The stabilizer core pulsed with a steady, mechanical thrum as Luthar tightened the last conduits into place. Mechadendrites moved with precise intent across the control array, locking clamps, rerouting power, and securing the gravity regulators into a stable loop. Readouts scrolled across his visor in neat green lines: atmospheric retention—stable; localized gravity—0.98 Earth standard; pressure—within safe range. Each line confirmed that the dome was no longer a fragile bubble but a controlled environment capable of sustaining expansion.
He lingered over the panel, running a final diagnostic to make sure no hidden faults remained. The regulators held firm, their power draw balanced with the auxiliary cores installed at the foundation. Oxygen recyclers pushed air through narrow vents, producing a faint hiss, while the gravity stabilizers adjusted weight distribution evenly across the structure. It was crude compared to the grand forges of Mars in his former life, but it was functional.
Only after confirming every system fell within tolerance did he retract his tools and step back. The room quieted, save for the low vibration of machinery beneath his boots.
With a short command over his vox, the outer hatch split open. A flight of drones streamed out into the red haze beyond, their engines humming as they divided into patterns across the wasteland—some sweeping low to chart mineral deposits, others climbing higher to map terrain, locate water ice, and plot anchor points for future construction.
Next, he needed to think about next steps, as transforming the planet was not a small work. First there was the atmosphere problem, then the minerals shortage for construction. While he already had a few ideas, those would take too much time. Every piece had to be built, tested, and scaled. He could import some supplies from Earth, but they didn't have all the machinery he needed for Mars.
Luthar stepped away from the control centre, his boots clanking lightly against the new concrete floor. The dome's air carried the faint tang of recycled oxygen, a reminder of how fragile this entire setup was without constant oversight. He moved toward the exit hatch, pausing to survey the barren horizon through reinforced glass. Red dust stretched endlessly, broken only by the shifting shadows of his mapping drones.
He keyed a command into his wrist console, summoning the skimmer. As the craft hovered into position, engines low and steady, his mind ran through the idea of assigning the construction of automated machinery and fabrication units to the initiates.
They could assemble basic machinery for mining and construction, while he focused on higher-priority tasks: refining the existing technology and, most crucially, building more Nexus Gates to avoid the situation of not having them when needed.
After that, he could accelerate Mars' development without sacrificing his personal time. If those initiates did an excellent job, he could promote them to the position of junior tech-priests, which would give them more freedom.
Sliding into the skimmer's cockpit, Luthar adjusted the navigation systems and set the course back toward Earth. As the craft lifted and cut smoothly through the thin Martian atmosphere, he turned his focus to another task. On his datapad, he began arranging simplified blueprints—designs for construction units, mining rigs, and processing machines. The schematics were deliberately streamlined, easy enough for his juniors to follow without constant oversight.
The question remained: where to build them? Repurposing existing factories on Earth would be efficient, though it risked drawing unwanted attention. Alternatively, he could make miniature fabrication plants in hidden sites, then use Pym Particles to expand them into full-scale production facilities once operational. It would accelerate Mars' development without overextending his resources.
After hours of flight, the skimmer finally reached his destination. The familiar reinforced walls and the faint shimmer of layered wards rose into view.
Luthar set the craft down on the landing platform. The hatch hissed open, and he stepped out, boots clanging against the steel decking. The air here was mixed with smoke and hot oil. Somewhere within, the constant pounding of automated hammers provided a heartbeat for the entire complex.
He made his way down the main corridor, mechadendrites folding neatly against his frame as he passed through several doors. Each room hummed with activity—initiates studying, servitors cleaning the place, and data-slates streaming information across glowing projectors. Finally, he reached one of the inner sanctums.
Inside, Hephaestus was hunched over a wide projection table. The display shimmered with lines of an Imperial Knight's silhouette: towering frame, broad shoulders, and massive armored limbs. She didn't look up immediately, fingers tapping across controls as she adjusted the schematics, every change weaving itself seamlessly into the design.
Luthar stepped forward, letting his presence fill the chamber before speaking. "Didn't think you would be interested in something other than swords and blades. Tell me, are you interested in building one?"
Hephaestus finally glanced up, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "I do want to make a few of them," she admitted, eyes gleaming with the same fire that drove her forges. "It's magnificent. And should we need to face something like a black dragon or worse—having them would be good."
Luthar considered the projection, visor gleaming with reflected light. "True. But the cost of just testing these machines would be impossible to bear, so I would suggest you build a miniature version instead—then use Pym Particles to expand it into full scale. When we've built a few more factories, then we can build full size from the start."
The goddess tilted her head, chuckling under her breath. "You are treating those particles like they're some magical remedy for every problem. What's next, shrinking our entire forge complex and carrying it in your pocket?"
"Actually, that's my current plan," Luthar replied, tone perfectly flat. "Build a few miniature forge complexes so they can be used to construct some mining equipment."
Hephaestus laughed openly, shaking her head. "Well, if you are doing that, then I would also build a miniature. A prototype that would let me test if I could use runes and magic to build the knight without draining reserves."
Her fingers danced across the console, already adjusting parameters, shrinking the projected Knight into a scaled-down model. "If someone calls this thing the toy knight,' I'll tell them who suggested it."
Luthar gave a rare, faint smirk. "Let them, a toy that can save some resources is still worth building."
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