Warhammer: Hail to the Void Lords!.

Chapter 815, 08.814: 'Aerial Supply'

After the order to activate Level 3 combat alert was issued, the piercing alarm did not sound, but the lighting system in the bridge quietly switched, with a soft emergency red light replacing the regular white light, casting a blood-red shadow over the control console and the faces of the crew.

An invisible tension quickly spread, replacing the previous leisure, instantly jolting the sailors who had become somewhat lax during the long and tedious voyage back to their posts.

In the warship's labyrinthine interior corridors, the bailiffs from the Ministry of Justice who were on board also sensed the change in the ship's atmosphere.

They were well-trained and immediately followed the emergency plan coordinated with the navy during the boarding. They formed a standard pattern of one team of armed bailiffs responsible for the forced boarding operation and another team of law enforcement officers responsible for maintaining order inside the ship. They began routine patrols inside the massive vessel, ready to suppress any possible mutiny or riot at any time.

On the bridge, Second Officer Louise, with her slightly protruding belly, remained steadfast at her post despite being six months pregnant.

Without the slightest hesitation, she skillfully operated the tactical control console, issuing instructions to the combat departments and the macro gun groups distributed throughout the ship to preheat the weapon systems.

The dormant turret began to slowly rotate, and the output power of the energy core was increased to the standby level.

The Third Combat Alert is the standard procedure for the Imperial Navy when sailing in airspace with uncertain threats.

This means that while maintaining a state of patrol, the fleet must be prepared to engage in combat at any time.

Under these conditions, the entire ship will still operate on a three-shift rotation system to ensure the crew's energy levels, but defensive weapon systems, such as Void Shield and Close-In Weapon System (CIWS), will take turns entering an active standby state.

All non-essential administrative, training, and leisure activities on the entire ship were suspended.

The crew operates in three shifts: one shift is on duty, one shift is resting, and the other shift can only enter their rest period after completing the maintenance of the equipment they are responsible for.

Horatio closed his eyes with relief and leaned back against the cold back of the command throne.

He prepared to use the abilities granted by his extraordinary iron hand to perceive the potential dangers in the void.

He had already planned to rely more on this capability to mitigate risks in deep space, far from the core shipping lanes of the Gothic Sector.

Although it can be mentally taxing, it is worth it, and the negative effects can be reversed with rest.

Therefore, the timing of its use is crucial. And now, having just escaped Mandeville and at the fleet's most vulnerable moment, he was certain that this was the perfect time to use this ability.
-
In his perception, the scene of the real universe faded away, replaced by a pure, boundless darkness.

Located on the outer edge of the star system, far from the light of any star, the physical darkness merges with the darkness he perceives.

The fleet seemed to be sailing on a desolate black sea, and no one knew what kind of monster lurked beneath it.

The edge of the dark field of vision was indistinct, just a quiet, bottomless blackness, and at first glance, there seemed to be nothing unusual.

Just to be on the safe side, he continued to observe for a while, confirming that there were no energy signals from the enemy fleet, nor any other suspicious subspace disturbances.

Horatio slowly opened his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.

He said to his accountant politely and gently, "Please get me some food, something easy to carry with one hand, and a cup of strong ricotta, thank you."

As the captain, especially during the Level 3 combat alert phase, he and First Officer Archie are required to be on duty at all times.

Because the ship's top two officers did not have a shift system, coordination relied entirely on their individual energy levels. Horatio's physique, after undergoing the second phase of genetic enhancement, far surpassed that of ordinary people.

The most obvious manifestation of this is that he only needs a very short period of sleep to replenish the energy expended over a long period. This is undoubtedly a huge advantage for a fleet commander who needs to stay awake for extended periods.

Even so, after 48 hours without sleep, he still felt a deep-seated fatigue.

Although five hours of sleep can completely relieve the symptoms, does he really have those five hours of luxury time when he needs to concentrate and hold his breath the most?

"Captain, a smoked Glocks steak sandwich and some strong Reca coffee." Chief Accountant Yin Shuyao quickly brought over the food and drinks, along with a data panel. "I've recalculated the supply cruising time. Our food reserves are still plentiful, but our freshwater resources urgently need replenishment."

The ship was overcrowded, with the Krieg Death Legion's training corps and bailiffs from the Ministry of Justice forming additional personnel, far exceeding the theoretical crew size designed for the 'Swift Eagle.' Consequently, freshwater consumption was 15 percent higher than before.

“I don’t plan to stop along the way to replenish water resources, Xiaoyao.” Horatio took the sandwich and took a big bite. “We’ll get through this dangerous star system in one go, taking as few detours as possible. Any supplies we lack will be requisitioned from the escorting merchant ships and supply ships.”

"Yes, Captain. I will take care of the follow-up coordination. You only need to authorize which ship's supplies to requisition."

"Thank you for your hard work. When resupplying in the void, try to minimize the dispatch time. When two ships are too close together, they are most vulnerable to a surprise attack."

Horatio's gaze swept across the fleet formation on the tactical star map, and he pointed to a nearby supply ship named 'Light of Babel' and said, "This is the one. Have them refill our supply with some fresh water."
-
Soon, the Swift Eagle adjusted its course and slowly approached the Light of Babel.

After receiving the requisition order from the flagship, the captain of the transport ship also began to reduce his speed, preparing to sail in sync with the flagship.

The command bridge immediately sprang into action.

Transporting supplies while navigating in the void is an operation that demands exceptional technical skill.

It requires the retractable docking ports of the two ships to be precisely aligned and to always maintain the same direction and speed.

This requires not only highly skilled helmsmen, but also concerted efforts from the entire power department crew to make millisecond-level adjustments to the engine output.

More importantly, the moment a flagship resupplyes in potentially dangerous airspace is also its most vulnerable moment.

This requires the entire ship to remain on high alert, and also requires other escort ships to do their utmost to provide cover.

Otherwise, if attacked, the "Swift Eagle" and "Light of Babel" that are currently docking would attempt to separate in an emergency, which would not only cause the docking point to break, but also instantly throw the personnel and supplies being transferred into the cold void.

Even more terrifying is the possibility that the two massive void warships could collide in the chaos, leading to an even more horrific accident.

"The 'Light of Babel' has signaled that they are ready to dock, the rudder is locked, and the maximum relative acceleration allowed is eight void units," Navigation Officer Henry Harvey reported to Horatio.

“Very good.” Horatio nodded, his voice steady and clear, relayed to all departments via the ship’s communication system. “Power Department, adjust speed. Service Department, coordinate with the Chief Engineer to ensure proper logistics and transfer after docking.”

Escort formation, provide cover for the flagship during resupply operations. 'Starfire,' E-99, maintain perimeter surveillance and report any activity immediately.

Having given the order, Horatio once again turned his gaze to the distant, dark void.

Only some distant, unnamed stars shone with a cold light.

That deep darkness, like a malicious creator, was giving him and his fleet a silent, cold, and vicious sneer.

(End of this chapter)