5 – VIP
Date: 005 M42
Location: Imperium Sanctus, Segmentum Pacificus, Sistema Vulcanis, Forge World Stygies VIII.
Forge Worlds are planets covered by hive cities, forges, and industries producing ammunition, weapons, and tanks. These support the Imperium armies in thousands of daily battles. But there is more.
They house the mighty Titans and the Collegia Titanica. These huge walkers make the ground shake and, according to their creators, show the divine wrath of the Omnissiah. Titans can destroy cities and wipe out armies.
They preserve, replicate, and venerate all knowledge given to humanity by the Omnissiah, as the cult of Mars demands.
The Adeptus Mechanicus are disciples of the Omnissiah and guardians of arcane knowledge. They are the true masters of the Forge Worlds. They are burdened with important roles, including keeping forges running and meeting production quotas. Their ancient cult was integrated after the Emperor was seen as the Omnissiah's avatar, formalised by the Treaty of Mars, signed by the Emperor and the Fabricator General of Mars.
The Emperor never called himself a god and didn't want to be called one. But if the cultists believed He was "the avatar of the Omnissiah" and this belief would help the Imperium, He accepted it. He changed his symbol from the Raptor Imperialis to today's Aquila, showing the union of Earth and Mars, Imperium and Mechanicum.
Since joining the Adeptus Custodes, he has never set foot on any Forge World, not even Mars. Now, standing on Stygies VIII, he understands his duty: to protect Terra, and thereby preserve its sanctity.
When his shuttle landed on the ramp, he was immediately greeted by black skies and toxic air, towering chimneys, and an expanse of metal structures illuminated by fire and molten metal. He watched the formation of dozens of Skitarii, cyborgs devoted to the Omnissiah, ready to welcome him along with the Techpriest. For him, it was always difficult to determine the sex of the Mechanicum adepts. Their extensive cybernetic, bionic, and electronic modifications, aimed at eliminating the "weakness of the flesh," are a sign of devotion for them, but in the eyes of the Custodes and humanity, they make them less and less "human," as the adepts of the Cult Mechanicum place greater value on logic and efficiency.
«Constantin Uriaxes Maxin» spoke the Techpriest in a mechanical male-toned voice «Adeptus Custodes. Vexilus Praetor. Aquilian Shield. You honour us with your presence on Stygies VIII. I am-»
«I'm not here for a pleasure visit, Techpriest.» he interrupted authoritatively «I've already expressed my intentions. Guide me.»
«Certainly, Praetorian.» he replied with a deep bow «I am honoured to be able to lead one of the personifications of the Omnissiah's will. Please, follow me.»
Without another word, the Techpriest turned and began walking towards the entrance to the industrial complex.
Constantin and the Techpriest walk through narrow corridors, in stark contrast to the wide atriums above—spaces large enough for entire Baneblade columns and evidently designed for efficiency. He sees thousands of workers and servitors, all focused on creating and assembling Erathshaker and Vanquisher cannons.
According to the Machine Spirit of Constantin's armour, the heat exceeds human tolerance; the air smells of incense and contains little oxygen. He notices candles everywhere and surveillance turrets tracking his movements, but they deactivate when they recognise him and the Vexilla Defensor.
His Machine Spirit signals more than temperature and air. The Techpriest guiding Constantin is an anomaly—perception suggests he may not be as he appears.
For the Adeptus Custodes, the Adeptus Mechanicus is a necessary evil. Essential to the imperial war machine and the Golden Throne's upkeep, Constantin and his kin view them with suspicion, finding them unreliable, fanatical, and technologically limited. It is no exaggeration when he states that, for the Custodes, the Mechanicum appears superstitious or, in the worst cases, heretical. Constantin is most wary of Stygies VIII's adepts, despite their loyalty to the Imperium.
The clergy of each Forge World have a technological "specialisation" in combat and warfare tactics. In the case of Stygies VIII, their clergy specialise in disorientation and the widespread use of cloaking technologies. This is not such a strange thing, given their “secrecy” regarding the disassembly, research, and study of xenon technologies, when the dogma of their cult would normally foresee the destruction of such technologies.
Whether the clergy of other worlds, especially Mars, know of this is not the Adeptus Custodes’s concern; if they do, they are clearly turning a blind eye and showing remarkable tolerance for the adepts of Stygies VIII and their methods in the "Quest for Knowledge."
«We have arrived.» the Techpriest stated, stopping in front of a door «You will be able to be received shortly.»
He responded with a nod, which also served as a command for the Techpriest to take his leave and resume his duties.
The door in front of Constantin is relatively spartan, with the Cog Mechanicum in relief, the symbol typical of the Mechanicum. A sudden, sustained puff of steam was generated, and the mechanisms that keep the door closed were activated, beginning to open it, albeit slowly.
When opened, he sees a round room with floating Servoskulls and Servitors performing their assigned tasks. Screens show data in letters or binary, autoquills write nonstop on old scrolls, and alien tech from aeldari, necrons, orks, and tau is being studied and taken apart by servants and techpriests.
In the centre, a cylindrical tub filled with a bright green liquid. Soaking, a naked woman, without limbs, her spine replaced by a bionic one connected to black tubes. She has bright silver tattoos, similar to electrical circuits, that wrap around her body. She wears an alabaster mask depicting a woman with kind and delicate features. The hairs are silver cables attached to the ceiling of the tub.
Constantin was… surprised by the woman. Not because of her incredibly young, voluptuous, and toned body, but because this venerable adept of the Cult Mechanicum was more flesh than machine, while most of her colleagues were so heavily modified with bionic and mechanical prostheses that Constantin found it rare to glimpse even a fragment of human skin.
«Magos Errant Mekana Veriliad.» he called, but received no response from the woman «By the will of the Emperor, from this moment you are under the protection of the members of the Shield Company of the Aquilian Shield.»
When he pronounced his membership to the Aquilian Shield, the woman's body had an imperceptible tremor. Imperceptible to everyone except him.
«The Aquilian Shield?»
The woman’s voice filled the room. It sounded young and artificial because she spoke through the speakers and servos vox. Still, he felt it was her true voice.
The woman turned, her eyes behind that alabaster mask fixed on him. After what could have been seconds or minutes, the woman sank slightly.
«Aquilian Shield. I haven’t heard that name in ages.» she said with affectionate amusement and some nostalgia. «If I am under your protection, then I will have an important role in the Imperium’s future.»
«...»
«Fufufu. Even if you wear the helmet, I already know what your eyes are expressing: surprise, doubt, mistrust.» she stated amusedly «You are not the first Custodian of the Aquilian Shield I have had the pleasure to meet.»