The Blood Angels' banquet hall was exceedingly luxurious, still featuring striking gold and red, laid out like a medieval setting in a Π-shape. The dishes were incredibly rich and varied, splendidly adorned; even at noble dinner tables, such a plethora of delicacies was rare. The taste was excellent; there was no food that wasn't delicious. Even the beverages were top-tier wines sourced from a Garden World.
They held no prejudice against mortals, treating everyone with equal courtesy. At the same table were the Captain and accompanying Naval Officers. Some enthusiastic warriors even presented this small mortal with gifts—exquisite ornaments crafted by their own hands, which were of extremely high quality in both material and artistic aesthetic value.
Finally, Horatio, laden with a large bag of items, boarded a red Thunderhawk Gunship and returned to the Academy, much to the astonished gazes of a group of Naval Officers and fellow students.
Several days later.
Several Lightning fighters conducted simulated aerial combat training above the Loyalist Academy.
The Imperial Navy's requirements for cadets were not as stringent as those of standard flight schools, but they at least had to be able to fly, land, and preferably be able to shoot something down.
Of course, just the first two were already very difficult. Since the aviation course began, there had already been three landing failures and one takeoff stall, resulting in a total of six deaths.
"Horatio, I've got him pinned, he's below me," Louise, wearing a Reiza MK.5 helmet, called out, then performed a defensive barrel roll maneuver.
"Understood."
A silver Lightning fighter unexpectedly dived down from the concealing clouds, and a short, rapid burst of low-power training lasers struck the cockpit and fuselage of the tailing fighter.
A 'KIA' notification instantly appeared in front of the tailing pilot.
The aircraft slowly landed on the tarmac. Horatio, dressed in a flight jacket, didn't wait for ground crew to bring him a ladder; he simply jumped directly from the cockpit.
This Imperial Navy Sergeant Major's cumulative flight time had already exceeded 200 Terra hours, with 36 simulated training victories.
"Thank you," Louise said, stepping down the ladder and thanking Horatio.
"Pleasure working with you," he said, stylishly sliding two fingers forward in a salute.
"Sergeant Major Horatio," Lieutenant Stirling walked over, holding a data-slate in his hand.
"Lieutenant," Horatio saluted him, holding his flight helmet.
"The weapon smuggling ship has been identified. Its name is the 'Blind Anna,' codenamed 8048, a standard transport ship. It's expected to dock at the Starport in three days," Lieutenant Stirling returned his salute and said.
Horatio took the intelligence data-slate from the Lieutenant's hand, and Louise also walked up from behind him, stopping to examine it.
"Should we wait until it docks, or act before it arrives at the port?" Sterling asked.
"We don't know how many weapons are actually loaded on the ship. If someone detonates the melta-bombs inside when it's docked at the Starport, the consequences would be unimaginable."
Horatio analyzed rationally, "The best way is to deploy a Q ship (a pirate hunting vessel in the Imperial Navy disguised as a standard freighter). We approach disguised, then the Hellspawns assault the hull and seize it as quickly as possible."
—
A Q ship disguised as a freighter slowly sailed out of the port area. It carried a hidden light twin-linked Macro cannon in its bow, six single-barrel Laser Cannons, and multiple rotary close-in weapons. As a light armed vessel, it possessed fierce firepower, a Void Shield of battlecruiser-level, and was relatively fast, but it could not perform Warp travel.
Lieutenant Stirling served as Captain, Horatio as First Mate, and Louise as the boarding action team leader.
In the Imperial Navy, warships unable to perform Warp jumps could be commanded solely by a Naval Captain.
Warships with Warp engines, however, required a minimum rank of Lieutenant Colonel, while Colonels could serve as Captains for anything from light cruisers to battlecruisers.
Intelligence had already intercepted the freighter's position; it had just arrived near the Talakanis system, a Death World obliterated by Chaos warships during the Gothic War.
Horatio planned the navigation route, taking the shortest distance. Upon approaching the freighter, they would initiate a ship-to-ship transfer under the guise of 'bartering.' Fully armed Hellspawns would quickly board the ship, taking control of the cargo hold and bridge.
The backup plan was that if the other party refused, they would use the Macro cannon to disable its engine, then forcibly board.
"Sergeant Major Horatio, I'm handing over actual command to you, to give you some practice commanding a warship," Lieutenant Stirling disconnected his neural plug and rose from the command throne.
"Where are you going, then?"
"I need some alcohol," Lieutenant Stirling chuckled.
Horatio sat on the command throne, connecting the complex, dense cables to the neural plug at the back of his head and along his spine.
[So cold.]
He closed his eyes and could feel the machine soul of this ship.
She was relaxed and languid, like a deep-boudoir woman who had just woken up, reluctantly being controlled by Horatio.
But Horatio could feel the unwillingness and anger hidden deep within her soul.
Q ships were a type of Void patrol vessel, but their work was gradually being replaced by 'Frigate Heavy Gunships,' which were produced in larger numbers and had superior firepower and armor.
Naval Officers didn't like using Q ships disguised as freighters to hunt pirates; they preferred to openly display the Imperial Navy's name and fully enjoy the thrill of the chase.
"We have found the target!"
The cadet serving as Astropath reported, "Distance to target 26,341 kilometers, approach rate positive 2.6, bearing +0511, phase ZL, moving from port to starboard!"
"Port 6 degrees, correct plane relative to target. When approaching to 10,000 kilometers, this ship is permitted to reduce speed to 10 Void knots, to make them think we are a standard freighter," Horatio commanded.
In the void, the Q ship sped towards its target. Because it was a disguised warship, the other party was completely unaware of the danger and made no evasive or escape maneuvers.
"Approaching 10,000 kilometers, decelerating and disguising!"
Several minutes later.
"Distance 6,000 kilometers!"
"Send trade request signal."
"Report! They hung up directly!"
Horatio narrowed his eyes.
This was no ordinary smuggler; it was very likely Evil Cultists inside, and a heavy artillery strike was necessary!
"Armaments ready! Let's teach these ungrateful guys a lesson," Horatio ordered.
Buzz—buzz—
Red alert lights began flashing in all compartments.
"Boarding party, prepare!" Louise, fully armed, shouted.
The Hellspawns quickly rushed into the Shark Assault Boat and took their seats.
"Distance 2,000 kilometers!"
"Fire at close range! We must disable their engine with one volley!"
"Distance 1,000 kilometers!"
"Raise the cannons!" Horatio stood up and waved his hand.
The massive Macro cannon turret hidden beneath the bow slowly ascended.
With the slight tremor of the turret rising, Horatio felt the relaxation and languor in the machine soul instantly disappear, like a long-awaited rain, as she finally got the battle she yearned for.
[I will satisfy your desire and prove that you are an Imperial Navy warship.] Horatio communicated with her.
The machine soul became increasingly restless, waiting for the firing command, like a pack of wolves eager for blood and military honors.
"Target engine locked! Distance 634 kilometers!"
"Report! Detecting opposing gun barrels turning!"
"Steady!" Seeing some cadets were nervous, Horatio sternly ordered.
His gaze was sharp as a sword, fixed on the locked target on the display, imagining the huge, dark muzzles of the opposing ship's cannons in his mind.
That was a Laser Cannon, the only weapon a standard freighter possessed.
"Fire!"