ALL NOVEL Chapter 21: Uncorrupted?
Lasguns were raised but none dared to fire without orders. If I had to describe the AI it would be a clockwork android with a dozen lens seemed to flick and move in front of a pair of red eyes. The easy to way to say it would be a Tech-Priest that went full augments, but wanted to remain looking human.
"Identify!" Marcus ordered as he advanced ahead showing no fear. His Bolter Pistol and body shadowing the AI.
"Identity: Unit #12342220-OFF1. Called 'Noma'." The AI 'Noma' spoke. "Last survivor of this Outpost - Frontier - Fort."
Marcus stopped and everyone looked at him. Advancing behind him and reached out to the Bolter and lowered it and shook my head. The reason why he stopped was the barrel of his bolter was entering a shield as I could see thee blue-ish line from my angle. "Not worth it." I whispered to him.
"So... 'Noma' you have a personal shield... from what I can tell. And as you already know who we are their is no need for us to introduce ourselves."
What looked to be confusion came to the AI as a dozen of lens flicked and forth, with slight audible clicking before resting on one that added a little blue tint.
"Inquiry: What has happened to the military standards. Granted weapons are different, but armor and equipment doesn't meet even the bare minimum."
"Well... that's hard to explain... what was the date you last had contact with Earth." I asked.
"Answer: Last communication with Earth was in the year 15M 567Y 243D."
"And what is the date according to your calendar?"
"Confusion: My records state only two millennia had passed but much had changed." 'Noma' replied with a revving noise like a PCs fan working hard.
"By change you mean all technology had regressed to the middle ages with Psykers running around? Then yes, a fair bit has changed... but that it's even the half of it."
"Question: What do you mean?"
Hannah answered as she got to me side. "The date is 44M, we don't have an exact year. But you are nearly thirty-thousand years old..." She paused, looking at her and all I saw was her mouth agape and eyes wide. "Do you have an STC?!"
"Answer: My STC? Yes, but much is surely out of date compared to the advancements Humanity would have made." Hannah and I share a glance which the AI picked up on.
"Anyway." Putting a hand on Hannah's shoulder before she could jump at 'Noma' to see a real live STC we still had an issue, "'Noma' you wanted Hannah to see you why is that?"
"Answer: Repairs required for this Unit to remain functioning at 100% efficiency."
"That can be done... but onto this?" Holding up the rifle I'd picked, which I forgot about. Again the AI gave of a confused feeling.
"Repeat Answer: Magnetically Accelerated Rifle. Or MAR for short." It canted it's head to one side miming what we'd do when confused. Looking at the MAR, built like a Lasgun but where the power pack should go it was just smooth, but at the back of the stock was a cylinder that could be pulled out.
"Can we go elsewhere so I could ask you questions and Hannah could give you, your repairs."
"Affirmative: Agreed. Wish to update my files." 'Noma' nodded and walked back into the bunker as it glided across the floors and over another barricade.
Hopping over I asked, "So, who was the soldier I got this weapon from... and why was their a need for these barricades."
"Answer: The 'soldier' was a member of the Orion Project, super soldiers more or less. But the project ran a foul of the ethics commission and was officially canceled. But no one checked it it had been stopped. These barricades were meant to stop a unidentifiable group of entities that started appearing from thin air."
Orion Project... never heard of it, must have been unexplained lore or just a off handed mention somewhere. But it is before the Thunder Warriors by a large margin.
"These entities. Could you describe them?"
"Negative: I was unable to see them with sensors only was able to know of their existence due to the personnel fighting. But several spontaneously mutated into... even my logical drives are unable to put it into words. Illogically could call them monsters or daemons." Sounds like demonic incursion and maybe other warp entities
"Were people screaming names like... Khorne, Nurgle, Tzeentch and Slaanesh." Hannah asked.
"Answer: Yes, but Only Khorne and Slaanesh was mentioned and they seemed to be fighting each other as much as they fought the personnel of the facility."
""Spill over."" Hannah and I said at the same time. Before the AI could inquire what we meant we reached a door that had been torn open, with metal confetti ribbons made from it. Moving the shredded door making a path for us, and the command bunker was surprisingly clean with no blood but a lot of weapons tossed around. But the two bodies that belonging to that Orion Project 'Noma' mentioned.
We watched 'Noma' glide over to a console as it connected it and the emergency red lights we've been dealing with turned off and main lighting turned on. And on the main screen a thin line appeared as 'Noma' went to a near by table that seemed meant for it and laid down.
"Statement: I am ready for repairs." Both 'Noma's body spoke and the line of the screen moved.
Sharing a look with Hannah as she started to feel out the AI's body, as it started to disassemble just like that bolt action rifle had done.
"Inquiry: You said 'spill over' what do you mean?" The line asked.
Before I answered I looked at my Command Squad and spoke to them. "If anyone of you get corrupted I will kill you myself, Chaos isn't a joke and this information is common knowledge within the Imperial Palace." They nodded and I turn back to the screen.
"What I mean is that, the self-proclaimed 'Chaos Gods' play a game called the 'Great Game' were they send their followers to battle it out within the Warp but sometimes it spills over into real space causing this to happen. And many in the Imperium's upper ranks that know of this information are glad it's only spill overs."
"Inquiry: When wasn't a spill over?"
"The Horus Heresy and the Black Crusades, which are events you would not know about. But the Heresy almost destroyed Humanity, while the Black Crusades are more of their follows getting together and fucking over everyone in their way to Terra."
The AI asked about it and I explained the Age of Strife, Horus and the Imperium of Man. Which disheartened the AI as it learned the very people that made it had fallen from it's noble ideals, then it asked.
"Question: What about the Men of Iron? it was only a project before I lost contact."
Hannah answered, "The Men of Iron turned on their creators started what amounted to a Civil war on the streets of Terra, all because they had been corrupted by the Chaos Gods."
"Then what about me?" It asked, but it didn't lead with by saying question, statement or inquiry.
"To be honest? If I find any corruption for the safety of everyone you would have to be destroyed." Hannah answered, "But I haven't found anything... is your main core in the body?"
"Answer: Yes."
Looking over I saw the body of the machine was completely if different parts. "Any lines?" I asked.
"Yes... which is strange considering she hasn't been attended to by a Tech-adept."
"She?"
"I'm not calling her 'it' am I? For Omnissiah's sake I talk to firearms... the...re you. Oh my god." Taking a step back and her tail and ears shot up, "It's. It's..."
"It's what?" I asked and I moved next to her and saw a slightly glowing orb.
"It's the AI core... it's not touched by Chaos at all... no it's seems to repulse it." She said.
"What!?" Everyone shouted, except the AI.
"Are you certain?" I demanded as I grab her shoulders to face me but her eyes were still on the core.
"Yes... the System said so and I get the feeling of that answer... is true."
[I have to agree, the AI core is uncorrupted and can't be touched by Chaos. Master Joseph you can test it by trying to tap it with your wings.] The System said.
Somewhat suspicion and skeptical my wings show, and thrust towards it. By wings stop just millimeters before it, and reflected the force I put into it back at me. Which sent me flying.
-BANG!- Thud-
"Fuck!" I cried as my back impacted the wall behind me and hitting the floor. "I'm alive..."
[You wings are made of the Warp, more specifically of the Emperor's Warp energy which is identical to that of Chaos. Mistress Hannah please preform the same ritual as the rifle.]
Grinning Hannah returned to the AI Core.