"The solace of unfunction, delivered by imprecise hands. It will serve." -Kayex
Tech Priest Kayex-8, also known as KX-8, is an Enginseer in service to Shipmistress Brahms.
Kayex often addresses Lady Brahms as "Oh Lady of the Stars" and he seems to have been in the Rogue Trader's service for an extensive amount of time, based their rapport. Kayex-8 is an aged and well-experienced skilled enginseer who directly addresses and oversees the maintenance and technical operations of the Rogue Trader's vessel, the Mourningstar.
As an Enginseer, Kayex places far more value in the care and maintenance of machinery above that of common humans, whom he often dismissively refers to as pre-servitors. He wishes the best for all machinery, whom he often lovingly refers to as children of the Omnissiah.
Kayex is appalled by the heretics' misuse and corruption of blessed machinery in Tertium. He wishes to see the blasphemies wrought on the innocent Children of the Omnissiah returned to the heretics in kind. If the machinery can't be saved and restored back to the Omnissiah's vision, it must be reduced to unfunction to spare their tortured suffering.
It seems safe to assume that Kayex has some hand in overseeing any modifications to the Mourningstar, such as directing the servitors updating and modifying the area of the ship that the Warband's hub stations occupy. Making accommodations for new arrivals, such as Commissar Dukane's Havoc terminal. Kayex-8's ponderous monotone voice can be heard conversing with Warband leaders over the ship's general vox.
Missions[]
Carnival[]
The enginseer has studied Tertium's systems having made a deep system-study of the Warren 6-19 in the Carnival. He assists Hadron in directing the strike team by searching the fusion-grid for any anomalies likely linked to the blighted stimm production facility in the area. As the strike team proceeds deeper into the district and uncover the Alchem Refinery for stimms.
Kayex-8 becomes more enraged by the heretics' blasphemy and torture of the Omnissiah's holy machines as the team proceeds deeper into the district.
Metalfab 36 Smelter Complex[]
Following the rediscovery of the Clandestium Gloriana and the secret of Moebian Steel, Enginseer Kayex is attempting to replicate the process in Manufactorum HL-17-36. But the Traitorous 6th have other plans …
Inter-Mechanicus Relations[]
Enginseers tend to be looked down upon by other Tech Priest. The role of Enginseer could be described as a less-prestigious career path due to their dedication and expertise in maintaining known machinery, rather than the rediscovery of lost technology. The most sacred duty of the Cult Mechanicus (Cult of the Machine) is the Quest for Knowledge. The acquisition and preservation of all lost knowledge the Machine God has bestowed upon humanity across the galaxy.
Both Hadron and Kayex appear to take some measure of one another, as is common of fellow Tech-priests. The ranks and hierarchy of the Mechanicus is ever-shifting, but tech-priests appear to be of similar mid-rankings in their respective disciplines, however, Hadron has authority due to her Inquisitorial backing.
Enginseers are part of the Divisio Fabricator and Technoarchaeologists are part of the Divisio Archaeos. Hadron, of course, has some Inquisitorial backing from the Imperium, but Kayex seems older. So she holds some additional sway in Imperial affairs, such as those on the Imperial world of Atoma Prime and the Adeptus Mechanicus zones within Hive Tertium.
Hadron, as a technoarcheologist, holds a more prestigious vocation than that of Enginseers. However Kayex likely boasts greater experience and knowledge of common machinery than Hadron. Kayex is a visibly more pious and devout adherent to the Cult of the Machine than Hadron, who could simply be pursuing the rediscovery of archaeotech for social gain in the Adeptus Mechanicus.
Hadron's experiments to recreate Moebian Steel via the Rite of Steel in Metalfab 36's primary smelter wouldn't be possible without Kayex's foundational knowledge and effort. Hadron and Kayex seem to work together in unlocking the Rite of Steel, but Hadron seems to have executive authority.
Item Descriptions[]
| Name | Cost (Aquilas) | Slot | Item | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battle Forged Bolt Pistol | 900 | Weapon Skin |   |
Reclamation Report:
Location - Interzone Void Epsilon 4 Ammo Count - nil Notes - two intact bodies recovered, delivered to Kayex-8 |
| Battle Forged Power Maul | 900 | Weapon Skin |   |
Reclamation Report:
Location - Blindside Crossing Ammo Count - n/a Notes - 3/4 Strike Team bodies recovered. Delivered to Kayex-8. |
Quotes[]
Mourningstar Vox Chatter[]
Brahms[]
- Kayex: Lady Brahms ... I trust the recent modifications meet with your approval?
- Brahms: So far. I won't know for sure until we get into a firefight.
- Kayex: Ah ... That is unexpected.
- Brahms: Half of our portside thrusters are no longer responding!
- Kayex: I will seek remedy, in the Omnissiah's name.
- Brahms: See that you do.
- Brahms: Enginseer Kayex? Kindly explain the drop in reactor output.
- Kayex: I find that I cannot, oh Lady of the Stars. I will ... investigate.
Hadron[]
- Kayex: Pleased am I to report that attempts at recreating the Rite of Steel at Manufactory HL-17-36 are progressing well, Technoarchaeologist.
- Hadron: Indeed? That is most unexpected. And the traitors?
- Kayex: Continue to aggravate and interfere. Mayhap we must send some pre-servitors to remonstrate with them, hammer and tongs.
- Hadron: Enginseer Kayex. I wish to harness your expertise in the matter of increasing our Moebian Steel output.
- Kayex: Gladly do I give it, technoarchaeologist. Prevail upon me whenever you must.
Morrow[]
- Morrow: Masozi has a list of complaints about the hangar hoists and docking anchors. You know anything about that?
- Kayex: Ahhhhh ... Troublesome are these, given to flights of fancy and superiority. Soothe them I shall with proper ritual.
- Morrow: Long as it gets fixed, you'll have no complaints from me.
- Kayex: So pre-servitors often say, and spread falsehoods in the telling.
- Morrow: Word to the wise, Kayex: Hadron's still not happy that you're meddling in her little experiment.
- Kayex: Meddling? [Growl] Tis only my knowledge that has made any progress possible. Her methodology is ... hmmmm ... fatally idiosyncratic.
- Morrow: Whatever that means. Look, just tread carefully.
- Kayex: As the softest whisper of a well-oiled piston. My word on this, have you.
Rannick[]
- Kayex: Interrogator Rannick, I must request more resources at Manufactory HL-17-36. The secret of the Rite of Steel continues to elude.
- Rannick: I rather thought it might. Very well, I'll have Hestia see what we can send your way.
Reject Rumours[]
- F Loner: I hear the Mourningstar's Enginseer is even larger than you, Brute.
- Heavy: Metalfaces all cheat, don't they? Always welding things to themselves.
- F Loner: If you ask nicely they might do the same for you.
- Heavy: You reckon? That'd be something. "The Ada-man-tee-um Ogryn". Big as a tank. Bigger, even.
- F Loner: Maybe I shouldn't have said anything.
See Also[]
Gallery[]
.jpg "Battle Forged Power Maul (Ogryn).jpg (434 KB)")
Trivia[]
During a Fatshark community Twitch stream in December 2024 hosted by multiple Darktide voice actors, Mike Geary who voices Kayex opined that he imagines Kayex as being a very large individual:
"Physicality is so important. And when you're trying to get into those character's shoes - not that Kayex has shoes. Mechadendrites, mate. It's just mechadendrites everywhere. ... I have to make myself bigger, because he's a very large entity. So I start spreading my arms around, and I've been accused of doing tactical tai chi."