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The desert night was cold and silent, with only the eternal wind howling through the twisted metal and broken concrete of this forgotten ruin.
But inside the only intact large building in the center of the abandoned town Osiris occupied, it was a different scene.
Energy pipelines emitted a stable, low-frequency hum, and the delicate sounds of various automated tool arms working in concert wove together into an efficient yet cold industrial symphony.
The air was filled with the sharp scent of ozone, the hot aroma of molten metal, and the chemical smell of freshly painted insulation.
The "medical fees" paid by the Maine Team, along with resources from several subsequent exploratory transactions, were neatly categorized and stacked in a corner of the workshop.
Unlike the true "scrap" that Rebecca and Pilar had previously salvaged, the quality of these materials was a qualitative leap: perfectly packaged military-grade high-energy batteries, complete with the Militech company logo.
Advanced neural processor prototypes with clear texture and a faint glow, clearly unregistered outflows from some laboratory; several alloy ingots of special composition, displaying subtle iridescence under specific lighting and marked with indecipherable corporate internal codes; and even a small box of initially refined rare metals, sealed in inert gas, which are the cornerstone of many high-precision devices.
These were the true hard currency, the wealth from the shadows of Night City, obtained by the Maine Team through their underground channels and unconventional means, from "unplanned outflows" from corporate fringe laboratories, secret circulations in black market networks, or certain never-to-be-disclosed "accidental" gains.
"The resource channels are stabilized. Material utilization registers as highly efficient," Osiris stood before the central workbench, a slender yet powerful mechanical tentacle deftly picking up a high-energy battery and precisely embedding it into the power supply module currently being assembled.
His voice came through his faceplate, synthesized and cool, with a barely perceptible hint of calculated satisfaction: "Buddy, it appears the conditions are adequate for Phase Two implementation."
On one side of his visual interface, complex holographic blueprint data streams continuously scrolled. The most important project was an efficient, stable power supply module, specifically designed for the Dimensional Dimension Device.
"Buddy, recalibrate output waveform stability. Fluctuation tolerance ceiling: zero point zero three percent," Osiris commanded, his gaze never leaving the circuit he was soldering.
"Directive confirmed." The servo-skull's eye sockets glowed with a faint blue light, and a precise laser guidance beam projected onto the nascent power supply module.
Several mechanical tentacles worked in concert, arranging the battery pack in the optimal array.
Before investing more resources into expanding the power supply module, Osiris once again placed the dark golden regular dodecahedron in the special energy field at the center of the workbench, connecting the output end of the newly constructed module.
"Buddy, initiate real-time energy flow and structural feedback telemetry. Report all deviation anomalies instantly."
"Directive confirmed." The servo-skull floated quietly beside him, its scanning beam enveloping the Dimensional Relic.
A stable energy flow poured into the relic, its complex patterns gradually lighting up on its surface, emitting a soft yet profound glow. Osiris intently observed the data stream.
"Analysis indicates unexpected parameters…" he murmured to himself, his fingers rapidly sliding across the virtual interface, "It is not merely absorbing energy; it appears to be initiating a verification sequence, a data recording protocol…"
After half an hour of intensive calculations and data sifting, two relatively stable, structurally peculiar coordinate parameters were isolated and clearly marked on his visual interface.
"Two distinct coordinates…" he mused, his metal finger gently stroking the cold, smooth surface of the relic, "One may correspond to the original insertion point. The second… what is its vector? An adjacent dimensional field? Or merely a localized node within this sector?" An indescribable tremor, a pure logistical curiosity, flowed through his core processor.
However, when he tried to inject more energy, the light on the Dimensional Dimension Device's surface quickly dimmed, and all reactions ceased abruptly.
"Energy input remains below five percent of theoretical minimum," Osiris finally concluded, a trace of professional regret in his tone: "All deep-level functions remain inaccessible. Buddy, priority reset: full scale power supply module expansion is mandated."
He carefully removed the Dimensional Dimension Device from the energy field and placed it back into its specialized shielded box: "No need for expedited execution. We will attempt re-initiation when the power output increases."
Temporarily setting aside his exploration of the ancient relic, Osiris turned his attention to more pressing practical needs, defense protocols.
He walked to the biological processing table in the colder area on the other side of the workshop, where four human specimens lay flat, the recent "resource providers."
Memory data was retrieved: a few days ago, a group of Nomads had trespassed upon this modified sector of abandoned territory, mistakenly believing they had located an unguarded storage cache. They attempted to initiate aggressive seizure without proper reconnaissance.
Their fate was predetermined. The automated perimeter sentry guns and static electric traps instantly neutralized their combat functionality. Osiris personally secured four of the most physically viable subjects; the remaining trespassers were discarded due to inefficiency.
Now, the four subjects were consciously aware. The potent biological tranquilizer prevented motor control, yet preserved full sensory perception. Terror, like cold venom, saturated every neural pathway. Their eyes were wide, bloodshot, fixed on the ceiling. Suppressed whimpers of "ho-ho" escaped their throats.
"Please… please, boss…" one of the largest men, with a knife scar on his face, squeezed out an inaudible plea through gritted teeth, "Don't flatline us… We'll pay the scratch... anything you need…"
Osiris's gaze swept over these "materials," his optical sensors recording their vital signs, redundant biological system reactions to irreversible logical outcomes.
His movements were without the slightest hesitation, exhibiting absolute precision and efficiency.
"Biological tissue activity is within acceptable parameters. Buddy, initiate Combat Servitor conversion protocol," he announced calmly. "Retain core motor functions; excise all inefficient and autonomous control sectors. Required output: completely compliant combat units."
Mechanical tentacles, like a precise swarm, extended quietly, their ends glinting with various surgical tools.
First was the modification of the brain. A slender probe, guided by the servo-skull's laser, precisely pierced above the eye socket, reaching the prefrontal lobe region. High-frequency microcurrents were precisely released, ablating the neural clusters responsible for personal will, complex emotions, fear, and creativity.
The pleas for mercy ceased abruptly. The light in those eyes, which had been filled with extreme fear and pleading, rapidly dissipated, becoming hollow, vacant, and unfocused. All struggles, all personal history, all greed and fear, were utterly erased in that moment.
"Prefrontal ablation complete. Biological emotional interference registers as zero," Osiris confirmed to the servo-skull, his tone as calm as a data readout. "Buddy, prepare implant array: control chip and optical sensor interface installation."
Next, the mechanical tentacles began a comprehensive physical enhancement. Skin was cut open, muscle tissue peeled back, revealing the underlying bones. Skeletal frameworks made of reinforced alloy were precisely implanted and integrated with the original structures.
The original optical eyeballs were removed, replaced by low-light-enhanced optical sensors, flashing with a single, merciless red light. Weapon interfaces were pre-embedded in the arms or shoulders, with connecting cables directly wired into the newly implanted processing hub.
The air was filled with a potent mixture of disinfectant, blood, and bio-electrolyte.
Standard Combat Servitor
Standard Combat Servitor
Adeptus Mechanicus Heavy Combat Servitor
"These four combat servitor units will reach basic initialization state in approximately four standard hours," Osiris observed, evaluating the unit's projected performance: "While their efficiency rating does not approach original Mechanicus specifications, they are projected to provide adequate mitigation against local security breaches. The resource-to-output ratio is acceptable."
The servo-skull's mandible clicked, a silent, mechanical affirmation.
Osiris turned, his gaze sweeping over the resource piles, the stably operating power supply module, and the steel guardians transforming on the platform. A subtle, quiet sense of professional satisfaction flowed through his logical circuits.
Although the path of return remained complex, every step forward was traceable and verifiable.
He picked up a power soldering iron and once again immersed himself in the work of expanding the power supply module. Mechanical tentacles danced silently under his precise mental control, blue electrical sparks occasionally splashing, briefly illuminating the hem of his dark red robe, his cold mechanical arm, and his expressionless metal faceplate.
"Affirmative. Buddy, resume power module expansion."