Warp travel was never absolutely safe.
Even on the most stable recognized routes, the fabric of reality was relatively thin, filled with energy turbulence and psychic whispers that defied conventional physical laws.
The Geller Field of the frigate Osiris was on continuously bore the pressure during the journey, and the stable hum of the field generator was the only background sound within the ship.
Beyond the hull, distorted and shifting un-reality unfolded, with colors and forms defying logic. Occasionally, large, blurry shadows grazed the edge of the energy field, triggering brief alerts from the detection array.
Osiris primarily remained in his private cabin during the voyage.
His data interface was directly connected to the ship's main system, continuously monitoring navigation parameters and engine status. At the same time, he allocated a portion of his processing threads to repeatedly parse recent data packets and intelligence updates received from Forge World Neksum.
Sekhmet stood guard outside the cabin door. Her sensor arrays were in full-spectrum listening mode. Although Adeptus Mechanicus vessels, due to their specific technological taboos and protective measures, rarely encountered direct Warp entity incursions, she maintained the highest standard of vigilance.
Seven standard days of travel concluded with the continuous roar of the Warp drive.
With a violent spatial tremor, the frigate successfully exited the Warp and re-anchored itself in the material universe.
The light of the Neksum star shone through the observation window, illuminating the bridge and revealing the massive Forge World in orbit ahead.
From an orbital perspective, the planet Neksum itself was not entirely covered by endless metal.
Vast, rust-colored and grayish-yellow barren land remained the primary landscape, interspersed with smaller industrial outposts and mining facilities, like stains on a rough canvas.
Most of the surface of Neksum still presented an undeveloped, primitive state, with the rust-colored barren land being the main tone, with only scattered mining fields and small facilities dotted among them.
However, at the center of this silent landscape, a magnificent circular forging complex dominated.
This colossal ring, over two thousand kilometers in diameter, was clearly visible even from orbit.
It was composed of countless interconnected workshops, storage tanks, and refining towers, all exhibiting the dull metallic sheen characteristic of the Adeptus Mechanicus.
Dense road networks and cargo tracks extended around the outer perimeter of the ring, and the massive energy arrays and geothermal wellheads that powered it were vaguely discernible.
At the geometric center of the ring structure stood the most prominent main furnace tower.
This exceptionally thick metal giant tower was astonishingly tall, its apex even piercing the planet's low-altitude pollution clouds.
However, the operational status of this vast industrial area conveyed a sense of inadequacy.
Orbital sensors showed that its internal energy signal output was unstable and significantly below its design peak.
The number of aircraft and transport barges flying over the factory area was sparse, as if only maintaining a minimum level of dispatch.
Large planned expansion areas on the outer ring had already ceased construction, leaving only unfinished metal frameworks casting lonely shadows on the wasteland.
Only the main furnace tower at the center continued to spew plumes of smoke, proving that this industrial heart had not stopped beating.
But this sole sign of activity only further highlighted the dullness and desolation of the entire area.
This circular factory and its central tower together formed the still-beating, yet weary, heart of the Neksum Forge World.
At the same time, a massive orbital shipyard also floated in orbit around the planet.
Like the struggling circular factory on the ground, it collectively spoke to the constraints and challenges facing this Forge World.
This magnificent skeletal star-ring was a testament to the ambitious visions of the Great Crusade era, and also a tragic symbol of its abrupt end.
The star-ring's base was immense, constructed from tens of thousands of colossal metal trusses and reinforced modules, its scale sufficient to accommodate several capital ships simultaneously.
But at this moment, upon this magnificent base, only about less than a third of the area was covered by dock decks and complete internal facilities, flickering with sparse lights and welding sparks.
The remaining parts were bare metal frameworks exposed to the vacuum, like the remains of a giant beast, silently floating in orbit.
Some large construction equipment, such as giant gantry cranes and orbital welding platforms, were fixed motionless on the unfinished structures like abandoned toys, their surfaces covered with cosmic dust and traces of micrometeorite impacts.
The entire star-ring was like an epic poem suddenly interrupted at its climax, full of unfulfilled regret and an air of decay.
The frigate slowly approached the completed section of the star-ring, following the navigation signals.
A massive spaceport extension pier, like an arm of steel, guided the frigate into its designated berth.
The docking process was smooth and precise, accompanied by a slight hiss of air pressure equalization, as the ship and the spaceport completed a hard connection.
The hatch opened, and Osiris' tall, dark-red figure appeared at the entrance of the connecting passage.
Behind him stood Sekhmet, solemn as an iron tower, and a squad of rigorously selected, well-equipped Cult Guard soldiers.
Their appearance immediately brought a hush to the busy but orderly environment of the spaceport.
The internal spatial dimensions of the spaceport far exceeded conventional standards; its vaulted ceiling was precisely calculated to ensure that even the largest War Titans could pass through smoothly without having to stoop.
The air was saturated with a variety of characteristic odors: the acrid smell of high-temperature welded metal, the heavy, greasy scent of special lubricants, and the pungent ozone produced by high-voltage electric arcs.
These smells blended together to form the pervasive, identifiable environmental characteristics found within Adeptus Mechanicus facilities.
Thick energy conduits and high-capacity data cables were neatly secured within reinforced grooves pre-set in the walls, like static metallic conduits, extending to the limits of vision.
Heavy conveyor belt systems operated continuously, carrying components of various specifications and even partially assembled weapon platforms, emitting a rhythmic, low hum.
Numerous Servitors were the primary active entities here.
They performed tasks such as material handling, area cleaning, and basic maintenance according to pre-set programs.
Their movements were stiff and precise, lacking the fluidity of living organisms, and the monotonous electronic sounds accompanying their actions further reinforced the dehumanized atmosphere of the environment.
Several Tech-Priests in red robes were already waiting by the berth.
Their bionic modifications varied, but their identification indicated they belonged to the middle-to-lower echelons of the Forge World's administrative hierarchy, with duties including receiving important arrivals.
The communication process was extremely concise; both parties used short binary code fragments and filtered synthetic speech to complete the necessary ceremonial greetings and identity verification.
Given Osiris' status as a quasi-Magos and his independent command authority, this reception was more a matter of following protocol.
After completing the required docking document verification and transit authorization registration, Osiris and his escort boarded the designated ground shuttle.
The shuttle smoothly detached from the spaceport's docking arm, adjusted its attitude, and began its descent towards the industrial-scarred surface of the planet below.