Located on the edge of Ultima Segmentum is Imperium Star Map in the orbit of Planet numbered ORD-335. A Adeptus Mechanicus exploration fleet has been staying here for many days.
The huge R-type logo on the hull means they are from Forge World Ryza.
The mixed smell of engine oil and ozone was permeated throughout the ship.
Explorator Sage Caleb·Iron Oath's mechanical prosthetic eye flashes orange-red light, staring through the porthole at the blue Planet below.
The surface of this Planet is covered with vast temperate rain forests, and the air pressure and oxygen content are sufficient to sustain life.
But orbital scanning shows that there is an irregular frequency Psychic Power interference source on the surface, like a poisonous stinger lurking under the greenery.
"Zi~ The fourth phase of the exploration team has been released to surface coordinates α-7."
Servitor There is noise in the voice unit that replaces the throat, and the photosensitive lens on the metal skull reflects the data stream from the console.
"Biological Scan shows that there are high concentrations of neurotoxin vegetation in the area, as well as three groups of actively aggressive arthropods."
Caleb's robotic arm knocked on the console unconsciously, and Alloy's knuckles left fine scratches on the panel.
Three days ago, they discovered a strange energy reaction in a mountain range in the southern hemisphere of Planet. The interior of the mountain covered by Vines was emitting some fluctuations that were suspected of the operation of some ancient technological devices.
"Enhanced Orbital Scanning Power,"
His mechanical pipes made a sound like gears grinding.
"Focus on analyzing the energy source structure of the core of the mountain range."
At this moment, the ship Bridge alarm suddenly beeped.
Servitor operated the Auspex array to quickly amplify the signal source.
"Sir, this is Transport Ship from Men of Iron. No. B-29293."
Caleb easily calls up the screen scanned by the ship.
They have seen many Transport Ships from Men of Iron. Among the current Milky Ways, only Men of Iron has such a ship. Even if they just look at the appearance, Caleb will not admit it wrong.
Holographic Projection keeps flipping in front of Explorator Sage.
"It seems there is no external damage. Contact the other party and ask about their intentions."
At Explorator Sage's signal, a Tech-Priest immediately initiated communication.
However, Transport Ship only gave a cold reply after picking up the communication.
"The mission is in progress, please do not interfere."
Then he immediately hung up the communication.
Explorator Sage, who also heard the communication, narrowed his eyes.
"Mission? What mission? Search for information about Imperium. Are there any mission instructions for this Planet?"
Tech-Priest went through all the communication instructions in a few seconds, but no matter how everyone looked for information, there was no information about the Planet under their feet.
"New target detected being released."
A huge Transport Aircraft cut through the atmosphere of Planet below, and was wrapped in blazing flames and rushed to the ground.
In Adeptus Mechanicus's knowledge, the mysterious and powerful existence of Men of Iron has always been the object of their vigilance and curiosity.
Explorator Sage quickly made a decision. A formation composed of Skitarii vanguard and Skitarii Alpha brought a dozen heavy-armored combat Menials followed by four Tech-Priest on an assault boat and dropped it to the ground, and quickly approached the coordinates where Men of Iron Transport Aircraft landed.
Ark Mechanicus constantly refreshes the coordinates of the landing of Men of Iron and tries to actively include the other party in its identification of Data Link.
Although Men of Iron's ship did not reply to their specific mission content, it did not deny the other party's data access.
The Skitarii exploration team that landed on the ground saw shattered biological remains as soon as they stepped onto the ground.
Broken biological limbs and broken flesh seemed to have been crushed into the ground by heavy objects.
Even the entire ground seemed to have been completely leveled, the soil was completely tamped, and it was as hard as steel.
The Tech-priests in the team quickly came to the conclusion that this was the unique effect of Gravity Weapon.
Some Imperium anti-gravity super-heavy vehicles will also do this when they run over the ground.
It is obvious that Men of Iron, which landed first, has eliminated the local creatures here.
After exchanging data with the fleet in orbit, the exploration team obtained the information about Machine Body that had long since disappeared.
The two sides landed less than an hour apart, but those Machine Body had already traveled thirty kilometers away.
What's even more peculiar is that, according to the positioning, these Machine Body seem to be heading underground at an angle.
Following the signal positioning, Skitarii soon came to a huge circular corridor.
The ground is strangely smooth.
In fact, Gaze-Render has complete technical information on the technique of drilling holes.
Disintegrator Ray turns the ground from soil into strange substance powder, and then uses Gravity Arc to forcibly compact these powders on the wall as reinforcement.
The circular corridor is extremely smooth.
The Gaze-Render's body only needs to be tilted slightly to allow it to continuously slide down in this channel.
Thanks to the reliability of ancient technology.
Rending Weapon can be continuously emitted, and the beam continues to penetrate deep into the ground, while Gravity Regulation Device allows these ten-meter-high Mechanical Units to maintain an appropriate speed while falling downwards and continuously reinforce these compacted soil channels.
But for the exploration team of Adeptus Mechanicus, this sudden cave is somewhat embarrassing.
"This surface is close to absolutely smooth. If we enter directly with our current equipment, there will be no difference between directly falling from an altitude of several thousand meters. We will break."
Tech-Priest carefully checked the huge sloping tunnel on the ground, and then came to a somewhat troublesome conclusion.
According to the shared signal Data Link, those Machine Body have tilted and penetrated tens of thousands of meters underground.
In such a large-angle inclined channel, everything will be broken under the inclined acceleration of tens of thousands of meters.
"How about we put an ordinary Menials down there and try it?"
A Explorator Priest looked hesitantly at another colleague who specialized in technological assistance.
In addition to Skitarii and combat Menials, they also carry some ordinary Menials that are thicker than regular Servitor.
These semi-biological coolies who are responsible for carrying supplies and equipment are the lowest existence in the eyes of Adeptus Mechanicus.
At least one Alpha is worth much more than them.
"Maybe we should get a Land Speeder."
After getting rid of this unlikely idea, everyone decided to give it a try first.
However, everything was exactly as they expected.
This Menials immediately lost its balance and continued to slide downwards after completely stepping onto the inclined corridor.
Unable to understand the situation, Menials tried to support his body with both hands, but the speed of his fall continued to increase.
The strong gravity squeezes it into a smooth channel like a molecular wall, and there is no point of force at all.
Menials slid down for nearly two kilometers and then hit a small platform and fell apart.
The damaged body barely transmitted part of the information back to the Tech-Priests on the surface.
Obviously, unlike the channel that goes straight to the bottom, the way Men of Iron moves forward seems to be sloping downward in stages.
But this is good news for the Skitarii exploration team that has not yet entered.
Menials, who was responsible for carrying supplies, spliced a thick steel cable and connected it to the heavy combat Menials.
The steel cable was then thrown toward the inclined channel.