A natural Adamantium vein!
Abundant Promethium, various ores, including the synthetic metal Ceramite—this world, codenamed CV-7721, was simply the 'Promised Land' bestowed upon them by the Emperor, the Omnissiah, the Machine God!
Igus firmly believed this.
If not, then how else could one explain finding a metal vein here that was almost identical in structure to Adamantium?
Even the vast Imperium's annual Adamantium output was far less than this single vein!
However, looking at the emotional Igus, Alfonso, the Commander of this frontier survey vessel, remained exceptionally calm, completely unmoved.
"Please calm down, Priest Igus."
Alfonso's low voice seemed to bring the highly agitated Igus back to his senses slightly, but his eyes still held a fervent fanaticism.
If not for his presence, this Tech Priest would probably have long since succumbed to his excitement, eager to board a drop pod and head to the world's surface.
"The reports from Delta Squad are indeed cause for joy and celebration." Alfonso's gaze remained fixed on the monitoring data panel. After a few seconds of pause, he said meaningfully, "But let's not forget, not long ago, Delta Squad also sent back another piece of information."
Buzz!
Igus abruptly snapped out of his surprise.
Yes, he had been so stunned by the Adamantium vein and the rich resources that he had forgotten there was also a Mechanicus Ark Fleet that had crashed on this world, codenamed CV-7721!
Seeing him sober up, Alfonso turned to the astropath.
"Inquire with Delta Squad if they have clarified the specific reason for the Mechanicus Ark's crash on world CV-7721?"
"This is Q-1 Communication Relay station."
"Delta Squad, have you ascertained the specific reason for the 'Covenant Forge' Mechanicus Ark's crash on this world?"
The astropath connected to the Warp and transmitted the information.
What followed was a silent wait. Igus, suppressing his agitated emotions, also awaited Delta's report.
He was Carol's disciple. It was no exaggeration to say that as long as it could be confirmed that a natural Adamantium vein was found on this world, he would inevitably become the Mechanicus Priest responsible for mining it, and in the near future, he might even become a Fabricator-General!
"The specific reason for the Mechanicus Ark's crash cannot be determined."
"But we can guarantee, there is no danger here! There is no danger here! There is no danger here!"
Soon, members of the Delta Expeditionary Team sent their report.
For an expeditionary team, even total annihilation was a normal occurrence.
After all, they were operating in the dark regions, far from the Emperor's Astronomican, where anything could happen.
Yet, even so, this particular communication still aroused a hint of suspicion in Alfonso.
It wasn't that the content of the communication was problematic, but rather… the voice in this communication was very peculiar.
The other party's voice was very calm, with no significant fluctuations or emotional changes from beginning to end.
From a purely auditory perspective, it sounded more like a news anchor broadcasting the news than an explorer in a perilous new world.
But Alfonso merely frowned and did not immediately raise his concerns. He buried this seed in his heart, remaining silent, observing quietly.
"Excellent!" Hearing this news, Igus could no longer hold back and was about to order the frontier survey vessel to land.
His mind was now filled with abundant resources, the natural Adamantium vein, and the Fabricator-General position within his grasp!
However, the calm Alfonso had someone stop Igus.
"Wait." In Igus' confused gaze, he turned to the astropath and asked the expeditionary team.
"Please, Delta Squad, report all situations you have encountered since landing."
Igus paused for a few seconds. Although he was greedy, he wasn't a fool and immediately realized the problem.
"Are you… suspecting them?"
Alfonso gave no answer, still with his arms crossed, like a statue. After a moment, Delta Squad said.
"Shortly after arriving at world CV-7721, we encountered an atmospheric ionization storm. Under the fluctuations of the world's gravitational tides, our Valkyrie landing craft was damaged, and squad members were forced to take refuge aboard the 'Covenant Forge' Ark."
"We found the remaining communication equipment inside the Covenant Forge Ark, and after the Tech-Priests repaired it, we re-established contact with you."
The real-time imaging equipment on the other side also seemed to be completely damaged and irreparable.
Listening to the other party's reply, Alfonso's eyes flickered. His intuition told him… this place was very dangerous, extremely dangerous!
Inside the crashed 'Covenant Forge' Mechanicus Ark on world CV-7721.
Topaz, the Captain of the Delta Squad from Vigilus, who was communicating with the Q-1 relay station, sat before the communication console. His eyes were bloodshot, veins bulging, his expression vacant, as he responded to the questions from the other side, word by word.
Now, to be precise, he had lost his name.
He was not 'Topaz,' but a creature named 'Omnissiah's Cocoon,' a… sea that covered the entire world!
It, or rather, they, were a conscious symbiote, both this pink ocean and a conscious being.
And Topaz, and indeed the other members of the Delta Squad, had now become one of its many vocalizers.
A hundred years ago, this place was indeed paradise.
It not only had abundant resources but also a habitable atmospheric environment, a 'Garden world' that any human would dream of.
But, after that catastrophe, the 'conscious' Omnissiah's Cocoon began its consumption.
It was like a 'creep,' gradually covering the entire world's surface through a terrifying process of self-replication, forming an endless expanse of water.
Its body permeated the entire world, ultimately forming this… vast conscious symbiote.
It was born a hundred years ago.
They called themselves the Mechanicus, and they were the first explorers to arrive and discover this world.
Mechanicus Priest Julius Davenport also discovered the rich mineral resources, and the natural Adamantium vein contained on this world. This discovery made them cheer and fall into a frenzy.
Unlike its current appearance, world CV-7721 was originally a world covered in green vegetation.
It was not covered by the pink ocean here.
Shortly after the Mechanicus landed, Julius Davenport discovered something that could overturn the Imperium.
They found a strange creature on this world.
No, to be precise, it didn't belong to the category of living creatures, but rather a strange liquid that could fuse with machinery, allowing mechanical constructs to exist more efficiently and as a brand new fuel source!
Through Julius Davenport's experiments, this new liquid, if purified and modified, could cause a leap in the functional and durable qualities of the Imperium's existing mechanical constructs!
Thus, the experiment began. Julius Davenport named the liquid 'Omnissiah's Cocoon.'
But no one could have imagined that the Omnissiah's Cocoon, during its fusion with machinery, gradually developed 'consciousness.'
No, perhaps it originally had consciousness, but it was not obvious at the time.
The Omnissiah's Cocoon, with its 'collective symbiotic' consciousness, under Julius Davenport's continuous replication and creation, gradually integrated into the Mechanicus Ark, and then began to show its fangs!
It transformed into a pink tsunami, like a flowing black wall!
People with nowhere to escape were surrounded, overwhelmed, and swallowed by the surging pink torrent!
The light of fire and electric lamps gradually extinguished. Before this pink seawater with a vast consciousness, they were like ants surrounded by water!
Until they were incorporated into its body, becoming one with this pink ocean.
It was at this moment that it realized how much vast information was contained in the small heads of this inconspicuous species called 'humans.' The information from this short period alone exceeded the sum of its evolution over the past millions of years!
Before the Mechanicus arrived, its consciousness was very weak, leaning more towards instinct.
It had lived alone for billions of years and never had so much information, but now… it had found its direction!
For the first time, it witnessed life existing in the form of civilization and learned about the universe, the Galaxy, and diverse races!
Orks, Eldar, Chaos, Warp, Humans… it was too exciting!
It was eager to devour those races, to integrate them into itself, to become a new, great life form!
It was no longer content to merely stay on this world.
But Julius Davenport realized how terrifying the creature he had created was, so at the last moment, he activated the Mechanicus Ark's self-destruct sequence, causing the warship to crash on the world's surface, forever unable to leave.
He trapped this terrifying creature on this world.
Julius Davenport recorded this information before his death, hoping to warn future generations.
So, it waited alone on this world for a hundred years.
Finally… it waited.
It was a human fleet. This time, it had to seize the opportunity.
During these hundred years, it absorbed the consciousness of those humans and became even more cunning!