After performing the short-range jump away from the Hangar Bay, Axion returned directly to the material warehouse he had visited earlier with Thien.
Although Axion had never manufactured Bionics before, he possessed the capability to construct other machine-minds (A.I.). All he needed to do was find suitable humanoid mechanical parts, build a mechanical leg and arm, and then integrate electronic neural bundles to interface with the remaining nerve structure at the wound site.
During their recent contact, Thien's physical structure had been repeatedly scanned by Axion. While Thien was completely unaware of this, the anatomy of these Space Marines held no secrets for Axion.
Despite lacking authorization, Axion effortlessly procured the required metallic materials. While he casually performed a physical shutdown on a few Servo-Skulls that attempted to impede his actions, no further resistance materialized.
With the materials in hand, Axion immediately returned to the maintenance bay.
Sparks flew at the workbench as Axion constructed several uniquely shaped molds from simple materials. He then used his Neutron Beam to melt down the 'few' materials he had acquired, and after re-refining them, poured the scorching white-hot liquid metal into the molds.
Soon, brand-new metallic structures, still faintly glowing red, appeared on the large surface of the workbench.
Controlling the workbench's ultra-high-temperature laser cutter, Axion even manually etched intricate circuit patterns onto the structure of these mechanical bionic limbs.
Once all the preparation work was complete, the assembly began instantly.
Detailed components were pieced together, and all the circuit lines were precisely interconnected.
After the overall construction was finished, Axion immersed the limbs in a vat filled with a strange metallic liquid.
This bizarre, dark-red molten substance did not adhere to the assembled bionics in thick clumps, as other molten metals would.
Instead, it formed a protective, film-like metallic layer around the exterior of the bionic limbs. This material would shield the underlying circuit structures and enhance the bionic's durability—a form of specialized ancient encapsulation technology.
These were the finest bionic limbs Axion could create with the materials he had on hand.
As the work concluded, Axion picked up the bionics and turned, leaving the maintenance bay.
From a corner of the bay, two furtive figures immediately darted out.
They were none other than the two missing Magos of the Adeptus Mechanicus.
After confirming Axion's departure, they rushed to the workbench, scanned all the molds Axion had left behind, and carefully packaged all the remaining metal materials, along with the vat of cooling, hardening molten metal.
The Servitors, pressed into service, staggered under the weight of the metal, slowly transporting the goods to the Aquila Lander.
The originally small shuttle was instantly crammed full.
The Inquisitor, who had been searching for the two Magos, did not understand why the Servitors were transporting so much random metallic residue back to the shuttle, but he knew this was typical Mechanicus behaviour.
Stopping the near-continuous line of Servitors, the Inquisitor quickly found the Magos in the maintenance bay, deep in frantic discussion.
The two Magos were constantly comparing the molds they had scanned and attempting to identify the corresponding mechanical structures, desperately trying to reverse-engineer the bionic limbs Axion had just manufactured.
But ancient technology was not so easily decoded. The key elements lay in the neural-like circuit structures on the mechanical body, rendering mere external imitation useless.
They, however, were oblivious to this fact.
Axion, carrying the two bionic limbs, walked directly toward the Apothecarion.
His constant movement around the ship had given him a clear understanding of the vessel's compartment layout.
The ship possessed only a few medical facilities capable of supporting an Astartes.
Their sheer size and weight meant that standard medical platforms used for 'ordinary humans' could not support them.
After cross-referencing the available Astartes-rated medical facilities in his core data, Axion headed for the one closest to the Hangar Bay.
When his tall, silver-white figure appeared at the Apothecarion door, only three figures lay within.
Their heavy ceramite armour had been removed, and the three heavily muscled, yet dismembered, men lay on the medical beds.
Ousen, the Apothecary, still clad in his Power Armour, was busy working.
The severed areas of all three warriors were coated with a green gel, and they lay waiting on the beds.
The Astartes body possesses superhuman self-healing capabilities. In just a few hours, the wounds on their bodies were already beginning to heal.
However, reattaching a severed limb was not a simple task.
It was not a matter of simply affixing the severed limb and waiting for natural self-repair.
The green gel sterilized the wounds and, critically, prevented the wound from healing immediately. During this window, the Apothecary had to work quickly to restore viability to the severed parts before reattaching them to the body.
Axion, holding the bionics, suddenly realized this problem upon arrival.
Biological entities could regenerate; severed limbs could be reconnected; bio-technology could repair or recreate limbs.
As an Iron Man, he had unconsciously overlooked this issue.
After all, machine-minds never feared injury; damaged bodies could be replaced, core consciousness uploaded, and reloaded into a new chassis.
Looking down at the mechanical bionics he had just completed, Axion looked at Thien on the medical bed.
The four Astartes present naturally noticed Axion, his towering form and heavy footsteps.
"Are those the bionics you fabricated for me?"
Thien met Axion's electronic eye, then glanced at the limbs in his mechanical grip. Outwardly, they looked completely different from Imperial bionics.
Their design was precise, not coarse and utilitarian like the Imperial standard.
Axion nodded, then shook his head.
"They were designed for you, but it appears they may not be necessary now. Perhaps native limb re-implantation and repair is more suitable for your body."
Thien seemed to sense Axion's disappointment and hesitated before speaking.
"Perhaps... I should just take the bionic after all?"
Hearing Thien's suggestion, the Apothecary immediately tore off his helmet.
"Sergeant, please do not invalidate my work! Re-implantation is a rare opportunity, and I have made considerable preparations."
Looking at the resolute face of the Apothecary, Thien glanced awkwardly at Axion standing before his medical bed.
He then seemed to make a significant decision.
"Ousen, I have decided to let you repair the arm. As for the leg, please be so kind as to call Farien and see about installing the bionic that Axion has constructed for me."
Bionic replacement was not the Apothecary's duty; while it involved limb repair, it fell under the domain of the Techmarine.
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