The Starhawks who passed through the anti-aircraft barrage launched a salvo, and the trajectories generated by the engines of the nine plasma missiles were directed towards the plunderer squadron.
The two predator ships turned urgently and retreated, but the third ship responded too slowly and was directly hit by a missile in the middle of the hull.
In the blink of an eye, the gunboat's hull exploded from the inside, and seconds later its main reactor overloaded and exploded.
The Starhawk squadron dispersed to avoid the debris cloud caused by the explosion. In the cockpit, the pilot of the squadron leader checked its instruments and found that his bomb and fuel load were less than 50%.
Bombers like the Starhawk only have limited self-sustainability, and without the support of a mothership, they will soon be unable to protect the fleet from incoming enemy fleets.
"Coordinates 1-4-14 direction!"
The communicator buzzed, and the navigator on the Starhawk reported to the captain that another wave of enemy ships had launched a surprise attack from the other side of the transport fleet.
The leader conveyed the order to the rest of the squadron, and then turned his diving fighter in the direction of action.
"Throne!"
The team leader cursed secretly.
"Where did the Reliable Servant die?
"The Third Squadron reported that we only have 5 fighters left and all loads have been cleared."
"Number 19 reported that the payload of the aircraft is 0, and our engines are now running solely on waste heat and prayer."
"Report No. 31, the aircraft only has the minimum load and 5% fuel reserves left. It needs support. An enemy ship is about to arrive at our position."
The wing commander listened to the reports from his squadron commander and each fighter plane, ignored the red warning runes that kept flashing on his own plane's fuel monitoring panel, and opened the communication channel.
"On the 31st, we have just enough fuel to reach you. I will join you in launching a joint attack and..."
At this time, the communication link was interrupted gradually, because a more powerful communication signal was connected to the channel.
"Astral Knights Chapter to all the Imperial Navy, hold on, we will be responsible for dealing with the remaining enemies here."
"Slaanesh's Naizi! What the hell is this!?"
The commander of the Chaos Plunder Fleet looked blankly at what appeared in the monitor.
A huge battle barge, with six frigates surrounding it, the eagle emblem and double swords logo on it are so dazzling.
The combat principles of the Chaos plundering fleet are like scavenging wolves. They only attack the weak, but can only flee in front of any more powerful predators.
"Withdraw! Withdraw immediately!"
Under the attack of the sudden appearance of a powerful Astartes battleship formation, the Chaos plundering fleet was defeated. After losing five battleships, it hurriedly retreated to the edge of the asteroid belt. As a result, it happened to bump into the reliable loyal servant who turned around and returned to the convoy.
No. 3 were sunk, including their flagship.
All surviving Starhawks returned safely to the ship, and the two straggler transport ships also returned to the fleet safely under the protection of four Fury-class interceptor squadrons.
Captain Neo, who almost made a big mistake, almost shed tears when he learned that the fleet was saved by the Astartes Chapter. Then he invited the commander of the Chapter, Brother Lothar, the fourth captain of the Astral Knights, to come.
Go to your own flagship and have a friendly meeting with the other party.
After learning that the fourth company of the Astral Knights had received a request for help and came to support the battle in the Pandora galaxy, Neo invited the opponent's fleet to go to Gaia with him, and spread the news of the Astral Knights' arrival to this temporary navy.
base.
Many people couldn't help but sigh that more than a year after the Battle of Pandora began, the first Astartes Chapter finally appeared.
But they don't know that the real main force of the Astral Knights is still dormant at the edge of the galaxy, quietly waiting for the development of the battle——
"The attitude control thrusters are activated, and the barge is approaching and is about to enter the port."
Listening to the report in the communicator, Lothar, who was standing on the command deck, felt the vibrations produced when the warship approached the orbital berth and the barges merged.
Looking towards the berth through the observation port, he could see the familiar shape of a Galaxy-class transport parked in the star port. Even if the two were about 5 kilometers apart -
This Galaxy-class transport ship named Death Charge looks extremely huge, with work ships and supply ships sliding through the spire of its superstructure, as if worker bees are feeding and caring for a bloated queen bee.
The Galaxy class is a support ship in the interstellar fleet, used to transport the Astra Militarum regiments from one galaxy to another. Although the Galaxy class itself is not a true battleship, it is often used as a battleship.
Part of the fleet assisting in planetary landing operations.
A Galaxy-class transport ship is no less than a battleship. Its internal space is enough to accommodate 4 complete Astra Militarum legions and all their heavy weapons and equipment. It is also one of the few non-Titan transport ships that can carry Titans. It can almost be said that
The most versatile transport aircraft in the empire.
However, since the Age of Apostasy, the manufacturing method of the Galaxy class has been lost, so no new Galaxy class has been manufactured. The Death Charge has been in service for more than six thousand years and can be called an antique.
In addition, Lothar also saw a long list of docks and orbital defense platforms. Gaia is now the home port of the Pandora battle group. The navy has built huge defense facilities at all costs, making it look like a string of
Became a long necklace of pearls surrounding the world.
"strangeness...."
Suddenly, Lothar frowned slightly and counted how many ports were occupied by ships.
It stands to reason that there should be more ships here, and there are not many combat ships visible, they are basically transport ships.
Where is the main force of Pandora's battle group?
"Signal from the Reliable Servant."
Below the command deck, a communications officer shouted.
"Connected."
"Dear Captain Lothar, the fleet commander has just led the main force of the battle group to perform a mission. I'm afraid we have to wait."
After hearing what Captain Neo said, Lothar paced back and forth on the command deck twice, and then said:
"Captain Neo, could you please tell me what mission General Orson Kalansworth is going to perform?"
The communicator was silent for a long time.
"Sorry, this is confidential."
"With all due respect, I just feel it's a bit of a coincidence. Why did the fleet commander happen to go out to perform a mission as soon as something happened to the transport fleet?"
There was still no answer from the communicator.
Lothar realized that she had guessed correctly and sighed.
"I should have guessed, how could a seasoned commander like you make the decision to sacrifice the elder and protect the younger? This was Admiral Orson Kalansworth's plan from the beginning, right? He planned to find the main force of the Black Legion fleet.
’s assembly area, launch a surprise attack, and engage in a decisive battle with the opponent once and for all... The transport fleet is just a bait, just to deceive those plundering ships. As long as one or two of those heretical warships are severely damaged, he can follow them to find the Black Legion.
The main force, or at least find a stronghold."
After a long time, Captain Neo's bitter voice came from the other end of the communicator.