"I have an idea."
Just as Quaelen was considering the execution of a decapitation strategy, Adam's voice came through.
Quaelen raised an eyebrow at Adam's image on the comm screen, intrigued to hear his plan.
"The Tyron Sector widely deploys an orbital defense platform."
"These platforms, like our warships, have energy shields, particle lances… but most crucially, their shield systems are linked."
"A single large device regulates the shield energy for each platform, redistributing it when one platform's shield weakens."
Quaelen briefly wondered why Adam would bring up defense platforms now but quickly caught on.
"You're suggesting we deploy defense platforms around the swarm fleet?" Quaelen asked.
"Precisely," Adam replied, his gaze fixed on the swarm fleet, which remained unperturbed by their presence, intent on whatever purpose drove them.
These organic warships, stretching as far as the eye could see, were intimidating in their sheer numbers alone, regardless of their actual capabilities.
"Our best chance lies in a decapitation strike, approaching the primary bioship and taking it down."
"But with so many of them, we risk annihilation before even reaching the target. However, with defensive platforms supporting us, that could change."
"My plan is to deploy the platforms incrementally as we advance, establishing a fortified approach to the bioship."
Adam continued with his proposal.
"Building defenses as we go… a trench war in the void?" Quaelen's eyes brightened, but he quickly grew skeptical. "But how quickly can you build a platform?"
"Quickly," Adam replied with just that single word.
If anyone else had said it, Quaelen would have been doubtful, but if Adam of the Tyron Fleet said it, there was reason to believe. Adam was no idle talker.
Quaelen approved the tactic and began to devise the finer details, such as the fleet formation during the advance.
Against a swarm fleet, all ships needed to move as one, unified and cohesive, rather than fragmenting into separate engagements.
Unified, much like the Chaos fleet had been when it charged the Celestial Engine at the Battle of Cadia.
In such tactical subtleties, Quaelen's experience outmatched Adam's. Once he'd devised his strategy, he relayed the commands.
The Imperial and Tyron fleets aligned, with escort and cruiser-class ships guarding the perimeter and the larger warships and orbital dock positioned at the center.
Quaelen also organized a reserve squadron to support any section overwhelmed by a concentrated assault.
The ships adjusted swiftly, taking their assigned positions and headings before inching forward toward the swarm fleet.
The swarm was initially indifferent to this small human fleet, preferring to conserve biomass to create fresh forces for an assault on Baal. Yet, as the human vessels approached, the swarm could no longer ignore them.
The bioship began to maneuver in the opposite direction, while various types of organic warships closed ranks and charged at the human fleet.
Seeing the grotesque mass of tendriled monstrosities advancing, Quaelen longed for past adversaries, preferring rebels and xenos fleets that, at least, didn't align so tightly in organized ranks like the swarm.
As they advanced, Tyron ships shifted their particle lances to long-range mode, offering weaker but extended-range fire to thin the swarm ranks.
Thin beams lanced past Quaelen's heavy cruiser, but no immediate destruction could be observed; the swarm ships were distant, and from the bridge, the swarm appeared as an indistinct, writhing horde.
Adam, directly linked to his ship's systems, could see more clearly through its observatory, noting the swarm's lack of shielding but formidable chitinous armor that rendered the long-range lances ineffective.
Data confirmed his observations; the biowarships' chitin was at least thirty meters thick.
It was not unexpected. Adam hadn't anticipated clearing the swarm ranks at long range. Against so vast an enemy force, arc weaponry was paramount.
The chitin shells were insulating, yet the biowarships weren't fully encapsulated in seamless armor.
"The defense platform is complete, ready for deployment," a communications officer reported, relaying information from the orbital dock.
Adam nodded silently, watching the fleets draw nearer.
After half a solar hour of closing distance, the swarm fleet initiated its assault.
Pulses of green bile sprayed from cannon-like organs on the biowarships, blocked by the void or energy shields.
Smaller organic drones, resembling fighter craft, emerged from within the swarm, darting through lance fire and macro cannon shells to strike the human fleet with explosive bioweapon projectiles.
The defensive guns of the Imperial and Tyron escort vessels opened fire, intercepting the attackers.
Though human carriers had their own fighter crafts, neither Adam nor Quaelen wished to deploy them. The swarm drones were staggeringly agile, capable of 180-degree turns in an instant, and would likely tear through the fighters.
Moreover, close-range weaponry was already holding off the insectoid drones.
The swarm approached arc weapon range, and the cruisers, heavy cruisers, and battleships of the Tyron Fleet began to unleash their arcs.
Though not as expansive as the storm of arcs unleashed at Cadia, the electric discharge was no less lethal, instantly clearing the forward ranks of the swarm's Hornet-class escorts within range.
None of the cruiser-class biowarships were destroyed, however; the swarm had strategically sacrificed the escorts to gauge human firepower.
Satisfied with the result, the cruiser-class biowarships surged ahead with renewed speed.
"Order the arc arrays on the orbital dock to fire," Adam commanded. "This will be our only opportunity before the battle descends into chaos."
The command was swiftly relayed.
The orbital dock rotated into position above the fleet, aligning its arc arrays toward the oncoming swarm.
Brilliant arcs of golden light illuminated half the system, forming an electric sea above the fleet and surging toward the swarm.
Over a thousand biowarships within range—including escorts, devourers, and more—were instantly paralyzed as the electric tide washed over them, their remains drifting as lifeless wreckage in space.
The orbital dock descended, repositioning at the fleet's center, while the arc arrays began recharging for the next assault.