Something strange

Although the Cruiser's hull had suffered severe damage, its propulsion systems were largely intact. Still, to keep the ship from breaking apart in transit, the soldier at the helm reduced its speed somewhat.

Nearby, the Navigator comparing their course against the Star Map kept calculating the distance to the faint Astronomican while surveying the surrounding stars.

But no matter how hard he tried, he could not pinpoint their location.

Only the position of the conspicuous Great Rift allowed him to determine that they were on the northwestern edge of the Segmentum Obscurus Star Region.

As for their exact Sector, he had no way of telling.

"Captain, I cannot determine the ship's precise location. All I can say is that we are still within the Segmentum Obscurus Star Region, near its edge. There are no usable Planets or star systems to serve as reference points, but we are still several hundred kilometers from that faint Astronomican."

The Captain nodded silently, then sank into thought.

He had never heard of another Astronomican existing anywhere in the universe besides Terra. Even if it was so faint as to be almost imperceptible, it was still an Astronomican.

Only the Emperor's own immense power, together with the Imperium's efforts to maintain it, sustained that beacon which illuminated the shipping routes of the entire Milky Way.

And yet there was another Astronomican on the verge of going out in this remote place?

Such a miracle could only be born by igniting an immense amount of psychic power.

Unease surged rapidly within him.

The radiance of the Astronomican was just as alluring to Warp Daemons. The psychic power surging through it would constantly draw their covetous attention.

Only the Emperor could withstand the assault of the Warp's power.

Unless what burned within this Astronomican was a Greater