After concluding his affairs on Holy Terra and submitting a detailed report on the first phase of the Imperial Fists rapid conscripts' restoration plan to Rogal Dorn, Osiris did not linger in the vortex of power.
His core logic engine clearly prioritized his tasks.
In the waiting period for the Primarch's feedback and the slow grind of the Imperial bureaucracy, he turned his attention to another appointment long scheduled on his agenda.
The "Eternal Quest" once again sailed into the turbulent waves of the Immaterium.
However, the journey to the Death World base was not conducted solely through traditional warp travel.
When the ship's sensors detected an area of Warp Storm turbulence that was too difficult to bypass or would cost too much time to force through, Osiris would instruct the ship's control systems to execute a brief and precise real-space emergence procedure.
Briefly appearing in the void of real space, the warp drive at the stern of the "Eternal Quest" would start up, its low hum replacing the strange echoes of the sub-space engine.
A stable warp bubble would envelop the vessel, allowing it to traverse the area blocked by the Warp Storm at faster-than-light speeds within the material universe.
This not only effectively bypassed navigational risks and significantly shortened the time required for detours but also provided Osiris with valuable data on the systems' adaptability and stability under this "Warp-Warp Bubble" hybrid navigation mode.
The purpose of this trip was twofold: first, to further plan and reinforce the ancient relic base located on the Death World. This facility served as his reserve base for dimensional exploration and important research, and its construction and security levels needed continuous enhancement.
Second, it was to complete the evaluation of his apprentice, David Martinez, whose one-year learning period had concluded.
When the vast hull of the "Eternal Quest" finished its final short-range warp-bubble jump and stabilized in close orbit around the Death World, Osiris did not attempt to bring the cruiser into the atmosphere.
A modified, hard-lined shuttle ejected from the cruiser's belly, piercing the thin atmosphere like a metal arrow, accurately landing on the ancient relic base's platform.
Osiris' massive, dark-red body stepped out of the shuttle hatch and onto the base's metallic floor, heading toward the core area.
Sekhmet and several Tech-Priest apprentices, having been notified, were already waiting, respectfully offering the gear-salute.
"Report on base operating status and the progress of the East Wing laboratory expansion," Osiris commanded, bypassing pleasantries. His crimson optical lenses swept over the data streams scrolling across the main control hub screen.
Sekhmet stepped forward and began to report in a modulated, monotone voice: "Energy core output is stable; deviation is less than zero point zero three percent.
The defensive arrays have completed their third cyclical self-check; all nodes are online.
The newly added multi-functional environmental simulation system in the East Wing laboratory completed final debugging last standard week and is now fully integrated into the base network.
As per your planning, the next step recommends opening a secondary reserve depot beneath the rock layer on the north side of the relic to accommodate a potential increase in future supplies or... samples."
While listening to the report, Osiris directly accessed the recent detailed logs and energy distribution records through a data port.
All parameters were within the preset range. The base, under the meticulous, if uncreative, maintenance of his apprentices, was functioning well.
"You are responsible for submitting the proposal for the site selection and preliminary structural design of the secondary reserve depot," Osiris told Sekhmet, then turned to the other apprentices, asking about the maintenance status of their respective modules and their grasp of the foundational chapters of the Omnissiah's Scripture.
The questioning process was concise and efficient, like a system self-check.
Having dealt with the base's routine affairs, Osiris' gaze finally settled on David Martinez and Lucy, who were standing quietly at the back of the apprentice line.
"David Martinez," Osiris' synthesized voice rang out.
David immediately straightened his back, stepped forward, and tried to keep his voice steady: "Magos."
"Your one-year learning term is complete. Follow me." With that, Osiris turned and walked toward the base's designated bio-research sector. David took a deep breath and followed.
Lucy watched his retreating figure, an almost imperceptible flicker of concern in her violet eyes.
In the bio-research sector, various precision instruments hummed quietly in a low-temperature environment. The air was faintly permeated with the smell of disinfectant and nutrient broth.
Inside a transparent isolation chamber were arrays of biological tissue samples from different dimensions, varying widely in form. Some samples showed obvious characteristics of artificial genetic collapse or xenos contamination.
"Your evaluation task," Osiris' mechanical tentacle pointed toward the isolation chamber, "is to independently complete a genetic sequence stability assessment of the designated sample (labeled Beta-7) within three standard hours, using the available equipment and your knowledge, and submit an analysis report on its potential mutation tendencies and possible inhibition plan.
You are permitted to use basic gene-editing tools for verification operations."
A servo-skull silently glided to David's side, projecting the detailed initial data and requirement list for the examination sample from its eye sockets.
David looked at the complex data stream and the mass of tissue, which presented an unhealthy grey-white color. His heart involuntarily sped up.
He knew this was no simple test.
The gene chain of the Beta-7 sample was extremely fragile and carried a difficult-to-analyze inert code. Any improper manipulation could accelerate its collapse.
He recalled his year of study, pouring over the vast biological texts of the Mechanicum at the data-slate, spending boring nights of practice with Lucy's company, repeatedly operating the precise yet cold instruments, understanding that decoding genetic sequences required absolute precision and logic, much like understanding machine code...
He suppressed his nervousness, walked to the operating console, put on the sensor gloves, and connected the neural interface.
His movements were clumsy at first, but quickly became focused and steady.
The optical microscope adjusted its focus, the gene sequencer began to hum, and the micro-manipulator arms, under his control, performed sample extraction and reagent addition with extremely fine movements.
Osiris stood to the side, his crimson optical lenses locked onto David's every step, recording his operational precision, logical judgment sequence, and strategies for dealing with sudden data fluctuations.
There was no comment, no hint, only absolute observation.
Time ticked by, moment by moment.
Fine beads of sweat broke out on David's forehead, but his eyes grew brighter.
He identified a non-typical telomere wear pattern hidden in the sample and adjusted his original analysis path. By utilizing an obscure catalytic reagent mentioned in Basic Xenos Genetics, he successfully activated part of the inert code, obtaining more crucial data on the sample's mutation tendency.
When the three-hour time limit was reached, David submitted his report exactly on time.
The report was detailed, fully supported by data, and the proposed inhibition plan, though slightly conservative, was logically rigorous and fully considered the equipment limitations of the current base laboratory.