The Adeptus Mechanicus delegation led by Archmagos Arkhan Land descended upon the "star ring" that shimmered with beautiful auroral colors.
Countless eyeball-shaped automata drifting through space immediately gathered around them upon their arrival.
"They're observing us."
Land could sense that these things were not simple, low-intelligence constructs. They likely possessed intelligence of their own.
After the eyeball-shaped automata spotted them, other automata on the star ring swiftly converged on the group as well.
They were non-humanoid automata with an extremely simple and efficient triangular framework. Land saw no processing marks or engine vents on their silver-white shells, which meant their manufacturing techniques had reached a state of ultimate perfection.
"Beautiful. So beautiful. The beauty of simplicity, these little things."
The simpler a technological creation was, the greater the technology contained within it tended to be. Land marveled at the beauty of these little things.
As Land praised them, even the electronic monkey on his shoulder became dissatisfied with his delight and grabbed the flamboyant wig atop the Archmagos's head.
In a sense, this brilliant Archmagos truly was "bald to the extreme." Perhaps his overdeveloped brain had absorbed most of his nutrients, but ever since his youth, Arkhan Land had possessed a gleaming bald head.
"Ganymede makes extensive use of automata. Does Magos Lox of Macragge not know about the Crimson Protocol? Or has he not even bothered to put on an act?"
A trace of unease welled up within Land. Everything here was indeed highly automated, but it was perhaps a little too automated.
Even those Adeptus Mechanicus magi who secretly crossed the line to study Abominable Intelligence and the Iron Men usually found all kinds of excuses and justifications for their research.
He had truly never seen anyone as brazen and open as Lox.
``` +Carbon-based lifeforms detected: Database