Over the next month, the tyranid swarm gets slowly reduced, as we cautiously fire a few more vortex torpedoes at the largest remaining bioships, and unload fresh supplies of normal torpedoes, then run back to re-arm at any free shipyard.
The last vortex creates a rift that almost didn't close, and gives me a scare.
Millions of demons kept emerging from that rift over a few hours, until the Tyrand Silence managed to suppress it and close it down. However, the howling demons did massacre thousands of bioships before then got ripped to bits and sent back to Immaterium.
"It seems the current size of the swarm is the cutoff, for safe-ish use of the vortex warheads" I muse out loud, and Signus agrees with me while sweating bullets.
"Indeed, Captain. Perhaps my plan to use a Warp engine detonation was quite foolish, in hindsight." he mutters in a shy voice.
I wave his fears away. "This time we were fortunate to receive the amazing torpedoes from Estaban. But even without them, a sacrifice ship will work. We just need to take care how we use it, while the Silence is still strong enough." I explain in a calm tone, and I see Rookie take note of that, nodding and muttering to himself.
I visit the Xeno artifact hidden under the Gellar generator, where Rose spends her days under the reality-imposing blanket of the Gellar field. Even in stasis, the empathic link to my contact list still works, although not the rest of the abilities, which possibly need the console to be returned to Pharos, or a similar installation elsewhere. I remember the beacons being part of a large, galactic wide network, so there should be others. Just like the webways of the Eldar.
Maintaining contact with Gyron and my distant family makes everything better, for a few minutes.
Rose is barely able to function, so close to the Silence, and her weasel-like Acolyte has taken over most of the Inquisitor duties, even going around with a Rossete hanging from his neck.
Fortunately, his duties take him away from my ship, as he quickly terminates any dissent among our allies, forcing the newcomers to comply and obey to his orders.
As more and more traders and nobles and various Navy vessels arrive at battlefield, the tides turn in humanity's favor, but these ships need to work in concert and focus fire and keep a tight formation for mutual protection.
More time passes, and the fight goes on for a whole year, with Triplex Phall revealing more advanced machines and weapons, and even providing free repair and minor upgrades to sensors and point defense systems for their impromptu Allies.
If only humanity could work together like this, all the time. Just like they did in the days of the Emperor, right?
Every week I rotate out the ground battalions to give equal experience to all my troops, and heal up or repair the damaged grenadiers and marines, or replenish missiles and fuel.
The Litany is sadly too small and poorly designed for ground support operations. It might be the pimpest light cruiser there is, but that's only in void combat.
Lord Whitelance is a real hero on the frontlines, slashing into Tyranid bugs with his Power Sword and drilling burning holes with the multi-melta gun, his single Knight doing the same damage as an Astartes squad.
He can't move as fast, and jump-pack from crisis to crisis like they do, but the troops always cheer when he stands beside them. They would be safe, now that he is there to protect them.
And Minoris did assemble a few Power Shields to install on his chassis, which increase his defense ten times.
By the second year, we are starting to push back, retaking lost land and even win a few skirmishes in the void, baiting and massacring a few clusters of bioships.
By the third year, most of the planet surface has been liberated, and the shipyards resume minimal operations, refitting and finishing up the smallest Navy ships, adding armor plates and extra guns.
In the fourth year, a corridor is opened up through the swarm, allowing barges and transport ships to pass through, and bring in fresh supplies. One by one, all the remaining destroyers and frigates are completed, and the Mechanicus resumes completing the first light cruiser.
Our fleet strikes become bigger, and we can eliminate a hundred bioships at every sortie. Then two hundred, then three.
By the fifth year, the tyranid swarm is in tatters, getting hounded and hunted by packs of torpedo boats and blasted by cruisers and battlecruisers once they were injured and the carapace cracked.
So, I make my way to the Fabricator General and gift him my new templates, the Sentinels and the quad-lasers and multi-lasers and nearly everything else I can, without infringing the other 'patents' already owned by another Forge World.
One of them is a Chimera personnel carrier upgraded with a simple plasma rector and a Volcano Lance, though no room remains for passengers. It's basically a cheap main battletank, and even has two Power Shields on the glacis and the turret.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
With another multi-laser to serve as close defense, this machine should prove itself right here.
There are still pockets of Tyranids on the planet and the moons, but Chimeras are rated for NBC terrain and the ultraviolet auspex allows fighting in fog or pollution just like in chemical gas or acid rain.
The Fabricator General pats my shoulder with a tentacle and sighs. "I will try it, Trader Pef. But I doubt the Red Planet will allow mass-production for the Liberation pattern Chimera. It would provide the Astra Militarum with too much firepower and independence of supplies. If only there was a Rhino tank with a similar pattern." he advises me without breaking protocol. The Astartes and their serf auxiliaries can use it then.
"I do seem to recall to have seen something like that, somewhere. Anyway, the skitarii would be glad to have superior firepower on their side, right?" I ask rhetorically.
The skitarii would be glad to chop off their own arms and legs if a tech-priests tells them to, and has the right authorization codes.
He chuckles and sputters a few electric crackles, like I said a good Mechanicus joke. "Yes they will. Now let me see one of those famous corvette patterns the ancients were so proud of."
I provide another dataslate and the Fabricator examines it for a long minute. As a latter design, the Liberation pattern corvette incorporates all the newest discoveries, including quad Volcano Lances as main batteries, 4 of them, and a plasma cannon with its own dedicated plasma reactor.
On the broadsides, there are triple-linked macro-cannons with gravity fed magazines and banks of quad multilasers for point defense. Also, armored skirts to the sides, that would protect against acid or plasma, or deflect piercing shells from hitting the weaker armor straight on.
He shakes his head slightly. "The plasma cannon is nice, but too fickle for mass-production. It has to go. The escape shuttle will make the Liberation popular with Navy officers, and those protective panels to the side will provide extra protection, for a few times. Easy to replace after battle as well. But the ancients were wise. That whole plasma cannon turret and its reactor can be installed on the light cruisers already in dock. We'll test the feasibility for a few decades before we decide."
I shrug like it doesn't concern me. "There are a couple Admirals here. You could ask if they would want 3000 corvettes to fill patrol routes and chase pirates."
The Fabricator glances at his cogitator, then waves a metallic tentacle in defeat. Of course the Navy would want them.
"My Forge World is still recovering from the invasion, but you, or your House have two Favors with us. For the STCs and the aid against the Tyranid xenos. Come back in a few decades if you want ships." he says in a sad voice.
Well, I won't push it if things are that bad.
"Ships can wait. But some nice heavy tanks and replacements for the lost armor during the siege?" I wonder in a polite tone.
The Magos powers up the holoscreen and lets me see his wares. A dozen more Baneblades, a hundred Sentinels, a thousand Chimeras. This seemed to be an order for a Guard regiment, that I will simply get for free.
The Army will still receive their tanks, but a bit later. A Tyranid invasion was reason enough for a delay.
"These machines would be enough right now. But they need a bit of work and upgrades. And as a bonus, I will live test the Liberation pattern Chimeras for free." I offer in a slightly smug voice.
"Denied. A hundred of them will suffice for live testing. I'll even add 500 Hydra anti-air platforms, from the goodness of my heart." the Fabricator declares, holding a metal hand over his belly.
I think it's a joke...but not so certain. But the balance is not right yet.
Anyway. "A few tiny things more. My bridge crew might need savant implants, and the big marine outside too. Anti-aging injections for my clan. The flesh is weak, as you surely know, Fabricator." I demand with an innocent voice.
A string of binary curses and a litany of complaints follows. I just wait, since arguing with the Mechanicus simply doesn't work.
They will do what they want anyway.
"Can I expect one of those famous relic transports to arrive at my Forge World too?" he asks when he calms down.
The news spread fast huh? Then again, Antax, Metalica, Tigrus and Estaban already received theirs. He wants some, and feels entitled.
"Yes. But that is a gift only. I'll try to send more here, because you have the big shipyards. A dozen adamantium transports and one of those battleships might finish early, maybe even this century." I answer in a softer tone and turn around.
He doesn't try to stop me, probably too busy cogitating the surprise news.
But before we finish loading the troops and supplies, I get two hundred Volcano Lance Chimeras for my armor regiment, so he did hear me anyway.
Good guys, my Mechanicus friends.
There is still Forge Ryza to visit one day, but I wasted enough time in the Imperium.
I order my fleet to gather around, and we depart for Ilevar.
The weasel guy doesn't join, so he is possibly heading to Terra for his Inquisitor rank. I still don't like him.