dmims Chapter 23 Setting Sail
Chapter 23 Setting Sail
935.M41, Phil Maxim.
After all the crew members were in place, Liu En gave an order: everyone should familiarize themselves with the ship.
Over the next few days, the Black Pearl became a huge exhibition hall. Veterans split into small groups and, guided by servitors, explored all the passageways and compartments. Logistics personnel, led by Phyllis, familiarized themselves with the galley, medical bay, and supply depot. Marcus, meanwhile, spent an entire day with several senior veterans touring the main areas.
Wherever they went, they were met with endless praise.
"This corridor is really spacious, much bigger than any ship I've ever been on before," an old soldier said, patting the wall.
"The ventilation system is also quiet. On the old ship, you had to wear earplugs to sleep."
As Phyllis led the logistics team past the supply warehouse, a young warehouse manager pushed open the door of a storage room, peeked inside, and called out, "By the Divine Emperor, the warehouse is full."
"Yes, the captain has filled the entire Black Pearl to the brim." Phyllis shook her head, flipping through the data panel in her hand. "You're in charge of inventory and maintenance, don't make a mess of it."
Several logistics personnel exchanged bewildered glances, one of them whispering, "What exactly does the captain do? This ship... it's just too outrageous."
The other shrugged: "Who cares? We're here to work anyway."
The bow observation cabin was the last stop. Through the huge portholes, one could see the starry sky ahead of the Black Pearl, as well as the adamantine ram extending from the hull. The ram gleamed with a dark gold luster under the dock lights, its surface bearing fine wear marks—the marks left by years of service.
Several veterans peered out the porthole for a long time.
"Beautiful," a veteran said sincerely.
"If we crash into it, the other side will be crying for their mothers," another veteran gestured.
Marcus stood at the back, arms crossed, watching quietly. In his twenty-three years in the navy, he had seen and sailed countless ships, but none had made him feel so at ease standing here. He turned to Liu En, who stood in the doorway, and said only one thing: "Captain, I have nothing else to say. This ship is truly wonderful."
Liu En nodded. "That's good."
That evening, Liu En gathered all the core members in the communal canteen—Marcus, Phyllis, Serra, Lieutenant Kara, as well as the logistics director and veteran representatives. A dozen or so people sat around a long metal table, where servants served simple rations and synthetic coffee.
During the meal, Lieutenant Kara put down her fork and cleared her throat.
"Captain, there's something I need to mention."
"explain."
"We have five hundred men, and our equipment isn't quite up to par," Lieutenant Kara said frankly. "Laser guns are fine for ordinary people, but against tough opponents—Chaos Space Marines, psykers, or some kind of alien elite—they're just useless. Power armor is even worse; our uniforms can't even stop laser pistols."
Marcus nodded and continued, "Kara is right, the equipment problem needs to be solved."
Liu En leaned back in his chair and listened quietly.
"As for equipment, talk to Phyllis," he said. "She's in charge of management and allocation. The Black Pearl has ample weaponry, so everyone can rest assured."
He paused for a moment. "Allocate them according to the Empire's most elite configuration."
Everyone present understood the weight of those words. It wasn't "I'll apply for the purchase," nor "wait for the Temple to approve it," but rather "allocate it according to the Empire's most elite configuration."
Lieutenant Kara stared at him blankly for a moment, then nodded. Phyllis picked up her coffee cup, concealing a slight smile from her lips. "Yes, Captain, I'll arrange the assignments."
Sera sat in the corner, watching all this quietly without offering any opinion.
After the meeting, everyone dispersed. Liu En sat alone in the commander's seat on the bridge, gazing at the starry sky outside the porthole. His communicator beeped; it was a message from Vitellius: "I'm in Dock-12. Want to chat?"
Liu En stood up, walked through the corridor, and exited the Black Pearl through the airlock. Vitellius was leaning against the berth railing, a cigarette between his fingers, his deep red robe fluttering slightly in the airflow from the ventilation ducts. The terracotta shoulder armor of his half-body power armor gleamed a dark gray under the lights, and the cuff of his right mechanical arm was slightly rolled up, revealing a line of binary code engraved on his metal wrist.
"Wandering Harbor." Vitellius cut to the chase without any pleasantries. "This place is rather complicated; you need to be careful."
"I'll be careful." Liu En stood next to him and leaned against the railing.
Vitellius took a drag of his cigarette and exhaled a puff of grayish-white smoke. His left pupil contracted slightly, while his right mechanical eye locked focus on Liu En's face.
"I've received the development application documents for Garros," he said. "The administrative office has already informed me that I'll submit the materials once your ship has departed and its commissioning registration is complete. The approval should be issued just as you return from the port of call."
Liu En nodded. "Thank you for your hard work."
"It's not exactly tough," Vitellius flicked his cigarette ash. "The gateway to the Eye of Fear. One of the most chaotic ports on the Imperial border, but also the most well-informed. Merchants, mine owners, mercenaries, smugglers—all sorts of people flock there. Your Black Pearl will be stationed for three months. Don't just stand guard—go out and get to know some people. Those merchant families hold the mining contracts and logistics channels for the entire Colonus expansion zone. If you want to develop Garros in the future, you'll need equipment, manpower, and buyers. Wandering Port is the best springboard."
Liu En did not speak.
Vitellius stubbed out his cigarette on the railing.
"But honestly, in a place like Wandering Harbor, it's never a bad thing to know a few more traveling merchants and wanderers. They have connections and wide channels; they can get their hands on many things that are unavailable through the Imperial system. If you're developing an industrial world, the traveling merchants and wanderers have all the resources for production lines, mineral refining equipment, and even workers." He paused, "I'll keep an eye on the development application; you just focus on sailing."
Thanks.
"No need to thank me, just remember the profit-sharing ratio." Vitellius waved his hand and turned to leave. His deep red robe gradually disappeared into the distance under the corridor lights.
Liu En put the data panel into his inner bag and walked back to the Black Pearl.
On the bridge, Marcus was marking flight paths on the tactical console, while Phyllis was checking the final supply list in the logistics bay. Lieutenant Kara, along with several veterans, was counting ammunition in the armory, and Sera was adjusting the subspace positioning array in the navigation bay. Five thousand servitude aircraft moved silently through the corridors.
The next morning, Liu En summoned the core members on the bridge.
"The mission is clear. First, head to the Sintira Spaceport to rendezvous with the other two subordinate ships, then form a fleet and proceed to the Wandering Port for three months." He looked at the route map on the holographic projection table. "We'll depart in two days. Use these two days to finish up the rest."
"Yes."
Marcus stood ramrod straight, his gaze resolute. Phyllis had already laid out the final pre-departure checklist on the data panel. Lieutenant Kara stood in the doorway, behind her lined up veterans waiting for orders. Sera stood quietly in front of the navigation console, her fingers lightly tapping on the Thinker terminal, entering the final flight parameters.
Two days later, the Black Pearl departed. The main thrusters ignited, and the ship slowly slid out of its berth, turning towards Cintira. Outside the porthole, the lights of the Lucis Space Port gradually faded into the distance, and the confinement ring of the artificial sun shrank into a tiny halo.