Warhammer: The Time Traveler

Chapter 21 Dimensional Teleporter
Inside the temporary workshop, the energy level finally stabilized at a reassuring threshold. Chen Yu stood before the central workbench, several silver-gray mechanical tentacles beneath his dark red robe operating smoothly as if they possessed independent consciousness.

They are equipped with a laser calibrator, a micro-force field generation module, and a high-frequency particle scanning probe, respectively, and are performing precise operations around an object—the dark gold dodecahedron that brought him into this world, an ancient relic.

Under the workshop's unique mixed lighting—a mix of cool white artificial light and various colored indicator lights on the equipment—the seemingly living patterns on the surface of the relics flow endlessly, presenting a profound beauty that is almost biological.

It floats on an invisible support constructed from complex force field coils, slowly rotating at a constant angular velocity, like some kind of otherworldly star.

"Energy injection attempt, seventh sequence. Adjust the output frequency to the tau meson resonance range." Chen Yu gave the command in a low voice, both to himself and to the servo skull floating on one side, responsible for recording.

An energy interface at the end of a tentacle emits a buzzing sound that almost exceeds the limits of hearing, precisely channeling highly purified electrical energy into a specific geometric node on the surface of the relic.

In an instant, the energy fluctuations inside the relic fluctuated slightly, and a faint glimmer appeared on the surface patterns, but it quickly went out, as if it had fallen into some deeper dormancy.

A low-frequency alarm sound came from the multi-spectral detector next to the workbench.

"Failed again." Chen Yu retracted his tentacles, and the optical lens automatically adjusted its focus, reflecting the motionless creation on the cold mirror surface.

"The efficiency of conventional energy injection is less than 0.3 percent, with the vast majority being absorbed or dissipated in some kind of... internal dimension hidden beneath the Planck-scale spatial structure. This violates all known energy-matter conversion models."

He unconsciously made a rubbing motion between his eyebrows—although the enhanced faceplate no longer required this physiological function, this habit from the human era was still retained, indicating that he was entering a state of deep deduction.

“Perhaps… we’ve fundamentally misunderstood it.” He turned to the servo skull, as if addressing a trusted colleague. “What it requires may not be purely physical energy, or at least not entirely. Re-examining the sensory data from the transmigration event… that excruciating pain of having one’s consciousness structure dismantled and reassembled, deeper, more fundamental…”

A hypothesis flashed through his mind as he focused on the core of his decision.

"Psionic energy?" The word was uttered in a mechanical tone, carrying a hint of wariness typical of members of the Mechanicus, yet also mixed with purely technical curiosity. "Could its activation mechanism be related to the subspace... or some kind of similar interdimensional energy field?"

In the universe he came from, psionic energy was the extraction and manipulation of warp energy, dangerous and uncontrollable. But in this world, the warp did not exist—at least he had never detected its characteristic chaotic fluctuations and whispers.

"Servo skull, retrieve environmental monitoring data from the entire traversal event, and focus on analyzing energy spectrum anomalies and my consciousness... fluctuation records."

"Command confirmed." Blue light flowed through the skull's eye sockets, projecting a series of complex data onto the main screen.

Chen Yu reviewed the fluctuation curves and parameter readings. The record of the frantic extraction of energy was still striking, but in addition, there was an extremely weak abnormal signal that had previously been classified as noise—not an electromagnetic or physical disturbance, but more like a kind of…a resonant frequency at the level of consciousness, which briefly coupled with his intense emotional fluctuations and some deeper spiritual undercurrent.

“Just as I thought…” Chen Yu murmured, “It needs a kind of ‘fuse,’ a ‘key’ that can pry open the dimensional structure. Pure energy is the fuel, but what ignites it and points the way is a certain consciousness or spiritual power… that is, what the Warhammer universe calls ‘psychic energy’.”

Without psionicists, how can this be achieved? In the Warhammer universe, the Cult of Mechanics has an alternative—either find and “use” psionicists, or… simulate that specific interdimensional resonance frequency with energy violence far exceeding conventional levels!
“Let’s do the calculations,” Chen Yu said to the servo skull, “If we try to simulate the resonant frequency required to activate ‘psychic energy’ using pure energy, what is the theoretically required energy level?”

The servo skull fell into a brief silence as its internal processor ran at full speed, performing calculations based on the artifact's absorption characteristics, the energy loss from the traversal event, and the theoretical model proposed by Chen Yu.

Finally, a number appeared on the screen, accompanied by an intuitive equivalent conversion: [Estimated theoretical minimum startup energy threshold: Approximately one-third of the Night City's total grid power generation at peak load, continuously outputting for 1.7 seconds. Or, the total energy released by the instantaneous fission of fifty kilograms of weapons-grade enriched uranium under ideal conditions.]

Chen Yu stared at that number, and even with the mechanical priest's calm demeanor, the optical lens couldn't help but flicker slightly.

“A third of Night City’s electricity… or fifty kilograms of enriched uranium…” he repeated in an almost sighing tone, “is truly… a daunting threshold.”

In the Warhammer universe, even in the peripheral forging worlds where he originated, this wouldn't be difficult to achieve. A medium-sized promethium reactor would suffice; as for psionicists, the Cult of Mechanics has no shortage of "resources." Purchasing psionic slaves from the black market or "applying" to the Inquisition for captured mutants, though the process is cumbersome, is not impossible.

But here, in this cyberpunk world where the technology tree is off the charts, energy is monopolized by giant corporations, and psionic beings are unheard of, this need seems almost absurd.

To extract half the city's electricity? That would require infiltrating and controlling the core nodes of a municipal or corporate energy network, and such a move would inevitably alert the company's armed forces.

Fifty kilograms of enriched uranium? This is a national strategic material, firmly controlled by military technology giants, and any circulation on the black market will attract the highest level of investigation.

He lightly touched the surface of the artifact with his fingertips, and the patterns seemed to warm slightly beneath the metal.

“Dimensional teleporter…” he murmured, uttering the closest name he had obtained from scanning and comparing the servo skull based on its energy characteristics and structure with an ancient database. “A legacy of the dark age of technology… proof that humanity once touched the realm of the gods and then fell. What an awe-inspiring creation.”

The journey home seemed so close, yet it was blocked by a vast energy chasm.

He had to seriously consider a path he had not previously prioritized—partnering with a company.

Using company resources to achieve goals is not absolutely forbidden in the doctrines of the Mechanicus, as long as the ultimate objective is to acquire knowledge and technology, the means can be flexible. After all, the Mechanicus itself also engages in limited transactions with certain planetary governors and even aliens.

However… dealing with these worldly corporations is extremely risky. They are more greedy and unscrupulous than the Warhammer Guilds, and lack even the most basic reverence for the "God of Machines." To negotiate with a tiger for its skin is to risk utter ruin with the slightest misstep.

"We need to reassess the risks and benefits and develop multiple contact plans," Chen Yu muttered to himself, adding "feasibility analysis of potential cooperation with the company" to his to-do list and prioritizing it to the highest level.

He carefully stored the dimensional teleporter in a specially designed energy-shielded storage box. The journey home was now in sight, but the road sign pointed to a treacherous path strewn with thorns and requiring a huge toll.

He walked to the workshop window and looked out at the desolate landscape etched by wind and sand. The neon lights of the Night City twisted and shimmered on the horizon, like a cold yet alluring dream.

"The plan needs to be significantly adjusted," he declared, facing the window.

The servo skull is suspended behind it, with stable blue light in the eye sockets, recording the owner's uncertain thought process.

(End of this chapter)