Shadow's Sovereignty.
Nareth stood before the tactical table, watching the battle erupting in the void.
The black ships of the Shadows of Order launched their assault against the Squat fleet.
A rain of light beams shot from their prows, piercing light lances into the iron-black enemy ships.
The bows of the Squat ships also fired beams in retaliation, shimmering with red and yellow light.
The Shadows of Order fleet overwhelmed the Squat fleet at Rosario with absolute numerical superiority.
Every screen was filled with signals, interspersed with silent explosions and the burning keels of destroyed starships.
Nareth saw a Squat cruiser sliced in half by the crystalline, lethal energy spat forth by the Shadow's Sovereignty's lance batteries.
His gaze continued searching among the enemy ships. He soon locked onto an exceptionally massive warship.
The ship was 7.8 kilometers long, classified as a Large Cruiser by Imperial standards.
It was slightly longer than other Squat cruisers, and more noticeably, it was wider and taller.
'Seems like a Long-Beard class Squat Gigantic Cruiser.' Nareth thought, somewhat uncertain.
'It must be the flagship of the Squat clan at Rosario.'
The Squats, also known as the Leagues of Votann, consist of thousands of leagues of varying sizes.
Leagues range from commercial leagues focused on trade to warrior leagues aiming for hegemony.
Leagues are composed of a varying number of Kindreds. The largest, the Greater Thurian League, can consist of up to two hundred Kindreds.
Each league possesses at least one Votann Core, also called an Ancestor Core.
The number of Kindreds varies, with smaller ones having hundreds or thousands of Squats, and larger ones having hundreds of millions.
Each hold has at least one Fane, where ancient technology allows every Kindred in the league to know the Votann's current location at any time.
Of course, as one of the galaxy's numerous populous species, the trade-savvy Leagues of Votann also have various guilds, corporate consortia, pact organizations, and other structural forms.
'The Kindred at Rosario isn't large. It likely doesn't have an Ancestor Core, but should have Fane.'
'Every Hold has a Fane, but a Long-Beard class Squat Gigantic Cruiser might also have one.'
Larger Kindreds have more than one Ancestral Fane. A small Kindred like the Rosario may have two at most.'
Nareth raised his hand and tapped, marking the Long-Beard class Squat Gigantic Cruiser.
"Prepare for boarding!"
He wanted to seize the Fane and then use Conceptual Swap to extract their secrets.
The Ancestor Core is both an oracle of wisdom, the embodiment of the collective wisdom of the Squats, and a Quantum computer.
It preserves all information for the Votann's survival and development in the universe, including weapon technical parameters, Standard Template Constructs, scientific and philosophical learning materials, genetic lineage data, military and survival-related theories and strategies.
The only Squats who can communicate with the Votann are called Grimnyr, responsible for seeking guidance from the ancestors or interpreting the output. The high-tech mystical facility where they perform this activity is called an Ancestral Fane.
The Honour Guard assembled on the deck, boarding boarding torpedoes and Dreadclaw assault boats.
Nareth boarded a Dreadclaw assault boat reinforced to handle his massive frame, its heavy armor able to carry a full Astartes squad.
The primarch alone occupied two seats; Arsena took one. Compared to ordinary Astartes, Arsena's leaner build made the seats feel oversized.
The support arm system consisted of multiple extendable inertia-suppression clamps attached to the power armor, locking Nareth and the seven Honour Guard members in place.
Hydraulic rods pressed Arsena into his position, preventing him from being thrown by inertia.
The pilot pulled the control lever. The afterburner reactor roared to life.
With superhuman speed, the Astartes operated the controls, pitching and rolling the craft to dodge incoming beams and shells.
At a distance of 150 kilometers from the Long-Beard Class Gigantic Cruiser, twin heavy las turrets rotated and unleashed spiraling beams.
The pilot wrenched the control stick. The Dreadclaw violently rotated laterally in the void.
A beam grazed past the Dreadclaw. A piercing, buzzing sound filled the pilot's ears.
He checked the panel. Additional armor had been melted by the beam, but the inner armor remained undamaged.
The pilot noticed countless threat runes lighting up on his display screen.
Enemy gunboats swarmed ahead to intercept.
The pilot's, touch-sensitive gloves, gripped the weapons system, forcefully pressing the button.
Twin Fury missile launchers, one on each wing, roared as they fired a salvo of missiles.
Missiles trailing dazzling light slammed into the gunboats.
Brilliant streaks slammed into the gunboats, explosions flared, then faded from the display.
The pilot's left hand rose, trigering the short-burst rocket control.
The Dreadclaw shuddered violently, its speed instantly surging.
Simultaneously, the pilot's right hand pressed down hard. Promethium fuel ignited blazingly.
"Brace for impact! Five, four..."
"One!"
The assault boat struck the target ship like a hammer blow. A torrent of molten fire poured forth.
The thick armor of the Long-Beard class Squat Gigantic Cruiser rapidly melted. Squat fire teams guarding the area raised plasma guns and attacked.
Liquid-hydrogen fuel superheated into plasma, magnetic fields expanded, launching it through linear electromagnetic channels like solar flares stars from the galactic core.
High-energy hydrogen-based plasma spheres slammed against the cockpit's blast shields, crackling violently.
Nareth burst out first; the Honor Guard slid down the assault ramp behind him.
Nareth raised his left arm. The bolter mounted on his gauntlet fired a dense barrage, tearing the squats armored bodies apart.
The Honour Guard raised their weapons. The roar of bolters and the hum of ion weapons sounded simultaneously.
While attacking, Nareth inquired through the comm-system.
"Can other Squat ships come to support?"
Moments later, the Master of Vox's voice came through. "My Lord, no."
Nareth ended the communication, thinking to himself.
'It can be confirmed there is no Ancestor Core on this Long-Beard class Squat Gigantic Cruiser.'
He knew that if an Ancestor Core were under attack, the Squats would definitely come to its aid.
All Squats would give their lives for an Ancestor Core.
'Though it's still uncertain if this Long-Beard class Gigantic Cruiser has an Ancestral Fane.'
Nareth led his team storming onto the deck. Suddenly, numerous mechanical exoskeletons appeared before them.
They marched with heavy steps, finely crafted warhammers in their hands
Nareth looked at them, thinking. 'The Ironkin.'
There were also many Squats in Void Armor, with grizzled beards, wielding auto-pattern bolt cannons and plasma axes longer than their own height.
'Hearthkyn.'
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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