Machinations of the Maekla Combine

-The Maekla Combine's influence on Asterion has dwindled significantly in the wake of their leadership's annihilation; though occasional encounters have occurred with former members since—as mercenaries or in the attack during the Night of Revenge—it is unlikely that we need concern ourselves further with this particular faction.

-It may, however, be valuable to maintain vigilance with regard to the power vacuum left by their organization's destruction. It is possible that Clan Pelnikt may attempt to fill the void, or that a new challenger, so to speak, shall try to claim the mantle.

Details Concerning the Raid and Dismantling of the Maekla Combine's Leadership:

-After extensive research on the Maekla Combine forces, their leaders, and headquarters, we positioned our agents for infiltration and attack. Major St. Ardentia was stationed in the catwalks, armed with heavy ranged weaponry. Preacher Enoch prepared a distraction with a rallied mob of loyal underhive citizens. Quint used his telepathic abilities to move unseen into the facility and begin opening doors. Kelle posed as a chef, having altered her features using through our psyker's abilities, to enter the grounds and approach the leaders, while Eizen prepared to enter from alternate route through the tram station to further split the attention of security forces during the initial shock of the strike.

-Father Lightfall detected our psyker's presence during reconnaissance; however, he propose a deal to preserve his own life and lifestyle in exchange for his assistance and further service. Using these resources, we began our offensive, and were able to quickly overcome several security measures as planned.

-A combination of poison in the refreshments served by Kelle and Quint's use of the Shard Gun rapidly neutralized both VanzerGell and Beakie; the Gloam attempted escape, but was efficiently killed by las cannon fire from the Major. The Shard Host's germination challenged Carniv and would eventually kill her, despite the use of her improvised firepower. However, the Shard Host naturally had to be neutralized as well, and upon Verity's killing shot, it emitted the expected EMP.

-Ordinarily, this would have posed only minor inconveniences; however, our initial survey of the grounds had indicated that a Gellar Field had been installed to prevent a rift from forming in the oddly weakened membrane of reality between the Materium and Immaterium. Demonic entities resembling corrupted vegetative organisms, similar to those encountered in the raid on Bluehull-92, attacked our position.

-We were able to defend our position long enough to restart the Gellar Field; the remaining demonic entities were slaughtered, and purged in flame. We gathered what valuable resources we could prior to leaving the scene (including the Gloam's internal data cores), and thoroughly removed all evidence of our presence in the event.

Aftermath:

-Aside from a drug fueled attack on Bluehull-92 during the Night of Revenge, no major fallout has damaged the KG-Co in the wake of removing the Maekla Combine from Asterion. However, it should be noted that their power within infractionist circles within the system will assuredly cause a power vacuum to form in their absence. If KG-Co is unable to capitalize on this occurrence, another faction of similar capabilities is likely to replace the Combine.

[Heavy Encryption; access granted only to Logis Eizen VIIR c53]

[After the Spire Thor Investigation]

"None of us are here for the truth."

-Location required for networked access to research notes of my personal experiments; I increasingly lack any desire to share these matters with members of the laity, including my team, who clearly lack all understanding and respect for the mysteries of the Omnissiah, the Motive Force, and the Cult Mechanicus. Whatever the Ambassador may believe our mission to be, I shall not blaspheme against the 16 Universal Laws. I shall continue to seek the truth, as is my duty as a Logis and servant of the Imperium. 

(Logs follow concerning research into neural augmetics, mindmapping, psyker augmetics, and techsorcism; the notes are similar to those recorded on public file, but not identical.)

[After the Raid on the Old Fort]

-Omnissiah preserve me, I am not meant for this work; I am not a soldier, not a killer. There is no spark of the Motive Force that does not affect the patterns of fate, no life so small as to be insignificant; such was my cause in learning to heal through the power of machine spirits. At my core being, I know myself to be no more than an investigator. I am to report, that others higher than myself choose the course we travel. And yet duty has called me to be not merely an observer and voice of logic, but an executor as well. I must remain devout and loyal in service to the Imperium, to the Keojrah-Glynt Company, to the Omnissiah. To Kelle. Yet my mind and spirit are at war with themselves (and not merely in the manner that the others believe). Is it my weak flesh that imparts such terrible sentimentality? Or does my soul scream out as the conscience of my sentience, but I dare not heed its cries for fear that my masters have commanded me to diverge from the True Path, leaving me caught between the sins of heresy and disobedience.

[After the Exploration of Fort Orpheon]

-The Major has informed Kelle of my second facility, as perhaps was to be expected. The accusations of malicious secrecy continue, despite my unwavering dedication to the Ambassador and her mission. Her assertions that she aught to have been consulted on this project are bewildering; there are many logistical elements of our operation that I manage without oversight. Surely, in a similar circumstance, a seneschal would not trouble their Lord Captain with every minutiae of daily functionality? No, I must not become embittered, nor conceited in my assumptions; laity though she may be, the Ambassador is my superior, and my friend. She is owed my loyalty, and it is almost certain that her condemnations are born of concern over the matter of VIIR, and the possibility of degredation to my higher functions that I may yet succumb to. Yet, galling as it is to admit, VIIR has yet to prove anything but helpful, nor have I (or any blesses machine) detected signs of deterioration in my neurology or behavior. The single exception to this state of affairs may be the entity's survival instincts threatening to overcome my sense of duty during moments of impending danger, but it is difficult to find grave fault in its desire to preserve us both. Nonetheless, I must maintain my caution; the enemies of mankind and the Omnissiah are many, and they are cunning. And, regardless of his aid, I must not forget what contact with his code has done to others, particularly Archmagos Wakes. Should my research prove futile, I may be inadvertently responsible for the Mechanicus losing a most brilliant and most holy servant. That is something I cannot allow.

[After the first Mind Delve and Dream Walk]

The reports that the Psyker and the Ambassador have given me regarding more direct contact with the architecture of my mind and subconciousness continues to prove vexing. The claims they make regarding discussions I've apparently had with them in this mind space are often beyond my capacity to remember, or recounted erroneous to my own recollections. It seems clear enough from that I and my companion are close enough in appearance and behavior to be essentially indistinguishable to an observer, and the very notion of that is terrifying. If I were to cease to be myself, would anyone notice?

Would I notice?

Have I already failed to do so?

 

[After the Death of Sojourner Wakes]

This shall be my last entry in this supplemental log, as I no longer see fit to conceal my state; all has been revealed. I am dying; either, this death shall come in the form of metamorphosis, or another shall command my body once I have ceased to be. I cannot be certain which outcome awaits, especially knowing that the influence of the VIIR Personality Engram is omnipresent, and may influence my beliefs and thoughts more than I realized. Indeed, I know that there are times when I have allowed him to assume control, particularly in moments of violence.

Given the skill and experience of VIIR's progenitor, I had been tempted to be content in the knowledge that my death might result in a net boon to the Ambassador and the company. Perhaps VIIR pushed this line of thinking as well, though I do not think he could be the origin. Kelle, however, wished for me to make my own decisions as long as I remain in control (despite my uncertainty that I am still myself.) This is something I struggled to comprehend, but the death of Archmagos Wakes has changed things.

I promised him that I would carry on the work, the "crusade," in his place, and I am all but certain that VIIR would not do the same, let alone maintain the cognomen. Therefore, I wish to live, and this desire is stronger now than I have ever experienced. I wish to live, as Eizen Wakes, not Eizen VIIR. I wish to seek the truth for its own sake, not as a means to an end. I know this to be my own wish, separate from the Engram, and so I will hold fast to this duty as my fate approaches, so that I may meet it and fight it.