Warhammer: Hail to the Void Lords!.

Chapter 838, 08.837: "Happy Cooperation"

Captain Archie Cuthbert Collingwood and Grand Counsel Jawy left the bridge of the HMS Swifthawk.

In this solemn and orderly environment, the sound of their footsteps intertwined and echoed, forming a strange and discordant rhythm.

One was the agile and swift stride of an Imperial Navy officer, each step carrying the confidence and composure of someone who had long been accustomed to battle in the void.

The other was the heavy, imposing stomping of the bailiffs, each step like the hammer of the legal code striking the hearts of those who defied it.

They walked through the warship's deep corridors, a descent from the ship's "mindset" to its "iron fist."

As they ventured deeper into the ship, the silence of the bridge, a symbol of command and strategy, was gradually left behind, replaced by an increasingly clear clamor from the hangar, a cacophony of impending violence and destruction.

The thick power cables on the corridor walls groaned dully, like the breathing of a giant beast, and the light from the wall lamps cast long, swaying shadows on them.

When the operation commander arrived at the deck of the boat, the Imperial Navy's boarding squadron had already assembled.

The enormous hangar resembled a steel cavern, with a stark white light cast by the high-altitude lighting matrix, casting a cold hue over everything below.

The air was filled with the metallic smell of circulating oxygen, the pungent smell of engine oil, and the exotic aroma of holy oil.

In the distance, the engines of a row of shark attack boats were warming up, the deep roar causing the decks to tremble slightly, as if the fury about to be unleashed was gathering strength.

Naval petty officers and commandos, dressed in dark blue combat uniforms and heavy Void armor, are inspecting their weapons.

They silently wiped the gun barrels of their combat shotguns and replaced the energy units of their laser cannons, their movements practiced and calm—the composure unique to seasoned professional soldiers.

Their void armor was covered with fine scratches and tiny dents, marks left from countless violent collisions with the hulls of enemy ships, and medals of honor for their role as the vanguard of the Imperial Navy.

Meanwhile, on the other side, the Hellscreamers, who belonged to the Astral Army, were organizing their gravity parachutes and meltdown bombs.

With solemn expressions, they meticulously inspected every component of the Hellfire Gun, ensuring that this powerful weapon could unleash its deadly power at crucial moments.

As the heavier footsteps drew closer, the temperature in the entire hangar seemed to drop a few degrees.

Chief Justice Javert and his team of arbitrators arrived.

Clad in their signature black armor and wielding riot shields and power sledgehammers, they formed a formidable wall of steel and law, exuding an aura of ruthlessness and iron discipline.

The bailiffs made no exchange with the naval officers; they simply stood there in silence, clearly separated as if by an invisible abyss. On one side of this abyss lay the empire's hollow military power, and on the other, the empire's unquestionable and absolute legal principles.

"Form ranks and conduct self-inspection." Chief Justice Javert issued the battle order. His voice, cold and hard, reached every bailiff's ears clearly without the aid of amplification.

Upon receiving the order, his arbitrators began quickly inspecting their riot shields and power sledgehammers.

They applied holy oil to the bullet-riddled, mottled shields and blessed the shotgun ammunition with nano-aromatherapy from the priest's assistants.

Every movement was precise and efficient, as if it were part of some kind of death ritual, filled with religious piety and coldness.

Lord Captain Archie Cuthbert Collingwood stepped to the front of the column.

His young but steady voice carried across the entire deck of the boat through the sonic boom behind him, drowning out the low growl of the engine: "Brothers! The 'Sword of Akali' is being ravaged by aliens! Our naval comrades are being slaughtered on the deck! Captain Cochran has high hopes for us. Our mission is to recapture that ship, wipe out all the enemies, and bring the assets of the Imperial Navy's Gothic Fleet back into our hands!" He paused, his gaze sweeping across the faces of every soldier, from the resolute countenance of the naval officer with the insignia to the cold, stern eyes of the Hellscreamer.

"Grand Justice Jawi and his arbitrators will fight alongside us. They will be the hammer of our assault, smashing through the enemy's defenses. Remember, obey orders and fight together! For the God-Emperor!"

"For the God Emperor! Slaughter all the aliens!!!" The soldiers shouted in unison, their voices, a chorus of loyalty and fury, echoing and reverberating through the steel bulkheads for a long time.

Javert remained silent; the stern-faced chief justice simply raised his scepter.

With a hum, a blue energy field enveloped the hammerhead, generating tiny arcs of electricity in the air.

He declared in a completely emotionless tone, each word as if carved directly from a cold legal code:

"We are the law. We uphold the laws of the Empire. Any criminal who desecrates the tithe must atone with death!"

The bailiffs behind him also activated their weapons at the same time. In an instant, the hangar was filled with the buzzing sound and crackling of electric arcs that are characteristic of energy weapons being activated, as if a swarm of angry mechanical wasps were about to leave their nest.

"The law is sacred and inviolable!" Their shouts were unified, devoid of any personal emotion, reflecting only absolute obedience to the law.

The shark-shaped assault boat's engines roared deafeningly as the massive stern hatch slowly opened, revealing the cold, lifeless starry sky outside.

In the distance, the dying warship "Sword of Akali" burned silently in the void like a severely wounded beast, with silent flames occasionally erupting from its hull as internal explosions broke through the outer shell.

Archie, having donned the Officer Hellsoldier Power Armor, took a deep breath of fresh air, and the system inside the armor emitted a soft hissing sound.

He took the lead and was the first to step onto the deck of the assault boat.

Chief Justice Javert and his bailiffs followed closely behind, their steps steady as mountains, the metal soles of their boots thumping dully on the boarding ramp. They sat down opposite the naval officers and sailors with remarkable discipline and a strong sense of boundaries.

The two groups stared at each other expressionlessly in the cramped cabin, the silence amplified by the roar of the engines.

"Want one?" A sergeant from the boarding team pulled an open pack of cigarettes from his breast pocket, and with difficulty, shook out a cigarette from it using his fingers, which were covered in heavy riot gloves, and handed it to the bailiff opposite him. The cigarette looked particularly slender against the backdrop of the riot gloves.

The bailiff looked up from the cigarette, raised his head slightly, and stared through the helmet visor: "No smoking during law enforcement, thank you."

click!
The sergeant nodded, put away his cigarette, bit off the filter with his teeth, lit the cigarette directly, and took a deep drag.

"Sure. We'll have another one on the way back after the 'enforcement' is over. It's been a pleasure doing business with you."

"Thank you." The bailiff's voice remained completely calm.

The hatch closed, completely isolating the deathly silence outside from the oppressive atmosphere inside.

The assault boat jolted violently, breaking free from the mothership's magnetic pull, and charged towards the burning battlefield like an arrow shot into the darkness.

Behind them, the massive, mountain-like silhouette of the Swift Skyhawk hovered silently in the air. Like a silent king, it watched his warriors rush towards a bloody feast that had long been destined.

(End of this chapter)