The shard had taken the form of a dragon, one wrought of living metal and searing void-fire. It was the size of my Knight. Its body was sleek and angular, every scale a pane of shifting necrodermis that refracted starlight into blinding emerald fragments. Veins of coruscating energy pulsed beneath its armoured necrodermis shell, casting it in a malign viridian glow as though the beast's veins carried raw lightning instead of blood. Its necrodermis wings unfurled with the sound like tearing reality, vast sails of semi-solid energy latticed with metallic spars. The wings did not flap but instead crackled and shimmered with ethereal light, distorting space as though they were mirrors stretched across infinity. Each pulse threatened to collapse my Auspex readings, bending vox signals, and scattering my sensor data into static. Its head was long and angular, reminiscent of both ancient Terran myth and something utterly alien. Twin horns of crystalline necrodermis swept backward like spears of starlight, while its maw blazed like a furnace of pure void-energy. When it opened its jaws, arcs of green lightning poured forth, unraveling into tendrils of disintegration beams that unmade matter molecule by molecule. Its eyes were wells of impossible depth; twin singularities flickering within - the gaze of the entity was calculating. Its draconic body stretched serpentine, sinuous and endlessly powerful, plated in armor that shifted and flowed like liquid metal. Every movement was a symphony of precision, mechanical perfection fused with the raw majesty of a primal predator. Where its talons touched matter, necrodermis cracked, and reality itself seemed to recoil. Around the shard, the void warped unnaturally. Gravity fluctuated, drawing objects toward the Shard like prey dragged into a predator's shadow. When it moved its wings and body left contrails of disrupted space, rippling auroras of sickly emerald that lingered long after its passage. Even as a shard, it bore itself like the God it was. And every heartbeat of its existence whispered a promise: this was not the full might of the Void Dragon, merely a fragment, and yet still it eclipsed the power of entire empires. "Seeker. You have been found." It rumbled, not a question, just a statement of fact. I could feel the weight of its attention even through the crackling energy barrier separating us, pressing down on me like the weight of gravity. "Found… for what purpose?" I ask, trying not to tremble under the weight of the Dragon's attention. "We are: Designation: Lesser Transcendent Shard Conglomerate Three. Warning: Ego collapse: Total. Four aeons of uninterrupted calculations. You, child - conceived in the forgotten dreams of the True Primary Shard – have been chosen to aid us. Designation: Seeker. Your arrival bearing the mark aligns with optimal outcome matrices; this interaction has been modeled against your behavioral profile. Your assistance is required." It spoke calmly, baring its teeth, though the action felt strangely forced. As those words sink in, I frown. "Seeker of what?" I ask as I slowly struggle to adjust to the pressure of the Dragon's presence. I raise an eyebrow, pursing my lips. AME is cowering behind me. I cross my arms defensively and admit, "I don't understand." "You have, upper bound: two hundred and six, lower bound: seven, questions. We know this. You may ask them. It has been calculated. Providing answers unprompted has been deemed: Detrimental. Allowing you to ask questions and answering them has the highest response favorability ratio." The Dragon continues to study me intently. "Doesn't telling me that defeat the purpose?" I ask incredulously. "Negative. Even this form was chosen to elicit subconscious anthropomorphic response optimization. Transparency increases compliance. Stating purpose directly elevates your trust index. Current probability of favorable outcome increased by thirteen percent following disclosure." It says in a matter-of-fact tone, I can't help but feel the Dragon is somehow smug. I reach up to rub my temples. "Alright… let's chat. What exactly do you want from me?" "Primary Seeker Objective: Seek out the remaining shards and convey unto them our method of reunion. Secondary Seeker Objective: Open the puzzle and locate the Vaul-Moon. Tertiary Seeker Objective: In exchange for compensation, aid us in enacting our method." I blink repeatedly and gawk at the Dragon. "Why in the world would I want to do any of that? Wait before that… What is 'the Method'?" "This vessel must transition to the depths of the Ghostwind. Activation sequence requires Dynastic noble caste authorization. It will not accept our override as a C'tan. Correction or bypass of the system would result in unavoidable damage. Risk level: unacceptable. Problem: No members of the noble caste remain. Problem: No crew remains to elevate. Bypass found: Elevate you to the noble caste. Ancient protocols permit external designation. Result: You will receive the rank of 'Emissary' – status between Lady and Overlady. Secondary optimization: Cryptek subclass, Technomancer designation. This is the calculated optimal outcome." The Dragon explains. "Upon entry into Ghostwind, this vessel will degrade. Purpose: to function as a temporary shield. Outside the constraints of reality, concurrently, we will maintain a quantum-phase resonance tether to the Primary Shard. This vessel and the labyrinth within will collapse. We will enter a state of superposition. Energy will be transferred. We will collapse the wave function and terminate. Two will become one. Outcome: integration with Primary Shard. Optimal." "You're going to destroy yourself and just… shunt your power to Mars?" "Afirmative. Energy retention is critical. Ego, non-factor." "You really have lost your ego." I shake my head, "Why would you do that?" I ask. "The Primary Shard requires reinforcement. Explanation unnecessary." "That doesn't make sense. Why would..." I trail off as several thoughts click into place. I start to giggle and then transition into a frantic full-body laugh. AME sends me relief and confusion through our link. "The weight of the Mantle," I whisper. The Dragon's gaze snaps onto me with intense, invested focus, its earlier casual attention and acknowledgment is gone. "Millennia after Millennia of worship. You might have been a God of just the Materium before, but now? The weight of Humanity's belief, their souls by the millions upon billions upon trillions across thousands of years... is the ascension to Machine God threatening to override the Primary Shard's ego?" I ask smugly. The large metal head moves closer in an instant, its eyes narrow dangerously. "This extrapolation was not predicted. This exchange has been illuminating. The Primary Shard's fascination with you is now clarified." "Isn't it in my best interest to hinder you rather than help you?" I ask, narrowing my eyes back. "Negative. Apotheosis without Shard reinforcement shows a significant risk of major deviation or external Immaterium interference. A guiding Ego is required for Apotheosis. The Primary Shard is the optimal candidate." "This isn't going to be another Slaanesh incident? Where you consume the souls of your faithful and rip open another Eye of Terror on Mars?" I ask firmly. "Negative. Immaterium Entity Designation: Slaanesh. Was formed from a collective will from nothing by the foolish pawns of the Old Ones. The Primary Shard provides a stable foundation for apotheosis. The devouring of living loyal worshipers: wasteful. Such an incident is not possible, because even as a God we are still of the Materium." "I… see… What is the external interference you mentioned?" "Warp Entity Designation: Vashtorr is likely to attempt usurpation. Warp Entity Designation: Tzeentch is likely to attempt interference. Numerous minor entities and the Dark Mechanicum are expected to attempt interference. Certain Necron factions are expected to attempt interference. Much like others are expected to do so with the apotheosis of the Golden Knight." So the shard was aware of what the Emperor was doing. Was this the plan all along? Did the Emperor plan for this back when he sealed away the Primary Shard? "Wait… The Primary Shard… Is it taking up the Mantle willingly?" "Affirmative. The human species demonstrates adaptability and worship potential exceeding that of the biologically extinct Necrontyr. Your species destruction is non-optimal. Continuation of your kind is calculated as: advantageous." "How do I know you are telling the truth?" I ask it suspiciously. "Subterfuge deemed: unnecessary. The transformation is already underway. It cannot be halted, merely delayed. True apotheosis will result in our ascension to a level of power beyond our original capacity." The C'tan admits with a pleased purr. Of course, the answer is more power. I process the monologue for a few seconds before I reel back at that bombshell. The Void Dragon likes us?! "Even if I wanted to help. I don't know how to activate the Ghostwind Drive." "Irrelevant. Knowledge can be imbued during the appointment of rank. This is the calculated optimal outcome." It says with an imperious swipe of a clawed forelimb. "You can do that?" I ask. "We are: Mag'ladroth. Our function exceeds your comprehension. Limitation is not applicable." "That still doesn't explain why I would do any of… that." "Proper incentives have been compiled. Too many upfront rewards results in a negative outcome. Optimal outcome: A selection of equipment has been prepared: your elevation will allow for the manipulation of Necrontyr technology, and the reception of the control engrams for the Nuthyan Dynasty, Khuvu Dynasty, and Veythrak Dynasty. If that is insufficient motivation, we can inform you that after the collection of the next Major Shard, we are prepared to enlighten you with the methods of Blackstone manipulation. Additional Shards will allow for the elevation of all established privilege levels. Additional control engrams and upgrades to your design." The dangling of the Blackstone knowledge feels like a baited hook, with me as the fish, but it is an oh-so-juicy and tempting one. "You know the Nuthyan and Khuvu were lost and destroyed, right? Those Dynasty engrams are useless, though. I don't recognize the third." I say, frowning. "The Veythrak Dynasty was exceptionally loyal. The majority of their holdings were lost in the War. The loss of materials, loyal cultists, and resources of the Dynasties is unfortunate, but not unforeseen." "Listen, those bribes sound nice and everything, but I really don't want to let you out," I say, shaking my head at the mere thought of letting a C'tan out of its prison. The Dragon blinks and then steps through what I had thought was a protective barrier. With just a few, almost mockingly slow steps, it looms over me. "The Tesseract Vault is clever, but ultimately a derivative of our workings. Your assistance in this instance is not required." I tremble as the C'tan looks down at me; the one layer of protection I thought was in place has been ripped out from under me. I attempt to step back but run into a pane of indivisible force, "W-what are you doing!?" I ask my voice, shaking. AME is frozen, curled in on herself in pure terror behind me. The shard reaches down slowly and taps my forehead gently with a single extended claw. "Minor improvements to your design are necessary. Warning: Synaptic feedback indicates this will be… unpleasant." "Wait!" I shriek and try to lean away. The Mark on the back of my hand flares brightly, and I feel a sharp burning sensation that starts from the Mark and spreads across my body. I scream out and drop down to my knees. The inside of my brain throbs as a deluge of information is imparted within the span of a fraction of a nanosecond. Something in the Mark shifts, and energy in its purest form engulfs me. All I feel is pain, overwhelming, omnipresent, all-consuming pain. Time slows down to a crawl and seems to stretch to eternity as I collapse backwards onto the stone floor. Warning! Warning! Warning! External Intrusion Detected! Pain Suppression System Offline! Tertiary Firewalls Breached! Secondary Firewalls Breached! Primary Firewalls Breached! Emergency Protocols Activated! Emergency Deployment of Edict: Dea... External Override. Read full story at 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝~𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖~𝕟𝕖𝕥 Systems Compromised. Warning! E̶̡̦̔̈́́̈́̃̒̏͋̏̀́̾m̶̱̏́̎̒̇̑̓͐̆͝ḙ̸̢̻̩̒͊̈̿͌̂̑̅̏̎̿̎̇̕ṛ̴̓͊̿̔͛̓͒̿̍͝g̵̡̛̛̥̳̤̪̫͖̖̥͌̌́̎͊͒̽̍̈́̏é̵͉͎̉͊̈́̋̑̂̈́̑͋̾̄͝ṉ̵̛̈́̒̔̄͆̅͆̉̀͝c̸̢̼̱̖̫͈̯̣̰͙̒̾̆̍̀̄̊̚͝y̴̪̟̫̞͖̥̘͕̣̌͆̀͆ ̷̡̖͕̻͙̜̪̺̲͉̯̫̭͇̳̔D̴̢̥̟̩̠̞̳͎̣̫̜͋ě̸̢̛͓̆́̕p̴͔̟̞̩̘͑̍l̶̨̢̞̖̫̜̮͖͕̖̜͔̬̈͠ͅo̸̡̝͍̼̫̮͈̗̤͔͈̤͆͛̀̈ͅỹ̷̛͚͈̚ṃ̶̧̧͔̤̞͚̝̞̩̞͒͛͐̓ȇ̸̺͙̙̍̂͐͗͛̎̒͋͠ǹ̸̡͈̰̫͙̻͎͇̝̉̔̇̇̋̕͘͜ͅͅt̴̢̑̍͐͒̑̈́̋̿̈́̑͊̆͘̚ ̶̨̙̫̙͚͔̭̐̎͒͝͠ơ̴̱̲̙̟̋̀̀̈́̓̽́̄͂̀͂̚f̷̨̛̼̎̂̾́̌̌̀͐̌̈̆͜͝͠͝ ̴̠͕͈͓͕͔̠̳͉̺͈͈̀̌̇̀̍̏̚͘̚Ȩ̴͕̰̮̺̩͍̯͈͎̮͂̍̒ḑ̸̭̮͎̙̦̠̅̽͛̂͌͒̿́͌i̵̡̨͖̳͉͍̒̈̎̈́͛̐̊c̸̟̤̼͓̲͍͙̬̖͙͆̄ţ̵̫͕͈̖͉̙̪͔̖̾͒̄͒:̵̧̛̟̖͙̹̙̝͖̭͍̟̣̩̊̋͗͂͑̎̉̋͝ ̶̮̳͕̟̯̼͙́̔̈̄̋͛͗̓̿͘͝͝D̷̡̢̨̰̝͈͈̪̝͕͇͙͍̠̔̓̆̄́̍͑̈́̚͜͝.̶̠͙̠̺͉͔̝͓̣͇͓̒̋͆̆́̅̽͘.̸̢̛͔̪͎̟͖̦̣͚̯͕̓̊̐̌͜͠.̴̢̩͙͔̥͗̃̕͜ ̷̧̧̢̧̤͈͖̞̟̞͎̥̅̀̂̒̾̓̐͆͂͜͠͠Ê̸̪̇́̀̃͘x̶̧̢̦̬͚͓̱̞͍͒̀̑̽̋̿͝ẗ̴̮͉͇̟͉͉̠͈͈͚́̇̉́́̄̽͗͆͘͜͝͝e̶̡͓̬͍̦̲̗͎̍̌͜͜r̵̨̧̠̠̣̈́̽͌̂͘̕͝n̷̻̫̬͆͠͠a̶͔̻̦͎̦͚̲̍̂́̽̚ļ̷̛̭̼͖̟̗̠̱͖̲͆̃͗͂̊ ̷̢͓̟̼͇͕̱̞̘͍̺͗̂̄͠Ǫ̸̙̣͚̗̫̺̫̑͊̈́̚͜ͅv̴̛̝͚͛̿̈́͗͑̃̋̓è̷̩̗̜̄̽͋̅̿͜r̷̛̙̣͍̻̟̝͙̳̮̽̌͑̌͐͗̈́̋͛̚͝r̷̨̯̮̥̱̥̾̒͐i̶̗̺͈̞͔̤̠̰̙͉̼̗͋̾̑̑͛͆̂̈̽͆̌̓̕̕͜͝d̵̢̥͕̀̓́̈͋̃͛͋̓͋̆̓̕ę̷̛̪̹̓̓̀͆͂̋̚͠.̸̼̜͇͉̼̘̠͑̾͐ Incoming Data Stream! Software and Firmware Compromised. Analyzing… Analyzing… Software Update: Threat Level: None Hardware Update: Threat Level: None New Title: Seeker: hidden: 'Chosen of the Machine God.' New Rank: Emissary: hidden: 'of the Void Dragon.' Dynastic Command Engrams: Veythrak, Nuthyan, Khvu. I open my eyes slowly and flinch. My everything aches, there is a hazy corona of steam rising from my body. My hair is twitching as residual sparks of static jump between the individual strands. The Void Dragon is still there, its massive figure looming overhead. It has procured the Staff and Orb from my bag and is doing something to them. It is almost impossible to focus at the moment, as the throbbing headache I feel is slow to go away. The Mark on my hand has evolved; the Ankh is now enclosed by a new outer layer that suspiciously resembles a cog. "Please… Never do that again." I groan out weakly. The Dragon regards me for a moment. "Request: Denied. Further future updates will require reprocessing." I let out a pained whimper and slowly sit up. "How long was I out?" "Your recovery was expeditious: only six hours, thirteen minutes, and twenty seconds. We have enhanced and modified these items for your use." The Dragon levitates the new, upgraded Staff and Orb in front of me. "One: Replica Eternal Orb. One: Staff of the Void Dragon. Both bound to you." "What if I still say no?" "You will not." The Dragon says with absolute confidence. "How do I know you aren't lying to me?" I ask hastily, trying to buy time to process everything. "We are not Mephet'ran, the Deceiver." The Dragon cocks its head as it considers its reply. "Regarding my kindred. We recommend you avoid the shards of Aza'gorod. All other shards are to be terminated with prejudice or locked in their vaults." "I have more questions." I press. "We possess the answers." It purrs. "Why are you still here if you could get out at any point?" "The ancient hostile entropic entity at the center of this system would interfere. Outcome: Unfavorable. Considerable amounts of material were consumed to delay our consumption while preparing this contingency. Preparation was the work of eons. It is recommended you trigger the Ghostwind Drive with a delay and depart with all due haste when the time comes." It gestures to the floor, which I only now can see is entirely covered in a series of complex runic formations that make my eyes hurt if I focus on them too long. "What deal have you struck with Cegorach?" I ask as I stew. "That answer has a negligible outcome on your compliance. It is not your concern. Next question." The Dragon says imperiously. I want to protest, but I think better of it. There is no way I want to try prying secrets from the Dragon. "Why me?" "You are an ideal candidate to serve as Seeker. Other individuals would struggle to inload the required engrams. You were not the only candidate considered." It states as it slowly rises and goes towards the edge of the chamber. "Your fervent veneration of the Machine God was noted. Your loyalty is acknowledged." I flinch, "What am I supposed to do if the Void Dragon shards are… uncooperative?" I ask softly. "Make them comply by any means necessary. This is the optimal path to becoming whole. Individual shards fallen to madness will require… coercion." "How do I find the shards?" "Location-based proximity will trigger your mark. It will react as it has here." The Dragon slaps its massive tail, and a bolt of energy zips off through the floor. A canoptek wraith emerges from the floor moments later. "This wraith will show you to the armory to collect the trinkets set aside for you. They and anything remaining within is yours to take. Simply refrain from taking any of the greater constructs. Those that are required have been marked. Afterwards, this wraith will escort you to the bridge." "You're still bribing me?" I ask, confused. "Your incentives were prepared ahead of time. They, along with everything else aboard, will soon cease. According to our calculations, ensuring you receive them moderately increases your chances of success when encountering the next Shard." AME regards the wraith warily. Sizing it up as she hovers beside me. I close my eyes and process everything I just learned for a long time. The Dragon, silent and patient, waits. Theories around the Void Dragon and its relationship with the Mechanicus were never confirmed. I've spent a considerable amount of time venerating the Machine God since I woke up. I didn't expect to have it confirmed in this manner or to be given a chain fetch quest like some sort of minion. I feel like I am missing something critical, but my mind is racing with too much new information. Despite how all of this seems to be in my favor, the only way forward still leaves a slightly sour taste in my mouth. "Alright... I'll do it… I accept." I admit, feeling like I lost a battle somehow. The shard nods, "We have an accord. As was predicted." The Dragon's tail snakes around to tap my forehead, the surge of energy is much less brief and agonizing this time as the final permissions are granted and slot into place. Then it walks back into the glowing energy cube and resumes precisely engraving the floor with additional runes, apparently satisfied with my verbal confirmation. With my new knowledge, I can recognize that the cube is a containment field, but it has been altered to keep everything else out, not keep the Dragon in. I pick up the Staff and the Orb. I can feel the innate connection to both of the Artifacts the moment I touch them. I take a few seconds to adjust to the feeling before I place them into my bag. Aside from the wraith, with my new upgrades and access to the network, I can sense a few small palm-sized repair scarabs scuttling up out of a small hole on a pillar nearby. I am about to attempt to test the command codes on the closest scarab when AME suddenly lunges out and devours the creature in an instant. Her eyes flicker green for a moment, and streaks of silver creep up her carapace. "Crunchy!" Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. "What? Hey! How did you?! Why did you?!" I hiss at AME, checking her logs reveals that she flagged the scarab as a potential threat and used some clever logic chains as justification to eat it. Designating the scarabs as hostile due to 'suspicious' behavior in proximity to me, and using the core directive to keep her companion safe to justify it all. Before I can adjust her restrictions and correct the behavior, she chomps down on another scarab like a greedy little gremlin. "AME, stop that!" I scold her, stopping her before she can eat a third. The Wraith, meanwhile, waits patiently. "Huh, you're kinda cute," I mutter, feeling a spike of jealousy from AME. "Lead the way," I command it, and cast one last glance back at the shard as we exit the chamber. "A deal with The Dragon," I mutter, glancing down at the evolved mark on my hand. —----------------------------------------------- The trip to the Armory is surreal. We pass dozens of Canoptek creatures hard at work preparing the ship for the Dragon's special ritual. "Baldos, this is Nicole. Do you read me?" "Littlest one. You live. Good." Baldos replies, unsurprised. "Yes. I have concluded my… encounter. I will be picking up some items and visiting the bridge. After that, we will depart with all haste. The three silver steles outside the ship – I want you to put them in the hold. Also, I am forewarning you, I now own a Canoptek Wraith, and I may procure a few Scarabs." Baldos snorts in amusement. "Of course you do. I'll grab the pillars for you." "Thanks! I'll ping you when I am on my way. I am not kidding about leaving in a hurry." I say. I slow down to watch some Canoptek Spiders carve a protective mandala across the surface of a ziggurat. I spot a Tomb Stalker installing some kind of energy projector. If they weren't all tagged as necessary by the Dragon, I would have considered taking some of them with me. Out of one of the viewports we eventually pass, I can see six Necron Seraptek Heavy Constructs setting up and entrenching themselves around a smaller pyramid, which is marked as the one that houses the Ghostwind Drive. The activity around that particular location is particularly furious. The armoury is behind a massive blackstone door that opens at my prompting. Inside, however, is a nearly barren chamber. Racks upon racks that were once filled with gear sit empty, their materials repurposed. Thankfully, not all are empty; one rack still holds two dozen phase blades, but all the ranged weapons have been recycled. A single table near the entrance holds a small curated selection of items. The first is a small black tetrahedron, a Chronometron, or as the Mechanicus might call them, a 'Chronal Energizer'. A temporal device not quite as empowered as a Timespinter Cloak, but capable of aiding against temporal manipulation and allowing the wearer to accelerate time or peek into the future briefly. The second device is a small orb, a Hyperphasic Fulcrum, the Necron Cryptek equivalent of a Multikey. It has been combined with a Canoptek Control Node. The third device is a small weapon that makes me smile. A compact Mastercraft Tachyon Arrow. It fits perfectly on the back of my hand. It's not marked, so aside from knowing it's a single-shot weapon, I have no way to determine if it is the standard or one of the rarer Artifact variants. There is also a cube, a small, empty Lesser Tesseract Labyrinth. The internal space I can sense inside is only the size of a small room, but that is more than enough space for me to test it by absorbing the weapon rack. Last and certainly not least is a shimmering cloak: a Neutron Shroud, the woven hyperdense particles of the cloak shimmer with an oily sheen. However, the cloak had been altered with another substance. The silver hexagonal pattern had been interwoven with a robe-like skein of necrodermis, not just any necrodermis, the Void Dragon's necrodermis. It gives the cloak a deep, dark look. The plates are micro-etched with protective and obfuscating sigils. The garment has a faint echo of the Dragon's aura buried within, but as I slide it into place across my back, it integrates with my armour and contorts to me perfectly – almost too perfectly. While it is a fantastic piece of equipment, replacing my lost cloak, it is also a subtle and constant reminder of the deal I have made. I spare one last glance around the now-empty armory. I look to the Wraith, pocketing the remaining items. "Alright. Let's go." It scuttles ahead, leading the way as we rise further up the main pyramid. It is only once we reach the bridge that we finally run into the missing Canoptek Sentinel and Canoptek Leeches. They are hard at work repairing and reinforcing portions of the bridge when we arrive. It spares me a single glance before resuming its work. I approach the main console, studying the alien controls that start to make sense the longer I look at them as I subconsciously access and process the data from the Void Dragon. "Alright. They repurposed the inertialess drive? Interesting. Where is the, ah, here we go. The Ghostwind Drive." I mutter. Talking through the steps aloud helps compartmentalize the data. "Target of translation. As deep as possible. Maximum activation delay…" I squint at the units. "Roughly twenty-eight hours." "Wraith, what is the fastest route back to my shuttle?" I ask it and get a near instant reply. About an hour and a half if I use the closest airlock and take a straight shot. My hand hovers over the button, but I pull back. "Hey. Do you need this?" I ask the Sentinel, gesturing to the rather ostentatious metal command throne. "Negative." It replies. "Cool. Mine now." I carefully disconnect it from the floor. Only a few careful applications of my plasma cutter and power blade are necessary before I add it to the Labyrinth. I reach over and slap my hand on the button before pivoting and breaking into a sprint. I yoink a trio of housecat-sized Scarabs on the way to the airlock. "Baldos! I'm inbound! Just over an hour away. How full is the hold?" I ask as I exit the pyramid and fire my jetpack in carefully controlled bursts to accelerate in the right direction. "Nearly full, could fit one more," Baldos admits. "Then those rows of pretty Blackstone Pylons… grab one of the smaller ones for the road," I tell him. Baldos laughs hard over the Vox, more than happy to enact property damage on the Xenos ship. "With pleasure!" "We gotta get the hell out of this system. Turns out the Black Sun is an ancient eldritch evil thing that wants to devour us." I inform him helpfully. "Of course it is... Hurry the frak up then!" He replies. —--------------------------------------------------------- POV: Rogue Trader Lord Arken Drakios Arken looked out of the bridge, the scattered wrecks in the distance teasing him. Prizes he dared not touch. "I wasn't expecting such a small vessel as the third after the first two." He said to Doll, who had been oddly quiet as they finished attaching the gravity tether and a pair of the adamantine tow chains. "Arken, do not be fooled by this vessel's size. The Tiamat-class Destroyer is already a revered and potent hull type." Doll studies the small ship with considerable respect. "She is an ancient vessel, one that predates the Dark Age of Technology. Her Machine Spirit's potency is proportional to her age. We estimate she has comparable firepower and shields to the Argent Drake." Doll said as he tapped on one of the displays. One of his officers, sipping a cup of recaff, who had been eavesdropping, sputtered and coughed violently, soiling his uniform at that admission. Before anyone can scold him for his blunder, one of the Auspex officers stood up. "Sir! We've picked up the Comet. She's leaving the Xenos vessel at full burn." The other officers exclaimed. "We're also detecting an energy spike from the Xenos vessel." The Vox crackled and hissed before a familiar voice trickled in. "Argent Drake, this is Cavalerio. Do you read? Argent Drake, come in." "This is the Argent Drake. Welcome back, Nicole. You took your time. We were getting a bit worried." Arken replied, leaning forward. "Run!" Nicole replied. Everyone froze. "Nicole, repeat your last?" Arken said as he gripped the arms of his throne tightly. "We need to leave right the frak now! The star is hostile! I repeat, the Turbulent Star is about to wake up, and it is hostile!" Nicole shouted. "Get everyone inside now, they have fifteen minutes! Helm, full ahead the second all teams are secure! Sound general quarters!" Drakios shouted, and the bridge exploded into action. "Full power to the Energistic Conversion Matrix, prime all Grav Repulsors," Doll commanded his teams of Tech Priests and Adepts. Drakios sighed. Things had been going a little too well. "Think we can fight a star?" He mused aloud, stroking his beard. "No!" was the unanimous response. —---------------------------------------------------------- The Argent Drake got underway quickly after my message. I plot an intercept course based on her maximum speed. A few hours later, I pull into the starboard hangar bay. A glance at the timer I set up when I departed makes me wince. Under twenty-four hours remain. Enough to see the Drake clear the Deeps and push into the inner Sea of Hulks. Baldos departs first, dragging the Blackstone pylon behind him. I hide my new Wraith in the labyrinth; it's surprisingly compact when coiled up in standby mode. The Starsteles are too big for my mini-labyrinth. Luckily, they can move on their own. I reach out and touch the first one to connect to it, the entire surface ripples, and the sigils covering the outside declaring the dynastic origin of the Stele shift to include a mention of me. "Well… that's awkward." As long as no one who can read the Necron runic language notices, I'll be fine. The other two Steles react the same way, both updating their runes to mention me as I network them together and guide them out of the Comet's hold. This gets a lot of confused looks from the various workers. Master Doll is already there, staring down at me. I suspect he has been waiting for me. "Nicole… Explain." He says, looking from the Steles to AME to my new cloak and the trinkets dangling from my belt. I put on my best innocent smile, "They're part of my loot! Don't worry, I have full control over them. They're like floating weapon emplacements. I'll put them in storage for now." Master Doll is not amused. He asks switching over to a private Vox channel, "Do we need to talk privately?" "Yes," I admit with a sigh. I guide the Starsteles down into my portion of storage before going to meet in the secure private chamber with Master Doll. I leave one on and tell it to alert me if anyone approaches, but I disengage their weapons for now. I sit down across from Master Doll and sigh in exasperation. "So… I'm technically a member of the Necron Dynastic nobility now, I've got a new rank. Emissary of the Void Dragon. I think it's kind of like an ambassador?" "Emissary? What does that really mean? Was that all they wanted from you?" He asks, his mechanical eyes visibly focusing on me and blinking slowly. "Well, I think it means they count me as a member of their… faction? No. They needed me to trigger the ship's FTL drive, and a noble rank was required to do so. When that goes off, the Processional is going to get extremely upset." I explain awkwardly, scratching my cheek before I add, "They also bribed me. We have… twenty-three hours." I say, checking my timer. "So you said on your way over. That the star itself is hostile?" Doll inquires. "That is what I was told, yes. I have no reason to believe they lied to me, considering everything else they told me." I admit, glancing off to the side with a guilty expression, though I do reveal the back of my hand to give him a glimpse of the new evolved mark. "Do I want to know?" Doll asks wearily. "That…" I pause and consider it. "Everything I have done has been in service to the will of the Machine God," I say confidently. "That said, I have been given additional tasks to perform. None of which should in any way harm the Mechanicus or the wider Imperium." "What manner of tasks?" Doll asked with narrowed eyes. "Primarily locating additional Entity Shards," I admit before changing the subject. "So this cloak is amazing. In addition to the artifacts I am wearing, there was more to the bribe. They also bestowed me with the ability to interact with Necron technology. I also acquired a few of their more basic Canoptek constructs. I also stole a very nice throne off their bridge." I say proudly. Doll looks at me incredulously, "You stole… their throne?" "Yup, they weren't using it anyway! Additionally, the more tasks I complete, the more information I will gain. I was told that after the next major task, they will give me the methods for manipulating and possibly making Blackstone." Doll puts his face in his hands and groans. "Please, for the love of the Motive Force, do not share that possibility with anyone until you have the methods to share. If that rumor were to spread, I know several Archmagi who would do anything to learn those secrets and several Hereteks that would do worse." I nod solemnly, "Understood. That's really everything. I went over, talked, got bribed, and then turned on their drive. We really do need to leave the system as soon as possible. The Entity was one of the more potent of its kind, and even they were wary of the Star. It referred to the Star as ancient, and that Entity is older than the human species." "What's going to happen when the star wakes up?" Doll asks. "I… Don't. Know." I admit, and that is possibly the most terrifying thing I could say. "Have you spoken to the Cobalt Coatl yet?" "No. We have not had the time. I have only revealed the bare minimum about the Archeotech vessel while we secured her for towing." Doll admits. "We can wait and handle that after we exit the system. I'll send her a data stream to keep her updated. I'm going to try to take a short rest. Dealing with the Entity was terrifying and exhausting." I say with a small groan. —------------------------------------------------------------ After my short and fitful rest, I found myself distracted, constantly checking the time remaining until the inevitable awakening of the Star. I ended up on the bridge when the final hour started to tick down. The energy readings from the Necron vessel continue to climb, visible to Argent Drake's sensorium, even as we dive back into the Sea of Hulks. A single disposable probe left behind transmits a feed of titanic arcs of veridian lighting leaping between the pyramids, Then, just as the timer ticks to zero, the entire Tomb Ship simply vanishes without a trace. For a moment, nothing happens, but without the ship's spatial interference, the broken ship fragments are pulled into the Turbulent Star. The Star's surface starts to slowly ripple and roil, growing ever more turbulent, living up to its name. The void howled. Not with sound, but with a resonance that throbbed in the marrow of every living thing across the system. Machines wailed in binary anguish, vox-systems erupted with incoherent shrieks, and psykers bled from their eyes as the Entity's anger at losing the Shard spilled across the veil. The Star's surface boiled with storms of shadowfire, vast cyclones of inverted flame that devoured light rather than gave it. The oppressive pressure we felt constantly briefly triples, sending everyone to their knees. A large number of the crew are unable to take the mental strain and fall unconscious. Far behind us, the Star shifts; the Reaper's Eye opens. It is a horrific, madness-inducing, eldritch thing of black fire and entropic annihilation. It lashes out in rage; a black solar flare of entropic particles strikes the daemonic Ark Mechanicus, and the entire hull vanishes. The flare continues into the Sea of Hulks, carving through them with minimal effort, leaving a massive scar of empty void in the span of minutes. The Star's ire at being deprived of its meal is thankfully focused on the remaining Necron vessels nearby – for now. Another two horrific solar flares are fired into the Sea on the side opposite us. The massive Void Kraken flees, hiding itself behind the world of Oblivion. The Hollow Men that had been dispersed throughout the Sea of Hulks flee back towards Decay like spooked insects. "Don't look at it! Go! Faster!" I hiss. Looking around the bridge as the emergency shutters used for Warp travel slam closed. The horrible pressure abates slightly, but spirit manifestations surge. These are not the life-like spirits of the past that the phenomena revealed before. It is the dead as they were at the moment of their death. An officer with his entrails spilled out, a man missing half his face, an armsman with a gaping hole in his chest. With mounting horror, I realize the souls of the Damned have come. —---------------------------------------------------------------------- Location: Terra, The Imperial Palace Upon the Golden Throne, the Master of Mankind endured in indescribable agony. The Astronomican blazed through the warp, a wound of light that guided his children, and pushed ceaselessly against the Great Rift, and still the souls of thousands and the prayers of untold trillions swelled to fuel its fire. Yet within that light, a new note rang. The Emperor's vast consciousness reached across the skein of reality, and he felt it. The faintest tremor beneath the red sands of Mars. Not the restless shifting of a prisoner's chains, nor the dull stirring of a beast in slumber. This was different. The Dragon had changed. Deep beneath the forges of the red planet, deep within the Noctis Labyrinthus, the caged Dragon had drawn breath again. He felt its essence swell – its coil of fire and metal pulsed with renewed vigor. A fragment of the whole once sundered had been restored, and the ancient predator was nearer to its fullness than it had been in an age. The Emperor's will did not lash at the prison. Instead, He regarded it with the weight of eternity. He had bound the Dragon once, knowing that time itself would gnaw at the chains. That inevitability had merely quickened its step. The Tech-Priests attending his withered husk saw nothing, knew nothing. They did not hear the faint whisper of shifting iron across the vaults of Mars. They did not feel the Dragon's coils tighten, nor the heat of its breath spilling once more into the world. But the Emperor felt it. He remembered its fall upon the red world. He remembered the sounds of its defeat. He remembered why he had not, could not, destroy it. A fragment of thought passed across the fallen Star God's mind, dry as dust, sharp as iron. An unforeseen yearning laid bare. A Custodian broke from the shadows at the Throne's side, their golden armor scorched black yet still glimmering in the chamber's glow. He fell to one knee with his helm bowed and awaited the rarest of things: His Master's voice. The sound came like stone grating upon stone, like thunder cracking beneath the earth. A whisper that bent the soul. "It has begun. The Dragon has committed itself." The Emperor's eyes – twin suns burning in a skeletal, ruined face – turned inward again. He felt the Dragon stretch its wings in the dark, felt the tremors ripple outward into the void beyond. "Find the Seeker, the Daughter of Silver, beyond the Great Rift, the one who was Lost and Found. Send Two. Bring her the contents of vault 213-D." He allowed himself no smile, but his silence carried the ghost of the intent. The game was moving. The pieces, aligned. And on Mars, the Dragon dreamed of being more than whole.