Arch-Magos Biologis Zectek Yordanski: Heretek, Logician, Xenophile

Arch-Magos biologist Zectek Yordanski hurried to finish the work before it was too late. The magos knew that time was against them. Arch Magos Zectek also knew that even the slightest coding error would have catastrophic consequences. The techpriest knew that the Inquisition was closing in on them and if they did not finish the project soon, all of their centuries of work would be sent to the pyres by the ignorant fools who could not grasp the genius of Magos Zectek's vision for humanity.

Like many of the biologis, Zectek Yordanski had originally focused his studies on the holy human form as the pinnacle of evolution, the end point of mankind's long destiny to which no xenos can compare. Yet, the more Zectek learned about the brains of Aeldari, the blood of the Orks, the bone structure of the Votann, the digestive enzymes of the Kroot, or just anything to do with Tyranids, the more the techpriest came to believe that the mankind might be perfect in theory, but in practice might benefit from some slight modifications to their DNA sequences and a few specialized bionic organelles. It was only after reading the forbidden texts of the Logicians that Zectek came to truly believe that he had an obligation to not just preserve mankind's past, but take active steps to guide its future.

They had worked in secret for centuries. Gathering the genetic secrets of the finest specimens in the galaxy, collecting powerful Necrontyre artifacts and archeotech relics so that they might create synergy amongst the most disparate of xenos breeds to form a new race. One which has the soul of a man, the magic of the eldar, the constitution and instincts of an Ork, the adaptability and unity of the Tyranids, and countless other tweaks to make these Nextmen the peak of power. Zectek was particularly proud of the technorganic nanite systems the Magos had derived from reprocessed Necron bodies which would allow his creations to truly blur the line between meat and machine.

All of that work would be for not if the Inquisition's kill team got in here before the work was complete. The forge shook with the detonations of frag grenades and melta charges. They were coming. Zectek's combat servitors were slowing them down, but this was the inquisition, they would not stop, not unless they believed the threat was neutralized.

Arch Magos Zectek scanned the egg shaped capsule that represented his life's work. The techpriest vented its heat exchanger, their equivalent of a sigh, and swallowed the archeotech device before the techpriest threw themselves down the garbage shoot and triggered the countdown for the fusion charges arranged around their lab.

As agony overtook the arch magos, they tried to imagine the look on inquisitor Cathrina Vale's face moments before its pretty features were vaporized by hot plasma. Zectek knew that transubstantation into a higher form of life would hurt, but the techpriest, who had long ago discarded most of their pain receptors with the rest of their skin, felt like their body was turning into burning ice or frozen fire as their mind melted away into dreams of many colors.