As the final encrypted alloy door was silently penetrated and dismantled by the precise energy field of the phase cutter, the heavy door slowly tilted inward, finally revealing the interior of the STC core chamber to Osiris and his accompanying tech priests without reservation.
A surge of energy, far more concentrated than that outside and carrying a peculiar ionized aura, rushed towards us, mixed with the distinctive scent of ancient dust and the workings of intricate machinery.
The interior of the sealed chamber is a huge spherical space, with a dome made of interlocking metal frames, some areas of which show signs of rust due to their age.
A complex cylindrical device is suspended in the center of the sphere; this is the core of the complete STC system.
The device is cast from dark metal and its surface is covered with undecipherable geometric patterns.
Eight robotic arms are arranged in a ring around the device, the most prominent of which are three sets of manufacturing units in the unfolded state: a set of precision molecular weaving arms, a set of nanoscale material depositors, and a set of holographic forming matrices.
The tool heads at the ends of these robotic arms still showed signs of recent use, and some interfaces had faint indicator lights flashing.
The bottom of the device is connected to several thick energy conduits, two of which were clearly torn apart when the starship crashed, with dense cables exposed at the break.
The inner walls of the spherical space are covered with various auxiliary equipment: material storage bins, energy regulators, quality detectors, etc., but nearly half of the equipment is offline.
The outer shell of a material synthesis reactor was severely deformed, and the hatch was half open, exposing the solidified synthetic material inside.
The STC core emits a soft white light, but the light is unstable and flickers slightly at times.
This was accompanied by a continuous energy leak, with sensors detecting radiation escaping from the device at multiple frequencies.
Some holographic projectors are still working intermittently, projecting three-dimensional blueprints that are sometimes clear and sometimes distorted, showing complex mechanical structures, but these projections are limited to a few meters around the core device.
Although the system is still running, it is clearly not in optimal condition.
Several broken conduits hung down, occasionally emitting tiny sparks of electricity.
One of the heat dissipation units completely stopped working, causing the temperature in that area to be significantly higher than normal.
Various parts and repair tools are scattered on the floor of the spherical space, showing the traces of the Van Sauer family's continuous maintenance and attempts to repair it.
Osiris' massive mechanical body stepped into the secret room, and the optical lens scanned the entire environment with the highest precision.
When the sensors confirmed that the central device was indeed a still-functioning STC system, the humming of the plasma reactor inside his body accelerated to an almost imperceptible level.
The data stream was rolling at an unprecedented speed at the edge of his processing core.
"Target confirmed: complete STC system core, still maintaining basic operational functions." His synthesized voice rang out in the empty, sealed room. Although it remained steady, the amount of information contained within it caused the accompanying tech priests to pause almost simultaneously for a moment.
"Radiation level: 470 percent above the safety threshold. Energy fluctuation: Unstable, with periodic peaks. Priority instruction: Immediately execute stabilization operations."
The accompanying tech priests sprang into action, their movements displaying an eagerness rarely seen in members of the Mechanicus.
Two portable energy barrier generators were deployed on either side of the STC core at top speed.
As the energy barrier activated, confining most of the radiation to the vicinity of the core, a tech priest's prosthetic eye unconsciously adjusted its focus three times, repeatedly confirming the readings.
Another group of priests cautiously approached the external interface of the STC system.
The priest responsible for connecting the data probes trembled slightly in his fingers—not out of fear, but because he realized he was touching a sacred relic that the entire Mechanicus had been dreaming of.
"Multiple encryption layers and a non-standard data architecture detected," he reported, his voice a mixture of awe and excitement. "Attempting to establish an initial connection… bypassing…"
The moment he spoke, a set of holographic projectors in the STC core suddenly started operating stably, clearly projecting a complete diagram of the internal structure of the power armor.
All the tech priests present stopped what they were doing and focused their optical sensors on the incredibly precise blueprint.
"Execute the overall disassembly procedure." Osiris' command brought everyone back to reality, but his optical lens lingered on the blueprint for an extra 0.3 seconds: "Mark all external connection nodes, prioritizing structural integrity."
All data, including real-time operation logs, must be synchronously uploaded to the 'Eternal Quest' database.
The tech priests quickly got to work on the disassembly, the entire team maintaining the professionalism characteristic of the cleric order while also unable to hide their excitement. When the structural scanner started, the operator's fingers trembled slightly, but they still completed the calibration with precision.
"Begin marking the main support structure." The chief tech priest's voice carried an barely suppressed excitement. The twelve priests immediately took their positions, their measuring instruments humming rhythmically, each person's optical sensors focused on the structural connection points of the STC system.
"May Omnissiah bless us," a young priest murmured, "these connecting structures are so well preserved."
As the heavy-duty cutting equipment was in place, the operating priest took a deep breath and began chanting a prayer. His voice was slightly hurried, but his hand movements remained precise and steady. The phase cutter started smoothly, and the energy blade precisely cut into the base connection.
"The anti-gravity transport platform is ready," the priest in charge of operating the platform reported, his prosthetic eye gleaming with excitement. The three large suspended platforms moved smoothly into place, and the fixing clamps on the platform surface perfectly aligned with the system base.
"Twenty percent of the main support structure has been separated."
"The energy conduit has been safely disconnected and is backing up data."
"A working interface protocol has been detected!"
The tech priests spoke with noticeable more urgency than usual when exchanging data, but they maintained their professionalism. When yet another connection point was successfully broken, the priests breathed a sigh of relief and exchanged pleased glances.
Osiris stood at the command post, monitoring every step. When the last major connection point was severed, he clearly issued the instruction: "Initiate the overall hoisting procedure."
The anti-gravity platform simultaneously increased its power, emitting a steady roar. The massive STC system began to rise smoothly, completely separating from the ship's structure. The tech priests immediately stepped forward to inspect it, and one senior priest couldn't help but gently stroke the cross-section of the base, whispering in admiration, "A perfect cut..."
"System integrity confirmed." The chief tech priest's voice carried a sense of satisfaction at completing a major mission. "All structural connection points have been safely separated and are ready for relocation."
The entire disassembly process took three hours and forty-seven minutes, during which the tech priests maintained a professional and devout work attitude throughout. Now, the complete STC system is ready to be transported to the "Eternal Quest".
Meanwhile, as the dismantling of the STC core was completed, the cleanup and harvesting work inside Ronker Town was also in full swing.