NOVEL NEXT Chapter 67
---Several Days Later---
While the branch manager took my request up the chain, my attention was focused on preparing Yamato and my fleet for combat with the Butcherhorde Warband. Intending to bring every operational vessel I had into this fight, which numbered sixty-seven at this point, I began tinkering with a method to render enemy attacks moot against my ships. Taking a page from a comic book adaptation I watched in my previous life; my plan was to create a Phase Shift Generator to make each of my ships intangible to any form of damage. While the downside was that we could not attack while it was running, it was far better than the possibility of risking a direct hit from a Nova Cannon. As I had little to no data available on the weapon, I erred on the side of caution in this case to avoid as many losses as possible.
Spending five days perfecting the technology, using what little data I could find on the Necrons, I installed the device on a test bench and threw every form of munition I had at it. Confirming that nothing damaged the ship or disrupted the generated field, I handed it over to Luxion for mass production. Having them installed in all my armored suits, automatons, and vessels, I wanted to be ready at a moments notice for combat.
“Victor, your timing is impeccable!”, the Branch Manager remarked, calling us as we were about to dock, “I just received word from the higher ups, the Imperium accepted your request. The only stipulation they added was that you provide them with Khârn the Betrayer’s head. You can present it to either the Lord General Militant or the Warmaster who are currently onsite coordinating the Imperium Forces at their joint front.”
“That is all they asked for? It may be a Chaos Space Marine Ship, but it is still an incredibly rare Gloriana-class Battleship.”, I stated, almost certain this was a ploy by them.
According to the reports I obtained, Khârn’s flagship was the former Adamant Resolve. As the Imperium had only a handful of vessels like that, I honestly expected them to counter with the offer of a lesser vessel. Giving away a major military asset like that because of its dark past was insane in my eyes.
“Believe me, I thought it was weird too at first. From what I can figure, they do not want it back because of the bad memories associated with it. No captain will want to have its cursed name on their record so the damn thing will likely just be torn apart for scrap.”, he said, “Either way, I have the official paperwork from the Adeptus Terra giving you full ownership of the vessel upon completion of the term I discussed.”
‘There loss is my gain, I guess. Whether I must purify the Machine Spirit with Holy Magic or tear apart an AIs base code, that ship is coming home with me for major upgrades.’, I thought, “Very well then, please send over the document in case they give me any fits when this is over. I will cancel our docking request and be on my way there.”
“Understood, Victor, happy hunting!”, he said, ending the call.
After receiving the documents from the Branch Manager, Yamato sent deployment orders to the rest of my fleet. Providing them with coordinates to meet us at, once the message was sent, she engaged the Folding Drive and headed to the battlefront.
---3rd Person POV, Galactic Republic Border---
Arriving a few thousand miles from the border, Yamato announced their arrival to the Imperium and Republic forces. Inquiring where the commanding officers were, several ships pointed them toward the nearby civilian space station that had been commandeered to serve as a field command center. Receiving permission to dock at Bay G34, as soon as Yamato was securely moored, Victor requested a platoon of his Heavy Armor units join him at the ramp.
“Not this time, the Imperium at large is full of xenophobic assholes who would readily make attempts on Lucoa and Roxanne’s lives. While I am confident in my ability to protect all of you, we are here to save the trapped refugees, not start a war with the Imperium.”, Victor remarked.
Understanding the situation, his fiancées relented and dropped the discussion. Thanking them, before joining up with his troops, Victor and his men headed out to greet the powers that be. Marching in two columns behind him, the soldiers manning the station looked on in shock as they looked at armor and equipment they had never seen before. Ignoring the gawkers, the group marched to the commander center where two Space Marines demanded Victor’s group hand over their arms before entering. Walking straight passed them, both marines attempted seize him but were instead tossed through the air like ragdolls by him.
“Hold this position.”, Victor ordered his men, as the Space Marines crashed into the floor, “If those two do not understand the memo, please clarify things for them.”
“Sir!”, the troops acknowledged, taking defensive positions along the wall like guardian sentinels.
Stepping into the room, the commanding officers and their staff turned to look at him. Surveying the group as he approached the table, a familiar called out to him in a cheery tone.
“Victor, it is good to see you again! Come and join us!”, Obi-Wan said, motioning him over.
“Good to see you as well, Obi-Wan. Are Anakin and Ahsoka not with you?”, Victor asked, taking a spot beside him.
“No, they are off on another assignment at the moment.”, Obi-Wan replied, pulling a star map of the area.
‘They are probably off looking into everything I informed them about last time.’, Victor thought, as he listened to the current situation.
Informing Victor that only seven refugee groups were left at this point, the Chaos Marines were actively scouring the area for them. Currently cloaked and hiding in debris fields, the groups of transport vessels were currently running on auxiliary power as their primary engines would give away their locations. Unable to keep the power on for more than a few more hours, their two options were slowly suffocating to death without life support or make a break for the border.
“How many Chaos Marine vessels are in the vicinity?”, Victor asked.
“One hundred and twenty ships, mostly commandeered warships they have taken from fallen countries.”, the Lord General Militant said, “In total, we estimate there are three thousand Chaos Space Marines between all ships and several hundred thousand regular soldiers.”
“I understand, this should be simple enough to take care of.”, Victor replied, “Obi-Wan, let the groups know to evacuate the area once the fighting begins. My fleet will provide them with cover and pull the attention of the enemy toward us. Make sure are ready to receive- “
<Sir, I hate to interrupt your discussion, but I am receiving a mass transmission from the Conqueror. Shall I patch you in after cleaning and securing the channel?>
“Do it.”, Victor answered, interested to hear what they had to say.
After a few moments of silence, several agonizing screams filled the room much to the discomfort of those present. Hearing the unmistakable sound of bodies hitting a hollow, metal floor, Khârn the Betrayer began berating the defenders for not coming out to face him in combat. Expelling vile things that I was certain the Imperium found blasphemous, their leadership held their tongues and scowled in disgust. Receiving no response to his challenges and words, the battle crazed lunatic turned to far more aggressive tactics to illicit a response. Listening to him grab hold of someone, two prisoners began screaming for him to take them and not their son.
“Since none of you cowards will fight me, I will have to make do with killing more of these weaklings!!”, Khârn laughed, as he began squeezing the life out of the child.
“PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS!!!”, the parents shrieked, “TAKE US, LET OUR BOY GO!!”
Unwilling to tolerate his antics any further, Victor decided to accept his challenge and put him in his place.
“Jarvis, take control of their communication channel and patch me through.”, Victor ordered, in a cold, icy tone.
<Patching you in now.>
Waiting for an audible confirmation that he was live; Victor began to speak.
“Cease your sniveling drabble, cowardly mutt of the Chaos Gods. Listening to you call your former brethren and their allies cowardly is laughable given your own cowardly past. Who was it that turned tail and fled when the Battle of Terra began to turn against your allies?”, Victor said, purposefully lying about the real events that took place, “Even now you are shying away from engaging real soldiers, and go after what…unarmed civilians? You truly are a sniveling coward.”
“WHO SAID THAT!?”, Khârn howled, “YOU DARE CALL ME A COWARD?!”
“I, Victor von Stark, called you a sniveling coward.”, Victor answered, “While the men and women manning the defense lines may be fearful of you, I am unimpressed by what I see and hear, Khârn the Coward. You are in the way of my goals, I will ensure that there is no damnation or salvation for you or anyone in the Butcherhorde. All of you will be sent into abyss where all my other enemies have been discarded.”
Hearing him toss the still living child back into the group of prisoners, Khârn and his men began shouting and hurling insults at him. Unamused by their petty attempts to rile him up, Victor pressed a button on his forearm that sent an ear-piercing screech over the radio to drown out their voices. Certain that they were all using their helmets to listen to the conversation, they were undoubtedly in pain right now. Shutting off the sound after thirty seconds, not one Chaos Marine spoke up in complaint about what he did.
“Prepare yourselves for the end of your existence. Our fight begins in five minutes.”, Victor told them, before severing the connection.
Having nothing left to say, Victor began walking over toward the door to return to Yamato and his fleet.
“Young man, I hope you have the guts and strength to back up what you just told him. Khârn the Betrayer is no mere Chaos Space Marine.”, the Lord General Militant warned him.
“And I am no mere man.”, Victor countered, walking out the door, “All of you should pay close attention to what is about to happen. I am sure you will want to relay everything you witness to your superiors.”
Falling in behind their leader, the platoon marched past the two unconscious Space Marines lying in heap on the ground. Giving the order for all ships to advance toward the border, once he was aboard Yamato, he ensured that every ship was ready for their first real space battle.