The huge star fort is like a dead starfish, clinging to the orbit of the planet, surrounded by the wreckage and remains of dead battleships.
New Badab is not only the home of the red pirates, but also the center of pirate activities in the Maelstrom Star Region and even the entire star domain. It integrates many functions such as the black market, mercenary market, slave market, etc. In a sense, it can even be said that The busiest trading port in the entire star field.
What's special about it is that it is not entirely located in subspace like many worlds in the Eye of Terror. In fact, the area where New Badab is located is a rift node between subspace and the physical universe, which makes this area both You can enjoy the convenient navigation of subspace, but it is not like the dangers of subspace.
In such an important place, there is naturally a lot of defense power. At least six cruisers are moored on both sides of the star port, and hundreds of destroyers and frigates are swimming in the vast area, like small fish surrounding Leviathan.
The weapon arrays on the star fort were also in standby, and the scanning arrays continuously scanned the debris floating in the darkness.
The Eye of Hell has been strengthened and armed many times, and its overall firepower is stronger than that of a battleship. However, due to structural problems, the firepower layout is relatively scattered, but it is enough to repel any incoming enemies.
At this time, there was a sudden disturbance in the distant subspace, and then a red warship jumped out of the void.
When it approached, the surrounding small battleships dispersed, and a series of praises and prayers began to be broadcast on the Star Castle channel. The weapons were not activated, the astrology scanning system was not turned on, and the void shield was not raised.
A flurry of communications flew through the void, identifying marks were verified, passwords were exchanged.
Among all the communication channels, the humming low chant is particularly harsh, because this battleship is called Death Whisper and belongs to the 'Blood Forest' Adnus.
He was once the second captain of the Mantis Warriors, and he was also the former chapter leader who personally killed the Ranger Warriors during the Badab War. After the war, he went to hell with Huron and became a powerful Chaos warrior. Lord - although he trusts no evil god alone.
Soon, the battleship began to slow down outside the gravity port away from the Eye of Hell, its propeller changed from yellow to black, and then it stopped.
Not long after, a Thunderhawk took off from the hangar of the battleship and flew into the Eye of Hell.
Inside the Thunder Eagle, Adnus sat silently and was bathed in dim red. No one spoke except for the turbulent airflow.
Twenty warriors from his warband, the Silent Sons, stood ready in their seats, their crimson armor smeared with ashes, and their pauldrons hung with cones bearing sacred symbols.
These are the mantis warriors of yesteryear who have now become formidable killers, but their past habits have not changed.
The Mantis Warriors were created during the Eighth Founding during the M34 era. They were a sub-group of the White Scars, created to relieve pressure in the Maelstrom region.
During the Badab War, the Mantis Warriors, along with the Executioners and the Lamenters, sided with the traitorous Star Claws.
The first recorded involvement of the Loyal Chapter occurred when the Firehawk Chapter's battleship Zealous Fire was attacked and captured by the Mantis Warriors.
In, when Badab was besieged by the Empire, two Loyalist Chapters were selected to investigate the worlds occupied by the Mantis Warriors and Executioners.
After the rebellion was suppressed and the Star Claws were nearly wiped out, the Mantis Warriors were defeated and disarmed, although they were eventually granted the Emperor's forgiveness and sent on a Centennial Crusade.
However, they were punished much more harshly than the Lamenters, for killing the Chapter Master of the Ranger Warriors.
As the primary person responsible, the Chapter Master of the Mantis Warriors was stripped of his honor and armor, thrown into the death row of the Inquisition, and spent the rest of his life in solitary confinement.
The other part of the atonement, the Mantis Warriors' home planet of Odkar, was confiscated by the Space Sharks who participated as a loyal group in the war, and was eventually looted.
Therefore, many Mantis warriors knew that the chapter had committed a serious crime, and were unwilling to accept cruel punishment, so they joined Huron's army and abandoned the Emperor's light.
Huron was also happy to receive these powerful warriors.
There is a flaw in the gene seed of the mantis warrior, and the transplantation of the pre-set stomach does not work normally. When a mantis warrior enters a specific mental state, such as deep devout repentance, the pre-set stomach gland will secrete a strong A potent neurotoxin capable of permanently altering a Space Marine's physiology.
This poison alters these Space Marines' perception of time and space, increasing their reaction speed to an almost predictable level, while also pushing their strength beyond its original limits.
To ordinary people, the Mantis Warrior almost easily avoids everything before it happens.
Unfortunately, this extraordinary gift comes at a price - the change is irreversible, and over time, these Space Marines will be able to focus on their target and nothing else, a state of mind that the Mantis Warriors will Known as "War-minded", each company has a team of warriors who dedicate everything they have to the emperor, and fall into a state of "War-minded" due to such an act of faith. These teams are called pious mantises.
Adnus and his warband are just a group of devout mantises, and their way to alleviate this defect is long periods of silence and meditation, so outsiders rarely see them talking or moving.
But as soon as they move, there will be a terrible bloody storm.
Adnus lowered his head and closed his eyes. The air around him vibrated with his silent prayer, and he could feel the Thunder Eagle slowing down.
The gunboat lowered its landing gear and docked on the deck, its fuselage trembling.
Adnus stood up first, and the Sons of Silence immediately stood up in unison.
Amidst the sound of friction, the gunboat lowered the front take-off and landing pedals, and Adnus glanced outside a few times.
"Let's go."
The door opened wide and Adnus left the cabin and stepped into the light, followed by his brothers.
Apart from Adnus' Thunderhawk, there are no other vehicles here.
This is a huge hall, the edges of which are hidden in darkness, and three red pirates stand loosely on the deck waiting.
Adnus knew them, the three captains of Huron, who were responsible for the defense of the Eye of Hell. The leader was the middle one, Kelkus, the fourth captain.
Normally, Third Company Commander Nasir Wotek should also be here at this time.
However, something seemed to have happened to him a week ago, and he left in his ship, the Tyrant's Claw, as if he was going to do some big business.
Adnus didn't care about this. He also hated the arrogant and rough guy, and fully understood the reason why Huron didn't take that guy with him on this expedition - most of the time he only did bad things.
"Dear Lord Adnus, welcome back."
Following Kelkus's greeting, the two company commanders on his left and right also bowed their heads slightly.
Huron attaches great importance to and respects the champions and warriors under his command, and also requires his subordinates to respect these champions. Therefore, although Adnus is only the leader of a small warband, in front of these company commanders, he can enjoy the second best Huron Rite.
In this regard, it was not just luck that Huron was able to amass such a powerful force in such a short period of time.
Adnus smiled.
"I also pay you the highest respect."
The words were calm, and the sincerity in them was clearly visible.
"Did the patrol mission go well?"
"Everything went well, there was nothing unusual around, except that the news from Nasir Wotek was suddenly interrupted."
The scar extending to Kelkus's mouth moved, and everyone knew that his relationship with the third company commander was tense.
"Maybe he's busy with something."
"I guess so."
Adnus nodded, turned around and walked towards the depths of the star fort, with Kelkus following behind him.
As they gradually approached the center of the star fort, Adnus realized that the power of the subspace had penetrated most of the main structure of the star fort. The semi-descended demons escaped from the edge of his vision and hid in the dark to observe secretly.
Entering a main passage, Adnus stopped.
The buzzing of the power armor and the sound of armor boots hitting the ground were accompanied by vibrations.
In the passage, he met another "stranger" unexpectedly.
Malek, the leader of the remaining black armored guards of the Eighth Legion, his skin is as pale as a corpse, his whole person is wrapped gloomily in the obsidian-like cavalry terminator, peeled human skin and bones can be seen everywhere on the surface of the armor, and the eighth The characteristic lightning pattern of the Legion.
"Good morning, Lord Adnus."
Malek's voice cracked.
"Although I'm happy for your arrival, I didn't expect to meet here."
"Do we need to make an appointment in advance for our meeting? I will only show up where I am needed."
Adnus glanced at Kelkus.
"I'm needed here, aren't I."
Malek did not answer, but a different meaning flashed in Kelkus's eyes.
"Any warrior is welcome in my master's court."
"I have something else to do, so I won't talk anymore."
After saying that, Malek took heavy steps and missed Adnus' right side.
After he disappeared around the corner, Adnus whispered.
"Keep an eye on him and his leather traders during this period. No matter what they do, report to me in time."
"yes."
