Around the previous empty space, now fill with warships firing upon each other, flanking one so that it can fire at a more advantages side.
One of the fleet is from Battlefleet Camelarion, leading by Admiral Hathaway and composed of five Chalice-class battlecruisers, seven Lunar-class cruisers, three Dominator-class cruisers and ten squadrons of Sword frigates. This fleet is assemble from the central fleet that anchor at Camelot system and task with the mission to intercept the rumor Plague fleet before it can reach Camelarion.
Chalice-class battlecruiser is designed in the Calixis Sector, and used solely by Battlefleet Calixis in the original timeline. The battlecruiser was meant to be a fast heavy cruiser, utilizing a combination of light armour and powerful weapons. It had been theorised that this combination would allow the vessel to outrun or outmanoeuvre any ship it could not immediately annihilate. Unfortunately, design flaws caused many problems, some of which included weak armour and a tendency for plasma conduits to rupture under sustained assault.
While it has problems, Atharion still think it's a good ship that capable to fill the slot between battleship and cruiser. Just like the countries that design and build them during the old Terran time, Atharion wish to use the Chalice as the Battlefleet Camelarion main quick response force, as its speed mean that the cruisers and the escorts wont needed to slow down.
And so, Atharion with the help of the Magos on Tharos design the Chalice. In the end, two different blueprints are completed. The design flaws that haunt them in the original timeline are completely remove, but there are some small differences in the blueprints.
The blueprint that Atharion involve the Helfrost system, which allow a stronger plasma generator to be install upon the ship, meaning the Chalice his producing composed of armour that almost at the level of a battleship without effecting it speed. The ship also composed of two heavy lance turrets on the dorsal section.
While the second version lacked the Helfrost enhancements. Armor was improved but only on par with other battlecruisers, and the heavy lance turrets were replaced by two standard lance turrets.
But, Atharion believe it still will catch the eyes of the Imperial Navy as its still a good ship, and also cheaper to build and maintain than the Overlord-class battlecruiser.
And true to his believes, the ship is quickly accepted by Bakka and enter production stage just after six months. A little too fast but the Battlefleet Bakka is rumour to suffer a significant lose during their Crusades to reclaim the lost worlds during the Reign of Blood.
Not wanting to wait for the replacement that will never arrive from Mars, the Segmentum officials pass the edict on constructing total of twenty of them with the blessing of the Tech-Priests of Forge world Bakka. Though they also have sent a copy to Mars and Terra for records and legitimacy reason.
While Mars have voiced their rage on Bakka to incorporate a design that didn't have their sanction, they feel like Bakka is trying to break free from their rules. But with the other High Lords didn't think much about, and some even feel happy about this, the matter is resovle peacefully.
But, Atharion is sure that Mars will be checking the blueprint into every detail so that they can punish Bakka for their decision.
Then, some might think why does Mars planning only on punishing Bakka and not Tharos, and by the extant, Atharion with Camelarion and Dark Knight.
That because Atharion already bride them.
The schematics for the Contemptor and Deredeo Dreadnoughts, the MK IV Maximus power armour, the Scimitar Jetbike, and the Javelin Attack Speeder had already been gifted to Mars—specifically to Fabricator-General Gastaph Hediatrix—before he departed Terra at the end of the Apostasy.
Many on Mars remained sceptical of how Atharion had acquired these items, particularly the Scimitar and Javelin, which are easier to produce and maintain than their records—dating back to the Great Crusade and the Heresy—would suggest.
However, some chose to turn a blind eye, especially those of Magos or Archmagos rank. They argued that, with so many STCs and schematics yet to be discovered, Atharion may have uncovered patterns that their predecessors were unable to locate. After all, among the schematics, even the STCs that already recovered, minor variations in the same item are almost always present.
Hediatrix and his retinue had already observed the Scimitar and Javelin firsthand during the siege of the Ecclesiarchal Palace. They noted how the Techmarines of the Dark Knight maintained the equipment and, while there were small deviations from standard Mars practice, these remained within acceptable parameters.
In recognition of this contribution, Hediatrix promised to turn a blind eye to Atharion's use of equipment lost to Mars. Later, when Tharos was discovered, Atharion provided the schematic for the advanced medical equipment. To his surprise—though not entirely unexpected—Mars immediately accepted it once they verified that the designs could indeed be manufactured in large numbers and functioned exactly as Atharion had claimed.
Under the Treaty of Olympus, the Adeptus Mechanicus is required to provide the Imperium with any requested war-machines. Yet, as the Primarchs vanished and the Emperor remained enthroned upon the Golden Throne, the Mechanicus had grown more independent. While they continued supplying war-related equipment, the Forge Worlds would only provide the minimum required amounts, often claiming their quotas from Terra or Mars had already been met. Almost all war-related production was provided free of charge, meaning the Forge Worlds produced enormous quantities without receiving additional raw materials or reductions in their original tithes.
For non-war equipment, however, the Mechanicus were free to charge a price, and among all such items, nothing was more sought after than medical equipment. When Mars received the STC, they were practically salivating at the prospect of such a lucrative and valuable design.
Observing their reaction, Atharion leveraged the situation to bargain for the right to manufacture Centurion armour in Avalon rather than Tharos, gaining greater autonomy and reducing his dependency on Tharos for all Astartes equipment.
===
"Order Promis of Death and Promis of Life to move towards L-92 and engage the two battleships," Admiral Hathaway said calmly, remaining seated on the command throne. "Task Force W-03 is to intercept the traitor cruiser squadron—I don't want them attacking us from the rear."
As his orders were executed, the man beside him, wearing the same uniform but clearly younger and of lower rank, turned his head.
"Uncle," the young man said, sitting in a command chair less extravagant than Hathaway's. "Why can't we wait for the main fleet before beginning the attack? Even as the vanguard, aren't we committing too many of our assets?"
"Why?" Hathaway replied, his eyes still locked on the holographic projection of the battlefield. "Are you afraid the others will usurp us? Gain influence while we lose?"
The young man said nothing, busy instead directing his adjutants to relay his orders to both his ship and the task force he commanded.
"Of course," he finally exclaimed after finishing. "You see how they treated House Wensert after losing to an Ork pirate raid. They were practically driven out of the Central Fleet, leaving the only remaining member of their house—a Commodore—commanding an escort squadron with a single Dauntless as his flagship."
"Well, you can't have everything, my dear nephew," Hathaway said with a thin smile. "Lord Atharion has given us the chance to prove ourselves, regardless of our lineage. And if one fails… they will be certain to pay the price."
"At least they weren't sent to a penal world or executed for their failure," Hathaway continued. "After all, the men lost their Chalice and the entire battlegroup—except for a battered escort squadron."
"They—and their lineage—would have been executed for such a loss if they served in the Imperial Navy," Hathaway added grimly.
The young man said nothing further, choosing instead to focus on the battle, unwilling to dwell on the possible failures that could cost not only his own life, but those of everyone dear to him.
The Plague Fleet they facing now composed of three battleship, five grand cruisers, seventeen cruisers and twenty-four escort squadrons.
Warp-rot and Nurgle's corruption twisted their hulls beyond proper identification. Auspex returns could determine tonnage and rough configuration—but not class. The vessels were bloated, swollen with diseased growths and pulsating protrusions, as if the ships themselves were alive and rotting at the same time.
But the warships were not the worst of it.
It was what they carried.
"Fate Bringer has been boarded!" a vox-officer shouted. "Estimation: twelve boarding torpedoes have successfully penetrated the hull!"
The command deck went silent for half a heartbeat.
"Has the captain said anything?" Hathaway asked, eyes fixed through the armored bridge viewport toward the Fate Bringer, one of the five Chalice-class capital ships holding the line.
"The captain reports he will do his duty. The Fate Bringer will not fall to traitor hands," the officer replied.
Hathaway exhaled slowly.
"Inform the Master-of-Arms to go to full readiness. Looks like the traitors do not wish to waste time with us."
As if summoned by his words, reality tore open.
A vast warp rift split the void behind the Plague Fleet—an ulcer in space itself. Sickly green lightning arced across its edges as something immense forced its way through.
The flagship emerged.
Terminus Est.
The corrupted hull of the ancient battleship slid into realspace like a corpse rising from a grave. Its silhouette was unmistakable—even through the bloated growths and writhing filth clinging to its armor.
The flagship of Typhus.
A hush fell across the bridge.
"Confirm visual," an auspex officer whispered. "Plague Fleet command vessel identified."
Hathaway's jaw tightened.
"Inform Camelot," he said, voice grim but steady. "Terminus Est confirmed. We will hold as long as possible."
"Aye, sir."
Before the signal could even finish transmitting, the corrupted battleship fired.
Green-black lances of impossible energy tore across the void. Two Lunar-class cruisers were struck simultaneously—void shields collapsing instantly. Their hulls ruptured in cascading detonations, reactor cores going critical within seconds.
The explosions bloomed like dying suns.
On the bridge, no one spoke.
"Glory to the Emperor," Hathaway murmured.
"Glory to Camelot."
Outside, the void war became a slaughter.
===
Scapha Flux
Around the Scapha Flux, vast formations of warships were assembling.
Scapha Flux served as the headquarters of Battlefleet Camelarion, a colossal naval bastion constructed around the moon Caelus Minor—one of the satellites of Camelot.
At its heart lay the Grand Anchorage. The moon's orbit had been engineered into a controlled gravitational basin, allowing battleships to anchor in vast concentric defensive rings. Cruiser squadrons formed layered patrol grids between them, while escort frigates maintained constant picket screens along the perimeter.
The entire installation was further protected by macro-batteries and lance arrays embedded across the moon's surface, creating a defensive envelope that resembled a rising tide of steel and fire.
Dominating the complex was the Admiralty Spire.
Rising from the moon's surface and piercing into orbit, the Spire was a colossal cathedral-like structure of adamantium and stained voidglass. It served as the administrative heart of the fleet. Within its vaulted halls, countless Adepts labored over logistics, ensuring every vessel under Battlefleet Camelarion remained supplied, reinforced, and combat-ready.
The Admirals maintained their strategiums within the Spire. At its pinnacle resided the Lord Admiral himself. The structure also housed Camelarion's second-largest Astropathic Choir, allowing orders to be transmitted across the sub-sector with minimal delay.
Deep within the Spire stood the Throne of the Star Tides—a vast command dais surrounded by 360-degree tactical projection arrays. From here, the Admiralty could observe and command every major fleet movement in and around Camelarion in real time.
And now, every Admiral present within the system stood within that chamber.
At their head stood the Lord Admiral Revil.
Around them, the projection arrays flared to life.
The image of the Plague Fleet burned in cold green light—four battleships, five grand cruisers, seventeen cruisers, and two dozen escort squadrons. Warp distortions pulsed behind them like a festering wound in reality.
And at the center of it all—
The massive, corrupted silhouette of Typhus' flagship.
Terminus Est.
Silence held the chamber.
"How's Hathaway's fleet?" Revil said, his eye still focused on the Terminus Est. "How many survived?"
His adjutant stepped forward, bowing slightly to him and the Admirals. He tapped his dataslate, and a holographic display flickered to life, projecting a list of ships that had once served under Hathaway's command—or what remained of them.
"My Lords, according to the information gathered, this is the list compiled by the Strategos Chamber," the adjutant said, gesturing toward the shifting hololithic image. "The surviving vessels are as follows:
"One Chalice-class battlecruiser.
Two Lunar-class cruisers.
Three squadrons of Sword-class frigates."
A murmur passed among the assembled officers.
"That is all?" one of the Admirals asked quietly.
The adjutant inclined his head. "Yes, my Lord. The rest are confirmed destroyed or missing in the warp. Several escorts attempted emergency translation during the height of the engagement. None have reemerged."
Revil remained silent, studying the glowing runes that marked each surviving hull. So few. Once, Hathaway's fleet had blotted out the void with its massed broadsides. Now it was reduced to a splintered spear.
"And their condition?" Revil asked at last.
"The Chalice-class battlecruiser reports severe structural damage along the port side. Void shields are unstable, and its main lance batteries are offline. One Lunar-class cruiser is combat-capable but operating at reduced efficiency. The other has suffered engine damage and is currently under tow by the frigate squadrons."
Revil did not hesitate.
"Clear Dockyards A-01 through A-07 immediately. Inform the presiding Magos that full repair rites are to begin the moment those vessels translate into anchorage. I want restoration prioritized over refit."
"Yes, Lord Admiral."
Another Admiral stepped forward, tension sharp in his voice.
"Where is the Second Interception Fleet? We require time before the Central Fleet can be fully deployed."
"The fleet has departed from Base NE-03 at full strength," the adjutant answered. The holographic display shifted, replacing Hathaway's scattered battlegroup with a fresh formation.
"Composition as follows: one Emperor-class battleship, two Chalice-class battleships, five Lunar-class cruisers, five Dictator-class cruisers, and thirteen escort squadrons. Commanded by Vice Admiral Ravian."
The projection zoomed outward, tracing an intercept vector across the system map.
"They are projected to engage the Plague Fleet in the OI-928 system if the traitors continue along the calculated invasion corridor."
Silence settled over the chamber as the implications hung heavy in the air.
Revil folded his hands behind his back.
"Vice Admiral Ravian will not defeat them," he said calmly. "He is buying us time."
The display flickered, the corrupted mass of the Plague Fleet pulsing like a cancer at the edge of the projection.
"Time," Revil continued, "is the only currency we require."
He turned toward the Throne of the Star Tides.
"Signal Vice Admiral Ravian. He is to delay the enemy at all costs. If he must trade hull for hour, so be it. The Central Fleet will deploy the moment our reserve squadrons complete rearmament."
"What of Tharos?" another Admiral asked, his voice strained. "Has the Fabricator-General answered our call for aid?"
"Yes," the adjutant replied, bringing up a new hololithic transmission. "The Fabricator-General has confirmed he will prepare a fleet to meet the threat. However, as with our own situation, he requires time to assemble it."
Low murmurs spread across the chamber once more. Time. Always time.
Revil's expression did not change.
"And Lord Xaxir?" he asked quietly, so only his adjutant could hear. "Has he sent any transmission?"
The adjutant inclined his head.
"Yes, my lord. Lord Xaxir has informed Master Valeix and Master Ronan of the situation. Mobilization protocols are underway."
A pause.
"Lord Atharion has also been notified. According to Lord Xaxir, he is making for home at full speed."
Revil allowed himself the smallest nod.
"Good."
He turned back toward the vast projection of the war unfolding beyond Scapha Flux. The Plague Fleet advanced like an inevitable storm, already laying siege to several outer systems as it pushed steadily inward.
He was about to resume the strategic briefing when a sharp chime cut through the chamber.
"My lord!" the auspex officer called out. "Auspex detects a warp translation spike at Point-92. Dark Knights designation!"
Every Admiral turned toward the display.
The hololithic sphere shifted, magnifying the outer edge of the system. Space rippled—then split—reality folding inward in a controlled, disciplined translation.
Not the diseased rupture of Chaos.
A precise insertion.
One strike cruiser emerged first—sleek, angular, its hull marked by sable heraldry. Then another. And another.
Within seconds, a full Astartes battlegroup translated into realspace—elements of the 6th and 10th Companies of the Dark Knights deploying in disciplined, layered formation.
Then the true scale of their arrival became clear.
Three Battle Barges.
Ten Strike Cruisers.
Twelve escort squadrons.
The Battle Barges took central position immediately, vast cathedral-ships of war, armored prows turning toward the outer system like drawn blades. Their lance arrays powered to readiness, dorsal batteries cycling through firing solutions even as void shields stabilized from translation shock.
The Strike Cruisers formed a forward assault screen—tight, aggressive wedges designed not for static defense, but penetration. They were already accelerating, drives burning bright as they pushed outward from Scapha Flux.
The twelve escort squadrons fanned wide, forming overlapping picket lines.
In the Admiralty Spire, tactical projections recalculated in real time.
Then the vox cut across the chamber—Chapter encryption overriding standard fleet channels without hesitation.
"Scapha Flux, this is Valeix," the voice intoned, calm and utterly assured. "By the authority of the Supreme Grand Master, I assume overall command of the vanguard formation. Muster all vessels capable of immediate deployment. I will take them forward to meet the traitors."
A ripple moved through the chamber. Several Admirals stiffened.
Valeix continued without pause.
"Tharos has already dispatched a vanguard fleet. Their elements are translating along a parallel vector to ours. We will converge before contact with the Plague Fleet's main body."
The hololith shifted, recalculating vectors in streaks of cold blue light.
A new formation resolved into view.
Tharos battlefleet composed of two Retribution-class battleships, one Emperor-class battleships, five Lunar-class cruisers and ten escort squadrons.
Mechanicus sigils burned beside each hull marker, accompanied by binaric cant streaming across the display.
"I understand, Master Valeix," Revil said, voice measured and steady.
He turned to the woman standing at his right.
"Admiral Octavia," he said, meeting her gaze, "you will lead the naval vanguard and join Master Valeix."
The woman saluted.
"Yes, Lord Admiral." Octavia answer, then she begin to walk towards the exit with her adjutants closely behind her.
"Good," Valeix said. "I'm looking forwards to see how the central fleet that Supreme Grand Master have invested fight, don't fail us."
The moment he finished speaking, the vox suddenly cut out, leaving a thin static hiss in its place.
"Admiral Ovlesser," Revil turn towards the tallest and largest of the Admiral present. "assign your best Voidsmen regiments to Admiral Octavia, she will require every help she can in defending her ships from the traitor boarding parties."
"You don't have to tell me, Revil," Ovlesser said, his voice rough, clipped, and carrying an undercurrent of disdain that made several of the other Admirals scowl. "I've already dispatched the 12th and 13th Voidsmen regiments to her command. They're ready to board, repel, or die as needed."
Admiral Ovlesser, while holding the rank of Admiral, commanded no ships of his own. His purview lay entirely with the Voidsmen regiments—human soldiers trained to prevent enemy boarding actions, conduct counter-boarding operations, suppress uprisings aboard assigned vessels, and act as escorts for navy officers. Unlike the standard Voidsmen of the Imperial Navy, Atharion had restructured them into organized regiments, closely mirroring the structure of the Auxilia.
Each regiment contained standard Voidsmen squads, heavy weapon squads, and breacher squads. They were not confined to a single vessel; instead, the regiment was distributed across an entire battlegroup, responsible for multiple ships. This ensured that every vessel under their watch had trained personnel ready for any boarding threat. It also simplified command and logistics, allowing the central command to quickly determine the number of Voidsmen assigned to each ship and streamline resupply and reinforcement.
Ovlesser's role, therefore, was not to lead fleets but to coordinate these human assets, ensuring that each admiral received the Voidsmen support necessary for their mission—precisely what Admiral Octavia would require when the Plague Fleet attempted to board her ships.
As the vanguard fleet began to link up with the Dark Knights and prepare for warp translation, Revil turned back to the assembled Admirals.
"Make haste," he ordered, his voice carrying across the chamber. "Accelerate preparations. The faster we are ready, the sooner we can sail and bring the fight to the traitors."