David offered a brief farewell to Nolan, inclining its metal frame in a gesture of parting respect. It departed carrying the power fist carefully in its grip, heading back toward the upper levels of the base with measured steps.
The foundry workshop, already a hive of constant activity, somehow became even busier in David's absence. The change was immediate and palpable.
Nolan, standing near the casting platform observing the organized chaos, decided to remain for a while. He wanted to witness Raditus's transformation work firsthand, see the tech-priest's methods applied to his new armor.
Tech-Priest Raditus naturally welcomed this decision with obvious enthusiasm. The servo skull's eye-lenses flared brighter, optical sensors focusing with renewed intensity.
Unfortunately, this meant every automatic servo robot in the workshop became subject to Raditus's increasingly sharp criticisms. The skull darted from station to station, mechanical voice rising in volume as it issued corrections and demands.
The robots began dismantling the power armor under Raditus's watchful supervision, their movements stiff with what might charitably be called nervousness. Mechanical tentacles worked with exaggerated care, as if anticipating the next scolding.
Although Nolan had witnessed Raditus working on several previous occasions, familiarity didn't breed comfort. The tech-priest's methods remained difficult to endure for extended periods.
The combination of violent mechanical modifications and constant noisy commentary created an assault on the senses. Tools shrieked against metal. Raditus's voice crackled with technical jargon mixed with creative insults. Sparks flew in brilliant showers as cutting implements bit into ceramite.
Nolan maintained his smile with some effort, the expression growing slightly strained around the edges. He searched his mind for a plausible excuse, then seized upon one with relief.
"I've just remembered some urgent matters requiring my attention," he announced, already turning toward the exit. "Carry on with the excellent work, Raditus."
He departed the foundry workshop with what could only be described as haste, though he managed to keep his stride dignified.
Several days passed in relative calm.
Nolan sat beside the metal round table, his attention focused downward on documents David had delivered just hours earlier. The stack contained comprehensive personnel information about Imperial Heavy Industries, along with detailed breakdowns of the company's primary business operations and current projects.
The paperwork proved dense, filled with financial projections and organizational charts that demanded careful study. Nolan's eyes tracked across columns of numbers, his enhanced mind processing the information with methodical efficiency.
At that moment, an automatic servo robot rushed into the hall, its turtle-shell-shaped body moving with unusual urgency. It approached Nolan's position directly.
The machine struggled to communicate something through gestures made with its mechanical tentacles. The appendages waved in patterns that approximated sign language, though the execution left much to be desired.
"Huh?" Nolan's eyes opened slightly wider, focusing on the robot's awkward attempts at communication. "Raditus sent you to tell me the power armor transformation is completed?"
He studied the servo robot's tentacle movements more carefully, parsing meaning from the crude gestures. A slight smile touched his lips as comprehension clicked into place.
Nolan turned back to glance at the work documents stacked before him. The pile measured more than a foot thick, representing hours of additional review.
He shook his head, decision made. The paperwork could wait.
Standing from his seat, he followed the automatic servo robot as it led the way back toward the foundry workshop. His pace quickened with anticipation, curiosity building about what modifications Raditus had implemented.
By the time Nolan arrived at the foundry workshop's entrance, Raditus had already detected his approach.
The servo skull drove its anti-gravity engine at maximum output, practically launching itself through the air to meet him. It bobbed and weaved with barely contained excitement.
"Lord Primarch! Your power armor has been fully modified!" Raditus's mechanical voice crackled with pride. "Not only does it fit your frame perfectly, I also deliberately added several additional functions you'll find quite useful!"
Hearing the servo skull's enthusiastic bragging, Nolan experienced no surprise whatsoever. This was simply how Raditus operated, perpetually confident in its own genius.
His eyes shifted slightly, sweeping across the workshop. He spotted the blue power armor almost immediately, impossible to miss where it stood parked on the ground near the main casting platform.
The overall appearance of the armor, which now resembled the Mark X pattern more closely than its original configuration, seemed noticeably taller than before the modifications. The change was subtle but unmistakable to his trained eye.
The blue shoulder pauldrons caught ambient light, reflecting it back in cold gleams. The ceramite had been polished to a mirror finish in places.
The armor had also been resprayed with a distinctive white logo: a lightning bolt superimposed over a skull. The symbol stood out sharply against the blue background, impossible to overlook.
"Lord Primarch, because you specifically instructed me that you desired speed in both movement and combat applications, I invested considerable time researching optimal configurations." Raditus's eye-lenses flashed red as it stared at its completed work, mechanical voice rising with excitement.
"The defensive capabilities of the entire power armor remain uncompromised. After all, the construction utilizes plasteel and ceramite components, materials proven across millennia of warfare. I took the opportunity to modify the dimensions of certain parts, making the overall profile more streamlined and personalized. I drew inspiration from those technology suits you previously recovered."
The servo skull paused, as if building dramatic tension.
"Of course, none of the above represents the truly critical innovation. The most important modification involves the Arc Reactor technology you brought back. I studied its principles thoroughly, then replicated portions of its design. I installed a miniaturized version inside the power armor as auxiliary power generation."
Raditus rotated slightly, gesturing with one mechanical appendage toward specific areas of the armor.
"Just behind the power pack mounting point, I installed a pair of connected energy nozzles. Additional nozzles are integrated into the elbow joints and mag-boot assemblies. This configuration means you can control directional energy ejection from each component independently, dramatically increasing both attack speed and charging velocity during combat operations."
The skull's tone took on a note of caution.
"Naturally, mastering this system will require adaptation time and considerable practice. However, I believe such challenges present no significant difficulty for someone of your capabilities, Lord Primarch."
Raditus continued with barely a pause for breath.
"Additionally, due to the existence of these energy nozzles throughout the armor, if you expend all auxiliary power reserves simultaneously, limited flight capability becomes possible. You could maintain altitude for brief periods. However, because plasteel and ceramite possess substantial mass, achieving true sustained flight like those technology armors would require complete structural redesign. Such modifications would necessitate sacrificing defensive plating and eliminating other critical system positions. The trade-off proves unacceptable."
Nolan, who had narrowed his eyes in concentration, listened carefully to Raditus's entire excited explanation. He absorbed every technical detail, mind already beginning to calculate tactical applications.
He waited until the servo skull finished its briefing completely.
Then Nolan suddenly raised one arm, pointing directly at the spray-painted pattern decorating the blue shoulder pauldron.
"What does this symbol represent? Some form of power armor classification system?"
"Hahaha, as expected, nothing escapes the Primarch's perception!" Raditus bobbed in the air with what might have been the mechanical equivalent of preening. "I anticipate you will acquire additional power armor models in the future. Rather than classifying according to pre-existing pattern designations, I thought it more practical to create an original system."
The skull rotated, optical sensors focusing on the lightning and skull emblem.
"For example, the current design employs lightning to represent speed capabilities, while the skull symbolizes Adeptus Mechanicus craftsmanship and blessing. If you find the design unsatisfactory, I can certainly redesign the pattern according to your preferences."
Raditus suspended in mid-air, addressed Nolan with uncharacteristic caution. For once, the tech-priest seemed genuinely concerned about approval.
Nolan smiled slightly, the expression warm and genuine. He shook his head in a gesture of acceptance.
"No need for changes. This design proves both simple and immediately comprehensible." He paused, considering. "What pattern do you plan to design for the Terminator power armor that hasn't yet undergone complete transformation? Guns, perhaps, or something else?"
"A clenched fist, Lord Primarch!" Raditus responded immediately, the answer clearly already prepared. "I conceptualize the Terminator armor as a walking mobile fortress, designed specifically for assault missions or large-scale warfare where maximum protection proves essential. Therefore, I intend to use the fist symbol to represent power-type armor classification!"
After hearing Nolan's question, the servo skull bobbed up and down with enthusiasm, the motion emphatic.
"Well, that works perfectly. I approve this classification approach."
Nolan thought for a brief moment, mentally testing the logic. Then he nodded his agreement, decision made.
"Come now, help me don the armor. I need to test this speed-type power armor immediately. If something requires adjustment, you can implement modifications as soon as possible."
"It would be my tremendous honor, Lord Primarch." Raditus's tone shifted to one of exaggerated patience as it rotated toward the servo robots. "Don't you automatic servo robots have any initiative whatsoever? Come here immediately!"
Accompanied by Raditus's sharp scolding, the automatic servo robots moved their turtle-shell-shaped metal bodies with obvious reluctance. They approached Nolan's position slowly, as if hoping the command might be rescinded.
Approximately twenty minutes later, after the servo robots had completed the complex process of helping Nolan don each armor component, he stood fully encased in the modified power armor.
Nolan shook his heavy metal arms experimentally, feeling the servos respond. He rotated each leg through its full range of motion, testing articulation points. The armor moved smoothly, joints operating with precision.
Then he released a slight sigh, the sound emerging through the helmet's vox-grille with satisfaction coloring each word.
"Whether considering the flexibility of the joint mechanisms or evaluating the responsiveness of the force feedback control systems, everything operates significantly faster than my previous Terminator armor." His voice carried genuine appreciation. "Complete technical expertise truly surpasses what I achieved through half-educated guesswork and improvisation. Of course, all this success belongs to you, Raditus."
Nolan's face, visible through the raised visor, wore a smile of genuine warmth as he praised the servo skull.
Then he immediately drove the power armor toward the exit, heading for the training ground on the base's upper level. His movements already showed improved fluidity compared to the Terminator's ponderous gait.
Not long after departure, Nolan arrived at the training ground occupying the first floor's dedicated space.
He first controlled the speed-type power armor through a simple charging maneuver, testing baseline performance. The armor responded instantly to his commands, acceleration smooth and controlled.
After confirming that both speed and flexibility exceeded his expectations by comfortable margins, his smile brightened considerably.
Nolan adjusted his combat posture, distributing his weight properly. He prepared to activate the energy nozzle systems for the first time.
The next moment, the pair of energy nozzles positioned at the power pack's rear burst into dazzling light. Brilliant white-blue illumination flooded the training ground, casting sharp shadows.
A tall blue figure suddenly exploded forward with tremendous acceleration.
Nolan, driving the power armor at speeds far exceeding anything the Terminator could achieve, rushed toward a metal training dummy positioned across the chamber. The distance vanished in heartbeats.
Then, at the critical moment, he suddenly swung one metal arm in a devastating arc.
A fleeting burst of energy erupted from the nozzle positioned behind his elbow joint, adding tremendous force to the strike.
His blue metal fist fell heavily on the training dummy's chest like a lightning bolt made solid, the impact producing a thunderous crash that echoed throughout the entire training ground.