"Lord Gage, you should maintain a reverent heart toward the creations of the Omnissiah. It requires the most meticulous maintenance and care, otherwise the great Machine Spirit will be displeased!"
Barker Dillen, a Magos from the Adeptus Mechanicus, appeared on the holographic platform of Macragge's Honour's bridge. At that moment, the Tech-Priest was aboard the battle planet Maiden.
Most of his body was concealed beneath a rust-colored robe. His flesh had been replaced by dark metal, and countless fine metal conduits extended from the back of his head to his limbs.
His face was completely hidden beneath clustered technological implants, while a red electronic eye flashed at high frequency.
The Tech-Priest was far larger than the Chapter Master. Two enormous yet extraordinarily agile piston-driven mechanical arms swayed behind him, their sharp drills and research instruments gently rocking as he moved.
"Magos, how much longer until we catch that ship?" Gage asked.
Barker Dillen was the Fabricator-General Mars had sent to the Five Hundred Worlds. He had once assisted Guilliman in constructing one forge world after another across this distant eastern region, spreading the Omnissiah's radiance throughout this remote star region.
"The Machine Spirit is recovering from overload. It requires time. Be patient." Strictly speaking, the Mechanicus Magi were not members of the Imperium. They belonged to the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Imperium's ally, and he answered Gage's question without the slightest urgency.
"Unbelievable, unbelievable! Chapter Master, where in the Ultima Segmentum did you find this lost planet? Why have I never heard of it?" Faced with the Magos's eager questioning, Gage remained expressionless and laughed it off as usual.
He could hardly say that this battle planet had only been built a few months ago, and that its creator had even considered it merely a makeshift substitute.
The Primarch had strictly