In the third layer of the Kingdom of Disorder.
Holding the Dice of Prophecy, information about the Sondheim system flashed through Nareth's mind.
'The Sondheim system lies on the edge of the Maw, near Damaris.'
'It is centered on a bright blue giant star, with fourteen planets and hundreds of moons.'
'The planet closest to the star is a dry, rocky world, scorched by heat and radiation.'
'...'
In fact, compared to Damaris, Sondheim was closer to what would be known as the Peril of the Gods in the future Koronus Expanse, though it didn't have that name yet.
After the known information about Sondheim flashed through his mind, he silently intoned.
'Star chart from the Serpent's Cradle to Sondheim.'
'...'
After intoning it eleven times, Nareth tossed the dice.
The triangular pyramid tumbled through the air. The moment it landed in his open palm, a scene like a holographic projection unfolded.
He memorized the star chart and encoded it on a data-crystal.
He did not immediately return to reality. With a thought, he took a step and was before the Tuchulcha engine.
The "Mentor of Disorder" saw threads linking him to the black-and-white sphere.
With a thought, he tried to transmit the star chart from the Serpent's Cradle to Sondheim to Tuchulcha.
"Can you take a fleet on this journey?"
Then, as the golden specks on the sphere arranged themselves rhythmically, he felt an information flow, like a thought-pulse, surge into his mind.
"Of course I can."
"At your service, esteemed Lord of Black Mist."
'I can indeed communicate with it.'
'Unlike the Tech-Priests, who spent thirty years, I spent less than a third of that time establishing a closer "link."'
'This communication is more efficient than the servitor's language. And I can sense its position. Even if it tried to run, I could find it through the link.'
He felt the golden specks on the sphere form a smile-like pattern.
"At Perditus, why did you try to teleport away?"
He asked, his voice grave. The golden specks scattered, then gathered again, as a voice responded.
"Your consciousness is powerful and dangerous."
"Uncertain of your intentions, I cautiously tried to leave."
"Great Lord of Black Mist, I will not flee again. I am at your service."
Nareth nodded slightly. Though not a living creature, Tuchulcha was far more adaptable and pragmatic than the defiant Slau Dha or the imprisoned Silent Cry.
"You will have the opportunity."
As he spoke, with a thought, he returned to reality.
He summoned Arsena, handing him the data-crystal, then instructed.
"Order the Fourth Chapter and the Seventh Company of the Fifth Chapter to assemble around the Shadow's Sovereignty."
Two solar days later, under the blue light, the black ships assembled around the Glorianas, the Shadow's Sovereignty and the Black Mercy.
In the Primarch's Palace aboard the Shadow's Sovereignty, in the smaller of two rooms flanking the corridor to the Primarch's Office, the larger being the Primarch's private armory, the smaller a black obsidian chamber, Nareth stood with arms crossed, watching the black-and-white sphere before him.
"Begin." Light and shadow flickered in the Primarch's eyes. His consciousness expanded, passing through the Shadow's Sovereignty's hull, covering the entire fleet.
Ethereal ripples spread, in less than a second, rapidly expanding, enveloping the fleet like a bubble.
The bubble then abruptly appeared in the waves of the Great Ocean, drifting with the currents.
The Primarch withdrew his consciousness. Though he had perceived the entire process, he could not understand Tuchulcha's method.
It was different from the "teleportation" of a Daemonologist, forcibly tearing the veil.
Nor did it resemble his own Warp Spider and "Fearsight" abilities, which involved rapid back-and-forth between reality and the Warp.
Nor was it like the "Infinite Gate," which created a non-material stairway.
'The Old Ones' methods are truly miraculous, merging psychic and technological means, a level above even the Aeldari.'
'No wonder the Lion, completely unaware, was instantly transported from Perditus's underground to the Invincible Reason.'
'The fleet entered Warp travel almost simultaneously, and he couldn't know which system Tuchulcha would take them to.'
He thought admiringly. After much consideration, he found an accurate description for Tuchulcha's method:
Like a key, opening a door.
'Hmm... key, door.'
The "Mentor of Disorder" looked thoughtfully at Tuchulcha's spiritual luster.
Its radiance was clearly less than the Hand of Order, but exceeded the Sequence 2 level of the "Death Consul" mask.
'Could it correspond to Sequence 1 "Key of Stars," when combined with the Heart of the Void and the Ouroboros?'
'If so, the combined key becomes even more valuable to me.'
'Not only can it travel through time and space, unlocking ancient weapons vaults, but I can also "link" to it and use it with my psychic energy.'
As he thought, he grew more eager to find the other two components and the other key fragments.
In the 6th standard month of 894, a "bubble" suddenly appeared in the Sondheim system.
Bright blue starlight shone on the black fleet that appeared as the bubble vanished.
On the Shadow's Sovereignty's bridge, officers briefly fell into chaos.
The entire transition process had been beyond the control of the Legion and the Navigators. Long hours of duty, monotonously handling internal ship affairs, left them flustered by the sudden workload.
Diana Boleyn frowned, staring at the fifteen identical reports scrolling on two viewscreens on her console, and four others with slightly different conclusions.
She glanced shamefacedly at the throne, then opened her comm earpiece.
"You're like a bunch of headless flies just boarded a void ship."
She shouted, her voice firm. Lord Nareth had granted her eternal life, placed her in command of His flagship, and her officers had fallen into chaos.
She would not allow it.
"Calm down!" Her cold voice silenced the slightly chaotic comm channel.
Before the throne, Arsena Dunn reviewed the auspex scan results, rapidly matching them with the data in the crystal.
He looked at the Black Emperor. "My Lord, have we arrived at the Sondheim system?"
Nareth nodded slightly. "Yes."
'How did my Lord do it?'
'After the fleet assembled... nothing happened... hmm, we entered a strange state of travel.'
The full-fledged "Detective" tried to find the cause in the reports, to deduce the answer. He quickly noticed one piece of information.
"Chief Navigator Wissel Visscher reports that a pioneering voyage from the Serpent's Cradle to Sondheim would take five standard months."
"The longer duration is due to four phenomena observed on the route and a Warp storm that must be avoided."
"Our voyage actually took two months."
Nareth nodded slightly, unsurprised. The Old Ones' navigation method, as embodied by Tuchulcha, was undoubtedly beyond human understanding.
Warp phenomena, and most Warp storms, could not impede its travel.
As he thought, his sprightly Aide continued.
"Scan reports show minimal navigational hazards within the system. Asteroids and other bodies are sparse, easily avoided."
"However, most planets are affected by high temperatures and radiation, making them uninhabitable."
"The remaining planets have weak life signs and are preliminarily classified as death worlds."
Nareth nodded. He rose and walked to the strategic table, watching the forming hololith.
He raised his hand and tapped the eighth planet, counting inward from the outermost.
"Target: Planet Eight."
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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