The Imperial Frontier

Imperial date: 997.M41

Segmentum Solar. Edge of the Orion Arm

Beneath the rectangular dome of steel, countless things worked together: innumerable machines and devices, coordinated with one another, and countless Machine Spirits blessed by the Adeptus Mechanicus working side by side. Under the hands of the Navy's technicians and crew, they drove and operated this colossal beast of the void.

The cold sun shone into the bridge. At the Navy captain's command dais, Captain Cole Quik stood with his hands behind his back, gazing through the vast window before him at the darkness of the distant void.

The Imperium's double-headed eagle glittered above him. His dark blue Navy uniform was almost as somber as space itself. Unlike most Navy captains, Captain Cole wore no ceremonial sword denoting noble status. Instead, he carried a Chainsword and a Laspistol.

For most captains, dressing like the Astra Militarum would have been an outright disgrace. Believe me, my friend: Navy officers were more than happy—and eager—to distance themselves from the ground-pounders of the Astra Militarum. Though both fought for the Imperium, this divide persisted all the same, and had for more than a millennium.

Captain Cole walked to the edge of the command dais and surveyed his bridge from behind the railing. Then he nodded in satisfaction.

"Report. I need to know this great ship's readiness," Captain Cole said in a slightly youthful voice. He was far younger than was typical for someone in his position, but clearly his subordinates didn't take his orders any less seriously for it.

"Cobalt replenishment is proceeding smoothly, and fusion fuel has been fed into the engines, sir. The Magos reports that the armor has been mostly repaired, but recommends we dock as soon as possible for proper repairs and to appease the Machine Spirit." The chief officer turned to speak, looking up at the dais and its master.

Cole gave a slight nod, then raised one hand. A servo-skull flew over and projected a holographic display. Countless data points and icons appeared before him like a complex tapestry.

The captain made a series of deft, rapid adjustments to the interface until he found what he wanted.

He scrutinized the display, quickly scanning the rows of disordered data. Thank the Emperor, the Void Shields were fully charged. He'd had enough of being completely exposed to the void; every second of it had set his nerves on edge.

But now that fear was gone. The Mars-class Battlecruiser was ready once more, fully armed to face the Emperor's enemies.

"Captain, we've received a... astropathic message," said an unsettling voice. To be honest, it was almost enough to make one's hair stand on end.

Cole turned to look at the Servitor. Tubes covered its body, and its voice emerged from a speaker in its faceplate, cold as a member of the Adeptus Mechanicus and vibrating with an eerie, mechanical rasp.

The Servitor stopped a few steps away, motionless like a machine awaiting activation. Cole looked at him without much thought. He was past wondering about the past lives of beings like this.

"Speak," he ordered curtly. The Servitor raised its head slightly, its rasp echoing from the speaker. "We've received orders from Lord Hegart. The Lord Inquisitor requires us to proceed to the Victoria System and resolve a local problem."

Cole frowned slightly and turned to face the soulless being. "Did the Inquisitor give a reason?" "No, sir." "Understood."

With that, Cole turned to the helmsman below. "Plot a course to the Victoria System in the Ultima Segmentum. Activate the Warp Engine and prepare for a full-ship translation."

"Aye, sir," the helmsman replied. He began turning the wheel before him, and the immense vessel turned with it. The captain looked to the other side. "Auspex Officer, calculate the stellar gravity and locate the Mandeville Point." "Yes, sir."

As he spoke, Cole pressed a button on the complex console beside him, as naturally as if it were part of his body. A clear, precise comms signal came through.

"Navigator, prepare to enter the Warp. Identify the Astronomican's coordinates. Now." "Yes, Captain. I will guide us," came the Navigator's muttered reply.

Cole withdrew his hand and turned toward the iron arch behind the captain's throne. "Activate the Geller Field. May the Emperor protect us."

Brilliant energy began to flare behind him as the captain disappeared into the darkness beneath the archway.

He knew this ship well. After all, she was his. Though he wasn't the first captain of this great vessel, he could proudly claim to know her better than any captain before him.

He knew every part of her: every corridor, every boiler, every storeroom and hangar, every macro-cannon and Lance Battery. He knew her, every inch of her steel skin as clear as day.

So Cole never got lost. Even without a map, he could move quickly through the countless corridors and stairways. And now, he knew his route and destination well.

He walked through a vast corridor on the upper deck of the ship. It was like a palace, its towering arches supporting a spacious ceiling. Countless statues lined both sides, and countless banners hung from above, symbols of unnumbered honors and victories.

Cole's boots struck the gleaming white marble floor, his footsteps echoing through the enormous hall. He was alone here, except for the occasional crewman or Servitor.

But that impression soon proved false. A much heavier footfall drowned out the sound of his own. He stopped before the towering giant.

The giant stopped too and looked down at Cole. Then he smiled warmly. "Ah, Captain Cole. It's good to see you."

Cole stood at attention and saluted, looking up at the giant's resolute face. "Likewise, Lord Olaf." "In private, just call me Olaf, my dear friend."

The Astartes in Power Armour smiled. His black armor reflected not a trace of light. Only the silver-gray surface of the pauldron on his right shoulder, bearing the honor of his former Chapter, caught the cold gleam.

"You're as tough and cunning as a Space Wolf of Fenris, Captain," Olaf said with a smile. Cole nodded slightly. "I'm honored, Olaf. Where are your brothers? I haven't seen Lord Lancelot or Lord Ragnar."

"Ah, the pup and the little lion are sparring in the training cages. I expect they've crossed swords again over some terrible joke." The Old Wolf sighed and shook his head, but soon smiled again. "Still, we're all brothers, aren't we? Bell went ahead to keep an eye on them, so no one would be left to clean up if they drew blood."

"Of course. Have you seen the Inquisitor? I need to tell him something," Cole asked. His neck was craned painfully high, and it was uncomfortable. That priestly armor was simply enormous.

Olaf kindly bent down to make things easier for him, then looked toward the far end of the corridor. There stood a huge golden door, much like the Eternity Gate on Terra. It was probably a replica, though Cole had never actually seen the Eternity Gate or been to Terra.

"I think he's in there. The Inquisitor likes to spend some time alone after a battle." "Thanks. Go find your brothers, Olaf. I'd rather they didn't break the training Servitors again. The Master of the Arsenal has already complained to me in no uncertain terms."

The Old Wolf laughed again and straightened to his full height. "I'll do my best, Captain." "Of course."

They parted, and soon Cole reached the great golden door. He looked up at it. At its peak sat the Golden Throne, and above it shone the radiant image of the Master of Mankind. Beneath them, countless warships, stars, and planets were carved into the surface, as if the Emperor were the master of all creation, enthroned above an endless sea of brilliant stars.

Cole cleared his throat and looked at the Servitor embedded in the wall beside the door. "Open the door," he ordered curtly. The Servitor lifted its head and stared at him. Then came a mechanical rumble as countless hydraulic structures and mechanical drive systems engaged at once. Amid the low growl of the Machine Spirit, the Golden Door slowly opened.

As soon as the door opened a gap wide enough for one person to pass through, Cole stepped inside. He had no patience for waiting for the huge doors to open with ceremonial grandeur. Every Sunday, having to wait outside with the crew for the doors to open drove him crazy.

Cole strode through the magnificent chapel, at the very top of the entire ship. When you looked up, you could see the whole galaxy. Countless brilliant stars glittered overhead—the most dazzling mural in the world, the grandest masterpiece imaginable.

Whenever Cole gazed up at the stars, his whole body trembled with excitement. He longed to conquer and explore them, just as the great man from his homeworld of Macarius had, carrying the will of humanity and the Emperor to the farthest reaches of the frontier.

In a way, he had achieved that. After all, he wasn't exactly a Navy captain formally under the authority of the Imperial Navy anymore. He had considerable freedom to chart his own course and explore those stars. Well, not entirely. It still depended on whether that bastard felt like it.

Cole stopped beside a pew and looked down at the man seated in the front row, reading a book before the holy image of the great Emperor. He had his head bowed, studying the old volume with interest. A Chainsword and Bolt Pistol hung at his waist, waiting for their next roar and fury.

"Inquisitor Vito, we have a problem," Cole said. Vito glanced up at him, then stopped turning the page. "Have we run into another Ork Gargant fleet?" "Thank the Emperor, no. I'm not planning to charge an Ork fleet alone again, Vito. Do you know how much damage those scum did to my ship?"

"Come on, Cole. We won, didn't we? Besides, if we hadn't taken out the Ork pirate boss, the Armageddon fleet would've been done for."

Vito smiled, then pointed to the book on his knee. "This book's pretty interesting. You should take a look sometime."

Cole sighed, then glanced at the book's crimson cover. "What's it about? You know I'm only interested in star charts and books about voyages of exploration." "Yes, I know, my friend. Trust me, this book has everything you like."

"Who wrote it? Maybe I know the name." "Well, I doubt it. His name's Karel Sinderman, an ancient from a very, very long time ago. It's about the 63rd Expedition Fleet during the Great Crusade."

"The Great Crusade? I don't remember there being a 63rd Expedition Fleet." "That's normal."

As he spoke, Vito closed the book and leaned back in his seat, gazing at the Emperor's holy image. "So, what's the problem?"

Cole stood beside him with his hands behind his back, also looking toward the gleaming golden image of the Emperor. "Old man Hegart sent us an astropathic message. He said the Victoria System needs us, but didn't explain why. He only said you might find something interesting there."

"Sounds like a lousy assignment," Cole sighed. Vito laughed, rose, and patted him on the shoulder. "Come on, Cole. I take it you've already plotted the course, right?" "Obviously."

Vito laughed silently, then walked past Cole. The latter turned and called after him as he headed for the door. "Go keep an eye on those big guys in the training cages! Don't let them break my equipment again!"

"I'll do my best, Captain," Vito called back from the distance, his voice gradually fading as he disappeared from sight.

Cole sighed helplessly, then glanced again at the Emperor's holy image. "Emperor protect us."