Extra chapter for the 200 powerstones!
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The desert night was cold and silent, only eternal wind howling like laments through twisted metal and fractured concrete of these forgotten ruins.
But inside the only intact large building at the center of this abandoned town Cairo occupied, a different scene unfolded.
Energy conduits emitted stable, low-frequency humming. Various automated tool arms' coordinated minute sounds interwove into an efficient, cold industrial symphony.
The air permeated with ozone's sharpness, molten metal's scorching breath, and freshly applied insulation coating's chemical smell.
The "medical fees" paid by Maine's crew and resources from subsequent tentative transactions were categorized and neatly stacked in the workshop corner.
Completely different from the true "scraps" Rebecca and Pilar had scavenged before, this batch's quality had qualitatively leaped: well-sealed military-grade high-energy batteries still bearing Militech's corporate logo; clearly textured, faintly glowing advanced neural processor prototypes obviously unlisted laboratory outflows; several specially composed alloy ingots showing subtle iridescence under specific lighting with hard-to-decode internal corporate codes; even a small case of preliminarily refined, inert gas-sealed rare metals—foundations for many cutting-edge equipment.
These were true hard currency Maine's crew obtained through underground channels and extraordinary means from corporate fringe laboratories' "unplanned external flows," black market networks' secret circulation, or certain never-public "accidental" gains—wealth from Night City's shadows.
"Resource channels finally stabilized, utilization rate quite good." Cairo stood before the central workbench, a slender yet powerful mechanical tentacle deftly gripping a high-energy battery, precisely embedding it into the power module being assembled.
His voice transmitted through the face mask—though still synthesized, carried a barely perceptible satisfaction.
"Old friend, looks like we can enter the next phase."
On one side of his visual interface, complex holographic blueprint data streams continuously scrolled.
The most important project was an efficient, stable power module specifically designed for the dimensional transporter.
"Old friend, help me recalibrate output waveform stability again—fluctuation ideally controlled within 0.03%." Cairo said, gaze never leaving the circuit being soldered.
"Instructions confirmed." Ghostly blue light flowed in the servo-skull's eye sockets, fine laser guidance beams projecting onto that preliminary power module.
Several mechanical tentacles worked in coordination, arranging battery packs in optimal arrays.
Before investing more resources into expanding the power module, Cairo once again placed that dark gold dodecahedron in the central workbench's specially made energy field, connecting it to the new module's output terminal.
"Old friend, keep an eye on energy flow and structural feedback—tell me immediately if anything's abnormal."
"Instructions confirmed." The servo-skull hovered quietly aside, scanning beams enveloping the dimensional transporter.
Stable energy flow surged into the artifact. Complex patterns on its surface gradually lit, emitting soft yet profound glow. Cairo intently observed data streams.
"Interesting..." he murmured, fingers rapidly sliding across virtual interface. "It's not just absorbing energy, seems to be verifying something, recording..."
After half an hour of intensive calculation and data screening, two relatively stable, strangely structured coordinate parameters were isolated, clearly marked on his visual interface.
"Two coordinates..." he pondered, metal fingers gently brushing across the dimensional transporter's cold smooth surface. "One might be the path home? The other... where would it lead? Or is it this world?" An indescribable thrill flowed through his core processor—pure desire for the unknown transcending simple curiosity.
However, when he tried injecting more energy, the dimensional transporter's surface glow rapidly dimmed, all reactions abruptly ceasing.
"Energy still insufficient, less than five percent." Cairo finally concluded, tone carrying barely detectable regret: "All deep functions locked. Old friend, looks like we need to expand the power module more first."
He carefully removed the dimensional transporter from the energy field, returning it to its special shielded case: "Can't rush it. We'll try again once power's up."
Temporarily shelving ancient artifact exploration, Cairo redirected attention to more urgent practical needs—defense.
He walked to the bio-processing table in the workshop's other cold section where four human bodies lay neatly—those previous "resource providers."
Memory data retrieved: Several days ago, a nomad gang stumbled upon this abandoned town Cairo had preliminarily transformed.
They saw the workshop's lights, heard mechanical humming, thinking they'd discovered unguarded treasure.
They didn't even conduct basic reconnaissance before laughing madly, trying to storm in with homemade rifles, machetes, and Molotovs claiming this place as theirs.
Their fate was foregone.
Workshop perimeter concealed automated sentry guns and shock traps instantly neutralized their combat capability.
Cairo personally subdued the four most robust, the rest having lost utilization value.
Now, they were conscious.
Strong biological sedatives' effects let them perceive surroundings yet couldn't control their bodies.
Fear like cold venom saturated every nerve.
Eyes bloodshot from extreme terror.
Tears, mucus, and uncontrolled saliva wetted their filthy cheeks, throats emitting suppressed "heh heh" whimpers.
"Please... please..." one of the strongest with a scarred face squeezed barely audible pleas through clenched teeth. "Spare... us... we'll give... you everything..."
Cairo's gaze swept these "materials" like appraising ore or alloy.
His optical sensors recorded their vital signs—all redundant reactions of inefficient biological systems facing irreversible logical outcomes.
His movements showed no hesitation, only absolute precision and efficiency.
"Biological tissue vitality still good. Old friend, prepare to begin conversion procedure." He calmly declared. "Retain basic motor functions, remove all inefficient and uncontrollable parts. What we need are absolutely obedient combat units."
Mechanical tentacles like precision serpent swarms with independent will quietly extended, tips flickering with various surgical tools' glow.
First, brain modification.
A slender probe, under servo-skull laser guidance, precisely pierced from above the eye socket, reaching the prefrontal lobe region.
High-frequency microcurrent precisely released, cauterizing neural clusters responsible for personal will, complex emotions, fear, and creativity.
Pleas abruptly ceased.
Those eyes originally filled with extreme terror and begging rapidly dimmed, becoming hollow, vacant, completely unfocused.
All struggle, all personal history, all greed and fear were completely erased in this moment.
"Prefrontal lobotomy complete. Biological emotional interference eliminated." Cairo told the servo-skull, tone calm as discussing weather. "Old friend, prepare to implant control chips and sensor interfaces."
Next, mechanical tentacles began comprehensive body enhancement.
Skin was opened, muscle tissue peeled, exposing underlying skeleton.
Reinforced alloy skeletal supports were precisely implanted and integrated with original structures.
Original optical eyeballs removed, replaced with low-light enhanced optical sensors flickering with singular merciless red light.
Weapon interfaces pre-embedded in arms or shoulders, cables directly connecting to newly implanted processing centers.
The air thickened with disinfectant, blood, and bio-electrolyte mixture.
(Standard Combat Servitor)
(Standard Combat Servitor)
(Mechanicus Heavy Combat Servitor)
"Old friend, these four combat servo-units should complete basic initialization in about four hours." Cairo told the servo-skull like evaluating an investment: "Though can't match top-grade goods from back home, should suffice for troubles here. Pretty cost-effective, wouldn't you say?"
The servo-skull's jaw clicked once, expressing agreement.
Cairo turned, gaze sweeping across resource piles, stably operating power module, and steel guardians transforming on platforms.
A subtle satisfaction calmly flowed through his logic circuits.
Though the path home remained distant, every step forward was clearly visible.
He picked up an energy soldering iron, re-immersing in power module expansion work.
Mechanical tentacles silently danced under his precise mental control. Blue electric sparks occasionally splashed, briefly illuminating his dark red robe hem, cold mechanical arms, and that expressionless metal face mask.
"Alright, old friend, let's continue."
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Advanced chapters for $7 @patreon:michaelv1.
Every 200 powerstones = Bonus chapter!