Boom! Boom! Boom!
Lances of light fired from the Conqueror-class battleship, tearing through the void and crashing against the enemy fleet's shields, causing bursts of radiant light.
Under such high-energy assaults, the shields began to tremble, seemingly on the verge of collapse.
At the same time, other warships and escort squadrons opened fire.
The thunderous roar of macro cannons followed, hammering the protective fields without mercy.
Under the cover of this barrage, torpedoes slipped silently through space, punching through the weakening defenses.
The coordinated salvo from the Redemption Fleet was so precise, so ruthless, it resembled a surgical operation done with a chainsword — brutal and exact in dismantling the enemy.
Conqueror-class Battleship — Command Deck
The atmosphere was tense.
Fleet Commander Volradi wasn't satisfied with how things were progressing. His sharp gaze swept over the displays and live combat feeds.
The real-time reports surprised him.
"This T'au fleet... it's even weaker than some pirate bands we've fought before. That doesn't make sense," Volradi muttered.
Indeed—
While the T'au were usually lacking in numbers and firepower, their tactical coordination was far superior to pirates.
But even so—
Their performance here was nowhere near the level seen in extreme-condition simulations.
Volradi found himself reacting instinctively. Everything was going far too smoothly.
Something felt off.
He frowned. "Clearly, something's wrong. This can't be the main T'au fleet—this has to be a decoy!"
The reason Volradi had come personally was due to intelligence received by the Department of Military Affairs.
T'au fleet movements had been detected heading toward the Charalton Sector.
Along their flight path were only a few human-inhabited worlds—
—worlds that were now under the Savior's protection and part of the new domain.
Which meant—
The T'au fleet's target was likely one of these border worlds.
Whether this was a probe or an attempt at intimidation—
It was a direct provocation, and a violation of the military's red line.
Since the Webway was restored, no enemy had dared breach the Savior's domain.
Most threats were eliminated by patrol fleets before even triggering an incursion alarm.
But now?
The Charalton region had only just been integrated. Patrol systems hadn't been fully established, and development was in full swing.
If the T'au fleet managed to attack a core world and set off the first incursion alarm in twenty years—
It would be a massive incident.
Heads would roll.
The commanders would lose face in front of the Savior himself.
Therefore—
The military took the matter extremely seriously. Volradi, commander of the Third Fleet, was appointed to intercept the fleet.
A cautious, hardworking young commander—
He was the ideal choice.
And he'd been given a strict order:
Don't let a single enemy ship step foot into our territory.
Volradi accepted without hesitation and launched immediately.
At first, the T'au fleet disappeared from sensors.
Later, it was rediscovered en route to a planet named Karo.
Even worse, Karo had just been placed under the Savior's protection.
This changed everything.
The Redemption Fleet had to protect Karo, no matter what. The Savior's name could not be stained.
So—
Volradi set an ambush in the Karo system, preparing to spring a trap.
He intended to test the real strength of the T'au.
To be fair—
Volradi's approach wasn't especially devious.
Among Redemption Fleet officers trained under relentless simulations, cunning and ruthlessness were basic survival skills.
Compared to others, Volradi was practically honest.
Boom!
"The T'au fleet's main force... where is it?" Volradi stared through the viewport.
Outside, enemy fire struck the void shields, painting the space in shifting hues.
But—
It was useless.
Their resistance was pitiful under this overwhelming firepower.
In Volradi's mind, the T'au couldn't possibly have sent such a weak fleet alone. That would be suicide.
Unless...
Their commander was insane.
No doubt about it—
The stealthy T'au had hidden their main force.
They were trying to strike by surprise!
As the enemy fleet approached annihilation, Volradi issued new orders:
"Leave some ships intact — we're going to capture prisoners and find out where their real fleet is hiding!"
New combat orders were broadcast.
Redemption ships shifted fire to suppression mode.
Massive interference macro-cannons launched volleys of ionized deuterium, disrupting the systems of the T'au flagship.
Following close behind—
Were boarding torpedoes.
These specialized projectiles, equipped with anti-tracking cloaks, slipped past the T'au's remaining defenses and embedded themselves into the flagship.
The heat-melting warheads carved glowing holes into the hull.
Then—
Teleport beacons were launched inside.
Spider-like devices, they clamped onto the deck plating and began to glow softly.
Teleportation sequence initiated.
Hum...
Multiple squads of War Angels arrived within seconds.
BOOM!
Their bolters roared.
Charging T'au allies — monstrous Kroot with crow-like forms — were blasted apart by explosive rounds.
Gore and feathers filled the air.
The xenos fell easily before armor-piercing shells.
The War Angels advanced with discipline, sweeping the decks and mowing down anything that moved.
Brass shells littered the floor as they pushed toward the command center.
…
Meditation Chamber, T'au Command
BOOM!
The ship rocked violently.
Screens flickered and exploded with sparks — the ship's systems were overloaded from the disruption attacks.
The Ethereal Commander slumped in his chair.
His prayer beads slipped from his hand — the picture of grace, now fallen.
To a T'au Ethereal, this was disgraceful.
Ethereals were meant to be serene paragons — strategic, political visionaries who inspired others.
He was proud of his record.
Since taking command, he'd never lost a battle.
Always using superior tactics and firepower to overwhelm opponents.
But today—
His fleet had been intercepted en route to the Savior's territory.
His advantages were crushed.
Their ships, outgunned.
Their strategy, countered at every turn.
His every move had been anticipated, countered, crushed.
"A tactical genius... without question," the Ethereal thought grimly.
He felt resigned.
If the Imperium sent such a fleet and such a commander just to stop him—
Perhaps losing wasn't so shameful.
BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions rocked the corridor outside.
Gunfire, screams, chainswords revving—
The ship was falling.
A shrill alarm cut through the air — systems rebooted from overload.
The Ethereal took a deep breath.
"So… they want me alive?"
There was hope.
Maybe he'd get to meet this commander.
And live to tell the tale.
Unlike other castes, the Ethereals valued survival — not suicide.
They were the empire's soul. Even if captured, they must live to serve again.
Normally—
Imperials killed xenos prisoners without mercy.
But this time?
Things might be different.
He composed himself, sitting upright again.
Dignity restored.
BOOM!
The chamber door blew apart.
Smoke.
THUMP THUMP THUMP
Red-armored War Angels entered, towering figures radiating dread.
"You've got nowhere to run, xeno scum," growled the squad captain, his bionic eye glowing red.
The Ethereal sat calmly, fingers steepled.
A faint smile on his lips.
Hum...
Suddenly—blades flashed.
Infiltrator guards in stealth suits launched a surprise attack with honor blades.
"Ambush!" the captain barked, dodging instinctively.
He snatched the air beside him — slash!
Blue blood sprayed as he cut a stealth guard nearly in half.
The corpse shimmered into view.
But others weren't so lucky.
Several Angels were wounded in the initial strike.
The infiltrators vanished again.
Lurking in the shadows.
The Ethereal sneered silently.
"You thought you could capture an Ethereal so easily?"
Silence returned.
The Angels formed a defensive ring. The captain kept his guard up.
The Ethereal remained expressionless.
He knew the infiltrators' tactics.
Their next combined strike would end this.
Hum—
The air shifted.
The captain dropped a shock grenade.
BOOM!
A self-damaging blast — sending debris and enemies flying.
Even the Ethereal was jostled.
Though protected by a force shield, he felt the impact.
Cough...
The captain stood, mildly hurt — but alive.
And in his vision—
Blue blood. Splattered across the ground. Suspended in midair.
"Got you," he whispered.
DAKKA DAKKA DAKKA! (MO' DAKKA!!!)
The War Angels opened fire.
The infiltrators, now revealed by blood, were gunned down in a hailstorm of bolt rounds.
When the smoke cleared—
The elite guard was dead.
Silence returned.
Then, the sound of armored boots echoed.
The Angels closed in on the high platform.
"A beautiful battle..." the Ethereal said with a smile.
"You've succeeded in capturing an Ethereal."
He raised his hands gently, disarmed, and stepped down the platform gracefully—
Discarding his Balance Staff — a weapon with energy fields capable of shattering armor.
He knew there was no escape.
Too many enemies. Too few options.
Better to surrender—
Than die in vain.
He had already allowed his guards to die first.
He didn't want low-caste soldiers seeing his disgrace.
As he descended, poised and serene—
The Angels stared silently.
"I will not resist," he said calmly. "Take me to your commander. I'm sure he'll wish to—"
ZAP!
The captain fired a shock net.
It snapped open mid-air, enveloping the Ethereal in a crackling cage of electricity.
AAAAAAAH!!!
He screamed and collapsed down the steps—
Bruised, battered—
And then... he soiled himself from the pain.
ZAP!
Another jolt silenced him.
"Shut up," the captain said.
With disgust, he motioned to his men. "Someone drag this thing out of here."
A War Angel tossed a field shield over the xeno and dragged him off like garbage.
As they walked—
The T'au soldiers nearby saw their Ethereal dragged away like a criminal.
They howled in fury and shame—
But they could do nothing.
The War Angels were unstoppable.
The Ethereal? Trembling, eyes shut, pretending to be dead.
The Angels returned to the Redemption Fleet—
The prized prisoner now in custody.
…
Conqueror-class Battleship — Detention Cell
The Ethereal had been cleaned and disinfected.
He sat quietly, composed once more.
Commander Volradi arrived, determined to extract critical intel.
He had promised the military high command he'd intercept this T'au incursion.
If they failed—
If a hidden T'au fleet slipped through and struck core territory—
It would sabotage the Savior's development plans.
Worse—
The Imperium's old nobility, who resented the new Primarch, would seize on it.
They wanted the Savior's reputation tarnished.
They were looking for any excuse.
Volradi stepped into the cell, face grim.
"I will get the truth out of this bastard."
"You're the commander who bested me?"
The Ethereal blinked. Volradi was younger than him!
So—this was the Empire's rising tactical genius.
He smiled gently.
Perhaps he could barter his way out — his caste was valuable.
Surely the T'au would ransom him back, even if it cost them a minor human colony.
"Commander—"
CRACK!
Volradi punched him square in the face.
"Cut the crap. Where's your main fleet hiding?!"
"What main fleet?" the Ethereal stammered, holding his eye. "I am the fleet commander! This was our main force!"
Volradi sneered. "Don't play dumb. You're stalling for time!"
He turned and summoned the interrogators.
Until this alien confessed where the real fleet was— the questioning would continue.
(End of Chapter)
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