Warhammer: Hail to the Void Lords!.

Chapter 837, 08.836: "It's time to become a captain, Archie."

Horatio's gaze pierced through the enormous main observation window, fixed on the boundless sea of ​​stars.

On this inky black velvet, the stars are cold diamond dust.

Against that deep background, an unsettling spot of light is burning painfully.

That was the "Sword of Akali," a Scimitar-class escort ship, now silently struggling to survive in the vacuum.

A huge gash was torn open amidships, and what leaked out was not earthly flames, but clumps of blackish-purple unidentified substance, dancing wildly and silently in the void, like the poisonous blood flowing from a dying beast.

Horatio's brow furrowed, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the armrest of the throne, producing a dull thud.

The alarm did not come through a piercing siren, but rather in a deeper, more unsettling way.

"Communications connected, signal source identified, from the 'Sword of Akali'!" The communications captain's voice rang out on the internal communications channel: "Sir, confirmed distress signal from the 'Sword of Akali'."

They were ambushed by premeditated crossfire while rescuing a cargo ship under attack. The ship sustained moderate damage, and emergency damage control is underway.

"Bring in the voice communication," Horatio ordered.

After a piercing static noise, a young and panicked voice came from the sound array: "Help! Help! This is the 'Sword of Akali'!"

"Calm down." Horatio's voice, cold as steel, forcefully injected a sliver of order into the chaotic communications. "State your identity and rank."

"Second Captain Patron, sir, in charge of communications," the voice replied, its tone hoarse with fear.

"Where are your captain and first lieutenant?" Horatio pressed.

The command chain of escort ships is very streamlined. The captain is usually a naval lieutenant commander, and the first officer is the first lieutenant. There is no lord captain rank like that on flagships, which is between a field officer and a lieutenant.

“Captain and Lieutenant…please wait a moment, I will transfer you immediately…” Patron’s voice suddenly stopped, replaced by a more intense background noise—the chilling whistling of poison darts, the sharp hiss of laser weapons, and a chilling, inhuman scream all intertwined.

"Aliens! Alien attack!" Patron's voice went from bewilderment to a terrified scream. "They're on the bridge!"

"What's going on? Captain, report immediately!" Horatio leaned forward, his voice carrying an unquestionable authority.

"It's boarding torpedoes! The attacking torpedoes are mixed with alien boarding capsules! They... they've directly attacked the command bridge and are wreaking havoc!" Patron roared, his words interrupted by a violent explosion.

"Hold your ground, Captain," Horatio commanded, each word like a nail driven into his throat. "Hold the bridge at all costs!"

"The captain and the first lieutenant have been killed in action! We need reinforcements! We need... squeak..."

The communication was completely cut off amidst a burst of noisy electromagnetic noise, leaving only a deathly hissing echo in the void, as if the universe itself was mourning the fall of a warship.

Horatio slowly shifted his gaze from the silent sound array to his adjutant beside him, Archie Cuthbert Collingwood.

As his flagship lord captain, Archie was not only his classmate at the Naval Academy, but also his most trusted comrade-in-arms.

At this moment, Archie's face was filled with solemnity. He remained silent, quietly awaiting the captain's decision.

Horatio nodded slightly to him, a gesture so subtle it was almost imperceptible, yet it carried immense weight.

"Archie, the command of the 'Sword of Akali' has been decapitated by the aliens. The captain and the first lieutenant are dead, and the fate of the second lieutenant, Patron, is unknown."

Horatio's voice was deep and clear, echoing across the empty bridge, "Even if he were still alive, he would be too stressed to command a warship independently. His mental state is on the verge of collapse under the pressure of prolonged void warfare."

He paused for a moment, letting the harsh reality settle down.

"As the commander of the RX-0371 escort fleet, I order you to immediately lead an Imperial Navy boarding squadron, along with the accompanying Hellscreamers, to retake command of the 'Sword of Akali.' Once the bridge is under control, you will assume the role of acting captain and take over the ship."

A hint of surprise flashed across Archie's face, not from the danger of the mission, but from the sudden heavy responsibility he had been given.

Horatio met his gaze, unwavering: "You are the flagship's lord captain, the highest-ranking lieutenant in the fleet. No one is more qualified than you, Archie. A qualified lord captain should always be ready to assume the captain's duties when necessary."

This is the creed and responsibility we were instilled with from the very first day we entered the officer cadet school.

Archie's surprise was quickly replaced by a resolute expression.

He abruptly brought his legs together, his heels striking the deck with a crisp sound, and raised his right hand in a flawless nod to the brim of his hat. "Yes, Captain!" his voice boomed and resolute. "I will not fail in my mission!"

“Very good.” Horatio nodded. “The boat department is preparing the ‘Shark’ assault boats, and the armed forces have been mobilized.”

The raid is entirely in your hands. Reclaim the Imperial Navy's assets; do not allow them to fall into alien hands!

Just as Archie turned to leave, a series of heavy, rhythmic footsteps came from behind Horatio.

The clanging of metal against the deck echoed under the bridge's dome, particularly somber, like a furious debt collector whose every step was on a heart-pounding drumbeat.

Horatio's command throne spun silently, facing the newcomer.

Grand Justice Javert, his helmet adorned with the black and red mane of an eagle symbolizing his exalted status, strode forward leading a team of fully armed arbitration officers.

They were dressed in jet-black armor, wielding riot shotguns and stun batons, each exuding an undeniable aura of authority and overwhelming killing intent.

They are the embodiment of imperial law, the iron fist of order.

Javert stopped a few steps below Horatio's command throne, maintaining a polite yet imposing distance.

The bailiffs behind him stood in perfect formation, and all eyes were fixed on the man who sat high on the throne, past him.

"Welcome to the command bridge, Grand Counsel Javert." Horatio's voice regained some of its energy. "What brings you and your colleagues here?"

“Please allow us to join the battle, Colonel Lord.” Javert’s request was less a plea and more a declaration, his voice coming through the loudspeaker of his helmet, cold and formal.

"Those shameful aliens plundered and destroyed the tithes belonging to the Empire, which is the most direct trampling of the Imperial laws."

And we are the enforcers of the law.

We will make these aliens pay for their crimes.

You can trust the diligence and efficiency of our Imperial Marshals.

Horatio nodded slightly, indicating his approval of the duties of his colleagues in the Imperial Ministry of Justice.

In the vast bureaucracy of the empire, conflicts of jurisdiction between different departments are commonplace, but when faced with external threats, a ruthless pragmatism often prevails.

“Archie,” Horatio turned to his adjutant, “have Grand Justice Javert’s men fight alongside you.”

Then, he turned his gaze back to Javert, the tall and imposing imperial loyalist clad in black iron armor.

“However, Your Excellency the Grand Counsel,” Horatio said in an unquestionable tone, “boarding operations are the duty of the Imperial Navy. To ensure the coordination and efficiency of the operation, you and your bailiffs will temporarily be placed under the command of the Imperial Navy, and will be coordinated and commanded by my adjutant, Lord Captain Archie Cuthbert Collingwood.”

This was a clever political maneuver, both accepting aid and clarifying command authority.

“No problem, Captain.” Javert seemed unconcerned, slamming the shock baton in his hand heavily onto his palm, which was encased in insulated iron armor, causing crackling arcs of electricity to erupt.

"All I want is to smash those alien pirates' heads with this stun baton and turn their bodies into a pulp with a shotgun, that's all!"

Every word he spoke was crystal clear, filled with gritted teeth and bitter resentment, as if he had already foreseen the impending bloody trial carried out in the name of the law.

(End of this chapter)