Крип / Kryp: Отряд_2.11

Chapter 11

Camrad_RIP 16.11.21 в 19:52

The legendary 'Kowalski' had recently come off the Iron Ring slipway, a mere two hundred and sixteen Martian years ago, and seemed juvenile compared to the elderly monsters that remembered the Olympic Treaty. But service in convoys ages prematurely.

Camrad_RIP 16.11.21 в 20:04

'Kowalski' was a heavy transport cruiser, so far the only one of its kind. 'Detect the enemy, engage, destroy'. This was the first and foremost task of a warship, and 'Kowalski' was well equipped to carry it out as quickly and efficiently as possible. And yet the main occupation of the ship remained the timely delivery of cargo with the ability to kick anyone who encroached on Mars property.

Camrad_RIP 16.11.21 в 20:05

With a displacement of just over thirty-six megatons, the 'Kowalski' was a deep modification of the famous 'Lunar' type, the predecessor of the 'Dictator' class cruisers. Five and a half kilometers long with a diameter of only seven hundred meters at the midship, with a rounded upper stem, a square cruising stern, and a ribbed, blind tank below the keel technical deck, 'Kowalski' seemed an amazingly fast, taut ship. It had a very menacing appearance.

Camrad_RIP 16.11.21 в 20:09

Since birth 'Kowalski' rarely sailed on traditional routes, and the crew knew no other life. Initially, the ship wandered mostly alone, carrying individual Collegium manipulas, sometimes escorting detachments of two or three heavy transports. Then it was switched to joint operations with frigates and buccaneer cruisers. Now, 'Kowalski' metaphorically speaking, didn't make a move without a squadron that belonged to the 14th Supplies Group of the Ships Forges. But in fact, 'Kowalski' had never been alone before. Entropy, the embodiment of destructive doom, was on its heels. As soon as it pointed the logarithm of the number of available microstates at Hive Tanker 'Goliath', the nearest star paled against the hellish explosion of solar plasma. Barely touched by the probability distribution of the 'Coffin', the latter, slashed in two by an enemy torpedo, entered the atmosphere in a swarm of debris of divine Titans in fiery swathes.

Camrad_RIP 16.11.21 в 20:19

Entropy enveloped the escort destroyer in thermodynamic dissipation, and it rushed into the lead-shining depths of the Immaterium, and the stunned, numb with terror crew begged only for a crack in the solid hull, bringing an instant merciful demise rather than an agonizing death from transformation into the Dark in a distorted metal coffin.

Camrad_RIP 16.11.21 в 20:19

Yes, everywhere 'Kowalski' appeared, Entropy appeared too - but it never touched him. It was a lucky ship, an invincible cruiser for whom Galactica was home.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 08:53

Invincibility was, of course, an illusion, but a carefully calculated one. The 'Kowalski' was designed for specific missions in specific environments, and the Iron Ring Forges knew their business. By the mere appearance of 'Kowalski', a knowledgeable Magos could tell that this ship was designed for the St. Evisser's Path.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 08:54

It was an unworthy name for half a dozen inhabited worlds (of which no more than two could be considered developed), scattered along an arm that could accommodate three or five sectors of the Ultima Segment. Too few even to declare the region a subsector. A single World Forge, far from the most advanced of the Adeptus Mechanicus strongholds, fully supplied all the Imperial Fleet, Guard, and Adeptus Arbitres forces stationed on the Path. And though the lifeless, barren star systems could not serve as a base for any serious xenos threat, prosperity had long since left the planets of Path. Once majestic temples that attracted pilgrims from all over Segment Solar now stood abandoned amidst dilapidated, half-empty metropolises.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 08:56

Through this void, however, was the shortest and most relatively stable route, the link between Sacred Terra and the Pacificus Segment. Fleet squadrons and Adeptus Astartes ships moved through the Gates of Fire to aid Maharia, Donian, and the Sabbat worlds.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 09:00

Navigational beacons, astropathic stations, supply bases. In general, the Imperium's infrastructure on the Path. Could not be protected by the usual methods, i.e. regiments of the Guard, orbital fortresses, and battleship squadrons. This would have required resources unimaginable and unaffordable for the feral worlds of the Path. So even a couple of old cruisers in the hands of renegades, or an Orc wanderer accidentally dropped out of warp, could threaten the Imperium's supply of troops. And they threatened with depressing regularity. In such a situation, only a fast-moving transport capable of promptly leaving a group of Titans or a legion of Skitarii on a besieged planet was a key element in the measured, stable operation of a transport artery. And 'Kowalski' had long ago become one of the key links in that system.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 09:06

Voidmancer-Captain Valler was experienced enough as a combat commander to know the value of the vigilance not only of the cogitators, but also of the techpriest at the detection posts, capable of calculating the best course for the combat mission. 'Kowalski' was the highest achievement of Adeptus Mechanicus since the Schism, the apotheosis of the desire to merge the gifts of Omnissiah, the God-Machine, and the Driving Force to create the ultimate instrument of destruction. A magnificent fighting machine. But only as long as it was under the control of a trusted cogitator, an experienced captain, and faithful techno-jerks who conjured up the binary code of the Spirit Machine. The cruiser, like any Bazilikon Astra ship, was only as good as the purity and loyalty of its senior Voidmancers to Omnissiah.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 09:12

And the 'Kowalski' Magosas were in a moment of collective bewilderment.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 09:13

Forty-six hours ago, one of the XJ-9 small escort ships came out of warp, hurrying to the rendezvous point, but received a directional transmission that came from a verified hexacode. The order to lower shields and stand by to receive cargo seemed to come from the void. The Auspexes registered along the direction of the beam an absolute void for millions of kilometers. The most careful analysis yielded no results. Among other things, the distortions typical of the Eldar holoshields were ruled out.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 10:10

However, an order is an order, and immediately after blocking the emitters of the void shields, several containers with Forges of Mars insignia teleported from nowhere to the receiving deck, along with a techpriest and three multifunctional servitors. The Adept of Mars then relayed an order, verified by the sigil of Parliament, to obey any orders from the messenger, and accordingly gave instructions to go immediately to meet the flagship of the squadron. That is, with the 'Kowalski'.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 11:42

The techpriest captain wisely decided it wasn't worth asking why his auspexes hadn't detected another ship. An anxious cargo couldn't just appear out of nowhere?! He even wanted to erase the log entry, just in case, which might directly or indirectly prove that the transfer or teleportation had taken place. But he thought better of it. To erase the information was heretical and immoral! He limited himself to multi-level encryption so that only Mars could unlock the recordings in a couple of hundred years.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 11:45

Magos was quite happy with his current position in the Basilicon Astra hierarchy, and he had forgotten about his career as a Voidmancer centuries ago. Considering that the Captain had outlived many of his comrades and colleagues who had attained command positions on the heavy cruisers and battleships of Adeptus Mechanicus, this approach was not unreasonable and wise.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 11:46

And now the Mars envoy appeared on the bridge of the 'Kowalski'. Theta's Perseus Monitor was a typical mechanicus that had gone quite far in perfecting the flesh, but not so far as to frighten the weak and uncommitted of Omnissiah. Too ordinary for an unconventional appearance.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 11:49

"The order is verified by the digital sigil of the Fabricator-General of Mars. Squadron XJ-Nine Basilicon Astra must change course. In twenty-six standard days, 'Kowalski' should move into high orbit 140101-55524-R54024-52928P10. The current operation is canceled, directives changed."

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 11:50

"The verification of the sigil is complete," one of the servitors said indifferently. "Successful. Confirmed."

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 11:51

Voidmancer of the cyber visionary sector immediately summoned a laser-beam woven fragment of the St. Evisser's Path star map. Not that it was necessary. The bluish light and whimsical shadows of holographic multi-tables had illuminated the command posts of Imperium starships for millennia, but the tactical displays seemed out of place, alien on the bridge of the Adeptus Mechanicus ship. The servants of the Omnissiah, who were allowed to control and make decisions, as well as the brainless automaton servants who maintained the machinery, had no need for lighting or visual displays, much less voice communication. Nevertheless, traditions were strictly observed, perhaps in view of infrequent visits from ordinary people. And on Martian ships, the screens often flickered as they did in the olden days when only the imperfect eyes of ordinary people could see the splendor of space.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 12:06

According to the visualized calculations of the cogitators, the prescribed task could well be accomplished in the prescribed time frame.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 12:20

The silence of the bridge - or rather, the natural acoustic background of the rustling fans and the hum of the thermal control systems - was broken only by the measured, pounding of the metronome. Perseus Theta's Monitor wonders as to why the Voidemancers needed such an anachronism. The dark wooden case and shiny nickel-plated arrow looked utterly alien amid the dim light and peculiar shadows of the holographic multitables. A fragment of an infinitely distant past, an antique piece, whose sole purpose was, to all appearances, to throw any visitor off-balance.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 12:23

Monitor Malevolis stood upright, remaining silent, trapped in his own body like a random guest. He was used to waiting. Besides, six months ago, the curious logis had endured a far more difficult and terrifying ordeal than the ticking metronome on the bridge of a warship. When his actions, dictated only by natural curiosity and his search for new information, drew the attention of Doturov himself. Alas, the attention remained, and the monitor became the executor of the Martian technocrat's will. And sometimes - literally, turning into a live puppet. As, for example, now.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 12:30

The bridge master, the squadron commander, finally stepped away from the holographic visuals and tilted his metal head toward Malevolis, with a necklace of red lenses running the entire circumference. Above the pale yellow schematic ball of some planet, blue half-orbits of ships circled. Judging by the parameters, they belonged to the Mechanicus. The captain's metallic, synthesized voice rang out, so unusual in the realm of numbers, mechanics, and radio waves:

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 12:32

The goal of the squadron's current operation is to supply Farfallen, which, as I'm sure you know, is resisting the attacks of traitors. Sixteen transport 'Coffins' are currently being loaded on the eighth Forge of Magnos Omicron. Adeptus Mechanicus' actions in this project are seventy-six percent complete. Discontinuing them would be a waste of the Forge's resources. The diversion of the cargo would cause massive military losses and could ensure the triumph of the traitors.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 12:33

Voidmanсer-Captain Valler and his crew were clearly demonstrating their displeasure. So much so that the captain preferred to communicate with his guests by sound. For a man, this would have been tantamount to a dialogue with an exchange of notes through a messenger running between floors.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 12:39

"Voyd-man-cer-ca-pi-tan," Doturov pronounced in the rhythm of the ticking antiquity through the mouth of Monitor Malevolis. "Are you doubting Mars' competence?"

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 12:40

Vallier shook his head, the closed circle of lenses impassively reflecting the light of the holoprojection. The translucent ships continued to move along trajectories determined by the laws of celestial mechanics.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 12:43

"No. Actions agreed to by Quaestor have a lower priority," Valier finally muttered. - We are obliged to comply. However, any decision is a compromise between the input conditions and the desired outcome. I do not know the changed plans for the transport ships and the expected benefits. But I am qualified to conclude that without the 'Coffins,' and any delay in supply, the Arbiters cannot effectively perform their duty. The consequences will be complex and negative and will unfold over many standard years, leading to unpredictable ramifications. Is this condition taken into account?"

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 12:45

"Yes. This situation represents a failure of the Administratum and will indeed have devastating consequences," Doturov said dryly, dispassionately. "But it is not a Mechanicus duty to maintain the planet's level of development and security. We are allies, not subordinates of the Administratum, and we are not obligated to solve its problems at any price. Especially problems created by inadequate risk assessment and refusal to follow the plan. The strategy for securing the Farfallen polis is left to the Adeptus Arbitres and the planetary defense forces."

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 12:49

The guest, whose real status remained a mystery, multiplied the captain's displeasure. Vallier did not like useless information exchange, with duplication of knowledge. However, he had to do the unloved thing, to ensure that there was no chance of error. So the captain continued communicating using acoustic vibrations, emphasizing the extent of his criticality. Logis, meanwhile, suddenly gained back control of his own body. The formidable patron and puppeteer at the same time retreated into the shadows, leaving the puppet to conduct further dialogue on its own. It was strange and like a difficult test, one had only to understand its purpose. But Perseus Theta decided to think it over later, for the moment the conversation and responsibility demanded all his intellectual resources.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 12:50

"The strategic situation on the planet poses a threat to the Imperium's supply lines and, in general, may be dangerous to Human settlements on the Path as a whole," Vallier showed stubborn opposition, albeit within acceptable limits. The mechanical voice was measured and dry, but the captain managed to add a palpable amount of displeasure to it.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 12:53

"The strategy to protect Farfallen accepted by the Department Munitorum is a failure," Theta said cautiously. "We have assessed its long-term effects and prospects. Mars no longer sees the need to actively continue to support it."

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 12:55

"Even if we exclude loaded transporters from consideration, the Titans already on 'Kowalski' as well as their future crews could turn the tide on the rebellious planet. Perhaps with that in mind, the transport plans should be revised and at least some of the cargo should be delivered according to the original request."

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 13:02

Vallier, to use the terminology of 'meat' people, looked sternly inward. The captain felt in his own soul the shadows of emotion, the harmful parasitic distortions of the mathematically precise and rigorous thought process blessed by Omnissiah. He felt them and could not overcome them, because unconditional acceptance of the visitor's logic meant...

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 13:05

It meant that the best ship that ever came off the Martian shipyards had been doing nonsense for a year and a half, decomposing resources into non-recyclable and useless elements. The realization of this hurt the captain almost physically. A feeling is forgotten, alien, and therefore doubly painful.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 13:08

"Negative."

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 13:10

At Theta's silent command, the modified visor of the logis went into holo-projection mode.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 13:11

"Let us recall that according to the results of the analysis of Estat Imperium, the use of a single corps of arbitrators was deemed acceptable for the success of the operation. The decision was witnessed by the governor's personal key and the Planetaris quaestor's DNA. They considered the reasoning of the expert panel, which recommended the use of at least three corps, insufficient. It is now clear that this was a mistake."

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 13:25

"The First Expeditionary is the elite of the Marshal of the Path," the captain did not give up. He knew that, in human terminology, he was 'losing face,' and yet he could not admit the ruthless obviousness of the decision.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 13:28

"Quite right," agreed Theta, growing in confidence with every word. "And so the lack of a contingent of three hundred thousand was supposed to be compensated for by an elaborate plan."

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 13:30

Logis was well aware of the Captain's motives and, having no instructions from Doturov, decided to be as merciful as possible in communicating with mechanics who deny ancient, evolutionarily imperfect mechanisms of emotion. In this case, the merciful thing to do was to provide the captain with more information (within his competence, of course) in order to reduce the degree of stochastic fluctuations in his assessment.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 13:32

"The troops were delivered to Farfallen in the holds of the 'Kowalski' one and sixty-four hundredths of a standard year ago. The Arbitrators were required to wait for the arrival of the XJ Nine ships to organize orbital support and deploy a satellite surface monitoring network. As you know, these conditions were not met either."

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 13:34

"Lord Marshal preferred to use the surprise factor."

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 13:36

"The First Corps landed two hundred and forty-seven days before the Adeptus Mechanicus cruiser group arrived. Engaged in active combat before the deployment of a satellite cover formation. Without guaranteed infiltration of native communication channels. At the same time, intelligence provided exhaustive data on the insurgents' possession of atomic munitions of the third and fourth classes..."

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 13:39

"Primitive cruise missiles, unguided, at subsonic speed..."

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 13:43

Now Valliere blessed the slow, unhelpful human speech. The sound gave a special weight, a meaning to the words.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 13:44

Theta ignored Vallières' remark, "The first massive use of which resulted in nine successful detonations out of one hundred and seventy-three. More than five percent, which is categorically unacceptable. With the deployment of the ship's constellation in orbit, as well as the reconnaissance satellites, all the missiles would have been destroyed before launch. Breaking the controlled perimeter of the bridgehead necessitated regrouping the arbitrator forces and reorganizing the planetary defense force with a halt to the offensive."

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 13:47

The absence of lungs removed the natural constraints so that Theta's speech continued without pauses for breath.

Camrad_RIP 17.11.21 в 13:47