12: Chapter 12 Observation Report on Leaving Food for Interns

**Inquisition Internal Memorandum**

**Confidentiality Level**: Low (No one believes it anyway, filed for backup)

**Subject**: "Automated Miner" (Icarus) in the peripheral wasteland of the Vulcan-IV Forge World

**Investigation Time**: After the report from Patrol Squad No. 47

**Reporter**: An anonymous Inquisitor (Junior Observer of the Ordo Xenos)

**Filing Location**: Filing Cabinet No. 47, bottom drawer, placed together with the "Mars Archmagos Drunkenness Report"

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I. Investigation Background

Received a report from an Adeptus Mechanicus patrol squad claiming to have discovered a "moving metal creation" in the peripheral wasteland of Vulcan-IV. I was originally too lazy to bother—this dump has Orks, mutants, and Tech-priests high on Promethium running around every day; it's not worth wasting Inquisition resources.

However, the report mentioned an "abnormal machine spirit." According to protocol, I still had to take a symbolic look.

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II. Investigation Methods

1. Remote Observation: Scanned the area with an Auspex. The distance was too great and the signal was blurry, so nothing conclusive was found.

2. Data Recovery: Extracted some machine spirit readings from the equipment of the returning patrol squad, barely enough for comparison.

3. Comparative Analysis: Compared the readings with the Imperial Standard machine spirit Database; no obvious abnormalities found.

4. Cost Assessment: Calculated the manpower and material costs of sending personnel for an on-site investigation. Conclusion: Not worth it.

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III. Investigation Results

3.1 Soul Detection

- machine spirit Readings: Negative (No machine spirit fluctuations whatsoever; it's just a dead lump of iron)

- Warp Contamination: Negative (No traces of Chaos; ruled out the possibility of Chaos corruption)

- Psionic Characteristics: Zero (Cleaner than the most ordinary Cogitator Terminal, absolutely no psionic reaction)

- Conclusion: An utterly boring mechanical creation. It doesn't even have a machine spirit and poses no threat.

3.2 Behavior Analysis

- Work Mode: Fixed 18-hour daily work schedule, suspected to be initial programming; no traces of autonomous adjustment.

- Activity Content: Nothing more than mining and moving, occasionally standing still, suspected to be program hibernation; no signs of intelligence.

- Abnormal Behavior: No prayers, no active combat intent, no Ork-style WAAAGH!, not even the madness of a Chaos creation. It's more rigid than an Imperial servo-skull.

- Social Activity: Zero (Does not interact with other machines, does not respond to Adeptus Mechanicus prayers, completely isolated)

- Conclusion: Likely an abandoned agricultural drone from some lost human colony. After a program glitch, it's been wandering aimlessly in the wasteland.

3.3 Environmental Impact

- Impact on Imperial Equipment: The patrol squad reported that after coming into contact with the creation, their machine spirits "became happy."

- Specific Manifestations: Improved weapon accuracy, smoother operation of the chimera; only the Tech-priests were left looking confused, unable to understand why the machine spirits suddenly became docile.

- Threat Assessment: If "making machine spirits happy" counts as a threat, then it barely qualifies as one; otherwise, there is no threat.

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IV. Special Discoveries

4.1 Abnormal Power Generation Efficiency

Analysis of energy readings revealed that the energy field in the creation's area is exceptionally stable. Its power generation efficiency is approximately 300% higher than the Mars standard, with almost zero energy waste—if those conservative Tech-priests on Mars saw this, they'd probably burst into tears on the spot.

Note: It is suggested to secretly learn its power generation technology. Make sure the Adeptus Mechanicus doesn't find out, to avoid hearing more nonsense about how "the machine spirit is sacred and inviolable."

4.2 machine spirit Affinity Phenomenon (The only point worth noting)

- Affected Equipment: Rad-carbines and chimera armored vehicles carried by the patrol squad.

- Degree of Impact: Significant increase in machine spirit stability, improved operational smoothness, no irritability or rejection reactions.

- Propagation Range: Limited only to equipment that has had direct contact with the creation; no signs of spreading.

- Risk Level: Low (Currently only observed machine spirit "pleasure," no tendency toward rebellion or loss of control).

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V. Conclusions and Recommendations

5.1 Overall Assessment

**Conclusion**: Suspected abandoned agricultural drone from a lost human colony, wandered to the peripheral wasteland of Vulcan-IV after a program glitch. No threat, no intelligence, no abnormal risks.

**Reasons**:

1. No soul, no Chaos contamination, no psionic characteristics. It doesn't even qualify as a xenos, posing no threat.

2. Single behavioral pattern, lacks autonomous intelligence, can only complete simple tasks according to preset programming.

3. No active threat to the Empire. The only "abnormality" is making machine spirits docile, with no negative effects.

4. Located in a desolate area with limited range of influence; no need to invest excessive resources for attention.

5.2 Recommended Measures

**Short-term (Recommended for adoption)**:

1. Ignore: Don't waste Inquisition manpower and materials on this trivial matter. Priority is far lower than Chaos purges or Ork warnings.

2. Monitor: Scan once a month with a remote Auspex to confirm it hasn't suddenly awakened or lost control; archive for backup.

3. Record: Archive the report. When there's a need to pad report numbers or deal with superior inspections, pull it out to make up the count.

**Medium-term (Optional)**:

1. Tech Theft: Send an inconspicuous Tech-priest under the guise of "field exploration" to secretly learn its power generation technology for Imperial energy optimization.

2. machine spirit Research: Conduct a simple study of its machine spirit affinity principles; it might be used to soothe irritable machine spirits in the Imperial military and reduce equipment failure rates.

3. Cost Analysis: Calculate how much could be recovered by selling it for scrap metal if personnel were sent to dismantle it. If the return is too low, abandon it directly.

**Long-term (Not recommended)**:

1. Purge: A waste of ammunition and manpower, completely unnecessary.

2. Capture: Investment cost is far higher than the return, a pure waste of resources.

3. Report: A waste of the superiors' time, likely to be criticized as "making a mountain out of a molehill."

5.3 Priority Ranking

1. Mars Heresy Investigation (High Priority)

2. Chaos Cult Purge (Medium Priority)

3. Ork WAAAGH! Warning (Low Priority)

4. This boring miner (No Priority)

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VI. Personal Notes

1. Regarding machine spirit happiness: I've flipped through the 47th edition of the "Machine Spirit Soothing Manual" and found no record stating that "making a machine spirit happy is heresy." Therefore, there's no need to treat it as such.

2. Regarding power generation efficiency: I've re-calculated three times and confirmed its efficiency is indeed 300% higher than the Mars standard. I suggest submitting an anonymous article to the "Imperial Energy Optimization Monthly"; might earn some extra stipends.

3. Regarding the patrol squad: Personally, I judge that those Tech-priests were likely high on Promethium fuel and hallucinating—"metal forests" and "creating food out of thin air" are pure nonsense.

4. Final suggestion: Stuff this report at the very bottom of the filing cabinet and try not to let anyone see it. If anyone asks in three years, just say "remote monitoring is ongoing, no abnormalities for now."

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**Report Ends**

*Attachment: If the superiors insist we do something, I suggest sending an intern to the site for a look, just for the experience. Remember to bring enough rations for him—that dump is even out of corpse starch; don't let the intern starve to death in the wasteland.*

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**An Inquisitor Who Prefers to Remain Anonymous**

*(Junior Observer of the Ordo Xenos, low pay, lots of trouble)*

*(PS: If the power generation technology can really be stolen, remember to give me a share of the credit. After all, I did verify the data three times.)*