Chapter 163: Solus Prime, Mass Production, the Necron
"I will inform Sanguinius of this. 'M sure he will make haste to visit you," Magnus said.
"Alright. Can you tell me in detail what these genetic flaws are like? How severe are they?" Axis asked.
Though he already knew something about the Blood Angels, Axis still wanted to hear what Magnus had to say.
"Of course. The sons of Sanguinius are quite unique," Magnus explained, "They thirst for blood, and in the heat of battle, they have been known to drink the blood of those around them, attacking civilians and even their own comrades.
"I need you to keep this secret. Sanguinius told me that only Horus and I know about his sons being affected by the Red Thirst. He fears that if the Emperor were to find out, He would have all of his children erased."
"I understand," Axis replied, "I will help keep this a secret. However, you must also tell Sanguinius that at most, I can use the power of Ki to try and purify his gene-seed. I cannot guarantee with one hundred percent certainty that this particular genetic flaw can be resolved by its power."
Due to a deep-seated tradition of not speaking in absolutes, Axis was careful not to make grand promises he might not be able to keep.
To boast and then fail would be a humiliating experience he did not want to experience.
Although his Ki had resolved the Space Wolves' Wulfen transformations and the flesh-change of Magnus's own Legion, Axis dared not guarantee it would be effective on the sons of Sanguinius.
"I understand, but I think you are being too modest, Axis," Magnus said, "I believe you can solve this problem and earn the Great Angel's favor. Sanguinius is an exceptionally humble and righteous man. I am certain you two will become good friends."
Axis nodded.
After talking with Magnus for a while longer, he severed the psychic communication. He considered that if the power of Ki could indeed solve the Red Thirst for Sanguinius, then it would also be necessary to create a Saibamen gene-son for him as well.
He wondered if the Black Rage would still emerge in the future.
The Blood Angels' genetic flaws truly stemmed from the power of the Warp. He recalled from historical records that even after Mephiston underwent the Primaris transformation, the root of the Black Rage wa sealed within his very body.
In the distant future, the Primaris Space Marines improved upon by Belisarius Cawl would have their gene-seed's mutation rate reduced to a mere 0.001%. Some hereditary defects, like the Space Wolves' Wulfen curse and the Blood Angels' Red Thirst, had even been solved.
Yet Belisarius Cawl had preserved these unique Legion flaws as he perceived it as the empeoro having left the flaws deliberately, for whatever reason.
Axis pitied the Guilliman of ten thousand years hence.
He also wondered about the current state of Belisarius Cawl. According to the timeline, the tech-magos should have just been making a name for himself on Mars, perhaps still in his apprenticeship.
Yet the Emperor had found a way to speak with his future selves. Carl would understand that the Emperor had foreseen all of his actions.
This was why Guilliman had entrusted him with the Sangprimus Portum and tasked him with developing a new generation of Astartes.
After finishing his business with Magnus, Axis's Legion successfully absorbed twenty new Librarians.
Axis held a grand welcome feast for them, inviting the entire Legion to attend. Even the newly attached Warhound Titan order joined the festivities.
Once the ceremony concluded, the twenty Librarians were assigned to Mader's command and deployed to serve among the various Grand Companies.
The Legion's Librarius was now thoroughly established, with many more Librarians expected to join its ranks in the future.
Following the Emperor's departure, the Solus Prime, which had been operating independently out in the void, arrived at Axis's homeworld and activated its cloaking system. Axis transferred the detailed schematics of several Imperial warship classes, along with the data for the advanced Med Pods, to the vessel.
"Well, Solus Prime?" Axis asked. "Are you confident you can replicate these Med Pods? And what about these specialized energy weapons?"
Although the Imperium had managed to produce Med Pods, the production rate was laughably low; only about two thousand units had been manufactured in ten years.
After the recent gene-seed implantation process was complete, the Emperor had left Axis with only a few dozen spares, taking the rest to distribute among the other Legions.
Left with no other choice, Axis had to approach Solus Prime to replicate them.
Upon receiving the detailed schematics and scanning the physical samples, the Solus Prime began processing the information.
"Rest assured, Father. While the technology for these Med Pods is advanced, I can replicate it. As long as the materials are sufficient, I can produce as many as you require." The structure of the Med Pods bay was not particularly difficult; it was simply a matter of materials science and advanced fabrication techniques.
Possessing perfect control over metals and machinery, the Solus Prime could duplicate it with ease.
Axis wondered what the Martian Mechanicum had been doing all this time.
The Med Pods technology was one thing, but the production rate for advanced energy weapons was also abysmally low.
Only Legion officers, Custodes and Primarchs were equipped with them. Ordinary mortal armies would never see such high-grade weaponry, still making do with lasguns.
"I can replicate these energy weapons as well," the Solus Prime reported, delivering a second piece of good news, "After a period of analysis, I will be able to establish a proper production line."
It was a shame the only ftl vessel had been given to the Emperor; otherwise, Axis would have had the Solus Prime replicate its engine as well.
The Emperor had been studying it for sixty years and still had not figured it out. Well, the man had been busy with the great crusade and all, but that was hardly the reason to postpose the production of something as vital as ftl engines.
"Establish two production lines as quickly as possible," Axis commanded, "One for the Med Pods and one for the energy weapons. I want every member of my Legion to have one of these weapons."
"As you command, Father."
Axis nodded in satisfaction.
He then approached a giant metal sarcophagus, which contained none other than a Necron Cryptek, a chronomancer.
Ever since his capture and return to Holy Terra, the Necron had been kept in a sealed state, personally guarded by Kasha and Axis.
Only after the Emperor's departure did Axis finally have the time to deal with the prisoner.
The location he chose, naturally, was the Solus Prime. The Necron's existence had to be kept secret; in his reports to the Emperor, Axis had described his targets merely as a group of diseased monstrosities, utterly incapable of communication.
"Solus Prime, activate all shipboard defense systems," Axis ordered.
Red klaxons immediately blared throughout the massive vessel as powerful energy shields enveloped its hull.
"Father, highest alert protocols have been initiated."
Axis nodded, then deactivated the stasis-field containing the long-imprisoned Necron chronomancer.
As the field collapsed, the green-skulled automaton's eyes flared to life. It immediately reached for its Aeonstave and Chronometron, hoping to escape, but it grasped only empty air.
Without any preamble, Axis shot out a hand, clamped it around the Necron's neck, and lifted it from its sarcophagus.
"Release me, lesser being! Do you have any idea what a foolish thing you have done? The Ammokhan Dynasty will not forgive this transgression!" the Necron chronomancer struggled, but it could not break Axis's grip.
Axis let out a cold snort, having no intention of communicating with it.
He placed his other hand directly on its metal head.
His eyes began to glow with golden light as a powerful combination of psychic energy and Ki was channelled through the Angel halo, transforming into the purest kind of Psychic force.
It was the same method he had used years ago to convert the AI that was the Solus Prime.
Now, Axis was applying that same process to the Necron.
The green flames within the Necron's metallic skull flickered violently as the golden energy from Axis's palm seeped like molten rock into the seams of the ancient living metal.
"Father! It is initiating a self-destruct protocol!" the Solus Prime warned.
A green light began to pulse on the Cryptek's head.
It was the last-ditch effort of a Necron dynasty's encryption protocols; the self-destruct sequence had been activated.
This was a specific protocol that only initiated when a Necron was subjected to an irresistible data breach. Which wasn't theoretically possible with the technology of the rest of the world, but, one could never be too cautious.
It was a final, effective measure to prevent the dynasty's information and the secrets of the Necrons from falling into the hands of other civilizations.
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I'm so sorry for leaving you all without updates for the last few days! Life's been a mess for my family for the last week, and things took a turn for the worse yesterday.
The other day, my cat, which was practically blind with infection, ran away from home, and we found him dead on a property near ours the same day. He didn't have much to live, but at least I wanted for him to go painlessly. Admittedly, my and my families negligence, led to him disappearing and dying on his own.
We buried him. Man! I still remember burning my first pet cat, which was mauled to death its own father. Interestingly, that too was an orange cat. man, do I hate taking in strays.
the next day, yesterday, my grandfather, who already had some problems with his ear balance, was rushed to the hospital. He was then rushed to another pretty big hospital, due to the first hospital not having a neurosurgeon. And my uncle was being tight-lipped about it.
Well, he was experiencing symptoms of a stroke. Fortunately, they got to the hospital in time. He's still in observation, but he's relatively fine. They were talking about doing Angioplasty, but that doesn't seem necessary now.
I had to lie about grandpa being rushed to the big hospital on an ambulance, flaring alarms so as not to panic my Grandma. But she found out about it anyway, and scolded me badly.
I'm at my grandma's rn and it's raining cats and dogs. I'll try to be on schedule tomorrow as well, as long as nothing unexpected happens.
anyway....some powerstones?!