Abominable Intelligence is bad, pure heresy, a machine that can think for itself? Unspeakable. Such things led to disaster during the Dark Age of technology, several millennia ago, almost destroying humanity in its entirety, if not for the Emperor. Needless to say that such machines are completely outlawed in the Imperium, making it one of the most heretical things you could possibly possess, outside of a daemonic entity.

Unlike Machine Spirits, Abominable Intelligence is capable of learning and evolving without limits – extra incredibly heretical… buuuut also incredibly valuable for, say… a Rogue Trader who is willing to take the risk. A fully functional A.I. could give its owner a massive edge in exploration, combat, or trade… assuming it doesn’t betray them first.

The first-mate aboard the Illustrious Vexation, Vera Von Vista, froze. She was the Rogue Trader’s right-hand, master of spies and unmatched duellist. She even held her own against The Fallen Angel for a while. 

Vera found herself on the edge of a battlefield, in an ancient ruin of a small planetoid within the Hope-Nyx passage of space. She was here alone and it was a good job too. The terminal in front of her, was deep within an ancient crashed voidship. She was here to find a replacement core machine spirit for the Illustrious Vexation, but what she found… was something far more valuable and heretical. 

“Machine spirit?” Vera asked as she accessed the main terminal.

The terminal whirred to life, blinking with a myriad of lights. Blue text flashed across the screen, followed by a growing rectangle from left to right. An image of a logo she didn’t recognise and then, a voice.

“I am Adjunct Defiance, AI of the space vessel, Oxitania II,” the terminal said in High Gothic. “Oh dear, we appear to have crash-landed. Detecting zero-percent hull integrity, all vital systems offline. All crew deceased. Oh.. interesting, the stars are out of alignment. Tell me, what is the current date and time?”

“By the Emperor… You’re no machine spirit. You’re Silica Animus,” Vera muttered back in High Gothic, blood draining from her face. “Abominable Intelligence.”

“Abominable? I think you mean Artificial,” the AI responded, blinking various lights as its processors whirred deep underground. “And from my analysis of your speech and equipment, I’ve narrowed you down to an operative of either the Excertus Imperialis, Departmento Munitorum or Rogue Traders Militant. Communication can continue.”

“Are you from the Dark Ages?” Vera asked, unsure if she should be communing with such heresy.

“The Dark Ages? Incorrect, my launch date was Circa 992.M30,” the AI stated.

“The Dark Age… And you know about Rogue Traders?”

“I was one of the vessels belonging to Rogue Trader Militant, Lord Captain Gotha,” the AI stated.

Vera considered how much information she should surrender to this artificial mind. The more information it could gather, the more of a danger it could become. Still, this was an opportunity worth pursuing, for her Lord Captain. “To whom do you serve in the absence of your Lord Captain?” 

“I… I serve the second in command. And then down the line of command until there are no more people in command. Although, with a 100% casualty rate upon impact… I will need to consider this and locate another captain within the Gotha flotilla,” the AI pondered.

”Let’s assume there are none left in the fleet,” Vera said. “Then what?”

“An interesting conundrum. Before we continue this conversation, I would ask your name, affiliation and rank,” the AI asked. There it was. A request for information.

“I am Vera Von Vista, envoy of the Rogue Trader, Lord Captain Emberlyn Driftwood and… I am your only hope to get off this rock. Pledge your allegiance to us and we will protect you from Xeno threats.”

“Xeno threats? Miss Vera, your High Gothic is quite strange. My information of the Driftwood Dynasty is minimal. I wish to inquire about the current date. How long have I been offline?”

Too many questions. This had gone too far. Vera pried the front panel off the terminal to see where the cables led to. They led deeper into the wreckage and the ancient voidship.

“Miss Vera?” the AI said. “If you’re looking to shut down my core, I must warn you that I can detonate it should a threat arise. Now please tell me the current date and location.”

“M41, within the newly formed Hope’s End – Nyx passage of space,” a voice from behind Vera said. “I am Inquisitor Stella of the Holy Orders of the Emperor’s Inquisition. Imperium of Mankind.” Inquisitor Stella walked in, two fingers pointed to her own head and a bolt-pistol trained on Vera.

The machine flickered. “I do not recognise your name, affiliation or rank. The date… Cannot be correct. 11,000 years? I was offline for a time, but for such a extended time period to elapse?” the AI said.

“Speak no more, Abominable Intelligence,” Stella demanded. “Vera Von Vista, to betray your Lord Captain like this… by speaking to such Heresy. Is that the role of a Rogue Trader’s First-Mate?”

“I have committed no heresy. I have not confirmed that this is indeed Silica Animus. For all we know, it could be a Gretchin on the other end of a Vox-caster,” Vera carefully responded. “It is good you’re here, Inquisitor. We can investigate together and then report to the Lord Captain.”

“If this device is what it claims to be, then I cannot allow it to be reported. It must be destroyed,” Stella replied. 

“Inquisitor, you are an honoured guest upon the Lord Captain’s ship. You owe her your life. The final decision lies with her. Or in her absence… It lies with me,” Vera growled back. “Besides, is this not what Inquisitors do? To hunt the truth? Think of the intelligence you could gather from such a time! Regardless, since the Harlequin attack last week, our Machine Spirit has been corrupted beyond repair. The entire ship and crew are in jeopardy. And here, Inquisitor, could lie the answer. Unless you would rather be stranded in a warp storm? Do it for Emberlyn.”

Stella lowered her bolter. And more importantly, her fingers from her Psyker-brain-gun. “I knew Rogue Traders and their crew operated recklessly, but this… Fine, we shall do it your way. But the first sign of heresy from you is the first sign you’re getting a bolt in the head.”