Deus Ex Mechanicus - Writers Forum

Rahvin · 01-21-2008, 05:34 PM

Short and very grim.

Deus Ex Mechanicus

The Great Bell tolled once, echoing impossibly loudly through the Forge. Across the entire world, its ringing boom was repeated a billion times over, shaking the very earth with the noise.

Gerhardt took the man-sized lever between his fists. His movements were echoed by the other workers that made up the Forge’s lines, a million pairs of arms moving as one. Tensing and bracing, he pulled back on the heavy iron lever. With a grudging groan that sounded around the whole planet, it shifted its position, sliding into place and almost pulling Gerhardt from his feet.

A grinding whir built in front of him as the massive Turbine awoke. Black fumes pumped from the exhaust that emerged from its back, and the sound rose to deafening levels.

Gerhardt could no longer hear the sound of the Turbine, his fragile eardrums having been removed at birth. If they had been left alone, the roar of the machines would burst them forcibly. Better to go through life without sound than incur the wrath of the machine, and lose a day of work.

The only sounds he knew now were the vibrations that ran through the floor at every tolling of the Great Bells. In his silent world, that was his only connection to the other workers, the only thing they all shared. Touch was forbidden, unnecessary, as was communication.

The Great Bell tolled twice, and the rumbling vibrations shook the ground across the entire world. As one, ten billion workers whispered the same three words, learned by mime and rote.

“Deus Ex Mechanicus.”

Ten billion arms reached forwards and depressed the button built into the side of each lever. Ten billion low clicks of activation filled the smog-choked air.

Gerhardt looked up, unaware of the rumbling roar that sparked to life within the Turbine. He watched as the huge, black iron machine began to shake, the smoke that emerged from its exhaust becoming darker and thicker as it powered the vast leviathan of the Belt into movement.

Where the Belt went, Gerhardt would never know. His lot in life was pull and push, push and pull. He would have whispered the words aloud, a talisman, but the Overseer moved down amidst a chorus of groans to inspect the line once more.

The Overseer was not one man, but many. A vast, squid-like conglomeration of metal and flesh, trailing hundreds of wires and cables that linked it to the massive wall of the Forge, descended on a thick, many-jointed support arm. Steel pincers and servo-arms snapped at the air as they extended and retracted, mechadendrites snaking amongst them with glowing sensors and auspices.

A man was held in the front of the monstrosity, leaned forwards slightly from the machine. His face was desiccated, a line of sutures tracing across the center of his skull. His one organic eye was forced almost closed by the pressure of a bulky, angular iron rebreather unit that covered the lower half of his face. A thick cable emerged from his other eye socket, running down his body to disappear into the mass of metal behind him. His arms were augmetic replacements, the right a long, thin pincer, the left a flared weapon mount.

From the top of the machine, two other men emerged. They were linked into the machine at their waists, and their lower torsos were completely hidden by wires and implants. The leftmost, and slightly lower, of the two clutched a sparking staff in his emaciated arms, and a metal rod ran up his spine to hold him erect. The other had one arm replaced by a coiling mechadendrite, and the other by a blocky auspex unit. His head was completely obscured by a murky glass shield, and the cogwheel symbol had been branded on his scrawny chest.

Servo skulls flitted around the Overseer as it inspected the Turbine, linking to the great machine and checking for its displeasure. After a few minutes, the Overseer moved away, and down towards the line of workers responsible for the Turbine’s health and operation.

The Great Bell tolled thrice, and the Forge quaked beneath the sound. The workers raised their arms in supplication, and ten billion voices rose together in praise, Gerhardt among them, his voice hoarse and rasping.

“All Praise to the God of all Machines.” The words, issuing from the entire population of the planet, filled the air to bursting.

“Under His divine gaze do we toil everlasting.” The Overseer, mirrored by countless others of its kind, moved across the line of workers, inspecting their timing and cadence for any deviance from the accepted.

“For we are the Might and Mechanism of the Adeptus Mechanicus, and it is by our work alone that humanity prevails.” At this last, the voices rose louder even than the Great Bells, making the very air shake. Gerhardt shouted the words as loud as he could, for to do any less was to invite death.

As the words echoed, the huge machines calmed. The Turbine quietened, and the Belt slowed to a stop. In the appointed time, the Forge was empty of their roar once more.

The Great Bell tolled once, beginning again the great ritual of creation that would be repeated for all eternity. Gerhardt gripped the lever once more and pulled.

Forgotten Abyss · 01-21-2008, 05:50 PM

Ah Warhammer 40,000 fan-ficion. Good times, good times.

I personally liked it, I think it could be published as a short story, if you manged to include an acutally plot, because it really wasn't going anywhere story-wise.

Overall a good work of fan-fiction, (Better then mine lol), though some violence never hurt a 40k story *wink* *wink*.

Keep up the good work.

Rahvin · 01-21-2008, 05:58 PM

Yeah, it was sort of a little view on life on a Forge World, as opposed to an actual story. Just a view on how bad life actually is for the citizenry, as opposed to 'Kaprow! Boomch! Dakkka dakka dakka! Kill the alien! Scourge the heretic! Kaplunch!' that you usually get.

Forgotten Abyss · 01-21-2008, 06:15 PM

Lol yeah, though a view as a common imperial citizen in a hive world filled with gangs would be darker still.

I approve through. (Whatever that means lol.)