The thing with the Voss'es

Admission paper XFG-Signus-677-8999234555.834221 / Discipulus Solomon Voss

Dear honourable Ladies and noble Gentlemen of the Board of Examiners,

[+++Excessive salutation. One capitalised “Honourable” would suffice.+++]

The name my parents bestowed upon me eight Terran standard years ago is Solomon Voss. This composition, solemnly authored by myself, is – as Your Honours can see above – titled “Voss: An Imperial Dynasty.” It constitutes the first part of my admission examination for the Advanced Imperial History Lecture No. VIII/b.

[+++ Acceptable introduction. “Solemnly authored by myself” is redundant. +++]
[+++ Candidate displays early awareness of bureaucratic phrasing. +++]

The name “Voss” is inseparably linked to the rise of the Almighty Imperium of Man and – as I shall prove in this humble paper – to the millennia-long history of mankind itself.

[+++ “Humble” is a questionable descriptor here. +++]
[+++ Thesis statement is clear, if ambitious. +++]

As Linguistech Doctoris Cassandra Boll records in Volume CCLII, Chapter 4489 of her revolutionary almanac “Old Europaen Etymology: From the Beginning of Individual Expressions to the Present Art of Language” (authored in 411.M23), the surname “Voss” is of almost mythical origin.

[+++ Citation accurate. Italicisation correctly applied. +++]
[+++ “Revolutionary” is a value judgement. Use with caution in academic writing. +++]

According to her astonishing work, “Voss” once meant “Fox”, a term describing a long-extinct humanoid canine creature with a voluminous tail.

[+++ “Astonishing” again reflects personal enthusiasm rather than scholastic restraint. +++]

This creature appears to have fulfilled strange religious, and possibly even magical, functions in connection to unknown xenos species (please see electro-facsimile below) far back in M2. 

 [+++ “Magical” should be contextualised or replaced with “pre-scientific ritualistic”. +++]

The name “Voss” most probably originates, according to the above-mentioned source, in the rough Jermanic tongue of mankind’s “fractured and unenlightened eras preceding Imperial Unity.

[+++ Linguistic inference is sound. Terminology acceptable. +++]

Since those dark and damnable days of our species, the epithet “Voss” has increasingly been associated with the enlightenment and progress humanity achieved in the many thousands of years that followed.

[+++ Good ideological framing +++.]
[+++ Consider specifying which epochs of enlightenment.+++]

In the old epitomes stored beneath stasis fields in the library vaults deep below my family’s estate within the Imperial Palace, fragments of an ancient ledger [dated to M3] are preserved.

[+++ Potential breach of archival access regulations. +++]
[+++ Brackets correctly used for dating. +++]

This once belonged to Kustavus Adolphus Voss, Professor Physicae, who was associated with one of the first synchrotrons ever constructed.

[+++ Title italicised correctly. +++]
[+++ Association is vague. Clarify role if possible. +++]

Further examples include General-Exploratorix Gremalis Voss, the first human to set foot upon the planet Avellorn in M6;

[+++ Strong example. Dates consistent with approved chronologies. +++]

Technocratus Maggorious Voss, who established the second-largest plasmafuse manufactorum ever built upon Mars—thus founding the Mars–Voss lineage in M9;

[+++ Overuse of superlatives. Still acceptable. +++]

and the renowned Strybald-Grom Voss B6, immortalised upon the barium sheets of Carganis Ultra as the first High Techlord of the now long-lost world of Voss Prime.

[+++ Excellent integration of material culture as source. +++]
[+++ “Renowned” again reflects subjective enthusiasm +++.]

Needless to say, I have regrettably been forced to omit dozens—perhaps even hundreds—of other illustrious bearers of my most noble name in order to remain within the meagre four-hundred-word limit prescribed for this work.

[+++ “Needless to say” is unnecessary. +++]
[+++ Word limit observed. Self-restraint noted. +++]

It is my earnest belief that the legacy of the name Voss has not yet reached its culmination.

With my deepest and most respectful regards,

Yours truly,

Solomon Voss
(Stud. No.: 266.8843-Ultima, Fifth Form, New Schola Historicae Palatinae)

___________________________________________________________________________

+++ FINAL ASSESSMENT +++

### Candidate demonstrates exceptional confidence, strong ideological alignment, and an advanced command of formal High Gothic-influenced Imperial prose for his age.

### Tendency towards excessive self-importance noted. This may either mature into leadership or require correction.

### Sources are largely sound, though enthusiasm occasionally overrides academic discipline.

### Admission recommended. Continued supervision advised.

+++ GRADE: Pass – Distinction (Probationary) +++

Imperial Citizen - Crina Nurklin, Punch operator

My name is Crina Nurklin, sir. I serve the Emperor, His Majesty, the Lord of Mankind, by operating a plasma punch machine in Manufactorum Hypercubus-Beta-44-9x. I have been assigned to it for three years now. With my help, it produces steel-sheet aquilas, the kind that get riveted onto the helmets of soldiers fighting out in the last Terran wastelands.

My date of birth is 012.700.M30, so I am seventeen years old at the moment.

Of course, I am a registered Imperial citizen! [proudly pointing at the handwritten certificate on her belt]. And I have never missed a shift or failed an inspection.

I am a licensed Grade VII plasma operator [touching the handwritten licence tucked into her belt]. I earned it early. Because of that, I am permitted to use Viena’s public transportation system up to Class Gamma-Blue.

Since the last Unification Day, I have had my own flat [lifting the spherical mag-key hanging from her belt], about a quarter chronosegment from my workplace. It is part of my work contract. The manufactorum justiciarix told me it could be upgraded to a family-sized unit one day, if I ever apply for a birthing licence and the Administratum sees fit to grant me one. But I am not there yet, Securitor. I am currently... single. [a brief, embarrassed smile]

Is it small? Yes. But it is mine. And it is much better than the mattress-alcove I used to have in the machine pedestal.

I now have my own sink and a small oven. And a proper sleeping alcove, wide enough that I can turn over at night without hitting metal.

The loo and the lye-shower are shared, of course. But they are on the same level, and I only share them with about eighty people, which is for sure considered more than decent.

I have saved enough to buy a few things already. A new data-slate. Some pre-disinfected food. And a few rag-paper books. Mostly authorised war reports. Some instructional manuals. And my parents gifted me a carpet. The floors are quite cold. And I acquired… some other reading. Stories, mostly. About soldiers in difficult situations, finding a little... solitude together before things get worse. [she clears her throat, faintly blushing]

Back to the matter at hand, sir? Yes. Of course.
Yes, I shot the man who tried to break in. Yes, sir. Seven times.
[pointing at the handwritten weapons license the security officer is holding]

 

Augean RT-56

The Vienaen Manufactorum Conglomerate proudly presents a joint venture (*under legal code IEC-§33.Alpha.588.0003.7944.Indigo*) of the most prolific old-data interpreters, ironmongers, and war-smiths — a new hope for the desperate peoples of the deserted wastelands — the elegant and powerful Augean RT-56 Caterpillar! (Logisticae Data Number 900.26.712-Phi-6v6)

With an impressive length of approximately 7 im [Imperial Metres] and an exceptionally high top speed of 56 ikm/eh [Imperial Kilometres per Engineering Hour], the Augean is a force to be reckoned with by the remaining tech-savages and plunder-hobos of the Uncivilisation.

The military variant (Logisticae Data Number 900.26.721-Phi-6v6) is equipped with a .50-calibre light-duty autocannon manufactured by the famed gunsmith family Rott — the notorious Rott Reminder 44-X. (*Please note that the default system is a weapon built to be used by non-Arbites law enforcement agencies. A military grade weapon system may be purchased separately*)

The Augean RT-56 is a truly miraculous vehicle, with more purposes than even the most creative minds could imagine.

The frontal drive section is standardised to allow six ISS.0 [Imperial Standard Size] persons an idyllic journey, while protecting them from thrown stones and hurled empty bottles by a robust bodywork consisting of two formidable layers of 4 imm [Imperial Millimetres] of mild steel. (*Please note that this was tested under laboratory conditions only*). The Reminder 44-X autocannon is also comfortably accessible from this part of the caterpillar.

All seats are heavily padded for increased comfort, and the front-seat passenger even has direct access to a robust Vista-79 cogitator to be used for navigation and advanced engine control. We also prided a small promethium fired kiln for the cabin. It can be used either for heating - in cold desert nights or even Antarctic climates - or as an almost luxurious cooking stove. (*Please note that all four side windows must be opened to operate the kiln longer than 20 em [Engineering Minutes] continuously*)

 
But the true wonder of the Augean RT-56 Caterpillar lies in the rear section. It is delivered entirely empty, offering more space to fill according to your own needs than you could ever hope for.

Do you require a recycling-water transport? No problem! Simply purchase a compatible plastek tank and install it. Or do you intend to travel far and wide and need a perfectly safe place to rest your weary head? Just acquire a folding bed (*Please note that we strongly recommend securing it to the floor plate*) and a pest-resistant mattress. (*Please note, however, that regularly resting for more than four hours on a biocidally pre-treated mattress may cause serious health complications within weeks of use*).

Any other ideas? Sure! Simply try them out and recommend your innovations to friends, neighbours, and comrades. (or to me, your humble author. Maybe I can map them)

Augean RT-56 - the newest way to crawl with style

[No warranty of any kind is provided with this product. Always use at your own risk.]

Imperial Citizen - Varra, Siever slave

I’m Varra. Prmin’pare of octagon. Six… no, wait… seven slaves call me master. Grut, Hinja, Chua, Fang, Billera, Zinmis and Jabbis are their names. Yes, seven. Chua sleeps with me.

Once I was mining worker in Ursh. Hard work. Bad food. Then war came. Big warriors. Metal men. Black. They came in the night. Killed many Urshian tribe-warriors. Put chains on the rest. Also chained us. Other barbarians, named Xerix, marched us to their land. Brought us to the great pit and gave us tools. The metal men have big fortress there. Strong fortress. Clad in black Dydahnium. 

We live in Octagon Lamba.33-D81-664 in the Great Pit. All of us sieve. I sieve best.
Made 33 Grams Yrhidium one day. Got extra food after it was reported. 

We use short tunnels for sleeping (2) and a big chamber for living (1). Our dust barrels are also stored there (3). One for Yrhidium and one for Dydahnium. There are pipes running through (4). Bringing air. Taking smoke. We have a wash place (5). Good water. And have an extra place as loo (6). 

These Octagons are strange. I know mining. Nobody surveys like that. Looks like a madman has been looking for some… thingy. Diggin' in all directions. Also, markings on the tunnel walls. Symbols. We don’t look at them. They make us sad.