Against All Evil

Warhammer 40K - Eternity Stands

Universe 19870901

Sol System

24th Millennium

The Spirit of Eternity was ready to depart the Sol system. It was at the spaceport orbiting Earth's moon. Its sleek form was a stark contrast against the backdrop of stars.

Captain Kaelen stood at the helm, his hands on the control console. "Alright, everybody. Our next destination is Sector 678. Prepare for the jump to Warp Space."

The crew members exchanged glances, their expressions a mixture of anticipation and apprehension. Warp jumping was still new, and navigation could have been better. The crew initiated the necessary protocols efficiently, activating the sublight engines.

The Spirit of Eternity reached the nearest Mandeville Point in less than a minute. Now that it was safe to enter Warpspace, they initiated the Warp-Drive.

The ship began to vibrate with energy, and space breached the barrier between real space and the Immaterium. Immediately, the ship plunged into a dimension very different from the material universe.

The Warp was like a relatively dense, almost liquid, energy field devoid of stars, light, and life as it is commonly known.

Inside the bridge, the crew braced themselves as the ship was engulfed by chaotic energies. They always hated this part. It always felt like they were being watched.

Kaelen took a deep breath at the safe entry. "Engage main reaction drives," he commanded.

For what it was worth, they didn't experience any issues upon entering. The ship's AI Echo estimated they would leave Warp Space at Sector 678 in seven hours. The projected eddies and currents seemed consistent enough.

Despite what early twentieth-century fiction depicted, safe, faster-than-light travel was still out of reach. The crew's only option was to use the Warp. They would continue following protocol until they finally reached the exit. The Spirit of Eternity ventured on.

#

A few uneventful hours had passed before the ship's sensors went off. Alarms blared, and warning lights flashed as the ship was enveloped in turbulence.

Turning their head to the nearest viewport, the crew watch the swirling chaos appearing outside. Some would argue they heard laughing coming from the void.

The ship began to jerk in several directions, its once steady course thrown into disarray.

"We've lost our bearings," Kaelen murmured, his voice barely audible over the cacophony of the chaos. His hand gripped the controls tightly in a vain attempt to navigate through the currents. Kaelen's heart raced as he surveyed the chaos unfolding on the bridge. "Status report!" he shouts, his voice cutting through the din of alarms.

The crew members on the bridge struggle to maintain their footing as they cling to their stations.

"It's a fucking Warp Storm!"

"The chronometer is fluctuating!"

"Shields are holding, but we're losing power fast!"

The ship is tossed about like a leaf on the wind, its hull groaning under the strain.

This was one such example of the Warp being extremely volatile. Supernatural disturbances turned areas of the Warp into raging storms of metaphysical energy.

Surviving records have said that these storms' worst can last centuries. The people prayed to whatever deity that they would live.

At the very least, they hoped they were simply blown off-course. There were even rumors of some ship getting trapped inside the Warp.