Herminia
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The following paragraphs contain spoilers for: | Belisarius Cawl: The Great Work (Novel) |
Herminia was a caretaker and servant to the elderly Lord Director Ezekiel Sedayne in the final years of his life shortly after the Horus Heresy. As Altrix, Herminia would care for the old man who was wasting away, providing injections of medicae, rejuvenat,[1a] and other anti-gerontic treatments.[1e]
As someone who worked closely with the most valued scientists who served the Emperor, she had extreme disdain for the Cult Mechanicus.[1b]
Post Horus Heresy
Altrix Herminia would be dispatched by Director Sedayne to bring back any surviving students of Magos Diacomes. These former students had the prerequisite memcore augmetics to facilitate Sedayne's plan to extend his life by transferring his mind to a new body. Sedayne believed he had perfected his former colleague, Magos Diacomes', cortical linkage procedure. Of these 11 apprentices to Diacomes, the only 2 would survive after the Horus Heresy. One was killed by Herminia while attempting to bring them to Terra, and the other was Belisarius Cawl.[1b] Altrix Herminia would travel to Forge World Ryza to forcibly escort Cawl to Terra. Cawl bargained with Herminia to allow who his friend Friedisch Adum Silip Qvo to also be allowed to come along with him. She would reluctantly agree.[1f]
During the month long trip to Terra, their ship would pass Mars 3 days prior to their arrival to Terra. Herminia would call Belisarius and Friedisch to a viewing area to observe the destruction wrought on their home world during the Schism of Mars. She did this primarily to make a point of how much knowledge was lost during the Horus Heresy and underline the importance of preserving any that still remained.[1b]
Eventually, she would mortally wound Friedisch wish a gunshot to the gut, as ordered by Sedayne. This was done to force Cawl to accept the mind linkage procedure with the director.[1c][1e] After the procedure, Herminia was tricked into believing the Director's mind had successfully taken control of Cawl's body, giving Sedayne's gun back to him. Cawl would attempt to save Friedisch, as Sedayne promised Cawl he would prior to the procedure. Cawl ordered a cryo-container be brought to him with haste. As Friedisch died in Cawl's arms, he revealed his ruse and killed Herminia taking vengeance for his friend's murder.[1d]
