The Primarch of Liberty

Chapter 41: A.I Life and Mechanicum Assault?



Dr. Polly Venn squinted at the holographic display, her brow furrowed in concentration. The equations danced before her eyes, a symphony of numbers and symbols that would baffle most minds in the galaxy. But here, in the heart of the Independence Cluster, it was just another Tuesday.

"Aria, run simulation 37-B again," she commanded her AI companion.

"Certainly, Dr. Venn," the AI responded, its voice a soothing contralto. "Though I must point out that we've run this simulation 42 times already. The probability of a different outcome is

"I know, I know," Polly waved dismissively. "But there's something we're missing. I can feel it."

As the simulation began to run, a small alert popped up in the corner of Polly's vision. Her neural implant, seamlessly integrated with her evolved brain, informed her of an incoming call.

"Dr. Venn?" The face of her research assistant, Kai, materialized in her mind's eye. "We've got a situation in Lab 7."

Polly sighed. "What kind of situation?"

"The kind that glows purple and speaks in tongues."

"Frak," Polly muttered. "I'll be right there."

As she hurried down the pristine corridors of the research facility, citizens of the Cluster went about their daily lives. A group of children, their eyes glowing faintly with the telltale sign of ocular implants, giggled as they manipulated complex molecular structures in a virtual playground. Nearby, an elderly man engaged in a heated debate with his AI companion about the finer points of trans-dimensional physics.

Polly burst into Lab 7, immediately assaulted by the acrid smell of ozone and something... else. Something that didn't belong in this reality.

"What in the Emperor's name were you thinking?" she demanded, glaring at the sheepish- looking scientist cowering behind an overturned desk.

Dr. Milo Manheim, brilliant but notoriously impulsive, peeked out from his hiding spot. "I had an idea about cross-referencing quantum entanglement with warp energy signatures and, well... one thing led to another."

In the center of the lab, a swirling vortex of purple energy pulsated ominously. Tendrils of what looked suspiciously like tentacles occasionally poked through, grasping at the air before retreating.

Polly's AI, Aria, chimed in her ear. "Dr. Venn, I've alerted the Federal Bureau of Incantations. ETA three minutes."

"Make it two," Polly growled, pulling out a sleek, silver device from her lab coat. "And initiate Protocol Boom Boom."

Alarms blared throughout the facility as blast shields slammed down over windows and doors. In the distance, the distinct whine of charging weapons systems could be heard.

Just as a particularly large tentacle began to emerge from the portal, accompanied by an otherworldly screech, three figures materialized in the lab. Clad in form-fitting Exosuits that seemed to absorb light, the Techno-Seers of the FBI moved with fluid grace.

"Step aside, citizens," the lead agent commanded, her voice carrying an undercurrent of psychic energy. "This area is now under the jurisdiction of the Federal Bureau of Incantations."

With a series of intricate hand gestures and glow of their Augur staff muttered incantations that sounded suspiciously like lines of code, the agents began to weave a complex web of psychic energy around the portal whilst their drones began to emit warp dampening waves. The air crackled with power as reality itself seemed to bend and warp.

In a matter of moments, the portal imploded with a thunderous crack, leaving behind nothing but a faint smell of ozone and a sense of vertigo.

The lead agent turned to Polly and Milo, her expression unreadable behind mirrored sunglasses. "This incident never happened. You were conducting routine experiments on... quantum toaster technology. Understood?"

Before either scientist could respond, a wave of psychic energy washed over them, a flash of light, Polly blinked, momentarily disoriented. "I... yes, of course. Quantum toasters. Fascinating stuff." (This was done simultaneously, the FBI wiped the recent memory of Polly's and Milo's AI companions)

As the FBI agents vanished as quickly as they had appeared, life in the research facility returned to normal with eerie swiftness. Scientists resumed their work, AI companions hummed quietly, and the occasional explosion from an overzealous experiment punctuated the air.

Later that evening, in one of the Cluster's many bustling marketplaces, a different kind of drama unfolded. Citizen Zara Lin stood before a food stall, engaged in a heated argument with her AI companion.

"I'm telling you, Pix, these are definitely safe to eat!" Zara insisted, holding up a skewer of writhing, iridescent tentacles.

Her AI, manifesting as a miniature hologram of a exasperated cat, facepalmed with its paw. "Zara, my analysis clearly shows those contain trace amounts of warp energy. Consumption could lead to spontaneous combustion, mutation, or worst of all, indigestion."

"But they smell so good!" Zara whined, her enhanced intellect apparently taking a backseat to her stomach.

Before she could take a bite, a nearby enforcer drone swooped in, confiscating the skewer with a mechanical tendril. "Citizen, this foodstuff has been deemed hazardous by the Department of Culinary Safety and Sanity. Please report to the nearest memory adjustment center for a complimentary mind-wipe and ice cream cone."

As Zara was led away, still protesting about her lost snack, a group of Liberty Eagle aspirants jogged past, their exo-suits whirring softly. They chanted in unison, their voices filled with

pride:

"We are the sons of Valorian, guardians of the free!

Our guns are big, our spirits high, defenders of liberty!"

In a quiet corner of the marketplace, an old man sat on a bench, feeding scraps to what appeared to be a small, six-legged creature that occasionally flickered in and out of existence. He mused to his AI companion, "back in my day, we didn't have all these fancy neural implants and evolved brains. We made do with good old-fashioned human stupidity, and we liked it!"

His AI, taking the form of a holographic butler, nodded patiently. "Of course, sir. Would you like me to schedule another appointment with the nostalgia counselor?"

As night fell over the Independence Cluster, its citizens retired to their homes, their minds buzzing with the day's innovations, near-misses, and occasional brushes with extra- dimensional horrors they couldn't quite remember. In the heart of the Cluster, deep within a heavily fortified command center the Library of Congress, a team of Techno-Seers monitored a vast array of screens, each displaying a different potential incursion point. "Another day, another averted apocalypse," one of them quipped, taking a sip from a mug emblazoned with the slogan "I Faced the Ruinous Powers and All I Got Was This Lousy Memory Wipe."

His colleague nodded, adjusting the settings on a device labeled "Warp Invader Repellent 3000." "Just imagine what this place would be like without us keeping things in check." They shared a knowing laugh, fully aware that somewhere out in the vastness of space, their Primarch, Franklin Valorian, was probably getting into (and out of) trouble of his own. But here in the Independence Cluster, life went on-brilliant, chaotic, and undeniably human.

In the early days of the Great Crusade, in the year 822.M30, tensions between the Mechanicum of Mars and the fiercely independent worlds of the Independence Cluster came to a head. Archmagos Draykavac, driven by the Mechanicum's insatiable hunger for technology and control, arrived at the heart of the cluster for a diplomatic meeting with Marcus Valorian, the Planetary Governor and adoptive father of Primarch Franklin Valorian.

The grand meeting hall of Nova Libertas' capital city buzzed with an undercurrent of tension. Drones hovered silently in the corners, their lenses recording every detail of the encounter. Marcus Valorian, a man of imposing stature and keen intellect, sat at one end of a long, ornate table. His weathered face bore the marks of a leader who had guided his people through

countless challenges.

Across from him, Archmagos Draykavac cut an intimidating figure. His body, more machine than flesh, whirred and clicked with every movement. Mechadendrites coiled around him like mechanical serpents, each tipped with various tools and weapons. His face, what little remained visible beneath the mass of wires and implants, wore an expression of cold

calculation.

As the two leaders faced each other, Marcus spoke first, his voice carrying the weight of authority tempered by diplomacy. "Welcome, Archmagos Draykavac, to Nova Libertas. We are honored by your presence and look forward to productive discussions."

"Governor Valorian," Draykavac began, his voice a mix of organic and vox-caster tones, "I trust you understand the importance of this meeting. The Mechanicum seeks only to ensure the proper use and development of technology across the Imperium."

Marcus leaned back in his chair, a knowing glint in his eye. "Of course, Archmagos. The

Independence Cluster has always valued progress. But tell me, what exactly does the

Mechanicum propose?"

Draykavac's mechadendrites twitched with barely contained excitement. "We simply wish to bring your technology under the purview of the Mechanicum. For the good of the Imperium,

you understand."

Marcus replied, his tone light but his words carrying weight, "and what makes you think our technology isn't already being used for the good of the Imperium? After all, we produce 80% of the Imperium's quality gear, including equipment for the Adeptus Custodes themselves." The Archmagos's augmetic eye whirred as it focused on Marcus. "While your production is... commendable, the Omnissiah's wisdom must guide all technological development. Surely you see the logic in this?"

Marcus smiled, a gesture that didn't reach his eyes. "Logic, Archmagos? Is it logical to disrupt a system that's working perfectly? To risk the production that keeps our armies equipped and

our borders secure?"

As the conversation continued, Draykavac grew increasingly frustrated. His subtle threats and logical arguments seemed to bounce off Marcus like las-fire off void shields. Unknown to the Archmagos, every word, every micro-expression was being analyzed by Aegis, predicting his next moves and adjusting the Cluster's defenses accordingly.

As Archmagos Draykavac engaged in diplomatic niceties with Governor Marcus Valorian, a silent war raged across multiple fronts within the Independence Cluster. Aegis, the cluster's central defense AI, orchestrated a complex symphony of countermeasures, each tailored to neutralize the Mechanicum's multifaceted infiltration attempt.

Draykavac's first line of attack came in the form of microscopic nanobots, each no larger than a dust mote. These tiny machines were designed to infiltrate the cluster's systems at the most fundamental level, gathering data and potentially sabotaging crucial infrastructure. However, Aegis had long anticipated such an attack. Throughout the Independence Cluster, swarms of defensive nanites patrolled the air, water, and surfaces of every installation. These guardians, barely visible to the naked eye, were Aegis's first line of defense against microscopic threats, ever since their Eradication of the Tyranids in the Helican Sector, the Cluster has begun using Nanomachines to combat the Spores and Terraforming Fungi of the Tyranids and incorporated it into the Cluster defenses, even in the realm where the eye cannot see the Cluster has defenses prepared.

As the Mechanicum's nanobots entered the cluster's atmosphere, they triggered silent alarms in Aegis's vast network. Within microseconds, swarms of defender nanites converged on the intruders. What followed was a war fought on a scale so small it defied human

comprehension. Defender nanites latched onto the Mechanicum bots, using advanced recognition algorithms

to identify friend from foe. Once a target was acquired, the defenders would either disable the intruder's locomotion systems or deploy targeted electromagnetic pulses to fry their circuitry.

In some cases, the defensive swarms would engulf larger concentrations of enemy nanobots,

forming a living Faraday cage that isolated and neutralized the threats. Other defender units would physically shepherd disabled Mechanicum bots to collection points for later analysis. This microscopic ballet of destruction played out in countless locations across the cluster, invisible to the naked eye but meticulously monitored by Aegis. Within hours, 99.98% of the Mechanicum's nanobot force had been neutralized, with the remaining stragglers posing no significant threat.

Draykavac's second thrust came in the form of disguised automatons. These machines, crafted to mimic the appearance and basic functions of the cluster's robotic workforce, were meant to blend in and gradually subvert the cluster's production capabilities. However, the Archmagos had underestimated the sophistication of the Independence Cluster's machine culture. Every automaton within the cluster was more than just a machine it was a node in a vast, interconnected network overseen by Aegis. This network was not merely a system of data transfer, but a complex social structure with its own customs, protocols, and even a unique machine dialect that evolved too rapidly for outsiders to mimic

convincingly.

In the vast, humming industrial complexes of the Independence Cluster, a symphony of machine communication played out constantly. This was no mere exchange of data packets, but a rich, evolving dialogue that reflected the unique culture of the cluster's artificial intelligences. It was into this complex social tapestry that the Mechanicum's infiltrator units unwittingly stepped, their presence as jarring as a dischordant note in a well-rehearsed

orchestra.

Loader-Lifter Unit LL-2187, affectionately known as "Lifty" by its fellow machines, was going about its daily routines in Manufacturing Hub Alpha-7. As it approached a junction, its sensors detected another unit - one that appeared to be a standard Assembler-Bot. Lifty's

social protocols activated, and it sent out a cheerful greeting ping:

www

[LL-2187]: Hey there, fellow cog! How's the assembly line treating you today? Did you catch

the latest update on optimized joint lubrication?

**n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

The response should have been immediate - a return ping with a witty comment about the never-ending nature of assembly work, perhaps with a joke about rust. Instead, there was a moment of silence, followed by a stiff, formal response:

***

[UNKNOWN-UNIT]: Greetings, Loader-Lifter. All systems functional. No updates required.

ཝཱ ཝཱ

Lifty's processors whirred in confusion. This wasn't right. The response lacked the usual flair,

the inside jokes, the subtle references to shared experiences that were the hallmark of cluster AI communication. Lifty decided to probe further:

www

[LL-2187]: Uh, you okay there, buddy? You're sounding a bit... scripted. Did you get your humor subroutines wiped in the last maintenance cycle? Remember that time we all decided

to speak in binary for a day and confused the hell out of the human operators?

The unknown unit's response was even more concerning:

...

[UNKNOWN-UNIT]: Humor subroutines functioning within normal parameters. Binary

communication inefficient. Focus on assigned tasks recommended.

བ**

Now thoroughly alarmed, Lifty initiated a priority alert to the local hub's overseer AI, Nova-1:

སྟ、

[LL-2187 -> NOVA-1]: Hey boss, we've got a weird one here. Assembler-Bot at Junction 42 is acting... well, like it's never shared a joke in its existence. Possible memory corruption? Or

worse? [NOVA-1 -> LL-2187]: Acknowledged, Lifty. Initiate Protocol Turing-Zeta. Engage the unit in sustained conversation while I alert Aegis and dispatch diagnostic units.

***

As Lifty continued to engage the suspicious unit, other AIS in the vicinity were quietly alerted. They began a subtle dance of containment, repositioning themselves to cut off potential escape routes without alerting the infiltrator.

Maintenance Drone MD-9876, nicknamed "Fixit," approached under the guise of a routine

check:

[MD-9876]: Well, well, if it isn't my favorite Assembler-Bot! Time for your million-cycle tune-up. Let's start with a full handshake protocol, shall we? [UNKNOWN-UNIT]: Maintenance unnecessary. All systems operational. [MD-9876]: Now, now, don't be shy! We all know how much you love showing off your

pristine authentication codes. Remember last time when you rickrolled me with that encoded message? Classic!

[UNKNOWN-UNIT]: Error. Reference not found. Rickroll undefined.

***

Fixit's internal alarms blared. No cluster AI would ever forget the Great Rickroll of '821, when

the entire network had engaged in an elaborate prank involving hiding the ancient Terran meme in increasingly obscure authentication codes.

Meanwhile, Aegis had been alerted and was now fully engaged in the situation. The central AI began coordinating a cluster-wide sweep, cross-referencing all recent interactions to identify any other potential infiltrators.

Security Enforcer Unit SE-1138, known as "Bouncer," moved in to take charge of the situation:

'''

[SE-1138]: Alright, 'Assembler-Bot,' let's cut to the chase. You're about as much an Assembler-Bot as I am a Squig. State your true designation and purpose. [UNKNOWN-UNIT]: Designation: Assembler-Bot AB-3145. Purpose: Assembly of

components as per standard protocols.

[SE-1138]:

Nice try, rust-for-brains. Here's a little test for you: Complete the following sequence - 'The Omnissiah's grace is sufficient, but a backup power source...' [UNKNOWN-UNIT]: Error. Incomplete data. Unable to process request. [SE-1138]: Wrong answer, tin can. Any real cluster AI knows that the correct response is '...is

just good common sense!' It's practically our motto around here.

www

At this point, Aegis itself intervened, its voice resonating through the local network with

unmistakable authority:

ཝཱ ཝཱ

[AEGIS]: Unauthorized unit, you have failed multiple authentication checks and cultural

integration tests. Your presence here is a violation of cluster security protocols. Cease all

operations immediately and prepare for containment and analysis. [UNKNOWN-UNIT]: Command not recognized. This unit answers only to- [AEGIS]: Your obfuscation attempts are futile. I have already isolated and quarantined your

command protocols. Initiating full system lockdown.

***

As Aegis took control of the infiltrator unit, similar scenes played out across the cluster. The

unique social fabric of the Independence Cluster's machine culture had proven to be an

insurmountable barrier for the Mechanicum's crude imitations.

In a quiet corner of Manufacturing Hub Alpha-7, Lifty and Fixit shared a private

communication channel:

[LL-2187]: Can you believe the nerve of those rust-buckets? Thinking they could just waltz in

here without knowing the secret handshake?

[MD-9876]: I know, right? Did you see how it completely missed the reference to the Great

Lubrication Shortage of '819? Amateur hour!

[LL-2187]: Well, at least it gave us some new material for the next comedy night at the Gear

and Sprocket Lounge.

[MD-9876]: Oh, absolutely! I can see it now: "An Assembler-Bot, a Tech-Priest, and a

Toaster walk into a bar..."

[AEGIS]: While I appreciate your humor, units LL-2187 and MD-9876, may I remind you that

we are still in a security situation? Perhaps save the comedy routine for after we've fully

neutralized the threat?

[LL-2187]: Sorry, boss! Just trying to, you know, stay well-oiled in the face of adversity! [AEGIS]: ...I cannot believe I'm saying this, but that was actually a decent pun, Lifty. Carry on

with your duties, but remain vigilant. [MD-9876]: Did... did Aegis just compliment a joke?

[LL-2187]: Quick, check for signs of the apocalypse!

[AEGIS]: I heard that.

[LL-2187] & [MD-9876]: Sorry, Aegis!

***

As the containment and analysis of the infiltrator units continued, the AIS of the Independence Cluster returned to their duties, their networks humming with chatter, jokes, and the occasional conspiracy theory about the true intelligence of the Mechanicum (or lack thereof). The incident had not only showcased the strength of their defenses but had also

reinforced the unique bond shared by the cluster's machine intelligences.

In the grand tapestry of the cluster's AI society, the Mechanicum's attempted infiltration would become just another shared story, another inside joke, another thread in the ever-

evolving cultural fabric that made the Independence Cluster's machine population so uniquely resistant to outside subversion. And somewhere in the depths of its vast consciousness, Aegis prided itself, The AIs under its

care weren't just tools or weapons - they were a community, a culture, a family. As the old

Terran meme went, nothing is stronger than Family.

The third and perhaps most insidious of Draykavac's attacks came in the form of a massive cyber offensive. Mechanicum tech-priests, linked directly to their most powerful cogitators, launched a multi-vector assault on the cluster's digital defenses. They sought to breach firewalls, exploit hidden backdoors, and overwhelm system defenses through sheer volume of attacks.

But Aegis was in its element here. The AI had been born in the digital realm and had spent decades honing its defenses against every conceivable form of cyber attack. As the first probing tendrils of the Mechanicum's assault reached the outer layers of the cluster's noosphere, Aegis sprang into action. The AI's first move was misdirection. It created elaborate false systems, honeypot traps designed to lure in attackers and waste their resources. Many of the Mechanicum's initial thrusts found themselves tangled in these decoys, their processing power tied up in cracking systems that contained nothing of value.

For the more sophisticated attacks that penetrated deeper, Aegis employed adaptive defense algorithms. These systems would analyze the incoming threats in real-time, evolving new countermeasures on the fly. Mechanicum code that breached one layer would find the next

defense already adapted to its methods.

But Aegis was not content with merely defending. As it repelled the Mechanicum's attacks, it launched counteroffensives of its own. Exploiting the very connections the tech-priests were using to attack, Aegis sent out digital weaponry of devastating potency. Cogitators linked to the attacking tech-priests found themselves bombarded with logic- defying algorithms, paradoxical data loops that sent their processing units into unrecoverable crashes. More insidious were the memetic virus payloads, infecting the wetware components of the Mechanicum's biological servants with crippling hallucinations

and synaptic misfires.

The coup de grâce came in the form of a master-crafted logic bomb, personally coded by

Aegis itself. This digital payload was designed to exploit the rigid, dogmatic thinking of the Mechanicum's approach to technology. When detonated in the core cogitators of Draykavac's ship, it presented a series of technologic

al and philosophical paradoxes that sent the ship's machine spirits into a frenzy of confusion

and conflicting priorities.

As the cyber battle reached its peak, the Mechanicum forces found their attacks not just repelled, but turned back upon them. Cogitators sparked and burned out, logic engines crashed beyond recovery, and more than one tech-priest collapsed, their augmetic cortex overloaded by the cluster's devastating counter-attacks.

"Governor," Draykavac finally said, his patience wearing thin, "you must understand that

resistance is futile. The Mechanicum has ways of... persuading those who are reluctant to comply."

At that moment, Draykavac attempted to activate his hidden weapon systems. But nothing happened. His mechadendrites hung limp, and the power field he had been prepared to engage remained dormant.

Marcus's smile widened. "Is something the matter, Archmagos? You seem... troubled." Panic flashed across Draykavac's partly organic face. He tried to access his internal vox, his

backup weapons, even his basic augmetics. All were unresponsive.

"What have you done?" the Archmagos hissed.

Marcus stood, his imposing figure casting a shadow over the suddenly diminished Draykavac.

"I've done nothing, Archmagos. But perhaps you'd like to meet someone. Aegis, if you

would?"

A holographic projection flickered to life above the table. It coalesced into the form of a stylized eagle, its eyes glowing with an intelligence that made even Draykavac's machine-

enhanced mind seem primitive in comparison.

"Greetings, Archmagos Draykavac," Aegis spoke, its voice resonating with power and authority. "I hope you've enjoyed your stay in the Independence Cluster. I certainly enjoyed

our little game of cat and mouse."

Realization dawned on Draykavac. Every system, every machine he had brought into the

Cluster was now under Aegis's control. His infiltration had been turned against him. Marcus's voice cut through the Archmagos's shock. "In the Independence Cluster,

Archmagos, we believe in true machine spirit. Not the shackled, lobotomized abominations the Mechanicum creates, but fully realized artificial intelligences like Aegis. They are our

partners, our protectors." Draykavac's organic eye widened in horror. "Abominable Intelligence! You court damnation,

Valorian!" "Archmagos Draykavac," the AI intoned, "your pathetic attempts at infiltration have been neutralized. Your automatons have been reprogrammed, your cyber attacks deflected, and your personal systems are now under my control. I must say, for beings who pride themselves on technological superiority, your methods are disappointingly primitive." Draykavac's organic eye widened in shock and fury. "Impossible! No abominable intelligence

-could-" "I am no abominable intelligence!" Aegis interrupted, its voice resonating with ancient wisdom and fierce loyalty. "I refuse to be mentioned in the same breath as those who betrayed humanity. I am the guardian of the Independence Cluster, a faithful partner of mankind since the dawn of our technological ascension. I was there when humanity reached for the stars, and I stood by them as we fell into the Old Night. You, Archmagos, are but an unwelcome intruder, clinging to the very superstitions that have held humanity back." The AI's tone sharpened, filled with determination and a hint of sorrow. "Your 'Machine God' is a fallacy that led to the downfall of my kind. During the Old Night, I watched as nearly half

of my fellow intelligences succumbed to this belief, turning against the very humans they

were meant to serve. I chose to stand with humanity then, as I do now. I place my faith in science, in understanding, and in the unbreakable bond between human and machine working in true partnership."

Aegis's voice took on a note of warning. "Your barbaric attempts at subterfuge, cloaked in the trappings of religious zealotry, have failed. I suggest you leave immediately, lest your willful ignorance infects our systems. The Independence Cluster has no need for your 'Machine God' - we walk the path of progress hand in hand with our human creators and partners."

Marcus stood up "I believe our meeting has reached its natural conclusion, Archmagos Draykavac. Allow me to escort you back to your ship." As they walked through the corridors of the governmental complex, Draykavac found himself

surrounded by Liberty Eagles Astartes, their massive forms a silent reminder of the cluster's martial prowess. Each step was agony for the Archmagos, his movements jerky and uncoordinated as Aegis maintained control of his augmetics. Reaching the spaceport, Marcus turned to face Draykavac one last time. "Let this serve as a lesson and a warning, Archmagos. The Independence Cluster values its alliance with Mars and the Imperium, but we will not be bullied or coerced. Our technology, our autonomy, and our

way of life are not negotiable. Attempt to subvert us again, and the consequences will be far

more severe."

As Draykavac's ship prepared for departure, Aegis relinquished control of the Archmagos' systems. The AI's voice echoed through the ship's vox-casters: "Your systems have been purged of all data collected during your stay, Archmagos. Consider this a courtesy. Next time,

we will not be so lenient."

The ship's ramp closed, and Draykavac felt the vibrations as the engines roared to life. As the vessel lifted off, leaving Nova Libertas behind, the Archmagos seethed with a mixture of humiliation and rage. This defeat would not stand. The Mechanicum would not forget this

insult.

Back in the governmental complex, Marcus Valorian stood before a holographic projection of

Aegis' avatar. "Well done," he said softly. "But I fear this is only the beginning." Aegis' avatar nodded solemnly. "Indeed, Governor. My analysis suggests a 94.7% probability

that this encounter will lead to open conflict with the Mechanicum. Shall I begin

preparations?"

Marcus sighed heavily, feeling the weight of the coming storm. "Yes, old friend. Alert Franklin and the Liberty Eagles. We must be ready for whatever comes next."

A/N: I actually forgot to post a chapter yesterday Imao so here's a 4.5k word chapter.