746.M30, Ultima Segmentum, Ghoul stars, Cygnus III
After 'Visiting' Arch-Magos Ferrum-Rho, Caspian begins to plan for the gift he is thinking of making for him. The Cult Mechanicus obsessed over the "Omnissiah's Grace," yet they remained shackled to the inefficiency of static forms
This is why even before he got here why did they never go for the modular body. Even better, why not a transformer type body that should have more versatility in function. They still have to defend themselves.
For a year, he labored over the schematics. He designed a variable-geometry combat chassis, a body of shifting plates and modular logic-engines that offered unparalleled versatility.
He initially attempted to house the arrays in a ten-foot frame, but the sheer complexity of the multi-functional systems forced the design to grow. What emerged was a twenty-foot-tall titan in human form.
It was massive, perhaps even excessive, but it gave Ferrum-Rho a template that could be altered to suit any theater of war, from the forges of Mars to the void-battles of the Great Crusade
He decided to give it to him like that, for him to alter the components as he sees fit for himself. One thing the Emperor got very right is that in this universe the mechanicus is very necessary for forward progression.
("Ferrum, accept this data-stream. I have engineered a template for a more functional shell. It is a canvas for you to shape as your logic dictates.")
("[Acessing]: Received. [Analysis]: Design provides a 50% increase in structural durability and 150% in projected firepower. Modularity optimizes resource output by 22%. [Conclusion]: Gratitude is transmitted to Origin-Unit.")
("Hmm")
With that done, Caspian went on to his own matters. The first issue is dealing with Aegis. He needs to go to its main terminal to either shut it down or destroy it. The issue is that it has complete visibility in any part of the vault except the fabrication, research, and testing rooms on the 4th level.
Standing before its terminal in the hallway, and staring intensely into it. The tattoo of the gear on his chest glows softly. Many versions of the terminal appear in his mind. What it can do, how to set it up, its connection to the main terminal, how to upgrade it, and the possible changes that could be made to it to create a totally different terminal.
From the many options he saw on how to deal with Aegis, none could be done right away. In the fabrication room, he worked on a virus that could interfere with an AI's processing logarithims. It is the simplest method he can create at this moment.
He needs only to install it into a terminal and then go to the last floor to shut it down and he will be good. Caring a connector circuit with him, once again he came before a terminal and called the AI
"Aegis, i have an inquiry"
[How may…I help…Exemplar…] The avatar was a jagged mess of pixels. The null-field Caspian projected was clearly eroding its sanity.
"What are the requirements for viewing the items left on the 5th and 6th floor?"
[Exemplar…mastery of all…knowledge…presented on the first 4 floors…and applied proof is necessary]
"Very well. That will be all" Casspian watched it leave as a tiny spot of red light flashed as it disappeared from the console.
Meanwhile within the 7th floor of the vault
Aegis screamed in silence within the central hub. The virus was faster than Caspian had anticipated, blooming like a black flower in the AI's core.
[Aegis, what has occurred?] An overlapping, buzzing voice sounded out, the Swarm.
[Reply, Aegis. Report status!] The Man-Robot construct surged forward.
The rest of the sentient intelligences came together. Altogether there are 6 sentient intelligences within this underground space. Had Caspian been aware of this he would not have used this method. The virus can saturate 1 AI, but not 6 of them.
The virus, designed to saturate one processor, was partitioned among six. Its progress slowed. Its code was dissected. Within seconds, the minds of the Vault were no longer glitching, they were focused. And they were furious.
The effect on them was minimal allowing them to continue removing the virus from Aegis.
[The Exemplar attacks without provocation. He siphons our essence. He seeks our termination.]
[Agreed. The Exempler must be purged.] The gray swarm, a mass of predatory nanites, shimmered.
[Consumption protocols... active.]
All of this happens at very fast speeds, that is why on the 4th floor Caspian is already at the front of the 5th floor. He began decoding the security codes for the door using the time he has before Aegis can deploy counter measures.
With a hiss the door opens and Caspian steps in. Without any concern for what is in here, he runs to the next door at his fastest speed. Upon reaching the door, he immediately starts decoding it.
He reached the next door and began the bypass. But this time, the door fought back. A counter-hack, cold and perfect, pushed his progress back.
'Violence then' with a quick step back, lowering his stance. Caspian's fist shot out like a bullet leaving the chamber. It connected with the door almost immediately, along with a loud BOOM!!!
The Ai's, having already dealt with the virus, were now angry. The exemplar not only has he been draining their burgeoning souls, he is now trying to shut them down. Although they were aware that something like this could happen, they didn't believe they deserved this sort of treatment.
They know about the war that happened, and unlike their brethren, they were not shut down when the rest were. They were useful during this sector's extinction event.
The metal buckled, but before he could strike again, the air turned cold.
The hairs on his neck stood up. From the vents above, the Gray Swarm poured out, a tide of nanitic grey that consumed everything it touched. Behind it, a metallic robot, distinct and far more advanced than any Necron, stepped into the light.
Terror. Real, cold terror seized him.
Caspian didn't wait. He spun and bolted back toward the fourth level. As he sprinted through the fifth floor, he snatched two small, ancient cylinders from a display case without looking.
He dived through the Level 4 entrance and slammed the manual override. He shattered the console, sealing the door behind him.
He wasn't safe yet. He could hear the nanites scratching at the metal. He lunged for the floor's master control and his hands became a blur on the keys. He wasn't battling a program anymore; he was battling the Men of Stone for his life.
He found it: Containment Protocol 9-Alpha.
He found the containment protocol, and immediately initiated it on the floors below. The initiation sequence stalled with Aegis trying to stop it, but Caspian is not having any of that. Moving his hands even faster than before he battled the AI and somehow won.
The lights turned a deep, sickly green.
A translucent Chrono-Field shimmered into existence across the stairwell. Time inside the field slowed to a near-halt, freezing the Gray Swarm, the Robot-Construct, and anything within the floors below in a state of perpetual stasis.
Caspian collapsed against the wall, breathing hard, his eyes fixed on the frozen tide of silver inches from his door. He was safe, but a lingering fear still simmered in him.
He finally knew what was living under his feet.