Ta'lab Vita-37
Ta'lab Vita-37 was a Gene-witch of Luna's Selenar Cult, who was charged with protecting the Magna Mater relic from the Emperor, during the First Pacification of Luna.[1a]
The Gene-witch was given this task by Selenar's High Matriarch Heliosa-54, who then erased her memories of Vita-37 before surrendering to the Emperor[1a]. Vita-37 meanwhile, succeeded in protecting the Magna Mater for 200 years until the Battle for Terra began, during the Horus Heresy. Luna had fallen to Warmaster Horus by that time and he sought to claim the Magna Mater for himself. In order to protect the relic, a desperate Vita-37 sent out a plea for aid into space and it was answered by a group of Loyalist Shattered Legionaries led by the Iron Hand Cadmus Tyro[1b]. The group succeeded in destroying the forces of a Dark Mechanicum Magos that had been sent to take the Mater, but the Magos was able to send for help before he died[1c]. This was answered by a Sons of Horus Justaerin squadron, led by Captain Trastevere, before Vita-37 and the Loyalists could escape. The Traitors pursued them and the Gene-witch was mortally wounded by the Justaerin's fire. Knowing that she was close to death, Vita-37 entrusted the Mater's safety to the Loyalists and then freed the remaining Ur-legionaries to kill the Justaerins. These powerfully strong failed Legionaries were then able to kill most of Trastevere's squadron before they joined Vita-37 in death[1d]. Thanks to Vita-37 and the Ur-legionaries' attack, however, Tyro's group was able to escape aboard the Strike Cruiser Sisypheum with the Mater.[1e]
