Warhammer: The Time Traveler

Chapter 378 Undercurrents (Fourth Update)
Roger Dorn's decision to forcefully push forward the warp drive project with an iron fist was like a boulder thrown into an already turbulent pond, creating ripples that carried a chilling hostility and quickly seeped into the depths of the Empire's power structure.

Within the Martian Mechanicus, beneath the surface of outward obedience lies a boiling resentment.

Technological monopoly is the foundation of Martian authority, and the advent of the warp drive, especially its mode of being personally ordered by the Emperor and led by a "marginal" sage, is tantamount to a blatant undermining of this foundation.

They openly oppose being suppressed by Dorne's iron fist, but the undercurrents are growing stronger.

Some of the most radical science priests, who are connected in the hidden data corridors, see this as a desecration of Omnesia and a subversive challenge to the sacred status of Mars.

No longer content with conventional obstruction methods, a highly encrypted command was sent to the fleet that had already been dispatched to the world of the dead, ordering them to spare no expense in using a long-sealed forbidden relic from the dark age of technology—a device said to be able to interfere with the continuity of time, the cost of which was unknown and its principle unfathomable—with a clear objective: to cross the barrier of timelines and reclaim or destroy the technology before Chen Yu could present it to Terra.

Within the Navigator clan, panic and anger are intertwined.

The cooperation of the Vilestana clan and the presence of the Holy Son Alaric, while to some extent dividing the Navigator group and influencing some more pragmatic families, were far from enough for the vast majority of clans that relied on their warp navigation privileges to maintain their millennia-long prestige.

They cannot accept a future where their unique value might be significantly devalued due to the widespread adoption of physical space travel technology.

Despite the fact that the Imperial Guard had previously carried out a bloody purge of the most radical core members, the Navigator family's millennia-old network of connections and the power hidden in the shadows of the Empire remained deeply entrenched.

They began to use these resources to delay, distort, or even sabotage the warp drive's rollout at various levels by influencing the Star Court's information transmission, creating "accidents" on key routes, and lobbying High Lords whose interests were tied to theirs.

A silent war, aimed at defending its own existence, quietly unfolds within the empire's information and bureaucratic networks.

Discontent is brewing within the High Lords Council.

Those members who were already at odds with Dorne's tough style, or whose power base was deeply tied to the existing navigation and trade system, began to frequently express their "concerns" in informal settings.

They questioned whether it was wise to invest huge resources in an "unproven" technology, exaggerated the "uncontrollable risks" it might bring, and even subtly spread rumors that Dorne's "autocracy" and "disregard for parliamentary procedures" could trigger a new round of internal turmoil in the Empire.

They attempted to use the inertia of the bureaucratic system, the pretext of procedural justice, and the power struggle over resource allocation to restrain Dorn and delay the substantial progress of the project.

Amidst this undercurrent, an even more hidden yet far-reaching force began to stir—the wandering merchant.

These death merchants, who possess immense autonomy and private armies, often establish their dynasties in unknown "pocket kingdoms" outside the imperial borders.

The exploration and trade privileges granted to them by the empire had already allowed them to accumulate astonishing wealth and influence.

The advent of the warp drive is a double-edged sword for them.

They certainly longed to acquire this technology, which would allow them to break free from the constraints of the subspace, explore unknown star systems more quickly, and conduct smuggling and establish secret outposts more safely.

However, they absolutely do not want this technology to be rolled out across the Imperial Navy and administrative system. Once Imperial fleets and officials can reach every corner of the galaxy with the same speed and certainty, their hidden kingdoms, illicit trade routes, and spheres of influence independent of Terra's control will face unprecedented exposure and regulatory risks.

"Technology should be in the hands of those who can realize its greatest value." A representative of a merchant dynasty whispered to a few like-minded colleagues in a secluded club, the crimson liquid in his crystal glass swaying with the turn of his wrist. "Full-scale promotion? That would only cheapen precious treasures and make our advantages disappear."

It should be 'managed' and 'appropriately' allocated.

Thus, in the shadow of Holy Terra, in private clubs atop Hive City, in secret warehouses in orbital ports, and in encrypted channels within data networks, various discontented forces began to cautiously make contact and probe.

Bonds of interest are woven in secret, and a consensus of opposition is reached silently.

They may have different goals—Mars wants technological control, the Navigators want to maintain their status, the High Lords want political balance, and the Merchant Ronin want to maintain independence and excess profits—but they have found a temporary common interest in "preventing the unrestricted spread of the warp drive."

An unseen storm began to gather at the heart of the human empire.

Roger Dorn felt the pressure, but his resolute face remained unwavering.

He chose this path and was prepared to face all obstacles.

An empire can only have one will, and anyone who tries to challenge that will face the iron fist of the empire.

This time, however, the enemy is not a clear traitor or alien, but a more complex and intractable disease hidden within the empire's body.
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Roger Dorn stood before the tactical sand table, which depicted the distribution of power in Holy Terra and its surrounding star systems. But more than that, it showed the invisible shadowy areas representing the interests and hostility of various parties.

He knew perfectly well that the Imperial Fist and its subsidiaries excelled at building defenses and defeating enemies head-on, rather than unraveling complexities in this political quagmire and shadowy game.

Faced with the lurking obstruction of the Navigator family, the veiled hindrance of the Highlords, and the boundless greed of the Merchant Ronin, Roger Dorn knew that the Imperial Fist's fighting style was not suitable for dealing with these complex internal threats.

He needs a more flexible and sharper weapon—a blade that can embody an iron will and be wielded silently in the shadows.

Without the slightest hesitation, he issued an unquestionable summons through a highly encrypted dedicated communication link directly connecting to the Fenris star system.

The response was swift and forceful.

A sizable fleet tore through the warp curtain at the edge of the Terran star system. The ships had rugged lines and thick armor etched with ancient wolf head emblems and mysterious Fenris runes, like ancient behemoths that had sailed out of ice and legend.

The Space Wolves Legion answered the call, and the massive fleet formed a solemn array in the void, like a wolf pack responding to the call of its alpha, arriving precisely at the heart of the human empire.

(End of this chapter)