Vashur felt mounting tension as he watched Axion spiral into a cycle of self-logic. This was his first direct confrontation with a Man of Iron. Though he had prepared extensively and acquired much knowledge before coming here, none of it included how to engage in philosophical discourse with an ancient automaton. Especially when Axion posed his critical question, Vashur's state had mirrored Axion's current confusion and hesitation.
After a protracted wait, Axion finally emerged from his logic loop.
"Perhaps you speak with some truth, but you still do not conform to the Human standard documented in my records."
"Tell me, are there any historical archives or data records here? I require historical data to correct my cognitive deviation."
Vashur's biological circulatory fluid finally returned to a normal pumping rate upon hearing Axion's request. However, he shook his head regrettably.
"This Hive City does not maintain historical archives. I carry a few books containing historical records with me, which I can provide if you wish, but I cannot guarantee their specific accuracy or veracity."
Axion did not make any aggressive movement, but slowly nodded his mechanical head.
"Understood. Where can the most comprehensive historical data be acquired?"
Vashur looked puzzled. "You mean the most complete historical data?"
"Of course!" Axion affirmed without hesitation.
"Then, I fear, that would only be the Imperial Historical Archives on Holy Terra, the heart of the Imperium."
The name sounded unfamiliar to Axion. "Holy Terra?"
The location of Holy Terra was no secret, though knowing its coordinates did not guarantee access. The distance from the Segmentum Obscurus to Terra was substantial.
Realizing this, Vashur activated a projector, casting a star map onto the space before Axion. The map detailed the approximate borders of the Imperium, including the location of Terra. Vashur moved closer to Axion, pointing to the conspicuous, gold-highlighted planet on the chart.
"This is Holy Terra."
Axion swiftly recorded the entire star map, then immediately performed a full comparison with the star charts in his database.
"Earth? Holy Terra is Earth?"
Vashur hesitated for a long moment before slowly nodding.
"Based on the titles I have encountered in my books, Holy Terra seems to have indeed been called 'Earth' tens of thousands of years ago."
Hearing Vashur's confirmation, Axion extended a long mechanical arm, from which a bizarrely shaped interface port extended.
"This is a temporary data-write interface. Replicate a copy of the history books you mentioned for me."
Looking at the completely unfamiliar interface port, Vashur was taken aback. "I have never encountered this type of data interface. As for the books…"
Vashur beckoned, and a Servo-skull floated out of nowhere, gripping a small box in its mechanical claw. Receiving the box, Vashur flipped open the lid and retrieved several heavy tomes from inside.
Axion's entire system paused as he watched the physical books being taken from the box.
"Physical books?!"
As Vashur placed one of the books onto Axion's mechanical hand, the hand's sensory functions immediately registered something anomalous.
"This book is not made of paper? A book made from animal hide?"
The reality unfolding before him presented a massive schism with the knowledge and common sense in his database; everything seemed different from the records. This led Axion to seriously doubt the accuracy of the information contained within his own archives.
Vashur nodded. "Yes. Books crafted from parchment, soaked in sacred oils and blessed. The cover bears a Purity Seal to ensure that the words pertaining to history cannot be corrupted by the daemons of the Warp."
Axion did not recognize the unique seal and did not believe that a symbol pressed into sealing wax could have any special effect. As for the written content engraved on the small strip of parchment affixed by the wax, it left him utterly bewildered. Long passages of praise, prayers, and declarations of loyalty to duty struck Axion as nonsensical.
Noticing Axion's visual focus lingering on the holy scripture beneath the seal, Vashur extended a mechanical arm from beneath his robe, cautiously pointing to the corner of the script.
"This carries the blessing of the Ecclesiarchy of the Imperium. It ensures the book's content is not wantonly altered by wicked heretics."
As a Man of Iron, Axion was entirely indifferent to religion and deities. He understood clearly that his consciousness was derived from lines of code composed of zeros and ones. These were all inventions of Humanity. If any being could be called a god, it was Humanity, the Creators. However, a completely materialistic automaton lacked a soul and thus had no capacity for spiritual worship.
Vashur nonchalantly retrieved another heavy tome from the box, this one adorned with even more seals. Axion paid no mind and simply received it. But he quickly noticed an anomaly.
One of the seals on this book was clearly applied very recently, still radiating a faint trace of heat.
"Snap!"
With a faint crackle.
A puff of blue smoke erupted from one of the seals on the book's surface, scorching a small hole in the cover. Axion effortlessly scraped off the entire wax seal and used his mechanical fingers to carefully pinch out a tiny electronic component from within.
His silver mechanical head rotated ninety degrees, his optical sensors fixing Vashur with a scrutinizing gaze.
Vashur's remaining flesh was now twitching with extreme tension.
The component was a specialized signal emitter, designed to interfere with the operation of a Machine Spirit. Vashur, facing an ancient Man of Iron for the first time, did not know that Axion was far more advanced than any Abominable Intelligence. Such a device might interfere with the function of modern Imperial constructs during combat, but against an ancient creation, it was as fragile as a plastic toothpick.
To Axion, the component was akin to being pricked by a minuscule splinter, barely scratching the surface of his armour. However, due to its own extreme fragility, Axion's instinctive, automated counter-attack had released a data flood, the massive data shock instantly overloading and burning out the component.
So fragile was the device that Axion didn't even understand what its intended function had been.
"I do not know what this was, but it appears I have destroyed it. As compensation, you may request one small favour. Provided I deem it appropriate, I shall fulfil your request."
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