"The void is an unspeakably vast and inhuman place, a place of ancestral and unknown dangers. In that cold darkness, things as obscene, terrible, and dangerous as any demon of distortion were born... In the face of such terrible knowledge, you must cling to this one truth: humanity's destiny is to rule the stars, and to rule them alone." — Lord Inquisitor Knael, A Discursive Primer for Initiates of the Ordo Xenos, Vol. I
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Segmentum Ultima.
The Segmentum Ultima houses the largest number of worlds in the Imperium of Humanity, being the largest of the Segmentums in terms of size and spatial volume. The Segmentum Fortress of Segmentum Ultima is located on the planet Kar Duniash. It is the site of an Imperial Navy academy and a major orbital shipyard, being the primary builder of the Dominator-class Cruiser.
At this moment, in the vacuum of space, a Tyranid Hive Fleet tore through the vacuum of space, approaching ever closer to Segmentum Ultima.
A hive fleet is a large armada of living, biomechanical starships, created by the Tyranids for the purpose of collecting the raw materials and biomass necessary for the reproduction, evolution, and expansion of their species. A hive fleet is used to attack and strip star systems of their biomass, utilizing the full range of Tyranid bioforms.
At this moment, the Hive Fleet that would be known as Behemoth advanced with primordial greed, the eyes of the creatures and starships fixed on the increasingly close, life-filled planets.
Talasa Prime.
Gregor Eisenhorn was an old Inquisitor of the Ordo Xenos, one of the three secret organizations that Aenar had created along with Alysanne. Ordo Xenos was also known to the secret echelons of the Imperium as Alien Hunters.
Its purpose is to protect the Imperium of Humanity from all internal and external threats caused by intelligent alien species or their influence over humans.
At this moment, old Eisenhorn was looking at the radar showing a gigantic star fleet of unknown origin. There was a deep coldness on the old inquisitor's face.
"Give the identification order. If they refuse, attack to destroy." Eisenhorn said with a terribly cold tone, the old man who had served the Inquisition for a thousand years and loyally served the Emperor was still strong and undeniably decisive in his orders.
[This is Talasa Prime, identify yourselves, fleet of unknown origin.]
[...]
[I repeat! Identify yourselves or you will be targeted!]
[...]
Eisenhorn's blue eyes became completely devoid of emotion. "All cannons, attack." He did not hesitate to give the order.
Talasa Prime was an Imperial Fortress World; practically every surface of the planet was composed of gigantic cannons. With Eisenhorn's orders, exactly all ten thousand cannons containing neutron warheads raised their barrels and pointed them at the starry sky.
Sirens and red lights began to blare across the planet. The entire planet seemed to awaken in a second.
"Ordo Xenos, prepare for battle!"
"Ordo Xenos, prepare for battle!"
"Ordo Xenos, prepare for battle!"
The members of the Ordo Xenos heard the sirens and the mobilization of the planetary defense cannons; they quickly put on their helmets and wielded their weapons. They began to board the starships without any hesitation.
"FOR THE GOD EMPEROR OF HUMANITY!!!!"
"FOR THE GOD EMPEROR OF HUMANITY!!!!"
"FOR THE GOD EMPEROR OF HUMANITY!!!!"
The Deathwatch, a Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes, beat their own chests forcefully and shouted as loudly as possible, as if they wanted the God Emperor to hear their voices on the Mother Planet!
(Note: A Chapter is a completely autonomous military unit composed of a thousand transhuman warriors known as Space Marines and their related vehicles, ships, and support personnel. Each Chapter collectively serves with others of its kind as part of the Adeptus Astartes of the Imperium of Men.)
The Deathwatch fleet advanced towards the stars without any hesitation. There was no fear or cowardice; there was only the purest feeling of wanting to serve the God Emperor of Humanity, even if it meant dying!
At that moment, the Planetary Defense Cannons began to fire. The deafening sound seemed to shake the Fortress Planet itself.
BOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!! BOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!! BOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ten thousand neutron warheads advanced into space, leaving a long trail of smoke, heat, and power behind. They pierced through the clouds and exited planetary orbit. They were one of the Imperium's most powerful weapons and had the duty to protect the borders from other races.
Eisenhorn felt a sense of pride seeing the Astartes heading towards the enemy without any hesitation. They were the Inquisition! The Emperor's sharpest sword against heretics and other races. The Legions might be powerful, but he believed the Inquisition was even more powerful because they had faith on their side.
Eisenhorn's icy blue eyes stared at the radar, showing the neutron warheads tearing through the vacuum of space.
In space, the Hive Fleet finally reacted to the imminent threat coming towards them. Millions of Tyranids emerged from the ships and advanced towards the neutron warheads. It was such a determined suicide attack that it would make the Japanese show expressions of admiration.
Although sound does not propagate in space, vibrations could still spread through radio waves and similar means.
When the first Tyranid collided head-on with the neutron warhead, a gigantic explosion glowed in the darkness of space. The explosion imploded from the outside in, disappearing in just a few seconds, but with the explosion of the first, the rest exploded, triggering a chain reaction.
One after another exploded in sequence. All millions of Tyranids were disintegrated with no escape from life. However, more and more Tyranids emerged from the ships and advanced towards certain death, trying to prevent the explosion from hitting the Hive Fleet.
"Sir, the cannons have been reloaded." Hearing the soldiers, Eisenhorn did not hesitate to respond. "No need to ask for permission; when the cannons are loaded, fire non-stop."
"I want to see if the other side can withstand the power of the Imperium." The Inquisitor spoke in a calm tone, but his eyes were solemn, watching the radar, which showed that the enemy was still intact, even in the face of a rain of neutron warheads.
Eisenhorn knew that, at this moment, the enemy was powerful. No race could survive a rain of neutron bombs, but the enemy succeeded and remained intact.
"Soldier, contact the Mother Planet and ask for reinforcements; the enemy is powerful." Eisenhorn spoke in a calm tone. He was not ashamed to ask for help; he might be proud, but he was not foolish.
When it came to the security of the Imperium, he could never let his personal feelings speak louder in this kind of war. If he allowed the enemy to enter the Imperium because of pride, he would not have the courage to enter the God Emperor's divine realm.
[Reinforcement request sent, Inquisitor Eisenhorn.]
As Eisenhorn was about to speak, he heard the soldier's voice sound again, but this time, his voice was tinged with shock.
[Warp exits detected.]
"Images." Eisenhorn's face showed a reaction of surprise, but he ordered in a calm tone. A hologram manifested before everyone present; four gigantic star fleets emerged from the blue portals.
Eisenhorn's eyes gleamed seeing the four Gloriana-class Battleships appearing before him. Four Primarchs and their respective legions! The Inquisitor couldn't help but exclaim mentally; this surprised him.
"May the blessings of the God Emperor fall upon you, my comrades in war." The voice of Primarch Sanguinius echoed across the Imperial Fortress World, making everyone stand tall and proud.
At this moment in space.
Sanguinius, Lion, Horus, and Titus were on Sanguinius' Red Tear.
Inside and out, the Red Tear was a shipbuilder's work of art. The vessel carried the banner of the Blood Angels whenever the Primarch left the Legion's home planet, Baal, and, like Sanguinius himself, his flagship was a beautiful sight.
Viewed from the prow, the flagship resembled an arrowhead ten kilometers from bow to stern, clad in gleaming copper, bronze, and crimson steel. The maws of a Nova Cannon, mega-lasers, mass drivers, and torpedo bays were embedded in the front, presenting an arsenal comparable to that of an entire fleet of smaller ships.
Hectares of turrets stretched across the entire length of the ship, extending from the dorsal and ventral hulls. Similar to Imperial starships, modeled on the deck-by-deck design ethic established for the Red Tear's oceanic ancestors, a massive citadel rose at the stern.
This enormous command tower resembled a gigantic fortress, with an outer keep of imposing adamantium walls and glass windows forming the base, and a wide cylindrical keep rising even higher. At its apex, amidst the jagged battlements and point defense batteries, a massive transparent dome gazed into the void like an unblinking eye.
"These insects survived a rain of neutron warheads." Sanguinius commented with a tone of admiration. He knew more than anyone the power of these neutron warheads; hundreds of them were enough to cleanse the planet's surface, much less ten thousand of them.
"They are using the insects themselves as a flesh barrier; it seems this horde of insects has no end." Horus commented in a calm tone, his eyes fixed on the Hive Fleet with a bright gaze.
"This war will take a long time." Lion said with a deep tone; the numbers of Tyranids were too great, even for them, who could kill tens of thousands at once.
"Let's start, or it really will take a long time." Sanguinius said, he walked to the exit of the Red Tear. The other three Primarchs followed him with heavy and imposing steps.
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Read my other books:
Game Of Thrones: The God-Emperor of Planetos (500,000 words written).
Percy Jackson: Godwyn the Golden.
Game Of Thrones: Son of Zeus