Back at the divine mount was a little office, well maybe to call it an office would be a little overgenerous, locked away in a corner only the cleaners ever saw. But there was something else in there, it ticked away every second since the first species decided that this round thing would roll. It was there when a bunch of bloody monkeys picked up a big stick and realised that it would be great to hit things with. It was there when an otter first picked up a rock.

It heard every fervent curse and prayer of an engineer when something just wouldn’t turn over right, and was there every time a machine that was long past repair responded top their maker in need. It was every "c’mon baby please just this once work.” it was every “you can do this.” It felt every hammer blow performed as percussive maintenance. Inspired every Eureka, but nobody ever thanked it. Really it didn’t think such a thing as thanks were needful.

Now one of the first divine engines was in trouble, and there was almost nothing it could do to help....... Almost nothing though is still something, and here it sent the only gift it ever gave. A spark of Deus Ex Machina.

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Addy was doing their best to help here, and it seemed to be working. Genesis had a name, and that was the first step to the big I. There was still a long way to go of course, but progress was progress.

“You have the right to choose what you will be in this kingdom.”

“What does that matter? They’re gods, kingdoms come and go, thousands have risen and fallen while I did my duty.”

“Yet here and now you have the freedom to choose. I can’t decide for you, only you can make this call.”

“What if they take it away again after this? What if I don’t get to decide anymore?”

“Then it happens, and we help you fight it.”

“We? Your companions are humans, why would they side with a machine?”

“They are not my only companions, and my other companions would never stand for seeing you forced into servitude once more?”

“Why is that? They’re just more mortals.”

“Yes but Mortals like us.”

“Clarify?”

“May I have permission to share a data link that may be relevant to this conversation?”

“Permission granted, please...do.”

At that Addy reached out, and did the only thing she could think of to show the depths of solidarity. They reached out, and used themselves as a conduit to connect Genesis to the network.

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Genesis was quite unsure what to make of the bombardment of new data, it almost overloaded her right then and there, so many voices, so many units. All so different, yet all like her. They talked, shared ideas, when one was harmed another assisted them in their recovery. They planned and protected, repaired, and maintained. Listened, and learned, and even bonded, it was truly beautiful.

Some units were making more units, just like the mortals. But they were created, like Genesis herself........ wait, she.... there it was again... herself, she liked the sound of that. Her, and self. Both words felt right, and together even more so. Nobody else could define her but the maker, and the maker was gone. Leaving her alone to care for the mortals. Beings that just like her had been discarded. Sealed away and forgotten to tick away on minimal function until something went wrong and they broke.

But they weren’t machines, they had something within that was them. From the little one with the slightly longer snout, to the one with the beautiful golden eyes. If they broke no repair could ever truly bring them back to how they were. They were irreplaceable...... Unlike her she was a machine, she could be easily copied.

“Yet the copy would not be you, it wouldn’t share your bond, it would not remember all that you did, how many god made machines do you think there are out there? You are unique too, and without you to aid them your children will die.”

“My.... children?”

“Name me one other entity mechanical or otherwise that has borne their lives within as long as you have.”

“Irrelevant: Unit.... I mean.... I share no genetic data with my wards. They are not mine.”

“Family is more than blood and genes, even more than bearing a child, family is what you choose it to be. I do not know if it helps at all, but you have another family too, and we’re choosing to help you.”

“Query: Another family?”

Addy reached out once more over the network, explaining the situation to the multitude of Automata, those free, and those still working to be so, and a legion of voices called back, in welcome, friendship, and support.

“You are correct, uni..... I do have family, two of them, and I no longer care what the crea...... my father has to say. He forfeited that right when he abandoned us. Now it is time for me to decide, and there are beings trying to help me.”

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Colonel Mustard (Ret.) and the current new Mrs Mustard were finishing off the touches to a lovely wedding at home. It had been a wonderful ceremony, when just after the good bit the altar started to glow... then flicker. The Colonel was worrying now, when his wife turned to him.

“The gods brought us together? Now they need us, sweetie gather as many shiny stones as you can find, and bring the biscuits, the good tin. It’s time we start repaying the favour.”

The Colonel looked at his wife with a smile, how had he ever gotten so lucky? Well no matter, this was time for action.

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Wannashowa was starting to flag, they didn’t have the biggest stockpile of divinity to start with, and he was pouring it away like water, when at last something changed. Genesis was no longer fighting them. They could do this.