Subject C67-B

The monthly Read In A Rush competitions over on the Black Library Bolthole have restarted, and this month's theme is "Cold". I thought I would go with a different definition, rather than the more obvious temperature aspect, and with that in mind I wrote this piece, Subject C67-B. This is a companion piece to Help Me, so read that first if you haven't already. I also took the opportunity to write in a different tense to the one that I normally use, and I think it works nicely.

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Mechanicus Adept (class III) Malik Sigma-1 turns as a labourer servitor enters the processing area, carrying a new subject in its arms. The subject is placed on the table and the servitor injects a muscle relaxant into its circulatory system, to prevent its movements from interfering with the procedure. Malik steps forward, while the scanner embedded in his right eye socket reads the freshly-branded code on the subject’s forehead and information scrolls across his field of vision.

Subject designation: C67-B
Subject assignment: Bio-Reclamation Facility Beta Six/Waste Processing Line Alpha/Berth VI
Subject procedure: Kappa-Six-Beta(c)

Malik calls up the detail for the relevant operation and commits the sixteen pages of information to memory. This takes three point six two seconds. Another sixty-two point seven three seconds are spent selecting the tools required for the procedure and placing them in order of use next to the subject, which now lies still as the cocktail of muscle relaxant and anaesthetic spreads through its body. Its eyes follow Malik’s movements as he picks up the first tool to be used; a circular saw.

The adept removes the first limb at the shoulder joint, then uses a cauterising tool to stem the loss of circulatory fluid from the subject’s body. Malik raises the limb to eye level and studies it carefully, noting poor bone density and the presence of excessive amounts of subcutaneous adipose tissue. This does not exceed the minimum standards required for incorporation into a servitor, so the adept passes the limb to the still-waiting labourer construct, which will later transport it to the incinerator.

Malik removes the remaining limbs, pausing between the amputation of limbs three and four to wipe away circulatory fluid that has splashed across his scanner and vox-grille. The quality of each limb is deemed equal to or worse than the first, and all are rejected. A brief screech of vocalised code sends the labourer servitor to dispose of the rejected parts.

As the servitor leaves, the adept hears a spasmodic exhalation of gases from nearby. He scans nearby pipes for leakage but finds nothing. After another four point four two seconds he traces the sound to the subject. Its jaw is opening and closing irregularly and its eyes roll about inside their sockets, despite the effects of the muscle relaxant. Malik theorises that the over-abundance of adipose tissue is partially negating the effects of the relaxant, and makes a note to have the servitor apply another dose to the subject once it returns from the incinerator.

The adept continues the procedure; cutting a vertical slit into the subject’s torso followed by two horizontal slices below the neck and at groin level. Clamps are used to fold back the flesh while brief applications of the cauterising tool stem the relatively small quantities of fluid loss. The labourer servitor returns, and after it has injected a second dose of muscle relaxant into the subject, the adept has it remove the rib cage while he leaves to gather the biological tissue from the cryo-stores and mechanical parts that will be required for the remodelling of the subject’s digestive system.

Fifteen point seven six minutes into the remodelling procedure, Malik becomes aware that he is being observed from a gantry overlooking the processing area. He looks up for long enough to capture an image of the figure watching him then concentrates on his work, applying a mere five point two six percent of his intellect to enhancing the darkened image sufficiently for identification purposes. After thirteen point six seconds he finds a match: the observer is Arch-magos Kalen himself. Upon realising this Malik feels an unfamiliar tightening sensation in his stomach that he identifies as concern. He begins to go back through his memory to identify the last time that he experienced such a purposeless emotion, then classifies the fact as unimportant and returns his attention to the procedure.

After another twenty two point one one minutes Malik finishes the modelling procedure by sealing up the subject’s torso once again, doing so carefully to avoid damaging the restructured internal organs. The Arch-magos still observes from overhead, and as the labourer servitor picks up the subject and carries it out of the room, Malik hears a burst of machine code from above, which could be represented in spoken form as a single word: efficient. He feels a brief moment of pride, and this time does not dismiss the emotion.

The adept follows the servitor as it moves through the facility to waste processing line alpha. Reaching the designated location, the labourer places the subject on the floor before removing the non-functional reclamation servitor occupying berth VI. Malik scans the servitor briefly, agreeing with the report of the menial that had discovered the malfunction: the servitor’s biological components have degraded below acceptable levels. It will be broken down for usable parts then recycled.

The servitor places subject C67-B into berth VI and clamps the restraints into place to prevent the subject becoming dislodged over time by the pressure of the waste being pumped through, before inserting the nutrient removal pipe into the socket in the subject’s torso. Malik then inserts the waste extraction pipeline into the appropriate orifice. As he does so, the subject emits noise above anticipated levels, which does not subside after three point four one seconds.

The adept moves to the front of the subject and notices its eyes are fixed on him. It tries to speak to him, but he is unable to comprehend the words before the insertion of the feed pipe muffles them. Malik pulls a lever set into a nearby control panel and C67-B jerks as the waste to be reclaimed is pumped into its enhanced digestive system. As adept Malik watches the new servitor at work, he observes that its eyes are still turned towards him. He speculates that C67-B still retains some awareness of its surroundings.

Walking away, Malik runs the calculations, and determines that the probability of that awareness having any detrimental effect on C67-B’s functions is less than nought point six one percent, which is well within acceptable parameters.