Warhammer: The Time Traveler

Chapter 340 Level 8 Warp Speed ​​(Fourth Update)

With the key breakthrough of steady-state crystals, the theoretical model of the eighth-level warp drive was quickly transformed into engineering reality.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of the Federation Starship Design Bureau and the team led by engineer Scott, the first prototype engine with the potential for warp speeds of level eight was successfully built.

However, a real problem has arisen: the construction progress of the new Enterprise NCC-1701-A, originally planned as a new technology verification platform, has been affected because its hull structure is integrating two revolutionary new materials, ceramic steel and refined gold, provided by Chen Yu.

The processing, welding, and compatibility testing of the new materials with existing federal standard structures all require additional time.

Installing a brand-new engine that hastily hastily lacked sufficient ground testing on a starship that also employed numerous unproven new technologies carries compounded risks and is inconsistent with the Federation's consistent principle of caution.

After evaluation, the federal government decided to take a more prudent approach: using an existing, structurally mature and reliable Obert-class scientific vessel as the test platform.

The starship, temporarily named "Pioneer," had some non-essential payloads removed, and its engine room was specifically modified to accommodate and support the new warp drive, which was far larger and more energy-intensive than conventional engines.

Chen Yu expressed her understanding of the federal government's caution.

He knew that technological leaps required solid steps, and verifying the reliability of the engine alone was a wise move.

His focus was more on the engine itself and the performance of the steady crystal under extreme conditions.

On the day of the test, the Pioneer, escorted by several escort ships, sailed to a pre-cleared interstellar space far from its usual route.

Another starship was also on standby in a nearby orbit, with Kirk, Spock, Scott, and Chen Yu on the bridge, remotely monitoring the testing process through high-precision sensors.

"Energy injection initiated, field generation coil activated." The captain of the Pioneer's voice came through the communication channel, carrying a hint of tension that was hard to completely conceal.

At the stern of the Pioneer, the engine nozzles suddenly emitted an unusually bright and steady light. In the next instant, the starry sky around it began to visibly distort and compress, and an invisible spacetime bubble rapidly formed, completely enveloping the entire starship.

Immediately, the light and distortion vanished together, and the Pioneer seemed to be swallowed up by the universe itself, disappearing completely from all visible light spectrum, leaving only a few ripples in space that had not yet subsided.

"Target has entered warp drive mode. Sensors have switched to subspace scanning and remote telemetry mode," Spock reported calmly, his gaze fixed on the data screen in front of him.

Only faint static noise remained on the communication channel, along with the continuous stream of encrypted data transmitted from the Pioneer.

Chekhov stared intently at the readings on the navigation control panel, reporting loudly: "Warp speed level one...field stable. Level three...core pressure normal. Level five...steady-state crystal energy conductivity maintained at 99.7%!"

His voice rose higher and higher, filled with barely suppressed excitement: "Breaking through the level six critical point! All engine parameters are within safe thresholds! The spacetime bubble structure is intact!"

Engineer Scott gripped the railing tightly with both hands, his knuckles turning white. He seemed to be able to feel every pulse of the engine he had helped build through the void.

“Good girl, hang in there…” he murmured, his eyes glued to the real-time data coming from the Pioneer’s engine room. “Warp speed seven!” Chekhov’s voice was filled with shock. “Pioneer reporting: Field stability 98.3 percent! Spacetime curvature parameters are in perfect agreement with the model predictions! They… they did it!”

Spock added, his tone still calm but his pace slightly faster: "The energy output curve is smooth, and no abnormal harmonics were detected. The steady-state crystal performed better than expected, and the structural stress distribution was uniform."

On the bridge, you could hear a pin drop; the only sounds were the hum of the instruments and the tense breathing of the people.

Kirk stood in front of the captain's chair, leaning slightly forward, as if to get closer to the starship that was pushing its limits.

After a brief silence, the captain of the USS Pioneer's clear but excited voice came through the communication channel: "Enterprise, this is Pioneer. We...we have reached warp eight! Repeat, maintain stable at warp eight! All systems...operating normally!"

"Confirmed!" Chekhov practically jumped up from his seat, waving his fist. "Telemetry data confirmed! Warp speed XVIII! They've stabilized!"

Suppressed cheers and enthusiastic applause erupted instantly on the bridge.

Chen Yu's crimson optical lens was steadily pointed at the data receiving port, recording every parameter that refreshed like a waterfall.

He noted that during the nearly 30-minute test period of maintaining an eighth-level warp speed, the performance degradation curve of the steady-state crystal was extremely flat, the energy loss rate was lower than the most optimistic theoretical estimate, and the engine core temperature and the correction frequency of the field stabilization algorithm were maintained at excellent levels.

Although this was only a relatively short-term extreme sprint and failed to verify its long-term operational durability, it has undoubtedly demonstrated its basic feasibility and the outstanding potential of steady-state crystals as a substitute or even an upgrade solution for dilithium crystals.

When the news arrived that the "Pioneer" had successfully exited warp drive and reappeared at the designated coordinates, its hull intact, Chen Yu's synthesized voice rang out amidst the gradually subsiding cheers, carrying the affirmation derived from rigorous analysis: "A successful verification. The compatibility and performance of the steady-state crystal and the new engine architecture both exceed the initial design specifications."

While long-term reliability data will certainly require accumulation through subsequent missions, the technological path to warp drive speeds has been proven to be smooth.

His internal records not only meticulously documented all the test data for the engine and crystals, but also recorded the pragmatic strategy adopted by the Federation in the face of major technological breakthroughs: step-by-step verification and strict risk control.

This contrasts with the sometimes blind adherence to the STC blueprints and the conservative fear of deviating from the "divine form" of the Warhammer universe's Mechanicus, or the reckless adventures of some radical explorers, which is of considerable research value.

The complete data packet from the successful test was quickly transmitted back to Earth, sparking a new wave of excitement and planning within Starfleet and the Science Council.

Meanwhile, in the dock for the new Enterprise, the hull, incorporating terrazzo and reinforced metal structures, was rapidly taking shape thanks to the engineers' increasingly confident and urgent efforts.
Many are anticipating that when this legendary new ship, which incorporates technologies from two different universes, is launched, it will be able to truly carry and perfectly unleash the full potential of the Level 8 warp drive.

For Chen Yu, this successful extreme test means that the power core he planned for his future flagship has passed a near-perfect real-world test.

The cross-dimensional technological blueprint is gradually becoming a tangible reality, thanks to solid data and results.

(End of this chapter)