"Where did all these warriors come from?"
"These are loyal warriors of the dynasty, some selected from the soldiers, and others are scions from the blood kin families of the Mongert Dynasty. But without exception, they are the loyal servants of the God-Emperor and the empire's finest soldiers."
Although Ian still held doubts about these strange soldiers, she could not find anything suspicious.
Ian inspected the Lower Deck and also visited the bottom hold where the corruption had occurred.
While docked at the landing port, the rangers had further cleared out the bottom hold, and everything related to the Warp had been incinerated. However, further modifications were still needed to utilize the bottom hold space more effectively. If the bottom hold repairs were completed thoroughly, the number of crew members the Golden Ram could accommodate would increase even further.
For now, the bottom hold could only be thoroughly sealed off.
"My lord, that is all of it. The warship will soon enter the Warp, so please return to your quarters with me?"
"It seems we haven't checked the forge workshop yet, have we?"
"My lord, the forge workshop cannot be entered casually. If you wish to tour it, please wait until you have asked Captain Gao Yi for permission, and then I will take you there!"
Hearing Veil's words, Ian had no choice but to return to the Officer Deck.
During the few days waiting for the warship to set sail, Ian wandered around the warship like a vagrant, except that all the crew members felt frightened by Ian's arrival. After all, the reputation of an Inquisitor spoke for itself, and everyone steered clear of her.
Moreover, a dedicated report of all Ian's movements was sent to Gao Yi's desk every day.
"Have you spoken to the officers and the heads of each post? Tell them what needs to be said, and keep quiet about what shouldn't be."
"It's all been arranged. He tried to head to the forge workshop several times, but the priests stopped him each time."
"Then let him wander! How are the warship repairs coming along?"
"The repairs on the Sword Rain are almost finished, too! If you are willing, we can prepare to set off immediately."
"As soon as the repairs are finished, we depart at once! Every day we delay, the dynasty's sacred assets suffer another loss!"
"As you wish, may all glory belong to you!"
As the last batch of cargo was loaded onto the warship, amid the astonished gazes of everyone at the landing port, the Golden Ram set sail alongside two other spaceports that detached from the landing port.
No one expected that this fleet had only arrived half a month ago and was already fully refitted and ready?
The most surprised of all were the members of the Adeptus Mechanicus. They had participated in the repair assessment for the Golden Ram, yet it was already sailing out after just a few days? Were they out of their minds to attempt a Warp voyage in such a condition?
As the portholes were completely sealed shut.
The warship's warp engine also began to operate. The conventional engines began to accelerate the warship's speed to sublight and headed toward Mandeville Point at the edge of the Wrath Nebula. That was the thinnest boundary between the Warp and the material world, and also one of the essential conditions for Warp travel.
A warship could not enter Warp travel at any time or place.
Entering the Warp was likewise a perilous endeavor; with the slightest lapse in caution, entering too early or too late could result in the destruction of the ship and all hands.
This was why the exploration of unknown stellar domains was so dangerous. Since the expansion zone was discovered, countless Rogue Traders and other pioneers had been lost and died within the Warp. One could say that every safe and stable warp route was piled high with human lives.
"Eunice, how long will it take to reach Omicron 2?"
"This warp route is relatively safe. We can arrive after just two warp jumps."
"Very good. Destination Omicron, begin entering the Warp!"
The Gellar Field activated, and Eunice within the Navigator's sanctum began guiding the warship's course according to the star chart.
Waiting made Gao Yi a bit nervous. Compared to dangerous Warp travel, he really wanted to build the spaceport sooner! It was a pity Chaos hadn't come knocking! Perhaps he could ask Ian after finishing this matter? The Inquisition always knew more than he did.
Fortunately, everything went without a hitch, and the warship successfully entered the Warp.
Although stable Warp travel still required caution, at least no major disasters occurred.
When the warship broke through Mandeville Point two days later and returned to realspace, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
The warship once again began using its conventional engines to advance toward Omicron.
"Master-at-arms! Report the situation!"
"Everything on the warship is normal. It's just that some shipworkers who had never entered the void before experienced some disorder. The priest reported that a young shipworker even suffered a loss of control over his psychic powers, causing injuries to dozens of shipworkers, though fortunately, there were no fatalities."
"Awakened psychic powers? Could it be because of entering the Warp?"
"Perhaps. After all, the causes for psychic awakening are bizarre and varied, and under any possibility, a person's hidden psychic talent might be activated? How do you plan to deal with him? After all, these midway-awakened psykers remain an unstable factor, and they are illegal in the empire."
"Wait. No need to dispose of him. Bring him to see me." Excess psykers on the warship? Wasn't this the perfect setup for creating Ghost Operatives?
If it weren't for the fact that astropaths and navigators were already in short supply, Gao Yi would have wanted to try this long ago.
Soon, on the Officer Deck, Gao Yi met the little fellow who had awakened his psychic powers.
"Kneel! Before you stands Captain Gao Yi Mongert, Rogue Trader of the God-Emperor!"
An enforcer brutally shoved the bruised and battered boy down onto the floor.
Yet the boy stubbornly raised his head.
"What is your name?"
"Are you Lord Gao Yi? My name is Norris. I didn't want to hurt those people!"
"Did you just come aboard this warship?"
"Yes. I don't know what's happening to me either; I suddenly felt a power grow inside my body." Norris appeared very self-reproachful. Ever since he was old enough to understand things, he would sometimes see things others couldn't and hear things others couldn't, but he had always just treated them as hallucinations caused by a long-term high-pressure life.
And with the psychic backlash, the surrounding shipworkers all treated him like a monster. Even the enforcers, who were usually somewhat kind, brutally beat him and brought him here.
"Norris, I believe what you say, but sometimes certain matters are not within our individual control. You have become a psyker, and psychic power is an extremely dangerous force. If left unchecked, it would be an irresponsible act toward everyone on this warship. My officers have proposed throwing you into the void—"
"Please don't do that! I've worked hard! I—I am loyal to the empire, loyal to the God-Emperor! I had no idea what was happening!"
In order to survive, Norris—who didn't even believe in the God-Emperor—invoked faith.
"I believe you, Norris, so I will give you two choices. The first choice is that I execute you in accordance with the officers' proposal, and the second choice is a path where even I don't know the outcome—you might live, or you might die."
"I choose the second! I want to live! Even if there's just a sliver of chance, I want to live."
"Very good. I am glad you made the correct choice. Take him to the forge workshop!"
Advance Happy New Year to everyone!
Is anyone else working the night shift on New Year's Eve just like me? It's rough.
Before you continue