In the cold void.
A signal from Macragge triggered the preset response mechanism, and the asteroid-sized Hera space dock activated its engines.
It was not fast. Built to manufacture warships, the dock's structure could not withstand excessive acceleration. Within it, several half-finished planetary-class warships were being rushed into production.
Now, as power was diverted to the propulsion systems, the lights along the production lines flickered unsteadily. The few mortals aboard hurried into the civil defense shelters, utterly unaware of what was happening.
Bright red warning lights flashed everywhere. Within Hera's primary Cogitator System, the security-lobotomized low-grade intelligence took control of the space dock.
Lox's orders overrode the production protocols, pushing the vast metal construct toward Macragge's orbit.
It was coming for the Dark Angels fleet, and for the Invincible Truth.
Before the situation became clear, Lox had decided to disarm the Dark Angels first. The Hera dock would use its power to temporarily imprison the Invincible Truth.
Farther out in the void, the battle planet Amatara was racing toward them. Its arrival was an insurance measure, ensuring that the Dark Angels fleet could be swiftly and completely destroyed if necessary.
More covertly, Lox's order awakened another hyperintelligent Iron Man sleeping deep within Mustafar's core. It was the contingency he had left behind, and the time had finally come to activate it.
The shuttle carrying the Iron Man activated its teleportation protocol after breaking through the atmosphere. It would reach Lox as quickly as possible.
But Lox did not need protection. His true body was far away on Sotha. He had summoned the hyperintelligent Iron Man solely to take control of the situation if necessary.
Come on, he had seen Guilliman's combat ability plenty of times. If this turned into another one-on-one duel with Lion, Lox had very little faith in