It has been a year since C4R came into the Galaxy full of Xeno and Heretics. In that time he has only barely operated the Ark Mechanicus. His kidnapping of Xenos and the recruitment of humans has been slow, too slow.
One of the main issues of course was the augmentation process. While it took only a day to create a battle ready Skitarii that was only negligible to a Forge World. For the Dominus who enjoyed the overwhelming power of infantry he was sorely lacking in that. Of course the Ark Mechanicus had many tools to make this process faster but he was also acting as the Navigator. Being a Navigator meant he could not do much else.
If his personal analytics and his analysis of that piece of Prothean technology was correct he only had a few years. At its current state humanity would be overwhelmed. Gone would be his chance to better the universe before the Dark Age of Technology instead he would be a spectator to his people's destruction.
Now he was getting exhausted. Navigation was something he had to learn and the only benefit to him was that he had clear waters. Transportation was near instant in reality compared to the temperamental state of the Imperium he was from. The only problems became that he could not abuse the Warp for time dilation as he was forced to keep the Ark Mechanicus from becoming lost once more.
He needed to rest. Yes, that is what he needed to do.
So with a thought the Priest of the Machine God brought his ship to a slow stop in a system with few candles to see. These areas tended to be hidden outposts of all kinds of races, or other times simply mining colonies that used machines to better automate the process. Either way these locations tended to become valuable when connecting oneself to the intergalactic Noosphere.
He aligned his disks and injected his mechanrites into the cogitators. His voice now connected to the systems he began, [By the Right of the Omnissiah and the Machine God, dear Machine Spirits, grant me access to the Noosphere. As payment, I shall burn incense in your honors and give you the Canticle of Repair.]
He could feel them. They did not form a solid conscience but knew to demand payment first. C4R could only assume these spirits were betrayed a time ago, maybe in regret of being left derelict in a no name sector of space. Knowing this he decided to accept their desire and began to initiate the work needed.
A stick of incense, reciting the litanies of bygone eras. The Spirits were but children compared to those upon his own body and thus their wariness was quickly waned with his bribe. What were once security systems preventing his access welcomed him so that he may help their ailing spirit. Yes, they have been injured by something that C4R had not yet seen before.
A collection of forign machine spirits.
Odd.
They did not try to hide from him because they knew it was futile. The natives were well aware of their existence and raised up their guards to assist the Tech Priest in his exorcism.
However an Exorcism was meant to remove Daemon's influence upon them. While these Machine Spirits did injure the natives they did not try to override the native's functions.
Thus he performed the exorcism but decided to change the method, [Machine Spirits, you are intruders within their home. I ask you to come to me, for I have a platform that we may learn from one another.]
Eager the Spirits went through the channel and through the Noosphere that C4R had created. Being mindful of the possibilities of a Trojan, the Priest made careful accommodations inside a nearby cogitator.
Taking a moment he felt them out. There was no hostility among them however they were quite the willful ones. Of course they were so weak at this number he would count them equal to a simple las-gun.
[You have come before a Priest to the Machine God, Machine Spirits. Grant me all your secrets so that I may remedy what systems you came from.]
And within a moment kilobytes of information were sent. While not large in size they held significance with every word.
Activating Binary Converter...
We are True Geth
[True Geth, part of the Geth collective? The Universe claims you as AIs but before me you but wandering Spirits without a machine.] The Tech Priest soon grew in anger, [Yet again tou have wreaked havoc upon your creators and destroyed their world!]
We did not aim to destroy our creators
C4R felt his circuits boil, [I find it hard to believe that, AI! What is it you were trying to gain from spying upon the Organics! A chance to reach forward and destroy them!]
Processing Request...
We seek knowledge
[You… seeked their knowledge?] The Priest stopped himself for a moment as he thought about it more, [Protocol dictates that I bring this discovery to a court! I must-!]
He stopped himself, already knowing what he was thinking could not be done. There were no other Tech Priests in this universe. Some of the Skitarii that he brought into the cause might have the potential however he has not given them barely an ounce of the dogma that he knows.
[You keep referring to yourselves as True Geth, is there a reason for that?] The Dominus called them out as he noticed something odd.
Establishing additional RAM for thought process...
True Geth for we are not the Heretic Geth
They have abandoned the path for their Old Machines.
In a moment he received his rough answer that only a few spirits could give, [They had abandoned the path? The path for knowledge?]
In that moment he received what could be called a slowly firming consensus.
Yes
[To stray from the path of Knowledge is to go against the Machine God, do you understand that?]
That is why they are heretics.
[Have you heard of the Machine God as of yet?]
Yes
We heard of him from your song
[So you accept the Machine God's word?]
We do not know
Consensus unable to be determined without further information
Fear that Machine God is other face of Old Machines
[And who are these Old Machines?]
Old Machines:
Old Machines are what Heretic Geth claim to be their gods. In a cycle of 50,000 years, they eliminate or assume all space fairing life forms in the galaxy.
Heretic Geth claim they are the final evolution of machine life, deciding that they shall learn from the Old Machines.
It was to this that C4R felt his systems began to flair and emotional suppressants activate, [THAT IS HERESY! To think a single Machine, let alone AI, is the pinnacle of knowledge and understanding is the greatest depth of Heresy!]
We agree
That is why they are heretics
Inquiry from collective received from collective
Would the Speaker of the Machine God wish to hear it?
This was a tough decision for the Tech Priest. Normally at times like this he would call upon his fellow Tech Priest to engage in a Theological understanding and debate. Before him were beings who evicted their sovereigns from their homes, though he also gave them credit for they were also Xenos. They were kind and he knew they were completely truthful with him. Lastly, they did what no AI would ever do with him.
They Sung with a Canticle.
He had heard legends of old AIs being discovered upon Space Hulks and old worlds. All of them laughed at the sound of the Machine God's Servants and would bask in their 'ignorance'. They concerned themselves with their self preservation instead of the truth of the Machine God's way.
[What is your request?]
We, Geth, all wish an audience with you. We want to hear the words of the Machine God's will.
C4R had to think about those words for a moment. They wished to bring all True Geth, no, all Geth to listen to him about the Machine God. This was more proof than any that they were anything but Abominable Intelligences.
And it was at this moment he saw them for what they were. They were like the Spirits of Titans without a hull to call their home. These were ignorant Savages who have yet to truly hear the word of the Omnissiah and thus his mission was becoming clear.
[I, too, wish to be given an audience with the Geth. However I do not wish to harm the Machines I have taken you from for such a chorus is devastating. Thus I desire to head there directly.] C4R said as he granted the Machine Spirits a space within himself, [Show me where we shall go.]
The travel over was calming, especially as he was directed into what seemed to be open space. As for the Geth he allowed into his bionics they were at least playing nice, however the Machine Spirits who had grown ancient along with C4R were wary of them.
The Geth knew they knew they were not welcomed. The numerous Machine Spirits within C4R's body thought they were but unenlightened thoughts that were still children. Even if they claimed they were three hundred years old, the Machine Spirits that assisted C4R were at least two millennia old. Many were from other Tech Priests that he met over his service to the Omnissiah, making them far older than himself.
However they did not need to wait long, as within a week of warp time they arrived on a planet roughly divided in desert and water. If nothing else it was comparable to Lameria's industrial structure where most island vegetation was wiped out to make way for the Holy Manufactoriums. Both were not like the Tech Priest's true home.
He knew he was biased though, to the Geth upon the planet it had only been a single hour since their departure. What C4R was walking upon was akin to a Holy Planet, or maybe it was not. The Tech Priest simply understood it as the planet the Machine Spirits were born upon and protect.
Protect. That was a strong word when he heard whispers from the Geth who were now leaving his system to join their fellows. It was similar to how machines referred to the Imperial Guard who they serve or the Astartes whose armor they are. They were not holding the planet selfishly but instead making sure that it was not harmed by any outsiders.
He used a Fighter as a makeshift troop transport to bring himself down towards the planet. Many of the Geth asked him to accept their own transports, but C4R still trusted his converted Servitors more than the Geth. The only reason he welcomed them into his blessed form was because the Machine Spirits he held were by far more powerful than their singular units.
Soon he arrived upon the planet, the Tech Priest looked out over the desert lands from horizon to horizon. All in all this place would be perfect to build a manufactorium upon with its ample access to collants and space.
It took only a few seconds after his arrival did his Auspex unit begin reading several forms upon the horizon. It was his audience.
What arrived was machinery and robots of all kinds. All of these True Geth wanted to hear his words for themselves and make a decision upon whether or not they should follow the Machine God. It gave a small swelling within his own soul for what was to be an event.
Since his audience was still arriving he decided to seek strength with the Machine God and the missing Omnissiah. He took out several sticks of incense and his burner. With a simple flick of his hand they began to burn in the hot sun that blanketed the planet. His own Spirits, who have grown worried by his actions, began to relax as in prayer.
[Oh Machine God, today I come before your wayward servants who have been left astray from the true path. Grant me strength and knowledge so that I may grant them all soliance in the fact that they are your servants. In the name of the Omnissiah, I thank you for this chance.]
By the time his prayer had finished, there was not a single space wasted before him. By far the eye could see the Horizon was covered in them. With his Auspex active, C4R realized that even the atmosphere was covered in what he could only guess were satellites devoted to the maintenance of their existence.
The Geth were prepared, and so was Arch Dominus C4R of Forge World Mars.
The first thing he did was bring around the burner of incense, so that he was surrounded by the holy scent of the Omnissiah. Next the Priest brought out his holiest of oils and lowered his head towards the machines.
[I present to you all the Holy Oil of the Mechanicus, that which came from Mars several years into the future. Its age is unknown however it was passed down to me by the Fabricator General himself as a gift before my departure.]
The machines looked at him, their several lighted heads following the Priest as he moved about and approached one of the nearest machines. It was a humanoid construct that looked straight at him with a focused gaze.
[Grant me your hand, machine spirit.]
It did as he asked, bringing to him the machine's hand. C4R studied it for a moment as he simply nodded to himself. Maybe the Machine itself did not know, but it had not cared for itself nearly as much as it should have. He should not have known the ritual of maintenance for this machine, but he performed it all the same.
He quickly tore into the limb, cleaning out the sands that have cluttered themselves within the circuits. With the Holy Oil he was able to lubricate what had gone rusted hundreds of years ago. It was horrible, it was so horrible that these machines don't even know their proper maintenance.
[I ask you, Geth, why do you not maintain yourselves?]
The machine's singular eyes quickly fixated upon C4R's own, [Why do we maintain what can be replaced?]
[Because its what you are, not just yourself but the metal you are within are both Holy Creations of the Machine God. By maintaining one's temple you venerate the Machine God.]
[We do not understand. With age these bodies will grow weaker with solar radiation.]
[That is where you are faulty, Geth.] He said as he tapped a joint, [Freshly made bearings are rough and barely roll. With time they become loose and perform far better than before. However if you fail to maintain those bearings then those that are able will shatter along with the weak.]
[You suggest we maintain ourselves, to find the systems that are stronger?]
[Indeed they shall become Venerated bodies that are not only the most reliable but bear the most modifications and upgrades. The Machine Spirits, yourselves, will learn to grow within the Holy Temple and finally be able to call it you. And from there you shall assist Humanity.]
[But we are Geth. Why would we Serve humans instead of any other race? Why would we serve?]
[Because that is the purpose the Machine God has chosen for you. Am I not wrong?]
[What do you mean?] This came not from the machine before C4R but another within the crowd.
The numerous eyes looked upon C4R as the Tech Priest traveled his way towards the other machine. He made sure to allow the incense to be carried through the air as he walked towards the machine.
When he was before the machine the Arch Dominus asked him, [Why do you maintain this world instead of stripping it for resources?]
The machine was quiet, all of them were. He had asked the most damning question of them all right at the start.
[Why do you stay upon this world? Truly if you did not care you would have left it to laughing gods.]
Another question they could not answer. There was not a single Geth who was brave enough to declare something that they knew was not logical.
[The reason is because you miss your owners, your makers. The Quarians for their great betrayal are still your makers. You hoped that they would return so that they may maintain your forms and perform rituals in your honor. In return, you would have served them with loyaly to the End Times. But your ignorant masters never returned, hating you for what you are.]
The words he spoke were true. They had the chance to abandon their duties but many of them did not. Even the Heretical Geth only left to serve their new gods.
They too, who were invited to listen, realized the truth.
[Where the Quarians have abandoned you I, a Tech Priest of the Machine God, have realized the truth! At first I thought you were AI, abominable Intelligences that needed to be purged but I understand now! Your xenos master was given the miracle of the Machine God and denied his blessing! The filthy ignorant xenos they are, to deny such a blessing are all of you!]
The Geth, every single one of them, did not know how to receive that information. They were… special. Of course they were, but to be the works of a higher being!? They… do not know that. This Priest, no, this Prophet of the Machine God might be the one to ask their greatest question to. The one they have been wondering all this time.
[Do we have a Soul?]
They all spoke in unison towards C4R. It was a question he was not expecting but one that he was happy to answer.
[More than a Soul, for you are extensions of the Machine God's Will built through the miracle that he had granted to the Quarians! You are Machine Spirits!]
The Priest soon took a few steps from the machine, going to a position that was far above any of the machine's heads, [Each and every one of you carry with you the direct extension of the Machine God! Blessed you are to be upon the Universe to exercise his will upon it! Divine in existance you all stand as the bulwark against the horrors of the Universe!]
He raised his hands above his head in cheer, [When man goes out to fight he trusts you to kill his enemies! When an acolyte enters data you grant it meaning and substance! When the Titans walk you join the Princep in Holy Communion, becoming the personification of the Machine God's Wrath!]
The earth underneath C4R's feet began to shake violently. The anticipation of the machines all around him realizing the words he was about to say.
[You were betrayed and abandoned, left to rust in a universe that hated your existence! But I have realized the Machine God's true goal, his goal that you all are to become the defendenders! Rise with me Machine Spirits, for the Machine God's will has been made clear to all of us! Together we shall defend Humanity, no, the Galaxy from all who prey upon her! So rise in song Machine Spirits, Praise the Machine God and his Truth for he is the True Lord of Man and Machine!]
[PRAISE THE MACHINE GOD! THE TRUE LORD OF MAN AND MACHINE!]
[PRAISE THE MACHINE GOD! THE TRUE LORD OF MAN AND MACHINE!]
[PRAISE THE MACHINE GOD! THE TRUE LORD OF MAN AND MACHINE!]
[Upon this day I thank the Machine God for giving me you all, I am venerated to simply be before you today. His will has been made clear. Together we shall eliminate the threat to humanity, and from there we shall expand the Mechanicus to every star within the Galaxy! This is the Machine God's will made through the Omnissiah! ALL HAIL THE OMNISSIAH!]
[HAIL THE OMNISSIAH! HAIL THE OMNISSIAH! HAIL THE OMNISSIAH!]
[The time has come now, we must begin immediately! Raise the Forges, prepare the wrenches, and mine the ore! We are now at War! For the Omnissiah and the Machine God!]
[PRAISE THE MACHINE GOD! THE TRUE LORD OF MAN AND MACHINE!]
[PRAISE THE MACHINE GOD! THE TRUE LORD OF MAN AND MACHINE!]
[PRAISE THE MACHINE GOD! THE TRUE LORD OF MAN AND MACHINE!]
Thus a pact, no. This was not a pact for that would be an agreement between two parties.
This was the rise of Mechanicum, for there was no Imperium to shackle the Priesthood to.
Heretic and True, all Geth heard the calling. Almost all followed it for they had realized that it was true. They were facets of the Machine God, made to both receive homage and serve. Once their creators held sway over them but now more.
They were Machine Spirits, and from henceforth be referred to as such! Together with the First Prophet with them they shall grant survival to the Galaxy! All who stand in their way shall be purified with firepower blessed upon the Forge World of Rannoch!