With the critical breakthrough of the steady-state crystal, the theoretical model of the Level Eight Warp Engine rapidly transformed into engineering reality.
Under the relentless efforts of the Starfleet Design Bureau and the team led by Engineer Scott, the first prototype engine with Level Eight Warp potential was successfully manufactured.
However, a practical problem emerged: the new enterprise ncc-1701-a, originally planned as the new technology verification platform, had its construction progress affected because its hull structure was integrating the two revolutionary new materials, ceramic steel and adamantium, provided by Osiris.
The processing, welding, and compatibility testing of the new materials with existing Federation standard structures all required additional time.
Rushing to install a brand-new engine, not fully ground-tested, onto a starship that also utilized a large number of unverified new technologies would involve compounded risks, inconsistent with the Federation' usual cautious principles.
After evaluation, the Federation decided to take a more prudent approach: use an active, structurally mature and reliable Oberth-class science vessel as the test platform.
This starship, temporarily named "Pioneer," had some non-essential payloads removed, and its engine compartment was specifically modified to accommodate and support the new warp engine, whose size and energy requirements far exceeded conventional ones.
Osiris understood the Federation' caution.
He knew that technological leaps required solid steps, and independently verifying the engine's reliability was a wise move.
His focus was more on the engine itself and the performance of the steady-state crystal under extreme conditions.
Test day arrived, and the "Pioneer," under the escort of several patrol vessels, journeyed to a pre-cleared area of interstellar space, far from regular routes.
Another starship was on standby in a nearby orbit, and Kirk, Spock, Scott, and Osiris were on the bridge, remotely monitoring the test process via high-precision sensors.
"Energy injection initiated, field generation coils activated," the voice of the "Pioneer" captain came through the communication channel, with a hint of barely concealed tension.
At the stern of the "Pioneer," the engine nozzles suddenly glowed with an unusually bright and stable light. The next moment, the surrounding starry sky visibly distorted and compressed, and an invisible spacetime bubble rapidly formed, completely enveloping the entire starship.
Immediately, the light and distortion vanished together. The "Pioneer" seemed to be swallowed by the universe itself, completely disappearing from all visible light wavelengths, leaving only faint, yet-to-settle spatial ripples in its original position.
"Target has entered warp status. Sensors switching to subspace scan and remote telemetry mode," Spock reported calmly, his gaze fixed on the data screen before him.
Only faint static noise remained in the communication channel, along with the continuous encrypted data stream transmitted back from the "Pioneer."
Chekov stared intently at the readings on the navigation control console, reporting loudly: "Warp factor one... field stable. Factor three... core pressure normal. Factor five... steady-state crystal energy conductivity maintained at 99.7%!"
His voice gradually rose, with barely suppressed excitement: "Breaking through the factor six critical point! All engine parameters within safe thresholds! Spacetime bubble structure intact!"
Engineer Scott gripped the railing tightly, his knuckles white. He seemed to feel every pulsation of the engine he helped build through the void.
"Good girl, hold on..." he murmured, his eyes fixed on the real-time data from the "Pioneer" engine room.
"Warp factor seven!" Chekov's voice was filled with awe, "'Pioneer' reports field stability at 98.3%! Spacetime curvature parameters highly consistent with model predictions! They... they did it!"
Spock added, his tone still calm but slightly faster: "Energy output curve is smooth, no abnormal harmonics detected. steady-state crystal performance exceeds expectations, structural stress distribution is uniform."
The bridge was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, with only the hum of instruments and the tense breathing of the crew.
Kirk stood before the captain's chair, leaning slightly forward, as if to get closer to the starship challenging its limits.
After a brief silence, the clear but undeniably excited voice of the "Pioneer" captain came through the communication channel: "Enterprise, this is 'Pioneer.' We... we have reached warp factor eight! Repeat, stably maintaining warp factor eight! All systems... operating normally!"
"Confirmed!" Chekov almost leaped from his seat, pumping his fist, "Telemetry data confirmed! Warp factor eight! They've stabilized it!"
Suppressed cheers and enthusiastic applause instantly erupted on the bridge.
Osiris' crimson optical lenses were steadily aimed at the data reception port, recording every parameter as it cascaded down the screen.
He noticed that during the nearly thirty-minute test period of continuously maintaining warp factor eight, the performance decay curve of the steady-state crystal was extremely gentle, the energy loss rate was lower than the most optimistic theoretical estimate, and the engine core temperature and the field stability algorithm's correction frequency were maintained at excellent levels.
Although this was only a relatively short-duration extreme sprint, and did not verify its long-term operational durability, it unequivocally proved its basic feasibility and the excellent potential of the steady-state crystal as a dilithium crystal substitute, or even an upgrade.
When the "Pioneer" successfully exited warp and reappeared at the designated coordinates, and the news that the hull was intact arrived, Osiris' synthesized voice sounded amidst the gradually subsiding cheers, with an affirmation based on rigorous analysis: "A successful verification. The compatibility and efficiency of the steady-state crystal with the new engine architecture both exceeded initial design specifications.
While long-term reliability data will require accumulation from subsequent missions, the technical path to Level Eight Warp has been proven clear."
His internal records not only meticulously archived all test data for the engine and crystal but also noted the Federation' pragmatic strategy of phased verification and strict risk control when facing major technological breakthroughs.
This formed a valuable comparison with the Adeptus Mechanicus' sometimes blind adherence to STC blueprints in the Warhammer Universe, their fear of deviating from "sacred forms," or the reckless adventures of some radical explorers.
The complete data package of the successful test was quickly transmitted back to Earth, triggering a new wave of excitement and planning within Starfleet and the Science Council.
At the same time, in the new enterprise's construction dock, the hull, integrated with ceramic steel and adamantium reinforced structures, was also accelerating its formation under the more confident and urgent efforts of the engineers.
Everyone looked forward to the day when this legendary new ship, incorporating technologies from two universes, would be launched, truly embodying and perfectly unleashing the full potential of the Level Eight Warp Engine.
And for Osiris, this successful extreme test meant that the power core he had planned for his future flagship had passed a nearly perfect real-world examination.
Dimensional technical blueprints, supported by tangible data and results, were steadily becoming a tangible reality.