Warhammer: Hail to the Void Lords!.

Chapter 796 08.795: "The Mission of the Escort Commander"

"I have long heard that you are a brave warrior, wise and courageous. Thank you for helping me in times of crisis and saving the only remaining valuable assets of my dynasty's fleet. On behalf of the entire von Valancius dynasty, I would like to express our most sincere and noble gratitude to you."

Lady Theodora's voice came through the holographic image. Although the voice that reached Horatio's ears was still the electronic synthesized sound of the sound array, it still carried an innate grace and authority, and every word was clear and steady.

With that, the holographic image of the mistress of the Rogue Merchant Dynasty shook slightly, and she, dressed in an intricate court dress, performed an extremely solemn and elegant ancient aristocratic curtsy to Horatio. The virtual fabric of her skirt rippled with her movements, looking graceful and dignified.

"You are too kind, ma'am."

Horatio bowed slightly, and his right arm drew a simple and standard arc across his chest, responding with the traditional eaves-nodding salute of Imperial Navy officers to noble women.

His posture was upright, and his voice was calm, without any emotion: "I just fulfilled my duty."

He paused and added: "At the same time, I deeply regret the huge loss of assets suffered by your dynasty in this unfortunate incident."

His eyes were fixed calmly on this woman, a woman about whom countless legendary stories were circulated among the stars. It was said that her family possessed a merchant commission signed by the Emperor himself and dripping with the Emperor's sacred blood.

Of course, Horatio's attention would not be on appreciating how brilliant the history of this family was. His mind, which had received strict military training, immediately began to calmly speculate what kind of deep meaning and calculations were hidden behind the sincere words of this head of a high position who was in charge of a huge dynasty of traveling merchants and ronin.

He knew Madame Theodora von Valancius, a Rogue Trader who was not so pure and loyal.

"Admiral Samuel Hood has solemnly recommended you to me to serve as the commander-in-chief of the escort fleet for this special transport fleet." Lady Theodora slowly stood up, and the hem of her skirt in the holographic image also smoothed out.

Her eyes, with a hint of undisguised expectation, fell directly and frankly on Horatio, "The specific military deployment and subsequent action arrangements will be arranged by Admiral Hood himself."

"Mr. Horatio." Admiral Samuel Hood's voice drew Horatio's attention back.

His uncle had a serious expression on his face at the moment. The flame in the fireplace in the office flickered quietly, casting flickering light and shadows on the polished floor, reflecting the solemnity on his face.

Outside the window, in the vast, brightly lit command and dispatch center below, countless tiny points of light twinkled like stars, representing the endless flow of ships and shipping information in the Gothic Star Sector, silently highlighting the importance of the conversation in the office at this moment.

"Currently, as the battle on the outer defense line—what we usually call the 'rotating guard line'—is becoming increasingly fierce, the invasion activities of various alien races are becoming more rampant and frequent. The situation on the front line is not optimistic."

"At this critical moment, after careful internal research and thorough evaluation, we finally decided to form several large-scale special transport fleets of unprecedented scale, each of which is expected to consist of more than 50 large merchant ships, based on all the available transport ships that can be mobilized on the main charter route from the Gothic Sector to the Rotor Guard Line and send them to this area."

"The formation of this fleet, as well as all the expenses including the recruitment, modification and even the salaries of the crew members of the participating ships, will be borne solely by the von Valancius Dynasty."

Admiral Samuel Hood said this, nodded slightly, and gave a brief and solemn gesture to the holographic image of Lady Theodora.

"The fleet will be loaded with all kinds of military equipment and weapons, strategic materials urgently needed by the soldiers fighting on the front line, as well as food, medicine and various logistical supplies necessary for them to continue fighting."

"In addition," she added, her tone heavy, "the fleet also carries several Rogue Merchant families headed by the von Valancius Dynasty, and the various means of production, industrial modules, and a large number of colonists who have undergone strict political review and genetic screening necessary for a new round of colonial development in the distant Coronus Expanse."

"It is especially worth mentioning that the various core equipment, key technology modules, and the first batch of training materials required for the initial formation of the specialized landing combat force of the Imperial Navy that His Excellency George Anson had previously specifically asked you to form are also included in the list of goods being transported this time."

"That is to say..." Horatio's voice was low and clear. He looked directly into Samuel Hood's eyes with sharp eyes. The atmosphere in the office seemed to become more solemn because of this. "The loss of any ship in this fleet may directly cause the construction plan of that new force to suffer a heavy blow, or even be completely delayed."

Admiral Hood nodded heavily to show his agreement, but then his tone was filled with a hint of relief and pride that was difficult to conceal:
“But there is good news.

Based on your outstanding command ability and irrefutable brilliant achievements in commanding the anti-commerce fleet during the Second Damocles Gulf Expedition - I will not go into the details.

In short, the Admiralty of Holy Terra has decided that these life-threatening achievements, this hard-earned glory, will be recorded in detail and bound into a book, as a classic tactical example, and sent to the Imperial War History Archives of Holy Terra for permanent backup and preservation.

At the same time, you have also received the noble honor of having your personal combat history of this expedition displayed in the Gothic War Memorial."

Horatio knew about this monument of great significance. It was located below the Terra Palace, overlooked by the Emperor. The most representative feature of the memorial was a magnificent wall. The white and smooth jade-like wall was engraved with the names of the Imperial soldiers who participated in the Gothic War eight hundred years ago, especially the Battle of Shindlegeist. From Lord Admiral Ravensberg and Admiral Speyer to Captain Abridar and the indentured workers on the ship, all their names were recorded.

From then on, only the most outstanding battle history of the Gothic fleet would be qualified to be presented for people to admire and study.

"The Misty Star Region Navy Command has also officially approved and issued your commissioning order.

You have been officially crowned as the 'Captain of the Supreme Lord'.

From this moment on, you have the privilege of exercising full command authority over the Imperial Navy under certain circumstances.

The relevant rank granting documents and appointment letters have been officially issued and notified to the entire fleet command level."

Then, Admiral Samuel Hood slightly straightened his chest, which was a little tired from working at his desk for a long time. The intricate medals on his well-tailored admiral uniform flickered slightly under the soft light of the fireplace.

“After comprehensive consideration of all strategic pros and cons, and after repeated consultations and careful weighing with the highest command of the Star Region Navy Department, we have unanimously decided to appoint you, the new Supreme Lord Colonel Horatio Cochrane, as the commander-in-chief of the escort fleet of this special transport fleet.

Responsible for the navigation safety of this transport mission and the command and dispatch of all military operations, and independently handle all important tasks along the way on behalf of the Imperial Navy."

When reading out this decision, his voice was filled with an unquestionable solemnity. The Hood family has always understood the importance of keeping public and private affairs separate.

"The value of this batch of supplies is inestimable, Mr. Cochrane."

Madam Theodora's voice came through the holographic image again, and her tone became more earnest. "It not only contains the precious output of dozens of agricultural and industrial planets that have been accumulated through decades of hard work and unremitting efforts, but also the urgently needed military supplies that millions of imperial officers and soldiers on the front line of the Rotary Guard are eagerly waiting for and rely on for survival and continued fighting."

"At the same time." She subconsciously grasped her left wrist with her right hand and continued, "It is also the foundation for several of our roving merchant families to establish new colonies in the distant Coronus Expansion and expand the sacred territory of the empire.

Without these materials and subsequent immigration, even if that star field has rich undeveloped resources, it cannot be truly utilized for the great cause of His Majesty the Divine Emperor." Her speech speed slightly accelerated inadvertently, revealing a kind of urgency that was usually hidden under her elegant appearance. Obviously, this was the point she wanted to express.

"The significance of this escort mission needs no further explanation. We, the officials of the Military Affairs Department, and the heads of the Merchant Dynasty all earnestly hope that under your command, the total losses of this fleet can be controlled within 55%."

"55%?" Horatio's voice was filled with undisguised astonishment. He even subconsciously leaned forward, frowning, "Isn't this loss estimate... a little too high? As long as 45% is left, the mission is considered complete?"

In the holographic image of Lady Theodora, a slightly bitter but helpless smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, but her demeanor still maintained the elegance and calmness unique to the aristocracy: “Please do not underestimate the difficulty of this task, Sir Cochrane.

This scheduled route is full of dangers and is often harassed and looted by the secretive Dark Eldar pirates, the fearless Greenskin Orc plundering fleets, the traitors who betrayed the glory of the Emperor, and various desperate interstellar pirate gangs.

In addition, the voyage itself was extremely long, and the second half was very close to the chaotic battlefield on the Rotating Guard Line.

According to our shipping records and war damage statistics over the past few decades, the amount of supplies that were able to safely reach their destinations was usually less than 30% of the total amount.

Horatio's frown deepened.

Before he crossed over, he had heard from various battle reports and interviews with veterans known as the "Military Affairs Department Tofu Blocks" about how chaotic the war in the star field on the Xuanwei Line was, which was privately nicknamed "meat grinder" and "big chaos" by the imperial soldiers.

Various hostile forces were intertwined, the war was endless, and almost every inch of the void was soaked in blood and smoke.

But he had never imagined that the success rate of material transportation there was so shockingly low. The safe arrival of 30% of the goods was already considered a "qualified" performance worthy of celebration.

Based on the common expectation of the Ministry of Military Affairs and Rogue Merchants to control the total losses within 55%, this means that out of the more than transport ships that have almost no self-defense capabilities, at least must be able to safely reach their final destination.

Horatio couldn't tell for a moment whether this task was difficult or easy.

"Please remember this." Lady Theodora's voice became gentle again, but the solemnity in it increased. Her deep eyes seemed to be able to see through people's hearts through the holographic image, staring at Horatio, "This is not just a cold number, Lord Cochrane, it is directly related to the life and death of tens of billions of the empire's citizens in the starry sea."

"Every loss of a transport ship could mean tens of thousands of Astra Militarum officers and soldiers fighting on the front lines will die in vain due to lack of critical ammunition and medical supplies; billions of civilians living in the rear colonies will fall into a bottomless abyss of hunger, unrest and despair. This will breed a breeding ground for heresy."

Admiral Samuel Hood took over the conversation, tapping his fingers lightly on the hard mahogany tabletop, and a miniature tactical briefing screen appeared in front of him.

"In addition to your own flagship, the Swift Eagle, the Admiralty has urgently coordinated and redistributed resources. The escort ships that can be allocated to you for command include:
A standard escort detachment consisting of four escort ships and one reconnaissance-enhanced Cobra-class Widowmaker destroyer.

In addition, there are two Bayonet-class long-range attack ships from the Imperial Navy's First Attack Squadron that you originally commanded.

You have unique insights into the use of Bayonet-class attack ships. They may become two unexpected hidden cards.

How to use it specifically depends on your on-the-spot deployment and tactical arrangements."

"Do we have more ships?" Horatio asked with a try-it attitude.

"Fleet deployment is the responsibility of the Sector Fleet Command. I am responsible for scheduling routes, and they are responsible for allocating manpower.

The Gothic fleet is now scattered everywhere and is very loose.

The Gothic Fleet has now even used its mothballed ships, and the shipyard is working at full speed in four shifts, with the accident rate reaching an all-time high. The current fleet strength is already the largest escort fleet that the Gothic Fleet can send out for a single fleet, and there are many other fleets waiting in the port, and some even have to set off without escort.

In order to increase the success rate of the escort this time, the Admiralty does not intend to put all its eggs in one basket.

After your main fleet sets out, there will be several subsequent transport routes of equal or even larger scale, heading to the Rotary Guard Line in batches and on multiple paths. They all need escort ships. Although this disperses the escort forces, it also reduces the risk of the fleet being wiped out.

Therefore, it would be difficult to request an increase in the number of ships when setting sail.

The Admiralty did not intend to send out precious battleships to escort merchant ships because they were too large and slow in maneuverability, which would only slow down the overall speed and have huge maintenance costs. The fleet needed battleships on standby in the port at all times to deal with all possible threats.

But the batch you command is the first batch, and it also has the highest strategic value and carries the most supplies.

The fleet must maintain the largest possible clustering of ships within the limits of escort effectiveness in order to reduce the risk of being ambushed by superior enemy forces during the long and dangerous voyage.

Since you wish to have more escort forces, the Admiralty has given me the authority to allocate fleet forces from other places for you.

After comprehensive consideration, I am going to allocate an additional fleet force from the patrol line to you."

Admiral Samuel Hood marked out a patrol from the fleet patrol list.

"This is the patrol fleet led by Colonel Lord Sterling, consisting of a Defiant-class light cruiser and four escort ships. They will set off two months earlier than you, the day after tomorrow. Colonel Sterling will go to Valhalla to receive two elite Imperial Navy Air Force bombing squadrons - this is the Imperial Naval Aviation Plan of Major General Edward Peru.

Then they will head west, and after the patrol arrives at Wandering Port, they will make a surprise attack and conduct a reverse patrol.

We expect to meet up with your troops near Juno. By then, Colonel Sterling's patrol team and all the Imperial Navy aviation units on board will accept your command and escort the fleet to the dangerous Rotor Guard Line.

If there are patrols from other fleets along the way, whether they are Space Marines or the Mechanicus, you can also rely on the power granted by the title of 'Supreme Lord Captain' to recruit them to serve you."

Admiral Hood raised his head, his eyes sharp as a hawk, staring closely at Horatio, and asked word by word: "We have less than two standard Terran moons to carry out the final deployment and preparation.

Supreme Lord Colonel Cochrane, now, the Gothic Sector Admiralty needs you to give a clear answer.

Are you willing to take on this mission?"

(End of this chapter)