Seven standard Terran days had passed since the arrival of the Imperial Tithe fleet. During this time, the fleet remained anchored above the main Hive.
Edward sat in his captain's quarters, pondering Alexei's plan. The planet had completely lost contact with the Empire. Neither Astropaths nor any other communication could leave the system. They were trapped in the Shadow in the Warp.
"Damn it! Is our fleet truly useless?!" Edward already knew the answer but didn't want to admit it. According to Alexei's arrangement, they would fire a few symbolic shots when the Tyranids arrived, then abandon the ships to preserve their strength for the ground war.
After all, they had only one Lunar-class Cruiser and two Sword-class Frigates. The rest were defenseless cargo ships. To the Tyranids, this was just an appetizer.
In the barren plains outside the Hive, Alexei and several others stood on a vast field of Creep. Before them lay the shredded remains of Zerglings, and in the center was a particularly hideous xenos corpse. Behind it, a massive Tyranid spore pod was deeply embedded in the Creep.
Earlier, while handling Hive affairs, he had received an alert from Zagara: "Master, an unknown object has landed on the Ember Plains. The hostile life within has been eliminated by the Swarm."
When he arrived, it was as he feared. Alexei recognized the creature by its Cthulhu-like face: a Lictor.
The ultimate hunter of the Tyranids. Unlike the aggressive swarms, Lictors sought the perfect kill. They were usually deployed to a target planet as scouts to assassinate high-value targets before the fleet arrived. Their skin could blend perfectly with the environment, making them nearly impossible to detect.
Fortunately, he had covered the plains in Creep and had Overlords watching from the skies. If this Lictor had landed anywhere else, it might have succeeded.
"What xenos is this?" Inquisitor Diana asked, frowning.
"The vanguard of the Tyranid Swarm," Alexei answered. He then instructed Abathur via the network: "Abathur, analyze the Lictor's genetic sequence. See if we can apply its traits to the Zerg Swarm."
He believed the Lictor had two traits the Zerg could use: environmental camouflaging and the ability to gain information by consuming a brain.
Alexei then ordered Zagara: "Cover all the plains outside the Hives with Creep as quickly as possible. Hatch more Overlords to monitor every corner. Notify me of any anomalies."
He turned to the group. "Let's go. We need to speed up. Time is running out."
"Clang..." Another bell tolled. Alexei sat at his desk, looking at paper reports. The Empire loathed automation, and the lack of smart tools made his administrative work agonizingly slow.
He stretched. He hadn't slept in days. He could now somewhat empathize with the High Lords of Terra.
He stood by the window, watching the busy crowds. He wondered if they could truly withstand the Tyranids. He had done his best.
In recent days, more Tyranid spore pods had been dropping through the atmosphere. Though the Zerg destroyed and consumed them, it meant the fleet was getting closer.
All rebellions had been quelled. All Genestealers were executed and turned into biomass. Massive numbers of Zerg were hatching; the Underhives and plains had become a home for the Swarm.
Mutalisks soared through the atmosphere, and Overlords floated in every corner, watching every living thing with their compound eyes.
Remnant nobles from other Hives were ordered to the main Spire; Alexei wanted to keep these old-world relics under watch to prevent any mischief during the war.
Terran factories were replacing the old weapon plants in the Underhives. The automated factories caused many workers to lose their jobs. Alexei conscripted the healthy ones into the Planetary Defense Force (PDF), trained by veteran officers. Nearly a hundred PDF regiments were deployed across all Hives.
CMC-400 and CMC-405 light power armors were mass-produced. They had to equip as many units as possible before the Tyranids arrived.
Goliath robots and missile turrets were deployed at every key location. Any spore pod entering the atmosphere would be met with lethal fire.
During this time, Alexei unlocked a new heavy power armor: the CMC-660. Through this, he gained two new Terran units: Marauders and Firebats.
The Marauder's quad-linked K12 grenades could blast through heavy targets, and the auxiliary generators on their backs powered internal ammo manufacturing, allowing them to fight for extended periods. They were like walking tanks.
The Firebat's "Perdition" flamethrowers were perfect for dealing with the massive Tyranid swarms. Alexei replaced their fuel with Promethium to increase the heat.
The CMC-660's defense was far superior to the CMC-400. It could withstand heavy shells, and the internal "Kinetic Foam" prevented internal organ damage from shockwaves.
Alexei was also preparing to unlock heavy vehicles like Siege Tanks and Thors. Until then, he had to rely on existing Imperial armor.
Everything was aimed at increasing their survival odds by just a fraction. Their strategy was simple: focus on the ground war and bleed the Tyranids dry.
Zerg would act as the front line to contest biomass, while humans would provide long-range fire. If they succeeded, Alexei would have a long period of growth. If they failed... Alexei looked into the darkness. "I cannot fail."