Chapter 663 06.662: “Black Shields with ‘bad intentions’ (asking for monthly votes)”

“Welcome, Captain.”

An unfamiliar voice sounded in Horatio’s mind, but there was no human form like the Epic had conjured.

The sound was ethereal and unique, as if it came from another dimension, echoing in the silent bridge.

After a brief pause, the voice gradually became enthusiastic, as if the emotions that had been suppressed for a long time were instantly released: “You’re back!”

“I’m sorry, you got the wrong person.” Horatio shook his head slightly and responded with a firm look: “I am not Thomas Cochrane. I am his descendant, Horatio Cochrane, your new captain.”

Although the answer was not what he expected, the Machine Soul’s enthusiasm remained undiminished.

Horatio could clearly feel that there was a long-suppressed fighting spirit surging in the machine soul, like a sharp blade that had been covered in dust for a long time, eager to drink blood again.

Horatio commented to himself, “The former champion who is unwilling to be forgotten.”

Indeed, ever since the thrilling battle in which Thomas Cochrane won the seat of the Supreme Lord’s captain, the Swift Aquila has been silent in the port for a long time, like a forgotten hero, and has never experienced new battle passion in the long years.

Horatio stretched out his iron hand and expertly connected the cable in his hand to the socket on the command bridge.

With a slight electric sound, the ship’s information instantly flooded into his consciousness.

『Dreadnought-class MK.2 light cruiser Swift Eagle』

“Crew: approximately 50000 sailors, 18900 armed sailors, 8100 naval boarding crews”

“Morale Influence: Fanatic ‘New Hero of the Empire’ + 10% Saints of the State Church and the Sisters + 15% Bloodline of Speyer + 5% Bloodline of Thomas Cochrane + 10%”

“Crew training level: Elite”

The interior layout of the Swift Aquila was orderly, without any trace of dirt or mess, and no sight of contract workers.

It is said that Horatio’s father, Thomas Cochrane, hated indentured servants.

Horatio felt this deeply when he was reading his father’s captain’s log in the captain’s room.

The notes read: “Contract workers lack faith in the empire and the will to fight. Their existence does more harm than good.

I would rather spend a lot of resources and invite technical priests to install automatic loaders for each macro cannon than watch the contract workers step on the transmission rod and use the chain to lift the next shell slowly and difficultly.

In my combat mode, manual operation simply cannot keep up with the pace of the battle, and I am aware that the close combat method I use is extremely risky.

If I can’t defeat the enemy in a short period of time, then only death awaits me.”

After the cancellation of contract workers, 8,000 reserve crew members and 12,000 armed sailors were added to the ship, among which the most elite 1,500 formed an armed boarding team.

This means that although the Swift Aquila is a light cruiser, it has boarding and anti-boarding capabilities that are not inferior to those of a battlecruiser.

In addition, there is space on the ship for three expanded barracks, and Horatio intends to use it to house his “First Marine Infantry Brigade” in the future.

After quickly reviewing the ship’s information, Horatio was very satisfied with his father’s arrangement.

His combat style is very similar to that of his father. Both tend to approach the enemy, launch quick strikes, fire torpedoes, and then engage in boarding and counter-boarding battles, inflicting the most intense damage in the shortest time and disabling enemy ships as quickly as possible.

According to Lati’s report, Xiaoshi has been loaded into the advanced machine soul extractor, but is still very weak.

However, how to deal with Xiaoshi and the machine soul of the Swift Aquila remains an unresolved problem.

However, Horatio was relieved to be able to transfer the poem along.

He thought to himself: Hiss… there shouldn’t be such a concept for machine souls to be NTR. The fact that I am alone with two machine souls…

Horatio then called up the briefing, his eyes focused on his destination, the planet Carpathia.

This planet has now been identified as a war world by the Ministry of Military Affairs. It is located at the junction of the Extreme Star Field and the Storm Star Field.

As for why Carpathia became a world of war…

Horatio looked at the Munitions briefing.

Two years ago, the 15th Siege Corps of Krieg, returning from an expedition, was waiting to board a plane in Carpathia while resting on their way back.

At this moment, the long-accumulated heretical forces in Carpathia suddenly launched a rebellion, attacking the transiting Krieg Death Corps and the local garrison.

However, as a time traveler, Horatio knew a secret that the Ministry of the Interior was unaware of – beneath this planet, there was a hidden Blackstone Obelisk Fortress guarding the Warp rift.

The fall of this planet eventually led to the creation of two large subspace rifts called “Vortex of Despair” and “Screaming Tide” near Carpathia after the Great Rift opened, becoming a difficult obstacle that hindered the assembly of the Baka fleet after the Great Rift opened. [With the Krieg Death Legion participating in the war, how could this war zone fall?]
This question lingered in Horatio’s mind, and he decided to go to Carpathia to find out for himself.

[It just so happens that the Baka Fleet still owes me a favor. After the Carpathian operation is over, I can go and discuss what kind of support they can give me.]——
“We are about to leave.” Thei changed back into riding clothes, looking dashing.

She looked towards Macragge reluctantly and sighed softly: “What a happy and beautiful day, isn’t it, Captain~”

After saying that, she leaned lightly against the command throne with a smile on her lips.

“Good days will always pass, but we set sail to pursue the better days that will last longer in the future.

As soon as Horatio finished speaking, there was a dull and huge sound of footsteps behind him. Boom! Boom! Boom!
It was as if a heavy war drum was beating.

He quickly turned his head and saw five dark figures emerging from the shadows of the corridor and slowly walking towards them.

They were dressed in Deathwatch Blackshield livery, with different armor types ranging from standard power armor to Terminator, and there were five of them in total.

These figures exude a murderous aura and appear mysterious and majestic under the dim lights of the bridge.

“By the way, let me introduce to you our companions for the next period of time, a Death Watch kill team.”

“Brother Leonus is the captain of this squad, he is a decent man and he does his duty.

It is said that he is also quite knowledgeable about art, so we might as well ask him to help decorate this battleship in the future.

He is the vanguard of the team, and is good at unexpectedly dropping from the sky, jumping behind the enemy and launching a deadly kill. “

Thei said as he pointed to the warrior in the middle wearing Aquila power armor.

“Nice to meet you, Captain.” Brother Leonas took a step forward with quick and decisive movements. He knocked his iron hand heavily on his ceramic breastplate in salute, making a loud “bang!” sound.

[He’s into art, um… it’s hard not to guess which regiment he belonged to before.]
Glancing at the exquisite and ornate cursive writing on the plain parchment of the Seal of Purity, Horatio speculated in his heart, and then responded politely: “Please take care of it, Brother Leonus.”

“This is Brother Pyrus. Please don’t be scared by his terrifying appearance. He is actually a gentle man.” Horatio looked in the direction indicated by Thei, and saw that the black-armored warrior next to Brother Leonus looked strange.

Unlike the others, this warrior’s body was covered in protruding bone spurs, which even penetrated his armor, forcing him to modify his armor so that the bone spurs could protrude from it.

Especially the horn on his forehead that is as sharp as a dragon’s horn, which may play an unexpected role in close combat.

[Hmm, growing horns… Is this bone hyperplasia? Hiss, is this a subspace mutation or a genetic defect? ​​Is there really no problem?]
Although Horatio was full of doubts, he did not intend to show them directly. He just listened calmly to what Thei said next: “If you need a warrior who can kill people on the front battlefield, then Brother Pyrus is definitely the main output.”

“Welcome aboard, Brother Pirus.” Horatio nodded slightly to welcome Brother Pirus.

Smiling on the face, but cursing in the heart.

“This Brother Nasser, look at his Iron Cavalry Terminator armor. The traces of time have settled on it, exuding a simple historical charm.

I believe that he will be a great helper in helping you accomplish your mission.

His armor is indestructible, and he can resist the enemy tide on the entire front battlefield by himself.” Thei introduced them one by one.

“You will be the shield and the anvil.” Horatio looked at Brother Nasser with satisfaction in his eyes. Having a Terminator added to his ship would undoubtedly add a powerful boost to his side in boarding and anti-boarding battles, and Brother Nasser looked normal.

“The man holding the sniper bolter is Brother Derek, and his battlefield positioning is obvious.

“Hmm~ Did you see the row of silver bullets hanging on him?” Thei continued to introduce. Horatio’s attention was instantly attracted by Brother Derek, especially the dog-ear shape on his helmet, which seemed a bit unique.

To be honest, aside from the fact that there’s a ten-foot-tall man underneath the helmet, this look is pretty cute.

“May your silver bullets help us eradicate the enemies of the Empire,” Horatio said to Brother Derek.

“I am willing to serve you.” Brother Derek placed his hand on the eagle on his chest and saluted solemnly.

“The last one is…” Thei’s fluent speech suddenly paused, as if the words were stuck in his throat.

Horatio turned his head subconsciously.

This man is of burly build, only slightly shorter than the Iron Cavalry Terminator Armor, but his presence is extremely low.

When Horatio’s eyes fell on him, an inexplicable chill surged into his heart, as if the other party’s simple existence could directly penetrate his soul and make his survival instinct suddenly scream.

[We will die. As long as this person moves, everyone, including myself and Thei, will die!] Horatio felt inexplicably terrified and shivered with panic.

Although this person was just standing in a lazy, leaning posture, the gloomy aura he exuded made him out of tune with the people around him.

(End of this chapter)