Overconfidence and observing your surroundings. That, I decided, was the lesson. I had been... well, overconfident. Mind you, I had many, MANY reasons to be so, but this was training and learning. I needed to act like I was in mortal danger 24/7.

  Of course, my choice my music didn't help that scenario. I had consistently been finding more music, and playing and replaying them in my head was extremely entertaining.

  I was getting better at caring though. At treating everything as a potential threat. It was taking rather extreme amounts of mental effort, keeping that mindset active at all times, but I was doing it.

  So far, I had only been ambushed one other time, and that was by a large flying lizard. I had a rock, and with my newly increased accuracy, I had nailed the wing. It subsequently fell and broke its neck slamming into a tree.

  So, I'll talked that as a win. I was improving, and that, along with finding more of myself, was the ultimate goal.

  I also occasionally returned to the tomb for proper maintenance. Oh, I wasn't ever at risk for wear. I hadn't been out that long after all. But, proper maintenance by canoptek constructs was always available and free. Why not take advantage?

  But, this visit was different. As I was getting cleaned by the scarabs and the local spyder made sure nothing was around, I was contracted.

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  "Deathmark, why are you active?" The voice said.

  Holyfuckingshitohmydeadgodsitsthelordwhatthefu-

  I stop. My chronosense hit the max possible, slowly cooking my body, but oh my dead gods this was so bad... The lord had actually COMMUNICATED with me! My everything was screaming in so many flavors of emotion that thinking was difficult.

  I had so many considerations, problems, and thoughts on what to do. Most necrons were dead, lifeless things. Those like me had the barest whispers of a personality. I was an outlier, and that was a problem.

  My memories had showed me that the dynastys rulers were old, cold hearted, and callous at the best of times so I was, in my own opinion, justifiably terrified of the consequences of discovery.

  If they even got a hint of anything, they could order me to do ANYTHING due to the command protocols. I couldn't risk it. I was loyal, I was. But... I didn't want to risk my freedom.

  So... I had to play dumb. I would act like a mentally deficient coconut, and pray to the dead gods that no one got a hint of anything suspicious.

  I normalized my chronosense again. It had only been a few seconds. Hopefully I wouldn't be punished for delaying my response.

  "Unkown." I said. My voice, either speaking physically or mentally was the same. My voice was like a dark, mechanical whisper. Quiet, yet heard.

  "What, then, are you doing." The lord said exasperatedly. The lords voice was heavy, commanding. It made me nervou, and his exasperation helped nothing.

  "I hunt, lord."

  "Oh? Do you perchance have trophies?" The lord said. Did he want... trophies from my kills?

  "Negative. I can aquire on next outing, honored lord." I said.

  "Hmmmm. Do so. Bring back their corpses, mind. Whole."

  "As you command."

  The lord left, and i shuddered in relief. Ohhhhkay. Ok. I can do that. I... Can do that. Oh my aching reactor, that was... far too stressful for my health. I command a full body check by the scarabs around me, and soon, I am off.

  For this, I would take the tomb spyder I had seen, as dragging whatever beast back by hand would be... tedious. At least I don't need to deal with the lord until I return...