Lost and Found (Warhammer 40k SI) Chapter 87: Cypra Mundi Opening Moves

POV: Nicole

I glance to my left as I continue down the hall, Baldos and Delta-A3 following behind the nice old man and I. “I don’t think I got your na, sir?” His noospheric profile was practically empty and sterile.

“Oh, you can just call Shadow, little lady, I’m far too old to care for titles and all that nonsense these days,” he speaks with a kind smile.

He had titles? What titles? His profile didn’t list any titles besides ‘retired’ and ‘head liaison for the Assassinorum’ and I got the feeling trying to pry past the front was unwise.

I shake my head and shrug it off. Not my problem, he’s being friendly and helpful. A quick scan reveals he’s not a Callidus like the secretary. His cane is even made of real redwood, but according to my Auspex, there is an extrely well-hidden exotic sword of so sort inside.

It is a little weird how he walks and my retinue right through the checkpoints; the guards at each one all stiffen as though a high-ranked officer just walked in when he enters. No one stops us on our way to the Inquisitorial eting room.

Two Inquisitors are sitting inside when we arrive, along with their retinues. They both have proper identity tags; Inquisitor Van Vuygens and Inquisitor Delacoi both are of the Ordo Xenos. I note that both tense and rather than focus on the looming form of Baldos behind , their eyes focus on Shadow.

Van Vyugens is a scraggly old adept of a man. He looks properly eccentric with his wild mane of hair and hunched figure, and various augntics, all the while wearing simple, drab black robes. anwhile, Delacoi is in full armour and looks more like the typical expectation of an Inquisitor, with a sharp face and eyes, shoulder-length straight black hair, and a build that leans towards muscular.

“Ah, good, you’re both still here. This–” he gestures politely to , "–is Lady Nicole Cavalerio. She needs to speak with you two,” he speaks as he calmly takes a seat at the end of the table.

“Lord Shadow? But… we were… Ah, of course, of course,” Van Vyugens mutters. “What can the Ordo Xenos do for you, young lady?” He asks with a weary sigh.

“I am aware of the Genestealer issues you are currently dealing with in this system.” I begin and pull out one of the hefty portable scanners and set it on the table. “This… is an archeotech-pattern genetic scanner. Man-portable. It requires physical contact but generates results quickly. It can detect all stages of human Genestealer infection and it probably works on other types of xenos infections but that will require further testing on your end.”

Both Inquisitors' attentions are focused on while their eyes are now locked on the device. “That… is a bold claim, Lady Cavalerio,” Inquisitor Delacoi says slowly.

I smile, “This one is for you, free of charge. Feel free to test it extensively – we certainly did. Everyone visiting the Drakios fleet will require screening, but we didn’t find this unit. We made it.” I say, letting that sink in for a few seconds before I nod, “We have the full production schematics. They’re expensive to produce, requiring several rare and difficult-to-produce materials along with so precision machining, but they can indeed be manufactured. Though setting up such a production will have to wait until we speak with the Fabricator General,” I say as I nudge the unit forward, then place the dataslate containing the scanner's specifications on top.

“This is a copy of the production schematic and operating manual. You are free to distribute it throughout your Ordo,” I say, and one of the adepts standing behind Delacoi faints. “Oh! There’s also a schematic for a larger stationary walk-through scanner, but I can’t exactly carry that around.”

Shadow sits there with his eyebrows raised slightly as he glances at the unit and then back at with an amused expression.

“Where did you get this?” Van Vuygens asks breathlessly as he snatches up the dataslate and begins reading.

“Found the design on an ancient archeotech ship within the Processional. We had to make a few minor adjustnts; so of the original parts were deed beyond the ability of the chanicus to fabricate. The original version could be used at a distance, was far smaller, and had broader uses.” I shake my head and sigh, “A sha, but we successfully produced and tested this lesser model on so Genestealers we encountered on a space hulk. Our fleet – both the Rogue Trader and chanicus – have agreed to hand it over to the Ordo Xenos. You are welco,” I say, preening a little.

The controls and operation of the scanner were fairly straightforward, and within a few minutes, they had completed scans on each other and their retinues. All of which were negative.

Van Vuygens turns to one of his Tempestus Scions, “Bring the prisoners from block GS-33-D within my lab.”

“Do you want to stay here or…?” I ask as their teams start discussing options and plans.

“If you have ti, Lady…” He squinted at briefly. “Princeps Senioris Cavalerio, please stay until after this final testing period is concluded,” Van Vuygens spoke politely, eyeing both my retinue and Shadow.

“Alright,” I reply as I sit down next to Shadow.

“Was there anything else?” Inquisitor Delacoi asks eagerly.

I shake my head and giggle, “Not for the Ordo Xenos.”

She blinks and raises an eyebrow. “But is there sothing else?”

I nod slowly, “The Machine God has truly blessed us. However, it is a restricted chanicus matter. I do not doubt that if Cypra Mundi decides to fund the production of them in addition to the scanners, you’ll hear about them soon enough.”

The Tempestus Scions don’t take long. They arrive with the first prisoner covered in a dark black hood, sedated and bound with shackles. The man is shirtless and covered in surgical scars.

Van Vuygens approaches the prisoner with the scanner and presses the probe into his skin. “Prisoner. This device is a lie detector. Answer this question with a yes or no. Are you a Genestealer?” The lie flows easily, likely to mask the true nature of the device to anyone listening through the hivemind.

“No!” The man hisses, his voice slurred. The scanner gives out a high-pitched ping, and the screen flashes, Van Vygens’s grin turns vicious as he reads the display.

“You and I both know that’s a lie, prisoner.” He nods at Delacoi as he draws a long-barreled las pistol and shoots the man in the head without even turning his head. “It works! We must perform additional tests, of course, data is the best proof, but it functions as stated!” He cackled gleefully.

I have to sit there silently as he brings in prisoner after prisoner, each is tested and summarily executed.

Van Vuygens grows even more enthusiastic when one of the prisoners reads as negative. “This one was ntally compromised but not genetically! This device is stupendous! Fantastic!” He cackles as he goes around scanning his retinue.

Inquisitor Delacoi’s gaze turns to , her eyes sharp and calculating. “Lady Cavalerio. If these scanners can truly be mass-produced, the Ordo Xenos will never forget this. What do you want for this wondrous gift?”

I raise my hands placatingly, “It's a gift freely given by everyone involved in the find. We wouldn’t dream of withholding such an item from the Inquisition; your work is critical, and doing so would be the height of foolishness and detrintal to the Imperium. We can’t produce them in high enough numbers ourselves to make a difference; only a major forge world can. Though personally? I have so Xenotech I may need paperwork for. Lord Drakios has his more exotic loot covered under his Warrant of Trade. I have no such docunt.”

Delacoi snorts, and Van Vuygens chuckles; both wave a hand dismissively at the trivial request. “Easily done. Simply forward my office a list of the items in question,” Delacoi says confidently.

“We’ll need to contact the Fabricator General and begin making arrangents imdiately.” Van Vuygens mutters, clicking his tongue in annoyance as he has to step over one of the corpses that were being quietly cleared away by the guards.

I stand up and nod, “I’ll leave you to it. Good hunting, Inquisitors. Now, if you’ll excuse . Cypra Mundi owes a Titan,” I say politely.

As I turn to leave, Shadow stands and shuffles forward, “I’ll walk you out. This has been the most exciting visit I’ve had in years.” His sharp grey eyes glint with amusent.

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POV: Fabricator Locum, Archmagos Rhydan Korr

Korr was quite pleased with the amicable and punctual response from Archmagos Doll confirming his attendance.

That boded well for his plans for the Forum. What he had not anticipated was the follow-up priority ssage he received. The Fabricator General would attend the Forum in person.

The attendance list for the Forum was available publicly in the Noosphere. The mont the na Aptimos Mundi Phi