Hunting Pirates en Passant

 

2006 by Thomas W. Waßmann

Dear Lord-Master,

this transmission was intercepted by our astropaths on the way to the admiralty on terra. We link this message directly to the events inspected by the most honourable Inquisitor Lucius. The Inquisitor states that the order should contemplate taking action. His latest message I also attached. 

your obedient servant,

AUTONOMOUS ASSISTANT CYKLORIUS, PERSONAL SCRIBE TO THE ORDO XENOS LORD-MASTER VLADIMIRIUS VATEL

ATTACHED TRANSMISSION OF GOUVERNEUR FIDELIS 226M41

“HIS NAME BE BLESSED BY ALL”

BEGIN

Dear High-Lords of Terra,

Fleet Admiral Nobelius is an old school officer of the navis nobilite. With more then 400 years of experience on the bridge of any kind of vessel ever produced by the dockworlds of the imperium. He started his career the classic way by visiting the great naval academy of the segmentum terra and moving his way up the ladder by swift and decisive action. Here is a report of his latest encounter, showing that he is not an ageing warhorse, as some people say who begrudge him his well earned rank and prestige. But an vital *ubiquitous* asset for the fleet of Sector Siena.

By order of Lord Commander Militant Mecenius, Fadm. Nobelius deployed his Flagship SHIELDING ANGEL and the three SHIELDING ANGEL class cruisers BRIGHT COUNTENANCE, LUMIOUS GAZE and MERCIFUL GESTURE after extensive repair and refitting action on Lokmana III to engage in an wide area sweep for chaos vessels still on the loose in sub sector SHIELDING ANGEL. Attached you find the battlereport requested. In my humble opinion the small encounter shows nothing less than every skill, application of knowledge and spirit to ones duty that is to be expected from every officer in his glorious emperors armed wardens of space.

your humble servant,

Governor Fidelis

ENCOUNTER IN GARRIDI SYSTEM written during and after the battle, per order of Fadm. Nobelius, by lexmechanic Paul17-84A

BATTLEREPORT BEGIN

On the moment entering the infamous Garridi System through the standard traderoute entrypoint, the fleet deployed in standard patrol pattern: cruiser set on the port flank of the SHIELDING ANGEL. It was only seconds back in the anodyne comforts of real spacer before the message alert was sounded. Adm. Nobelius ignored the effort of the pirates to beg for their non relevant lives.

The machine spirits eye instantly found the emitter of the message: Vile Eldar Pirates, lot of them pivoting in to an intercept course. The ship were identified, using the tome of recognition by Bridgelieutenant Volgerson. The enemy forces consisted of two large cruisers, one of the Shadow X pattern and one supposedly an Eclipse A. They were escorted by a half a dozen of Aconite type frigates. Evaluating the speed the foe could achieve with the given location of the Garridi sun the Admiral instantly chose to confront the treacherous xenos using long range fire to disable their solar sails. This would cost the flittering ships their tactical advantage, normally they are able to zoom around the less manoeuvrable ships of his most benificant God-Emperor. In the confusion of the re-entry into reality, the untrained crews of the LUMIOUS GAZE and MERCIFUL GESTURE were not able to follow the orders of the SHIELDING ANGEL and so only the BRIGHT COUNTENANCE used her nova cannon to effect.

The large warhead damaging the eldar Eclipse A on the sails as intended. Meanwhile the SHIELDING ANGEL launched a full salvo of her bow torpedos and missed one of the small adversary with her lances.

As the admiral foresaw, in his great wisdom and knowledge of xenos tactics, the eldar tried to swarm the fleet. The Eclipse A swiftly launched fighters to disable the torpedos closing in on their crafts and deployed bombers to retribute on the stalwart BRIGHT COUNTENANCE. But now the crew of all vessels were back in their top fighting condition, the long hours of personal training by his gracious admirals personal hand, finally paying off. The engine crews of all cruisers, in one gigantic effort slowed their vessels to null speed, thus enabling the gun crews of the nova cannons to find easy targets still inside the minimum range of the gigantic armament. Unfortunately MERCIFUL GESTURE missed the small swarm of eldar frigates by a few hundred kilometres, but BRIGHT COUNTENANCE and LUMIOUS GAZE each hit one of the vile cruisers incinerating and rendering them useless, instantly. The remaining eldar turned there back on the sun to gather speed for an escape.

After these events the rest was more of a mob up then a battle. The ships of the fleet turning their port side on the enemy, firing a few broadsides to vanquish the fleeing ships. Due to the explosion of the derelict eldar cruiser Eclipse A and the many explosions of ordnance that ripped the space next to the eldar ships, the machine spirit was only able to ascertain the kill of 3 of the xeno-frigates.

The fleet went back on course and left the Garridi system 3 days later on the other end of the traderoute passage entering the warp.

The Admirals fleet leaving another infamously dangerous pirate hunting ground cleansed.

BATTLEREPORT END

END TRANSMISSION

 

ATTACHED TRANSMISSION OF INQUISTOR LUCIUS 226M41

“STRONG IS THE ARM OF THE RIGHTOUS”

BEGIN

Honourable Master of my sacred order. It is not the duty of an Inquisitor of the ordo xenos to question the workings of the imperium. But on my visit in the Garridi System I have to bring out the question of incompetence concerning the action of Fadm. Nobelius. The system, for the last 50 years a good ground for getting in to contact with eldar from the craft world Caer Dempsey, was completely deserted by them, letting the vile dark eldar pirates return. I was barely able to escape with my ship. The vital trade route from Subsector P1 to P2 once again shall become longer and more arduous. Thus rendering my bargain with the xenos useless, I invested so many years in.

I must say that I slowly sicken to this man. As I already send the written reports about Nobelius action on Repentia IV, the battle of Oclus and the fleet action of Falgar VII, I must say it should be better if Nobelius is put on the pasture, even against his will and without the permission of his superior, the hon. Lord Commander Millitant Mecenius.

Maybe, he WAS the greatest genius fighting the enemies of the imperium in this sector, that ever took to the helm.

Chained to a planetlocked post, even on the world of his father in law Governor Fidelis, he hopefully will not harm the imperium any more. 

END TRANSMISSION