Deep within the desert workshop, time seemed to be precisely segmented by mechanical rhythms.
The air purification system continuously emitted a low hum, filtering out the fine dust that seeped in from outside, leaving only a mixed scent of machine oil, ozone, and cold metal.
In the central work area, Sasha Yakovleva lay quietly on a specialized medical bed. Rather than being asleep, it was more like a forced state of suspended animation.
Most of her body was covered by a translucent biological gel and rigid mechanical braces, revealing only her pale and peaceful face.
Hair-thin tubes and energy cables connected to her spine, chest cavity, and cranial ports, continuously supplying life-sustaining nutrient solutions, stabilizers, and nano-repair units into her near-collapsing body.
Several mechanical tentacles around the medical bed remained still, but the sensors at their tips constantly flickered with faint light, monitoring the slightest changes in her vital signs.
Osiris stood to one side, his crimson optical lenses scanning the holographic image suspended above the medical bed, which displayed real-time data streams of Sasha's physical condition.
"Biological functions are stable, and the neural impulse decay rate has been controlled within a safe threshold. Tissue regeneration program initialization is complete, current progress 13.5%," he stated calmly, his voice coming through his face mask, devoid of any emotion, as if reporting the maintenance progress of a precision instrument: "Survival probability has increased to 89%. However, deep damage is unavoidable, and partial mechanization is the most efficient solution."
Days earlier, when Maine's crew brought back the dying Sasha, her body was almost a collection of shattered tissues barely held together.
Conventional cyberpunk cyberware doctors were helpless, but Osiris's technology transcended the boundaries of life.
He utilized rare biological catalysts brought by Maine's crew and his own reserves of active substances to forcibly activate Sasha's remaining vitality, and with the Adeptus Mechanicus' unique bio-mechanical fusion technology, he began to reconstruct her most severely damaged organs and limbs.
This process was slow and meticulous, requiring an absolutely stable environment.
Just then, on the other side of the workshop, a low and powerful metallic grinding sound was heard.
Dorio sat up from the medical chair where she had undergone deep modifications.
Her movements carried a nascent, slightly unaccustomed sense of stiffness, but the power within them was startling.
Her already tall frame seemed to have expanded by another circle. Beneath her bronze skin, muscle fibers bulged and rippled like alloys tempered a thousand times, their lines full of explosive beauty.
Even simple movements could create a faint whooshing sound.
She looked down at her hands, clenching her fists, feeling the surging, far greater power within her body than ever before.
That power did not come from heavy metal implants, but from the extreme enhancement of her own biological essence, making it more coordinated and more responsive.
The optimized metabolic system and new catalytic agents Osiris provided her seemed to have completely unleashed the potential of her cruelly trained body.
"It feels... like being reborn," Dorio's voice was a little hoarse, yet filled with an uncontrollable shock and gratitude.
She looked at Osiris's tall, dark red back, her eyes complex.
She was in awe of his unfathomable technology, and even more grateful for the new strength he had given her.
This strength would allow her to better protect Maine and the team.
"Basic enhancement is complete, and your biological tissues have adapted to the new metabolic level. Subsequently, you will need regular supplements of specific nutrients and stabilizers to maintain optimal condition and slow down tissue degradation," Osiris said without turning his head, his attention still focused on Sasha's data, "I will provide the specific maintenance cycle and formula later. Now, go outside and adapt to your new body, and don't disturb my work."
Dorio nodded heavily, took a deep breath, and tried to take her first step.
Her foot landed steadily, and a clear vibration echoed from the ground.
She walked to the open space outside the workshop, beginning to slowly and deliberately move her limbs, familiarizing herself with her transformed body.
Meanwhile, the other members of Maine's crew were busy.
Goodwood and two other modified trucks shuttled back and forth, transporting heavy construction materials, box by box and bundle by bundle, into the town. High-strength concrete precast panels, heavy alloy steel beams, thick composite armor plates, and energy cables coiled like giant snakes... These materials, originally intended for large-scale engineering, were painstakingly collected through various channels—purchase, exchange, and even some less legal "acquisitions"—and transported here.
The process was far from smooth.
Collecting such a large quantity of specialized materials inevitably touched upon the interests of certain factions, arousing suspicion.
Several small-scale conflicts occurred during transshipment.
But relying on Dorio's newly acquired terrifying strength, Rebecca and Pilar's optimized weapons and equipment, and Falco's excellent driving skills, they repeatedly turned danger into safety.
Once, they encountered another group of mercenaries at a junkyard who were trying to double-cross them.
Just as the opponents were about to encircle them with their numerical advantage, a silently hovering replica servo-skull—experiment no. 1—quietly entered the fray.
It did not attack directly but released powerful electromagnetic interference, instantly paralyzing most of the opponents' cyberware and vehicle systems, creating an excellent counterattack opportunity for Maine's crew.
"This thing the Boss gave us is really damn good!" Rebecca exclaimed excitedly, cooling down her plasma pistol while kicking an enemy on the ground sparking with electricity.
Experiment no. 1 calmly hovered in the air, its eye sockets flashing blue light, recording combat data and simultaneously transmitting it back to the distant workshop.
Although Osiris was focused on research, he did not ignore Maine's crew's predicament.
Through experiment no. 1 and occasionally dispatched combat Servitor for remote reconnaissance and support, he ensured that this crucial "supply chain" would not be interrupted.
This was an investment for his grander plans.
As batches of construction materials arrived, Osiris began to guide the initial Transformation of the underground base—the "Little Dipper" Seventh Outpost.
He first utilized the remnants of combat robots to create a batch of engineering robots, and then used existing materials to reinforce and widen the ventilation shaft entrance on the southeast side, allowing small transport vehicles to pass through.
Then, he cleared out a relatively complete warehouse area on the uppermost level of the base to serve as a temporary material storage point and forward base.
The replica servo-skulls busily shuttled through the underground space, conducting more detailed surveying and structural safety assessments.
Based on the data transmitted back, Osiris continuously updated the base's 3D model on the workshop's main terminal, marking the load-bearing structures that needed priority reinforcement, planning the routes for energy pipeline installation, and the future locations of laboratories, residential areas, and defensive nodes.
His goal was clear: to transform this abandoned corporate secret base into a secure, hidden, and fully functional stronghold that met the standards of a Tech-Priest.
The surface workshop would serve as a cover and primary processing plant, while the true core would be moved underground.