Ten months.
From the moment the Collegia Titanica formally placed the order to the first EVA Titan—fully assembled, painted, and finished with all basic system debugging—being slowly towed out of the final assembly workshop by a heavy traction platform to stand on the dedicated testing grounds, only ten standard months had passed.
When Magos Forge Tal Solan received the notification to head to the testing grounds for the initial delivery acceptance, his heavily augmented processing core, which should have been as calm as a deep well, nearly stalled due to a momentary overload of logical conflict and disbelief.
Standing on the observation platform, he looked up at the gray giant in the field. Over eighty meters tall, with fluid yet powerful lines, it stood silently but radiated an undeniable presence. The light from his mechanical eyes flickered and zoomed violently.
Ten months? That's impossible!
Within Solan's own databases were the standard production cycles for Warhound-class or larger Titans from Mars and other major Forge Worlds. Even in the "Golden Age" before the Great Crusade's technologies were lost, when the Emperor's will drove human civilization forward at full speed, the time from resource allocation, core component casting, and machine-spirit placation to final assembly and testing was never a mere ten months.
This wasn't just a technical issue; it involved sacred rituals, the patient guidance of the machine-spirit, and the strict adherence to countless traditional production stages. Ten years, or even decades, was the timescale in his mind for creating a God-Machine in accordance with the Omnissiah's will.
Yet this "EVA Titan" before him had gone from nothing to completion in just ten months. It fundamentally overturned his entire understanding of Titan manufacture.
His first reaction was suspicion—had Osiris utilized some strictly forbidden technology from the Dark Age of Technology? Perhaps rumored nano-self-replicating constructs, or some space-time warping manufacturing process? How else could such insane production efficiency be explained? He even subconsciously activated his suite of sensors, scanning the EVA Titan for any energy residues or physical signatures of heretical technology.
However, the feedback data showed nothing unusual beyond a sturdy structure and stable energy readings that matched the non-core parameters provided earlier.
The one leading the acceptance was Osiris's representative on Nexum, a Tech-Priest named Cassius-7. He reported in a flat, modulated voice: "Designation ETA-001, basic assembly complete. Structural integrity verified. Power core (referring to the plasma reactor powering the mechanical sections) operating stably. Logic core of the Dummy System initialized successfully; response thresholds set. Standard weapon platforms mounted. Awaiting final acceptance instructions."
Magos Solan forced himself to calm down. His vocoder emitted a slight static hiss due to his processor's heavy load.
"Commence basic mobility demonstration," he commanded, his voice colder and stiffer than usual.
The command was transmitted precisely via encrypted data link. On the testing grounds, the silent gray giant seemed to be infused with life. The complex, massive sensor array on its head lit up from bottom to top like awakening compound eyes, glowing with a steady, ghostly green light as it locked onto the simulated target area.
Then, under the precise control of the internal Dummy System, the colossus began its preset demonstration. The massive chassis rotated on its central axis, its metallic feet grinding against the reinforced ground with heavy, rhythmic thuds. It strode forward with even, stable steps, displaying excellent balance. Its giant arms lifted, joints operating smoothly, simulating gripping and aiming postures; the shoulder weapon platforms adjusted in synchronization, barrels elevating and rotating in a fluid, precise sequence.
Throughout the demonstration, the machine's movements were staggeringly fluid. The coordination between systems reached an extremely high level. It didn't look like a brand-new machine that had just rolled off the production line and needed extensive debugging; it behaved like a mature product that had undergone long-term combat testing, with every component reaching peak synergy. The data stream from the servos was steady, and energy fluctuations remained within the theoretically optimal range, without the stiffness or uncertainty common in new creations.
Staring at the gray giant as it efficiently repeated complex tactical maneuvers, Solan's initial shock was replaced by a more complex mixture of emotions. There was disbelief at this illogical level of completion, deep dread of the technology hidden behind it, and a flicker of unsuppressible, burning anticipation for the vast opportunities this disruptive production capability could bring.
If—if this efficiency was real and sustainable, and if the combat power of these EVA Titans was truly as formidable as the Iron Hounds' reports described...
He thought of the immense losses the Collegia Titanica had suffered during and after the Horus Heresy. Countless glorious Titan Legions had been broken; precious Emperor and Warlord-class Titans had fallen in the stars. Many Forge Worlds were severely weakened, their production capacity recovering slowly. The schism of the Dark Mechanicum had taken away vast amounts of knowledge, technology, and manufacturing power. The entire Collegia Titanica was in a state of desperation to replenish its strength.
Archmagos Dominus Saul's order for these ten units was clearly a far-sighted experiment. Its purpose was perhaps not just to acquire a new weapon, but to evaluate the value of this entirely new production model. And now, the preliminary evaluation results had far exceeded the most optimistic expectations.
Speed itself was a form of power, especially in an era where the Imperium's territories were vast, threats were everywhere, and core military forces urgently needed restoration. If the Collegia Titanica could secure a stable, rapid channel for EVA Titans...
Magos Solan dared not think further; his logic core's temperature threatened to rise again. He realized he was witnessing not just the delivery of a new Titan, but the start of a revolution that could change the future power structure of the Collegia Titanica.
However, the doubts belonging to a traditional Magos Forge did not entirely vanish. He turned to Cassius-7, seeking more information: "How was such... an efficient production cycle achieved? Surely the cultivation of the core biological components requires a vast amount of time?"
Cassius-7's mechanical face remained unchanged as he replied calmly, "The cultivation of biological components is handled by the Magos's independent research facilities. The specific processes involve core technologies and cannot be disclosed. The production of standard structural parts benefited from the modernization and process optimization of the forges."
This answer clearly did not satisfy Solan. But he understood that with the other party explicitly citing core technology, further questioning was futile and might even violate delicate intellectual property taboos within the Mechanicus.
He could only turn his gaze back to the gray EVA Titan on the field, his heart filled with shock, suspicion, and an unnamable, urgent anticipation for the future.
How should he write this initial acceptance report to accurately convey everything happening here to the Archmagos Dominus without sounding too outrageous?