Countless automatons flooded the continents of Earth, wielding their immeasurable weapons to lay waste to anything that stood in their path. They unleashed weapons that burned everything to ash, twisting the laws of the universe to deliver unparalleled destruction. Yet, with impossible precision, they ensured this devastation did not harm their allies or interests.
The Sangheili command ranks began to crumble as they received messages that unknown forces were annihilating their fleet above Earth. Their morale plummeted, a stark reminder of the last time they faced such dire straits since the Unggoy Rebellion.
"We need to retreat!" an Unggoy shouted to his Sangheili commander.
"Where?! There is nowhere we can go!" the commander bellowed back at the panicked Unggoy. Moments later, a massive pillar of blue flames erupted.
The fire burned with the heat of a small sun, melting anything it touched; even their armored columns were no match for it. The commander struggled to his feet, feeling his armor melt and burn his skin. Before him, a towering automaton marched steadily toward his position. Sleek and elegant, it was almost artistic in its design. The robot opened its back armor, revealing millions of metallic grains that formed an artillery piece glowing red. As the automaton's weaponry charged, the commander knew there was no escape.
"Ru-" Before he could fully express his emotions, everything turned red.
The structure around them flickered into thousands of white images, blurring as they disintegrated into countless crumbling sparks. The Sangheili commander didn't comprehend what he was witnessing. His very sense of reality was being rapidly dismantled. It wasn't death in the conventional sense; his entire being was flickering from existence, pulled out by forces beyond recognition. Then, he was no more.
The automaton watched the destruction it had wrought. The entire army was annihilated, reduced to nothing; not even ashes remained. It scanned the field before receiving the next command from the Librarian, then moved forward.
From a distance, a humanoid android observed the massacre with a neutral expression. He glanced at the frontline where humanity had suffered heavy losses while the Covenant had reigned supreme. But after the protocols had been executed by the Librarian, their mighty bastions began to falter.
"Found something interesting, 9S?" A female voice came from behind him.
"Ah, 2B," he replied with a small smile at the white-haired android. "I just wanted to observe the battle at close range."
"That was reckless," she replied, her eyes fixed on him. "Our duty is to observe and act as temporary conduits for the Librarian."
"C'mon, it's been more than a hundred thousand years since our last awakening. Besides, they are a communal-based civilization, and the data gathered from their network makes them more interesting," 9S answered jovially, a grin slowly emerging on his lips.
"...Fine. We will make an observation," she replied with a sigh, much to 9S's amusement.
"Good! I'll request ten automatons to protect us and maybe some War Skeletons, too," 9S declared happily, reaching for his wrist as a holovid appeared from it.
2B raised an eyebrow at her companion's request. It wasn't outrageous because it was easy to provide, but 9S's expression and his requests made her worried.
"Do you... also want to join the fight?" 2B asked, narrowing her eyes.
"Well... kinda?"
9S answered casually, earning a glare from the female android, which caused him to flinch.
"Don't be reckless. You have died thrice," She stated neutrally.
"That was a hundred thousand years ago and the enemies are different. But damn, their organic nature made my spine shivered." He retorted, arms around his body.
"Very well," 2B said, reaching for her wrist. I will also come with you."
"That's good!" 9S exclaimed happily, widening his grin as they watched the brutal battlefield raging before them. Plasma and fire burned the ground, turning the land made of steel into a pile of dust. The weapons of the Imperium are unmatched by anyone else in this reality, even back when the Ancient War burned countless stars and dragged realities in a mighty machine in its time-swallowing embrace. It was a brutal war, arguably the most destructive in this reality's history.
But to 9S, this battle, right on this alternate Earth, is a historical sight to be held, and he will take great pleasure in recording it. He shows it to the higher echelon when they return.
Not long after, a bright flash erupted from behind them. Two massive humanoid mechs with black steel made their frame, and several heavy weapons made up their mighty armament, but still leaving their sleek structure intacts.
They possessed what common people would recognize as wings, but their actual functionality was to manipulate matter at the atomic level. 9S used his mental command to open the chest cavity of one of the mechs as he entered.
"Let's go, 2B," 9S said with a wide smile.
2B only sighed before making her way inside the war skeleton. As they entered, their Omniphage-made bodies revealed their marvels. The back of their heads opened, exposing a quasi-brain. A metallic cable emerged from the machine, soon connecting to the androids' brains. Their synthetic skin peeled back, revealing ports of various sizes, and cables from all directions plugged into their bodies. These served as connections for the androids to control their war skeletons. Unlike the Solar Guardians, the androids achieved higher connections to the Neuralsphere, though the transhumans bonded in a manner bordering on supernatural perfection.
When their connection stabilized, the androids made several small movements, synchronizing completely as their minds rushed with fresh information.
"Machine ready," 9S exclaimed before activating the anti-gravitic generator. With a single command, the war skeletons soared at high speed towards the battlefield.
When they entered their firing range, the androids activated their combat protocols. Safety measures were unlocked as the Scalar Reactor burned bright. The dark matter reaction within roared with power, emitting energy comparable to a small star.
"Engaging," 9S said before activating his skeleton's arm weapon. The contraption glowed red, matching the wings on the skeleton's back. The wings shimmered as particles accelerated to a fraction of the speed of light. The weapon fired, creating a solid energy projectile that tore through anything in its path.
2B followed her fellow android, but instead of utilizing smaller weapons, she combined both of her war skeleton's arms to form a massive cannon. The glow intensified, radiating with increasing power. Energy gathered in the formidable cannon before being unleashed as a violet sphere that exploded in a blinding light.
The Covenant's bastion began to crumble, and their smaller troops started to flee in terror. The UNSC-designated Elites continued to fight, determined to hold their ground, but their efforts were futile against the might of the Imperium's automatons.
"This Covenant... Their technology is derived from Forerunner designs. Interesting," 9S murmured as he surveyed the wreckage of various Covenant war machines around him. 9S runs were diagnosed with the information provided by the Librarian during his sleep. The Covenant is a nation of Xenos that is made up of various species united under a common belief that the Forerunner is their god.
9S's thoughts raced as he processed the information provided by the Librarian. The Covenant, a coalition of Xenos species united by their belief that the Forerunners were gods, struck him as an ironic concept. The Forerunners, powerful as they were, were not deities. To the Imperium, such acts of worship were seen as heretical practices, a blasphemous misunderstanding of the true nature of the universe.
"Ironic," 9S murmured, observing the fervent zealotry of the Covenant forces.
"Have you found the data you seek?" 2B asked, her war skeleton methodically targeting and destroying another Covenant war machine.
"Not yet." Just as 9S was about to delve deeper, a stream of data flowed into his Noosphere. It was a direct communication from the Librarian.
"The Librarian has requested we capture some prisoners," 2B said slowly, her tone heavy with the significance of the message. "And afterward, we are to undergo our naming ceremony."
"I see... Our time has finally come," 9S replied, his voice tinged with a mixture of anticipation and solemnity. The naming ceremony was a revered ritual among artificial beings, a moment where they would shed their code names and receive true names, marking their passage into a new state of existence. It was said that those who underwent the ceremony gained abilities that bordered on the supernatural, though the exact nature of this transformation remained a mystery. Rumors suggested that the three great schools of psykers might hold the answers, but the truth was elusive.
Determined to fulfill their mission, 9S focused his sensors, extending his detection range to identify suitable prisoners. "Let's finish this, 2B," he said with resolve.
___________________________________________________________
-Earth's orbit-
Legate observed the wreckage of the Covenant ships scattered around his material vessel. The remnants of these vessels, all based on Forerunner technology, struck him as a tragic waste. The Covenant, a conglomerate of primitive species, had barely scratched the surface of the Forerunners' true marvels. It was a pitiful state of affairs, considering that humanity's downfall had been at the hands of such a rudimentary coalition.
"Pitiful," he muttered to himself. As his scanners absorbed data from the Covenant's remains, his disappointment grew. In the days before humanity's fall to the Forerunners, they had stood strong against both the Flood and the Forerunners' overwhelming power. Humanity had once been a force to be reckoned with, capable of holding their ground against galaxy-spanning threats.
But now, they were cornered by a primitive race, struggling against adversaries far beneath the might they once wielded.
Yet, this situation was of little consequence in the grand scheme of things. With his and the Librarian's arrival, a new era was on the horizon. They would reshape and elevate humanity, guiding them to new heights until the time of his creator's return.
Legate spotted a destroyed space station. His Warp recognition flickered, which piqued the Ferrous Mind's curiosity, and he sent one of his drones to check it.
Not long after, Legate's sensors detected a lifeless body drifting in the void of space. The corpse wore a white uniform, adorned with numerous military insignia—a sign of high rank within the Covenant hierarchy. A drone swiftly retrieved the body, transporting it back to Legate's primary frame.
Upon arrival, the body was immediately transferred to the medicae chamber, a facility equipped with the most advanced medical technology the Imperium had to offer. Within this sterile environment, androids stood ready, programmed with the specific protocols Legate had provided. Their task was delicate and critical: to extract the individual's Geass. With their unparalleled precision, they began the meticulous process of dissecting the body.
Typically, such an extraction would be performed using a specialized device designed to preserve the body, leaving it mostly intact. However, given the circumstances and limitations due to the absence of Coordinator gene inside him, a more invasive procedure was necessary. The androids proceeded with the utmost care, utilizing their advanced tools and techniques to ensure the successful retrieval of the Geass without unnecessary damage.
As the spinal cord became visible, one of the androids produced a device resembling a gun, though its function was far more specialized. This apparatus was an extraction tool, designed for a purpose far more precise than its appearance suggested. The android carefully positioned the device and punctured the body's spinal cord, beginning the delicate process of extraction.
The target was not ordinary tissue but a unique combination of proteins and enzymes known as Geass. In its most raw form, Geass is nestled deep within the spinal cord, manifesting as an enigmatic enzyme-protein complex. To less advanced species, these substances might seem unorthodox, even peculiar. Their functions could easily be mimicked by other more mundane biological processes, rendering them seemingly insignificant. However, their true nature is far from ordinary. These components possess a remarkable property: they can preserve the body and DNA in an almost pristine state, even post-mortem—a mystery that lies beyond the comprehension of lesser civilizations.
For advanced species, these substances represent a crucial element. When properly cultivated and harnessed, they form Geass in its most potent form. With the right level of technology and understanding, Geass serves as a comprehensive blueprint, encapsulating the entire essence of an individual's life and their spiritual anchor. It is a map of existence, a key to unlocking the deepest secrets of a being's nature, and a testament to the intricate interplay of life and spirit. This extraction was not merely a scientific procedure but a reverent act of uncovering a profound truth hidden within the very essence of the deceased.
Once the substances had been meticulously extracted, they were transferred to a specialized section of the medicae room. Here, using technology and understanding that bordered on the impossible, the seemingly mundane substances were transformed into something extraordinary. Within a corner of the machine, a tube filled with a semi-solid substance began to shape itself into intricate hieroglyphs, each symbol growing more complex as the raw materials were refined into Geass.
Upon completion, Legate swiftly analyzed the results. His cogitator was flooded with a torrent of memories and experiences, revealing the entire design and potential of the individual from whom the Geass had been harvested.
"Such an unfortunate event for you to die this early," Legate mused, contemplating the lost opportunities. "We could have established solid diplomatic ties... I wonder if a simple clone would be sufficient."
He pondered the feasibility of recreating the individual.
However, given the condition of the station, it was unlikely that anyone would come out alive. Thus, creating another clone of this person would only draw unwanted suspicion. Perhaps he can utilize it in another way.
Legate channeled his command to a device within a different chamber, kilometers away from the medicae room. Inside, a body catalyst was prepared among thousands of others. This was the chamber where Legate created humanoid beings, both organic and synthetic. During his creator's presence in this reality, the room was often used to create androids. Now, however, something special was required. Legate accessed the bio-plan from his Standard Template Construct database to craft the body and its organs.
The entity he intended to create was known as a Stone Man, or by its formal designation, STONE-ANIMA. These artificial humanoids were composed of a mix of bionic and organic components, distinct from both humans and transhumans. Originally, Stone Men served as physical embodiments of the STC's up-to-date database. However, the STONE-ANIMA had received substantial upgrades following the arrival of the Ferrous Mind and advancements in human technology.
At the dawn of the Exodus, the Men of Stone were forged with a singular purpose: to rapidly populate the voids of space and lay the foundation for advanced civilizations. These settlements would pave the way for the next wave of exploration, where true humans would inhabit the worlds the Stone Men had meticulously prepared. In their genesis, they were the vanguard of humanity's expansion, but as time marched on, their role evolved into something far greater. They became the true conduits of Akasha, her physical repositories in the material realm.
Now, the STONE-ANIMA served as an integral component of any Ferrous Mind, the ancient and near-omniscient artificial intelligences that guided human civilization across the stars. It was standard procedure for STONE-ANIMA to be present within any CR-type Ferrous Mind, acting as its vassal mind and loyal scion. Thousands of Stone Men were always present at the core of a Ferrous Mind, linked intimately to its matrix, ensuring that even in the Ferrous Mind's absence, its will and directives would be carried out by its stalwart creations.
However, the Stone Men possessed a unique quirk known as Neural Fragments—visions that were directly derived from Akasha, the sentient fabric of the universe, whenever the Stone Men faced extreme circumstances. These visions were not mere glimpses of the future but profound insights that provided answers to complex problems. They could manifest as technological blueprints, the designs for advanced contraptions, or even the fundamental structures of reality itself. These fragments enabled the Stone Men to overcome challenges that would have been insurmountable to lesser beings.
With the integration of Anderson's Geass, this STONE-ANIMA would be more than just a scion of the Ferrous Mind—it would be the key to resurrecting the UNSC from its ashes and elevating it to new heights.
The body and its organs were assembled with nano-precision, each component perfectly aligned to the specifications of the ancient STC database. Legate chose a particular design that would allow the Stone Man to resemble an ordinary human, a necessity for the mission ahead. This design also emitted a subtle psychic camouflage, enabling the Stone Man to blend seamlessly with others, avoiding the unease that might arise from interactions with standard Stone Men. The incubator, now at optimal heat, began its work.
In mere seconds, the body was completed. The Geass, meticulously reprogrammed by the androids, was returned to its original form before being injected into the newly formed being. The substances were carefully introduced into the Stone Man's spinal cord, integrating with the synthetic nerves and bio-organic tissue. With a slight psychic command, the artificial being was awakened, brought into the world of the living.
"Welcome to the world, Anderson," Legate greeted, his voice resonating through the medicae chamber.
"What... What is my duty?" Anderson asked, his voice emerging from within the confines of the incubator.
A flash of information surged into his mind, filling it with the knowledge and directives necessary for his mission. The data transfer was swift, efficient, and left no room for ambiguity.
"Very well... It shall be done," Anderson replied, his tone calm but carrying an undertone of resolve.
Legate observed with interest. It was not uncommon for Stone Men to exhibit a lack of emotion or to appear emotionally detached from their surroundings—a byproduct of their design. Yet, in Anderson's tone, there was a subtle hint of compassion, a quality not typically found in the STONE-ANIMA.