Cătălin and Daniel crouched over the control box as the small comms device sparked to life. A calm, melodic voice echoed from the speakers—the Precept of the titan.
"Identify yourselves," she said, measured and curious.
Cătălin exchanged a quick glance with Daniel. "I'm Cătălin," he said. "This is Daniel. We… we're here to reactivate the titan."
There was a brief pause. Then the titan's systems whirred and hummed. Light traced along the consoles as the Precept continued.
"I am the Precept of this titan. Scanning… scanning…" Her voice softened as a faint hum ran through the chamber. "I detect coded signatures embedded in your armor—ancient authorization sequences from the manufactorum archives. You are… recognized."
Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Recognized?"
"Yes," the Precept replied. "The code confirms your authorization to interact with the core. Your actions have synchronized with the machine spirit. You may proceed."
Outside, the distant roars of Orks echoed through the manufactorum. "The Orks have overrun the other facilities," the Precept continued. "All other residents are lost. Only those within the titan remain. I have waited for the core to be energized—only now may I awaken fully. The machine spirit stirs… rapidly."
Cătălin nodded toward the slowly pulsing core. "It's already responding to the rerouted power. We can feel it waking."
"Yes," the Precept said, almost reverently. "The slumbering titan will awaken, guided by your synchronization. Act with precision—the Orks will soon test your resolve. Prepare yourselves."
A deep, resonant hum filled the chamber as the titan's limbs twitched, her eyes flaring with white-blue light.