Chapter 121 03.0120: "Shadows in the Dark Void"

"Second battery, high-speed normal shells, load and pre-position." Horatio calmly ordered the warrant officer commanding the two macro guns through the communication device on the command console.

"Yes! Sir!" The gunners seemed very excited and their voices were high-spirited. They had already smelled the imminent battle.

They waved their arms and shouted Horatio's orders down, and the messenger in charge of communications below repeated them into the trumpet-shaped voice tube. The brass tube transmitted the commander's orders directly to the bottom of the gun cabin.

"Pull! Pull quickly!" the supervisor below shouted, and the sailors immediately took up their posts and began to work.

As the indentured servants dragged with all their might, a huge pointed-cap cylindrical shell appeared from the shadow of the ammunition rack in the smoke-filled air.

It was well-made, with a body made of adamantium alloy and engraved with a huge sky eagle and scriptures of punishment.

Horatio wondered if this would give it the power to banish demons, but there was no doubt that nothing, not even a Chaos Daemon, could survive the blast center of a cannonball.

"God, it's so huge..." Farida saw such a huge shell through the surrounding armored observation window. She was so shocked that her eyes lit up and she swallowed.

It was the first time she had seen such a magnificent cannonball, it was like a building towering into the sky.

Farida couldn't imagine how terrible the destructive power would be if it hit the hull.

The giant shell was positioned on the loader by the help of countless chains.

The huge loading chain at the rear has lowered its curled figure, and the sacred machinery blessed by the God of All Machines is ready to push the shells into the breech at any time.

Two huge transmitting capacitors were neatly stacked under the breech block and connected to the power source circuit of the macro cannon.

On the display console in front of Horatio, the loading indicators of the two macro cannons lit up, indicating that they could be filled with destructive power at any time.

"The port side No. 3 heavy macro cannon has been loaded and positioned, high-speed normal ammunition! Sir!"

"The No. 4 heavy macro gun on the port side has been loaded and pre-positioned, with high-speed normal ammunition! Sir!" The two gunners reported to Horatio one after another, and it seemed that the two gun crews were secretly competing with each other.

Horatio stared silently into the dark void, lost in thought.

[Will Khorne really just run away like this? If their target is the Blood Angels, then after failing on the ground, they would just go crazy and crash into them to board the ship, which is more like something that people who believe in Khorne would do.]
Just in case, Horatio decided to activate the Omen Fragment first.

As his ability was activated, he saw a destroyer in the blurry black shadow of the void that had been severely damaged and was about to be boarded.

This aroused Horatio's vigilance.

He thought about trying to deal with this potential crisis.

"Captain," he reported to Commodore Peru.

Officers have the right to make suggestions, so Horatio could propose a motion to his superiors in accordance with the regulations. He soon obtained the approval of the captain of the operations department and Lieutenant Sterling, and connected with the captain.

"Tell me, Lieutenant Officer Cochrane, what's the matter?" Brigadier General Peru said in a gentle tone.

"Our destroyer may be in danger while pursuing. If we receive a distress signal, I suggest dropping a round of torpedoes before approaching the enemy ship to drive it away and cover the destroyer's withdrawal."

"We can't rule out this possibility, Officer Horatio. Your idea is very prudent. I thought young people often don't make contingency plans." The brigadier general raised the corner of his mouth and praised.

"In addition, we should keep a large number of armed forces on standby at all times on the warships. I am worried that after the Blood Angels board their ships, their warships will be unguarded, and we will be the only warships capable of helping them."

"Well, we have a backup plan, Candidate Cochran. You should have more confidence in the ability of the senior officers. Anything else?"

"The enemy's actions are more like an ambush trap, Captain. The actions of the Scarlet Warship do not conform to their principles of serving the evil god."

The strange behavior of the Khorne warships was completely different from their madness in the Cathedral of the Maiden to defeat the Blood Angels.

In addition, there had been an experience of being ambushed by a void slave ship before.

"I suggest that the escort fleet should hold back the enemy ships until our ship arrives, then leave the battle as soon as possible and disperse to the surrounding areas to guard against possible enemies in the void."

Brigadier General Edward frowned and put his hand on his chin.

"Captain Sterling, have all the ships conduct reconnaissance and confirm the number and type of enemy ships again."

After a while, reports came in from various ships one after another. The officers quickly sorted them out and Lieutenant Stirling gave a summary.

"The Apollo radar has not detected any other enemy ships. According to the information sent by the nearest destroyer squadron, it is confirmed that there is only one Murder-class cruiser."

Commodore Peru reconsidered Horatio's final suggestion.

His original plan was to leave a frigate on alert outside the battle area. As a veteran, he had considered the possibility of a Khorne Void ambush when he set sail with Captain Stirling.

But would it not be unduly weakening the forces that were hunting down the Chaos Cruisers if all the frigates were dispatched to perform alert duties just for the sake of a remote possibility?
"I will have the lookout officer keep a close eye on the cruiser and its movements in the nearby void. If the enemy makes any unusual moves, I will adopt your advice."

Captain Peru took Horatio's suggestion into consideration in the contingency plan, but as a senior captain and commander of the hunting squadron, he had to wait and see when to make the most appropriate decision.

"Yes, Captain. I have completed my report." Horatio saluted and hung up the communication.

Captain Edward looked at Lieutenant Sterling and said, "I think he is indeed very cautious, even a little too cautious. But this is a good thing for young officers. The more cautious you are, the less likely you are to make mistakes."

"Young officers are like this. If they are just reserve officers or junior lieutenants, they only need to think about how to do their job well, but captains and fleet commanders have a lot to consider."

The captain smiled and shrugged, the tassels made of gold thread swaying slightly on his shoulders: "So I decided to let him command a warship in advance to experience it."

"Have the torpedo launch bays start preheating the torpedoes, and have the officers on the bridge keep a keen eye. My instinct tells me that this battle won't be that easy.

To be on the safe side, have the Astropath send a message to the nearby cruiser hunting squadron, asking them to gather at the interception coordinates for support. If there are any traps, they will be crushed into dust if they run into the assembled fleet. "

"As you command, Captain."

Inside the command platform of the second artillery battery on the port side.

Horatio arranged everything that needed to be done under the second-level combat alert.

When the mysterious power disappeared, a feeling of sleepiness and fatigue made Horatio's eyelids feel like a lead weight was tied to them, getting heavier and heavier.

"Do you want to take a nap now? Come and take my place later," he said.

Farida turned her eyes and looked at him with a sleepy look on his face, and raised the corners of her lips slightly.

"Go to sleep. I'm in good spirits." Farida said, looking at the colorful void:
"I once stayed in the Lower Nest without sleeping for several days just to complete the undercover investigation mission of the Ministry of Justice. Don't underestimate me."

Horatio rubbed his temple sleepily and said to Farida, "Okay, I'll go and rest for a while. If you need anything, just call me. Okay?"

Farida puffed out her proud chest and smiled dignifiedly, "Go to bed quickly. Is there anything I can do for you? It seems to be a level 2 combat alert now?"

"Not yet, I have arranged everything."

Horatio also explained to Farida what the 'Second Level Combat Alert' was.

This alert mode is issued when a threat is clear but not imminent.

Often used for blockade, pursuit, or escort missions.

Under the second-level combat alert, all weapons on the ship remain in operation, ammunition is ensured to be loaded and pre-positioned, and all equipment only undergoes more urgent maintenance.

The crew still works in three shifts, but the mode is different from the 'one shift on duty, one shift working, and one shift resting' mode under the third-level combat alert status.

In the second-level combat alert state, each shift consists of one regular shift, one standby shift, and one rest shift.

At least one officer at each combat position must be on duty.

This means that Horatio now has every right to rest for a while and recharge his energy for the subsequent battle.

He walked into the bedroom, took off just his shirt, and then lay directly on the bed, closing his eyes.

I don't know if it was easier for the void to sleep or if he was just too tired.

Horatio lay on the clean and soft officer's bed and soon fell into a state of alternating light and deep sleep, with all the muscles in his body relaxed.

Farida knew that Horatio was tired, and she wanted to help him do more so that he could get more sleep before the battle.

"Prepare a refreshing tea and a sandwich. The meat must be freshly cut, the vegetables must be picked from the nursery, and a fried egg must be added. The cheese must be Gloucestershire cheese.

"Keep it warm after cooking and serve it to him when he comes out." She ordered the servant.

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(End of this chapter)