Chapter 46: Expansion Protocol
Deep within the desert manufactorum, time flowed according to the precise rhythm of the machine. The air purification system hummed steadily, scrubbing the intrusive desert dust, leaving only the scents of machine oil, ozone, and cooling metal.
In the central medicae bay, Sasha Yakovleva lay inert on the specialized slab, less asleep than held in a state of forced biological suspension. Most of her body was encased in a translucent bio-gel and rigid mechanical bracing, only her pale, serene face visible. Hair-thin nutrient lines and energy conduits snaked into her spine, chest cavity, and cranial ports, delivering a constant flow of life-sustaining fluids, stabilizers, and nano-repair units into her ravaged form. The mechadendrites arrayed around the slab were still, but the sensor-lights at their tips pulsed softly, monitoring every minute fluctuation in her vital signs.
Joric stood nearby, his crimson optical lenses scanning the holographic display hovering above the slab, which showed Sasha's real-time physiological data-stream.
++[Bio-functionality stable. Neural impulse decay rate contained within safe parameters. Tissue regeneration protocol initialized. Current progress: 13.5%.]++ he stated flatly, his synthesized voice devoid of emotion, like reporting the maintenance status of a complex instrument. ++[Survival probability elevated to 89%. However, deep-tissue trauma is irreversible via purely biological means. Partial mechanization remains the most efficient solution.]++
When Maine's crew had brought Sasha back days ago, she had been little more than a shattered collection of barely connected tissues. Conventional ripperdocs would have declared her unsalvageable. But Joric's technology transcended the crude limitations of mere flesh. Utilizing the rare bio-catalysts provided by the crew and his own reserved stocks of active bio-matter, he had forcibly re-ignited the failing sparks of life within her. Now, employing the unique bio-mechanical integration techniques of the Cult Mechanicus, he was beginning the slow, meticulous process of reconstructing her most grievously damaged organs and limbs.
It required an absolutely stable environment.
Just then, from the other side of the workshop, came a low, powerful grind of stressed metal. Dorio sat up on the augmentation slab she had occupied. Her movements were initially stiff, slightly uncoordinated, but held an astonishing undercurrent of raw power. Her already formidable frame seemed to have expanded further. Beneath her bronzed skin, muscle fibers bunched and coiled like hyper-dense alloy cables, sculpted to explosive perfection. Even simple movements displaced the air with audible force. She looked down at her hands, clenching her fists, feeling the surge of power within her – far greater than before, yet feeling intrinsically hers, not the brute force of heavy chrome, but the optimized, perfected potential of her own biology.
Joric's optimized metabolic pathways and the new catalyst regimen had seemingly unlocked her body's ultimate potential.
"Feels... like being reborn," Dorio's voice was slightly hoarse, thick with awe and gratitude. She looked at Joric's tall, crimson-robed back, her expression complex – respect for his god-like skill, gratitude for the strength he had gifted her. Strength to protect Maine, to protect her family.
"Primary enhancement complete. Your biological structure has acclimated to the new metabolic baseline," Joric said without turning, his attention still fixed on Sasha's data. "You will require periodic replenishment of specific nutrient supplements and stabilizing agents to maintain peak condition and mitigate tissue degradation. Maintenance schedule and formulations will be provided. Now, go outside. Acclimatize to your new form. Do not disturb my work."
Dorio nodded curtly, took a deep breath, and took her first step. Her foot landed with a solid thud, the floor vibrating slightly. She walked out into the empty space outside the manufactorum, beginning a slow, focused series of movements, learning the limits and capabilities of her reforged body.
Meanwhile, the rest of Maine's crew was hard at work. The Goodwood and two other modified trucks shuttled back and forth, hauling heavy construction materials into the town: crates of high-tensile ferrocrete pre-fabs, bundles of thick alloy girders, heavy composite armor plates, massive spools of power cabling...
Materials meant for major construction projects, acquired through various channels – purchases, trades, and some less-than-legal "appropriations" – were painstakingly gathered and transported here.
It hadn't been easy. Acquiring such large quantities of specialized materials inevitably attracted unwanted attention. Several supply runs had resulted in minor skirmishes. But with Dorio's terrifying new strength, Rebecca's and Pilar's upgraded gear, and Falco's expert driving, they had overcome each challenge.
Once, at a scrap depot, they were ambushed by another merc crew looking to hijack their cargo. Just as the enemy was about to encircle them, Test Subject 1 – the replica servo-skull Joric had lent them – silently entered the fray. It didn't attack directly, but emitted a powerful, localized EMP burst, instantly crippling most of the attackers' cybernetics and vehicle systems, creating a perfect opening for Maine's crew to counter-attack.
"Boss's little toy is preem as fuck!" Rebecca yelled excitedly, cooling down her plasma pistol while kicking at a sparking, downed enemy.
Test Subject 1 hovered calmly nearby, its blue oculars recording the combat data for transmission back to the manufactorum.
Though focused on his research, Joric was not ignoring the crew's struggles. Through Test Subject 1 and occasional remote support from his Combat Servitors, he ensured his vital "supply chain" remained intact. It was an investment in his grander design.
As the materials piled up, Joric began directing the initial phase of modifying the subterranean base – "Ursa Minor" Outpost Seven. He first repurposed salvaged combat automata parts into basic construction servitors. Then, using the new materials, he reinforced and widened the southeast ventilation shaft access, making it large enough for small transport vehicles. He cleared a relatively intact warehouse section on the upper level of the base to serve as a temporary staging area and forward depot.
The replica skulls buzzed through the underground complex, conducting more detailed scans and structural integrity assessments. Based on their data, Joric continuously updated the 3D model of the base on his main terminal, marking priority load-bearing structures for reinforcement, planning power conduit routes, and designating future locations for laboratories, habitation zones, and defensive nodes.
His goal was clear: to transform this abandoned corporate black site into a secure, hidden, fully functional sanctum worthy of a Tech-Priest. The surface workshop would become a disguised entrance and primary processing facility; the true heart of his operation would move underground.