The Eternal Quest's maiden Warp jump did not aim for extreme speed or distant reach.
Osiris' core mission for the voyage was sustained, long-duration operation to comprehensively verify the overall stability and subsystem coordination of this multi-faction technology-integrated vessel within a true faster-than-light environment.
The destination of the journey was an irrelevant, barren star system, but the journey itself was paramount.
The vessel remained in Warp for approximately one standard Terran month. During this time, the Eternal Quest operated like a high-speed, precision clockwork mechanism.
Osiris' massive form was connected directly to the ship's main Thinker Array for the majority of the time, and behind his crimson optical lenses, a torrent of vast data flowed like a waterfall.
He monitored minute changes in every critical parameter.
The logic core and autonomous decision system provided by Neksum performed excellently during continuous operation, with its intelligence level safely maintained within a threshold that was both efficient and strictly adhered to the "Abominable Intelligence" redline.
In one instance of minor spatial particle flow disturbance, it adjusted the shield parameter distribution faster than the preset program.
Gryphonne IV's energy system withstood the test of long-term, high-load operation. The energy distribution network, like robust vasculature, precisely delivered surging power to all parts of the ship.
The redundant design ensured that even if a secondary energy channel experienced a one-in-ten-thousand efficiency decay, a backup line seamlessly took over.
Lucius' sensor arrays continuously collected peculiar physical readings between the material universe and the Warp bubble interface, providing Osiris with large amounts of valuable firsthand data due to their high precision.
Simultaneously, their optimized command link ensured absolute clarity and stability of internal ship communication during Warp travel, without any lag or distortion.
The various facilities provided by Mars also underwent preliminary inspection. The small onboard forge successfully fabricated some spare parts during the voyage, proving the reliability of its basic manufacturing capability.
The biological laboratory's environmental maintenance system ran smoothly, laying the foundation for potential future research missions.
Data provided by the ancient navigation instruments complemented and verified the readings from the newer systems during Warp status.
The Blackstone psychic isolation chamber built by Hades VIII remained in silent standby, its unique field of psychic deadness acting like a "void" in the ship's core that was undetectable on a psychic level—a fact that, in itself, demonstrated the success of its design.
Of course, not everything was perfect.
By the third week of continuous operation, a non-critical servo motor group in the starboard third section began to emit periodic high-frequency vibrations.
Although it did not affect its core function, the amplitude slightly exceeded design tolerances.
Concurrently, a secondary heat exchanger in the backup environmental control system on the lower deck showed a slow decay in heat dissipation efficiency of about three percent. While well within the redundancy capacity of the backup system, the trend was worth noting.
Furthermore, continuous stress monitoring of the hull structure detected an unexplainable, extremely faint periodic fluctuation in a specific stress sensor located at the junction between the engine room and the main hull.
The amplitude was insufficient to trigger even the lowest alarm threshold, but its pattern did not conform to any known theoretical model and was specially flagged by the system as "Under Observation."
From an engineering perspective, these issues were minor, far from jeopardizing the safety of the voyage, and would not even be noticed by regular crew.
However, they were accurately captured by Osiris' highly sensitive diagnostic system, recorded individually, and marked as potential nodes requiring further analysis, optimization, or preventative maintenance.
Throughout the entire testing process, Osiris acted more as a calm observer and recorder, rarely directly intervening in the system's automatic operation unless certain parameters approached predefined safety boundaries. He needed to see the ship's true, unadorned operating state.
A month later, the Eternal Quest accurately emerged from Warp at the edge of the target star system, according to the predetermined plan.
Its long hull appeared near the orbit of an Imperial Hive World within that system in a truly exhilarating fashion. All core systems, including the Warp drive itself, functioned without any mission- or safety-critical failure throughout the long, smooth voyage.
Osiris disconnected from the main Cogitator Array, the subtle whir of servo motors accompanying his mechanical form's movements on the silent bridge. The test data from the first long-duration voyage had been collected, and the results met or partially exceeded his expectations.
The Eternal Quest and its integrated technologies had successfully proven their value and reliability. This laid a solid technical foundation for Osiris' next steps—whether to continue deeper testing or to head toward more distant sectors for true exploration.
This newborn vessel was ready to carry his quest for knowledge into the broader unknown.
Despite the satisfactory results of the maiden long-range voyage test, and the Eternal Quest's data meeting or partially exceeding expectations, Osiris did not immediately initiate deeper exploration. After careful consideration by his logical core, he issued new instructions: set course to return to Holy Terra.
The successful validation of the Warp drive and the preliminary establishment of the new order were not, in Osiris' view, the end of the matter. On the contrary, this was merely the beginning of a more complex situation.
Technical feasibility had been proven, but the challenges of truly integrating this technology into the Imperium's vast and ossified body were only just emerging.
The Eternal Quest re-entered Warp, this time with a clear destination—the center of the Imperium.
Osiris did not relax during the voyage. On one hand, he analyzed the massive data accumulated during the first test, commencing remote diagnosis and preliminary software-level optimization for the small recorded issues.
On the other hand, he organized his thoughts, preparing to report the test results to Rogal Dorn and discuss the next steps for implementation strategy.
He knew clearly that returning to Terra meant once again stepping into the epicenter of power and profit struggles. The success of the Novamoon-class and the existence of the Eternal Quest were both a powerful asset and a potential magnet for hostility.
Factions already doubtful or hostile toward the change—whether the conservative elements among the High Lords of Terra, the members of the Astronomican and Navigator Houses who felt threatened, or other hidden enemies—would never stand idly by as the Warp drive fundamentally altered the Imperial landscape.
This return was not carrying an unverified "hope" but concrete technical achievements and flight records. This would bolster the confidence of supporters, but at the same time, it would inevitably make opponents more anxious, potentially leading to more aggressive actions.
The Eternal Quest sailed steadily in stable Warp, heading towards the ancient world bathed in the light of the Astronomican.
Osiris' mechanical body stood still on the bridge, his optical lenses fixed on the shifting streams of light ahead. He knew that what awaited him on Terra would certainly not be simple celebration and commendation, but a new, perhaps more subtle and perilous storm.