The priest of the Adeptus Mechanicus tapped away furiously at the mechanical screen with both hands. Within a minute, he had devised several approaches, but the last was the most reliable.
"Chapter Master Evan, I can modify a warship's Auspex scanning frequency to transmit a similar signal, but I'll need about thirty-five minutes."
"No problem. Go ahead. Leave the rest to us."
Under Evan's command, the warships fought as they withdrew. They could not retreat faster than the Space Mantas could pursue, but the occasional volley of Space Torpedoes always threw the creatures' information systems into confusion.
After they repeated the trick just twice, the enemy seemed to discover the weakness in Evan's tactics. They swiftly split into numerous small groups and surrounded the fleet from every direction.
Evan divided the fleet into four groups to provide crossfire. Put simply, his ships destroyed the enemies attacking yours, while yours destroyed the enemies attacking his.
As the warships twisted and maneuvered, Evan even ordered all four groups to maneuver simultaneously, drawing the enemies pursuing three of them into an almost straight line. A single Lance volley then inflicted massive damage.
After a grueling battle, the many Fury-class fighters received Evan's order to return to their ships' hangars.
So far, the enemy had displayed no means of attacking at range. The aim was therefore to draw the battle into open space, where the lack of cover would expose the enemy to heavy damage as they advanced.
The four groups slowly converged. By then, the enemy had closed on their warships, and they no longer dared use their ion weapons for fear of hitting friendly ships.
"William, have everyone take command of an Escort Ship and follow my orders."
Eleven Escort Ships formed a diamond formation and fired at the enemies approaching from every direction, while the four larger ships in the center greeted them with Lances.
Even when a few enemies reached the Escort Ships, their numbers were insufficient to inflict meaningful damage. The Point-Defense Cannons soon wiped them out.
Nobody knew where these strange spaceborne creatures' command structure was, but after several attacks, they changed formation too, dividing into twenty medium-sized groups to pursue the warships separately.
Seeing that the moment was approaching, William issued the Escort Ships their final orders.
The eleven Escort Ships assembled and began circling the star system. A small detachment of Space Mantas immediately followed. They were reluctant to chase these agile Escort Ships when four enormous meals were right before them.
The Escort Ships would circle the star system once before returning here.
The enemy closed on Evan's warships and those of the Adeptus Mechanicus, but Evan had already spent a long time drawing out the engagement, steadily pulling the battlefield into open space.
The important part was open space, not inside the star system.
The four warships jumped into the warp.
The vast ring of Space Mantas instantly lost its targets and angrily turned to pursue the Escort Ship formation.
Froze was the oldest captain among the eleven Escort Ships, but now even he was baffled.
Where did everyone go? Where's my fleet? You told me to circle the star system, then ran off? Weren't you here to save me?
Froze was deeply torn. Surely they were not selling out his ships again, as others had before.
The edge of the star system was right beside them, and they were close to the Mandeville Point. Should they retreat immediately?
As a veteran captain of countless battles, he decided to wait a little longer. The enemy's main force had not caught up. Only a small group of Space Mantas followed closely behind him. The Point-Defense Cannons fired continuously, and the Escort Ships' small Lances easily pierced the creatures' mechanized bodies.
We only need to hold on for another ten minutes, right?
A quick calculation told him that this model of Plasma Reactor could remain overloaded for only about eight minutes if absolute safety was to be guaranteed.
But that also meant that if the main fleet did not return to rescue them as expected, they would lose the ability to jump into the warp.
What should I do? Should I trust the Astartes and the Adeptus Mechanicus?
Although he had no faith whatsoever in the Adeptus Mechanicus personnel, Froze recalled the words that "Commissar" Nian Cijin so often repeated.
Nian Cijin was the only Astartes aboard his ship. He was lonely, but also easygoing.
He often chatted with the crew, asking them to sit with him while they talked.
Although nobody could refuse his orders, he still declined to become captain, insisting instead on serving as fleet Commissar.
He liked visiting the harshest working environments aboard the warship, such as the weapons-array maintenance areas on the lower decks. Sometimes he worked alongside the crew before promoting his belief in equality for all.
He often told everyone about the Emperor's grand vision of uniting humanity across the galaxy, as well as his own Chapter Master's ambition to liberate the entire galaxy.
He said they believed in equality for all. Everyone should have the opportunity to learn, and everyone should be assigned work in the field they did best, with their competence determined through examinations and practical work assessments.
He said they wanted to turn the entire galaxy into such a wonderful place. When the crew grew old and retired, they would be invited to spend their remaining years there, and could even find work as specially appointed instructors at a naval academy.
He never looked down on anyone. Even a quiet complaint from the lowliest laborer received his serious attention, followed by improvements.
Neither the fleet's young crew members nor its elderly personnel nearing retirement had ever seen or heard of an Astartes like him. Even the Salamanders, the Chapter closest to ordinary humans, had never visited the warships' dark, filthy lower decks.
Why shouldn't I trust him? Why shouldn't I trust the Chapter that raised him?
Froze issued his orders. "All warships, unified orders: in two minutes, overload your reactors. Redirect all power, including Lance power, to propulsion. Maintain overloaded propulsion for eight minutes and hold out until the appointed time."
"Captain Froze, are you certain? We won't have enough power to enter the warp afterward."
"Since Commissar Nian Cijin doesn't want a single one of us to die, we mustn't disappoint him either. Our task is to survive these ten minutes intact. Don't let him down."
"But our escape route..."
"Trust Commissar Nian Cijin. He'll come back."
"Ship 00301 acknowledges."
"Ship 00303 acknowledges."
Meanwhile, in the warp, Nian Cijin once again heard Evan's familiar muttering after a long separation. That muttering had accompanied him for ten years and nearly driven him mad. He had finally gone out to handle things on his own, yet his long absence had felt strangely uncomfortable, and he had even missed hearing it. Now that he heard it again, however, his head started hurting once more.
Just as the Space Mantas were about to reach attack range of the warships' Void Shields, the Escort Ships suddenly shut down their Void Shields and Point-Defense Cannons. Their Lances stopped charging too.
The eleven warships traveled slightly faster than the Space Mantas, abandoning all defense and offense.
Even the crew aboard felt extremely uncomfortable under the powerful acceleration, though it was not yet lethal.
The warships were circling the star system. Even after they rolled ninety degrees to face their ceilings toward the star, everyone still felt immense pressure. (How Squats were made.)
Time ticked away, bringing them ever closer to the appointed moment.
Problems also began appearing in the warships' propulsion systems. The overheated reactors radiated terrifying waves of heat that kept everyone at a distance.
"Captain, the reactor's about to give out."
"How long until the appointed time?"
"Eighteen seconds."
"Shut down the propulsion systems. Reduce engine output to thirty percent."
The eleven warships suddenly coasted outward from the star system on their momentum, as though the central star had continually accelerated them before flinging them away.
Many Space Mantas failed to react in time and went the wrong way.
The warp rift, shining with eerie light, finally opened again, and four warships burst out.
The Escort Ships had lost their ability to maneuver at high speed, but the powerful cruiser and the Adeptus Mechanicus fire-support ships had returned.
The Space Mantas, packed into one enormous "bundle," failed to react immediately.
Without hesitation, Evan gave the order. "Activate the Auspex."
The modified Auspex emitted scanning waves at a specific frequency. Vast numbers of Space Mantas lost their "sanity."
Some flew aimlessly, some immediately convulsed, and others lost control and crashed into their fellows.
The crews aboard the Escort Ships cheered. They had endured ten minutes closer to death than ever before, and now loudly vented their emotions.
Even over the Communications Channels with other warships, cries like "All hail the mighty Chapter Master Evan!" and "Long live the Crimson Tide!" could be heard in the background.
Chapter Master Evan ordered the Auspex to scan continuously. Then-catch those fish!
These gluttonous fish ate seven whole Escort Ships of mine! Do you know how much those cost? Do you know how many meetings with those nobles, how many tons of food I had to eat to get them?
Even if I have to sell these Space Mantas as scrap metal, I'm getting my money back.
I, Evan, do not do business at a loss.
The Adeptus Mechanicus Magos Biologis was also interested in these strange creatures and planned to study them whenever he had "free time."
At Evan's insistence, everyone captured vast numbers of them.
But the Adeptus Mechanicus ships had finite capacity. Once their live-specimen containers were full, their storage holds for inanimate cargo were also packed with the creatures' corpses.
Even the holds of Evan's Escort Ships and cruiser were full, yet vast numbers of the things remained.
No. The more I think about leaving now, the angrier I get.
Isn't the Adeptus Mechanicus building a forge base here? Put up some temporary warehouses for me and fill them.
Ultimately, through everyone's tireless efforts, construction of the forge base's enlarged warehouses was completed in just half a month.
The warehouses were crammed with the creatures' corpses. The Adeptus Mechanicus even tried charging warehouse rent, only for Evan to silence them by saying they could deduct it from his escort fees.
The packed warships flew back to Atris for rest and maintenance. Only after unloading would they return to the forge base to continue their escort duties.
Someone needed to study all these Space Mantas.
Archbishop Froes of the rebel Forge World said they were busy building his warships and other equipment and supplies. They could study the creatures for him too, but he would have to give them food.
The Adeptus Mechanicus on the Forge World of Stolov said they had absolutely no time. They were busy producing biological organs, warships, and supplies for him, with other important research to conduct as well-the Aeldari ship. How could they possibly have time to study these things?
Techmarine Annos said he was busy. He had yet to fully understand the STC Fragment.
Chief Apothecary Situval said, Why are you looking at me? Are we not making new recruits anymore?
Fine. Leave them piled up there for now.
Huge warehouses were built on Atris to store the creatures, refrigerated ones just to be safe.
Evan was not entirely without consideration. He had been troubling Atris with quite a lot lately.
He "generously" gifted Atris an Escort Ship.
They'll definitely come whenever we need them anyway. What's the difference between keeping it with them and keeping it with us?
This also made it easier to legitimize the ship. If those loyal Adeptus Mechanicus personnel asked Evan where it had come from, he would have to think carefully before answering. His excuse would most likely involve pretending it had something to do with the Dawn Angels Chapter. But if someone asked Atris where their Escort Ship came from?
A gift from the Chapter Master of the Crimson Tide. The other party probably would not dig any deeper. After all, if asked where the Crimson Tide had acquired it, they probably would not know either.
Evan considered whether to conceal some soldiers on Atris, but he really had no excuse to send them there covertly. Alas, being so beloved made it hard to do anything underhanded.
Forget it. I'll go back and behave myself.
Carrying more than thirty Astartes who had accomplished little on their outing, along with Space Mantas that Atris's warehouses could not immediately accommodate, the cruiser headed to the recruiting planet to visit the Chief Apothecary.
The planet where they were currently recruiting was called Puqi. Half of it was devoted to oceanic agriculture, while the other half was a Hive World.
Countless breeding cages-or rather, enormous aquaculture nets-floated on its oceans, supplying nearly all the seafood consumed by the surrounding planets.
On land, two Hive Cities stood on opposite sides of the continent.
This planet was governed by a parliament, which decided planetary affairs. After the Astartes arrived, they held two full days of meetings and concluded that they should first notify the nobles, then discuss subsequent arrangements later.
The Chief Apothecary ignored their resolution and shot three parliamentarians who said, "Wait a little longer. Let's discuss it again." The entire process became remarkably swift.
Clearly, this planet had inherited certain bad habits from the Imperium, but the Astartes had no patience for them. Every second mattered now. Every day earlier they transformed recruits meant another day earlier the Chapter gained more warriors.
After losing three parliamentarians, the planet's administration... suffered no problems whatsoever.
The entire planet began operating at a tremendous speed unseen in centuries.
The various factions stopped their political maneuvering. Nobody cared which families contributed more people and which contributed fewer. Everyone simply registered as many candidates as they could. Even people from the Mid Hive who heard the news and came to inquire were registered without exception.
In Chief Apothecary Situval's view, according to the theories Evan preached every day, well over half the members of this parliament could be sent down to the Underhive.
A perfectly good planet had squandered all its resources on political infighting, with barely anyone doing actual work.
Shrewd, calculating politicians were necessary, but throwing them all together to brawl and disgust the entire planet was utterly unnecessary.
The noble elite were swiftly assembled. Naturally, a few candidates who lied about their ages were shot along the way... along with the families behind them.
Who do you think you are, trying to waste my precious biological organs? Do you want me to condemn you as Chaos spies?
After this barrage of ruthless measures, the whole planet settled down to work. Seeking efficiency, every department skipped numerous complicated approval and signature procedures. Their superiors gave uncompromising orders: if they were executed for delays, they would take every last subordinate down with them.
The Chief Apothecary wondered whether thirty years spent constantly transforming recruits had made him short-tempered.
Or had it made him more like an Astartes?
Evan's cruiser emerged from the Mandeville Point and leisurely drifted into the spaceport.
The Imperialis Militia needs more provisions. Brothers, let's get some seafood.
Evan's personal chef, Ferin, descended to Puchi. Having gone so long without feeling a sea breeze, he spent a full hour by the shore, enjoying natural scenery he had previously seen only on vacation.
The marine aquaculture facilities were all in deep water, leaving the shallows as beautiful holiday destinations. For some Mid Hive families looking to enjoy themselves during their time off, packing food and picnicking on the beaches outside the Hive City was a good choice. After all, it cost nothing.
"Come over and have a look! Delicious charcoal-grilled Stoker Clams, crispy fried Kelie Crab Legs, and enormous, satisfying grilled Aileqi Deep-Sea Fish!"
The owner of the barbecue stall below called out enthusiastically. He had secured a spot near convenient transportation and built a thriving business with his exceptional grilling skills, saving up a considerable sum.
Ferin grew interested. If he wanted to buy the best local ingredients, asking around at local food stalls was a good strategy.
"What's your specialty?" Ferin entered the barbecue stall. It mainly served people camping nearby, so there were only a handful of seats inside.
Ferin picked a seat at random and sat down.
"Charcoal-grilled Stoker Clams, fried Kelie Crab Legs, and grilled Aileqi Deep-Sea Fish are all superb. One taste, and I guarantee you won't forget them for three days and nights."
"All right. Give me one serving of each of those."
There were still few customers. Hardly anyone began eating barbecue in the afternoon; business generally picked up around dinner.
Ferin began chatting casually with the owner.
"How's business lately? Selling well?"
The owner was bored cooking alone, so a conversation was welcome.
"Business was pretty good the last couple of days, but I reckon it'll slow down soon. Apparently the Astartes are recruiting here, and everyone's gone to watch."
"Why don't you sell over there? That's a business opportunity."
"Haha, I'd like to, but my household registration is in the Underhive. Wouldn't going there just be asking for trouble?"
True enough. Strict social hierarchies had always been a feature of Hive Worlds.
The fried Kelie Crab Legs, the quickest dish to prepare, were ready. Ferin studied their golden, crisp coating, which was exceptionally fine and completely unbroken. A special bright-red sauce had been drizzled over them, giving off a rustic aroma. Tiny brown flecks of spice added another layer to the crab legs' fragrance.
Each crab leg was thick. Ferin opened his mouth wide, just enough to taste all the sauce and crispy coating in a single bite.
Juices flooded his mouth, bringing out the golden shell's crispness and the crab meat's silky texture to the fullest. The crab leg was not greasy at all; instead, its meat carried a faint sweetness. The sauce, made from unknown vegetables blended with fat and seafood stock, together with mysterious spices from deep in the mountains, gave the entire dish a surprisingly refreshing taste.
Once he finished, however, the fried fragrance of the crisp coating lingered in his mouth.
Even the frying oil is specially prepared!
"This is-mmph-so incredibly-mmph-delicious."
Before Ferin could ask how the dish was made, the charcoal-grilled Stoker Clams arrived.
"Try this one too. Add chili powder to suit your taste."
Ferin looked at the two clams in the serving. The previous dish had amazed him, raising his expectations for this one. The sizzling, bubbling flesh filled more than half of each shell, plump, smooth, and glistening. Clearly, these shellfish had spent a long time growing in the ocean. A little rose-colored sea salt and pale-yellow plant seasoning had been sprinkled over them.
Pinching the shell's outer edge between two fingers and supporting the delicacy with his palm, he gently sipped. Tender clam meat slid into his mouth with a faintly tart flavor, releasing rich savoriness as though the entire ocean were contained in that morsel. Ferin felt like the happiest person in the world.
Ferin picked up the second charcoal-grilled Stoker Clam and carefully sprinkled on a little chili powder. Too much would affect a chef's palate, and he felt this clam meat was unsuited to an excessive amount of heat.
With a slurp, the clam meat entered his mouth. The spices hidden in the chili powder displayed their power without restraint. Fresh, silky, and full of juice, the clam meat was like the richest broth in the world, while that tiny amount of chili powder was its final garnish of scallions. It perfectly dispelled the lingering richness of the dish, making him want another as soon as he finished one.
The enormous grilled Aileqi Deep-Sea Fish arrived. This huge piece of fish might have been as large as Ferin's face.
Ferin looked at the owner in confusion, but the man merely smiled and gestured for him to taste it first.
A huge fish bone served as a temporary handle for the grilled fish.
Ferin speared the enormous piece of fish and took a bite. Hmm? Something's not right.
Ferin immediately took another bite.
What's this? The texture of marshmallow.
The barbecue stall owner roared with laughter.
"Never tasted fish like this before, have you? Aileqi Deep-Sea Fish is famous for its abundant, evenly distributed fat. When prepared properly, it has a delicate texture, like your first love caressing your skin."
The owner sprinkled a few fine grains of white sugar over it, and the whole Aileqi Deep-Sea Fish gave off a sweet aroma. Even Chef Ferin, who considered himself an expert at cooking meat, had to bow down before such a wildly imaginative culinary idea.
Ferin had never imagined that, in his lifetime, he would ever feel so utterly outclassed in cooking.
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