Erianus gazed at the large command screen, the babble of voices that was the ships's command structure pervading the entire room. No easy feat considering the monolithic size and the darkness that accompanyed such a marvel of engineering. The only light sources were from the ghostly green screen's of the bridge's console's and viewing devices. The Violentius was a two thousand year old Apocalpse class Battleship, the only one own'd by the Knights. When the chapter discovered that contact with the Imperium at large was almost impossible, and thus, reinforcment by the Imperial Navy with their ship to ship capabilities, the Chapter master decreed that they must expand their navy. It took a long time to acheive their current fleet composition but they managed it. No longer were they bound to useing craft designed for planetary assault with a secondary capacity for combat, now they owned ships who's primary design was fighting. It was hoped that this would slow the main tyranid fleet, which would be unsure of were to go.
Around the Violentius cruised an Ironclad Retribution class battleship, the seer of the void, which doubled as the librarium's secondary keep, and the twin overlord class battlecruiser's
Weirnforthand Vorlord's pain. Numerous minor craft were in position behind them, but these were to move in only if ordered. The Chapter master had ordered the approaching Tyranid scout fleet destroyed or at least halted, stoping them from deploying more scouts while the Astartes on the surface dealt with the ones already landed. Being only the first of six battlegroups, the fleet- codified as Battlegroup Alpha- had the speartip of any assault, being comprised as they were of the most dangerous ships the Knights possessed. The second and third fleets were comprised of Battlebarges with Sword class frigates as escort while the fourth and fifth fleets were made of Strike cruisers with Cobra class destroyers and Nova frigates in attendance. The sixth fleet was a need to know. Erianus knew, and smiled with the hope of victory searing its way into his soul. The plan- which they hoped would never be enacted- was for the first, second and third fleets to strike from the front while the fourth and fifth assaulted and harried the flanks at range, allowing the sixth fleet to get into position. If i was enacted most of the imperial fleet would die, but should the tyranid fleet. So badly hurt, they would need time to regather enought genetic matter to assault the chapters fortress, during which time the remnants of the fourth and fifth would continue their hit and run tactic's. Hopefully no Tyranid horde would even land.
Erianus was jerked out of his thoughts as the main command screen spluttered to life, displaying their foe. Organic ships, thin and long with claws and teeth protruding from their surface swam through the void. Small knots of tissue covered their hull's. Smaller bio ships hung around them, ready to intercept incoming fire with their own body's.
The voices in the tomb like room began to rise in volume and frequency, but still maintained well-ordered calm. The chief librarian had special consoles and data-pads tied into his command throne, in which he sat. He concentrated on the lead ships, letting his mind leave his body in a soul-rending explosion of pain. It floated free of his body and tore across the void towards the incoming alien fleet. His mind roamed a ships corridor, viscous liquids flowing down into maturation chambers, were scouts were being formed by limited versions of norm-queens. He explored the ships design and function, letting the future possibilities flow into his mind, exploring the ships in action in could be combats. A tug started at his soul, and a cold numbness spread in. He'd reached the limit of his time.
Erianus wrenched in a breath of air, his body freezing despite his superhuman resilience, his lung's screaming to be feed fuel. Steam rose from his armour and face were the warm air made contact with his body and armour, the fresh coating of frost melting in the recycled air. Worried crewmembers keep looking up at him, pondering on what was happening to their lord. He waved a hand dismissively.
"I am fine" His strong voice echoed around the vaulted chamber, ghost impersionations continuing to talk long after he ceased speaking. The Ships captain, a man called Jonas, now forced into the role of an assistant approached him, carrying a data-slate.
"My lord we are entering fireing range in four minutes" He handed the slate to Erianus, who quickly scanned it. "Good. Order the fleet to follow my orders. We cut our engine, burn retro's at 20%. Swing our rear end to the right, and prepare the starboard lance emplacments, while putting a slow charge on the port side batteries. And i assume the Nova cannon is loaded?" Jonas nodded a confirmation " Once we have discharged the starboard batteries, straiten us out, and fire the Nova, then swing us to fire the port lances. Start chargeing the starboard lances after you fire the nova."
"The seer of the voidis to head this tragectory..." he typed into the datapad " along the lower right flank, and commence a rolling broadside."
"The Weirnforthand Vorlord's painare to follow it but on a wider arc, and when I order them to, concentrate their lance beams on a designated target which I will locate soon. Send the orders captain" "Yes sire" He hurried away. Erianus let his mind drift over the enemy fleet while shouts from the command room continued to echo. This time his spirit stayed in his body, seeing the fleet as from above, while possible futures clashed within his mind. Images flashed by fast. Claws. Flesh. Blood. Death. Explosions.
Everything flashed in his mind, even as the two fleets closed with one another. Yet he was narrowing them down. Yes. Yes. There. He'd found it. Withdrawing his mind, Erianus slumped within the command throne with even more exhaustion. But still his hand began typeing in co-ordinats for a lance he had commandered control of.
"Ten seconds until fireing range, prepare yourselves" The tanoy speaker screeched all over the ship. The seconds started counting down on the command screen's lower left corner. People began speaking in hushed whispers, such was the expectation and joy in the air. This day was pregnant with possibility's.
Zero.
Erianus pressed the confirm button on his command throne.
"Open Fire" he screamed. The long battleship shuddered as the Lance batteries fired, long streaks of whiteness speeding across the void and smashing into Tyranid ships. The concentrated laser easyly passing through the thick chitin of the bioships. Explosions bloomed into existance and bioships fell apart in ichor clouds amid seas of spilled fluids. Minor escort ships flew to intercept, most too slow, but the few that managed were justt split in half, such was the power passing through them. A score of the tyranid ships were now floating lifeless in space, but fourfold of that number remained. Shouts and whoops echoed across the bridge, as the trimupahnt crew let their feeling fly.
No return fire came thier way as their range was still too extreme for their bio-weapons.
Slowly the ship straitened out. Erianus targeted the heart of the tyranid fleet with the Nova. "Fireing!"
The power from the whole ship suddenly cut, such was the drain of firing the nova cannon and a vibrations threw crewmen to the deck as the ship shuddered with the aim of staying together while firing such an emense weapon. Space became white as the weapon struck the horde's heart, the ship that maintain synaspe control over them in the imediat vicinity. It died in mili-seconds as the nova did its job. So did almost two score other tyranid vessels. "Comm's, message the Battlecruisers, telling them they are weapons free, their target no longer exsists" Erianus smilled as the Battleship rotated and fired its port lances, and the bioships milled in confusion. The Three other Capitol ships in the First battlegroup also came into firing range, and unleashed their firepower into the fleet which now was almost completly destroyed. A few bioships returned fire at the Seer of the void from the small muscle knots on their body's, acid spraying into contact with the Ironclad. Small craters formed, but nothing penetrated the metre's thick shell.
One last volley finished off the Bio fleet, and they moved in to make sure, close range weaponry blasting the remains to pieces.
Messaging this victory to the Chapter master, Erianus knew this was only the beginning.