Big Game V – Chapter Thirty: Unexpected Aid

Chapter Selection

Intro  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  23  24  25  26  27  28  29  30  31  32  33  34  35  36  37  38  39  40  41  42  43  44  45  46  47  48  49  50  51  52  53  54  55  56  57  58  59  60  61  62  63  64  65  66  67  68  69  70

Fire erupted across the void as the Imperial fleet gave pursuit.

“His Hammer II to Thor’s Gaze.  Come right to oh-two-nine mark three-four-seven.  Be advised of friendly Thunderhawk squadrons to your port side.”  Piers shouted.

“Confirmed.  Tell your Thunderhawks to stay out of our firing solution.” The flagship squawked back.  Piers cut the link.

“All ahead full, take us right at them.”  The ship surged as the Battle Barge hurtled towards the enemy fleet.  Minor impacts rocked the ship.  “Have Flame and Wrath squadrons come to heading oh-eight-seven mark oh-three-eight.  Tell them to concentrate fire on the escort squadrons.  Brace for Impact.”  Piers hit the appropriate alarm sounder.  Several moments later, the ship lurched as lance fire lit up the screens.  “Report!”

“Shields at 67%.  No damage.” Someone shouted.  A whistle from one of his screens showed an incoming message.  It was from Atrus himself!  Piers answered it immediately.

“Yes, my Lord?”

“Piers, signal the fleet that Eldar ships are not to be targeted.  They are friendlies.  Repeat the message.”  Piers scanned the Heads-up Display.  No Eldar ships were within range.

“…sir?”

“Send the message as I ordered.  Hurry.”  Atrus answered.

“Yes, my Lord.”  Piers said as he closed the channel, and opened a general hailing channel.  “His Hammer II to all Imperial ships.  Expect Eldar ships to arrive any minute.  Do not target the Eldar ships or fire upon them they are friendlies.  Repeat, Eldar ships are friendlies, do not target or fire upon them.  Piers out.”  Responses lit up his communications screen, but Piers ignored them, instead focusing on the screen.  They’re hiding behind the planet.  That has to be it.  Piers thought.  The enemy fleet began a full retreat, but there were no…

“New contacts!” someone shouted.

“Hold fire.  Confirm the configuration of the ships.”

“Confirmed, four Eldar Void Stalkers and nine smaller capital ships, twenty smaller escorts.  Bearing zero-five-zero mark two-seven-zero.”

“What?”  Piers shouted.

“Confirmed sir.  They just seemed to appear out of nowhere.  They are matching our course.”  Piers brought up their position.  Sure enough, the Eldar had materialized out of nothing.

“Transmission from the Eldar vessels, on all frequencies.” Someone else said.  Piers put it through.

“…uman vessels.  This is Yriel, Prince of Iyanden.  We have come here to assist you against a common enemy.  What we face here is of the greatest importance to both our races.  We do not claim this space, and will not fire upon human vessels unless fired upon.  Pray to your Emperor that no one does.”  The transmission ended abruptly.  Piers turned to Li at the communications console.

“Contact the rest of our fleet and tell them to spread that message.  Add that any ship that fires on Eldar vessels will be considered tainted by chaos and cleansed.”

<<                    <                           >                    >>