My Children Swarm the Cosmos

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟓𝟖: 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐫𝐚 (3)

In the Hecartra star system, hostilities were initiated with a surprise attack by the Chimeraz. On each planet, immense structures generated gravitational fields that constrained the fleets, while ground-based Organic Accelerator Cannons stripped away the shields of the vessels.

Each Chimeraz fleet unleashed swarms of Cresecters.

Their chilling red eyes glimmering, the Cresecters rapidly spread out like a cloud of locusts, dotting the dark nebula with crimson specks. The concentrated red plasma bursts spewing from their abdomens were threatening enough.

Meanwhile, the Euryale and Lemegeton dreadnoughts spared no effort in unleashing their Organic Accelerator Cannons, focusing their fire on the collective shields of the enemy vessels.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

A massive swarm of Crepitus deployed by the Lemegeton and Euryale charged forward. They detonated endlessly upon impact with the shields.

Faced with the surprise attack, the fleet eventually determined that it could no longer sustain the collective shield output, prompting them to launch a barrage of cannon fire and deploy their fighters.

With their shields down, the fleets engaged in direct combat, exchanging fire. The firepower of the UNF fleet was precise enough to pose a threat even to the highly maneuverable Crepitus.

Boom!

The Crepitus, though perishing under the cannon fire, continued their relentless advance. They engaged the fighters while enduring the cannon fire from the Lemegeton.

The UNF capital ships soon launched their missiles. The nuclear missiles equipped with shields proved effective against nearby enemies in fleet engagements.

Throughout the cosmos, nuclear explosions erupted like radiant suns, causing widespread incineration of unmanned fighter squadrons and Cresecter swarms.

However, the Cresecters were a horrifying presence that blanketed space. Their numbers, resembling ghastly apparitions, showed no signs of diminishing.

Furthermore, new Chimeraz spacecraft, targeting the ships directly, emerged from the dark recesses.

They were the Fleetcuppers and Shockphonias.

Half the size of the Lemegeton, the Fleetcuppers resembled tentacled creatures with gaping, diamond-shaped snouts.

They were cruisers intended to supplement the Lemegeton’s deficient firepower and functioned as heavily armed assault fighters operating exclusively in space.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

From the eleven ventral cannons, the Fleetcuppers launched solid tungsten bio-projectiles, while a single dorsal cannon emitted a spiraling, bluish-green trajectory, courtesy of an Organic Magnetic Accelerator Cannon armed with a neutron weapon.

Faced with the Chimeraz’s novel particle weaponry, the fleets were drawn into a firefight. While human vessels had previously enjoyed a unilateral advantage in terms of firepower, the emergence of the Fleetcupper swarms had nearly equalized the firepower on both sides.

Simultaneously bolstering their long-range fleet firepower with the Fleetcuppers, the Chimeraz further strengthened their signature close-quarters fleet combat with the Shockphonias.

The Shockphonias were a sub-species derived from the Fleetcuppers. Slightly larger in size compared to the Fleetcuppers, they closely resembled heavy assault ships according to human vessel classifications.

The Shockphonia, a heavily armored, high-speed spacecraft, sported a snout similar to the Fleetcupper’s, albeit with a considerably thicker exoskeleton and more developed tentacles.

➖A new type of Chimeraz spacecraft approaching!

The Shockphonia swarms, alongside the Crepitus swarms, charged forward, enduring the enemy fire.

However, the Shockphonias were creatures devoid of any cannons and lacked the Crepitus’ potent self-destruction capability.

Bam! Bam! Thud!

The Shockphonias, having safely reached the immediate vicinity of the enemy vessels, simultaneously extended the tentacles attached to their bodies, piercing straight through the enemy vessel’s armor.

“The Chimeraz have infiltrated!”

“Internal pressure dropping!”

“Move to the flight deck!”

Vessels with insufficient shield output or those that had exhausted their cannon resources intercepting Crepitus fell victim to the Shockphonia assault.

The gigantic tentacles that infiltrated the vessel’s interior divided at an astonishing rate, effectively ‘infecting’ the vessel.

“It’s Chimeraz matter! Incinerate it!”

Swoosh!

The tentacles that had infiltrated the vessel slithered relentlessly across the floor, walls, and ceiling, akin to the capillaries of a monster, indiscriminately creating holes and spewing forth Xenotera.

The soldiers stationed within the vessel resisted with flamethrowers emitting blue flames. However, the spreading black organic tissue within the vessel behaved like proliferating cancer cells, relentlessly attacking everything in its path, regardless of whether it was animate or inanimate, be it the armory, hangar, bridge, or engine room.

“Aaagh!”

“W-We’re all going to die! . . . We need to get to the escape pods!”

Those not wearing combat suits succumbed to the Chimeraz’s pervasive virus, their skin melting like tar as they collapsed. Subsequently, the motile organic tissue and Xenotera would engulf their corpses, further multiplying their numbers.

Rumble!

Metallic machines such as gun turrets, humanoids, and drones were not spared either. The organic tissue, having already spread throughout the vessel’s interior, recognized nearby enemies and swiftly mutated its form to adapt to their specific characteristics and armaments.

Clang!

It would either swing tentacles tipped with blades or spew the ionized digestive fluid of the more formidable Puker, thereby destroying the machines.