# Repeat After Me



## Calistrasza (Mar 11, 2013)

I've had this idea kicking around for a while now, I have it written in chunks across two computers and my external, so if I'm a little laggy with the updates, I apologize. Thankfully it isn't super long. Nervously waiting to hear what you guys think!

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//EYES ONLY/DO NOT DUPLICATE
Official Report Omnibus, Sigma VII Xenosanitas Maximum Security Installation


[Partial Audio Log, Incident +3]
//log begins

[Interrogator Belic Devlin]: Preliminary field observation and limited scouting forays led by Captain Karn's kill-team have led all on-site Ordo Xenos and Adeptus Biologis containment specialists to agree that the Xenosanitas facility is recoverable. Much of the outer containment protocols are still in effect, praise be the Emperor, and thusly it is understood that any biological specimens that escaped inner containment are still within the outer breakwall. We'll need the Astartes to clear the killzone perimeter, but all looks to be well, my lord.

[Inquisitor Rasheen Hurst]: What happened to _it_, interrogator?

[Devlin]: Karn's team found multiple breaches into subterranean vaults and crypts- probably left by the indigenous population of the planet before the Biologis ever arrived. The spaces to reach these vaults are less than a foot wide- the servitor seconded to Adept Malory suggested less than a one in twenty thousand chance of a specimen of _ophidius-subterra-

_[Hurst]: Did you find a body.

[Devlin]: No. 

[Hurst]: Then it isn't dead, Belic. Make sure the kill-team sweeps those vaults too- and alert the PDF and planetary command if they breach the surface _anywhere_ other than inside that compound.

//log records approximately 6.81 seconds of silence. Hurst coughs.

[Devlin]: My lord?

[Hurst]: Do it, Belic. I'll expect a report by zero-eight-hundred local time tomorrow.

[Devlin]: Yes, Inquisitor.

//log ends.


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## Battman (Nov 2, 2012)

So far sounds good keep it going


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## Calistrasza (Mar 11, 2013)

//EYES ONLY/DO NOT DUPLICATE
Private Missive SENT(Star1 Relay)
Private Missive RECEIVED(3.167 days elapsed)

To Inquisitor Hurst

I have taken the liberty of compiling all the recovered materials and specimen data and will be sending them to you as they are translated out of Lingua Technis by the onsite personnel. My team is leading the ground efforts to recover this facility and I hope that any information crucial to that effort will be returned along with an explanation. 

With all due regard
Captain Nathaniel Karn, Ordo Xenos Deathwatch

---
[Audio Log Sample 1, partial.]
//timestamp: 14 local days prior to Incident
//log begins

[Magos Felid Locum]: -es, is this on? Wonderful.

[Captain Harlin Oreal]: It killed two of my men.

//log records a dismissive sigh, several small clicks(equipment turning on?)

[Locum]: You people- with all due respect- are all the same, Captain. This creature could leap our understanding of the splinter's biology ahead a decade or more and all you think about is the cost of acquiring it! Knowledge is priceless, Space Marine.

[Oreal]: It takes more than ten years to replace two Astartes, Magos.

//log records approximately 4.11 seconds of silence.

[Locum]: Perhaps. But this will be worth it to even you in the end, Captain- please, if you would input your authorization.

[Oreal]: Captain Harlin Oreal.

[Locum]: Magos Felid Locum.

[Xenosanitas Omniservitor]: Authorization granted.

//log records authorization for maximum security wing
//log records power surge consistent with lights turning on

[Oreal]: I do not trust leaving this facility's security to such a simple trick, Magos.

//log records heavy breath out(scoff?)

[Locum]: You worry in vain, captain. These beasts can mimic our appearance and our actions, they can learn to pull levers and push buttons. They're far smarter than we give them credit for, even separated from their [log records 5.36 seconds of silence] mothers.

[Oreal]: What is it?

[Locum]: This creature is unique among the specimens brought in from the splinter fleet's front- look, this nexus here just beyond the frontal lobe. That entire cluster seems devoted to auditory perception. See how it connects to the inner ears? 

[Oreal]: I am no Apothecary, Magos.

//log records Magos Locum's voice takes on an excited tone.

[Locum]: And no one knows that better than I, Captain- however, this could mean that this specimen is of the original strain that swept over the subsector! We could be dealing with a highly evolved vanguard organism, one which could let us isolate the base strain of the fleet.

[Oreal]: The Ultramarines used such a vanguard organism to distill a poison before, if I recall.

[Locum]: Indeed, and the methods have become published widely- if we can isolate a similar strand from this creature, it could mean the end of the entire splinter group- or even the main hive fleet, Emperor willing!

[Oreal]: Later, Magos. There are specimens still to unpack.

[Locum]: Very well- I'm sealing it in the main containment sphere, I'll require your assistance here to authorize most of the comings and goings- if that's not too much trouble.

[Oreal]: No one is more pleased than I that I'll have a good line of sight to that beast at all hours, Magos.

[Oreal]: Captain Harlin Oreal.

[Locum]: Magos Felid Locum.

[Xenosanitas Omniservitor]: Authorization granted.

//log records power surge consistent with lights being shut off

//log records unknown trace audio(movement?)

//log records unknown trace audio(identified: Biologis guards outside)

//log records unknown trace audio(???)

//log ends


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## Calistrasza (Mar 11, 2013)

[Audio Log Sample 2]
//timestamp: 4 local days prior to incident
//log begins

[Oreal]: Captain Harlin Oreal.

[Locum]: Magos Felid Locum.

[Xenosanitas Omniservitor]: Authorization granted.

//log records power surge consistent with lights being turned on.

[Oreal]: The guards are afraid of your pet, Locum. They hide outside rather than in here doing their duty.

[Locum]: It's only natural, Captain- fear is a biological response triggered by powers greater than yourself- and let's be honest, the guards here should have very much to fear.

//log records a grunt.
//log records a power surge consistent with containment sphere shutters opening.

[Locum]: Look at her- isn't she glorious, Captain?

[Oreal]: Her?

[Locum]: Much like spacefaring vessels and classics of all varieties, all fine specimens of mine I refer to in a manner consistent with their natural beauty.

[Oreal]: That is not the term I would use.

[Locum]: Which is why you are an Astartes and I a Magos, my dear friend- Xenosanitas, begin procedure, center on distal cranial imaging, adjust to focus on differences with original imaging.

[Xenosanitas Omniservitor]: Complying.

[Oreal]: Have you made any progress on the poison?

[Locum]: The poison is just an inkling of what this being could teach of us Tyranid biology! Just two weeks ago this area of the brain was less than half it's current size- the evolutionary leap is astonishing, and even more so that it's been completely isolated in the sphere. 

[Oreal]: We've been here. It hasn't been alone.

[Locum]: This viewing window is soundproofed and comprised of one-way material, Captain- it cannot see nor hear us.

[Oreal]: Soundproofed to humans.

//log records 4.57 seconds of silence

[Locum]: Well, yes, of course. Along with everything else.

[Oreal]: Are you certain?

//log records 5.49 seconds of silence

[Locum]: Of course.

//log records 8.74 seconds of silence

[Oreal]: Very well.

[Locum]: Besides- look at this image. This second nexus of the brain is growing in leaps and bounds- it didn't even exist when you brought the specimen in. The other Magos believes it's some kind of speech recognition center, as if it's learning to understand what we're saying.

[Oreal]: How can it learn if it can't hear us.

//log records 13.91 seconds of silence

[Locum]: It's possible it could sense vibrations, or something to that effect.

[Oreal]: You will keep the shutter closed for all imaging done after this- I will call for further assistance from the Deathwatch and the Ordo Xenos before any subsequent observations.

[Locum]: But-

[Oreal]: That's the end of it, Magos. 

//log records a hard breath out(sigh?)

[Locum]: Magos Felid Locum.

[Oreal]: Captain Harlin Oreal.

[Xenosanitas Omniservitor]: Authorization granted.

//log records power surge consistent with shutters closing/lights shutting off.

//log records following two unknown trace audio bytes, translated by Xenosanitas Omniservitor.

[???]: Magic Fleece Lake

[???]: Canned Hand Order

//log records unknown trace audio (identified: "Did you hear that?")

//log records unknown trace audio (movement?)

//log ends


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## Calistrasza (Mar 11, 2013)

[Audio Log Sample 3]
//timestamp: 0 days prior to incident
//log begins

[Locum]: Magos Felid Locum. And his guest...

//log records a click(equipment turning on?)

[Oreal]: Captain Harlin Oreal.

[Xenosanitas Omniservitor]: Authorization granted.

//log records power surge consistent with lights turning on, shutter opening

[Locum]: Hello, my dear- see, that barbarian can't keep us apart. You and I are not so different, each a crucial piece of a greater whole, and if either of us was to be removed, well, it's likely the entire system would grind to a halt.

[???]: Halt.

[Locum]: Absolutely amazing. Xenosanitas, begin procedure, center on distal cranial imaging, adjust to focus on connective tissue and nerve clusters.

[Xenosanitas Omniservitor]: Complying.

[???]: Comply.

[Xenosanitas Omniservitor]: Complying.

[Locum]: Emperor preserve us, you really can mimic that droning old woman, can't you? Xenosanitas, adjust instruction- focus on auditory cluster, Alpha marker.

[Xenosanitas Omniservitor]: Complying.

[Xenosanitas Omniservitor]: Complying.

[Locum]: Yes, go on, beautiful- that lovely voice of yours will make the name Felid Locum far more famous than that old Land- digging in the dirt for buried treasure...

[Locum]: Felid Locum.

//log records 23.1 seconds of silence

[Locum]: I've never loved anything more in all the world, my dear- Xenosanitas, additional instruction, begin secondary recording, pair with video feed.

[Xenosanitas Omniservitor]: Complying.

[Locum]: Complying.

[Locum]: A true talent you have there- yes, speak for the recordings. This is Magos Felid Locum, of Xenosanitas station on this miserable world- and I have discovered this. Me. By myself.

//log records approximately 3.41 hours of condensed Lingua Technis, field servitors unable to parse.

[Locum]: And I believe that about does it for now- oh my love, if only that thug could see what you really were- all he cares about is his poison, and I've not the heart to tell him you've changed too much for us to ever hope to distill it now. Perhaps when I accept my award and promotion I'll let him know.

[Locum]: Captain Harlin Oreal.

[Locum]: Yes indeed, that exact thug.

[Locum]: Exact thug.

[Locum]: Oh how Mars will adore you. In the morning, dear- today, we finalized our proposal. Tomorrow, we accept our praise and hero worship. Goodnight, my sweet.

[Locum]: Magos Felid Locum.

//log records a click(equipment turning on?)

[Oreal]: Captain Harlin Oreal.

[Xenosanitas Omniservitor]: Authorization granted.

//log records power surge consistent with lights turning off, shutters closing.

//log records 6.91 hours of silence.

[Locum]: Magos Felid Locum.

[Locum]: Captain Harlin Oreal.

[Xenosanitas Omniservitor]: Authorization denied.

[???]: Magos Felid Locum.

[Oreal]: Captain Felid Locum.

[Xenosanitas Omniservitor]: Authorization denied. Three attempts remaining.

[Locum]: Captain Harlin Oreal.

[Oreal]: Magos Felid Oreal.

[Xenosanitas Omniservitor]: Authorization denied. Two attempts remaining.

[Locum]: Magos Felid Oreal.

[Oreal]: Captain Harlin Exact Thug.

[Xenosanitas Omniservitor]: Authorization denied. One attempt remaining.

//log records 12.71 seconds of silence

[Locum]: Magos Felid Locum.

[Oreal]: Captain Harlin Oreal.

[Xenosanitas Omniservitor]: Authorization granted.

//log records power surge consistent with shutters opening, lights turning on.

//log records unknown power interruption affecting all local centrally-powered light fixtures.

//log records approximately 4.7 condensed minutes of interrupted gunfire.

//log records approximately 37.9 uninterrupted hours of a containment breach alarm

//log ends


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Tell me what you guys think!


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## Sanya (Mar 12, 2013)

Hey, this looks really promising. Just wondering if the rest of the story continue with this narrative voice or do we get more involved with the story? I can't wait to find out in anycase.k:


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## Calistrasza (Mar 11, 2013)

Sanya said:


> Hey, this looks really promising. Just wondering if the rest of the story continue with this narrative voice or do we get more involved with the story? I can't wait to find out in anycase.k:


Thanks for the feedback <3

I'm not sure- I was still up in the air about what to do after this. If there's an interest I'll happily continue it, though likely from a character's point of view rather than the audio logs. Depends on what people want!


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