Memory Data at the Foundation of Logic

"Boom!"

Massive explosions erupted across the surface, sending faint tremors even thousands of meters underground.

"Let me see what happened."

With several components replaced, Iax moved his newly serviced body and remotely accessed the data gathered by the surviving facilities of the Maintenance Center.

Although he could not obtain images of the surface directly, his immensely powerful computing core from the Dark Age of Technology easily reconstructed conditions aboveground using nothing but energy waves and the frequencies of vibrations transmitted underground.

"Hmm? The planet is under Orbital Bombardment? How is that possible? This is the Halo Stars near Segmentum Obscurus. Has the Federation fallen?"

"According to the records, Vostonia is right next door. If those records are correct, it seems to be an Industrial World. The Federation wouldn't abandon an Industrial World so easily."

"What are these bombers attacking?"

To understand the situation, Iax had to find a way to investigate the surface.

As his core processed at high speed, several Ravens were activated in the Maintenance Center's security storage bay.

These transformable machines, once used to provide prolonged aerial reconnaissance during surface combat, had V-shaped bodies. From a distance, they somewhat resembled the ancient birds known as ravens, hence their name.

The miniature Neutron Beam Emitters suspended beneath their bodies could release energy beams nearly six times as powerful as the modern Imperium of Man's Lasgun, making them ideal for harassment over wide areas and destroying fragile equipment.

Several tubular chambers gradually pressurized. These tubes, only forty centimeters in diameter, extended from the underground storage bay all the way to the surface. Although the constant explosions had slightly deformed portions of their routes, that did not prevent Iax from using them to launch the Ravens aboveground.

"Thump! Thump!"

A series of muffled reports rang out as more than a dozen Ravens were launched from underground through several ejection tubes.

Their alloy bodies gave off piercing screeches as they scraped through the deformed sections of the tubes.

The exits, buried beneath rubble and sand over the long years, were forced open again by the charging Ravens.

The tremendous force even caused the first few Ravens to smash into the thick layers of sand and rubble like solid iron projectiles, destroying themselves along with the obstructions before they could serve their purpose.

A cloud of dust and flying rubble suddenly erupted from an inconspicuous corner of a hill on the surface.

Several dark shapes then flew out of the drifting dust.

After leaving the tubes, the Ravens swiftly activated their transformation mechanisms. Although the long wait had left their bodies aged and damaged to varying degrees, they could still barely sustain flight.

As the propulsion units concealed in their tails began operating, barely perceptible streams of particles sprayed out.

The Ravens rapidly gained altitude and began surveying the surrounding area over a range of several thousand kilometers.

According to the database records, this was a barren Planet, but the video data transmitted back left Iax somewhat stunned.

"When did people start living here? Why does this city look so strange?"

The city in the footage was completely different from the Federation cities in the records, and its style was decidedly peculiar. Still, judging by its statues and extensive ornamentation, he could just make out that it belonged to the Adeptus Mechanicus.

After all, with those conspicuous cog-and-skull emblems and prominent industrial structures, no other faction would have decorated a Hive City this way.

"The emblem of the Adeptus Mechanicus?"

Thanks to the ultra-high-precision optical detectors fitted to the Ravens, the ships pouring down shells from low orbit were also immediately brought into Iax's view.

Their designs, however, shocked him.

"What are these strange things? Bio-ships? They don't quite look like those. There's some resemblance to Federation Strike Cruisers, but why do they look so odd?"

The ships in space bore strange, spiked decorations and none of the usual human Federation insignia. Their hulls were covered in a substance resembling proliferating growths.

"Federation ships controlled by parasitic Xenos Creatures?"

The situation left Iax bewildered. The records retained in his system contained no mention of such enemies, and even his core data held no comparable Federation units.

"It seems the Federation changed before I was awakened. I wonder whether there have been new technological developments. Perhaps this is something more advanced? But what are these strange parasites?"

Iax displayed boundless curiosity toward the unknown.

"But first, I need to stop this continuous Orbital Bombardment. Otherwise, if the place collapses, even leaving the Maintenance Center will take some effort."

His cognitive core ran at high speed, and every usable piece of equipment throughout the facility began rapidly performing self-diagnostics.

The status of numerous entries in the module list began changing within his core data. After their self-checks, many functional modules remained gray and unavailable.

But a few modules managed to pass their self-checks and turned green, indicating readiness.

Among all the green entries, Iax quickly found the equipment he wanted.

"Fragmentation Cannon."

It was an enormous shipboard weapon fitted to standard Battleships.

Although Iax's core records did not explain why a Maintenance Center possessed a super-sized turret converted from such massive equipment, it was clearly suitable for use now.

Moreover, this enormous weapon was the only piece of equipment among all the modules that had completed its self-check and could fire.

A cannon of this type had enough power to destroy the Strike Cruisers in the records with a single shot.

A hit would tear both hull and shields to shreds.

Even battleships of the same class or massive flagships rarely escaped unscathed. Not even the Phalanx, the largest ship currently possessed by the Imperium, could withstand simultaneous bombardment from multiple Fragmentation Cannons.

As Iax issued his command, a mountain on the surface began rumbling and breaking apart. An enormous base appeared at its foot, and as the machinery operated, a colossal metal turret emerged aboveground.

This enormous upheaval immediately drew the attention of both sides in the battle.

The continuous Orbital Bombardment and the gun emplacements firing from the surface both briefly fell silent.

As vast quantities of energy surged into the massive cannon from its base, even the dullest observer could sense that something was wrong with the immense energy reaction.

Although the Adeptus Mechanicus was extremely alarmed by this energy reaction and diverted enormous amounts of power to its Void Shield systems, it took no further action.

They could not identify the object, but its energy was clearly not directed at them.

The strange fleet in space, meanwhile, immediately brought all its guns to bear on the newly emerged threat and unleashed a furious bombardment.

Naturally, such a conspicuous turret possessed defensive capabilities equal to the attacks it might face.

The spilling energy was absorbed by an energy shield called Argyle, and a barrier tougher and thicker than a Void Shield appeared around the enormous turret's base.

"Humm!"

Just before the incoming strikes from space collided with the shield, an enormous, deathly white beam burst from the cannon's barrel.

The massive beam destroyed every shell near its path, then broke through the atmosphere and struck a ship that was pouring down fire.

The purple Void Shield covering the ship's hull flickered wildly before bursting like a punctured balloon.

Struck by the remaining energy, the hull instantly exploded into fragments.

The brilliant flash from the secondary explosions illuminated a small stretch of the surface like a temporary sun.