Underground base.
Nolan turned and departed from the foundry with a deliberately calm expression, his posture controlled and asured. He showed no outward sign of the confrontation that had just concluded, maintaining the professional deanor expected of leadership.
Behind him, the foundry workshop returned to its state of continuous, roaring operation once again. Machinery resud its endless cycles, servo robots went back to their tasks, production lines reactivated with familiar rhythms.
But this ti, everything had fundantally changed for the facility's master.
The previously autonomous Raditus was no longer working for the unauthorized Cybernetic Corps that it had been obsessively focused on, the secret project that had consud so much productivity. Instead, the chastened servo skull was now extrely determined to execute any and all orders from the Primarch with absolute precision and no creative interpretation.
Of course, Raditus's imdiate first step was to repair the lted and broken chanical devices on its own damaged body. The anti-gravity engine needed complete reconstruction. The manipulator clamps required replacent. Without functioning equipnt, the Tech-Priest couldn't perform its duties.
Only after restoring itself to operational status could it continue to shine and contribute aningfully for the entire team's benefit.
On the inclined road that led upward from the foundry level to the first floor of the base, where the main living areas and command spaces were located, Nolan walked with asured steps.
He squinted his eyes against the transition from the foundry's harsh work lights to the corridor's softer illumination, ascending slowly while his mind worked through recent events.
In fact, he did not experience significant emotional fluctuations at this mont. His actions in the foundry had been calculated, necessary, executed exactly as planned. No rage, no excessive force beyond what the lesson required.
Because ever since the end of the brutal slum war against the Blood Coven nest, the operation that had exposed so many tactical weaknesses and strategic vulnerabilities, he had been constantly reflecting and summarizing. He'd been thinking extensively about implenting a new tactical doctrine that would let the Cybernetic Corps replace the Gang Dogs for frontline battlefield operations.
The human Gang Dog teams would gradually transform into elite special forces units, sothing closer to the legendary Stormtrooper commandos. Small, highly trained, capable of surgical strikes rather than sustained combat.
After all, each qualified Gang Dog operative required trendous amounts of ti and substantial financial investnt to train properly. The enhancent surgeries alone were expensive. The tactical education was extensive. The equipnt was costly.
If such valuable personnel were simply used to fill frontline positions in at-grinder battles, thrown away as disposable assets, that would be unconscionably luxurious and wasteful. It was poor resource managent, the kind of mistake that lost wars.
As for the actual, deeper reason why Nolan had punished Raditus so severely and made absolutely certain the lesson would be rembered permanently, that went beyond re tactical considerations.
On the surface, obviously, the punishnt had been delivered because the Tech-Priest directly disobeyed explicit orders. Chain of command had to be maintained. Insubordination couldn't be tolerated.
But in reality, the true offense that had triggered Nolan's fury was that Raditus had subconsciously demonstrated a complete, casual disregard for human life. The servo skull had proposed converting living Gang Dogs into servitors as though discussing spare parts inventory.
That attitude was unacceptable. That mindset was poison.
"The Tech-Priests of the Adeptus chanicus still desperately need proper supervision and ethical oversight," Nolan muttered to himself as his thoughts continued turning slowly, processing implications and planning next steps. "Fortunately, Raditus's natural nesis and perfect counterbalance is about to return to the base."
Nolan continued walking steadily toward the first floor, a slight smile playing at his lips as he contemplated David's imminent arrival.
The Man of Iron would restore proper order to operations.
Accompanied by the subtle, familiar sound of chanical valves slowly turning and heavy gears engaging, sounds that spoke of security protocols being properly followed, sothing shifted at the base's outer periter.
On the boundary of the underground passage that connected to the outside world, a massive tal door began slowly rising on its tracks. The barrier was trendously heavy, designed to withstand significant force, and moved with ponderous but steady montum.
At this mont, Nolan stood waiting with a genuine smile brightening his features. He straightened his back to full height, assuming a posture of formal welco. His hands clasped behind him in a gesture that sohow managed to convey both authority and warmth.
He stared forward expectantly, watching the tal door rise inch by inch.
When the barrier had finally opened completely, revealing the passage beyond in its entirety, a familiar figure stood frad in the opening.
A two-ter-tall form constructed entirely from black tal was presented clearly in his field of vision, the body's surface reflecting the corridor lights in subtle patterns.
That was David, the Man of Iron who had departed the base for what felt like far too long.
"Welco ho, David!" Nolan called out, his smile widening until it couldn't help but reveal his sharp fangs. Genuine pleasure infused his voice with warmth.
He looked at the familiar silhouette of his oldest companion and most trusted administrator with open affection.
"Haha, it has indeed been a long ti, my Lord." David's response carried amusent through its chanical vox-system. "I suspect you missed significantly more when I was helping you process and handle all the tedious matters that accumulated around you, am I correct?"
David stepped forward into the base proper, crossing the threshold with his characteristic asured gait. The blue light in the optical sensors on his tal head kept flashing in patterns that Nolan had learned to read as indicators of mood and focus.
In one of the Man of Iron's tal hands, gripped carefully, was a tal box that appeared quite heavy despite David's casual handling. The container looked substantial, reinforced, designed to protect valuable contents.
Hearing the teasing tone in David's chanical voice, recognizing the gentle mockery for what it was, the smile on Nolan's face seed to grow even brighter and more unguarded.
He swayed his tall body forward and stepped toward David with the easy confidence of greeting family. He raised one palm and brought it down heavily on David's shoulder, a gesture made slightly absurd by the fact that the shoulder in question was always solid and cold tal rather than warm flesh.
But the aning transcended the physical reality. It was welco, acknowledgnt, genuine happiness at reunion.
"Yes, absolutely!" Nolan admitted freely, laughing. "The docunts and files that Imperial Heavy Industries requires to personally review and approve every single day are simply dazzling in their volu and tedium. Mountains of paperwork. I have been desperately looking forward to your return and the blessed relief it would bring."
His expression shifted, curiosity replacing amusent as he noticed the container.
"Hey, David, what exactly is in that box you're holding? It doesn't look light even for you. What did you bring back?"
Looking at Nolan's genuinely puzzled eyes and curious expression, David shook his tal head slightly in a gesture that was sohow both chanical and affectionate.
The blue light in its optical sensors flickered through a complex pattern as it stared at Nolan and spoke with respectful formality.
"It's nothing particularly important or urgent, just various uncommon tal minerals and so unusual plant samples I encountered during my exploratory surveys. Interesting specins that might prove valuable."
David paused, then continued with what might have been pleasure in its voice.
"Didn't you occasionally ntion to before this assignnt that you needed to collect certain uncommon special substances for your miracle? Materials that were difficult to source through normal channels? I made a point of picking up these things whenever I encountered them during resource surveys, thinking you might find sothing useful among the collection."
"Ah, thank you so much for rembering that offhand comnt and taking the ti!" Nolan's expression beca more serious, more genuinely touched by the thoughtfulness. After listening to David's explanation, he blinked slowly, processing the gesture's significance.
He took a deep breath and t David's optical sensors directly.
"David, truly, thank you. That was very considerate."
"My Lord, this is simply what I should do as a matter of course." David's response was imdiate and sincere. "After all, I am your loyal steward. Anticipating your needs and fulfilling them is my purpose and my privilege."
After those words concluded, David and Nolan began walking together toward the base hall, their strides naturally synchronizing. Companionship established over years made the coordination automatic.
At this mont, the heavy tal security door behind the two began its slow closure, sealing the outside world away once more. The barrier descended with the sa steady montum it had risen, locks engaging with soft clicks.
Even the previously dim underground passage gradually illuminated with bright lights as David's return triggered automatic systems coming back online. The Man of Iron's presence was recognized by every connected system in the base.
The next mont, David's chanical voice, having taken over administrative control of the underground base's operations again with seamless efficiency, seed to reveal more active emotions than it typically displayed. Sothing almost like eagerness colored the artificial tones.
The Man of Iron carried the extrely heavy tal box without any visible strain and turned its head toward Nolan walking beside it. The question ca with obvious interest.
"My Lord, I received reports during my return journey. I heard that Raditus encountered so difficulty again? Got into trouble of its own making?"
"Indeed." Nolan's response was frank, matter-of-fact. "It played word gas with and expanded production of the Intelligent Control Corps without proper authorization. Although I must admit the units' quality is genuinely impressive, far exceeding basic standards, I still punished the servo skull severely."
He continued, wanting David to understand the full reasoning.
"Because what truly makes deeply unhappy is not Raditus's actions themselves, the unauthorized production or even the deception. It's the underlying attitude that every mber of the Adeptus chanicus seems to share as standard doctrine. That extre, casual indifference to human life as though people were rely components to be optimized or replaced."
Nolan subconsciously adjusted his hands behind his back, the gesture helping him organize his thoughts as he explained his philosophy to David in calm, asured tones.
"It's not that I haven't seriously considered using the 'miracles' to find other Tech-Priests to replace the servo skull entirely. Bring in soone new without Raditus's flaws. But I'm genuinely afraid of summoning even more inhuman individuals who would be worse."
He sighed quietly.
"After all, this callousness toward human life is an extrely common norm throughout the entire chanicus culture. It's baked into their doctrine and training. Those Magos who extensively transform themselves into machines through radical augntation are almost no longer human in any aningful sense. How much genuine loyalty they could maintain to personally rather than to abstract principles is a serious question I cannot answer with confidence."
David, who had been listening attentively to every word, slowly shook its tal head in a gesture of agreent and understanding. The blue light in its optical sensors pulsed steadily.
"Your concerns are entirely justified and reasonable, my Lord. Raditus may possess an occasionally abrasive personality and a tendency toward unauthorized initiative, but its fundantal loyalty to you personally can be guaranteed without question. That's worth preserving."
David's tone beca more reassuring.
"Moreover, the harsh lesson administered this ti has definitively taught Raditus your absolute bottom line, the boundaries it must never cross. This experience may well change its underlying thinking patterns and operational style for the better, producing lasting behavioral modification."
The Man of Iron made a formal promise.
"My Lord, please don't worry unnecessarily about this situation. I will pay considerably more attention to Raditus's activities in the future and ensure it doesn't receive opportunities to make similar mistakes. Supervision and guidance, not replacent."
Nolan, who had been squinting thoughtfully while David spoke, nodded slightly in acceptance of these assurances. He said nothing further, trusting David's judgnt completely.
Afterward, the two returned successfully to the brightly lit base hall, erging from the corridor into the more open communal space. The familiar environnt welcod them back.
An automatic servo robot that had been squatting patiently in its designated corner position quickly stepped forward on chanical legs to formally welco the arrival of both its ultimate commander and its direct supervisor. The construct's movents conveyed sothing that might have been pleasure at David's return.
At this precise mont, a loud shout absolutely saturated with surprise and genuine joy erupted from elsewhere in the hall.
"David! You're back!"
A strong figure suddenly launched itself through the air with remarkable speed, moving fast enough that the motion blurred. Like an arrow released from a drawn bowstring, the form flew quickly in David's direction, covering the distance in seconds.
David turned its tal head slightly, tracking the incoming trajectory with perfect precision. With blue light flashing rapidly in its optical sensors, it stared at Jessica, who was floating and maneuvering through the air rather than rely jumping.
Even the Man of Iron's normally steady chanical voice seed to add considerable emotional fluctuation, warming with what could only be interpreted as affection.
"Miss Jessica, my sincere congratulations on your complete recovery from your serious injuries." David's tone carried genuine pleasure. "And I see you've developed the ability to fly. That's a remarkable advancent. Your powers continue to evolve."
A brief pause, then David added sothing that made its motivation clear.
"Oh, and I should ntion that there are so beautiful and genuinely rare seashells in the box I brought back from my travels. Those are small gifts I specifically prepared with you in mind, thinking you might appreciate them."
"Really? You rembered to bring sothing?" Jessica's eyes curved into happy crescents, her entire face lighting up with unguarded delight. "Thank you so much, David! You're the best!"
Jessica, practically radiating joy, let out a burst of pure, uninhibited laughter that echoed through the hall.
She suddenly maneuvered her suspended body into a graceful sorsault, showing off her newfound aerial control with obvious pride. The movent was smooth, controlled, executed with the confidence of soone who'd been practicing extensively.
Then she floated directly in front of David without her feet ever touching the ground, hovering at exactly his eye level for convenient conversation.
She imdiately began urging the Man of Iron to open the container and show her the gifts right now, her enthusiasm completely undiminished by any concept of patience or decorum.
A few ters away, Nolan, who had been walking steadily toward the tal round table to resu his usual position, slowly withdrew his observing gaze from the heartwarming scene.
While he shook his head in fond exasperation at Jessica's childlike excitent, a gentle smile appeared unbidden on his lips. The expression was soft, unguarded, the look of soone watching people he cared about being happy.
However, at precisely that mont, everything changed.
A slight sound accompanied by distinct bursts of air friction and displacent cut through the ambient noise. Then ca sothing else: lots of bright golden sparks flying and sputtering in all directions, spraying across the tal floor.
A small portal with a diater of only half a ter suddenly manifested on the tal deck of the base hall. The circular gateway appeared without warning, without permission, without any of the security protocols being triggered beforehand.
Reality tore open in their most secure space.
The very next second, Nolan's expression shifted instantly to cold alertness. His eyes hardened, all trace of gentleness vanishing as tactical assessnt took over.
He quickly drew the plasma pistol from his waist with practiced speed, the weapon coming up in a smooth arc. His finger found the trigger as the muzzle tracked toward the intrusion.
Simultaneously, responding to instantaneous commands from David the Man of Iron transmitted through base systems, every automatic servo robot in the surrounding area extended their chanical tentacles in unified motion.
The constructs quickly stepped forward in coordinated formation to physically block Nolan's position from the portal, creating a barrier of tal bodies between their commander and the unknown threat.
Imdiately afterward, Jessica, who had been acting playfully affectionate with David just seconds before, also reacted with comndable speed. Her expression shifted to stern focus in an instant, all traces of childish excitent replaced by warrior readiness.
She floated higher into the air with obvious intent, gaining altitude for tactical advantage. Her eyes fixed themselves on the portal's location with absolute concentration.
She positioned herself condescendingly above the potential threat, prepared to launch what she'd apparently decided to call a "battle of justice from heaven" upon whatever erged from the unauthorized gateway.
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