In deep space, at the
outer reaches of the Valorax system, Battlegroup Myrmidon glided silently
through the void, vast craft containing hundreds and hundreds of menials and
technicians, many of whom had never set foot on any planet.
The Battlegroup was
tasked with reconnaissance duty, skirting the outer reaches of the system close
to Valorax X, one of two freezing mining worlds that had once been pivotal in
the systems manufacturing capability.
Valorax Prime was already
under attack from numerous extraterrestrial antagonists. It was this small
battlefleet’s task to remain vigilant for further incursions; new threats: to
engage and destroy if possible and signal for greater help if necessary. The Battlefleet
was composed of three capital ships: a Dominator as the flagships, weapons batteries
running down its flanks, and two Gothic class cruisers, heavily armed with
lance turrets.
They had seen no
recent fleet action but long range scanners were picking up ship movement at
the edge of the system, sunside of the Vandberg Channels from the direction of
approach a fleet would take if coming from the Hellslip Passage.
There were no records
of planned approaches and no astropathic communication indicating friendly forces.
This was reason enough to charge batteries and load weapons systems in
readiness.
And then they came
into direct scanning range and what had been indiscernible blips on-screen
solidified into palpable and imminent danger.
It was Orks! A Kill
Kroozer and a veritable swarm of attack ships! If the other blips closing on
scanner were to be believed, these were the point ships of what was likely to
be a massive invasion force. The Orks on Valorax already, laying siege to Mechlok
Base with devastating brutality were only the beginning. This swarm of assault
ships was the herald of a far larger force – a force that could devastate the
planet and bring all opposition down before it.
The Ork ships were
still a long way off and this area of space was clear of celestial phenomena.
This was the perfect opportunity to inflict as much damage as possible as
quickly as possible. Admiral Yorvik put the order through to the other ships
via subspace transmission to turn about and face the system intruders. Then he
calmly ordered a message to be sent to his astropath that a message be sent
immediately to the closest fleet relay base that more support was required from
Battlefleet Carrion.
His first mate gave a
nod. The Dominator’s nova cannon was primed and ready. The Ork ships had
powerful but short ranged weaponry. At this range, the entire advantage lay in
the ships of Battlegroup Myrmidon. Yorvik gave the command and the first nova
cannon shot was unleashed, an immensely powerful missile capable of crippling a
ship with a single direct hit.
The first shot fell
short. The second exploded with nuclear force beyond its target. Admiral Yorvik
quietly ordered his men to adjust their targeting and fire again, each ranging
shot bringing their accuracy closer to target.
The Orks were blasting
all ahead full but they were still so far away, far too far for them to be able
to fire – when the first nova cannon shell connected with the Kill Kroozer,
ripping a massive gouge in its flank as gasses, air and hundreds of screaming
Orks were sucked out into space.
The next nova cannon
blast struck it in the prow, crippling the engine room and disarming its starboard
weapons batteries. Still undeterred, the escorts and the listing but determined
Kill Kroozer, kept coming, closing the gap.
Admiral Yorvik put the
command through to the Gothic class capital ships to prepare a precisely
calculated turn to expose the enemy to their broadside lances.
Then from the darkness
from which the Ork fleet had come, a huge black sphere glided into sensor
range. It was vast and unlike anything Admiral Yorvik had seen before and in
those first instants he had two thoughts: the first that this was some kind of
super weapon built by the Orks to rain greater destruction on the Imperium,
despite it apparent elegance; the second that perhaps the Orks weren’t gunning
their engines in attack. Perhaps instead they were rocketing through space away
from this thing. Perhaps they were fleeing from it.
And then the Orks
reach the outer range of their weapons and Yorvik had no more time for
contemplation.
They let fly with
their gunz at his ships as the Gothic returned fire with their lances. The Dominator
lost the ability to use the nova cannon as the Ork ships dropped too close and
it started to turn to level instead its weapon batteries.
Suddenly the void was
filled with light and fire as the Ork and Imperial ships let fly with every
weapon at their disposal.
And still beyond them,
the dark sphere continued its slow approach.
The lances of the
Gothics took out a slew of Ork attack ships, the shields of the escort craft
insufficient to protect them. The Imperial ships took damage but the Orks had
lost all initiative by taking losses early on. There were too many unharmed and
powerful Imperial ships compared to their already beleaguered fleet.
They continued doing
damage but it was too little and suddenly the Ork warlord gave the order for
full withdrawal. Making rapid turns and dropping all external power, the Ork
ships went dark, slipping away into the void, leaving only smoke trails, debris
and floating squirming corpses.
But still the black
sphere came.
Bringing his ship
about, Admiral Yorvik put out a hail that remained unanswered. The black sphere
kept coming but it remained transmission-silent.
Yorvik was a calm man
but he was also a cautious one. He tried one final hail then ordered the nova
cannon be readied once more.
It was a big and
ponderous target. Accuracy was not a problem. The nova cannon missile streaked
through the darkness and made a direct hit in the centre of the sphere –
exploding harmlessly against its shields.
The missile should
have done immense damage. Instead it did nothing.
Admiral Yorvik and his
command staff stood gaping, motionless as the dark sphere moved ever closer.
Then its weapons
activated and in less than a split second his ship was torn apart and scattered
to the void.
The captains of the
Gothic cruisers panicked. Weapons of that power were unheard of. There was no
ship they had encountered that withstand and unleash combat potential like
that. And now the Dominator was gone, along with their commander.
They came about as the
weapons of the Sphere turned their way, raking the flank of the ship closest to
it as it struggled to break off in its attack run.
Massive explosions
tore out sections of the cruiser’s hull. There was nothing else for it. Their
only option was to enact a full disengagement as the Orks had done.
Both remaining ships
cut power and drifted, desperately hoping to break off the engagement.
The powerful object
drifted on as though it had not even cared about their presence.
It drifted on in its
path in-system. It’s path toward Valorax Prime.
The Doom Sphere had come.
I can't wait to see what happens next.
ReplyDeletePeter