I pretend to wander through the winding back alleys of the mining complex, checking twice over my shoulder to make sure nobody's following me. When I reach the massive junkyard that serves as one of the The Hole's many unofficial trash heap, I wait five minutes, watching. Only when I'm completely sure I'm alone I carefully walk over and crawl down a precise path through the waste, down an old tube, past the chassis, then to the right...

Under the pile of garbage is my spot: an ancient chemical storage tank, eight meters tall and four across, from the times when The Hole was young. Took me years to hollow it out proper, seal the cracks, and disguise the entrance.

I pull the camouflaged metal panel back into place behind me. It's completely dark. But miners don't need light.

The familiar smell of rust and old metal greets me as I move confidently through the pitch black. Fifteen steps forward. Turn left, twelve more steps to my sleeping platform. I've memorized every centimeter of this place. My fingers brush against the small metal box where I keep my treasures.

I pull the black rocks from my pockets and carefully add them to my collection. I can feel their strange texture, smoother than any rock should be.

"Yo, homie, whass poppin'? Dis tank be mad cramped fo' a playa like me."

I freeze. The voice - mechanical, strained, with odd clicks and whirs between words - seems to come from my collection box.

My hands fumble for my emergency lamp, finally clicking it on. The weak light shows my collection of black rocks. But now one of them - the one shaped like a skull - has a pinpoint of green light glowing from the middle. By the fucking Emperor.

"Da fuk you lookin' at? Nevuh seen a head befo'? Shiiiiit."

I nearly drop the lamp. "What - what are you?"

The skull's jaw moves slightly, the green lights flickering with each word. "Larry reporting LIVE with the LATEST news from deep inside the tank, you're not going to want to miss this next one, folks." his voice has changed to that of a radio announcer. "So, Goggles, what do y-"

The skull's green light disappeared, went stiff. It was like nothing happened.

Then its jaw suddenly snapped open "HEEEEEELP MEEEEEEEE" it screeched. "HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEL-"

Dead again. I make the sign of the Aquila.

Adore the Immortal Emperor For he is our Protector.

Admire the Immortal Emperor For his Sacrifice to Mankind.

Honor the Immortal Emperor For his Eternal Stren-

"Listen, fuckface." it interrupts me. "Ain't got much time. You help me get fixed, and I'll let you play with the toy that I got deep down where you found me."

Glorify the Immortal Emperor For his All Seeing Vision.

Praise the Immortal Emperor For his Unending Rule.

"HOMEBOY I-" his voice breaks into static "-ssskkk AIN'T PLAYING NO GAMES. I can't stay awake for too long. Listen. To. Me. Deep down, I got a wild machine, it can...kkkkkKKKRR..."

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