Chapter 604: Ten Months
Ten months.
From the moment the Collegia Titanica officially placed the order to when the first fully assembled, painted, and system-tuned EVA-Titan was slowly towed out of the final assembly bay by a heavy transport platform, only ten standard months had passed.
When Forge Magos Tal Soran arrived at the testing grounds for the initial delivery inspection, his heavily modified, usually emotionless logic core nearly suffered a temporary shutdown due to a sudden surge of processing conflicts and sheer disbelief.
Standing on the high observation platform, he looked up at the gray giant god standing over eighty meters tall in the center of the field—its lines sleek yet bursting with power, silently radiating an undeniable presence. The optical sensors of his mechanical eye flickered and zoomed violently.
Ten months? Impossible!
Magos Soran's internal database contained the standard production cycles for Mars and all major Forge Worlds when manufacturing a Warhound-class, or even larger, Titan.
Even during the "Golden Age" of the Great Crusade, when Emperor-driven human ambition was at its peak, building a Titan—from resource allocation and core component forging to soothing the machine spirit and final assembly testing—could never be accomplished in a mere ten months.
It wasn't just a matter of engineering; it involved sacred rites, the patient coaxing of machine spirits, and strict adherence to countless traditional manufacturing steps.
A decade, or even several decades, was the timeline he recognized as fitting the will of the Omnissiah for forging a God-Engine.
Yet the machine before him—this "EVA-Titan"—had gone from concept to reality in just ten months? It completely shattered his fundamental understanding of Titan fabrication as a senior Forge Magos.
His immediate reaction was suspicion: Had Ryo used forbidden technologies from the Dark Age of Technology?
Self-replicating nanostructures? Dimensional time-dilating manufacturing techniques?
How else could such insane production efficiency be explained?
He unconsciously activated his full suite of scanning sensors, probing the distant EVA-Titan for any energy signatures or physical markers of heretical technology.
However, the telemetry returned clean: structural integrity was solid, energy readings were stable, and all non-core parameters matched the provided specifications, with zero anomalies detected.
The Demonstration
Guiding the inspection was Ryo's representative on Nexxam, a Tech-Priest named Cassius-7.
In his monotone, modulated voice, Cassius-7 calmly reported: "Unit designation ETA-001, primary assembly complete. Structural integrity test passed. Power core—the plasma reactor supplying the mechanical systems—operating at baseline stability. Dummy System logic core initialization successful; response threshold set. Standard weapon platforms mounted and ready. Awaiting final inspection protocols."
Magos Soran forced his logic processors to stabilize, though his vocal synthesizer emitted a slight burst of static under the heavy load.
"...Initiate basic mobility demonstration," he commanded, his voice colder and stiffer than usual.
The directive was transmitted precisely over an encrypted datalink.
On the testing ground, the silent gray giant seemed to spring to life.
The massive, complex sensor array on its head lit up from bottom to top like awakening compound eyes, emitting a steady, ghostly green standby glow as it locked onto the target zone ahead.
Under the precise control of the internal Dummy System, the behemoth began executing its pre-programmed movement sequence.
The giant chassis pivoted on its central axis, its reinforced metal feet grinding against the reinforced deck with a heavy, rhythmic crunch.
It stepped forward, its stride even and balanced, demonstrating flawless weight distribution.
Its massive arms raised smoothly, mimicking a rifle-ready stance, while the shoulder-mounted weapon platforms micro-adjusted in tandem, the barrels elevating and rotating with fluid precision.
Throughout the entire trial, the machine moved with shocking fluidity. The synchronization between systems was refined to an extraordinary degree.
It did not behave like a newly minted machine straight off the assembly line requiring months of fine-tuning; it moved like a combat-proven war machine operating at peak synergy.
The servo feedback data streams remained rock-steady, and power fluctuations stayed well within theoretical optimums, devoid of the friction or unpredictability typical of fresh fabrications.
A Shift in Perspective
Gazing at the gray giant god smoothly repeating complex tactical maneuvers, Magos Soran's initial shock began to dissolve into a complex mix of emotions.
It was a blend of disbelief at the impossible finish, deep apprehension toward the hidden technology behind it, and... an unsuppressable, burning anticipation of the colossal opportunities this disruptive manufacturing capability might bring.
If... if this production speed is genuine and sustainable, and if these EVA-Titans fight with the devastating capability described in the Steel Hounds' combat logs...
He recalled the crippling losses the Collegia Titanica had suffered during and after the Horus Heresy.
Countless glorious Titan Legions had been shattered, irreplaceable Emperor-class and Warlord-class Titans had fallen into the void, and numerous Forge Worlds were left severely depleted, their production recovering at a crawl.
Furthermore, the Schism of Mars had severed vast amounts of knowledge, technology, and manufacturing assets.
The entire Collegia Titanica existed in a state of desperate need, hungry to reinforce its strength and rebuild its former glory.
Archmagos Dominus Zoor's order of ten units to Ryo was clearly a far-sighted gamble.
The goal was likely not merely acquiring a new weapon system, but evaluating the viability of an entirely new manufacturing model.
And now, the initial results had far exceeded even the most optimistic projections.
Speed itself is a form of supreme power. Especially in an era where the Imperium's borders were vast, threats loomed on every front, and core military assets were desperately short. If the Collegia Titanica could secure a stable, rapid supply line for EVA-Titans...
Magos Soran dared not let his thoughts drift any further; the temperature of his logic core threatened to spike once again.
He realized he was witnessing something far greater than the simple delivery of a single Titan—he was standing at the threshold of a paradigm shift that could alter the balance of power within the Collegia Titanica forever.
Yet, his traditional Mechanicus caution held fast.
He turned to Cassius-7, seeking further clarity: "Such... unheard-of efficiency. How was this achieved? Does the cultivation of the core biological components not require a vast period of time?"
Cassius-7's mechanical face remained impassive, his voice neutral: "The cultivation of biological components is managed exclusively by Lord Magos Ryo's private research facility. The specific procedures involve proprietary core technology and cannot be disclosed. The fabrication of standard structural components, however, benefits from the modernization and workflow optimizations implemented within this forge."
The answer did little to satisfy Magos Soran.
However, knowing that the details involved proprietary tech, pressing further would be futile and risked breaching the delicate intellectual property taboos of the Mechanicus.
He returned his gaze to the gray EVA-Titan on the field, his mind a turbulent storm of awe, lingering suspicion, and a sudden, quiet urgency for what the future might hold.
How could he draft this initial inspection report to convey what had transpired here to Archmagos Dominus Zoor without sounding entirely mad?