Seraphs of the Emperor’s Judgment

Chapter 39: Bloodbath (3)

Soshyan returned to the bridge once more. As he entered, Lothar was monitoring the effects of the Starfire's defensive barrage. The green illumination from the analysis monitors and observation stations contrasted starkly with his silvery-white figure.

"What have you discovered?"

As the other crew members bowed in greeting, Soshyan asked.

"Before we clear this damned asteroid field, the auspex cannot perform a comprehensive scan, but we just checked its keel code. It's the New Pharos, a transport ship belonging to M'Khand II."

"A transport ship? Heading to M'Khand II?"

"Judging from its trajectory, it doesn't seem to be. Although it has been moving slowly toward the planet, it is truly too slow for a freighter."

Lothar played the signal they had just analyzed.

A ghostly whisper subsequently echoed across the bridge, immediately arousing Soshyan's vigilance.

"...Traitor..."

The signal contained only this one word. Soshyan analyzed many possibilities from it. If analyzed according to the absolute worst-case scenario, then they would be facing one of the Imperium of Man's most deadly threats.Ten thousand years ago, although the Horus Heresy ended with the death of the traitor Warmaster, the Legions that participated in the rebellion were not completely eradicated. A considerable number of traitors fled into the Eye of Terror at the center of the galaxy.

The vast majority of them ultimately threw themselves into the embrace of the Chaos Gods, abandoning the loyalty and honor they once held as Astartes, and plunging into darkness.

For ten thousand years since the end of the Great Rebellion, they have been almost everywhere—deep within the perpetually boiling Eye of Terror, in the cloud-shrouded Maelstrom, on desolate dead worlds and dark moons, in incredibly perilous fortresses, or wandering fleets.

From these hidden lairs, bloodthirsty Chaos warbands launch attacks against the Emperor's territories.

As Astartes, they were once proud and mighty warriors. Faith was their sheltering armor, justice the weapon in their hands, and they possessed a will far more resilient than mortals.

But once they fell, their transformation was also far more brutal than that of mortals.

Chaos Space Marines became warriors of the thirsting Dark Gods. Hatred gnawed at their souls, and selfishness filled their minds.

Aside from acquiring greater power and satisfying personal ambitions, they had no other goals or ideals.

They once cleansed the entire galaxy with the sacred bolters in their hands and purificatory flamers, yet now, Chaos Space Marines threaten everything the Emperor worked so hard to build.

These rebellious warriors are the most loathsome yet deadliest branch among witnessing enemies of the Imperium. Chaos Space Marines care nothing for loyalty, honor, sacrifice, or duty. They have sold their lives and souls to the Chaos Gods, exchanging their oaths for immense martial prowess.

They indulge in extreme depravity and corruption, hoping for the chance to become immortal Daemons.

But they are also the most terrifying enemies. Not only do they possess the superhuman physique and devastating weapons of Space Marines, but through pacts made with the Chaos Gods, they have also obtained mystical weapons and equipment infused with sorcery.

The capabilities of these weapons and equipment are so mysterious and bizarre that even the Adeptus Mechanicus cannot comprehend their operating principles.

Chaos Space Marines also collude with the servants of the Chaos Gods. On one hand, they use sorcery by gathering daemonic energy; on the other hand, they directly summon Daemons to support them in combat.

For ten thousand years, traitor Chaos Legions and small warbands have pillaged and destroyed countless planets belonging to the Emperor.

The Inquisition spares no effort to erase the massacres and conquests they have launched from history books, lest anyone be bewitched and throw themselves into the embrace of Chaos, while loyalist Space Marines fight bloody battles against them, striving to keep them outside the high walls of humanity.

And the vast majority of the Imperium's citizens know absolutely nothing about this long and fierce struggle.

Of course, this was the worst-case scenario. They could also just be ordinary Chaos cultists or pirates. But Soshyan's combat doctrine was always to calculate the worst-case scenario first.

"Are there any signs of other warships or fleets nearby?"

"There are no signs of any other ships. There's only a Sword-class Frigate docked at the orbital defense station."

"Sword-class?"

Soshyan seemed to grasp something, a fleeting spark of inspiration.

"Say, could their target... be that very frigate?"

"Then how did they break through the defense station's interception fire?"

Soshyan's fingers tapped against the railing.

"You just said this transport ship belongs to M'Khand II, right."

"Yes."

"Then could there be this possibility, or rather hypothesis..."

Soshyan looked up at the 3D projection of that ship on the hololith, pondering for a moment before saying,

"Suppose we wanted to board the defense station, but also wanted to avoid heavy interception fire. What method could there be? For example, acquiring a transport ship, then faking a malfunction or accident to draw out a rescue ship from the orbital station. Then, seizing the rescue ship and using its security clearance codes to bypass the interception."

Lothar was stunned for quite a while.

"It seems... feasible."

"Then following this plan, once they board the orbital station, they'd have to face the attacks of the garrison forces. The Adeptus Mechanicus forces on the surface would also react quickly. Wanting to leave wouldn't be that easy."

"Unless they hijack a warship."

"Then that's it."

Soshyan clapped his hands lightly.

"Their target is exactly that Sword-class Frigate."

"Then how should we respond now? The invasion must have occurred over twenty minutes ago; the enemy has highly likely already seized the frigate and is preparing to leave."

Lothar didn't finish his sentence, but Soshyan had already caught his meaning.

Concentrate fire and destroy the Sword-class Frigate before it could leave the system.

This was not difficult for the Starfire. At its most basic level, the Starfire was also a powerful Vanguard-class cruiser, and over multiple centuries, its original design had been rebuilt and expanded.

New engine modules, plasma circulation systems, triple-layered adamantium bulkheads—its capabilities were far stronger than the cruisers used by the Navy.

No matter what the traitors possessed, within this star system, they could not hide massive firepower capable of threatening the Starfire.

Therefore, that solitary frigate they possessed was naturally like a turtle in a jar.

"How are communications with the orbital station? Can you lock onto the distress signal?"

"Not yet."

Lothar shook his head and answered,

"Once we reach high orbit, we'll have a better chance of establishing contact. Local records show that distress signal was broadcast from a marked small signal station. We can't ascertain whether the garrison is still resisting, or if the signal is just looping."

"Then we'll deal with that transport ship first. Now is the time when its defenses are at their emptiest."

"And that also makes it the perfect trap. We know those traitors delight in setting all forms of traps, luring unvigilant or overconfident targets to their deaths, or worse."

"Dismantle that trap, and then they'll have nothing left to threaten us with."

"Then we could also blast it to scrap from a distance."

Lothar consistently remained unwilling to let Soshyan risk danger, but he overlooked one issue.

"We need to use it to understand the enemy, and the supplies on it cannot be wasted either."

Soshyan shook his head.

"Furthermore, I bet these traitors absolutely did not anticipate our arrival, nor will they live long enough to escape the orbital station."