Warhammer: Hail to the Void Lords!.

Chapter 828 (08.827): 'The Hunter's Lair'

Lieutenant Colonel Kretzmer's gaze was like a drawn blade, coldly slicing through the dark void outside the main observation window of the bridge.

The bridge of the attack ship was cramped and filled with the smells of incense, holy oil, and a faint ozone odor emitted with each closing of a high-power relay.

The red emergency lights cast eerie shadows on the cold steel bulkhead, while only the eerie blue light from the tactical hologram cast a frosty glow on his weathered face.

He was a naval captain who was promoted for his outstanding military achievements and was assigned to command an experimental attack ship.

From that moment on, he followed Horatio Cochrane and was tempered into a highly aggressive officer through repeated baptisms of blood and fire.

His tactical style was fierce and direct, just like the name of his flagship—E-99 "Sharp Teeth".

This instinct drove him to ultimately decline the coveted position of naval instructor at the Loyalty Academy, a position envied by countless colleagues, and resolutely return to the perilous hunting ground of the Star Sea.

This time, he encountered a new challenge.

As the captain of an attack ship that had previously been tasked with raiding and infiltration missions, this was his first time participating in an escort mission for such a large convoy.

However, from the moment the fleet set sail, the aggressive instinct surging in his blood had driven him to simulate countless role-switching scenarios.

He kept asking himself, "If I were the hunter, how would I break through this fleet's defenses?"

These calculations have now paid off.

He accurately predicted several weak points where the aliens might launch a surprise attack.

The predators from the Comoros have been following for far too long; now, the bloody scent of the bait permeates the cold void.

He didn't believe that any hunter could resist such temptation.

He knew all too well the bloodthirsty urge to surround his prey and sense their fear and helplessness.

If it were me, I would use the sensor shadow cast by the massive hull of the 'Liverpool' to sneak into the fleet from underneath.

After a period of strictly silent navigation, they carefully explored the patrol patterns and sensor blind spots of the escort fleet.

Next, I will dart like a viper among the merchant ships on the outer perimeter of the fleet, waiting for the other attacking units to take their positions.

When the time is right, all ships will simultaneously launch torpedoes from different angles in a crisscross pattern to achieve maximum saturation damage.
Kretzmer's thoughts raced through his mind, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the armrest of the command throne.

When the battle begins and the first torpedo hits the target, while the enemy frigates search for the source of the attack in the chaos, I will command the 'Sharp Teeth' to quietly rise from the lower plane and cruise towards the core area of ​​the fleet.

Then, I would stick close to those bulky merchant ships, using them as a natural barrier.

Even if enemy ships' sensors lock onto my location, they will be unable to fire on me for fear of accidentally hitting friendly vessels.
Only hunters truly understand hunters.

"Captain! Look over there!" The lookout officer gripped the highest-powered monocular telescope tightly, his voice trembling with excitement. He pointed to a corner of the void, where the starlight seemed to be distorted by some unseen force.

Without the slightest hesitation, Lieutenant Colonel Kretschmer raised his specially modified telescope, which was linked to the ship's main sensor array, and looked in the direction that Commander Ulbricht had pointed.

He saw a poisoned blade, faintly visible in the blinding halo of the star.

It was a typical Dark Eldar raiding ship, its main body slender and elegant, but its surface was covered with sharp barbs and malicious curves, like a perverted surgical instrument designed for sadism.

Lieutenant Colonel Kretzmer narrowed his eyes slightly.

From a rookie captain to a seasoned attack ship captain, he has a thorough understanding of the Imperial Navy's equipment and is also well aware of the enemy's technological weaknesses.

He was all too aware of the drawbacks of the cloaking technology known as "shadow field"—in regions close to a star, the powerful solar wind would interfere with the stable force field of the shadow field, causing it to deflect and distort, ultimately exposing parts of the ship's silhouette to observation equipment.

The prey has already stepped into the trap.
-
“Captain, we have received an encrypted psionic communication from Lieutenant Commander Kretschmer.” Archie Cuthbert Collingwood walked over from the console of communications officer Lina.

Lina had just finished deciphering a psionic pulse. The information was transcribed onto a piece of parchment by a 'scribe' servo transcriber using an automatic quill pen. Archie carefully handed the data tablet to Horatio, who was sitting on the command throne with his eyes closed.

“Thank you, Archie.” Horatio opened his eyes at the sound of her voice, the weariness in his eyes vanishing in an instant, replaced by a profound calm.

He wasn't taking a nap; rather, he was establishing a deep connection with the flagship's massive machine soul through sensory ports implanted in his nerves.

At this moment, the sensor data streams of the entire warship, the pulse of the engine, and the status of the void shield all flooded into his consciousness like a tide, eventually converging into various parameters on the void sandbox, giving him a bird's-eye view like in the game 'Gothic Fleet'.

He took a deep breath, smiled, and took the report from Archie, his eyes quickly scanning the secret letter written in High Gothic on the data panel.

"The enemy is falling into our trap," Horatio said calmly and firmly. "Wait a little longer. We must try our best to wipe them out in one fell swoop."

"The plan was a success, it's so exciting, I can't wait to witness this purification."

"Speaking of which, Captain, do you need a rest? Maintaining the link with the ship's spirit must be incredibly taxing."

Archie stood beside him, his voice filled with genuine concern.

He waved to a soldier to serve the captain a cup of hot reca.

Although his own eyes were bloodshot, it was proof that he had been on high alert for a long time.

“No, Archie.” Horatio slightly adjusted his posture on the throne, the spinal cord severing the direct link with the machine spirit, his senses withdrawing from the data deluge and returning to reality.

"I've rested enough. After this battle, you can rest, and I'll arrange the shifts."

"No need, Captain. You should go and rest."

Archie smiled broadly, but the weariness in his eyes hadn't completely faded.

“Only death is the end of duty.”

"I will overcome all of this."

He stood tall and solemnly, placing his right fist on his left chest, and gave Horatio a standard Imperial Eagle salute.

Horatio gazed at his former classmate, who was also his most trusted comrade-in-arms.

“Your qualifications are more than enough to make you a captain, Archie. You are experienced, strong-willed, and dedicated to your duties. Once we get through this ordeal, I will personally recommend you to the Admiralty.”

“I ask for nothing more, Captain,” Archie’s voice was deep and powerful. “I only ask to fulfill my duty to the Emperor and humanity without shame.”

Horatio looked at him and returned the same solemn Eagle Salute.

"Pass on my order, Archie. Order the 'Sharp Teeth' to launch torpedoes immediately when the first enemy ship is about to reach its attack position, to strike first."

"Yes, Captain."

Archie accepted the order and left.

He strode to the communications area at the rear of the bridge and relayed the captain's instructions to Lina.

This instruction was encrypted a second time using binary divine words by the Technologists of the Mechanicus, and then transmitted by Lina through psionic encryption to the Star Speakers Choir on the Spine of the Ship.

The chanting converged into a powerful torrent of psionic energy, piercing the veil between reality and the warp, and precisely sending it to the distant E-99 attack ship, which lay dormant like a breathtaking beast in the shadow of a massive cargo ship, awaiting the kill signal.

(End of this chapter)