Ferrus Manus turned toward the Tech-Priests standing in the shadows of the sealed chamber. His voice was perfectly level, yet carried an unquestionable weight of authority. "What is going on here, priest?"
The Tech-Priests emerged from the darkness.
They had long since fallen to the power of the Warp. The once-smooth surfaces of their sacred mechanical robes were covered in twisted runes and crude patches. Organs that should never have existed protruded through gaps in their shells, writhing mindlessly in the air.
Driven by some unclean will, they bowed to Ferrus Manus in unison. Their metal joints gave off a series of grinding sounds, like rusted gears forced to turn.
"My lord, we cannot comprehend this power." The leading priest straightened. His mechanical eye spun rapidly, countless lines of garbled code flashing deep within its pupil. His voice was hoarse and crackled with electrical static.
"It is far stronger than we imagined. These fluctuations... do not belong to any known means of transmitting information, nor do they match the usual frequencies of the Warp. It is more like something countless times older than us, sending signals here through a dimension we cannot reach."
"You cannot comprehend it?" Ferrus Manus lowered his voice slightly, a thin edge of coldness creeping into it.
His gaze swept over the Tech-Priests' faces, taking in the confusion and fear flickering in their eyes, before turning to the main screen. Garbled code continued to stream across it, seemingly mocking everyone who tried to decipher it.
"What is the source of this power?"
The Tech-Priests fell silent for a moment, exchanging uneasy glances.
The leading priest answered in a low voice, speaking with extreme slowness. "It may be the core beneath the beacon that supplies its power."
Ferrus Manus's pupils contracted slightly.
His thoughts instantly returned to