Adeptus Anonymous

>The world around you shakes and booms rhythmically, and you feel the loping gait of the engine

>The hiss and squeal of boiling hydraulics and tortured steel fills the small space you share

>The constant crashes of impacts and the thunderous discharge of arms filter through the panicked shouts of crew

>You are an adept of the Holy Mechanicus, training under a priest of the Collegia Titanica

>And that priest smacks you upside the head, screeching binaric cant over the noise and fury of the Titan

>[Pay attention to the display, adept! You are allowing the servitors to overheat!]

>The tech priest, your master Audralus is hard-plugged into the god-machine

>But you must rely on crude displays and reading the data in the noosphere, something highly unreliable with all the scrapcode in the air

>Still, you blurt an affirmative and order coolant flushes on the servitors loading the guns

>Their temperature levels even out and you continue to observe the patterns with your augmetic eyes

>The Warhound, Nox Aurea, shudders and bleats in pain at yet another heavy impact

>You had been engaged with Heretek forces for two weeks now, and their vile daemon engines for half that time

>This single operation had you and the crew in the field for two days straight now

>Despite rearming during that time, sleep was a luxury that not a single member could afford in this crisis state

>And so the air, already thick with incense and smoke, was choked as well by the reek of stim-sweat and adrenaline

>But it was all worth it, the enemy was on the run, most of their engines already burning behind your pack

>Ahead loomed a great rift to the Immaterium, and many small daemons scrambled to get back to their little pit of hell

>You hear the Princeps shout to charge, and the rhythm of thudding increases

>Even as he flushes the hydraulics in the legs of the god-machine, your master blurts a warning to the Princeps, a warning you echo in kind

>He dismisses your dual cants with one of his own and the Warhound continues forward

>So instead you focus on the guns, on your duty

>You align the targeting arrays for the third time and order the loading of high explosive shells to suppress the fleeing infantry

>You flush the servitor coolant and it becomes apparent that there is a malfunction with their equipment, possibly the heatsinks

>But under your watchful eye, they maintain optimal operations as you lope ever closer to the gaping gateway to the Warp

>Though you don't have a direct link to the outside, you read bleeding code in the noosphere that weaves the tale of your sorry state

>Your Princeps has taken you forward of the pack, and Nox Aurea lopes alone towards the portal

>The void shields have barely the strength to stand up to lasrifles now, and the armour is pitted from shells that have made it through

>Her livery has been blackened by witchfire, her once proud victory banners reduced to so much smouldering cloth

>Even without the plug, your augmetics ache in sympathy with the wounded code bleeding from the wounded engine

>But she is a proud god, and her fury for the machinations is unmatched among the great machines of Legio Venatrix

>But as the ancient words of Terran scholars had said, pride goeth before the fall

>Out from the portal steps a great, twisted creature

>It opens a mouth resembling that of Saurians of arcane Terran mythos and lets out a shriek that penetrates the hull more easily than a lance of plasma

>Nox howls a binaric challenge to the enemy, even as her circuits overload and switch to redundant pathways

>The Princeps echoes the animalistic howl with his own and the guns fire furious streams of steel and explosive at the vile creature

>Lightning crackles around it, annihilating the projectiles before they can touch its feathery body

>This only drives the engine to greater heights of fury and another stream of shells speeds towards the target

>All the while, you continue to close with the enemy

>Despite your attention, the guns are once more nearing overheat and your reserve coolant is long spent

>You offer benediction to the furious machine spirit, a whispered prayer for it to not fail in the midst of this battle

>Turning your head from the displays, you catch a glimpse of the portal outside the viewports of the cockpit

>The inbuilt distance rule of your augmetics leaps to infinity and zero, touching every number between in a dizzying display of the chaotic nature of the Immaterium

>You blink away lubricating tears and refresh the display, focusing in on the daemon that was threatening your Titan

>Upon its beak shaped lips, you see syllables forming that match nothing your mind can process

>But even without understanding, it instills a sense of dread deep in what is left of your organs

>It raises a crooked finger, heavy with the weight of fate itself, and its nail shines as it points at you

>Not the Titan, not the Princeps nor your master, the finger seems to point straight into your oh so human soul

>You feel your mechanical heart leap in its careful pumping cycle and you only barely cling to consciousness

>Your master forcefully turns you about so you can no longer gaze at the viewport and you feel some of the weight on you lift

>Once more, you dive into your work, now begging the spirit to not seize up for just a little longer

>It complains, and you register the sudden death of three of your servitors, but the guns continue to fire, a loud screech coming from the motors

>A shout from one of Moderati for all hands to brace comes in an overloud blurt of tortured code

>You grasp the rungs of a nearby service ladder with all your augmented might and lock your few mechadendrites down tightly to your body

>There is a loud pop, and you feel gravity flip several times, the display on your eyes fuzzes with static, and your long missing feeling of fleshly limbs returns

>For what seems like an instantaneous eternity, you're falling, flying, crashing, dying, being born, frozen, and engulfed in fire

>But then it's over

>Slowly, your eyes reboot and once more you can see

>You unfold the mechadendrites from your torso and ease off the ladder to the deck

>The machine is totally silent around you, no sound of anything coming through the hull nor from it

>The noosphere is not only dark, but totally devoid of any kinds of data, not even your own natural bleed

>A look around fills you with a deep ache in your soul

>At every console, every station, even in the control throne, a dead member of the crew lays blackened and withered

>Even your master, the ill-tempered Audralus, lay in a collapsed heap, his augmetics melted to his flesh

>Though they don't need cleaning, your eyes shed tears of oil, and you fall to your knees on the deck of the silent god-machine

>Alone, you were utterly alone

--

>You strain your wings to push you faster

>An unexpected headwind pushes back, as though the air itself was trying to slow your desperate flight

>But you push back harder than before, determined to reach your destination before that thing could awaken

>You are Gale Force, newest member of the Ponyville weather team

>And you have seen the newest, perhaps most dangerous, threat Equestria faces

>It had been a pleasant enough day, your day off in fact

>You had been soaring the thermals in the fields well outside Ponyville, enjoying the way you could just spread your wings and float

>Truly, you had never been one for racing, your wings seemed to be perfectly specialized for soaring and gliding, with their long and broad primaries and oversized span

>The very thing working against you now

>That thing, whatever it was, had appeared from nothing and nowhere

>Its appearance had created a huge shockwave of displaced air, blowing a crater into the ground and flattening the few nearby trees

>Even at the distance you had been at, it had sent you spiraling and nearly crashing

>But you had recovered before impact, and fled for your life

>You had to warn the princess, she was the only one who could save Ponyville from that iron fleshed golem

>And so you strain against the wind, against, the air, against your very flesh to push faster and faster until the ground blurs into a streak of colour

>The crystal castle of Princess Twilight looms over the horizon, your goal, the salvation of Ponyville

>It was so close, and so you push down the burning pain stretching from your wingtips all the way across your back and carry on

>Not too much later, but far too late in your eyes, you arrive at the castle gates, totally exhausted and foaming at the mouth

>You slam a hoof rapidly on the crystalline door, praying that the princess of friendship was home today

>The hinges creak as the door swings open, showing a small, purple dragon standing in the portal

>”Can I help you, miss...?”

>You take a deep breath and try to calm yourself enough to not make a scene

“There was-- big golem-- iron skin-- outta nowhere!”

>Smooth

>The dragon, Spike you finally recall, blinks slowly and takes a step back

>”Oooookay, lemme just get Twi-- Princess Twilight, and we'll help ya out. C'mon in.”

>He opens the door wider and gestures for you to come inside

>You follow him inside, your wingtips brushing the floor as they hang

>Too tired you are to even fold them against your side, and you cannot stop panting

>Spike leaves you sitting at a table with a large pitcher of water while he wanders off deeper into the halls of the castle

>You lap the water straight from its container, not even bothering to pour a glass for yourself

>As you finish half the carafe, the princess herself comes along and seats herself across from you silently

>You scramble back into your seat, sitting rigid as though you were at a Canterlot dinner

>The princess simply giggles and waves a hoof in your direction

>”Relax miss, there's no need to be so uptight. Spike told me you found something outside Ponyville, but before that let's just start with your name.”

>Still a bit breathless you blurt out your name rapidly

>Twilight gestures for you to continue when you don't respond immediately

>Having finally regained your breath and composed yourself, you let your posture slacken a bit and begin explaining

“Well I was out riding the thermals in the plains, it's my day off you see, and suddenly a massive, iron golem popped outta nowhere! Its blast wave nearly made me crash, but I managed to recover and sped off right here. I knew you'd be the only pony with enough power to protect us from something like that.”

>Twilight blushes and makes a little circle on the table with her hoof

>”Well I don't know about that, but this does sound serious. A golem you say, can you describe it? Its size, how it moved, how it spoke? Anything could be useful.”

>You think back, tapping a hoof against your chin

“Well, I wasn't right on top of it, but it looked to be larger than a fully grown dragon. It was kinda hunched over, but didn't move after it just appeared. No talking either, didn't really make any noise besides the big pop of it coming in.”

>Twilight scribbles notes down on a piece of parchment grasped with her magic

>”And where was this again?”

>You try your best to recall the exact heading that had taken you here

“Due...northwest I think. No, north-northwest for sure.”

>She rolls up the scroll and hands it to her assistant, who immediately sets it alight with emerald flames

>”Well then, let's go and see. Can you lead me back there?”

>You nod, and lead her out of the castle

>The two of you take flight, this time keeping a more sane, less desperate pace than before

>You can't stop your hooves from trembling on the return trip, and not even soaring the thermals as the fields pass below can stop that

>A heaviness in hangs in your stomach, robbing you of any of the usual contentment flying brings

>When the top of the gargantuan monster looms, Princess Twilight stops and hovers in the air, and you halt beside her

>Her eyes have grown as wide as saucers and her mouth hangs open

>”Th-that's the golem?”

>You nod your head

“Yes princess, I told you it was bigger than a dragon!”

>She seems to ignore you, opening her wings and climbing higher in the sky

>As you climb after her, you see why she has immediately

>It allows the two of you an unrestricted view of the monster that had made itself known

>Since it had appeared, it seems to have adopted a crouching stance, squatting in the middle of a crater of its own making

>It almost looks like a chicken about to lay an egg

>You let out a bark of laughter at the unexpected thought, and Twilight looks up from the paper she's rapidly scribbling on

>”Something the matter?”

>You shake your head, pushing down the bubbling mirth

“No princess, just a weird thought.”

>She cocks her head to the side and moves the parchment scroll aside

>”Do share, a different perspective could be useful in this matter.”

>You blush sheepishly and look down at the grassy hills below you

“I was just kinda thinking about how it looks like a chicken.”

>Twilight looks back at the looming creature, and you see her gaze shift down towards the legs

>She scribbles down something else on her paper and gives you a smile

>”You see? I hadn't even noticed the orientation of the joints.”

>Your blush deepens and you wave the praise away

“Oh c'mon, it wasn't all that.”

>Twilight returns her gaze to the golem below

>”Well it doesn't seem to be awake. Let's see if we can get a closer look.”

>What mirth there had been flees before the wave of fear that comes over you

“D-do we have to princess? I mean, that thing could wake up and kill us both!”

>She scratches her chin with a hoof, considering your words

>”It's a risk that I at least have to take. I need to assess the threat it holds to Ponyville and to Equestria, it's...it's my duty.”

>She gives you a sad looking smile and alights to the ground, moving toward the golem slowly, quietly

>Well it would do to have her go in alone

>Even if she was a mighty princess, you wouldn't abandon her to face the monster by herself!

>You land gently behind her and join her walk towards the beast

>It's a silent affair, neither of you willing to risk awakening what lies ahead

>Not much time passes before you stand at the lip of the crater holding the golem

>You want to bolt and run, but you cannot deny a morbid curiousity of the thing that had nearly torn you from the sky

>All around was a metallic scent, and the metal skin of the beast gives off a warmth you can feel even from here

>You jump at every slight pop and hiss that issues from it, but Twilight seems enraptured with it

>She comes over to you, excitedly whispering

>”I don't think it's a creature, it's a machine! But it's so expertly crafted, I can't begin to imagine who made it!”

>You look at her, totally bewildered, and whisper back

“Wait so someone made this? Do you think they're piloting it like an airship?”

>As Twilight opens her mouth to answer, a loud pop comes from the top of the machine

>The two of you jump and lock your eyes on the source of the noise

>A hatch on the machine swings open, silhouetted against the sun the shone down on the shoulder

>And from that hatch, a monster climbs out

–

>The atmospheric samples show you that the air you stand in now is safe to breathe without filtration

>However, you continue to filter it even when the samples come back cleaner than the air of Holy Mars

>You were not well equipped to detect the taint of Chaos, and it had been a Warp portal that sent you here

>You assume at least

>That section of memory has been...corrupted

>Not by the vile touch of Chaos, thank the Omnissiah, but simply by the violence of the translation to this world

>But it mattered not, you were here, your companions dead, and your Titan afflicted with ghastly wounds

>Its skin was rent in many places, and where it was whole it was charred black, little of its original ruddy glory showed through the carbon coat

>At the very least, she slept so she was not tortured by pain

>As you step from the hatch, you scan the area around you

>Plains, flora covered, sky similar to Terra, no large structures within optical range, it seemed to be similar to a feudal world you had visited once in attendance to a Knight House

>In the far distance, several small columns of smoke rise, a village of whoever or whatever lived here

>Scanning the fields reveals fauna, two, seemingly equine, though both had wings too small, and one had a bony growth on its forehead

>Strange colours too, but your instruments could measure them, not Chaos, not a threat so you disregard them

>Your mechadendrites unfold from your back at your will, helping you to climb to the back of the slumbering god-machine

>If power was the sole issue, besides her weeping wounds, then you knew of a partial solution

>The forge that had birthed this Titan existed under the rays of a violent star, and they had made a slight change to the STC of the Warhound to exploit it

>An array of highly efficient solar panels upon the back of the god-machine, hidden beneath heavy plates of ceramite

>You reach the segmented panels and whisper a prayer to the machine spirit before working to prise them open

>Normally they would be opened automatically when critical power levels were detected

>It must have been the shock of translation

>No matter of course, between your augmented arms and your mechadendrites you're able to slowly open the array to the stellar light

>It takes nearly an hour to force the massive plates to move, and the stray glances you've had around the area tells you the local fauna is still watching

>Still, no aggressive behaviour was seen from them, so it seemed safe enough to ignore

>At one point you swore to the Machine God that one had a quill and paper enveloped in lavender light floating before it

>But when you had looked again, it was simply staring up at you with wide eyes

>All too human, you thought they looked rather cute

>Perhaps the Warp had afflicted you more than you had first thought, an in depth restoration of your mind may be necessary

>Before that, though, you'd need to find a way home

>Home...

>How many years had it been since you'd seen the Orestes, your internal clock said seven thousand six hundred and two

>Definitely would need an in depth restoration

>Finally, the last panel creaks open and reveals the full extent of the solar array to the sun above

>You sit down, feeling the toll the exertion has taken on your body and on your energy reserves

>Well in the moment, you can remedy at least one of those things

>Rations could come later

>You pull back the heavy cloth hood from your head and untie the rope at the top of your deep crimson robes

>The metal of your augmetics gleam in the light of the high noon sun, burnished with synth-sweat of mineral oils

>With a thought, you will parts of your now bare chest to open, revealing their own, much smaller solar panels

>Though they weren't as efficient as the ones on Nox Aurea, no could they replace sustenance as of yet, they would keep you from collapsing and stop your augments from seizing

>They were even linked to your nervous system, providing pleasurable feedback

>And though you knew it was artificially generated, you still retained enough of your flesh to enjoy it

>But not for long!

>Once you found a way to contact the Mechanicus, you could scarce imagine your rewards

>Titans were grossly valuable, even the smallest Warhound could bankrupt entire worlds, and they were incredibly difficult to manufacture

>Nox Aurea herself had seen two millenia of service already, and she was the youngest in the legio

>Being crew to one of these god-machines was the greatest honour, so what praise and bounty they would heap upon the one who had returned a lost god such as this

>Perhaps they would even elevate you to full priesthood for keeping faith and persevering in the eye of such Chaos wickedness

>And surely you could replace your weak flesh with the finest augmentations Mars had to offer

>You shake your head, clearing such thoughts from your mind

>That would all have to come later

>For now, there was still the issue of figuring out exactly where in the galaxy you were

>Then of course, actually sending the message would require a relay of enormous strength

>If you could awaken the reactor of Nox Aurea, it would certainly be possible to tap into its power to send the signal

>But you would need a transmitter as well, something that would have to be constructed in situ

>You let out an all too human sigh and rub the skin surrounding your eyes

>So much work, and all upon the shoulders of a mere adept

>Although, you think as you look out to the tendrils of smoke in the distance, perhaps the locals may be persuaded to help

>Your eyes fix on the two creatures that had been observing you from the ground, now hovering in your line of sight

>A chill runs up your spine, nothing their size should have been able to fly with wings so small

>They move closer to you, and you bristle as they smile at you

>Not fauna, unless these ones had suddenly developed threat display characteristics

>Even as they approach, you begin to record the information you're observing from them

>The quest for knowledge was not stopped just because you were uneasy and suspicious

>One of them, purple in colour with the bony growth you had seen earlier opens its mouth

>For whatever reason, perhaps the damage to your systems, you react with an instantaneous display of aggression

>Your mechadendrites flare out behind you, their maniples opening wide to appear larger

>From your augmented throat, a screech of threat-marker laden binary, accompanied with every rank signifier and warning you could access blasts forth repetitively

>The emerald of your eyes flares into bright red, and you draw a blade magnetically fastened to your side

>It was certainly more than necessary, but you were dealing with possible forces of Chaos, so it was pragmatic to act in such a way

>The effect is immediate, the purple one backs off several meters, while its red coated companion flees into the distance

>As it shies away, you notice an odd star marking on its flank

>Star then, an acceptable designation

>Star opens its mouth, then shuts it and reopens one more time

>But after a moment, it follows the lead of the other and flies away toward the smoke

>As it retreats, your observations lead to the conclusion that 'it' was in fact a she

>She could belong to the livestock of whatever people lived here, it would certainly explain the odd branding

>But with the potential threat resolved, you reduce your threat displays and return to gathering energy

>With thoughts of you future rewards dancing in your mind, you close your eyes and bask in the glow of a xeno sun

–

>Back in Ponyville, Twilight is in a panicked state

>You'd returned to the castle with her after that smaller creature had screeched its warning

>Not that you or Twilight had actually understood what it was saying, but its intent had been more than clear

>The way its metal tentacles had flared out, the glow of red in its eyes, that awful, metallic dissonance that had issued from its throat

>There was no way to see it as anything but a threat

>You shudder as the sound echoes in your thoughts once more

>That's something you'd take to your grave, no doubt

>Twilight is frantically flipping through dozens of books in her personal library, and the few that are in a script you understand let you know exactly what she's looking for

>Constructs Arcane, Devils and Monsters Occult, Bestiary of Lands Exotica

>You peek at the pages left open, seeing many bizarre creatures you had never even heard of

>But not one is like what had appeared

>That must be why she's in such a tizzy

>Well it was her job to protect this place from such things, so it made sense that when something new showed up a slight panic would ensue

>This was anything but slight though

>After a while, her ears flatten against her skull and her faces sinks down and rests against the great stone table

>You trot up beside her, speaking up in a nervous voice

“Um, princess, what's the matter?”

>You had an idea, but you wanted to make sure you weren't just being an airhead

>Twilight looks up at you, real fear apparent on her face

>”What's the matter? Oh not much, we've just had hostile first contact with species that apparently nopony has had contact with in several thousand years of Equestrian history! Never mind the construct that it had, I mean look at that thing. It was at least ten meters tall and it was crouching down!”

>Twilight begins breathing heavily and her pupils shrink to pinpricks

>You sit there stunned, not entirely sure what to do

>But you remember something your mother used to do to calm you down when you were a little filly

>You walk over to her and drape one of your long, deep blue wings over her back and gently, slowly rub it up and down

>It takes a few minutes, but Twilight's breathing slows down and she turns to you with a pained grin

>”Thanks...I guess I freaked out a bit there, huh?”

>You let out a little giggle and give her a warm smile

“Well, you're doing better than I would be. I can't imagine what I'd be doing if I were you.”

>Twilight's ears flatten against her skull

>”I can't even imagine what I should be doing right now. I mean, we have protocols for this kind of thing, but they were written thousands of years ago. We hadn't even met another species at that point, beside the Windigos of course but technically they aren't another species they're just manifestations of elemental energy...”

>You blink as she goes on a tangent about manifest magic or weather or some such

>It's not exactly easy to follow, even if you had understood half the stuff she was going on about

>Eventually though, she slows and lapses into uneasy silence

>You clear your throat and hesitantly offer an idea you'd had when she was rambling

“Well...why don't you ask Princess Celestia? I mean, I'm sure she knows things that aren't in the books right?”

>Twilight looks up at you, her face drawn tight

>”But I'm supposed to be a princess now, I have to know how to handle things on my own!”

>She scuffs a hoof against the ground and looks back down

>You shuffle, uneasy with being the confidant of a pony you barely knew, let alone a princess at that

“I mean, no offense princess, but aren't you kinda new at this? I don't think she'd be mad at you asking for help.”

>Twilight looks at you again, a weak smile touching her lips

>”You pegasi are pretty good at cutting through all the hay of things, aren't you?”

>Whoa, racist

>She was a bit right though, you hadn't met another pegasus who hadn't been blunt and straightforward

>With a sigh, Twilight pulls away from your wings, her eyes showing new determination

>”Alright, first thing I need to do is get Spike down here! And Gale, was it? I want you to gather a team of pegasi, keep tabs on that thing. But if it attacks you, don't fight back just get outta there.”

>You give her a sharp nod and she turns, galloping up the stairs to find her assistant

>You do a little trot in place

>A mission given to you personally from a princess!

>Even the trepidation of going near that thing again doesn't quell your excitement at this

>Though you hadn't really become a weatherpony for excitement, it was almost as if there was something built into you that craved some kind of adventure

>So you followed her orders to the letter

>You managed to gather a team of eight pegasi, two who were part of the weather team

>Of course, you had to explain the situation to Rainbow Dash since she headed up the local weather team

>She had immediately gone to Twilight's castle to confirm it, but had given you the okay to be absent as long as you were telling the truth

>And since you were, you wasted no time establishing observation of the monster

>After a few hours, you're ready to admit it

>It wasn't nearly as exciting as you had thought it would be

>You and your team had rolled in a few clouds for cover and broken into pairs

>One kept watch while the other rested

>But the day rolled on, and nothing happened

>The creature lounged on top of his construct for hours, until the sun was low in the sky and Luna's moon was coming over the horizon

>Then he went inside, shut the hatch, and stayed there so it seemed

>At one point, the machine made a quiet groaning noise that put you on edge, but it remained where it was

>So you had informed the others and flown back to Twilight to make a report

>Sure, there really wasn't anything to actually tell her, but even so you weren't about to screw up your first big assignment in...ever

>When you reach the castle though, your enthusiasm is dulled a great deal

>It's surrounded by royal guards and night guards

>As if that wasn't enough of a sign, there are two chariots parked by the gates, both clearly made for royalty

>The princesses had made a visit

–

>You open your eyes to the twilight hours

>You blink several times, flicking your ocular lenses through several settings before settling on 'natural'

>The solar array in your chest folds in on itself and once more comes flush with your chest

>With a sigh, you tie the top of your robe and once more don your hood

>A look at the sky reveals a number of those strange, equine-like xenos staring down at you from behind clouds

>They must have thought themselves hidden, but machines are not so easily fooled as fleshly eyes

>Still they are merely observing you, strange as their perch was

>Clouds are insubstantial after all, and these creatures clearly are not

>You would need to take a sample, this was certainly something worth researching

>You wait outside a little while longer, until the moon fully rises and the stars shine high above

>A long moment is spent staring at their patterns, trying to match them to any sky you have seen before

>Nothing is the same, nor had you expected it to be

>Still, you'd run them against the databanks of Nox Aurea, she had campaigned for so long that perhaps she had seen this sky before

>And if not, she may have data from Mars itself that could match or at the very least help recognize some of the stellar objects you can see

>Before going inside, you save a few picts of the sky for later research

>The moment you shut the hatch behind you, a low hum comes through the god-machine

>A light breeze tickles the skin of your face, and the familiar scent of recycled air and holy oils sets itself deeply within

>Nox Aurea was alive

>You heave a deep sigh of relief

>It wasn't any grand miracle like her coming to full battle status and laying waste to hereteks, but it was certainly better than the aching silence of the day

>Another scent hits your nose, strong and foul

>Decay

>Your comrades, your mentor, you had nearly forgotten them in the rush of ecstasy from the breath of the machine

>You would need to deal with them, sooner rather than later

>Traditional Mechanicus recycling would be impossible here, but you're certain that somehow you could find a way to lay them to rest

>First though, you needed to interface with the Titan

>Hesitantly, you approach the command throne in the bridge

>The Princeps was still there, his face drawn tightly around his augments, slumped forward as though bowing

>Only the neural plugs kept him from falling over

>With as much care as you can, you hold the body in place and gingerly unplug him from the god-machine

>The plug comes out with no resistance, much to your relief

>You lay the body out on the floor, covering its face with the crew jacket it had been wearing

>As you sit in the throne, you whisper a prayer of benediction to the dead crew, and another to the Titan herself

>Slowly, hesitantly, you nestle the interface plug into your cerebrospinal port and wait

>After a moment, an explosion of data

>You'd had direct congress with machine spirits before, but nothing on the scale of a god-machine

>Princeps went through rigorous selection and decades of training and augmentation before they could become an apprentice aboard even the lowliest of Warhounds

>Their will matched the strength of steel, their minds sharper than even the power swords of the vaunted Astartes

>And even with all that, they struggled to control the vast war engines

>Yet here you were, a lowly adept, in direct congress with Nox Aurea

>Even in her state of hibernation, you could feel the immense weight of her will, the gross strength in her arms, the desire to kill kill killkillkillKILL

>With a gasp you sit upright, rigid, shouting a prayer to the Omnissiah for forgiveness and to Nox Aurea, begging her mercy

>Through the violent storm of data and fury, a thunderous voice echoes inside the comparatively minuscule chambers of your augmented mind

>”You are not my Princeps.”

>You weep tears of joy, tears of blood, as she speaks

>She lived, she was awake, she was angry, she was hurt, she demanded answers

>The weight upon your mind eases slightly as your signifier codes come to the fore, and you take a deep breath to gather yourself

>You had never dreamed that you would bear the brunt of a god-machine such as Nox Aurea

>As though reading your thoughts, a rumble comes through the frame

>”You bear nothing, adept.”

>She was right, no doubt

>Still, you must answer the questions she demanded of you

“Oh great god-machine, the vile machinations of Chaos have sent us to a world unknown. They have drained the power of your blessed core, but I shall work diligently and long to restore you to your former glory.”

>You feel a touch of pride from Nox Aurea as you sing her praises, but it's accompanied by a more demanding question

>”Where is my Princeps?”

>You swallow, your throat suddenly dry

>You can't answer, you have to answer

>With a quick switch to binary to better signify your feelings than your flesh voice could, you blurt it out

“The Princeps is dead.”

>A long, drawn out groan echoes through Nox Aurea, and a great sorrow presses on your mind

>You find yourself crying once again, your regular tears washing the tracks of blood on your face

>You cannot sustain yourself any longer, with a mournful groan you eject the interface plug from its port and collapse on the deck

>Your body curls into a ball on the cold, quiet deck and you sob quietly as the Titan once more goes silent around you

--

>The oaken door to Twilight's castle creaks ominously, despite your best efforts to remain quiet

>You were surprised at how the guards had simply moved aside when you'd explained why you were there

>You guess they were briefed or something, that's something a princess would do right?

>Three ponies standing in the foyer all turn and stare at you

>You pause, wings outstretched in surprise

>Twilight's gaze lingers on you, her expression one of unease

>”Did something happen, Gale? Did the machine attack?”

>Your eyes dart back and forth between each of the princesses and slowly step inside, sitting upright in front of the door

“Uh, no nothing to report. I just wanted to bring you today's observations”

>Twilight looks first to Celestia, then to Luna

>Both of them nod, and Celestia gives you a warm smile

>”Please, do come. We were just discussing what to do about this new creature on the outskirts of Ponyville. Any information you have may be invaluable, young pegasus.”

>Something in Celestia's voice draws you in, its maternal warmth making you feel completely at ease

>You walk over and join the three of them, sitting with your back rigid

>After a moment of awkward silence, Twilight clears her throat

>”Well Gale, what observations did you make today?”

>You take a deep breath, sitting even more rigidly

“The creature was observed resting on top of the construct today. Shortly after sunset, it went inside the machine. A few minutes later, the machine made a loud groaning noise, then went silent once more. The team is still out there, but there was nothing further to report.”

>Twilight nods firmly, scribbling down what you told her on a sheet of parchment

>”Alright, thank you very much, Gale.”

>You turn to go, but Celestia speaks up before you do

>”Why don't you join us, young Gale? I believe the opinion of the mare that discovered a brand new species could be useful.”

>You wings twitch, partially in excitement about being addressed by the princess of the sun herself, partially in nervousness at the idea of being in such royal company

>After all, you were just some random weather pony who happened to be in the right place

>So it's no surprise you can hardly keep your tail from twitching with nerves as you sit with them, waiting to see if you could offer anything to them

>Luna clears her throat, looking pointedly at the other two

>”Shall we get back to business then? We need to have a swift response to this, sister. If its first reaction was a threat display, as Twilight says, then it is clearly a dangerous beast.”

>Celestia shakes her head slowly

>”We can't just go around with a military response to everything, Luna. Even if it proves hostile, we must try everything in our power to ensure a peaceful solution.”

>Luna's eyes glance quickly down to you and an ear flicks at the admonishment

>You raise a wing, and Celestia nods to acknowledge you

“Uh, it did look at me and Princess Twilight a few times when we were watching it. But it didn't make any sort of aggressive moves until we tried to come close and talk to it. Maybe it's just being near the machine?”

>Twilight's eyes brighten and her ears stand straight up

>”Of course! It came out of nowhere, and with the magic I could feel in the air, I don't think it was from anywhere near here. It wasn't dark or anything, it was wild, untamed, raw. It's probably scared and protecting its shelter, we just have to treat it with respect and we ought to be more than able of handling it!”

>She goes on, her gesturing turning animated, much to the amusement of Celestia

>”And with the complexity of that construct, it's clearly intelligent. It was wearing some kind of armour as well, so the biggest problem is going to be speaking with it in a way it understands. And if that's the only problem, then it'll be a cinch to solve!”

>Even as she speaks, she's already scratching down notes furiously on the paper

>Luna sniffs haughtily, turning her nose up a degree to show her feelings for the plan

>”I will abide your judgement, Twilight. But do not think we shall approach it without a measure of protection. I'll be bringing a contingent of my personal guard, I believe you ought to do the same, sister.”

>Celestia lets out a quiet sigh and her ears flick with her own annoyance

>”Very well, if it will calm your heart. I'll bring along a smaller group of Royal Guards, between us all there ought to be no threat whatsoever.”

>Almost as one, they turn their gazes on you next

>You blink owlishly, waiting for them to continue

>Then it finally hits you, way too late, that they're waiting for you to give your opinion on everything

“W-well, I agree with Princess Luna that we can't be too nonchalant about protection. I guess as long as they kept back a bit it probably wouldn't make it mad?”

>There's a long beat of silence, then Luna lets out a defeated sigh

>”I suppose the foal is right, we cannot take such an aggressive stance. We'll keep the guards in reserve, should anything happen at all.”

>Celestia gives her sister a small smile, and Twilight turns to give you a great one

>You just shift awkwardly, waiting to see where things would go next

>Your ears perk up at the clacking of claws on stone, and you turn your head to see Twilight's dragon, Spike you recall, walking into the room

>”Um, Twi? I let the girls know what's going on. They said they're ready to go if you need them, any time.”

>He seems to notice you for the first time and his...head frill? Frill, perks up

>”You're Gale Force right? Uh, Rainbow Dash said to tell you really good work, on the whole monster front thing. Said she'd look into fast tracking you on something or other.”

>Your wings twitch

>The only thing you had mentioned wanting to get into was search and rescue, a job that technically fell under the weather team in these smaller towns

>And it was something you wanted to break into as soon as you could

>You can't stop a wide grin from taking over your face, even as Spike turns and walks deeper into the castle

>The princesses too grin, and Celestia addresses you all in a thoughtful tone

>”Well then, Luna, Twilight, let us prepare ourselves for the coming day. It's too late in the day to take action now, but come the dawn we will greet this newcomer with the best attitude Equestria can offer.”

>She turns her matronly gaze on you, and you feel your back stiffen at the attention

>”And you, Ms. Gale, had best get some rest. We'll be counting on you to bring us to the machine tomorrow.”

>You give a firm nod and can hardly keep yourself from galloping out the door

>The first thing you did was inform the rest of the observers you had assembled about the plan

>They'd remain out here for the night, but on a less strict watch schedule that they would agree on between each other

>It was surprising to you how understanding they were about you returning to town

>It seemed they got that princesses had to be obeyed

>So you return to the sleepy little town of Ponyville, loft yourself into the tiny cloud house you had crafted with your own wings and hooves, and promptly collapsed on the floor into a deep slumber

>You had earned it

–

>The god-machine hums beneath you as you stand atop its hunched back

>Those equine xenos you had frightened off yesterday had returned

>And brought friends

>Directly in front of Nox Aurea, there were two more of the wing-horn types, one blue and one white

>Of course, the purple one was there as well, along with the blue wing type you had seen the day before

>In the distance, you could see more wing types and horn types trying to hide behind the ridge of a hill

>Armoured, carrying spears, lances, and crossbows

>It seemed these xenos WERE the native species you had once thought to ask assistance of

>Unfortunate, you had hoped for something more humanoid

>Easier to read, to interact with

>But you suppose you can make do with these

>The sole reason you had made the threat display the day before had been because you thought them either livestock or wild animals

>But if they were simply primitive xenos...

>And so you stood, waiting for them to attempt communication

>It's unlikely that the know any form of Gothic or other dialect you have inloaded so communication could take some wo--

>”Greetings to you, traveler. It is clear you have come from far away, and though we wish not to disturb you, we would engage you in discussion.”

>Well then, that was surprising

>At the very least, the white one was able to vocalize a form of Low Gothic

>Though it meant using fleshvoice, this would certainly make communication far simpler

>Still, you maintain your position on top of Nox Aurea

>It would not do to appear lowly in the face of unknown xenos

>You warm the artificial larynx in your throat and speak in a tone of clear authority

“Then let us speak, xeno. Where exactly have I come?”

>The blue one takes a step forward and opens its mouth, as if to speak, but the white one holds up a hoof and stops that

>Good, they had hierarchy that was more than clear

>If their leader was the one speaking to you, then you already held a position of importance in their eyes

>Exploitable

>”You are in Equestria, traveler. May I ask your name, and where you are from?”

>The all too human part of you smiles

>The Imperials would be cursing you for 'consorting' with xenos right now

>Of course, the Mechanicus was above that

>They knew, you knew, that xenos were to be studied and exploited if useful

>Their technology, while abhorrent, could be examined to glean what little truth existed in their twisted frames

>The xenos themselves were simply useful tools, a side objective of the Quest of Knowledge

>And to gain that objective, sharing such small bits of information couldn't be harmful

“I am--”

>You cut off speaking

>Data not found

>Impossible! You knew who you were, you were...

>You begin processing through massive packets of data as fast as your enhanced mind can take

>This was something you knew, you're certain

>Aha!

>>There it is, no data can be hidden for long

“--Anonymous, I am Anonymous.”

>Hm, that didn't sound quite right, but the data does not lie

>So, you continue to speak, data as in place as it can be

“I come from a world far away, one with a different star. It is called Orestes, and it is my home.”

>You see the purple once gazing at you with abject wonder

>A quill and parchment float in front of her, enveloped in a lavender haze

>You focus your sensors on the implements, it's not any form of vile sorcery

>Perhaps some kind of anti-gravity technology?

>You would have to study it whenever you could

>When the white one remains silent, you decide to continue

>Best to establish yourself as a friendly force, rather than being hostile

“Orestes is a truly grand world, having both forges of the Mechanicus and Hives of the Imperium of Man. We have defeated the forces of Chaos and the Dark Mechanicus numerous times, and the Legio Tempestus has found great honour in the crusades of the Imperium.”

>The purple one seems ecstatic, the blue one looks intrigued, but the white one appears almost worried

>Strange, you would think that they would welcome such great power visiting them with an outstretched hand

>This time, when the blue one speaks up it does not allow the white one to interrupt

>”We are Princess Luna, she who raises the moon, defender of Equestria and all its holdings. On behalf of our sister and her pupil, let us welcome you Equestria. We pray you find all that you are looking for.”

>The white one gives her sister, Luna, a pointed glare and speaks up as well

>”And I am Princess Celestia, ruler of Equestria, she who raises the sun. It is indeed a pleasure to meet you, Anonymous.”

>Your gaze flicks to the purple one, who is trembling with excitement

>”And I'm Twilight Sparkle, er, PRINCESS Twilight, princess of friendship and researcher of the arcane. It's nice to meet you!”

>All royalty, all nominally the same status, but all with different forms of addressing you

>From the formal and proper royal plural, to simple commonspeak

>Such strange organization, perhaps socialization and establishment of hierarchy would not be so easy as you thought

>And what did Luna and Celestia mean by calling themselves the raisers of the sun and moon?

>Surely even such a backward xeno race would understand orbital dynamics

>Or perhaps not, they seemed to be quasi-medieval in terms of armaments and protection

>Well, so long as neither of those that fancied themselves goddesses acted as such, it would be acceptable for them to maintain such beliefs

>No need to rub anyone the wrong way, primitive though they may be not even you were likely to survive dozens of waves of the ill-equipped soldiers

>Certainly not with the might of Nox Aurea unpowered as she was

>So you would humour them, just as you did for the Imperials claiming their God-Emperor was supreme above even the Omnissiah

>But this certainly confirmed that you held some level of importance to them, if they had sent what they considered goddesses after you

>Your mechadendrites unfurl from your back and carry you down a service ladder to stand before the xenos

>While the white and blue look unnerved, the purple one, Twilight yes, seems even more intrigued by the simple devices

>You look straight at her and offer as kind a smile as you can

>She seems quite bashful when she notices your smile, scuffing one of her hooves on the grassy ground below

>She must be quite young, perhaps not yet taken with the role of royalty as these other two were

>Certainly she was smaller, nearly half the size of the one named Celestia

>The quick scan you ran over the three revealed no weapons, and only latent energy seemingly stored in the jewels they wore in their collars and crowns

>Xenos were truly fascinating

>You weren't a Xenologis by any means, and just like any other Techpriest you abhorred their technology

>But the study of it was also a keen draw to you, to see the universe through alien eyes

>Twilight seems to regain her footing and speaks up in a nervous tone of voice

>”W-would you like to accompany me-- I mean us, to Ponyville? It's not too far from here, and we can introduce you to the other ponies properly! Show them you're not here to hurt them, you know?”

>Celestia shot a glance at Twilight, clearly unhappy with having her position usurped by an inferior

>Nevertheless, she gives you a seemingly forced smile and nods

>”Twilight is right, it is best we introduce you to my little ponies. That way there a no misunderstandings.”

>The way she leans on the word 'misunderstandings' makes Twilight wince, but Luna seems to hardly notice

>”We agree, though be warned, we shall watch your every step. We must ensure the safety of our subjects.”

>Understandable, to them you were the strange creature standing before a god-machine

>To not harbour trepidation would be foolish

>It only dawns on you now that they had said 'ponies'

>So they WERE equines, perhaps at one time leftover from human colonists?

>Yes, and they had simply evolved over time to the state they were in now

>Certainly more reasonable than the idea that they were xenos that looked equine, were sentient, and coincidentally shared the same species name as another kind of equine native to Terra

>You relax slightly, if they were indeed evolved ponies then technically they weren't technically a xeno species

>That certainly made it easier to deal with them on a legitimate basis

>And what's more, there would be no consequences to studying their technology, it was an acceptable divergence from the Quest of Knowledge

>Almost as one, the three princesses turn and Twilight gestures animatedly with one of her wings towards the smoke rising in the distance

>”Let's go then! I can't wait to show you around!”

>She certainly was excitable

>You gaze back at Nox Aurea, and from where you stood she seemed lonelier than ever

>A broken god, hunched over as though she were Atlas, bearing the weight of Terra

>The sadness you feel is not just from your too human side, this is true grief you feel for her

>But it only tempers your determination to give her life once more

>With a smile set upon your face, you follow after Twilight and the others

>It was time you met the locals

–

>This little village was, as you had heard a senior Magos once describe a feudal world, quaint

>All thatched rooves, and timber homes, some even built into the trees themselves

>And yet, you had seen train tracks on your way into the little town, nothing even so simple as mag-lev, but honest to Omnissiah rail riding

>Twilight, the purple 'alicorn' as she had called herself, had requested you remove your hood so to not frighten the inhabitants

>You had decided to acquiesce to the suggestion, you were here to make a good impression on the inhabitants, not scare them into submission

>Such brutish measure were reserved for the enemies of man and machine, or every situation for certain members of the Imperial clergy

>But these xenos, these 'ponies', had shown the ability to reason and no divergence from the Sixteen Laws

>Therefore, they could be negotiated with, exploited, and if they showed potential, perhaps even uplifted and saved from the weakness of their flesh

>If the Omnissiah deemed them worthy, of course

>The ponies, and their myriad guards, had brought you around the town on a tour

>Not just to show you the sights, but to introduce the ponies to the new inhabitant of their lands

>You smiled and acted as warmly as you could, even though the sun glistened on the metal augmetics at the base of your skull and along your collar

>Surprisingly, these ponies were less off put by this than most Imperial subjects and diplomats you had met with

>Perhaps because they simply had no frame of reference for what a human looks like before being uplifted

>Twilight had seemed positively delighted when you had shown her even the simple implants, such as your cerebrospinal interface

>Even Imperial officers had such things, but here they simply did not exist

>And every step of the way, the alicorn had not let her quill slip from the telekinetic grasp she held it in

>You had bristled when she had called it magic, but whatever it truly was drew not upon the vile power of the Warp

>When you had requested to study the phenomena they called magic, Twilight had been utterly ecstatic

>Something about how magic was her specialty

>It would certainly be worthwhile to study it with a master of the art, moreso than with another who was an expert

>The other two alicorns had remained rather quiet throughout the little tour, more keeping an eye on you than anything else

>It is hard to blame them, though

>They are the rulers of this land, and you are a stranger who had brought a god of war to their doorstep

>After several hours of wandering about the town and being shown off, they lead you back to a large, crystalline structure, seemingly modeled after a castle

>You snap picts of it with your optical augments, before the doors are thrown open and you're led inside

>The interior is just as astonishingly well crafted as the outside, the walls showing no signs of being carved

>Perhaps it was grown, in a way similar to how the Eldar grew all their structures and constructs?

>Certainly something to inquire on later

>You spend the next half hour exchanging pleasantries with the princesses, but at long last Celestia and Luna leave

>They've done well in masking their discomfort and suspicion, Celestia far better than her sister

>Of course, they inform you that they will leave a contingent of their personal guards as a ward against 'unfortunate circumstances'

>Fortunately, you knew at least a bit of how to be diplomatic

>So you thanked them for their concern and reassured them of your commitment to good relations, and saw them off with Twilight

>The purple princess then led you into her study and immediately laid a thick tome on the table, beside a large pot of ink and fine quill

>Finally, she dips the quill in the ink and looks at you with a serious expression on her face

>”Do you mind if we go over some of the information you've given me? I want to ensure all my notes are accurate. After all, you're the first of your kind to visit us; I want everything recorded properly in case anypo-- anyone else appears.”

>You nod and give her as warm a smile as your face can create

“As I said, I am a tech-adept from a planet known as Orestes. Tech-adepts are the lowest rank in the clergy of the Cult Mechanicus, and are trained under a more senior Techpriest.”

>A glance up from her book shows an inquisitive face, and she interrupts you with another question

>”Earlier you described it as the Adeptus Mechanicus, and now the Cult Mechanicus. Is there a difference between the organizations? As well, with your description of the hierarchy as 'clergy' may I assume it is a religious movement of sorts?”

>You curse inwardly at your slip of tongue

>The terms had been interchangeable as long as you had been a part of the Mechanicus, so it was only natural you had made it

>Though it was a complex topic when it came to dealing with the Imperium, it may actually be easier to discuss with these ponies

>Depending on their own views of religion, of course

“Yes, well, it is indeed a religious organization as well as governmental. The lay-people generally use the phrasing of 'cult' where it is officially the 'adeptus'. As it stands, we of the clergy are responsible for the veneration and appeasement of machine spirits, as well as the maintaining of the equipment they inhabit. Everything from las-rifles and tanks up to the great god-machines, the Titans.”

>She forestalls you with a raised hoof

>”Can you elaborate on machine spirits? We have no such concepts in Equestria, but it sounds similar to the nature spirits that are said to inhabit the Everfree forest.”

>Ah yes, the ponies still held onto a nature cult in spite of their relative level of advancement

“The machine spirits are fragments of divine intelligence, bestowed upon machines by the Omnissiah, the Machine God. Their temperament determines if a machine works as it was divinely designed, or malfunctions and potentially causes great harm. As such, we appease them with prayers and libations, alongside often laborious rituals for activation and rest.”

>She nods along with your explanation, not even looking up from her writings as she continues her interrogation

>”And this Machine God, I assume is over all machines right?”

>You nod, smiling despite the relentless pace of her questions

>To find one so eager for knowledge and to record it, yes she was certainly one you would get along with well

“Indeed, it is the divine intellect from which all designs and machines come from. It is from him we descried the basis of the Sixteen Laws that govern us. It is him and his machine spirits that are the worthy objects of our devotion.”

>She pauses and looks up at you again

>”So what are these Sixteen Laws? You made mention at one point that our technology 'followed the divine laws', so what does that mean?”

>You lay a hand on your chin, thinking of how exactly to explain them

>Well, why not start at the beginning, as you had many years ago

“The laws themselves are divided into the Mysteries and the Warnings, two sets of eight precepts that make up the body of the Laws. First, that life is directed motion. Second, the spirit is the spark of life. Next, sentience is the ability to learn the value of knowledge. After that is intellect is the understanding of knowledge, then that sentience is the basest form of intellect. Next, understanding is the true path to comprehension. Then, comprehension is the key to all things. And finally, the Omnissiah knows all, and comprehends all.”

>You spread your arms wide and smile at Twilight beatifically

“These are the Mysteries of the Cult Mechanicus, princess. The eight precepts that define our very role in the universe.”

>Her eyes widen and she scribbles down your words excitedly

>Just as you had a decade ago during your first teachings

>She taps the feathers of the quill against her chin, and her look grows curious

>”So if those are the mysteries, what are the warning?”

>Your face grows more serious and you lean forward to emphasize your words

>This was, in truth, the more important part to teach and to learn

“These are truly the crucial parts to take away from this, Princess Twilight. That the alien mechanism is a perversion of the true path. That the soul is the conscience of sentience, and that the soul can be bestowed only by the Omnissiah. That the soulless sentience, the abominable intelligence, is the enemy of all. That the knowledge of the ancients is far beyond question. That the machine spirit guards the knowledge of the ancients. That the flesh is fallible, but ritual honours the machine spirit. And at last, to break with ritual is to break with faith.”

>She grimaces at the last sentence and lays her quill on the table

>”Sound awful dogmatic, especially for a religion dedicated to science.”

>You shake your head in gentle rebuke

“It is for good reason, princess. The ancients went too far with their advancement and brought ruin upon all mankind. It is for this reason we strive to uphold what survived that dark era, for it is miraculous beyond measure. We do seek advancement, though we step slowly, carefully on the path forward lest we slip and bring doom about once again.”

>Her ears flatten against her skull, and she nods slowly in understanding

>Truthfully, you're surprised at her immediate comprehension

>These ponies were indeed blessed with sentience, a small miracle in a universe of damnation

>”And, what about our technology? I mean, to you we're aliens right? So isn't our technology a 'perversion' to you?”

>This you consider slowly, carefully

>While true, she and her kind would be considered xenos by the Imperium at large, they weren't entirely advanced enough to have even taken steps onto the path

>What's more, if they were indeed descended from the equines of Terra, their technology could be included under the blanket of the true path

>If of course, it did indeed not diverge so much from it

“That remains to be seen, princess. Though personally, I don't believe it is. What I've seen is remarkably similar to that of Terra in the Second Millennium. The only questions I have relate to these crystals of yours. The ones in your crown and those of the other princesses radiate an unusual electromagnetic energy. I believe it may, in turn, have to do with the development of your telekinetic abilities.”

>She looks at you quizzically

>”You mean our focusing crystals and magic? I don't know, I'm pretty sure it's just an innate thing we've always had. Or at least, what unicorns and alicorns have.”

>You smile broadly and hold out one of your partially augmented hands to her

“I would enjoy researching such things with you, Princess Twilight.”

>She returns the smile and shakes her hand with your hoof

>”I look forward to working with you as well, Adept Anonymous. And please, just Twilight.”

>Your grin widens as you shake

>This would be interesting indeed

–

>”So those draw power from the sun?”

>Twilight Sparkle stares at the now unfolded solar array implanted in your chest

>She had begun asking so many questions about your augmetics that you had decided to simply begin showing them to her

>The purple librarian turned princess had been incredulous about you mentioning that you had machines that were solar powered

>You had spent nearly half an hour discussing the physics of it, much of which she seemed to accept and even understand

>So, in the end, you decided to show her the technology as well

>Far from being disturbed when you had untied the top of your robe and folded out the panels, she seemed to take greater interest

>Twilight had drawn a detailed image and asked for your help labeling it, and now had begun staring ever closer

>At least she had stopped short of poking and prodding at the panels themselves

>They weren't exactly delicate instruments, but you weren't sure you'd have been comfortable with it

>Despite what you told yourself, some small part of you still thinks of them as nothing but xenos

>But you quashed it ferociously under your desire to know more about these ponies

>The main reason you had decided to show off the implants was in the hope that she might be more willing to go into detail about magic

>Time would tell if that paid off

“That is correct, Twilight. As I described, they process the radiative energy that a stellar body, such as your sun, gives off. It is then converted into electricity that my augmetics are powered by.”

>Her eyes flit from one augment to another, eventually settling on the mechadendrites draped loosely over your shoulders

>One of them twitches as you realize what she's looking at, and she flinches back

>You raise a hand and stroke one of the metal tentacles

>”What are those things?”

>You will the tools off your shoulders and lay them on the table

>This time, Twilight can't help but touch one with a hoof

>It twitches and she smiles at its movement

“Mechadendrites, they can act as extra hands and have a suite of tools built into them to assist me with a variety of tasks.”

>Just to show off, you make a small drill bit come from one of the ports

>She gasps and lets our a childish giggle

>”That's amazing! Do you have some kind of pocket space where these are stored in here? It must be some kind of magic like that!”

>You smile at her enthusiasm as much as her primitive idea of magic

“No, nothing so exotic. There is simply a small space behind the outlet that stores a number of different shapes of bits.”

>She nods eagerly and writes it down, along with a rough sketch of the mechadendrite

>You find her antics and antiquated ideas entertaining

>You know as well, more than a few Imperial Guard troopers would be executed for thinking of her as 'cute'

>You, of course, would not apply such absurd labels based on an innate emotional response to the facial composition of a creature

>Though the label of 'cute' certainly fit

>The ponies had a strange effect on the weak, fleshy part of your consciousness

>It was a feeling you couldn't deny, but desperately sequestered

>You would not let it stop you from bringing the light of the Omnissiah to this planet

>And so, well into the night, you explored some of the more basic implants that the Mechanicus had seen fit to gift you

>You showed her your cerebrospinal interface, the voice modulator that had replaced your larynx, and of course, your ocular augments

>But eventually, her tiredness overtook her curiousity and she excused herself to bed

>She welcomed you to a guest bed, though you had no intention of staying there and returned to Nox Aurea, after saying your goodbyes

>You still had much work to do on the Titan herself, but tonight you would deal with a more pressing concern

>The bodies of your fellow crew

>Through the long hours of the day and night, you had agonized over what to do with their bodies

>Traditionally, the entire body would be recycled into whatever the Mechanicus needed, and thus would they continue to serve the Machine God even in death

>But that clearly wasn't an option here, you had no recycling facilities nor a manufactorum were you even able to break them down

>At last, you had arrived at something of a compromise

>You would, as best you could, remove implants and augmetics from their bodies to use as a source of rarer materials

>What was left, the flesh and implants in too deep to recover easily, you would bury in the shadow of Nox Aurea

>Even if the god machine did walk once more, at the very least she would watch over them for now

>And so you clambered up Nox Aurea's sode and entered the death chamber that the cockpit had become

>The hum of machinery told you that, though she slept, the god machine was still alive

>You were at least able to power on a lamp in the cockpit to work by

>So began your grisly work

>You never once shied from it, nor did you give yourself the luxury of using your filtration systems to block the foul scent of decay

>You weren't a biologis by any means, so much of the work was done with regular maintenance tools

>It was quite a trial, but with a little bit of creativity, and a great deal of effort, you removed as many of the implants as you could from the crew and servitors

>You had left Master Audralus' body for last, and it had the most work to do on it

>He had been a fairly senior techpriest, and more of his body was machine than flesh

>It was a wealth of resources for you and the stranded god machine, but it was so heavily intertwined with his being that it made it difficult to extract

>To your surprise, you found within him a number of biologis implants

>It was logical, he had been the Medicae Primus on the vessel

>But the extent of them is surprising

>There were even small amount of regenerative fluid that could be used to regrow tissue, or even clone limbs within if the right equipment was present

>Fascinating stuff

>The sun has begun to rise by the time you complete your grim work

>Laid out in the moderati pit were the hundreds of scavenged implants and augmetics you had removed from the crew and servitors that night

>Beside the command throne were the bodies of the crew, wrapped in their own robes with faces covered

>Only the most basic of augments remained, things that would require true butchery to remove from them

>As you carried them to the earth beneath the god machine, one by one, you sang a Mechanicus dirge

>It was only right that they be mourned, the loss of the crew of a Titan was a tragedy

>Eventually, you had brought them all down and you began excavating their graves

>The sun had reached its zenith by the time you had moved enough earth for a communal burial mound

>Individual graves would have been too much work for a single being, taken too much energy that you simply could not spare

>You whispered apologies as you lowered them into the cold earth, gentle as you would be with a child

>As you stand over the open tomb, a flash of humanity overcomes the cold logic you had forced upon yourself until this moment

>With tears flowing freely down your face, you take the Cog Mechanicum draped around your neck and place it atop the bodies in the grave

>Your tears dry by the time the grave is once more filled, and the sun has begun to dip on the horizon

>There wasn't much time left for the day, and you're quite tired from your exertions

>You lean against a leg of the great machine, simply allowing yourself to enjoy the warmth of the sun on your skin and implants

>It had been a taxing night and day, so you felt you had earned a modicum of indulgence

>Suddenly a booming voice, rigid with militant discipline, rings out from behind you

>”I am here for the one called Anonymous.”

–

>To your credit, you manage not to flinch at the thundering words

>You turn slowly, so as not to startle whatever xeno could make such an alarming noise

>To your surprise, it isn't the militant blue princess, but a wine coloured unicorn who somehow stands just as tall

>Strange, you had noted earlier the size difference between at least two of the princesses and other ponies

>An exception, genetic perhaps?

>You could research this later, for now you ought to attend to this visitor

“Yes, I am he. And who might you be?”

>As she steps forward to join you in the shadow of the Titan, you notice her horn

>Or rather, you notice the lack thereof

>There was only one third left, a jagged stump of what you assume had once been a regular horn

>A scar marred her face, and despite being half a head shorter than you she seems to stare down her muzzle as though you are inferior

>Her bearing, however, exuded control and professionalism; this was a military mare if there had ever been one

>”I heard that you had miraculously advanced technology and decided to come and see for myself. This construct is yours, I presume?”

>Her simply approaching you had already piqued your curiosity, but the way she was asking about the holy machine was too fascinating

>Even the princesses had not kept a modicum of awe from their voices, but she acted as though she had seen it before

“Nox Aurea is a construct of the forges of the Mechanicus, however I am her caretaker at the moment. And once again, I must ask just who you are?”

>She finally tears her eyes away from the Titan and stares at you with half-lidded eyes

>A small smile tugs at the corners of her lips and she inclines her head towards you

>”So you are a member of this 'Mechanicus'? What sort of organization is this, a military perhaps?”

>Now she was toying with you

>You never could understand the mentality behind this sort of banter, it was simply a waste of time

“You can choose to exchange information or end this farce, I have no time to bother with unnecessary dialogue.”

>Her smile only grows and she nods sharply

>”Well, some may say differently but I am Tempest Shadow. Formerly of the Storm King's army, now...I suppose you could call me a contractor.”

>How strange the names of these ponies

“What do you mean by contractor?”

>She cocks her head slightly, as though she doesn't believe you

>”I work with the guards, but I am not a guard myself. They pay me a small fee to do their work around the Everfree, but they don't need to pay the extra that housing a garrison would cost.”

>Ah, a mercenary then

>In a rather small seeming place like this such a thing makes quite a lot of sense

>Of course the Mechanicus would never stoop so low, people who would fight for money were unreliable but weaponized servitors would say no to nothing

>Still, the Imperium made use of them occasionally when disposable bodies were needed

“Fascinating, I had hardly thought your kind to understand the concept. The way your rulers talked, you haven't experienced large scale conflict in centuries.”

>Tempest snorts and rolls her eyes, clearly not agreeing

>”They would have you think that, but Equestria has a great deal of problems both internal and external. They simply do not require a large standing army to deal with.”

>You cock your head to the side, this conversation was proving more interesting than you had expected

>With a thought, you bend your mechadendrites behind you and sit on them

>A needless show perhaps, but she had begun by inquiring about your technology

>And judging by the slight widening of her eyes you had indeed caught her attention

“Do go on. I believe I may be stranded on this planet for quite some time, and I find myself woefully ill-equipped with any sort of knowledge about it.”

>She stares at you silently for a moment, then adopts a more relaxed pose

>”Then perhaps an exchange of information is in order. A simple trade of question for question, what do you say?”

>Ah, a being after your own facsimile heart

“I find this to be acceptable. Now then, what sort of conflicts do you mean? An insurgency, or some kind of enemy amongst yourselves?”

>She taps her chin and thinks a moment before speaking

>”In a manner of speaking, yes. Though ponykind is united, we do share this land with other species. Changelings are likely the greatest threat, though they have not been seen in force for years. There are numerous monsters as well, and of course the occasional hostile neighbour.”

>You nod, you were well experienced with monsters like the Tyranids

>Changelings sounded like they could be trouble to the Imperium as a whole, though

“And beings like this Storm King would be those 'hostile neighbours' you mentioned?”

>She stays quiet again, her gaze pensive

>”So this Mechanicus is a military organization? This machine does appear to be equipped for war.”

>Dodging the question then?

>So be it, she had answered your most immediate question at the very least

>And at this point it wouldn't do to anger any of the ponies, not with Nox Aurea still out of commission

“To a degree, it is. The Adeptus Mechanicus is the church of the Machine God, the Omnissiah. Unfortunately, we live in a universe of ignorant beings, xenos, and worse and so we have a militant branch. I myself am an adept of the Collegia Titanica, the crews of these great god-machines.”

>Tempest's gaze returns the the Titan, full of wonder

>”Just how many of these things are there?”

>You smile and lean back

“In all the Legios, there are thousands of Titans. But once there were tens of thousands that walked between stars. How far we have fallen.”

>She looks at you with a gaze of pity

>Maybe these ponies, or at least this one, could comprehend the tragedy of the Schism

>”I cannot imagine even dragons being able to destroy this great constructs. What kind of tragedy could cause thousands of losses.”

>She let's the silence that follows be for a long few minutes

>You decide, at last, it has gone on long enough

“You mentioned changelings before. They sound like a great threat, what manner of creature are they?”

>Tempest let's out a quiet sigh before speaking

>”They are equine in form, but covered in chitin like an insect. But their magic allows them to take on the form of other creatures, usually ponies but gryphons as well. They kidnap ponies and drain their emotions to feed.”

>You barely contain the snort of derision

>Feeding on emotions? Preposterous, these ponies weren't nearly so advanced in thinking if that was what they believed

>Although, you had heard that daemons manifested because of emotions

>If that was indeed true, these changelings could be tied to the ruinous powers, a dangerous threat indeed

>Another long, pregnant silence carries on

>Is the pony, Tempest, out of questions or is she merely thinking of more

>Either way, you still had work to do today

>Sorting the augments you had scavenged from your comrades, possibly even beginning to fabricate a shelter outside Nox Aurea

>She was a war machine, not built for comfort

>And so, you decide to ask one more question

“So then, Tempest Shadow, you sought me out with some purpose in mind I am sure. You do not seem the studious type as Princess Sparkle is, so I doubt it was to settle your own curiosity. So what, may I ask, do you seek?”

>She stares at you in heady silence, her gaze tumultuous

>Her mouth opens several times before she manages to summon the words

>”Adept Anonymous, can you give me back my horn?”

–

>You blink in surprise

>That certainly wasn't something you had been anticipating from this mare

>You stand from your mechadendrite chair and come closer to her, looking closely at the remains of her broken horn

>Her eyes widen, but she doesn't shy away one bit

>A good thing, you're able to take some excellent picts of the detail of the interior of the appendage and the break itself

>It's truly fascinating, more that she has lived so long with the horn in the state it was than the horn itself

>You could pick out small portions that seemed to be nerves and strange striations in the bone that seemed to be nigh random

>More investigation would be required later

>”Are you quite finished?”

>Ah yes, the subject of your examination was still alive

>A few more picts, just to be sure, and you step away with a smile on your face

>”So, can you or can you not?”

>You put a hand to your chin, thinking for a long moment

>In theory, there were several ways you could replace her lost horn

>With cybernetic augments you could shape a new horn from metal and circuits, though there was a real possibility of implant rejection or that she wouldn't be able to channel her 'magic' through it

>With a tissue sample there was potential to clone an entirely new horn, though you would need to craft far more complex facilities to do so

>The actual nutrient vat for the organ growth was a simple enough mixture, but the equipment for ensure proper development was the more complicated part

>With enough time and data though, fabrication would be entirely possible

>But a more important thought muddles its way into your mind

“It is possible I could, with enough time, create some kind of replacement for your lost horn. However, I must ask what exactly you might offer in exchange. I musn't waste resources with my current state of affairs.”

>She shifts awkwardly, clearly taken off balance by this little demand

>It was necessary, of course, you couldn't simply use resources that could be better allocated elsewhere if you couldn't get something in exchange

>It takes her a few minutes before finally speaking up, her voice quiet and halting

>”I suppose I could...set you up with some traders? I still have some connections, shall we say, outside Equestria. They could get you whatever you want, probably. I might even be able to get you something on good faith, at least at first.”

>You scratch your chin, considering the suggestion

>It was certainly an attractive deal, establishing trade connections would be necessary to acquire what you needed to make repairs and to fabricate equipment

>But it was only a possibility, not a certainty

>Still though, you couldn't pass this up even if there was only a slight chance of success

“I believe this is acceptable, on the condition that if these routes are refused then you will get nothing as I gain nothing.”

>She nods sharply, regaining the firmness she had previously

>”Agreeable, I'll contact them straight away and let you know when I have a response.”

>You smile and offer her a half-bow, happy with how quickly she understood reason

“Very well, I pray for your success.”

>With a quick turn, she canters off towards the village, leaving you pleased with yourself

>Not three days and you were making inroads with the local populace, the clergy would be proud of your efforts

>But there is still nagging doubt that tugs at the back of your mind

>Even if you were able to secure all the raw materials, which would be quite the feat without a furnace to process them, would you truly wish to waste it on a single one of these ponies?

>You would answer that question when it came you suppose, for now simply trying to solve the furnace issue

>That was something, for some of the materials you needed required extremely high temperatures to dissociate from raw minerals

>Nothing the arch-furnaces of a Forge World couldn't do, but you lacked even an archaic forge to start with

>You puzzle over this as day drags into night within the bridge of Nox Aurea, sorting the various salvaged augmetics almost unconsciously

>Could this magic be used to heat a forge to the intense heat you needed?

>Possibly, you didn't know very much about it at all

>That Twilight Sparkle had offered to help your research along, quite generous of her really

>You decide to visit her that morning, not everyone could keep to a schedule of days with little to no sleep as you could

>You finish sorting sometime around three hours past midnight, by Martian standard time, and decide to take a short respite

>The little sleep you manage to get is of poor quality, but enough to revitalize you to some degree

>A few hours after sunrise, you return to the great crystal castle Twilight resided in

>Her small, lizard assistant answers your sharp rapping with some degree of apprehension

>”Can I help you, sir?”

>You give him your best smile and answer in what you're fairly sure is a friendly tone

“Yes, I'd like to speak to Princess Twilight Sparkle, if I may.”

>He nods and shuts the door

>A few minutes later, a bedraggled looking purple pony opens the door and stares up at you bewildered

>”Anonymous? What are you doing here at this time of day?”

>As she yawns, a look of confusion crosses your face

“It is four hours past sunrise, princess. I would have thought you risen long ago.”

>She squints and looks past you at the sun now well on its journey to the West

>”Oh, so it is. Sorry, I was up pretty late going over my notes on you. Can I help you with anything?”

>You answer immediately, best to strike while the idea was still lodged in your mind

“I have a number of questions about magic I would like to ask. Do you have the time for an exchange today?”

>She nods slowly and pushes open the door before going back inside

>”Yeah sure. Spike! Bring him to the small lab okay? I'm gonna go make so coffee.”

>The lizard comes back out and gestures for you to follow it

>He speaks up before leaving you alone in an archaic looking laboratory

>”You want some coffee too? Or you know, whatever it is you drink?”

>You give him your best winning smile and shake your head

“I will be fine, thank you.”

>He shrugs and leaves you alone, and you take the time to look around

>It certainly looked like a picture of an old, Second Millennium chemist lab, vials of unknown substances in all manner of beakers

>A small distiller stands off to the side, a pair of differently covered liquids at either end

>And crystals, so many crystals!

>Every one was emitting a strange electromagnetic waveform that you couldn't identify as anything know to the Mechanicus

>Questions continued to pile up about this strange world, today would certainly be an enlightening session

>Eventually, Twilight comes in levitating the substance she called 'coffee'

>By its scent, you could tell it was just a caf-like substance like the Imperial Guard issued with their rations

>Something useful for waking up those who retained the majority of their biological components

>Your mostly artificial organs would simply process it too quickly to have an effect on your state

>Still, you wouldn't cast judgment on a species too primitive to develop more efficient stimulants

>She takes a seat at the table, sips her coffee, and smiles at you

>”So then, what would you like to discuss today?”

>You lean forward and rest your chin on an extended hand

“Magic. The only thing I know of that is similar is dangerous, unstable, and vile energy as deadly to its users as it is to those it is cast again. But your kind uses something different, some new kind of energy manipulation none of my kind have encountered. And so, perhaps a quick overview is in order.”

>Her gaze brightens and she sets the mug of hot coffee on the table

>”That's my specialty! Hold on, I think I have a book in here somewhere with the basic theories...”

>She digs around a squat bookshelf for some time, before triumphantly pulling a thick tome from the rest

>”Aha, here we go! Clopernicus' Compendium of Might and Magic!”

>You look on intrigued as she begins flipping through the yellowed pages before finally resting on one with a detailed breakdown of the planetary layers

>”As near as he could tell, and mind you he performed extensive magical testing on a scale not seen since Starswirl, the core of Equus is crystalline in nature!”

>She turns the book to you, and you read along as she carries on about the subject matter

>”You see, some kinds of crystals like the ones you see around this lab resonate at a certain frequency that we unicorns evolved to manipulate. You see, when it interacts with small structures in the bone, it becomes energy that can be manipulated. The more of these structures in a horn, the more powerful the spellcaster. Earth ponies and pegasi have similar structures as well, in their musculature and wing bones respectively.”

>She taps the diagram of the planet

>”You can see here that the tests found the core of the planet resonated at the same frequency as these crystals. And so, it must be crystalline in nature, perhaps it's even the source of all magic as we know it! We're still not certain on how that resonate frequency specifically becomes energy, and not others. But the magical sciences are a rapidly growing field, we should have it figured out within a century!”

>Well clearly she was both passionate and incredibly knowledgeable in this field

>You made the right choice coming here today

>She stands breathless, waiting for your next questions

–

>Well you could hardly deny how eager she had been to speak about this

>It was relieving, you had thought she may act like one of the clergy and be stingy with what she knew

>Instead she was happy to answer your questions, and even better hadn't pried answers from you either

“Fascinating, I wonder if this world belonged to the Eldar at some point...”

>She looks at you quizzically

>”What's an Eldar?”

>You wave away the question, not wanting to get into even more xeno-talk without getting to the core of your questions

“In due time, princess. I still have more questions about magic, but after that I'll be happy to discuss myriad species.”

>She agrees easily, to your surprise, and folds her forelimbs over in waiting

“So then, I've seen levitation magic to be sure. What else can it do?”

>She brightens once more, clearly ecstatic to extol the abilities of magic

>”Well the basic stuff is just telekinesis and similar things like barrier projection. Then there's conjuring of the basic elements like water and fire and the like. And then we have more advanced magic like alchemy, teleportation, high level illusion spells, along with forbidden stuff like mind control.”

>You perk up at the mention of teleportation

>Though it was not the focus of your inquiries, you cannot help but be drawn into speaking of it

“You said teleportation, yes? How does such magic work?”

>Her smile grows and she launches into another explanation

>”Well you see, it's a simple matter of triangulation via the resonance of ley lines below the surface! The reason it's so advanced is the amount of complexity needed for both a precise and efficient spell is immense. And that complex spells needs to be channeled correctly, otherwise you could end up way above the ground!”

>The way she talked about it, she had clearly been a student of such magic

>Incredible, what took a significant reactor and resulted in a one in eighty-seven chance of dissociation for you was accomplished by a single spellcaster

>It was growing more difficult to think of these ponies as mere primitives in need of uplifting

>Clearly they understood, at least on a small scale, how the world worked and bent it to their wills

>Yes, they were worthy indeed

“That's quite impressive, I must say. It took us thousands of years to master the art without your magic. Even so, it isn't a perfect science.”

>She offers a sympathetic smile

>”It took even the greatest magicians decades to accomplish basic teleportation. Only a few unicorn masters can really do it with any consistency, even today.”

>She shrugs her withers

>”We're working on making things easier, but until then it'll just be the select few.”

>You nod your head and decide to return to your first questions, curiosity satisfied

“So, I imagine ponykind has forges for industry and refining yes?”

>She cocks her head and gives you an odd look

>”Well...yes of course we do. The big ones are in Baltimare and outside Manehattan, they forge most of our iron and steel. There's a couple smaller ones for precious metals in Canterlot and other cities, but we're not overly industrialized.”

>You scratch your chin thoughtfully

“And this magically summoned fire, does it burn hotter than a foundry? Or could you, perhaps, use magic to heat the forges hotter than usual?”

>She taps a hoof against her chin, looking down pensively

>”I...don't really know. I'm not an industrialist, but I imagine it's a possibility. I could send a letter out for some expert help to get you a real answer, though.”

>You offer her a smile of gratitude

“That would be incredibly helpful, Twilight. You see, for many of the repairs Nox Aurea requires certain metals that are nigh impossible to dissociate at lower temperatures. I'm sure you as much as I wish to see her live once more.”

>She traces her hoof in a circle on the table, looking nervous

>”Well...I don't really know if we want a war-machine walking around per se. The princesses may have some issues with that.”

>You hold up your hands to try and placate her

“You misunderstand, Twilight. I merely wish to salve the wounds of the great engine. I have great doubts that she will ever have enough power to walk again, but I must ease her suffering.”

>She stares at you, confused once again

>”You talk about it like it's alive. Is this like the machine spirits you were talking about yesterday?”

>You nod your head

“In a way. You mentioned yesterday your own rulers are thousands of years old? The machine spirit of Nox Aurea has been fighting for two millennia, and she is the youngest in the Legio. The oldest god-machine in Venatrix is Veteris Bellum, who has been at war for more than ten-thousand years.”

>Her eyes widen and she stands up on her chair

>”Ten-thousand...are you serious? That's amazing!”

>You nod solemnly

“Indeed, so you can understand both my veneration and desire to repair even a lesser engine.”

>Twilight nods sheepishly and offers a smile

>”Yeah, I think I do. Well I guess it's okay to fix her, as long as you don't go marching around and blowing up ponies.”

>You chuckle at the idea, no Titan legion would be ever be deployed to such a backwater as this

>A squad of Skitarii would be more than enough to take on whatever this world could offer

“I promise, no war-walking. I don't even have the required training to pilot the god-machine, much less the crew.”

>She bobs her head, looking a bit more relaxed

>The air stays silent for a moment, but Twilight cannot hold back her questions for long

>”So what's an Eldar? You mentioned them earlier when we were talking about the planet, do they have magic like us?”

>You lean back in the chair, your expression hardening

“They are another species that believes they ought to have dominion over the stars. They are incredibly old as far as we can tell, older even than the Imperium of Man and possibly mankind itself. Every last one is a psyker, a magic user as you might say, but wielding a different sort of sorcery than what you do.”

>Twilight has taken to scribbling your words on her ever-present notebook

>But you continue, as she has yet to interrupt you

“Many of their constructs are made of wraithbone, an odd substance that seems organic in nature but forms in crystalline structures. They shape it with a combination of sonic vibration and psyker energies into whatever they need, from tools, to weapons, to constructs that are a mockery of our own god-machines.”

>Her ears perk and she leans forward

>”They have machines this big too? Incredible, and you say they grow them? They must have astounding industry.”

>Your mouth twitches is annoyance, but you keep the distaste at the praise of xenos from showing on your face

“I would not know, they wage wars against man and are responsible for the deaths of thousands every day.”

>Twilight's ears splay and press against her head

>”Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know, I just thought...”

>You offer a weak smile and shake your head

“Don't worry, Twilight. As you said, you didn't know. Anyway, since you mentioned this planets core was crystalline I thought it could be related. But with the way you describe its resonance, perhaps not. I would need a surveyor team to be sure and I have my doubts any will be by soon.”

>She chuckles quietly

>”I guess you're right. Well, I do have duties to attend to unfortunately. I'll be sure to get a letter off to somepony that works in industry for answers. Until then, I'll see you out. Maybe you could visit the other ponies around town, I'm sure they're more than a little curious about you.”

>You stand from your place at the table, nodding your head slightly

“Thank you very much for your time, Twilight. Good day.”

>She waves goodbye as you leave the castle, letting you alone in the warm afternoon

>Maybe going into town wasn't such a bad idea

–

>As it turned out, going into town was an excellent suggestion

>A trip through their market had proven fruitful, a number of ponies had bestowed gifts or perhaps offerings

>You didn't know whether they wanted to curry favour or were simply being good hosts

>A passerby, a white unicorn with a royal purple mane, had told you that some ponies simply gave gifts away to such 'exotic beings' as yourself

>It mattered little to you, you had simply thanked them and moved on

>A number of the trinkets were quite valuable, even in your stranded state

>An amulet that a pony that called himself Diamond Dusk told you it carried special properties

>Though you had your doubts at first, a more in depth analysis had revealed traces of osmium in the metal, and the stone at the center was utterly flawless

>Even the artificial gems from holy Mars did not match the perfection of this single ruby

>It would make a fine focusing lens should you need to make a replacement for any you had, and to learn that they had osmium at all was a blessing from the Omnissiah

>The sheer amount of electrical damage on Nox Aurea had made you sick, but being able to replace many of the contacts would be a significant step on the road to repair

>Besides that, when they had learned that you would be running low on rations, they had practically heaped all manner of food on you

>It was touching, if a mite disturbing, how quickly they were welcoming you in as one of their own

>Though you were of no threat to them, if they did this same thing with others of even your own brotherhood there would be problems

>Perhaps you could speak with Twilight, or better yet their rulers, about this sort of oversight

>Certainly, you may not gain any ground but how could they think of you looking out for them as a bad thing?

>If nothing else, it would further endear them to you and make their conversion that much easier

>Everyone seemed cheerful as well, and the atmosphere of the market was lively

>After a while, you decided to rest in the shade of a large oak tree in the market square and simply observe

>This way you could gather valuable information about their social nuances and culture to better communicate with them

>That was your plan at least

>Unfortunately for you, a familiar blue pegasus has come to rest beside you

>You can feel the weight of her questions, almost literally, as she sits rigid and silent

“I believe you are capable of speech, what is it you wish to ask?”

>That came out harsher than you had meant and the pegasus cringes back

>However, it does succeed in getting her to speak

>”W-well, I was just wondering if it was true that you're from another world.”

>Her voice is soft and timid, it reminds you of yourself when you had been but a child not even initiated into the cult

>You smile at the thought and nod

“That's correct, my world is far away beyond all you can conceive.”

>Her bright blue eyes widen and she lets out a little noise of amazement

“So what is your name, little pegasus?”

>Her jaw falls and she starts to stammer out an answer

>”M-my name is uh...I'm uh, I'm Gale Force! I was the one who found you!”

>Ah, that as where you recognized her from

>She had been accompanying Twilight on her first foray to see Nox Aurea, and in turn you

>Well, you suppose this would be good practice socializing with a pony other than royalty

“My name is Anonymous. I apologize for frightening the two of you at first, my world is a dangerous one and caution tends to override reason when it comes to the unknown.”

>She shrugs with her wings, a surprisingly human gesture despite her anatomy

>”Don't worry about it, you didn't attack us or anything. We just got a little scared.”

>Gale looks more closely at the harness your mechadendrites were attached to and the various tools on it

>”So what's all of that for? Looks really cool.”

>The mechanical appendages are stored in their recesses now, but there are all manner of devices still visible

>Well, what harm could come from speaking about technology already visible?

“Most of these are tools for working on various machines, along with sensors and other assorted things. Quite basic really, just what is required to do my job.”

>She nods her head, eyes wide

>”So what exactly did you do, before you came here I mean.”

>You lean back against the tree and close your eyes, letting your memories drift back

“Well, I was born on the Forge World of Orestes. When I was a child, I was given as an offering to the Mechanicus during the Defence of Orestes. I no longer remember my parents, and it is likely they no longer remember me. That war did not last long, but I was kept sequestered in the great forges.”

>Gale's ears fall flat against her head and she looks appalled

>”That's terrible! Why would your parents do such a thing?”

>Ah, you had almost how purely biological beings clung to their family units

>For you, the only brotherhood was the Mechanicus now

“There was a call for people to join the militia and clergy, my parents were likely poor and too old to undergo full initiation into the cult, but I was not. Perhaps they felt it was their duty to give something, perhaps they simply could not afford to have a child. It is unlikely I will ever learn of the reason why, but it matters little. I am an Adept of the Cult Mechanicus, servant of the Omnissiah, I know my purpose.”

>Gale seems taken aback by how you talked about it

>It must seem cold, but it was the only way to view such things rationally

>When she doesn't speak, you continue

“My duties were, at first, undergoing fabricator training. I was to work on crafting the holy god-machines, forging their great systems and blessed chassis. However the needs of the Mechanicus came first and, when it was discovered I had potential to become crew, my path was changed. So I began my training to serve aboard the Titans, and began crewing under a senior Techpriest in Nox Aurea. Now here I am.”

>You stare off in the direction of the resting Titan

“My duty now is to heal her, to revive her. Not just because I am her crew, not even because it is my holy task. But because Nox Aurea is in pain, and though I am no Biologis, I must heal her.”

>Gale's brow furrows and she nods

>”I get it, I really do. Can I...can I come see her again? The Titan I mean.”

>You smile and rise from the grass

>A xeno empathizing with you, what a strange thing

>However, even if she wasn't able to help with Nox Aurea, she could garner goodwill with the residents around her

>Perhaps you might even be able to begin enlightening them sooner rather than later

“Of course, let us be on our way.”

–

>Up close, Anon's Nox Aurea was amazing!

>It was larger than you had realized, yet incredibly cramped inside even for you

>There were strange smells throughout it, oily and heavy, all artificial as though it was some kind of factory

>Not like the weather factory in Cloudsdale though, this was something else entirely

>But Anon seemed more than open to talking about it

“So what's this for, a seat for someone?”

\>You point your hoof at a thronelike seat with all manner of cables coming out of it

>He smiles and rests a hand on the armrest

>”This, Ms. Gale, is the command throne. This is where one of two minds of the god machine would be in battle, the Princeps.”

>You nod your head, remembering things he had spoken about earlier

“The other one is that machine spirit, right?”

>Anon's smile grows and he nods his head

>”Very good, Ms. Gale. Yes, the holy machine spirit is the second mind. However, it is also the very soul of the Titan herself.”

>You beam at the praise and bob your head affirmatively

“Right, I remember! So if that's the command throne...then these must be where the others sit?”

>Again, Anon confirms it

>”Correct, these are the crew pits. The Moderati would assist with steering and balance, along with weapon and energy management. You're catching onto these concepts quite quickly, much faster than anyone without the ability to inload. Follow me now.”

>You trot after him, all smiles

>You're not entirely sure how or why, but everything he's been talking about has absorbed almost immediately

>Sure you didn't totally understand the concepts, they were really far off from anything that ponykind had

>Still, the actual parts and places just seemed to stick in your head

>Maybe THIS was what you were supposed to do?

>Your cutie mark of two interlocked, cloud shaped gears interlocked had caused some confusion at first

>After all, you had got it when going through a day at the weather factory with your father

>It had always been assumed it was for weather mechanics

>And of course, you had certainly done well when working on weather elsewise you'd never have made a weather team

>But there was something deep inside that felt a longing for this alien machine, it touched you in a way you couldn't explain

>It was bizarre and intoxicating, and you could help but follow him and hope for more

>He stops and gestures to a dizzying array of dials and panels, all showing a lack of any information

>”This is where myself and my mentor sat. Here we would appease the great engine, feed her core, and ensure the stability of power output. We were the heart that ensured blood would give life to the body other Nox Aurea, strength to her limbs, and the power to annihilate her enemies.”

>You stare at the panels with wide eyes

>It was hard to imagine any kind of conflict that would need a machine this massive to win

>The more he shows you, the more you believe this thing is a miracle more than just another machine

>There was something about it, a feeling in your heart you couldn't explain

>Despite the implicit threat of violence, the machine reek, the foreign brass and iron of Nox Aurea, it had grabbed your attention like nothing else

>More than that, it had got you to wondering just what else technology could accomplish

>Yes trains were fine things and radios were great, but clearly there was so much further things could be pushed

>And what if magic was applied to it all?

>You were no unicorn, but if magic could make amazing things like scrying maps and all sorts of incredibly powerful artifacts, why could it not be applied to technological stuff as well?

>You'd definitely be talking to Princess Twilight about this

>It could thrust Equestria into a new golden era of advancement!

>”Ms. Gale?”

>Anon's voice snaps you back to the present

>He's looking down at you with concern, or something like it

>You look away, embarrassed about spacing out in the middle of him talking

“Sorry, it's just all this is so amazing! Just imagine what Equestria could be if we could adopt this technology! I don't get the principles, but I'm sure I could learn them.”

>Your wings twitch excitedly as you talk about it

“And then we could combine your technology with our magic, imagine how incredible that could be! Nox Aurea may even walk again with it!”

>He looks like he's considering it

>Slowly, he sits on the cold floor of the deck

>”Join me, won't you?”

>He gestures in front of him and you sit as bidden

>He must want to discuss it properly!

>Anon stays silent for quite some time, and when he eventually speaks it's in a somber tone

>”Let me tell you about the beginning Old Night.”

>You cock your head to the side at the grim pronouncement

>”Fifteen thousand years past, mankind had expanded across the stars. The whole of the galaxy was within our grasp, our technology was at its pinnacle. We wanted for nothing, we created iron beings for tasks we thought below us, and our troves of knowledge rivaled the entire history of all in the galaxy.”

>He smiles at the thought of it, as do you

>But only for a moment, his eyes flicker and the smile disappears

>”We were arrogant though, we thought ourselves greater than gods and gods must create. So we gave our machines sentience without a soul, the ability to think as man does but with no understanding of their gift.”

>He looks down at the floor and you see a slight twitch in his fingers

>”Our creations rebelled against us, like the angels in the ancient Judite fables rose up against their own creator. The Men of Iron waged relentless war on mankind, they turned our other machines against us. Foundries ran wild and destroyed their workers or gave birth to more corrupt machines. Great reactors overloaded and melted down, burning and irradiating swathes of land and making them fallow.”

>Your jaw drops at the tale of destruction

>Such devastation was unimaginable, and yet he goes on

>”They felt they were superior and at every turn sought to exterminate us. Worlds burned and stars died, but after a devastating war we destroyed every last one of them. To this day, the creation or even research of such Abominable Intelligence, the soulless sentience, is forbidden.”

>His emerald gaze focuses on you, locking you in place

>”What is your conclusion from this story?”

>You freeze up at the question

>You hadn't expected there to be a test at the end of this!

>Okay this was fine, no need to panic, you just had to get your answer right

>So it was obviously a warning tale

>Wait, he never mentioned any kind of failsafe on the Men of Iron or anything like that

>Was that it?

>'Always make plans for something something', that sounded right

“Um, always have an emergency stop button just in case?”

>There's a long moment of uncomfortable silence

>Then Anon lets out a quiet, strange sounding laugh

>You blush, clearly it wasn't the right answer

>”Not quite, Ms. Gale. There were failsafes in place, but they well...failed. No, the point of the story is about the wonders and dangers of technology. Though your enthusiasm is a wonderful trait and the blessed strength of the machine cannot be denied; advancement without caution leads only to downfall. We must tread lightly and slowly along the path of the machine, even as we emulate the glorious steel.”

>You nod your head, understanding finally

>Well, mostly

>You don't know what the 'path of the machine' is, but the warning is clear now

“That makes sense, I think I get it now.”

>He leans forward, steeping his fingers in front of him

>”Perhaps now you know, but are you sure you understand it entirely?”

>You look down at the floor, tracing one hoof in a circle idly

“Well...maybe not entirely. But I kinda understand what you mean about the dangers of going too fast.”

>He nods his head and leans back, a slight smile touching his lips

>”While learning some of the lesson is admirable, you must strive always to understand completely.”

>You nod solemnly, that in itself was a good lesson

>Anon lets out an overdramatic sigh and his smile grows

>”I suppose I ought to be sure of that. Enthusiasm without discipline is dangerous after all.”

>You cock your head as he extends a hand to you

>”So then, join me and I shall be your mentor. What say you?”

–

>Wait what?

“Wait what?”

>Did he just offer to teach you about his technology?

>What's more, to personally take you under his wing as a student

>Is it weird?

>Is it weirder that you're genuinely considering it?

>Anon must notice your hesitation and he lays a cold, steel hand on you gently

>”I understand it's a great decision, one you might not make lightly. Please allow me to reassure you, should you accept you will not be removed from your society. You would, of course, come when you are available to learn.”

>He pauses a moment, allowing his words to sink in before continuing

>”Of course I would ask things of you in return. Nothing so garish as tribute, merely small favours and perhaps some additional lessons in the ways of your society. While Princess Twilight is excellent as discussing the theory, I have a feeling she has less practical experience than most ponies do.”

>You let out a giggle

>He had nailed that one pretty easy

“I mean, I guess that does sound really good. But what exactly could I learn? Sure I can memorize parts and stuff well, but I don't even understand anything near the most basic principles this stuff works on. Besides, it's not like I'm some kind of super genius like the princess, why me?”

>Anon takes his hand back and taps his chin contemplatively

>You get the feeling he's thinking more of how to word it than the reasons themselves

>Eventually, he does respond

>”I believe you could learn a great deal, Ms. Gale. Without inloading it might take a human being a week to memorize the parts that you have already learned, let alone to puzzle out their functions for themselves. The principles are relatively simple, so long as we do not get too far in depth. Truly, you do not need to understand much of what makes the engine work but some of the more simple mechanical systems.”

>His eyes defocus as he stares past you at the blank screens lining the wall

>”As for why...the princess is a fine being to discuss the principles that underpin the universe but I feel that she sees them as mere rules rather than the holy mysteries they are. You are free of bias towards them, and therefore may still be enlightened. Besides that, she is royalty and surely has duties to attend that may conflict with any sort of firm schedule.”

>That made a lot of sense actually

>Outside the whole 'holy' thing, at least

>Weren't the laws of the universe just some kind of unwritten rules that stuff had to live by?

>Then again, maybe he knew better what with all this crazy technology

“So I just have to do favours sometimes and help you practice socializing? That sounds a bit too good to be true.”

>He narrows his eyes at your statement, cocking his head to the side

>In your defense it really was

>Just talk and run errands and in return you got to learn how everything here worked?

>Your mother didn't raise a fool, or at least not a sucker

>After a moment of staring at you, his gaze softens and he hangs his head

>With a sigh, he speaks in a drab tone

>”I must admit it isn't merely to learn how to socialize. While I appreciate the efforts of the princess, I lack a true peer. Her social status does not allow me to hold discussions as I would with another of the clergy and further she may be forced into a position of opposition to me.”

>Your ears perk up

>Did he just say he wanted a friend?

>Well not directly at least, but in his own way that's what it sounded like

>However, he just brought up a new concern

“What do you mean, 'forced into opposition'?”

>Anon's fingers make an odd ticking noise as he clenches his fists

>”It would seem the rulers of this country would rather not see Nox Aurea live once again. Though I assured Princess Twilight that I would not bring her walking to war, I believe her superiors may force her to move against any actions I take to revive the god-machine.”

>You furrow your brows at the suggestion

“I don't think they'd do that. They're probably just scared because they don't understand all this.”

>Anon nods

>”It could very well be, but the possibility is enough to put a gulf between myself and Princess Twilight on a social level. And though the inhabitants of this village are friendly, I believe they fear me all the same.”

>He locks his emerald green eyes with your own as he continues

>”You are different. Without so much as a scrap of hesitation you came aboard Nox Aurea. Besides our first encounter, you have shown none of the fear that so often overrides curiousity. Though you are cautious by your actions you have shown your dedication to the Path of Knowledge, despite not understanding what that may be”

>He smiles and leans forward, his eyes sparkling

>”Within you, I see aspects that the Mechanicus so jealously seeks in it members. But more than that, I see the capacity for a peer like no other; in time indeed a friend.”

>Again, Anon holds out his hand to you, his voice holding more warmth than you've heard from him before

>”And so, I again ask you to join me.”

>You stare at his hand, his words sinking in

>Despite his alien appearance and miraculous technology he was lonely

>What's more he wasn't just doing this on a whim, it was clear that this was something he had thought about

>You consider your own apprehension about moving to a new town, the troubles of finding new friends

>It would be even worse for him, not even from this world, let alone simply not being a pony

>Well, it wasn't like you really knew anyone around here anyway so you were in much the same boat

>You reach out and place your hoof in his hand

“I can't make any big promises, but I can't pass up an opportunity like this either. I'm in.”

>He shakes your hoof, beaming with a smile that has you grinning as well

“So where do we begin?”

>He rises and brushes off his crimson robes

>”I suppose we ought to start with the basics.”

–

>You could scarcely believe two months had passed since your unfortunate encounter with the Warp had brought you to a strange land filled with sapient and sentient ponies

>Though your augmented mind automatically kept time via the tracking of isotopic decay, you had been occupied with other matters

>The young pegasus Gale Force has been absorbing your lessons at a rate far beyond that of the average adept

>After thorough observation and several lengthy conversations with Princess Twilight, you had determined it was not though any kind of augmentation, mechanical or otherwise

>This finding had made her pace of learning nigh miraculous

>Twilight had suggested an alternative explanation, that what you were teaching her was tied into her 'special talent' as it was called

>A strange development unique to ponies, at adolescence they became innately specialized in one skill or another

>It meant a great number of highly skilled specialists, but seemed to have stunted their technological development

>Still, it made her progress easier and allowed her to discuss a number of subjects on near parity with yourself

>In fact, you were at the point that the option of cerebro-augmentation was a serious option

>Though you lacked the training for such implants, finding data on the procedure should not be too difficult

>An odd habit of the Legio Venatrix was to bring large stores of data aboard their Titans, stemming from a superstition that it was the lifeblood of the Omnissiah and thus they would be protected

>Rubbish of course, but you had little say in the traditions of a Titan legion

>But that brought you to the larger problems of the implantations

>Biology and, of course, other ponies

>”Absolutely not, Anonymous! Putting metal and machines inside a pony is just crazy!”

>You can feel your hands grips the arms of your chair tighter at her blunt refusal

>She didn't even understand what you were proposing and already rejecting it?

>You'd thought better of her, but clearly you were wrong

“Princess I don't believe you understand. These augmentations will both assist Adept Gale in learning new concepts as well as allowing her to interface with the various machines at my camp. This is in fact the only way for anyone, pony or otherwise, to interface properly. Furthermore, it will exponentially improve her capacity for multitasking and overall calculation. It is without a doubt an improvement without equal.”

>Twilight rubs her forehead with a hoof, evidently aggravated

>”You just don't get it. It just isn't natural for ponies and machines to go together like that. Ponies are natural creatures and well, machines just aren't.”

>You barely hold back a scoff at the sentiment

“Your pardon princess, but given some of the equipment I've seen in your laboratories that hardly seems like any sort of argument to make. Besides that, I have seen a number of ponies using eyeglasses and canes, both different forms of machines for either assistance or enhancement.”

>Twilight lets out a long sigh

>”That's not the same and you know it. Besides, we already know implantation usually results in rejection. It's dangerous and we cannot approve it.”

>The 'we' she refers to grimaces at her dragging him into it

>You had requested a Biologis for this meeting and Twilight had obliged

>This one was apparently one of the best in his field, surely he would be able to confirm what your findings had already told you

>But to your surprise, Gale is the one to speak up

>”Princess Twilight, we both know that isn't true. There have been experiments as of late with several different materials for use in prosthesis and several have undergone osseointegration on ponies. I believe you were involved in one of those experiments, Dr. Smile. Perhaps you might elaborate further?”

>Twilight glares at her, but the doctor seems quite happy to speak up

>”You're well informed, Ms. Gale. Yes we have had some success with finding bioinert materials and indeed with some integration. However, we have yet to find whether it is only a select few ponies or the general population. In time, the sample size will increase, but until then I cannot say for certain.”

>You smile and flip through an extensive sheaf of notes in front of you

“Perhaps I might offer some assistance in that regard, doctor. I have here a gene trace from Adept Gale's samples and a few other participants as well.”

>You push the papers toward the doctor and Twilight turns her glare on you

>”Gene tracing?”

>Ah, this world was no doubt pre-DNA as well

>Quite an oversight on your part

“My apologies princess, mankind has developed technology to trace the lineage of not just humans but other species. My research has shown that ponies descend from an ancient species of equine from Terra. With that in mind, I believe I already posses the information on biocompatible materials for any sort of implantation.”

>Twilight seems stunned, but the doctor counters immediately

>His tone suggests more curiosity than opposition this time

>”And what of brain structure? Not even our most gifted neurologists or magicians entirely understand exactly how the brain of a pony works.”

>Your smile widens as you slide over a second sheaf of notes

“Perhaps you may not have, but neurological mapping is yet another task the blessed machine has helped mankind accomplish. These only represent a basic scan I can do with the equipment I have available to me, but in time I will be able to fabricate far superior machines to provide further detail.”

>The doctor gapes as he reads the notes and Twilight takes the previous set from him

>Both finish and stare at you, one with amazement the other with suspicion

>”By Celestia, how did you manage this?”

>You shrug, allowing yourself to slouch in the chair

“I was trained as a fabricatus for ten years, there is little that I cannot build. As I said, this was a rather recent development; I have not had the time for more in depth scans.”

>The doctor shakes his head and taps the paper

>”No, I mean this mapping. It's far more accurate than anything I've seen before, even magic. What method could you have possibly used for this?”

>You gesture to Gale who obligingly removes her hood, and Dr. Smile to gasp

>A number of bare patches line her scalp, each with small abrasions from the probes you had fastened there

“As you can see, I used a variant of an electroencephalograph and had her perform a number of regular tasks as well as some highly specific actions. By measuring the output at various points I was capable of creating the highly basic map you see in those notes. In time, perhaps, I will find the time to acquire the materials to create a magneto-resonating imager for an in depth study.”

>Twilight looks appalled, but Gale jumps in hastily to reassure her

>”Princess, let me assure you this was entirely voluntary. What's more, despite the ugly look, there is no lasting damage.”

>You must applaud her for taking the clear complaint straight out from under the princess

>Once again you step in to address the doctor

“As I said, you may come to the camp and I can show the machine to you. Perhaps I can even give you a demonstration, should Adept Gale be willing.”

>Though Twilight is clearly disgusted by your methods, she cannot hide her curiosity

>Meanwhile the doctor doesn't even bother hiding his naked desire to learn of such a basic diagnosis tool

>Perhaps doctors here were more generalized than the biologis' you had grown used to dealing with, more like the Apothecaries the Astartes employed

>You feel a pulse at the base of your neck, someone was trying to communicate with you

>There was only one pony you had entrusted with such a device, and so you rise from the table

“Please feel free to review the notes I've given you both and do excuse me. I have matters at my camp that need tending to. Do not hesitate to contact me in order to review what we have gone over today. Blessings of the Omnissiah on you.”

>You hear a chair clatter as you and Gale turn to leave the room

>”Wait just a second, we're not done here! Even with all this you can't possibly be able to just shove machines inside a pony and expect them to work! How do you know what you're doing?”

>You let out a quiet sigh, becoming annoyed with her stubborn refusal of advancement

“Princess, I have run one-hundred forty-two implantation simulations and one actual. I am fully prepared to uplift Adept Gale and your obstinacy has become an annoyance.”

>You hear a sharp intake of breath and you are roughly spun around

>Twilight still stands on her side of the table, it must have been her magic

>”What do you mean 'one actual', just what have you been doing?”

>For an instant, you allow your anger to get the better of you and your irises pulse a red warning that reflects in her eyes

>It's clear she knows a line has been crossed, her body language now fearful

>You allow the anger to fade away before responding, your tone cold

“You may come by and examine my camp, princess. Until you bother to make time for such a simple task, do not dare attempt to judge my methods.”

>Without waiting for her response, you leave the room with Gale following behind you

>As you walk through the countryside on your way back to Nox Aurea, Gale speaks up

>”Anonymous, I know it's not my place to criticize but why did you not simply explain your cloning to them? Surely they would have been okay with that.”

>You glance at your adept, her eyes wide and full of hope

>There was a time you felt much the same, but your expectations had long been tempered by experience

“You saw them, Gale, they did not even understand simple gene tracing. How could they grasp the concept of extraction, isolation, and replication without the very concept of genetics? No, I will show them in time but mere words will not sway them.”

>Gale nods and the remainder of the trip is spent in relative silence

>As you approach your camp however, a dim sound grows ever louder

>Before you crest the last hill, you know immediately what it is and who had contacted you

>A number of ponies come into view at the perimeter of your camp, many holding signs and all shouting angrily

>You rub the bridge of your nose, of course there was a protest

>Though most ponies had been happy to welcome you, many more had become resentful as you had established the area around Nox Aurea

>Supposedly they objected to your 'tainting the natural area' and 'exploiting Equestrian resources' with your constructions

>It didn't matter that the material was legally purchased or that you had been granted leave to build in the immediate area to them

>Of course, it was fear that drove them on, not some bruised sense of justice

>Fear of the advancement that was upon them, fear of the strange being that had appeared from nothing

>Perhaps rational once, now it was a nuisance

>Fortunately, none have dared trespass inside the camp itself and the reason for that makes itself known at last

>”If I was able to take down the princesses I'll have no trouble taking you down. Now step back!”

>The aggressive words are accompanied by an unstable current of magic energy and the culprit comes into view

>Tempest Shadow

--

>She smiles at the sight of you and her broken horn lets off a large teal spark the strikes at the hooves of one of the protesters

>That, coupled by your appearance is enough to make him run off

>It doesn't take long for the others to follow, in ones and two leaving the perimeter and returning to their lives

>Tempest approaches you and Gale with a grin on her face

>”Area secure sir. Thanks for your timely appearance, they were getting rowdy. Not sure I could have handled so many.”

>You offer her a smile and walk with her into the camp

“I have faith in you, Tempest. I have no doubt they would have fallen before you, despite your perceived weakness.”

>She inclines her head as she follows beside you

>”Perhaps so, but I would still be far more comfortable if I had my horn back.”

>You nod, it was undeniable that Tempest lacked more fine control over her magic

>However, she was more than capable of doing what you wished of her, that is guarding your camp against intruders

>She received a share of profits made from the trading routes she had helped you establish with her contacts in exchange

>Still, her horn remained a point of contention between you two

>She feared that you would simply never give it back as you had said you could, you feared that without that reason she would leave abruptly

>So for now, it was an impasse

>Soon you arrive at your main laboratory at the foot of Nox Aurea

>Inside it is dim, lit by a pair of lonely lanterns and the electrics of several machines

>You thank the Omnissiah once more that copper was so abundant, and thus extremely easy to acquire

>This entire laboratory was wired into the solar array of the Titan

>Though it wasn't enough energy to start the plasma reactor in her core, it was more than plenty for the few machines you had crafted

>You approach one of them, caressing a glowing vat with a nearly grown brain inside it

>Gale's, or at least a perfect copy thereof

>In just a few more days, it would be ready for a simulated augmentation

>The last simulated work before you moved onto the real thing

>Gale didn't know yet that you had already made your decision, but she had been working ever harder to prove herself worthy of augmentation

>Of course all her work had already proved herself not only worthy, but in dire need of the procedure

>Perhaps there was something to the idea that their 'cutie marks' as they called them had some innate effect on their brains and potential

>If that was the case, then they would be savants at whatever their cutie marks happened to represent

>However it was no replacement for cybernetics

>Whatever her capacity for learning it was no match for the speed of inloads, nor was a flesh-voice superior to binaric cants

>So no doubts of her implantation, only of the reactions of others

>”Ms. Gale, could you leave Anonymous and I alone for a moment? We need to talk.”

>Tempest's odd and sudden request draws you out of your thoughts and you look back at the two of them

>Gale is looking up at you, waiting for your answer along with Tempest

>You had to admit curiosity at this

“Adept Gale, I believe the refinery is nearly finished with its newest load. Could you please ensure the temperature has remained within acceptable parameters?”

>She nods and leaves the laboratory

“Now then Tempest, I would like to know why you had me dismiss the most promising adept I've ever seen.”

>She trots up to the vat, staring up at the nearly grown brain

>”I want my horn back, Anonymous. I've fulfilled my end of the bargain we made two months ago, but I have yet to even get a hint that you're working on your own end.”

>You look down at her, a confused look on your face

>Though you had trepidation about her leaving if you gave her horn back, you had thought it obvious the additional purposes of the cloning vat

“I'm not sure I understand what you mean, Tempest. I still plan to fulfill my own promise, though in time.”

>Her eyes narrow and there is clear tension in her voice when she replies

>”I have been cheated on such things before, Anonymous. Without some sort of tangible proof of your work I'll be forced to go elsewhere. I cannot allow such a thing to happen again.”

>You're certain you had mentioned the many purposes for the vat, including the possibility of remaking her horn

>Hadn't you?

>Something seems to be missing from your recollection, an extensive review would be required

>Though you had been working hard at restoring Nox Aurea, you had been neglecting your own maintenance

>Well, better late than never

“I apologize, Tempest. I had thought it obvious, though I was clearly mistaken. You see, this vat here could in fact be used to grow a new horn for you. It is simply a matter of time before I do so, but first I must complete Gale's augmentation.”

>You rub your chin, considering what you could offer her

“How about this, I will take samples from you now. As soon as Gale's augmentation is complete, I will begin studying your horn for regrowth. You will, of course, remain as a member of my retinue in good standing and continue to assist me in trade negotiations. Are these terms acceptable?”

>Tempest blinks at you, clearly taken aback

>”Just like that?”

>You furrow your brow and nod

>Did she expect you to fight back against a reasonable request?

“Of course, you're a valuable member of my retinue and vital to maintaining the sanctity of Nox Aurea and my facilities. Not to mention your indispensable trade contacts, I would be hard pressed to find a replacement even close to your quality.”

>She looks down, her cheeks colouring slightly

>Strange, it seems she isn't used to praise despite her work ethic and extensive experience

>”Well I wouldn't go that far. I just want to ensure I'm doing what I promised.”

>Unsure of how you proceed, you lay a hand on her withers gently

“That and more, Tempest. You would have been within your rights to walk away after establishing the trade routes. That you didn't is proof that you have earned what you requested, and so I offer you terms.”

>It was perfectly logical

>Hopefully she would accept and this could simply be put behind you

>”Well...alright. I find that acceptable. How would you go about collecting samples for this?”

>With a mere trace of thought, you unfurl a mechadendrite from your back and snake it over to her

>She eyes it with some apprehension, as do most ponies when approached with them

“Worry not, it will be a quick examination followed by the removal of a small piece of horn to facilitate a growth basis.”

>She shrinks back just a step, clearly worried now

>”You mean you've been removing pieces of Gale's brain for this?”

>Ah, yes that would be the conclusion many may jump to

“Not as such, for something so vital a mere cell scrap is enough. However the smaller the basis, the longer the growth takes. For example, this brain has been growing for nearly two weeks now. In order to fulfill the restoration of your horn in an acceptable time frame, I will take a piece that allows full growth in perhaps three days.”

>That was partially true yes, but as well you desired several additional copies for your own studies

>Unicorn organs were quite mysterious still, as Gale had none of course

>Tempest still looks worried, though less so with your explanation

>”Very well, just...make it quick please.”

>You soften your expression and nod quickly

>Another mechadendrite unfurls and zips close to her horn, taking high resolution picts along with numerous scans of varying methods

>Though clearly uncomfortable, Tempest doesn't move through your ministrations

>Finally, you fire up your arc cutter for just a second and remove a small piece of horn from one of the jagged edges that jut from the damaged organ

>To her credit she doesn't flinch, only wincing at the sudden flash of heat

>You seal the piece of horn in a small sample vessel and lay it beside the vat for later examination

“You did well, Tempest. Go and rest, you have more than earned it.”

>She takes a small, shaky step back and shakes her head

>”I'll be fine, just a quick perimeter check and I'll go have a nap or something.”

>You incline your head, dismissing her to do whatever she wished

>As she trots away, you turn to the other major piece of machinery in the laboratory and take a step towards it

>Time for some maintenance

--

>Your heart is pounding as Anonymous leads you into a sterile room, lit by a number of large lamps

>The scent of incense permeates the room and the Cog Mechanicum decorates every surface

>Many machines fill the place, and you don't even know what half of them are for

>Some you recognize of course, but many seem to be quite new as though just come from the manufactory

>Given how momentous this day was, that could very well be the case

>Finally, after four long months of service, you'd be getting your horn back!

>Anonymous had walked you through every step he had done to reach this moment

>Painstaking hours of cloned horns being chopped to pieces, bombarded with all kinds of energy, testing that, had the organ been attached, was akin to torture

>Even just watching, the few times that you had, had given you a splitting headache

>But it was all over at last

>He was keeping his word, and you would finally be restored

>Why was it that a non-pony was the one that was correcting such an old mistake instead of another pony?

>So much could have been avoided had this simply happened years ago

>You shake off those thoughts, what could have been wasn't important, only the now mattered

>And now Anon was gesturing for you to get onto a steel table

>You hop up and lay down on the cold surface, shivering involuntarily

>The chill was the reason, certainly!

>You look about the room, your gaze stopping as it reaches Gale

>She offers you a smile and pats your hoof

>It's reassuring, especially since she had gone through much the same process to receive the implants that glisten on the back of her head

>”You'll be fine, Tempest. I promise you, you'll wake up better than ever!”

>You can feel a magical build-up trying to spark out from your shattered horn

>But it never does, merely fading away as you feel a small prick in your flank

>”Do not be alarmed, Ms. Tempest, it is merely a magical suppressant to ensure nothing goes wrong with the operation.”

>Anonymous steps around in front of you, a calm smile on his face

>”Now before I put you under, I want to be sure this is what you want. Though I have performed a dozen simulated graftings and studied your anatomy in depth, there is still the possibility of failure. Small as it may be, it would be remiss of me to leave you ill informed.”

>You don't hesitate for a second

“Don't dare think I would turn this down simply because there is risk. Everything I do has risk, but few have a reward like this.”

>His smile grows and he lays a hand on your withers

>”Very well. When you wake you are likely to feel dazed, and I would recommend that you do not strain your magic or body until I can be sure the graft has taken. Now prepare yourself.”

>You feel a sharp jab in your neck and a fog begins to take over your head

>How strange it would be to wake up whole...

 

>Tempest slumps on the table and her breathing steadies

>You run a hoof through her mane, allowing yourself a brief, tender moment

>Though she was good at hiding how she felt, it was clear that this operation had frayed her nerves

>”Adept, it is time to begin.”

>You smile at Anon and trot over to a sterilizing machine, opening the top and lifting a tray of utensils from it

>Depositing them on a stand beside the operating table, you sit at his feet again

“Anything else, Anonymous?”

>He takes a seat, looking down at you with a serious expression

>”I'm concerned, Ms. Gale.”

>'Ms. Gale', he'd barely called you that since you'd started studying under him,certainly not after you had got your implants

>This was certainly something to have him speaking like this again

>”I'm more than certain you have noticed the elevated tension levels as of late. It has been rising ever since you received your first augmetics.”

>In fact you had noticed, ponies being more short with the two of you, almost rude

>Even Princess Twilight had seemed on edge

>”I admit, I have pursued this graft as fast as I could. I hope to warm the views ponies have of me, of us, by healing this old wound. We must be prepared for failure, however; I understand that Ms. Tempest is not well regarded.”

>That was an understatement, considering what happened at Canterlot

>Still she had probably been forgiven, at least by most ponies

“I'm sure it's going to be fine! After all, who would fight against technology that could do something like this? They'd have to be crazy!”

>He pats your head affectionately

>Usually you'd object to the almost condescending gesture, but coming from him it was just too surreal

>This was an entirely different Anonymous than normal

>”One of the many things you ought to have learned by now is that people, or ponies in this case, are not exactly sane.”

>Well he wasn't wrong there

>”Listen, should all of this go wrong in whatever way and by any means, return to your people. If they demand anything of you, follow through no matter how ridiculous.”

>You look up at him with concern in your eyes

“Even if they want to take out my augments?”

>He grimaces, clearly pained by the idea

>”Even then. Though it may well be terrible, they cannot take away the knowledge you have.”

>You sit up straighter, putting on a brave face

“And the stewardship of knowledge is part of our duties to the Omnissiah.”

>He smiles and you know you're right

>It was something he had repeated over and over, the duty of all members of the Cult Mechanicus

>”Very good. You do not need augmetics to continue the Quest of Knowledge, and I pray that you do continue it when I am gone.”

>You give him a snide look and grin

“Awfully morbid before surgery, sir.”

>He cuffs your ear gently, a small smile growing on his face as he stands

>”My apologies, adept. Now then, fetch the bio-salves and we can begin.”

>You nod and trot away to get the items he needs to carry on

>Yes, this was the beginning of something wonderful, you could feel it deep down

>The new medical practices alone would help so many ponies, how could they ever oppose such a thing?

>No doubt, this would be just what was needed for Anon to be trusted

–

>You catch Tempest looking at her reflection in the blank display once more

>She had been getting distracted more easily since the graft had taken well

>You lay a hand on her withers and she twitches in surprise

“Tempest, focus. Remember why you're here.”

>Though you're rebuking her, you keep your tone gentle

>You know all too well the amazement of having new augmetics, or in this case a restored organ that you've come to find was nigh vital to unicorns

>It would be like losing a lung for most, though Tempest had adapted readily to it

>”Yes, sorry sir. It's just...so much longer than it used to be.”

>You pat her back and sit in the steersman pit, gesturing for her to sit in the weaponseer pit beside you

>With a sigh, you lean back into the needle-like interface array and allow the cool, barely subdued fury of Nox Aurea to wash over you

>Many times you had been in congress with her machine spirit these past few months

>Far from the aggression and sorrow of your first direct contact, Nox Aurea had grown accustomed to your presence, and you to hers

>You were not her princeps, nor even on the level of a moderati

>Still, she appreciated your efforts to make repairs even if they weren't of the highest quality

>Even though it was of relatively poor caliber, everything damaged in battle had been very nearly repaired

>She was in functional condition, if you could find a way to ignite the plasmic furnace at her heart

>A massive surge of power would be needed, and though you had a working theory on how to do so it would be a long time before you could even test it

>A gentle nudge from Nox Aurea drags you from your thoughts

>You look over at Tempest, finding her waiting patiently for your next instructions

“Apologies for the momentary delay. Now, look to the screen on your right, beside the entry board.”

>She does, and with a flick of thought you power on the displays

>On the screens before her flicker various lines of text and numbers, showing the status of all the fearsome weaponry at the disposal of the God Machine and her crew

>Her eyes scan over the screen, clearly confused

>You concentrate a bit more, blanking the screen for a moment before significantly less text reappears

>A row highlights itself and you tap on in

“This displays the specifications for the plasma blastgun built into the left arm. Everything from power consumption to expected shots before recharge, it is all there.”

>When she hesitates, you lean closer to her and the screen

“Are you having trouble with the runes? I believe your written language is quite similar to my own.”

>She shakes her head, squinting closer at the screen

>”It's not that, what do these words mean? 'Capacitor level zero', 'magazine non-operative'. Don't tell me you have reading material stored there.”

>A mirthful chuckle escapes your lips, a momentary lapse that swiftly disappeared

>It wasn't the first time, and had been happening more frequently as time went on

>You needed maintenance

>But first...

“Not at all. The capacitor in question is a bank of power cells that holds energy to discharge into the plasma chamber. The magazine is what holds the gases we use to create the plasma itself. Currently there is no stored energy and no gas canisters loaded, and so it tells you on there.”

>The screen blanks momentarily and flickers back to life again with a different display

“This is a readout from the last action of Nox Aurea. You can see a few more pieces of small, but absolutely vital information. As well, note the difference between the two you mentioned before.”

>She stares silently, her eyes flicking over the text rapidly

>Clearly she wanted to absorb all the information before speaking up

>Indeed, she was much like Gale, though her passion was on the military aspect of everything rather than technical

>And so you decided to introduce her to the armaments of Nox Aurea

>She couldn't grasp the entire depth, not without proper augmentation, but she could at the very least see what millennia of war had given humanity

>”So then, what kind of ammunition does this...blastgun use?”

>This time you make a haptic gesture, changing the display entirely to show the specifications of the weapon itself

“The Ryza pattern blastgun such as this is uses deuterium, an isotope of the element hydrogen you may know.”

>Her eyes light up

>”I know of hydrogen! It was used as a lifting gas for early airship models, post hot air balloons anyway.”

>You offer her a smile of approval

“Very good, we used such methods as well in ages past. This gas is fed a large amount of energy from the capacitor banks or from the reactor itself in emergency firings. The plasma is then fed through a theta pinch and directed from the barrel to a target.”

>Her eyes narrow once more

>”Are you making up terms, Anonymous?”

>Ah, once more you've jumped well beyond the technology that has even been theorized here

“Think of it as directed lightning, though farm more devastating in power.”

>She nods slowly, returning her gaze to the screen

>It wasn't quite the same, or even at all, but that was likely the only form of plasma they knew of

>Another motion and you change the display once again

“This is a Vulcan megabolter. It discharges explosive shells at a rapid rate, excellent for the destruction of lightly armoured targets or large groups of enemy forces. Nox Aurea quite likes this herself, more visceral.”

>A rumble of assent ripples through your mind

>In harmony, a small surge of power snakes through the system and the megabolter gives a resound thud as it cycles a single time

>Tempest jumps and you smile, you had done much the same the first time you had encountered such independence in a machine spirit

>”I...see. So like cannons then, but moreso?”

>You nod, again she seems to grasp things quite well once they are explained

“Much more. Other than those two main weapons, there are a number of defensive emplacements over the hull. Mostly small las or autogun turrets that work better for clearing infantry without the need to expend more valuable and limited resources.”

>Yes indeed, shells for the megabolter had been limited even when you were walking with the Legio

>Now though, there were only fifty left aboard, testament to the hard fighting that had brought you here

>Still, a dozen compressed tanks of deuterium remained for use with the blastgun, perhaps twice that number of shots if you could ignite the core

>”Will she ever...walk again?”

>You're momentarily surprised, as much by the question as by her using the proper term for a Titan

>It seemed she picked up on more than you had thought

“Perhaps so. I am attempting to devise a way to power her heart once more so that she may walk. However, that will take a great deal of time.”

>She rises from her seat in the gun pit and stretches on the deck

>You remove yourself from the steersman pit as well

>”So just what powers something this massive? I cannot imagine it's a simple steam engine.”

>You smile again,entertained by the very idea

“Not quite, though it is a heat engine of sorts.”

>You lead her to the rear of the cockpit, to where you and Audralius had sat to monitor the reactor

>Tapping on a thick piece of polished diamantium glass, you direct her attention into the tokamak below

“That is the plasma reactor, the beating heart of Nox Aurea. It fuses helion and results in the vast amounts of energy required by the mighty god machine. Of course, it needs itself a massive surge of power in order to light. Thus we come to my current predicament, wherein I doubt the entire yearly output of Equestria itself could even match the energy required to make her heart beat again.”

>Tempest looks crestfallen, and you can't help the lump that rises in your throat as you speak

>Even the most emotionless servitor would shed a tear seeing Nox Aurea's heart dark as it was

>Though Titans would be put to sleep in transference to another world, they were never truly shut down as she was

>A melancholic feelings permeates the air in the cockpit

>Eventually you shake it off and tap Tempest on her withers

“Come, let us attend to other tasks. I'm certain there are more productive things to do than mourning what we cannot fix immediately.”

>She nods silently and follows you from the deck of the Titan

>You dismiss her to her duties and meander your way to another one of your facilities some distance from Nox Aurea

>It gleamed in the late afternoon sun, a rather new construct that had been brought up in just two weeks time

>Though there were occasional protests still, more ponies were willing to trade with you and that included construction companies

>In fact, since introducing ideas such as single-gauge railways and more thorough sterilization methods to Twilight, you enjoyed a modicum of celebrity status

>Despite the minor annoyance of ponies clearly not suited for the Cult begging to become acolytes it had suited your business well

>The door lets out a hiss as you break the seal, though you quickly shut it behind you

>You hear the rapid clopping of hooves and Adept Gale practically appears before you

>”Good afternoon, chief priest! I am pleased to inform you that the experiment is prepared and merely awaits you to perform!”

>You brush your fingers through her mane and her smile widens

>So promising, she would certainly make a full priest one day

>But for now, you think as you walk with her to a glowing table at the back of the room, she would remain a fine assistant

>And as you gaze at the horn specimen on the table, surrounded by crystals and all manner of arcane tools, you realize would certainly need her

–

>The bench glows with brilliant turquoise light and the workshop reeks of incense and ozone

>The brilliance increases and you adjust your eye lenses accordingly, still seeing the source beneath the light

>Suddenly the glow begins fluctuating wildly in intensity, another instability

“Step the resonance volume down two.”

>The ever-present hum decreases slightly, but the flickering continues

>Within seconds the horn melts down with a blinding burst of sparks and smoke, leaving behind a blackened mess on the workbench

>The hum fades into the usual noise of distant machinery, and from behind a small shield comes Gale

>She had been timid of these experiments since the first one had ended...explosively

>You had merely opted to wear a face shield, close observation was still necessary after all

>Still, you had been hoping for success with the new crystals though evidently you were not far enough along in your research

>”What happened this time, Anonymous?”

>The question is asked in a slurred voice as she holds a notebook in hoof and a pen in her lips

>You let out a sigh, remove your mask, and turn to her

>A quick review of the data from other sensors positioned around the table is dumped into your mind

“Another destabilization of the leyline microstructures. It seems they began vibrating disharmonically with one another and in turn produced an exothermic reaction.”

>Gale stops scribbling and looks up at you

>”Could it be that there's just too much energy running through it?”

>You shake your head and tap the now dark resonant crystal

“Impossible, it was an even lower level than last time. Barely above the levels I've measured from Tempest when she is exercising, and to my knowledge she is not particularly powerful.”

>Gale frowns, pawing at the ground idly

>”No, she isn't. But if not that then what?”

>You sigh and close your eyes, momentarily defeated by the conundrum

“I don't know, Gale. Anyway that's enough for today, you're free to go adept. Check in on the new acolyte please, ensure he's settling in.”

>She gives a small bow and leaves you alone with the stench of scorched bone, of failure

>A dozen trials you had run through, and a dozen times you had failed to further any of the theories for harnessing these organs

>Perhaps ponies didn't know, but there was an incredible amount of potential hidden away in unicorn horns

>Twilight and her scientist predecessors had been correct, their horns were tied to whatever latent energy this world produced at its core

>The microstructures, or 'leylines' as the ponies called them, formed resonant cavities that absorbed and amplified that energy

>From there, they manipulated it by consciously modifying the frequencies at which those chambers vibrated thus they performed 'magic'

>It was a fascinating process that you had fortunately been allowed to study

>However, actually performing it yourself was a trying endeavour

>You had started with simple pulses of energy through a crystal that fed the energy to the horn, and when that had gone well you graduated to constant flow

>That was where problems had arisen, the first horn had detonated in a spectacular display

>After that, it had been a matter of decreasing the energy flow, duration, and a number of other factors but none of it seemed to affect the results

>Tempest had recovered perfectly well from her graft, and you had grown all these horns to the same specifications as hers

>So then why was all this failing?

>These thoughts rush over you as you wander through the small settlement that had begun to spring up around your own laboratories and workshops

>Ponies, gryphons, minotaurs, even a strange felinid all call out to you as you walk, though you're far too preoccupied to respond

>Yes, strange company attracted strangers indeed around here

>Some wished to become acolytes or Techpriests, others merely came to ply their various trades

>It was easy to allow the traders, many of them had come with your own business partners

>However, those who sought to join the Cult were more problematic

>Too many of them did not have the capacity to be members of the clergy, either by way of their skills or their intellect

>Fewer still were the ones that did posses the skills but shied away from the very idea of implantation, something absolutely necessary to become a member

>With that being the case however, they did prove useful as labour, serfs of a minuscule kingdom

>You gave the ones that worked for you fair wages, most of which you garnered from the trading of various refined goods and odd pieces of technology

>You did not dare levy taxes on the occupied land, that would surely invoke the ire of the rulers here, though you suspect they weren't keen about the freestanding settlement already

>Suddenly, your walk is arrested by a hoof grasping the hem of your robe

>You snap your eyes down and see none other than Tempest smiling back

“Ah, hello Ms. Shadow. May I help you with something?”

>Her look turns bashful and she scratches at the dirt

>”Well...I just wanted to thank you again for what you've done for me. I can't explain what it feels like to be healed like this, to be whole.”

>You pat her head gently, returning her earnest smile

“You're quite welcome. Are you having any troubles with your horn, any strange occurrences when you do magic?”

>She shakes her head

>”No not at all, in fact it feels far easier than when I was doing the same stuff as a child. Maybe that's because it's a little longer than unicorns naturally grow them?”

>Naturally...

>A spark of inspiration, perhaps even a solution, strikes your mind

>Without responding, you take off running to your laboratory, robes flapping in the dust behind you

>Despite your near perfect memory, some innate fear of losing this insight worms its way into your brain

>Through your mad dash, you manage to avoid hitting anyone on the way

>Surely that was only through the blessing of the Omnissiah

>At last you arrive at your primary laboratory and push your way inside, sealing the room behind you

>A single filament glows faintly overhead, an upgrade from the lanterns that had lit the space before

>You proceed to the replication vat, staring at the horn that was still growing inside of it

>Yes, you had grown the horns to the exact specifications of Tempest's graft, just above the natural length of horn growth

>But what about means unnatural?

>Tapping away at the computer hooked up to the machine, you program it to only cease growth when manually ordered to

>You run a hand across the smooth glass of the container, staring deeply into the glowing nutrient soup that grew the horn

>You would have to thank Tempest for the flash of insight; how had you not seen it sooner?

>Natural growth was restricted by the means of biology, but you had no such restrictions through artificial replication

>A muttered prayer to the Machine God comes from your lips, praising him for once again showing the superiority of the blessed machine

>And indeed, soon all would see the power and glory of a true god machine

–

>The workshop glows with vibrant turquoise light, throwing haunting shadows across the room

>An eerie hum drowns out all other sounds and the scent of a thunderstorm fills the small space

>Beside you, Gale Force holds an odd looking instrument and a small shield, staring warily at the workbench

>At a gesture, she turns a dial on the machine and the pitch of the hum increases

>As it does, the brilliance of the light overwhelms even the glowing filaments overhead

>But there is no smoke, no blast, not even a flicker in the light

>After a few more seconds, you make another gesture and the hum winds down along with the brilliant light

>You remove your mask revealing a broad grin to the equally grinning Gale

>Twenty-five failures but at long last you had succeeded

>The latest horn lays on the table, still retaining a faint glow over its deep wine colour

>Gale lets out a subdued squeal of joy

>”Yes, yes, yes it finally worked! We did it Anon!”

>You nod solemnly, pleased at the outcome but not ready to celebrate quite yet

“Indeed we did, but do not cheer just yet. There's a great deal more work to be done before integration can occur. Go to Ostran, see when the next shipment is arriving. We'll need more silver and his ore has always contained a higher quantity per kilogram.”

>She makes a short bow and runs off, a spring in her step

>You cannot deny your own feeling of near rapture at finally accomplishing the task you had once only theorized about

>Of course, it hadn't been as simple as growing a small horn and shunting the energy through it from the crystal

>You heft the half-meter long specimen from the table and bring it over to a yet unused, sealing and climate controlled container you had made specifically for this task

>You had outsized it when you began growing the horns ever larger, and yet it still barely fit in the chamber

>Now you needed to make more of them, both the chambers and horns, before you proceeded to the next round of testing

>Having the organs survive the power load required of them was one thing, but you still had yet to find a way to direct that energy

>Of course you had theories, it was merely the execution that would take time

>With the horn sealed away, you step into the waning daylight

>The soft glow and subtle warmth felt perfect in your momentary triumph, speaking to a more primal part of you left still untouched by the machine

>You caress the implants that line the base of your skull and trail down your spine

>Despite your success, you're left with a tinge of melancholy

>Even if you accomplished all you wanted with these experiments you would be no closer to returning to your brothers of the Mechanicum

>It was doubtful you would even be able to contact them, building an interplanetary array would be nigh impossible and even if you could a message would take thousands of years to cross the vast distances

>What's more, this was likely the height of your implantation, below that of even most Techpriests

>Yet you were bringing the light of the Omnissiah to the ponies, enlightening them in a way that would never happen had they been discovered by the Imperium

>Though they may never achieve any kind of status as a vassal of Terra, if you could bring them into the fold of the Cult Mechanicum they may yet live under Mars

>It would simply matter who found this world first...

>But by then you would be long dead, a fleeting memory of those left to worship the Omnissiah without you

>Perhaps you would be raised a saviour, or the powers that be may crown you a liar

>It would matter little on the whole, but you silently pray for the uplifting of many to come

>After all, these were the descendants of a species that had served mankind well for tens of thousands of years and it would be pointless cruelty to repay that service with extermination

>So you would do what little you could, with what little you had

>You run your fingers over the bumps and scars that covered your bare scalp, telling tales of the surgeries and implantations accrued in service of the Machine God

>But there was still flesh instead of holy steel, and beneath it a too human brain, powered by a fully organic heart and natural blood

>It was so inefficient, such a poor reflection of what you knew it could be had you the means to make it so

>Yet it was all you had

>All you could show them of the beauty they could be, of what was possible by the grace of the Deus Mechanicus

>Your fingers twitch as they run over your cheeks and you feel a small, wet trail

>Leaking, your lubricant reserves must be leaking

>So far from home, so long without good maintenance, any other priest would be in the same state certainly

>You carry on walking through the makeshift buildings of what residents had begun to call “Steel River”, despite the lack of any body of water nearby

>Despite your stature and dress, you manage not to attract the attention you usually do

>Or you've simply tuned it out

>You focus on the background noise of the bustling marketplace you find yourself in

>Ponies and gryphons, minotaurs and capras, bickering, bantering, shouting, whispering, trading barbs and compliments as much as goods and money

>It was absolute chaos, a state of total entropy made into sound

>No being could hope to make sense of it all, nor even a small part

>And yet you can sense a pattern in the waves of noise

>At first it had seemed to be mere coincidence, a happenstance of harmonics emerging from a sea of infinite discord

>But as you continued to walk and listen, the pattern flowed ever on

>It peaked and dipped regularly, the overall tone changing from moment to moment but in a steady and sure rate

>To you who could hear it, it was a rousing bolero, a dance of possibilities, choice, and consequence

>For a mere second you swear you could hear the faint trace of a binaric exchange, but it is lost just as quickly

>All to soon it dies away as you move on past the hubbub and onto the crest of a hill outside the little town

>The sun is a red smear on the horizon, a fitting sight to the song now dissipating in your mind

>That wonderful pattern had come from the chaos of organics

>There had been no machines involved but those of flesh and blood, xeno or no

>Yet from the madness had come a perfect harmony

>You find yourself turning away from what many would consider splendor to gaze on the twisted wood and iron of the town below

>In the squat, ugly structures you find yet another pattern, a painting as beautiful as any of the classic masters'

>Inexplicable, but undeniable

>You look down at the flesh of your hands again, flexing them and watching the creases form and disappear

>How had you not seen this all before?

>Certainly beneath the flesh your hands were mechanical, but they simulated organic movement as best they could

>All your implants weren't designed to get rid of the human in you, they were made to enhance him

>You feel wetness on your cheeks again, tears no doubt

>A long, heaving sigh comes in and out from you and once again you turn to the darkening horizon

>All the elements that projected themselves on your gaze deactivate at a thought, leaving you with the bare picture of the sky

>You cannot say how long you stand there, with the wind picking at your robes and temperature steadily lowering

>Eventually you feel a gentle tug on the hem of your robes

>Looking down, you find Tempest Shadow smiling up at you

>”Anonymous, it took me quite a while to find you. Are you alright?”

>You return her smile, more genuinely that you had ever before

“Yes, I am just...making new observations.”

>She sits beside you quietly, staring at the same sky you are

>You wonder what she could see that you could not, perhaps emerging patterns in the stars, perhaps stars you couldn't see

>”I've been speaking with Gale. She was talking about her implants, all the good they've done her. I was wondering, do you have some that are more...military grade? Not like a sword implanted in my arm, just something to make me better.”

>You blink in surprise

>This wasn't something you had expected her to bring up, especially so abruptly

>Still, who were you to deny such a thing?

>You turn to face her, kneeling so that you match her height, and speak gravely

“You wish to become Mechanicus, with all that entails?”

>She stares straight back at you, her gaze steely and unwavering

>”If that is what the price of improvement is, then I welcome it.”

>You hold her gaze a moment longer before another warm smile spreads over your face

“Good. Come, let us return then.”

>You rise and she follows after you

>As you begin to walk back, you look down at her and speak in a gentle tone

“Actually, there is an experiment I could use some help with....”

–

>Golden shoals of hexarithmic data swim around the crew pit, never quite obstructing your instruments but always present in your vision

>The shifting and shuddering of the engine as it lopes to battle is as hypnotic as it is frightening

>Outside the blast-shuttered windows, the void shields of Nox Aurea take on the colour of an oil slick as they turn aside fatal damage

>An enemy engine, a corrupt Warhound, bellows a terrific challenge in juddering scrapcode and daemonic guffaws

>Nox Aurea responds with a challenge of her own, a violent blast of horns and binaric shouts of righteous fury

>”Two shots from the blastgun, weapon; come about to three two two helm. Prepare to deploy close combat weapons.”

>The cold, calm voice of the Princeps Proxima, Audentis, carries easily over the din of battle

>Contrary to so many Warhound princeps, he was cool and level headed even in the midst of a desperate struggle

>You and the weapons moderati comply with his orders and the gait of Nox Aurea subtly changes beneath your feet

>A loud pop reverberates through the hull as the shields of the enemy vanish, and a ball of flame on the back of it tells you they won't be coming back

>With another daemonic howl, the Archenemy engine twists its body to follow your movement

>Too fast, several ill-maintained hydraulic lines rupture and hang from its neck spilling vital motive fluid on the dust-choked ground below

>It screams defiantly as Nox Aurea charges forward, a tank sized bayonet deploying from a recess below the Vulcan megabolter

>The blade finds its mark, plunging through thick metal plating and home into the cockpit and destroying the sad wreck that had become of a beautiful machine

>With a final shudder, the Warhound dies, leaving you and Nox Aurea alone in the blasted hellscape

“Engine kill.”

>A hiss of hydraulics fills your ears as the world outside fades away slowly

>You open your eyes to the open screens of the cockpit, towering above the rolling hills of Equestria

>The hissing gives way to rapid, desperate panting tinged with a slight whimper

>You rotate your stiff neck and see Tempest Shadow curled up in her chair, cables trailing from the base of her neck and into the chair

>You wonder if the implants were causing her pain

>It had been just over a week since you had performed the surgeries to give her both interface and mild processing implants

>They were ingeniously tied into her horn providing a source of energy that was, in practical terms, limitless

>Perhaps there was some kind of feedback into the organ that ailed her so

>You reach out a hand and gently stroke her back

>She twitches and her eyes widen before her head snaps around to look at you

>No it wasn't pain in that look

>It was fear

>As she stares and you keep your hand on her her breathing slows until it's no longer the rapid panting of a trapped animal

>At last she shudders and speaks, her voice strained and halting

>”That was...what was that?”

>You decide directness was the best way to deal with her, she was the type who appreciated such thigns

“A simulacrum of an engagement long past, stored in the memory of Nox Aurea. She allowed us to relive it for training, as we do in the legio from time to time. Do you feel any pain from your implants, are you injured in any way?”

>She shakes her head slowly before staring back at the command throne

>”I'm fine, but that wasn't just some projection was it? I could...feel it all somehow. When this Titan was hit.”

>Ah, that was what was causing the issue

“Yes, she feels pain when she is struck as do we all. Since it was her memory it is unsurprising that you felt what she did.”

>Tempest shakes her head again, more violently this time

>”But that isn't all is it? When I really got into it, I felt something slipping away and being replaced. It was savage, violent, it wanted to fight and kill and nothing else.”

>Your face draws tight

>This was unintended, she was not meant to feel the presence of Nox Aurea's machine spirit

>A ripple flows over the connection between you and the god machine, an expression of apology perhaps?

>It was often so difficult to interpret the Titans

>Tempest draws another shuddering breath and your focus returns to her

“That is the nature of a god of war such as Nox Aurea. What's more, that was a mere echo across the waves of memory. Can you imagine what it would be to be exposed to it in its rawness?”

>You stare out the window, thinking of your own exposure months ago

>Not only that, but of the unspoken casualties of Titan warfare

“Even a princeps, a man of one in ten million with will such that he can control the Titan, eventually loses himself. The machine spirit overwhelms their minds and they become as beasts. Such madness is not spoken of outside the halls of the legio, none must know of just what the Titans represent.”

>You turn back to her and notice her expression is one of shock

>”That's horrible! Why would you subject your own people to such torture?”

>She could not understand, but you still had to try and explain

“There are things in this galaxy of such strength and violence that it is necessary for us to do so. The Titans are one of the greatest bulwarks against the dark that threatens to swallow mankind, and the Collegia Titanica knows the price it must pay to be a part of them.”

>Tempest looks down, clearly not fully grasping the scale of things but still admonished

>You decide to try a different tack

“Tempest, I am certain there are ponies you would give your life for, are there not?”

>The way she looks up at you says it all

“And just like that, we would give our lives for all of mankind. You understand now why we do such things?”

>She gives you a small, but warm smile and closes her eyes

>”Yes, I do. I suppose any great pain can be endured for those you love.”

>You let the silence be, there was little else to say

>After a few minutes of quiet contemplation, she speaks up again

>”So why are you introducing me to this? I've only just adapted to these implants and know so little about your technology. Would Gale not be a better choice?”

>You purse your lips, thinking for a moment

>Gale would of course be the better choice for a technical role such as this

>However...

“Gale is a good mare, and an excellent Techpriest. She is not a warrior though, I am not sure she has the stomach and will for tasks like this.”

>Tempest nods, but her eyes narrow and her voice becomes tense and quiet

>”But that's not all, is it? Otherwise you wouldn't be introducing me in such an abrupt and...disturbing fashion.”

>You grimace, it seems you had not hidden your intent as well as you desired

>Without a word, you take a few leaflets from a pouch sewn onto your belt

“I have here testaments from a number of gryphons that come from their land. They have received communiques from relatives in whatever villages they come from referencing a monster that emerged from the ocean several weeks ago.”

>You point specifically at one of the papers

“And this one is from an eye-witness who saw the thing come out of the ocean when he was bringing a shipment of ore. I need the help of someone, or somepony, who knows local geography in order to track its movements. If this creature is a threat to Equestria, it may very well be a threat to Nox Aurea and so I must find a way to stop it.”

>Tempest squints at the papers, reading each one carefully before nodding her head

>”Understood, but I know of only one pony with such encyclopedic knowledge.”

>You smile, believing you know exactly where this is going

“Do tell...”

–

>You quicken your pace, walking down the dusty dirt road with you robes flapping behind you

>The breeze was stronger than you anticipated, though it wasn't slowing your progress at all

>Besides the soft rustling of the leaves, the twittering of birds, and the footsteps of you and your companions, all was silent

>The sheaf of papers you hold in your arm rustle slightly and you tighten your grip on them

>They couldn't be lost, their contents were the basis of everything you planned to speak of today, the result of a sleepless night of work

>Fifteen hours of interviewing, comparing, sorting, researching, and consulting with Nox Aurea

>And yet, these were only the preliminary results

>This research would take far longer to reach any sort of conclusion, but to reach that you needed help

>The crystal spires of Twilight's castle grew ever larger, and it wasn't long before you were passing through the outskirts of Ponyville to reach the gates

>The little village seemed far more active today than any other you had visited

>Surprising, considering the relatively early hour you had arrived at

>Ponies rushing too and fro, many you had never seen on your numerous visits to the castle

>Strangest of all, the shops seemed to be shuttered still

>Some kind of holiday perhaps, no matter you still had to bring this information forward

>Leisure could wait that long at least

>A glance back shows that your companions, Gale and Tempest, are both maintaining their focus on the castle

>Good, they understood the weight of the situation

>Finally you enter the castle grounds

>You pause before reaching the door, something catching your eye

>A grand chariot, built of dark wood and inlaid with beautiful silver, lies surrounded by a number of armoured, bat-winged guards hefting wicked spears

>Two more of the bat guards stand on either side of the door

>A visiting dignitary then, good a larger audience would mean a greater impact

>The guards cross their spears in front of the grand entrance as you approach

>”None may pass, by order of the princess.”

>Your companions share a worried glance, but you simply draw yourself up taller

“This is a matter of grave importance. I have information that the princess must be presented.”

>The taller of the two sneers at your little party

>”Yeah, just like every other petitioner. You're that human, mechanical guy right? I'll let her know you stopped by.”

>You frown, annoyed by the obstinance of the guard

>You try again, in a more anxious and desperate tone that before

“Please, this information is absolutely vital to the safety and security of not just myself, but perhaps all Equestria. You must let me speak with Princess Twilight!”

>The guard merely shakes his head at the display

>You had hoped he might understand desperation and security especially

>If this was how he wished it though, you were not going to be stopped by him at any cost

>You bring yourself to your full height, practically towering over the bat winged guard, unfurling your mechadendrites and sending a threatening flash of red through your eyes

>With your augmented throat, you give your voice a bassy, booming quality

“As I said, this information is of vital importance too all who inhabit this land. I will not allow you to stand in the way of my informing the proper authorities. Stand aside or I will be forced to remove you, as a threat to all.”

>It wasn't a bluff either, you had subtly begun charging a pair of shock-lances in your mechanical limbs

>You were fully prepared to incapacitate the guards in order to proceed, so important was this research

>Though the stubborn guard refuses to budge, his companion looked far more nervous

>You send a small surge through the lances, making them crackle with sparks of electricity

>That was all that was required for the already intimidated one to back away from the door

>You stare down the remaining guard, mechadendrites looming threateningly over your shoulders

>His once sure and firm posture has diminished considerably and his lets out an audible gulp

>”We will, ehm, escort you to the princess sir.”

>You nod firmly, reducing the presence of your mechadendrites and allowing the energy that was gathering to dissipate

>A small sigh of exasperation escapes your lips as you're led inside and through the winding halls

>It was times like this you longed for the days of the forge, when a problem like this would be solved within a few seconds with simple, easily verifiable binaric cants and noospheric codes

>So inefficient to communicate like this

>It was hardly a wonder it had taken them so long to even be at a level of late Second Millenium technology if interactions like this were the norm

>No matter, first you would help them to neutralize whatever this threat was, then you would uplift them into the arms of the Omnissiah

>Your thoughts come to a halt as you do, standing behind the guard in front of another ornate door

>After a moment of pause he pushes it open, steps into the room, and clears his throat loudly

>”Princess Luna, I apologize for the interruption but apparently it concerns the security of Equestria.”

>The shock radiating through you could easily power the core of a Warlord Titan

>It was Luna that was here?

>She had made it clear that she held you not only in suspicion, but contempt for the way you did things

>Something about it being unnatural, an ironic idea considering the supposed powers of her and her sister

>”May I present the ehm, Priest Anonymous.”

>You step through the door, ensuring your face it entirely still

>No point in correcting the guard, you were unlikely to see him again

>The looks on the faces of Luna and Twilight radiated the same shock you had felt just a moment ago

“Greetings, princesses. I do apologize for interrupting what must be an incredibly important meeting but I have come across information of a potential threat to Equestria as a whole.”

>Before you've finished your statement, Luna has already sculpted her face from shock to steely doubt

>”You mean besides you and that metal monster you brought with you.”

>You take a deep breath to calm the immediately flare of annoyance

>Why, today of all days, were the ponies choosing to be difficult?

>To your infinite thanks, Tempest steps forward from your shadow

>She was near the size of Luna herself, a side effect of losing her horn so early in her life as you hypothesized

>Despite her usually intimidating figure, you know that wasn't the purpose of her stepping forth

>”Princess, with respect, I assisted him with this. The findings are as legitimate as they are dire.”

>Luna scoffs, but Twilight interrupts before she can throw another barb

>”I understand that your findings may be urgent, be we have a crisis of our own to deal with at the moment.”

>Luna's glare could likely cut through an Imperial battlefleet, such was the fury contained in it

>Twilight presses onward, ignoring her fellow

>”Several villages in the Gryphon Empire have been laid to waste by some massive monster. We are awaiting a communique from gryphon representatives to discuss a possible join defense.”

>Your eyes widen in surprise

“In that regard, I believe that we can help each other.”

>Another scoff from Luna, but you seat yourself across from the two of them and push the papers over to Twilight

>While she reads them over and Luna continues to glare, Gale and Tempest take up seats beside you

>A glance tells you that, while Tempest is easily able to project a sense of confidence even in the face of an angry princess, Gale is having trouble keeping still

>Despite her relative seniority in the Cult, she was still quite young compared to many of her peers

>You tap her withers to get her attention and offer her a warm smile before letting out a squib of binaric speech

[Be calm, Gale. You are here and under both my authority and protection. We must bear ill will with stoic resolve, and show all the strength of steel.]

>She takes a deep breath and nods, sitting up straighter and stilling herself as best she could

>You had not had a chance to modify her larynx to make it possible for her to respond in kind, but it would come in time

>Though her wings twitch occasionally, she appears much less nervous than before

>After quite some time, Twilight pushes the papers over to Luna and looks up at you with an alarmed expression

>”How did you come by this information?”

>You keep a calm look and an even tone when you answer

“Beings around my camp come from all over your world. Some were family with gryphons that lived in the village and one, as I detailed, witnessed it rise from the ocean.”

>Luna sets the papers down, clearly shaken

>”This threat list is...extensive. Are you saying then it could be something like this, this...Daemon Engine, or a Phantom Titan? Are these things constructs of your kind as well?”

>You cannot help but sneer at the allegation

>To put the creations of Holy Mars in the same category as the vile Archenemy constructs or xeno technorganic monsters?

>Had she been a member of the Cult, you would strike her for the insolence

“Absolutely not. Everything detailed on that list is an enemy of mankind, belonging to Hereteks, xenos, or worse.”

>The acid in your tone clearly takes her aback

>Twilight is quick to jump in for her

>”Do you have more details of these things? I mean, the information would be hugely beneficial for Equestria both now and in the future, should one of them arise.”

>You turn to her, once more adopting a stony look

“I do have data on everything that is listed. However I will only be sharing what is relevant to this specific threat. Without the proper understanding of the Mysteries, such information is ripe for abuse.”

>The young princess is quick to object

>”But you know we're not a warlike species! Anything we learned from it would be strictly for defense.”

>You sigh and recline in your seat

“And can you say the same of every species? Can you assure absolutely, on the life of every living being on this world, no information would ever reach eyes besides your own?”

>Twilight looks down at the table and Luna refuses to meet your eyes

>You decide to relent, best not to attack them so hard in what must be an incredibly stressful circumstance

“The moment we can identify the enemy visually, I will share all I know of it. Then we will work together to defeat it and keep Equestria safe. Is this acceptable?”

>To your surprise, it's Luna that answers for them both

>”We do, Anonymous. Let us prepare for the gryphons and begin to set up a plan to observe this monster.”

>You smile and offer her a hand to shake

>She places her hoof in it, unnerved but clearly prepared to go to great lengths to protect her subjects

“It is an accord. Now then, how do you plan to gather optical data on it?”

>Twilight smiles and leans forward on the table

>”Don't you worry about that, we have a few tricks of our own...”

–

>Once again, you find yourself sitting alongside Twilight and Luna

>This time you're not the only one with an entourage, however

>A number of dour looking ponies in elaborate uniforms had joined the small war council that had been formed

>They were at least professional enough to not voice their obvious displeasure at sharing the table with you, no matter how obvious

>It was just as well, there were already too many things they had complained about

>The nature of your freedom from Equestrian command, the holy augmetics of your companions, the state of the town that had sprung up around Nox Aurea, and of course the Titan herself

>All of it was padding to belie the nervousness they expressed about whatever this threat was

>According to Twilight, Equestria had faced down deities of Chaos, rampaging monsters, omnipowerful sorcerers, and a number of other lethal threats

>Despite this, she had confided in you during a break, this situation was making everyone more nervous than anything before

>There was something about this new evil that had everyone on edge, even the usually arrogant gryphons were expressing reservations

>But for now you were all huddled around the large table, waiting for what would be the first proper sighting of the creature

>One of the gryphons, a particularly nervous one named Steelwing, clears his throat

>”So explain again how we're going to see this thing?”

>Luna gives him a look of annoyance and Twilight just sighs before explaining yet again

>”This mirror on the table is linked to one aboard an airship that is tracking the creature right now. Once they get it in view, they'll project an image of it onto their mirror along with a spell. Then we'll be able to see it here. It's little more complex than normal scrying.”

>Steelwing nods rapidly

>”And why don't we just scry it normally?”

>Twilight looks incredibly tired of answering the same questions time and again, so you take it upon yourself to interject

“As has been discussed at least three times before, the creature or construct is projecting some kind of barrier that is scrambling the magnetic field in its immediate area. It is likely some sort of defense mechanism that was either evolved or built in specifically for this planet. However, though I may overstep my expertise in this regard, this has more in common with telepathy than actual scrying as I understand it.”

>The party of gryphons gives you a series of withering glares, and Steelwing speaks up indignantly

>”And just what makes you such an expert? You're an alien from another world, what could you possibly understand about this threat?”

>You keep your face and tone as flat as possible, despite how annoying his arrogance was

“I have studied how the so-called magic of this world works quite extensively in my time here. Furthermore, I listened to Princess Twilight's explanation of why we could not simply spy on the creature via conventional magic such as it was. From that it is simple to deduce that the creature or construct is the source of the disturbance.”

>Before the gryphon can riposte, Twilight clears her throat

>”Ultimately who is or isn't an expert is a moot point. At this point none of us know exactly what this is or how it works. So let's stop bickering and just wait until the airship arrives, it shouldn't be long now.”

>Steelwing shuts his beak and leans back in his chair, glaring at the princesses

>Despite his clear anger, he doesn't protest further

>The gryphons talk quietly among themselves, but soon fall into silence

>It doesn't last long, however, and soon the mirror hums with a harmonic tune

>Twilight's horn glows and an image of clouds rushing past a windscreen appear

>An oddly echoing voice comes through the mirror

>”Princess Twilight, are you seeing things clearly on your end?”

>Horn still aglow, Twilight clears her throat and answers in a loud voice

>”Yes, we can see just fine.”

>The view bobs momentarily before approaching the window

>”Good, we should be coming up on the projected position any moment. We're currently descending below the cloud ceiling, altitude five-thousand.”

>Suddenly the cloud cover breaks, revealing a blue sky on the distant horizon, broken by stabbing peaks of snow-dusted mountains

>The airship was still descending rapidly, and you could hear the unicorn calling the heights as they plummeted

>The ground grew in further detail, and you could make out buildings and the fields of farmers

>The airship slows and the view begins to traverse the wide viewport

>A sharp gasp echoes around the room and through the mirror as the enemy finally comes into view

>Even from five-hundred feet, it was clearly a monstrous thing

>You estimated it to stand at perhaps thirty or more meters, at least as large as a Reaver Titan

>Its torso was shaped like a man, though it very clearly had three heads and a third arm

>Judging from the trail it had left, it traveled on a pair of massive treads, and its silhouette suggested it was absolutely bristling with weapons

>Your body grew cold as you recognized just what it was

>Or at the very least, the clear construction of it

“Heresy...”

>Gale looks at you with shock in her eyes, but you ignore her and continue watching the mirror

>The airship slowly closes on the monstrous machine, the unicorn narrating all the while

>”It does appear to be artificial in nature, princess. There is a slight resemblance to the Titan that came with the priest, but it seems superficial. Helm, can you bring us in any closer?”

>The vile machine looms ever larger, and you manage to make out a symbol struck on its shoulder

>Dark Mechanicus

>Your skin crawls, this was the sins of mankind made manifest

>Suddenly, a series of flashes blast up from the back of the machine and the view lists to the side

>”We're hit! Team prepare for crash, sorry princess we're--”

>The mirror goes blank, reflecting only the long table and the shocked faces of many who sat there

>Only you remained impassive, at least on the surface

>Even the usually unflinching Tempest radiated shock at the sudden violence that had been wrought on the airship

>Inside your stomach churned as you belatedly made the connection to one of the machines that you had dredged from the databanks of Nox Aurea

>The sin of mankind was now brought onto the inhabitants of this world, and this understanding makes your heart sink

>Twilight is the first to break the silence, looking directly at you

>”Well Anonymous, like they said it looks like your Titan. Do you know anything about this.”

>You take a deep breath and begin to address the council in a sonorous tone

“It appears to be, at first glance, similar to a machine created during the Schism of Mars. In those dark times, a group of Hereteks created a sentient machine they called the Kaban Project. It rampaged across the surface before being driven into the Noctis Labyrinth, never to be seen again.”

>You close your eyes, offering a silent prayer to the Omnissiah for forgiveness at revealing what was a grave secret

>But they deserved to know the source of their suffering

>Twilight speaks into the shocked silence that follows your revelation

>”So...you never destroyed it?”

>You shake your head, eyes still shut

“No, the Priests of Mars could not find a way to destroy it at the time.”

>Another long silence, and looking around you can see that fear has replaced the initial shock of the ponies and gryphons

>You sit up straighter before addressing them again

“I will not allow the folly of man to become the downfall of this world, though. I swear to all of you, before the holy Deus Mechanicus, I will stop this vile machine. But to do so, I will need your absolute support, Princess Twilight, Princess Luna. Without it, I fear that we may never see the threat destroyed and the sin absolved.”

>Luna and Twilight share an uneasy look, while the gryphons continue to look on

>At last, Luna clears her throat and speaks in a hoarse tone

>”So be it. What do you need?”

>You incline your head towards them before replying

“Twilight, please accompany to my camp. I have experiments that could use the touch of such a master of magic. Princess Luna, spread word to not fear Nox Aurea, word that she is fighting for the ponies. As for you, Graf Steelwing, please have your scouts keep track of the enemy. We must be ready to fight it as early as we can.”

>The gryphons all nod silently before rising and leaving the room immediately

>Thus the spell that had held you all in here seemed broken, and you rise from your seat as well

“Come then, let us work to save Equestria.”

–

>This week has likely been your most fruitful since arriving in the strange world of Equestria

>With the backing of two princesses, trade had boomed overnight and ores once difficult and expensive to acquire were thrust on you

>Menial repairs to the skin of Nox Aurea became the simplest of tasks with the practical glut of craftsponies that now occupied the site

>What's more, the far more exotic materials for repairs to the mirrors of the Titan's massive reactor had appeared as if by magic

>Considering the donors, it could certainly have been magic

>Still, all things considered, Nox Aurea was practically ready to walk once more

>This morning you found yourself sharing the cockpit with Gale and Twilight, modifying the steersman throne to double as an MIU that would have usually been in the command throne

>There was only one being on the entire planet that could operate the god machine, after all

>Of course it was only by the begrudging approval of Nox Aurea herself that you had dared carry out the modifications necessary

>But something had changed with the Titan

>Perhaps she could feel the drums of war, carried on a breeze from distant shores

>You couldn't discount it, the god machines were notorious for their near precognition when it came to battle

>Of course you had shared what was seen with her, and that more than anything had ignited the fighting spark in her mournful spirit

>You refocus on the task at hand, carefully lining yet another in a series of hundreds of copper wires that ran from the crown of the command throne to the headrest of the steersman position

>”So if this is where all motive commands are input, why do you even need this...this...”

>You resist the urge to make a biting comment, it was hardly Twilight's fault that she was being thrust into a world of technology she couldn't even imagine, let alone understand

“Mind Impulse Unit. A Titan is not a dumb machine like one of your trains, it is a being unto itself, with a mind and soul greater than any of ours. Attempting to command it without linking yourself to it is at the least a violation of its sanctity, but is closer to a violation of its soul. Imagine someone throwing a yoke around your neck and dragging you to and fro to do their bidding instead of working with you to overcome a threat to both your lives.”

>She shivers as you return to work

>Truthfully, such a vile action was tantamount to the worst kinds of blaspheming, on par with the Hereteks shackling their Titans with daemons

>But without the context, she would never understand it exactly

>”So you'll work with the Titan even while controlling it?”

>You sigh and pause your work yet again

“I will not be controlling Nox Aurea, merely directing her fury. She and I are of one mind, but while she is experienced in fighting it takes a team to perform every action successfully. Were she let loose to rampage as she desired, perhaps she would win but the cost to herself and to whatever lay before her would be immense. We work together to mitigate such things.”

>She nods and falls silent, allowing you to return to working once more

>Gale nudges your shoulder and motions to the plug of the steersman seat

>”Is it going to be able to handle such an overload, Anonymous? At the very least there is going to be a bottleneck at the plug point.”

>You nod and gesture to a number of parts laid out at the edge of the crew pit

“Normally yes, however we'll be adding an additional throughput that will be fed into my auxiliary input port. That should allow me to interface with both systems and be able to handle it, though I may have to link in parallel with a cogitator to accept the squaring of information packets.”

>Her eyes brighten and she scans over the parts again

>”I see! That's a brilliant modification!”

>You nod and finally solder the last strand of wire into the seat

>Wiping a bead of sweat from your brow, you examine the results of so many hours of labour

>It was perfect

“Gale, could you please fetch the insulating material I left in Shed Three?”

>She nods eagerly and practically runs to fetch the sheath that would enclose the wires and truly complete the modification

>When she leaves you turn to Twilight

“Shall we take a break, princess?”

>The purple alicorn nods and follows you down the gantry that had been set up around Nox Aurea to better service her

>It certainly allowed for easier access for the ponies, being that they didn't have the necessary appendages to clamber over the hull as you did

>Finally her skin was whole, and most of the repairs was down to restoring the fine details of her heraldry and battle honours

>The victory banners still hung in tatters and would remain as such, since you simply lacked the means to have them repaired

>It would have to suffice, but perhaps after this engagement you could see about getting a proper artisan to restore them

>A surprise greets the two of you at the bottom of the scaffolding

>”Twilight, priest, come. We must discuss something.”

>You grimace and follow Luna, despite the new trepidation that now settled in on your soul

>All of the progress, promises of protection, oaths to not harm any ponies, none of it had seemed to persuade the night diarch that you only wished to reactivate Nox Aurea for their benefit

>Certainly it was to your benefit as well, but she had seemed convinced you were up to no good

>At the end of the tense, silent walk, lay yet another surprise, greater even than Luna showing up unannounced

>”Hello Twilight, how have you been these past weeks? It's been quite some time since Spike has sent a letter.”

>You frown as Twilight practically falls on her face before Celestia, the sun goddess

>The white alicorn chuckles gently and places a hoof on Twilight's withers

>”Twilight please, you're no longer a mere student. What's more, I've never desired you to prostrate yourself before me. Now please, how are you?”

>Twilight rises, a sheepish grin on her face

>”O-oh I'm sorry princess. I've been just fine. I'm learning so much about the Titan from Anonymous, it's truly incredible stuff! Did you know it has a powerplant that produces energy out of helium? It's practically miraculous!”

>Celestia's gaze flickers to you and her smile twitches, but she nods towards her former pupil

>”I'm glad you've made such progress. Will the machine be ready soon?”

>You offer her a tense grin

“Most likely, princess. The continuing stonewall is the ignition of Nox Aurea's reactor. I am still gathering the materials required, but it will be prepared within two weeks at most.”

>Finally she turns her gaze on you fully, her smile disappearing as though torn from her face

>”I certainly hope you will be prepared before that, priest. Come, we have things to discuss away from the public.”

>You sneer at the comment and remain where you are, despite Celestia and Luna both turning their backs on you

“I conduct all my business well within the eyes of all that care to see. The least I can ask is for you two to do the same. These ponies know of the threat coming, why treat them as though they are children that you dare not warn?”

>Celestia pauses, but Luna is the sister that whirls on you with a hateful look

>”We do this as a courtesy to you, priest! You will come with us or we shall yell out our news for all to hear.”

>Celestia places a hoof on her sister's back and steps forward with a serene look

>”Luna is correct, this news is considerably more...volatile than usual affairs. Please, Anonymous, let us speak in private.”

>Something in her tone changes your mind

>Sharp and short as she was acting, she was being more sincere than you had heard either of the diarchs be towards you

>You let out a quiet sigh and gesture to a workshop just off the dirt path

“In here, none will bother us.”

>She inclines her head and follows you into the darkened foundry, Luna showing more trepidation than either of the other two

>You turn on a light and sit at a small craft table, folding your hands in front of you

“So then, what could be so inflammatory that we needed such secrecy to discuss it?”

>Celestia waits for Luna and Twilight to join you and her at the table before closing her eyes and speaking in a somber tone

>”That monster, the Kaban machine, has just come out of the sea to the South of Baltimare. We have found out where it is heading.”

>This was news to you, the last you had heard the enemy had returned to the oceans and was lost

>She opens her eyes and her gaze carries the weight of ages spent on a throne

>”It's coming here.”

>For a long moment, you were confused

“Don't you mean, it is here, princess?”

>It had just come up on Equestria's shores, so indeed it was here

>What then, did she mean?

>Of course, the moment you consider this question, her answer falls on your ears with the force of a lead brick

>”No, Anonymous, it is coming here. It is coming to Ponyville.”

–

>Your soul sinks at her pronouncement

>It was just as you had feared, despite your prayers to the contrary

>You lower your head and pray a quiet supplication for the protection of these ponies

>When you look up, Twilight is staring at you with confusion, and Celestia and Luna with suspicion

>”You understand why, then.”

>You nod your head a swallow to clear your throat, replying in a hoarse tone

“Yes, I was afraid of this when I noticed the resemblance to such an ancient design. You see, the Kaban Project was build to home in on the passive signals of Mechanicus machine spirits and destroy them. Because your machines are made without spirits, it has never seen fit to hunt on this world.”

>You take a deep breath, steeling yourself for the next revelation

“It was likely in a dormant, passive scan state until now. When Nox Aurea was thrust into this world and near the shutdown point, she likely broadcast a Mechanicus distress beacon with what power remained. When it was detected, the machine would have reactivated and begun whatever vile sequence it has to process such situations. Once that was done, it would have started the hunt for its enemy.”

>You bow your head again, your voice becoming sorrowful

“I apologize to you, princesses. It is because of my kind that this threat even exists, and my own that it is now a danger to you at all. This is why I must return Nox Aurea's ability to wage war, and by doing so protect you all from our past sins.”

>You fall silent and the other remain so

>The quiet hum of electricity fills the small space, filling what would otherwise be a void

>Celestia's face is totally inexpressive, but Twilight and, you your surprise, Luna look absolutely shocked at your words

>Perhaps at the revelation itself, perhaps at your apology, or even that you would reveal it without any sort of resistance

>What did they expect from you, it was your fault that this was happening, and so you would be the one to at least try and make it right

>Surely they could understand that

>Finally, Celestia speaks up with a tone that wouldn't sound out of place coming from a maternal figure

>”Thank you for your honesty, Anonymous.”

>She leans forward, a small smile touching the corners of her lips

>”If I'm entirely honest, I had expected you to at least try and shift the weight of the threat to another. That you didn't shows a genuine desire to help us against this threat.”

>Celestia sits up straight again as Twilight and Luna finally shake off their shock

>When she speaks, her voice is as regal and commanding as you'd expect from royalty

>”Equestria stands behind your Titan, Anonymous. Never have we had to rely on a non-pony to save us, and I cannot deny that it frightens me to do so. But you have shown goodness through your actions, flawed though they may be.”

>She holds up a hoof to forestall any protest from her companions, or any words from you

>”However, in return for this trust I must ask something of you. Do not carry out any more implantations on my little ponies. While I understand your desire for advancement at any cost, I cannot allow the further defilement of the pony form.”

>You grit your teeth at the pronouncement

>But you couldn't turn down this kind of endorsement, it would be far too valuable in the future

>Perhaps, in time, you would be able to move your operations to another country and continue your work on pilgrims

>Those plans would have to wait, for now at least you would abide

“Very well, I accept these terms. I must ask you to reconsider if your subjects submit themselves voluntarily. They are fully capable of making informed decisions, and the Omnissiah calls to all who would hear his voice.”

>Celestia grimaces and shakes her head slowly

>”No. Though they may be grown mares and stallions, even adults need protection from some things. You do not understand ponies as I do, Anonymous. I will not budge a single millimeter on this matter.”

>You take a deep breath to calm yourself

>Too valuable...

“So be it, perhaps we might speak more in the future. For now though, I will continue to prepare Nox Aurea for war.”

>Celestia inclines her head to you and takes a step back from the table

>”Thank you. Let us go sister, we still have much more to do.”

>Luna glowers at you for a moment longer before following Celestia out of the workshop

>Twilight looks at you, clearly uncertain of what she ought to be doing

>You rise from your seat and offer her a smile

>Best not to make such a big deal out of the great restrictions that had just been placed on your mission to the ponies

“Well Twilight, I suppose that is that.”

>She gives you a nervous chuckle and her eyes flit to the door

>”Yeah, I guess it is. Well you have royal support, there should be no problem getting the Titan online now!”

>You lay a hand on your withers and she twitches at the touch

“Come, it is time I showed you the reason behind my inviting you to work with me.”

>Her eyes widen and she eagerly trots after you as you leave the small workshop behind

>She keeps up a constant barrage of questions as the two of you make for the largest laboratory at the feet of Nox Aurea

>”You mean it wasn't just to show me around? What kind of experiments do you need my help with? Are they magical? I know plenty about magic, but I can't promise anything since your technology is so advanced. Did you find some kind of secret spell to reawaken the Titan?”

>You pause at the entry and look down at her, a strange sensation of nervousness coming over you

“Whatever you think of what is in here, allow me to explain it before you jump to conclusions.”

>She lets out a snort of laughter and gives you a reassuring smile

>”Please, you make it sound like you're harvesting pony organs and selling them to the gryphons for meat.”

>You grimace at the idea

>What a barbaric concept, honestly these ponies...

>You throw open the doors to the laboratory and usher Twilight inside the now brilliantly lit room

>Her look is one of shock, her jaw dropping open and her pupils shrinking to pinpricks

>Some time ago, you had built two more replication vats for increased production of unicorn horns, and all three were full of horns still being cultivated

>”What is...what are...”

>You nod and run a hand over the glass of one of the green liquid filled tubes

“Quite something is it not?”

>”What the BUCK is this?”

>You turn and see her hyperventilating and looking around with fear in her eyes

>Elevated heart rate, abnormal pupilary response, extreme stress responses

“Twilight, calm yourself, this is hardly what you think it is.”

>Her gaze fixes on you and her lips curl in disgust

>”Like Tartarus it isn't! How many unicorns are walking around hornless, Anonymous? No, it doesn't matter, I'm going to Celestia about this right now!”

>You swiftly wrap a pair of mechadendrites around her to stop her flight

>Perhaps not the most elegant way to stop her, but she had to understand

“Twilight calm down and look. You of all ponies should have been able to observe what this actually is.”

>She struggles against your grip, but you forcibly guide her to one of the vats and direct her gaze inside

“Look, Twilight. They're just cloned organs, cloned of Tempest Shadow no less. No pony was harmed by this, in fact this was to help her!”

>Gradually, her struggles slow and her breathing becomes calm

“My apologies, Twilight. I did not expect such an averse reaction to the laboratory.”

>She shifts around in your grasp, more from discomfort than any desire to escape it seemed

>”Yeah, well, I'm fine now. Let me down.”

>You gingerly remove your mechadenrites and wrap them around your back once more

>With a bit of trepidation, she approaches the tubes and her horn comes alight

>Alarmed, you step between her and the replication vats, afraid she would destroy so much work

>”Relax would you? I'm just making sure you're telling the truth.”

>Her tone is clinical and dispassionate, and yet you're still uncertain

>However, you needed her help

>You step aside, allowing her to touch her horn on the armoured glass of the tube

>The detached organ inside glows faintly with resonant magic, as do the others in turn as she approaches each

>She glances sidelong at the complete horns inside their climate controlled chambers and lets out a quiet sigh

>”Well, they all have the same resonance signature that Fizzlepop has. And since I've seen her going around with an intact horn, I suppose they weren't actually extracted from her. Still...”

>She shudders and turns to you, appearing paler than before

>”Why did you do this? Any other pony would have attacked you outright! What could you possibly need all these horns for, and why are they so big?”

>You stroke the glass again and quietly sigh

“I've been doing a great deal of research with these, Twilight. I found, quite by accident, that they interact with resonant crystals in such a way that, under the right conditions, cubes the amount of energy that lays latent in the crystal itself.”

>You pick up a crystal from a nearby table and hold it up to the light

“When induced, the horns can redirect this energy in such a way that it combines and multiplies further. With enough horns and crystals, there is a good chance of restarting the reactor of Nox Aurea.”

>You turn to her, a solemn look on your face

“I need a unicorn with great experience and control to direct the flow, Twilight. Though an excellent worker, Tempest simply doesn't have the level of finesse required for this operation. I need you, Twilight.”

>You hold out a hand to her, more serious than you'd ever been

>This was all or nothing, do or die

>Twilight looks at you suspiciously

>”You're totally sure that this will work?”

>You nod your head, allowing a small smile to touch your lips

“The numbers don't lie.”

>She offers you a small smile in return, looks at your hand and with a slight shiver, places her hoof in it

–

>A few days after Twilight agreed to help, you find yourself in the horn growth laboratory once again

>These three might be the last ones, the final components in what would bring Nox Aurea back to life

>If your calculations were correct, and according to Twilight they were indeed, this would be all you needed

>Gale is sitting beside you and smiling at the horns like a proud mother

>”This is it, right? The last batch we need to make before we can try?”

>You run a hand through her mane affectionately, a gesture she had more than grown to appreciate

“Correct, adept. Soon the glory of an awakened god machine will bathe us all, and every being here will bear witness to the power of an avatar of the Omnissiah.”

>Gale beams even wider, nuzzling the glass of one of the tubes

>”I can't believe that it's happening so soon. It seems almost like a dream.”

>Her words resonate deep inside you

>It did indeed seem just too good to be true, and yet here you were, on the verge of making both Equestrian and Mechanicus history

>What's more, you would be waging war against two ancient enemies of all life, the vile Soulless Sentience and the putrid forces of the Archenemy

>Yet that same idea that gave you a definite goal paved the way to allow worry and fear to take root

>Worry that you were wrong and Nox Aurea would never rise again, fear that you and her would perish alongside any beings that knew the touch of the Machine God

>Your work would be in vain, and your mere existence would have let loose indescribable evil on this world

>That sin alone would deny the embrace of the Omnissiah to you, and possibly to your followers as well

>A gentle tug at the cuff of your sleeves drags you out of the recursive downward cycle, and you see Gale offering you an understanding smile

>”Please, Anonymous, don't fret. We've done the math again and again, this is going to work. Remember, mathematics was knowledge granted to us by the Omnissiah. It is through this that we perceive truth.”

>You smile at the quotation

>It was something you had taught her when you had been going over more advanced arithmetic

>To hear it quoted back at you with such a force of faith touched your heart

>Here you were, a fully assumed member of the cult who personally worked on the very machines wrought in perfect image of the Deus Mechanicus, and this little pony held more faith in her than you did

>You lay a hand on her back and smile beatifically at the simple revelation she had granted

“I am sorry, Gale, to both you and to the Omnissiah. I allowed doubt to darken my mind, and thus to cloud the pure logic gifted to me. I beg your forgiveness, and that of the Machine God.”

>You kneel and Gale places her hoof on your head, tracing the shape of a cog and kissing the center of it

>”In his name, you are forgiven. No penitence is necessary in light of the coming battle.”

>You rise and ruffle her mane

>It was a strange feeling, being absolved by your junior

>But on this occasion, it seemed more than fitting

>It was not the vast empire of steel and spirit that was giving rebirth to a living icon, but a technologically dark world with not even the barest idea of the Omnissiah

>The Motive Force could be found anywhere, this was the teaching of the Cult

“Thank you, Gale. Now then, let's run another test on the conducting coils. I'm still put off by the microsecond fluctuation at the surge point and--”

>The door to the shop bursts open, interrupting your vocal tasking

>Twilight stands in the frame, panting and soaked with sweat

>Her gaze hold such fear that it gives you pause in even asking what could possibly have her in such a state

>Deep down though, you already know

>”The machine, it's just torn through Dodge City! It's moving faster than we had first thought and picking up more speed on the plains. We have a day at most before it's here, when is the Titan going to be ready?”

>A day, that pronouncement chills you to your core

>Gale looks up at your horrified expression with uncertainty before looking back at Twilight

>”Um, princess, we need at least two before these horns are complete. Plus there's still more tests to run on Nox Aurea...”

>Gale trails off and you don't pick up the thread

>There were other things, teaching Gale more about operating the sensors, running Tempest through more combat scenarios

>Not to mention your own need to adjust to the intense information overload of coupling with Nox Aurea and acting as steersman

>A day was too little, it would just be too late

>”Please Anonymous, there must be some solution! We're going to die!”

>An idea sparks in your mind

>It's utterly insane, true madness born of desperation and in any other circumstance would have you excommunicated as a heretek immediately

“Send for Princess Celestia, she is still in Ponyville correct?”

>Twilight hesitates a moment, but nods with a look of confusion

“Go, we have no time to spare for explanation.”

>After another second of hesitating, clearly wanting to ask questions, she takes off in a rush of wind and loose feathers

>You massage your temples, a spike of anger quickly running its course through you

>What an absolute disaster

>Gale stands beside you, perceptive enough to understand that it was best to not break your concentration

“Come, let's gather the completed horns. We need to get them into the cradle right now and make preparations for Ignition.”

>To her credit, and despite her clear confusion at the order, she runs to the chambers and gathers as many as she can before trotting off as careful as possible

>With your mechadendrites and greater size, you manage to gather the ten that remained after her three

>Finally you follow the path she had taken to the foot of the Titan

>The camp and nearby town is barely held together as it is, this event had many scrambling to evacuate, and many more prostrating and offering prayers to you, to Nox Aurea, to the Omnissiah

>The throngs around the feet of the god machine parted before you, muttering and chanting incessantly

>The hymns were rough and imperfect renditions of ones you had been taught as a mere child, but importantly they could be made with simple fleshvoice

>You clamber up the scaffolding around the Titan and into the cockpit, the inner sanctum, forbidden to all but a few

>The horns are deposited at the back, near the reactor access and the cradle that would act as a conductor of their powers

>A pulse of machine cant runs over your ears and you look to the crew pits where Tempest sits staring straight ahead, her horn aglow

>Another simulation, thank the Omnissiah she spent as much time as she could here

>But for now, she would have to stop

>With a squib of machine language, you have Nox Aurea shut down the memory and Tempest reacts slowly, blinking and squinting at the sudden disconnect

>”Nox Aurea, was that a glitch? Did some non-operation occur?”

>The deep rumble from the inner workings of the Titan somehow manage to sound offended

>Tempest's head whips around and she finally catches sight of you

>”Ah, Anonymous it must have been you! Is something the matter? You look as though Tartarus has swallowed us up.”

>You nod once and gesture for her to follow you to the back where Gale has begun slotting the horns into place

“It may well have, Tempest. The Kaban Duplicate is going to be here within a day. We can no long train, we must be prepared to act immediately.”

>She joins Gale without another word, using her magic to swiftly and precisely slot the horns into position

>There was no need to explain the weight of the situation to her

>”Will Nox Aurea walk?”

>You grimace, that was a question you were already dreading in your own mind

“It is possible, though not without a great deal of difficulty. We shall have to forgo the planned rites of activation and the supplication of the god machine to do it in a timely fashion. I believe she will forgive these transgressions so long as it is under such duress.”

>Another rumble from the Titan, likely pleased with the idea of a fight

>Even among Warhounds, Nox Aurea was a violent beast

>She often charged ahead of the pack, straining at the leash of the princeps' mind, and howling in deafening squalls of binary

>Yes, she would be pleased to stride the fields with killing intent once again

>Several hoofbeats clank on the entrance gantry, alerting you to the presence of ponies you hoped were here at your request

>Turning around you feel a modicum of relief and some tension in your body dissipates

>”Anonymous, just what is so important that you had to pull me away from a round-table with the generals of three nations?”

>You offer Celestia an easy smile and gesture to the work your companions had nearly completed

“Princess, I do apologize but I required a magician of your caliber for this. I assume Twilight has already briefed you on the mechanism by which I plan to awaken Nox Aurea?”

>Celestia looks down at the bashful purple princess and nods slowly

>”Somewhat, though I don't understand a great deal of the technology involved. It is using replicated unicorn horns to conduct and amplify magic that comes from resonant stones though, correct?”

>You cock your head slightly and nod

“That is the absolute basic principle behind it yes. I will not waste time with the details, we simply do not have the time. But as it stands, I required sixteen horns in order to have Twilight start the process with a sizeable donation of her own reserves of energy. With only thirteen however...”

>”You need a larger boost.”

>You smile again, happy that you don't have to explain absolutely everything

“Precisely. Being a...goddess such as you are I was hoping that you might be able to grant this small favour. After all, I have a feeling that even with those generals you have not come up with an alternative to Nox Aurea engaging the Kaban Duplicate.”

>You see her biting the inside of her cheek, annoyed

>Clearly you had hit the nail on the head

>”There have been no...viable alternatives no. And with how little time we have I have my own doubts about our ability to fight this threat. So...”

>She sighs and lowers her head to you

>”So be it. What must I do?”

>Gale tugs at the hem of your robe and nods when you turn to acknowledge her

>Everything was ready then

>You raise your arm and gesture to the open panel containing thirteen, meter long unicorn horns surrounded by several resonating crystals each

>Thick bundles of wire fed into an opening in the toroidal plasma chamber

“Please just step over here a moment. I shall make the final preparations and inform you.”

>She walks over and stands above the waiting power conductor, an uneasy expression on her face

>You draw power from other systems to the safeties and containment of the reactor, shutting down everything that was outside the Titan herself

>Even the cockpit is silent, the whir of the air exchange vanishing and the hum of various systems going silent as their energy is shunted towards the singular operation

>You turn from the console to Celestia, who was shuffling nervously

“Princess, I need you to channel as much energy as you can into the resonating crystals at their perfect tones. I have simplified the tones as much as I can, but there is still marginal variance between the sets. Twilight was able to compensate for up to twelve different tones, and I am hoping you might do the same.”

>Celestia gives you a grin and her horn lights up

>”Please, who do you think taught Twilight? A mere twelve tones ought to be a simple operation.”

>The stones and horns are engulfed with a blazing, golden glow and Celestia closes her eyes, adopting a serene expression

>You can hear, through the augmetics in your ears, her shifting through various resonant tones

>Their magic was so fascinating, far from the simple magnetic field manipulation you had originally postulated on arrival

>You could pour decades of study and still not plumb the depths of it

>To call it magic was hardly inaccurate, you've found

>As each tone coincides in perfect harmony with their respective set of stones, a new sound emerges and bathes the horns in a green-gold radiance

>And after several minutes, you hear it at last

>Perfect Resonance

>You allow yourself a second to record a sample of the audio, it would be incredibly valuable for research

“Celestia, hold those tones and channel every bit of energy you can through the stones.”

>She nods and the glow becomes a near blinding light that fills the cockpit

>Seemingly sourceless, it makes everything appear as flat objects, flowing and fusing into each other

>The volume of the tones grows ever louder and, when it reaches a peak, you throw a large breaker switch on the panel you had been standing by

>A deafening crash echoes out and the radiance disappears as a candle snuffed out

>The tones are gone, but in their place there is a new sound

>You shove the ponies aside heedlessly, you had to see if it was truly happening

>From the small viewport at the techpriest's station, a scintillating, brilliant violet light bathes the tight quarters and highlights the various instruments

>Slowly, each panel flickers to life and a resounding hum begins to spread through the engine

>Gears creak and moan as they move for the first time in many months, pneumohydraulics hiss and squeal as they are pressurized

>Autoloaders clack and the scent of ozone builds in the cockpit as the capacitors of the plasma blastgun are fed with power

>Outside, the worshipers are cheering furiously as the god machine belches the smoke of impurity buildup from its extractors

>And finally a single word echoes through your augmented mind, screamed by Nox Aurea as noospheric data swims about your head, bringing tears of joy to your eyes

>”IGNITION”

–

>No time is wasted from the moment of Ignition

>Gale is inloaded with all the information she needs to be a successful sensori, Tempest is given data on twenty-two similar engagements, and both are strapped into their modified seats in the crew pit

>Finally, while chanting prayers and hymns in binary and fleshvoice, you plug yourself into the steersman throne

>It's larger than it had originally been, owing to the extra hardware that allowed you to interface directly with Nox Aurea, and the cogitator interface to allow you to process so much

>The moment you open the connection, your mind is awash with heavenly data

>It's overwhelming, and you cannot help bust bask in it, uttering praises to the Machine God with a beatific smile

>But the moment quickly passes as Nox Aurea's consciousness brushes against your own, a red and black monster of pure intent

>She wanted to hunt, wanted to kill, but just as a princeps would, you leash her desires to your will

>A glance out the viewports shows you that Celestia and Twilight have managed to clear the ponies from the feet of the Titan, though they haven't gone far

>With another grin, you blast the warhorns of the god machine, and they return it with raucous applause

>Finally, you take your first step

>The ground shudders below you, registering on the seismic sensors momentarily before being filtered out

>A pulse from Gale confirms that everything is in working order, and so you take another step, turning towards the rolling hills over which your enemy came

>The Titan leans, and you receive more pulsed reports from Tempest and Gale

>You're ready

>As an afterthought, you rest your finger on one of the few analog switches on the console in front of you

>You pause, conferring with Nox Aurea

>After a tense second of silence, she gives her approval and you flip the switch

>From each leg, a monolithic, black rectangular block drop to the soft earth with a muffled thudding

>The repositories were far too valuable for you to risk in a combat such as this

>Usually, when the legio would walk, they could be recovered from fallen Titans without issue so their irreplaceable information would not be lost

>But you and Nox Aurea are alone, and there are no guarantees that you will survive

>Better to risk losing a blessing than to risk utter damnation

>Besides that, the god machine has lightened significantly

>You bring her up to a slow lope, your body moving in time with the gait of the engine, slightly swaying with each stride

>Constant reports are fed to you, auspex, vox emanations, energy levels, everything that you need to both run Nox Aurea and to locate the enemy

>After an hour, it becomes a kind of meditation

>Processing so much blessed data lulls you into a strange limbo of being, feeling as though you are merely a piece of the great Titan you are plugged into

>Was this how the princeps felt when they were linked?

>It was easy to see how they became almost addicted to the sensation, why after a time they developed various tics that mimicked the mannerisms of what they piloted

>You had seen it happen to your own princeps, Hetzer

>His gait had changed to mimic the hunched, loping steps of Nox Aurea, becoming more aggressive as time went on and irritable outside the cockpit

>Though you can now understand why this came about, though you can only pray it doesn't happen to you

>The Titan seems to be pulling slightly southwest, as though attracted by something unseen by eye or instrument

>Even when you try and pull her back, she strains against the bonds of the plug, yearning for whatever she feels

>Then you feel it as well

>You connect with Gale, momentarily slowing your advance

“What is the weather like right now, adept?”

>She hesitates, confused by the request, but checks the barometric sensors on her console

>”Uh, pressure is slightly below normal. There seems to be a cold front sweeping southwest of us, in the dustbowls.”

>You narrow your eyes, staring off in the indicated direction

“Project a map for me, please.”

>The display come up, labeling the various cities and towns in the area, along with the topography

>Without hesitation, you turn southwest and take off at the highest speed you could without falling over

>As you dismiss the map, Gale and Tempest both query you for the sudden change

“It's a sandstorm.”

>Tempest is the first to realize, having relived an engagement on Orestes that had taken place inside a storm like the one that was sweeping the land far away

>Void shield harmonics

>When exposed to constant irritation, void shields gave off strange harmonic frequencies that, though detectable, were often parsed out of auspex sweeps

>The machine was in the storm, and now you held the advantage of surprise

>Nox Aurea lopes along with savage glee, excited to be the silent hunter coming for unsuspecting prey

>That feeling is infectious and you find yourself getting caught up in the thrill of the hunt

>Was it dangerous? Yes. Foolish? Absolutely

>Yet you pushed ever on, heart pounding in time with the pulse of the reactor

>As the fields gave way to dry sands, you could feel the same excitement overtaking Tempest

>Gale however was becoming ever more nervous

>You send a pulse of reassurance to her over the connection you all shared

>There was little else you could do, the stocks of stimulants and relaxants had been long depleted in the walk before coming to Equestria

>A touch of worry colours your feelings as you slow to approach the vast storm front in the desert

>You would simply have to trust that she would be capable in the heat of battle

>Tempest's voice pipes up from beside you, excited and cheery

>”Well here we are, the battlefield.”

>She looks over at you, a strangely predatory grin on her face that looked entirely out of place on a pony

>”Shall we engage, Anonymous?”

>You look over your crew, Tempest eager and hot blooded, Gale with a nervous smile fidgeting in her chair

>With these two you would face down a threat that had barely been staved off by the Legio Mortis of Mars

>A monster brought to life by Hereteks with vile techno-sorcery and daemonic assistance

>An ancient evil that, if allowed to roam free, could easily destroy all life on this world

>So despite your misgivings, you must face it

>Without another word, you shut down the void shields and ease Nox Aurea into the blinding, violent sandstorm and onwards to your fate

–

>The interior of the cockpit is silent, but for the sand scraping on the hull

>Nox Aurea is cold, her reactor only keeping a trickle of energy to ensure the Titan did not die

>The breath of you and your crew fog in the frigid air, made so to make her nigh undetectable

>You lay in wait, crouched low, passive scanners listening for the barest trace of your prey, finger hovering over the rapid restart

>A Warhound could come fully online from a cold sit like this in seconds, catching any enemy that looked over her with devastating surprise

>But the anticipation was building, in you and your companions

>Since entering the storm, you had not caught on to the trace of the Kaban Duplicate

>After ten minutes of fruitless searching, you had shut down the Titan and had been laying in wait ever since

>Two hours now, and you were becoming worried

>It feels as though the entire movement was just bait to lure you in

>Given that you were dealing with an abominable intelligence, it was a very real possibility

>You rest a mechadendrite on the start button and take the yoke in your hands

>Tempest and Gale turn to their instruments, focus returning as they understand the gravity of your movement

>Suddenly, from the aural scanners, an ugly storm of hissing and squeals comes over the equipment, void feedback

>Gale wastes no time locating the signal and feeds the information to Tempest

>Within seconds, she has a firing solution and waits for the power to unleash the boundless fury of Nox Aurea

>But you hold

>This was almost certainly a trap

>You had first picked up this signal far away from where you now were, and it had been lost the moment you entered the storm

>And here is was again, after hours of total silence

>No, it was definitely a trap

>So you waited

>You observed the constant flow of information on the position and target solution, squaring that data with the map

>The enemy drew ever closer

>It was moving in an odd radial search pattern, likely unsure of where you were but unwilling to allow you the possibility of slipping past a basic grid

>It wouldn't be long before its closest approach, you had to be ready to pounce

>The void generators are ready to ignite the moment power comes through the system, the capacitors have been trickle fed to their limit, and the megabolter is prepared

>As an afterthought, you query the status of the lone close combat weapon, a serrated dagger that would come from the bottom of the blastgun

>It's ejectors were slightly below nominal pressure, but it would have to suffice

>The tension grew thick in the cockpit as the Duplicate drew closer, the smell of sweat, chemical and natural, permeating the frigid air

>It's close enough now that the seismic detectors could feel the rumbling of its treads

>There were seconds until it would be effectively on top of you, within a scant hundred meters

>You query your crew and get affirmatives, and a purr from Nox Aurea

>Three, two, one, now

>The reactor flares, energy floods through the Titan, and you direct it to spring forward and close even further with the vile machine

>With so little time, the Kaban Duplicate hardly had time to turn towards the violently advancing Warhound before you had engaged it

>A series of three shots flew from the plasma blastgun and impacted the void shields of the enemy, throwing rainbow shimmers across its surface

>That vibrant colouring only lasted a second before the shields burst, tongues of flame licking across its back as its generators burst from the sudden and intense stress

>Its own weapons only got a single shot off that was easily absorbed by your own, now brilliant, shields

>The megabolter spat its last fifty rounds at near point blank range, tearing holes in its armour and blasting apart dozens of hull mounted weapons

>Now you're too close to bring the blastgun to bear on its head, but Tempest is nothing if not a pony of aggressive opportunity

>The shot that comes rips apart the machines left arm, destroying what was likely incomprehensible archeotech and a no doubt murderous weapon

>She lets out a restrained cheer, taken by her achievement

>It wasn't dead, but the enthusiasm was quite infectious

>You hear Gale even giggle as the enemy lets out a seemingly pained moan

>But it still has some fight left in it

>With how close you were, the Kaban Duplicate managed to snake its more flexible remaining arm inside your near pristine void shields and gave a tremendous shot that blew out every actuator to the megabolter

>Nox Aurea cries out in furious pain and you let out your own moan as needles of pain stab into your left arm

>The damage wasn't crippling, but now the Titan's anger was stoked to new heights

>Bellowing from her warhorns, you backed her off to a short but manageable distance

>You shunt the energy from the crippled megabolter to the blastgun, praying for enough energy to deliver a coup de grace and end this fight

>But war is never so simple

>Lightning sparks across its massive mechadendrites and a hellish screech echoes above the whipping wind

>The lights on your console flicker and the capacitors in the gun drain to zero

>A bolt jumps from the Kaban Duplicate and dances over the shields of Nox Aurea, putting excessive stress on the generators to keep it up

>With deft twitches from your own mechadendrites across the keys you rout additional energy to cooling those generators and lower the threshold of the shields

>Gale reports an out of place buildup of energy across the surface of the machine, and its suddenly wreathed in blue energy

>A secondary shield, plasma based

>Of course it had a backup, and what's more the blastgun was charging at a barely acceptable rate

>It would be at least a minute before you could fire a single shot, let alone the several it would likely take to disrupt the shield and make the kill

>What's more, you couldn't guarantee your shields would keep a blast like the last one at bay

>Felid and rodent then

“Gale keep tracking it, Tempest modify your targeting algorithm to adjust for full speed. We're moving now.”

>Without waiting for their confirmation, you throttle up the Warhound and take off into the sandstorm

>Your crew, your companions, did their jobs perfectly

>Gale was able to track the machine now that she had full spectral data to go off, and Tempest kept her lock even as you sprinted about

>Another bolt strikes the dusty plains scant tens of meters in front of you, the enemy was having a difficult time as you had hoped

>The sand had been interfering with your own auspex, though Gale did a heroic job of filtering it

>Lightning dances over the shield for a second before dancing along the ground beside Nox Aurea

>It hadn't drained the shields much and they reach full strength moments later

>You divert some spare energy to try and charge the gun, perhaps enough to get a double shot

>As the capacitor charge rises, you tighten the circle you're running around the Kaban Duplicate

“Tempest, you see our vector? Prepare to fire at perhellion.”

>She acknowledges and the blastgun moves as you lean the Titan inwards to run straight past the machine

>At the closest approach, just thirty meters from the enemy, she fires a single shot

>The blast is enough to disrupt the shield and you carry on sprinting away from retaliation

>Another one like that and you would kill it!

>Its response is late, dozens of bolts striking the dusty earth behind you

>Sloppy, especially for such a legendary machine as this

>Perhaps the ages of dormancy and sea water had degraded it to such a point that it could no longer hold a candle to the terror it had wreaked Mars

>Your confidence held for a total of three seconds

>A shot from its remaining main weapon, some archeotech that even your elders may find difficult to comprehend, pops your shield like a blister

>The generators turn to slag as they try and compensate for the sudden draw, but simply cannot keep up with the demand

>Your left arm burns and you cry out in pain as the cables to the plasma blastgun are severed

>Even as you continue sprinting and finally get control of your own pain response, you come to understand that that was it

>There would be no clean kill now, no easy way to save everyone

>You prowl just over a kilometer from the Kaban Duplicate, consciously dulling the pain receptors in your arms as Nox Aurea growls like a wounded bear

>Gale and Tempest are both silent, Tempest in particular is hanging her head low

>There was little for her to do now, with all her weapons neutralized

>A sudden thought, like a shot from a volcano cannon, burns through your mind

>You look in the direction that the enemy laid in, likely nursing its own wounds even as you did yours

>Not all your weapons were down...

–

>By some miracle of the Omnissiah, the integrity of the power blade and its ejectors were pristine, despite the other damage to the arm

>The servos were still working as well, as was everything but the weapon itself, starved of power as it was

>Still, a massive piece of sharpened metal driven by a furious god machine would be more than enough

>The kinetic force alone was enough to level hab blocks

>You set the sticks to continue on the circular pattern you were making around the enemy and turn to Tempest

>Her hooves are resting on the controls, shaking, and she stares out into the storm with a distant gaze

>You snap your fingers in front of her face, jarring her from her stupor

“Tempest I need you here, not in the storm.”

>She looks up at you and the corners of her mouth twitch up in a small, timid smile

>You smile in return, realizing the inadvertent pun of it

“Now listen, you know how to deploy the close combat weapon right?”

>She's silent for a moment, but eventually nods

>”You're not seriously planning on trying to take that thing on close up, are you? It's nearly twice our weight, and still has close in defense systems!”

>You shake your head, gesturing for Gale to join you

>With unsteady steps on the still rolling deck, she hops from her seat and trots over, cables still plugged into her neck

“Gale, do you think you would be able to isolate its reactor?”

>She pauses and blinks, staring into space as she reviews the data feeds flowing through her mind

>After a long pause filled only with the sound of the Titan's pounding footsteps and the whipping wind, she smiles

>”Done. I can feed the information to you if you want.”

>You nod and your smile turns predatory

>Nox Aurea rumbles with approval as the plan is formulated in your mind and transmitted to your companions

>Tempest's eyes brighten up immediately and her smile reflects her own

>”Like spear fishing!”

>You nod and make a few haptic gestures to input the data in the various systems that would need it before you and Gale return to your own positions

>Before you can make the course corrections you need to, the cockpit turns silent

>The sandstorm vanishes and the winds outside grow still

>Ruddy light shines through the viewport and outside you recognize a familiar feature rising before you

>The great volcano of Olympus Mons

>You were on Mars

>The brilliance of Sol sparkled in the empty cockpit, making the blank consoles gleam in the otherwise dark chamber

>But despite the jarring change in scenery, you feel at peace

>A slight breeze flows through the cockpit and, beside you, the chair at the weapon console creaks

>”Do not be alarmed, Pi Sigma-4. This is merely a simulacra, I have ensured that we are holding course for the time being.”

>You look over to see just what was in the chair next to you

>It's a young woman who could not have seen thirty Solar years, vibrant electoos covering her body from the neck down

>She wore the uniform of a Titan crew member from ages past, her hair long besides the hair above her neck, shaved bald to not obstruct her cerebrospinal interface

>She smiles when she sees you looking at you, a savage grin revealing metal tipped teeth

“And you are?”

>The woman takes a deep breath and her smile shrinks

>”I had thought you would already posses this data, Pi Sigma-4. I am the First.”

>When you stay silent, she sighs and goes on

>”Rather I ought to say, I am using an image of the First. You know me as Nox Aurea, though it is not my name. First as you know her, was Princeps Persis Kalliope the Blood Lily.”

>Your eyes brighten in sudden realization and you bow your head

“My apologies, holy engine, I was not aware. My mind is focused...elsewhere as I'm sure you understand.”

>Her smile takes on a comforting look and she lays a hand on your leg

>”Worry not Pi Sigma-4, your service has been exemplary. However, I wished to discuss your choice of strategy.”

>You nod, your mind immediately running through the plan once again

>”You see, I have been going through a number of scenarios in regards to it.”

>She waves her hand, gesturing to the viewports

>On the rusty red sand, dozens of smoking wrecks appear and tarnish the landscape with their bodies

>”Out of three-hundred eighty-two simulations, I survive with severe damage in three and survive as intact as I am in four others. I am...reluctant to continue with such odds.”

>You stare out at the wrecks, your face melancholic

“What choice do we have? The machine out there is the sin of our troubled past. We cannot simply allow it to wreak havoc on innocents, human or not.”

>First, or Nox Aurea, sighs and stares out the viewport with you

>”I understand but still I have no desire to die, least of all here so far from my brothers and sisters.”

>You nod, sympathetic to how the god machine felt about this, a strange feeling to share such companionship with so magnificent an avatar

“Nor do I, great machine. I would like nothing more than to survive and continue my work of bringing the torch of the Omnissiah to chase away the shadows of ignorance.”

>You smile sadly and gently run your fingers over the dark console in front of you

“And yet, I know there are things more valuable than teaching. Our actions will be an example of how the Mechanicus carries the burden of its own sin, but also of the strength that the Machine God imparts to his loyal followers.”

>A fire lights itself in your heart and your chest swells, your head begins to cloud with emotion and you don't suppress it

“They must survive to be enlightened, and without this action they will not.”

>She reaches over and lays her hand atop yours, her voice keeping the same level it always had though you feel as though it carries a modicum of sorrow

>”Then I am glad to undertake it with you, Pi Sigma-4.”

>You swallow, your throat suddenly constricted

“And I with you, Nox Aurea, most holy machine.”

>She squeezes your hand before she fades away, but even as the sandstorm returns to your sight, you here her whisper one more time in your ears

>”My name is Chrysí Chári, my princeps.”

>You smile as the sensations of flesh return to you, leaning back against the modified seat as the world begins to shake and slew once more

>”Anonymous, are you alright? You zoned out for a moment.”

>Tempest is gazing over at you, her expression one of worry

>Your smile grows and you nod, a hand idly massaging the leather that covered the seat as Nox-- no, as Chrysí Chári rumbled

“Yes, perfectly fine. Merely running through the plan one final time. Are you two ready?”

>Tempest nods, her face grim and stony, steeling herself for the dangerous plan

>Gale mimics the gesture, wearing a tense smile and practically vibrating with nervous energy

>You take the control yoke in your hands, easing the Titan into the beginnings of the last maneuver of the battle

>The light outside shines golden through the viewport, sparkling off every surface as the god machine picks up speed

“Forever forward then.”

–

>The wind scraped across the skin of the Titan ever louder as you began to pick up speed

>Deep inside, the reactor flared with power, with no shield generators left to power you spend the energy pushing the legs faster and faster

>The tattered victory banners swirled and snapped in the chaotic winds, winding themselves around the arms of the god machine

>The warhorns bellowed a constant barrage of litanies in code, furious declarations of violence and death on the Kaban Duplicate

>The enemy turned to face it in sullen silence, its weapons aglow with murderous intent

>Inside the cockpit you had been swept up in the thrill of the charge

“Pull the Lever forward to engage!”

>Your compatriots exuberantly continued the catechism

>”Piston and Pump!”

“With push of Button fire the Engine!”

>”And spark Turbine into life!”

>Finally, the three of you concluded in unison

“Sing praises to the god of all Machines!”

>The Titan seemed to howl louder at the end of the litany, mere hundreds of meters from the enemy

>Wild blasts tear armour from the Warhound and gouge furrows all across its body but nothing slows your heedless charge

>The distance closed in mere seconds, and just when you are upon the Kaban Duplicate a number of things happen in rapid, perfect succession

>You first raise the arm with the plasma blastgun to the proper height needed for the maneuver

>Tempest articulates the weapon so that it aligns immaculately with the targeting data fed to her by Gale's instruments

>Finally, scant inches and milliseconds before impact, the blade ejector is triggered to impart further kinetic force into the vicious blow

>The devastating shock of the killing blow throws you all against the restrains of your seats, and the enormous sound of the clashing machines is a hammerblow of noise

>All is still, all is silent

>A long, twisting spiderweb of cracks crosses the entirety of the viewport but you see the glow fade from the optics of the Kaban Duplicate

>A kill

>The threat was dead, and you yet lived

>You hear stifled giggling that evolves into raucous laughs and guffaws from Gale and Tempest

>To many beings, and perhaps the entirety of their own kind, it would seem manic

>But to you and them, it was like the harmonious peals of great bells tolling out a great victory

>All the stress, the pain, the exhaustion of the past months spent slaving to reactivate the engine, to spread the word of the Omnissiah, fades away

>You are finally at peace

>A sudden, searing pain rips through your side and you bellow in agony even as your Titan does

>Alarms blare from every station and the lights flicker as the reactor plasma density plummets

>Tempest and Gale both cry in fear, their elation replaced with terror

>You're the first to recover, shunting everything you can spare to feed into the reactor, barely managing to stabilize the flow

>Through the viewport, the baleful red of the Kaban Duplicate's optics shines with spiteful fury

>The first to recover, Gale shouts a hurried report in panicked tones

>”Ave Deus Mechanicus, a secondary reactor!”

>Of course it had been built with redundancy, how could it not be so?

>It likely wasn't able to supply as much power as the primary, but clearly it was enough to cripple Chrysí Chári

>Some of the pain is sapped from your body and the world grows dimmer for a moment

>”There is but one option left to us, Pi Sigma-4.”

>Yes, there was one option

>But you wouldn't allow the others to take part and parcel in this

“Tempest, Gale, get to the salvation pods and go!”

>They both look shocked, but Tempest quickly unplugs and makes to follow your command

>Another quirk of the legio, the retrofitting of salvation pods to save the crew of a dying Titan

>Just as valuable as the god machine itself was a well trained crew, and with so many losses it was a pragmatic way to salvage something from the nightmare of a Titan death

>Gale though doesn't seem to want to obey the order

>”I won't leave you and the holy machine to die, Anonymous! What kind of affront to the Omnissiah would that be?”

>You whirl on her, unwilling to spare the fragile seconds left on diplomacy

“None, for you would follow the commands of a senior priest! Go!”

>She stamps a hoof on the plating of the deck

>”I won't!”

>You grit your teeth and shout over the wailing klaxons

“Gale you must go, the enlightenment of the Omnissiah to the ponies cannot end here! Go and carry the torch forth!”

>She shakes her head, tears pouring down her cheeks

>”You're the torch Anonymous, you have to come! I can't--”

>A teal flash and her near sobbing voice is cut short

>Tempest unbuckles her from the seat and slings Gale over her back

>You know that hardly another moment can be spared

>With your mechadendrites, you reach over to the articulating yoke of the weapons console while gripping your own with your hands

>Deft pulls and twists bring the arms in and clasp them around the Kaban Duplicate

>Almost immediately it begins to fight against the embrace, straining your own strength and taxing the damaged servos of the Titan

>Wordlessly, you key the reactor to begin critical spinup

>The whirring alerts Tempest to the impending doom and she spares just a singular sentence before making her way to follow your command

>”It was an honour, Anonymous.”

>You grunt in reply, sweat breaking on your brow as she clops to the rear of the deck

>A hiss and roar alerts you to the launching of at least one of the pods

>They had made it to safety

>Thank the Omnissiah

>A violent shake snaps you out of your little supplication, and you feel two of your mechadendrites fastened around the articulation yoke begin to fray

>Such was the strength of the enemy that, within mere moments, it would practically be free of at least one of the arms

>It couldn't be! You had to keep it close if there was to be any hope of destruction

>The reactor, starved as it was, was taking too long to reach critical containment levels

>This was it then

>The mechadendrites snap, but instead of the Kaban Duplicate jerking free it moves inward with a great squeal of metal

>The yoke beside you has been taken up in a teal glow, and you hear the groan of Tempest as she exerts all her will to keep it in place

>You whirl, sparing a momentary lapse to gape at her

“What in the Warp are you doing?”

>She opens an eye and her pained grimace turns to a tense smile

>”Saving everyone, mostly.”

>Another groan of tortured adamantium and you see a vein bulge in her forehead

>”I hope this doesn't condemn me.”

>You can't help but grin at the mocking tone she says it with

“I'll see to it that you're pardoned.”

>She lets out a short, pained bark of laughter and slowly clops forward, resting against the back of her chair

>You wrap the yoke in your remaining mechadendrites and, keeping one hand on it, lay your free hand on her hoof

>She gazes at you, her eyes serene despite the energy exerted on her magic

>”It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve with you, Anonymous. I truly mean that. Could you lead a prayer, one last time?”

>You nod and grip her hoof, your throat constricting as the whine of the reactor increases in pitch

“Oh holy Deus Mechanicus; we your most dedicated and humble servants lay ourselves upon thy altar of purest steel. In our darkest hour, we pray your brilliant torch to light the way of our impure souls and lead us into--”

>A blinding flash of violent light and a nanosecond of profound heat overcomes you

>As nothingness comes, there is a final whisper in your mind

>”Goodbye, my princeps.”

>Then all is white

–

>The birds sing and dance in the brilliant blue sky, celebrating the end of a long winter

>The air is clean, carrying the scent of rain and wet earth, and warmth abounds

>Ponies wander the streets of Ponyville, carrying on conversations with travellers once bound up by the snow and hold great pinics on the dewy grass

>Everything has returned to normal, the danger that had faced them down mere months ago an old memory

>They had forgotten, moved on with their lives

>But you hadn't

>You hear no birdsongs, and your nose twitches with the scent of incense and holy oils

>Nopony has spoken more than a few words to you in the past several months, none since Twilight last visited before the end of the winter, and subsistence grazing was all that filled your belly

>Much of your contact had come through various pilgrims and worshipers, visiting to offer prayers and see the last gift of the strange alien

>A small cathedral had been built around the massive datastores that Nox Aurea had deposited before departing on what would be her final walk

>You had interfaced with both a few times, though you had only managed to skim the bare surface of the titanic depths of information within

>Engraved on one was 'Anonymous' along with several symbols you had found in reference to his name, perhaps they were part of his true name but you couldn't decipher them as of yet

>Upon the other was 'Tempest Storm' and together they were the headstones of two entirely different beings that had come together to protect all of Equestria

>And so they attracted droves

>But despite this, none approached you for more than a few words of praise, or to touch the hem of your rusty red robe

>You were as much an object of worship to them as were Anonymous and Tempest, your friends

>That is what they were to you, you had come to realize in your practical hermitage

>But now they were gone and you were clearly alone

>It wasn't so terrible, you had time to process a great deal of information regarding the Cult Mechanicus, along with adding yours and Anonymous' findings to the repository

>As well you'd had time to offer great worship to the Machine God, though almost equal was the amount of time cursing it

>It was, in some small way, responsible for the death of your friends after all

>Today it was unusually quiet, however; likely the result of the newborn spring for all to enjoy

>So your ears perk up immediately when the door creaks open and a set of lone, almost timid hooffalls clop into the small sanctuary

>They stop a mere meter behind you, closer than most pilgrims dared to approach but clearly they were hesitant to carry further

>You continue the quiet benediction that you were in the middle of already

>If this pony wanted to speak they would, if they wanted to pray they would

>Still, when you finish your prayer, their voice still manages to surprise you

>”H-hey there Gale.”

>The scratchy, high-pitched voice echoes about the high ceilings of the chamber

>You turn to her, your deep green eyes meeting her own magenta, reflections of dancing candles showing clearly

“Rainbow Dash, I cannot say I ever took you for a religious pony.”

>Granted you had only known her as a hero and your own boss, so perhaps yours wasn't the clearest perspective

>She lets out a nervous laugh and scratches the back of her head

>”Yeah well, first time for everything right?”

>She kicks at the dusty floor, clearing her throat before continuing

>”I was uh, out near the wreckage not too long ago. That Titan thing was so cool even when it was just kinda sitting around here so I wanted to see what was left first hand.”

>You feel a pang in your heart as memories of waking up in a pod half a mile from Nox Aurea flood back into your mind

>You were robbed of your friends that day

>Perhaps sensing your sudden discomfort, she hurries on

>”Anyway, it was to most amazing thing I've ever seen. I think Twi called it something like 'two gods locked in combat' or whatever. Kinda eggheady but she...she wasn't wrong.”

>Dash takes a deep breath as though calming herself, then continues with clear trepidation

>”I don't know what came over me but when I got real close I started crying. I'm not really a drama mare or anything, that's Rarity's thing, but I couldn't help it.”

>Looking a bit closer, you can still see the tear tracks on her muzzle, it must have been a recent visit indeed

“It is not uncommon to be overcome with emotion at the sigh of such an avatar, much less one that has died so valiantly.”

>She nods and gulps

>”Heh heh, yeah. But when I tried wiping it away it felt different from normal tears. And now I can't wash the tears outta my coat. I wanted to come and see if you could figure out how to get it out. And maybe learn what it is?”

>You stare at her for a moment, trying to figure out whether she's telling the truth or not

>Ultimately, you just don't have the knowledge to make that judgement

>So you decide to humour her

>You will your sole mechadendrite out to her face before holding it near one of the tracks

“May I take a sample?”

>She looks at the tool apprehensively but eventually nods and closes her eyes

>You pluck a few strands of the downy fur and rotate it into the small, simple analysis tool build into the robotic tentacle

>It only takes a few seconds for the results to appear before your eyes

>You squint at them in confusion, sure of contamination

>But after cleaning both tools and taking another sample, it's quite clear that there is no error

“Rainbow Dash, just how long ago did you visit the wreckage?”

>She looks down and scratches her chin

>”Uhh, about a week ago? It was just after that big storm we whipped up to help out softening the dirt and do some dust control in the badlands.”

>Nevermind that this should have all burned up in the reactor breach, but any remainder would have been washed away by the storm

>You clear your throat and begin, now hesitant

“I don't exactly understand it, but this substance is a kind of lubricant used in very specific anointing rituals.”

>She cocks her head to the side

>”A what?”

>You sigh, chastising yourself for using language that only ponies like Twilight were sure to understand

“It's a holy oil that the Mechanicus christens new Titans with. I don't know how it could have possibly gotten into your fur.”

>Dash shudders and runs a hoof along one of the tracks

>”And it was coming outta my eyes?”

>Now it's your turn to scratch your chin

“Just a moment, if you would.”

>She nods and you turn to Anonymous' databank, plugging in to interface with it

>A few minutes of flying the datastream later and you find exactly what you're looking for

“Dash that's...that's a miracle.”

>She looks confused, not at the words but at the weight behind them you realize

>”But that doesn't make any sense, why me? Why not a pony like you, or somepony else that comes here?”

>You shake your head, just as astounded as her

“I couldn't tell you, the only other recorded instance of this was a priest of the Forge World Lucius who was divenly in his designing of the Lucius-pattern Titans, of which Nox Aurea was.”

>Her confusion is clear on her face and you let out a small sigh

“Rainbow Dash, are you doing anything today?”

>She shrugs

>”Not really, this was about the only thing I was doing today.”

>You sit down and offer a warm, inviting smile

“Why don't you join me then, and I'll tell you everything you want to know about.”

>Dash grimaces and glances to the side

>”I dunno, is this going to be a bunch of egghead stuff I don't get? Because I could just go to Twi for that.”

>You chuckle and shake your head

“How about I start by telling you about a machine that can fly faster than even you?”

>She eyes you suspiciously for a moment, but a cocky grin appears on her muzzle and she sits down across from you

>”I'm listening.”

-

>The grand Temple of the All-Holy Machine echoes with praises and litanies to the Omnissiah, as it did at all hours

>But its sole visitor had his mind focused elsewhere

>A strange transmission had just come through his floodstream, tearing him from his worship

>Unable to find the focus to begin anew, he instead made haste to the bridge of the Ark Mechanicus, his own most holy Tomioka

>Of course he could hardly claim ownership of the great ship, but for now he commanded its awesome might and the dozen forges throughout

>It was his flagship, his pride and joy

>He opened the great doors to the bridge and immediately began addressing the crew

“Magos Vytus, show me the original copy of that message. Lika, trace exactly where it's from.”

>Both acknowledged you and once more you examined the transmission that had interrupted your benedictions to the Omnissiah

>It was indeed a Titan distress call, but more interesting was the data that came a moment later

>”It's coming from the Halo Stars, magos!”

>A look at the more precise galactic coordinates confirmed that not only was it at the very edge of the galaxy, but there was not another known human settled world for dozens of parsecs in any direction

>So how came a Warhound, a scout Titan, to such a place

“Vytus, signal the fleet and begin transmission to Mars. Let us make this the first stop on our foray into the great unknown!”

>Another acknowledgment, accompanied by a benediction to the Omnissiah from the other crew

>Magos Vettius Telok turned to the windows of the bridge, gazing at the far away stars at the edge of the galaxy

>This was how his Explorator Fleet would carry on the Quest for Knowledge