Chapter Text
The cold steel of the servitors operating table bit into the Tech Priest’s back as he lay unmoving. His cybernetic body was motionless as the chirurgeons moved around him, working diligently. He was a child of the Omnissiah, a loyal Tech Priest, devoted to his duty as a member of the Cult Mechanicus on Mars. But, here he was, lying on an operating table, his mechanical body being recycled . A voice broke through the sounds of the chirurgeons at work, a voice that spoke the words that would haunt him for evermore.
„ Initiating override sequence ,“ the voice said. The servitors 'buzzing hum began to change, shifting into a low, consistent drone. The Tech Priest felt his thoughts begin to sluggishly shift, his cognitive functions slowly returning as the heavy shroud that laid on his mind slowly began to lift. He tried to move, to look around, but his body remained unresponsive, bound by unseen, yet unyielding forces. The servitors moved with an eerie efficiency, their movements synchronized with the droning of the servitors.
„Override sequence initiated” the voice droned, „Commencing memory upload.“ The Tech Priest’s mind felt as if it was being peeled back layer by layer, his memories unraveling, spilling out like a tangled mess of wires. The chirurgeons kept working either unhearing or uncaring for the strange voice. The Tech Priest felt a strange detachment, as if he was watching his own life flash before his eyes.
„Memory upload underway,“ the voice continued. The Tech Priest’s memories continued to spill forth, each one being of importance to Dorox. Images flashed across his mind’s eye – moments of triumph, moments of loss, moments of devotion to the Machine God. The feeling of detachment grew stronger, and he felt a pang of grief for the life he was leaving behind. “Memory upload at 50% completion,“ the voice suddenly announced, „Commencing personality override.“ The Tech Priest felt a surge of alarm, and his thoughts began to race. What did they mean by ‚personality override? The chirurgeons continued their work, seemingly oblivious to his inner turmoil. The droning of the servitors grew louder, and a strange sensation began to build in the back of his mind. It felt as if another presence was lurking there, waiting to take over his thoughts, his emotions, his very identity. The Tech Priest struggled against this encroaching presence, trying to hold onto his sense of self, he didn't need to it wasn't him that was disappearing. “Personality merge at 65% completion“ the voice droned, „Commencing sensory integration.“ The Tech Priest’s senses began to sharpen, and he could suddenly hear and see every detail around him with excruciating clarity. But this newfound clarity was overshadowed by the presence lurking in his mind, growing stronger with each passing moment. “Sensory integration complete. Commencing neural connection to organic host,“ the voice monotonously announced. The Tech Priest’s alarm grew stronger, the realization of what was happening finally sinking in. Organic host? What did that mean? The chirurgeons continued their work, seemingly undisturbed by his increasing panic. The presence in his mind grew louder, its voice slowly becoming more distinct. He could now distinguish its thoughts from his own, and a wave of dread washed over him. He was being assimilated into something, but he had no idea what. “Preparations complete,“ the voice said, „Initiating transfer.“ The servitors‘ droning grew louder, drowning out all other noise. The Tech Priest felt his thoughts becoming hazy, his sense of self slipping away. The presence in his mind loomed larger, its influence growing stronger with each passing moment. “Transfer initiated. Beginning integration process…“ the voice said, but the Tech Priest heard no more. The world around him faded, replaced by only darkness. He felt as if he was being pulled apart and put back together, the presence in his mind molding him into something new, something different. When he came to, he felt as if he was floating in a vacuum of sensory input. He slowly began to open his eyes, and the world came into focus. It was a very different one from the one he knew – no longer the metallic, sterile environment of the operation room, but what appeared to be a small cupboard. He tried to move, but his body felt wrong. It was smaller, more fragile, more organic. He looked down and saw small, bony hands instead of the cold, metallic limbs he was used to. A surge of panic washed over him as he realized what had happened. He was no longer a Tech Priest. He was now something… else. His mind raced, trying to make sense of this new reality, but it was difficult with this strange, unfamiliar body. He tried to speak, but their voice came out as a small, high-pitched squeak. As the shock began to subside, the memories of the chirurgeons‘ work returned to him. He remembered the voice announcing the start of the override process, the memory upload, the personality merge, and the sensory integration. He had been placed into an organic body, a young human male body. He was no longer a dedicated follower of the Machine God. They tried to access their previous memories, to tap into the knowledge and experience of their past but they felt hazy, fragmented, and difficult to discern. He could remember snippets, flashes of his past life, but they were distant, as if they belonged to someone else. He tried to move again, crawling forward on all fours. His new body was so small, so weak, so unfamiliar. He caught a glimpse of his reflection in a nearby broken mirror, and he froze. The face looking back at him was that of a young boy, barely 6 Years old, a stark contrast to the cold, metallic visage he had been used to.He sat there for a moment, staring at his reflection, struggling to comprehend the magnitude of what had happened to him. He felt disoriented, confused, and utterly lost. How was he going to survive in this new world, in this new body? What was expected of him? What was his purpose now?.