The sickle-like forelimbs of the creatures were not particularly sharp, and their chitin-covered bodies were not exceptionally hard. However, they moved with perfect agility in the darkness. Their silhouettes were everywhere, leaving the Greenskins with no way to defend themselves.
The Greenskins fought back desperately, swinging choppas and spraying machine guns. But between the poor visibility and the bugs' familiarity with the terrain, their attacks rarely hit home. Furthermore, the number of bugs was simply too high. This particular squad of Greenskins, numbering over a thousand, was wiped out in less than five minutes.
As the Nob collapsed in a pool of blood, his fading consciousness held only one thought: Are these things bugs, or are they humies?
Other scattered groups of Greenskins met the same fate. The lights would abruptly cut out, followed by an ambush from a swarm several times their size, resulting in a one-sided slaughter. Throughout the entire process, not a single humie was seen.
The Greenskin fleet outside had no idea what was happening. They only saw more and more transport craft successfully complete their boarding actions, while the targeted frigates showed no signs of exploding or being captured. In fact, some of the transports were already returning.
The Orks scratched their heads in confusion. This wasn't right. According to Greenskin rules, you either win or you die; nobody comes back halfway through.
The captain of the leading Greenskin cruiser was a massive brute with a hideous scar across his face. He first tried to contact the returning transports but received no response. He then contacted the battle barges that had received these returning craft.
When the channel opened, only a cacophony of chaos came through the comms: fighting, screaming, and a high-pitched screeching that was definitely not Greenskin. It was bone-chilling.
"Summin' is wrong," the Greenskin captain said. He realized instantly that those returning transports weren't carrying retreating Orks. They were carrying something else!
"All guns!" he roared. "Aim at dem returnin' boats! Shoot 'em down!"
But it was too late. Most of the transports had already docked with the battle barges. The moment the hatches opened, dark shadows surged out, pouncing on the unsuspecting Greenskins. The battle barges fell into total disarray. While the invaders were not numerous or individually powerful, they caught the Orks completely off guard. Using the toxic mists released by Venomthropes, the swarms engaged the Orks in guerrilla warfare.
The chaotic battle barges could no longer maintain their flight paths. They became sitting ducks for the expedition fleet. This was Raynor's true objective.
The battle barges weren't the only ones in trouble. The expedition fleet's frigates, which had been passively defending, suddenly began moving toward the Greenskin cruiser.
"Zog it!" The Greenskin captain's face turned livid. He realized he had been played. Those frigates had left their void shields down on purpose; it was a set trap, waiting for them to jump inside. The bugs had been lying in wait on the ships from the very beginning. They waited for the Greenskins to board, waited for them to walk into the net, and then used the captured transports to send the bugs back to the Ork ships.
He couldn't fathom why bugs were on the humie ships, but the result was clear.
"Retreat!" the captain bellowed. "Full speed away!"
Unlike traditional Orks, he valued his own ambitions more than a glorious death. He wanted to become a legendary figure like Chandler—someone who could build a massive "Waaagh!" ship and rule Karl-2.
The Greenskin cruiser swung its prow around, preparing to flee the battlefield. But as it finished the turn, the captain froze. A Moon-class cruiser was blocking their path of retreat.
This Moon-class cruiser was named the Iron Radiance.
Luna stood on the bridge of the Iron Radiance, watching the fleeing Greenskin cruiser with an expression of bitter resentment. She was terrified that Raynor might have discovered something. While the Greenskins were rampaging through the Measure of Discipline and the Skitarii and Tzeentchian cultists were buying time with their lives, Luna had already fled the ship to prepare for a "retreat."
She could never let Raynor discover this ultimate humiliation. She had to do something. Intercepting this fleeing cruiser would serve as proof that she hadn't turned tail—instead, she had also laid a sophisticated trap. Everything was "according to plan."
"Deactivate void shields." "All decks, prepare for boarding actions," she ordered.
The officers were incredulous. Why had the Regent suddenly become so aggressive? "My Lady, deactivating shields? That would—"
"Follow my orders."
The officers dared not ask again, and the void shields were temporarily shut down. On the opposing Greenskin cruiser, the captain saw this and his eyes turned blood-red. He saw that this humie ship was ready to fight to the death.
Zog it all! I just wanted to leave, and now everyone thinks they can get a piece of me?!
"Shut da shields down!" he roared. "Show dem humies we ain't cowards!"
The two cruisers deactivated their shields simultaneously and accelerated toward one another.
BOOM!
The moment the hulls collided, ferocious battle cries erupted from both sides.
This time, Luna personally led the charge into the Greenskin cruiser. Behind her followed a dozen Tzeentchian sorcerers, each radiating an eerie, multicolored light. Their psychic energy spread through the corridors like invisible tentacles, seeking out every Greenskin consciousness.
The first Nob to charge was frozen in place by a single flick of Luna's finger. His eyes bulged out of their sockets, reflecting his own green form in his pupils. Then his body began to twist and deform, eventually wringing into a grotesque floral shape.
More Greenskins surged forward. With the support of the sorcerers, the defensive pressure on the Skitarii was greatly reduced. Brilliant psychic energy and various shells exploded in the corridors. The Greenskins threw themselves forward in waves, only to collapse screaming.
The Greenskin captain stood his ground, face full of madness as he watched the humies counter-attack. He knew he couldn't escape, so his fear turned to rage. Orks, by nature, did not fear death.
"Waaaagh!!!" He snatched up a massive choppa and charged out.
In his final moments, he saw the humie leader who had been hiding. She stood at the end of the corridor, enveloped in blue light. Her emotionless eyes were like two cold gems. The Ork leader roared and charged, choppa raised high.
Luna raised her hand. A bolt of white lightning shot from her fingertips. He felt his blood freeze instantly. He stiffened in place, and several Skitarii aimed oversized guns at him and pulled their triggers, ending his life.
At the same time, more bugs boarded from the rear of the Greenskin cruiser. They attacked the Orks from behind, flanking them in coordination with Luna's forces.
The battle ended quickly. The Greenskin cruiser was completely overrun. Standing on the deck of the Iron Radiance, Luna caught the eye of a Tyranid creature in the distance. Both sides saw the disdain in the other's eyes. Then, they both turned away in silent agreement, acting as if they hadn't noticed the other at all.