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The deck shook violently and the blinding flash of the massive lances of the Devastation class cruiser "Typhon" filled the starboard view, towards the planet, as all batteries fired again. isolated from most of the tremors by the inertia dampeners of his command throne, warmaster Caska watched the impacts of the lance and weapons battery fire as his fleet continued their bombardment on the mining world Epitaph. Yes, thats it, this feeling, thought Caska. havoc and suffering, and no way to escape for the victims. and this was just the beginning, these few pityful souls are nothing compared to the countless billions that will be slaughtered once the plan unfolds....
then the orbital platforms around the planet joined in, overrun by the chaos forces and now used against their creators and former masters. lance and weapons battery fire raked the planet, just as the assault boats returned to their carriers.
the planet was surrounded by four cruisers and a squadron of three escorts, all guns punding the planet. only one ship was designed to be on active patrol, the Slaughter class "Belial".
+in the void between the planets of the Epitaph system+
Just as "Belial" slowly turned around to head back sunbound on its patrol, as its scanners were slowly blocked by the planet, a small energy signature appeared on the offside of the planet.
as it was not detectable by "Belial", and the other ships crews were too busy with the bombardment, the signal went unnoticed.
steadily, the distance decreased.
+bridge of the Endeavour CL "Marius"+
"Admiral! we made contact! they are in orbit around Epitaph. i count signatures of four cruisers and three escorts." as the transmission was sent, captain Madras former stiff concentrated face turned into a broad grin.
"we got the basterds. and looks like this is going to be a pretty big surprise for them there..."
"this is Kurov, contact confirmed. full speed ahead and engage!"
Madras didn't need to repeat the order, his crew already had turned up the engines and the Endeavour cruiser slowly picked up speed. the Dominion class battlecruiser which was the second part of the strike force was slower, but the powerful engines managed to accelerate the ship to an impressive speed regardless.
Kurovs strike force proceeded a slight turn port, away from Madras', in order to create a formation which will leave no room for the enemy to escape.
as Segmentum Tempestus fleet command stated that they have other pressing matters, it was put into the hands of Kurov himself to protect the travel route for the valauble convoy, so, by the emperor, he will! Kar Duniash High Command has sanctioned the fleet of Kurov departing for Segmentum Tempestus in order to ensure the safe return of the convoy, so he was bestowed with the full might of his assigned fleet, with which he will bring the Emperors wrath upon the traitors.
+bridge of "Typhon"+
"my lord! multiple signals incoming! unidentified vessels closing in rapidly!" an officer shouted. Caska turned his blood red colored eyes away from the view of the burning craters on the planet surface and gazed on the tactical screen. there were two groups of signals, both showing just two single craft.
he let an angry snort out "bah! those are just some small patrol groups, nothing big, we can deal with them with the offside batteries and maybe a few bombers. those imperial cowards would not come in such small numbers if they plan to be a threat to us. those are just some hopeless last-stand patrol ships."
as the engaging ships all simultaneously let loose of their torpedoes, he quickly realized that his evaluation was grossly miscalculated.
these were bigger ships than expected.
a LOT bigger.
and the size of the rapidly approaching torpedo salvoes was worryingly large.
"SOUND FULL ALARM THROUGH THE FLEET! WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!"
just as the sirens wailed throughout the ship and the comms jumped to life, the first salvoes impacted the Murder class cruiser "Zahgurim", ripping massive holes in the hull and almost destroying it outright in the first blow.
at that point, the "Marius" has already been in gun range and had opened up with a massive broadside, destroying all three present iconoclast destroyers in a single sweep and leaving nothing but shattered pieces and drifting clouds of fuel and plasma in its wake.
"yes, looks like we caught them with their pants down.", the second in command aboard the "Marius" remarked. Madras permitted himself a little laugh, then he proceeded to yell orders through the ship.
at the same moment the torpedoes were launched, the two strike forces also had launched their attack craft waves, both the Dominion class and the Dictator class had launched Bombers.
by the time the "Typhon" was swung around to engage Madras' strike force, the "Zahgurim" detonated in a massive blast, ripped apart by the imperial bomber waves, and the Styx class heavy cruiser "Apophis" had recieved significant damage by hits from the Dominins weapons batteries and lances.
the Slaughter Class cruiser had his engines on full speed ahead, hurrying to support the remaining murder class cruiser in combating Kurovs strike force.
on the other side of the planet, the Styx was destroyed just as it had picked up speed to escape the close quarters firefight, and was left a drifting hulk.
The furios, but also very much enraged Warmaster Caska had brought his ship in the rear of Madras strike force and opened fire with all guns, as well as having wave after wave of bombers attacking the two ships, causing massive damage and ultimately forcing both ships to retreat, which they successfully did, avoiding destruction. Caska swung his ship around, eagerly awaiting his enemy to come around the planet.
on the other side, things did not turn out in favour of the Chaos forces. both weapons platforms on that side, as well as the Slaughter class cruiser which retreated in the last moment with massive substantial damage fell to the guns of Kurovs ship.
just as he swung the ponderous vessel around the planet, the still drifting wreckage of the Styx class heavy cruiser approached the asteroid field neighboring the planet Epitaph. the Chaos forces aboard the boarded nearby orbital laser platform could only watch helplessly as the disaster unfolded. the heavy hull smashed into the asteroids, which ripped it apart, and destroyed the containment of the still hellishly glowing plasma reactors.
the ship vanished in a plasma explosion of epic proportions, engulfing half of the asteroid field as well as entirely eradicating the orbital platform nearby.
as the blinding flash decreased to a sickly glow of burning metal and molten asteroids, Caska turned again his gaze towards the inferno, when suddenly a massive shape broke through the debris.
he looked down the torpedo tubes and gun barrels of an imperial Retribution class battleship, untouched by the cataclysm, protected by its massive shield generators.
and it came under full speed towards him.
he felt his face going cold.
with a skin pale as ivory, he screeched with painfully nervous voice "turn around! get us out of here!"
there still was a fully operational murder class cruiser, the "Asmodeus", which rushed towards them to aid their warmaster, but going up against a full grown imperial battleship was even then a very daring plan. if not suicidal, since from the positioning, the battleship was able to catch one ship each with a full broadside. this was not good, thought Caska.
as if his mind had been read, the "Mjölnir" opened fire, its broadsides lighting up bright like a deadly sun.
the heavy impacts pounded on the shields of the "Asmodeus" and the "Typhon", until they gave in under a crackling noise that echoed though the ships and a sudden light flash. they recieved several heavy impacts, but remained largely intact. Caska saw that they now turned out of the broadside arc, so they will be out of danger for a short time while the battleship turns, giving them itme to restore the shields and prepare a counterattack.
just then a blinding light reminded hin of the existance of the powerful dorsal lance batteries on the Retribution class.
The impact threw everybody aboard "Typhon" off their feet and sent them flying in all directions. the hits were directly into the shield generator banks, obliterating the devices themselves, robbing the "Typhon" of all possible defensive capabilities.
"......RETREAT!"
it took Caska a brief moment to bring the word over his bleeding lips, but he knew he had no choice. having just two cruisers, and one of them not a gunboat but a damaged carrier, and completely without shields, was not a postiton to combat a fully operational imperial gunnery heavy battleship. he lost this battle.
as Caska had retreated, and seeing that the mighty battleship slowly turned around to bring its guns to bear on his ship, the captain of the "Asmodeus" wisely decided that a last stand against a Retribution battleship was not a good idea with a damaged Murder class cruiser and chose the tactical retreat too.
+++
Instead of pursuing the fleeing ships with his ponderous vessel, Kurov decided to meet with his own ships and let the rest of his fleet deal with the escaping Chaos forces.
They were running straight into the net.
All was going even better than according to plan, Kurov thought and smiled.
They have no idea whats coming their way.
Aboard the "Typhon", Caska was slowly cooling down from his rage. he has survived, he thought, and his plan is working out.
except for losing several good vessels and their crew. but sacrifices must be made for the success of the bigger plan, he thought, and grinned.
Almost everything going according to plan.
They have no idea what will be coming their way.
