Vex Chronicles 3: Hunt

Death of a starkiller

Aes Cognis, bridge

Feh could feel the tension, she could imagine the sounds of bursting armor plates and protesting metal. But the viewing screen remained silent. The sapper had detonated their explosive charge. And the strain of fighting against the Aes Cognis' engines gave the dark eldar boarding hooks the rest. With a last sheer of armor plates, they separated from the xenos boarding ship.

"Full power ahead," Feh demanded. "We've already lost enough time."

"Open fire on the eldar ship?," weapons officer Laincewell asked.

"Negative. Our gunners are inexperienced. And we need full attention on those pylons. We can only hope that those xenos don't want to risk their ship." Feh turned towards Gascrone and the countdown that brutally counted down. "Helm? Can we make it in time?"

"Will be tight, captain. I'll burn the engines beyond safe parameters – again. But we won't make it into ideal fire position."

"Then we have to rely on Jules' interceptor and Gerrisat's shuttle." Feh groaned. "Laincewell, inform our gunners. We need to split our fire on as much pylons as possible."

The weapons officer nodded. Feh stared at the main screen where the necron station hung like a ghost ship. Now all Feh could do was prey to the Emperor that they could still make it.

Necron starkiller, command center

Gerrisat's fingers flew over the controls. He would only get one chance. And it would be a risky move. The Mendor Guard could not secure an escape route and hold the command center at the same time. Their rows had been brutally thinned down by the necro eldar. And the logis had no interest to throw away his life if other options were available.

Gerrisat ran his analysis for a third time. But the conclusion was the same. He had found the timed fire controls. And the starkiller cannon was primed and programmed to fire according to Vex's plan.

"Captain Cafrimus," Gerrisat sent over the Mendorant command frequency. "Secure our evacuation route. The plan will unfold in a few minutes."

The Mendor Guard captain never replied. But he begun to bark orders. And again the Mendor Guard proved that they weren't just a bunch of hairy barbarians. Even after the brutal meat grinder of the continuous dark eldar assault, most surviving squads had held out. And they followed orders as expected of them.

<Secure maintenance hatch,> Gerrisat sent over his tech guard channel. Vex would need cover to make it to the escape ships.

Necron starkiller, command center

Vraesha stood in the shadows, hidden behind her personal camouflage field. She wasn't stupid. The moment she had seen how many forces the imperials had brought aboard, she had know that their raid would not end as successful as Armegore had promised.

This was not a last attempt of imperial stupidity. This was not a last stand. And observing the mechanical man had proved that she had been right. If the imperials had attempted what she would have done in their case, then it was over. And the fight for the command center was meaningless.

"Retreat to the webway gates." Vraesha ordered through the short range comm network. "We'll cut our losses and leave."

Vraesha deployed her own portable webway gate. And before it could give away her position, she was already through. It irked her to leave behind the ascension machines. But she had also left behind her mortal self. Maybe it was time to step out of Armegore's shadow? Maybe she should step into the open and actively guide her race onto a new path? A path of science beyond any law and obligation. A path to end the thirst...