JK sits opposite me in my luxury shuttle and says, “Is every meeting you have with the Space Marines so charged?”

  “So far! I do not mind though. They are incredibly blunt, but I find such clarity of communication convenient.”

  “They’re even more binary than we are,” says JK. “They’re either shooting, or they are not.”

  “Amusing as that is, I try to give them more credit than that. They are not emotionless machines beneath their armour.”

  JK huffs, “You won’t permit a bad word about anyone, will you? Even in jest. I bet you have something nice to say about the moody Inquisitor too.”

  “Inquisitor Raphael is Schola Progenium trained and raised. He’s spent his formative years hunting mutants and criminals in lower hives with the knowledge that should he falter, or fail to follow a single order, he’ll be joining the prey. When I see that level of cruelty directed towards others, especially children, I can’t resist sticking my middle finger at the lot of them, nor can I curb my empathy.”

  “How so? I doubt I would do the same. Ignoring the natterings of stick wavers is how I ended up in the Inquisition. The less attention I attract the better.”

  “Expressing Rapahel’s hatred of mutants is an ingrained reaction, one learned from having a gun pointed at him for decades. That he can even hold a conversation with me, and is usually fairly genial, is a testament to his self-reflection, social training, and will.”

  “I don’t believe that a Magos would believe that crap. Raphael’s an ass, yet you have offered to induct him into our order. You would give access to the Mechanicus’ most destructive knowledge to a man who shoots his friends at the drop of a wrench. That is supremely unwise and only the most ruthless live long enough to become a Magi, so spill it. I’m not going to go tattling to the Inquisitor, but I am going to raise hell about you tossing technological secrets at the one Imperial branch who are dumb enough to use them.”

  I frown, “I don’t take kindly to threats, JK-404, and yes, I do actually believe ‘all that crap’. Empathy is a useful skill, be it for understanding enemies or allies.”

  “It’s not a threat, you twit. I’m just going to annoy you until you tell me. Think of this as getting to know each other better. If all we do is only talk about our jobs, we’ll never trust each other enough to share the ideas that really matter. No one achieves greatness alone. You literally just told me why that’s a good idea, though in different words.”

  “Fine. Whatever. Yes, there was far more to it than that.” I tap my head, “How much do you know about navigator brains?”

  “Not enough to know wherever you're going with this from that measly hint,” JK-404 folds her arms and looks me in the eyes.

  “Well, as I am hoping you will be able to assist me in improving my brain, I’ll explain how it works, and a little about navigator physiology. I’ve no doubt you’ll put together my play with the Inquisitor together from all of that.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “The primary navigator mutation, the third eye, is actually only half of the mutation. I’m sure you’re thinking, ‘Obviously there’s extra bits of grey matter to interpret an additional visual input.’ Well, you’d be wrong.”

  JK-404 chuckles, “That’s not where I thought you’d be going with this, but do go on.”

  “A navigator’s brain is stuffed with warp energy and paradoxes. The most unusual of these is that, in a navigator’s brain, every neuron can connect to every other neuron, for in the Warp, there is no concept of space. This should scramble a navigator’s brain to mush, but it doesn’t because this effect is mostly symbolic.

  “Only by having a near infinite number of connections can one visualise an infinite space and navigate it. Only by having a set of connections that both exist and do not exist can one avoid beings and objects that simultaneously have no form or time, yet manifest before you. Anyone else who looks just goes mad, or doesn’t see what kills them.”

  “You’re telling me that your brain is stuffed full of quantum effects, like some types of cogitators, while simultaneously being a standard Human brain.”

  “That’s one way to look at it and likely the closest we’re going to get with words alone,” I say.

  “Fine. What does this have to do with Raphael?”

  “Well, in order to stabilise a navigator’s mind, their soul is tied much closer to their flesh, offloading much of their ego to their soul, so that when their brain is churning through funky visuals and mathematics, they do not lose their sense of self and can still function. This makes navigators both prone and resistant to mutation. A literal case of mind over matter.

  “Souls grow with time and troubles, thus as a navigator ages, they become more psychically powerful. As their bodies work on a mind over matter basis, this means that they’re increasingly vulnerable to worse mutations and death should their ego falter. What do you think would happen to a navigator if they were isolated, insulted, and threatened?”

  “Ah, they die horribly, taking everyone with them.”

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  “Indeed, psykers are fairly similar in that regard. The Imperium toughens them up with beatings and torture. Those that survive are powerful and obedient. Those who fail are fuel for the Astronomicon or end up as Emperor chow. Navigators are bribed with gilded cages.

  “The problem is how the attitude of ‘fear and hate the mutant’ propagates through the Imperium. People hide their kids so that they don’t get taken away, or murdered by their neighbours, leaving them untrained and vulnerable, and prone to predation. Alternatively, psykers are thrown out or abused, which ends in much the same manner, but by a far darker and more destructive route. Navigators are isolated from the ship crews and viewed with suspicion. Either way, like you said, they die, dragging a planet or ship into the warp in their final, desperate moments, all because someone pointed and yelled, ‘Mutant!’”

  JK-404 nods slowly, “So this is what you want Raphael to learn, because he is at the top and his attitude will trickle down to those in his command. Basically, ‘don’t yell at the walking void grenade, it is bad for your longevity’. You also want him to learn the hard way, with massive amounts of mathematics, because he was rude to you, and to reach the conclusions you want him to, from the information you control, so that it actually sticks. Sure, I can see why, as a navigator, you might want to fight against such attitudes, but you know as well as I that it’s mostly a waste of time, the best you’re going to manage is good manners.”

  “I would consider that quite a boon and the starting point to an actual solution” I smile, “but yes, there is more to it. Imagine that you have a powerful individual who is suddenly questioning everything he has ever learned, to save his own skin, or to reliably complete the tasks that he has assigned to himself. Who is this person going to turn to for answers? At the very least, he is going to confront the person who led him to those conclusions. They will either seek further guidance, or feel played and turn on their tutor. As for which side the throne gelt will fall on, I could not say. One either gets a loyal peer or a peerless enemy.”

  “You would go that far to befriend an Inquisitor?”

  “I would. The only time he’s gotten annoyed at me is when I picked up on his thoughts, and shown that the one place he feels safe, his own mind, is not the fortress that the implants he has should provide. By teaching him how to make better mind shielding devices, fortify his mind, and control his microexpressions, I can offer a meaningful apology while demonstrating that mutants are people too and not to be feared. So long as one is polite and ensures that they get the specialised help that they need.”

  “I am not convinced, but if you want to waste your time and gamble your fleet on the good will of an Inquisitor of all people, then go ahead. I will not interfere.”

  I shake my head, “‘Beatings until morale improves’ is not a viable form of treatment. If a navigator or psyker hates their body, their body will hate them, then they mutate worse and the cycle continues until we’re all dragged screaming into the warp. Yes, I am simplifying this issue to an almost criminal degree and there are many other steps required, but when the alternative is death and eternal damnation, nothing less than my absolute best is acceptable.”

  “Oh, does that mean you will teach me too?”

  “I was hoping for a mutually agreeable exchange of data.”

  JK-404 gasps in an exaggerated fashion, “Oh my! How forward!”

  I laugh, “Stop trying to squeeze more benefits out of my data-jack.”

  “All those little ones and zeros? I’ll make sure to guide them properly.”

  “Alright, that’s enough of that. I am a married man.”

  “Fine, at least you can take a joke. Many of my peers back at the Lathes were so stuffy. They see the body as a machine and beauty in all things mechanical, yet the hypocrites fail to understand the elegance of flesh.”

  “I, too, find delight in the Human form, but that’s a debate for another day. We have arrived and I am interested to see what you make of my new laboratory and workshop. Our specialities are adjacent but we have completely different origins. How do the teachings of the Lathes differ from my own works? We shall have to see. That reminds me, are you content on Red Knoll for now? It was not the original plan, but the Barghests do need extra help and supervision.”

  “Getting a little excited are we?” JK-404 smiles and shakes her head. “Nevermind. Staying with the marines is fine for now.”

  We continue chatting as we amble through Torchbearer, swapping ideas on how to build a Janus frame for a Space Marine.

  My new labs and workshop are much the same as the last with clean rooms and boxy machinery with minimal decoration. Brian, my favourite servo-skull, greets us with a cheerful chirp and a playful loop, almost smacking his head into the deck.

  “Well, this is rather different,” says JK-404. “You’re making my place look bad with how tidy this one is. Given your wealth, I expected a lot more precious metals.”

  “My last place had a few murals. I haven’t had time yet to get any painting done. I prefer not to waste precious industrial metals on decoration. I’d rather use it on wards, or save it for locations that really matter, like temples, libraries, and the bridge.”

  “If everything is impressive, nothing is impressive. Is that how you see it?”

  I nod, “Indeed.”

  “Well, it’s efficient, functional, and clean. Not my preference, but a pleasant space nonetheless. The wall of plants and flowers is a nice touch and the scent from the environmental sustainer is like standing on coastal dunes. I’ve no idea how you managed that last bit. Are you willing to trade that?”

  “Sure. There’s a whole bunch of effects and some projectors if you want to feel like you’re outside.”

  “Nah, I don’t need to go that far. I’m not the sort of girl who likes to touch grass.”

  I chuckle and shake my head, then point at a door, “I have a small librarium and office over there. Head on in and make yourself comfortable while I grab something hot from the food printer. You can connect to a local noosphere in there and take a look at the file labelled Hyper Intelligence. There’s also another two under Xeno Toxins and Genetic Desecration. If you try to copy them, the Machine-Spirit will revoke your access.”

  “Only kick me out? That’s rather mild.”

  “A second attempt would kill you.”

  “I knew you had it in you somewhere, Aldrich. Girls love a little death.”

  “Just...go and make yourself comfortable. Please. I’ll be back in a moment.”

  Warhammer 40k Lexicanum, , and . I've also enjoyed opinion pieces such as: , The via Gamespot, and . While not strictly 40k, they are good for inspiration and IRL explanations.