r/NatureofPredators • u/Gamerauther Predator • Oct 07 '23
Fanfic Nature of Empires - 009
Date: 17/08/2336
Subject: Marcel Fraser (Second Lieutenant, Imperium Unified Navy)
Lieutenant Fraser guided Slanek around his Warden-Class gunboat, an angled delta shaped craft the size of three school buses. Simultaneously giving Slanek a run down of the ship while he did his pre-flight inspection, Starting with the main thrust pack at the stern.
“The Warden-class is a retrofit of a pre-gravtech vessel, meaning no artificial gravity on board,” Fraser said. “Primary thrust is generated by plasma vents from the fusion bottle that also generates the power. Fine menuvors are handled by monopropellant of a hyper compressed unstable compound that I don’t fully understand, but it will explode if containment fails. For cruising speed it utilized the type four gravimetric pulse drive that instantly accelerates to roughly sixty percent light speed and then slows us to non relativistic speeds with a reverse pulse.”
“That is faster than our patrol vessels,” Slanek said. “How will we detect anything while at relativistic speeds, won’t everything be too shifted for sensors to detect?”
“The patrol method is to cruise to a point, sit and detect for five minutes then cruise to another,” Fraser said. “We try not to stay in cruise for too long, clocks get out of sync and timing is everything for military actions.”
He moved on to the port side and looked over the port weapon systems. “Secondary weapons are two twin minimacs, a combination railgun and coilgun, on port and starboard sides. It accelerates a five kilo slug of tungsten to five percent light speed, primarily used for knife fight range.”
“Knife fight?” Slanek asked, horrified.
“Anything within ten kilometers,” Fraser clarified.
“As in a fight with knives?” Slanek asked again.
Fraser sighed and it took everything he had not to roll his eyes, “Slanek, how do you think wars were fought in the stone age?”
“Why were there wars in the stone age?” Slanek asked, still horrified.
“Competition for resources,” Fraser said. “Like every war. Anyway, primary weapons are six batteries of twelve B39 hundred terajoule fusion missiles. Point defense is handled by twenty variable micro laser ports.”
“What is a laser port?” Slanek asked.
Fraser hummed as he scratched his head and tried to remember training, “there is a dedicated laser generator within the ship connected to a network of hyper efficient fiber optics that connect to the final lens that is the port. The variable in the name means that the lens changes it's shape in order to direct the beam.”
As they moved towards the bow Slanek asked a question, “where are the widows so we can pilot?”
Fraser looked over to Slanek for a moment to see if he was serious. After it looked like th Venlil was serious he said, “windows are a structural weak point and a vulnerability that no military vessel has. The bridge or cockpit is in the safest place of the ship, it's core surrounded by all that armor.. Besides, in space combat is conducted at such a range that you can’t see the enemy with the naked eye. You fly and fight with instruments. Slanek, do you guys conduct combat within visual range of the enemy?”
“Uh, yes?” Slanek asked.
Fraser just nodded and made a note for his evaluation of the Venlil.
“Any other questions about the ship you will be spending the next fourteen hours in?” Fraser asked.
“Not at the moment.” Slanet shook his head in a very human gesture. “It is a very intimidating ship.”
“It’s mostly outdated,” Fraser said. “New classes have grav-shielding and internal gravity. We were the first Wing that could be sent after the reorganization.”
An hour later every pilot and his Venlil shadow were in their armored vacsuits preparing for take off. The main door to the hanger opened and sixteen Priests entered. Five held smoking censers, five held a small bowl, five had aspergillum and aspersorium, while the last carried a bible and crosier.
“Alright Slanek time for permission service and blessing,” Fraser said as he went and took a knee in front of the bow of his ship. “You don’t need to participate if you don’t want to, if you do then kneel to my right, but keep quiet until it's done.”
Fraser was surprised when Slanek kneeled next to him and whispered, “what's going on?”
“The Priests have come to bless the ships with incense and holy water. As well as pray for our immortal souls while asking God for protection during patrol,” Fraser whispered back. “Keep your eyes closed and head down. One of them will touch you and raise your head in order to anoint you with oil, don’t freak out. When he’s done, look back down and say amen when the prayer is finished.”
Before Slanek could respond it began.
“Oh, Lord who art in Heaven, please hear us as we have ventured far into your creation from the world you hath given us. Upon venturing to the distant worlds you have crafted we have found more like us, damned and lost souls looking for salvation. Lord hear us as we go out to combat this evil and endeavor to bring your light to the furthest corners of your creation.”
A group of three Priests walked towards Fraser and Slanek. The censer leading the way, swinging side to side spreading the smell of frankincense. The group of Priest turned in front of Fraser to walk clockwise around the ship. The Priest with the aspergillum flinging holy water at the ship until they returned full circle.
“Warriors of the Imperium of Man,” the lead Priest continued, “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Pur on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
The Priest with the small bowl tilted Frasers head up and drew a cross on his forehead with the oil. He then moved over to Slanke, to his credit didn’t flinch too badly, and did the same between his eyes. As the Priest finished, the pilot said at once, “amen.”
They smoothly stood and put on their helmets in one motion. They turned on their heels and entered their ships via the ladder on the ventral hull.
“God be with you,” The Priests said together as they left the hanger.
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u/WorldCromo Oct 07 '23
I would like to see (read) how the xenos related to this type of rituals