97: Battle

"Project 'iron frontier', Phase One Goal: 'Wasteland Corridor' Star Cluster. The raid begins." Alpha-01's voice echoed across the bridge of 'the arbiter', calm and steady, yet imbued with a will of iron.

The 'Wasteland Corridor', composed of three dying stars, over a dozen desolate planets, and countless asteroids, was once an obscure mining outpost of the Imperium. Now, only the wreckage of Chaos raids and whispers in the void remained. Leading the 'Blade' Task Force—comprised of four 'arbiter-class' battlecruisers, twelve 'shadow-iv' cruisers, and a large number of escort vessels—'the arbiter' suddenly appeared on the periphery of the star cluster like a giant beast pouncing from the shadows.

The operation initially went surprisingly smoothly. Several small Chaos warbands entrenched here (primarily followers of Khorne and Nurgle) were swiftly collapsed and purified under the silent 'Reality Reconstruction' bombardment of 'the arbiter' and the fleet's dense 'Zero-Point Fluctuation' fire. The engineering fleet followed closely behind, beginning to deploy prefabricated defense platforms and 'Cognitive Fog' generators at key nodes.

However, just as the first keystone of the 'iron frontier' seemed about to be firmly placed, an accident descended in a manner far more violent and lethal than during the 'dark tide surge' period.

"'Truth Listener-Frontier' node urgent report! Large-scale Warp jump signals detected! Bearing: Edge of the star cluster, Sector L-3! Signal signatures... multiple overlays! Identified as: one Imperial Navy 'nemesis-class' battleship, three 'moon-class' cruisers, an escort fleet... and... the Astartes Chapter 'Dark Angels' 'Indomitable'-class strike cruiser 'iron faith' and its strike cruiser formation! Also... a large number of transport and escort ships, carrying identification signals for the Astra Militarum 'Cadian 88th Regiment'!"

The Imperium! And it was a mixed formation of a main fleet, an Astartes Chapter, and an Astra Militarum army group! How could they suddenly appear in this 'Wasteland Corridor'? Had they received clues exposed by the 'dark tide surge' operation? Or was it merely a large-scale troop redeployment passing through here due to the needs of the Cadia Gate war? Or perhaps... the warnings from 'Ice Thorn Fortress' or the Inquisition had finally invited a lightning strike?

There was no time for detailed thought. The moment the Imperial Fleet jumped out of the Warp, its powerful Auspex arrays had already captured the abnormal energy activity and fleet signals within the 'Wasteland Corridor'. Almost without pause, the cluster of golden-yellow light points representing the Imperial Fleet charged aggressively toward the core area of the star cluster where the 'Blade' Task Force was located, in a standard battle formation!

"Warning! High-priority IFF signal detected! The opponent is issuing a general inquiry and warning: demanding immediate identification, cessation of all hostile actions, and submission to an Imperial Navy inspection!" the communications officer reported urgently.

"'iron faith' is issuing an Astartes-specific combat frequency transmission: 'Xenos? Traitors? Or some new profanity? Reveal yourselves and face judgment!'"

There was no room for maneuvering, no possibility for explanation. When facing any unidentified armed force operating within its borders (even the fringes), the standard procedure of the Imperium's war machine was always: control or destroy first, ask questions later. Especially when this force had just "cleared" Chaos warbands (which might be viewed by the Imperium as "seizing spoils" or "covering up crimes") and its ship styles completely failed to match any known Imperial models.

"All fleet, Condition One! 'the arbiter' move forward, charge the 'Reality Reconstruction Cannon', target: enemy 'nemesis-class' battleship! All other ships, deploy according to the predetermined contingency plan 'Anvil-2', utilizing the asteroid belt for mobile defense!" Alpha-01's command carried not a hint of hesitation. Retreat was impossible; the Imperial Fleet had blocked the jump point. When meeting on a narrow path, only a fight to the death remained!

The battle erupted with a roar in the cold void of the star cluster.

The Imperial Navy demonstrated its heritage and training as the hegemon of the galaxy. Despite being a hasty encounter, its fleet formation was tight, and its gunfire was precise and coordinated. The broadside volleys of the 'nemesis-class' battleship were like stellar eruptions, searing beams tearing through the void; the torpedoes of the 'moon-class' cruisers were like swarms of death, weaving a lethal interception net; the escort fleet acted like agile hounds, attempting to weave through and segment the Human Federation's formation.

The 'Dark Angels' Astartes strike cruisers were even more surgical and lethal. Leading the formation, the 'iron faith' ignored the conventional fleet exchange and cut directly at high speed toward the weak points of 'the arbiter's' flanks, intending to perform boarding actions or close-range devastating strikes. The Astra Militarum transport ships in the rear released dense swarms of 'Thunderhawk' gunships and transports, clearly preparing for orbital drops to seize the defense platforms being constructed by the Human Federation.

The Human Federation fleet, meanwhile, displayed a completely different combat style and technological advantage. The 'shadow-iv' cruisers, relying on superior stealth capabilities and the eerie killing effects of the 'Zero-Point Fluctuation Cannon', moved like phantoms through the gaps in the Imperial Fleet's fire, specializing in attacking their sensor arrays, thrusters, and shield generator nodes. The 'arbiter-class' battlecruisers used their thick 'Concept Stabilization' shields to tank damage, retaliating with dense 'Conceptual Disintegration' pulses and missile volleys, effectively disrupting and weakening the Imperial Fleet's psychic shields and coordination.