"Ah ha, I successfully restored an ancient relic. This seems somewhat discordant, but it appears I can write some information onto it. Hmm, a unique method of storage."
"The trial of ancient technology is fraught with mental strain. What is that buzzing sound?"
...
Axion stared blankly at the long string of strange and unrelated content read from the chip. What was all this? The lament of a research worker? What did "ancient relic" refer to? The storage chip itself?
After reading all the residual information, Axion finally found some useful content at the very end of the record:
"Following the guidance of the Omnissiah, I foresaw a peculiar omen: an ancient construct will return to this chaotic universe. Without proper handling, it might lead to a more severe disaster. Perhaps this chip is meant to serve its purpose here."
In addition to the text, a rough, outline-only image was attached, its silhouette virtually identical to Axion himself.
Pondering this cryptic, prophetic content, Axion carefully reviewed the information obtained during his communication with the two Ultramarines: Someone, or something, had predicted his appearance; this entity had entrusted the mission to the universally acclaimed Regent of the Imperium; and the leading Invictarii was personally dispatched by Guilliman to seek him out. Furthermore, someone had given them this chip, suggesting it could be used as a token to gain his trust.
Axion, however, utterly failed to comprehend why a quantum storage chip, which contained no useful information and was crudely fabricated and repaired, should be deemed worthy of his trust.
This was immaterial to Axion; he was indifferent to which group he should accompany to continue his journey. However, the historical data provided by the two Magos had led him to fully realize one thing: All publicly available and easily acquired historical records were essentially worthless. Their contents were largely identical and saturated with excessive laudatory terms describing various so-called figures. The truly useful information would likely have to be sought out and investigated personally. Perhaps certain ancient ruins or the wrecks of missing starships drifting in the void could offer some assistance.
Axion had abandoned the idea of immediately going straight to Terra to seek the so-called Emperor. One of the books provided by the two Magos, labeled as the Cult Mechanicus Third Volume of Historical Records, clearly stated that the Emperor was grievously wounded and was permanently installed in a stasis field within the Imperial Palace. Axion did not believe a life form dependent on a stasis field for survival could answer his questions.
As for their claims of communication through psychic sensing or mind-links, this was sheer fabrication to Axion, who was not a natural life form. Losing a sensor meant losing feeling; losing an observer meant losing perspective, everything was Materialist, and those Idealist abilities were transmitted nonsense to the Iron Man.
In Axion's view, everything based on the Warp was also scientific and traceable. The Iron Men were not without Warp engines; it was simply that they were called Veil Engines back then. To the Iron Men, the Warp was merely a subspace, no different from other subspaces or even quantum space, simply a spatial structure whose scientific explanation was not yet fully articulated.
The brief descriptions of Warp Daemons in the books further convinced Axion that these historical accounts were fabricated. Even during the era of interaction and amity with the Aeldari, humanity had never subscribed to the vague concept of so-called "soul power." Even the Aeldari, who believed in souls, had not exhibited overwhelmingly superior technology or military power.
After all, the first to engage the Aeldari were none other than the Iron Men's Automated Weapons and Tremor Blades. Only after several wars, and the inability to completely eliminate them, did humanity finally enter into peaceful negotiations and commence a limited exchange of technology.
Axion had scanned his database and found only a handful of records marked Aeldari, one of which was a technical file. The label was clearly marked: Webway Technology Reference Guide. The content not only included the technical details but also provided speculative possibilities for secondary development and current methods for operating the Webway.
Axion doubted his original creators had such close relations with the Aeldari. Perhaps some kind of special transaction had taken place. It was irrelevant whether the transaction was initiated by the Iron Men, the Men of Gold, or the Creator himself.
Although he possessed this data, Axion had not installed equipment to identify the Aeldari Webway. Even if a Webway entrance was right before him, he likely wouldn't recognize it. However, given a clearly known location, all that was required was a small amount of energy applied to the special structure to excite the space, and the subspace door hidden within real-space would open. Finding his destination within the labyrinthine Webway was, of course, another matter entirely.
When Axion and the two Ultramarines reappeared, only the long-waiting Captain of the Indomitable remained at the site.
"Sir. The two Dark Angels have departed. Are there any further instructions?"
The Indomitable originally had its own mission, but the Captain was naturally willing to slightly deviate his course for the Black Templars seeking passage. After all, even an Imperial Navy Battleship Captain did not hold a significantly higher status than special individuals like the Astartes. And he was, ultimately, a mortal man. These Astartes were the Emperor's Angels, and they were Angels of Death. They were not known for charity or mercy, and no mortal wanted to attract the scrutiny of these giant warriors who strode across the galaxy.
Calanthus and Hadrian moved one after the other, with Axion silently sandwiched between them.
The two Magos, who had been conspicuously absent for a while, finally arrived at the scene, alerted by the other Tech-Priests. The energy technology Axion had offered them was utterly captivating. By mastering this technology, the two Magos believed they could increase the power output of all their subordinate mechanical constructs by 30%, perhaps even doubling the output of certain smaller units.
One of the Magos even had the delusion that with a few more related technologies, it might not be difficult for an enhanced Multi-Limbed Servitor to defeat an Astartes. Improving their intelligence level would, of course, be even better.
The two Magos arrived and immediately spotted the Ultramarines standing beside Axion. Lost in their research, they looked startled.
"Weren't those two Dark Angels before? Did my visual monitor fail? Or did the Dark Angels manage to acquire two sets of Ultramarines Power Armour?"