The war order came down the pipe, and the crew scrambled back to their posts. Officers and sailors shouted themselves hoarse, relaying commands from the brass. The plasma reactor deep in the ship's core roared to life.
Sweating sailors maneuvered massive mechanical loaders, hauling huge shells from the magazine up to the gun deck and ramming them home into the cannons. Tech-Priests and engineering officers sang the canticles of the Omnissiah, monitoring the surge in energy levels.
"Docking arm detached, cables secured, attitude thrusters firing—we are breaking orbit."
"Reactor output green, energy distribution plan confirmed."
Daniel felt the shudder as the Imperial Glory slid away from its orbital berth. It seemed like another day, another war. Since coming to this world, he was either fighting, on the road to a fight, or stockpiling supplies for a fight. Everything was tied to the war machine.
Fortunately, he had a squad of heartless players to help lighten the load of all the pressure.
Other Imperial warships also cleared the port, forming battle formations in the void and making a beeline for the enemy.
"Master, the enemy is hailing us. Shall we take the call?" Arale asked.
Daniel nodded.
Information flooded the projection device, which hummed ominously. The beam outlined a middle-aged man in a crisp naval uniform. His eyes were razor sharp—clearly a seasoned combat veteran.
"Are you the so-called Saint of the False Emperor?" The man's tone was icy and full of contempt.
"Lieutenant General Petre?"
Before Daniel could speak, Sha instantly recognized him. Her tone was a mix of shock and fury. "You betrayed the Emperor, you damned bastard!"
Few men in the Calixis Sector reached the rank of Vice Admiral. These were individuals with sterling credentials and deep family ties. Among them, Petre, hailing from the ancient military nobility of the Andre family, was the youngest.
The Andre family was steeped in legend within the sector. Their rise to prominence was tied to the Anjou Crusade, which established Imperial rule in the Calixis Sector. The family's founder, a forward-thinking young man, made it an ironclad rule that every descendant serve in the Navy until retirement or death.
This dedication earned them recognition and a steady rise into the military aristocracy. By Petre's generation, the Andre family was on top of the world. Many believed Petre would inevitably become an Admiral, even holding out hope for the legendary title of Sun Admiral.
Sha tried to reason with him. "Petre, you can still turn this around. Just surrender. The Saint will be as lenient as possible, considering your return to the light."
Petre acted as though she had told the funniest joke in the galaxy, his voice dripping with disdain. "The False Emperor's time is up. Continuing to serve that... mummy is not a wise decision."
Sha's anger boiled over. "You will pay the price for this, and your entire Andre family will be wiped out for your foolishness!"
"No, no." Petre wagged a finger. "You're dead wrong. The Andre family is about to reach the pinnacle of glory thanks to my wisdom."
"We'll see about that soon enough." Sha looked at Petre as if he were already a dead man walking. If Petre were facing her, his big talk might have panned out. Unfortunately for the young naval genius, he was facing the Imperial Glory and its most formidable master, the Emperor's Saint and Great Guide. Petre was headed for a tragic end.
The moment Daniel's eyes registered the enemy ship's engine glow, the first salvo of incoming enemy missiles arrived. Small destroyers and frigates surrounding the cruisers and battleships launched counter-missile systems to intercept. A burst of small explosions peppered the void.
A handful of torpedoes slipped through the net but slammed into the Void Shields of the larger battleships. The horrendous explosions caused the shields to flicker wildly, the destructive energy shunted into the Warp.
"He's got a good tactical mind," Daniel complimented. "He's calculating our speed to launch his missiles for an accurate hit."
"Petre is easily the most exceptional naval commander we've seen in years; the old guard thought the world of him," Sha explained.
"What a shame his story ends here," Daniel said with faint regret. "Full speed ahead. Have Captain Thad and the veterans on standby at the teleportation deck. The moment we breach the flagship's Void Shield, we're going in hot for a decapitation strike."
Daniel had no intention of burning through precious time and ship resources fighting a prolonged void war. The enemy's fleet outnumbered them handily. Even a victory would be a bloody mess. Why not try an unconventional gambit to wrap things up fast?
The two fleets began exchanging fire once the distance between them dropped below a million kilometers. Searing spears of light illuminated the void. Torpedoes were launched in wide fan patterns, creating a lethal web that forced both sides into maneuvering for position. As the two forces closed, the Void Shields flickered, and fighters and frigates were occasionally annihilated, dissolving into void flame.
When they were close enough, Sha followed Daniel's instruction and concentrated all fire on the enemy flagship, the battlecruiser Truth and Light. As the ships passed, the Truth and Light maintained a list to give its port battery a better firing angle.
Arale calculated the weakness in the flagship's shield, and following a focused barrage, the Void Shield covering the Truth and Light's side spires shattered. The thick hull was immediately hit, an explosion ripped open the plating, and a massive breach appeared.
"Prepare to teleport! Immediate decapitation!"
Daniel chose to lead the charge personally to end the fight as fast as humanly possible.
The transport deck machinery activated. The fearless veteran Thad and a squad of battle-hardened veterans would join Daniel. After a bright flash of Warp light, the priest maintaining the transporter performed a gear-salute.
"Praise the Great Omnissiah, transmission successful!"
On the bridge of the Truth and Light, Vice Admiral Petre calmly commanded the battle. He was a natural talent for war, able to quickly judge battlefield changes and make the smartest move.
The Corpse King's fleet was smaller and poorly managed, their only real threat being that single battleship targeting his flagship. If he could keep that ship tied up, he had an eighty percent chance of victory.
"Sir, the shield is gone!" a signal officer yelled.
"Send repair crews, dispatch armed security to the damaged sector, and be vigilant for enemy boarding," Vice Admiral Petre ordered.
"Something's wrong! The aetheric reaction is spiking! The enemy is teleporting!" the Auspex Supervisor screamed.
The very next second, a ring of electrical light flared across the command platform. As the light faded, Daniel and a contingent of warriors stood in their midst.
"In the Emperor's name, traitors die!" Thad bellowed.
The other soldiers raised their weapons. Guns and cannons roared, chainswords whirred, and flesh and blood flew everywhere.
Five minutes later, the bridge of the Truth and Light was a gore-soaked junkyard of broken bodies and debris.
"It seems your family won't achieve the glory you envisioned," Daniel said, his voice calm as he looked at Lieutenant General Petre.
"You..." Petre stared at the Saint's towering frame and angelic wings, trembling with fear. His tongue felt like lead, and he could not speak.
"Say no more. Just pay the price for your betrayal."
Daniel swung his sword and severed Petre's head. A naval commander who should have become a legend met his end just like that.
Just then, the holographic screen on the captain's throne started flashing a communication icon relentlessly. Daniel walked over and pressed the button.
"Lieutenant General Petre, this is Governor Thornas Colin of the Sintila Hive World. We are under heavy fire, and our defenses are on the ropes. When will you win the void war and send us support?"
"Hello, Governor Thornas. Lieutenant General Petre won't be sending you any support."
"Who are you? Where is Lieutenant General Petre?"
"He's already gone to hell ahead of you. Now it's your turn. Are you ready, traitor?"