Warhammer: Black Emperor

Chapter 65: The Pride of Vostroya
While boarding the barge and heading towards the new ship, Nimrod obtained the ship's specifications from Wojciech.

Dimensions: 5.2 km long and 1.04 km wide.

Mass: 3311 million tons.

Crew: approximately 105000.

Acceleration: Maximum sustained 2.3G.

After the barge docked, Nimrod got off the barge, with Wojciech Belek leading the way.

"My king, the interior of this ship is generally divided into five areas from bottom to top, and each area has a different number of decks."

"Unlike other ships, the magnetic levitation track has been laid according to your instructions."

"There are two trains in total, one for transporting cargo and crew members, and the other for transporting officers."

He did not mention the lower deck and started the introduction directly from the lower deck.

"The lower deck is mainly composed of storage rooms such as fuel storage rooms, and the formal crew's quarters are also in this area."

"The middle deck has four casting decks, which can be used to manufacture laser guns and repair armored vehicles. Technical workers, law enforcement officers, and soldiers from various regiments live on this floor."

"The upper deck is where senior officers, officials, and your entourage live. The maglev train will not enter this deck to disturb their work and rest."

As they were talking, everyone had already reached the highest point of the battleship, one side of which was a huge observation window through which they could see the docked ships.

"The top public area is the bridge. This is the strategic room where officers relay your orders to every part of the ship."

In the center of the strategy room is a huge tactical table with complex circuits and sensors embedded underneath.

"Once the auspicious instrument is activated, it will display the captured images of the ships and battlefield on the 154 screens on both sides."

"At the same time, a holographic projection will appear above the tactical table."

Then he walked towards the black throne that stood opposite the viewport, a throne that matched the Primarch's massive frame.

"My king, this is your throne. Please take your seat and issue your orders."

Nimrod's brain was working quickly, and he had already thought of the arrangements when he walked to the throne. After he sat down, he gave orders directly to the people in front of him.

"Wojciech, immediately organize the other crew members to board the ship."

"Bukayo, your regiments will board the ship immediately."

"..."

He finally said that he had already thought about the fleet composition for this subspace voyage.

"In addition to the flagship, the frigate Piszczek and the destroyers Termálka and Vistula also joined this exploratory expedition fleet."

Nimrod had thought about forming a powerful fleet, but the reality forced him to use the smallest fleet for this expedition.

During the long "Age of Strife", the raging Warp storms made the navigators who could guide Warp navigation more safely extinct. Vostronia had no navigators, and even powerful forces like the Mechanicus had no navigators.

One of the main reasons the Emperor was able to convince Mars to join the Empire was because he retrained the Navigators and trained the Astropaths for intergalactic communication.

Nimrod is currently just a Sequence 8 "barbarian" and is not yet capable of formulating new navigation rules. The larger the fleet, the more dangerous it will be.

But battlecruisers are bulky, and the fleet must have flexible warships such as frigates and destroyers.

After everyone received the order, Bukayo reminded.

"My Lord, you should name this warship."

"Well," Nimrod thought for a second and then said, "This ship is Vostronia's first battlecruiser. It is our pride. Let's call it the Pride of Vostronia."

"It's a poetic name," said Bukayo, the "Midnight Poet." "I feel like a mountain of steel standing proudly, floating in the void."

"You are the pride of Vostronia,
It is a towering mountain.

Standing beneath the curtain of starlight,
Flashing bright light.

Your keel,

The iron backbone of Vostronia,
Your artillery fire,

It is the flames of Vostroya's destruction."

Wojciech recruited the best crews from ships not included in the expeditionary fleet and ensured that they had sufficient crews to return.

The ship then sailed towards the Cradle of the Sea, where the crew familiarized themselves with the ship during the voyage.

Five regiments joined the fleet, one aboard the Piszczek, and the others aboard the Termálka and the Vistula. Also joining the fleet were Marlena Skala and her entourage.

Nimrod sat on the throne and asked Marlena.

"Are you sure?"

Psykers, relying on their understanding of the Sea of ​​Souls, can also guide ships through the warp. Of course, they are not as professional as navigators, but they are better than nothing.

As a prophecy-type psychic, Malena is the most suitable among all the types.

Of course, this is the best arrangement given that the demon system specializing in the study of the subspace has not yet been born, and as the Primarch of the genes, he himself does not have the time to conduct research.

For several years, Nimrod focused on developing Vostronia and studying his most talented psionic powers.

"I've gained some insights by studying the knowledge and experience of ether navigation contained in the Furao data crystals, combined with the backup Mechanicus star map."

"Although it is risky, I am capable of completing the ether voyage."

Nimrod sensed Marlena's confidence and said with a smile.

"You are not alone. If you are in danger, I will establish a spiritual connection with you and help you escape."

"Then I have even less worries."

Marlena smiled and said that she believed in Nimrod.

"Go to room A-001 on the upper deck. Once you've resumed your meditation, we'll begin."

When Nimrod designed the ship, he took into account the addition of navigators and astropaths after his return and reserved two empty cabins. The smaller one, A-001, would be the future navigator's sanctuary.

One ship standard hour later, Nimrod took the elevator down to Room A-001 on the upper deck.

Then he pulled Marlena, the Engine Prophet in charge of the warp engine, and the Helmsman who managed the sailors into the same communication channel.

"Before I begin, I need to know about your warp vision. The Furao people call it the ether vision. I believe you should have found it."

Warp imagery is how psykers view the Warp. Once they find it, psykers can mobilize the energy of the Sea of ​​Soul more smoothly and efficiently.

Malena's tea-brown eyes were deep, and memories flooded back.

"When I was three years old, I was playing on the beach when I was attacked by a rodent octopus the size of a wooden boat."

"I anticipated its attack a split second before it struck, and I rolled to avoid it."

"Its tentacles reached out to grab me again. I instinctively reached out to block it out of fear, but the explosive force tore it apart."

A trace of fear crossed her face as she recalled it with horror.

"I waited for a while and found that I was not dead, but then my body began to change uncontrollably. My arms became thicker and my legs became thinner."

"Later I learned that this was a manifestation of biochemical psychic energy, and I have the highest talent in this area."

"I was terrified of falling into the cold water, and when I woke up, I would find myself back to normal."

Marlena broke away from her memories and continued.

"When I saw the Furao people's description of the imagery of ether, I immediately thought of the sea."

"I think it's because I grew up on an ocean world and survived the catastrophe when I awakened my psychic powers."

"After all, judging by the knowledge of the Furao people, I am a lucky person. Even without anyone to teach me, I survived the psychic awakening."

Her eyes were deep and dark. “To me, the Warp is a vast ocean.”

"The world of ether is like the ocean to me. When I use my psychic energy, I am drawing water from the ocean."

“Looking for a destination according to a star map is like searching for an island in the ocean.”

Nimrod nodded. From Malena's experience, he already knew what female psykers thought about the Warp.

"Our target is the A-068 system on the star map. Let's begin."

　Let me explain this to those who don't know the imagery of the Warp. Anyone who has played "Warhammer 40: Rogue Trader" (Idira is the door, the picture Cassia sees, and the Grand Regent is the Black Forest) or read the official novels, especially the Thousand Sons series (Ahriman's Warp imagery is the Vast Ocean) will know what I'm talking about.

　　Also, imagine what the warp is like, that's what it's like when you use psionics and fall into the warp.

　　You think it is a cesspool, and when you enter the subspace you feel like you have fallen into a stinking pile of shit soup, and using psychic power is like drinking shit soup.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)