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the talons of a great cat； and a low hiss of anticipation passed its lips as it waited for its dark kin to
arrive in response to its summons。 It did not have to wait long。
A ball of lightning appeared； hanging in mid…air for a fraction of a second before it exploded
outwards； blinding those nearby with the sudden burst of energy and throwing them to the ground。
The crackling energy was gone in an instant； and an impenetrable void was left in its wake。 It was
like an inky black pool of water； though it was vertical and hung in mid…air； a plane of absolute
darkness no thicker than a single molecule。
Ripples appeared across its surface； as if a pebble had been tossed into its centre； and whining
shapes sped from the rent in real space； hurtling up the access corridor at tremendous speed。 They
screamed overhead； slicing like knives through the darkness。 Blades cut through flesh； and hot blood
splattered into the faces of hundreds of people； who screamed in terror。 Many threw themselves to
12
the ground in fear and were trampled to death by their brothers； sisters and wives in their panic to
escape。 However； with no lights； and with the tunnel packed from wall to wall with terrified people；
there was nowhere to run。
The spotlights atop the armoured Skyllan Interdiction vehicle turned frantically； trying to lock
onto the enemies that screamed past them； but they could only hold the speeding shapes in the light
for a fraction of a second。 A shape dropped from the ceiling； landing lightly atop the vehicle； and the
troopers saw a shadowy blur in the rough outline of a humanoid figure perched on the roof of the
armoured car before the spotlights were shattered。
The panicked troopers manning the turret…mounted heavy bolters opened fire into the darkness；
and muzzle flare lit the area。
A sleek black shape hurtled past； and the mercenaries chased it with high…explosive rounds。
They hit nothing but the walls and pillars of the tunnel； ripping away head…sized chunks of
rockcrete。
The troopers’ mastiffs had erupted into frantic barking and were fighting at their chains。 Their
masters turned around on the spot； laslocks held to shoulders as they struggled to sight the enemy。
Dark shapes were zooming through the tunnel； but the troopers’ targeting systems were unable to
lock onto the targets。
There was a blur of movement and one of the troopers was sliced open from groin to throat。 He
squeezed the trigger of his weapon as he fell； blasting into the crowd of surging people； cutting
several of them down。
People screamed and ran as the sounds of gunfire echoed deafeningly； fighting each other in
their desperation to get to safety。 The other troopers turned left and right； trying desperately to hold
their targets in sight。 A shape screamed overhead； and a trooper’s head was severed from its body。
The shape was a hundred metres further up the tunnel before the head hit the ground。
Streams of tiny bladed splinters spat out of the darkness towards the mercenaries manning the
turret of the armoured vehicle。 The razor…sharp shards sliced through their armour and flesh； and
blood sprayed out across their pristine white armour。
Their gun silenced； the darkness was once more complete。 Screams of terror and pain
accompanied the speeding shapes； invisible in the darkness； as they cut through the air。 There was a
sudden gust of displaced air as another high…speed carriage screamed along the tracks in the middle
of the tunnel； the lights from within the automated； servitor…controlled conveyance shining brightly；
sending shadows dancing。
Tall…helmeted figures were visible in the flash of light； dragging people kicking and screaming
back into the darkness。
A beam of pure darkness stabbed into the high…speed transport； rocking it。 The beam tore
through the fore…carriage； cutting through the engine block； seats and half a dozen occupants before
passing through the roof； leaving a scorched black ring on the ceiling of the tunnel。
Two more searing beams struck it； and the front carriage was knocked off the rails。 With the
squealing of protesting metal； it slammed into the side…barriers； tearing through them in a shower of
sparks。 Striking the raised platform at speed； the conveyance tilted up on its nose； and the second
and third carriages buckled behind it and rolled onto their sides。
The whole machine flipped onto its side and smashed over the platform’s edge； tearing the
barrier fully away and smashing through the surging masses。 Hundreds were crushed as the
carriages flipped across the platform to the sickening sound of metal being wrenched out of shape
and scraping across the hard platform surface。 It slammed into the tunnel wall； crushing more people
between its bulk and the rockcrete walls； and finally came to rest。 Electricity discharged across
mined metal wheels and sparked from the rails that had been half…ripped from the floor。
In the wake of the mayhem and silhouetted against the sparks； more black figures advanced
through the press of bodies； smashing people to the ground with sharp blows before dragging their
semi…conscious bodies back into the darkness。
13
Mastiffs yelped as they were torn to shreds by concentrated bursts of deadly fire。 A blurred
shape； little more than a vague； hazy outline； moved like quicksilver through the press of humanity；
slicing and cutting； and the last of the Skyllan Indictment Forces were slaughtered without holding
any of the enemy in their sights long enough to fire upon them。
A trio of shapes； in tight formation and moving impossibly fast； veered around the wreckage of
the mined rail conveyance； banking over the heads of the terrified masses as they screamed towards
the rear of the Catalan…class armoured vehicle。 It was peppered with spitting gunfire and detonated
as its fuel tanks ruptured； exploding in a blinding fireball that hurled the vehicle across the seething
platform。
The three sleek shapes sped through the inferno unscathed and gunned their engines； hurtling
once more up the tunnel into the darkness； travelling hundreds of metres in seconds。
The blades of the turbine fans began to spin once more； and the strip lights flickered falteringly
before humming back into life。 The carnage unleashed in the last twenty minutes was revealed under
the cold light of the glow…strips。
Hundreds of bodies were strewn across the floor； blood pooling beneath them where they had
fallen。 The blackened shell of the Catalan…class vehicle was upside down against a wall； pinning half
a dozen charred corpses beneath it。 Sparks burst intermittently from the rails； which had buckled and
been torn from their housings。
The ruin of the conveyance’s carriages was testament to its speed when it had crashed； for they
were wrenched out of shape； and their plasglass windows were shattered ruins。 Its curved roof had
been half ripped off； and the shattered barrier it had crashed through was twisted beneath it。 Bodies；
their heads smashed and limbs severed； were spread around the wreck； either crushed when the
conveyance rolled off the tracks； or thrown from their seats inside。 Blackened holes the size of fists
showed where the vehicle had been struck by dark…matter weapons。
There was no sign of any living thing within the tunnel； and not one of the corpses twitched or
groaned。 Where earlier the tunnel had seethed with life； now it was utterly bereft； and the only
sounds were the humming of the strip lights； the reverberations of the recycle units and the odd
spark from the mined tracks。
Of the thousands of people not slain； there was no sign。 Nor was there any sign of their
attackers。 Only the carnage left in their wake was evidence of their having existed at all。
14
CHAPTER TWO
Staring through the twenty…metre wide observation portal of the bridge； Admiral Rutger Augustine
looked out over the vast length of his flagship vessel； the mighty Retribution…class battleship
Hammer of Righteousness。
She looked like an immense； armoured Imperial cathedral； majestic and of such a scale as to be
almost incomprehensible。 Six kilometres from stern to prow； hundreds of spires ran along her
length； joined together by flying buttresses and archways； and she bristled with the finest weapon
systems that the Imperial Navy could boast。
Hundreds of close…range turrets were set across her armoured hull； each the size of four superheavy
battle tanks； and a dozen torpedo tubes； each gaping almost forty metres wide； were inset into
her sweeping； massively armoured prow。 It was in her broadside batteries； however； that the
Hammer of Righteousness’s true power lay。
Running almost the complete length of the battleship； the starboard and port batteries were
capable of unleashing an incredible amount of firepower； easily enough to cripple even the largest
warship with a single barrage； or lay waste to entire continents if she entered the upper atmosphere
of a rebellious planet。 Indeed； the resistance of entire planets had crumpled merely at her appearance
in their sub…system； fearful of the wrath that she could unleash。
Tens of thousands of indentured workers and servitors slaved within the confined gun decks to
load and ready the batteries for firing； and Admiral Augusti