The Lost (30k Primarch Quest)

XXXI. To be better

"Okay," you say, rubbing your temples. Gods, but you have a splitting headache right now. "So do you already know how to re-enable the security?"

Dalnim nods. "We had to disable it in the first place. Well, most of it; we couldn't take the risk of disabling everything as you saw."

"Then you and I will go handle that-" you glance to Paradise and Whim "-while you two go get the tunnels rigged to blow."

Whim blinks with surprise and apprehension. "You want us to bury you with-"

"Of course not!" you snap. "But if this doesn't work we'll need a backup plan. And if I'm with her I can get her out faster."

The monks glance between each other, then Whim nods. "Alright. We don't have time to argue. Go."

"Whim, Paradise," You say, and all three monks freeze. "Do not hesitate. If we fail or they get to the surface, count on us to find our own way out and blow them to hell. Or more than the two of us will die."

Whim seems shocked, but after a moment he recovers. "Do not make it necessary, friend."

Paradise and Dalnim both nod, and though the latter looks ready to throw up, they quickly move.

-

The monk runs as quickly as she can, and you lightly jog to keep up with her (you're very tall). The featureless obsidian material of the tomb would've left you quite disoriented were you alone (and mortal). Your headache isn't helping matters, nor is the fact that even with the monk running as fast as she can, she's still painfully slow.

She doesn't slow down until you arrive, and she quickly goes to work at the consoles, catching her breath only now when she has the opportunity. You don't know enough about technology – least of all the cogitators Dalnim is working with – to fully understand what she's doing, but it seems little different from sorcery. She's moving quickly from machine to machine, coaxing a few back to life with her orb and tapping at others. Occasionally giving one a good kick. Lights flicker from screen to screen, glowing in a sickening sea green only slightly off from the bright emerald that the necrons use.

The silence in the room is only broken by the humming of the machines. At least, at first. You wait by the door to the chamber, gun in hand, sighting down the corridor at about the necron's height. Part of you is unsure you'd succeed even with a perfect shot, but you squash that feeling down.

"……. You said that you wanted to bring some of the monks along, right?"

You nod, keeping your pistol in hand and looking out of the room. "I'd love to have you along. Maybe you and Ping could discuss Knight configurations."

"That'd be nice, I suppose. Don't know if I could stomach the pirate life, though." She said, wistful. "… I'd hoped to be fully ordained before I died, at least." The lay-sister mutters, tapping the controls before her with the kind of fervor one only sees in the desperate.

"Hey," you smile, "Ain't no law that says you gotta come. What do you really want?"

"What do you mean? To learn the mysteries of the machine." She didn't stop working. "Is that not enough of a reason?"

"You asked the question, but you already know the answer," you say, double checking your gun is loaded. "Say you learn everything there is to know about machines. What will you do then? Just sit on the knowledge?"

"I-" Dalnim's tone is hesitant even as her fingers keep moving. "No, of course not. That would be a waste."

"Teach, then?"

She frowns, but doesn't stop working. The humming of the various cogitators is almost hypnotic at this point. You pulled out your compass, curiosity getting the better of you.

Where is Thaszar?

The compass pulls on your mind; Thaszar's on his way up and getting closer. He's not moving terribly quickly, at least as far as you can tell. This compass surely can't track everyone, can it? That would be absurd.

Where is Eun?

The compass seems confused by the question and asks for clarification.

Hrm. Maybe it only tracks Thaszar? … no, that's equally absurd, if it was only meant to do that there'd be no reason to point to anything else. Only people who have seen it or touched it, perhaps? That's also possible. You'll have to ask one of the monks to look it over.

"I don't know."

You glance back at her. "Hm?"

"I don't know what I want," She admits. "Even if I learn everything there is to know about the machine, it would be secondhand knowledge. I might then pass it on to someone else; like you said, become a teacher. It is a noble cause, I know that, but…"

"… but it's not something you care for," You finish.

She shakes her head. "The pilgrimage, the trip I went on with Whim and Labor? The one where I earn my name? It's supposed to show us how primitive the outside is, to make us understand how important our preservation and machine restoration is to be."

"Didn't it?"

"Yes. We travelled far and visited many peoples and places in need of help. I fixed wells, put homes together, repaired a knight's vox network, even attended a noble wedding. It was dull work, but important. And the purpose for our neutrality was clear: I could not take sides, or else I would cut too many off from the help they needed."

"And then we were captured by the slavers. They pretended to be looking for repairs, and… and…" She shivers a bit. "I… I don't like thinking about that part. But we were taken into the storm."

… Ah.

"And?"

She hesitates, pausing at her work for a moment. "…In that storm, our knowledge meant little. Our wisdom even less. Whim didn't seem concerned for his own life, but for mine and Paradise in Labor's. Labor was furious that so many were dying for nothing, and I…"

She stopped working entirely there, and mumbled. "All I ever wanted was adequacy. I didn't care for greatness or ignominy. So long as good was done, that was enough for me. But then I realized just how… how pointless my entire life had been up to that point. I'd die before I got the chance to so much as have a proper name, let alone do anything worthwhile."

"Keep on the machines." You remind her.

"It's calibrating, give it a moment. And then you came, and…"

"… you're not about to confess your love for me, are you?"

She snorts as she begins typing again. "Nothing so pedestrian. I just… I was excited. Grateful, even. This was a part of the world that did not need maintenance. You may not realize it, captain, but you exude greatness wherever you go. Even your act of criminality was something beyond me. Beyond any of us."

"I saw not a thing that needed maintenance, but a way the world could be made better. And I… I guess the Cloister lost its luster. I don't know."

Well, you are pretty awesome. You were only half serious about the confession of love.

"Adequate wasn't enough anymore?" You prompt.

"… I suppose not." She admits. "It's part of what was frustrating about your raid. Like Whim said, you could've been doing so much more."

You shrug. "I guess I could have. But – at least for now - I'm content to sail with my crew."

Thaszar's movements cease at the same moment Dalnim speaks again.

"Bypasses removed," Dalnim says, standing up. "Secuity protocols re-engaged."

You breath a heavy sigh, stashing the compass in one of your coat pockets. The solution you'd found was temporary, but it seemed to be working for the moment. But if this was some cushy prison meant for a noble, it wouldn't last forever.

"So," you say, "now we leave?"

The tech monk is silent.

"… Dalnim?"

She turns to you, eyes haunted. "You thought we were leaving?"

"… Well yeah," You grin. "Which way we going?"

"… Sun-Sin, to keep them from getting out, I had to lock down everything." She said, voice low and melancholy. "There's no way out of here."

You stare at her, as the implications of what she's saying sink in.

"You were going to sacrifice us?"

Dalnim looks away, shame in her eyes. "I thought you understood. I'm sorry, captain, but my life is a price worth paying. This planet will be safe, even if only for a time. I only regret that you're coming down with me… and now that I realize you didn't choose it, that too."

There's a moment of quiet contemplation. You stare at her, this mortal woman who would've died alone if it meant keeping her planet safe another day. Someone who wanted more but would've given it up.

You put your hand her shoulder. "You're a brave girl, Dalnim. It'd be an honor to have you on the sea with me."

She smiles. "That would've been nice. Do you think that Ping boy would have-"

"So let's go."

Her smile dies. "Excuse me?"

"We're going," You say, descisive. "I don't care what Whim or Labor or Lotus says, you're coming onto the sea with us. You're not dying without at least doing some pillaging. That's pirate 101!"

"But- tha-" She stammered. "Did you not hear me? I locked the place back up."

You look down at the compass in your hand. "Hey compass, what's the fastest way out of this place, avoiding security protocols that I can't dodge?"

The compass spins in place for a moment and eventually sputters in disgust. It can't find anything.

"… Hm. Okay. How about… a way to a tool that will help me get out of here?"

There's a pause, as the compass seems to process your request. Then, hesitantly, it turns and points downward. Away from Thaszar.

You grin.

You pick up the lay-sister and lay her over your shoulder, facing backward.

"W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" The girl yelps.

You grin wide, and start running. As you do, you hear loud scuttling sounds all around you, and the unmistakable rising THRUM of machines powering themselves back on. "Scream if something dangerous is behind us!"

She screams a lot.

-

Voting

The compass knows a way out that you and Dalnim don't, and you're gonna Indiana Jones this shit.

How and where do you come out?

[] – Into the sea below

As it turns out, millennia of shifting dirt and rock have created a natural cavern that runs from the hill you're in to the sea. You and Dalnim make it through, and though she gets a bit of the bends, you'll both live. With absolutely no negative repercussions.

Wait, whose ship is that? … not one of yours. Shit.

[] – Portal

Thaszar, as it turns out, had an idea of his own on how to escape: some kind of gate or portal. You don't know where it leads or how it works, but you throw yourself and Dalnim through anyway. What's it going to do, put you inside another deadly tomb on a hill that's about to explode?

Well no, but you do run into your favorite space elf again.

[] – The village below

Although the tomb initially seemed to only have one way in or out, you're able to find a passage that leads to the village by the sea. You make it to the village, and thereby make your way to safety and find your crew.

Including a very pissed off Caihong.

[] – Write in

A/N: Not super happy with this one but I did start the next update already and I think I can move forward from here. Side note, I'm also working on my personal novella project at the same time, but that's just about done.

Suggested by @*name*
[] – Write in: you don't actually remember how you got out, but you have a feeling that nothing can go wron-BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD! SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE! ... ~okay~ it seems you have misspoken. (KHORNE daemons/cultists)

[] – Write in: you don't actually remember how you on this ship, but you have a feeling that nothing can go wron-WAAAAAGGGH! ... ~okay~ it seems you have misspoken. (FREEBOOTA orks)

[] – Write in: green lights? check. greyish black metal? check. pretty sure you somehow got into another tomb...somehow. this time lets not wake up the skeleton here. you also have a compass to lead you around without waking anyone up or trigger any traps. (Grave robbing 2 electric boogaloo)

[] – Write in: Glub Blub Glub... at least their was somewhere to breath (Underwater Cave)

[] – Write in: ...you think you got teleported, cause everyone around you is in fancy clothing and staring at you. and the guards are heading your direction (Capital/Palace)

[] – Write in: ...don't know how but it might be due to some familiar faces; On one hand, there's more of them than last time and they seem to be more confident. On the other hand, you can't beat the shit out of them without getting closer (Khankos & Dark Eldar/Drukhari Kabal)

Suggested by @SpacePaladin
[] - Write in: An opulent palace headed by a familiar face. After your last rejection, you are no doubt as happy to see her as she is you. (Delai's sanctum)