As Cawl's enormous Ark Mechanicus gradually came into optical range, the ship began to slow.
Numerous Imperial cruisers and several cruisers bearing the insignia of the Adeptus Mechanicus patrolled the orbit, establishing a defensive line.
All of it was intended to buy Cawl more time for his research.
With Guilliman's arrival, however, Cawl made the rare decision to set aside his work and immediately board the Thunderhawk sent to collect him.
He attached considerable importance to Guilliman.
When the Thunderhawk returned, Guilliman personally welcomed Cawl in the hangar.
The two then headed straight for a special compartment inside the ship.
Iax had remained there all along.
The last time the Bodyguard Robot had spoken, it had thoroughly terrified the ship's Tech-Priests.
Now, rumors of abominable machine intelligence had begun to circulate among the Priests aboard.
When the compartment door opened, Iax was tinkering with a batch of new components.
Although there was no telling when the materials needed to manufacture core frames would become available, making extra components in advance was still useful. If another opportunity to build core frames arose, these handmade components could be assembled into an entire Bodyguard squad in just a few hours.
If no materials could be found, they could serve as spare parts for the sole Bodyguard Robot instead.
Iax had even built himself a small antimatter conversion beam cannon.
These weapons were generally enormous, mounted on large robots or warships to bombard fortresses or ships.
However, since Iax used himself as the power core, and the available materials were limited, he had built a "miniature" device he could wield himself.
When Guilliman brought Cawl into Iax's compartment, Iax was holding the large tube and repeatedly adjusting its settings.
Looking around the compartment, which resembled a warehouse of mechanical parts, Cawl curiously picked up