Beyond Terra's orbit.
A new satellite orbited Terra.
Inside that satellite, a grand experiment in faster-than-light travel was underway.
At a testing site, the Emperor stood beneath the massive engine, looking up at the colossal construct.
"The Astartes and the Primarchs are fighting the war over at Achaemenid."
"The Pan-Pacific Empire is about to lose. Nothing can stop our march toward unifying Terra and realizing our ideals."
Holding a cup of soda, Qin Mo approached the Emperor, who had been holed up in the laboratory for a long time, and explained the current situation.
The Emperor took the drink and continued gazing up at the engine.
For once, he was not as impassive as usual. On the contrary, he looked immensely excited.
Like a believer beholding a holy relic.
The Emperor did not need to confess anything for Qin Mo to know that he was not reacting this way because the FTL Engine had astonished him, nor was he truly looking at the engine itself.
He was merely gazing upon a magnificent ideal that had once been nothing more than a dream to him.
That dreamlike ideal now had hope of becoming reality because of the engine before him.
"Can we... can we free humanity from Warp Engines?" the Emperor murmured softly, his voice a cautious inquiry.
He knew the answer to his own question.
But he did not dare state it with certainty. Instead, he asked, seeking a firmer answer from another so that he could truly believe it.
"Without a doubt." Qin Mo nodded. "The Dimension Engine. It's a simple, temporary means of FTL travel. It can allow ships to traverse the universe. In ten minutes, a vessel can leave the Solar System and reach somewhere dozens of light-years away."
"That... that's wonderful." The Emperor's eyes widened as