Portable Energy Converter

Farrion could not help, so Iax had to do the work himself. But just as Iax was about to begin, he discovered another problem.

"Is there any Naro Fas Steel aboard this ship?"

The unfamiliar term left Farrion silent, even though it was spoken in High Gothic.

After carefully searching his memory, Farrion asked a question that left Iax silent as well.

"What is Naro Fas Steel?"

Iax tilted his mechanical head thirty degrees, then looked at Farrion with his head still cocked.

"Naro Fas Steel is a synthetic steel with excellent energy conductivity and exceptional energy storage properties. Its rigidity is approximately three times that of your armor. It is commonly used to manufacture power cores and energy hubs. It was invented by Naro Fas in the year 13,289 AD of the Terran calendar."

Iax's explanation left Farrion utterly speechless.

Meanwhile, Sien sheathed his sword and stood aside to watch. These matters clearly lay beyond his knowledge. He was not a Techmarine, so he could not study with the Adeptus Mechanicus, much less understand materials technology. They were the Emperor's Angels of Death, weapons and blades, but not Engineers.

Even a Techmarine was an Astartes first and a Techmarine second.

Combat was their instinct and specialty.

Seeing Farrion's reaction, Iax knew this would probably be troublesome.

"Does this ship have a metal storage warehouse?"

Farrion nodded without a word.

"Take me there."

None of the three said anything more. Farrion led the way, with Iax close behind, while Sien brought up the rear with a hand resting on his Power Sword.

They arrived at an enormous storage facility filled with racks.

The various racks were packed with all manner of metal materials.

Iax said nothing, instead sweeping every material in the warehouse with a Wide-Area Scan.

He soon selected several alloys containing suitable components.

"I need the materials labeled A-3-372, A-5-288, B-1-486, and E-4-763. Three units of each."

With an Astartes' authority, no one would object to taking a few metal materials. They could empty the entire warehouse without anyone saying a word.

Farrion went to a nearby terminal to requisition the materials. Soon, several Servitors and Servo-skulls delivered blocks of metal to them.

Iax stacked all the metal blocks together. A pale golden glow then rose from his fingers as he activated the Particle Oscillation Field.

He easily cut small interlocking notches into all the materials. Once he had stacked them together, he casually lifted the whole pile.

The twelve metal ingots were not particularly large, but their different densities brought their combined weight to several hundred jin.

Casually carrying the ingots, Iax led the way back to the maintenance hall.

After finding a large metal tray and placing it underneath, he began transforming one arm.

A Neutron Beam Emitter immediately replaced his hand.

At the sight of Iax suddenly deploying a weapon, Sien instinctively drew his Power Sword again.

This time, however, Farrion took the initiative and moved closer to Iax.

"What are you doing?"

Iax had no intention of concealing any information. His flat mechanical voice answered Farrion's question.

"The intense heat of the neutron beam can melt these metals. Its neutron-layer reactions will separate the substances I need into distinct layers, making secondary refinement easier."

Working according to the properties of the metal ingots, Iax took nearly an hour to successfully smelt a thirty-kilogram lump of special metal from them.

Looking at the lump of metal with its peculiar black-and-gold sheen, Iax explained it to Farrion, who had been watching attentively the entire time.

"This is Naro Fas Steel."

Iax then extended a sharp Triangular Blade, activated its Particle Oscillation Field, and carefully began cutting into the metal.

His mechanical arms moved rapidly, soon carving a peculiar box-shaped structure out of the mass of metal.

Iax used his bare hands to fashion a Conversion Core from the cut-off Naro Fas Steel and the other "impurity" materials.

Soon, Iax placed an intricate core assembly into the empty cavity inside the box.

Iax reached out and picked up the entire box.

He pulled free an energy conduit connected to the nearby workbench.

The opening in the box happened to be just a little larger than the conduit's connector.

Once he inserted the connector, the small box immediately began to respond.

Streams of silvery-white light flowed across its surface, radiating a soft glow.

The surface of Iax's body also began flashing with silvery-white light.

It brightened and dimmed rhythmically, as though breathing.

Farrion turned to look at Iax's glowing body and asked curiously.

"That's all it takes? You don't need to connect any cables or anything else? Is this how all ancient technology recharges?"

Iax had no intention of hiding anything and readily explained.

“Quantum Energy Transfer Technology. The converter can accept multiple energy sources and convert them according to their energy type. Quantum Energy spreads in the form of an Energy Field. All Men of Iron within that Energy Field can recharge.”

"How far does this Energy Field extend?"

Farrion pointed curiously at the converter, which had been placed on the floor and was flashing steadily.

"A five-meter radius."

"The materials here are far too limited, and the energy efficiency is too low. The converter's efficiency is likewise poor, and its energy coverage is extremely small. Still, it is sufficient to recharge me. I need two hours to replenish my energy. I will not leave this area during that time, and I will reconnect the cable when charging is complete."

With that, Iax picked up the converter cable from the floor and placed it beside him, the light on his body continuing to pulse.

"Abnormal energy consumption in the maintenance hall. Load on circuit thirty-two approaching maximum capacity. Cable detected as disconnected from workbench. Please check cable status."

After the warning sounded, a figure wearing a red hood followed the circuit to the workbench.

"Sir, please explain the current situation."

A Tech-Priest fitted with auxiliary mechanical arms on the back looked at the Astartes standing beside the workbench and the strange mechanical creation, then gave a slight nod before asking.

Although ordinary people, and even the Astra Militarum, regarded the Astartes as the exalted Angels of the Emperor, members of the Adeptus Mechanicus saw little difference between them and combat machines.

They maintained the necessary respect but did not consider the Astartes inherently noble.

To the Adeptus Mechanicus, faith in the Omnissiah was the true path. The Emperor was merely the Omnissiah's incarnation in the mortal world. Even reverence for the Emperor was, in essence, reverence for the Omnissiah. Their faith had little connection to the Emperor himself.

Rather than saying the Tech-Priests revered the Astartes, it would be more accurate to say they feared these self-aware, flesh-and-blood war machines who worshipped the Emperor.

The flesh was weak. The machine offered ascension.