Chapter 42: Starport Completed, Banshee Fighters
Warden Loran followed half a step behind Lucan. Although it was his first time meeting Lucan, this new Rogue Trader, from the combat suit Lucan himself wore and the uniformly combat-suit-clad soldiers around him, he knew Lucan's strength was considerable.
This was definitely not some figurehead propped up temporarily in the Rogue Trader's position; he was nothing like the opportunistic usurper portrayed in propaganda. Loran now congratulated himself for not throwing his lot in with the opposition.
He was in no position to question Ludwig's death; he only knew that all he could do now was to satisfy all of Lucan's requests.
"It is truly wonderful that you have inherited the position of Rogue Trader! The Dynasty is saved! I have also completed the tasks you assigned me. A sufficiently large open area – I had my men clear out an excavated mine. Also, all the ore in the warehouses has been transported there with the help of those engineering machines you call SCVs. What do you need these things for?"
"You'll know soon enough."
Opening the airlock, Loran donned a protective suit. But as soon as he opened the main hatch, he froze on the spot.
"This is the D-16 mining area… I haven't come to the wrong place… By the God-Emperor, how is there such a massive structure here?"
Loran saw that the mining area, which originally had no buildings, now inexplicably housed an enormous structure.
The Starport, covering a full two square kilometers, had been completed in just two hours by the combined efforts of 100 SCVs.
"Loran! Tell all the prisoners to resume mining operations. If anyone is unwilling, report them to Purser Verre! We can save a bit of food that way."
"I… I understand. I'll see to it at once!"
Seeing the successfully completed Starport, Lucan was both excited and pained.
100,000 Psy-crystals and 5,000 tons of metal had gone into building this Starport. Unfortunately, after using the Psy-crystals, he had less than 40,000 remaining, otherwise, he could have built another Factory.
From this moment on, he had the capability to construct Battlecruisers that could travel without needing the Warp.
However, this time Lucan wasn't planning to produce Battlecruisers. Even if he did, he wouldn't have enough crew to operate them.
What he intended to produce were Banshee fighters.
[Starport]
[Viking Fighter: 2 hours/unit, 40 tons metal]
[Medivac: 2 hours/unit, 40 tons metal]
[Liberator: 2 hours/unit, 40 tons metal]
[Raven: 2 hours/unit, 40 tons metal]
[Banshee Fighter: 2 hours/unit, 40 tons metal]
[Gorgon-class Battlecruiser: 15 days/ship, 1,000,000 tons metal]
Lucan could accept the stats for all the aerial units in the Starport. Even the Battlecruiser's production cycle was only 15 days. Though a Battlecruiser was only about the size of a Warhammer frigate, this production speed was like churning out dumplings. It was just that the required metal was a bit much.
And Lucan couldn't wait 15 days right now!
Two already completed Banshees were parked nearby.
A continuous stream of ore was being fed into the Starport for Banshee fighter production.
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"Harlan, why do you think the Rogue Trader summoned us former fighter pilots? As far as I know, this cruiser doesn't have a fighter wing, does it?"
"Who knows? Maybe he wants to form his own fighter wing? It's no bad thing for us; this is our profession, after all. And we can earn more this way!
We can get 100 Thrones a month now, which is much more than in the Navy!
Besides, you all saw that last battle. Being able to follow a powerful Rogue Trader is a good thing for us.
Have you heard? It seems we can also try out for the Raiders. If selected, not only does the pay and living rations double, but we also get to wear that combat suit. Just thinking about it is exciting!
Our physical and combat abilities can't match those Marines, but maybe this is our chance to turn things around!"
Harlan wasn't worried like the others; he was even a little excited.
"Money isn't everything! All for the God-Emperor! But having said that, the danger level will definitely be much higher than our current jobs! Rogue Traders aren't like the Navy. Back then, we always flew out in several squadrons, covering each other. With just thirty of us, we can barely form a single squadron!
I think I can still serve the God-Emperor for a while longer; I'm not ready to return my soul to the Golden Throne just yet!"
"Keep your voice down! If an officer hears you talking like that, you'll be punished!"
Verre had found a total of 30 pilots among the ex-Navy personnel who could fly fighters. Verre had summoned all of them together.
With apprehensive hearts, these pilots arrived at the assembly point.
Lucan was already waiting for them. When these pilots saw it was Lucan himself meeting them, they immediately dropped their playful expressions.
"Captain! We are reporting to you as ordered!"
"Gentlemen, those who have forsaken the God-Emperor are wreaking havoc on His land. And those planetary defense cannons on the ground are preventing my warriors from supporting my capital world."
Upon hearing this, the pilots looked at each other.
"Then, why have you summoned us, Captain…"
"I need you to pilot these fighters and destroy those ground cannons to open a path for the follow-up forces!"
Hearing Lucan's request, many couldn't help but gasp.
Just this handful of them, to break through ground defenses and destroy orbital defense batteries?
In their eyes, this was sending them to their deaths… Those anti-aircraft batteries were no mere decorations.
"Captain, as soldiers, we are bound to carry out any order you give. We do not fear death; to sacrifice ourselves for the God-Emperor, to die in battle for the God-Emperor, is an honor.
However, this mission has no possibility of success. Even if you brought the Imperium's best fighter pilots here, it would be impossible for a force of thirty to destroy the entire planetary orbital defense network of a hive world!
Besides, we don't even have any fighters!" Harlan was the first to step forward and speak.
"I am not giving you a suicide mission. I have already prepared the fighters for you. Your mission is not to completely destroy, but to paralyze them and render them incapable of attacking. As long as you survive and complete the mission, your ranks will be promoted, and your pay will be doubled!"
"We have fighters?"
"We do!"
When Harlan and the other pilots saw the Starport, their jaws dropped. Parked outside the Starport were three brand-new Banshee fighters.
And just then, another Banshee fighter was produced.
"An STC?"
They had heard of the value of STCs; such things were like legendary holy relics to them. They hadn't expected Lucan to possess such a thing!
The matter of the Barracks had been kept secret from ordinary soldiers.
"Captain! What kind of fighter is this? We've never seen one like it…"
"This fighter is called the Banshee! You have five days to familiarize yourselves with it!"
Over the course of three days, Harlan and his comrades familiarized themselves with all the operations of the Banshee.
Thanks to their previous experience piloting fighters, they learned very quickly.
Every time Harlan saw a Banshee disappear before his eyes, he found it incredible.
When cloaked, the Banshee completely vanished from augur arrays as well.
If Harlan hadn't walked up and physically touched the vanished Banshee, he would have truly believed it was gone.
He had never seen such cloaking technology, and this fighter's power source could allow the Banshee to remain cloaked continuously for two hours.
The Banshee fighter's vertical turbine fans were also quiet enough to provide sufficient stealth.
And after testing, the Banshee's internal plasteel high-explosive warheads could easily destroy ceramite armor and warship hulls.
After all, in the StarCraft universe, this thing could penetrate Protoss energy shields and Zerg biological armor.
The execution of this plan was set for two days later, by which time the required number of Banshee fighters would also have been produced.
(End of Chapter)